Sabre DAC Tweakers Board

jkeny · 2nd July 2009, 01:12 AM

I posted this on another thread about tweaking the Buffalo DAC but as Russ from Twisted Pear pointed out it is a departure from the Buffalo so I decided to put it in it's own thread.

I mounted an ES9018 32 bit SABRE DAC on a prototype board as an alternative to NeoY2k or TP boards. Neither board suited my requirements for a number of reasons & anyway I wished to experiment with power supplies, I/V stages, clocks, etc .

The SchmartBoards, on which I mounted the DAC, are designed to allow easy hand soldering of these smd parts LQFP & even BGA chips are catered for. They have solder grooves into which the pins slot & make hand soldering easy. I reckon one could also hand solder these chips on an ordinary protoboard.

Anyway, the costs were a mere $70 (DAC $60 & Board $10) & seems to me like a good bargain and something that can be done straight away without the expenditure or waiting time of other Sabre DAC offerings.

It would be interesting to have a number of people follow the same route & share tweaking experiences.

My first option will be the PS which I plan to run from batteries (4 batteries - DVCC_T; DVCC_B; AVCC_L; AVCC_R) & each 1.2V from an eneloop battery (3 batteries) - no regulators, just caps. I consider the PS to be the most critical part of the implementation of this DAC & running from batteries is a start.

See here for pics: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showt...36#post1870036

tritosine · 2nd July 2009, 02:39 AM

where you bought the chip? Do they sell adc ?

jkeny · 2nd July 2009, 07:56 AM

Your local ESS distributor will sell chip - I didn't ask about ADC

tritosine · 2nd July 2009, 08:26 AM

<~ im afraid he is my only distributor

jkeny · 2nd July 2009, 08:36 AM

Ah Mr Claus is a great source for all things desired but unfortunately only visits once a year & only if you have been good - I wouldn't qualify I'm afraid

My local distributor in the UK sent me their stock levels & I didn't see any ADC listed.

tritosine · 2nd July 2009, 08:42 AM

dont forget the cold, hard fact that he s also trippin' a lot

so ~ 60 usd in UK and no extra ordinary shipping rates ?

jkeny · 2nd July 2009, 08:54 AM

No big shipping costs that I know of - it was just sent from the UK to Ireland - they sent me the DAC chip but haven't charged me yet, go figure. Maybe Santa Claus has secretly visited me?

rfbrw · 2nd July 2009, 06:59 PM

Where did you get the datasheet ?

jkeny · 2nd July 2009, 08:58 PM

From the distributor after signing NDA

rfbrw · 3rd July 2009, 06:15 PM

Sod that for a lark

2nd July 2009, 01:12 AM	#1
jkeny Banned Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Dublin	Sabre DAC Tweakers Board I posted this on another thread about tweaking the Buffalo DAC but as Russ from Twisted Pear pointed out it is a departure from the Buffalo so I decided to put it in it's own thread. I mounted an ES9018 32 bit SABRE DAC on a prototype board as an alternative to NeoY2k or TP boards. Neither board suited my requirements for a number of reasons & anyway I wished to experiment with power supplies, I/V stages, clocks, etc . The SchmartBoards, on which I mounted the DAC, are designed to allow easy hand soldering of these smd parts LQFP & even BGA chips are catered for. They have solder grooves into which the pins slot & make hand soldering easy. I reckon one could also hand solder these chips on an ordinary protoboard. Anyway, the costs were a mere $70 (DAC $60 & Board $10) & seems to me like a good bargain and something that can be done straight away without the expenditure or waiting time of other Sabre DAC offerings. It would be interesting to have a number of people follow the same route & share tweaking experiences. My first option will be the PS which I plan to run from batteries (4 batteries - DVCC_T; DVCC_B; AVCC_L; AVCC_R) & each 1.2V from an eneloop battery (3 batteries) - no regulators, just caps. I consider the PS to be the most critical part of the implementation of this DAC & running from batteries is a start. See here for pics: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showt...36#post1870036

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2nd July 2009, 02:39 AM	#2
tritosine diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2008	where you bought the chip? Do they sell adc ?

2nd July 2009, 07:56 AM	#3
jkeny Banned Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Dublin	Your local ESS distributor will sell chip - I didn't ask about ADC

2nd July 2009, 08:26 AM	#4
tritosine diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2008	<~ im afraid he is my only distributor

2nd July 2009, 08:36 AM	#5
jkeny Banned Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Dublin	Ah Mr Claus is a great source for all things desired but unfortunately only visits once a year & only if you have been good - I wouldn't qualify I'm afraid My local distributor in the UK sent me their stock levels & I didn't see any ADC listed.

2nd July 2009, 08:42 AM	#6
tritosine diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2008	dont forget the cold, hard fact that he s also trippin' a lot so ~ 60 usd in UK and no extra ordinary shipping rates ?

2nd July 2009, 08:54 AM	#7
jkeny Banned Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Dublin	No big shipping costs that I know of - it was just sent from the UK to Ireland - they sent me the DAC chip but haven't charged me yet, go figure. Maybe Santa Claus has secretly visited me?

2nd July 2009, 06:59 PM	#8
rfbrw diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: .	Where did you get the datasheet ?

2nd July 2009, 08:58 PM	#9
jkeny Banned Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Dublin	From the distributor after signing NDA

3rd July 2009, 06:15 PM	#10
rfbrw diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: .	Sod that for a lark