Hi Ian,
I am using an Audio Consulting volume transformer as the input of my amps. Do you think it is possible to drive these transformers directly from the dac output without the iv stage? In fact they will perform just like the output transformers of your iv stage.
Spealer Cable - Silver Rock TVC
Regards,
It is possible. You can try.
Ian
I've noticed that over internet the price for A123 Batteries are VERY different from a site to another. Starting from 7€ to 23€ for the same battery.
Where do you suggest to buy these batteries?
I bought them from Germany. You can find the link from my old posts.
Ian
I bought them from Germany. You can find the link from my old posts.
Ian
I suppose u are referring to this site
A123 ANR26650m1B 2500mAh LiFePO4 | i-tecc LiFeEnergy
I also find a Dutch site
NKON | A123 systems ANR26650M1-B 2500mAh - 70A LifePo4 - 26650 size - Rechargeable batteries
that seems to be also reliable
does anyone know it?
I purchased my 26650 A123 batteries from NKON. It took a little over three weeks for delivery in North America from the Netherlands. They do not do the actual shipping via Fedex for some reason but transfer the batteries to a company in Germany to do that. They are reliable and do respond to emails promptly. If you are not in a hurry ...
At NKON the marking "Nanophosphate® FS300732-005-R-2" is troubling.
New marking ?
nounouchet
I would say no problem there, the pieces I got from Battery Space (aka AA Portable Power) in California have nearly identical markings (-006-R-2) and they are genuine.
More recently I ordered a 2nd set from A123Batteries.com (aka StorTronics) in Michigan and those came with LithiumWerks branding, but are otherwise identical looking and measuring.
LithiumWerks acquired both Valence Technology, and A123 Industrial in Feb/Mar. 2018, so moving forward as stocks are depleted/replaced we will probably see only that branding at some point, depending on where in the world you actually live and/or how they choose to market these cells in any particular area.
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A123
I've noticed that over internet the price for A123 Batteries are VERY different from a site to another. Starting from 7€ to 23€ for the same battery.
Where do you suggest to buy these batteries?[/QUOTE
I can advise NKON, Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
Very reliable supplier of all kind of batteries.
Affordable, 100 percent original and always super fresh stock!
Ed
I purchased my 26650 A123 batteries from NKON. It took a little over three weeks for delivery in North America from the Netherlands. They do not do the actual shipping via Fedex for some reason but transfer the batteries to a company in Germany to do that. They are reliable and do respond to emails promptly. If you are not in a hurry ...
Mine arrived in 7 days, delay is because they have to weld the U tabs.
Hi Ian,
I am using an Audio Consulting volume transformer as the input of my amps. Do you think it is possible to drive these transformers directly from the dac output without the iv stage? In fact they will perform just like the output transformers of your iv stage.
Spealer Cable - Silver Rock TVC
Regards,
that transformer is a very good stuff.
that transformer is a very good stuff.
This is imho the best way by far to control volume!
My dddac drives these transformers directly from the dac output (with iv resistor of course) with excellent results.
Ians dac is not on the same level currently but it is a very promising design and I have some tweakes to do when the parts arrive like; sparkos or burson opamps (or without iv stage, lets see what is the best way) Andrea Mori sc cut clocks and some power supply mods.
Regards,
ian, parcel received .
still waiting for the battery holders from ebay for the batter management mkii, no chance to test it yet.
did a quick setup of the fifopi and 9038Q2MPi Dual Mono in sync mode with NDK SDA clock, power supplies for fifiopi and 9038q2mi with the very first battery management board ,lm317,lm337 +/- voltage regulator for output stage.
everything work, and sound very nice. can't wait to setup the battery management mkii later. thanks ian for your hard work
still waiting for the battery holders from ebay for the batter management mkii, no chance to test it yet.
did a quick setup of the fifopi and 9038Q2MPi Dual Mono in sync mode with NDK SDA clock, power supplies for fifiopi and 9038q2mi with the very first battery management board ,lm317,lm337 +/- voltage regulator for output stage.
everything work, and sound very nice. can't wait to setup the battery management mkii later. thanks ian for your hard work

Attachments
Hi Ian
I am planning to use a Salas 1.3 UtraBiB power supply to power the FifoPi and will now have to set the current limiter. According to your manual you recommend 200mA of power. Would you also recommend this if the FifoPi is fitted with two Crystek CCHD-957 clocks? Or would you recommend a higher current?
Thanks in advance
/Mikkel
I am planning to use a Salas 1.3 UtraBiB power supply to power the FifoPi and will now have to set the current limiter. According to your manual you recommend 200mA of power. Would you also recommend this if the FifoPi is fitted with two Crystek CCHD-957 clocks? Or would you recommend a higher current?
Thanks in advance
/Mikkel
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Hello, I have three questions
1. I would like to connect the Dual ES9038 over the HiFiBerry DAC + Pro with spdif (galvanic isolation) power supply is 1x 3.3V. Does the dac still need other connection to the PI?
2nd sound difference: Exchange clock on the dual ES9038 with Crystec CCHD 100mHz, to FifiPi with standard clock?
3. what connection lines do i need! ESS controller is installed on Pi, because of (galvanic isolation), to external dual ES9038
1. I would like to connect the Dual ES9038 over the HiFiBerry DAC + Pro with spdif (galvanic isolation) power supply is 1x 3.3V. Does the dac still need other connection to the PI?
2nd sound difference: Exchange clock on the dual ES9038 with Crystec CCHD 100mHz, to FifiPi with standard clock?
3. what connection lines do i need! ESS controller is installed on Pi, because of (galvanic isolation), to external dual ES9038
Attachments
Hi Ian
I am planning to use a Salas 1.3 UtraBiB power supply to power the FifoPi and will now have to set the current limiter. According to your manual you recommend 200mA of power. Would you also recommend this if the FifoPi is fitted with two Crystek CCHD-957 clocks? Or would you recommend a higher current?
Thanks in advance
/Mikkel
Hi Mikkel,
200mA would be for sure no any problem.
Regards,
Ian
Hello, I have three questions
1. I would like to connect the Dual ES9038 over the HiFiBerry DAC + Pro with spdif (galvanic isolation) power supply is 1x 3.3V. Does the dac still need other connection to the PI?
2nd sound difference: Exchange clock on the dual ES9038 with Crystec CCHD 100mHz, to FifiPi with standard clock?
3. what connection lines do i need! ESS controller is installed on Pi, because of (galvanic isolation), to external dual ES9038
The controller talks to the DAC via i2c so you need to connect the i2c lines from the controller to the DAC which kills your galvanic isolation. Or you can connect the controller to the DAC instead but then the controller could introduce some noise.
Just dump the hifiberry and get the FifoPi and two good clocks for it.
Well, I used Salas ultrabib for 5V and ±15V for output stage and also Reflektor for 3,3V and some switch power supply for Rpi 3B+. Latest archphile with sacd/dvdaudio mpd... It's all very stable and quick responding. I have some noise when playing dsd/sacd but everything is smooth on pcm. This is not white noise but some kind of specled noise, constant but irregular. Oscillators are default 45 and 49 which came with FifoPi but I'll try later NDK sda and Crystek. Pcm works great, for dsd.... we will see... I'll try volumio next...
Edit: oh dac is dual es9038 and standard output board. Still waiting opa1622 and output transformers for other board.
Edit: oh dac is dual es9038 and standard output board. Still waiting opa1622 and output transformers for other board.
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Hi Ian
in your I/V STD user’s guide you suggest to improve the sound quality replacing the NJM2114D with OPA1622 and OPA1612 (from the manual "Sound quality can be improved right away by replacing the pre-installed op amplifiers with higher grade ones.
OPA1622 would be recommended for U3. OPA1612 is also tested with good result to replace U1 and U2)"
Over internet I see that NJM2144D and OPA1612 have 8pin layout
https://www.njr.com/semicon/PDF/old_pdf/NJM2114_E.pdf
http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/sbos450c/sbos450c.pdf
but the OPA1622 seems to have only a 10 pins layout
http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/sbos727b/sbos727b.pdf
So, in which way I can substitute the original NJM2114D with this OPA1622 ?
Does it exist a different version of OPA1622 with only 8 PIN layout ?
Another question: did u tested also other OpAmp ? Eg. The DualAmp BursonAudio V6 Classic seems to be compatible. Did u test it or do you know it ?
in your I/V STD user’s guide you suggest to improve the sound quality replacing the NJM2114D with OPA1622 and OPA1612 (from the manual "Sound quality can be improved right away by replacing the pre-installed op amplifiers with higher grade ones.
OPA1622 would be recommended for U3. OPA1612 is also tested with good result to replace U1 and U2)"
Over internet I see that NJM2144D and OPA1612 have 8pin layout
https://www.njr.com/semicon/PDF/old_pdf/NJM2114_E.pdf
http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/sbos450c/sbos450c.pdf
but the OPA1622 seems to have only a 10 pins layout
http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/sbos727b/sbos727b.pdf
So, in which way I can substitute the original NJM2114D with this OPA1622 ?
Does it exist a different version of OPA1622 with only 8 PIN layout ?
Another question: did u tested also other OpAmp ? Eg. The DualAmp BursonAudio V6 Classic seems to be compatible. Did u test it or do you know it ?
Hi Ian
I am planning to use a Salas 1.3 UtraBiB power supply to power the FifoPi and will now have to set the current limiter. According to your manual you recommend 200mA of power. Would you also recommend this if the FifoPi is fitted with two Crystek CCHD-957 clocks? Or would you recommend a higher current?
Thanks in advance
/Mikkel
The charging current quality does not need to be too good, the amount of current is important. It is recommended to use a more efficient switching power supply. Generally, the linear power supply current will be smaller and consume a lot of power.
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