Nice build but I hope the panel between the DAC and the transformer is not aluminium !? Aluminium does not shield magnetic radiation etc. I would use steel or Mu metal at that spot, especially because the transformer is very close to the electronics. BTW a 10 VA to 30 VA type would have been enough.
Farnell sells some nice LEDs from Dialight with ring already mounted, they call these optical indicators. When you remove the LEDs from the PCB and use Molex connectors with the right pitch you can use those and still be able to remove the PCB for working on it etc.
Do you like the sound of this DAC ? My Fluency DAC was running circles around it and also because of other projects I sold mine.
Farnell sells some nice LEDs from Dialight with ring already mounted, they call these optical indicators. When you remove the LEDs from the PCB and use Molex connectors with the right pitch you can use those and still be able to remove the PCB for working on it etc.
Do you like the sound of this DAC ? My Fluency DAC was running circles around it and also because of other projects I sold mine.
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Its getting way betting with any of these mods, also upstream mods on transport end, in my case a Tenor te7022 to spdiff module are worthwhile, but the stronger colour palette of the stacked nos tda1543 keeps me going back to it, until that is, i'ts weak points start giving me ichy feet.
Think from what i've listened to up to now mutibit players generally fit my personal listening criteria better.
For me the perfact dac would be somewhere between the two
In any case it's an enjoyable ongoing project
. Shame they don't offer the PCB only as most components i have not used and probably won't do.Hallo Russell
On my pcb i have 7809/7812 and 7912 i use 2 traffoes. One at 12V AC and one at 9,4 V AC, and my regulators gets not hot at all, Actually they are stable at around 42 degrees.
Thanks for your reply,
It's good to know someone else is using the 12v regulators. Its now obvious I should be using a smaller transformer with the 12v regulators. I looked at the op-amp specification and I think it might be easier for me to change out the regulators for 15v ones.
This is my first proper DAC but I can't believe how good it sounds even without any mods. I'm using a sony playstation with cables soldered directly to the optical toslink output (nasty temporary hack) as a source and a valve buffered gain clone amp. This may not be the ideal setup but I am very surprised with result. Going to tryout some of the mods I have seen in here just don't want to damage the PCB.
It's good to know someone else is using the 12v regulators. Its now obvious I should be using a smaller transformer with the 12v regulators. I looked at the op-amp specification and I think it might be easier for me to change out the regulators for 15v ones.
This is my first proper DAC but I can't believe how good it sounds even without any mods. I'm using a sony playstation with cables soldered directly to the optical toslink output (nasty temporary hack) as a source and a valve buffered gain clone amp. This may not be the ideal setup but I am very surprised with result. Going to tryout some of the mods I have seen in here just don't want to damage the PCB.
I just received a DAC 2496 kit that I plan to power from my existing buffer preamp transformer(dual 15V secondaries) and put in the same box.
The description of the power supply requirements for the DAC indicates that a transformer with dual 15V supply may be used and that a link should be soldered on two solder pads on the PCB. Mine has only one solder pad.
Is there any reason that I can't connect wire jumpers from the 3 terminal block to the 2 terminal block with 15 - 0V? Or should I get a 9V or 12V transformer?
Is there any sonic difference between using one or two transformers?
The description of the power supply requirements for the DAC indicates that a transformer with dual 15V supply may be used and that a link should be soldered on two solder pads on the PCB. Mine has only one solder pad.
Is there any reason that I can't connect wire jumpers from the 3 terminal block to the 2 terminal block with 15 - 0V? Or should I get a 9V or 12V transformer?
Is there any sonic difference between using one or two transformers?
There is only one solder pad. You connect that to the nearest soldered joint which should be 15v. You can tell by looking at the board.
By doing thing this you create a path for the 15v to the other bridge rectifier.
I didn't hear any sonic difference when i changed from one transformer to two. But the DAC was running in at the time, so it perhaps wasn't obvious.
Generally speaking i would say two transformers would be the way to go. Especially if you are using the op amp stage.
I wouldn't expect any sonic differences for using separate transformers, as currents are not that high and the 9v supply is for a single supply. They don't involve separate channels either.
As I don't have the pcb with me yet, I can't say if the grounds are separate too, for digital and analog, which might make difference.
What I do think might make a difference, and I will implement it on mine, is using a separate supply to feed U6 and U8, leaving U9 and U10 free of any sharing with the digital side.
As I don't have the pcb with me yet, I can't say if the grounds are separate too, for digital and analog, which might make difference.
What I do think might make a difference, and I will implement it on mine, is using a separate supply to feed U6 and U8, leaving U9 and U10 free of any sharing with the digital side.
That's great - thanks guys!
My 4396 version arrived yesterday, so I'll start soldering that together next week. I've decided to go over the top with the PSU in terms of uF to see if that makes a difference to the performance. I've always admired Naim's digital equipment, and they always have 'over the top' PSUs so I really think there's something in it. Got a few Silmics, Cerafines, SEPCs and Black Gates kicking around in the parts box, so hopefully I'll be able to use those at various points in this DAC. Again - like Naim - I'll probably use tantalum caps at various decoupling points. Seems to work well for them.
One thing I do need to sort out somehow is an optical/toslink to SPDIF converter (one that'll play up to 24/96) as currently I'll be using my Mac mini as a source. At a later date I intend to buy a Kingrex UC192 USB to SPDIF converter, but for now I have to get by with optical. Can one build a simple toslink-to-SPDIF converter on a piece of vero-board?
My 4396 version arrived yesterday, so I'll start soldering that together next week. I've decided to go over the top with the PSU in terms of uF to see if that makes a difference to the performance. I've always admired Naim's digital equipment, and they always have 'over the top' PSUs so I really think there's something in it. Got a few Silmics, Cerafines, SEPCs and Black Gates kicking around in the parts box, so hopefully I'll be able to use those at various points in this DAC. Again - like Naim - I'll probably use tantalum caps at various decoupling points. Seems to work well for them.
One thing I do need to sort out somehow is an optical/toslink to SPDIF converter (one that'll play up to 24/96) as currently I'll be using my Mac mini as a source. At a later date I intend to buy a Kingrex UC192 USB to SPDIF converter, but for now I have to get by with optical. Can one build a simple toslink-to-SPDIF converter on a piece of vero-board?