Audio Workshop D3 Kit

lawbadman · 5th November 2005, 09:15 PM

Hey guys
Has anyone tried the D3 kit from AudioWorkshop.
It looks very interesting and its only for US$60.
I want to get your opinions before I go and Buy it.

So what do you guys think of it?

http://www.audioworkshop.com.hk/index_en.htm

Thanks
Lawrence

labjr · 6th November 2005, 10:52 PM

I was looking at that kit too. Cool little project. It doesn't appear that too many people here have built them though.

I wanted to know how to self-power the receiver chip and change the crystal to a low jitter clock circuit.

I wonder not how it compares to onboard computer sound but how well it sounds next to a good CD player or transport DAC combo. Because, in the future, I would like all my music to be on computer.

ChuckT · 7th November 2005, 08:31 AM

I have built it and it is very very good.
I don't think you can go wrong with that price.
I had trouble trying to wire the pcm2706 in self-power mode, in the end, I just replace the USB power with a TL317 5V reference from the 7.5V (original was 6.8V) feed to 1543 dac.

labjr · 7th November 2005, 12:45 PM

Hi Chuck,

I thought in self power mode it needed a 3.3 Volt supply. at least that's what I think the data sheet specified. Seems strange since the USB pwers it with 5 volts correct ?

Also, did you modify the clock circuit at all?

THX

ChuckT · 7th November 2005, 02:49 PM

Yes, you are right, I did use a 3.3V but I couldn't get it to work, so I just replace the usb 5v.
I also replace the crystal with an external ocillator.

labjr · 7th November 2005, 04:26 PM

Which oscillator did you use.? Did you try different ones?

Did the oscillator make a difference in the sound?

From reading an old article about PCM2702 I was under the impression that in PCM 27XX series there is a PLL circuit in the chip which takes care of clock problems, No?

THX

labjr · 7th November 2005, 05:10 PM

Chuck,

I have one more question. Would you say the sound quality is good as a good CD player or just better than a computer sound card.

I don't want to build a project just to exceed the sound quality of my computer. That's pretty easy to do with any old CD player.

I want to do some serious listening of music of my CDs which I will move to my hard drive.

ChuckT · 8th November 2005, 06:41 AM

In my opinion, the sound from this dac is better than a lot of cd players.
I think this is due to TDA1543 dac and I think PCM2706 did a pretty good job on the I2S out too.
The ocillator made some difference, but replacing the usb 5v made a bigger difference.

ronardi · 9th November 2005, 02:58 PM

I'm going to build this kit too.
I got a question here. If I have a 12Mhz TCXO in hand, can I directly use it on the board to substitute the stock crystal?

labjr · 10th November 2005, 05:33 AM

I guess you could. I think Chuck said the difference probably more subtle than self-powering the PCM2706 though.

5th November 2005, 09:15 PM	#1
lawbadman diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: St. Catherine, Jamaica	Audio Workshop D3 Kit Hey guys Has anyone tried the D3 kit from AudioWorkshop. It looks very interesting and its only for US$60. I want to get your opinions before I go and Buy it. So what do you guys think of it? http://www.audioworkshop.com.hk/index_en.htm Thanks Lawrence __________________ <a href="http://www.danasoft.com"><img src="http://www.danasoft.com/sig/lawbadman.jpg" border="0"></a><div style="font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><p>Sign by Danasoft - <a href="http://www.danasoft.com">For Backgrounds and Layouts</a></p></div>

9th November 2005, 02:58 PM	#9
ronardi diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: HK	I'm going to build this kit too. I got a question here. If I have a 12Mhz TCXO in hand, can I directly use it on the board to substitute the stock crystal? __________________ Andrew Chan

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6th November 2005, 10:52 PM	#2
labjr diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: MA	I was looking at that kit too. Cool little project. It doesn't appear that too many people here have built them though. I wanted to know how to self-power the receiver chip and change the crystal to a low jitter clock circuit. I wonder not how it compares to onboard computer sound but how well it sounds next to a good CD player or transport DAC combo. Because, in the future, I would like all my music to be on computer.

7th November 2005, 08:31 AM	#3
ChuckT diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: HK	I have built it and it is very very good. I don't think you can go wrong with that price. I had trouble trying to wire the pcm2706 in self-power mode, in the end, I just replace the USB power with a TL317 5V reference from the 7.5V (original was 6.8V) feed to 1543 dac.

7th November 2005, 12:45 PM	#4
labjr diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: MA	Hi Chuck, I thought in self power mode it needed a 3.3 Volt supply. at least that's what I think the data sheet specified. Seems strange since the USB pwers it with 5 volts correct ? Also, did you modify the clock circuit at all? THX

7th November 2005, 02:49 PM	#5
ChuckT diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: HK	Yes, you are right, I did use a 3.3V but I couldn't get it to work, so I just replace the usb 5v. I also replace the crystal with an external ocillator.

7th November 2005, 04:26 PM	#6
labjr diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: MA	Which oscillator did you use.? Did you try different ones? Did the oscillator make a difference in the sound? From reading an old article about PCM2702 I was under the impression that in PCM 27XX series there is a PLL circuit in the chip which takes care of clock problems, No? THX

7th November 2005, 05:10 PM	#7
labjr diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: MA	Chuck, I have one more question. Would you say the sound quality is good as a good CD player or just better than a computer sound card. I don't want to build a project just to exceed the sound quality of my computer. That's pretty easy to do with any old CD player. I want to do some serious listening of music of my CDs which I will move to my hard drive.

8th November 2005, 06:41 AM	#8
ChuckT diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: HK	In my opinion, the sound from this dac is better than a lot of cd players. I think this is due to TDA1543 dac and I think PCM2706 did a pretty good job on the I2S out too. The ocillator made some difference, but replacing the usb 5v made a bigger difference.

10th November 2005, 05:33 AM	#10
labjr diyAudio Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: MA	I guess you could. I think Chuck said the difference probably more subtle than self-powering the PCM2706 though.

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