I agree with ichiban! My 9028/Mercury combo is very impressive!
I hope to get my 4.3" tft soon and see if my DimDim shield works. My previous BIII DAC was Arduino controlled and I miss that. The dipswitch thing is preventing instant gratification.🙂
Sorry to go off topic but I would like to hear more about DimDim shield. Maybe you could start another thread when you get it working.
Thanks
Sorry to go off topic but I would like to hear more about DimDim shield. Maybe you could start another thread when you get it working.
Thanks
Ditto

I hope Russ & Brain don't mind...check this post where he swapped a BIII 9018 dac chip for a 9028 chip. It has shield info (post # 24} with links to his blog. I suggest looking at his previous shield that contains instructions which helped make the current shield hookup instructions clearer to me.
Buffalo III upgraded with ES9028Pro
Buffalo III upgraded with ES9028Pro
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OMG
I cannot say enough about how good this DAC sounds.
Now, I have not heard multi-thousand dollar dacs, but this is the bomb!
Thank you Russ & Brian !!! 🙂
I must finish the PASS SONY amp, this will be awesome!
I cannot say enough about how good this DAC sounds.
Now, I have not heard multi-thousand dollar dacs, but this is the bomb!
Thank you Russ & Brian !!! 🙂
I must finish the PASS SONY amp, this will be awesome!
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I have to second Ichiban's thanks to Russ and Brian
I have the buffalo III 9038 version with the Mercury; running Volumio on a BBB. driving a Pass f6 and the entire setup is superb sounding.
I have the buffalo III 9038 version with the Mercury; running Volumio on a BBB. driving a Pass f6 and the entire setup is superb sounding.
Buffalo SPDIF
Hi,
I'm about to start putting the buffalo DAC together and I am trying to figure out if my planned setup is possible.
Basically, I would like the buffalo to have 2 inputs: the first one being DSD coming from Ian's McFIFO and the second SPDIF from various AV sources.
I understand that the buffalo allows both SPDIF and DSD input with the current firmware, but the problem I'm seeing is with the clock.
If I use Ian's McFIFO, the onboard clock will be replaced by the clock from the McFIFO (omitting the VDD_XO and connecting the McFIFO MCK to the EXT_MCK on the buffalo). If I'm using the SPDIF input, I would then need to have the onboard clock active as the SPDIF will not be passing through the McFIFO (because of the video-audio delay that will be introduced by the McFIFO).
Since I cannot have both the onboard clock off for the FIFO and back on for the SPDIF, would it be possible to modify the firmware so that when the SPDIF source is selected, the VDD_XO is turned "On" with a relay and the McFIFO supply is turned off with another relay? Effectively activating the onboard clock and disabling the McFIFO clock (without having to disconnect the EXT_MCK)? Is there a better way of doing that?
Thanks
Paul
Hi,
I'm about to start putting the buffalo DAC together and I am trying to figure out if my planned setup is possible.
Basically, I would like the buffalo to have 2 inputs: the first one being DSD coming from Ian's McFIFO and the second SPDIF from various AV sources.
I understand that the buffalo allows both SPDIF and DSD input with the current firmware, but the problem I'm seeing is with the clock.
If I use Ian's McFIFO, the onboard clock will be replaced by the clock from the McFIFO (omitting the VDD_XO and connecting the McFIFO MCK to the EXT_MCK on the buffalo). If I'm using the SPDIF input, I would then need to have the onboard clock active as the SPDIF will not be passing through the McFIFO (because of the video-audio delay that will be introduced by the McFIFO).
Since I cannot have both the onboard clock off for the FIFO and back on for the SPDIF, would it be possible to modify the firmware so that when the SPDIF source is selected, the VDD_XO is turned "On" with a relay and the McFIFO supply is turned off with another relay? Effectively activating the onboard clock and disabling the McFIFO clock (without having to disconnect the EXT_MCK)? Is there a better way of doing that?
Thanks
Paul
Originally Posted by ichiban
Hi,
I don't often use pause, in Roon, but when I did I get thump, thump, thump through the speakers? 🙁
That didn't work. 🙁Also, this never happened with the previous setup, BBB/Hermes/Cronus/Buffalo II ?😕

Hi,
I don't often use pause, in Roon, but when I did I get thump, thump, thump through the speakers? 🙁
Sounds like a source that does not handle gaps correctly. You probably will want to enable automute for that source. Switch 2 position 1.
That didn't work. 🙁Also, this never happened with the previous setup, BBB/Hermes/Cronus/Buffalo II ?😕
It may be a sign of fatigue in Roon. Did you try to restart Roon? In most cases (actually when playing DSD512 via HQ player and Roon), I've experienced the problem to be solved by restarting Roon.
Regards,
LCDPS V1.1 Power for 9028PRO
Russ or Brian,
I have an older LCDPS V1.1 with a 15VA x 9V secondaries xfmr. Will this PS be able to supply enough current (~750ma) for the 9028?
Also, I assume the current FW on the controller shipped with it, will work with the pot provided for volume control. Is that correct?
Russ or Brian,
I have an older LCDPS V1.1 with a 15VA x 9V secondaries xfmr. Will this PS be able to supply enough current (~750ma) for the 9028?
Also, I assume the current FW on the controller shipped with it, will work with the pot provided for volume control. Is that correct?
It may be a sign of fatigue in Roon. Did you try to restart Roon? In most cases (actually when playing DSD512 via HQ player and Roon), I've experienced the problem to be solved by restarting Roon.
Regards,
No, that doesn't work.
It will happen right from a start.
I don't play any DSD or use HQp.
-Cheers
Russ or Brian,
I have an older LCDPS V1.1 with a 15VA x 9V secondaries xfmr. Will this PS be able to supply enough current (~750ma) for the 9028?
Also, I assume the current FW on the controller shipped with it, will work with the pot provided for volume control. Is that correct?
The limiting factors on the LCDPS will resistors and the regulators. The LM317 is good for 1.5A, so you should be okay there. The 3W resistors will limit current though. You could just bypass them with a jumper.
The Buffalo on-board FW does handle volume control with the included pot, yes.
LCDPS v1.1
Once I bypass R1 and R3 i should just adjust the VR 1 or 2 to get the right output voltage (5VDC for the 9028)? Are there any other checks I should make before I hook up and go?
Once I bypass R1 and R3 i should just adjust the VR 1 or 2 to get the right output voltage (5VDC for the 9028)? Are there any other checks I should make before I hook up and go?
That's about it. If you are feeling adventurous, you could swap the LM317 for LM350s. Just keep an eye on heat with the higher current.
Vol control anomaly
Really strange operation of the volume control just now!
Turned the system on and sound came out of the right
channel only. I turned the vol pot down and could hear
sound out of the left channel which got louder as I decreased
the pot and the right channel sound went down. 😱 😕
Really strange operation of the volume control just now!
Turned the system on and sound came out of the right
channel only. I turned the vol pot down and could hear
sound out of the left channel which got louder as I decreased
the pot and the right channel sound went down. 😱 😕
Vol control anomaly - update
--update
I thought I was rebooting the BIIIPro38 by switching the power off & back on.
Forgetting that I have the DAC board wired to be on at all times to keep the clock cooking and stable, something I've read somewhere on these posts.
I remembered that and pulled the plug at the wall. Something reset in the dac and vol control works fine now.
That this happened at all worries me though.
--update
I thought I was rebooting the BIIIPro38 by switching the power off & back on.
Forgetting that I have the DAC board wired to be on at all times to keep the clock cooking and stable, something I've read somewhere on these posts.
I remembered that and pulled the plug at the wall. Something reset in the dac and vol control works fine now.
That this happened at all worries me though.

-I must make amends
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russ White
Sounds like a source that does not handle gaps correctly. You probably will want to enable automute for that source. Switch 2 position 1.
That didn't work. 🙁Also, this never happened with the previous setup, BBB/Hermes/Cronus/Buffalo II ?😕
-I must make amends🙁
While I had the case opened up to check about the vol control problem, I checked the automute switch, bugger little things to see. I got out a magnifying glass and saw that I didn't really get the switch positioned correctly
Setting it properly did result in automute. 😉
Quote:
Originally Posted by Russ White

Sounds like a source that does not handle gaps correctly. You probably will want to enable automute for that source. Switch 2 position 1.
That didn't work. 🙁Also, this never happened with the previous setup, BBB/Hermes/Cronus/Buffalo II ?😕
-I must make amends🙁
While I had the case opened up to check about the vol control problem, I checked the automute switch, bugger little things to see. I got out a magnifying glass and saw that I didn't really get the switch positioned correctly

LCDPS v1.1
I was looking over the schematic and noticed that I must have an older version of the LCDPS. There are 4 3W resistors, R1 to R4. I removed R1 and put a 5 ohm resistor across the output. It appears to only be capable of about 500 ma of output (~2.6 VDC @5 ohm load). Do I need to remove R2 as well?
I have a newer Placid HD that powered the Buff II. It should be good up to 500 ma as well. Is the power requirement of 750 ma a firm number? I thought the 28 used less than the 38 and less at lower bit rates...I only have 24b96k at the moment. If I crank up the Placid and keep an eye on the heat will that work until I get a new LCDPS HO?
I was looking over the schematic and noticed that I must have an older version of the LCDPS. There are 4 3W resistors, R1 to R4. I removed R1 and put a 5 ohm resistor across the output. It appears to only be capable of about 500 ma of output (~2.6 VDC @5 ohm load). Do I need to remove R2 as well?
I have a newer Placid HD that powered the Buff II. It should be good up to 500 ma as well. Is the power requirement of 750 ma a firm number? I thought the 28 used less than the 38 and less at lower bit rates...I only have 24b96k at the moment. If I crank up the Placid and keep an eye on the heat will that work until I get a new LCDPS HO?
Merry Holidays !
Got my kits, Thanks Brian, Russ. Best of days to you both.
Good timing !
There is nothing I like more on Christmas Day than a audio/electronic kit and the smell of solder.
Tradition that goes way back.... I was 13or14, Xmas '68or'69, Dad gave me the best present ever...
A Dynakit SCA-35. Still have it & usually hook it up on Xmas eve.

Oh, Boy..... the fun continues
Thanks again, Charles
Got my kits, Thanks Brian, Russ. Best of days to you both.
Good timing !

There is nothing I like more on Christmas Day than a audio/electronic kit and the smell of solder.
Tradition that goes way back.... I was 13or14, Xmas '68or'69, Dad gave me the best present ever...
A Dynakit SCA-35. Still have it & usually hook it up on Xmas eve.

Oh, Boy..... the fun continues
Thanks again, Charles
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