TDA1541A NOS DAC

[Zleepy]

A while ago I bought a DAC kit from Vlad here on this forum. I finally got the time to put the parts into an enclosure I had lying in the attic. The amount of work needed to drill necessary holes into the enclosure surprised me as usual but it's done and the result is rather fantastic! 

I got the DAC ready for a get together with my audio buddies and this DAC won their harts completely.

It has really surprised me as well and it's scary how close it is in performance to my musical paradise tube dac. With vocals this 30 year old DAC chip betters the fancy pants MP DAC.

It does not really lack in any other areas either. It's weirdly smooth and detailed at the same time. In comparison the MP sounds a smidge clearer but it's really close. Uncomfortably close. The MP has output caps costing as much as the whole kit did... 

I did not think this thing could sound this good with such a simple output stage.

Well done Vlad! 

/Karl

[wenig watt]

Looks great! And sonically I experienced the same with his Phono Pre. Vlad seems to know how to do it simply and well.

Best regards

Arndt

[vlad1980]

Hi Karl,

I like very much your enclosure and the way it looks with tubes outside. 

I am happy that you like this DAC.
TDA1541A in NOS mode is really fantastic.
The tube output can be improved by changing the output capacitors and upgrade the power supply. I recommend to start with output capacitors. 

Regards,
Vlad

A while ago I bought a DAC kit from Vlad here on this forum. I finally got the time to put the parts into an enclosure I had lying in the attic. The amount of work needed to drill necessary holes into the enclosure surprised me as usual but it's done and the result is rather fantastic! 

I got the DAC ready for a get together with my audio buddies and this DAC won their harts completely.

It has really surprised me as well and it's scary how close it is in performance to my musical paradise tube dac. With vocals this 30 year old DAC chip betters the fancy pants MP DAC.

It does not really lack in any other areas either. It's weirdly smooth and detailed at the same time. In comparison the MP sounds a smidge clearer but it's really close. Uncomfortably close. The MP has output caps costing as much as the whole kit did... 

I did not think this thing could sound this good with such a simple output stage.

Well done Vlad! 

/Karl

[mred]

Nice build.
I didn't know about this kit.
Anyblinls to more info about Vlad's offerings?

[Bencat]

That looks a very nice DAC and valve output should help with getting the final sound quality to be smoother and less harsh than some digital only DAC's . Would you say the build was easy even if you have very sparce electrical knowledge ?

[vlad1980]

Hi,

I will answer to your question. The kit is turn-key and all the components are soldered. You have to do the wiring and to put the kit in one nice enclosure.

I am happy to respond if you have other questions.

Regards,

Vlad

That looks a very nice DAC and valve output should help with getting the final sound quality to be smoother and less harsh than some digital only DAC's . Would you say the build was easy even if you have very sparce electrical knowledge ?

[timelog]

That looks a very nice DAC and valve output should help with getting the final sound quality to be smoother and less harsh than some digital only DAC's.

It's also possible try to update output stage with 1) another opamp or with tube circuit & 2) some polypropylene condensators on signal path. Harsh sound with CD is typical for distortion generated way or another by aplification stages on path DAC to power amp  as CD as source it self is Ok.

There is lot mods presented by

   http://lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/CD_ALPHABETICAL.html

and

   https://maoaudiolab.blogspot.com/

[hatehifi]

Here is my Vlad DAC…
Finally friend Christian got around to putting it into a proper enclosure! 

It ‘beats’ my CEC CDP and Atoll dac100 straight off. Both electronics and tubes need to burn in I am sure.

It already presents a very analog staging and when Little Feats Waiting for Columbus’ bass set in, wham!, it sounded like the bass line simply flooded my room with not a touch of over doing it.

 


Thanks Vlad!

Cheers!

[zerowaf]

How nice!!!!
Haven´t seen this thread before.

TDA1541 and tube output..... Almost as vinyl!
Long time ago I made a lampization of an old Philips CDP along with better filtration for the chips inside.
Have no doubt that this standalone DAC would surpas my dot connecting DIY job, just want to say that when in doubt then TDA1541 and tubes could be the digital answer.

[mred]

Nice builds gentleman.
Looks to be a great design by Vlad.
Thanks for sharing, makes me very tempted , but I have bit much on my plate these days. 

[vlad1980]

Hi,

I like the enclosure, looks very good.

I am glad that you like this DAC. I have tested a lot of DACs in this price range and I can say that this is the best.
TDA1541A is my favorite

Have fun and listen good music!

Best,
Vlad

Here is my Vlad DAC…
Finally friend Christian got around to putting it into a proper enclosure! 

It ‘beats’ my CEC CDP and Atoll dac100 straight off. Both electronics and tubes need to burn in I am sure.

It already presents a very analog staging and when Little Feats Waiting for Columbus’ bass set in, wham!, it sounded like the bass line simply flooded my room with not a touch of over doing it.

 


Thanks Vlad!

Cheers!

[hatehifi]

How nice!!!!
Haven´t seen this thread before.

TDA1541 and tube output..... Almost as vinyl!
…

I am having a grand time! With only about a hour‘s play it really does ‘sound’ analog, quite like my Supex 901S (DUAL CS701)/Gryphon PS1 combo. Simply mellow with lots and lots of details. “Clues,” Srajan writes. Without too much info with which one, at least me, gets distracted from truly listening to the artist.

I’ve patched in my laptop (Audirvāna, Douk, Vlad), and put on Joni Mitchell’s Joni 75, a, imho, superb live recording with various artists. Seal is, “looking at life,” and I am literally close to tears. Yes, I’m a whiner, cry when touched by music.

Yes, I can hear that more high end caps would jiffy up presentation but tbh, I’m quite satisfied for now and likely forever.

Thanks again Vlad.

Cheers!



  

[vlad1980]

For a small improvement you can replace the WIMA 0,33 output caps with Mundorf EVO Oil caps.

Regards,
Vlad

I am having a grand time! With only about a hour‘s play it really does ‘sound’ analog, quite like my Supex 901S (DUAL CS701)/Gryphon PS1 combo. Simply mellow with lots and lots of details. “Clues,” Srajan writes. Without too much info with which one, at least me, gets distracted from truly listening to the artist.

I’ve patched in my laptop (Audirvāna, Douk, Vlad), and put on Joni Mitchell’s Joni 75, a, imho, superb live recording with various artists. Seal is, “looking at life,” and I am literally close to tears. Yes, I’m a winer, cry when touched by music.

Yes, I can hear that more high end caps would jiffy up presentation but tbh, I’m quite satisfied for now and likely forever.

Thanks again Vlad.

Cheers!



  

[hatehifi]

 

Cheers!

PS: just ordered the caps 

[hatehifi]

Installed the caps (and added the digital out to my Parks Puffin DSP), and have meanwhile run them with about 15 hours signal knowing that they need long to break in. As Vlad mentioned, a slight but for me important improvement. Already I notice a bit more clarity, cleanliness, if you so will.

As you see, my Atoll DAC100 is acting as a digital switch from its three SPDIF inputs: one for my laptop/Duke, another for my Puffin (hooked through my preamp’s tape loop), and lastly, tada!, an audiolab 6000CDT CD drive, to hopefully arrive inside a week.

I spent lots of time reading up on devoted drive units and high-end CDPs and landed here. It got a rave review in the Net ( https://theaudiophileman.com/6000cdt-cd-transport-from-audiolab/ ). My C.E.C.‘s CD3300’s SPDIF sounds ‘great’ but I’m still a bound for sound guy. The audiolab has a slot drive which might trouble some but upon further investigation I found that Spectral is using [likely the same?] such in their CDP. As I once owned their SDR-1000 with the metal Philips PRO laser and imho, those guys know how to make music, I’m not worrying.

So, I’ll be back with an update.

Cheers!