Enlighted Audio Design(EAD) DACs

[doping panda]

Yesterday, while I was browsing el Craigslist and a****gon I stumbled upon an EAD DSP-7000 mk.II DAC and was intrigued. So, I deciding to go doping panda, PI. From what little information I could gather, EAD had three lines of DACs: the DSP-1000, the DSP-7000, and the DSP-9000. The DSP-7000 was the original product while the DSP-1000 was an economy version of the 7k and the DSP-9000 seemed to be a more different than the other two. Each line has had several revisions with the DSP-1000 and the DSP-7000 both having three revisions while 9000 has an unknown number of revisions(to me at least). The first series had a CS8412-CP EP, 2x AD1862N-J, NPC SM5813APT, and some proprietary I/V converter called the AccuLinear. The later two series switched out the AD1862N-Js for Burr-Brown PCM63P-Ks and the last series switched out the SM5813 for the PMD100 and added PLL with a voltage-controlled crystal oscillator. I believe all of the DACs within a revision used nearly identical digital sections; so, all the "mark 1" dacs regardless of the line would have the same digital sections and so on. The main differences would be that the 7000 and 9000 have a much beefier power supply and possibly analogue sections and the 9000 have a lot more inputs, dual chassis design, remote control, and other goodies. All of the EAD gear supposedly has great build quality and is seriously heavy - the DSP-7000 mk.1 was like twenty one pounds. Also, it seems some EAD gear uses some contraption called the "digital flywheel" to reduce jitter or something, but I'm not sure if any of the DAC only units had them. From some old Audio Critic reviews, it seems that the EAD gear measures pretty damn well although I don't admit to completely understanding the numbers. Interestingly, the DSP-1000 measured nearly identically to its other brothers despite its inferior power supply. Of course, I'm not sure how any of these translates to sound. I don't believe the schematics of any of these DACs are readily available, but a company named Noble Electronics that does mods on EAD gear may have them. At any rate, it seems that these EAD DACs could possibly be some nice vintage gear.

IIRC, the guy selling them on a****gon lives in Santa Monica so when I head back to my apartment in LA I'll try to hope on over to see if he still has it. Despite having little free money as a college student, I still have a bizarre urge to just buy the damn thing and do a shootout with the Pico DAC I should have coming in soon.

It's my first post here on head-case and I'm sorry for it being so damn cumbersome - two years failing to be a pre-med student has degenerated any writing ability I previously possessed . Anyhow, I hope I enjoy my stay.

[grawk]

I don't have an opinion about the dacs, but why the fuck are you blanking out audiogon?

[doping panda]

I have no fucking clue really. Can we past it off as a drug-induced decision even though I'm perfectly in a right state of mind right now?

[falkon]

and yet, you don't blank out "fucking".

[The Monkey]

Ok, Panda, here's what you do. Get an EAD DAC and a Parasound DAC (1000, 1100, 1500, or 1600) and compare them. Then take the better DAC and compare it to the Electrocompaniet ECD-1 that you will purchase. Then post the results.

[aardvark baguette]

Yesterday, while I was browsing el Craigslist and a****gon I stumbled upon an EAD DSP-7000 mk.II DAC and was intrigued. So, I deciding to go doping panda, PI. From what little information I could gather, EAD had three lines of DACs: the DSP-1000, the DSP-7000, and the DSP-9000. The DSP-7000 was the original product while the DSP-1000 was an economy version of the 7k and the DSP-9000 seemed to be a more different than the other two. Each line has had several revisions with the DSP-1000 and the DSP-7000 both having three revisions while 9000 has an unknown number of revisions(to me at least). The first series had a CS8412-CP EP, 2x AD1862N-J, NPC SM5813APT, and some proprietary I/V converter called the AccuLinear. The later two series switched out the AD1862N-Js for Burr-Brown PCM63P-Ks and the last series switched out the SM5813 for the PMD100 and added PLL with a voltage-controlled crystal oscillator. I believe all of the DACs within a revision used nearly identical digital sections; so, all the "mark 1" dacs regardless of the line would have the same digital sections and so on. The main differences would be that the 7000 and 9000 have a much beefier power supply and possibly analogue sections and the 9000 have a lot more inputs, dual chassis design, remote control, and other goodies. All of the EAD gear supposedly has great build quality and is seriously heavy - the DSP-7000 mk.1 was like twenty one pounds. Also, it seems some EAD gear uses some contraption called the "digital flywheel" to reduce jitter or something, but I'm not sure if any of the DAC only units had them. From some old Audio Critic reviews, it seems that the EAD gear measures pretty damn well although I don't admit to completely understanding the numbers. Interestingly, the DSP-1000 measured nearly identically to its other brothers despite its inferior power supply. Of course, I'm not sure how any of these translates to sound. I don't believe the schematics of any of these DACs are readily available, but a company named Noble Electronics that does mods on EAD gear may have them. At any rate, it seems that these EAD DACs could possibly be some nice vintage gear.

IIRC, the guy selling them on a****gon lives in Santa Monica so when I head back to my apartment in LA I'll try to hope on over to see if he still has it. Despite having little free money as a college student, I still have a bizarre urge to just buy the damn thing and do a shootout with the Pico DAC I should have coming in soon.

It's my first post here on head-case and I'm sorry for it being so damn cumbersome - two years failing to be a pre-med student has degenerated any writing ability I previously possessed . Anyhow, I hope I enjoy my stay.

May I give you a piece of advice, based on my own personal experience?

Just use the pico. Its fine.

I still wish I had just kept one of mine.

[The Monkey]

May I give you a piece of advice, based on my own personal experience?

Just use the pico. Its fine.

I still wish I had just kept one of mine.

That's pretty good advice, actually.

[Fungi]

Until you need coax/opt inputs.

[The Monkey]

Yeah, there's that.

[doping panda]

Ok, Panda, here's what you do. Get an EAD DAC and a Parasound DAC (1000, 1100, 1500, or 1600) and compare them. Then take the better DAC and compare it to the Electrocompaniet ECD-1 that you will purchase. Then post the results.

Yeah, I'll get around to that after winning two grand from a night at an Indian casino.

May I give you a piece of advice, based on my own personal experience?

Just use the pico. Its fine.

I still wish I had just kept one of mine.

Thanks, I was actually fine with going for the Pico. However, I backed out on the trade because my offer for a Parasound DAC1600 got through, but then some crap happened leaving me in an immediate position in which I can't afford a DAC outside of a Gamma-lite or an E-MU 0404 USB on ebay.

Until you need coax/opt inputs.

Since I probably won't be needing those anything soon, the Pico's USB input is just fine and dandy for me.

[The Monkey]

So has anyone heard any of the EAD stuff?

[Hopstretch]

So has anyone heard any of the EAD stuff?

Buy one. You know you want to!

[The Monkey]

Team Too Many DACs.

[doping panda]

I'm still trying to get traded to Team Too Many DACs, but Team No DACs isn't listening to my demands right now.

[shodulik]

I've had the EAD DSP-7000 MKIII and T-1000 transport for quite a few years now and still enjoy the combo. The build quality of the dac is amazing and yes the analog section is pretty brawny, and I love the HDCD. I've thought about trying a new more modern dac but nothing has ever really caught my eye and honestly i never get sick of listening to the thing so I've never pulled the trigger.

Despite it's age if you can get one for cheap I think you'll be pleased. Go have a listen and see what you think.

[grenert]

I can't afford a DAC outside of a Gamma-lite or an E-MU 0404 USB on ebay.

Owning both of those, I think the Gamma is a much better DAC. Also, the Emu gives you a false notion of having a built-in headphone amp.

[hirsch]

So has anyone heard any of the EAD stuff?

Used to own an EAD Ultradisc 2000 player. It sounded a bit like it was underwater (I was NOT impressed by the high end). OK as a speaker source, as long as I didn't use good speakers, but not anything I would bother to listen to with headphones.

[The Monkey]

Used to own an EAD Ultradisc 2000 player. It sounded a bit like it was underwater (I was NOT impressed by the high end). OK as a speaker source, as long as I didn't use good speakers, but not anything I would bother to listen to with headphones.

Thanks hirsch. I'm going to stop chasing vintage DACs.

[Hopstretch]

Thanks hirsch. I'm going to stop chasing vintage DACs.

No you're not.

[The Monkey]

You're so right.

[feckn_eejit]

Thanks hirsch. I'm going to stop chasing vintage DACs.

And DanC is going to sell all his DACs and buy a DCS stack.

[Icarium]

Yeah never been remotely tempted by the DCS stuff especially not after asr's experience.

[Guest sachu]

I quite enjoyed the DCS stack at the YG-acoustics room at last year's RMAF.

[atothex]

So did anyone end up getting the EAD?

[Tachikoma]

The EAD DSP-7000 DACs are interesting in that they're based on AD1862, supposedly one of the best R2Rs ever made.