Ok...after some little hickups I managed to build the 1121 dac with AZ lite controller, and I liked the sound quite a bit, although it was still a little "technical" sounding, lacking a more precise word for it.
I removed the output ceramics to ground, which was a nice improvement and took away some of that technical sound. It reminded me of CD players with cheap ceramics at the output to remove some HF hash and show good measurements in the Hifi magazine, while completely destroying the sound. Don't know why that is, maybe the human ear is very sensitive to phase errors even at high frequencies.
Then I tried a A123 Lifepo4 battery to directly supply the 3.3V diyinhk USB board, which was a very big step in the right direction.
If someone wants to try, do it, just 10 bucks for a great improvement. It is easy, and as pointed out by several members already, it is possible to constantly charge the battery with the 3.3V from the AZ board, it sounds the same to me than just the battery.
And then...
I wanted to supply the clock of the board the same way and connect it to the SMT caps after the 3.3V reg on the Dam board to see if it does the same good things.
And managed to touch the clock with a battery wire, when it was already connected to ground...result: 1.8V DC offset at the output, of course no sound, no lock.
Probably I killed the clock, hopefully nothing else. Just touched the metal surface, that was enough.
Question: is there any source for a single Silabs 514 or better 570 clock? They are available at Mouser just in 50 pieces, thats a little too many for me
And, to Soeren: ist the Firmware the same as for the 1021? Maybe I just have to reload it, who knows; but I don't find a file on the 1121 page.
Umanager still works, so there is hope.
So...don't tweak around when tired, impatient, or with too much coffee.
Just one wrong move, and you are in trouble with this tiny SMT stuff.
If only Soeren would include some spots on the board to provide the board with better regs for the clock and Vref. I know, you think it doesn't matter, but it really does. It makes the difference between a very good Dac and a fantastic one.
Thanks for your help...
I removed the output ceramics to ground, which was a nice improvement and took away some of that technical sound. It reminded me of CD players with cheap ceramics at the output to remove some HF hash and show good measurements in the Hifi magazine, while completely destroying the sound. Don't know why that is, maybe the human ear is very sensitive to phase errors even at high frequencies.
Then I tried a A123 Lifepo4 battery to directly supply the 3.3V diyinhk USB board, which was a very big step in the right direction.
If someone wants to try, do it, just 10 bucks for a great improvement. It is easy, and as pointed out by several members already, it is possible to constantly charge the battery with the 3.3V from the AZ board, it sounds the same to me than just the battery.
And then...
I wanted to supply the clock of the board the same way and connect it to the SMT caps after the 3.3V reg on the Dam board to see if it does the same good things.And managed to touch the clock with a battery wire, when it was already connected to ground...result: 1.8V DC offset at the output, of course no sound, no lock.
Probably I killed the clock, hopefully nothing else. Just touched the metal surface, that was enough.
Question: is there any source for a single Silabs 514 or better 570 clock? They are available at Mouser just in 50 pieces, thats a little too many for me
And, to Soeren: ist the Firmware the same as for the 1021? Maybe I just have to reload it, who knows; but I don't find a file on the 1121 page.
Umanager still works, so there is hope.
So...don't tweak around when tired, impatient, or with too much coffee.
Just one wrong move, and you are in trouble with this tiny SMT stuff.
If only Soeren would include some spots on the board to provide the board with better regs for the clock and Vref. I know, you think it doesn't matter, but it really does. It makes the difference between a very good Dac and a fantastic one.
Thanks for your help...
Wow, thanks, I could swear I saw 50pc minimum for both of them. But maybe it was Digikey. I sent a request for the estimated delivery time, lets see what happens.
I assume when umanager shows the version, filters and so on correctly the software is still intact? Otherwise I would try to do a fresh download before soldering anything.
I assume when umanager shows the version, filters and so on correctly the software is still intact? Otherwise I would try to do a fresh download before soldering anything.
No problem. I have been researching how to implement the Si570 oscillator for a multiple Dam1121 build. Good to know the correct model number of the oscillator I would need to use. So I was also interested if I could get it in single quantities. Buying 50 when you only need 1 is too much overkill.
Hmm I'm kinda interested in doing this mod, is it possible to do this filter mod on a dac1541?
Everything was fine and I had successfully loaded the 10.19 firmware, while I do not seem to have changed any drivers. Now, when I connect to the DAM1021 with extraputty (or with teraterm) and then I turn on the DAC, I get this writing without typing "xxx":
R1.19
I3
L000
F5
PN
V + 00
I3
V-08
and no longer responds to the xxx command, nor to other commands.
What to do?
Thank you
R1.19
I3
L000
F5
PN
V + 00
I3
V-08
and no longer responds to the xxx command, nor to other commands.
What to do?
Thank you
Soekris Engineering ApS, Products dam1941
The core DAC part is almost the same, the new ones are maybe a little bit better, but you can now also get it fully balanced.... The big difference is that on the dam1941/dam1921 all the digital interfaces are integrated, inclusive USB and a second I2S, and you select the power supply and output buffers, the parts where there seems to be as many opinions as there are users....
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Sounds like you have the original firmware, newer ones are available on Soekris Engineering ApS, Downloads
I was looking for pre-order one dam1941. However i have a question, you said you will also propose two buffer and a linear power. Will they be available at the shipping of the dac early October or after ? Will the buffer be opamp base ?
I could be interested in a buffer if it's discrete or opamp base, but not tube. I ask for group shipping.
Also i guess that the dac1101 won't get the new filter, as you didn't answer my previous post.
I could be interested in a buffer if it's discrete or opamp base, but not tube. I ask for group shipping.
Also i guess that the dac1101 won't get the new filter, as you didn't answer my previous post.