Since I have BG NX HiQ left I thought to use those but the DAC at first failed to impress me as much as it does other people. It is not bad, certainly not ! It is just that I have heard better ones 
I am building DACs for a long time now and have heard some true pearls like the lampucera/Lawrence DAC etc. With or without swapping parts it should appeal when switched on. This one did not.
But maybe I will spend some BG and try it again. It is too easy to blame other things so I will give it some time and try to improve it. BTW I think this kit is a very cheap but very well built DAC kit which absolutely is worth the money. Do not understand me wrong, you probably can't buy a better DAC for that money.
I am building DACs for a long time now and have heard some true pearls like the lampucera/Lawrence DAC etc. With or without swapping parts it should appeal when switched on. This one did not.
But maybe I will spend some BG and try it again. It is too easy to blame other things so I will give it some time and try to improve it. BTW I think this kit is a very cheap but very well built DAC kit which absolutely is worth the money. Do not understand me wrong, you probably can't buy a better DAC for that money.
Last edited:
I think I've found why the AK4396 version sounds tonally unbalanced...
I was reading the datasheets of AK4393 and AK4396 and the sample output stage (which incidentally is identical to the one of this board...) and they've the same topology but different resistors and caps values...
So for the two DACs a different LPF is required!!!
...
The AK4396 outstage is clearly more rolled-off...
This night I've made some resistor and cap swapping according to the two different LPFs (AK43943 Vs AK4396 one) and, to my ears, difference is clearly audible.
Using as a reference my SACD player outstage (which is also the transport) the AK4396 outstage sounds tonally indentical while AK4393 one is slightly brighter.
I've also tried the AK4396 LPF with carbon film resistors and I can confirm that, as per AKM white paper they sound tonally identical but more refined and less harsh.
I've used Vishay SMA207 (0.1%) for metal films, RS Components own brand for carbon films (5% hand matched to better than 1%) and Wima FKP2 for filter caps.
Last edited:
Since I have BG NX HiQ left I thought to use those but the DAC at first failed to impress me as much as it does other people. It is not bad, certainly not ! It is just that I have heard better ones
How long have you had the DAC for ? it does take some time to break in .
Hi, you can check:
My any style
http://www20.tok2.com/home/easyaudiokit/manual/DAC15seriesManual.pdf
OK, I think I am one of a few (probably the only one) that have built these DACs on this forum. They are relatively unknown as they were produced for Luxman (for example in the DU50 and DU80). Both Mr. Fujiwara and Mr. Katase are willing to sell their kits but you will have to have some patience as they clearly make these products mostly for the japanese market. Both these gentlemen are helpful in answering questions but please respect the language barrier. Google Translate is your friend in this matter.
I helped to make a translation of one of the manuals so there should be an english manual for the My Any Style DAC. The Fujiwara DAC1242-1.5 is easy to build and that is the one I have been using for months now. Musical and involving, somewhat noisy but they're good.
The DAC1242-1.5 has opamps and I use those to drive output transformers 1:1 from the Haufe company coupled with BG caps as I did not want my DCB1 to have some DC offset at the input. Maybe not the best choice so I will try output caps without the transformers.
My any style
http://www20.tok2.com/home/easyaudiokit/manual/DAC15seriesManual.pdf
OK, I think I am one of a few (probably the only one) that have built these DACs on this forum. They are relatively unknown as they were produced for Luxman (for example in the DU50 and DU80). Both Mr. Fujiwara and Mr. Katase are willing to sell their kits but you will have to have some patience as they clearly make these products mostly for the japanese market. Both these gentlemen are helpful in answering questions but please respect the language barrier. Google Translate is your friend in this matter.
I helped to make a translation of one of the manuals so there should be an english manual for the My Any Style DAC. The Fujiwara DAC1242-1.5 is easy to build and that is the one I have been using for months now. Musical and involving, somewhat noisy but they're good.
The DAC1242-1.5 has opamps and I use those to drive output transformers 1:1 from the Haufe company coupled with BG caps as I did not want my DCB1 to have some DC offset at the input. Maybe not the best choice so I will try output caps without the transformers.
Last edited:
File downloads
Hi Erin,
I have just purchased one of these DAC kits.. not the ready-assembled, because I wanted to use the various upgrades described in this forum.
I was particularly interested in what you have done but for some reason when I tried to download your attached files (C3, change to 470uF...) Google just bombs. Could you send me a copy of the files so that I can read them?
Also, in the meantime, have you had any other thoughts about further changes. The DAC should be a great little board to experiment with.
I am using a Marantz chassis as a base for Pass B1 buffer and I plan to include the DAC in the same chassis.. I have abandoned metalwork as just too difficult, so the strategy now is to buy old high quality dead systems, resurrect their power and controls and insert my hifi diy boards instead of theirs. Seems to be more acceptable to the wife too!
Thanks for the help
George
Hi Erin,
I have just purchased one of these DAC kits.. not the ready-assembled, because I wanted to use the various upgrades described in this forum.
I was particularly interested in what you have done but for some reason when I tried to download your attached files (C3, change to 470uF...) Google just bombs. Could you send me a copy of the files so that I can read them?
Also, in the meantime, have you had any other thoughts about further changes. The DAC should be a great little board to experiment with.
I am using a Marantz chassis as a base for Pass B1 buffer and I plan to include the DAC in the same chassis.. I have abandoned metalwork as just too difficult, so the strategy now is to buy old high quality dead systems, resurrect their power and controls and insert my hifi diy boards instead of theirs. Seems to be more acceptable to the wife too!
Thanks for the help
George
AKM 4395 chip
AKM 4395
Did a little diggin' around today, an found that the aforementioned chip is used in the Stello DA100 Sig Dac ...
CD players DA100 Signature review from the experts at whathifi.com
Disclaimer: I do not in anyway endorse the 'expert' bit in that link !
-Andy-
AKM 4395
Did a little diggin' around today, an found that the aforementioned chip is used in the Stello DA100 Sig Dac ...
CD players DA100 Signature review from the experts at whathifi.com
Disclaimer: I do not in anyway endorse the 'expert' bit in that link !
-Andy-
Hi George, Clave has done the diagrams.
I have used 470uF Oscon SEPC, but I don't think the capacitance is critical, but I do recommend using Oscon SEPC, or NCC PSC on digital rails, Silmic on analog rails, film/foil caps for the analog filter, and PPS for the digital bypass caps. But you could use paralleled film foil caps on digital bypass instead of PPS if you can't get PPS caps, which are sort of rare and expensive.
I haven't done any further mods, but I was thinking that 100uF Silmic on the op-amp and 220uF on the analog regulators would be possibly better than the 220uF/470uF combination I have been using. (But not tried it)
Exactly what R Core transformer do you get with that eBay board?
Is it the one pictured which has 15-0-15 and 9-0-9 on the one tranny or the one stated in the description, 15-0-15 ??
Assembled DAC 2496 (AK4396) CS8416 DAC With Transformer on eBay (end time 17-Jul-11 10:21:23 BST)
When you solder two points together to use one supply, are we taking a regulated feed from after the 7812 or connecting half of the 15-0-15 to the other AC input (which can accept up to 15VAC) ? Surely the latter would better, and quite acceptable?
Is it the one pictured which has 15-0-15 and 9-0-9 on the one tranny or the one stated in the description, 15-0-15 ??
Assembled DAC 2496 (AK4396) CS8416 DAC With Transformer on eBay (end time 17-Jul-11 10:21:23 BST)
When you solder two points together to use one supply, are we taking a regulated feed from after the 7812 or connecting half of the 15-0-15 to the other AC input (which can accept up to 15VAC) ? Surely the latter would better, and quite acceptable?
Yes. The 2 x 9 V can be connected in parallel but measure first how the phase is (the wires are the same color). Then they feed the digital part of the DAC. The 2 x 15 V are for analog supplies.
BTW I am completely rebuilding the DAC with different parts. If you order it make sure you get the kit and not an assembled one. Use a heatsink for the 7812 as it gets very hot. The 220 uF low ESr caps are too much after the regs so please use smaller values.
BTW I am completely rebuilding the DAC with different parts. If you order it make sure you get the kit and not an assembled one. Use a heatsink for the 7812 as it gets very hot. The 220 uF low ESr caps are too much after the regs so please use smaller values.
Thanks Jean-paul. That's partly why i asked, was debating whether to get the kit and buy a transformer separately, or a pre-built unit.
Is it detrimental to use a single 15-0-15 supply if it is connected before the respective analogue and digital regulators? Do i really need that 9VAC supply??
Is it detrimental to use a single 15-0-15 supply if it is connected before the respective analogue and digital regulators? Do i really need that 9VAC supply??
The board has seperate AC inputs. One for 15-0-15VAC and one for 0-9VAC.
If you are building on the cheap you could just wire one of the 0-15VAC inputs to the 0-9VAC inputs if that is what you really want to do.
I use seperate transformers for both. But I cant advise you if there are any sonic gains from doing this.
It would be interesting to know if there are any sonic gains to be made by using seperate transformers for such low current circuits? Perhpaps seperate transformers are overkill?
Does anyone have experience with this?
If you are building on the cheap you could just wire one of the 0-15VAC inputs to the 0-9VAC inputs if that is what you really want to do.
I use seperate transformers for both. But I cant advise you if there are any sonic gains from doing this.
It would be interesting to know if there are any sonic gains to be made by using seperate transformers for such low current circuits? Perhpaps seperate transformers are overkill?
Does anyone have experience with this?
AK4395 Chip (Non-DSD filter)
Just an update to say that I've taken delivery of the AK4395 chip, so gonna drop that onto the board after removing the 4396 (it was good while it lasted -sob!) lol.
The power feed to this i.c is spec'd 5v +/- 0.25v (the supplied power reg is giving 3.3v) so will require a change there.
So far in my listening sessions, I've only experimented in changing the op-amp to OP278G & OP627.
I've also got some Oscons to try out, so they will be going in too.
-Andy-
Just an update to say that I've taken delivery of the AK4395 chip, so gonna drop that onto the board after removing the 4396 (it was good while it lasted -sob!) lol.
The power feed to this i.c is spec'd 5v +/- 0.25v (the supplied power reg is giving 3.3v) so will require a change there.
So far in my listening sessions, I've only experimented in changing the op-amp to OP278G & OP627.
I've also got some Oscons to try out, so they will be going in too.
-Andy-
Hi ClaveFremen, erin, and others,
Thanks for all the work.... this thread has rekindled my interest in DACs.
ClaveFremen, I believe the short connection between C9 and L1 is in error. This version looks a lot more accurate than the original posting.
BTW: I notice that there are a least 3 versions of this PCB so far and I know from experience that there is a difference in "quality" between various suppliers of this kit.
regards
DAC Kit Versions
Hi Greg,
Do you have an overview of the kit versions.. at least being able to identify them? Perhaps then we can make better choices about mods that are relevant to our own DAC?
I am not so sure about how to identify boards uniquely.. certainly not when we deal with a multitude of Chinese suppliers, world-wide. My board has not yet arrived, but the nearest spec that I can provide is:
Seller: zoe_tsang (very helpful, BTW)
Cost $21
Manufacturer: LJMAudio.net
Name (in eBay) NEW Hi end DAC 24 BIT 192K HZ AK4396 sc
I am a little concerned that in the thread wrong filtering appears to have been identified on some boards (4396 filtering not the same as 4393 filtering, thanks to ClaveFreman). This sort of thing makes board version identification all the more important.
On the other hand it is all part of the fun of DIY Hi Fi
Hi Greg,
Do you have an overview of the kit versions.. at least being able to identify them? Perhaps then we can make better choices about mods that are relevant to our own DAC?
I am not so sure about how to identify boards uniquely.. certainly not when we deal with a multitude of Chinese suppliers, world-wide. My board has not yet arrived, but the nearest spec that I can provide is:
Seller: zoe_tsang (very helpful, BTW)
Cost $21
Manufacturer: LJMAudio.net
Name (in eBay) NEW Hi end DAC 24 BIT 192K HZ AK4396 sc
I am a little concerned that in the thread wrong filtering appears to have been identified on some boards (4396 filtering not the same as 4393 filtering, thanks to ClaveFreman). This sort of thing makes board version identification all the more important.
On the other hand it is all part of the fun of DIY Hi Fi