TotalDAC USB cable/filter - Teardown

[bt3]

Anyone have one of the large Audience power conditioners to send to Amir?
I need a good New Years chuckle.
https://audience-av.com/conditioners/

 

[3125b]

Hand-filing poorly fitting grooves in the case and then just squishing the cable in there doesn't count as strain relief in my book.
At least get some cable glands, the plated brass ones cost less than 2€/each.

 

[voodooless]

Hand-filing poorly fitting grooves in the case and then just squishing the cable in there doesn't count as strain relief in my book.
At least get some cable glands, the plated brass ones cost less than 2€/each.

I guess a knot would be out of the question as well

 

[somebodyelse]

Hand-filing poorly fitting grooves in the case and then just squishing the cable in there doesn't count as strain relief in my book.
At least get some cable glands, the plated brass ones cost less than 2€/each.

It's almost as if you've seen it done properly before

 

[mansr]

The SMD components do look hand soldered and wonky with excess flux

Maybe a flux capacitor has leaked.

 

[mansr]

If you didn't hear a difference between the totaldac USB cable and a standard cable, it is probably that your system is not good enough, or you don't have golden ears, or...

Or your wife isn't in the kitchen.

 

[wwenze]

390/360 Euro’s for this staggering!

It's the implementation that is important. As in convincing the buyer.

 

[soekris]

best to ignore everything on 6moons

6moons charge for their "reviews", I doubt they can get anybody to pay for a bad one....

 

[wwenze]

Check out the text at the bottom of the prices page:

I have seen better PCBs on a <$10 product (A HDMI splitter in this case)... This is just downright shameful

 

[Lambda]

excess flux

There is nor such thing as an excess of flux
But its a shame they don't bother cleaning it up.

 

[mansr]

This is part of a PCB I soldered using an IR hotplate and hot air. The smallest components are 0402 size. There is never an excuse for making a mess.

 

[caocaolatre199x]

The workmanship is so bad.

 

[Spkrdctr]

This is part of a PCB I soldered using an IR hotplate and hot air. The smallest components are 0402 size. There is never an excuse for making a mess.

Yes, that is very clean. You are now in charge of production at the factory!

 

[Ra1zel]

I am amazed at how it all looks like it was a high school science project

We did better things in high school, which makes this even funnier.

 

[Joe Smith]

I'm feeling better at only having been roped in by an Audioquest Jitterbug USB thingie, which I then re-sold for the purchase price on eBay...

 

[Frgirard]

This example shows that one can have a solid background in physics and promote snake oil. Like many GM of audiophiles companies.
A big hook for a gullible customer

 

[bidn]

I like to remind those speaking French of the pun I made on the fantastic threads reviewing the TotalDAC DAC and its power supply:
TotalARNAC
("arnaque" meaning "scam" in French = TotalSCAM).

Wishing you the best for 2022,
bidn

 

[jipihorn]

Hopefully, the fiducials helped the component alignment...

KevBaz, can I have the possibility to get it ? I pay postage to France.

Jipihorn.

 

[Thermionics]

Check out the text at the bottom of the prices page:

SMD joint guarantee​

The DAC SMD components are placed by robots and soldered in a ROHS reflow oven by a sub-contractor specialised in very professional electronic boards such as telecommunication equipments.

Well, they didn't specify which robots. I have my suspicions:

 

[Killingbeans]

No need to self flagellate. For every Total Dac there is one Synergistic Research or Nordost.

All nations have their share of lunacy. *cough* Duelund *cough*.