It's been about 10 years since I met Paul - Pictures

[tedsmith]

2008 May
Am I nuts? No, simply filter the digital signals out of a Sony S9000-ES:

It sounded better than the S9000-ES’s output stage (tho at a lower level.)

2008 August
Build a board which reclocks and then filter it:

I built three versions, one with nominal audio components, one with lower cost audiophile favorites and one with naked Vishay’s and Teflon V-CAPs. Tho they all sounded a little different, they all sucked compared to the simple S9000-ES and filter.

2009 June
Built a board with my own discrete flip flops:

YucK! Crispy Crispy Crispy

2010 June
Build the best board I could at any cost. Add an FPGA so I could spin software instead of hardware. Try best digital VCXO’x and also simple control of a great crystal (custom designed by Vectron):

Now we’re cooking with gas!

Try it in as many systems as I could:
Dan Wright (ModWright)

A local audio club member’s system:

One of the coolest systems I get to listen to now and then:

A local masterer’s system:

Gus Skinas’s studio:

When we met Paul at Gus’s:

First DS prototype (not intended to be released, but can I make the big one cheaper?)

1st DS on the bench:

1st Jr:

1st TSS:

2nd TSS analog:

1st and 2nd TSS digital cards:

[Elk]

@tedsmith

Am I nuts?

Yes!

Delightfully so.

[Sohail]

We need more peace loving nutty people

[tedsmith]

Peace good! Nuts good!

[Palouse]

@tedsmith

Am I nuts?

I hope so!

[stevem2]

It’s nuts like you who make life enjoyable.

[Maniac]

this is great piece of our favorite DAC history, thank you @tedsmith for sharing!

[stevensegal]

Thanks @tedsmith for sharing.

It all seems remarkably rational. Build, test, consider options, improve, then find someone who will make a steel case for it.

[audiojan]

I’m amazed each and every day how GREAT the DSS is! Thanks for being a “nut”

[Terrence]

Seeing the entire photo history, make me love my DSDAC more! (I must be nuts!)

[Somppsa]

I still have my good old S9000-es still fully working. Never modded it though.

[1cdfoley]

What a trip and seeing the boards for the TSS is very exciting. Nuts, if your TSS wows me, I see a barrel of gourmet chocolate cover nuts in your room!

Many thanks for your consult on designing my 20 amp circuit, 1 1/2 years ago.

I am just one of many that you have helped along your nutty trip.

Chas

[BillT]

That was so cool! Thanks for the history (or is it memories?).

[Somppsa]

More pics please

[badbeef]

Not nuts - a Beautiful Obsession

[manoj]

Ted, I have been following this DAC since the days of Audio Asylum posts by you
And finally managed to get funds together to buy my DS sr that i was so much looking forward; and delighted I did. Thanks a ton for great story and a great DAC to both you and Paul!

[tedsmith]

Hmm, I can use an FPGA with my DAC:

DS Proto at a friend’s house:

DS Mk II:
Digital card on bench:

Analog card in prototype case:

DS at local audio club:

Paul at my house:

Paul at local audio club:

DS Jr prototype board:

Multiple AC transformers (split bobbin, toroidal, cheap)
Multiple output stages (opamp, transformer)
etc.
What ever options Paul liked best we used.

Bringing up the DS Jr:

Testing DS Jr at PS Audio in music room One:

Interview with John Darko re DS Jr at RMAF:

Arnie and Paul among others in Audio Legends panel at RMAF:

Ray Kimber, Cookie Marenco, David Robinson (Positive Feedback), Gus Skinas and others at RMAF:

David Robinson, Johnathan Tinn, (sorry I don’t remember David’s and Johnathan’s guest’s name) just dropped by my house one day:

In PS Audio’s new building before they moved in:

Discussing the possible TSS:

Andreas Koch and I at Axpona:

At Axpona:

Galen Gareis (designer of ICONCLAST cables) and I at Axpona:

Audiostream Podcast pic:

[Elk]

Great pics!

[jaycee]

@tedsmith, the early board pics…were those bankrolled by someone or just as a hobbyist? Did you have one-off boards fabricated just for “fun”?

Me, “Think those caps in the XO are DIY. Wonder what they’ll do if I swap for better? I can solder a blob.” Ted, “That CD sucks. Think I’ll design, build and code a DAC, tomorrow.”

Thanks for the pics. Very cool.

[tedsmith]

For some reason my wonderful wife supported me just building a DAC with no idea what we would do with it. It wasn’t cheap…