Who sells a "nodac"?

[Norton]

I asked a version of this question some weeks back but got no response.

 

I'm  interested in a DSD "NODAC" purpose-built to be used with a PC doing  the upsampling, filtering etc.

 

I'm not interested in DIY, but this is I think along the lines of what I mean:

 

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-line-level/273474-best-dac-no-dac.html

 

My imagined "NODAC" would thus be USB board>simple chipless conversion>SOTA S/S output stage c/w SOTA power supply 

 

My question though, is where do I get one as a finished product?  Given the popularity of HQP, the references I've seen from its users as to the advantage of them being able to use a "simple" DAC, plus the need to differentiate product in a crowded DAC market, I'm surprised that this doesn't seem readily available.  Perhaps it's too single-minded to be commercially viable or maybe just not a good idea?

[esldude]

I believe the T+A DAC 8 is such a DAC. 

[4est]

Holo Audio Spring DAC

[Solstice380]

Not solid state, but tube - Lampizator with DSD512 module. No DAC chip. 

[Norton]

Thanks for the suggestions, but what I'm ideally looking for is something not compromised on performance or budget by including (for me) unnecessary PCM, preamp or headphone options, etc.  Just a box with USB and IEC inputs, RCA  outputs, no controls whatsoever, with money spent on SOTA USB, chipless  "conversion", S/S output and PSU implementation.

 

Maybe not  a mass market product, but given the diversity of the DAC market,  still surprised it doesn't exist other than as a DIY project.

[esldude]

 

The fellow behind the T+A design has now gone to something much like you are asking for. He also is transitioning to do custom designs.  So you can order up precisely what you do and don't want.  Mivera audio. 

 

https://www.miveraaudio.com/product-page/mivera-audio-purestream-dsd-256-dac

 

This DAC only takes in pure 1 bit DSD at that one frequency of operation.  All other conversions etc are done in software feeding it.  So it looks like exactly what you are trying to find.  There is no DAC chip, no digital filter converting formats just a pure FPGA based chipless bitstream DSD implementation.  You get to pick which clock you want.

 

He posted as Blizzard on these forums until he was banned. 

 

Home page for Mivera here:

 

https://www.miveraaudio.com/

[bibo01]

21 minutes ago, esldude said:

 

The fellow behind the T+A design has now gone to something much like you are asking for. He also is transitioning to do custom designs.  So you can order up precisely what you do and don't want.  Mivera audio. 

 

https://www.miveraaudio.com/product-page/mivera-audio-purestream-dsd-256-dac

 

This DAC only takes in pure 1 bit DSD at that one frequency of operation.  All other conversions etc are done in software feeding it.  So it looks like exactly what you are trying to find.  There is no DAC chip, no digital filter converting formats just a pure FPGA based chipless bitstream DSD implementation.  You get to pick which clock you want.

 

He posted as Blizzard on these forums until he was banned. 

 

Home page for Mivera here:

 

https://www.miveraaudio.com/

There are some (many ?) errors in your post.

Mike did NOT design T+A. I suppose you were referring to their DAC.

Mivera DAC is based on an AKM chip, although it does work at DSD256.

[esldude]

Just now, bibo01 said:

There are some (many ?) errors in your post.

Mike did NOT design T+A. I suppose you were referring to their DAC.

Mivera DAC is based on an AKM chip, although it does work at DSD256.

Mike doesn't design anything.  I said he was the guy behind it, which I was lead to believe he was.  As in he assembled whomever was needed to produce and sell it. 

 

I believe he has said he made the Mivera a chipless DAC, my apologies if that was not the case.  Some have called it semi-chipless.  So just disregard my post.

[Norton]

6 hours ago, esldude said:

Mike doesn't design anything.  I said he was the guy behind it, which I was lead to believe he was.  As in he assembled whomever was needed to produce and sell it. 

 

I believe he has said he made the Mivera a chipless DAC, my apologies if that was not the case.  Some have called it semi-chipless.  So just disregard my post.

Thanks for the suggestion anyway.  In other respects it is what I'm looking for, except it looks like the DAC is only sold in bundle with the server - I just want to use my own NAA.

 

Hard to square this and the T&A DAC with Blizzard's posts and banning on here as I remember them.  But all credit to him for "putting his money where his mouth is" 

[esldude]

9 minutes ago, Norton said:

Thanks for the suggestion anyway.  In other respects it is what I'm looking for, except it looks like the DAC is only sold in bundle with the server - I just want to use my own NAA.

 

Hard to square this and the T&A DAC with Blizzard's posts and banning on here as I remember them.  But all credit to him for "putting his money where his mouth is" 

On the only forum where he has not been banned to my knowledge, he recently reiterated he was going to all custom designs.  Tell him what you want and he might make it.

[bibo01]

Another DAC that might be of interest is this Audiobyte Hydra Vox, recently presented at Munich High End:

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/31829-munich-high-end-show-2017/?do=findComment&comment=666373

 

[tedwoods]

16 hours ago, Norton said:

Thanks for the suggestions, but what I'm ideally looking for is something not compromised on performance or budget by including (for me) unnecessary PCM, preamp or headphone options, etc.  Just a box with USB and IEC inputs, RCA  outputs, no controls whatsoever, with money spent on SOTA USB, chipless  "conversion", S/S output and PSU implementation.

 

Maybe not  a mass market product, but given the diversity of the DAC market,  still surprised it doesn't exist other than as a DIY project.

 

I believe Lampizator are coming out with a solid state output model, if i'm not mistaken.

[Nikhil]

On 2017-5-23 at 4:46 PM, tedwoods said:

 

I believe Lampizator are coming out with a solid state output model, if i'm not mistaken.

 

Thats interesting!  Luk is one of the biggest tube aficionados out there.   That would be a big departure from one of his core concepts.

[Nikhil]

Norton,

 

I believe a Lampizator DSD only DAC would be the machine you are looking for.   An Amber 2 with DSD only might be a possibility if you ask.

 

Regards 

 

[Norton]

7 hours ago, Nikhil said:

Norton,

 

I believe a Lampizator DSD only DAC would be the machine you are looking for.   An Amber 2 with DSD only might be a possibility if you ask.

 

Regards 

 

Thanks Nikhil,

 

Lampizator would be a possibility but I wasn't that keen on the idea of valves.

I am following up on some of the suggestions above.  From what I can see the Mivera DAC  is the closest to what I'm looking for in intent, albeit not strictly chipless.

 

[Norton]

 To revive an old thread, I noticed this recently:

 

http://www.rtaudiodesign.com/w/products/dacs/pure-dsd-converter/

 

Seems like an ideal partner for HQP ( although limited to 256) .  Thoughts?