A New Take on the Classic Pass Labs D1 with an ESS Dac

[ccliu]

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[Macfixer]

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[opc]

Hi Guys,

Matching is complete! The results are quite good in the end, and very tight matching was achieved for all 45 sets.

Naturally, when sorting parts like this, some sets are going to be better than others (some sets have a very tight match and very high average TC) so I will distribute the sets in the order in which the payments were received. In short, the first people to have paid will get the best sets. This will result in a pretty random distribution, and reward those who paid promptly.

It's easy to get hung up on this, so let me assure everyone that of the 45 sets, there isn't actually a bad set. Absolutely every set is matched to a minimum of +/- 1mS of transconductance, which is extremely tight matching. As a comparison, I ran the numbers on what people would have gotten if I had just shipped the mosfets directly from the rails, and you'd be lucky to get matching of within +/- 10mS with some sets as bad as +/- 25mS.

The average transconductance is also not really of much consequence overall. There's a small chance you could measure the difference between a perfectly matched set of 0.99S fets and a perfectly matched pair of 0.92S matched fets, but it would likely be less than 1dB. Compare this to using another fet like the IRF510 and you're looking at a meager 0.37S which makes a very easily measurable difference.

Here is all the data for the mosfets, sorted by descending transconductance, and in order of measurements for comparison:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnMLwB9mdXl2dDBXSXVhRUN5Uzhkb0hPSzRhQkN4MVE

Here is the final list showing the 45 sets, a few of the option sets, and the final matching of each set:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnMLwB9mdXl2dFYxVHk0U3YxWG1XUV9jOHNBOFBYekE#gid=0

This weekend I will be getting everything packed into parcels to go out to each distributor on Monday, and I will also be shipping out all the Canadian orders early next week.

Cheers,
Owen

 

[Macfixer]

Thanks owen i was a late starter on this thread and appreciate all the work you are doing and the great updates !!

 

[kasey197]

can i still sign up for the keratherms ? How many do we get for one order ? Any indic of price ?

 

[pinnocchio]

can i still sign up for the keratherms ? How many do we get for one order ? Any indic of price ?

Just put your name on the list. It is currently an interest list to see how many wants then we'll most probably start a new thread for a GB if the parties are in agreement.

Thanks
Do

 

[kasey197]

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Enclosure
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[Blitz]

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[qusp]

OK I say we leave this open till Friday, it would be good if we could get more on the enclosure list. from someone who has built this, I can tel you an appropriate case is half the battle with this build, it will not fit in your average dac case, particularly if you go to town a bit on supplies for the dac and clocking/i2s conversion. the case I linked earlier in the thread is about as perfect as it gets

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.

we can get it with the heatsinks tapped for mounting 1 X NTD1 with salas shunts, or 2 x NTD1. faceplate can be milled for a display, comes with an internal wall (and an internal floor I think) and all fasteners. rear panel can be customized. hes open to discounts if we can get the numbers and it can be customized for our build. I think its quite attractive too. otherwise, particularly those building dual mono, you really have to look at poweramp cases to get enough heatsink and I want my dac to look like a dac

ZFoil

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Keratherm

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[hirez69]

Owen,

you have a PM
thanks

hirez69

 

[qusp]

also pinnochio, you'll handle the auricaps yeah? the keratherm and zfoils is about as much as I can handle. I suspect there wont be that many interested in the vcap CuTF bypass caps? these will not be cheap, I can get some discount, but not a large one, I use auricap bypassed with CuTF, but thats a significant price, not even sure if i'm ready for it myself at this stage and I dont actually get any benefit from the discount, as I can get that any time

can we have a show of hands whos interested in the Vcap? since that probably wont be too many and there is no real work involved in adding them to the packages that shouldnt be a problem. the enclosures if we can make it over the line to get 10 or so, would be better handled by someone in Asia, as the shipping from here in Au would kill any discount and I dont have the time for that really.

 

[pinnocchio]

also pinnochio, you'll handle the auricaps yeah? the keratherm and zfoils is about as much as I can handle. I suspect there wont be that many interested in the vcap CuTF bypass caps? these will not be cheap, I can get some discount, but not a large one, I use auricap bypassed with CuTF, but thats a significant price, not even sure if i'm ready for it myself at this stage and I dont actually get any benefit from the discount, as I can get that any time

can we have a show of hands whos interested in the Vcap? since that probably wont be too many and there is no real work involved in adding them to the packages that shouldnt be a problem. the enclosures if we can make it over the line to get 10 or so, would be better handled by someone in Asia, as the shipping from here in Au would kill any discount and I dont have the time for that really.

Sure, I can handle both the Auricap XO and the Vcap CuTF. So on the list, please divide the caps in two categories : Caps - Auricap XO and Caps - Vcap CuTF for Bypass.

Thanks
Do

 

[pinnocchio]

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Capacitors - Auricap XO

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Capacitors - Vcap CuTF for Bypass


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[qusp]

pretty sure i'll still be able to beat your price on the VCAP, but if you could organize it as far as the li9st and whos keen, that would be cool. then once we have numbers we'll compare and see if its worth it once shipping to me is factored in. I'm due for a vhaudio order shortly anyway so if we can lump them together i'll split the shipping with the group

vcap are usually excluded from any discounts/sales at PCX as part of their distribution agreement, so not sure how that will work for you.

 

[pinnocchio]

pretty sure i'll still be able to beat your price on the VCAP, but if you could organize it as far as the li9st and whos keen, that would be cool. then once we have numbers we'll compare and see if its worth it once shipping to me is factored in. I'm due for a vhaudio order shortly anyway so if we can lump them together i'll split the shipping with the group

vcap are usually excluded from any discounts/sales at PCX as part of their distribution agreement, so not sure how that will work for you.

I'm still thinking about the Vcap. I've separated the sheet to know who's interested in them. We'll go with your pricing.

I was talking to a friend yesterday and he compared many caps to the Vcap CuTF that he has and according to him, sonically, the Mundorf Silver/Gold is extremely similar but requires more than 500 hours to break in properly.

Ciao!
Do

 

[qusp]

hmm I didnt find the SGO to be that similar, nice caps but could never live with them for that long. besides i'm in favor of the CuTF also for the reason that its very easy then to keep a very consistent signal path, high quality copper/ptfe wire + high quality copper PTFE caps + high quality copper and ptfe dac board.

I mean I have some crystal cables piccolino mini coax hookup wire and some other upocc AgAu wire, but PCB tracks are not often consistent with this hehe (see being an ackodac my PCBs are also pure copper and ptfe with gold plate)

logical or not this works for me, I just dont really see much point in making one single part silver and gold.

its all cake anyway

 

[pinnocchio]

hmm I didnt find the SGO to be that similar, nice caps but could never live with them for that long. besides i'm in favor of the CuTF also for the reason that its very easy then to keep a very consistent signal path, high quality copper/ptfe wire + high quality copper PTFE caps + high quality copper and ptfe dac board.

I mean I have some crystal cables piccolino mini coax hookup wire and some other upocc AgAu wire, but PCB tracks are not often consistent with this hehe (see being an ackodac my PCBs are also pure copper and ptfe with gold plate)

logical or not this works for me, I just dont really see much point in making one single part silver and gold.

its all cake anyway

Hi Qusp,

Not the SGO but just the SG. The ones with oil are much different. I never tried just the S/G but will do in a different project. I'll get the Vcap but at a later time.

BTW, your Avatar, is that the frog eating the cat or the opposite?

Ciao!
Do

 

[bigpandahk]

Hi Qusp,

Not the SGO but just the SG. The ones with oil are much different. I never tried just the S/G but will do in a different project. I'll get the Vcap but at a later time.

BTW, your Avatar, is that the frog eating the cat or the opposite?

Ciao!
Do

I vote the SG, it sounds great after break-in. The price also much lower than VCap.

 

[slartibartfasst]

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Slartibartfasst

Capacitors - Auricap XO

Pinnocchio
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reenberg
lwif
atom6422
crazikid
MisterRogers
hirez69
lm1no2
Coolhead
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Capacitors - Vcap CuTF for Bypass


Keratherm

Pinnocchio
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atom6422
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flocchini
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Enclosure

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