Clock upgrade for SDS Labs DAC

gdowling · 25th April 2005, 10:54 PM

I built Sheldon Stokes DAC a few years ago - and it's been performing well for a while.

Has anyone tried any of the clock upgrades - is it worthwhile?

machinow · 27th April 2005, 10:42 AM

Which is this DAC?? Is it the one with CS8412 + NPC5842 +2xPCM63 + Tube output?? If yes, there is no clock in it, the clock is generated by the 8412 chip so no clock upgrade can be done. You can try different output stages and/or psu regs though.

peranders · 27th April 2005, 10:58 AM

Sure you can. Why don't try a VCXO (tunable crystal oscillator) and a PLL. It may improve performance.

Guido Tent · 27th April 2005, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by peranders
Sure you can. Why don't try a VCXO (tunable crystal oscillator) and a PLL. It may improve performance.

it will......

Extreme_Boky · 27th April 2005, 01:22 PM

Guido, when are we going to be able to check some of the VCXO stuff on your web site?

Regards,
Extreme_Boky

gdowling · 27th April 2005, 03:49 PM

Yes, it's the one with the CS8412 /NPC5842/2xPCM63/resistor i2v / Tube output.

I did quite a bit of work after I built it upgrading the obvious components - esp changing caps and resistors (the caps changed the sound a lot) as well as using linear technology regulators etc.

Any recommendations on which VCXO / PLL to try?

Any experiences with what this will do to the sound in this circuit (or something similar).

- Greg

gdowling · 27th April 2005, 04:09 PM

I should have said my sources are a Meridian 500 CD transport and a Squeezebox (the v2 arrived today).

I think Meridian claim to have done some work on producing a good signal. I suspect the Squeezebox 1 isn't so good - although they've put some thought into it for the Squeezebox2,

machinow · 28th April 2005, 08:42 AM

Yes, I agree that VCXO and a PLL WILL improve the sound, Guidio Tent is the master of this

But this is relatively complicated circuit, will need extra PCB /If Guido Tent offers such circuits this will be quite easy/ and will lock to only 44.1kHz sources /basically/
So I do not call this clock upgrade but circuit upgrade, as this will make a new DAC version.
In such a case I would prefer feeding the transport CD player with the DAC clock, which will require mods/additional circuits for the CD transport.
Guido, I've thought about some automatic PLL/switch circuit for such a purpose, for inserting into Slave CD Transport, allowing the CD Transport to work without external clock input. Have you designed such circuit???

25th April 2005, 10:54 PM	#1
gdowling diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London	Clock upgrade for SDS Labs DAC I built Sheldon Stokes DAC a few years ago - and it's been performing well for a while. Has anyone tried any of the clock upgrades - is it worthwhile?

27th April 2005, 10:58 AM	#3
peranders Electrons are yellow and more is better! diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Göteborg, Sweden Blog Entries: 4	Sure you can. Why don't try a VCXO (tunable crystal oscillator) and a PLL. It may improve performance. __________________ /Per-Anders (my first name) or P-A as my friends call me

27th April 2005, 04:09 PM	#7
gdowling diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London	Digital sources I should have said my sources are a Meridian 500 CD transport and a Squeezebox (the v2 arrived today). I think Meridian claim to have done some work on producing a good signal. I suspect the Squeezebox 1 isn't so good - although they've put some thought into it for the Squeezebox2,

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27th April 2005, 10:42 AM	#2
machinow diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Bulgaria, Sofia	Which is this DAC?? Is it the one with CS8412 + NPC5842 +2xPCM63 + Tube output?? If yes, there is no clock in it, the clock is generated by the 8412 chip so no clock upgrade can be done. You can try different output stages and/or psu regs though.

27th April 2005, 01:22 PM	#5
Extreme_Boky diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Sydney	Guido, when are we going to be able to check some of the VCXO stuff on your web site? Regards, Extreme_Boky

27th April 2005, 03:49 PM	#6
gdowling diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London	Yes, it's the one with the CS8412 /NPC5842/2xPCM63/resistor i2v / Tube output. I did quite a bit of work after I built it upgrading the obvious components - esp changing caps and resistors (the caps changed the sound a lot) as well as using linear technology regulators etc. Any recommendations on which VCXO / PLL to try? Any experiences with what this will do to the sound in this circuit (or something similar). - Greg

28th April 2005, 08:42 AM	#8
machinow diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Bulgaria, Sofia	Yes, I agree that VCXO and a PLL WILL improve the sound, Guidio Tent is the master of this But this is relatively complicated circuit, will need extra PCB /If Guido Tent offers such circuits this will be quite easy/ and will lock to only 44.1kHz sources /basically/ So I do not call this clock upgrade but circuit upgrade, as this will make a new DAC version. In such a case I would prefer feeding the transport CD player with the DAC clock, which will require mods/additional circuits for the CD transport. Guido, I've thought about some automatic PLL/switch circuit for such a purpose, for inserting into Slave CD Transport, allowing the CD Transport to work without external clock input. Have you designed such circuit???

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