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Introducing the Buffalo III-SE-Pro 9028/9038

I have some questions about the future 8-channel version - ok to take it in this thread?

Will 8 channels of spdif or aes/ebu input be supported? Or will it require i2s input to be able to input 8 digital channels?

Approx. how much of a dynamic-range hit will it be with 8 channel output vs. 2-channel output?

Worse THD than the 2-channel version?
 
I will start a new thread - but the short answer is PCM(including I2S) and DSD are the only formats that will be natively supported in any configuration of more than 2 channels as the DAC chip itself can't handle anything more than 2 channels SPDIF. You will need some other way to convert to PCM/DSD if you want more than 2 channels.
 
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Hi,
I just finished my Amanero-Hermes-Cronus-Buffalo-IIIsePro38 build.
Have problem, no LED(LOCK/AUTOMUTE) light up and no sound.

-Voltage:
Have measure 5V to DAC and Hermes/Cronus board. Voltage out on all Trident supplies are correct.

-Switch:
SW1 P1 off for SERIAL(PCM/DSD) all other on.
SW2 P3-4 off for 70K (will use dsd 128, dsd256)

-Cronus:
J1:2 on Cronus

-Music player
My music player find Amanero board and have tried both pcm 44 and dsd 128. But no lock on DAC LED.

Any idea how to measure and trace the problem? I tried measure D1 and D2 i2s at input on DAC, around 4VDC there. Don’t remember DCK but a few mV VAC.

Regards Micke
 
Hi,
I just finished my Amanero-Hermes-Cronus-Buffalo-IIIsePro38 build.
Have problem, no LED(LOCK/AUTOMUTE) light up and no sound.

Do you have a spdif source you could try? That will let you know that the DAC itself is fine and you can concentrate on wiring etc. I would encourage you to post to the support forum with so photos so we can help better.

Cheers!
Russ
 
Subjective sound quality of my Buff PRO (9038)/Mercury build certainly is better than anything I have heard at less than $10K retail.
That sounds impressive, what configuration are you using - simple S/PDIF or Hermes/Cronus/Amanero etc.? Apologies if I've missed it in this thread. I'm still using Buffalo II and IVY-III with a Squeezebox, but it looks like things have moved on quite a lot.
 
this...

That sounds impressive, what configuration are you using - simple S/PDIF or Hermes/Cronus/Amanero etc.? Apologies if I've missed it in this thread. I'm still using Buffalo II and IVY-III with a Squeezebox, but it looks like things have moved on quite a lot.

Buff PRO (ESS 9038), Mercury output stage at ~4.6 Vout (90 ohm resistors, TX-2575), Amtrans foil filter caps. I run the 9038 synchronously from the Cronus clock.

Hermes/Amanero/Cronus, 45.1584 clock only

DIY power supplies for digital with Jensen 4 pole caps and Belleson regs

Temporary older model Placid HD for analog supplies (for proof of performance, will probably build a dual mono supply now)

Source is a Sonore Signature Rendu SE (Ethernet in USB out), USB cable is Nordost Tyr.

Mac Mini running Audirvana +. All PCM is oversampled to DSD 128 (hope to use DSD 256 soon).
 
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I will start a new thread - but the short answer is PCM(including I2S) and DSD are the only formats that will be natively supported in any configuration of more than 2 channels as the DAC chip itself can't handle anything more than 2 channels SPDIF. You will need some other way to convert to PCM/DSD if you want more than 2 channels.

Anyone having a suggestion how to do that?
I have 8 channels of AES/EBU (and also SPDIF) output on my digital crossover. This I would want to input into an 8-channel Buffalo.
I have 4-way active speakers.
 
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Dac buffalo III se pro: hel to me

I finished the Buffalo III DAC Pro Pro for a few days. Then I connected the Merury I / V stage but I did not hear any sound.
Here are my controls: I removed the mercury from the DAC and I connected it to an analog source and at its output I connected a headset and the sound of the source feels good. I deduce that mercury is fine.
Now we see the DAc saber III 9038 Pro: all the tensions are accurate I used the tridend purchased by you (a dual 3.6V and No. 2 of 3.3V and No. 1 of 1.3V).
The SW1 and SW2 have all the positions in ON. If I want to hear the signal in Spdif the pos. 1 SW1 remains ON, and if I choose to hear DSD signal, position 1 of SW1 must be OFF. I have not modified the other positions that remain on. I confirm that I tried to hear both the signals in Spdif and in DSD but nothing.
Furthermore the led lock turns on when I connect the digital output in spdf to the DAc saber III 9038 Pro. This also applies to DSD output. Does that mean it's all right?
I do not know what to do to help me. Where did I go wrong?
regards
 
Dac buffalo III se pro: hel to me

Hmm if you post some pictures on the support forum we can take a look and see if we can get you squared away. :)

These are my photos IMG_1426.jpg

IMG_1429.jpg

IMG_1432.jpg
 
I finished the Buffalo III DAC Pro Pro for a few days. Then I connected the Merury I / V stage but I did not hear any sound.
Here are my controls: I removed the mercury from the DAC and I connected it to an analog source and at its output I connected a headset and the sound of the source feels good. I deduce that mercury is fine.
Now we see the DAc saber III 9038 Pro: all the tensions are accurate I used the tridend purchased by you (a dual 3.6V and No. 2 of 3.3V and No. 1 of 1.3V).
The SW1 and SW2 have all the positions in ON. If I want to hear the signal in Spdif the pos. 1 SW1 remains ON, and if I choose to hear DSD signal, position 1 of SW1 must be OFF. I have not modified the other positions that remain on. I confirm that I tried to hear both the signals in Spdif and in DSD but nothing.
Furthermore the led lock turns on when I connect the digital output in spdf to the DAc saber III 9038 Pro. This also applies to DSD output. Does that mean it's all right?
I do not know what to do to help me. Where did I go wrong?
regards

Are you using the supplied pot for volume control on the Buffalo? If you're not, have you placed a jumper on the PCB instead of the pot (3.3V and PB4 pins)? Been there, done that, forgot that it was written in the Buffalo manual and lost an hour or two trying to figure it out.

Paul