R2R Ladder DACs or All in One Streamer Solutions

I can be passionate about technical details, but please understand I absolutely think personal preference (our ears) are the most important. It does not matter what I think or link, it matters what you like. However, I think it is important not to get caught up in the flavor of the month and let the "masses", or perhaps it is the "crowd" decide what currently you should "like".  That is why I point out that it was not too long ago that DACs based on the 1541 were not considered good, but suddenly they are again. Which is not to say you don't love your DAC, because you obviously do.  If I had to guess, it has little to do with the 1541, and a lot to do with the overall design, warts and all. Warts are good in audio.  We are working very hard to add warts to recorded music these days. People like warts.

jbmac7594 posts11-08-2020 8:52pmOk, do not know now? Was kind of liking my tubed MHDT Orchid. Maybe I should like? Maybe I should not? My ears are still deciding, for 4 months now. So far it is one of my favorites. My ears will decide. Enjoy!

The PCM1738 is a segmented DAC

Musical Fidelity used the PCM1738 Delta Sigma dac in 2002 in their A3/24 this was the start of the "new wave" because it was way to expensive to produce R2R chips with the multitude of laser trimmed resistors in them like in the TDA1541 and PCM1702 and 04 and more.
We A/B’d the that MF A3/24 which was mine against R2R dacs, even no name ones from China, which used the TDA1541 and PCM1702/4, and on RedBook CD using the same transport, the R2R chip’ed dacs reined supreme.
And today the "Discrete R2R" like my MSB, my friends Total are even better again than those old "chip based" R2R d/a converters.

Cheers George

Ya I am calling that one out ... even cheap no name ones from China huh?  Sure.

Why do people make up stories?  Ask any DAC designer (good ones) and they will tell you the implementation, i.e. output stages, power supply, clocks, etc. matter far more than the DAC architecture. Cheap ones from China ... if you are going to tell tales, at least keep them remotely believable.

even cheap no name ones from China Why do people make up stories?

Really, call all you like, do you think Chinese can’t put a dac together, your so wrong buddy. You have your head in the sand. https://ibb.co/BjRSjp5

 ...I point out that it was not too long ago that DACs based on the 1541 were not considered good, but suddenly they are again.

Have you noticed that implementations of the 1541 have changed in the intervening time? My first CD player used LM833 as I/V and filter stage. Seen any recent designs going that route?