These;
LT3045-78XX Ultra Low Noise LDO Voltage Regulator
Not that expensive and great value for your money i think when i heard what they did for me
I did not replace the regulators on the SPdif part of the mainboard because i do not use SPdif.
Cheers
So, dug out my DDDAC and managed to find a bit of spare time to install the CineMags. I tried them before, but that was in a hurry... This time around, I spent almost a week to get things right... the end result is truly impressive. So, the Mundorfs SIO Supreme's are now permanently retired.
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True, the transformer output beats every capacitor.
Just ensure:
1- You have low-enough impedance to drive it (4 becks, or buffer)
2- You have the correct input impedance after the Cinemag (can't remember precisely, maybe 8 to 15kOhm).
Reading Audio Creative justification for the 600/600, they say that they have a lower resistance, enhancing their compatibility for various next-stage input impedances.
They also cost more, so think carefully about your requirements.
Just ensure:
1- You have low-enough impedance to drive it (4 becks, or buffer)
2- You have the correct input impedance after the Cinemag (can't remember precisely, maybe 8 to 15kOhm).
Reading Audio Creative justification for the 600/600, they say that they have a lower resistance, enhancing their compatibility for various next-stage input impedances.
They also cost more, so think carefully about your requirements.
Read Carlsor's statement here. You may also need a 150 pF cap after the Cinemag. Upgraded Single Board PCM1794 NOS DDDAC
I am not sure the DDDAC low output impedance would look favourably into 600ohms primary impedance, though; less if you take into account a secondary reflected impedance... but the DC imbelance would cause less harm with 600/600's... I have only 1mV of imbalance, though. However, during turn ON / turn OFF, this imbalance might be significant; enough to magnetise the core(s)... nothing a good demagnetising open E transformer cant fix, if used from time to time.
Yeah, the quantisation noise (44.1khz source material) is now quite apparent... but it sounds sooo goood.
The last time I struggled to focus while typing because the sound was sooo goood, was with Pass Aleph J doing its magic.
Yeah, the quantisation noise (44.1khz source material) is now quite apparent... but it sounds sooo goood.
The last time I struggled to focus while typing because the sound was sooo goood, was with Pass Aleph J doing its magic.
Does anyone ever feel that DDDACs (esp 4 boards or higher builds) sound the best after they are switched on for a few hours before actually music is outputted from it? Maybe it is placebo but I've been noticing that I tend to enjoy music a lot when DDDAC has been given a good warm up time, sounds much more dynamic and crisper. On the other hand, if I start playing music immediately after switching it on, it just isn't as enjoyable. Maybe it is all placebo but I am passing this comment after probably living with the dac for 5+ years if not more!! Also, there is one more thing that I hear music differently on different days, is it abnormal? Don't know but I have found that on some days my system sounding stellar and some days, a bit meh.... anyway, let me know if others have had this observation with the dac and the warm up time?
Hey Puma, I certainly did not expect anyone agreeing with me on this so this is a surprise. I am sure this could also have people reject the notion completely. One more thing regarding the mains noise, a couple of weeks back, I have acquired a very capable and widely renowned AC Regenerator from Monarchy Audio and my "feelings" when listening to music via the DDDAC still remain the same that on a given day it is fantastic and on some days it just does not come alive. A lot of times I attribute the dead sound to recordings or remastering not up there but then in this week, I have made a point to listen to the same material over consecutive days and am baffled as to how can the enjoyment levels vary so much? This is absolutely non-scientific and hence others who don't believe in it, be kind and don't shred me to pieces!!
Mine is not very consistent aswell.
I suppose that it comes from main fluctuation or garbage...
Maybe some sweet spot has narrow margins.
Regarding warm-up, it need about 30 min in my experience, but I suspect that it depends on the whole system (a tube amp downstream, so warm-up matters).
I suppose that it comes from main fluctuation or garbage...
Maybe some sweet spot has narrow margins.
Regarding warm-up, it need about 30 min in my experience, but I suspect that it depends on the whole system (a tube amp downstream, so warm-up matters).
Yes, mine is an out and out tube based system so warm up does matter but then with an immediate start-up vinyl playback isn't as damp. Anyway let us wait to see what Doede and other experienced DAC users may also have on this. One more thing, this aspect of finding some sweet listening days vs some duds is something that I have been facing since many years of owning the DDDAC and during this time I have gone from one board to 4, from caps to Cinemags, from normal regulators to the LDO ones and other minor tweaks but that fluctuating experience remains the same.
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That's something a lot of people experince (me and some friends too) I had this "problem" since I started my hifi journey, so it's not gear related.
Mains noise and volatge/frequency fluctations where always a suspect for me.
Another one is the ambient noise. When my neighbour turned on his pressure washer lately while I was doing some speaker measurements I almost couldnt hear it (bc of all the other noise at daytime, traffic, people...) but the mic showed it clearly (almost 90dB at the room mode)
Last but not least it's subjective feeling with its 100 factors: emotions, lighting ....
Sometimes I have to pull myself together to not replace my speakers bc they sound so off on some days/hours
PS.: I think there is also a youtube video where someone asks Paul from PS Audio exactly this question (so it's a very common problem I guess)
Mains noise and volatge/frequency fluctations where always a suspect for me.
Another one is the ambient noise. When my neighbour turned on his pressure washer lately while I was doing some speaker measurements I almost couldnt hear it (bc of all the other noise at daytime, traffic, people...) but the mic showed it clearly (almost 90dB at the room mode)
Last but not least it's subjective feeling with its 100 factors: emotions, lighting ....
Sometimes I have to pull myself together to not replace my speakers bc they sound so off on some days/hours
PS.: I think there is also a youtube video where someone asks Paul from PS Audio exactly this question (so it's a very common problem I guess)
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I leave my DDDAC powered all the time because I often only have time for an hour or less to listen. Having inconsistent perceived sound quality from day to day is a common experience. Your hearing is generally more sensitive in the mornings after being rested during sleep. Also, if I have been working all day in a noisy environment I find that I find my listening experience is not as good. There is a tendency for me to turn up the volume and this seems to make things worse. What I have settled on is starting at a low volume, with music that I find relaxing. I try to let go of all the difficulties of the day and clear my mind. After a short time the music begins to work it’s magic and I can then search through my library and find performances that work for me on that day and at that time.
I have made a lot of changes in my system over the last couple of years. Sometimes a change that I think will be good ends up being a wrong choice. With the DDDAC I have found that running it with a balanced output is a big improvement. Much more 3 dimensional sound and more bass, at least in my system. When I first got the dac I also built a balanced preamp. It sounded great but the preamp was unstable and I eventually took it out of my system. I then used an Aikido tube single ended preamp for a while thinking tubes were the answer. Stable and sounded just a bit tube like, but somehow missing the magic of the balanced mode.
I have now built a second balanced preamp that is a much simpler and better performing design. Once again I have that magic back!
So, my experience is that sometimes you can make changes to your system that don’t always work the way you expect. An inability to get what you feel is consistent sound can be the result of something amiss somewhere in the signal chain. That something just upsets the balance enough to keep you listening to the system instead of hearing the music.
I have made a lot of changes in my system over the last couple of years. Sometimes a change that I think will be good ends up being a wrong choice. With the DDDAC I have found that running it with a balanced output is a big improvement. Much more 3 dimensional sound and more bass, at least in my system. When I first got the dac I also built a balanced preamp. It sounded great but the preamp was unstable and I eventually took it out of my system. I then used an Aikido tube single ended preamp for a while thinking tubes were the answer. Stable and sounded just a bit tube like, but somehow missing the magic of the balanced mode.
I have now built a second balanced preamp that is a much simpler and better performing design. Once again I have that magic back!
So, my experience is that sometimes you can make changes to your system that don’t always work the way you expect. An inability to get what you feel is consistent sound can be the result of something amiss somewhere in the signal chain. That something just upsets the balance enough to keep you listening to the system instead of hearing the music.
Hey, while I agree that our mental fatigue, exhaustion, lack of sleep or more of it rather affects how enjoyable our music listening sessions are however, I have found that my secondary setup which is solid state with a different DAC (it is a much more stripped down and a simple setup), it plays consistently all the time. I may not find the listening enjoyable but the dynamics and tonal characteristics are on point all the time. I am not intending to doubt the capabilities of the DDDAC at all and the real intent of posting this topic was to see that if there is a technical justification to keeping the DDDAC on all the time and if it helps the SQ (I read this same thing about the Schiit Yggdrasil DAC and had rejected that theory completely)... Anyway, I think there is no answer to this perceived phenomenon.
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