System Components:

Power Amp:	Odyssey Mono Extreme
Pre-Amp:	 “Foreplay” DIY Preamp based on the Bottlehead design
CD Transport:	Heavily Modified Toshiba SD-3950 DVD as Transport
DAC:		16 TDA 1543 chip DIY design
Speakers:	Magnepan Model 3.5, bypassed entire original connection plate hardware
Spkr Stand:	DIY Speaker Stand
Speaker Cable:	CAT 5 Braided, Chris Venhaus Design
Interconnects:	DIY Cotton / Fine Silver Interconnect
Power Cables:	Chris Venhaus DIY power cord on Amps & CD Transport
		DIY Battery wire on DAC

Michael’s Comments:

General Comments:

DAC - The latest addition to my system is a radical rebuild of my DDDAC. The old 8way DAC (see blow) has already been dismantled to donate parts for yet another upgrade, but for now this new DAC is the standard of DACs for me. I have yet to hear one that comes close to it, and I have heard quite a few big sticker DACs recently. Also - this DAC has a few tricks up its sleeve few other DACs will ever be able to do.

CD - This DVD player has been quite the rage out in the online audio forums, so much that one day I felt like spending $39 on ebay and trying it for myself.   If you aren't familiar with this DVD player and it's potential as a "giant killer" audio component, search the Audioasylum or other DIY audio forums for 3950 and "Vinnie Mod" or "Swenson Mod" - you will find a large amount of information about what can be done to improve the performance of these components. If you're not into audio, but rather are looking for a high grade DVD player, the very same mods will result in a player that can compete with the best of them.

Pre-Amp - So here is my very first DIY electronic component - and it is still a project in progress, almost a year after I started it. The base kit costs $150 and should be easy enough for anyone who can use a soldering iron and has decent eye sight to put together. For the money, it sounds amazing.

Future Improvement Plans

Money and time are the limiting factor. Currently I am building a new version of the Bottlehead Foreplay preamp, completely DIY and over the top (remote PSU, top of the line parts throughout, cases to match the DAC), but I
already tested the DAC in passive attenuator mode bypassing the tube pre and perhaps will completely do away with the pre and rebuild the DAC attenuator setup so that I can drive the amps directly from the DAC (mostly an issue to
calibrate the attenuator for the amps rather than for headphones). Resolution was amazing when I ran the DAC directly, but I had no way to turn the volume down :)

Also, room treatment will be next, then either the amps get tweaked or replaced by DIY amsp based on UCD 400 modules for active biamping. Not sure yet. Ultimately, a pair of 20.1 Maggies would be the true upgrade, but the budget isn't quite there for that. Dedicated power is another thing I want to do, 4 circuits at least, as well as fully cryo-treat all my wiring and connectors.

Peter build his amazing tripled stacked DAC completely from scratch.  From individual 64 CHIP DAC towers, to stepped attenuators, everything is done by himself.   The DAC can handle 6 channels and is battery powered.   Looks very professional to me.

The Preamp was heavily dampened.   It is hand build by Peter based on the Bottlehead Design.

Below: DIY interconnects made from scratch.