My first DAC, CS8415/PCM1796 based

DragosB · 20th October 2006, 09:23 AM

After following this interesting forum for some months now, I decided to try designing my own DAC. Beeing the first audio project, I will try to keep it as simple as possible.

I managed to find two main parts: a CS8415 and one PCM1796 DAC.
At this time, I have two questions. First, I saw a lot of designs using CS8412/8414/8416 as sp-dif receiver. Still, none using CS8415. It is a particular reason for that? From the datasheet I saw that it can be used until 96kHz and has a hardware more. Did I miss something?

The second question is about using PCM1796 without a microcontroller. I know that it must be software controlled, but the default mode is I2S/24bit. It will be possible to use this dac without an controller?

As about I/V converter, I want to keep it simple, so I will go for passive conversion, followed by an opamp.

Dragos

ezkcdude · 20th October 2006, 01:09 PM

CS8416 also can be hardware programmed (I did it that way) and accepts input up to 192 kHz. CS8415 is obsolete and "not recommended for new designs". Also, why bother with PCM1796? Just use PCM1798(4), which can also be hardware programmed (I did it that way, too).

DragosB · 20th October 2006, 04:14 PM

Thank you ezkcdude for you reply. I must say that your ezdac was one of my inspiration sources.

Why bother with PCM1796? Two reasons: first, I manage to find it, and that is not an easy task in my country. Second, once I pay it, I would like to use it, and the task of programing a microcontroller is a little above my present skils.

As about CS8415, I was curious why there aren't any designs using it. Seems to have the same capabilities as 8414 but seems that nobody use it.

ezkcdude · 20th October 2006, 04:42 PM

I'm not sure you understand what I said. CS8415 is an obsolete chip. The newer chip is CS8416. I would think CS8416 would be easier to find over there, but maybe I'm wrong. As for the DAC chip, it's not clear to me whether you want to use a microcontroller or not. PCM1796 requires a microcontroller. If you don't want to use a microcontroller, you should instead use PCM1794 or PCM1798.

DragosB · 20th October 2006, 07:47 PM

I understand what you said about CS8415, but this is the chip I have, so I want to use it. It seems very hard to find CS8416 here.

For the dac I do not want to use a microcontroller, instead I want to use PCM1796 in its default mode. I understand from the datasheet that, after a reset, the default mode of PCM1796 is I2S - 24bit, so that is how I want to use it. I just want to know if somebody did that before with succes.

roender · 2nd November 2006, 11:52 AM

Salut Dragos
Te pot ajuta cu un PCM1798 la schimb cu PCM-ul tau.
Daca esti interesat, cauta-ma pe roender@gmail.com

Tuliman · 2nd November 2006, 03:58 PM

Dragos, you can contact adrian.albu#anzitech.ro, he can help you with CS8416 or any other Cirrus IC.

I have 2 CS8416 bought from Anzitech, for 5,2$+TVA a piece, in may 2005.

They are in Bucuresti, somewhere near Gara de Nord - http://www.anzitech.ro/images/harta_mare.jpg.

PCM1798 poti incerca sa comanzi direct de pe ti.com ca si mostre, daca nu stiai asta deja.

This might interest you:
My latest project - DAC + headphone amp

PCBoards Bucuresti makes 4 layer PCB's; the PCB for this project, "unicat", is around 80-90 euros I think.

20th October 2006, 09:23 AM	#1
DragosB diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2006	My first DAC, CS8415/PCM1796 based After following this interesting forum for some months now, I decided to try designing my own DAC. Beeing the first audio project, I will try to keep it as simple as possible. I managed to find two main parts: a CS8415 and one PCM1796 DAC. At this time, I have two questions. First, I saw a lot of designs using CS8412/8414/8416 as sp-dif receiver. Still, none using CS8415. It is a particular reason for that? From the datasheet I saw that it can be used until 96kHz and has a hardware more. Did I miss something? The second question is about using PCM1796 without a microcontroller. I know that it must be software controlled, but the default mode is I2S/24bit. It will be possible to use this dac without an controller? As about I/V converter, I want to keep it simple, so I will go for passive conversion, followed by an opamp. Dragos

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20th October 2006, 01:09 PM	#2
ezkcdude diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Atlanta	CS8416 also can be hardware programmed (I did it that way) and accepts input up to 192 kHz. CS8415 is obsolete and "not recommended for new designs". Also, why bother with PCM1796? Just use PCM1798(4), which can also be hardware programmed (I did it that way, too).

20th October 2006, 04:14 PM	#3
DragosB diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2006	Thank you ezkcdude for you reply. I must say that your ezdac was one of my inspiration sources. Why bother with PCM1796? Two reasons: first, I manage to find it, and that is not an easy task in my country. Second, once I pay it, I would like to use it, and the task of programing a microcontroller is a little above my present skils. As about CS8415, I was curious why there aren't any designs using it. Seems to have the same capabilities as 8414 but seems that nobody use it.

20th October 2006, 04:42 PM	#4
ezkcdude diyAudio Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Atlanta	I'm not sure you understand what I said. CS8415 is an obsolete chip. The newer chip is CS8416. I would think CS8416 would be easier to find over there, but maybe I'm wrong. As for the DAC chip, it's not clear to me whether you want to use a microcontroller or not. PCM1796 requires a microcontroller. If you don't want to use a microcontroller, you should instead use PCM1794 or PCM1798.

20th October 2006, 07:47 PM	#5
DragosB diyAudio Member Join Date: Jun 2006	I understand what you said about CS8415, but this is the chip I have, so I want to use it. It seems very hard to find CS8416 here. For the dac I do not want to use a microcontroller, instead I want to use PCM1796 in its default mode. I understand from the datasheet that, after a reset, the default mode of PCM1796 is I2S - 24bit, so that is how I want to use it. I just want to know if somebody did that before with succes.

2nd November 2006, 11:52 AM	#6
roender diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2006	Salut Dragos Te pot ajuta cu un PCM1798 la schimb cu PCM-ul tau. Daca esti interesat, cauta-ma pe roender@gmail.com

2nd November 2006, 03:58 PM	#7
Tuliman diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Bucuresti	Dragos, you can contact adrian.albu#anzitech.ro, he can help you with CS8416 or any other Cirrus IC. I have 2 CS8416 bought from Anzitech, for 5,2$+TVA a piece, in may 2005. They are in Bucuresti, somewhere near Gara de Nord - http://www.anzitech.ro/images/harta_mare.jpg. PCM1798 poti incerca sa comanzi direct de pe ti.com ca si mostre, daca nu stiai asta deja. This might interest you: My latest project - DAC + headphone amp PCBoards Bucuresti makes 4 layer PCB's; the PCB for this project, "unicat", is around 80-90 euros I think.

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