Hi Dave
I had a quick look at the DAC you're referring to. It's not 32bit/192 kHZ, it simply says that display is able to indicate sampling rates 32kHz - 192kHz. The CS8422 has the advantage of selectable I2S input, usefull for USB connecting. I don't know what the performance is. The DAC-pcb design has 6 opamps in output stage, too much I think. The design is according to the sound evaluation board provided by AKM though. It has also a muting relay. Decoupling of AK4399 is much better on our WeiLiang DAC. Psu also.
Let us know if you get better performance of the optical receiver with sepc.
Hi Valeri100
The newest pcb is better indeed with the LT1963 I think, although the first board uses a 5V pre-regulator. The main purpose of the mod is to separate the analog psu of the AK4118, so you can use a standard 3.3V regulator as well. This regulator is just dedicated to the analog pin, you see? This way all the noise on the analog pin is from the analog regulator itself. The LT1963 is then used for digital supply of the AK4118 and supply of the optical receiver.
But I think, to make one big step, you might as well get the best regulator you know for the job. I liked your tentlabs shunt regulators also a lot. If I interpret the specs right, they have even lower noise and you have enough voltage for them to operate, but you might need a 'dropper resistor' (see application note from tentlabs).
I had a quick look at the DAC you're referring to. It's not 32bit/192 kHZ, it simply says that display is able to indicate sampling rates 32kHz - 192kHz. The CS8422 has the advantage of selectable I2S input, usefull for USB connecting. I don't know what the performance is. The DAC-pcb design has 6 opamps in output stage, too much I think. The design is according to the sound evaluation board provided by AKM though. It has also a muting relay. Decoupling of AK4399 is much better on our WeiLiang DAC. Psu also.
Let us know if you get better performance of the optical receiver with sepc.
Hi Valeri100
The newest pcb is better indeed with the LT1963 I think, although the first board uses a 5V pre-regulator. The main purpose of the mod is to separate the analog psu of the AK4118, so you can use a standard 3.3V regulator as well. This regulator is just dedicated to the analog pin, you see? This way all the noise on the analog pin is from the analog regulator itself. The LT1963 is then used for digital supply of the AK4118 and supply of the optical receiver.
But I think, to make one big step, you might as well get the best regulator you know for the job. I liked your tentlabs shunt regulators also a lot. If I interpret the specs right, they have even lower noise and you have enough voltage for them to operate, but you might need a 'dropper resistor' (see application note from tentlabs).
Last edited:
Thank you NinoSimon.
I will stay with my dac and do the Belleson upgrade.
Perhaps they will do another dac at a later stage using the later AK chips.
The sepc upgrade is hard to say because I never used the original capacitor I just no other people upgrade the standard oscon capacitors to these.
On the Sony site they list the oscon sepc as there premium capacitor but they only come in low voltages.
I will stay with my dac and do the Belleson upgrade.
Perhaps they will do another dac at a later stage using the later AK chips.
The sepc upgrade is hard to say because I never used the original capacitor I just no other people upgrade the standard oscon capacitors to these.
On the Sony site they list the oscon sepc as there premium capacitor but they only come in low voltages.
Hi guys, thanks for your intensive development, it looks really great.
I had no time last few days to do anything with my DAC but in the meantime I made some additional research for analog output stage possibility.
As I mentioned earlier tube output doesn't work for me but transistor/transformer definitely.
Additional discrete opa options might by 990 DOA but I'm not PCB specialist by any means so need someone of you to tell us if it's worth it or not, specs and application documents are provided here:
http://www.johnhardyco.com/990OpAmpDetails.html -> cost $50
http://www.sonicimagerylabs.com/products/Model990Enh-Ticha.html ->cost $69
http://www.soundskulptor.com/uk/products.php?cat=19 ->cost $69
Scott Liebers Labs - Op Amps and Outboard Gear. -> cost $65
standard DIP8 discrete opas besides burson opa:
NewClassD Discrete OPAMPs
ºÍ§Ó*µ响
Lundahl transformer alternative
µÏ±¦DB1736 ¿ÉÌæ´úLundahl LL1527µÄÒôƵÐźűäѹÆ÷ ƵÏì³öÖÚ-ÌÔ±¦Íø -> ~$65 shipped (I ordered 2pcs by accident
)
I had no time last few days to do anything with my DAC but in the meantime I made some additional research for analog output stage possibility.
As I mentioned earlier tube output doesn't work for me but transistor/transformer definitely.
Additional discrete opa options might by 990 DOA but I'm not PCB specialist by any means so need someone of you to tell us if it's worth it or not, specs and application documents are provided here:
http://www.johnhardyco.com/990OpAmpDetails.html -> cost $50
http://www.sonicimagerylabs.com/products/Model990Enh-Ticha.html ->cost $69
http://www.soundskulptor.com/uk/products.php?cat=19 ->cost $69
Scott Liebers Labs - Op Amps and Outboard Gear. -> cost $65
standard DIP8 discrete opas besides burson opa:
NewClassD Discrete OPAMPs
ºÍ§Ó*µ响
Lundahl transformer alternative
µÏ±¦DB1736 ¿ÉÌæ´úLundahl LL1527µÄÒôƵÐźűäѹÆ÷ ƵÏì³öÖÚ-ÌÔ±¦Íø -> ~$65 shipped (I ordered 2pcs by accident
)Lundahl transformer alternative
µÏ±¦DB1736 ¿ÉÌæ´úLundahl LL1527µÄÒôƵÐźűäѹÆ÷ ƵÏì³öÖÚ-ÌÔ±¦Íø -> ~$65 shipped (I ordered 2pcs by accident
Hi Kukynas,
Did you hit wrong button? Do you obliged to buy it?
If you like you can test Monacor LTR110 which I have. It has the same specs and almost the same sound (in CS4398 based DAC) as UTC A20 which I used for this DAC. I will use the Monacors for another DAC which I am slowly doing as birthday present for a friend. On Friday I will meet one guy from Brno and can hand over the transformers to him in case if you want to try it.
Hi Valeri,
no, it was most probably one of those frustration shopping days so that's why "by accident" but never mind I'm sure there will be a usage for either this or other project.
For €11.50 it looks interesting, did u test and compare it with UTC A-20? how does it sound? depended on when do you need it back
no, it was most probably one of those frustration shopping days so that's why "by accident"
but never mind I'm sure there will be a usage for either this or other project.For €11.50 it looks interesting, did u test and compare it with UTC A-20? how does it sound? depended on when do you need it back
Hi Valeri,
no, it was most probably one of those frustration shopping days so that's why "by accident"
For €11.50 it looks interesting, did u test and compare it with UTC A-20? how does it sound? depended on when do you need it back
I will need them back end of September. I did not tested them in this DAC but with another one (based on CS4398) I did not noticed any difference between Monacor and UTC A-20. I also would like to mention that during that test I did not hear sound improvement with UTC A-20 vs OPAs. With this DAC the UTC A-20 I hear sound improvement.
If I will find a free evening this week I will test it and will tell you the result.
Hi kukynas
IMHO first you need to decide if you want an op-amp in your output stage. A passive filter followed by a discrete class-A amplifier is a better solution, because it doesn't need feedback, it has a fixed gain for the application.
You can also go for the discrete output stage from Ray, Ray's Audio Page which I'm using. It's class A, a passive filter with a nice differential amplifier. It will cost more though...
But on the other hand: you can get very good SQ with a monolithic op-amp (LME 49710) as well, if they have a better power supply. So my advice would be to first get a descent psu for the output stage (super regulators for + / - 12-15V). Super regulators have better load-regulation, ripple rejection and less noise. Once upgraded psu, next step could be any discrete opamp or class A output stage you like: they all need a good psu for maximum performance.
Last edited:
What's the current requirements for the PSU for the dual board? I currently use lead acid batteries for my ES9023 DAC and it's no problem - 12Ah batteries last 3-4 days.
After reading jbau's very interesting thread about 3 pin series regulators, I thought that dac builders' complaints about opamp output stages could be related with his findings about impedance mismatching of each + and - rails even if complement type of regulators have used.
According to his real life measurements, he saw that same brand LM317 and LM337 regulators don't measure same in same conditions. After a long survey, he came up with a simple design with matched rails using an original National brand LM337 and LT1085 from Linear.
I suggest you to take look at his findings:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/powe...ok-lm317-lm337-regulators-25.html#post1890943
According to his real life measurements, he saw that same brand LM317 and LM337 regulators don't measure same in same conditions. After a long survey, he came up with a simple design with matched rails using an original National brand LM337 and LT1085 from Linear.
I suggest you to take look at his findings:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/powe...ok-lm317-lm337-regulators-25.html#post1890943
Last edited:
AK4495 DAC
Earlier some in this thread mentioned the new AK4495 DAC chip. I found a DAC in Czechoslovakia using this chip.
Link is here: CustomWorks DAC 1 USB – Nové!
Need to run google translate for details as I don't read Czech, but figure some here may find this DAC interesting.
Earlier some in this thread mentioned the new AK4495 DAC chip. I found a DAC in Czechoslovakia using this chip.
Link is here: CustomWorks DAC 1 USB – Nové!
Need to run google translate for details as I don't read Czech, but figure some here may find this DAC interesting.
this is definitely great DAC and guys from CW knows what they are doing but $750 just for assembled board might look bit pricey, at least for me, if anybody need more info let me know...
Hi guys,
I'm looking for exchanging 1xLM7805 and 3xLT1085 regulators for Dexa class D ultra wide bandwidth regulators, if I understood well based on this page these should be simple swap regs. so no additional parts required (please correct me if I'm wrong), what I'm not sure about is around LT1085, these are all positive voltage regs right?
edit: btw. I'm buying these 2 girls top of it, here some reviews...
I'm looking for exchanging 1xLM7805 and 3xLT1085 regulators for Dexa class D ultra wide bandwidth regulators, if I understood well based on this page these should be simple swap regs. so no additional parts required (please correct me if I'm wrong), what I'm not sure about is around LT1085, these are all positive voltage regs right?
edit: btw. I'm buying these 2 girls top of it, here some reviews...
Last edited:
Click on "kontakt" and go down to the bottom where you see "English Translate". This brings up another screen where you again click on "English Translate" and then it's all in English. They're in Litomerice, north of Prague and half way to Dresden.
Last edited:
State with that name does not exist for more than twenty years..
Does that mean that they are even then used hires.. or that some can not see further than their butt..
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.