Hello,
I've built a player (or several before 🙂 with RPI+moOde >> I2S FIFO >> serial convert >> AD1865 >> I/V trafo >> ECC82. That is my main DAC, but now I need one for headphone music listening. I would use an XMOS / Amanero USB >> I2S board than an I2S DAC.
If I like AD1865 the most, what modern DAC would I like now? AK or ES ? Which version?
As far as DAC chip, which is the best nowadays for mainly acoustic music?
I have a Chinese AK4497 board what I do not like. I guess it is the opamp output, but It is rather harsh. I do not like to wash away details, but for me, quality comes when it sounds pleasant and detailing in the same time. Of course, it could be that the DAC chip is just a copy also, so I do not judge based on this, but I need help which DAC should I go with?
Thanks a lot!
JG
I've built a player (or several before 🙂 with RPI+moOde >> I2S FIFO >> serial convert >> AD1865 >> I/V trafo >> ECC82. That is my main DAC, but now I need one for headphone music listening. I would use an XMOS / Amanero USB >> I2S board than an I2S DAC.
If I like AD1865 the most, what modern DAC would I like now? AK or ES ? Which version?
As far as DAC chip, which is the best nowadays for mainly acoustic music?
I have a Chinese AK4497 board what I do not like. I guess it is the opamp output, but It is rather harsh. I do not like to wash away details, but for me, quality comes when it sounds pleasant and detailing in the same time. Of course, it could be that the DAC chip is just a copy also, so I do not judge based on this, but I need help which DAC should I go with?
Thanks a lot!
JG
1) If you like the AD1865 the most, why you are interested in switching to a ‘modern’ DAC chip?
2) Is your AD1865 DAC run in NOS mode?
2) Is your AD1865 DAC run in NOS mode?
Hard to find anything that compares to a pleasant analog sound from AD1865 or AD1862.
My thread is mainly about these DACs, you could check it 😉
My thread is mainly about these DACs, you could check it 😉
well TDA1541A, TDA1540, PCM56 😉 have not to be forgotten if talking about pleasant be it NOS or not. AD1862 is better imho than the AD1865. At least my ears say so.
Miro made a headphone board with the ad1862 with headphones driving capacity (oaps chose for the job) and thanks to a member on the GB you can source genuine AD1862 from Rochester warhouse.
It's true with Ebay and Chifi that you never know if chips, oaps, caps are genuine, so better to choose for reliable brands if you don't want to DIY whatever the dac chip brand -AK, ESS, Cirus Logic, etc- , there are brands cheap enough for not wanting to take risk : Topping and so on. They choose the best oaps avaliable today for driving headphones : op1656, 1611/12, etc.
In your shoes I will go for the AD1862 if you don't need portability
Miro made a headphone board with the ad1862 with headphones driving capacity (oaps chose for the job) and thanks to a member on the GB you can source genuine AD1862 from Rochester warhouse.
It's true with Ebay and Chifi that you never know if chips, oaps, caps are genuine, so better to choose for reliable brands if you don't want to DIY whatever the dac chip brand -AK, ESS, Cirus Logic, etc- , there are brands cheap enough for not wanting to take risk : Topping and so on. They choose the best oaps avaliable today for driving headphones : op1656, 1611/12, etc.
In your shoes I will go for the AD1862 if you don't need portability
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Hello,
Well, when I bulit my last ad1865 based DAC (NOS), that was already out of production. That was a few years ago.
I thought there must be new, at lest as good as chips with better support. Feeding it is also a problem. An I2S chip would be more convenient. I just do not want to **** against the wind.
… but, if there is no real, modern alternative, I’m looking at how to feed it.
Thanks,
JG
Well, when I bulit my last ad1865 based DAC (NOS), that was already out of production. That was a few years ago.
I thought there must be new, at lest as good as chips with better support. Feeding it is also a problem. An I2S chip would be more convenient. I just do not want to **** against the wind.
… but, if there is no real, modern alternative, I’m looking at how to feed it.
Thanks,
JG
Out of production, yes, but still available. Production should only be an issue of concern for DAC box vendors.
Yes, there are. However, that is besides the point, I think. The primary issue appears to be sound character. Which, cannot be accurately predicted only from knowing the DAC chip, IMHO.
Try abraxalito's kubelik? I am building one right now. It's been fun so far. I need to build the psu soon to start testing it as I finish.
Its not a modern chip but sounds extremely satisfying on acoustic music : lingDAC - cost effective RBCD multibit DAC design
<edit> There's synchronicity!
<edit> There's synchronicity!
Hmmmm.... Thank You!
I did not know that XMOS XU208 directly supports the 18bit data format what the AD1865 digests. Only this product does it or all XMOS XU208 in general?
I'm going another route than. I stick to the AD1865, but need an USB receiver with 2 xtal for low jitter output and data format for the AD1865. I also have an older Amanero receiver.
I thought these boards only support I2S. Now I dig into this.
Thanks !!!
JG
Not sure about others but JLSounds has a very good reputation and offers an upgrade by adding an additional oscillator board.
There may be some designs on here or other members may know e.g. Drive NOS AD1865/62,PCM1704/02/63,TDA1541 from FIFO: Universal I2S-PCM driver board
or
A NOS 192/24 DAC with the PCM1794 (and WaveIO USB input)
There may be some designs on here or other members may know e.g. Drive NOS AD1865/62,PCM1704/02/63,TDA1541 from FIFO: Universal I2S-PCM driver board
or
A NOS 192/24 DAC with the PCM1794 (and WaveIO USB input)
What resistor value you recommend to terminate the digital lines from the XMOS, near the DAC chip?
Thanks,
JG
Not sure what you are asking
Maybe worth contacting Luyben at jlsounds. he is really helpful and knows far more than me.
Maybe worth contacting Luyben at jlsounds. he is really helpful and knows far more than me.
I have place for surface mount termination resistors right at the DAC chip input legs.
With Ian's PCM board, I've used to experiement to find the value where ringin and overshoot is the minimum, but the corners does not start to get rounded yet.
For this, my 50MHz Rigol oscilloscope may not be enough (yes for the rounding, but not for showing the ringing). I've used t have access to a high speed scope which was excellent for this, but I can not use that any more.
It would also be more simple just to go with the specified termination rather than exerimenting. I wrote to JLSounds.
Thanks,
JG
With Ian's PCM board, I've used to experiement to find the value where ringin and overshoot is the minimum, but the corners does not start to get rounded yet.
For this, my 50MHz Rigol oscilloscope may not be enough (yes for the rounding, but not for showing the ringing). I've used t have access to a high speed scope which was excellent for this, but I can not use that any more.
It would also be more simple just to go with the specified termination rather than exerimenting. I wrote to JLSounds.
Thanks,
JG
Tried their additional oscillator board. Would not recommend it myself. IMHO it has not kept up with the design improvements of I2SoverUSB.
Notice than in the Miro1360 member thread about ad1862, there is also on the first page a link to the gerbers of an AD1865 pcb version. It's free, it works, you have just to download the gerbers and upload them to a pcb makers, one is advised in the thread that is cheap. So you may want to try at the same time the better imo AD1862 dac chips pcb (two chips needed they are mono).
so, the JLSounds interface arrived and I just try it.
On the bench, it works fine.
anjump123, I appreciate your suggestion!
Now I'm looking at other threads to learn what to put on the output. I've always used Lundahl interstage transformer (the 200 Ohm I/V resistor on the transformer legs, no cap), with success, but on this one I will not use transformer and no tube output amp.
I was not working with opamps since ... do not know, long time ago. I have no idea what is good nowdays. I will need two stage. One after the I/V resistor, than a volume pot, than another one before the headphone amp.
Thanks !!
JG
On the bench, it works fine.
anjump123, I appreciate your suggestion!
Now I'm looking at other threads to learn what to put on the output. I've always used Lundahl interstage transformer (the 200 Ohm I/V resistor on the transformer legs, no cap), with success, but on this one I will not use transformer and no tube output amp.
I was not working with opamps since ... do not know, long time ago. I have no idea what is good nowdays. I will need two stage. One after the I/V resistor, than a volume pot, than another one before the headphone amp.
Thanks !!
JG
This is worth a read
Using the AD844 as an I/V
Maybe the optimum solution in Post 1297
Using the AD844 as an I/V
I haven't got round to trying the AD844s as I got distracted by my car projects!
Using the AD844 as an I/V
Maybe the optimum solution in Post 1297
Using the AD844 as an I/V
I haven't got round to trying the AD844s as I got distracted by my car projects!