Transformers
I have Lundahls too. I am having very good luck with Cinemag transformers. They are more affordable then Lundahls. These days I just use transformers for all my filtering. No loss of details... just beware of putting to much voltage across them. In my case less then 1 mV. Enjoy one of the best kept secrets in digital.
I have Lundahls too. I am having very good luck with Cinemag transformers. They are more affordable then Lundahls. These days I just use transformers for all my filtering. No loss of details... just beware of putting to much voltage across them. In my case less then 1 mV. Enjoy one of the best kept secrets in digital.
I have Lundahls too. I am having very good luck with Cinemag transformers. They are more affordable then Lundahls. These days I just use transformers for all my filtering. No loss of details... just beware of putting to much voltage across them. In my case less then 1 mV. Enjoy one of the best kept secrets in digital.
Another less secret aspect is pick the right one.
Here is the one I built. It's all on one PCB and is all surface mount except the power supply stuff. I think the regulators could have also been SMT to save a little space as well. This DAC was designed by a friend of mine out east. All the SMT soldering was done by myself and all the parts are easily available off the shelf.
Mark
Mark
Attachments
Lovely bit of work. The CS4398 is the chip I use on a Cirrus Logic demo board from 2000. You can run cap couples off the V+ left and right and the sound is very detailed, but slightly cool in the mid. I would think using the +- voltage outs on the DAC with the Lundahl will be warmer, and bring the balance of bass mid and treble in line and also filter out any noise.
Thanks! It wasn't too difficult a build as I've done a lot of SMT work in the past. I think you are correct about the effect the transformers give. It is a lovely sounding DAC. There are only three in existance and he doesn't want to sell boards or deal with other people wanting to build them...
Mark
Mark
Members of the "Sound DIY" Club have built seven or eight of the "Buffalo" DACs (I, II & III) and have tried comparing them against several other well known Commercial DACs. So far the Buffalo DAC has held it's own, or actuakky surpassed every single comparison with DACs up to $5K and is an absolute bargin for the price of the "Buffalo" Kit !
Great Dac!
Best Regards,
TerryO
Great Dac!
Best Regards,
TerryO
It's certainly not cheap, but it is an excellent design and performs well by "any" standard that you wish to impose.
Best Regards,
TerryO
Since I have not claimed or asserted that anything "is in any circumstances best", can I therefore assume that you are speaking of some another person's claim?
TerryO
But you stated that "performs well by "any" standard that you wish to impose."
As I wish to impose standards that Sabre cannot meet, your claim is obviously enthusiastic in excess. One can claim that never heard anything performing better than X (and that is enthusiastic enaugh), but cannot claim that anything better than X doesn't exist (and that is enthusiastic in excess, unjustified).
I can agree that Sabre is good, or very good, or even one of the best, but cannot agree that is best at all. Noone really can.
Nothing personal, just elucidation.
As I wish to impose standards that Sabre cannot meet, your claim is obviously enthusiastic in excess. One can claim that never heard anything performing better than X (and that is enthusiastic enaugh), but cannot claim that anything better than X doesn't exist (and that is enthusiastic in excess, unjustified).
I can agree that Sabre is good, or very good, or even one of the best, but cannot agree that is best at all. Noone really can.
Nothing personal, just elucidation.
Thanks for "elucidating" on what you are saying by using a claim that is not only unstated, but probably non-existant. Just the same, now that I'm aware of the direction you're taking this, I will get out of the way, in order that your ego may have a clear and open field to exercise.
Nothing personal of course. Goodbye.....
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You probably did not understand me. Possibly due to my not very good english. So, I sturdily doubt that you are "aware of the direction I'm taking this". The only thing I want add is to declare that my ego has nothing to do with it. And as I'm not pleased to expose myself to the allegations ad personam, I quit.
It looks very nice set up.
Which is the best sound , through the Lundahls, or through the Mundorf or through the op amp. Do each have any particular 3D image or other attribute or downside.
This particular pcm1798 certainly won't beat a buffalo 
The good thing about it however was that I was able to build it by using only parts already in my drawers (and etching a few boards).
It's a dumb pcm2707 followed by a pcm1798. Power supplies are cap multipliers followed by regs for both analog (lm7812/7912) and digital supplies (reg101). The only original thing about it are the small class A buffers to assist the opamps in the I/V (the lower currents of the pcm1798 are here a blessing). From what I remember, it was suggested by jcx but I see it's been done here too so the inspiration could have come from either.
I'm still hesitating on how best link the earthed case and the circuit common. I need to test it for noise with either a simple gnd link or a groundloop breaker.
The good thing about it however was that I was able to build it by using only parts already in my drawers (and etching a few boards).It's a dumb pcm2707 followed by a pcm1798. Power supplies are cap multipliers followed by regs for both analog (lm7812/7912) and digital supplies (reg101). The only original thing about it are the small class A buffers to assist the opamps in the I/V (the lower currents of the pcm1798 are here a blessing). From what I remember, it was suggested by jcx but I see it's been done here too so the inspiration could have come from either.
I'm still hesitating on how best link the earthed case and the circuit common. I need to test it for noise with either a simple gnd link or a groundloop breaker.
