[josep]

Hi ADD,

To make a long post short, and excuse me for autoquoting...

Quote:

Originally Posted by josep /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think it is a good exercise of sanity what ADD said: too much times a cheap unit is taken as a giantkiller, just to be another decent cheap unit after the dust settles.

That said, anyway I must say too V-DAC or DacMagic can really be an audible and real improvement on many CD/DVD players. I saw for myself and some close friends discovered too -without knowing about the price and 'fame' of them- specially when using mid-DVD or PC sources.

And I am talking from a particular perspective, as I got one just out of curiosity (I knew it will not blew off my G08...), same thing for DacMagic months ago.

Regards

Josep

 

[Calvin&Hobbes]

Dr. larkos:

Your statement " The point that I would like to make is that the transport used DOES matter" is very true.

In one of my early posts I cited an early review by Audio magazine where it was already made clear that the full sound potential of the V-DAC can only be appreciated in combination with a HQ transport.

And that's exactly why the V-DAC works so extremely well in my set-up (mind you, with the PSU replaced): it breathes new and exciting life into my old Sony player (CDP 779ES, 1993, costed 1800 Euro then). These players were among the very best then and it's (transport) construction is still top-notch today. Certainly, I bought a reserve laserpart to stretch it's life another 15 years.

Reading back ADD's comments shows that his posts have been "somewhat" inconsistent. After his raving for the V-DAC he now fell in love with the CA 840. So why not buy one?! It does, however, make no sense to make everlasting contributions where your A to B comparison is fault at heart. And there are no mathematics involved in that. Just two ears.

 

[Calvin&Hobbes]

PS ADD:
there is no personal offense here. It's a pity we are antipodes; otherwise I would invite you for a cup of coffee and a listen to the V-DAC in my set-up.

 

[ADD]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calvin&Hobbes /img/forum/go_quote.gif Reading back ADD's comments shows that his posts have been "somewhat" inconsistent. After his raving for the V-DAC he now fell in love with the CA 840. So why not buy one?! It does, however, make no sense to make everlasting contributions where your A to B comparison is fault at heart. And there are no mathematics involved in that. Just two ears.

This is of course true, but my comments have actually been extremely inconsistent, not "somewhat"

Blind Freddy could of course see that from just reading the whole thread. But I would rather tell things as I see them now. It would have been very easy to save face and just keep saying how I love the V-DAC (or say nothing at all), but I now realise how terrible the equipment was that I had before the V-DAC, but also how much better really decent equipment is.

But I think your point and Dr. Lakos's really are actually very important. This thing really is only going to give it's best with a top notch transport. And that is where everything is so inconsistent. It's like the engine on your BMW 3 series wears out and you replace the engine with a Toyota Corolla engine. In this instance, I would have just bought a brand new BMW 3 series.

If I were partnering a V-DAC with a good transport, personally I wouldn't. I think you will always get better sound from well engineered solution integrated into a single box until you get into the megabucks. That is where transports and DACs really start to shine.

There is a lot better stuff out there than a Cambridge 840C too. Why stop there?

All I need is to win Lotto and I too can have my dCS Elgar

.

In any case, we should do an unofficial survey of V-DAC and DACMagic owners here. We should see how many of them are still using them 12 months down the track

 

[dr.larkos]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ADD /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is of course true, but my comments have actually been extremely inconsistent, not "somewhat" Blind Freddy could of course see that from just reading the whole thread. But I would rather tell things as I see them now. It would have been very easy to save face and just keep saying how I love the V-DAC (or say nothing at all), but I now realise how terrible the equipment was that I had before the V-DAC, but also how much better really decent equipment is. But I think your point and Dr. Lakos's really are actually very important. This thing really is only going to give it's best with a top notch transport. And that is where everything is so inconsistent. It's like the engine on your BMW 3 series wears out and you replace the engine with a Toyota Corolla engine. In this instance, I would have just bought a brand new BMW 3 series. If I were partnering a V-DAC with a good transport, personally I wouldn't. I think you will always get better sound from well engineered solution integrated into a single box until you get into the megabucks. That is where transports and DACs really start to shine. There is a lot better stuff out there than a Cambridge 840C too. Why stop there? All I need is to win Lotto and I too can have my dCS Elgar . In any case, we should do an unofficial survey of V-DAC and DACMagic owners here. We should see how many of them are still using them 12 months down the track

Add, my intent was never to criticize your method or your apparent inconsistency (to me not inconsistency, just a change of heart due to the many valid practical reasons you list). My issue was with your seemingly categorical dismissal of the V-DAC’s value. As I said, if you need a “giant” transport to get the V-DAC to perform at a reference level, by definition, such combination is also a ”giant” and if such combination equals or kills another “giant,” that does not make the V-DAC by itself a “giant killer’…it is simply a sort of a good “soldier” standing on the shoulders of a “giant.” This is what reviewers that pronounce the V-DAC a “giant killer” when using it with $K+ transports forget to take into consideration. However, if like Calvin&Hobbes one happens to have on hand or can buy at a good price one of those great transports of yore,* the V-DAC should be the ticket to great sonic value (a “g***t k****r” [won’t say it again, hate the term]). Otherwise, the evidence suggest a one single box solution like the CA840 should be an excellent-value proposition (at today’s street prices) to get into true reference quality CD & digital playback territory---with the caveat of the lack of an USB interface (a constraint to many streaming audiophiles these days whose computers do not have a quality sound card with a digital output).

* Brilliant move Calvin&Hobbes buying that extra laser…I thought of doing same but procrastinated and now laser part is no longer available, so, just in case, I save my premium $K+ EAD T-7000 dedicated transport for critical listening sessions and use the transport section of one of the current excellent mid-price Sony DVD players for background listening [with apologies to the Forum, although I also love headphones, I listen through most of the day to large Magneplanar speakers].

Cheers ………………………dr.larkos

 

[asher770]

Having just received my V DAC here in the USA and being a newbie to all this DAC discussion, I went through all the posts in my quest for a psu upgrade for the V DAC.One question still remains.Is there a reliable PSU available here in the USA that can be purchased online without breaking the bank? So far noone has answered that question clearly ,unless I've missed something.

 

[asher770]

Having just received my VDAC,and having read all the various posts about a PSU for it,I'm still in the dark as to whether there is a viable and affordable PSU available here in the USA for it. Did I miss anything?

 

[asher770]

Please pardon the double posting.I still must be half asleep.

 

[anadin]

It's a treble posting now.

 

[Calvin&Hobbes]

Dr.larkos wrote "I thought of doing same but procrastinated and now laser part is no longer available, so, just in case, I save my premium $K+ EAD T-7000 dedicated transport for critical listening sessions".

Did you check this german supplier? That's where I got my spare part from. Costed me 150 bucks (no longer available now); but then it guarantees a double lifetime (for my player, that is).
JusTone Lasereinheiten nahezu aller Hersteller. Auch "hard to find parts" Lasereinheit, Laserpickup, Laserunit, Pickup, Laser, Laserkopf, Laufwerk, Mechanism

 

[dr.larkos]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calvin&Hobbes /img/forum/go_quote.gif Dr.larkos wrote "I thought of doing same but procrastinated and now laser part is no longer available, so, just in case, I save my premium $K+ EAD T-7000 dedicated transport for critical listening sessions". Did you check this german supplier? That's where I got my spare part from. Costed me 150 bucks (no longer available now); but then it guarantees a double lifetime (for my player, that is). JusTone Lasereinheiten nahezu aller Hersteller. Auch "hard to find parts" Lasereinheit, Laserpickup, Laserunit, Pickup, Laser, Laserkopf, Laufwerk, Mechanism

.

Many thanks Calvin& Hobbes, just sent them an email with an inquiry.

Cheers.......................dr.larkos

 

[Calvin&Hobbes]

Dr.larkos wrote "Incidentally, the Play Back review that Add provided a preview link for came out this morning online."

Would you be willing to share the results of this review (or the review itself)with us?

 

[knireis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calvin&Hobbes /img/forum/go_quote.gif Dr.larkos wrote "Incidentally, the Play Back review that Add provided a preview link for came out this morning online." Would you be willing to share the results of this review (or the review itself)with us?

Google is your best friend..................

(ok i found it here: Playback Magazine | Issue 20)

 

[dr.larkos]

Quote:

Originally Posted by asher770 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Having just received my VDAC,and having read all the various posts about a PSU for it,I'm still in the dark as to whether there is a viable and affordable PSU available here in the USA for it. Did I miss anything?

asher700, there are several options. First decision is whether you want to get a linear or a switching mode power supply (both regulated). Most people in this forum, in Europe, have been getting switching mode ones, just like the stock, but higher amperage output (3 or even 6 amps, versus 0.5 amp for the stock). I personally prefer the linear regulated variety because of much less noise (voltage ripple) and much lower RFI radiation. They are much heavier/larger than switching mode and run a bit warmer. If you want a wall-wart, I would recommend the Jameco below but the max amperage is 1 amp (double amperage than the stock's, at about $15)

Jameco Electronics Power Supplies & Wall Adapters: JAMECO RELIAPRO: DDU120100H4480

With the Jameco you will have to get and adaptor or change the plug from a 2.5 mm to a 1.35mm (1.30 mm will still do, I believe).

If you want to go into a regulated linear PS of higher amperage, I am afraid you will have to go into bigger bench-top types. Here there are two alternatives: First and Economy class. Tackling Economy class first:

Samlex America RPS1203 3 Amp Regulated Linear DC 12 Volt Power Supply

It is good quality and costs about $30 (the 4 amps costs the same, with same size and basically same weight).

Now, if you want to go First class we are getting into the $140-$230 depending on amperage (from 1 amp to 4 amp). These have phenomenal specs. You can pick from here:

Linear Regulated Power Supply: Gold Box (12v to 16v) | Acopian Power Supplies

With these bench top Acopian PS's (and the Economy ones) you may have to cut the cable of the stock wall-wart at the transformer end, saving cable and the plug at the other end, and hard wire the cable to the color coded terminals (or labeled screw terminal) in the bench-top PS keeping the right polarity. If you don't feel confortable with the stock's skinny wire then you have to get thicker wire and the right plug. Keep in mind that you can connect in parallel several 12 volt devices to these high amperage power supplies.

The following web page provides further details (pictures, specifications/size of enclosures according to letter coding in previous page, and drawings). Click links in Series B section:

Linear Regulated Power Supply: Gold Box (12v to 16v) | Acopian Power Supplies

Last but not least, this following page gives a comparison of technical specifications of the different power supplies that Acopian produces. Here you can see the evident superiority of linear regulated PS over switching ones that I refered to above.

Power Supply Comparisons: Linear Power Supply vs. Switching Power Supply vs. Unregulated Power Supply | Acopian Power Supplies

Hope all this helps and did not confused you.

Cheers.......................dr.larkos

 

[josep]

IMO anything over 30, say 50$, is overkill here as inside the V-DAC there are switching PSU's as stated before. A bike (12V and 5 to 10 h) battery+slow charger does cost around this too and will be the cleanest psu.
The important thing is to have a decent and regulated PSU, something the original walwart it is not (and, SQ aside, the unit heats in protest to it).