I'm interested in building a custom power brick for the Audio Alchemy DDE3.0. I have read that it is dual rail 8v and 18v. It seems like the 8v must be for the decoder and the 18v must be for a high current gain stage. Does this sound correct. And in this case, does it seem rational that the rail quality supplying 8v is much less important than than the 18v rail for the amp. Does voltage stability to the dac chips make any difference?
The v3.0 actually uses four supply rails, +/-18V and +/-8V duals. The 8V rails are for the digital section, yes, but only marginally less critical to the sound quality as the 18V rails. These supply inputs are regulated inside the dac to the final voltages, so it's not strictly necessary to have regulation in the outboard supply, but I prefer to do so. Although there is no benefit, you can technically feed the dac up to +/-24V on both sets of inputs, limited by the voltage rating of the input filter caps, C101-104. I have the complete schematics of the v3.0. If you send me your email address, I'd be happy to send it to you.
Personally, I find the v3.0 serverely & near irrevocably limited by the use of the PMD100 hdcd chip as digital filter, which collapses the soundstage & sucks the life out of the sound. The lovely AD1862 20bit ladder dacs used in the v3.0 sound FAR better in even a bone stock Pioneer CLD95, or a GIC-filter-deleted Denon DVD2560, which both use non-hdcd digital filter chips. Either of these betters by far even a maximally-upgraded v3.0.
Personally, I find the v3.0 serverely & near irrevocably limited by the use of the PMD100 hdcd chip as digital filter, which collapses the soundstage & sucks the life out of the sound. The lovely AD1862 20bit ladder dacs used in the v3.0 sound FAR better in even a bone stock Pioneer CLD95, or a GIC-filter-deleted Denon DVD2560, which both use non-hdcd digital filter chips. Either of these betters by far even a maximally-upgraded v3.0.
Given that information, I wonder if the power station 4 that came with these even has separate rails. Now I understand why the monolithic upgrade was a bit expensive.
Is the PMD100 switched out when in 16 bit mode, or is it hopeless in all modes? I have the DDE1.0 and DTI1.0 and I always thought the quality was decent considering the design dates to 1994.
Is the PMD100 switched out when in 16 bit mode, or is it hopeless in all modes? I have the DDE1.0 and DTI1.0 and I always thought the quality was decent considering the design dates to 1994.
The problem is that the PMD100 is the digital filter, period. There is no bypass route, and there is no pin for pin non-hdcd replacement. Due to the PMD100 ruining the v3 and the v1.2, the best AA dac, IMO, to upgrade is the dac in the box. A not even fully maxed out ditb utterly mopped the floor with a v3 that I maxed out. It wasn't even close, and the ditb is well down the list of best digital front end upgrade results I've gotten.
The monolithic power supply is not really very good. Just average.
The monolithic power supply is not really very good. Just average.
I am in the same boat. Sending a PM hoping you wont mind sending me a copy as well.
-Joe
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This German outfit has a drop in DF1704 chip module that replaces the PMD100 chip. According to their website, the module can be used in the Audio Alchemy.
ASE-Audiotuning
ASE-Audiotuning
I just dug out my 3.0 again after 5 years of sitting in my junk pile. I started collecting parts to build a buffer b1 preamp and realized that the power supply requirements are pretty much identical.
So, i gave this thing another try. This time i used a 19v power supply to power both the VA in and VD in. VA seems to be the analog stage, VD the digital. You can't just wire up the same power supply to both inputs apparently, it doesn't like that and just stays dormant. So i wired up a second 12V power supply into the VD. Now i have working input and phase LEDS lighting up on the front.
I hooked up the optical input, but i can't seem to get the digital signal lock light to come on. Does this mean the optical in is buggered? I also have 2 wires left disconnected on the power supply, marked AG and DG said to be grounds. Are these strictly necessary, or is an ungrounded power supply acceptable?
So, i gave this thing another try. This time i used a 19v power supply to power both the VA in and VD in. VA seems to be the analog stage, VD the digital. You can't just wire up the same power supply to both inputs apparently, it doesn't like that and just stays dormant. So i wired up a second 12V power supply into the VD. Now i have working input and phase LEDS lighting up on the front.
I hooked up the optical input, but i can't seem to get the digital signal lock light to come on. Does this mean the optical in is buggered? I also have 2 wires left disconnected on the power supply, marked AG and DG said to be grounds. Are these strictly necessary, or is an ungrounded power supply acceptable?
Thanks for the info, but I am just building a generic power supply using the cable from a broken power station 4. Inside the DC cable there are 6 wires. 2 DC in for the digital stage and 2 DC in for the analog stage. There are two additional wires colored blue and purple. Below is that pin out.
alchemy3.0 by imakeinterfaces, on Flickr
Seems that the purple and blue wires are just grounds? I'm not completely sure what they are supposed to do.
alchemy3.0 by imakeinterfaces, on FlickrSeems that the purple and blue wires are just grounds? I'm not completely sure what they are supposed to do.
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