[scootermafia]

Hello all,
Since everyone (me especially) gets curious as to how a non-oversampling, non-upsampling, passive output stage DAC like the Concept works, and the single tiny picture on the website is not all that informative, I opened 'er up. Not hard to get into , just remove the four torx screws in the back 4 corners on the rear panel and the back plate and board slide on out. The enclosure is really made of thick aluminum once you take a good look at it empty.

I really don't understand how DACs can work without a solid output stage, but apparently the signal ends up coming off the DAC chip with plenty of juice (it's a 16-bit TDA1543) and gets fed through a couple resistors or something, and leaves with at least 1.6 volts or so according to their website. If anyone here really knows a lot about passive DACs, I'd like to hear it. One thing's for sure - this DAC comes highly recommended to you and there's a mountain of reviews on the Moodlab website that are similarly favorable. It sure doesn't do a lot to the sound...no real sound signature on this guy, just clean and smooth - there isn't any sort of transistor or op amp or tube doing anything to the sound, although it does make me curious how other DACs sound. $250 was about my budget for a DAC, so I think I got my money's worth, and I'm happy with it.

Sorry if these pictures stretch your screen out, I could edit them down to where it's not doing that but it'd kill the detail, I'm not much at making my pictures user friendly.

 

[moonboy403]

Nice pics!

 

[scootermafia]

Fairly nice little beast, but I would envy even less the person who has to solder those DACs from Audio-GD, even the small ones are ridiculously complex with resistors spread as far as the eye can see. I wonder if it's all done by hand.

 

[sonci]

Can you tell me if those are Blackgate capacitors?

I`ve read somewhere that the Dice use them, not shure about the Concept.

I`m considering about buying one to connect to the EMU1212M, Do you recommend it? I am a bit on the warm side of the sound..

Where did you find for 250$, cause it seems more expensive to me..

 

[MikeW]

wonder how these single chip TDA's stack up to 8x designs. does not seem like they would be able to compete on resolution.

 

[scootermafia]

Hmm, I like the single TDA, but I suppose having 8 wouldn't hurt. I haven't done a huge number of DAC comparisons, but I like the Moodlab, it's well packaged, good looking, has the right features and price, and sounds terrific.
Those are Nichicon power caps.
It surprises me that there may be black gates inside the Dice (that'd explain the huge price hike though, lol) since the Dice is just the Concept with a USB chip welded on...you can see the spots on the Concept's board where chips are missing. If they had a heart they'd consolidate the line, one product, for the price of the Concept.

Maybe those are black gates, we'd need a Dice owner to crack it open.

Hmm...looks like Black Gate to me. Wow. Maybe the Dice is worth it after all.

 

[alexboo12]

hi,
Look pretty sweet. Can you elaborate about the sound a bit more? Some people said NOS is nice and smooth but lack a bit on the punch and detail. Also, how goes it with the hd650?
Much oblige,
AP

 

[alexboo12]

oh and how is the build quality?
Cheers,
AP

 

[alexboo12]

oh and how is the build quality? Thanks for your time.
Cheers,
AP

 

[scootermafia]

Let's see...it isn't as punchy with tubes but it has a lot of punch with my M3 + sigma11 combination. It is not an inherently harsh component and I don't feel that it changes the sound of my gear a lot. It does have lots of detail...comparing it to the line out of my laptop, the difference is substantial.

As far as build quality, it appears to be flawlessly assembled, the front panel is a pretty CNC machined piece of frosted acrylic with the name of the company laser cut.

Parts inside are pretty standard, Nichicon caps, the other parts are pretty specific for getting the job done, Dale Vishay resistors, the usual. It does not look like a Chinese piece of junk inside or out. The board is obviously professionally printed. The chassis is quite heavy, raw aluminum...it gets scratches fairly easily that you can buff out. In all it's extremely attractive. It is not very big, it fits in the palm of your hand, about 5" x 5". I say give it a listen...the company is easy to work with and will deliver it about 4-5 days from when you order it...fast shipping for sure.

 

[scootermafia]

Sennheiser HD650s are nice. While they always get their share of controversy, they are the one headphone that is not too much of anything...they have a sound that's neither warm nor cold, they're a perfect canvas upon which to spend money.
They have a reputation for being hard to drive, and for doing well with tube amps. Both of these things are true but they sound tolerable driven straight from a headphone jack. Just not anywhere near their best.
*begins a HD650 review*
Not really. There's a headphones forum...

 

[alexboo12]

thanks a lot, really tempting piece of dac. Trying to decide if i should save up and go for stello da100 to go with my hp100 or check out the NOS dac. The moodlab sure looks mighty fine.
Cheers,
AP

 

[fuzydice]

I've had the Moodlab concept DAC for about a year with a couple thousand hours on it as everything I listen to is fed through it.

I can write a detailed review with my setup if people like? (DT880 '05 250ohm vs. Grado SR60 stock vs. Sennheiser HD580 + 600-grills + 650-cable, LD MKIII w/ driver tubes, concept dac, optical-out from onboard soundcard controlled by ALSA in Linux).

 

[sonci]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuzydice /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've had the Moodlab concept DAC for about a year with a couple thousand hours on it as everything I listen to is fed through it. I can write a detailed review with my setup if people like? (DT880 '05 250ohm vs. Grado SR60 stock vs. Sennheiser HD580 + 600-grills + 650-cable, LD MKIII w/ driver tubes, concept dac, optical-out from onboard soundcard controlled by ALSA in Linux).

Its too late for the review to me..

I already bought it!!
Its been a while I was looking at this DAC, the fact that is not popular around here, was one more reason to buy..
Hope I wont regret...

 

[alexboo12]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fuzydice /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've had the Moodlab concept DAC for about a year with a couple thousand hours on it as everything I listen to is fed through it. I can write a detailed review with my setup if people like? (DT880 '05 250ohm vs. Grado SR60 stock vs. Sennheiser HD580 + 600-grills + 650-cable, LD MKIII w/ driver tubes, concept dac, optical-out from onboard soundcard controlled by ALSA in Linux).

Hey, that would be much appreciated. I am still looking, trying to decide whether to get the DA100 or the moodlab.
Cheers,
AP