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Primalsea
29-12-2009, 20:49
I've had this a while but was never completely satisfied with it especially after a AB comparison with a mates Marantz CD12/CDA12. The stock output stage was fairly bad, the balanced output stage killed dynamics, something I find when you have loads of OPMPS and feedback networks. The unbalanced stage was fairly bad to with a similar complaint. I tried a few different OPAMP configurations but have eventually settled on a Point to Point wired discrete Class A OPAMP stage and got rid of the balanced outputs all together. I think balanced connections can be good but if not done well they are crap and easily bettered by even mediocre unbalanced stages. I could have made up 2 more discrete stages and with a little more complexity could have retained the balanced outputs but as I dont have a pre amp wit balanced inputs I didn't bother.

Fired it up for a test tonight and it certainly made me sit up and listen. Didn't seem to be put to shame by the DAC64:). I will have to listen a bit more but the discrete OPAMPS certianly seem to have a lot of promise.

Shame the thing is so dammed ugly! I used to have it bolted to the back of the Hifi cabinet out of sight when I used it all the time.

Intrestingly it also has a 96Khz 24bit A/D converter that puts out SPDIF. If I can fine an easy way to get the PC to accept SPDIF I might give it a try with recording some LP's.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f23/primalsea/DSC01043.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f23/primalsea/DSC01045.jpg
A bit of a mess I now but not bad for point to point I think.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f23/primalsea/DSC01046.jpg

Since taking this I have blanked off the holes with plastic sheet. Its just waiting for Day of the Triffids to be over and then I will give it a more extensive listening to.:)