One of the very few posts in this thread which is relevant to the title.
👍
Patrick
👍
Patrick
Interested, LPF no needed ? Any modern I2S source acceptable, only with settings 16/44.1 ?
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I personally don't think LPF is needed. Designed as a HAT for RPi, but any I2S source is OK. Max 384k bitrate. Bits over 16 are truncated. Absolute polarity is inverted without polarity inversion in software (easiest) or some other means (reverse speaker lead polarity), if that is important to you. More info at Moode . One of the least expensive ways to hear an NOS DAC. Other factors that determine audio quality in a DAC are important. Low noise power supply, low jitter I2S, I2S resistor type and quality, cap quality.
Clarification of "bits over 16 are truncated": the DAC only processes the 16 most significant bits. If you feed it 24 bit PCM samples, it will simply ignore the 8 LSBs. 24/96 or 24/192 play without issue.
My own experience with TDA1387s - the LPF is not necessary but certainly it helps improve the higher frequency evenness and gives more focussed imaging.
I'd like to see this one opened and examined if some better opamp or C's or added voltage regulator could enhance its qualit if necessary.
Archimago featured a similar looking one on his blog and even has an internal pic. However, on Aliexpress its about 20dB cheaper than that 40euro one : https://archimago.blogspot.com/2022/10/measurement-cheapdac22-cheapest-dac-in.html
If the internals are indeed the same there's no opamp to roll - everthing's on a single chip.
If the internals are indeed the same there's no opamp to roll - everthing's on a single chip.
This one from Fiio Shop :
https://fiio-shop.de/DAC/550/FiiO-D03K-Taishan?gQT=2
They actually tell you what chip, Cirrus Logic CS8416.
Pictures inside :
https://hifiduino.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/inside-fiio-d3/
DAC is CS4344. And there is supposed to be an opamp inside, LMV358.
Even more details here :
http://www.nonsoloaudiofili.com/DACFiiOD3/tabid/268/Default.aspx
Amazing how much effort people spent on this.
Patrick
https://fiio-shop.de/DAC/550/FiiO-D03K-Taishan?gQT=2
They actually tell you what chip, Cirrus Logic CS8416.
Pictures inside :
https://hifiduino.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/inside-fiio-d3/
DAC is CS4344. And there is supposed to be an opamp inside, LMV358.
Even more details here :
http://www.nonsoloaudiofili.com/DACFiiOD3/tabid/268/Default.aspx
Amazing how much effort people spent on this.
Patrick
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Thanks for the alert, Guys ! 😎
I am not enough versed in digital technology and measurements to comment, but if my small Essentiel B little DAC is the same as the one tested by Archimago, then yes, I'd be better advised to choose an affordable and better one 😕... Which would be also easy to integrate : this is the condition... Or simply forget the idea ! 😉
T
What should I do if there is no foil resistors at my local store ? Any other solutions for this stage?
Metal film is the least expensive option, until you can get the foil, It will give you an idea of the general flavor of the DAC. Look for low noise, low inductance types (Vishay Dale CMF). Metal foil are available at HiFiCollective (Charcroft), PartsConnexion (Texas Components TX2575). Texas Components also sells directly from a web store. The Rhopoint GG102 squaristor (or GR102) noninductive wirewound should be even better than metal foils (essentially no noise). Trying out Vishay PTN 100R x 4 in series SMD, which are tantalum. Noninductive, but not as low noise (-37dB). Caddock TF020, but they are huge.
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https://a.aliexpress.com/_Ev27OJO
I still highly recommend this guy for a spacious analog like sound. They reduced it to $106
If you are willing to dash out $85 for the Sparkos SS2590 then you get rewarded with even more clarity and spacious representation than with the Burson V7V.
The only negative point is not related to sound: They keep on changing the circuit of the output stage. I got two different versions but they sound the same to my ears.
Here is my test implementation hooked up to the excellent UAC1 Fifo DDC board.
I still highly recommend this guy for a spacious analog like sound. They reduced it to $106
If you are willing to dash out $85 for the Sparkos SS2590 then you get rewarded with even more clarity and spacious representation than with the Burson V7V.
The only negative point is not related to sound: They keep on changing the circuit of the output stage. I got two different versions but they sound the same to my ears.
Here is my test implementation hooked up to the excellent UAC1 Fifo DDC board.
When I follow the link you provided, I'm taken to a finished product in a project box with choice of either coaxial S/PDIF or USB inputs,
Is that the equivalent to what you have?
How awful is the USB version's I2S to USB interface?
Can you provide a link to "the excellent UAC1 Fifo DDC board" you're using?
There are now multiple versions of this R2R DAC in a box, in addition to the linked one above.
V3: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807673199150.html
V2 with USB-C input: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807871097026.html
I recently got a Topping E30II Lite, which seems pretty good. It would be interesting to compare this inexpensive R2R DAC with that more conventional AKM4493S based DAC.
Simplicity and preference for passive I/V sound quality. Paralleled TDA1387 allows for simple passive I/V. An op amp usually requires dual +/- power supply. Active I/V with op amps is best done with specialized op amps like the AD811, with low input impedence, high slew rate and fast settling time. OPA861 would be another active I/V option.
Discrete R2R for those prices is pretty amazing. I personally prefer the sound quality of the Philips multibit DAC chips to the discrete R2R DACs or ICs I have heard. But at these prices it is possible to play the field and see which works best in your system and sounds best to your ears.
Besides the unsafe & dumb way of working the screen of the transformer should be connected to PE. It seems a tube transformer being used as isolation transformer but then both secondary 220V windings should be used in parallel. It has too many unused secondary windings that should have a load. Not even the 5 minutes needed to make an IEC inlet and holes for cabling in the wood were spent. Also loose transformer and boards are sloppy even when prototyping. Wooden case and no required shielding so high chance of different sound over the day. Dirt/dust on the important resistors of the R2R DAC (that originally had a metal/shielded casing). But it has Sparkos 🙂
Maybe such pictures are better not posted.
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Too late to edit my post but take care in selecting when finding the R2R DAC. Since the chinese understood the buzzwords attracting audiophiles like fish swimming to bait on a hook many versions exist. The R2R DAC described is available at the Aliexpress High End store in many versions with at least different PCB layouts but sometimes also different circuits. This also counts for the input boards with various interfaces (dual USB-B & USB-C, single USB, SPDIF etc.), plastic or metal casings and even PSUs. To make it complete also the onboard regulators can be different just like the output circuits. Then the "upgraded" and "improved" versions of the previous. Much choice, exactly as we like it but difficult to select. Do all versions work OK? And ... which one is good or best?
For those swimming to the gadget on the hook it would be good to start a thread about this marvel of technology and to make a list of which exact versions exist and what their differences are. Also firmware versions, how to implement boards the best way etc.
For those swimming to the gadget on the hook it would be good to start a thread about this marvel of technology and to make a list of which exact versions exist and what their differences are. Also firmware versions, how to implement boards the best way etc.
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