AK4499 DAC Design

[Markw4]

piglet11,
How does it sound (in your opinion)?

 

[scottjoplin]

Blur means out of focus, smooth means flat, two different things.

 

[Markw4]

Dither is a method of smoothing jaggies by blurring them with a little noise.

 

[piglet11]

piglet11,
How does it sound (in your opinion)?

DAC sounds really good, there are a lot of details, bas is low. Now I playing with 4580DD. I am waiting for OPA1612, with this opamps should be much better 🙂. Soon I will make compare with my colleague Muzg DAC ESS9038PRO.

 

[scottjoplin]

I wonder if that's what they meant about the sound being blurred, I doubt it.

 

[mountainman bob]

I’m thinking smooth in this context is an interpretation of a softened (blurred) sound, which there seems to be many ways to do.
Analogue Warmth

 

[Markw4]

Bob,
IMHO, even more ways that it happens in dacs. If intentional (other than any necessary digital dither), it was probably added as a band-aid fix for some other problem. IMO, better to just fix the other problem.

 

[mountainman bob]

Yah, agreed......just trying to keep the hecklers in line.

No need to derail with pettiness

 

[scottjoplin]

So smooth and blurred are the same to you, fine. To me they are not, the sound can be both smooth and focused, perhaps your system is lacking in some way? 😉

 

[mountainman bob]

Gustard is a bit smoother to some people, but maybe bit more blurred to other people (maybe a little blur can seem smooth sometimes).

This statement is what we’re referencing here.......🙄

See the words maybe can......hence my use of the word interpretation.....😉

 

[scottjoplin]

Yes, to some it's the same, and to others it's different, sometimes, very informative.

 

[piglet11]

Hello Everyone,
I would like to share about my progress with DAC 🙂.
Now everything works on the plank (i implemented LCD, digital volume control) but I'm designing new home for DAC 🙂

 

[Markw4]

Hi piglet11,
How does it sound?

 

[piglet11]

Hi piglet11,
How does it sound?

DAC sounds pretty good. I did comparation with Sabre ES9018 made by my friend Muzg and AK sounds much better. I am waiting for his new ES9038PRO DAC to compare both and then i will write more.

 

[kimschips]

Hello Everyone,
I would like to share about my progress with DAC 🙂.
Now everything works on the plank (i implemented LCD, digital volume control) but I'm designing new home for DAC 🙂

What kind of pcb are you using?
Is it possible to buy AK4499 mainboard?

 

[samoloko]

I am Interested as well

 

[piglet11]

What kind of pcb are you using?
Is it possible to buy AK4499 mainboard?

Hi,
Sory for late answear.

I did my own version of PCB's for DAC.
1 - 4 layers board with AK4499, ultra low noise voltage regulators from LT.
2 - 2 layers board with analog part and pre stabilization voltage for Digital part.
3 - 2 layers board with amanero and arduino nano for parametrisation of DAC, volume regulation, OLED.

Third PCB will be replaced for new one 4 layers board with 5 digital inputs on AK4118 and one USB Amanero in my version with better voltage regulators, clocks, uC STM32.
To this board will be connected PCB with OLED 256x64.

If You want PCB, just write PW 🙂

I did some measurements, SNR less than 130 dB, 50 Hz harmonics does not exist 😀

 

[Rikketik]

I am interested in both the diagram and the PCBs, any indication of the costs?

 

[10lare]

Real engineers don't do listening tests.

Without listening tests we have got a lot of average sounding audio equipment. Real sound engineers does not limit them selfs to measurements, and definitely include listenging in product creation. Only these make something worth. As engineering on pc/paper just superficial **** or topic or scientific articles - no more 😎

 

[piglet11]

Hi,
USB input is working well with DAC 🙂
STM pass tests, now I have to run SPDIF receiver.
Question about PCB's please write in DM.