[slindeman]

This won't be a full review since I don't have much to compare it to. I'm posting here, rather than DIY, because there is a commercial version available, the Chibi Saru DAC.

Associated Gear
Interconnects are DiMarzio M-Path.
Headphone amps include DIY Pete Millet Tube Hybrid and DIY META42.
Headphones include HD650, HD570, A500, K240S.

Sound Comments
Stunning. I would have never believed HD570s could sound so good. And HD650s? Wow! Now bear in mind that my frame of reference is not high-end gear. The best I've had previously is a Marantz CD-63SE and a Cambridge Audio D500SE. Before I sold the D500SE I compared it to a cheaper non-oversampling TDA1543 configuration, and found the non-os to sound better. Well my Scott Nixon DACKit, configured as it is with premium parts and stacked DAC chips, sounds much better still.

To get specific, the digital glare is gone. I hear more details without more brightness. Music is coherent and involving. That about sums it up. I said the review would be mini, didn't I.

For the price I can't find any faults. I'm not saying that there aren't any faults, just that from my frame of reference, without high-end sources to compare to, I haven't found any faults yet. It was an enjoyable project, and the result has been the best source I've had in my system. Based on my experience with this DAC, I would highly recommend listening to one of the non-oversampling no-digital-filter DACs out there. Next up for me is the Scott Nixon TubeDAC. I bought the bare board for that at the same time, and will likely build it sometime next year.

Build Details
I ordered the solder-masked silk-screened DACKit board some months ago. Rather than buy the kit I just bought the bare board, so obviously my DACKit will not sound identical to its commercial incarnation, the Scott Nixon Chibi Saru DAC, but it should be close. My parts cost was about 2x that of the standard kit. For the Power supply I used Tangent's STEPS with Hexfreds and Panasonic FCs. On the DAC board are Black Gate FK and Black Gate NX Hi-Q for Power Supply caps, with some COG's for the digital circuit and NX Hi-Qs in Super-E cap configuration for output coupling. The I/V resistors are Riken carbon. I stacked two TDA1543 DAC chips, and run them at 8V. Input is Canare BNC, output is Cardas RCA. My transport is the NEC Multispin 6xe, and my digital IC is Belden 1965A with Canare connectors. Total cost including transport, IC, and DAC is just under $300, but that doesn't include my labor, which would bring the cost way up.

The commercial product is $250 the last time I checked.

Pictures

 

[TimSchirmer]

Nice review, appreciate the comments. I'd like to try a scott nixon dac someday. I was really impressed with the 47 labs shigaraki, but its a tad out of my price range.

 

[NKT]

I have been using the TubeDAC+ with 3xac power supply for a few months now, and have been extremely pleased. In fact, I tend to forget that it's even there, as it just goes about its business, producing beautiful music from my computer to my amp.
One word of advice is not to skimp on the tubes used in the Tubedac, as the differences are audible. I tried a couple cheaper Chinese and Soviet tubes but ended up with a NOS Mullard ECC88 which seemed to dial in just the right amount of sweetness and authority it needed.
I have compared it directly to the built-in redbook on the Sony XA9000es CD/SACD player (a $3000 player), and the TubeDAC wins quite handily in terms of upper level detail while the Sony has an edge in bass authority. Compared with the Sony DVP9000ES dvd/sacd player (about $500 used these days) the TubeDAC pretty much beats it hands down for redbook. These Nixon products really are great values, IMO, and I don't foresee myself letting this DAC go anytime soon.

 

[ooheadsoo]

Ooh, I didn't realize that the SN dacs had stacked chips! How many tda1543 chips did you stack? I'm debating between having 8 chips stacked or 16 chips stacked right now.

 

[elnero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slindeman I stacked two TDA1543 DAC chips, and run them at 8V.

 

[ooheadsoo]

*contemplates going back and editing his post out*

 

[elnero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ooheadsoo *contemplates going back and editing his post out*

LOL

I think we've all done that at one time or another.

 

[slindeman]

Quote:

One word of advice is not to skimp on the tubes used in the Tubedac, as the differences are audible. I tried a couple cheaper Chinese and Soviet tubes but ended up with a NOS Mullard ECC88 which seemed to dial in just the right amount of sweetness and authority it needed.

Thanks for the tips. My brief experience with tubes has been very positive so I'm really looking forward to building the TubeDAC.

Quote:

Ooh, I didn't realize that the SN dacs had stacked chips!

The commercial ones don't, but if you DIY you can do what you want. The only thing to be aware of is changing the resistor values when you stack multiple TDA1543s.

 

[ooheadsoo]

That's cool. If you look at dddac.de, you can see how he stacked 8 chips. Could be worth a shot for you! You'll need a fan or machine a heatsink though.

 

[Zoide]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ooheadsoo That's cool. If you look at dddac.de, you can see how he stacked 8 chips. Could be worth a shot for you! You'll need a fan or machine a heatsink though.

Btw, when are you getting yours? I'd love to see a new review on it

 

[ooheadsoo]

I think Peter's going to get to work on it soon. The case is all but chosen. He emailed the State side distributor for the case but they didn't reply so he's going to give them a call tomorrow.

Hey, here's a tidbit of Scott Nixon news that I don't know if I'm supposed to be sharing with you guys. In our last correspondence (I am a complete stranger to him) he let me know that his Sarudac is selling a bit slowly. Seeing that it is a good design that doesn't need careful impedance matching and has some "grunt" that the others in his lineup don't (his words, not mine,) he said in this email that he would drop it from the lineup "next month." That's this month now, fwiw. What he will do instead is put it in a nice chassis, new feature set, and re-release it to a few retailers for about 3x the price. So this may be a good time to jump on the sarudac while it's available. I hope he doesn't mind my saying this in the public, but I thought it would be ok since he told me, a total stranger.

 

[flecom]

btw since your getting into DIY a nice cheap upgrade would be to change the switching PSU in your nec drive to a nice regulated one

see here http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=88214

im going to post pics of mine soon

made a huge difference for me but im using the analog out, im sure it cant hurt for you using the digital tho

plus it couldent have been more than $20 in parts

 

[kugino]

scott emailed me the following:

"I can add a toslink onto a Chibi when I build those, either a single in or

switch to choose. Single tos is $25 extra and tos/coax with switch is $35

Can not provide this with kit though, just too hard to explain and I have

no documentation on it.



Scott Nixon"

if you've been looking for a relatively inexpensive non-upsampling DAC w/optical inputs, the chibi saru is a possibility. i think i'm going to order one with the switch...

 

[rickcr42]

kugino-check the post of yours i moved to DIY

rickster

 

[kugino]

yeah, that post was more appropriate for the DIY forum...i had thought about posting it there initially...my post above with scott's email is informational - for people who are thinking about various input options on the chibi saru.