New or Old DAC

Should also mention that 99% of Digital gear will use switching power supplies which are known to induce noise and are very dirty as far as power suppies go.

A Space Tech Dac "DOES NOT" use switching power suppies, it uses a Linear Power Supply!

Bernie, in hindsight, you are correct, I should have been more specific. I did not realize that someone could misinterpret the digital to analog covertor chip to mean the power supply. Live and learn. I also agree with you on the importance of the power supply.

This is my last word on the subject too.

Cheers,
John

I am an older DAC chip guy. I just finished a DAC design by Pedja that uses a TDA1541A Philips chip. The chip went out of production in or about 1995. I found and use the TDA1541AS2 chip (premium grade), a very hard chip to find. Another great older DAC chip is the Burr Brown PCM63. The PCM63K is Burr Brown's premium chip. Cd's are recorded in 44.1 khz and at 16 bits. This is all the info that in on a CD. A better circuit design and good DAC chip make a good DAC unit. Some older units are very good as well as newer designs, but there is still only 16 bits of info so an 18 bit-24 bit DAC chip will not get more info off a standard CD.

Anyway my choice is a newer design using and older DAC chip. Zanden is a company that does this at a very high cost.

Jmcgrogan2- No-one is misinterpreting the Digital to Analog Converter chip to mean the Power Supply. Just don't understand how you can eliminate or exclude the Power Supply from the Digital to Analog Converter Chip Circuit. We are supposed to exclude any concideration of the Rectifying Power Supply Stage in discussing Tubes, fancy Caps or Resistors? If any of these are used in the Rectifying Power Supply, then they cannot be excluded from being part of the Digital to Analog Converter Chip Circuit. The Power Supply to ANY Circuit, IS PART of that Circuit! To argue otherwise, is being in denial of basic Electrical and Electronic Theory. There is no misinterpretation, bad English, or Drinking problem. There is simply YOUR inability to connect the Rectifying Power Supply TO the Digital/Analog Converter Chip Circuit. The Circuit will not work very well if it is SEPARATED from its Power Supply, but perhaps I am mistaken (hic!), and I need a whole HELL OF ALOT more booze to finally see things from your point of view!
Almarg- if you really are an E.E.- then you already know that the Power Supply to any Circuit, including an Digital to Analog Converter Chip Circuit, IS PART OF THAT CIRCUIT! Any distinction or interpretation WILL NOT CHANGE THAT FACT! You have got to have SOMETHING to conduct Current over the GAPS of your so-called "Distinctions" within a Circuit. Distinctions don't conduct current very well! I seriously doubt that your Distinctions would even insulate me from getting zapped if I were to touch a live circuit! Must I force you to actually touch the live Circuit of a Digital to Analog Converter Chip, and get zapped, before you will acknowledge that that Vacuum Tube Rectifying Stage DOES INDEED carry one hell of a punch? Since perhaps I don't understand English, I am mistaken there as well! If you want to continue working on live Circuits, thinking that Distinctions will insulate you from getting Zapped, perhaps I am indeed the Idiot for challenging your line of thought! Please, don't let me interfere with your work any longer!

Everyone-you can give up on me, but please don't give up on the Laws of Physics, nor Electrical and Electronic Theory! You might live a little longer, and you just might avoid earning that Darwin Award! The Power Supply to any Circuit is separate and distinct from the Circuit it supplies, well I guess there is no sense in unplugging anything then. Everything will be perfectly safe when playing around in a live Circuit! I would not recommend practicing Electrical Safety in accordance with the Electrical Theory of Jmcgrogan2 and Almarg, unless of course, you are the Frankenstein Monster! Face it Gentlemen, neither one of you are exactly Nicholas Tesla. You will indeed conduct Electricity! If you don't believe me, I have a special Posthumous Award for the both of you!