Ah. There's another board. A controller board!?!
That's sounds more than just a power controller / power board!??
But that one at least generates +/-15V from 5V - doesn't it?
Only one 5V SMPS would than be required for this HAT solution!?!
Things are getting more complex by the post.
You said. You'll write it all up. We'll be patient.
Just to mention it.
The supercaps and these caps that'd been suggested by Greg (forgot the type) on the Boss do power the Boss DACs internal opamp output stage.
At least that's IMO their main benefit.
What sense does it make to have them now on the DAC HAT only!?!?
To me it'd even make more sense to have them on the output stage.
Anyhow. Never mind. I'm not the HW expert here. I do know usually
you have your reasons for doing things the way they are done.
In the end, what matters is the final result!
I think it would be great if you'd launch both products DAC and SMPS at the same time. Or better, the SMPS first.
It's better from a marketing perspective.
Yes somewhere in this thread you can actually see the "controller hat" that has the MCU and also DC/DC convertor (5V to dual rail 15V)
So yes you can use only one 5V to power the Katana or Katana+RPI
Of course you can also power controller hat with 5V separate from Katana (ess9038) 5V (and then decide if you want to power the PI separately)
As far as supercaps , they are in the analog stage of the ess9038q2m AND for Vref..clean power AND close to load (Avcc) is best. Of course we have a 3 supercap (different than what you see normally in our designs)
Scaps are backed up by film capacitors , in fact we are using over 25 film capacitors in this design.
SMPS...we will know soon
I just want to add that "dc/dc convertor was one of the hardest parts to get right. So many tests to reduce the switching noise...but then again we designed the 5V SMPS nirvana and have a lot of experience
What is the format for the smps, wall wart or cased with iec mains adapter?
THD = -110.5 (RCA) , today measurement .
At this point we are incorporating the latest tests into the analog PCB.
As soon as it was incorporated we will go ahead and order for mass production (analog PCB). We feel that we can go up to -112/-115 (thd at 1Khz).
We think its good.
Hi,
In the regard of 2.1 or 2.2 mode, dose anyone use MCK from Kali, i.e. adding glb_mclk parameter? I wonder glb_mclk parameter stops the internal PLL which is required by miniDSP function. Can I use MCK in substitution for PLL?
Regardless of glb_mclk parameter, MCK from Kali can be measured by frequency counter or oscilloscope.
In the regard of 2.1 or 2.2 mode, dose anyone use MCK from Kali, i.e. adding glb_mclk parameter? I wonder glb_mclk parameter stops the internal PLL which is required by miniDSP function. Can I use MCK in substitution for PLL?
Regardless of glb_mclk parameter, MCK from Kali can be measured by frequency counter or oscilloscope.
I am not sure if it will be compatible.
A small update :
Clocks were tested at 400femtoseconds (jitter). Thats measuring floor at our test equipment .Its final.
I would estimate the mass production at about 8 weeks. Price will be under 250$
Almost at the beginning of the thread, cdgames says that this version does not need the Isolator, and that's why I did not buy it until now, for the dac I use now with the rasp, waiting for this dac to be available .
Questions
Now you have finalized the boards can you give an estimate of cost/features. Will you offer a player (in case) pre configured with pi 3b+ and the new smps alongside the 3 board package, there are several options here.
The big question is how does it sound in comparison to the Boss dac , there is a lot of competition out there in this price range.
Now you have finalized the boards can you give an estimate of cost/features. Will you offer a player (in case) pre configured with pi 3b+ and the new smps alongside the 3 board package, there are several options here.
The big question is how does it sound in comparison to the Boss dac , there is a lot of competition out there in this price range.
@cdsgames,
would be nice if you can answer these questions from post #145.
Thanks
Matt
Last edited:
Yes good competition in the price range . Topping . smls etc.
Katana was designed to sound better than anything else on the market (in the price range). That was our goal since the beginning .
If you take the EVM of Sabre and copy , you will get good THD+N numbers.
Sound wise, they might lack , since thd+n was never a good translation of what we hear (or perceive as good sound)
Our board is not a copy , we designed with one goal. Sound quality.
