SW1X DACs: A Different Take on Digital

davidavdavid

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I am paying close attention to peoples impression on these. They have very special sonic character to them.
 
Has anyone directly compared this DAC to the Lampizator Baltic3?
 
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Has anyone directly compared this DAC to the Lampizator Baltic3?
I have not, though I would also really like to hear from someone, anyone. I'm considering Lampi or SWiX (though Slawa has nearly astronomically increased his prices - almost shamefully so. I know, I know...whatever the market will bear. On the other hand, Lampizator has very little specific information available about its electronics. What's up with that?
 
Since I first posted, I have acquired a second piece of SW1X kit, the LPU I SPX phono stage, and my Denon DP-47 could not be happier. It has never sounded this good. At first, I had an Ortofon 2M Red fitted and then I dug into my box of cartridges and the like and found a spare vintage DENON headshell and a reason to unpack and fit the Audio Technica VM760SLC, their top of the line moving magnet cartridge. — https://www.audio-technica.com/.../moving-magnet/vm760slc



sw1x.png
 
What are the technical reasons a DAC would sound better using an older chip like the TDA1541?
 
It seems to me that SW1X owe an awful lot to AudioNote UK designs. More than a hint of a similar approach, if not just plain copying,

Or am I wrong?
It seems to me that Audionote UK owe an awful AWFUL lot to AudioNote Japan Kondo designs. More than a hint of a similar approach, if not just plain copying,

Or am I wrong?
 
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It seems to me that Audionote UK owe an awful AWFUL lot to AudioNote Japan Kondo designs. More than a hint of a similar approach, if not just plain copying,

Or am I wrong?
"Dear friends of Audio Note

Many of you will know that my former distributor, Audio Note UK, a company controlled by Peter Qvortrup and I have ceased to have a business relationship. I have recently read on the Audio Note UK web site Peter Qvortrup’s explanation for this separation. The distortion of the truth is so great that Peter Qvortrup has forced me to go public and explain to you what happen.

As many of you will know I resigned from CBS Sony where I was an audio designer in mid-1970. At this time, I began using the name Audio Note, and my products were branded with that name. I actually incorporated Audio Note in Japan on October 1, 1979. I was manufacturing high end audio products a long time before I even met Peter Qvortrup. In fact, I had a number of agents prior to Peter Qvortrup being appointed my distributor. He proved himself to be a good salesman of my product and eventually I gave him the right to distribute Audio Note products everywhere except Japan. At no time has he ever been involved in the design, or manufacture, of my products. He is not an amplifier designer.

Everything went well for a period of time and he purchased goods through my Japanese business agent, Shibazaki san of Sibatech. Peter Qvortrup asked me if he might have permission to manufacturer a lower end audio product bearing the Audio Note name, I gave him a revocable license to do so.

In 1996 and 1997 problems started to develop, leading me in late 1997 to revoke the license to manufacture products bearing the Audio Note name, and to dismiss him as my distributor.

Peter Qvortrup has claimed on his web site that we parted company because of some “”severe philosophical divergence on amplifier design”, this is not the truth. I terminated my business agreement with Peter Qvortrup and Audio Note UK for three main reasons:

1. Towards the end of our business relationship he had ordered a large quantity of high end Audio Note products manufactured by Audio Note Japan through Sibatec but failed to pay for them.

2. In August 1997 Messrs Pannel Kerr and Forster accountants, were appointed join administrative receivers in the United Kingdom because Audio Note UK were put into the hands of the Official Receivers and into liquidation. The liquidation of Audio Note UK had a bad effect both financially and in terms of the reputation of the name Audio Note and I found it unacceptable.

3. Peter Qvortrup has always used the reputation for reliability and excellence to enhance the sale of the Audio Note products made in England under a license granted by me. However, I started to become concerned when I repeatedly heard complaints from people who had bought the English manufactured products telling me that it was badly finished and unreliable. I recognize that while our reputation could help sell the English products, equally their bad reputation could damage the reputation of the products I was building in Japan.

After I had terminated the agreement with him, I appointed P M Components, in England, as my distributor for Europe. I also granted them a revocable license to manufacture products bearing my name.

Peter Qvortrup’s reaction was firstly to try and threaten people who wish to sell my products with legal action, claiming that the name Audio Note was his. Accordingly, I am a little surprise to see that he now claims on his web site to welcome healthy competition.

Moreover, he took legal proceedings in England claiming that the name Audio Note was his. I did not contest the proceedings because I did not believe that it was necessary to do so. It is so well known that I created the name Audio Note along with the names of individual products which bear Japanese names, such as ONGAKU, KEGON, KAGEKI. These products were designed by me, manufactured by me and the only role that Peter Qvortrup had was in for a time promoting and selling them. I could not believe that he would after I had ended our business relationship try and claim that he had a right to make products bearing my names.
Given the confusion that Peter Qvortrup has introduced into the market, I started to put the word “Kondo” on the front of products I now currently design and manufacture.

This does not mean that I cannot use the name Audio Note, why shouldn’t I use the name Audio Note as I am the creator of it. Lately, I have been told that there have been malicious rumors spread about my health, I am very pleased to say that I am fit and well and working hard in Tokyo pursuing my life long quest for audio excellence and with no time, or desire or need to copy anyone else’s design.

Thank you so much for your interest in Audio Note and for your faithful support over the years.

Please keep an eye out for my new web pages, it will detail all facts."

 
More than a hint of a similar approach, if not just plain copying,

That cow can still give plenty of milk. Don't forget the addition of Soviet GE transistors, a clear sign of innovation. Unless, of course, it was originally someone else's idea :cool:
 
Since I first posted, I have acquired a second piece of SW1X kit, the LPU I SPX phono stage, and my Denon DP-47 could not be happier. It has never sounded this good. At first, I had an Ortofon 2M Red fitted and then I dug into my box of cartridges and the like and found a spare vintage DENON headshell and a reason to unpack and fit the Audio Technica VM760SLC, their top of the line moving magnet cartridge. — https://www.audio-technica.com/.../moving-magnet/vm760slc



View attachment 85793
Beautiful set up.
 
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Standing on the shoulders of giants, or plagiarism? Take your pick.
 
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Plenty of information available were one to bother visiting the company’s web site, short of publishing specific circuit diagrams what more do you actually want to know .


 
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"Dear friends of Audio Note

Many of you will know that my former distributor, Audio Note UK, a company controlled by Peter Qvortrup and I have ceased to have a business relationship. I have recently read on the Audio Note UK web site Peter Qvortrup’s explanation for this separation. The distortion of the truth is so great that Peter Qvortrup has forced me to go public and explain to you what happen.

As many of you will know I resigned from CBS Sony where I was an audio designer in mid-1970. At this time, I began using the name Audio Note, and my products were branded with that name. I actually incorporated Audio Note in Japan on October 1, 1979. I was manufacturing high end audio products a long time before I even met Peter Qvortrup. In fact, I had a number of agents prior to Peter Qvortrup being appointed my distributor. He proved himself to be a good salesman of my product and eventually I gave him the right to distribute Audio Note products everywhere except Japan. At no time has he ever been involved in the design, or manufacture, of my products. He is not an amplifier designer.

Everything went well for a period of time and he purchased goods through my Japanese business agent, Shibazaki san of Sibatech. Peter Qvortrup asked me if he might have permission to manufacturer a lower end audio product bearing the Audio Note name, I gave him a revocable license to do so.

In 1996 and 1997 problems started to develop, leading me in late 1997 to revoke the license to manufacture products bearing the Audio Note name, and to dismiss him as my distributor.

Peter Qvortrup has claimed on his web site that we parted company because of some “”severe philosophical divergence on amplifier design”, this is not the truth. I terminated my business agreement with Peter Qvortrup and Audio Note UK for three main reasons:

1. Towards the end of our business relationship he had ordered a large quantity of high end Audio Note products manufactured by Audio Note Japan through Sibatec but failed to pay for them.

2. In August 1997 Messrs Pannel Kerr and Forster accountants, were appointed join administrative receivers in the United Kingdom because Audio Note UK were put into the hands of the Official Receivers and into liquidation. The liquidation of Audio Note UK had a bad effect both financially and in terms of the reputation of the name Audio Note and I found it unacceptable.

3. Peter Qvortrup has always used the reputation for reliability and excellence to enhance the sale of the Audio Note products made in England under a license granted by me. However, I started to become concerned when I repeatedly heard complaints from people who had bought the English manufactured products telling me that it was badly finished and unreliable. I recognize that while our reputation could help sell the English products, equally their bad reputation could damage the reputation of the products I was building in Japan.

After I had terminated the agreement with him, I appointed P M Components, in England, as my distributor for Europe. I also granted them a revocable license to manufacture products bearing my name.

Peter Qvortrup’s reaction was firstly to try and threaten people who wish to sell my products with legal action, claiming that the name Audio Note was his. Accordingly, I am a little surprise to see that he now claims on his web site to welcome healthy competition.

Moreover, he took legal proceedings in England claiming that the name Audio Note was his. I did not contest the proceedings because I did not believe that it was necessary to do so. It is so well known that I created the name Audio Note along with the names of individual products which bear Japanese names, such as ONGAKU, KEGON, KAGEKI. These products were designed by me, manufactured by me and the only role that Peter Qvortrup had was in for a time promoting and selling them. I could not believe that he would after I had ended our business relationship try and claim that he had a right to make products bearing my names.
Given the confusion that Peter Qvortrup has introduced into the market, I started to put the word “Kondo” on the front of products I now currently design and manufacture.

This does not mean that I cannot use the name Audio Note, why shouldn’t I use the name Audio Note as I am the creator of it. Lately, I have been told that there have been malicious rumors spread about my health, I am very pleased to say that I am fit and well and working hard in Tokyo pursuing my life long quest for audio excellence and with no time, or desire or need to copy anyone else’s design.

Thank you so much for your interest in Audio Note and for your faithful support over the years.

Please keep an eye out for my new web pages, it will detail all facts."

Pretty much sums up Audio Note ( sic) UK. Tsk tsk. I’ve posted elsewhere about corrupt practices in hifi. Some piled in. They are soooo blind it’s embarrassing.
Woke the heck up audio community. They are playing you
 
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It seems to me that SW1X owe an awful lot to AudioNote UK designs. More than a hint of a similar approach, if not just plain copying,

Or am I wrong?
Bordering on absurd really. Even the casework :rolleyes:
 
It seems to me that SW1X owe an awful lot to AudioNote UK designs. More than a hint of a similar approach, if not just plain copying,

Or am I wrong?
If you spend time routing around the SW1X website you will find two articles by Peter Qvortrup which prominently feature AN products in the photos. I view this as an homage, if you will, not the behavior of someone surreptitiously and underhandedly trying to steal. Of course Slawa Roschkow honors and respects Audio Note UK. He advertises the use of AN Caps and resistors as important upgrades. Yes, the level system is similar and yes similar modular chassis are employed, but these do not a copycat make. You will find serious inspiration and original thinking and inspiration in SW1X circuitry and choice of materials.
 
If you spend time routing around the SW1X website you will find two articles by Peter Qvortrup which prominently feature AN products in the photos. I view this as an homage, if you will, not the behavior of someone surreptitiously and underhandedly trying to steal. Of course Slawa Roschkow honors and respects Audio Note UK. He advertises the use of AN Caps and resistors as important upgrades. Yes, the level system is similar and yes similar modular chassis are employed, but these do not a copycat make. You will find serious inspiration and original thinking and inspiration in SW1X circuitry and choice of materials.
Honour Audio Note UK??? Why on earth would you do that. Did you need see how unscrupulous their practices are. Allegedly Qvortrup has multiple statutory court orders against him. Thoroughly disreputable, not to be honoured practices.
 
Honour Audio Note UK??? Why on earth would you do that. Did you need see how unscrupulous their practices are. Allegedly Qvortrup has multiple statutory court orders against him. Thoroughly disreputable, not to be honoured practices.

Please provide us with evidence supporting these allegations.

I don't want to read about "alleged" court orders. Please post actual links to court orders evidencing your allegations or your post will be deleted.
 
What are the technical reasons a DAC would sound better using an older chip like the TDA1541?
One Salient feature of the TDA1541 is its use of Dynamic Element Matching. In simplest terms (as I understand it, and I am not an expert on this, so someone with deeper understanding please chime in) it interposes a scrambler between the multiple encoders and the individual DACs that they are routed to. So normally the same encoder location would feed the same DAC location ad infinitum which augments noise. The scrambler reroutes the signal(s) to different DAC locations randomly so as to cancel what would otherwise be augmented noise. The end result a more linear DAC with less distortion. What's interesting about SW1X is they use a tube circuit to control DEM. I'm not aware of anyone else doing that.



http://www.eecg.toronto.edu › karakiewicz_DEM
 
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