New Denon 3700/4700 DAC chip

[dougi]

The chips definitely had PCM5100, not 5101 printed on them

Edit: if I remember the datasheet correctly, 5100 is 90, 5101 is 92 5102 is 93. They're all similarly horrible. The noise is low from the snr spec, about -110? making almost all of the unwanted information in the signal harmonics. I don't see 32 tone test results for these chips anywhere, I bet they'd look horrific

In Amir's review of the Yamaha RX-V6A which uses the 5102, 32 tone IM was <-90dB for all frequencies. Not really awful and this was probably driving it a bit harder that desirable given the pre-out spec

 

[Masza]

Availibility of 3700 is low or non-existent here in Finland. I wonder when it will get better. Same situation for other European countries?

I asked from Denon support about the DAC change about a week ago. Still waiting response. Maybe I'll never get that.

 

[peng]

Availibility of 3700 is low or non-existent here in Finland. I wonder when it will get better. Same situation for other European countries?

I asked from Denon support about the DAC change about a week ago. Still waiting response. Maybe I'll never get that.

I think you may have better luck asking Marantz support instead, that's based on my own experience. If Marantz support don't have the answer, you can push them a little, politely, such as by asking them to try and get an answer for you from engineering, Japan or something and they might accommodate your request.

If and when you do try Marantz support, you should ask the same question for both the SR6015 and the SR7015 (just in case D+M might have started to put the lower model DAC (rumored to be the PCM5102S in the X3700H/SR6015 and have a better one such as comparable ES9006 in the higher models). Please also make it clear that your question is about the units made with the replacement DACs that the Japan website mentioned.

 

[Trell]

D&M could learn a thing or two from RME how to communicate with customers:

 

[amper42]

I think it would be fun to listen to the ADI-2 DAC FS model "B" (AKM) and "C" (ESS) side by side with a switcher.

 

[NYfan2]

Availibility of 3700 is low or non-existent here in Finland. I wonder when it will get better. Same situation for other European countries?

I asked from Denon support about the DAC change about a week ago. Still waiting response. Maybe I'll never get that.

Here in the Netherlands it's the same.
I ordered a Denon AVC-X3700h the end of june. At that moment the expected delivery date was 19th of juli. I contacted the seller at the beginning of august and they told me that the delivery was delayed, they new delivery date was end of august but untill now I have not heard from then. Pretty annoying but I had a big discount when I ordered it.

 

[peng]

I think it would be fun to listen to the ADI-2 DAC FS model "B" (AKM) and "C" (ESS) side by side with a switcher.

I don't know why people (not you in this case, but RME) seem to just put AKM against ESS as though ESS ones are always better, when in fact each brand has multiple DAC chips with very different specs from the lowest to the highest..

I like the AKM website that has their line up in tabulated form. With ESS one would have to spend more time comparing specs among them, though their top of the line ones usually ends with X8, such as ES9008 through 9038, anything that ends with 6,7, or 0 (such as the 9010) are not what they would call "reference series".

 

[Trell]

I don't know why people (not you in this case, but RME) seem to just put AKM against ESS as though ESS ones are always better, when in fact each brand has multiple DAC chips with very different specs from the lowest to the highest..

This was not my take from the youtube clip made by RME that I linked to, and similar from what RME wrote in the ADI-2 DAC FS manual about changing the ESS DAC IC.

 

[peng]

This was not my take from the youtube clip made by RME that I linked to, and similar from what RME wrote in the ADI-2 DAC FS manual about changing the ESS DAC IC.

I know, was just my observation, in general. May be the name Sabre is inherently more potent than AKM's velvet sound lol.. And no one would know about the "velvet sound" thing unless they visit the website and on the right page.

 

[Trell]

I know, was just my observation, in general. May be the name Sabre is inherently more potent than AKM's velvet sound lol.. And no one would know about the "velvet sound" thing unless they visit the website and on the right page.

Heh, RME thinks of themselves as an engineering company and are not shy to tell posters that on their forum that when someone sounds "like from some HiFi magazine", and that is not welcome there.

 

[beren777]

Has the v2 3700H been measured yet?

 

[Macfox]

Any updated info yet?

 

[Triplefun]

Just opened up my newly arrived X3700H and there are 3 audio processing chips - 2 x PCM5100A and a AKM5358BET.

 

[Macfox]

Just opened up my newly arrived X3700H and there are 3 audio processing chips - 2 x PCM5100A and a AKM5358BET.

Thanks for checking! However, the 5100 is a 2 channel DAC, so probably used for zones 2 and 3. The 5358 is an ADC. The main zone DAC('s) must be hidden somewhere else.

 

[mike7877]

Thanks for checking! However, the 5100 is a 2 channel DAC, so probably used for zones 2 and 3. The 5358 is an ADC. The main zone DAC('s) must be hidden somewhere else.

They are. Obviously they aren't on the top board or we'd have known a long time ago.

Third one down, with the multi channel pre out's attached.

 

[mike7877]

Has the v2 3700H been measured yet?

I haven't. I might have time soon, got busy

 

[notabenem]

Any measurements yet?

 

[Oski1997]

Availibility of 3700 is low or non-existent here in Finland. I wonder when it will get better. Same situation for other European countries?

I asked from Denon support about the DAC change about a week ago. Still waiting response. Maybe I'll never get that.

Did you get a reply yet?

 

[Oski1997]

Just opened up my newly arrived X3700H and there are 3 audio processing chips - 2 x PCM5100A and a AKM5358BET.

Any updates on the main DAC?

 

[peng]

Any updates on the main DAC?

That seems like a well kept secret so far. We need someone willing to not just open up the case but to also remove enough parts to discover the main dac board.