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Measurements of TDA1541 by Cyxchen

WolfX-700

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This cheap (main PCB less than $60 without 1541/7220) unit is powered by the TDA1541/SAA7220/AK4118. The power section is TPS7A4701/TPS7A3301.

MainPCB:

O1CN01vpY76820yUVs5FHS9_!!16546918.jpg




IMG_3871.jpg




I used the 1541A chip. Instead of the 1541AS1 used on the anniversary.



ALL.jpg


FFT-Spectrum.jpg


Relative-Level-(1.jpg


filter-frequency-response.jpg


Linearity-(-20.jpg


THD+N-RatioFreq.jpg


SMPTE-Ratio.jpg


Multitone.jpg
 
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restorer-john

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Are you sending 24 bit data to the board and the AK4118 is then truncating to send to the 16 bit converter in the deviation from linearity plot?

And the roll-off in FR is not present in the white noise filter plot which appears pretty flat...

Are you 100% sure it's not old reject stock that has been re-marked? Show us a picture of the actual D/A you tested in the socket.
 
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WolfX-700

WolfX-700

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Are you sending 24 bit data to a 16 bit converter in the deviation from linearity plot?

Are you 100% sure it's not old reject stock that has been re-marked? Show us a picture of the actual D/A you tested in the socket

You are right, I made a stupid mistake and forgot to set it to 16bit. Linear measurements have now been corrected. thanks for your reminder.


IMG_3876.JPG
 

garbulky

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I'm thinking that there's something interesting about your like of wolves. Care to share?
 
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WolfX-700

WolfX-700

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I'm thinking that there's something interesting about your like of wolves. Care to share?

This is my nickname since I was 8 years old...

The reason is because the ending pronunciation of my Chinese name is similar to that of the wolf in Chinese...
 

restorer-john

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I'm really not sure when Philips stopped manufacture altogether of the 1541A. It's hard to believe it was still coming out of a Taiwan fab plant in 1997. I do know most, if not all of the S1 and double crown ones you see are fakes as they are just re-marked 1541s. If you see a date code after 89-91 on a crown, it's likely fake.
 
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WolfX-700

WolfX-700

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I'm really not sure when Philips stopped manufacture altogether of the 1541A. It's hard to believe it was still coming out of a Taiwan fab plant in 1997. I do know most, if not all of the S1 and double crown ones you see are fakes as they are just re-marked 1541s. If you see a date code after 89-91 on a crown, it's likely fake.

I got a perfect pair of 1541S1 from NEC CD-10.
 

Herbert

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alec226

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Great job! Glad to see the measurements cause I bought one and it has no measurements provided by the seller. I replaced the TDA1541A dated 9743 with an HSH8818 2 Y that made in Holland, sounds better.

DSC05257.jpg
 

Herbert

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Search TDA1541A on Ebay and you'll find it.
I did so before asking. Did it again now, sorting by price using options "New" "Buy Now" and "Worldwide".
Did not show up.
Then searched only for 1541A without any option. It does now show up, though it is new,
sold worldwide and an buy now article. Ebay´s ways are strange,
but maybe they want to force users to scroll through a list of items:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/HIFI-TDA15...475043?hash=item3fca453da3:g:doIAAOSwy9VdX1gw

BTW my TDA1541A has the exact same markings as pictured in post #3, so
First Row:
TDA1541A
Second Row:
11295
Third row:
HSH9743 2

But no explanation of the markings in the datasheet, "Dutchaudioclassics" or "Diyaudio"
I do not thinks that 97 stands for the year. But as the DAC seems to measure well, it would be
interesting if Philips got the production run well enough to omit the crown markings at one point...
 
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alec226

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I did so before asking. Did it again now, sorting by price using options "New" "Buy Now" and "Worldwide".
Did not show up.
Then searched only for 1541A without any option. It does now show up, though it is new,
sold worldwide and an buy now article. Ebay´s ways are strange,
but maybe they want to force users to scroll through a list of items:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/HIFI-TDA15...475043?hash=item3fca453da3:g:doIAAOSwy9VdX1gw

But is the TDA 1541A I own worth it? Markings are:
On the left:
Vertically printed"Taiwan" (where you can see a white stripe in the pictures above)
followed by the Philips logo.
First Row:
TDA1541A
Second Row:
11295
Third row:
HSH9743 2

No crowns... No explanation of the markings in the datsheet, "Dutchaudioclassics" or "Diyaudio"

9743 is the date code, 43rd week in 1997, almost the last run of the production. I think early production before 1990 sounds better, especially
those dated 1987 and 1988 with Y, Y means development according to Dutchaudioclassics, very early production.

I have one 9743 and two 8818 2 Y recently bought from Greece.

DSC05233.jpg
 
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WolfX-700

WolfX-700

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I did so before asking. Did it again now, sorting by price using options "New" "Buy Now" and "Worldwide".
Did not show up.
Then searched only for 1541A without any option. It does now show up, though it is new,
sold worldwide and an buy now article. Ebay´s ways are strange,
but maybe they want to force users to scroll through a list of items:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/HIFI-TDA15...475043?hash=item3fca453da3:g:doIAAOSwy9VdX1gw

BTW my TDA1541A has the exact same markings as pictured in post #3, so
First Row:
TDA1541A
Second Row:
11295
Third row:
HSH9743 2

But no explanation of the markings in the datasheet, "Dutchaudioclassics" or "Diyaudio"
I do not thinks that 97 stands for the year. But as the DAC seems to measure well, it would be
interesting if Philips got the production run well enough to omit the crown markings at one point...

I tested the 1997 1541A, comparing the crown of the NEC CD-10. Their performance is consistent with the data sheet. The crown cannot be omitted.
 

Herbert

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9743 is the date code, 43rd week in 1997, almost the last run of the production. I think early production before 1990 sounds better, especially
those dated 1987 and 1988 with Y, Y means development according to Dutchaudioclassics, very early production.

I have one 9743 and two 8818 2 Y recently bought from Greece.

I tested the 1997 1541A, comparing the crown of the NEC CD-10. Their performance is consistent with the data sheet. The crown cannot be omitted.

As your TDAs were placed on synthetiic cloth for the photo, I hope tey still are up to the norm ;)

Hard to believe that earlier batches sound better, as a lot of experience was gathered and the process better controlled over the years...
Maybe the uncrowned from 1997 are as good as double-crowns from 1988
 

alec226

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As your TDAs were placed on synthetiic cloth for the photo, I hope tey still are up to the norm ;)

Hard to believe that earlier batches sound better, as a lot of experience was gathered and the process better controlled over the years...
Maybe the uncrowned from 1997 are as good as double-crowns from 1988

I'm sure you will hear the difference, better or not, there is difference. Kind of like vacuum tubes, the older the better.
 

Herbert

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Thanks! So the "old wine" analogy does not fit here - again, as always with Hifi...
 
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