Ok,
Now i explain to you,if you want to go for the highest level performance Pi start with 3B V1.2. Forget about RPI4,to much noise and locked boot sequency.Ok if you do DSD and formats who required cpu power,but for anything up to 24/192khz 3B RPI if you are a purist.Ian Canadas best boards and pure ultracapacitor supplys will do the magic,And if you are going a step above,separate power RPI 3,3v and !,8v.Oxco clock,no wifi,bluetooth,takeaway hardware software,usb outlets grounded.And aboslut no display that generates interference.Better to have control from Android tablet.
Now i explain to you,if you want to go for the highest level performance Pi start with 3B V1.2. Forget about RPI4,to much noise and locked boot sequency.Ok if you do DSD and formats who required cpu power,but for anything up to 24/192khz 3B RPI if you are a purist.Ian Canadas best boards and pure ultracapacitor supplys will do the magic,And if you are going a step above,separate power RPI 3,3v and !,8v.Oxco clock,no wifi,bluetooth,takeaway hardware software,usb outlets grounded.And aboslut no display that generates interference.Better to have control from Android tablet.
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Use musicshield plugin,just one hint maby you are going to be surprised.Sorry we are on different level,no display no noise for me have remote control.
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One more thing,if you have a high level of resolution.Have your streamer on top of the rack easy to acess,try to take of the lid to reduce the eddy currents.For better separation instruments and voices,and more dynamics.Big surprise maby,but everything matters depends on level.Not only streamers,same goes for Dac,Pre.etc...but if you can not hear any change in the beginning of the chain don`t bother.
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One more thing,if you have a high level of resolution.Have your streamer on top of the rack easy to acess,try to take of the lid to reduce the eddy currents.For better separation instruments and voices,and more dynamics.Big surprise maby,but everything matters depends on level.Not only streamers,same goes for Dac,Pre.etc...but if you can not hear any change in the beginning of the chain don`t bother.Very good to have shielded sections between boards,but than you put on lid each board going to have electric interference who bounce back and going to smear the signal because not going to pass thru lid.One of the reasons cable lifters also going to help for cleaner signal,but here you have distance from floor as one factor by many.
I work for a manufacturer of data center equipment. We used batteries on our raid adapters to maintain the cache memory during a power outage. We embraced the ultra caps when they became available. Leaking batteries, completely worn out after six months to a year, not reliable over the long term.
The UCs on the raid adapters are not the same size, but millions are installed in the field and I never heard of explosions.
Like with anything, use with care. And buy them from a reliable source.
Looks very cool. I also build the Audiophonics 9038q2m dac with a Pi. Was looking at the same but I have really bad experiences with Volumio (at least as a streaming device with spotify for everyday use)
I think your BOM is missing the actual DAC.... No?
@Jungstar
You are correct:
IAN CANADA Dual Mono ES9038Q2M DAC HAT Raspberry Pi / I2S & SPDIF / PCM DSD
added to my BOM.
Concerning Volumio, the spotify plugin is still in beta since Volumio V3. But I don't use it. I play FLAC and DSD (SACD) from a local SSD. I hear immediately the difference between mp3 and flac en DSD.
I added a waveshare display with the peppymeter plugin and I love it. Made some new templates with only VU meters, album art and meta data, e.g. title, album, artist, …
It is good to have a confirmation that the dual mono dac is supported by Volumio.
My amp is the Gato Audio amp-150, X-MTM speakers from GR Research and OCC 12 pair cables with the tube connectors from GR Research. This setup is not forgiving for bad recordings. But with a good recording, you are in heaven. Or very close, hence my new build.
@Batenet
I will use the RPI4 for DSD playback. Everything will be shielded to reduce noise, like Gabster showed in his video about the D11 DAC.
The shield plugin is on the list to be installed.
All devices will be powered separately, hence the five utra cap packs. And the linearpi for the RPI itself.
The waveshare screen is not integrated in the housing of the DAC, is it connected via the micro HDMI cable. Switching it on and off makes no difference to the sound. Albeit, my current setup it basic 😊.
Now, if someone could tell me how to add a headphone out to this setup, the BOM is complete. And I can order everything.
You are correct:
IAN CANADA Dual Mono ES9038Q2M DAC HAT Raspberry Pi / I2S & SPDIF / PCM DSD
added to my BOM.
Concerning Volumio, the spotify plugin is still in beta since Volumio V3. But I don't use it. I play FLAC and DSD (SACD) from a local SSD. I hear immediately the difference between mp3 and flac en DSD.
I added a waveshare display with the peppymeter plugin and I love it. Made some new templates with only VU meters, album art and meta data, e.g. title, album, artist, …
It is good to have a confirmation that the dual mono dac is supported by Volumio.
My amp is the Gato Audio amp-150, X-MTM speakers from GR Research and OCC 12 pair cables with the tube connectors from GR Research. This setup is not forgiving for bad recordings. But with a good recording, you are in heaven. Or very close, hence my new build.
@Batenet
I will use the RPI4 for DSD playback. Everything will be shielded to reduce noise, like Gabster showed in his video about the D11 DAC.
The shield plugin is on the list to be installed.
All devices will be powered separately, hence the five utra cap packs. And the linearpi for the RPI itself.
The waveshare screen is not integrated in the housing of the DAC, is it connected via the micro HDMI cable. Switching it on and off makes no difference to the sound. Albeit, my current setup it basic 😊.
Now, if someone could tell me how to add a headphone out to this setup, the BOM is complete. And I can order everything.
Ian,
First, thank you for your designs, they are wonderful especially for what they cost and work as advertised, or better! I recently installed the FifoPi Q7, which replaced a FifoPi Ultimate, and also installed a UCPure Mk II.
A few questions on the UCPure Mk II. I want to power my DDDAC with it and 15V is too high, the DDDAC needs 12V input. I tried connecting the positive wire to my DAC at the point bypassing the last battery of the 6 series connected supercaps, to give me a 12.5V supply. This worked for a while but caused the last battery not in use to eventually go over-voltage. The red LED on the protection board came on after a few charging cycles. Is there a way to effectively drop the max charge level to between 12 and 12.5V by using a different combination of jumpers S2, S4, S6?
Also, I noticed the voltage was at 15.6V fully charged, and drops all the way down to about 12.5 before it would start the charge cycle, is this normal? And if so, is there a way to change that to about 13.5 - 14V to start the charge cycle? But, ideally I would want to have 12.5V fully charged and start charging at 11V.
For now I'm using 3, hexfet 8 amp rectifier diodes in series to drop the voltage, but I'm not sure that is the best solution. BTW, it sounds AMAZING powering the DAC and Q7 reclocker with the 6 supercaps, very noticeably better than simply powering your FifoPI Q7 with 2 supercaps and leaving the DDDAC powered by Doede's regular PS. With the 6 supercaps powering the DDDAC, the FifoPi Q7 gets "clean" power from an ADM7150 3.3V regulator I installed on the DDDAC mainboard.
Thanks in advance for any help on this DAC setup.
Richard
First, thank you for your designs, they are wonderful especially for what they cost and work as advertised, or better! I recently installed the FifoPi Q7, which replaced a FifoPi Ultimate, and also installed a UCPure Mk II.
A few questions on the UCPure Mk II. I want to power my DDDAC with it and 15V is too high, the DDDAC needs 12V input. I tried connecting the positive wire to my DAC at the point bypassing the last battery of the 6 series connected supercaps, to give me a 12.5V supply. This worked for a while but caused the last battery not in use to eventually go over-voltage. The red LED on the protection board came on after a few charging cycles. Is there a way to effectively drop the max charge level to between 12 and 12.5V by using a different combination of jumpers S2, S4, S6?
Also, I noticed the voltage was at 15.6V fully charged, and drops all the way down to about 12.5 before it would start the charge cycle, is this normal? And if so, is there a way to change that to about 13.5 - 14V to start the charge cycle? But, ideally I would want to have 12.5V fully charged and start charging at 11V.
For now I'm using 3, hexfet 8 amp rectifier diodes in series to drop the voltage, but I'm not sure that is the best solution. BTW, it sounds AMAZING powering the DAC and Q7 reclocker with the 6 supercaps, very noticeably better than simply powering your FifoPI Q7 with 2 supercaps and leaving the DDDAC powered by Doede's regular PS. With the 6 supercaps powering the DDDAC, the FifoPi Q7 gets "clean" power from an ADM7150 3.3V regulator I installed on the DDDAC mainboard.
Thanks in advance for any help on this DAC setup.
Richard
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@iancanada
@Panamarenko
Oh Dang just received this message from mouser about the supercaps used in Ian's ucconditioner.
"Mouser has been informed of a Product Recall from Maxwell for PN BCAP0325 P270 S17.
Maxwell has stated that PN BCAP0325 P270 S17 has a plating fail. The datecodes that are affected by this recall is 2239 and 2149. "
I just bought these and installed these. It's going to be difficult to change! Now I wish they weren't snap it.
Ian any rework tips?
@Panamarenko
Oh Dang just received this message from mouser about the supercaps used in Ian's ucconditioner.
"Mouser has been informed of a Product Recall from Maxwell for PN BCAP0325 P270 S17.
Maxwell has stated that PN BCAP0325 P270 S17 has a plating fail. The datecodes that are affected by this recall is 2239 and 2149. "
I just bought these and installed these. It's going to be difficult to change! Now I wish they weren't snap it.
Ian any rework tips?
'And aboslut no display that generates interference'
I'm in big trouble then.
Here's a loaded question.... just how significant is the noise introduced with said screens? Measurable? Sonic characteristics of note? The only thing I've noticed on my last build is some very, very slight sibilance. Not necessarily hissing, but a more defined characteristic of notes in higher frequencies. In particular, on good recordings it's not there, but on some other tracks it's a bit more noticeable. I'm sure the DAC is more revealing, so on a bad recording it's unforgiving. In any event, none of it is fatiguing, and I can go long stretches with a great listening experience.
I was going to use the stationpi pro to seperate the RPI 4 from the rest of the stack. And next to that the shieldpi Pro. Shouldn't that be enough?
If you look at Gabsters video:
I'm thinking about another setup. Mount the parts, RPI and Ian Canada's parts, vertically and run a flatcable between each part. Put a copper earthed shield between them. What do you think about that?
The layout of the complete case would have two levels. The bottom level will contain the toroidal transformer(s), ultra capacitors and circuits.
Alu cover between the two levels with small holes to run the power cables to the top.
The top level will contain the stack vertically mounted next to each other, with grounded shield between them.
Bold idea?
I exchanged emails with Mouser's support a couple days ago, because I had received the recall notice too. In my particular case(and I suspect in other's), my bags of batteries had mixed date codes. What! So, without the date code stamped on each battery, there is no physical way to determine which batteries are affected. Why no date code on the battery is beyond me. And, in order to return them, they cannot in a used state, or removed from a PCB. From my last projects, I had four new ones I was going to use as backups, but I had never used, so presumably these can be returned for a store credit, and not a cash refund. That's fine with me, as I, on occasion will place an order. She also informed me there is no stock and lead time is 6 weeks.
In my case, I'm going to roll the dice, and hope mine don't burst into flames one day.
Just a more or less educated guess:
If the DAC Chip has to drive 2 instead of 1 output, for sure the distortion will increase as the ideal operating point of the output stage of the DAC has now changed into a non-optimal zone.
Seems you are looking for a (passive) preamp, which is then connected to a headphone amp and the power amp?