Once you get it up and going for a while I'll be curious to hear from you if the Abbas units will have the open/clear/detailed transparent type sound or the more "velvet" sound with a tad less (or softer) type of transparency. I think I'm leaning towards something in between, with a little of both characteristics.
Getting there is going to trail-and-error as I can see now.
Agreed. Often one small change like a tube, coupling cap or cable can make a big difference with digital.
I plan to post on his forum with assistance from Google translate once the DAC settles in. I am curious about the units he sells without cases. I suppose you could mount them in wood box or find a suitable metal enclosure. There are 1600 cases on the auction site. I'm just not sure how to do it properly.
They are a lot less $$ than the complete units.
A member here SimomYVR on the Shindo forum has an Abbas 3.1.
Source: Burmester 915 FM tuner / Abbas Audio DAC 3.0SE / Shindo IC's
Amplification:
Shindo Giscours RA1474-II /
Shindo Cortese 300B (Western Electric 1950) /Speakers: Auditorium 23 Solovox / Maxonic D511EX Field Coil horn drivers crossed at about 1000Hz/ BELDEN 9497 Cables/ Motiographic tungar power supply
The Giscours preamp lists for $27K. The Cortese with 1950 WE 300B's
He chose this DAC over Audio Note. I may have to subscribe so I can message him.