I can give a quick review...,
Dose not work but looking inside it one wonders how it ever did ...
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Ciúnas Audio ISO DAC Teardown and Failed Review
- Thread starter amirm
- Start date
Dose not work but looking inside it one wonders how it ever did ...
I believe he's a expert in ground noise...
We can all be experts now.
I do a mod on mortadella where I poke out the little sliced pistachios and replace it with strawberry jam
Hence maybe that bit of stripped but un-terminated wire - an Entreq on the cheap(ish)
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2018
- Messages
- 108
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- 228
blackmetalboon
Active Member
audio_tony
Addicted to Fun and Learning
I see that TNT audio liked it (surprise surprise)
https://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/ciunas_isodac_e.html
https://www.tnt-audio.com/sorgenti/ciunas_isodac_e.html
That probably answers the question about if it was meant to look that way. Any sensible manufacturer seeing pictures of their product with different insides would rightly disown it and ask how it came to be. Silence says something else.
Hello guys,
I discovered this thread from the brief posting of a link on the PFM forum. It's been a very interesting read as I have owned an ISO-DAC for over a year now and having just read the review by TNT audio on the Cuinas website, I find myself agreeing with almost every word of it.
John Kenny ran a 'Dac Tour' thread on PFM last year and out of curiosity and his generous offer of a free listen, I joined it. I was very impressed by the ISO-DAC and quickly purchased one. I have to say it's the best DAC I've had in my system compared to my previous DACs; Audiolab MDAC and the Linn DSM. I have to agree with TNT audio, the ISO-DAC sounds almost vinyl-like, certainly doesn't have the usual digital signature. I had no idea what was in the unit (until now) or what filtering it uses, all I know is that I really enjoy listening to it. Digital always fatigued me before the ISO-DAC and without knowing it I would drift off to do something else, but with the ISO-DAC the opposite is true.
I posted my review (see below - copied from PFM, ) on the DAC Tour thread on PFM in July 2018 and I would stand by it even more so now. BTW I'm no professional reviewer or anybody with 'golden ears', I've just been listening to HiFi and attending shows all my life (55 now). IMHO: the best vinyl set-ups (LP12) trump any digital set-up (although the DCS Vivaldi gets close).
The ISO-DAC has a quirk: getting Windows10 to pick it up can take a few attempts, but once it has I just leave it permanently on and plugged in. Mine's now been plugged in and 'on' for several months and I've had no problems (I do have smoke detectors in my listening room, now that Amirm has worried me). John Kenny told me those batteries are good for many years (9 if I recall correctly was the oldest set he still has working).
I initially found Amirm's teardown rather distressing as seeing the internals for the first time, they do look rather shocking. But having digested this thread for a day or so and knowing what I know about the ISO-DAC, I take a positive from this thread. Whatever John Kenny has discovered with the ISO-DAC design, there appears to be an opportunity to improve it even further (an exciting thought) by designing a dedicated high quality PCB and wiring layout to really capitalize on his discovery.
Just my thoughts.
Here is my review copied from PFM first published in July 2018. Remember I'm just a regular guy who likes to play his HiFi loud. (I was on a temporary ban from PFM at the time so John Kenny posted it for me).
Here's timolo's listening impressions that he asked me to post:
Hi everyone, I received the ISO-DAC, a PSU (no mains lead supplied so I used one of my own), a USB cable and a 4mm Jack adaptor cable. I didn't need any of these bundled cables, I simply took my MDAC out of my system and replaced it with the ISO-DAC.
My system consists of:: a Laptop (ASUS Zenbook with 4TB portable USB drive containing my music files which are mostly FLAC) running Windows10 loaded with Foobar2000(DarkOne skin) controlled by an IPAD running the MonkeyMote App. I sit in my listening position controlling things from my IPAD. The laptop is connected via a 5M Audioquest USB cable to an MDAC (powered by the MCRU regulated linear PSU) which goes to my Linn Aktiv crossover which then connects to 2x3 LK280 Poweramps running Linn Isobarik speakers,
When I got the ISO-DAC, I connected it and got it working through Foobar and was immediately impressed I felt it was better than the MDAC. Just to confirm I plugged the MDAC back in and quickly confirmed the ISO-DAC was easily better. I didn’t have much time, so I took a couple of pics of the set-up and sent them to John Kenny. I got a reply back that I was using the wrong drivers in Foobar and needed to download some W10 drivers which he linked to an that I should be using a shorter USB cable. Since I have Amazon Prime I ordered a 1.5M Audioquest Forrest USB A-B cable to arrive next day (ish).
The cable arrived, I downloaded the W10 drivers (ASIO: Combo384 ASIO 1.03) and hooked the ISO-DAC back in. I spent nearly four hours listening to lots of my favourite tracks and became more and more convinced that I can't send the ISO-DAC back to JK. I started working out if I could afford it, because I'm in a tricky situation; I'm heavily invested in the LakeWest MDAC2 project which is promising a new DAC later this year which will set me back around £1.5K plus DeTox and Dev Fees.
Music used (FLAC):
Camel-Nude_Drafted 857Kbps 44KHz,
Camel-Nod and a Wink_Simple Pleasures 783Kbps 44KHz
London Grammar_Metal and Dust 1454Kbps 44KHz
Santana_Veracruz 2914Kbps 96KHz
Santana_Aqua Marine 2854Kbps 96KHz
Amy Winehouse-Back to Black_Love is a Losing Game 2742Kbps 96KHz
Kraftwerk_The Robots 1467Kbps 44KHz
Pink_What About Us 1609Kbps 44KHz
Pumarosa-Witch_Priestess 3044Kbps 96KHz
Fleetwood Mac-Dreams 24bit/96
Vangelis-MASK and Soil Festivities 16bit/44
I found the ISO-DAC sounded brilliant, the bass was much deeper/fuller with different bass guitars notes, nicely distinguished and defined. Drum kits on Camel, Santana, Fleetwood Mac very nicely rendered and tight. The vocals were superb, open and clear. The top-end initially sounded a bit muted, but I'm now sure that's because I had become accustomed to the rather thinner and glary top end on the MDAC, I played some Vangelis and Santana (Veracruz) that I know have lots of high bells and cymbals and it was all there with the ISO-DAC only without the glare or ringing I was used to. The ISO-DAC sounds to me more like a top TT set-up without that Digital harshness in the sound signature that always annoyed me.
Issues I have, which I'm very comfortable overlooking as this ISO-DAC sounds so good (and is so keenly priced) are:
It doesn't have any other inputs (except USB) so I can't connect my TV optical output to it.
If you power the ISO-DAC off/on while the amps are on there is a loud click (I simply turn on/off the amps first then the ISO-DAC, problem solved).
The blue power LED is too bright for my liking, but the unit is so small, I simply turn it slightly away from my line sight (as I listen mostly in the dark) and the problem is solved.
The volume slider on my MonkeyMote app is annoyingly small, I'm now looking for a better way to play music and might try Volumio or something similar (any recommendations would be well appreciated). This of course has nothing to do with the ISO-DAC.
I wondered why the ISO-DAC so easily out-performed the MDAC and my conclusion was its inky blackness in the sound, by which I mean each instrument/voice just hangs there without any background, sounding clearer and distinguished at all volume levels. So I looked up what Ciunas means (Silence/Stillness from old Irish) and that explained it to me, it was the quietness of the power and the design in the ISO-DAC that was the key. A clear triumph for the designer JK. It also explains JK's confidence is letting anybody try it out completely free for 30days. If you're not on this DAC-TOUR, I highly recommend you join, this could be a revelation. For me it was, the MDAC has been holding back my system for years. When I initially bought the MDAC (4 years ago) I really loved it and had a few bake-offs with the Linn Akurate DSM and a Meriidian CDplayer and the MDAC held up well in comparison to the £4K Linn DSM which made me feel great and my mate a little upset. But I can now confirm the ISO-DAC sounds better while not having the inputs and volume control/inputs of a pre-amp which I thought I needed but now feel I won't miss because of the extra enjoyment I will get from the ISO-DAC sound.
I would whole heartedly recommend the ISO-DAC to everyone on PFM to buy or at least go for a demo (at no cost but your time), I'm now going to buy one despite waiting for the LakeWest MDAC2 as it's so much better than the original MDAC that I have been using. I can justify its cost even if the MDAC2 eventually betters the ISO-DAC as I'll be happy to have it in another system and simply sell on my original MDAC.
Congratulations John Kenny, a really ground breaking design!
BillG
Major Contributor
You'd probably get a job at some audiophile magazine/website with writing skills like that. But, swaying us with a subjective opinions about the DAC? Yeah, not so much. However, if you were to come back with some performance measurements to back up your claims, then we'd take note.
As it stands right now, given the poor construction of the unit and its price, it would have to be well in top tier of the all the DACs measured here before anyone would even consider it. And it would face some stiff competition in that tier from devices with exceptionally good construction, performance, and price...
OP
- Thread Starter
- #116
Thanks for those pictures. What is visible are bare PCB boards for taking SMD (surface mount) boards to through-hole pins. They sell them for $1:
I assume John sits hand soldering the SMD parts to them. The DAC he is using is the TI PCM5102. I don't see any supporting parts next to it like decoupling caps for the power rails. Here is Ti reference schematic:
I don't know how that chip is running stable without at least the caps for power rails.
I assume John sits hand soldering the SMD parts to them. The DAC he is using is the TI PCM5102. I don't see any supporting parts next to it like decoupling caps for the power rails. Here is Ti reference schematic:
I don't know how that chip is running stable without at least the caps for power rails.
restorer-john
Grand Contributor
Oh my goodness! I didn't for one second think these 'products' could get any worse.
and another one for good measure
and another one for good measure 
OP
- Thread Starter
- #119
I wonder if the connections to the battery in this version is just pressure fit:
It is not easy to make connections to these batteries so likely that is what he is doing. That thin layer is all that is stopping this thing from shorting out to both sides of the enclosure.
I assume some glue is keeping the batter fastened to the bottom of the chassis. There should be mechanical fastener here. That battery could come loose and cause serious damage.
It is not easy to make connections to these batteries so likely that is what he is doing. That thin layer is all that is stopping this thing from shorting out to both sides of the enclosure.
I assume some glue is keeping the batter fastened to the bottom of the chassis. There should be mechanical fastener here. That battery could come loose and cause serious damage.
OP
- Thread Starter
- #120
You don't say. You can see that he has used such cheap wire that they have oxidized already turning green!The soldering is soooooooooooooooo terrible.
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