Twisted Pear Audio - Buffalo32S (ES9018 DAC)

[HaLo6]

I just got mine today, however work and school will impede on its completion date. Thanks! Very well packed! Brian and Russ did a great job getting these out balancing whats going on with Brian's move etc...

 

[slartibartfasst]

Nielsio:

A picture. Criticisms would be appreciated and I'll answer any questions as best I can.

Slarti

 

[oneplustwo]

Nice casework! Are you feeding an amp? Looks like you have a volumite there so maybe you're just feeding the headphones directly? Any first impressions as to the sound? Also, can you tell me how tall an enclosure you will need with the boards and standoffs that are included?

 

[slartibartfasst]

Oneplustwo:

Ha, I figured I'd get dinged on the (lack of) casework. As soon as I fix a few resistors I put in backwards, I'll put this thing in a nice, shiny box.

I'm driving a pair of ~1996 Sennheiser HD-600's in a balanced configuration straight off the Buffalo board, and I haven't put the Volumite to work yet. I haven't tried the DAC on any speakers.

It was immediately apparent to me that the Buffalo beats any source I've listened to by a country mile. As such, I can't add any constructive comparative assessments, sound-wise.

The Buffalo board is under 1.125" and the LCxPS' are a touch under 1.625," both including the supplied standoffs.

Slarti

 

[mjwolf]

Here is a Bufflo32S in a Cardboard Box. The Box is used to test the layout before a buy a case.

 

[3lviz]

I was thinking layout like this with Pesante 2U chasis. Do you see something wrong with the wirings (length etc) or layout? I am pretty noob on electronics, but this is how i have understood how it goes, before i read the manual. The voltages are probably better specified in the manual, but this is what i have catched so far.

 

[HaLo6]

pardon the ignorance but looking at the trafo PDF can the primaries be series connected while leaving the secondaries independant? Is the picture a couple posts ago also cool? I am going to build mine this weekend!

 

[Russ White]

I was thinking layout like this with Pesante 2U chasis. Do you see something wrong with the wirings (length etc) or layout? I am pretty noob on electronics, but this is how i have understood how it goes, before i read the manual. The voltages are probably better specified in the manual, but this is what i have catched so far.

VD is 5V

VA is +/-15V There is no 6.6V on the analog side.

Cheers!
Russ

 

[HaLo6]

Ha, I figured I'd get dinged on the (lack of) casework. As soon as I fix a few resistors I put in backwards, I'll put this thing in a nice, shiny box.

I thought there was no orientation to resistors?!?!?!

 

[Russ White]

I thought there was no orientation to resistors?!?!?!

Your are correct.

 

[oneplustwo]

Thanks for the measurements!

Backwards resistors?

Oneplustwo:

Ha, I figured I'd get dinged on the (lack of) casework. As soon as I fix a few resistors I put in backwards, I'll put this thing in a nice, shiny box.


Slarti

 

[slartibartfasst]

The positive side faces north, unless you're in the southern hemisphere...

 

[mjwolf]

Here is my Buffalo. I need to buy a true case. I am driving a B22. So far the sound stage sounds much wider than any I have hear before.

 

[3lviz]

VD is 5V

VA is +/-15V There is no 6.6V on the analog side.

Cheers!
Russ

Thanks for the correction. I don't know where i picked that 6.6V from.

Here is my Buffalo. I need to buy a true case. I am driving a B22. So far the sound stage sounds much wider than any I have hear before.

This is what I have for a case. No, I did not find smaller letters, but weirdly i like the looks . The letters seem black in the pic, but they are silver in real life.

I probably get the electronics next week (got a notice from USPS yesterday), but I gotta do the back plate drilling before that, which will be new experience for me as well.

 

[HaLo6]

Can someone in the US explain how they have the trafo's hooked up to the IEC inlet and the LCDPS and LCBPS? I just want to make sure I am hooking it up correctly... it looks like the last two internal pics of the Sabre32S (in the US) have utilized different trafo hookups.

 

[pidesd]

grey, brown AC
blue,violet G

black,yellow AC
red,orange G

 

[HaLo6]

thanks!

 

[solarstabi]

Got mine this time yesterday.
Working great off Toslink with LCBPS & LCDPS of 10VA & 30VA potted toroidal t'formers.
So smooth & detailed.
I didn't think I'd notice a difference between B32S & Musical Fidelity V-DAC, but I can!
Haven't wired thump-busters in yet, will need to look at that thread for more detail on how to wire them in.

Well done Russ & crew!

 

[3lviz]

Is a 1A fast-blowing fuse ok or to protect the DAC with 220VAC mains?

 

[mikelm]

Here is my Buffalo. I need to buy a true case. I am driving a B22. So far the sound stage sounds much wider than any I have hear before.

Some respected professionals - like dennis morecroft of DNM think that a wooden or plastic enclosure has inherent advantages over a metal casing especially a magnetic metal casing. I would be interested to hear if your DAC sounds different if you mount it in a metal box

cheers

mike