I forgot to mention that I used BC5560,BC560 in my VREG prototype, but a lot of low noise of transistors would work just as well, if not better.
I just have a lot of those on hand.
Also keep in mind the that the output rise time will be dictated by the VREF time constants. You you may need to adjust R2 and/or C1 (or use some other trick) to get a faster start up time in some cases.
:EDIT: The same applies to R5 and C2.
Cheers!
Russ
I just have a lot of those on hand.
Also keep in mind the that the output rise time will be dictated by the VREF time constants. You you may need to adjust R2 and/or C1 (or use some other trick) to get a faster start up time in some cases.
:EDIT: The same applies to R5 and C2.
Cheers!
Russ
I guest you mean BC560 and BC550 transistor. RG, if not using a pot, is 1E10 , is that mean left open?
Thanks Russ.
Thanks Russ.
Here is a fast start-up version of the reg. 🙂
The start-up time should be < 2ms to about 3V as shown with 3.3V being reached at about 6ms. It could be made even faster.
If your going to use this for a clock I would suggest using it like this so the clock will start up quickly.
Cheers!
Russ
The start-up time should be < 2ms to about 3V as shown with 3.3V being reached at about 6ms. It could be made even faster.
If your going to use this for a clock I would suggest using it like this so the clock will start up quickly.
Cheers!
Russ
RG, if not using a pot is marked 1E10, is that mean very high impedance, or left open?
For the 100uF cap, is the ELNA RFS Serie Digikey 604-1055-ND, would be a good choice?
For the 100uF cap, is the ELNA RFS Serie Digikey 604-1055-ND, would be a good choice?
Algar_emi said:
1) Correct. If you just want VOUT to follow VREF you can omit RG. RG could be a pot or a fixed resistor, or even a pot in series with a fixed resistor to limit to the output voltage.
2) They should be fine. I used 100uf Pan. FM. I don't think its going to make a huge difference, but you just don't want very high impedance. I would suggest as low ESR as practical.
Cheers!
Russ
I may be nitpicking here, but I had to solder some caps on the IVY on the back of the board - the 10nF caps were a size too large and C1/C4/C10/C11 would not go side by side due to the very large girth of C1 and C4.
Maybe a need to go back to the earlier non-Wima 10nF?
Maybe a need to go back to the earlier non-Wima 10nF?
sangram said:
Yes, this is my fault for not fully checking the sizes. They do mount on the bottom fairly well though.
The reason for the change was that the originals were End-Of-Lifed by Panasonic.
Hi Russ!!!
Great regulator.
Can u post some graphs, like PSSR, impedance, frequencie range?
Tks
[]s
Great regulator.
Can u post some graphs, like PSSR, impedance, frequencie range?
Tks
[]s
BrianDonegan said:
Well not much of a choice then 🙂
But they do fit well on the back.
FWIW if anybody's trying to populate the Wima caps it would help to first do C1, C4, C10 and C11 before C13-16 otherwise you can get into a bit of bother with one or two leads which have to be soldered in very tight spots on the top of the board.
Thought I'd give a little update here...
I managed to get my hands on a Buffalo DAC with IVY when Brian and Russ sent one out to audition at Burning Amp. We did audition it against various high end DACs and the response from the crowd was very positive.
On the other hand, I can't really say too much about it at the show because as a Distinguished Burning Amp Founder, I was much too busy fanning the charcoal for the BBQ and carrying speakers up the stairs to be able to actually sit and listen much.
As i said though, people were impressed.
Then it sat around my house for a month, as fussing with any system after the show was not too appealing. Then there was the problem that my First Watt F4 clones required more input than the IVY's output . This isn't surprising as F4's don't have a gain stage so require a hefty preamp for decent output.
Finally I got my mind and my system somewhat together and did a fair test with the DAC hooked to the digital out of my CD player and two stereo F-4's run balanced as monoblocks. First impression: great resolution, no sizzle in the highs just pure high frequencies, dead quiet..... and too lean.
Well, after thinking about it I realized that I had voiced my speakers (Basszilla Platinums) using my CD player and its onboard DAC. So that's a real risk in DIY - Your system works with itself but without testing it with external references, you can end up with a system that only works with the components it was designed for.
On the other hand, if you made the speakers , you can adjust them too...I tried boosting the bass relative to the mid and tweeter, and suddenly it was just right! The more I listened to it the more addicted I became; the sad old story of pulling out all the CD's and waking up in the morning with the floor covered with cases.
I KNOW I'm gonna make one of these. Yet somehow I KNOW that the Counterpoint I/V is going to be even better, so might wait for that, and more importantly for the economy to pick up so my economy picks up 😉
I then tried to use my old Apple G4 laptop to play uncompressed files through USB. Gordon Rankin, on the Wavelength site mentions that some older Apple laptops seem to have trouble keeping up with DACs and had a lot of advice on how to overcome these issues. Well I'm sure it helped, but the computer source never was as good as the CD source. Flatter, and less "air" . Ironically I probably would have been pretty happy with it if I didn't have the CD source to compare to.
At the Denver Rocky Mountain Show I attended a panel discussion that among others, had representatives from Wavelength, Benchmark and Bel Canto. They didn't agree on everything but did agree that getting the music out of a computer with USB was a very tricky proposition, but done right can work well.. The computer seems to be especially treacherous here, truncating bits, and other problems if given any chance...Clearly the settings on the computer are no trivial matter.
Again, I LOVE the Baffalo DAC, just want to be able to use it with my computer. Another point here is that the version I have doesn't have the latest tweaks..Perhaps I am using too old a laptop; I suspect so, and will try other options if I get a chance and will report back. At the moment I don't care though, I'll be very happy to use it with my CD transport.. until I have to send it back- any day now Brian......
Mark
I managed to get my hands on a Buffalo DAC with IVY when Brian and Russ sent one out to audition at Burning Amp. We did audition it against various high end DACs and the response from the crowd was very positive.
On the other hand, I can't really say too much about it at the show because as a Distinguished Burning Amp Founder, I was much too busy fanning the charcoal for the BBQ and carrying speakers up the stairs to be able to actually sit and listen much.
As i said though, people were impressed.
Then it sat around my house for a month, as fussing with any system after the show was not too appealing. Then there was the problem that my First Watt F4 clones required more input than the IVY's output . This isn't surprising as F4's don't have a gain stage so require a hefty preamp for decent output.
Finally I got my mind and my system somewhat together and did a fair test with the DAC hooked to the digital out of my CD player and two stereo F-4's run balanced as monoblocks. First impression: great resolution, no sizzle in the highs just pure high frequencies, dead quiet..... and too lean.
Well, after thinking about it I realized that I had voiced my speakers (Basszilla Platinums) using my CD player and its onboard DAC. So that's a real risk in DIY - Your system works with itself but without testing it with external references, you can end up with a system that only works with the components it was designed for.
On the other hand, if you made the speakers , you can adjust them too...I tried boosting the bass relative to the mid and tweeter, and suddenly it was just right! The more I listened to it the more addicted I became; the sad old story of pulling out all the CD's and waking up in the morning with the floor covered with cases.
I KNOW I'm gonna make one of these. Yet somehow I KNOW that the Counterpoint I/V is going to be even better, so might wait for that, and more importantly for the economy to pick up so my economy picks up 😉
I then tried to use my old Apple G4 laptop to play uncompressed files through USB. Gordon Rankin, on the Wavelength site mentions that some older Apple laptops seem to have trouble keeping up with DACs and had a lot of advice on how to overcome these issues. Well I'm sure it helped, but the computer source never was as good as the CD source. Flatter, and less "air" . Ironically I probably would have been pretty happy with it if I didn't have the CD source to compare to.
At the Denver Rocky Mountain Show I attended a panel discussion that among others, had representatives from Wavelength, Benchmark and Bel Canto. They didn't agree on everything but did agree that getting the music out of a computer with USB was a very tricky proposition, but done right can work well.. The computer seems to be especially treacherous here, truncating bits, and other problems if given any chance...Clearly the settings on the computer are no trivial matter.
Again, I LOVE the Baffalo DAC, just want to be able to use it with my computer. Another point here is that the version I have doesn't have the latest tweaks..Perhaps I am using too old a laptop; I suspect so, and will try other options if I get a chance and will report back. At the moment I don't care though, I'll be very happy to use it with my CD transport.. until I have to send it back- any day now Brian......
Mark
Russ White said:
In my setup both pcm and dsd sound better with notch set high, more transparency and clearer definition.
Variac said:
You are so right about this. I know having it in your own system gives you a good idea, but its only when you put it in various others that you see what its really like.
*****************************
On a side note...... I built a seond buffalo for a friend. Same case, same everything really, only difference is mine has been used for much longer. His sounds nowhere as "good" as mine. Only difference is that his one has one of those input line filters (you know the schaffner type IEC inlet filter). Has anyone here got any knowledge about these things? Could it be the cause of the issue? Or should his DAC just take more time?
Fran
You are so right about this. I know having it in your own system gives you a good idea, but its only when you put it in various others that you see what its really like.
*****************************
On a side note...... I built a seond buffalo for a friend. Same case, same everything really, only difference is mine has been used for much longer. His sounds nowhere as "good" as mine. Only difference is that his one has one of those input line filters (you know the schaffner type IEC inlet filter). Has anyone here got any knowledge about these things? Could it be the cause of the issue? Or should his DAC just take more time?
Fran
Fran and Variac both well said. I too have fallen into the trap of optimising a system around one component. (It is often the source or the most expensive and so difficult to replace unit.) Big mistake... now I listen to as many systems as I can to try pinpoint the 'good and the bad and the down right ugly'!
Russ
Russ
burnin time
If you are using a IVY i believe the burn in time is long. I am finding it still is changing.
If you are using a IVY i believe the burn in time is long. I am finding it still is changing.
USB I2s for Buffalo
I've been unsuccessful at getting the Usb module to work with the Buffalo as I2S. If I connect it for I2S as suggested below, I never get any sound or LED lock. If I switch the connection to the 2 wire S/PDIF connection, it works well. Can you make any suggestions as to how to troubleshoot this?
There are two ways you can connect the USB module to the Buffalo: I2S or S/PDIF.
To use I2S, set the jumper on the USB module to I2S, the S/PDIF switch on the Buffalo to off (the side marked "1"), and switch 1 on the Buffalo to "-". Then make the following connections:
USB BCK -> Buffalo DCK
USB LRCK -> Buffalo D1
USB DO -> Buffalo D2
USB GND -> Buffalo G
To use S/PDIF, set the jumper on the USB module to SPDIF, the S/PDIF switch on the Buffalo to "On", and switch 1 on the Buffalo to "+". Then make the following connections:
USB DO -> Buffalo SPDIF
USB GND -> Buffalo G
I've been unsuccessful at getting the Usb module to work with the Buffalo as I2S. If I connect it for I2S as suggested below, I never get any sound or LED lock. If I switch the connection to the 2 wire S/PDIF connection, it works well. Can you make any suggestions as to how to troubleshoot this?
There are two ways you can connect the USB module to the Buffalo: I2S or S/PDIF.
To use I2S, set the jumper on the USB module to I2S, the S/PDIF switch on the Buffalo to off (the side marked "1"), and switch 1 on the Buffalo to "-". Then make the following connections:
USB BCK -> Buffalo DCK
USB LRCK -> Buffalo D1
USB DO -> Buffalo D2
USB GND -> Buffalo G
To use S/PDIF, set the jumper on the USB module to SPDIF, the S/PDIF switch on the Buffalo to "On", and switch 1 on the Buffalo to "+". Then make the following connections:
USB DO -> Buffalo SPDIF
USB GND -> Buffalo G
When you say burn in time is long, how long do you mean?
About the voicing thing, in hindsight, I believe I was wise to have held on to my commercially made gear until I am happy that my DIY projects are as good as or better than what I paid lots of money for. Without exception, my DIY efforts have sounded better, but playing with voicing was helpful before moving a known entity out. At this point I am down to a cd player that will be sold off when I am 100% done with my shinga/buffalo/Pass D1 IV digital setup.
About the voicing thing, in hindsight, I believe I was wise to have held on to my commercially made gear until I am happy that my DIY projects are as good as or better than what I paid lots of money for. Without exception, my DIY efforts have sounded better, but playing with voicing was helpful before moving a known entity out. At this point I am down to a cd player that will be sold off when I am 100% done with my shinga/buffalo/Pass D1 IV digital setup.
Buffalo/IVY burning.
I am at about 20 hrs of actually playing music through it. I just added the MUX and that may have changed things too.
I am at about 20 hrs of actually playing music through it. I just added the MUX and that may have changed things too.
The DAC set up is:
LCDPS into VA and VD on buffalo, Vreg mod done on buffalo.
LCBPS thru a teddyreg into IVY.
SPDIF is used as source.
Volumite used.
He has had the unit powered on now for several weeks and maybe an hour a day of music playing. Mine (ie the reference) is the same setup but is a couple of months older (mine was from the previous batch x2 from his).
Shouldn't really be this long. I know Russ/Brian don't really believe in burn-in, but I have plainly heard it in several bits of gear. I think I'll take out that line filter and see what happens. Sometimes you can be too smart!
Anyone used these filters and have anything to report on them?
Fran
LCDPS into VA and VD on buffalo, Vreg mod done on buffalo.
LCBPS thru a teddyreg into IVY.
SPDIF is used as source.
Volumite used.
He has had the unit powered on now for several weeks and maybe an hour a day of music playing. Mine (ie the reference) is the same setup but is a couple of months older (mine was from the previous batch x2 from his).
Shouldn't really be this long. I know Russ/Brian don't really believe in burn-in, but I have plainly heard it in several bits of gear. I think I'll take out that line filter and see what happens. Sometimes you can be too smart!
Anyone used these filters and have anything to report on them?
Fran
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