[hopeless]

So what's wrong with your DAC? Reading this thread it looks evident that you never fell in love with this DAC. Instead I loved its sound (and size) from the first listen of the first one I bought. Sooooo subjective is the appreciation of this stuff

 

[rds]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hopeless /img/forum/go_quote.gif BTW, rds, how do you like your modified DAC ? I'm listening to it (one of them, the older) right now, and loving it. It doesn't sound worse than the modified DIYEDEN (I can switch between them with the touch of a button), even though the DIYEDEN currently has a solid-core silver interconnect, and the Super Pro "just" a Sommercable Classique (coaxial, copper).

Quote:

Originally Posted by hopeless /img/forum/go_quote.gif So what's wrong with your DAC? Reading this thread it looks evident that you never fell in love with this DAC. Instead I loved its sound (and size) from the first listen of the first one I bought. Sooooo subjective is the appreciation of this stuff

Like you say I never fell in love with it. I only had it for a short time as I was modifying it for someone else.
Right now I use an Opus DAC.

 

[hopeless]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rds /img/forum/go_quote.gif Like you say I never fell in love with it. I only had it for a short time as I was modifying it for someone else. Right now I use an Opus DAC.

Sorry for that.

 

[hopeless]

Saw the thing... a little board with a chip and nearly nothing else, that sells for $185... now that's (crazy) talking. It makes me feel so fine about my two Super Pro's and one DIYEDEN SVDAC05.

 

[hopeless]

BTW I should be able to put OPA2822, EL2227 and LME49722 on Browndogs soon. That and trying the TLE2142 of course. I also have the plan to solder that LME49720HA I have on a DIP socket to try it too. Previously (tried it briefly without adaptions except forming its pins like DIP) it had worked so great.

 

[hopeless]

I'm listening to Gillian Welch, Soul Journey. I've heard her voice deviated from the optimum reproduction in so many ways...

But not in this case. The Super Pro 707 (still my older one with the unsocketed (soldered) LME49860, at the moment) makes it sound as good as I've heard, soo heavenly... This DAC has everything, energy, control, refinement, presence and beautiful midrange tonality & delicacy, airiness... If only more people heard what I'm hearing

(they'd probably give up their DIY projects)


For the record, the newer, even better Super Pro is still awaiting its new (either 1000uF 16V Rubycon ZLH, because the 1000uF 25V YXH was too long, 28 mm, and interfered with the socket, otherwise it was great, as my other Super Pro is proving) power reservoir cap (with 330nF attached Wima bypass cap in place of the former 220nF), then it's ready to go...



There's something magical about the musicality of this DAC (also with the original LT1364).

 

[hopeless]

Tried the TLE2142IP and... how good!

It's almost better than the LME49xxx. It has a solid articulate smooth sound, more solid & articulate in the bass than the LME's. I like its tonality as well, it's not cold.

Now I understand why that 4500 euro DAC uses it!

I'll keep it until the adaptors to try the OPA2211, OPA2822 and EL2227 arrive. At least.

 

[hopeless]

I guess that this weekend I'll have fun comparing the older (with LME49860) to the newer (with TLE2142, and now with Rubycon YXH 470uF 25V + 330nF Wima MKS2, plus the other 100nF Wima already present).

 

[hopeless]

It is nice, but maybe it lacks a bit of color. The LT1469 sounded better, pity for those little pops appearing between tracks... maybe I'll try it again now that I have improved power supply bypassing (well...maybe it means nothing).


The LME49860 is quite good, though. Even better will be (I predict) the LME49720HA I'm about to solder on a socket to be able to use it

 

[hopeless]

I'm enjoying the TLE2142 though. It has that sonic rigour that you expect to find in German audio products.

It sounds not so romantic but... rigorous.

 

[hopeless]

Some news...

I decided to replace the LME49860 in the older DAC with the LT1469.

Also I have bypassed the 4.7uF MKS2 output caps with 330nF again Wima MKS2.


The reason is that I wanted a sweeter and more full bodied sound... And that's what I got with the LT1469.

Nearly the same level of detail, perhaps just the same (considering the different balance). But the bass is... earth shattering, you say? Anyway it goes incredibly deep and is very dynamic - love it. The vocals are just a tad thicker, and the treble a bit smoother, less digital. Fantastic.

BTW the LT1469 doesn't even do those little pops (at all) like it did in the new Super Pro. Apparently the two have some differences in their output stage schematic.

 

[hopeless]

I'm loving the unobtrusive, honest (but with everything I want, like dynamics, detail etc.) sound of the TLE2142. That's the opamp for the new Super Pro. Unless improved upon by the incoming (the Browndog for...: ) OPA2211

 

[morfic]

Would you consider it bright at all. If you could try to think back, with the LT1364.
I am close to picking up the new one with the LT1364, and seeing the board shots that there are through holes to take on a DIP-8 socket pretty much makes it a neat tool.

LM4562 (LME49720) has always been my favorite, it was called pedantic audiophile at some point, not sure how to interpret that as i always found it to be the most musical at cost of being the most "accurate".

Since the Super Pro 707 '09 would feed a tube amp, i am looking for bright and detailed, nothing laid back or mellow. The tubes can take care of that.

Any opinion you can offer there are much appreciated.

The opamp link while very interesting in principle is not too interesting since it lacks LME49720/LM4562 and AD8620 amongst others.
AD8620 may be my ticket for getting a brighter sound out of the dac into the tube amp. But time will tell, i never heard the LT1364 before, so it may be good as is. unless you ever tried AD8620 or AD8066 and could compare to LT1364?

 

[hopeless]

To me... no, the stock DAC with the LT1364 isn't certainly too bright. It has good presence at both frequency extremes, but it somehow manages to have present vocals too

For me the LT1364 is fine, and one of the best sounding opamps. I certainly consider it musically superior to the AD8620 and AD8066 (and particularly superior to the latter).


Regarding the LM4562, it is fine and another possible best choice for this DAC apart from TLE2142 and LT1364. Try the OPA2211 too if you like detail.

I'm going to try it soon.

For now the TLE2142 suits me very well both for balance and for timbre.



For a bright sound the LME49860 is particularly good

 

[morfic]

I never eard the AD8066 myself, AD8610/AD8620 are interesting but make me tired quick, LME49710s were the nicest in XM5 and are now (as LME49720) in my MkV.
But what i like in my SS amps, i may not like in my DAC.
Idea is that as much as the tubes "color the sound", i would prefer for the DAC sound to be very analytical (i think, i may find myself back at the LME49720, who knows, but that's my idea until i find out otherwise.)

Do you have any board shots of the NEW 707? as it looks now or how it looked along the way?
From the missing 192K led i think the board shots in OP are from "the old 707" ?

EDIT: N/M the OP was rds, who did it for someone else, so i may not get any "new 707" interior shots :/