[khaos974]

All information: http://www.totaldac.com
 
Semi DIY DAC, available fully built at EUR 3850
 
Discrete components DAC: R2R DAC with 0.01% Vishay foil resistors
Clock and anti-jitter FIFO: it uses a buffer memory (FIFO) to store about 10ms of audio data at the digital source rhythm and output a stream at a local oscillator rhythm.
Active crossover configuration possible.
 

 
frequency response: 0Hz-45KHz for a 96KHz signal
distortion: 0.002%
channel separation: 97dB
left/right level mismatch: 0.005dB max
output voltage: 3.3Vrms
noise floor: -131dB
output impedance: 75ohms
output offset: 0.5mV max
input to output delay at 96KHz sampling frequency: 10ms
internal computing: 69bits
D to A convertion: 24 bit R2R without oversampling
power consumpton: 7W
security: double isolation transformer + earth, enclosure connected to earth, EMC copper adhesive, isolated feet, isolated spdif input
 
6moons review: http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/totaldac/1.html

 

[IPodPJ]

Created his own R2R from scratch.  NOS.  Jitter rejection from all sources.  Sounds promising.  Would love to hear it.

 

[Currawong]

Considering a Berkeley Alpha costs about as much, that is seriously tempting in that budget range.

 

[khaos974]

IMHO, its biggest weakness is the lack of connectivity, although it could be remedied if you can DIY.
On the other hand, considering it s price of parts/ price of finished product is outstanding.

 

[dadab12]

Looks amazing, way out of my price range though!

 

[IPodPJ]

And of course balanced outputs would be nice.

 

[El_Doug]

That is one sexy DAC!  All those z-foils are giving me wood.  The $5500 is bringing be back to reality

 

[SebastianL]

I have had the chance to listen to this dac and can safely say it's the best dac I've ever experienced. That sounds like a cliché but I was indeed blown away by this dac. It's got a headphone output as well and with my LCD-2 connected straight the totaldac's out I was convinced this was even the best amp I have ever heard with the LCD-2! Note that I'm a huge tube fan and here comes this dac with a ss headphone out and trashes every dac/amp combination I've heard to date.
 
I'm really loving my LCD-2 rev.1  but I have always thought they were just a tiny bit recessed in the treble department. Not so out of the totaldac. They were spot on. Not lacking ANYTHING at all. You'd be hardpressed to find a headphone/amp combo in any pricerange with a lesser dac that could match this. I also heard the totaldac with a Sennheiser HE60/STAX SRM007t combo. Listening to Chabrier's Espana on Mercury Living Presence made me turn my head to see who was playing the tambourine. This was a mechanical reproduction of music that sounded the way it ought to sound: effortless and natural with such ease. Made all other dacs sound like they are struggling
 
Since hearing the totaldac I've been trying to to figure out how to afford one. I came as close as to order one but alas a change in my financial situation commanded me to cancel it

. But I wish any future buyers many happy hours with a supreme musical experience (and a little bit of envy on my part).

 

[paradoxper]

Comparison against the Invicta and Cantata would be fantastic. 
 
I do have to say it's an ugly clunky looking box.

 

[MorbidToaster]

Agree on both parts. The Cantata is still the best digital source I've heard.
 
Quote:

Comparison against the Invicta and Cantata would be fantastic. 
 
I do have to say it's an ugly clunky looking box.

 

[Maxvla]

The new one is significantly better on the eyes, but not on the wallet, except in comparison to what it supposedly beats.

 

[MorbidToaster]

It shouldn't be hard to beat the PWD at that price...
 
EDIT: First birthday post!

 

[Maxvla]

You read the 6moons article? Comparing against 20k euro pieces at a cost of 6.5k. To their ears at least.

 

[MorbidToaster]

Hmm. No 'Blue Moon Award' though?
 
Quote:

You read the 6moons article? Comparing against 20k euro pieces at a cost of 6.5k. To their ears at least.

 

[SebastianL]

Quote:

Comparison against the Invicta and Cantata would be fantastic. 
 
I do have to say it's an ugly clunky looking box.

 
Now these two dacs are both using standard converter chips. The totaldac is a discrete r2r ladder design not utilizing a converter chip but resistors. If you haven't heard a r2r ladder dac you're in for a surprise. It's a whole different ballgame.