Author Topic: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0  (Read 23796 times)

Offline Tuyen

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Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« on: March 31, 2014, 11:30:29 PM »
This TDA1541 based design looks interesting.   Paired with the Abbas Audio D3a  or EL84 output stage, could be quite cool.   Thought's on it's design features?

Options: NOS(non oversampling) mode,SAA7220 mode,slave or master CS8412 mode

Chips:AM26LS32,CS8412,TDA1541AR1,74LS74(74LS393),AD8561,SAA7220(or NOS cap)

The DAC 3.0 has a lot of extraordinary technical solutions:

1.EF14,EZ11 low jitter clock
2.EF12,EZ11 DEM tube clock
3.Shunt voltage regulators:TL431+germanuim transistors
4.Vintage components:allen bradley,philips,rft,rca,vishay,dralowid,telefunken,panasonic pureism,elna cerafine
5.Boards covered with gold and special varnish for best sound
6.4pc power high quality toroidal transformers(110v or 220v or 240v primary-specify when ordering )
7.Tube heaters apply as current stabilizer
8.Hand made HF capacitors


Three boards included:DAC and two power supplies

Output: 65mv RMS (1khz,0db Full Scale)

You can use the devices from my store to amplify the output signal to 2v - 4v RMS
D3a output stage with 35db gain or EL84(triode)+ 1:3 permalloy input transformer.
I am waiting your questions!
































Offline Tuyen

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Re: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2014, 11:32:49 PM »
Abbasaudio D3a output stage

1.Pair of D3a and EZ80 are included
2.Vintage components:allen bradley,philips,dralowid,telefunken,siemens
5.Boards covered with gold and a special varnish for best sound
6. High quality toroidal transformer(110v or 220v or 240v primary-specify when ordering )
7.Relay delay 1 min
8.Choke load(grundig or telefunken output transformer with 25-30Hn primary)

Gain: 37db

15hz-200kHz bandwidth
100v RMS 1kHz max output level!












Offline Tuyen

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Re: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« Reply #2 on: March 31, 2014, 11:34:34 PM »
Abbasaudio EL84 output stage

1.Pair of EL84(6P14P) and EZ80 are included
2.Vintage components:allen bradley,philips,dralowid,telefunken,siemens
5.Boards covered with gold and special varnish for best sound
6. High quality toroidal transformer(110v or 220v or 240v primary-specify when ordering )
7.Relay delay 1 min
8.Choke load(grundig or telefunken output transformer with 25-30Hn primary)

Gain: 24db

15hz-200kHz bandwidth
100v RMS 1kHz max output level!




Offline ozmillsy

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Re: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« Reply #3 on: April 01, 2014, 12:59:13 AM »
The gold tracks on his boards look sweet.

Quite an interesting dac, some tasty bits in there.
It's all about the music,, not the equipment.

Offline Tuyen

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Re: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« Reply #4 on: April 01, 2014, 01:25:41 PM »
I thought so too.  Tube clock and what not. 

Quite a fan of the D3a tube as an output too.   Martin uses one with his Sony 337 (TDA1541).

I may give this dac a go if I manage to sell off some unused stuff :)

Offline ochremoon

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Re: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« Reply #5 on: April 01, 2014, 01:57:55 PM »
$1250, presumably US dollars. I wonder what they charge to send to Oz. Almost worth splashing out just to have a play. Looks pretty tasty to me, with some nice vintage parts, assuming they are genuine.

Offline Tuyen

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Re: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« Reply #6 on: April 01, 2014, 02:17:56 PM »
AU$1500ish   for the DAC 3.0 (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DAC-3-0-abbasaudio-tube-clock-EF14-TDA1541A-R1-CS8412-NOS-slave-SAA7220-mode-/171275742570?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item27e0d46d6a)

and AU$500 for the output stage (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Abbasaudio-D3a-output-stage-cd-player-dac-upgrade-/171282971000?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item27e142b978)

So about $2k.  Not chump change.   But it looks so interesting and unique that might be worth taking the risk.    I still believe in 16/44 format!  :D

Wonder how much seller would charge for all setup unit.  Will enquire.






« Last Edit: April 01, 2014, 02:33:45 PM by Tuyen »

Offline kajak12

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Re: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« Reply #7 on: April 02, 2014, 12:25:09 AM »
tuyen bui it now :P
still discovering the link between electronics and audio reproduction.so much to learn and so little time

Offline Jehuty

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Re: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« Reply #8 on: April 02, 2014, 11:04:13 AM »
Very nice! I have some old stock of EL84 valves that I could use for this DAC. You're welcome to borrow them Tuyen  :)
Not all that matters can be measured, not all that can be measured matters.

Offline Tuyen

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Re: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« Reply #9 on: April 02, 2014, 03:56:34 PM »
Cheers William but all good mate. Got a few here myself already.   Lovely sounding tube.  I have 2 siemens and 4 amperex bugle boys.   Using 2 of them in a Sonic Arts EL84 SE amp.

Got a reply back from Mr Abbas.

Hi,Tuyen!
This DAC as finished unit has price 4600$
I have sent this device to Moskow
Now I am making three more copies
Why expensive....There RGN2004 rectifier and my own hand made transformers,power,output and input

I use old germany klangfilm cores and old germany wire for ouput transformers 4:1.
UTC a-20 core and RCA wire from 20th for Input permalloy transformers 1:10
M102 klangfilm core and germany pre WW2 wire for power transformer
Features of winding is my know-how:
http://classicaudio.ru/forum/topic/8712-mezhblochnye-kabelia-abbasaudio-i-ms-transform/

My work:cables,amplifiers,upgrade,transformers:
http://classicaudio.ru/forum/topic/2630-produktciia-abbasa/page-29
http://classicaudio.ru/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1331&start=360
http://classicaudio.ru/forum/topic/7979-apgreidy-abbasaudio/page-3

Regards,Abbas


Not too bad! But tis more than I'm prepared to blow on a DAC at the moment.  May consider just the standard kit bit later on if my interest is still strong and funds are available :)




Offline ozmillsy

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Re: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« Reply #10 on: April 02, 2014, 09:29:07 PM »
With this dac, it is highly likely I'd want to change things anyway, to take the sound where it needed to go.   

So it makes more sense to me to get the kit,  and build it out over time, changing key parts as required.    Big task though,  not an overnight project,  to get it right will be quite an effort.  IMO.
It's all about the music,, not the equipment.

Offline ochremoon

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Re: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« Reply #11 on: April 02, 2014, 11:15:00 PM »
Not really any cheaper than a Killerdac then is it?

Offline Jehuty

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Re: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« Reply #12 on: April 03, 2014, 01:31:33 AM »
Cheers William but all good mate. Got a few here myself already.   Lovely sounding tube.  I have 2 siemens and 4 amperex bugle boys.   Using 2 of them in a Sonic Arts EL84 SE amp.

You need to get the Mullards  8)
Not all that matters can be measured, not all that can be measured matters.

Offline mjw21a

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Re: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« Reply #13 on: February 20, 2020, 03:50:27 PM »
So, did any of you guys end up going ahead with buying one of these?

I've an Abbas Audio DAC2.2SE TDA1541A on order. I'll swap out the chip for a Holland made TDA1541A S1 I have once recieved. I've high expectations of it  :)

Offline kajak12

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Re: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« Reply #14 on: February 21, 2020, 07:21:54 PM »
NO why would we its not a KILLER DAC  ;D
still discovering the link between electronics and audio reproduction.so much to learn and so little time

Offline data

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Re: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« Reply #15 on: February 22, 2020, 12:24:36 AM »
So that's what it takes to draw you out, Mario  :D

Offline stevenvalve

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Re: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« Reply #16 on: February 23, 2020, 06:37:53 PM »
So, did any of you guys end up going ahead with buying one of these?

I've an Abbas Audio DAC2.2SE TDA1541A on order. I'll swap out the chip for a Holland made TDA1541A S1 I have once recieved. I've high expectations of it  :)
I think any good TDA1541A base DAC will sound great to varying degrees. The chip has so much going for it, its hard to make them sound ordinary. I key to greatness is running a valve output. They can be excellent without, but just better with the valve out. But what valve to use.

Offline mjw21a

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Re: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« Reply #17 on: February 24, 2020, 10:26:34 AM »
Aye, I've a Muji Studio DAC II where I've been upgrading parts in it that sounds really very nice.... I expect the Abbas will be a significant step up from it though  :)

Offline stevenvalve

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Re: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« Reply #18 on: March 04, 2020, 01:48:25 AM »
Aye, I've a Muji Studio DAC II where I've been upgrading parts in it that sounds really very nice.... I expect the Abbas will be a significant step up from it though  :)
Always interested let us know. I have been trying a modright modified OPPO player. More on that soon.

Offline data

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Re: Abbas Audio DAC 3.0
« Reply #19 on: April 06, 2020, 08:18:40 PM »
I got to try Matt's Abbas as he had it sent to me and picked it up a couple of days later.

I am impress, nothing stands out, it is all very real sounding, nothing over cooked or under cooked, not syrupy and not clinical or thin, everything just sounds correct and real sounding.