Budget USB DAC

[keith_correa]

Let me tell you a secret..minishow and weiliang both are the same guy...it took me so much time to figure this out

The funny part is I asked same question to weiliang ($134 dac) and minishow ($150 - Completed Newest Xmos U8 Parallel AK4399 USB DAC 24B 192K Plus Headphone Amp Out | eBay), I received reply from weiliang only...the question was ....how good or bad one dac is when compared to the other?

I never received a reply from minishow but weiliang confirmed that both the products are same :lol:

So 2 sellers are selling the same product - weilang for $134 and minishow for $150. You asked a same question to both and the person who was selling it for less than the other was replied that both products were the same. The person who was selling it for more did not reply. How does that make minishow and weilang the same person?

 

[saikatbiswas82]

So 2 sellers are selling the same product - weilang for $134 and minishow for $150. You asked a same question to both and the person who was selling it for less than the other was replied that both products were the same. The person who was selling it for more did not reply. How does that make minishow and weilang the same person?

Check ebay, aliexpress and head-fi...it will take time but eventually it would be evident.

Disclaimer: my previous and current statements are IMHO only.

 

[srisaikat]

This looks promising... 4 trafos ...that's sexy. BTW...did you try gustard ever?

I never tried any Gustard ever, also I am not aware of any Gustard DAC with R-2R architecture.

Till now never found any DAC (whatever I tried) which sound more pleasing or easy like my Philips CD165 which was TDA1545 based. I now believe that was the magic because of passive structure components (R-2R) built chip.

 

[keith_correa]

Disclaimer: my previous and current statements are IMHO only.

Oh, it was an opinion. Now I understand. Thanks!

 

[saikatbiswas82]

I never tried any Gustard ever, also I am not aware of any Gustard DAC with R-2R architecture.

Till now never found any DAC (whatever I tried) which sound more pleasing or easy like my Philips CD165 which was TDA1545 based. I now believe that was the magic because of passive structure components (R-2R) built chip.

Thanks a lot. I will google for TDA1545.

 

[srisaikat]

Thanks a lot. I will google for TDA1545.

Google for Philips TDA1541, TDA1543 and TDA1545 (and their variants) also...

I find a article about TDA1541 (TDA1541A) where a bold statement made by it's writer- "reading is not understanding"

Little elaborate - "The fact that digitally speaking the chip can "understand the word -length of 24 bits" does not guarantee, that after reading it will output music of equally great nuance resolution. Remember - reading is not understanding."

Just like, if you know a language you can read any books written with that.......... but fully comprehension it's intended matter demands different type of capability or merit.

That's why a latest cheapo (or even costly one) DVD/BDP player with 24bit DAC does not guarantee better analog output than some 16bit ACD player of 80s (Marantz, Philips, Sony........), so do not get washed away so easily by those 24bit/32 bit..... buzzword at least for audio.

 

[saikatbiswas82]

Google for Philips TDA1541, TDA1543 and TDA1545 (and their variants) also...

I find a article about TDA1541 (TDA1541A) where a bold statement made by it's writer- "reading is not understanding"

Little elaborate - "The fact that digitally speaking the chip can "understand the word -length of 24 bits" does not guarantee, that after reading it will output music of equally great nuance resolution. Remember - reading is not understanding."

Just like, if you know a language you can read any books written with that.......... but fully comprehension it's intended matter demands different type of capability or merit.

That's why a latest cheapo (or even costly one) DVD/BDP player with 24bit DAC does not guarantee better analog output than some 16bit ACD player of 80s (Marantz, Philips, Sony........), so do not get washed away so easily by those 24bit/32 bit..... buzzword at least for audio.

True...very true...this has been even elaborated in schiit YGGDRASIL specs page as well.

I have been following your dac journey for quite a long time. I was just wondering how much time it might take to see an Antelope in your stable.

 

[saikatbiswas82]

Oh, it was an opinion. Now I understand. Thanks!

Probably this thread might give some clarity on minishow and weiliang

 

[0verkilled]

weiliang_audio is a different guy, I got a response from him and his name is Jim
minishow0328 may be weiliang himself, I gave minishow a link of a DAC from some other seller and he said that it is a copy and only he sells the original DACs designed by weiliang

reading is not understanding - in the diy audio forum, I read that the single AK4399 and the parallel AK4399 have same output stage (or something similar) and that there is no perceivable difference between the two. I just read it and never understood

Im still waiting for FM sarith's response, I will make decision after he responds.

 

[saheb11123]

paralleling dac chips only increases output current drive, thus in turn enabling it handle the output load more easily, it doesnt increase gain. Follow the dddac thread where a lot of chips have been parallel/stacked