Hi, I have been ahving a read through a few of the burr brown data sheets today, and I have decided that the newer 1792 looks like quite a nice part. however, this one (and a few of the others I have been looking at) needs external control from some sort of micor controler. Now, I do have a bit of experience at writtng machine code, and I have been meaning to finaly put some code into a PIC microcontroler, but has anone out there tried doing this before? I was just wondering how easy it is to get the two working together properly (DAC and Microcontroler), and how complex the code would be, as it appears as though it wouldn't take too much effort (for one fixed set of opperating parameters in any case) to do.
So, if anyone has tried this, and can offer any good advice as to how easy it is, could you let me know, or if it is infact oe of the more evil things I could choose to do with my time, I would also like to know before I try and start.
Andrew
So, if anyone has tried this, and can offer any good advice as to how easy it is, could you let me know, or if it is infact oe of the more evil things I could choose to do with my time, I would also like to know before I try and start.
Andrew
It isn't very hard if you are willing to read the fine manual. For something like the PCM1738 or PCM1792 you will probably just want to write some registers at startup time and then shutdown. Totally simple with AVR microcontrollers, probably PIC too but I don't know for certain. The AVR docs are so good I taught myself to use one over a Saturday morning.
The task can be as hard as you want, of course. If you add features your code becomes more complex. On the hardware side you will want a header for in-system programming.
Somewhere on this forum recently I worked out that you only need to bang six bytes into a PCM1792 to start it up properly. However you will note that no PCM1792 have yet been manufactured. Who knows when they will be available?
The task can be as hard as you want, of course. If you add features your code becomes more complex. On the hardware side you will want a header for in-system programming.
Somewhere on this forum recently I worked out that you only need to bang six bytes into a PCM1792 to start it up properly. However you will note that no PCM1792 have yet been manufactured. Who knows when they will be available?
I wondered why I couldn't find anywhere that was selling the chips
.
But that is what I thought it would involve, just a little timing sequence at the start to let the device power up, then stuff a few bytes down into the control port, then send the PIC to sleep (I thik I would go for the PIC approach, as I was intending to use one in something else at some stage too).
IF the 1792 hasnt gone into production though, the 1738 seems to be a farily simmilar part, so would that make a decent replacement if I can't get hold of the 1792 when I want try and startd putting something together?
.But that is what I thought it would involve, just a little timing sequence at the start to let the device power up, then stuff a few bytes down into the control port, then send the PIC to sleep (I thik I would go for the PIC approach, as I was intending to use one in something else at some stage too).
IF the 1792 hasnt gone into production though, the 1738 seems to be a farily simmilar part, so would that make a decent replacement if I can't get hold of the 1792 when I want try and startd putting something together?
They're hard to get anywhere because they're discontinued (TDA1541A). But I saw that mcmelectronics.com and newark.com was selling them. They're out of stock right now unfortunately, but mcm still had stock yesterday.
I bought my TDA1543 from newark.com just a few weeks ago.
They're just not as popular here because TI and Analog Devices are much more prevalent, being american firms. But honestly, my TDA1541A-based dac slaughters my modified burr-brown(TI) DAC-based SACD player. It's very true that the quality of a DAC is much more than its specs.
Right, I have been doing a bit more reading, and I have found that the crystal CS43122 looks like ti would be very easy to put into a circuit design, as it doesn't require a microcontroler to set the parameters for its opperation (although not quite as flexible as the burr brown ones I looked at it might be nice for a first try at this sort of thing). So, has anyone heard these chips before, as I don't relay want to try and compare them specifications straight from the data sheets with some of the other devices I have been looking at, but as my previous prefered device to try and use isn't even in producion, I guess I will have to use something else, which could well be this, or the PCM1738. Do people out there have any preferences over either of these chips, sonicly or from the point of view of applying them?
Andrew,
Before you get too excited about the CS43122, make sure you can source it.
The 2 UK Crystal distributors I have dealt with in the past, have minimum orders of £100, and don't do samples.
If you do find somewhere, and you want to share the shipping cost, let me know. I'd like a couple to play with.
Cheers,
Before you get too excited about the CS43122, make sure you can source it.
The 2 UK Crystal distributors I have dealt with in the past, have minimum orders of £100, and don't do samples.
If you do find somewhere, and you want to share the shipping cost, let me know. I'd like a couple to play with.
Cheers,
I have a DAC based on the CS43122. This is my "Cheap DAC, Revision A", with no frills and very low cost. The sound is superior (to my ears) than that produced by the Burr-Brown PCM1732U DACs in my NAD CD player.
The CS43122 costs almost nothing and you can source it from Newark. If you can't order internationally from Newark maybe you can get someone in the USA to source it for you and mail to the UK.
The CS43122 costs almost nothing and you can source it from Newark. If you can't order internationally from Newark maybe you can get someone in the USA to source it for you and mail to the UK.
jwb said:
Hi, if you use this in your cheep DAC, which chip do you use in your better designs, and do they sound a lot better?
As far as getting the chips go, I thought that I might be able to get a smaple from the Cirrus website, but I guess if not then the postage wouldn't be too bad to get a chip or two sent over from the US.
The Cheap DAC isn't cheap because it uses bad components. I'd say the CS43122 is a good competitor for any delta-sigma DAC out there. The design is cheap because it hardly has any features. The CS43122 itself is highly integrated, so no digital filter, I/V converter, or active low-pass filter are required. Only a passive low-pass filter and line driver are needed. Also the CS43122 has four outputs, so only one chip is required for balanced stereo operation. The Cheap DAC omits superregulators, stable clocks, four-layer PCBs, and those types of things to keep cost down.
The problem with the CS43122 is the same as its chief feature: it is highly integrated and thus doesn't have a very good tweak factor. If you want to experiment with current-to-voltage conversion, filters, digital filters, clocks, or parallel DACs you need some other chip.
The only chips I've really used are the CS43122, the PCM1704, and the PCM2702 USB DAC. My latest design uses AD1896, PCM1704, DF1704, discreet everything, a 4-layer board, and will probably cost a lot of money but have a serious tweak factor. If you are into experimentation you want the most featureless DAC chip you can find, and the PCM1704 (and the PCM63, also) fit the bill perfectly.
The problem with the CS43122 is the same as its chief feature: it is highly integrated and thus doesn't have a very good tweak factor. If you want to experiment with current-to-voltage conversion, filters, digital filters, clocks, or parallel DACs you need some other chip.
The only chips I've really used are the CS43122, the PCM1704, and the PCM2702 USB DAC. My latest design uses AD1896, PCM1704, DF1704, discreet everything, a 4-layer board, and will probably cost a lot of money but have a serious tweak factor. If you are into experimentation you want the most featureless DAC chip you can find, and the PCM1704 (and the PCM63, also) fit the bill perfectly.
So, is that a recomendation for the CS43122 ?
I think I might give this one a try for now, as this is my first project, and I don' want to make things too complicated at the moment, although, I was probably going to try and build some of my own power regulators for the DAC and out put, and I would like to put on as good a clock as I can manage at a reasonable cost.
One thing with this though, is the CS43122 is in a larger SOIC package (compared to the PC1792), so is this a lot easier to mount that the smaller packages? As I havn't got any experience with surface mount components before, and I don't want to design something I kill when I am trying to put it together.
I think I might give this one a try for now, as this is my first project, and I don' want to make things too complicated at the moment, although, I was probably going to try and build some of my own power regulators for the DAC and out put, and I would like to put on as good a clock as I can manage at a reasonable cost.
One thing with this though, is the CS43122 is in a larger SOIC package (compared to the PC1792), so is this a lot easier to mount that the smaller packages? As I havn't got any experience with surface mount components before, and I don't want to design something I kill when I am trying to put it together.
Here is an older review (from 2000) for a commercial DAC which uses a CS4397 (192 kHz 24-bit) and the CS8420 SRC. The CS4397 was a predecessor of the 43122. Inputs are upsampled to 96 kHz using the CS8420. Complete with pictures of the circuit board, power supply, and a general feature description. Maybe it will give you some ideas.
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_7_3/perpetual-technologies-p1a-p3a-9-2000.html
The article also has graphs comparing the analog output of a poor CDP to the outboard DAC with the same CDP used as transport... easily worth the proverbial 1000 words.
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_7_3/perpetual-technologies-p1a-p3a-9-2000.html
The article also has graphs comparing the analog output of a poor CDP to the outboard DAC with the same CDP used as transport... easily worth the proverbial 1000 words.
Hi, jwb, I just got a reply from Newark with regards to getting a few of the crystal DAC chips sent over here. Apparently they have a $250 minimum order, adn would want an extra $100 - $200 for shipping to the UK. So I guess unless I can find another scource, this kind of rules out this chip (which is bit sad as it would have been a nice easy start for me).
So, does anyone out there know of any place that will sell the CS43122 in small numbers and not charge me the cost of a plane ticket to ship them?
So, does anyone out there know of any place that will sell the CS43122 in small numbers and not charge me the cost of a plane ticket to ship them?
New ACG design uses CS43122
My current DAC design is called XD0 and uses the CS43122 (or pin compatable CS4396/7). You can see the project at:
http://www.audiocraftersguild.com/XD0/XD0_index.htm
Detailed circuit background and theory of operation is here:
http://www.audiocraftersguild.com/XD0/XD0_project_n_theory.htm
This circuit will be realized on a four layer circuit board and will be sold as PCB only, kit, or completed unit. Once in production I will also stock parts for those of you in areas with hard to meet minimum orders.
Norman Tracy
Audio Crafters Guild
www.audiocraftersguild.com
My current DAC design is called XD0 and uses the CS43122 (or pin compatable CS4396/7). You can see the project at:
http://www.audiocraftersguild.com/XD0/XD0_index.htm
Detailed circuit background and theory of operation is here:
http://www.audiocraftersguild.com/XD0/XD0_project_n_theory.htm
This circuit will be realized on a four layer circuit board and will be sold as PCB only, kit, or completed unit. Once in production I will also stock parts for those of you in areas with hard to meet minimum orders.
Norman Tracy
Audio Crafters Guild
www.audiocraftersguild.com
Try calling these guys:
Unique Memec
64/65 Rabans Close
Aylesbury, BuckinghamshireHP19 8TW
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 (0) 1296 397 396
Fax: +44 (0) 1296 397 439
www.unique.memec.com
They are the UK distributors for Crystal and sold me a couple of CS8414 without a problem.
Unique Memec
64/65 Rabans Close
Aylesbury, BuckinghamshireHP19 8TW
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 (0) 1296 397 396
Fax: +44 (0) 1296 397 439
www.unique.memec.com
They are the UK distributors for Crystal and sold me a couple of CS8414 without a problem.
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