Chinese DAC in a Box: CS8416 / CS4397

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Ipanema said:
2007 is visit malaysia year. Just help to promote malaysia here. :)


Maybe coming home end of the year.

also I got response form seller at Ebay on the DAC you suggested, here are his comments on his DAC compared to yours Zhaolu,

"Actually this DAC and Zhaolu both use CS8416 as a digital receiver and CS8416 have the same requirement of its peripheral components. The DAC chips is different . Each DAC chips have its characteristic in sound . And CS4397 is good in resolution and details. Zhaolu is clean and clear and my DAC kit is more punch , dynamic and details. You have many way to upgrade it ."

his DAC is punchier as the power supply is better. I have built mu own DAC before. I ran out of parts.
 
Anyone still subscribed to this thread?

Reading this thread was like an unfinished novel. What were your listening impressions after building new power supplies and output stages? Anyone get measurments?

I picked up one of these from Mr. Wu as well. I must say that I was impressed that I got so much for my money - and quickly too! The size appears to be a little larger than the green box that everyone here has - see attached pic.

After a few days of deciding wether I should buy an SLA battery or build a 12V supply, I decided that the battery was too expensive.

I built a little supply using parts that I sitting around (though I had to buy an LM7812). Here are some noise measurements with the switching wall-wart:

12.6V no load
Outputs muted .127mv (switching noise was clearly visible on the scope)
Outputs enabled 7.5mv

With the 12V supply:

11.8V no load & loaded
Outputs muted .026mv
Outputs enabled 3.3mv

I measured 6mv DC offset, .04% THD @ 1kHz 0dBFS. Full scale output was around 1.8V @ 1kHz with either supply. These cannot be regarded a perfect measurements because my Boonton 1120 was a basket case and has not been calibrated since 1996. I also used iTunes to do this via an Apple Airport Express w/ toslink.

Anyway, I'd like to know more of the sonic improvements made through better power supplies and output stages as I will probably build one based off of my Adcom GDA-600.

Cheers,
 

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Mine is as small as the previous have shown 2.5" x 1.75" x .75"

On mine, the 1364 OPAMP came unsoldered to the PCB - it is removable - so now just wondering what would be a good drop in replacement for the 1364?

I plan on trying another power supply the existing 12VDC 1A wallwart was a bit harsh on the high frequencies. Still liked it tho...
 
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Doesn't the OPA627 have different pinouts than the LT1364, correct? May not be a drop in replacement like the AD8620 or OPA2107 - or are they really drop in replacements? Pinouits seem the same...

Anyway, I will leave the Opamp alone, as general concensus is that it is very good.

I have built a much better 12VDC 1.2A power supply and hope to check it out later tonight...I was concentratinmg on the opamp when I had her open and don't remember seeing a Voltage Regulator in the unit, so I needs 12VDC only...correct?
 
john65b said:
...I was concentratinmg on the opamp when I had her open and don't remember seeing a Voltage Regulator in the unit, so I needs 12VDC only...correct?
I believe there's a 5V regulator for the DAC etc. but the LT1364 runs directly from the incoming power. I'm running the unit directly from a 12V lead-acid battery.
Spartacus said:
The LT part is good, but the LM4562 is better.
Well, yes, but I didn't think it worthwhile to replace it. I doubt the difference would be audible to me. And without two units, one modified and one not, I would never know for sure.
 
You can look at the pictures on pg. 1 of this thread:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=1090279#post1090279
and the post before it.
You could try running it at a higher voltage and see how hot the regulator gets.
Let us know...I was thinking of running from 24V and using two regulators, offboard, for analog and digital DAC voltages.
I had forgotten there are holes for a DIP opamp. Might be easier to replace than I thought.
 
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My opamp is socketed....it is not soldered as the pics show (guess I am lucky). I have beem convinced that the LT1364 is probably best. I may just leave it be.

Yes, I see the regulator now (read first, ask questions later). It is not sinked. It is already dropping 7V. Isn't dropping 19V with your 24V supply is asking a bit much without a sink?
 
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