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

Nichicon instead of ELNA?

Hi, I'm new to the forum, but have also made the plunge to build this AK4396 -- BOM-upgrade DAC. Greatly looking forward to it, probably will have it built by July !

I've learned a lot from reading this forum !! Thanks, all.

I don't know if it's harder to get parts in the U.S. !! I sympathize with Swanny50 in trying to source all the parts from one supplier !! So far, I've placed about 5 different parts orders with different suppliers, beyond the DAC kit itself, and still have a few components yet to get.

Why don't you order from Parts connexion instead?[/QUOTE]

Unfortunately, PartsConnexion doesn't stock alot of the basic parts listed in the upgrade BOM, and some of the "boutique" parts are simply disappearing (e.g., they were still listing the Riken resisters when I ordered, but unfortunately these are now gone, not to be replenished).

I wasn't able to find all the components at Mouser + PartsX, but after some thrashing about, I found another source -- Elfa Distrelec, which unlike others in the Distrelec universe, will ship to the U.S.! They seem to have a huge inventory, including the Evox-Rifa caps, for example. I haven't the time just now to test it, but I *think* you could get all the components with just two orders, by using PartsX + Elfa Distrelec.

Otherwise, use Mouser first, then fill in with PartX and Elfa Distrelec.

Best...
 
Thanks for the info on the Caps,and Parts conX.

Hey, thanks for the listening comparisons on the caps guys! I Will have to get some Elna Cerafines And Slim's! That PARTSCONNEXION website looks solid, thanks for the tip off. I should've looked harder. As far as removing and soldering the new parts whats the best approach ? I just got a 40 watt soldering pen and a hi Wattage Gun, I've never soldered or desoldered anything that I needed to be as precise, and also worrying of heat saturation of the parts! Last thing i need is to Burn up quality ordered parts. Hit me with your "Dont sweat the techniques", Your do's and don'ts of fine soldering please. All your info has been of great help, It keeps me from 2nd guessing everything until im in a tizzy!

Thanks again, Swanny
 
Hey, thanks for the listening comparisons on the caps guys! I Will have to get some Elna Cerafines And Slim's! That PARTSCONNEXION website looks solid, thanks for the tip off. I should've looked harder. As far as removing and soldering the new parts whats the best approach ? I just got a 40 watt soldering pen and a hi Wattage Gun, I've never soldered or desoldered anything that I needed to be as precise, and also worrying of heat saturation of the parts! Last thing i need is to Burn up quality ordered parts. Hit me with your "Dont sweat the techniques", Your do's and don'ts of fine soldering please. All your info has been of great help, It keeps me from 2nd guessing everything until im in a tizzy!

Thanks again, Swanny

Just heat up the joints and rock the cap until it comes off, I would suggest you buy a desoldering pump from partsexpress to clean up the holes before you solder in the new cap.

Desoldering Pump 370-030
 
Just heat up the joints and rock the cap until it comes off, I would suggest you buy a desoldering pump from partsexpress to clean up the holes before you solder in the new cap.

Desoldering Pump 370-030
Hi, buy a desoldering pump and hold it on the joint while you heat it with the iron.
Press the button and most of the solder will go up the pump.
Then you can heat up the joint and pull the cap if you need to.

Pulling a cap without a pump risks pulling the solder tab through the hole, past experince:mad:
 
Parts Connexion is a very good outfit to deal with. You can get basically get everything for the Dario's BOM at Mouser and Parts Connexion. The only thing Mouser doesn't have are the Evox-Rifa SMR's in polyphenylene flavor.

Hey, thanks for the listening comparisons on the caps guys! I Will have to get some Elna Cerafines And Slim's! That PARTSCONNEXION website looks solid, thanks for the tip off. I should've looked harder. As far as removing and soldering the new parts whats the best approach ? I just got a 40 watt soldering pen and a hi Wattage Gun, I've never soldered or desoldered anything that I needed to be as precise, and also worrying of heat saturation of the parts! Last thing i need is to Burn up quality ordered parts. Hit me with your "Dont sweat the techniques", Your do's and don'ts of fine soldering please. All your info has been of great help, It keeps me from 2nd guessing everything until im in a tizzy!

Thanks again, Swanny
 
I´ve been listening some more,and I think this DAC sound a little darker then the CS4398.What do you others think?

I have both, CS4398 and AK4396. If using opamp as analog stage, CS4398 is much better. When I change to transformer output, I like AK4396 much more than CS4398. Both DAC sound very very good with transformer. But AK4396 has more detail and thicker sound.
 
Is it safe to do? I'd love to remove the cap.

About my DAC - I made the unbalancer . The lampizator's stage I tried sounds like **** compared to this one. It benefits from the balanced output. I can highly recommend it!!

I did it with 6N6P that run at 18mA plate current.

I will do more tests and work before assembly. I will put a separate heater transformer, two rectifiers, bigger choke and better eletrolytics (or not any).

Here's the sweet sounding board again :)



Next attempts - Better power supply for the DAC - Sallas shunt regs for the chips, better electrolytics.

http://www.tubecad.com/2011/03/22/Unbalancer Schematic.png
 
Just built one of thes. I am getting system clock from 8416 but no data BCK or LRclock.
Anyone got any ideas?
 

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Broskie shows 1K following the diff output pins in his schematic. What value did you use?

Is it safe to do? I'd love to remove the cap.

About my DAC - I made the unbalancer . The lampizator's stage I tried sounds like **** compared to this one. It benefits from the balanced output. I can highly recommend it!!

I did it with 6N6P that run at 18mA plate current.

I will do more tests and work before assembly. I will put a separate heater transformer, two rectifiers, bigger choke and better eletrolytics (or not any).

Here's the sweet sounding board again :)



Next attempts - Better power supply for the DAC - Sallas shunt regs for the chips, better electrolytics.

http://www.tubecad.com/2011/03/22/Unbalancer Schematic.png