DIY project to small-scale production

borges · 7th October 2005, 11:00 AM

This weekend I had a very interesting test of my DAC. It actually sounded really good. So I thought, why not make like five peces of it and see if people will pay.

A DAC on its own isn't really such a selling thing I suspect. At least not until I put in all the magic required to clean the SPDIF. Or tell the buyers to mod my I2S interface into their CD players. So the last option is to make a complete CD player. But for that I need a few more parts...

So my question is: What is the best way to obtain decent CD drives that I put my DAC into? Actually, having a finished box around the drive would be good too. That way I just put my label on it.

Any ideas?

Cheers,
Børge

kevinkr · 7th October 2005, 04:14 PM

Find someone to oem a player for you based on your design ideas.
There are lots of small companies in China that would probably be willing to do just this. (I oem'd tube gear in HK in very small volumes for several years.)

Kevin

borges · 7th October 2005, 06:40 PM

That's a good idea. Actually, I know a few companies that might help me.

Another thing to think about is what to do about regulatory issues. Putting something through that loop for just a very few units is probably not worth it. A colleague suggested using an external PSU that is already approved.

Børge

dnsey · 7th October 2005, 06:43 PM

Unfortunately, I think that you will still have to have it tested for EM radiation (which might actually be an issue with a DAC).
Have you thought of selling it as a kit?

rfbrw · 7th October 2005, 07:51 PM

If you are sure of your ground as far as EMI is concerned you can self certify.
Another thing to consider is the arena you want to sell into.

richie00boy · 7th October 2005, 08:26 PM

You can only self certify if you have some test data and/or can show that you have taken all reasonable measures to make the emissions expected to be within limits.

rfbrw · 7th October 2005, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by richie00boy
You can only self certify if you have some test data and/or can show that you have taken all reasonable measures to make the emissions expected to be within limits.

Not true. From experience, you only have to be certain that should you be called to account, you will pass.

richie00boy · 7th October 2005, 09:59 PM

Which pretty much means that you need to do inline with what I said

rfbrw · 8th October 2005, 01:53 AM

It means it would be wise to test but I know for a fact this isn't always so.

borges · 8th October 2005, 09:08 AM

Thanks for your ideas, guys.

The kit idea is probably out. The crowd that would pick up what I'm able to build right now do not all run around with soldering irons.

Another option is to buy a plain-vanilla ordinary CD player and replace only the DAC part. Then I don't have to design user interface or anything like that. Do I fit into a different regulatory category then?

A mod is much easier to do than to build the whole player. It also takes much less time.

Børge

7th October 2005, 11:00 AM	#1
borges diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Oslo, Norway	DIY project to small-scale production This weekend I had a very interesting test of my DAC. It actually sounded really good. So I thought, why not make like five peces of it and see if people will pay. A DAC on its own isn't really such a selling thing I suspect. At least not until I put in all the magic required to clean the SPDIF. Or tell the buyers to mod my I2S interface into their CD players. So the last option is to make a complete CD player. But for that I need a few more parts... So my question is: What is the best way to obtain decent CD drives that I put my DAC into? Actually, having a finished box around the drive would be good too. That way I just put my label on it. Any ideas? Cheers, Børge

7th October 2005, 08:26 PM	#6
richie00boy Did it Himself diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Gloucestershire, England, UK	You can only self certify if you have some test data and/or can show that you have taken all reasonable measures to make the emissions expected to be within limits. __________________ www.readresearch.co.uk my website for UK diy audio people - designs, PCBs, kits and more

7th October 2005, 09:59 PM	#8
richie00boy Did it Himself diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Gloucestershire, England, UK	Which pretty much means that you need to do inline with what I said __________________ www.readresearch.co.uk my website for UK diy audio people - designs, PCBs, kits and more

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7th October 2005, 04:14 PM	#2
kevinkr diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Blog Entries: 6	Find someone to oem a player for you based on your design ideas. There are lots of small companies in China that would probably be willing to do just this. (I oem'd tube gear in HK in very small volumes for several years.) Kevin

7th October 2005, 06:40 PM	#3
borges diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Oslo, Norway	That's a good idea. Actually, I know a few companies that might help me. Another thing to think about is what to do about regulatory issues. Putting something through that loop for just a very few units is probably not worth it. A colleague suggested using an external PSU that is already approved. Børge

7th October 2005, 06:43 PM	#4
dnsey diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Shropshire, England	Unfortunately, I think that you will still have to have it tested for EM radiation (which might actually be an issue with a DAC). Have you thought of selling it as a kit?

7th October 2005, 07:51 PM	#5
rfbrw diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: .	If you are sure of your ground as far as EMI is concerned you can self certify. Another thing to consider is the arena you want to sell into.

8th October 2005, 01:53 AM	#9
rfbrw diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: .	It means it would be wise to test but I know for a fact this isn't always so.

8th October 2005, 09:08 AM	#10
borges diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Oslo, Norway	Thanks for your ideas, guys. The kit idea is probably out. The crowd that would pick up what I'm able to build right now do not all run around with soldering irons. Another option is to buy a plain-vanilla ordinary CD player and replace only the DAC part. Then I don't have to design user interface or anything like that. Do I fit into a different regulatory category then? A mod is much easier to do than to build the whole player. It also takes much less time. Børge

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