Digital Drive: Re: DAC ratings? by Thorsten

Hi there,

There are two factors here. One is the DAC itself and the second is the surrounding Circuitry. Using modded Equipment and various other projects as yardsticks I have found the following Chip's to offer the highest potential sonically, if you can unlock it:

Burr Brown PCM-63 - all time great, ties as "best ever" with the next two DAC's, out of production

Philips TDA 1541 - all time great, ties as "best ever" with the above, out of production fo ages

Ultra Analogue DAC Module - these come in various configurations, only the one with a raw current output is really great. This one joins my joint tied three "Best ever" DAC's

NPC SM5864 - very capable "raw PWM output" DAC, very trickey to apply, but can nearly match the above units. Warning, analogue stage must be VERY fast and exceedingly well optimised, get it wrong and this chips sucks, majorly

NPC SM5872 - low cost version of the above, used in Marantz CD-63/67 and similar. As above, the chip has a raw PWM output and the Analogue Stage is supercritical. Using anything but ultra superfast chips will make a mess out of the sound.

The above are ones that I have tried and liked exceedingly. They are also commercial units for which Data is available. As a "sideline" I must note that the Pioneer "Pulseflow" propriartry chips with the Legato link Digital Filter feature in the same list, but these are devices specific only to Pioneer, data is sparse and hard to come by.

The Philips TDA1543 and 1543 can be good but are a lot worse than the TDA1541.

The Burr Brown PCM 1702/1704 are quite good as are the Analogue Devices AD1862 and AD1865, but non can match or touch the PCM-63 or TDA-1541.

All the above however can offer true high end performance if implemented well, on par with ANYTHING out there.

There is a second group of DAC's. These offer a very competent performance and at the same time are rather easy to implement. If optimised to their best they can outperform a not so hot implementation of any of the above chips.... These are not my favourites, but perhaps are better suited to the less experienced mdder/diy'er....

Leading here is Cirrus Logic (Crystal Brand) CS4328, which (again) is long discontinued. This was a one-chip solution with no external analogue stage needed. Get the PSU right and the results are wonderfull.

Philips has relatively recently introduced a nice Chip, the TDA1305. it is again a simple 1-Chip solution that can work without external Analogue Stage and is no Standard for Naim's CD-Player' (they used to use TDA1541). Again, get the PSU right, loose any analogue stage and the sound will be great.

This is basically the list of stuff I like.

Running the risk of quite a bit of flaming, I feel that non of the other commonly used "standard chips" offer equal performance potential. But that is of course my PREASONALY view and experience and not meant as a Guru's verdict or the "Gospel"....

I have found Currnet Cirrus Logic/AMK DAC's (CS4329/4390), the low grade Burr Brown (PCM1710/16/32 et al) and the low grade Analogue Devices delta sigma DAC's to be at their best not much better than at their worst, which is pretty bad, compared to a truely well optimised unit based on any of the chips maentioned above.

On the plus side that means that the gear designers cannot screw up as much either.... There are a few chips in my favourite list that I have heard sounding SO BAD in commercial applications that it defied believe, knowing what these units are capable of....

Ciao T