Abbas dac 2.1 se

[Nuforce]

Who knows what it is, as he didn't post a name.

As yes, apologies.

Acuhorn R2R T

Founded in 2003, presented high sensitivity single driver speakers, with highly recommended Acuhorn Nero125. The best matched series of OTL tube amplifiers Acuhorn S2 and series of Mosfet single ended amplifiers Mono and Stereo. Next introduced the rare puristic design of one 'Big Tube' tube...

www.acuhorn.pl

Effectively the dac consists of
1) a Soekris dam 1121 OEM
2) a single ended triode output stage, tantalum capacitor coupled
3) a very sophisticated DC-DC solid state power supply using expensive military grade vicor modules
4) amarno usb + 256 DSD board

It also has a tube heater switch for 300b/PX25/px4/2a1/45 DHT tubes.

In my opinion the reason it is so good is the power supply. A very interesting design.

It cost a lot more than the 4.1 so yes, it should be better. I'd like to compare it to a terminator plus or big7 MK2.... really stunning machine.

 

[Artnet]

listening to the acuhorn

Pure class-A single ended tube stage. Type 300B, PX25, PX4, 45, 2A3 power triode

Nice selection of power triodes that makes listening interesting.

In my opinion the reason it is so good is the power supply. A very interested design.
It cost a lot more than the 4.1 so yes, it should be better. I'd like to compare it to a terminator plus or big7 MK2.... really stunning machine.

The comparisons would be interesting!!

 

[jespera]

I have found an even more natural and organic dac than my Abbas Audio 4.1 SE.

With a few hours of listening to the acuhorn I put the 4.1 up for sale.

Piano upper keys sound even more real, information retrieval on a different level, and instrument separation the best I have heard.

I loved my Abbas but this dac is clearly superior, worth investigating.

View attachment 92208 View attachment 92209

Doors stoppers from harald nyborg?

Dørstopper Ø9,2 x H. 4 cm

Rustfri Dørstop flad - Børstet stål Vægt: 1kg. Placeres direkte på gulvet. Gummi underlag medvirker til, at dørstopperen bliver på sin plads. Gummiring sikrer at døren ikke ridses.

www.harald-nyborg.dk

 

[Nuforce]

Doors stoppers from harald nyborg?

Dørstopper Ø9,2 x H. 4 cm

Rustfri Dørstop flad - Børstet stål Vægt: 1kg. Placeres direkte på gulvet. Gummi underlag medvirker til, at dørstopperen bliver på sin plads. Gummiring sikrer at døren ikke ridses.

www.harald-nyborg.dk

Yep!

 

[jespera]

An orphan finds a new home.

As nuforce has quickly moved on to a new polish/danish wonderdac, his abbas dac 4.1se was homeless.

I needed digital in the basement anyways, so i took it in foster care. Sounds lovely with my vintage la scalas.



At some point i’ll do a full report on the differences between abbas dac 2.1, 3.2, 4.1.

 

[Yawner]

Hi all,

I just found this thread regarding Abbas esoteric and I want to share that I just pulled the trigger on a Dac 3.1. I wanted the 3.2 but Abbas is currently missing parts for this model.
I'm very exited to experiense electronics from Abbas since I understand from reading his philosophy statement that he truly is a music lover, I feel this must be unusual for an electronics designer/engineer?

//Yawner

 

[jespera]

Afaik, Abbas is a classical musician.

Very good ears for sure.

 

[L3RD]

No, I havent heard from Samsoum.
I have been in contact with another 3.1 user whos very happy with it and says its way better than a holo may dac he has compared it to.

If youre in the market for a usb-spdif converter i think you should consider an abbas model. They come in all budget levels. But, if you already have the mytec you may just start with that one and see how it goes.

The hifiberry works for me in my setup (roon and google wifi), but computer audio is difficult and i think i should add the fwiw and ymmw disclaimers to that recommendation.

Jesper

Hi Jespera,

I have 2 questions. You say it is Ukrainian made, are they still able to produce and ship these? Do they have good depth in their sound stage? I currently have a Yggdrasil, it has very good resolution and nice height and width, but lacks depth in my system. Thanks for the information that you have already provided.

Lou

 

[L3RD]

... is a valved nos r2r dac by the ukranian master abbas zulfugarov that i have owned for two years.

It is based on the classical philips tda 1541 chip, but the implementation is highly non-standard. I dont know all the details but here are some highlights:

- selected tda 1541r- dac chip
- single 5687 valve based output stage
- soviet vintage germanium transistors for i/u conversion
- dem valve clock
- three separate power supplies and trafoes
- valve rectification both for output stage and dem clock
- germanium transistors used for power supply regulation
- mix of vintage and modern components of high quality
- western nos valves
- boards gilded and covered in violin varnish
- approx 8 kg

The dac is a mid level model and costs around 2500 usd. Abbas sells on ebay.

So what about the sound? Killer! Simply the best digital i have heard.

Like other nos valve dacs it has a smooth tone and like the very best it manages to retain some of the life that is normally lost in the digital process.
But detail, resolution and verve is simply way better than anything else ive heard. Including top level audio note for example.

Its important to stress that detail and resolution produced here is not the plastic 4k hyper reality that comes out of many modern delta sigma dacs, like for example dcs and chord. More in the direction of real instruments and sounds.

Tonal balance is ever so slightly to the bright side. I replaced the stock philips ecg 5687 with a tung-sol.

The dac only takes spdif input. Abbas makes valve based usb-spdif converters. Needless to say its critical of the quality of the digital signal and any sniff of usb haze will be brutally exposed. More about this later.

Abbas’ top level dacs have big valve output stages (like el 84 and 6080) and reputably bigger dynamics.

Smaller models can be picked up for very reasonable money.

Big models are based on either pcm 58 or tda 1541, smaller on pcm 63 and tda 1543.

Picture of abbas digital boxes below. Dac is black box to the left.

Ready to race against anything in the copenhagen area. Particularly a lampizator would be interesting.

More abbas later.

Jesper


View attachment 71238

I didn't see Abbas on ebay. Never mind, I found their site.

 

[L3RD]

As yes, apologies.

Acuhorn R2R T

Founded in 2003, presented high sensitivity single driver speakers, with highly recommended Acuhorn Nero125. The best matched series of OTL tube amplifiers Acuhorn S2 and series of Mosfet single ended amplifiers Mono and Stereo. Next introduced the rare puristic design of one 'Big Tube' tube...

www.acuhorn.pl

Effectively the dac consists of
1) a Soekris dam 1121 OEM
2) a single ended triode output stage, tantalum capacitor coupled
3) a very sophisticated DC-DC solid state power supply using expensive military grade vicor modules
4) amarno usb + 256 DSD board

It also has a tube heater switch for 300b/PX25/px4/2a1/45 DHT tubes.

In my opinion the reason it is so good is the power supply. A very interesting design.

It cost a lot more than the 4.1 so yes, it should be better. I'd like to compare it to a terminator plus or big7 MK2.... really stunning machine.

Nuforce,

It looks pretty awesome, but the tantalum capacitors and lack of space for replacements, or bypassing them concerns me. Otherwise I would probably have ordered one by now.

Best Regards,

Lou

 

[jespera]

Hi Jespera,

I have 2 questions. You say it is Ukrainian made, are they still able to produce and ship these? Do they have good depth in their sound stage? I currently have a Yggdrasil, it has very good resolution and nice height and width, but lacks depth in my system. Thanks for the information that you have already provided.

Lou

You need to enquire abbas directly about what he can deliver and when. Supply lines are very challenged at the moment, but he has started slowly to ship and take new orders again.

Abbas is good for tone and musical connection. If youre after more academic exercises such as counting nose hair of the guitarist and sound in many spatial dimensions — then you should probably look elsewhere.

 

[L3RD]

You need to enquire abbas directly about what he can deliver and when. Supply lines are very challenged at the moment, but he has started slowly to ship and take new orders again.

Abbas is good for tone and musical connection. If youre after more academic exercises such as counting nose hair of the guitarist and sound in many spatial dimensions — then you should probably look elsewhere.

Thanks!

 

[jespera]

Sorry probably sounded arrogant but what i wanted to say is that abbas is digital for the analog man — rather than for the dac hopping digitalius on the constant hunt for more details, 3d, black background and fireworks.

 

[L3RD]

Sorry probably sounded arrogant but what i wanted to say is that abbas is digital for the analog man — rather than for the dac hopping digitalius on the constant hunt for more details, 3d, black background and fireworks.

Believe me, some folks do get pretty anal about their audio. I often wish that I didn't get listner fatigue as easily as I do. I could have saved, or donated a lot more money.

 

[Artnet]

Glad to hear things are starting to slowly happen for Abbas again.

Its true

Abbas is good for tone and musical connection.

some will like it some wont. His 4.1 is possibly more academic? Keenly awaiting a comparison of
Good detail and air from the PCM58, implemented by the master for plenty of musical connection definitely!

 

[jespera]

Glad to hear things are starting to slowly happen for Abbas again.

Its true


some will like it some wont. His 4.1 is possibly more academic? Keenly awaiting a comparison of
Good detail and air from the PCM58, implemented by the master for plenty of musical connection definitely!

No, actually the difference is more like the difference btw a lenco and a td124. As in: both are great machines but one dances like a butterfly and stings like a bee, the other sings like billie holiday. You cant in any meaningful way say that one is better than the other.

These are just immediate thoughts and whatever flew in my head when casually listening to the 2.1 vs the 4.1. No absolutes.

At the moment travelling but in a weeks time back and i’ll provide this audience with a more academic report.

 

[Artnet]

Absolutely both very good DAC's, just keen to hear what your ears tell you and look forward to it
Happy travels

 

[jespera]

All three dacs lined up for comparison …

 

[djsina2]

I ordered a 2.4SE today.

 

[Artnet]

All three dacs lined up for comparison …

Nice Array of DACs, Happy listening