MattyW Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 (edited) Ok, so I've been curious about TDA1540D for some time as it has been described as even better than the TDA1541 in some circles. I found a very nice looking DAC out of China that appears to have been done right, so purely out of curiosity I ordered one. I've had it ship to my mate @muon* so he can try it also. It was delivered today. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TDA1540-DAC-enhanced-version-of-the-whole-machine/274387268158?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649 Delivered Unboxed.... It's a big bugger Looking forward Ian's listening impressions Truth be told I'm not sure what I'm going to use it for. I've two "end game" DAC's already in the Abbas Audio DAC2.2SE TDA1541A R1 and the Muji Studio DAC II. Might have to use it in the gym system though that really is a bit of a waste. Ah well. The cost of curiosity I guess. Edited July 6, 2020 by MattyW 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickstuh Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 I look forward to this adventure with interest! (PS Should it be 'NOS' in the thread title?) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 Did you mean NOS and not NOD? Good news and bad, Matt! The bad news first, as you have said it is too big to replace the Muji, and that's a shame as the good news is IMO straight out of the box It's slightly ahead of the Muji. It has better detail retrieval than my Modded Marantz CD-60 no doubt due to the discrete output section in it being better than my simplistic way of just taking the signal from the first half of the Burson V5i and through Andyn Copper caps in my Marantz. It has a better sense of space and atmosphere too, Birdy's CD is sounding very satisfying, piano is solid, and with nice ambience as do he vocals too. I think it may still be behind the Abbas for realism but you will have to be the judge of that. It shares a lot of the sound signature of the later TDA1541A chip, great tonality and a full rich sound ect'. I'm not great at this review stuff so leave it there. The connectors seem good quality as does the clean understated case, at switch on the power light blinks red a few times and stays green once it establishes a signal lock, it seems. It can only improve some what from this point, with some run time Using the standard CD-50 as transport. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 More bad news I burnt my fried chicken while distracted listening to it 2 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 @MattyW If you have nowhere to put it there you can leave it here as long as you like It does sound nicer than my modded player, quite lovely sounding actually. Amazing what can be done with 14 bits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyW Posted July 6, 2020 Author Share Posted July 6, 2020 (edited) Interesting. I may need to shoehorn it into my equipment rack.... See if it can be made to fit.... If it's only 2U without feet it should fit Seems that this is a real find in terms of both sound quality and value for money. Definitely a win. It seems to me that from your description it may be more of a sideways step as I find the upgraded Muji to be incredibly close in performance to the Abbas though if I had to decide between them I'd keep the Abbas. More down to personal preference. I look forward to picking up on Saturday and using it next week. After living with for a bit I can add my own thoughts. In fairness it will be tested and used in my "B" system with the little Pass Amp Camp Amp and Oatlon W2-1000F speakers though that system really is no slouch. It's just that main is better is all. Edited July 6, 2020 by MattyW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyW Posted July 6, 2020 Author Share Posted July 6, 2020 56 minutes ago, Mickstuh said: I look forward to this adventure with interest! (PS Should it be 'NOS' in the thread title?) Ah, thanks for that. Nod was interesting though 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyW Posted July 6, 2020 Author Share Posted July 6, 2020 (edited) 6 hours ago, muon* said: @MattyW If you have nowhere to put it there you can leave it here as long as you like It does sound nicer than my modded player, quite lovely sounding actually. Amazing what can be done with 14 bits. My understanding is that they used "noise shaping" technology to move the noise out of the audible range, which allowed them to achieve the same dynamic range with 14 bit as they did with the later 16 bit TDA1541A, which being 16 bit did not have noise shaping. Apologies for the 3 posts in a row guys. I've never figured out how to quote someone and cut that and edit and existing thread then paste it. Not as easily done here as on Audiokarma. Edited July 6, 2020 by MattyW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted July 6, 2020 Share Posted July 6, 2020 (edited) 27 minutes ago, MattyW said: My understanding is that they used "noise shaping" technology to move the noise out of the audible range, which allowed them to achieve the same dynamic range with 14 bit as they did with the later 16 bit TDA1541A, which being 16 bit did not have noise shaping. Apologies for the 3 posts in a row guys. I've never figured out how to quote someone and cut that and edit and existing thread then paste it. Not as easily done here as on Audiokarma. In both situations they used over sampling to move noise to a higher frequency (SAA7030 and later SAA7220) Meh, I find non over sampling with both chips fine to my ears. But yes, the SAA7030 used a few techniques including noise shaping to get better than 14 bit resolution. https://www.dutchaudioclassics.nl/Philips-TDA1540-16bit-da-conversion/ The noise shaping was indeed to get that extra resolution from the 14 bit chip, but the SAA7030 also did over sampling to move noise to a higher frequency as did the SAA7220 chip that they I think moved to in partnering the TDA1541. Edited July 6, 2020 by muon* 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyW Posted July 7, 2020 Author Share Posted July 7, 2020 (edited) Ah, no matter. It sounds very nice which is the main thing. Hoping I can get it into my second system sooner rather than later. Will try it with both my Pass ACA copy and Oldchen K3. Need to get around to selling that amp. I just hope that using it with this DAC doesn't change my mind as I would like to keep this system low wattage class A solid state for a bit of a difference from my main upstairs. Edited July 11, 2020 by MattyW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted July 7, 2020 Share Posted July 7, 2020 The Old Chen will sound different now with Jantzen Superior coupling caps and the Russian 6p3s-e tubes, both needing burn in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyW Posted July 7, 2020 Author Share Posted July 7, 2020 Will see how it goes hey. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted July 8, 2020 Share Posted July 8, 2020 I'm very comfortable with the sound of this DAC, if I hadn't already invested in the player modding route I would have been very happy with a DAC like this. Will have at least 20 hours on it by the time you pick it up, Matt. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyW Posted July 8, 2020 Author Share Posted July 8, 2020 Yes, from what you've told me I suspect this will displace the Muji Studio DAC II from my second system. I believe I still have the box that came in so I may very well sell off the Muji if that's the case as it will be safe to post. Least I hope I kept the box..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyW Posted July 11, 2020 Author Share Posted July 11, 2020 Well, I got it home. Might even get it hooked up tonight if I'm lucky. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyW Posted July 11, 2020 Author Share Posted July 11, 2020 (edited) Hmmmm, so the NOS TDA1540D is certainly more detailed and accurate than the upgraded Muji Studio DAC II.... Piano sounds like real piano etc.... That said it's missing the tube magic of the Muji, which I guess is more euphoric in comparison. Unfortunately it's rather hard to miss in the rack. Very noticeable. Going to have to let it burn in before I can decide I think. I prefer the Muji with Dave Beubecks Concorde on a summer night.... Norah Jones Little broken hearts is a bit mind blowing with the TDA1540D though. More listening required with more CD's I think. Certainly more body with this.... Impressive. Edited July 11, 2020 by MattyW 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 Fits nice in the rack! If it does piano better that's a winner in my books, one instrument that's hard to get right in reproduction............but we all have different preferences and likes ect'. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyW Posted July 11, 2020 Author Share Posted July 11, 2020 (edited) I'm finding the more I listen the more I find it does right @muon*. Very interesting. Makes everything else in the rack look.... Cheap. For me that's presently a negative. If I can survive discovery by my wife then it will be fine. Edited July 11, 2020 by MattyW 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 Only has around 20 hours on it, will get better still, will open up a little more IMO. Amp does look nice with It's tube cover on 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyW Posted July 11, 2020 Author Share Posted July 11, 2020 Yes, I like the tube cage too. I used to like to see the tubes but now really don't care. I'd rather my daughter not burn her little fingers. This DAC is so present and detailed that I think I need to try it with the Pass Amp Camp Amp. Could prove really rather interesting though probably a bit sharp on the ears without any tubes in the chain. Guess I'll have to try it and find out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyW Posted July 12, 2020 Author Share Posted July 12, 2020 (edited) It really is a very pretty component. Very clean and elegant. Had to take a photo in the morning light. Edited July 12, 2020 by MattyW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lazz Posted July 12, 2020 Share Posted July 12, 2020 12 hours ago, MattyW said: probably a bit sharp on the ears without any tubes in the chain Interesting you should say this. I don't think tubes should be there to mitigate 'sharpness', but more to give air and breadth/depth to the soundstage. Just my thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyW Posted July 12, 2020 Author Share Posted July 12, 2020 3 minutes ago, Lazz said: Interesting you should say this. I don't think tubes should be there to mitigate 'sharpness', but more to give air and breadth/depth to the soundstage. Just my thoughts. I'll be trying with the Pass Amp Camp Amp during the week. Should prove interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muon* Posted July 12, 2020 Share Posted July 12, 2020 (edited) Now you need the rest of those components in the rack to match the DAC Edited July 12, 2020 by muon* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyW Posted July 12, 2020 Author Share Posted July 12, 2020 20 minutes ago, muon* said: Now you need the rest of those components in the rack to match the DAC Nah, apart from the AVR it's all pro audio gear. Price and performance have been the only considerations with the gear in that rack. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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