Wanted to share an observation as part of some experiments that I was doing with PSUs and specially the one feeding the FifoPi. When I was integrating my FifoPi with the DDDAC, what I understood and was recommended by all was that since J3 is the dirty side of the board, the supply quality on that point was not as critical and that anyway, the supply to the isolated side, i.e., J5 was coming from the mainboard via the regulator/resistor/capacitor route as 3.3V. Anyway, I ran the J3 with a simple linear PSU but it was nothing extraordinary, however, it was nothing bad too. It provided a rock solid 4v signal to J3 and I was happy. I was anyway getting the benefits of the FifoPi over just using WaveIO. However, as part of my discussions with some other folks using FifoPi with other DAC projects, they suggested me to consider using the best supply I had available with me even at J3 position as it did make a difference. It could be the dirty side of the board alright but it still affects the digital signal passing through. So, before I invested in a better supply, I decided to use a power bank and use a usb cable to feed 5V to J3 and guess what, there was a change in sound and for the better. The bass notes got tighter, the transients more delineated and overall haziness lowered in comparison. I kept using the power bank for a few days before I went back to my original 4v supply, and saw the same hazy and rounded bloated bass. This gave me the confidence to build a separate better quality PSU for J3 as well and it is currently being made. This supply will be of the same quality as what I have for WaveIO and my DDDAC's motherboard. I know it could be an overkill but if there is even a 5-10% scope of improvement (and definitely because I saw it with the power bank), why not do it! I am likely to be able to run the FifoPi using this new supply by next week and I will update you all with my findings.
Question to all our FifoPi users, did you also experience something like this by going to a good supply at J3? Another question is that will there be any merit of using a dedicated PSU for J5 which supplies it 3.3V and not take this voltage from the DDDAC's mainboard?
Question to all our FifoPi users, did you also experience something like this by going to a good supply at J3? Another question is that will there be any merit of using a dedicated PSU for J5 which supplies it 3.3V and not take this voltage from the DDDAC's mainboard?
I attached custom made ddac board with new salas shunt ubib 1.3 power supply (=10V, no linear regulator before 8V shunt). It will be a two deck version. A capacitor output and USB input will be used only. Digital section is an "old red board" scheme with "blue board" data delay and supply voltage (5V).
It will fit in an 169x148x42mm aluminum case. It should be functional in one month. For now it is a work in progress.
I wanted to make a small and portable dac. I will post pictures of finished project. I hope you like the idea. I want to mention that this will be for private use only, no selling.
It will fit in an 169x148x42mm aluminum case. It should be functional in one month. For now it is a work in progress.
I wanted to make a small and portable dac. I will post pictures of finished project. I hope you like the idea. I want to mention that this will be for private use only, no selling.
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Preparation for the Sowter TVC output transformer
Arduino is really fun to control our audio projects !
I see in stead of an rotary pulse encoder you use a normal potentiometer and read the voltage to choose the right volume relay
interesting and also clever idea
The TVC should be coming soon..... Getting stuff from England is not easy these days
.... Getting stuff from England is not easy these days
Tell me about it Doede as every import is longer and costs more since we left the EU
Schaffer panels from Germany, Aliexpress orders, PCB manufacture from China all increased in prices!
Arduino is really fun to control our audio projects !
I see in stead of an rotary pulse encoder you use a normal potentiometer and read the voltage to choose the right volume relay
interesting and also clever idea
The TVC should be coming soon..... Getting stuff from England is not easy these days
It's my first time using arduino and I can confirm that is a lot of fun to play with it! I've choosen the potentiometer because I wanted to have it easy and secure in the beginning with no side effects like jumping volume levels and so on. There is another advantage: The potentiometer will keep its position, means volume will stay after powering off/on.
Later on, I will try to add a IR receiver with remote control. The arduino is very flexible, I like it.
Looking forward to the Sowters
Not much activity these days.... so might be a good time for some minor questions!!!
@Doede
You have mentioned a few times, that you now recommend 12.5V for the dac to give the regulators a bit more headroom.
Is that based on some measurements or experiences... perhaps after doing some troubleshooting?
I don't doubt your judgement but are just curious.
Does the 12.5V recommendation also apply to the old-style DDDac which have a different regulator configuration on the decks?
@Doede
You have mentioned a few times, that you now recommend 12.5V for the dac to give the regulators a bit more headroom.
Is that based on some measurements or experiences... perhaps after doing some troubleshooting?
I don't doubt your judgement but are just curious.
Does the 12.5V recommendation also apply to the old-style DDDac which have a different regulator configuration on the decks?
The 7810 are for pre regulation and also for general safety, meaning if the 12 Volt gets to a higher voltage Volt for whatever reason, the dac onboard tent regulators will not burn out straight away. Now the 7810 built in saftey features are helping...
so, if you know what you do (and I know you know) it is fine of course to let them out, especially when you come in with very good regulated power allready ....
and if it sounds better it was worth the effort for you
so, if you know what you do (and I know you know) it is fine of course to let them out, especially when you come in with very good regulated power allready ....
and if it sounds better it was worth the effort for you
Hello,
If i am right using two 5 volt Ucconditioners in series also requires two separate power supplies one for each 5 volt board. The input voltage that you must feed into the Ucconditioner board has to be regulated between 4,9 and 5,2 if i am right so you still need a regulator. In fact now you will need two.
You will have the benefits of the supercaps for sure.
There should be a 10 volt Ucconditioner that can be '' fed '' by a high grade 10 volt supply. Maybe the '' standard '' DDDAC supply with adjusted output.
There have been more people stating that removing the 7810 is an improvement during the last years. IF you can make sure that the input voltage of the shunt will never get to high it will be ok i guess.
Maybe i am gonna try after i installed my Fifo tower into my DDDAC chassis.
Greetings, Eduard
If i am right using two 5 volt Ucconditioners in series also requires two separate power supplies one for each 5 volt board. The input voltage that you must feed into the Ucconditioner board has to be regulated between 4,9 and 5,2 if i am right so you still need a regulator. In fact now you will need two.
You will have the benefits of the supercaps for sure.
There should be a 10 volt Ucconditioner that can be '' fed '' by a high grade 10 volt supply. Maybe the '' standard '' DDDAC supply with adjusted output.
There have been more people stating that removing the 7810 is an improvement during the last years. IF you can make sure that the input voltage of the shunt will never get to high it will be ok i guess.
Maybe i am gonna try after i installed my Fifo tower into my DDDAC chassis.
Greetings, Eduard
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Good observation and question
point is, that the UA7810 according to the datasheet has a required minimum voltage drop of 1,40 volt for proper operation at ~200mA. The dac board has a 4,7 Ohm resistor at the VB+ input. with the like 120 mA current draw this causes a drop of 0,56 Volt.
so when applying 12,0 Volt, at the 7810 arrives 11,44 Volt. I figured this could be a bit too tight when voltage drops a little bit for whatever reason. So I added 0,5 Volt as a recommendation to add a little headroom...
this does not apply to the old decks.....
The 7810 are for pre regulation and also for general safety, meaning if the 12 Volt gets to a higher voltage Volt for whatever reason, the dac onboard tent regulators will not burn out straight away. Now the 7810 built in saftey features are helping...
so, if you know what you do (and I know you know) it is fine of course to let them out, especially when you come in with very good regulated power allready ....
and if it sounds better it was worth the effort for you
My psu with chokes connected to the fuseholder on doede’s psu’s. The picture shows four 5v psu’s. Two 5v for the 2 uuconditioners in series,one for waveIo and one for FiFoPi unisolated side. The fifth 5v psu for FifoPi clean side is in another case behind the dac.
After I finished this psu, and together with Ian’s UCconditioners, the sound is so good that I can’t help smiling when I’m playing music. I must also mention Ian’s reclocker board on top of FifoPi which take the sound a furter step up the ladder. A cheap, but very nice upgrade.
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@Doede... Thank you for the clarification. I will then readjust my secondary DDDac back to 12.0V.
@everyone
I think a few of us DDDac-heads are reading about Doede, Ian Canada, Andrea Mori and others exciting and somewhat exotic experiments with external super clock generators.
I haven't myself any current plans on going there for the time being... but it is nevertheless interesting to follow.
I do however own an Ian FifoPi + Accusilicon 318 (and a Kali for the secondary dac).
That leaves an upgradepath for the Ian ReclockPi and perhaps better crystals. Seems Doede wasn't too impressed with the 338 vs 318 and I haven't read others reporting significantly better results with other "regular" crystals.
I am however very curious about the ReclockPi, but haven't read much about it, before smooth dancers findings.
Have anyone else tried this little board and what are your impressions?
@everyone
I think a few of us DDDac-heads are reading about Doede, Ian Canada, Andrea Mori and others exciting and somewhat exotic experiments with external super clock generators.
I haven't myself any current plans on going there for the time being... but it is nevertheless interesting to follow.
I do however own an Ian FifoPi + Accusilicon 318 (and a Kali for the secondary dac).
That leaves an upgradepath for the Ian ReclockPi and perhaps better crystals. Seems Doede wasn't too impressed with the 338 vs 318 and I haven't read others reporting significantly better results with other "regular" crystals.
I am however very curious about the ReclockPi, but haven't read much about it, before smooth dancers findings.
Have anyone else tried this little board and what are your impressions?