A thread for Entech fans

[kramer5150]

OK... So they're not the best DACs out there. Who cares? For the $$$ they are hard to beat.

I was PM-ing another forum member and found out there is also a 245.2, which uses a Crystal 24/96 DAC Chip and a different OP amp on the analog side. So on paper, its a step up from the 205.2 and 203.2.

Anyhow, here are some pics.

Heres my modded 205.2, with a socketed OPA2107.

Another forum member PM'd me pics of his 245.2. According to him its an early model. (possibly a prototype??) It was given to him by a former Entech employee.

So.. Entech fans rejoyce... Head-Fi doesn't have to be a wallet killer to achieve

 

[werdwerdus]

I want one! hehe

anyways here's mine:

just stock so not much to look at..

here's it in action with newly fabricated cables

 

[Advil]

Does the new socketed OPA2107 decrease the output levels of this thing better than an attenuator would?

 

[insidiousness]

Here's the outside. My pal told me they were going to put a sticker over the face plate but later desided to have them resilked. I've read some more and found the 245 is a 205 with a dac daughter card to go to 24/96.

 

[Advil]

Mine.

 

[ericlikeseatin]

ive never seen the 245.2...interesting.

the output is so freaking loud

i feel like i hear more bass and better separation when compared to the wolfson dac on the av710.

 

[swt61]

Are the Entech's still available anywhere?

 

[joe_cool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by swt61 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Are the Entech's still available anywhere?

Here's the last one to sell on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=230107905916
They recently sold for about $100 for a near new 203.2 or an older 205.2 like mine:

That 245.2 looks very interesting. The CS8414 on the daughterboard is not unique, I have seen those before. The twin(?) DACs are another matter, wish I could read the numbers. I would guess the two op-amps on the adapter are AD825s.

 

[keanej6]

here's mine, barely hanging on. i liked the 203.2 more than the lite dac-ah.

 

[Dept_of_Alchemy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by keanej6 /img/forum/go_quote.gif i liked the 203.2 more than the lite dac-ah.

That's saying a lot! But then again, the 203.2 was originally a $300 DAC. Anyway, I prefer my 203.2 over the famed "giant killer" Toshiba SD-3950.

 

[hYdrociTy]

203.2

I made it so that I can slide it out whenever I wanted:

The insides:

Socketed opamp for rolling:

 

[insidiousness]

Quote:

Originally Posted by joe_cool /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here's the last one to sell on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=230107905916 They recently sold for about $100 for a near new 203.2 or an older 205.2 like mine: That 245.2 looks very interesting. The CS8414 on the daughterboard is not unique, I have seen those before. The twin(?) DACs are another matter, wish I could read the numbers. I would guess the two op-amps on the adapter are AD825s.

Crytal CS4340 are the 2 dacs and yes the op-amps are the LC Audio board with a pair of AD825's.

I've got the LC Audio zap filter in my MSB dac link 3 and this entech smokes it in most ways. I dont think the zap filter will fit in the entech or I'd get another one. I'll keep the MSB in my home system as it sounds good there. I still find it a total delight with the sound this entech produces.

 

[ericlikeseatin]

the more i listen through the 203.2, the more i am coming to appreciate it. buck for buck, its hard to think of a dac that comes close to it in value.

 

[Anfibolita]

I have recently bought one from Ebay and i had a problem. It came with an 12 VDC 1.2a Power Supply. I connected it trough SPDIF optical from my PC. I have light but no sound from the DAC. I searched in audiokarma and it seems that the Power supply is incorrect. Can anybody confirm this? Please post the power supply specs that you are using.

Sorry from my third world english. i'm from argentine.

 

[terance]

i loved my 203.2 when i had it, my only gripe was it was very light, so light that it got pulled off of my desk freqently.

but i suppose they are a very good bang for the buck!