Dac D2.5
from China (HK)
I got this nice Chinese DAC zhaolu D2.5 and I liked it a lot from the
first glance.
It has a nice
body, good transformer, and 4 nicely laid pcb's: a DAC, a power supply,
output stage and phones section.
Lampizator
in DAC D2,5
The lampization
process is very very simple: just unplug the cable
connecting the DAC board to the output board and connect the
lampizator to the wires of the connector. This will give the straight
DAC chip output legs driving the lampizator directly (well - actually
via signal caps).
The DAC is a V out type with strong 2,5 V signal.
This DAC has a
very modern and accurate Cirrus Logic chip CS4398 DAC. It is balanced,
so you can go fully balanced easily.
It has a voltage
output, so no converson should worry you. The
wires on a 5-way plug are: Left Pos, left neg, ground (black-thick) and
symmetrically right neg, right pos.
There are no
noise artifacts from conversion process (hiss), bare and unfiltered
this DAC is as quiet as it gets.
After taking the
signal from the connection cable - the end result is
phenomenal. This is a very musical dac, full of details, with superb
attack, bass and air. I think it has the sound quality equal to the
best
ones out there.
I strongly
recommend it as an ultimate sound source.
It does not have
to fear the 10 000 dollar beasts from the top names in the industry.
The DAC PCB is
purely SMD. I noticed a handful of capacitors. With a
magnifying glass, a sharp tipped soldering iron and some patience -
these can be replaced with proper audio grade caps. Up to 1 uF - with
MKP foil type, and above 1 uF - with electrolytics oscons or tantalum.
This
will take the DAC to another league. Of course while replacing, we
substitute the X with at least 2x or better 5x capacitance size.
The output PCB
can be disposed of completely. We do not need it.
Here is what
they say:
Features
Advanced
Multi-bit Delta-Sigma Architecture
– 120 dB Dynamic
Range
– -107 dB THD+N
– Low Clock
Jitter Sensitivity
– Differential
Analog Outputs
PCM input
– 102 dB of
Stopband Attenuation
– Supports
Sample Rates up to 192 kHz
– Accepts up to
24 bit Audio Data
– Supports All
Industry Standard Audio
Interface Formats
– Selectable
Digital Filter Response
– Volume Control
with 1/2 dB Step Size and
Soft Ramp
– Flexible
Channel Routing and Mixing
– Selectable
De-Emphasis
Supports
Stand-Alone or I²C/SPI™
Configuration
Embedded Level
Translators
– 1.8 V to 5 V
Serial Audio Input
– 1.8 V to 5 V
Control Data Input
Direct Stream
Digital (DSD)
– Dedicated DSD
Input Pins
– On-Chip 50 kHz
Filter to Meet Scarlet Book
SACD
Recommendations
– Matched PCM
and DSD Analog Output
Levels
– Non-Decimating
Volume Control with
1/2 dB Step Size
and Soft Ramp
– DSD Mute
Detection
– Supports
Phase-Modulated Inputs
– Optional
Direct DSD Path to On-Chip
Switched
Capacitor Filter
Control
Output for External Muting
– Independent
Left and Right Mute Controls
– Supports Auto
Detection of Mute Output
Polarity
Typical
Applications
– DVD Players
– SACD Players
– A/V Receivers
– Professional
Audio Products
Description
The CS4398 is a
complete stereo 24 bit/192 kHz digital to- analog system. This
D/A system includes digital deemphasis,
half dB step
size volume control, ATAPI channel mixing,
selectable fast and slow digital interpolation
filters followed
by an oversampled multi-bit deltasigma modulator that
includes mismatch shaping technology
that eliminates
distortion due to capacitor mismatch. Following
this stage is a multi-element
switched
capacitor stage and low pass filter with differential analog outputs.
The CS4398 also
has an proprietary DSD processor that allows for
volume control and 50 kHz on-chip filtering
without an
intermediate decimation stage. It also offers an optional
path for direct DSD conversion by directly
using the
multi-element switched capacitor array. The CS4398 accepts
PCM data at sample rates from
32 kHz to 216
kHz, DSD audio data, has selectable digital filters, consumes
little power, and delivers excellent
sound quality.
This picture is
not actually reflecting the lampization but the playing around with
battery DC supply.
LOOK
at these giants which use similar or same DAC. You could join the club
for 200 bucks !
Like
CONSONANCE Droplet CDP5.0 - a lovely machine for 5000 USD with fake
tubes stage and lots of op-amps inside
CRISTAL CS4398 DAC USER LIST
ALCHEMIST
APD39A KRAKEN
CS4334
AUDIO
ANALOGUE PAGANINI
CS4390
AUDIO
RESEARCH CD2
CS4329-KP
AUDIO
RESEARCH DAC3
CS4328-KP
AUDIOLAB
8000 CD
CS4329
CAMBRIDGE
AUDIO azur340c
CS4338
CAMBRIDGE
AUDIO D300SE
CS4338
CONSONANCE
CD 120
CS4396
CONSONANCE
Droplet CDP5.0
CS4398
CREEK
CD43
CS4390
CREEK
CD43 Mk 2
CS4396
CREEK
CD50
CS4396
CREEK
CD53
CS4396
ELECTROCOMPANIET
ECC-1
CS4398
ENSEMBLE
DICHRONO HI-DAC
CS4397
Entech
Number Cruncher 205.2
CS4329-KP
GAMUT
CD1
CS4390
HELIOS
MODEL 1S
CS4328
<>HELIOS
STARGATE
CS4328
LINN MIMIK
CS4328
MANLEY
DELTA SIGMA DAC
CS4328-KP
MARANTZ
CD5001
CS4392
MARANTZ
CD5400-OSE
CS4392
MARANTZ
SA-12 S1
CS4397
MARANTZ
SA-14
CS4397
MCINTOSH
MCD201
CS4398
MERIDIAN
506.24
CS4390
MERIDIAN
507
CS4390
MERIDIAN
508
CS4329
MERIDIAN
508.24
CS4390
MYRYAD
T-20
CS4327
MYRYAD
MXC6000
2 x
CS4396
NAD
S500
CS4390
NORTH
STAR MODEL 192 DAC
CS4396
QUAD
99
CS4396
SHANLING
CD-50
CS4390
TAG
McLAREN CD20R
CS4329
Talk
Electronics Thunder 3
CS4390
TEAC
S-Z1 ESOTERIC
CS4398
Unison
Research UNICO CD
CS4392
Also check my Lampucera
description with very similar DAC
THE
CIRRUS PDF FILE
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