Least expensive discrete resistor ladder NOS DAC?

@tommylion, Metrum dacs (Onyx, Jade, Pavane, Adagio) and Holo Audio Spring all use discrete resistor ladders and are NOS. Soekris also uses their own discrete resistor ladders, and going by George's post, has a NOS mode, I'd definitely consider their flagship dac 1541, which is way less than $2000.

Vinnie Rossi, Spatial, Volti Audio, and Triode Wire Labs have all been using Border Patrol at recent shows.  That catches my attention.

Soekris also uses their own discrete resistor ladders, and going by George's post, has a NOS mode, I'd definitely consider their flagship dac 1541, which is way less than $2000.

Thing is you don't even have to spend that much, the  DAC1421 is the same as the 1541 but with only single ended outputs at 400euro less. And from what I read, you can get an Apple remote for it and the use the volume control it has.

And I've only heard balanced better single ended when the interconnect are >10mts long, and that only been a touch better noise.

From the Soekris 1421 1541 user manuals:
Remote Control: The dac1541 have support for using a remote controller to adjust the volume level and to select input source. The remote need to be an Apple remote or a compatible one. The dac1541 as default will not be locked to a remote, but can be locked to a specific remote using its device code. To lock the dac1541 to a remote, first press the “XFEED” button for 4 seconds until the “CLIP” indicator lights, then press any button on the remote. If you don’t press any button on the remote before the “CLIP” indicator goes off then the dac1541 will go back to its default setting of not being locked to a specific remote. You then also need to store the new remote setting by pressing the “FILTER” button for 4 seconds

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.TRS0&_nkw=Apple+remote&_sacat=0

Cheers George





Cheers George

wharfy,

old as as in a chip that’s not being made anymore. Way back at the beginning of CD, before oversampling was a thing, I had a Meridian MCD. It was the first “audiophile” CD player, and used a Phillips DAC chip that, I believe, was only 14 bits. It sounded really good!

Is there any reason you are looking for NOS??  The 'no moving parts' aspect of a DAC would limit the number of things that are likely to go wrong (generally electrolytic capacitors, which can be replaced), and the lifespan should be quite long.  I have a DAC with the UA 20400, and while not discrete resistor, I think it was hand trimmed resistors.  Really delivers a wonderful sound, and available in DACs from several vendors - Stax, VTL, and Sonic Frontiers.  Directed at Redbook, and likely within your budget.  Sometimes older is better .....