Hi AAK, I'm very interested as well! Please add me to your list.
Ultimately, I'm looking to feed a 3-way active L/R (stereo) system so I will need 6-channels -- but it's no problem at all if the kit is configured for 8, of course. I'm looking for asynch USB on the input side and balanced out on the output side.
Fantastic looking work. I'm excited about the prospect of moving from IIR to FIR crossovers!
Ultimately, I'm looking to feed a 3-way active L/R (stereo) system so I will need 6-channels -- but it's no problem at all if the kit is configured for 8, of course. I'm looking for asynch USB on the input side and balanced out on the output side.
Fantastic looking work. I'm excited about the prospect of moving from IIR to FIR crossovers!
Hi Al
Looks like you have a very interesting thing going on here. Please count me in also. I am looking for a 6 channel DAC for a 3 way crossover with SPDIF and I2S inputs.
Good luck trying to implement everything. You'll never please everyone, but I am sure whatever emerges will be just great. I look forward to hearing it.
Jeremy
Looks like you have a very interesting thing going on here. Please count me in also. I am looking for a 6 channel DAC for a 3 way crossover with SPDIF and I2S inputs.
Good luck trying to implement everything. You'll never please everyone, but I am sure whatever emerges will be just great. I look forward to hearing it.
Jeremy
Hi Jeremy,
I have you down. Thanks for the interest.
Just a quick update. I'm close to finishing the price list. I ran into a small snag with the DAC external PS that's uses the LT1085. This device is not as readily available as use it to be so I'm looking into replacing it with the LT1764 which is also a 3A device. It appears to have better performance specs and lower noise so it could be a nice upgrade. It does have a different foot print but it's like the LT1963 which I already have a PS for. With or without the PS I'll post what I have so far on pricing tonight.
Best regards,
Al
I have you down. Thanks for the interest.
Just a quick update. I'm close to finishing the price list. I ran into a small snag with the DAC external PS that's uses the LT1085. This device is not as readily available as use it to be so I'm looking into replacing it with the LT1764 which is also a 3A device. It appears to have better performance specs and lower noise so it could be a nice upgrade. It does have a different foot print but it's like the LT1963 which I already have a PS for. With or without the PS I'll post what I have so far on pricing tonight.
Best regards,
Al
Hello, please consider using LT3080/LT3083 regulators, as they are REALLY good for the price, nearly as good as Belleson Super Regulators but at a fraction of the cost. Using these regulators would make a very good PS, with extremely low noise and ripple, at very low cost - believe me, REALLY MUCH BETTER than LT1085 or LT1764! And they are relatively easy to find on sale and to implement.
Otherwise, LT1085 could be easily substituted by Belleson super regulators ar DEXA regulators without making any change to the circuit, that would make very easy to boost PS performance. The same can be said for LT1764?
Very good, you're much welcome! If you need some guidelines upon implementing them in a PS, you can look in this thread (sorry it's in italian): Alimentatori lineari regolati con LT3080 e LT3083 .
Good work and regards!
My understanding is that Low Dropout (LDO) regulators sacrifice other performance to get low dropout. That's why the 317 is still used a lot. On paper at least the LT3080 doesn't look too good. See link for discussion.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/power-supplies/209727-linears-lt3080-regulator.html
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/power-supplies/209727-linears-lt3080-regulator.html
I'm not too much into such technical discussions (despite it seems to me that the linked thread finally shows in correct implementation LT3080 is a rocking performer), but i can report my experience: in a simple linear PS circuit using datasheet scheme and good quality components, raising capacitance a bit using good quality capacitors, LT3080/3083 produced sound quality MUCH better than LM317 - anyway i didn't take any measurement on it and i'm not willing to do that, as i'm very satisfied with the audio result and i know not always measurements give justice to what you can hear...
Also, i know of someone comparing a LT3080-based linear PS to a good battery and the resulting audio difference was negligible. Of course a good implementation is due to obtain good results - and i know it's very important to avoid coming too near to max ampère output for these regulators. But in proper implementation LT3080/3083 are top performers in audio applications!
Yes. Audio quality always has the final word. I did try the old LT1038 LTO in place of LM317 in my own designs and found a brighter but not better sound. The LT3080 could well be an improvement. These days I use current fed shunt regulators almost exclusively. They are a lot less efficient than any LDO regulator though.
Hi Everybody,
Finally, here are the prices for all the boards except the power supply which I’m currently upgrading with some better performing regulators. The prices are for quantities of 25 to 50 boards, 3 week lead times. I’m still working on the enclosure so I don’t have pricing for it yet.
For the initial run there will be a 10% discount from the prices listed below. I'm only selling fully assembled and tested customized units. I'll provide more details on the different options in the coming days. In meantime if your still interested let me know so I can update the list. Also please provide me with some information on your customized design so I can start getting an idea on what board quantities will look like.
I hope you find the pricing to be fare. Everything listed under each board is included in the price. Here they are.
DAC + Controller - $625. $475 for the DAC, $150 for the controller.
DAC Features:
1. ES9018 eight channel DAC. Supports all eight outputs for multi-channel applications. Supports vertical stacking of up to four DAC boards. The on-board controller supports dual-mono operation.
2. Twelve LDO low noise regulation stages including two on-board ultra low noise (<15nv total integrated noise) high precision series regulators for the critical 3.3 AVCC (set to 3.5V for added dynamic range).
3. 100Mhz 0.082 ps (82fs) Femto Crystek crystal for on-board for Asynchronous clocking. On-board U.FL input connector for external Asynchronous/Synchronous clocking. Low jitter Potato-Semi 1-to-4 buffer for clock distribution when stacking multiple DACs.
4. Low ESR ceramic caps plus COG 0.1uf decoupling throughout.
5. Microcontroller and I2C isolation on-board.
6. Four layer board measuring 3.2” x 2.7”
Controller Features:
1. NewHaven 4 x 20 OLED. Colors Blue/Green/Yellow are optional.
2. Controller data distribution board for controlling OLED, input switches, and relays.
3. Six tactile switch board for controlling power, selecting inputs (8 x S/PDIF, or 2 x I2S/DSD), up/down selection of 24 different ES9018 functions and their settings (all displayed on the OLED), and storing settings in EEPROM.
4. Rotary Encoder for Volume.
5. Independent Volume control for S/PDIF, and I2S/DSD inputs.
6. Independent Volume control for all eight DACs for stereo balance, and volume level adjustments in multi-channel applications.
7. Volume levels stored in EEPROM after 10 seconds of inactivity.
8. Sample Rates for S/PDIF, and I2S/DSD inputs are displayed on the OLED.
9. I2S/DSD input indicator displayed on OLED.
10. Infrared remote control. Remote price not included.
I/V-AMP1 - $275
Features:
1. Four LME49600, and four LME49990 for the I/V and balanced outputs, two LME49990 Op-Amps for the single ended outputs.
2. 1st order –3dB@100Khz RC filter for the balanced outputs, 2nd order –3dB@100Khz Bessel filter for the single ended outputs. If needed an additional cap can be added across the I/V feedback resistor to sharpen the filter response to 2nd, and 3rd order respectively.
3. Includes 0.1% Yageo resistors. Non-magnetic low noise Vishay’s PTF56, or PRP9732 resistors are optional. The overall price will vary depending on which resistors are used. Resistors values matched to less than 0.1%.
4. Wima FKP2 film caps for the output filters, matched to less than 0.1%.
5. Balanced and single ended outputs.
6. Four on-board relays to prevent turn on/off thump.
7. Four layer board. Recommended for applications requiring eight DACs in parallel. Measures 2.66” x 2.7”.
I/V-AMP2 – Price TBD. The PCB is completed but no yet tested. The price will be lower than AMP1.
Features:
1. Two OPA1632/channel for the I/V and balanced outputs. One LM4562 for each single ended output stage.
2. Resistor types optional, matched to less than 0.1%.
3. Wima FKP2 film resistors for the output filters, matched to less than 0.1%.
4. Bessel 3rd Order filter –3dB@100Khz for both balanced and single ended outputs.
5. Four on board relays to prevent turn on/off thump.
6. Four layer board. Recommended for applications requiring four DACs in parallel or less. Measures 2.66 x 2.77”
S/PDIF Input Board - $125.00.
The price is for a completely assembled board with eight S/PDIF inputs. The number of inputs and type are optional. The board supports Toslink, Coaxial, BNC, and Balanced Inputs. It’s a 2-layer board, measures 4.2” x 2.25”
I2S/DSD (USB) Input Board - $200.00.
The board stacks on top of the S/PDIF board and provides switching between up to eight S/PDIF inputs, and two multi-channel I2S/DSD inputs using high-speed relays. Includes a Crystek oscillator for Asynchronous clocking, and two buffered Synchronous clock outputs using U.FL connectors. It’s a 4-layer board, measures 4.2” x 2.25”.
Amanero Adapter Board - $175.
The board provides USB isolation, and synchronous data and clocking between the Amanero and ES9018. Two Crystek low jitter oscillators provide synchronous clocking to the Amanero board. Two Silicon Labs 590CD oscillators can be substituted at a lower price. The board also includes NVE digital isolators, low noise LDO regulators for the clock and digital sections, high speed low jitter flip flops and clock buffer from Potato Semi, and a U.FL connector for the output clock. It’s a 2-layer board, measures 1.4” x 1.7”.
Finally, here are the prices for all the boards except the power supply which I’m currently upgrading with some better performing regulators. The prices are for quantities of 25 to 50 boards, 3 week lead times. I’m still working on the enclosure so I don’t have pricing for it yet.
For the initial run there will be a 10% discount from the prices listed below. I'm only selling fully assembled and tested customized units. I'll provide more details on the different options in the coming days. In meantime if your still interested let me know so I can update the list. Also please provide me with some information on your customized design so I can start getting an idea on what board quantities will look like.
I hope you find the pricing to be fare. Everything listed under each board is included in the price. Here they are.
DAC + Controller - $625. $475 for the DAC, $150 for the controller.
DAC Features:
1. ES9018 eight channel DAC. Supports all eight outputs for multi-channel applications. Supports vertical stacking of up to four DAC boards. The on-board controller supports dual-mono operation.
2. Twelve LDO low noise regulation stages including two on-board ultra low noise (<15nv total integrated noise) high precision series regulators for the critical 3.3 AVCC (set to 3.5V for added dynamic range).
3. 100Mhz 0.082 ps (82fs) Femto Crystek crystal for on-board for Asynchronous clocking. On-board U.FL input connector for external Asynchronous/Synchronous clocking. Low jitter Potato-Semi 1-to-4 buffer for clock distribution when stacking multiple DACs.
4. Low ESR ceramic caps plus COG 0.1uf decoupling throughout.
5. Microcontroller and I2C isolation on-board.
6. Four layer board measuring 3.2” x 2.7”
Controller Features:
1. NewHaven 4 x 20 OLED. Colors Blue/Green/Yellow are optional.
2. Controller data distribution board for controlling OLED, input switches, and relays.
3. Six tactile switch board for controlling power, selecting inputs (8 x S/PDIF, or 2 x I2S/DSD), up/down selection of 24 different ES9018 functions and their settings (all displayed on the OLED), and storing settings in EEPROM.
4. Rotary Encoder for Volume.
5. Independent Volume control for S/PDIF, and I2S/DSD inputs.
6. Independent Volume control for all eight DACs for stereo balance, and volume level adjustments in multi-channel applications.
7. Volume levels stored in EEPROM after 10 seconds of inactivity.
8. Sample Rates for S/PDIF, and I2S/DSD inputs are displayed on the OLED.
9. I2S/DSD input indicator displayed on OLED.
10. Infrared remote control. Remote price not included.
I/V-AMP1 - $275
Features:
1. Four LME49600, and four LME49990 for the I/V and balanced outputs, two LME49990 Op-Amps for the single ended outputs.
2. 1st order –3dB@100Khz RC filter for the balanced outputs, 2nd order –3dB@100Khz Bessel filter for the single ended outputs. If needed an additional cap can be added across the I/V feedback resistor to sharpen the filter response to 2nd, and 3rd order respectively.
3. Includes 0.1% Yageo resistors. Non-magnetic low noise Vishay’s PTF56, or PRP9732 resistors are optional. The overall price will vary depending on which resistors are used. Resistors values matched to less than 0.1%.
4. Wima FKP2 film caps for the output filters, matched to less than 0.1%.
5. Balanced and single ended outputs.
6. Four on-board relays to prevent turn on/off thump.
7. Four layer board. Recommended for applications requiring eight DACs in parallel. Measures 2.66” x 2.7”.
I/V-AMP2 – Price TBD. The PCB is completed but no yet tested. The price will be lower than AMP1.
Features:
1. Two OPA1632/channel for the I/V and balanced outputs. One LM4562 for each single ended output stage.
2. Resistor types optional, matched to less than 0.1%.
3. Wima FKP2 film resistors for the output filters, matched to less than 0.1%.
4. Bessel 3rd Order filter –3dB@100Khz for both balanced and single ended outputs.
5. Four on board relays to prevent turn on/off thump.
6. Four layer board. Recommended for applications requiring four DACs in parallel or less. Measures 2.66 x 2.77”
S/PDIF Input Board - $125.00.
The price is for a completely assembled board with eight S/PDIF inputs. The number of inputs and type are optional. The board supports Toslink, Coaxial, BNC, and Balanced Inputs. It’s a 2-layer board, measures 4.2” x 2.25”
I2S/DSD (USB) Input Board - $200.00.
The board stacks on top of the S/PDIF board and provides switching between up to eight S/PDIF inputs, and two multi-channel I2S/DSD inputs using high-speed relays. Includes a Crystek oscillator for Asynchronous clocking, and two buffered Synchronous clock outputs using U.FL connectors. It’s a 4-layer board, measures 4.2” x 2.25”.
Amanero Adapter Board - $175.
The board provides USB isolation, and synchronous data and clocking between the Amanero and ES9018. Two Crystek low jitter oscillators provide synchronous clocking to the Amanero board. Two Silicon Labs 590CD oscillators can be substituted at a lower price. The board also includes NVE digital isolators, low noise LDO regulators for the clock and digital sections, high speed low jitter flip flops and clock buffer from Potato Semi, and a U.FL connector for the output clock. It’s a 2-layer board, measures 1.4” x 1.7”.
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Hi Al
I have to admit to being a bit confused about the whole setup. I wonder if you could show us pictures of each board so we can see what we would be getting. Perhaps you could also provide a block diagram showing board and connection options. Am I understanding correctly that the boards to implement an 8ch DAC with just SPDIF inputs and no power supply would be $1025 ?
I have to admit to being a bit confused about the whole setup. I wonder if you could show us pictures of each board so we can see what we would be getting. Perhaps you could also provide a block diagram showing board and connection options. Am I understanding correctly that the boards to implement an 8ch DAC with just SPDIF inputs and no power supply would be $1025 ?
Hi 2channel,
I'll provide more information on the different options in the next few days including diagrams. I've built into this design the flexibility to implement just about every application you can think of using the ES9018.
An 8-channel implementation is not cheap no matter whose kit you use. For mine it requires the DAC, four Amp2 boards, five of my power supplies, connectors, and an enclosure. You'll have to provide the I2S/DSD inputs for 8-channels. It will easily exceed $1025. I which I could make it really cheap for everybody but I can't, it's just too much work. Currently I have over 1500 hours in this between the hardware, and firmware over 18 months and it has to be worth my time. But If you look at the overall design compared to the other kits currently available, I think the price is pretty fair. I've also added a 10% discount. I agree the information on the overall design has been lacking, and I'll try to do a better job. Thanks for the interest.
Best regards,
Al
I'll provide more information on the different options in the next few days including diagrams. I've built into this design the flexibility to implement just about every application you can think of using the ES9018.
An 8-channel implementation is not cheap no matter whose kit you use. For mine it requires the DAC, four Amp2 boards, five of my power supplies, connectors, and an enclosure. You'll have to provide the I2S/DSD inputs for 8-channels. It will easily exceed $1025. I which I could make it really cheap for everybody but I can't, it's just too much work. Currently I have over 1500 hours in this between the hardware, and firmware over 18 months and it has to be worth my time. But If you look at the overall design compared to the other kits currently available, I think the price is pretty fair. I've also added a 10% discount. I agree the information on the overall design has been lacking, and I'll try to do a better job. Thanks for the interest.
Best regards,
Al
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Also, keep in mind that I'm only selling completed units built to your specifications. When the unit leaves my home everything will be assembled and tested and ready to go. All the work involved is included in the price.
Best regards,
Al
Best regards,
Al
Isn't a simpler and cheaper stereo-only version available?
To be honest, probably due to my bad english, reading the thread i wrongly understood the cost had to be a bit lower than TPA Buffalo...
To be honest, probably due to my bad english, reading the thread i wrongly understood the cost had to be a bit lower than TPA Buffalo...
Hi AAK,
can I please ask for some clarification on a few points?
1- I don't quite understand the relationship between number of I/V stage boards and output channels. Can you please elaborate? Is required board count different between AMP1 and AMP2 options?
2- What is the output voltage from the balanced outputs?
3- Can you please explain how volume control is implemented?
Thanks,
-Michael
can I please ask for some clarification on a few points?
1- I don't quite understand the relationship between number of I/V stage boards and output channels. Can you please elaborate? Is required board count different between AMP1 and AMP2 options?
2- What is the output voltage from the balanced outputs?
3- Can you please explain how volume control is implemented?
Thanks,
-Michael
It would indeed be helpful if you could provide a few common configurations with a list of what is needed and what the cost for everything would be...For example, in my case, I need an 8 channel, balanced outputs, i2s input (i have an exa21 usb to i2s board already), volume remote control. I am not sure how much or each or what I need, so any clarification would be most helpful.
Thanks again for your hard work....
Thanks again for your hard work....
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