Comparing AK4399 to AK4495

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ttan98

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Joined 2006
#1
Hi,

There is an upgrade of the AK4399 chipset to a new one, AK4495. The are a number of advantages of AK4495 over the AK4399 which I am not aware of. Those who aware may like to list the advantages here. My query is will these advantages reflect on the sound quality output and will the listener noticeable the differences?

Also a number of DAC boards start to appear on Ebay and Aliexpress based on this new chipset, AK4495. I wonder anyone here tried anyone of these board, if you had please summarise your impression here esp. when compared to AK4399.
 
#3
PS1 bettered

Hi,
I used an AKM4399 for the last 7 months. See DAC decoder AK4399 WM8805 ..coax and Optical input | eBay

I found it sounded better than the 16-bit chip used in the PS1. Also, able to be used as a general DAC for all my digital sources, not just the CD playback. So, although the PS1 stuff is fun to do.. basically (and to be unkind) putting lipstick on a pig still just gives you a pig with lipstick. The 32 bit chip is more open and follows detail better than the PS1. The basic dogbreath changes are economical and worthwhile. The rest, well .......
 
#4
I have been using dual AK4399 and did some heavy modification on it. Just by the time I think I have the best DAC on hand, I purchased a AK4495 single chip stock DAC (AUNE S16) that blows away my heavily modified dual AK4399 in terms of musicality, dynamic and quietness. I used to post a number of my findings in modifying dual AK4399 in diyaudio but I kept my mouth shut after using AK4495. It may be my modifications are not appropriate or the AK4495 is really better than AK4399. I have two ideas:

1. Buy a AK4495 (single chip) DAC from Weiliang and did similar modification as what I've been done on dual AK4399
2. Jump to Soekris R2R DAC and have a taste of discrete DAC that I've never done before.
 
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#6
 
#8
AK4495 VS AK4399

kukynas said:
Hi Sunsun22,
I've heard the same about AK4495 that it's much better in terms of musicality and dynamics than 4399 but had no chance to try it yet, so now you are using Aune or anything else?
Click to expand...

Yes, I am using a "factory product" from Aune at this moment. Aune is the product division of the largest hi fi diy website hifidiy.net in China. Aune S16 is a compact DAC with headphone output (I nearly forgot about this) using single AK4495 but as a diyer, I dislike this compact size and SMD components because I don't have steady hands to modify it anymore. You can go to their website and have a look of the S16 auneaudio | High Performance Audio - Crafted in China.

Weiliang also debut their AK4495+AK4118 DAC that I have just talked to them in buying the kit without the analog output part. This will reduce my "exploration fee" but I am still thinking of buying a version that accepts direct IIS input from another supplier in China. Recently, I heard of how it sounds like by connecting a CDPro2 with a DAC through IIS - just can't imagine the same gears can sound so differently when using IIS connection. Too many toys here.
 
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#9
Hi Andy,

Most of the AK4495 sold in your list are actually made from PCB OEM by Weiliang but using different components. There are other suppliers that use different layout but their website are in Chinese and are being sold locally in China.

This one comes with IIS and DSD input
AK4495SEQ DAC½âÂëÆ÷£¡¹Ù·½±ê×¼µç·£¡I2S/DSDÊäÈ룡°ë³ÉÆ·Ì×¼þ£¡-ÌÔ±¦Íø

Another one with IIS and DSD input
AK4495SEQ DAC½âÂëÆ÷£¡¹Ù·½ÆÀ¹Àµç·£¡I2S/DSDÊäÈ룡°ë³ÉÆ·Ì×¼þ£¡-ÌÔ±¦Íø

This one looks good but they are not friendly to help, not even providing the circuit.
AK4495S DAC ½âÂëÆ÷³ÉÆ·°å Èí¿Ø Ö§³ÖIIS/DSDÊäÈë DSD128 PCM384K-ÌÔ±¦Íø

A cheaper alternative
AK4495SEQ+WM8805 DAC ¹âÏËͬÖáUSB½âÂë°å ·¢ÉÕ¼¶ÒôƵ½âÂëÆ÷-ÌÔ±¦Íø
 
#13
I Have theirs ak4490 + isolated xmos+ lampizator balanced se as output. Power is salas reflector d 5v plus three tridents shunts 3.3v for clock, avdd and dvdd. I am courious the difference between ak4490 and ak4495. Ak4490 has better specs. I am also waiting for xmos module capable to switch this dac to play true dsd (no dsd to pcm conversion).
 
#17
I tried es9018k2m, ak4490, ak4495 together with Lampizator Balanced SE (tube output). The only one working is ak4495 since is does not generate dc offest. Sound is amazing. I also connected them to lundhal transformers. All of them work in such case. I like akm better than sabre. Mayb sabre would sound better without asrc (did not try it yet). In all cases I used triedent shunts + placid hd 2.1. How I want to connect salas reflector d instead of placid hd 2.1. So my current and best setup is: ak4495 + Lampizator Balanced SE.
 
#19
verwolf3 said:
Is there realy no dc on the direkt output of the ak4495 chip? I like to connect it
direkt to my tubeamp.
Thanks
Click to expand...

Yep. This is the qutoe from datasheet:
"The AK4495SEQ has full differential SCF outputs, removing the need for AC coupling capacitors ..."

and it is really like that. It works with directed connection to tubes in my setup.
Additionally DIYINHK just released Xmos module for this chip with native dsd and pcm switch and bit perfect volume control.
 
#20
That is not quite true.
There is a DC voltage on the analog outputs. On page 56 of the datasheet it says:
"The analog outputs are full differential outputs and 2.8Vpp (typ, VREFHL/R - VREFLL/R = 5V) centered around VDDR/2 and VDDL/2 voltages."

So there is a DC voltage of typically 2.5 V on the outputs. AKM may have done something in the SC filters to eliminate the DC offset between the two outputs for each channel. But there is still a DC bias of 2.5 V.
Figure 39 has capacitors to remove this DC bias before the amplifiers/filters. In figure 38 they are not needed, because the amplifier/filter circuit is a differential amplifier.
 
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