Hi there – I’d like to place an order for your Buffalo 2SE DAC. I just wanted to ask a couple of questions before I place the order around implementation ( I have built another DAC before using Burr Brown / TI which is very good).
Q1: I don’t mind spending the extra to buy 2x Burralo 2 SE’s and have them operating in dual-mono design. I’m after your opinion as to whether the added cost gives an appreciable increase in sound quality.
Q2: I really only need RCA outputs for my amp so I was thinking of having a IVY-III I/V stage connected to 2x dual-mono Buffalo 2 SE DACs – in doing so, do you think it is worthwhile me ordering a second Placid HD bipolar PSU to have separate PSUs for the left and right channels, or is this not going to give me better separation / not required.
OR
should I use one Placid HD bipolar PSU for powering the DAC board and a second for the IVY-III I/V? I would have thought the former (above) would be the better approach?
Q3: I notice on page 79 of the integration guide it says that “IVY III works a little better when only 1 DAC channel feeds it instead of the normal 4 channels.” If I am going with a dual mono approach then I have 8x DACs operating together right for each L/R channel – is this going to result in a lower quality output?
Q4: Is free shipping also applicable to Australia or only within USA?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Q1: I don’t mind spending the extra to buy 2x Burralo 2 SE’s and have them operating in dual-mono design. I’m after your opinion as to whether the added cost gives an appreciable increase in sound quality.
Q2: I really only need RCA outputs for my amp so I was thinking of having a IVY-III I/V stage connected to 2x dual-mono Buffalo 2 SE DACs – in doing so, do you think it is worthwhile me ordering a second Placid HD bipolar PSU to have separate PSUs for the left and right channels, or is this not going to give me better separation / not required.
OR
should I use one Placid HD bipolar PSU for powering the DAC board and a second for the IVY-III I/V? I would have thought the former (above) would be the better approach?
Q3: I notice on page 79 of the integration guide it says that “IVY III works a little better when only 1 DAC channel feeds it instead of the normal 4 channels.” If I am going with a dual mono approach then I have 8x DACs operating together right for each L/R channel – is this going to result in a lower quality output?
Q4: Is free shipping also applicable to Australia or only within USA?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Note: For clarity, it's the Buffalo IIIse (3 not 2)
Q1: There is technically and subjectively an improvement. Whether you will hear a difference, I cannot say. For what it's worth, I generally use a single stereo board.
Q2: If you are using a single IVY-III, and it's Bal->SE converter, it does not make a lot of sense to use two Placid BP supplies, since only one of them can power the conversion stage.
Q3: The input stage of the IVY-III was designed primarily for, and will work best with, stereo use with the Buffalo (four combined DAC channels per channel). It will also work well in dual mono applications (8 combined DAC channels per channel). Not sure where the comment on single channel use comes from.
Q4: Yes, free shipping is worldwide.
In the end, I recommend you start off with a single Buffalo3SE, Placid HD, IVY-III, Placid BP HD. You can always upgrade to a more complicated setup later if you feel you ned to make improvements.
If you do want to just go full dual-mono, and will only be using single-ended outputs (RCAs), you should use two IVY's, one per DAC, each with it's own Placid BP. Dual-mono gets you two benefits: more DACs per channel for higher DNR, and seperation of power supplies for less channel crosstalk.
Q1: There is technically and subjectively an improvement. Whether you will hear a difference, I cannot say. For what it's worth, I generally use a single stereo board.
Q2: If you are using a single IVY-III, and it's Bal->SE converter, it does not make a lot of sense to use two Placid BP supplies, since only one of them can power the conversion stage.
Q3: The input stage of the IVY-III was designed primarily for, and will work best with, stereo use with the Buffalo (four combined DAC channels per channel). It will also work well in dual mono applications (8 combined DAC channels per channel). Not sure where the comment on single channel use comes from.
Q4: Yes, free shipping is worldwide.
In the end, I recommend you start off with a single Buffalo3SE, Placid HD, IVY-III, Placid BP HD. You can always upgrade to a more complicated setup later if you feel you ned to make improvements.
If you do want to just go full dual-mono, and will only be using single-ended outputs (RCAs), you should use two IVY's, one per DAC, each with it's own Placid BP. Dual-mono gets you two benefits: more DACs per channel for higher DNR, and seperation of power supplies for less channel crosstalk.
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Thanks for the feedback and answers Brian - I've done a little more reading and decided to go with a Buffalo 3se board running stereo going through to a Legato I/V stage. Is it worth modifying the legato to segregate the left/right 15v rails and use a placid hd bp supply for each to get better separation?
I notice the placid hd and toslink converter are out of stock - when are they likely to be available again - I'll place an order then. Thanks
I notice the placid hd and toslink converter are out of stock - when are they likely to be available again - I'll place an order then. Thanks
Hi Brian, I have similar question and I emailed you as well.
I ordered My BIII-SE and Placid HD on 2013 but only have time to built them now, now I browsed TPA and DIYAudio for some updated info, I found some of the parts just got new version so parts on my hands outdated without actually build them. So I come to crossroad, should I get updated parts first so I don't have to do it again.
1. The AVCC module is AVCC SRA 2.1, latest is AVCC_SR V1.0?
2. I see a new Firmware Update 3 for Buffalo-IIIse DAC, recommended to change?
3. Worth to upgrade Placid HD to HD 2.0?
4. I have Ananero USB already(my B3-SE with 100Mhz clock), I want to add reclock and isolation by Cronus Hermes and Rhea, so order Hermes-AmaneroUSB Isolator Module + Cronus Re-clocking Module with 45.1584/49.152MHz Rhea Pair will do? anything additional I have to order? What's the timeframe that Cronus will available again?
5. Anything important to update on my 2013 BIII-SE and Placid HD, as I want to take the order when Cronus available again.
Thank you for your help!
I ordered My BIII-SE and Placid HD on 2013 but only have time to built them now, now I browsed TPA and DIYAudio for some updated info, I found some of the parts just got new version so parts on my hands outdated without actually build them. So I come to crossroad, should I get updated parts first so I don't have to do it again.
1. The AVCC module is AVCC SRA 2.1, latest is AVCC_SR V1.0?
2. I see a new Firmware Update 3 for Buffalo-IIIse DAC, recommended to change?
3. Worth to upgrade Placid HD to HD 2.0?
4. I have Ananero USB already(my B3-SE with 100Mhz clock), I want to add reclock and isolation by Cronus Hermes and Rhea, so order Hermes-AmaneroUSB Isolator Module + Cronus Re-clocking Module with 45.1584/49.152MHz Rhea Pair will do? anything additional I have to order? What's the timeframe that Cronus will available again?
5. Anything important to update on my 2013 BIII-SE and Placid HD, as I want to take the order when Cronus available again.
Thank you for your help!
Might reiterate my question - Hercules ur question isn't really similar and probably warrants another thread..
Thanks for the feedback and answers Brian - I've done a little more reading and decided to go with a Buffalo 3se board running stereo going through to a Legato I/V stage. Is it worth modifying the legato to segregate the left/right 15v rails and use a placid hd bp supply for each to get better separation?
I notice the placid hd and toslink converter are out of stock - when are they likely to be available again - I'll place an order then. Thanks
Thanks for the feedback and answers Brian - I've done a little more reading and decided to go with a Buffalo 3se board running stereo going through to a Legato I/V stage. Is it worth modifying the legato to segregate the left/right 15v rails and use a placid hd bp supply for each to get better separation?
I notice the placid hd and toslink converter are out of stock - when are they likely to be available again - I'll place an order then. Thanks
This option exists on the Legato (and IVY) for balanced outputs, but not for SE outputs. There is no straight forward way to modify this.
Both are in stock now.
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