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Micromega DUO DAC TDA1541a sell? mod?

I have this 20 years old DAC, and it was wonderfully musical at the time.

Compared to the new DACs, it lacks detail big time. I learned that the old TDA1541a chip isn't bad at all, so the performance might be limited by the presence of Jitter? Not sure either.

I am not sure if it's worth the time+$ to mod it? or should I sell it for dirt?

It has a volume control so it's quite useful.

Any suggestions?
kschiu
elberoth2's avatar
elberoth2
1,223 posts
 
You can perform a no-oversampling mod on it.
kschiu OP
73 posts
 
can you please elaborate?
elberoth2's avatar
elberoth2
1,223 posts
 
Here is the link:

http://lampizator.eu/Nonoversampling/NOS.html
praudio
39 posts
 
Sure it is 1541a in, get a duo pro and it's 1 bit 256os
kschiu OP
73 posts
 
It's a 1541a. It was the first DAC that Micromega made, with a volume control/preamp or buffer amp in it. It even has external analog input.

1 year later they came up with the DUO B.S. (bitstream). It was 1989 i believe.

I just hooked it up yesteday with a "fancy" power cord (back in the 80-90s, nobody used any fancy power cord), a Denon 3930 as a transport, directly drove my CJ LP70S, and the sound is actually VERY respectable. A very different kind of sound, not as detail as the Denon, but definitely very "Organic".

Now I am even thinking about sending it somewhere to get it modded ...
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