Non oversampling DAC TD1543 DIR9001

[John]

I am not sure if anyone else has tried this yet
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Non-Oversampling-DAC-TDA1543-DIR9001-96kHz-SPDIF-Coax-Optical-9V-NiMH-charger-/200933252142?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Other&hash=item2ec88e1c2e
I am listening to it now and its a real bargain. It plays music so well; lots of detail and no hint of fatigue I am just playing it from a cheap Blue Ray player and it has no right to sound this good. Looking forward to when I uses a better Transport

[Tim]

Battery power is certainly pricking my interest at the moment John ;)

[John]

Yes gets over the issue of mains. A number of DACS use this already
I am not sure what ball park it plays in its a long time since I listened to a non usb based DAC
Its only issue is lacks a bit of grunt but nothing to worry about unless playing something heavy

[wee tee cee]

John,
I noticed that it comes without a power supply, just out of interest what do you use?
I quite fancy trying one of these, when you say lacks grunt.....is this with rock etc. can you expand a wee bit.

[John]

I got a 15v power supply and this will trickle charge the batteries.
I have two other DACs the JK32 and the HiFimeDIY Sabre USB DAC 2 Its not fair to really compare with the JK32 but I notice I have to turn the volume up (This could be the Sony Transport I am using) by a few notches. With this DAC it still can rock but with the other two DACs they can floor me to the ground, but using a computer with Jplay to get the best out of the DACs so totally different set up
What the DAC great at is bringing in detail without a hint of fatigue. They are such different DACs its impossible to really compare

[wee tee cee]

thank you, another option to consider......

[Themis]

Recent dacs have made a hell of evolution in the sound. Lately I got a recent -mainstream- Pioneer N-50 music client that offers a USB/Airplay/iPod/SPDIF inputs up to 32/192 (perhaps I could write a review, one of these days) and... geez... the dac part is amazing ! Something has changed in the kingdom of dacs.

Btw, John, I read that this NOS-dac can drive an amplifier, do you know whether it exists with a headphone output ?:scratch:

[John]

This one does not have a headphone output

[John]

Just to update on the DAC
It now really rocks as well. Seems to take awhile for it to fully come on song I am just listening to Dream Theater Black Clouds and trust me it has plenty of grunt. A very happy rocker
It does acoustic ambiance really well too

[wee tee cee]

plumbed my old dac majic back into the system today, it upsamples like my mf m1......cant help but think taking the unsampled route may simplify and rationalise the sound. your observations intrigue me regards the dacs changes, i hesitate to ask- how does it compare to the heavy hitters you alluded to initially?

[John]

Bloody good I do not miss them at the moment and can hear a bit more detail in the treble coming through. Its hard to compare as 2 different approaches. Looking forward to hearing it with a better transport. That when I really can let you know how good it is
I think doing without the stages and using battery power really seems to pay dividends and has the extra bonus of keeping the cost down

[wee tee cee]

I had my eye on one of these for some time, keep me posted on developments as it would slot into my system happily. a steer towards a suitable trickle charger would be appreciated.
thanks tony.

[John]

I can send you one

[wee tee cee]

kind offer John. pm sent.

[wee tee cee]

placed an order for the dac last night, will share my findings once it has been in place for a while.

[John]

yes give it a week before making any serious listening

[wee tee cee]

be a wee while before it gets to me.....really looking forward to it.

[Reffc]

My Droplet CDP uses the same venerable NOS TDA 1543 DAC chips and I have to say it's one of my favourite DACs. That DAC in the link is great value.

[wee tee cee]

I have a battery powered temple audio bantum that I can plumb in to go completely mains free, my hunch is it will make a really nice combo with the spendors...we shall see!!!!
I had done quite a bit of reading on dac chip sets and this wee French fancy had popped up a number of times, should be good fun.

[John]

Works well with my Bantam and Baffles
It does not like mp3 files that been upsampled to WAV I just discovered Thankfully I not have much music like this

[wee tee cee]

John,
My DAC was dispatched yesterday, just wondering how yours is settling down?

[John]

Sounding really nice I think you will like it just give a week sounds even better after 2 I think its up their with some serious DACs in the £500 mark

[wee tee cee]

Great, I am really looking forward to getting it in place......Thanks!

[wee tee cee]

Got the DAC this morning plumbed it.....straight out the blocks it sounds very good indeed. Will give it a week or two to settle down. First impressions are that it sounds very natural and open. Needs a little more volume on the pre amp to replicate the level I usually listen at.

[John]

The volume increases a bit over time I thought that initially it was lacking a bit of volume You should get more detail too in the top end over time

[wee tee cee]

lovely sounding dac straight out of the packaging....trying to wrong foot it with material, has not put a foot wrong so far.

[John]

Just heard it through a reasonable Transport (Oppo 103EU using a USB stick with FLAC files) and the DAC is a real bargain, very impressed

[wee tee cee]

Its just good full stop.....had an extended period listening on my headphone rig.If this is it burning in then I am staggered by the performance regardless of the cost.

[John]

Must admit I am surprised a few others are not trying this considered the cost It really is very good

[wee tee cee]

I suspect a number of factors,
Cheap price
Poor aesthetics
Battery power malarkey
and additionally a disbelief that an old chip set from ancient digital history can equal or surpass the modern equivalent.

I have now tried it with my quad 63s fed with a passive pre and temple mono block on each panel.

passive pre/mono block/ spendor sp1

same passive with valve monos between each set of speakers

and my headphone amp mf m1hpa/senn 650.

all the listening has done nothing but to reveal the DAC as one of the finest I have heard regardless of cost.

The next Scottish get together I will take the DAC along, all the members that attend are seasoned AOS members and are more importantly no bullshit music lovers.I will invite them to give an honest appraisal in the scheme of some very highly regarded DACs and experienced HI FI lovers ears.

It will certainly expose the wee French fancy to some serious competition, I am confident the troops wont pull any punches (regardless of how many strawberry tarts I take along)

[John]

Looking forward to the reports to see how it compares I now place above the JK32 I think in sonic terms it more closer to the Cunas and up their with the Octavia but would need to compare again to be sure

[dave2010]

I am not sure if anyone else has tried this yet
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Non-Oversampling-DAC-TDA1543-DIR9001-96kHz-SPDIF-Coax-Optical-9V-NiMH-charger-/200933252142?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Other&hash=item2ec88e1c2e
I am listening to it now and its a real bargain. It plays music so well; lots of detail and no hint of fatigue I am just playing it from a cheap Blue Ray player and it has no right to sound this good. Looking forward to when I uses a better TransportIs the one you linked to essentially the same, but in a box, as some of the others on ebay, such as this - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Non-Oversampling-DAC-TDA1543-DIR9001-96kHz-SPDIF-Coax-Optical-9V-NiMH-charger/200940086067?_trksid=p2047675.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%2 6asc%3D11%26meid%3D8898409900484719169%26pid%3D100 011%26prg%3D1005%26rk%3D1%26sd%3D200933252142%26

The (currently) cheaper listing lacks a box and psu etc. I guess, but is it otherwise similar?

[John]

yes same set up without the box well worth a try if you got a case to put it in. Its a serious DAC and sounds sublime

[r100]

Recent dacs have made a hell of evolution in the sound. Lately I got a recent -mainstream- Pioneer N-50 music client that offers a USB/Airplay/iPod/SPDIF inputs up to 32/192 (perhaps I could write a review, one of these days) and... geez... the dac part is amazing ! Something has changed in the kingdom of dacs.

Yep, definitely,... and I can confirm that the N-50's DAC sounds great IMHO.

[tansen]

I have been using MUSE Mini HiFi DIR9001 4X TDA1543 and have found it very good...:) Thought I should share and cost around 40 GBP delivered..

[John]

I not heard the Muse (I am sure it does a good job for the money) but had plenty of Chinese DACs in my system to have a good sense of them. This little box is terms of musical enjoyment beating some DACs costing 10x more

[wee tee cee]

In my room/My kit/My ears the only DAC that I ve heard that compared was brought over briefly by a friend (young with good quality psu) ....Hopefully get the DAC now burnt in, amongst some well known protagonists.....its not fashioned from moon dust and hand delivered by angels on high.......its exceptional for its money.It will hopefully get a Scottish Mafia interrogation shortly......if its pish then the troops will have no hesitation telling you so!!!

[Gazjam]

Look forward to hearing it Tony, sounds a cracker. :)
How does it compare to the MF?

With the balanced mains in place at mine Im noticing kit changes are a lot more obvious. Brian was over last night and brought his latest DIY interconnect (very very nice) and it sounded very different from my TQ cable.

A better platform for comparing kit I think.

[wee tee cee]

Gary,
The wee DAC runs off battery power but charges with a PSU that is buffered away from the DAC. In relation to the MF it retains the detail and sound staging that I liked about it, but it just sounds more natural and organic/foot tapping-I have to keep asking my missus to shut up as she is unconscionably singing along to tracks we both love. I asked my son to give it a listen ,it was Matthew that volunteered it sounded like your mates one "really natural". its the first DAC that has made me want to change the MF in my set up,its up for sale.

I totally agree regards the balanced mains revealing changes in my evaluation of equipment and interconnects, I even have the statics on the balanced mains. A recent switch to a passive pre and utilising long top notch mark grant phono cable runs with short speaker runs(tq black) has also changed things. it got to the stage the hi fi was more enjoyable to listen to than my headphone rig which I highly rated. Again the gains the DAC made where clearly audible on the cans....so time to change my head amp to a similar battery philosophy.

You are correct, the balanced mains really lets you separate the wheat form the chaff.....looking forward to bringing the DAC to your place and hearing it on the end of a top notch fully sorted server. Im still on a basic - lap top, no fancy software /usb /v-link/optical. The Scottish boys know each other well enough that its about enjoying the music, the hi fi just enhances our enjoyment.
Looking forward to another get together....bring ma pad and pen to note down the new tunes I always pick up.

[wee tee cee]

The wee DAC is settling down nicely.......John was perfectly correct, it does change positively with more hours under its belt......

[John]

I reckon about 3 to 4 weeks to fully settle in. But after a week its pretty much their

[Canetoad]

I took a chance and bought one of these too. It arrived this morning. No instructions on charging or where to set dip switches for charging. I attached a 15v PSU and don't know if it's even charging! When I switch battery power on the LED lights. With a PSU connected the LED for mains power doesn't come on when switched on. Any clues from other owners?

[wee tee cee]

bernie, from left -right
left glows green for the optical/co-ax indicating it is locked
middle switch it to charging mode
3rd switch on the right turns it completely to on or off as it is the battery......it should run purely on battery power, but when running flat switch on the middle one to charge it should buffer that it is never running off the psu.


if you cant get the middle light to go red then there is something amiss with the psu attatched.

is it it working on the batteries at the moment?

[Canetoad]

Hi Tony,

Turned out to be the plug on the PSU at fault. Everything working fine now. It sounds pretty damned good straight out of the box! Actually I'm pretty impressed for such a small, basic package! I'll leave it running for a while and come back to it again later.

Thanks for the heads up.

[wee tee cee]

Great to hear you resolved it eventually. Give the wee DAC a few charging cycles, this really does improve with a few hours under its belt.
To really evaluate changes I listen on cans, this DAC is rather good regardless of cost IMHO.
Think it will put up a good fight at the next Scottish get together.

[John]

Give it at least a week before you really judge it their is a lot more to come from the DAC I am glad you sorted out the charging issues

[wee tee cee]

Bernie,
How you getting on with the wee French fancy, now that its got a few hours under its belt.......I sold my MF DAC and Headamp both have been surpassed sonically for items at a fraction of the cost.

Regards,

Tony.

[Canetoad]

Hi Tony,

I've had my niece staying for the last week so haven't been using it. After running it for a couple of days it hasn't been an improvement on my DAC Zero, which has a better sound stage and Instruments and voices have more separation and air As well. Having said that it was still very musical and enjoyable to listen to. I'll leave it running for another couple of days and do another comparison.

[John]

Not heard the DAC Zero
Keep on the power and let it burn in It does get better it might not beat your present DAC but try again in about week time

[Rare Bird]

Non-Oversampling-DAC-TDA1543

I converted one of my Mission 'DAD700R' playesr into a Non oversampling machine..

[John]

Sounds good what power supply are you using for it

[John]

Visited a friend the other day and took it up against the Cunas. The Cunas had a lot more sound stage and depth but on a few tracks I find it a bit tiring on the vocals which was the reason why I moved away from that approach. For me it still feels I not quite got the right DAC for me I want the extra sound stage and details but without making some vocals sound harsh

[wee tee cee]

I am still happy with mine.......but when funds allow may add bm mk2 to the stable!