HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

Let's face it, the Philips TDA1543 chip is a digital dinosaur, long obsolete and by all rights should be extinct.

However....

Cheaply mass-produced in the Jurassic era for use in primitive audio devices like CD players it has somehow survived into the present day. Gaining a reputation for a warm and involving reproduction that more evolved designs appear to have lost.

Taiwan-based manufacturer Teradak has stuffed 16 of these anachronisms into a little case, added one of their highly-regarded PSU's and marketed this as the Chameleon DAC.
16? Why in God's name? Well it appears that running multiples of these chips and then checking the output against all the rest gives an extremely accurate data-flow that pretty well eradicates any possible errors.

So the Chameleon came in today, with the now-usual anticipation of following the DHL delivery process from Singapore to Frankfurt, Leipzig and Amsterdam. Then to me.

A box containing two rather small silver-coloured casings and an umbilical power lead. Inserted into my NVA set and power on. Blinding light comes immediately from a pair of high-intensity LEDs that could operate as motorway warning signals - this calls for a couple of layers of bits of masking tape to reduce the glare.



Music on, and from the word go you just know that something special is happening here. The comparison is directly with another NOS DAC that I have had for some years, the Metrum Musette. This can best be described in terms that you will all understand - alcoholic drinks!

The Musette is a fine Chablis: translucent, subtle, crisp, tantalising the senses with its clarity.
The Chameleon is a robust Merlot: rich, full-bodied, with warmth and a cheering, enveloping character.

Simply wonderful, the Teradak just has 'More', sometimes with the Musette I missed a bit of life in the music - not with this device. It's not just an analogue-style sound, 'Organic' would be a better description. Playing some really complex tracks I can hear detail and definition that I really never have got before, ever. And BASS that can be almost overwhelmingly massive at times. Huge!

Is it a perfect DAC? No. Not in today's world. It won't do Hi-res - these old-fashioned chips can handle 24bit/96KHz but no higher, and no DSD or MQA.

Pricewise it is a serious bargain - coming in at about 450 euros including postage and import tax. That's about one third of what I paid for the Musette.

But the sound! Creamy, luscious and involving. It makes me happy - and that's what matters.

So Fret, which do you prefer ?

Nice review Fret. Was hoping that this would be a winner.I presume it will get even better over the next couple of weeks too. Keep us informed please.

Hot damn! The Chameleon sounds even better this morning.

Prefer? Well it's a case of 'not realising what you are missing until you get it'. This Teradak unit is doing things I haven't previously heard from my system.

The emotional flow of the music has taken a major leap forward. That's for sure.

Thanks for that Fret.

Looks like you are choosing the next DAC i buy for me

Very interesting review, need to have a look at this

If you are considering a ladder DAC the Denafrips brand is supposedly where it's at. No glaring lights (they are quite dim according to reviews). Rather more high end but start at around $800 US. You would have to add VAT and duty as they come from a single supplier in Singapore. Check out the reviews from Steve Guttenberg (The Audiophiliac) and John Darko on Youtube. Also a discussion on Hoffman were several members are purchasing the Ares DAC.

Making that LED less bright may just be a case of adding in an extra resistor in it's voltage supply line. Knowing these modern dacs are mostly surface mount components, it might be too tricky to change whatever resistor is in there. Adding extra resistance might be possible ?

If you add a resistor (say the same value), don't you actually lower the resistance.

Mr arkless ages ago, told me I could increase the gain on a phono stage by adding a same value resistor.

Masking tape works - without any electrical interference.