After many time to ear the my Hi-resolution easy system created using a EMU 0404 USB modified in the output stage and power supply probably now I have found something better.
Here the EMU 0404 USB + Lundahl 1527XL or LL7903 + Power supply + Sanyo OS-CON bypass yesterday inserted also in the output stage to replace the MKP + silver mica
Hi-Resolution System 192KHz 24bit with EMU 0404 USB
The new project use the Acko DAC module for the USB to I2S convertion.
Here the USB I2S Module-AKU-24 + Wolfson WM8740 + LT1086 linear regulator with many OS-CON + Lundahl LL1527XL
http://www.audiodesignguide.com/HiResolution/M2Tech_Wolfson_Lundahl.JPG
Yesterday evening in a listening test with some my friend the new source has been considered better than previous.
I would like to create a new test in the future to check the USB I2S Module-AKU-24 with AK4396 AKM used in the EMU because the Wolfson can hide some defects of the digital recording making it more pleasant.
In any case the Wolfson WM8740 is a very good DAC using the ,amy commercial product like the TACT
Tact 2.2x upgrade
It is possible use a single 12V battery in the power supply for this new source.
The test environment:
- My new Amplifier End Amplifier End by Andrea Ciuffoli
- My Monitor 3
the Monitor 3
- Foobar2000 v1.1.6
- DRC software
Digital Room Correction
Here the EMU 0404 USB + Lundahl 1527XL or LL7903 + Power supply + Sanyo OS-CON bypass yesterday inserted also in the output stage to replace the MKP + silver mica
Hi-Resolution System 192KHz 24bit with EMU 0404 USB
The new project use the Acko DAC module for the USB to I2S convertion.
Here the USB I2S Module-AKU-24 + Wolfson WM8740 + LT1086 linear regulator with many OS-CON + Lundahl LL1527XL
http://www.audiodesignguide.com/HiResolution/M2Tech_Wolfson_Lundahl.JPG
Yesterday evening in a listening test with some my friend the new source has been considered better than previous.
I would like to create a new test in the future to check the USB I2S Module-AKU-24 with AK4396 AKM used in the EMU because the Wolfson can hide some defects of the digital recording making it more pleasant.
In any case the Wolfson WM8740 is a very good DAC using the ,amy commercial product like the TACT
Tact 2.2x upgrade
It is possible use a single 12V battery in the power supply for this new source.
The test environment:
- My new Amplifier End Amplifier End by Andrea Ciuffoli
- My Monitor 3
the Monitor 3
- Foobar2000 v1.1.6
- DRC software
Digital Room Correction
Acko DAC USB-I2S module available from
https://sites.google.com/site/ackodac/home
Soon other details about this project
https://sites.google.com/site/ackodac/home
Soon other details about this project
SoNIc,
any DAC chip need a good output filter to reduce the signal at the sampling frequency and it is necessary a differential stage to get an unbalanced signal.
A good output transformer like the LL1527 can resolve both problems.
The original article about this use can be read on:
http://www.audiodesignguide.com/doc/pag1.jpg
http://www.audiodesignguide.com/doc/pag2.jpg
http://www.audiodesignguide.com/doc/pag3.jpg
.......
As you can see in the webpage about EMU 0404 USB mod. I have tested other output stages but I prefer this.
any DAC chip need a good output filter to reduce the signal at the sampling frequency and it is necessary a differential stage to get an unbalanced signal.
A good output transformer like the LL1527 can resolve both problems.
The original article about this use can be read on:
http://www.audiodesignguide.com/doc/pag1.jpg
http://www.audiodesignguide.com/doc/pag2.jpg
http://www.audiodesignguide.com/doc/pag3.jpg
.......
As you can see in the webpage about EMU 0404 USB mod. I have tested other output stages but I prefer this.
A transformer has limited bandwidth (either low, high or both), filtering curve nowhere close of what is needed for a DAC (even after carefull tayloring, it's still just a second order), distortions (at zero crossing and intermodulations at max signal) higher than what an OpAmp can provide...
EMU 0404 is a good card, linear PS sure can help, but I really doubt that you did get better or even equal performance with what the original OpAmps had (not saying what would better OpAmps would give).
Sure, this is my 2cents.
EMU 0404 is a good card, linear PS sure can help, but I really doubt that you did get better or even equal performance with what the original OpAmps had (not saying what would better OpAmps would give).
Sure, this is my 2cents.
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I think you'll find that high speed clock signals like those that sabre lives on dont look too great after a dip socket like you believe.
also for best performance the ground plane should be segmented for this chip and all the supply pins should be decoupled as close as possible to the chip, i really dont think its a good idea even if you can make it happen. dip sockets are a compromise wherever they are used and implementation is everything with this dac.
also for best performance the ground plane should be segmented for this chip and all the supply pins should be decoupled as close as possible to the chip, i really dont think its a good idea even if you can make it happen. dip sockets are a compromise wherever they are used and implementation is everything with this dac.
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Andrea, you should rather consider this one instead:
www.audiofaidate.org • View topic - Async USB2 - SDR/Audio-Widget collaborative project
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-source/185761-open-source-usb-interface-audio-widget.html
IMHO, it's a way better solution than using m2Tech ones. And it's cheaper, too.
One of the main advantages of the AW (besides being fully Open Source, which is a huge advantage on its own) is that it uses the clean DAC clock and feeds it back to the USB interface (avoiding most of the jitter problems) instead of the other way 'round as is done by most other available interfaces.
Other advantage is that it is fully standard compliant (implements UAC2 and UAC1, being always asynchronous even when used on USB 1.1 bus), which means (among the other things) that it works without drivers on any OS which support the standard (including MacOS/X and Linux).
www.audiofaidate.org • View topic - Async USB2 - SDR/Audio-Widget collaborative project
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-source/185761-open-source-usb-interface-audio-widget.html
IMHO, it's a way better solution than using m2Tech ones. And it's cheaper, too.
One of the main advantages of the AW (besides being fully Open Source, which is a huge advantage on its own) is that it uses the clean DAC clock and feeds it back to the USB interface (avoiding most of the jitter problems) instead of the other way 'round as is done by most other available interfaces.
Other advantage is that it is fully standard compliant (implements UAC2 and UAC1, being always asynchronous even when used on USB 1.1 bus), which means (among the other things) that it works without drivers on any OS which support the standard (including MacOS/X and Linux).
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"competitive" would be an understatement.
Currently there are two different versions available:
Yoyodyne Consulting//Audio Hardware/USB9023
Q N K T C USB-I2S Module and Analog Board 1.1
They costs US$ 93 one and US$ 120+shipping the other (which comes fully assembled in its case and tested).
Both are not just USB-I2S modules, but complete DACs using the famous ESS ES9023 "Sabre" DAC chip. At that prices, it's a bargain!
Børge version is split in two separate boards, the small USB-I2S interface and the "Analog Board" with DAC, clocks, ecc. One may also use only the USB-i2S module and build an alternative AB to his taste or possibly adapt an existing DAC to work with it.
George's versions instead are built on usually smaller, "all-in-one" single boards. He is also working on other alternative versions based on different DACs. Namely TI PCM5102, TI PCM1794, ESS ES9012, Wolfson WM8741.
(the version using PCM5102 seems to be already available).
N.B.: I have no connection whatsoever with either Børge or George. I only like their group-based, fully open-source efforts.
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well, it would be more correct to say that it is the Windows OS which lacks support for the UAC2 USB standard. But indeed the result is the same.
(while m2Tech have chosen to use the USB interface in a non-standard, proprietary way - which unavoidably require a custom driver on any OS - the Audio Widget was designed to implement the new official USB 2.0 standard for asynchronous audio. A standard which can and should be implemented natively by all OS supporting USB. Linux and MacOS/X supports the new standards, windoze does not).
There are plans and efforts in progress to provide a (possibly open-source) UAC2 windows driver for the AW in the future, but to date the only option is using AW in UAC1 mode. Which is also asynchronous, but limited to 24/48 (or less). Or use a better OS, such as Linux!
yet unfortunately it has no support for Linux, which is arguably the best system to use for audio...
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you forget the Xmos-based solutions. Definitely better than M2Tech. And possibly work on all systems (to be verified).
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-source/188902-xmos-based-asynchronous-usb-i2s-interface.html
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