I later upgraded the PSU with bigger oil caps placed off-board and one huge motor capacitor as instructed in ANK forums and installed Shinkoh resistors all around (except the dac board, which already had AN tantalums, it being the ANK signature version) and bought some even better NOS tubes for it and then took AN UK Dac 0.1x again for home demo (the dealer must've hated me.) and with those changes I felt the ANK 2.1 Signature started to be on par with Dac 0.1x and in few areas very slightly better.
#Audio note dac 2.1 x signature plus#
It didn't even make any sense as the ANK dac 2.1 was so similar in design with AN UK dac 2.1x? But that was the hard truth what my ears told me.ĭon't get me wrong ANK 2.1 Signature wasn't bad, not at all, actually very good for the money and saw off many other dacs, plus building it was fun (didn't have any problems with parts missing etc. Have to say I felt kinda gutted as I though I had almost cheated my way into AN UK dac world with cheap admission fee. The AN UK Dac 0.1x just sounded more right, was more liquid, and had deeper soundstage. As much I would've wanted the ANK Dac 2.1 Signature I had invested in and put together by myself, to be superior, I felt AN UK Dac 0.1x sounded better. The higher up you go in AN UK dac range, the better and bigger the I/V transformers.Īnd also the output board has slightly different schematic than AN UK dac 2.1x, but still uses the same tubes, so not far off.Īnd the chassis cover of ANK dacs is way lighter than with AN UK factory made models which have heavy and thicker metal cover.Īfter I built my ANK Dac 2.1 Signature, some eight years ago, I got AN UK Dac 0.1x for home demo. ANK these days sources them somewhere else. AN UK uses in-house made I/V transformers. Other difference is the I/V transformers (metallic cans) between dac board and output board. But outside of those it's 1:1 same schematic as in AN UK finished products. Likely again no sound difference there, just easier to build and takes less space in the chassis. You can also see this by googling pictures of each.)ĪNK just uses inferior mains transformer and choke (not AN UK house made) and places the choke behind mains transformer instead of between mains transformer and PSU board (no sound difference, just for easier position for builder of the kit) and have moved to Mundorf caps (instead of AN UK Cu or Tin) in the PSU after the split with AN UK.Īlso minor detail is that the ANK made small change in how the two regulators are placed: ANK these days connects them to cooling fins, connected directly to the board, while AN UK still has them placed off-board, secured into the chassis. (I've built ANK dac 2.1 and totally rebuilt ANK 元 Phono that uses that PSU, and have owned AN UK Dac 2.1x/II Signature, AN UK Dac 3.1x/II and had M2 RIAA on home loan. The PSU part in other hand is AN UK designed and exactly the same as in current AN UK Dac 2.1x/II, AN Dac 3.1x/II, AN Dac 4.1x and AN M2 RIAA. If they would've not meant to, the easiest and most cost effective way would've been just to supply ANK with original AN UK dac boards like they did with M2 PSU (see below) It might have been designed by AN UK, during the time AN UK and ANK were more closely tied, but it was obviously deliberately dumbed down design for ANK use. easiest to spot is that row of LEDs in the ANK dac's dac portion that is not used in AN UK dac 2.1x/3.1x boards. It has the same input transformer, Dac chip and receiver chip yes, but completely different layout.
Not sure how this one compares to the Philips.Ĭlick to expand.I have to correct you there: basically the dac portion of ANK dac 2.1 is the one part that is definitely not same as in AN UK built Dac 2.1x. The 2.1 has provisions for an optional USB input, but it appears selecting between the inputs is done on the rear of the unit.Īlso of interest to me, it seems that the more expensive Audio Note DACs sold thru AN dealers also use the Analogue Devices AD1865 R-2R chip as well. This DAC from Audio Note also has a USB input and the ability to switch between the two inputs from the front of the unit. The Audio Note 0.1x DAC uses the Philips TDA1543 R-2R chip and the 6111WA miniature dual triode tube for the output stage. The DAC 2.1 from Audio Kits uses the Analogue Devices AD1865 R-2R chip with four tubes: The biggest difference are the chips used and tube(s). If forced to choose one of these two DAC options, which one would you go with and why? Both are similar in price, though one may be able to haggle a bit with the 0.1x as it is sold by AN dealers opposed to direct from ANK for the 2.1.
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