Availability
DAC boards are actually due next week and the rest will follow soon. Assembled modules will take a longer time.
Regulator boards are available now.
I will post updates here also.
Regards, Acko
DAC boards are actually due next week and the rest will follow soon. Assembled modules will take a longer time.
Regulator boards are available now.
I will post updates here also.
Regards, Acko
Acko,
From what I understand, the full package (and supposing that the regs will be bought in kit form...) should well reach the USD 1300 mark...
At this point, I would be grateful if I could have some clarifications regarding the questions here below:
1. What is the height of the PSU boards?
2. Do you think that the chosen chassis should be well ventilated?
3. Will all sub units be dispatched from Australia?
4. What will be your accepted methods of payment? And,
5. Is the I/V stage based on op amps? If yes, which ones?
Thanks and Regards,
From what I understand, the full package (and supposing that the regs will be bought in kit form...) should well reach the USD 1300 mark...
At this point, I would be grateful if I could have some clarifications regarding the questions here below:
1. What is the height of the PSU boards?
2. Do you think that the chosen chassis should be well ventilated?
3. Will all sub units be dispatched from Australia?
4. What will be your accepted methods of payment? And,
5. Is the I/V stage based on op amps? If yes, which ones?
Thanks and Regards,
sorry misunderstanding. right, there is no high current shunting going on, so moderate ventilation should be provided, but I would not say lots of it, depends on which output stage you choose. if you choose the opamp I/V the OPA1632 is the wide soic variety which has a heat sink/pad on the underside, normaly OPA1632 do actually get quite warm, but still not much compared to mosfets etc. the height with it all stacked should not much exceed the height o the large heatsinks on the PSU I wouldnt think, even the 2 (or 3 with I/V) story stack of dac board and regs would not be overly tall. so I would think 3-4 inches would be fine
the PSU units, regs and dac are all very well integrated, so the ciurrents are chosen to match each next stage without too much overshoot, this will also keep heat to a minimum
the PSU units, regs and dac are all very well integrated, so the ciurrents are chosen to match each next stage without too much overshoot, this will also keep heat to a minimum
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Remember this board is designed as a board for experimenters so all the individual supplies are independent - no assumptions were made about which supply was not of importance & can be overlooked (these assumptions have been made in the past & proved to be wrong). It is completely open to the builder, what supplies they use & how they might combine them. Now that the current requirements of each supply pin is known it is possible to decide which PS/regulators will suffice. Sonic considerations are another factor, however.
Digital Vol Control
Both versions of MCU have volume control function that is switch selectable. If enabled there is an on board pot can be used to control volume.
Regards, Acko
Both versions of MCU have volume control function that is switch selectable. If enabled there is an on board pot can be used to control volume.
Regards, Acko
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Psu
PSU board height = 25mm
Th AK PSUs, Regulators, DAC amd IV are all matched and runs cool if set up as shown in my previous post. Other combinations need to be tested and ventilation provided accordingly.
Currently all shipped from Australia. On-line ordering only, Paypal or credit card.
Version of IV stage shown is IC OpAmp based as explained by 'Qusp' but there will be more options available in future from other contributors to this project.
Regards, Acko
PSU board height = 25mm
Th AK PSUs, Regulators, DAC amd IV are all matched and runs cool if set up as shown in my previous post. Other combinations need to be tested and ventilation provided accordingly.
Currently all shipped from Australia. On-line ordering only, Paypal or credit card.
Version of IV stage shown is IC OpAmp based as explained by 'Qusp' but there will be more options available in future from other contributors to this project.
Regards, Acko
Attachments
It probably would be a good idea to detail the various option packages & prices.
I have detailed the full package below (AFAIK) - please correct if there are errors:
DAC $250 - fully assembled
MCU $100 - Premium version
Voltage regs $340 - set of 6
I/V $100 -
SPDIF input $55
PS supply $175
Total $1020
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acko dac cost
Jkeny,
Correct me if I am wrong but, according to the published dac layout, one needs three power supplies: One for digital, one for analog and one for the I/V stage.
Hence my USD 1300 calculation...
And, by the way, it would be very useful if we could have an idea on the shipping cost of the whole package (boards & components)...
Thanks again for your time,
Jkeny,
Correct me if I am wrong but, according to the published dac layout, one needs three power supplies: One for digital, one for analog and one for the I/V stage.
Hence my USD 1300 calculation...
And, by the way, it would be very useful if we could have an idea on the shipping cost of the whole package (boards & components)...
Thanks again for your time,
nah, you wouldnt need one for the I/V stage as well if it was the opamp I/V, would only need that if you wanted to use your own design. you can run the whole thing off a single power supply if you want, but 2 is better; a bipolar and a dual. I think you are getting a bit ahead of yourself if you are wanting a shipping quote at this stage IMO. I really think it needs to be repeated that this really isnt a commercial venture. if you go through and price out the BOM for each thing, you will find that there is little to no margin. this was supposed to be primarily just PCBs, but acko is now playing catch up because lots of people want a less DIY dac, when really it was designed to be a MORE diy dac than the TP gear
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qusp and jkeny are correct concerning the changing DIY field. I have built from kits (Heathkit, Borbely, Welborne), boards (Hagerman, Ciuffoli-Quanghao, Oliver' Tubizator etc) and circuit diagrams.
At 60+ soldering small parts has become more difficult .Assembling parts can be a challenge even with the best BOM's. There is nothing more frustrating to go to a Mouser, Digikey, Farnell website and find that they no longer carry a part. You then order the replacement and find it is physically too large and you can't solder to the bottom of the board. You have all been there What I like about this project is doing what qusp will do with the I/V out. With this board I can try the LL1674s, the Lampizator's 6SN7 circuit, the Welborne-Borbely (Cato) 6GM8-Mosfet board and if I can swing it Erno's 109/437 IV board.
My plan if the option is available is to buy the DAC board with chip attached and parts, the regulator board and parts and the MCU premium board and parts. As somebody pointed out there is very little profit margin here. By the time I purchased boards and actually received the parts I probably would spend more than the prices being shown.
The real question is would I do the project if all I could do was purchase boards with a BOM. Having just finished the Ciuffoli AD1865 and probably spending an extra 25% in parts and part changes I would still answer with a resounding yes.
At 60+ soldering small parts has become more difficult .Assembling parts can be a challenge even with the best BOM's. There is nothing more frustrating to go to a Mouser, Digikey, Farnell website and find that they no longer carry a part. You then order the replacement and find it is physically too large and you can't solder to the bottom of the board. You have all been there What I like about this project is doing what qusp will do with the I/V out. With this board I can try the LL1674s, the Lampizator's 6SN7 circuit, the Welborne-Borbely (Cato) 6GM8-Mosfet board and if I can swing it Erno's 109/437 IV board.
My plan if the option is available is to buy the DAC board with chip attached and parts, the regulator board and parts and the MCU premium board and parts. As somebody pointed out there is very little profit margin here. By the time I purchased boards and actually received the parts I probably would spend more than the prices being shown.
The real question is would I do the project if all I could do was purchase boards with a BOM. Having just finished the Ciuffoli AD1865 and probably spending an extra 25% in parts and part changes I would still answer with a resounding yes.
indeed jkeny, it seems everyone wants the best and now, a sign of the times I guess. I dont think its the older bracket so much though as even over on HF you see more and more people show up and they've already bought what is the current 'best' FOTM. little do they realize that the strength of DIY is being able to make it the 'best' for YOU and your tastes and that there really isnt such a thing as the 'best'; too impatient to find out what their tastes are and build to suit. also, without a knowledge of what the incremental upgrades sound like you can see people disappointed that maidens dont drop out of the sky and transport them to nirvana.
BTW did you manage to snare one of Pierre's D1/IV PCBs Jon? I have 2 on the way
Hi flocchini: thats quite a collection youve got there. I hope I dont disappoint. seems you are taking pretty much the same road as I am with the boards, I plan to buy the dac board in PTFE with the 9012 loaded after i've had my way with the test board already have the other parts, the reg boards, hell maybe even fully built at that price
that one in particular turned out more expensive to buy the PCB and parts myself. but it wouldnt feel right so its unlikely. i'll probably save a few dollars by using LME94710 on all but the avcc channels, plus deluxe MCU. i'm sorted for power supplies, though I may buy one bipolar to try out. thinking i'll use a sigma22 and a jung superegulated power supply JSR06 to supply the dac and a second sigma22 to power my I/V/HEADPHONE AMP/BUFFER boards. I to am very keen to get the 109/437, but all my gear is balanced, so that would mean 2 kits. mr borbely does know how to charge tho and I cannot get anything less than a kit, I would not choose the same resistors or some caps as he includes and the ones I would, I mostly already have in my cache, so would be paying a bit too much for parts I would not use. I do desperately want to tho, so good chance i'll swallow hard and bite the bullet. he is apparently working on a modified differential in/out board to go with his new buffalo II, so maybe worth waiting for that. plus the rumor mill says that Erno is looking to retire this year and is looking without any takers for someone to take over supplying and supporting the kits. It would take some pretty specialized knowledge to do that. so yeah that makes me want to do it even more, but after already spending well over a grand already, on the I/V options so far i'm a little hesitant.
no shame in partial boards, i'll definitely at the very least get the 9012 loaded, just so I know its done perfectly and is properly tested. I dont think I would have any problem doing it, but for the 10 dollar difference in price its not worth the stress
its all coming together now too, making my final orders this week. 90% finished the pair of Peranders qrv08's
I emailed Erno about a week ago and he was still waiting for the Buffalo II to arrive. I do have one of Erno's older discrete boards that I used with a PCM63.
The PCM 63 died so that is what started m on the DAC search. Erno does good stuff but I wanted to do the transformer,tube,discrete experiment. My system is SE so I can get away with one of his 497 boards.
I have to say that the Lundahls sounded very good with a BuffaloII as did a Lampizator 6sn7 setup ( I built this on a Tub-i-zator). I will try Welborne's adaptation of Erno's tube-MOSFET hybrid later this week.
I appreciate that the chips have gotten smaller but they are hell for me to solder. I appreciate guys who keeping advancing DIY. It is a great hobby.
You guys with the Pass boards please keep us posted. I don't have any experience with making boards but maybe I could give it a try.
Best
Bob
The PCM 63 died so that is what started m on the DAC search. Erno does good stuff but I wanted to do the transformer,tube,discrete experiment. My system is SE so I can get away with one of his 497 boards.
I have to say that the Lundahls sounded very good with a BuffaloII as did a Lampizator 6sn7 setup ( I built this on a Tub-i-zator). I will try Welborne's adaptation of Erno's tube-MOSFET hybrid later this week.
I appreciate that the chips have gotten smaller but they are hell for me to solder. I appreciate guys who keeping advancing DIY. It is a great hobby.
You guys with the Pass boards please keep us posted. I don't have any experience with making boards but maybe I could give it a try.
Best
Bob
yeah if my rig was SE I would do it in a second, even with the steep price for unwanted goods. I would want to take it further with parts than erno and use TX2575 naked R's and nicer films. i've been in contact with him too chatting about my options, but I just cant quite stomach the extra 1000 it would cost me (then the extra I would spend on upgrades) when i've got so many good designs already under my belt. hes been waiting for that buff II for months. when I spoke to him he seemed to think the sabre would do well with passive resistive I/V and after the transformers I might agree, but sabre does seem to work better into a low impedance
agreed, i'm quite enyoying the o-netics trannies i'm running on my buff II at the moment too, very expansive stage and an effortlessness that is sometimes missing elsewhere. i've always been turned off by the leaning tower of pizza mr lampizator creates to give his designs a try.
sure, it happens to us all mate, I only hope to be still involved at the leading edge at your age; kudos to you.
will do, mine are on the way and filling orders for the parts at the moment. I managed to get the gerber files as well for a small run for my own use to fit the ackodac via pin headers if it works out well, so perhaps we could team up on that. I would of course have to clear it with the good mr pass. anyway wil have a report at some stag how it works with the ackodac
cheers
jeremy
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qusp says
"yeah if my rig was SE I would do it in a second, even with the steep price for unwanted goods. I would want to take it further with parts than erno and use TX2575 naked R's and nicer films. i've been in contact with him too chatting about my options, but I just cant quite stomach the extra 1000 it would cost me (then the extra I would spend on upgrades) when i've got so many good designs already under my belt. hes been waiting for that buff II for months. when I spoke to him he seemed to think the sabre would do well with passive resistive I/V and after the transformers I might agree, but sabre does seem to work better into a low impedance"
Are you thinking about resistor upgrades at the input and in the feedback? What caps if I may ask. I'm using the naked Rs in my Ciuoffli 1865 Dac and they are very very good. I also tried tantalums with the Lampizator.
"yeah if my rig was SE I would do it in a second, even with the steep price for unwanted goods. I would want to take it further with parts than erno and use TX2575 naked R's and nicer films. i've been in contact with him too chatting about my options, but I just cant quite stomach the extra 1000 it would cost me (then the extra I would spend on upgrades) when i've got so many good designs already under my belt. hes been waiting for that buff II for months. when I spoke to him he seemed to think the sabre would do well with passive resistive I/V and after the transformers I might agree, but sabre does seem to work better into a low impedance"
Are you thinking about resistor upgrades at the input and in the feedback? What caps if I may ask. I'm using the naked Rs in my Ciuoffli 1865 Dac and they are very very good. I also tried tantalums with the Lampizator.
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