Analog Research Segue DAC

[nopants]

I was recently able to pick this up after a year or two of searching. I figured I'd post some pics that I had on hand, only internals atm.

 

It uses 2 AD1862s, and has two outputs. One of them is fixed level while the other can be attenuated by a TKD pot. Supposedly this was a CES prototype so there's no power switch. Sounds great, a shame I can't compare it to my Spectral which recently melted down. Using it with a Legato 2, which was designed by the same guy (Jocko Homo)

[n_maher]

A power switch (on the back panel at least) would be a pretty simple mod.  I added one to my EAD because the front panel switch is only a half-off switch (weirdly).  

[Pars]

Jocko seems to know his shit with digital/RF. Enjoy it, and mod carefully. Shouldn't be a problem to add a power switch, though this might be best left on. Some of Pass' preamps don't have a power switch (Aleph P for instance). And you can contact Jocko on diyhifi.org, though he is,umm, cantankerous

[cetoole]

I'm gonna guess that sounds awesome.  Would love to see more photos around the I/V (front/back of board), curious what his final solution was there.

[DefQon]

Wait Jocko Homo designed the Legato 2? Wtf that's news to me.

[nopants]

I've been thinking about how to add the switch, I'll probably swap what's already there for one of those IEC outlets with a switch built in- if I choose to do it that is. I haven't really checked how hot it runs, I've been listening too much.

 

Pat was part of Analog Research and currently a part of AR-T. 

 

I've read quite a bit of his posts across diyaudio > diyhifi > etc. He has a ton of material for DIY stuff involving SPDIF, also some I/V work. He's also written about the not-so-DIY stuff like crystals and oscillators. There's so much misleading information when it comes to jitter and "femto clocks", it's kind of disgusting sometimes.

 

I found an ad for the Legato 2 for half off and I bought it on impulse, which led to a bit of a vintage DAC binge. I figured a DAC designed by him would be just as competitive by today's standards as it was when it was introduced in 1996(?). He mentioned that something like the Segue couldn't be built for obvious reasons in 2015, and that his new DAC will probably employ op-amp I/V and/or output (I think he also implied some ESS solution, he seems to like their ASRCs). 

 

I'll try to post some pics of the I/V Colin, a monolithic board makes capturing the back pretty tricky. I only lifted the top cover to check that nothing had broken in transit (from Russia).

 

Ironically enough the cost of this Segue is just enough to cover a set of new feet for the SDR2000...which is ~halfway towards the cost of a recap. I hate to think how much an actual repair of the thing will cost.

[DefQon]

 

I found an ad for the Legato 2 for half off and I bought it on impulse, which led to a bit of a vintage DAC binge. 

 

Tell me about it, I've been on a similar journey myself over the past few months, buying few older Parasound, Monarchy Audio and EAD dac's from late 90-early 2000's. Prefer most of them over the new ESS Sabre crap which all sounds like plastic to me. For me PCM63-K's is where the moneys at, maybe occasional AD1851/3, PCM1794 with PMD100 HDCD decoder in some transports are alright.

 

Been trying hard to get my hands on some Vimak's and Fullcrum TT but no dice.

 

Have noticed most of the late 90's DAC's don't have power switches.