I think so
An even easier access point are the decoupling caps' pads at the right marked 104.
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Hi everyone, my second post on this forum ...
I'm a very avid fan of this Asahi DAC, currently using OPA627 in it, at first I didn't like the sound of the 627 very much but now I can't put my Teslas down.
I think the NE5532 sounds slightly better with violins, more enveloping, sharp, a little watery, a little silky and attention-seeking.
The OPA2134 has more of a studio sound, a little bit sterile over time, and it seems to focus more on attack, plus less on decay, if you listen to it next to the OPA627.
For natural tones, the OPA627 seems like the clear winner, it's the least digital sounding chip of these three. You may have acclimatised yourself to digital, edgy tones so then at first the OPA627 seems flat, but if you give it some time in the AK4396 with a nicely fitting IEM, speaker or headphone, you'll love it.
Listening directly from the RCA seems fine with IEM's and then I adjust the volume in Foobar, using a Musiland 01 USD in Kernel Streaming mode for the USB to COAX connection.
I'm very new to capacitors, I don't know what the values are or how they work, I'd like to try some 'special' capacitors in the Asahi... something like the Wima Blackbox, Cerafine, or silk caps... can someone help me select the correct values, and which ones I should replace?
Thanks in advance to any help.
Kindest Regards,
Nicky
I'm a very avid fan of this Asahi DAC, currently using OPA627 in it, at first I didn't like the sound of the 627 very much but now I can't put my Teslas down.
I think the NE5532 sounds slightly better with violins, more enveloping, sharp, a little watery, a little silky and attention-seeking.
The OPA2134 has more of a studio sound, a little bit sterile over time, and it seems to focus more on attack, plus less on decay, if you listen to it next to the OPA627.
For natural tones, the OPA627 seems like the clear winner, it's the least digital sounding chip of these three. You may have acclimatised yourself to digital, edgy tones so then at first the OPA627 seems flat, but if you give it some time in the AK4396 with a nicely fitting IEM, speaker or headphone, you'll love it.
Listening directly from the RCA seems fine with IEM's and then I adjust the volume in Foobar, using a Musiland 01 USD in Kernel Streaming mode for the USB to COAX connection.
I'm very new to capacitors, I don't know what the values are or how they work, I'd like to try some 'special' capacitors in the Asahi... something like the Wima Blackbox, Cerafine, or silk caps... can someone help me select the correct values, and which ones I should replace?
Thanks in advance to any help.
Kindest Regards,
Nicky
OK so I noticed in the bill of materials and pictures at this link, user ClaveFremen recommends 63V 2200uF Nichicons to replace the three standard green 35V Sanyos (position C23, C24, C25).
How about the Nichicon "gold tune" 35V 6800uF? I noticed there's many kinds of capacitors, paper in oil, ceramic, silk, film, etc... and different values. The spec sheet says "smoothing", what is that? I just want something nice and transparent sounding, or interesting sounding like a VHS or cassette tape sound or something like that haha.
Thanks for any help or recommendations, I think silk or film sounds exotic so I'm attracted to trying that, and have no idea on the values to select...
Kindest Regards,
Nicky
How about the Nichicon "gold tune" 35V 6800uF? I noticed there's many kinds of capacitors, paper in oil, ceramic, silk, film, etc... and different values. The spec sheet says "smoothing", what is that? I just want something nice and transparent sounding, or interesting sounding like a VHS or cassette tape sound or something like that haha.
Thanks for any help or recommendations, I think silk or film sounds exotic so I'm attracted to trying that, and have no idea on the values to select...
Kindest Regards,
Nicky
i searched the tread on this issue. only some advise on checking the input which i did with another board. the spdif input works perfect. and still this rrrrrrrrrrr-noise with or without music.
any suggestion? please .....
What is the spdif source ?
What are the power supply ?
Please make some pictures of the board .
Serge
any suggestion? please .....
I think is a grounding problem.
Last week I've tried to put the 7X12s on bread-board so it would be easier to compare them with the shunt regulator I'm preparing... result:
rrrrrrr-noise
Guess what?
I've soldered them again on the PCB, no noise...
Furthe to my question above, would this be a better option, discrete opamp on a socket.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
I didn't want to make a new thread so I have a question for you guys
I haven't had dac's in the past so all this is new but would you recommend the dac that this thread is about or this one High end DAC TDA1543 DIR9001 kit DIY WH-1 | eBay
I am quite comfortable with soldering and stuff, as long as it WORKS after I'm done
Also should I buy the R-core transformer for 24 usd off ebay as well? Or should I try to spot some suitable transformer locally?
I haven't had dac's in the past so all this is new but would you recommend the dac that this thread is about or this one High end DAC TDA1543 DIR9001 kit DIY WH-1 | eBay
I am quite comfortable with soldering and stuff, as long as it WORKS after I'm done
Also should I buy the R-core transformer for 24 usd off ebay as well? Or should I try to spot some suitable transformer locally?
Since the linked DAC has an external PS and probably coupling caps I would go for the MINI2496.
IMHO, absolutely yes!
Those R-Cores are very good.
Any LPF Filter is just degrading the sound of the AK4396.
If there is any hiss or harshness it is not from the Chip itself.
If the AK4396 has more the 100 hours of run in, any harshness has to have
another cause. Verified by Sendler, SunRa, Terranigma and me. We all use, or have used the AK4396/4395 with no active stage and no filter.
If anyone is experiencing otherwise I strongly suggest that it has more to do
with the impedance to the amp or whatever is used after the dac by the resistors than with roll-off.
Greets,
Klaus
Right Klaus !
Let's burn all these useless datasheets!
Manifacturers are conspiring to steal us good sound !
Clave,
datasheets of dacs are also suggesting OpAmps but who in his right mind
uses OpAmps for serious Audio?
I didn't have any CD Player or DAC on my bench that sonded better with opamps than with Tubes or direct out.
I know of at least 5 People inkluding me, who have done extensive work with
the AK4395/96 and all of us do not use the filter that is suggested by AKM.
At the end it should be our ears that decide what we use after the dac chip.
Most who complain about harsh sound from the AKM chips have not been
waiting past the 100 hour mark to do their mods.
.
I'm not talking of opamps Vs discretes Vs tubes Vs trasnformers etc.
There is a single point:
The goal of every DAC, and associated circuits, is to give a flat frequency response.
AK4393/5 and AK4396 have different LPF stages which, taken alone, have different frequency response.
If we agree that the final result for both is a flat frequencey response AK4393/5 and AK4396, alone, have different frequency response...
So you can use whatever technology you want to do the LPF but if you want a flat frequency response you have to make a filter with the same parameters specified in the datasheet.
The datasheet for AK4396 specify a fc=125kHz, Q=0.692.
If you're using AK4396 with a different filter you don't have a flat frequency response.
At the end it should be our ears that decide what we use after the dac chip.
Exactly.
I never talked about harshness but of unbalanced timbre.
I've heard it from the first listening and never changed with burn-in.
Also another forumer (Suburra) confirmed it.
We're 2 to 5. If it would have been a football match you would win...
But it's not so