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tubehunter
08-10-2009, 17:59
My latest project is a Copper Dac in Brass!.
Brass is a harder material and more brittle, still nice to work with.
Looks good but I'm not sure which I prefer.

http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/IMG_4777.jpg

http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/IMG_4776.jpg

Ian get those Mundorfs over here if you want to collect.

Marco
08-10-2009, 18:11
Oooh, very nice! I'm not sure which one is nicer. I suspect that the most fashionable chaps would have one of each :eyebrows:

I look forward to hearing the beastie chez-Ian, and then chez-moi, in due course :)

Marco.

hifi_dave
08-10-2009, 18:50
FWIW I prefer the look of the Copper but only when it's clean. The Brass also looks nice and is easier to keep shiny.

Surely, the Brass one must be called the 'Brass DAC' ? :scratch:

The Vinyl Adventure
08-10-2009, 19:02
Brass gets my vote I recon!
So what's the score here I've seen quite a few of your bits and bobs about the place.. Do you build stuff on commision? Just out of interest like...

The Grand Wazoo
08-10-2009, 19:57
Very nice indeed - I'd go for the brass every time, on aesthetics.
Do they sound different though?

DSJR
08-10-2009, 20:06
Valves on a DAC?

Oh dear :cool:

Marco
08-10-2009, 20:12
Mock ye not, Dave - it sounds fantastic!

Now you know that I know a good sound when I hear it, dontcha? ;)

Marco.

Ian Walker
08-10-2009, 21:33
Valves on a DAC?

Oh dear :cool:

Yes and even worse it'll be connected to a Playstation...Oh dear Oh dear...

Ian Walker
08-10-2009, 21:37
Very nice indeed - I'd go for the brass every time, on aesthetics.
Do they sound different though?

Dunc's wiring mine exactly the same as his and using identical components so it'll be interesting to see if there's any differences in sound..watch this space:)

Marco
08-10-2009, 21:38
Yes and even worse it'll be connected to a Playstation...Oh dear Oh dear...


FFS, call yourself an audiophile? And those Tannoy Canterburys are being fed from that piss-poor plastic PS3 :steam:

You're just playing at this, aren't you! ;)

Marco.

tubehunter
08-10-2009, 21:43
,

Ian Walker
08-10-2009, 23:14
,

Bloodyell that dancin boys makin me dizzy cant you keep him still:lol:

The Grand Wazoo
09-10-2009, 00:09
Dunc's wiring mine exactly the same as his and using identical components so it'll be interesting to see if there's any differences in sound..watch this space:)

Hanging on the edge of me seat, matey-boy!!
I think that will be a really interesting comparison to make - who made the decision to go for brass & why?

aquapiranha
09-10-2009, 00:22
While I have no doubt whatsoever that they will both sound excellent having heard Duncan's handiwork before, I think the brass one is a bit 'bling' for my tastes.

Ian Walker
09-10-2009, 15:39
While I have no doubt whatsoever that they will both sound excellent having heard Duncan's handiwork before, I think the brass one is a bit 'bling' for my tastes.

Yesh i have decided to call it "The Fairground":lol:

Ian Walker
09-10-2009, 15:42
Hanging on the edge of me seat, matey-boy!!
I think that will be a really interesting comparison to make - who made the decision to go for brass & why?

Dunc made that decision cos thats all he had, arf arf.
He said "you can have it made in this brass or an old biccy tin".....

Should be having a listen to them over the wkend,will let you know the outcome.

Ian.

aquapiranha
09-10-2009, 15:48
Yesh i have decided to call it "The Fairground":lol:

Wouldn't 'circus' be more appropriate when the usual suspects are round having a listen??

:lolsign:

I can imagine Marco juggling with your spare valves...


I bet it sounds ace though!


:)

Marco
09-10-2009, 16:17
Yesh, oi loikes a good 'juggle', normally of me marbles....

Marco.

Themis
09-10-2009, 16:21
It would be nice to have one of these... they are both beautiful ! :)

John
09-10-2009, 17:08
Lovelly work Duncan as Usual

Ian Walker
09-10-2009, 17:15
Lovelly work Duncan as Usual

SSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHH dont disturb him he's workin on it now......;)

Marco
09-10-2009, 18:22
Ooops, he told me he dropped it earlier.... :o

Marco.

DSJR
09-10-2009, 19:15
OK, how many thousands would one of these cost?

I admit it, I'm green - both look really good to me...

aquapiranha
09-10-2009, 19:26
OK, how many thousands would one of these cost?

I admit it, I'm green - both look really good to me...

how much would you say? at a guess? ( I don't know by the way, just want to see what the percieved value is)

Ali Tait
09-10-2009, 19:48
Lovely job Duncan.I note you're using Obbligatos there,have you tried any other makes?

DSJR
09-10-2009, 20:11
Far Eastern made, I'd say around £500. UK made and with a "profit margin" or two factored in I'd say at least double or even triple that figure (looking at the "phononote" phono stage with two profit margins incorporated.

I hope I've not been insulting by the guestimates above. I think they're fab and would love one glowing on my shelf - excellent as the Caiman no doubt is, it just doesn't look the same, does it?

John
10-10-2009, 06:11
I got one from Duncan for silly money £250 I think Duncan wanted the funds to make the some mono blocks and presume just sold it in part costs
Duncan is a real gent and puts great care into his product This is totally hand made with lots of attention to detail
Marco is right its a really good DAC eaisly outperforms my old PS Audio Digital link 3

aquapiranha
04-11-2009, 12:27
I heard this DAC in the context of Ian Walker's system last night (PS3 / DAC / Berning ZH260 / Tannoy Canterbury's) and it sounds fantastic!

Plus, it looks fab too

Well done Duncan, brilliant.

:)

Marco
04-11-2009, 12:34
I'll probably be having the pleasure on Friday. Glad you girls had a good time :eyebrows:

Marco.

Rare Bird
04-11-2009, 12:45
I've been looking at those copper DAC's for some time now..I recon if i did a couple of asthetic alterations i could very easily live with one..Never heard the Obbligato caps before!..How much are these & whats the wait on em please? Has anyone heard one?

John
04-11-2009, 14:06
Have not yet heard them myself but heard good reports
http://www.diyhifisupply.com/catalog/23

Rare Bird
04-11-2009, 14:27
Um..I've not heard a cap better than Kimber Kap yet, wondered what value those DAC ones were see if their's a Kimber replacement..

Ali Tait
04-11-2009, 15:11
Not heard the Kimbers,but the best I've heard so far are the SCR teflons.

tubehunter
04-11-2009, 15:55
Yes, John, had an early prototype still very good but...

The Obbligatos are 100uf 400v, not much choice at these values. Very good in power supply smoothing duties.
I've tallyed the cost of these, as follows:

http://i514.photobucket.com/albums/t350/halx00/costings.jpg

Altercations!! I've spent the last 18 months in research and development to product this Dac.
What did you have in mind?

Duncan

ps: I'm not touting for business just into diy audio

Themis
04-11-2009, 16:00
Duncan, do you plan to build one of these on demand ? I would be interested in the near future.

Rare Bird
04-11-2009, 16:19
Duncan:
Couldnt you try a pair of Mundorf 100uF+100uF/500V M-Lytic HV instead of the four Obligato Smoothing caps.. these would cost around £29 for two believe it or not, should be every bit as good as the Obligato but at lower price.They will give the DAC a more uniform appearence in that department aswell, save you cutting another two holes in the chassis in the process..

tubehunter
04-11-2009, 16:33
I've tried electrolytic but to be honest they sound crap compared.

The circuit I have designed requires the use of four very high quality capacitors to supply each individual triode.

Form follows function.

Rare Bird
04-11-2009, 16:48
I've tried electrolytic but to be honest they sound crap compared.

The circuit I have designed negates the use of four high quality capacitors to supply each individual triode.

Form follows function.

Duncan:

Yes you right Electrolytics arnt sparkling, but in this situation i could put money on it one of those Mundorfs bypassed with Kimber Kap's would sound every bit as good as those Obbligatos at fraction of the price..

The second best cap IMHO is the Ansar 'Supersound' they do a 100uF in these but they are expensive.

Marco
04-11-2009, 17:04
The best caps I've heard by a country mile are the Clarity Cap MR (and SA) range:

http://www.hificollective.co.uk/components/claritycap_mr.html

Those are used extensively, to excellent effect, in the crossovers for my Tannoys and also in my modified Croft preamp.

The Obbligatos, though, do a superb job in the particular application Duncan has outlined. They are used as smoothing capacitors in the Croft.

Andre, if the Kimbers are electrolytic then I've yet to hear any outperform a good equivalent polyproplyene.

Marco.

Rare Bird
04-11-2009, 17:08
The best caps I've heard by a country mile are the Clarity Cap MR (and SA) range:

http://www.hificollective.co.uk/components/claritycap_mr.html



Andre, if the Kimbers are electrolytic then I've yet to hear any outperform a good equivalent polyproplyene.

Marco.

No Kimbers are Polyprops..They are the best i've heard with out any of the high priced bull that comes with most companies of this type..

http://www.parts-express.com/kimberkap-capacitors.cfm

technobear
17-01-2010, 23:28
Sorry to resurrect an old thread but... Kimber caps?

My Druids had a Kimber cap as the tweeter crossover.

I replaced it with a Mudorf silver-foil-and-paper-in-oil.

The difference is not funny!

Kimber?

Shit :steam:

leo
18-01-2010, 00:14
You liked the Kimbers then Chris:lol:

Marco
18-01-2010, 00:51
For polys, Mundorf and Clarity Cap (particularly the MR range) are the best capacitors that I know of - I've used them in numerous applications and so far the results have always been fantastic! :)

Marco.

Rare Bird
18-01-2010, 02:22
For polys, Mundorf and Clarity Cap (particularly the MR range) are the best capacitors that I know of - I've used them in numerous applications and so far the results have always been fantastic! :)

Marco.

Have yee tried the Claricap 'ESA' as the 'MR' don't have much value variation & are in reality daft money..Also the Mundorf 'M Cap Supreme' (standard) have u tried these?


Sorry to resurrect an old thread but... Kimber caps?

My Druids had a Kimber cap as the tweeter crossover.

I replaced it with a Mudorf silver-foil-and-paper-in-oil.

The difference is not funny!

Kimber?

Shit :steam:

No there not shit they just don't suit you!

Marco
18-01-2010, 06:26
Hi Andre,


Have yee tried the Claricap 'ESA' as the 'MR' don't have much value variation & are in reality daft money..Also the Mundorf 'M Cap Supreme' (standard) have u tried these?


Yes I use the ESA's in my Croft, a mixture of ESA and MR in the crossovers for my Tannoys, and the Mundorfs you mention are in Duncan's copper and brass DACs.

I agree with you on Chris' "shit" comment about Kimber caps. He's entitled to his opinion, but I don't think that any good quality caps like this are "shit" - it just depends on how they work in a particular circuit/application, and so whether you like their sonic effect as a result :)

Marco.

DSJR
18-01-2010, 10:08
Actually, I didn't think the treble was a problem with Druids, more the lack of bass weight, especially at low levels.......

technobear
18-01-2010, 12:19
Actually, I didn't think the treble was a problem with Druids, more the lack of bass weight, especially at low levels.......

I guess it depends on the setup and the room. I'm not experiencing any lack of bass weight.

As for the Kimbers, I'll concede that they cost a lot less than the Mundorf silvers. If they were price comparable then they would be bad. For the money they are perhaps tolerable but they were really holding the Druids back.

Several layers of harshness and noise were removed on changing to the Mundorfs. The uplift in transparency was quite astonishing.

leo
18-01-2010, 16:00
Might have mentioned this before but according to various folk Kimber caps and Auricaps are supposed to be the same just badged differently (would have to look into that to be sure)

I remember trying the Auricaps , I personally didn't like them but did find them to work better in active circuits with plenty of DC on the input compared to things like crossovers with tiny amounts of DC , IF the Kimbers are the same I'd imagine these also to give same results as the Auricaps

Also remember film caps with different coloured leads tend to be better if wired a certain direction because the inner foil connects to one of those legs, this can influence the sound

Ali Tait
18-01-2010, 18:58
Mundorfs are ok,but SCR teflons are way better imo.Not cheap though.Easily the best cap I've yet heard.