audio-talk

just bought an arcam delta 170.3 transport for a nice price, (220 quid), and wondered about a dac for it.

I dont do digital most of the time, and have been using a modded philips cd371 for a couple of years. Thats got a tda1541 in it.

I had a 170.3, it was mi dads originally, bought new in 1993, and was peed in by a cat that used to spray all the time. The cat also killed a linn pretek and a linn Powertek amp during the 90s.
Really.
By 99 it was ruined and consigned to the tip. It got put down the cellar out of the way and forgotten about. I rescued it in 2004, cleaned it all up and fixed it. It was never completely reliable, but it always sounded lovely. I used it with several dacs, a black box 3, and a musical fidelity x24k and something else, i think it was a dpa thing, until it finally died around 2006.

I am completely out of touch with digital.
i have a beresford tc7510 somewhere that greg kindly donated to me a couple of years ago to go with a squeezebox, and a dac in a bicuit tin that neal gave me to play with a couple of years ago. Its an Ak4493 or something like that

Does anyone have any suggestions on something to partner the delta? A bit of research shows me that dacs have moved on and on and on over the last couple of years, i havent a clue what i should be looking at.
Bear in mind, its just this transport ill be using, and there aint no usb. Im not sure usb had been invented when this transport was made....
Cheers ant

Topping seem to be a current favourite, lots of happy users.

DIY project or off-the-shelf commercial, Ant?

Also, are you looking for something that is flexible enough to be used with USB and the like down the line?

Ideally something plug and play, but im not averse to some swearing and magic smoke

Ant, I have one of these that you're welcome to?

https://www.fiio.de/en/headphone-amp-da ... in-content

or, if you're feeling a little flushed maybe a Soekris R2R?

http://www.soekris.dk/dac1321.html

Ant, have you tried the two DACs you were given ?

They may not be quite as good as today's offerings, but if you find out which of the two you prefer it will act as a valid comparison when something newer turns up.

Personally I'm using a Beresford Caiman SEG.

Well the problem is that the beresford wall wart has packed up, and i havent got one of the same ratings at the moment, and diy dac that neal gave me has had some bits robbed off it.
Ill have to have a look in the spares box for replacements

Ill have a look at that soekris ray, if i havent got the bits to replace the ones i robbed off neals dac ill drop you a pm

Ant wrote: ↑Fri Sep 18, 2020 7:23 pm Well the problem is that the beresford wall wart has packed up, and i haven't got one of the same ratings at the moment,

What is the rating Ant ?

I've got a box full of assorted warts.

Ant wrote: ↑Fri Sep 18, 2020 7:23 pm Ill have a look at that soekris ray, if i havent got the bits to replace the ones i robbed off neals dac ill drop you a pm

Check out the others on the Soekris site too Ant, maybe the DAM1021 as a DIY project - very simple to utilise, just a small toroid and an spdif socket should be enough if you have a box to put it in? Lots of choice around the digital filters and plenty of scope for upgrades too.

Just fixed the dac neal gave me, i did have some replacement bits
Just testing it with the squeezebox and it seems to work.
Ak4493 dac by the looks of it
Ill have a good look at the site ray, the little bit i scanned looked interesting if somewhat over my head
Ill check what the wall wart is Phil, ill have to dig it out

ah bugger, neals dac has started cutting out and making a pulsing noise after about half an hour
Shall have to investigate further

Could be an AK4393 Ant, I have one I made some years ago, it's in a Modushop case.

And another one (can't remember the chip) in a World Designs case.

I must try my old DACs and see how they sound.

I think Nick said (recently) that a proprietary chip (like the AK range) with a decent output stage was the way to go.

Just had a look and its got a cs4397 in it, not sure why its cutting out though i cant see anything suspect anywhere.
But i could be staring straight at a problem and not know it when it comes to these things

pre65 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 18, 2020 9:19 pm I think Nick said (recently) that a proprietary chip (like the AK range) with a decent output stage was the way to go.

Not quite

Nick wrote: ↑Fri Sep 04, 2020 9:27 pm After much messing with different DAC's I found the solution that worked for me was an off the shelf DAC chip put together with a simple valve balanced analgue stage combined with taking care about isolating stages and using lot of regulators on the chip (one per supply line). I lost interest after that

Ant, I’ve got an upgraded (Gatorised) Beresford Caiman II available. The upgrade was done by Stanley himself and effectively it is a Seg. In perfect condition, silver faceplate. PM me if you are interested.