Audio Alchemy DDE v3.0: quick measurements

[pkane]

This little DAC was all the rage around 1995. It had a digital volume control with a remote, an external I2S connector, and even had a selection of power supplies available. DDE3 used a Pacific Microsonics PMD-100 HDCD decoder/DAC.

Recently found it in storage, and wanted to see how this DAC measures up to more modern devices. In '95, I considered this DAC to be excellent.

1kHz, 24 bit signal (the DAC only handles 20 bits internally, so throws away the lower bits). Output on RCA was 1.29v at maximum level:

THD+N of -74dB, DR of 74dBA. Not great. Good size spikes at 60Hz and 180Hz and that's with an upgraded power supply (PS-2). Harmonics are fairly high in level, and seem to not go down by much with increasing frequency. That's bad.

Jitter looks a bit better, with some low level spurae on both sides and what appears to be some random jitter hugging and widening the base at 12kHz:

The multi-tone test shows the harmonics/IMD issues in greater contrast:

Finally, a frequency sweep. Doesn't look bad, with what appears to be a fairly sharp filter at 20kHz.

I took a quick listen using HE560 headphones. Not awful at all. Some distortions become noticeable in well recorded vocals and in complex, dynamic musical passages that sometimes become a bit indistinct or can sound a bit distorted when loud. But overall, I could see myself listening to this (and I did for at least a few years) Sounds better than my iPhone!

 

[pozz]

Nice measurements. I've added this and your other two to the master review thread.

 

[Orion76]

So I am sitting here, trying to figure out what Audio Alchemy DAC I owned somewhere in the mid 90s. Not only did I find the DDE 3, I find measurements on ASR! Nice!

Oddly enough, I can't exactly remember what transport I used with it. Best guess is the Audio Alchemy Digital Drive System II.

Though I do remember lusting after their complete 4 box stack- https://hometheaterhifi.com/volume_3_3/v3n3j.html

 

[pkane]

So I am sitting here, trying to figure out what Audio Alchemy DAC I owned somewhere in the mid 90s. Not only did I find the DDE 3, I find measurements on ASR! Nice!

Oddly enough, I can't exactly remember what transport I used with it. Best guess is the Audio Alchemy Digital Drive System II.

Though I do remember lusting after their complete 4 box stack- https://hometheaterhifi.com/volume_3_3/v3n3j.html

DDS Pro is the one I used. Actually still have it in storage somewhere. That had the benefit(?) of an I2S connection to the rest of the stack, including their DSP processor DTI-Pro32 that interpolated samples to more bits and applied dither.

 

[Dmaumau]

I had a DDE 3.0 paired with a DTI Pro 32. It sounded very nice. Still regret selling this set

 

[pkane]

I had a DDE 3.0 paired with a DTI Pro 32. It sounded very nice. Still regret selling this setView attachment 222783

I was sure DTI-Pro32 along with their I2S connections was making a huge difference at the time that I bought it. Audio Alchemy stuff was reasonably advanced for its time, and more reasonably priced than most of the competition. DDE 3.0 was the first DAC I had that implemented a digital volume control. At the time, it convinced me to ditch the preamp and that hasn't changed after many decades

 

[Dmaumau]

Same here. Even bought a "cryo-treated" yada-yada-yada I2S cable at the time

 

[pkane]

Same here. Even bought a "cryo-treated" yada-yada-yada I2S cable at the time

I had a similar one, different design. It was the worst made cable ever: I had to resolder all the connections at least two or three times because it was stiff and the posts on the back were tiny, with hardly any surface area. Don’t remember it doing anything except giving me trouble

 

[Thomas_A]

Nice measurements and I am getting a bit nostalgic. My first DAC was the DDE1.0 but it sadly broke down many years ago. Would be interesting to compare measurements of the DDE1.0, 1.1 and 1.2 versions against the 3.0. Which one was the champ?