I already own a very very nice Rakk Dac
( that was recommend to me by you guys here! )
with passive output and their quality PS kit.
I use this one in my personal room
combined with my stereo system ( powered by a Bryston 4BST ) or my diy Headphone amplifier
( from our friend member Sjostrom in Sverige )
I am currently buying stuff and designing my new HT room, and i will need alot of electronics to do so.
Right now i am looking for DAC kits that would give the best bang for the bucks, something of similar quality to the Original RAKK kit or better ...
The thing is that i will probably need 6 to 8 of them,
so the price needs to be right.
What other choices to we have (other than the original RAKK or the new RAKK Dac ..wich runs for some 500$/each with an output stage and PSU )
is there any kit available from a member here ?
i do not like hold-back stuff like non OS kits, or minimilazing kit ... the RAKK got all of the digital stuff on it and it just kicks *** ... ( never heard any non-os DAC sound as good neway .. )
thanks for your time
( that was recommend to me by you guys here! )
with passive output and their quality PS kit.
I use this one in my personal room
combined with my stereo system ( powered by a Bryston 4BST ) or my diy Headphone amplifier
( from our friend member Sjostrom in Sverige )
I am currently buying stuff and designing my new HT room, and i will need alot of electronics to do so.
Right now i am looking for DAC kits that would give the best bang for the bucks, something of similar quality to the Original RAKK kit or better ...
The thing is that i will probably need 6 to 8 of them,
so the price needs to be right.
What other choices to we have (other than the original RAKK or the new RAKK Dac ..wich runs for some 500$/each with an output stage and PSU )
is there any kit available from a member here ?
i do not like hold-back stuff like non OS kits, or minimilazing kit ... the RAKK got all of the digital stuff on it and it just kicks *** ... ( never heard any non-os DAC sound as good neway .. )
thanks for your time
Hi, I don't know what this DAC kit sounds like but it is cheaper than the RAKK DAC especially if you assemble the whole kit yourself.
https://www.audiodiylab.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=28_25&products_id=43
https://www.audiodiylab.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=28_25&products_id=43
JinMTVT said:I already own a very very nice Rakk Dac
( that was recommend to me by you guys here! )
with passive output and their quality PS kit.
I use this one in my personal room
combined with my stereo system ( powered by a Bryston 4BST ) or my diy Headphone amplifier
( from our friend member Sjostrom in Sverige )
I am currently buying stuff and designing my new HT room, and i will need alot of electronics to do so.
Right now i am looking for DAC kits that would give the best bang for the bucks, something of similar quality to the Original RAKK kit or better ...
The thing is that i will probably need 6 to 8 of them,
so the price needs to be right.
What other choices to we have (other than the original RAKK or the new RAKK Dac ..wich runs for some 500$/each with an output stage and PSU )
is there any kit available from a member here ?
i do not like hold-back stuff like non OS kits, or minimilazing kit ... the RAKK got all of the digital stuff on it and it just kicks *** ... ( never heard any non-os DAC sound as good neway .. )
thanks for your time
You can try my ezdac pcb. I have one board left at the moment.
Hi
here is a good list of DACs you could start reading to help your choice...
www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=199941
good luck
paba
here is a good list of DACs you could start reading to help your choice...
www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=199941
good luck
paba
The Opus DAC!
The Opus DAC! It's a modular kit, you can add different modules like S/PDIF input, USB input, ...
It's a new developed DAC around the Wolfson WM8740:
http://www.twistedpearaudio.com/opus/opus.aspx
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=79456
The Opus DAC! It's a modular kit, you can add different modules like S/PDIF input, USB input, ...
It's a new developed DAC around the Wolfson WM8740:
http://www.twistedpearaudio.com/opus/opus.aspx
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=79456
sorry but i don't see why i/we would consider anything other than the pcm1794 or CS4398 as they both are
"flagship dacs" as stated on cirrus page
it's not like it costs 200$ for the chip itself
( usually less expensive than older rare NOS stuff nah?)
the point of getting a diy or kit dac is to get the best possible results with less $$$ than buying a 5000$
gold plated front plate commercial box
that beeing said,
from the very very nice list of "granodemostasa" over at headhifi, it really goes back to KandK audio for cost
VS quality .... gee
i thought that some people would have released something similar to the RAKK DAC, but in self assembled and less expensive ...
If i'd be to use RAKK DACs again,
would there be a way to make less expensive high quality output stage ?
and maybe a common power supply for all the dac boards? ( or is that a bad idea due to some crosstalk or whatever i do not know here.. )
i personally got the passive output with lundall tranfos,
i can say that it sounds just like it wasn't there
( hole point )
thanks all for ur time again
"flagship dacs" as stated on cirrus page
it's not like it costs 200$ for the chip itself
( usually less expensive than older rare NOS stuff nah?)
the point of getting a diy or kit dac is to get the best possible results with less $$$ than buying a 5000$
gold plated front plate commercial box
that beeing said,
from the very very nice list of "granodemostasa" over at headhifi, it really goes back to KandK audio for cost
VS quality .... gee
i thought that some people would have released something similar to the RAKK DAC, but in self assembled and less expensive ...
If i'd be to use RAKK DACs again,
would there be a way to make less expensive high quality output stage ?
and maybe a common power supply for all the dac boards? ( or is that a bad idea due to some crosstalk or whatever i do not know here.. )
i personally got the passive output with lundall tranfos,
i can say that it sounds just like it wasn't there
( hole point )
thanks all for ur time again
JinMTVT said:
You trade off cost for quality in the output stage. It would be possible to make an output stage similar to the RAKK dac Passive Output using less expensive transformers, however the quality would suffer.
It would be possible to create a common power supply for all of the boards. The biggest saving would be in the single versus multiple power transformers. I can’t say for sure but I speculate that the total capacitance would be the same in both cases so there would be no savings there. The individual rectifiers and regulators are not a big deal so you could use multiple of those to insure no crosstalk. So the design would be individual supplies sharing a single power transformer.
Dave
David Davenport said:
Nice advices , thanks for quick answer
What other options do we have for output stage?
active is probably alot more expensive ?
the Rakk Dac passive output consists of only 2 transformers ..i know that they are of top quality
but ain't 275$ a bit overkill for 2 small power transfos, 2 resistors and matchi pcb ?
it's the same cost as the DAC itself ..
i figure that 90% of the price of the passive output is the cost of the transfos
are lundahl transfos the best there is ?
any other high performance option on tranfos?
i mean ..this is really low power stuff nah ?
shouldn't it cost less than high power transforms?
JinMTVT said:
Yes, the Active Output is substantially more expensive (and better sounding.) It uses the same transformers on the output as does the Passive Output, then there is a whole lot of additional stuff.
You are right; the amorphous core transformers (and thus the output stages that use them) are expensive; a lot more than those that use the regular core material. And the amorphous core line level transformers are much less expensive than the amorphous core power output transformers.
Dave
Ok, if i understand correctly, the amorphous core is what gives it's price VS regular transfo
( an amorphous core doesn't use the same material as regular core? like silicone metal hybrid and stuff like
that ?? )
So we don't really have much choices when it comes down to quality then ..
So explain to me then, how all other DACs kits that doesn't seem to use such high quality Transfos as output, get out with good quality sound?
they all sound worse?
Most of the cheapest DACs and some more expensive on the liste we have here, don't look like they are using anything exotic for output stage ... i don't really understand now
SamL: Everything will be computer driven ..
i will never use any receiver whatsoever ..i don't understand the use of receivers nowadays when a computer that both plays HD video and audio and all music + librairy + games that will have the same sound quality and more upgrade options can be bought for rouhly the same money ... ( only my opinion .. )
Neway i'll probably try and find a controller that can accept multiple channnels from a digital source and split them up without introducins too much jitter and all
not there yet, but i know it can be done
i've also seen some pro cards with multiple digital output
that one can assign to each channel ( stereo digital outputs that can be used with dacs then ... )
of course if i use stereo Dacs it can reduce the total number required
not too sure about the setup yet
and i have not decided if digital crossovers will be used or not ....i have to see what is possible
( both software and sound card wise )
( an amorphous core doesn't use the same material as regular core? like silicone metal hybrid and stuff like
that ?? )
So we don't really have much choices when it comes down to quality then ..
So explain to me then, how all other DACs kits that doesn't seem to use such high quality Transfos as output, get out with good quality sound?
they all sound worse?
Most of the cheapest DACs and some more expensive on the liste we have here, don't look like they are using anything exotic for output stage ... i don't really understand now
SamL: Everything will be computer driven ..
i will never use any receiver whatsoever ..i don't understand the use of receivers nowadays when a computer that both plays HD video and audio and all music + librairy + games that will have the same sound quality and more upgrade options can be bought for rouhly the same money ... ( only my opinion .. )
Neway i'll probably try and find a controller that can accept multiple channnels from a digital source and split them up without introducins too much jitter and all
not there yet, but i know it can be done
i've also seen some pro cards with multiple digital output
that one can assign to each channel ( stereo digital outputs that can be used with dacs then ... )
of course if i use stereo Dacs it can reduce the total number required
not too sure about the setup yet
and i have not decided if digital crossovers will be used or not ....i have to see what is possible
( both software and sound card wise )
rakk dac Vs TDA 1541
Hi
I own a Rakk Dac I, and I was using it with Erno Borbely J-fet output stage . I got and old Mcintosh MD7007 with Tda 1541 S1 silver crown .I updated this machine (clock ,filter , caps etc .) and switched the J-fet output stage to McIntosh .Well I think
the sound is comparable (maybe a tad smoother ) to Rakk Dac . I think that RakkDac is a great value but I like heaving just one box solution better. All dacs benefit from very good digital cables and great transport and those don't come cheap .Regards
Hi
I own a Rakk Dac I, and I was using it with Erno Borbely J-fet output stage . I got and old Mcintosh MD7007 with Tda 1541 S1 silver crown .I updated this machine (clock ,filter , caps etc .) and switched the J-fet output stage to McIntosh .Well I think
the sound is comparable (maybe a tad smoother ) to Rakk Dac . I think that RakkDac is a great value but I like heaving just one box solution better. All dacs benefit from very good digital cables and great transport and those don't come cheap .Regards
The Rakk DAC is way overpriced. However, there are not too many DIY kits utilizing PCM1794, so maybe they take advantage. My ezdac board (see the website) is a very simple design using CS8416 (S/PDIF receiver)->AD1896 or SRC4192 (for asynchronous resampling/reclocking to 96 kHz)->PCM1794/8 (DAC)->passive resistor I/V->simple balanced-to-single-ended op amp buffer stage. All the regulation is done with simple LM317/337. AFAIK, it's the simplest DAC board out there that has PCM1794 and AD1896 (which is what I wanted). Needless to say it's a lot cheaper to build my ezdac than the RAKK (which I had looked into before).
hi ezkcdude!!
i think i had overlooked your kit!
i hadn't notice that you'r using the 1794 chip!
Have you measured your DAC's performance?
compared with others?
how do you think it compares to Rakk unit?
( measurable things...i don't care about how sweet it sounds on a sunny afternoon )
What is the cost of your pcb board,
and tota cost for the best version ( 131$ is for all parts except the pcb ?? )
what exactly is used for output stage here, only direct active ops?
nice kit neway, i like how simple it looks!
and i always like to buy stuff from member of this community when possible
i think i had overlooked your kit!
i hadn't notice that you'r using the 1794 chip!
Have you measured your DAC's performance?
compared with others?
how do you think it compares to Rakk unit?
( measurable things...i don't care about how sweet it sounds on a sunny afternoon
)What is the cost of your pcb board,
and tota cost for the best version ( 131$ is for all parts except the pcb ?? )
what exactly is used for output stage here, only direct active ops?
nice kit neway, i like how simple it looks!
and i always like to buy stuff from member of this community when possible
JinMTVT said:
Lundahl buys their cores from a supplier and the amorphous cores are a lot more expensive than the regular cores. They pass the cost difference through their distributors and in turn to the user. Several of the Lundahl transformers are available with a regular core or an amorphous core. They are the same except for the core. For example, the LL1660 and LL1660AM. The cost shown on the K&K Audio website for the LL1660 is $98 while the cost for the LL1660AM is $240. The LL1674, which is used on the RAKK dac Passive Output, is available only with an amorphous core.
Of course, there are lots of choices but there is no free lunch that I know of. There are other excellent transformers and they too are expensive. It is possible to build an excellent output stage without transformers – I have done it. However when the dust settled, the cost was about the same. I believe, and this is only a belief, but formed from years of experience, that it costs about the same to provide the same function and quality no matter how it is implemented. You get what you pay for.
Dave
David : you seem very knowledgable about output stages ...
what is the benefit of a completly passive output stage then ? ( like the one offered for the RAKK DAC )
what is the benefit of an active with transfos ?
when i bought the Rakk Dac some years ago,
i actually thought that using passive output was giving us less power to work with but with higher quality
( untouched ) signal
what is the benefit of a completly passive output stage then ? ( like the one offered for the RAKK DAC )
what is the benefit of an active with transfos ?
when i bought the Rakk Dac some years ago,
i actually thought that using passive output was giving us less power to work with but with higher quality
( untouched ) signal
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