Thanks. Please can I draw on your experience with the Lee's L1387 15V DAC-headamp?
Is yours still working? Do you use it or use something else in preference?
Which TDA1387 x8 DAC plus headamp model would you recommend? The above model running on 15V with a more powerful amp but with heat issues, or maybe one that just runs on 5V USB and presumably runs cooler like the cheaper Nobsound unit:
Thanks. Please can I draw on your experience with the Lee's L1387 15V DAC-headamp?
Is yours still working? Do you use it or use something else in preference?
Which TDA1387 x8 DAC plus headamp model would you recommend? The above model running on 15V with a more powerful amp but with heat issues, or maybe one that just runs on 5V USB and presumably runs cooler like the cheaper Nobsound unit:
Yes, they sound different. The 5v model sounds richer and softer, whereas the 15v model sounds more neutral and resolving.
The 15v model has greater potential sound quality, with its coax input - especially if you add a $45 Douk U2 Pro DDC.
Of course the 15v has greater headphone driving capability. It is also class A - which is why it runs so hot.
If this will be your primary DAC/head amp, go for the 15v version, since you will get higher objective performance. But if this is secondary/a change of pace unit, or if you have high sensitivity headphones, go for the 5v model.
I also bought these two flavors, love both. The difference is so subtle it won't matter much but I agree that the 15V one is a hair more refined but the USB/5V model sound teeny bit more analog. My 15V one gets barely warm though.
Recently I went a bit overboard and also bought MHDT Orchid (TDA1541A) and Brzhifi 4X PCM56 DAC (it's one with big and bulky chassis). Currently awaiting delivery of Audial Aya 5 (another TDA1541A). The PCM56 one is really amazing in terms of detail and layering In all honesty though, all these 90's DACs I tried (TDA1305, TDA1387, TDA1543, TDA1541A, PCM56) are very excellent to my ears compared with today's Delta Sigma DACs. But I prefer multibit over 1-bit (TDA1305) in general. Even the cheap TDA1387 DACs are as satisfying to my ears as the MHDT Orchid.
@amiga505 Just curious, on the sale post you have mentioned you bought a much more expensive DAC with PCM63 chip. May I ask which DAC is it? It would be great if you can share a link to the product if there is one. Thank you.
This is the cheapest implementation of PCM63 that I could find. I talked to the seller and supposedly one can replace the NOS board with SM5843 or DF1704/1706 module with a jumper switch. As far as I can tell the SPDIF receiver chip looks to be AK4118 and the USB board is Amanero technology. Component-wise I have to say they look good to my untrained eyes.
But the question is if the surround circuit would be implemented well enough?
US $84.05 50%OFF | TZT L1852DAC Audio DAC Hifi USB DAC Audiophile Decoder 24Bit 192K AD1852 Chip With Silver or Black Front Panel https://a.aliexpress.com/_mshjhz8
It is an AD1852-based DAC, which I believe is a hybrid delta sigma/multibit (from what I can tell).
It also has a single opamp socket - into which I put a Muses 1 opamp.
Rich harmonics, layered midrange, and fantastic separation and soundstaging.
Amazing performance for about $85 plus $55 for the Muses.
I think the 5V version doesn't have a voltage regulator and therefore the chip sounds a bit aenemic. It runs best at 7v (8V Vmax). With a voltage regulator you can tune it to sound more dynamic.
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