Experience with this DIY DAC ?

OK, so for those wishing to implement the 'Op-Amp' mod - using an LM4562, these are the steps involved (please jump in anyone if there's any obvious mistakes!) :

1) Remove both NE5532s. Insert one (only) LM4562 in the first op-amp socket - the one nearest the center of the board.

2) Remove the following 4 capacitors: L+ / L- / R+ / R-. Replace with wire links.

3) Replace R14, and R17 (both 22k) with 36k.

4) Run a wire directly from the output pins (1 and 7) of the LM4562s to the phono sockets (via the output rely if you prefer this added safety measure).

- John

Hey guys! I made this mod, but i didnt found R14 and R17 on board! Can somebody help me? After removing L+ / L- / R+ / R- capacitors i hear a very big distortion! (at the attached picture not shown, but i shorted 4 capacitors links)
 

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Hey guys! I made this mod, but i didnt found R14 and R17 on board! Can somebody help me? After removing L+ / L- / R+ / R- capacitors i hear a very big distortion! (at the attached picture not shown, but i shorted 4 capacitors links)

Check the photo.... You have links in place of 1 k resistors which is most likely the reason for distortion.

Remove all parts that are not needed and bring ALL the tracks to ground potential

Feed the signals from Out1 and Out2 to relay pins 13 and 4 respectively.
NOTE: my arrows point to the relay coils - that is a mistake!!!

Cut the tracks around pins 13 and 4. The remaining coper should be brought to ground potential

What I haven't shown is the wires underneath connecting Out1 and Out2 to relay pins 13 and 4... various IC’s will require careful routing and / or series resistors…

DC level at the output is less than 4 mV with good IC....

For the proper symmetry (high frequency attenuation on both halves of balanced signals coming from the DAC), the capacitors should be matched as per my photo; 4 X 1nF and 4 X 100 - 200pF (choose the value between 100 to 200pF…. that suits your taste and your system. I use 4 X 150pF). Use FKP2 if possible. The cost of this DAC (with mods shown) is around $130 and that’s with the mains transformer included in price – truly unbelievable… the mods shown will give you very good sound.

Installed in nice box (another $100), this DAC with the mod shown will easily match $1000 - $1500 commercial DAC's...

Boky
 

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coupling caps

Hey guys! I made this mod, but i didnt found R14 and R17 on board! Can somebody help me? After removing L+ / L- / R+ / R- capacitors i hear a very big distortion! (at the attached picture not shown, but i shorted 4 capacitors links)

Does it sound ok with caps back in instead of links at L+ / L-/ R+ / R-? How much dc is on the RCAs?
 
Hi,

I connected two Jensen JT-11-EMCF at the output of the DAC and the sound is absolutely phantastic. At the moment i have two 500K resistors and one 1nF before the transformer and one 1k + 1nF after the transformer.

jensen_jt_apps.jpg


The bass and dynamic is weaker than with opamps. Should i try bigger or smaller resistors before Jensens if i want to have better bass and dynamic ?

Second question - the usb part is disabled - ps cap & lm317 for usb is cut out. The +15,0,-15V for the anogue power is no more connected. Should i remove the four small electrolyt caps at the output of the dac, or can i leave them in place ?

:)