Twisted Pear Audio - Buffalo32S (ES9018 DAC)

[81Buckeye]

With my old Buffalo + Ivy there was SE and Balanced outputs from the Ivy ( +,G,-,SE,G). On the Buffalo 32S I only see (+,G,-).
Do you have to shoose SE or Balanced or can you run both out as you could with the old Ivy?

[scanspeakman]

as far as I know you can use both like the original IVY. If you look in the buffalo topic, this questions has been adressed earlier.

It's pretty quiet in the buffalo related topics the last few days..... Silence before the storm hits when the first buffalo32s dacs are shipped next week? I am really counting down the days until I receive mine!

Scanspeakman

[jkeny]

Brian or Russ,
I know you have just released the Buffalo32 and are busy building up these boards to meet he demand for them BUT is there any news on the other type of Sabre32 board you were designing - the tweakers board?

I'm thinking that this would be a semi-built board & therefore easier to assemble!

Any news?

[Russ White]

Originally posted by jkeny
Brian or Russ,
I know you have just released the Buffalo32 and are busy building up these boards to meet he demand for them BUT is there any news on the other type of Sabre32 board you were designing - the tweakers board?

I'm thinking that this would be a semi-built board & therefore easier to assemble!

Any news?

I have actually been working on the "Tweakers" board this weekend. But with Brian moving and all it probably still a couple months out.

I think I may in the end do two of these type boards.

One will be very stripped down. No regulators or anything. Just bypass caps and the chip and headers and a spot for the clock (but that will also have a header).

This will give the hobbiest complete freedom.

Here is a rough sketch of the stripped version:

The other version would be the same as the Buffalo32S but with no comparator and all of the inputs exposed as headers and no output stage and the outputs exposed as headers.

Cheers!
Russ

[jkeny]

Originally posted by Russ White
One will be very stripped down. No regulators or anything. Just bypass caps and the chip and headers and a spot for the clock (but that will also have a header).

This will give the hobbiest complete freedom.Russ

That would be idea! I'd imagine that this would appeal to a lot of inmates here & would also be a lot quicker for you to produce!

[wackyterbacky]

Yes, I received the package yesterday. It contained the Buffalo32S board, standoffs, and the Thumpbuster kits.

Here is a thread on Twistedpear about Thumpbuster:

http://www.twistedpearaudio.com/foru...?g=posts&t=635

The following is Brian's comment from that thread:


Firmware option for Buffalo32s added to the Volumite page.

We have two options for Buffalo32s single-ended output if turn-off thump is an issue in your setup:

First, a simple relay board called the ThumpBuster. This is a small relay board powered by the analog rails, much like the relay on the IVY, it simply shunts the output to ground at power off preventing any thumps. These will come free with the Buffalo32s. With it, you can simple use +OUT and GND and get performance nearly as good as the balanced outputs.

Second, we have a new, smaller, simpler kit version of the Ballsie called the Ballsie Lite coming out in a couple weeks (boards will be here next week, but I need to kit up the parts). It has a single LME49720 and optional simple filtering. The best way to use it would be to install it at the destination rather than the source, so you get the benefit of balanced transmission lines, but it would work in either location. I am going to try very hard to have them ready to ship before the Buff32s modules ship, but I am also in the process of packing up our house to move, so I cannot promise that will be the case.

[Russ White]

HI Wacky,

I also have a description of when you might need the Thumpbusters in the manual.

Also install pics.

The easiest way to install them is under the BUF32S. On on each output side corner.


Cheers!
RUss

[wackyterbacky]

Hi Russ:

Are the new Buffalo32S version manual and schematics available?

Not hectoring, just wondering. I am sure you guys have been super busy.

I have two surplus dual linear power supplies (using LM723 metal cans ) that I will use. One will be +/- 15V and the other +VA and +VD. The two regulator boards are fed from separate windings.

A few questions please?

Q - Are there separate Analog and Digital grounds on Buffalo32S? ( I suppose I can just measure it. )

Q - Would you recommend tieing all the (-) terminals of the power supplies at the supply or just connect to the Buffalo? I was planning to do this on the +/- 15V supply, but what about the +VA and +VD supply?

Q - is VA still 6.6V nominal and VD 6.0V nominal?

Q - Also, these supplies have Sense terminals that are tied to the + and - outputs. I know these are for remote sensing and regulation, but is there any benefit of using these if the interconnects are only a few inches long?

Thanks.

[Russ White]

Originally posted by wackyterbacky
Hi Russ:

Are the new Buffalo32S version manual and schematics available?

Not hectoring, just wondering. I am sure you guys have been super busy.

I have two surplus dual linear power supplies (using LM723 metal cans ) that I will use. One will be +/- 15V and the other +VA and +VD. The two regulator boards are fed from separate windings.

A few questions please?

Q - Are there separate Analog and Digital grounds on Buffalo32S? ( I suppose I can just measure it. )

Q - Would you recommend tieing all the (-) terminals of the power supplies at the supply or just connect to the Buffalo? I was planning to do this on the +/- 15V supply, but what about the +VA and +VD supply?

Q - is VA still 6.6V nominal and VD 6.0V nominal?

Q - Also, these supplies have Sense terminals that are tied to the + and - outputs. I know these are for remote sensing and regulation, but is there any benefit of using these if the interconnects are only a few inches long?

Thanks.

We will have the manual up soon. I have delivered it to Brian so that he can give it a once over before it is published.

The GND planes are separate but coupled with about 12 ohms at DC.

Your bipolar (+/-15V) analog supply should have three outputs - , G, and +. Simply wire it to the same terminals on both sides of the BUF32S.

As for VD 5V is ideal. But up to 7V should be fine.

Everything that needs to be joined is joined at the PCB.

I can't really comment on the sense lines, but for very short run they won't make much difference.

Cheers!
Russ

[HaLo6]

If you don't need to use the Thumpbuster can you still hook up SE using + & GND off the terminals on the Buffalo32?