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Help: Where are DPA Digital?

Hi Al,

IIRC the T1 is based heavily on the Marantz C52, so uses the Philips CDM4 mech/loader and all. So your best bet would be to ask about these (rather more popular) players / seek spares from a Marantz agent / or buy an old CD42/52 to cannibalise.
 
I used to live in Whyalla and Adelaide before my return to the UK a long time ago. There are a number of Marantz Service Centres located in Australia where you may be able to get the part you require, but they usually overcharge. Alternatively you can buy a working Marantz CD 52 from Ebay UK and use that for spares. Theres one on there now!
The DPA T1 PCB is about 2 inches square all the other electronics belong to the Marantz. I have spare fully built T1 circuit boards and the instructions to modify the Marantz to become a T1. Any queries contact me at [email protected].

My Pinkfish mail box tends to overfill from time to time.

Cheers, Tom
 
Say, any idea what the PDM 2 dac set in nice condition is worth? I have the original boxes and manual as well. I have not been able to find much info on them as of yet. Down sizing and simplifying my 2 ch./ home theater so I no longer use the dpa set up.
 
I opened my DPA drive and inside there is Philips CDM 12.1 drive !
I don't know how i came on the idea that inside there is one Teac drive.
Looking for one spare drive, on german ebay one can get new one for 20€.
Thinking about buying two ... ;)
 
The later Enlightenment transports, as I used to have, had teac non-VRDS drives, but I'm sure Tom will confirm that shortly............
 
CDM 12 mech?

Strikes me that you own an early Edrive, few exist as most were recalled due to poor reliability.

The next mech to be used was Sony based, which required the chassis to be redesigned to fit it.

Much later a Teac mech was used, mostly for 24 bit Transports and CD Players. These had black fascia and stainless steel chassis and covers.

A number of Teac mechs were used in repairs of older units.

Pink Fish member DCAUDIO can give you good advice regards replacement.

I can supply circuit diagrams etc, but I need an email address.

Tom
 
Tom
Just came accross this post by chance !
I used to live in Cardiff and came down to your factory which was near Newport I think ?
I bought a DPA "The Power" principally because when listening to my Planar 3 through my Cyrus 2/PSX I used to pick up loads of radio stations through the stylus !
Anyway, plugged in "The Power" to the amps and the radio stations were no more !
Fantastic bit of kit, I am sure predates the likes of Isotek by about 15 yrs. It's a real shame they are not around any more.
Quick question....
Can I wire "The Power" into a standard mains distribution block to provide RF free electricity to my whole system, or do I have to find a separate power for every component ?
Thanks
John
 
Hello,

It would have been DPA Digital, St. Mellons.

Deltec Precision Audio are to reform and the " Power Filter " you refer to will be available again with the exception that they will be fully redesigned.

The original Deltec filter was a good design. At DPA Digital, Rob Watts simplified it and at a stroke made it more crude, we class these as version two's.

Later he went one stage better and designed version 3 which on analysis proved even worse; but few of these exist.

If you buy a second hand filter, better a Deltec version, it will state Deltec on the case.

Of the new versions, they were purposely designed by two highly skilled Engineers, one very familiar with RF and the other Analogue Electronics.

They will consist of a " single " power, the same as what you have and a " triple " output version called The Power Plus.

We are also trying to obtain a dedicated RF cable, rather than the supposed better PTFE or armoured cables which sell for fancy prices and achieve very little.

Hope this helps?

Tom
 
Tom
Excellent news that DPA will reform. Any time scale ?
My "The Power" has DPA on the front, but not sure which version it is.
Can I use it with a mains distribution block ??
Thanks
John
 
I am sure some owners of the Power have used a distribution block as a cost saving measure.

The filter was designed to be used with one component or up to a maximum of 5 amps with more than one.

If you use a distribution block and one filter you run the risk that your system components power isolation will be comprimised, in that each component will introduce interference for another to pick up.

In short it will isolate the equipment from the mains, but not each other.

Tom
 
Just read this entire thread. A fair achievement in itself.

I have a whole host of the cheaper end gear, some Power(s) a small DAC or two and a Renaissance CD player. Some of this is in need of TLC from an expert (my soldering iron days ceased at college and my shaky hands are no confidence booster).

I'm just off the M4 near Bath - is there an ex Deltec/DPA engineer who can help? As we've moved house twice in one year the missus has got it all in boxes with the aim that while I'm away on a trip one day she'll throw it out. If I can get it repaired I can move it back to its rightful place in the lounge - something I'd very much like to do.

CDG
 
I'm in central Bath if you want to compare notes - I'm familiar enough with the equipment to at least advise on what's likely to need doing. Drop me a PM if you want to get in touch.
 
Just read this entire thread. A fair achievement in itself.

I have a whole host of the cheaper end gear, some Power(s) a small DAC or two and a Renaissance CD player. Some of this is in need of TLC from an expert (my soldering iron days ceased at college and my shaky hands are no confidence booster).

I'm just off the M4 near Bath - is there an ex Deltec/DPA engineer who can help? As we've moved house twice in one year the missus has got it all in boxes with the aim that while I'm away on a trip one day she'll throw it out. If I can get it repaired I can move it back to its rightful place in the lounge - something I'd very much like to do.

CDG
They say a second opinion is always worthwhile, so I would allow the Pinko Bodger the opportunity to survey your equipment.

I was the Service Engineer at Deltec/DPA Digital. My product knowledge is extensive. My day job is in Bristol.

Probably be just a simple fault.

Tom
 
Stumbled accross this thread and registered to share somethng rather special. There is a guy in Sawbridgeworth, Herts running a small audio business who has a number of DPA items in stock, some of which are "new-old" stock. This fellow seemed nice enough and claimed to know Rob Watts personally and that when DPA went bust, he took a large amount of stock off their hands. I have no reason to believe or disbelieve his claims but the Little Bit 2 I bought is PERFECT including box and manual (also perfect) and I've no intention of buying anything else until it breaks!

I'm very sorry but I can't for the life of me remember the name of the company but his address is in "The Maltings" near the train station in Sawbridgeworth. He does however trade on eBay under the name of "fidelityfreak" or something extremely similar so you could send him an eBay message. If you want _mint_ DPA kit, get a hold of this fellow and see if hes got anything left!!
 
The Little Bit 2 is a very old Dac, discontinued long before the supposed demise of DPA Digital, which did not really happen; a complicated story.

Audiophile Objective is apparently their name. Unless they have Pulse Array Dacs, Enlightenment Pre/Powers, perhaps even a DPA500s Monobloc, the stock they have is quite old. But this is not to say unmusical or for that matter unreliable.

Your Little Bit 2 is housed in a " Bigger Bit " chassis, which is handy as it can be upgraded to a Bigger Bit or Enlightenment Dac DX32. I have spare working boards of both these products.

However, the Little Bit 2 has only one main chip, the SAA7350 of which I have 200 plus spares, so I guess your Dac will last forever.

Tom
 
Audiophile Objective, that's it. He'd had the Little Bit 2 in stock for several years or at least he told me as much and there was also a sticker on the base of the unit from "Objective Audio" in Harlow - his old premises and trading name which suggests to me that it was a display model. Anyway I wvisited the shop on the advice of a friend and was immediately recommended the Little Bit 2. Obviously I listened, liked it and asked about other kit from the same brand (I simply hadn't heard of DPA at the time) - he showed me a couple of items on the shelves that I might afford such as a Little Bit 3 in a full size case (something about the Middle-Eastern markets perceiving it as better value?!), a bigger bit, a half-size pre/power combo and another (I can't remember how big) pre-amp. He also mentioned having a few special items tucked away but I've no idea what they are. His sole employee claimed he was using the last enlightenment DAC to have been made or pretty close to. Anyway, Im not the person to tell you what he has in stock - if anyone's interested, the number is 01279 724024. Give 'em a call.

By the way, what sort of money are we talking to upgrade the Little Bit 2. Obviously I'm very happy with it already but if the oppurtunity is there, an even better DPA model might be nice.

Stuart
 
The Little Bit 3 is based on the Yamaha YAC502; a cruder device than the SAA7350. The TLB3 was sold in very large numbers Worldwide.
The benefit of your Little Bit 2 which is a lot rarer, apart from being more polished is that it has the DELTRAN Sync Lock feature. But you need a " Deltraned " CD Player to use it.

The Bigger bit uses a SAA7350 and Dac7, whilst the more up to date Enlightenment Dac DX32 also uses a SAA7350 and a high performance YSF210A Digital filter.

They all sound very different. Depends what you prefer, warm and smooth or clean and bright. For example the Chord 64 is excessively bright where as the Deltec PDM 2 which the Bigger Bit is a relative is rich, smooth, warm and velvety. A striking difference!

I hold the working boards as spares, in case I encounter a problem I cannot fix, but this is rare. Swapping them in or out is easy enough. You can try before you buy. But price? Never given it much thought.
I would say get used to the sound from your TLB2 before any decision to upgrade.

Tom
 
I have to say I really, really like TLB2. Great at communicating emotion which, for me at least, is 90% of what music is about. Obviously one can always wish for a touch less grain and maybe a bit more "grunt". I'm not in any sort of rush to splash out on an upgrade - I'm expecting delivery of an NVA AP20 intergrated amplifier on Monday so no more Hi-Fi spending for a few months!

The amp is the final piece in a puzzle actually - it replaces a NVA pre/Rotel Power that gave up on me (the Rotel that is) just as TLB2 replaces an Arcam Alpha 7 (a desperately inferior product). Also a few days ago, I looked on a local advertising board only to find a nice pair of Mission 764i floorstanders for £30. Apparantly they retailed for just shy of a grand when new! When the amp arrives I'm going to have to decide whether to keep these new Missions or to keep my trusty Rogers LS6. It's a decision I'm going to enjy making :)

Just out interest, Tom, what DPA equipment do you use in your own system?

PS - What's this about a DPA revival?
 
Hello!

I have the chance to get a close to mint, boxed, DPA Deltec Little Bit 3 for 130 Euro (approximately 85 GBP). But I read this comment by Tom:

The Little Bit 3 is based on the Yamaha YAC502; a cruder device than the SAA7350. The TLB3 was sold in very large numbers Worldwide.

<snip>

Tom

I wonder if it is a good buy or I will end just with a nice-looking box :confused:

Thanks for your help!

JOSE
 
At £85 a mint condition TLB3 is a bargain.

Should you not like it, you should not make a loss on reselling it.

Tom

PS Whatever the colour of the casework, the PCB is the same.
 


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