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2 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

If I’m not mistaken the Marantz HDAM is nothing more than an IC made up of discrete parts rather than a chip or opamp. 

If it’s made of discrete parts, then it isn’t an IC. An IC means Integrated Circuit, and refers to a “chip” meaning that the entire device is built onto a single (usually) silicon substrate. In other words everything is integrated together. A circuit made up individual transistors, resistors, capacitors and diodes and often potted in epoxy is usually referred to as a “module”. MSB’s ladder DACs are made that way to discourage competitors from reverse engineering their circuits.

George

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7 hours ago, gmgraves said:

If it’s made of discrete parts, then it isn’t an IC. An IC means Integrated Circuit, and refers to a “chip” meaning that the entire device is built onto a single (usually) silicon substrate. In other words everything is integrated together. A circuit made up individual transistors, resistors, capacitors and diodes and often potted in epoxy is usually referred to as a “module”. MSB’s ladder DACs are made that way to discourage competitors from reverse engineering their circuits.


perhaps I wasn’t clear enough. The HDAM is doing exactly the same thing an op-amp would be doing in a given location but does it with discrete parts instead. 

No electron left behind.

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11 hours ago, gmgraves said:

That certainly seems to be the conventional wisdom about IC implementation vs discreet components. It certainly used to be universally true, but today’s op amps are very close to what you can get with separate components, So, I suspect it’s just a matter of time before IC based DAC catch up to discrete ones like those made by a MSB and a few others. But the SabreDACs aren’t there yet if you ask me.

An FPGA like Chord use is an IC and is entirely digital. Discreet components are not used for digital circuitry such as logic gates, and haven’t been for some decades. OP amps are nothing to do with digital filters in DACs, although they might be used in the output stages.

System (i): Stack Audio Link > 2Qute+MCRU psu; Gyrodec/SME V/Hana SL/EAT E-Glo Petit/Magnum Dynalab FT101A) > PrimaLuna Evo 100 amp > Klipsch RP-600M/REL T5x subs

System (ii): Allo USB Signature > Bel Canto uLink+AQVOX psu > Chord Hugo > APPJ EL34 > Tandy LX5/REL Tzero v3 subs

System (iii) KEF LS50W/KEF R400b subs

 

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On 1/7/2020 at 6:58 PM, Ralf11 said:

For my product of the decade I pick this support system.  It is far more effective than any audiophile rack.

 

 

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Review of a Minus K Laboratory Isolation platform used as a turntable support here:

 

https://www.theanalogdept.com/minus_k.htm

System (i): Stack Audio Link > 2Qute+MCRU psu; Gyrodec/SME V/Hana SL/EAT E-Glo Petit/Magnum Dynalab FT101A) > PrimaLuna Evo 100 amp > Klipsch RP-600M/REL T5x subs

System (ii): Allo USB Signature > Bel Canto uLink+AQVOX psu > Chord Hugo > APPJ EL34 > Tandy LX5/REL Tzero v3 subs

System (iii) KEF LS50W/KEF R400b subs

 

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9 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:


perhaps I wasn’t clear enough. The HDAM is doing exactly the same thing an op-amp would be doing in a given location but does it with discrete parts instead. 

You were clear. I was just correcting your nomenclature. Circuits made up of discrete components (even if some of those individual parts are, in and of themselves, true ICs like op amps) cannot be called ICs.

George

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8 hours ago, Richard Dale said:

An FPGA like Chord use is an IC and is entirely digital. Discreet components are not used for digital circuitry such as logic gates, and haven’t been for some decades. OP amps are nothing to do with digital filters in DACs, although they might be used in the output stages.

Since I spent more than thirty years in the semiconductor industry in Silicon Valley CA, I know that. I have used the software to program FPGAs as well as creating the programs for Mask Programmable Gate Arrays (MPGAs) many times. But thanks for clarifying for others here, just the same.🙂 

George

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4 minutes ago, gmgraves said:

Since I spent more than thirty years in the semiconductor industry in Silicon Valley CA, I know that. I have used the software to program FPGAs as well as creating the programs for Mask Programmable Gate Arrays (MPGAs) many times. But thanks for clarifying for others here, just the same.🙂 

The point I was making is that a discussion about whether or not certain OP amps are discrete, has no connection with your original discussion about expensive DACs which didn’t use mass produced DAC chips. 

System (i): Stack Audio Link > 2Qute+MCRU psu; Gyrodec/SME V/Hana SL/EAT E-Glo Petit/Magnum Dynalab FT101A) > PrimaLuna Evo 100 amp > Klipsch RP-600M/REL T5x subs

System (ii): Allo USB Signature > Bel Canto uLink+AQVOX psu > Chord Hugo > APPJ EL34 > Tandy LX5/REL Tzero v3 subs

System (iii) KEF LS50W/KEF R400b subs

 

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