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  3. 138060-3787

A DAC that crushes price vs. performance ratio

I felt strongly that I wanted to inform the Gon members about a new DAC that ranks with the very best on the market regarding performance, but costs around $2,000.00.  The Lab12 DAC1 SE was compared to three reference level DACS that retail for over $12.000.00 in my review for hometheaterreview.com and was at least on the same level sonicly, if not better.  This DAC from Greece is not just "good for the money" but competes with virtually anything on the market regardless of price!

For all the details about the Lab12 DAC1 SE performance and what other DACS it was compared to take a look at the review.  If you are shopping/looking for a new digital front end to drive your system, you owe it to yourself to check this DAC out, unless you like to spend tons of more $ without getting better performance.
teajay
almarg's avatar
almarg
9,670 posts
 
I agree with Charles' comment as well. I would add that the knowledge and experience that goes into the design of the printed circuit board itself can make a big difference in the performance of a DAC. How signals, power, and grounds are routed and distributed within the circuit board, and also how power is "decoupled" (i.e., filtered) immediately adjacent to all of the critical chips, are all hugely important in a DAC design.

Best regards,
-- Al 
batenet's avatar
batenet
20 posts
 
https://www.ebay.com/itm/DAC-TDA1543-NOS-8-0-DIR9001-tube-6DJ8-6922-/321993586576?_mwBanner=1&nm...                                                Here you have the circuit board,just different caps output stage close to tube.The construction is from a china salesman.   
batenet's avatar
batenet
20 posts
 
http://avmentor.gr/reviews/lab12_dac1_se_1.htm                                        Just take a look at this.          
k4rstar
20 posts
 
@batenet wow.. lab12 is $120 china pcb with mundorfs slapped on?? big if true..
batenet's avatar
batenet
20 posts
 
Had also change the coupling capacitors,but otherwise same.
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