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dam1941 - Next Gen Discrete R-2R Sign Magnitude 24 bit 384 Khz DAC module

By the way...your comment of unmasking was completely right. The difference between digital filters is now very, very clear and audible. Which is a lot of fun. The weird masking which is sitting above each one is nearly gone.

The feature of changing the digital filters via remote would be really cool now...as there are some recordings which appreciate one or the other filter to be honest.

I measured the voltage across the caps...+/-3.81V.

Hmmm, I ask myself how important is it, that both voltages (neg/pos.) are precisely the same. If I would apply battery power after the regs, so directly where the caps sit: Not sure if we get always the exact same voltage as batteries tend to discharge sometime in a different way, giving small differences in voltages...they are chemicals...
 
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And this is a great question for the master. My guess is an imbalance will substantially, perhaps even disastrously increase distortion.

Mr Søren: how does a variation of 0.1v between the ladders translate into distortion?

Would it be possible to include remote control filter switching in a future firmware release?
 
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And this is a great question for the master. My guess is an imbalance will substantially, perhaps even disastrously increase distortion.

Mr Søren: how does a variation of 0.1v between the ladders translate into distortion?

It will directly result in increased even harmonic distortion. I did a test early on with the dam1021.... 0.1V (0.03%) difference will result in 2nd harmonics at -45 dB, other even ones further down. Some will call that tube sound....

See https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/ven...-magnitude-24-bit-384-khz-23.html#post4010515

Would it be possible to include remote control filter switching in a future firmware release?

Yes, I'll put it on my list for next firmware release.
 
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Wrong thread, guys ?

...And I am pretty sure Soren knows best himself how to organize his work...we have simply to be patient...the I2S was important...and is now there...I am very impressed by his dedication to the diy community over so many years and his ability to keep promises...I guess complicated things simply take longer as always.
 
I went on to measure the traces of the ceramics around the regs.

Those which are still in red are as well parallel to the 1000uf/10V computer caps we exchanged. Those which are in blue are in parallel to the bigger lytic 4700uF. The black ones have a different function and belong to the reg, which I would not touch...the other could go...

Soren, when I apply battery power directly to the 1000V/10V...should the opa365 be desoldered before ? easy to solder in as it is quiet big...
 
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I went on to measure the traces of the ceramics around the regs.

Those which are still in red are as well parallel to the 1000uf/10V computer caps we exchanged. Those which are in blue are in parallel to the bigger lytic 4700uF. The black ones have a different function and belong to the reg, which I would not touch...the other could go...

Soren, when I apply battery power directly to the 1000V/10V...should the opa365 be desoldered before ? easy to solder in as it is quiet big...

Not that I recommend doing anything to vref, but if you apply another source, the old source, the opa365's, should be removed.
 
Hi Soren,

In the manual of dam1921/dam1941 last page:

User Interface dsp1941
The dsp1941 is an optional bare PCB and provided as an example, you’re free to provide your own
version. The dsp1941 is designed for the full user interface ala dac1541, if you don’t need the
headphones control section you can cut the PCB at the point where the ground layer ends.
It uses smd parts for the shift registers, those should be mounted first. The LED should be mounted
last to fit your case. Buttons:
S5: Input Select
S3: Filter Select
S8: CrossFeed Select
S4: Output Select
Please see the dac5141 manual for buttons usage and display information

For the "OutputSelect", since I can't find different output on the board, is it mean that the button is for two presets, with two different volume, xfeed and filter settings? And also the mute function?
 
Hi Soren,

In the manual of dam1921/dam1941 last page:


For the "OutputSelect", since I can't find different output on the board, is it mean that the button is for two presets, with two different volume, xfeed and filter settings? And also the mute function?

The output select assumes there is a output amplifier that can select outputs, typically line and headphones. If not, just ignore it.
 
Ok, after taking out now approx. 50 addtitional ceramic caps of the 1941: The sound changed as Peter described originally again subtle to more natural, fuller tone and body, very musical tonal flow and balance.

Instruments are bigger now, voices easier to follow. The result is more and more like the Buffalo, but with more natural tone. Dynamics have increased.

The Minus...treble seems to be veiled like through a light velvet curtain...whichis not yet what I want as a final result.

Summary: Peter, if you liked the original mod, you will love this one, I am pretty sure...same of the original expierence, but more of it.

My hypthesis: We hear now the sound of the few lytics left and the Mundorfs are rather warm and forgiving sounding...plus silmics before to feed the lm431....

So what I will do next:
- I will now play with different caps which I measured as well for the q-factor and esr at higher frequencies...got as well some crazy stuff here like 25uF Aerovox PP in oil Afc 10000 which have a q of 700 and a esr of 10mohm, which is far lower than the Mundorfs...and I know these sound really good...big guys though...
- I will play with the silmics 4700uF caps before the lm431 to see if this changes stuff...
- I saw that Soren has some circuit going from the +/-5V Inputs pads to the 4700uF caps...I believe I see here a mini choke, some ceramic caps (already removed), and some diodes ? Not sure why we need this...I would guess if you have a nice reg like the Salas Ultrabib, you should desolder the 4700uF completely and apply the 5V directly to the spots of the 4700uF caps, no ?
 
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Blitz and analog_sa, when are you planning to do a comprehensive ABX listening test ? Otherwise it's just the usual psychoacoustic that are at play here, you know, using fancy part that you want to be improving things....

Sorry for my doubts, but you are just modifying some power supplies for digital circuits, nothing in the direct path of the audio signal....
 
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Hmmm...I am happy to do that test once I am done and you borrow me a new board...no prob...

When starts the circuit to be relevant on the signal side for you ? I mean, this is all on the analog Power lines, I have not touched the 5V D lines at all...I do not mean this as a loaded or philosophical question, I am just curious whichother parts we should looking into from you pov if this is not the "analog" section...meaning having impact on the analog signal in the end...funny to talk about analog sections in a DAC...sounds like a search for a turntable in a DAC.

I can easily A/B against my BIiI dual mono-ian Fifo-Pulsar-clocks-wave io setup...takes me just 10sec...as only USB-connetor and DAC-output connector needs to plug from one machine to the other...tube-oitput stage identical...and output-voltage precisely leveled to same levels...good enough ?
 
Blitz and analog_sa, when are you planning to do a comprehensive ABX listening test ?

:D

Seems I will have to spend the rest of my life ABX-ing. Not my cuppa, thanks.

That said I have long stopped modding this - perhaps I am more easy to please than Blitz.

Extended capacitor swap games games bore me quickly anyway. I even reverted back to powering the usb part off the pc as the small improvement did not justify the effort.

If there is one recommendation I can make it is for a slighly redesigned ps board. I know it is just a way to get the project started but it needn't be so compromised. A transformer with 3 windings, or an additional digital transformer will allow for separate anal/dig supplies which makes a BIG difference. If someone really needs a headphone amp they should build someting serious with a dedicated supply anyway. As it stands the ps board is practically useless as it just does not do the dac justice. All this obviously imh-abx free-opinion.
 
Analog_SA, you are putting your light under a chair as the germans would say...you are a very serious audio gourmet and we share a lot of preferences....next week high-end Munich ?

I could not wait and attached the DIyinHK board (LT3042)

0.8uV Ultralow noise DAC power supply regulator 3.3/5/7V 1.5A*x2 - DIYINHK

I used for analog +/-5v directl to the board where the 4700uF sat before...this is a clear Yeeeeeeeesssssssss !!!

The bloated, fat, warm and not very treble intensive sound is gone now....the silmic sound is gone...and it is very intersting to experience how sensitive this DAC is on the PSU-side...

I will build the Ultrabib next, thanks to Analog_SA for sending me the pcbs...you are my man...

I would ask Peter Daniel for his advise: The LT3042 board has currently two 1000uF generic lytics in the output section...which ones would you recommend given your gainclone experience ? I guess those BG NX ?
 
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