What's your experience with them? You've heard the double crown in action? I mean even Filburt hasn't heard it himself, though he theorizes quite logically that it shouldn't sound that much different since he's heard other hyped/normal variations of other chips and noted there to be very little difference. So while I find it totally believable that it may not sound all that different... but have you actually heard it? I haven't so I'm investing. Might be a waste of money but it wouldn't be the first or last time.

Probably not the double crowned version, but the I've heard the TDA1541 in CD players (Phillips CD820 and Marantz CD-80). Of course, there is a difference between CD players with a DAC chip and a standalone DAC with that chip. Even though I've heard them in the house, I wouldn't say that my experience is enough and my opinion is worthy. They're just not as good as people are led to believe.

The short answer is yes, it does help. The long answer involves a lot of math which I don't understand anymore, as I've been out of university too long and my Calculus is pretty damn rusty.

The Long Answer (PDF File)

Try as I might, I can't hear calculus. I have to judge how things sound by listening to them.

Yeah that's fine. The DAC design is pretty cool to and asebastian is going to probably at least swap out the opamp output stage for either a pass labs designed discrete output stage or mod it to use a superior opamp that Filburt recmomended. Either way though I'll probably mostly use the tubed output stage. I still have high hopes for this sucker.. I think whether or not the chips are normal TDA1541s or double crown it mayyy sound pretty similar but the design is pretty badass.

Try as I might, I can't hear calculus. I have to judge how things sound by listening to them.

Well, based on actual listening, the 20-bit PCM1702 in Biggie's CD player sounds better than the 18-bit PCM1700 in my modded Denon CDP, and the 24-bit PCM1704 in the Simaudio Eclipse sounds better yet.

Well, based on actual listening, the 20-bit PCM1702 in Biggie's CD player sounds better than the 18-bit PCM1700 in my modded Denon CDP, and the 24-bit PCM1704 in the Simaudio Eclipse sounds better yet.

Haha, but that is just improvements within the same school of thought.

Ummm... but there is a LOT of other stuff that is different about your CD player and Biggies, no? And I would think that the Simaudio Eclipse is significantly different than a modded TEAC.

Yeah it's not all about the chip itself, obviously implementation plays a huge role as well ;p Sooo its tough to say if the differences you are hearing are all due to the change in bits.

I know I like 1702s in my Denon DA-500... My DVM-4800 has the 1704s, and while I remember it as a big jump up from the DCM-560 with the 1700s, I have't compared it to the DA-500 yet.