Clock & Re-clocker and interface board for JLSounds I2SoverUSB -> PCM2DSD -> RTZ DAC

[Markw4]

I am thinking about this one from audiodesignguide...

Not directed at you especially, but this type of thing looks expensive. Makes MU caps seem reasonable,

 

[Cestrian]

Not directed at you especially, but this type of thing looks expensive. Makes MU caps seem a minor cost.

I wasn't complaining about the cost, lol. As you say, the other components and the amount of support circuitry and effort that goes in then no point being cheap on the MU caps.

 

[pgour]

@Cerstian

The PCB that Mark and you have shared with us has so many options and possibilities already, that I'll find a way to do it, so do not mind if you missed some additional crazy ideas.
thanks for the tips, I'd rather have to buy one more I2SoverUSB, you can't have enough.

@mark
I was suspecting similar issues, which may seriously degrade the outcome, so I have to rethink the whole subject. In any case maybe I should built it as is for a start.

@2A3SET
Very nice idea.
I am going to try Frank’s Blöhbaum MTA circuit here, not only to keep the project inside the Linear Audio pub. family, but it is something I have promised myself to do. I’ll come back to this if I have something valuable to share.

 

[merlin el mago]

GB or any PCB left to try or it's possible to order the PCB with SMD components soldered and where?

 

[pgour]

I can share 1 or 2 when received. PM me if you like.

 

[merlin el mago]

@pgour YHPM, thank you.

 

[koldby]

@mark, @pgour
I have a working version with a by-passed pcm2dsd. No problems with reclocked MCKL..

 

[Markw4]

@koldby

Hi Karsten,

Could you please give the guys and me an update on your setup and how you like the sound compared to other dacs?

Thanks,
Mark

 

[pgour]

Hi Karsten,
that's very promising, this way I can save valuable time and resources.
Thanks
Periklis

 

[koldby]

Actually I would have preferred to wait with uploading anything, as what I have done so far is more of a test/prototype, but family, 2 Tandberg TD20a and a Tandberg TDT 3011 came in between and stalled the process. Still stalling. I only have battery PS for the Clock , I would like to use Ultra capacitors for the RTZ Dac instead of bandgab circuit, I want to make the PCM2DSD as I need that, and I want to make a single ended filter solution.
So take it for what it is.
Marcel´s RTZ is the best DAC I have had in my system and in this iteration, the best of the RTZ I have made. I feel it is cleaner sounding now, but it took too long time for me to finish it to make a very thorough comparison. It is not a night and day difference so much can I say.

 

[swak]

I can share 1 or 2 when received. PM me if you like.

Periklis, do you still have a spare board you would be willing to sell?

 

[LTK]

Cestrian very kindly sent me one of his SC-Pures to try out in the reclocker board , I’ve had it warming up for 12+ hours . I found the sound to be quite smooth and wide at first, it then seemed to get noticeably deeper with increased reverberation with things like piano.
I think with the Crysteks the sound is a little more stale with more artefacts , certainly not as expansive soundstage as the SC-Pure and bass doesn’t seem to reach as low .
I need to spend more time with it and then go back to the Crysteks and NDK’s , so far though it’s looking like I may have to purchase one of these at some point . Unfortunately I have no way to test this so can only post what I’m hearing so take it or leave it

I use separate supplies for every stage of the dac
LT1086 feeding Marcel FIRDAC +/-15v
A PH shunt reg feeding Marcel Firdac 5v
Super regs +/-15v feeding discrete output stage using 2A3SET’s passive filter on the input
Separate LT1086’s for the JLsounds I2StoUSB and pre reg for the reclocker

 

[Markw4]

I need to spend more time with it and then go back to the Crysteks and NDK’s ,

Should give it a least a week. It can take almost that long to fully settle in if its been unpowered for some time.

 

[swak]

clock doubler to provide ext_clk to the JLSounds if 22/24Mhz XOs are used

There is firmware for the JLSounds to work at 11/12 MHz or 22/24 MHz. Would it nor be preferable to skip the doubler and use that firmware if having one of those clocks (22/24 MHz)? I believe the PCM2DSD accepts up to 192kHz.

 

[Markw4]

The reason for running I2SoverUSB on 45/49 MHz clocks is to allow high sample rate DSD over DoP. That's for cases like if someone wanted to use HQ Player rather than PCM2DSD, and or if they wanted to use the Clock and Reclocker board with, say, a different DAC board using ASIO for Native DSD512.

Since there is a reclocker anyway, there is no benefit from running I2SoverUSB at lower clock frequencies.

Also, the clock multiplier can be bypassed if desired