TDA1541A DAC Build

It is been awhile I am using Parasound DAC-1000 and satisfy with the sound. Moreover, my amplifier is also Parasound and enjoy this combo a lot. But when I look again to my DAC collection and try to find what left from my DIY journey within few years back, I don't have much. They mostly gone already, sold to my friends and fellow that appreciate my built. Their feedback for the sound quality gives me an excitement.

So, since few months back, I started to build another DAC again, from what left in my components bin. With my spares time that already limited, consume by my main professional work, this DAC build is slow.

So, let's share this DAC build.

Crossover For 2-way SB Acoustic Speaker System

About eight years ago, I was built a 2-way speaker system using SB Acoustic drivers. The driver for woofer is SB16PFC25-08 and for tweeter is SB19ST-C000-4. You can visit the post here.

Although this speaker is sound good, but it is not perfect. This is because working on multi driver is challenging. The crossover is the components module to split the frequency range between woofer for low pass and tweeter for high pass. The crossover should make the sound from each of the drivers well blending with the correct phase, so the sound will be coherent. This is not an easy task since the crossover calculation should be made correctly. I made many changes since the day this speaker finished and the last update is on last August here. The goal for those changes is to make the sound enjoyable to listen, less dip and peak especially on the cross-over point, and make the sound fuller and wider.

So, in this post, I made other changes in this speaker system by using the detail parameter on each driver, then I calculate for the correct crossover point and components related to it. The damping materials inside also changed.

Let's take a look.

Parasound HCA-1206 Multi Channel Amplifier, Optimized For Stereo Only

This Parasound HCA-1206 is a multi-channel amplifier that intended for home theater audio setup.

No wonder this amplifier has 6-channel identical amplifier in one chassis, together with the THX certified label, it delivers 120-watt power per channel.

This amplifier is my fresh catch not long time ago after I got the Parasound DAC-1000 before. The condition is like new and I was thinking that this amplifier would be a match pair with my DAC since they are built at the same year.

And I was right! This amplifier is sound wonderful. It really matching with the DAC in term of the style and sound.

That is why, in this post, I will make this multi-channel amplifier optimized for use in the stereo system only.

300B Amplifier Hum Problem Solved

My previous post about the 300B tube amplifier build was a breakthrough. At least for myself. That was my first 300B amplifier build which if I remember, a decade ago, it will never across my mind to build such this expensive amplifier.

I learn a lot from that build and the 300B tube by its nature is direct-heated triode which I read everywhere saying that DHT will always have small hum present at the output, especially when pairing with the speaker sensitivity above 90 db.

My 300B amplifier built intended to drive a headphone. It is also can act as pre-amplifier. Small hum might be a problem for the listening enjoyment. Probably I should accept it.

But when the amplifier is done, the hum is worse than my expectation. It is loud and not at the acceptable level at all. The hum always presents at all time, even with the volume control fully closed.

I think more than a month and I tried to figure it out how to solve this issue. With the help of my friends, now this 300B amplifier is completely free of hum.

Yes, you are read it correctly. No hum at all, it is dead silent.

Only great music.

Portable TDA1543 DAC Preamp & Headphone Amplifier

I've built DAC with pre-amp and headphone amplifier combo several times which surprisingly sound good. Moreover, this might become more practical unit that act as headphone amplifier and can be also connect to home audio system with the same output from the unit itself.

I made PCM63 DAC with this combo here, long before that, I also made portable TDA1543 DAC combo here. The secret of those combo lies on the current output booster that act as buffer, lowering the output impedance which easily drive any headphone or as a signal output to feed the home audio system.

Especially in this post, I will share my latest upgrade for my previous TDA1543 portable DAC combo that I've built last time. This upgrade resulting to better sound quality.

300B Tube Amplifier Build

The 300B tube can be the holy grail of every tube amplifier. Everyone praises for its sweet sound. Personally, I never compare directly between one amplifier to another amplifier using 300B tube, but I still believe the reputation of this 300B is not a false statement.

More specific, the single ended 300B design are well known for the best sounding amplifier compare with the push-pull. Single ended is also more economical approach since we only need a pair of 300B tubes. But it has the drawback, it is the low power output. It is about 6 watt per channel.

That is why in this 300B tube amplifier build, I will make this amplifier in single ended design with 6SN7 driver and 5AR4 rectifier to drive a headphone.

For headphone? Pretty disappointed?

I guess not. I hope the sweet sound of 300B can be heard more closely to my ears.

Fresh Catch, The Parasound DAC 1000

Sometimes we bought the vintage audio equipment's not because only for the built quality, or the sound signature, or the price. I bought this Parasound DAC 1000 because it looks just like new.

Parasound is the big name in 90's which at that time, I am just can saw it on the borrowed Stereophile magazine. So, when I saw this DAC today and sold to me for under $300, who can resist?!

IBASSO DX-90 Disassembly & The Capacitor Replacement

It has been a while I am not posting anything in this blog. This is because of my main job schedule is very tight, so I cannot even manage this blog at all. But thankfully I am still having my routine music listening session, probably a few hours a week, with the current audio setup is using the low cost AD1865NK DAC, the LM3875 Gainclone amplifier and SB-acoustic 2-way speaker system. For the digital player is iBasso DX-90 which I have used for very long time.

I am curious what is inside this tiny media player and I have an opportunity to open it up now.