Hacking a cheap-0 USB DAC. (Or, helping a cheapass get better sound.)

Spasticteapot · 5th October 2006, 05:12 AM

I've been using a headphone jack to RCA adapter with my laptop, and it worked okay. However, now that I've got my Denon CD player ($4.50 at St. Vinny's) up and running, everything sounds much better.

However, endlessly switching out the CD's is a pain, and my taste for obscure Ska means that I can't get my music in any other format than Mp3 without buying CD's from a coffeeshop in the Czech Republic.

So, what's a cheapass to do?

Hack!

USB soundcards now sell for under 10$. So, why not use one as a starting point for a better-quality DAC?

DAC number one

DAC number two

DAC number 3 - with seperate S/PDIF output!

Number Four- Made by Behringer and also with S/PDIF

Although none of these are top-quality items, any of them may have potential as an inexpensive USB DAC option. Perhaps the Behringer, with some improved power filtering (got capacitors?) might make a nice S/PDIF source, and if the op-amps are replaced, many USB soundcards might be made to sound pretty good.

Thoughts?

lucpes · 5th October 2006, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Spasticteapot

USB soundcards now sell for under 10$. So, why not use one as a starting point for a better-quality DAC?

DAC number one

DAC number two

DAC number 3 - with seperate S/PDIF output!

Number Four- Made by Behringer and also with S/PDIF

Thoughts?

You need to search for a device with say PCM2707 in it. Then you could tap I2S from it feed it to a good&cheap DAC (say non-os stacked TDA1543) and add a better supply/clock.

Search on google for info on USB devices and let us know

Related thread: PCM2706 PCM2707 commercial products

Spasticteapot · 7th October 2006, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lucpes

You need to search for a device with say PCM2707 in it. Then you could tap I2S from it feed it to a good&cheap DAC (say non-os stacked TDA1543) and add a better supply/clock.

Search on google for info on USB devices and let us know

Related thread: PCM2706 PCM2707 commercial products

Interesting.

Anyone else have comments?

ezkcdude · 8th October 2006, 03:58 PM

Check if these are still available:

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showp...00&postcount=1

pixpop · 8th October 2006, 04:33 PM

Oops.. just posted my reply in the wrong thread:

link

DEQ+TheEnd · 15th December 2006, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Spasticteapot

Interesting.

Anyone else have comments?

I see I'm not alone cross posting here

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showt...10#post1082510

5th October 2006, 05:12 AM	#1
Spasticteapot diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Wisconsin....what did you expect?	Hacking a cheap-0 USB DAC. (Or, helping a cheapass get better sound.) I've been using a headphone jack to RCA adapter with my laptop, and it worked okay. However, now that I've got my Denon CD player ($4.50 at St. Vinny's) up and running, everything sounds much better. However, endlessly switching out the CD's is a pain, and my taste for obscure Ska means that I can't get my music in any other format than Mp3 without buying CD's from a coffeeshop in the Czech Republic. So, what's a cheapass to do? Hack! USB soundcards now sell for under 10$. So, why not use one as a starting point for a better-quality DAC? DAC number one DAC number two DAC number 3 - with seperate S/PDIF output! Number Four- Made by Behringer and also with S/PDIF Although none of these are top-quality items, any of them may have potential as an inexpensive USB DAC option. Perhaps the Behringer, with some improved power filtering (got capacitors?) might make a nice S/PDIF source, and if the op-amps are replaced, many USB soundcards might be made to sound pretty good. Thoughts?

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8th October 2006, 03:58 PM	#4
ezkcdude diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Atlanta	Check if these are still available: http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showp...00&postcount=1

8th October 2006, 04:33 PM	#5
pixpop diyAudio Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Los Angeles	Oops.. just posted my reply in the wrong thread: link

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