NOS DACs, really that good?

Clearly some members of this forum rather rate the NOS DAC with at least Bottleneck stating that it's as good as any CD based front end he's heard.

So, what are the other views on the NOS? Does seem like a ridiculously cheap price for a potentially killer product.

Note, I did try to search on NOS DACs, but the words don't have enough characters for a real search.

 

Add TDA1543 to your search

 

Matter of opinion, I think its amazing VFM. Ive used it with a Meridian 507, Pioneer 565i, Quad 66 & a Marantz 6000KI. It tranformed all but the meridian which we decided was an improvement but not night and day. Im now using it with a sony X930E QS and is IMO a fantastic combination. Before I got it I was looking at a new cdp around the 1K mark, I got the dac to try on the strength of Michaels findings with the idea it'll be used on a second system. I demoed all I could at my budget and nothing sounded as right as the nos DAC. Im thrilled and I dont even bother reading cd reviews in the mags anymore. I must say that they need a much better psu than the one provided and Ive been surprised by how much different various digital IC's can sound.

On the downside there have been quality issues with the derek shek version and members of a certain other forum get amazingly wound-up at the thought that the dac can sound good.

 

Its just different, wouldn't say better and transports have a Seroius impact on this dac too. Wm

 

Until the fault developed it was holding its own at lordsumit's house, although I personaly thought it a bit rough and ready compared to the superdac but the NOS was minus a decent PSU.
Planning to have a bake-off here in the next couple of weeks, hopefully we can get a suitably PSU'd one here and see how it fares against the 3-4 year old Coplands internal dac, maybe the return of the superdac? And hopefully some valve amplification and possibly a TT. If I still have the Monitor Audios I might even wire them up for comments if anyone wants to hear them.

 

Sounds good rob... perhaps we can compare the marantz and copland as transports too. Plus the sockets shouldn't fall off the superDAC anymore. Arrange it after 10th may and should have no problems being there.

 

Mr Sukebe - you may be aware that mine is the unit thats had an issue, its currently twixt here and HK as Derek is fixing it for me. However my nitial impressions are that its a great piece of kit.

Does it beat all comers? no, of coursde not, just as no other single piece of kit can be a world beater given that quality is all in the ears of the person listening.
Assuming mine comes back on full song i can see no reason why i'd part with it, just plan to upgrade the PSU at some point.
As rightly pointed out there was a huge debate on another forum ref the NOS being emperors new clothes - why?? Given that many forum users here, and elsehwere readily buy second hand / ex dem equipment they cannot make that assertion - afterall their wonderful 'new' purchases were previously someone elses new clothes....

As for Wm assertions that transports do make a difference, my remarks at that difference were all too well documented in the 'Chez Lordsummit' thread, thats another debate altogether!.......

 

Happy to compare the transports if you are happy to cart it here, it'll be easy to swap components as the back is quite accessable and I have plenty of spare sockets.

 

Well, I'd certainly say that it should be auditioned at any level to see if its presentation (which is different) is preffered.

By its unique implementation it does present sound in a way that is different to most cd players.

Many might prefered its ..'back to basics' type sound.

I try and stay away from words like better/worse because its all in the ear of the individual.

 

You really ought to get an audition sorted and listen for yourself. The presentation of this little box of wizard tricks works for me.

The biggest complement I guess I can pay it is that I'm now no longer fussed about which source I use - LP12 or NOS DAC, and can now happily listen to digital for hours which, whilst the Rega Planet 2K is undoutably (IMHO!) an extreamly good CDP at its price point, was not always the case prior to being NOSed.

Stuart.

 

There are many design variations of the NOS-DAC theme to choose from. Battery powered, with built-in PSU, valve assisted, 8-chip DACs, kits, ready built…… Tremendous value cos most of these are designed and supplied by knowledgeable enthusiasts working from home in Asia. If they were commercial products with high manufacturing overheads, promotional costs, high mark ups typical of hi-fi trade, the retail price would be five times or more. Some informative links: -

NON-OS DAC : Concept by Ryohei Kusunoki
http://www.sakurasystems.com/articles.html

Interview with Kusunoki San at TNT Audio
http://www.tnt-audio.com/intervis/kusunoki_e.html

DIY Paradise, Malaysia
http://www.diyparadise.com/dackit/dackit2.html

Batteries and Non-OS DACs. TDA1545A
http://www.diyparadise.com/dacs.html

A Non-Oversampling DAC for less than RM20! Uses 4 x TDA1543
http://www.diyparadise.com/rm20dac.html

Yahoo! Group with NON-OS info and projects (started by DIY Paradise)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/diyers

8-chip DAC-AH and other stuff from DIYClub Biz
http://eshop.diyclub.biz/index.php?cPath=23

DDDAC1543, Non Oversampling, Re-Clocking 8-chip TDA1543 DAC
http://www.dddac.de/ma_dac21.htm EUR115 as kit http://www.dddac.de/ma_dac24.htm

DIY projects by Pedja Rogic. TDA1541A and TDA1543
http://users.verat.net/~pedjarogic/audio/index.html

Scott Nixon DACs and kits
http://scott-nixon.com/dac.htm

£70 DAC by eBay seller Panda_99 (MHDT15214 Lab)
“TDA1543 Non-OS DAC 230/115V -- V2.0 Digital Password†from Taiwan.
TDA1543, CS8412, TL431 and LM317
Good quality components and well made but cheaper at about £70 (if you buy direct).
http://www.geocities.com/mhdt15214/images/1543-v20-3.jpg
http://photobucket.com/albums/v309/mhdtlab/TDA1543V20/
http://www.geocities.com/mhdt15214/Main_v2.0.htm
http://www.geocities.com/mhdt15214/Parts.htm
"Digital Renaissance" (TDA1543V3) with a valve
http://photobucket.com/albums/v309/mhdtlab/TDA1543V30

Non-OS TDA1543 DAC pics by MrStoneHK (eBay seller derek_shek) Hong Kong
http://groups.msn.com/HiFiProducts/nonostda1543dacnewchassis.msnw
email:- [email protected] Buy direct for $200 + $35 shipping

47 Labs Shigaraki DAC. Model 4715. USD1480
http://www.sakurasystems.com/products/shigadac.html

47 Labs Progression DAC. Model 4705. USD2700
http://www.sakurasystems.com/products/47dac.html

Ready to use NON-OS DACs from two eBay sellers eBay listed above and others on the net.

 

BlueMax - you forgot the Pedja Rogic NOS DAC with external PSU - easily one of the most stylish looking ones (allthough I'm not sure they are for sale).

...and of course the granddaddy of them all, the 47 Labs Shigaraki:

http://www.sakurasystems.com/products/shigadac.html

...but at £800 or so it's not in the same price bracket as the rest (despite being almost part for part identical).

Michael.

 

Does anyone in the London area have one that you might be willing to let me have a listen to (I'll supply the beers)?

 

Ditto, I would also love to have a listen to one if there is a willing host around the London or Kent area (accessible by train)? I could bring my DEQ2496 for a comparison.

What makes the NOS so special? It looks very simple, why does it beat so many other DAC's? No oversampling used to be the norm didn't it?!

 

A DIY nonos DAC is my main source. I don't think there's such a thing as a nonOS sound, it's all in the implementation. What I like about my particular DAC is that it has a rough and ready sound that you just don't seem to get from commercial gear. It has the sort of character that's easy to hear through, whereas the "blandness" of more tradtional kit can actually be more intrusive.

Don't expect a miracle, but I think that's the appeal. They just work, without any sonic gremlins, for not much money.

 

Knew about Pedja Rogic and his DIYHiFi.org, but did not know about his NOS-DAC projects.

Seen 47 Labs DACs at their US distributor URL http://www.sakurasystems.com
47 Labs products there always had 'high end pricing'. Nice site but so much for a NOS-DAC
Those exquisite rice paper must be expensive

Anyways, all on the list now

 

Unlike Michael I prefer my DAC64 to my NOS [the Derek Shek one], but if I hadn't heard the DAC64, or were skint and needed to flog it I could quite happily live with the NOS. I think you get used to the way things sound after a while anyway, as long as what you're listening too doesn't have too many obvious faults. I could sell the DAC64, I know I wouldn't miss it that much...but I don't really want to. It has more oomph than the NOS, which is very important with some of the music I listen too. The NOS is great value for the money though.

Paul

 

I bought that latest Derek Shek one. I'll let you all know how it sounds when it arrives.

 

I bought one of the Digital Password NOS dacs from a forum member.

This is connected from my Denon DVD2900. It is an improvement when playing cds through this player but it seems to lack some of the excitement and bounce I get from the Mimik. I'd probably say the NOS dac is more accurate and I prefer it on classical but for rockier stuff I still prefer the added bass and excitement from the Mimik.

However they are very good value for money.

 

Its strange they can come across as having either weak or strong bass depending on the amp used.
I used derek's with a studio 10k input impedance and the bass all but vanished, however with a 100k amp, it was back.

They do sound a bit laid back at times, too.

So they are a mixed bag, they are not a revelation, but they are as good as a good cd player. I have found they do like classical, too.
I have not at all found them rough, on the contrary, tonality is accurate and if anything less harsh on the ear, and purer.

Its a bit like the dv575 from pioneer, yes it does sacd and dvd, but on cd after a bit of listening, I have decided its definately not the bees nees. Its actually quite unpleasantly digital, hard and cold.

You have to take with a massive pinch of salt the hyperbole and hard selling of no digital filter, supposedly a real evil.
Regular cd can be very good, these audio people find their particular technology and then push it hard as if its the only thing in the world, its not.
Personally, when I found this out, I was quite dissappointed and disillusioned, to find that the hard sell was all a big lie. Dont' be taken in, and you won't be dissappointed.

IMO the only things I have ascertained that will give a definite pleasure are valve amps, then zero feedback triodes again are a step up. Naim, too gives a certain difference that is enjoyable listen. Most else are variations on a theme, different, but not better.