DAC directly drives headphones & speakers ?

Bernhard · 7th January 2005, 02:08 PM

Is this possible ?

Maybe somebody already is working on it, over the hills and far away

gmarsh · 7th January 2005, 02:49 PM

DAC chips by themselves, at least the ones I'm used to, doesn't have the output drive capability to drive a speaker or headphone.

As for DAC *boxes* by themselves, they might... it all depends on your definition of a DAC, and my own definition is a box which has digital input and line level out.

So lets say you put a higher power amplifier (headphone, speaker, whatever) inside a DAC box. You'll obviously then need a volume control, the ability to switch between different inputs would be nice.. and finally if you keep adding features you eventually end up with something that isn't a DAC by my definition but rather something closer to a home theatre receiver.

So, what's a DAC?

rfbrw · 7th January 2005, 05:28 PM

Its been done before use the Search engine.

Bernhard · 7th January 2005, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rfbrw
Its been done before use the Search engine.

This thread ?

"totally ridiculous digital amplifier (power DAC) idea"

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showt...ht=#post343185

Intermod · 7th January 2005, 07:51 PM

I have made a DAC that directly drives headphones. See 16 x TDA1543 DAC directly drives headphones
for details.

This project was completed over a year ago and has been in continuous use since. It's been very worthwhile as filterless direct drive makes a real improvement in the sound.

However, this design only really works with Sennheiser HD25 phones (70 ohm and very high sensitivity). I'm working on a 20 TDA1543 version with higher power supply voltages which should be compatible with a wider range of headphones - I'll report back when it is completed.

Enjoy!

Bernhard · 8th January 2005, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Intermod
I have made a DAC that directly drives headphones.

I think about a DAC that delivers something between 1W and 100W.

Multibit and without I/V conversion.

rfbrw · 8th January 2005, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bernhard

I think about a DAC that delivers something between 1W and 100W.

Multibit and without I/V conversion.

Why don't you give us a practical implementation?

pburke · 8th January 2005, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bernhard
Is this possible ?

Maybe somebody already is working on it, over the hills and far away

I'm working on a DAC that will hopefully drive headphones directly. A 16-way paralleled DDDAC1543. I'll know in a few days what it'll do to a set of regular Sony MDR-V6s. After that I'll try some more difficult to drive headsets.

I'm driving these TDA1543s at 8.5V so there will be a lot more juice coming from them than in the other unit linked above. How much better it'll be I don't know until trying it.

Peter

Bernhard · 8th January 2005, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rfbrw

Why don't you give us a practical implementation?

This sounds cynical.

rfbrw · 8th January 2005, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bernhard

This sounds cynical.

That sounds like an excuse

7th January 2005, 02:08 PM	#1
Bernhard diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Munich	DAC directly drives headphones & speakers ? Is this possible ? Maybe somebody already is working on it, over the hills and far away

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7th January 2005, 02:49 PM	#2
gmarsh diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Halifax, NS, Canada	DAC chips by themselves, at least the ones I'm used to, doesn't have the output drive capability to drive a speaker or headphone. As for DAC boxes by themselves, they might... it all depends on your definition of a DAC, and my own definition is a box which has digital input and line level out. So lets say you put a higher power amplifier (headphone, speaker, whatever) inside a DAC box. You'll obviously then need a volume control, the ability to switch between different inputs would be nice.. and finally if you keep adding features you eventually end up with something that isn't a DAC by my definition but rather something closer to a home theatre receiver. So, what's a DAC?

7th January 2005, 05:28 PM	#3
rfbrw diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: .	Its been done before use the Search engine.

7th January 2005, 07:51 PM	#5
Intermod diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Somewhere in the space-time continuum	I have made a DAC that directly drives headphones. See 16 x TDA1543 DAC directly drives headphones for details. This project was completed over a year ago and has been in continuous use since. It's been very worthwhile as filterless direct drive makes a real improvement in the sound. However, this design only really works with Sennheiser HD25 phones (70 ohm and very high sensitivity). I'm working on a 20 TDA1543 version with higher power supply voltages which should be compatible with a wider range of headphones - I'll report back when it is completed. Enjoy!

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