Orders now are open on Celibidache NOS DACs - PM me and please remember to include your payment method and location so I can quote you inclusive of fees and shipping. Also mention whether you're wanting a kit or a built and tested DAC board. Celibidache is an upgrade of 'Deca DAC' with double the number of DAC chips (20) to achieve lower noise yet keeps the same physical footprint of 100mm * 62mm, the maximum height is 24mm. There's a digital invert function which allows a balanced output DAC to be made from a pair of Celibidaches.
Our preferred payment method is via Wise which typically adds a 2% fee. Our receiving currency is CNY (Chinese Yuan), alternatively USD or Euro. PayPal may also be used, in USD but will attract higher fees, 5.5%.
Price for a Celibidache complete, built and tested : 1080RMB (~$148)
Price for a kit of parts to build one Celibidache DAC : 780RMB (~$107)
Shipping is in addition and depends on your location. Courier - FedEx, TNT, DHL - typically takes 8 - 10 days. E-packet we don't recommend as its uninsured but we'll use it if you're fine with the risk.
If your source isn't I2S, this input board handles other formats (coax s/pdif, Toslink and external I2S for USB) and comes with a screen option to identify the selected source : https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002923079600.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.4ec6611f1SqyjX&algo_pvid=4d8e6ad6-ba47-4c73-825b-5d2537acb68a&algo_exp_id=4d8e6ad6-ba47-4c73-825b-5d2537acb68a-0&pdp_ext_f=%7B"sku_id"%3A"12000022820866383"%7D
Here's a USB->I2S board (async USB is preferred as its lower jitter) : https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256802084673395.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.3c2471adXUkntw&algo_pvid=8073e594-ca79-46e3-946f-c71fa5fa7ff1&algo_exp_id=8073e594-ca79-46e3-946f-c71fa5fa7ff1-32&pdp_ext_f={"sku_id":"12000019845765273"}&pdp_npi=2@dis!USD!51.29!32.83!!!!!@21365ec216614156405292626eddab!12000019845765273!sea&curPageLogUid=z2efAECosNoh
Technical details
Celibidache runs from a single 24V DC power supply, max current 150mA
Input format is I2S 3 wire (BCK, LRCK, DATA) and 16bits (no MCK required). Nominal sample rate is 44.1kHz though higher rates to 96kHz will work with decreased frequency response flatness.
Max output level as standard is 2VRMS, customization is possible to 4VRMS. Minimum load impedance is 1kohm.
On-board plug-in filter is a modified 9th order Chebyshev giving a relatively flat FR to 18kHz (no NOS droop and no visible 'stair-steps').
Further questions about building a complete DAC and building a kit may be answered in the first post of the Kubelik thread, here : https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/kubelik-nos-dac-kits.375955/
The Celibidache kit has the majority of the parts pre-soldered by machine. You can find a picture of the supplied board here : https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...-rbcd-multibit-dac-design.324933/post-6887385 All the 0805 parts (with the exception of user options) are pre-soldered, as are the SOT-23s. Left to solder are various ICs, larger package SMD transistors and through-hole capacitors. The LC filter is supplied as a finished, tested board.
The soldering guide is now attached. Note that some component locations are 'no fit' (NF) which means nothing needs to be soldered there. The '0' resistors on the far right of the board are only to be fitted if you've decided to use off-board output coupling caps. Don't fit them if you're using the on-board Wimas. The default setting of U12 (invert/non-invert) is shown in the guide, that's non-inverting. Fit the resistor to the right pair of pads if you want an inverting DAC.
Our preferred payment method is via Wise which typically adds a 2% fee. Our receiving currency is CNY (Chinese Yuan), alternatively USD or Euro. PayPal may also be used, in USD but will attract higher fees, 5.5%.
Price for a Celibidache complete, built and tested : 1080RMB (~$148)
Price for a kit of parts to build one Celibidache DAC : 780RMB (~$107)
Shipping is in addition and depends on your location. Courier - FedEx, TNT, DHL - typically takes 8 - 10 days. E-packet we don't recommend as its uninsured but we'll use it if you're fine with the risk.
If your source isn't I2S, this input board handles other formats (coax s/pdif, Toslink and external I2S for USB) and comes with a screen option to identify the selected source : https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002923079600.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.4ec6611f1SqyjX&algo_pvid=4d8e6ad6-ba47-4c73-825b-5d2537acb68a&algo_exp_id=4d8e6ad6-ba47-4c73-825b-5d2537acb68a-0&pdp_ext_f=%7B"sku_id"%3A"12000022820866383"%7D
Here's a USB->I2S board (async USB is preferred as its lower jitter) : https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256802084673395.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.3c2471adXUkntw&algo_pvid=8073e594-ca79-46e3-946f-c71fa5fa7ff1&algo_exp_id=8073e594-ca79-46e3-946f-c71fa5fa7ff1-32&pdp_ext_f={"sku_id":"12000019845765273"}&pdp_npi=2@dis!USD!51.29!32.83!!!!!@21365ec216614156405292626eddab!12000019845765273!sea&curPageLogUid=z2efAECosNoh
Technical details
Celibidache runs from a single 24V DC power supply, max current 150mA
Input format is I2S 3 wire (BCK, LRCK, DATA) and 16bits (no MCK required). Nominal sample rate is 44.1kHz though higher rates to 96kHz will work with decreased frequency response flatness.
Max output level as standard is 2VRMS, customization is possible to 4VRMS. Minimum load impedance is 1kohm.
On-board plug-in filter is a modified 9th order Chebyshev giving a relatively flat FR to 18kHz (no NOS droop and no visible 'stair-steps').
Further questions about building a complete DAC and building a kit may be answered in the first post of the Kubelik thread, here : https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/kubelik-nos-dac-kits.375955/
The Celibidache kit has the majority of the parts pre-soldered by machine. You can find a picture of the supplied board here : https://www.diyaudio.com/community/...-rbcd-multibit-dac-design.324933/post-6887385 All the 0805 parts (with the exception of user options) are pre-soldered, as are the SOT-23s. Left to solder are various ICs, larger package SMD transistors and through-hole capacitors. The LC filter is supplied as a finished, tested board.
The soldering guide is now attached. Note that some component locations are 'no fit' (NF) which means nothing needs to be soldered there. The '0' resistors on the far right of the board are only to be fitted if you've decided to use off-board output coupling caps. Don't fit them if you're using the on-board Wimas. The default setting of U12 (invert/non-invert) is shown in the guide, that's non-inverting. Fit the resistor to the right pair of pads if you want an inverting DAC.
Attachments
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DAC just arrived. Look at that packaging job, thanks Richard! I'll have listening impressions versus a Denafrips Ares 2 in a few weeks. Any instructions on how to hook this all up together though 🙂
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Sorry, I'm confused, isn't this the AC to 24 Volt PSU?
Do you mean I need another board to go from 110V AC to 24V AC?
Do you mean I need another board to go from 110V AC to 24V AC?
Looking on Amazon, I'm only seeing doorbell transformers for 110V AC to 24V AC. Would this suffice, or should I aim for a better quality transformer?
Oh, I hadn't considered doorbell transformers 🙂 Let me do some research and get back to you.
https://www.amazon.com/Reliapro-ADU240100D5531-Adapter-Transformer-Straight/dp/B00B8866E2/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2NNLQ8BVFV94B&keywords=24v%2Bac%2Btransformers&qid=1638936465&sprefix=24v%2BAC%2Btransformer%2Caps%2C407&sr=8-5&th=1
This looks fine, heavy enough to be a real transformer. Though seems a bit small to be really 24VA.
https://www.amazon.com/Reliapro-ADU240100D5531-Adapter-Transformer-Straight/dp/B00B8866E2/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2NNLQ8BVFV94B&keywords=24v%2Bac%2Btransformers&qid=1638936465&sprefix=24v%2BAC%2Btransformer%2Caps%2C407&sr=8-5&th=1
This looks fine, heavy enough to be a real transformer. Though seems a bit small to be really 24VA.
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Thank you! Any benefit from getting a nice toroidal transformer from digikey for only a little more? Around ~30 CAD + shipping or about 150 RMB.
Although toroidals look nice and all that, they're actually worse performers electrically in this application. That's because mains noise is an issue and toroids are an open window to that. The old-fashioned EI type has poorer coupling between primary and secondary and that's what we want.
Toroidals are great when you need low external magnetic field. Or best power-to-weight ratio. But here as its a wall-wart it won't be near to the DAC so external magnetic field can be ignored.
Your link will certainly work fine, but its bigger than it needs to be at 30VA. I'd go for this one : Blocked
The filter caps are already included on the PSU PCB. You only need the transformer.
<edit> Attached a couple of pics of DAC designs with ugly-looking trafos in. No toroidals in sight!
Your link will certainly work fine, but its bigger than it needs to be at 30VA. I'd go for this one : Blocked
The filter caps are already included on the PSU PCB. You only need the transformer.
<edit> Attached a couple of pics of DAC designs with ugly-looking trafos in. No toroidals in sight!
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No, just laziness and saving of solder. The construction seemed firm enough without so I didn't do that.
The first ever PCB of that PSU I built up had a regulator failure on it. Ever since I've been wary of making it too difficult to disassemble.
A very brave opinion - that is, all DAC, e.g. Mark Levinson etc., are badly made because they use toroids?
They need additional LP filtering to clean the AC coming out from the toroidal transformer.
Choise of a toroidal transformer is viable when there is a need to constrain the magnetic field around the transformer.
Toroidals are also more electrically efficient, thus a good choise for high power equipment.
They tend to saturate more abruptly than EI.
George
Choise of a toroidal transformer is viable when there is a need to constrain the magnetic field around the transformer.
Toroidals are also more electrically efficient, thus a good choise for high power equipment.
They tend to saturate more abruptly than EI.
George