Thanks...
For the feedback, but I do not think the Audiolab is the same situation: The Legato 3 has DC nulling between pin 2 and 3, but will always (unless coupling caps are added) have 7-8 VDC from pins 2 & 3 to ground (pin 1). In some cases pin 1 can be left not connected, and with some amps the offset to ground is not a problem. Just wondering if anyone has actually tried with the nCore yet.
For the feedback, but I do not think the Audiolab is the same situation: The Legato 3 has DC nulling between pin 2 and 3, but will always (unless coupling caps are added) have 7-8 VDC from pins 2 & 3 to ground (pin 1). In some cases pin 1 can be left not connected, and with some amps the offset to ground is not a problem. Just wondering if anyone has actually tried with the nCore yet.
As the nCore inputs are true differential inputs, with a pretty impressive common mode rejection ratio, it should work just fine with pin 1 unconnected.
I had Buffalo II with Legato 3.1 and nCore. I can't be sure if it was me or something else, but after a week or so of audio nirvana, the Legato got fried. I checked everything and swapped IVY III in. I guess i did not check hard enough, because less than a week later the es9018 on the dac got fried.
That was enough of DIY dacs for me for the time being that I ordered MDAC and used trusty benchmark DAC-1 for the two months of waiting (MDAC was hard to get back then). Anyways, MDAC has been working great so far and I had no problems with UCD and TPA products put together.
That was enough of DIY dacs for me for the time being that I ordered MDAC and used trusty benchmark DAC-1 for the two months of waiting (MDAC was hard to get back then). Anyways, MDAC has been working great so far and I had no problems with UCD and TPA products put together.
Could anyone be kind enough to circle the R141 on a picture taken of the module. I am still too scared of getting rough with the modules, but that kind of picture might help me getting over the mental barrier. I would like to try the modules with lower gain since i am only using a small fraction of the power it offers and the DAC has 4.5V balanced output. Any negative experiences (but the module getting broken) from lowering the gain?
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None at all. Bruno did comment on this as well somewhere in a post. I have removed the R141 to lower the gain to better match the output of my Kora Eclipse tube preamp. Sound quaility wise it is just as excellent as before
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None apart from the one you mention
And with my clumsy hands and worsening eyesight, breaking only one out of 8 wasn't too bad
Thanks...
For the info. Too bad you cannot seem to keep the Buffalo running. Mine has been trouble free (with one Trident failure due to excessive heat, not a problem with the V3 Tridents) for well over a year, despite many mods and different approaches tried. So I assume, in answer to my question, you were using the Legato 3 with no additional output caps and it played fine with the nCores, "audio nirvana", so I guess you were pleased with the sound. I would suspect the Legato would have no problem driving the nCore with the nCore's relatively high input impedance.
What failed on the Legato 3?
For the info. Too bad you cannot seem to keep the Buffalo running. Mine has been trouble free (with one Trident failure due to excessive heat, not a problem with the V3 Tridents) for well over a year, despite many mods and different approaches tried. So I assume, in answer to my question, you were using the Legato 3 with no additional output caps and it played fine with the nCores, "audio nirvana", so I guess you were pleased with the sound. I would suspect the Legato would have no problem driving the nCore with the nCore's relatively high input impedance.
What failed on the Legato 3?
I didn't have any problems either with removing R141, just make sure you save the resistors in case you wish to reverse the change. I put them in one of the small plastic bags the screws came in and duct taped them to the side inside the chassi.
I was especially glad I did that since I have put R141 back in preparation for switching to more power hungry and inefficient drivers. Wasn't the easiest soldering I've done but it went all right
I was especially glad I did that since I have put R141 back in preparation for switching to more power hungry and inefficient drivers. Wasn't the easiest soldering I've done but it went all right
I didn't check what went wrong on the Legato. All the sudden the right channel said "pffttzzrr" and the music stopped playing. After the main board got fried i didn't care anymore.
Don't get me wrong. TPA Buffalo DAC is great sounding DAC, but for me it was time for trying other things. I think there are some problems of low voltage/temp tolerances in the current product. Some components are run quite close to their temp/voltage max, which cannot take any extra fluctuation.
Can't have 3rd dead Buffalo on my hands. Basically AudioLab M-DAC is many ways the similar to Buffalo II/III DAC, but hopefully with higher tolerance of failure.
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Buffalo...
"Don't get me wrong. TPA Buffalo DAC is great sounding DAC, but for me it was time for trying other things. I think there are some problems of low voltage/temp tolerances in the current product. Some components are run quite close to their temp/voltage max, which cannot take any extra fluctuation."
The only problem area that I am aware of is the Trident regulators, especially the 1.2 Vout one: it's running at too high of a temperature due to the required voltage drop from the nominal 5 volt supply voltage. it is best to make sure the Vsupply pre reg never goes above 5.2 VDC.
This problem is entirely fixed with the newer v3 Trident regulators, which use both opamps and transistors which are much more tolerant of higher voltages and heat.
BTW, on the V2 Tridents I added tiny DIY heatsinks (copper, bent and glued on) to the transistors, and this stopped the failure from occurring. Now I have the V3 Tridents though, and I suspect that they will be bomber. Like any DIY project, one has to be careful of the particulars, especially heat levels when using shunt regulators and making sure there is adequate airflow through the chassis-it appears the same is going to be true for nCore...
"Don't get me wrong. TPA Buffalo DAC is great sounding DAC, but for me it was time for trying other things. I think there are some problems of low voltage/temp tolerances in the current product. Some components are run quite close to their temp/voltage max, which cannot take any extra fluctuation."
The only problem area that I am aware of is the Trident regulators, especially the 1.2 Vout one: it's running at too high of a temperature due to the required voltage drop from the nominal 5 volt supply voltage. it is best to make sure the Vsupply pre reg never goes above 5.2 VDC.
This problem is entirely fixed with the newer v3 Trident regulators, which use both opamps and transistors which are much more tolerant of higher voltages and heat.
BTW, on the V2 Tridents I added tiny DIY heatsinks (copper, bent and glued on) to the transistors, and this stopped the failure from occurring. Now I have the V3 Tridents though, and I suspect that they will be bomber. Like any DIY project, one has to be careful of the particulars, especially heat levels when using shunt regulators and making sure there is adequate airflow through the chassis-it appears the same is going to be true for nCore...
Yes. MDAC is based on es9018 chip, discrete "class A" output stages and option for using as pre-amp. In fact, imho, with fast/slow output filters the SQ is very close to Buffalo II + tridents + Legato 3. But the the 5 other output filters available in MDAC sounds far better than the fast/slow filters. I wish i had those programmed in my Buffalo II too.
I just powered up two nCore 400 modules with SMPS600 power supplies and neither passes sine waves. The expected relay clicks are heard after about the correct time delay and the LEDs that are presumably bias diodes all light up, but no audio. I checked for the requisite stupid wiring mistakes on the input connector, but no mistakes there. The input is wired as per the Figure 2 diagram and fed from a balanced generator. The nAMPON wire shows 3.05V relative to ground. Thoughts?
^^ And we have a winner. Ground nAMPON, the "n" indicates enabled when at low voltage (zero).
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