DAC 2496 (AK4393) DAC KIT With CS8416+AK4393+5532

With the right modifications you can get a waaaay better DAC, even out of these "made in China" boards.
And some of them aren't that bad, of course you could do better, but not everyone can make a better two-layer board at home.

IMHO, you should forget those BOM's, changing the components with better/more expensive ones will not get you far...

The first thing to replace should be that crappy onboard regulators/preregulators, and separating analog and digital PSU's...

The second thing is the output stage, forget the opamps, go for transformers, tube stage, or even a passive output stage will sound better...

This is my newest modification in the testing phase;
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.


Everything from the board is removed except CS8416 & CS4398 - just have to remember to connect the input select pins on CS8416 and reset circuit...
Shunt preregulators with TL431, bypassed with a BD140 for more current/lower impedance, probably overkill but it works great...
The 4 smaller regulators are LT1763, if you look at noise figures it's miles away from those crappy AMS1117 that you get with the board...
On the output are Tamura TFP-3W transformers...

When I find some time I'll post all the PCB's, schematics and a short tutorial on the modifications...
It's really not that expensive, and the sound is incomparably better to the stock one...
 
Musiland Monitor 01USD, USB power trace is cut, and it's powered by a separate 5V regulator...

Great little device, fairly cheap, easy for modifications, stable drivers, and uses bulk mode transfer - useful for those experimenting with USB isolators, wireless USB hubs etc.


EDIT;
@ atupi
I'll post a short tutorial in a day or two - it is really simple to make and it's worth every penny.
 
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It isn't really that sophisticated, at least from my point of view...
I've built this one from a "blank" board - SMD parts only - PCB+SMD CM102S+CS8416+CS4398+5532 board 24bit/96K sc | eBay - however I did have this DAC a while ago in it's "stock" form, so I did have a chance to listen to both...
As I said before, the difference is almost incomparable... The stock one had really small stage, almost no depth, everything sounded bunched up, compared to the one above...
Instruments now have so much better separation, definition and are unbelievably realistic. Transformers really unveil everything, every single detail...
In a few songs I listened there is rain in the background, with the stock DAC that was more like a "shshshshshshsh" than a rain, now you can hear it so clearly it's unbelievable - this is one of the first things you notice - background instruments, backup vocals, noises etc.
 
Thanks, that's very encouraging. I bought that same board after frying the initial kit. Everything transferred perfectly. Then did Dario's BOM.

Please keep us informed through your testing phase. There are so many approaches it will be helpful to be able to follow a single implementation all the way through.

Where did you source the transformers?
 
Well, that's already tested and shipped :D
This was built for a friend, he's currently enjoying his new DAC...

However I will put together a small tutorial as soon as I find some time...
Transformers were bought on Ebay, I've been watching them for months, it's amazing nobody picked them up...
 
I'm currently using this;
24bit/192kHz DAC CS8416+CS4398+CS8421+Transformer Up-sampling,USB, DIY | eBay - there is an enormous thread on this DAC kit here...
No upsampling board and UTC A-20 on the output, Musiland Monitor 01USD - basically same sh*t different package...

Just as a reference, the Mini2496 with new power supply also sounds better than my current DAC...

But for myself I'm planning to build a DAC from scratch, including PCB, and probably with only SMD components... But unfortunately you need money for something like that, which I ain't got :D
 
I know ESS chips are good, but IMHO nothing spectacular compared to the CS4398 I've been using...
As I mentioned before, spdif source, power supply and output stage will have the biggest effect on the sound - dac chip is last on that list...
Another reason I'm sticking to CS4398 is it's relatively high output -6,7Vpp (~2,3Vrms), and it drives low impedance headphones with no problem :D
 
I do have to commend Dario

Thanks :)

though, the BOM at least sticks mostly to existing values,

Sure, the goal was to obtain best sound from the actual project.

The only correction is the correct LPF for AK4396.

In fact my updgrade BOM is simply an higly (soundwise) optimized BOM.

many upgrades consist of quadrupling any smoothing cap on the boardb and adding randomly chosen bypass caps, making every decoupling cap boutique film, using as wide bandwidth opamp as possible etc etc. all the same,

Not my BOM... sorry

I've reduced several elcos value, not raised...

For bypasses I've used X7R ceramics and industrial Kemet PPS caps....

For each position I've auditioned several industrial components (unless you call Wima FKP2 boutique...) and choose the best sounding ones (IMHO obviously) that in some case it was the cheaper (like the X7R ceramic....)

wouldnt it be better to actually improve the regulators rather than just using audiophile approved parts?

Sure but it was not my goal...BTW also regulators have been improved using On Semi ones. ;)
 
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Joined 2002
I know ESS chips are good, but IMHO nothing spectacular compared to the CS4398 I've been using...
As I mentioned before, spdif source, power supply and output stage will have the biggest effect on the sound - dac chip is last on that list...
Another reason I'm sticking to CS4398 is it's relatively high output -6,7Vpp (~2,3Vrms), and it drives low impedance headphones with no problem :D

They are better than CS4398 at lower cost on smaller board size with less parts an no output stage needed.They also drive headphones directly. An extra headphone board is of course possible. With the right SPDIF receiver the source quality becomes less important than it used to be.

Good power supplies are mandatory for any DAC chip. Just like CS4316 has no place in a good design.
 
Now, Now Mr. JP. :nownow::p

This Mini2496 may not match or top a DAC in the thousands, but it has produced excellent sound at an unbelievable price. I'm in you new group buy, but I have to give high praise to what Dario has done to squeeze pretty fantastic sound from an "OK" kit. It has bested several commercial boxes I own as well as the DAC in my high end Denon receiver. I still think it is a good place for entry level inrtoduction to DIY.

P.S. You missed out again. :lickface:BLAT :lickface:

I thought about sending you one, but I was afraid I couldn't past the butler :D
 
I know ESS chips are good, but IMHO nothing spectacular compared to the CS4398 I've been using...
As I mentioned before, spdif source, power supply and output stage will have the biggest effect on the sound - dac chip is last on that list...
Another reason I'm sticking to CS4398 is it's relatively high output -6,7Vpp (~2,3Vrms), and it drives low impedance headphones with no problem :D

I somehow doubt that, you may think there is no problem, but that is very unlikely to be the reality. current limiting, the good chance of an output resistor and protection diode and high output impedance, do not add up to driving low impedance headphones with no problem.
 
from the CS4398 datasheet

Output Impedance = 118ohms....

Minimum AC-Load Resistance = 1kohms
Maximum Load Capacitance = 100pf


sorry but driving low impedance headphones is not remotely recommended and your 'close to ESS' (not) performance driving them will be thrown out the window. driving ANY headphones is beyond it really, 100pf isnt much for a headphone cable and diaphragm.

it will struggle in THD massively. nothing spectacular in comparison? hmm depends on if you care for spec at all. theres no accounting for taste, all good if you prefer it, but its probably the cries for help that you like =)

 
Sorry everyone, an error in communication, my fault... :)
I use; CS4398 -> output transformers -> headphones

CS4398 is the only one that works for me, the difference from other dac chips outputs
might be only ~0,3Vrms, but it's enough when driving the headphones...

As for ESS dac, don't pull out my words out of context, I never said it's not better, I just said it's not that a
spectacular difference compared to a well built CS4398 DAC - and I don't mean the specs - my only concern is how it sounds...
And it's not really in the same price range as the CS4398 dac...

Another thing that I don't get from ESS - what is with their datasheet secrecy, why can't they put
them on the website like every other manufacturer?

But now I'm going way off topic...
In the end, it just comes down to a matter of taste ;)
 
Disabled Account
Joined 2002
Now, Now Mr. JP. :nownow::p

This Mini2496 may not match or top a DAC in the thousands, but it has produced excellent sound at an unbelievable price. I'm in you new group buy, but I have to give high praise to what Dario has done to squeeze pretty fantastic sound from an "OK" kit. It has bested several commercial boxes I own as well as the DAC in my high end Denon receiver. I still think it is a good place for entry level inrtoduction to DIY.

P.S. You missed out again. :lickface:BLAT :lickface:

I thought about sending you one, but I was afraid I couldn't past the butler :D

Hi I had one, changed it and sold it as it was no match for my Fluency DACs. IMO it is an overrated piece of gear but it does sound good and it can give many hours of fun modding it.

I missed out again ? I miss out all the time !
 
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