This has been an unbelievable DAC for me and I upgraded the caps and resistors in it for not a lot of money. It bested the Denafrips Aries 2 in my shootout. Rolling tubes in it gives some additional options and it has partnered well with my other tube gear. It is a wonderful wonderful DAC. People interested should head over to Facebook and look for a group that is devoted to this exact product. Nice people and good conversation about this DAC.
@@audioarkitekts Mike G and I squared off the Holo May vs. the Orchid. He was impressed at how well it did against a dac that is 6x more expensive. The Holo May won, of course, but the Orchid did quite well.
I’ve never heard this DAC but I once owned a CD player with the TDA 1541 DAC chip. The sound of that chip, and at least how it was implemented in that player, was not exciting or overwrought with details and that turns a lot of people off. I think people who appreciate this chip or this sound don’t care for the audiophile fireworks but rather they appreciate the tone and beauty of the music. And that tube buffer likely just adds a smidge of tube harmonics (distortion) that is pleasing. I would imagine people are modding these units to extract more detail and liven things up a bit. Thanks for the review!
I appreciate you keeping it real at the end. This is clearly a niche product for the esoteric. It's reliant on oversampling / software filters via HQPlayer and its stated dynamic range is 16 bits out. Their other models use the same R2R chip schiit does and gets 18-20 bits dynamic range out. The price is what people are willing to pay. Likely the same crowd that spent 1400 on interconnects.
@Melchior-Chr. v. Brincken you misunderstand. It's reliant on HQP and external OS. Nevermind it truncates data. The Pagoda is the only worthwhile MHDT dac that won't truncate bits.
Great in depth video Mike! I am in the market for a DAC for my TV room system. I have the Aperion Audio Verus III Grand V5B speakers hooked up to one of my ADCOM GFA-5400 amplifiers. I am using my Marantz SR-5015 as a pre-amp. It uses the Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC chip, which I really like. Just wanting to do an upgrade, I listen to a LOT of music on this system. Please keep up the DAC reviews!
Hmmm.... Lately I've been searching for a Phillips DAC960 or Marantz CDA-94... Quite expensive though... Came here excited when I saw you posted this, wasn't aware of this DAC... it seems it might not be for me though... also, I really wanted the XLR outputs of the aforementioned DACs...
FWIW-I got a MHDT Havana balanced (I use RCA at the moment) on a whim. I've been using a SMSL VMV D1se, no slouch. I had sort of a similar response as you, sort of "It's okay" and let it run for a few days where it became a lot better, but it felt like there was more available. Then I started playing around with cables and I found the "bingo" connection with some diy Milspec silver plated copper and Wham! It totally came to life. Go figure....
I build diy dacs with recycled Tda1541 chips. Sound output is dependent every part in the circuit, types of power supply, etc... Not a surprise your old CD player and this dac on test sound different. To me Tda1541 generally sound more relaxed to a lot of modern dacs. Good for long term listening.
Tempted to buy this dac. My humble pecan pi uses a pair of burr brown chips which are apparently related to the old school style chips in some way. Sounds pretty good with uprated supply
Interesting…..I currently use an obscure but very affordable battery-powered NOS DAC based around the Tda1543, made by a small French manufacturer called Starting Point Systems. It is definitely not for everyone, but I am overly sensitive to the digital screeching of most DACs, and aside from the pricier ones such as the Chord Dave or the Lampizator and Audio Note DACs, it is the only one that I can still enjoy listening to after an hour or two and not reach immediately for vinyl. Although the 1541 and 1543 are different critters altogether, not to mention the myriad other factors affecting the sound, something tells me that this is well worth a try for me. Thanks for the great review, subscribed! Journeyintosound2022 here, have a great day.
I use a TDA-1543 NOS DAC too. I've A/B tested it against the best modern DACs and it beats them all despite only handling 44.1K/48K 16-bit. So glad I found it
Put a nos siemens SQ E88CC in it. Oh my god its so good. And: Burn-in! This is not a smsl...It's got some serious parts inside, and a big sexy transformer. It also needs warmup. After an hour the sound is much better. The Jan 5670 tube it comes with takes several hundred hours to break in
Hmm, I owned the Denafrips Ares, Border Patrol SEi and Schiit Gumby. The Orchid bested them all by quite a margin. My friend Whois system costs a few times what mine does and includes Audio Note among other well reviewed brands, had the same experience, except he had the Denafrips Pontus.
Have never heard this DAC, but have read that all R2R DACs need many hours of burn-in (as do tubes). Curious how many hours were on Mike's test unit...
I have an Orchid and 3 other DACs, so I am able to compare. This guy is right, base is a bit too much and sometimes muddy. The sound is material, but not with that kind of velvet and refined touch, which is so rare to find (I personally found it on a Luxman DA 06). The Orchid is a kind of "does it all well" dac, a very good one also. IMHO it woks best with electronic music, kind of a gentle brute with acoustic music.
I have a few Dacs from MHDT, leave it always on, sounds much better after 24 hours being on, MHDT Dacs don't have that GLAIR that many of the Dacs from China have, it's smooth and warm with very good detail, not Cold an razor edge sharp like most others in this price range and less.
Though it's not the same ,but I own the mhdt LAb Havana DAC ,which has preform very natural & organic compare to even my very analytical Terminator . It doesn't has a super wide sound stage but focus & very define through my Focal Kanta spk & LTA M3 preamp & Wyetech 300BSET.Perhaps the DNA of MHDT is lost ,just my cent?
Refreshing to see a review that isn't positive. I have an Mhdt DAC that pairs well w my linear tube audio amp. I do experience FOMO that I'm missing out on the resolution of a more modern R2r DAC.
I have this DAC, and it is awesome. It can be modded, too (search grannyring). SW1X uses this chip in their level 3 DAC (mind blowing). I’m about to try an Audial S5.
This has been an unbelievable DAC for me and I upgraded the caps and resistors in it for not a lot of money. It bested the Denafrips Aries 2 in my shootout. Rolling tubes in it gives some additional options and it has partnered well with my other tube gear. It is a wonderful wonderful DAC. People interested should head over to Facebook and look for a group that is devoted to this exact product. Nice people and good conversation about this DAC.
It has it's good qualities, however overall I think my expectation bias played against me this time. I would love to have a conversation about it.
@@audioarkitekts Mike G and I squared off the Holo May vs. the Orchid. He was impressed at how well it did against a dac that is 6x more expensive. The Holo May won, of course, but the Orchid did quite well.
I’ve never heard this DAC but I once owned a CD player with the TDA 1541 DAC chip. The sound of that chip, and at least how it was implemented in that player, was not exciting or overwrought with details and that turns a lot of people off. I think people who appreciate this chip or this sound don’t care for the audiophile fireworks but rather they appreciate the tone and beauty of the music. And that tube buffer likely just adds a smidge of tube harmonics (distortion) that is pleasing. I would imagine people are modding these units to extract more detail and liven things up a bit. Thanks for the review!
I appreciate you keeping it real at the end. This is clearly a niche product for the esoteric. It's reliant on oversampling / software filters via HQPlayer and its stated dynamic range is 16 bits out.
Their other models use the same R2R chip schiit does and gets 18-20 bits dynamic range out.
The price is what people are willing to pay. Likely the same crowd that spent 1400 on interconnects.
@Melchior-Chr. v. Brincken you misunderstand. It's reliant on HQP and external OS. Nevermind it truncates data. The Pagoda is the only worthwhile MHDT dac that won't truncate bits.
They used the TDA 1541 Gold Crown in the Marantz CD 94 & CDA 94 stand alone DAC. Having owned both I can tell you I wish I didn't sell them years ago.
Now I gotta find some. Hopefully a thrift store holy grail find?
Wow that was quite an unexpected conclusion at the end!
Great in depth video Mike! I am in the market for a DAC for my TV room system. I have the Aperion Audio Verus III Grand V5B speakers hooked up to one of my ADCOM GFA-5400 amplifiers. I am using my Marantz SR-5015 as a pre-amp. It uses the Cirrus Logic CS4398 DAC chip, which I really like. Just wanting to do an upgrade, I listen to a LOT of music on this system. Please keep up the DAC reviews!
I have the Holo May in queue.
@@audioarkitekts Look forward to it!
Hmmm.... Lately I've been searching for a Phillips DAC960 or Marantz CDA-94... Quite expensive though... Came here excited when I saw you posted this, wasn't aware of this DAC... it seems it might not be for me though... also, I really wanted the XLR outputs of the aforementioned DACs...
FWIW-I got a MHDT Havana balanced (I use RCA at the moment) on a whim. I've been using a SMSL VMV D1se, no slouch. I had sort of a similar response as you, sort of "It's okay" and let it run for a few days where it became a lot better, but it felt like there was more available. Then I started playing around with cables and I found the "bingo" connection with some diy Milspec silver plated copper and Wham! It totally came to life. Go figure....
I build diy dacs with recycled Tda1541 chips. Sound output is dependent every part in the circuit, types of power supply, etc... Not a surprise your old CD player and this dac on test sound different.
To me Tda1541 generally sound more relaxed to a lot of modern dacs.
Good for long term listening.
Wonder how this compares to the Border Patrol DAC, with Phillips TDA1543 chip and tube. I'll be upgrading to at least a Pontus II 12th next.
I have the Pontus II and it's phenomenal!
I remember them selling this on the zotl site. border patrol, and burson composer are interesting to me.
nice video. BB PCM63/63K chips in mid 90's rotel players are sweet also.
Nice I will check that out!
There's a Passlabs dac using that chip. Wd love to get one but rare as hens teeth
Tempted to buy this dac. My humble pecan pi uses a pair of burr brown chips which are apparently related to the old school style chips in some way. Sounds pretty good with uprated supply
Interesting…..I currently use an obscure but very affordable battery-powered NOS DAC based around the Tda1543, made by a small French manufacturer called Starting Point Systems. It is definitely not for everyone, but I am overly sensitive to the digital screeching of most DACs, and aside from the pricier ones such as the Chord Dave or the Lampizator and Audio Note DACs, it is the only one that I can still enjoy listening to after an hour or two and not reach immediately for vinyl. Although the 1541 and 1543 are different critters altogether, not to mention the myriad other factors affecting the sound, something tells me that this is well worth a try for me. Thanks for the great review, subscribed! Journeyintosound2022 here, have a great day.
Hey, glad to see you made it over here! Yes I'll have to look into your reccomendation.
I use a TDA-1543 NOS DAC too. I've A/B tested it against the best modern DACs and it beats them all despite only handling 44.1K/48K 16-bit. So glad I found it
Also-buy the garage 1217 adapter to run 6922 tubes. They improved the soundstage.
Put a nos siemens SQ E88CC in it. Oh my god its so good. And: Burn-in! This is not a smsl...It's got some serious parts inside, and a big sexy transformer. It also needs warmup. After an hour the sound is much better. The Jan 5670 tube it comes with takes several hundred hours to break in
Hmm, I owned the Denafrips Ares, Border Patrol SEi and Schiit Gumby. The Orchid bested them all by quite a margin. My friend Whois system costs a few times what mine does and includes Audio Note among other well reviewed brands, had the same experience, except he had the Denafrips Pontus.
Have never heard this DAC, but have read that all R2R DACs need many hours of burn-in (as do tubes). Curious how many hours were on Mike's test unit...
I have an Orchid and 3 other DACs, so I am able to compare. This guy is right, base is a bit too much and sometimes muddy. The sound is material, but not with that kind of velvet and refined touch, which is so rare to find (I personally found it on a Luxman DA 06). The Orchid is a kind of "does it all well" dac, a very good one also. IMHO it woks best with electronic music, kind of a gentle brute with acoustic music.
I have a few Dacs from MHDT, leave it always on, sounds much better after 24 hours being on, MHDT Dacs don't have that GLAIR that many of the Dacs from China have, it's smooth and warm with very good detail, not Cold an razor edge sharp like most others in this price range and less.
Though it's not the same ,but I own the mhdt LAb Havana DAC ,which has preform very natural & organic compare to even my very analytical Terminator .
It doesn't has a super wide sound stage but focus & very define through my Focal Kanta spk & LTA M3 preamp & Wyetech 300BSET.Perhaps the DNA of MHDT is lost ,just my cent?
Refreshing to see a review that isn't positive. I have an Mhdt DAC that pairs well w my linear tube audio amp. I do experience FOMO that I'm missing out on the resolution of a more modern R2r DAC.
I have a oversampling tda1541 s1 single crown in a stemfoort sugden pda10 dac....its a unbalievable good sounding dac.
Ha, interesting.. I own Denafrips Ares 2 and was interested in "upgrading" to Orchid... LOL
I just sold Ares2 and got Orchid. :) The thing that will make or break is the tube, make sure to get a good tube for it and you'll be set.
Did you say the Aries 2 is half the price? Hmmmm
I have this DAC, and it is awesome.
It can be modded, too (search grannyring).
SW1X uses this chip in their level 3 DAC (mind blowing).
I’m about to try an Audial S5.