Diy China Dac kits

[Knorfski]

Goodday,

I am surfing the net in journey for diy dac kit's.

I have found the following:
http://cgi.ebay.com/LITE-Hi-End-Bala...713.m153.l1262
This one looks pretty nice to me. As i found trough google the PCM1704 chip is a good chip.

Also i found this one:
http://cgi.ebay.com/UPGRADED-24bit-1...QQcmdZViewItem
Looks very nice also; much cheaper but no chassis, remote etc.

I don't have very much knowledge regarding DAC chips etc. so i don't say from my own opinion how good the DAC's preform.

I am looking for a clean, detailed dac that doens't use tubes. So if anyone has any suggestions for another kit I would like to hear that. Also I would like to have your experts opinion!

Thanks in advance,
Best regards,
Fokko Driesprong

[poynton]

The second one is also available without the transformers, which will only cost a few euros each.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...MEWA:IT&ih=008


Suitable good-looking cases are also available on Ebay.

Andy

[psycoman]

I am sorry. I am not promoting my blog but you must see this if you want to buy DAC38.
http://drcylau.spaces.live.com/ I modify this one to a high end DAC.

[Knorfski]

I just found this one:
http://www.audiophilechina.com/cp-sh...id2=37&s_id=38

This one looks very good to me! A AD1955 chip and very well build, not to forget the good looking lcd with the information.

[marcus7601]

I bought and built this some time ago. Good value for money...
4xTDA1543

http://us.hifidiy.net/Article.asp?ArticleId=156

[kevinkr]

Not Chinese, but you might want to take a look at the dac kits offered by Twisted Pear Audio here: http://www.twistedpearaudio.com/news.aspx (Amesbury MA, USA)

I bought a couple of blank COD boards, a single blank IVY I/V board and built them from scratch with mods, and an assembled SPDIF receiver with the Wolfson WM8804. It's by far the best sounding dac I have owned so far. (Zhaolu 2.5A, Assemblage 1.0, PSA Ultralink II)

[speakerfritz]

Before buying a DIY DAC, or any used DAC, you need to think about how you will be using it. Most of these DIY kits and used DAC's from the 90's that have been upgraded can not do 24bits. My sat receiver requires a 24bit DAC when viewing HD channels. Switching the reciever into PCM mode won't work. These DIY dac's and upgraded DAC's from the 90's are fine if yo just need something for CD use.

[Kane Williams]

This looks good value. Not "High End", but decent and REALLY cheap. Think you can buy the kit as well as it assembled?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MINI-HI-FI-USB...3286.m63.l1177

[speakerfritz]

Heres the spec's on the pcm2704 chip. note that it does not support 96khz and above and is only 16 bits. For example, This won't work on my media server or my SAT reciever.

////////////////////////////////////////////
* On-Chip USB Interface:
o With Full-Speed Transceivers
o Fully Compliant With USB 1.1 Specification
o Certified by USB-IF
o Partially Programmable Descriptors
o Adaptive Isochronous Transfer for Playback
o Bus-Powered or Self-Powered Operation
* Sampling Rate: 32, 44.1, 48 kHz
* On-Chip Clock Generator: Single 12-MHz Clock Source
* Single Power Supply:
o Bus-Powered: 5 V, Typical (VBUS)
o Self-Powered: 3.3 V, Typical
* 16-Bit Delta-Sigma Stereo DAC
o Analog Performance at 5 V (Bus), 3.3 V (Self):
+ THD+N: 0.006% (RL > 10 k, Self-Powered)
+ THD+N: 0.025% (RL = 32 )
+ SNR: 98 dB
+ Dynamic Range: 98 dB
+ PO: 12 mW (RL = 32 )
o Oversampling Digital Filter
+ Pass-Band Ripple: ±0.04 dB
+ Stop-Band Attenuation: -50 dB
o Single-Ended Voltage Output
o Analog LPF Included
* Multiple Functions:
o Up to Eight Human Interface Device (HID) Interfaces (Depending on Model and Settings)
o Suspend Flag
o S/PDIF Out With SCMS
o External ROM Interface (PCM2704/6)
o Serial Programming Interface (PCM2705/7)
o I2S Interface (Selectable on PCM2706/7)
* Package:
o Lead-Free Product
o 28-Pin SSOP (PCM2704/5)
o 32-Pin TQFP (PCM2706/7)

[Kane Williams]

Many of the cheaper DAC's will not work at above 16/48. I've been looking for a USB to SPDIF converter that can do this well for ages. There are a few options that use their own drivers, but most of these are not "Hi-Fi". Many will have high jitter. The Lusiland Lilo III seemed very promising, till I heard it's SPDIF section is one of the worst chips for introducing Jitter.

However, for CD playback from a PC, I have the HagUsb, which is good. I think the NIE USB DAC on Ebay will be similar? It is so cheap, I'm tempted to try it out.

If Musiland had used a different SPDIF chip, it would have been exactly what I was looking for. May be they will make a better model in ther future?