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Celibidache NOS DAC

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#125
Hi abraxalito,

Questions for you or anyone willing to answer...

I currently own a Halo May KTE (Which I love) and Ian Canada DAC but want to play with different DAC type. I'm looking at either the Celibidache or the Deca MKII... Which one would you suggest? I listen mostly to Jazz, Classical and Vocals. Looks like the Celibidache is the newer of your DACs?

Also, when buying the kits, the output transformer PCB are already winded or we need to do this by ourselves?

Thanks!
Do
 
#126
Hi Do,

I'd suggest Celibidache yes as its incorporating the largest proportion of what I've learned over the years of developing DACs. I'm for sure curious how it compares against the Holo May which seems something of a reference in the world of R2R/multibit.

The 'output transformer PCB' is actually a bunch of inductors forming an LC filter to eliminate NOS images. That part is already fully built and tested so you just need to plug it into the finished baseboard.
 
#127
abraxalito said:
Hi Do,

I'd suggest Celibidache yes as its incorporating the largest proportion of what I've learned over the years of developing DACs. I'm for sure curious how it compares against the Holo May which seems something of a reference in the world of R2R/multibit.

The 'output transformer PCB' is actually a bunch of inductors forming an LC filter to eliminate NOS images. That part is already fully built and tested so you just need to plug it into the finished baseboard.
Click to expand...
I have both the Decca and the celib, As well as a number of other dacs (ak4493, ak4490, es9038k2m, plus a Wolfson based DAC), for me the Celib is the best of the bunch. The Decca is a close second though. I have Redbook and no high res to listen to however.
 
#130
I had a present today
 

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#131
Finally got the Celibdache up and running several days ago. It sounds very good and in my opinion is a very good value. I would like to thank Richard for his assistance in getting me up and running. In the coming weeks I will get my wife to assist with an ABX type of comparison with an ESS DAC.
 

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#132
I have some progress... It seems I will finish within the month. I decided to go with separate PSU for USB part so I have ground isolation. So I ordered now the transformer, I hope I will have it end next week.
I received the box, USB part and started drilling
 
#137
Today it played music, with external supplies, on the lab. Cross fingers, if suppliers send me stuff, next week it will be completed, I designed new power supplies with SMD parts and ordered from JLPCB. Later I am thinking to add other DACs on the same box and switch between them. I am thinking to control it with an arduino or raspbi zero with relays, it will be done in the (far) future.
I have silver soldered OCC neotech output cables directly on PCB.
OK it is difficult to say because lab system is not that special but I might say that I heard very interesting sound. At start I was a little disappointed (I have to learn some time to wait for the burn-in, it has happened so many times that i really have to get used to it. I had the same experience with my new set of speakers I designed. Woofer needed more than 60 hours to fully open... ) Back to our DAC, it seems there is detail and a lot of atmosphere.To be able to judge it must be get its place on the main system... some time end next week.
BTW complete silence when no music. Excellent.
Here is a photo
 

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#138
Great! You might want to consider some kind of mains filtering (a CMC, common-mode choke) as you're using a toroidal which has a fairly high capacitance between primary and secondary windings. Which makes it a relatively open window to mains-borne noise.
 
#139
CMC goes on primary?

I soldered today PSU PCB boards and put a temp transformer. I put it on system for some minutes (to remove it because i had hum, need to connect 0V to earth ground). These minutes it sounded really different from my other DACS, interesting. This weekend I will have it really tested, I will get the correct transformer tomorrow, shop told me it is ready.

The SPDIF board has a tiny OLED screen which isn't really very helpful.

It is my intention to create a control for DAC with display based on Raspberry Pi Zero with graphic display, so user can choose any display of any size one likes. Features:
  • Based on Raspi so that we have graphics and numerous display options
  • Will create tkinter graphics and I will give code, so anyone can update and use its own, screens, backgrounds, screensavers etc
  • Will use jlsounds USB, where I will get info from for audio stream
  • Will use recommended from Abraxalito SPDIF board to get info from there too
  • Will use relays for various things, for my needs
  • Will be versatile and code available to anyone who wants to use it in any project
  • Will have break out board for raspbi
  • Would like to work with abraxalito's celibidache if i can get any info from there and he wants to help me.

Will need a couple of months to finish
 
#140
CMC normally goes on primary yes, due to that being lower current. I've used them on the secondary where I've wanted wire with thinner insulation (twisted pair magnet wire) and the current isn't an issue.

If you need any help or information, just ask!
 
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