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"Reference" TDA1541A DAC with I2S-BUS architecture

Surface Finish for future PCB´s

  • ENIG - Electroless Nickle/Immersion Gold

    Votes: 93 48.7%

  • Immersion Silver

    Votes: 54 28.3%

  • Immersion Tin

    Votes: 24 12.6%

  • OSP - Organic Solderability Preservatives

    Votes: 20 10.5%
  • Total voters
    191
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#141
LucasAdamson said:
Thanks for the links Oliver.

Alon, if you are interested, I have just received a quote from a Hong Kong R-core maker on eBay for a transformer to exactly the spec Oliver recommended, and it is $79US (£51.23) delivered, which is pretty phenomenal as it's the same price as you can buy a 100VA R-core pre-made in a factory. The eBay seller is called "along1986090".

R-core is the latest technology in transformers from Japan. They are excellent. Read about them here: :::ARROW TECHNOLOGY LIMITED:::...

I'll be the guinea pig if you like...it will be here for me to test in 10 days!!!
Lucas
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info Lucas 🙂 I will wait to hear your impressions of it. And in the meantime i will email Kim and get a qoute from AE Europe.

Thanks For the email Oliver, i will send your regards 😉
 
#144
dvb-projekt said:
😱 The BD140 has a different pin out!
Click to expand...

Yes. Between BD140 and D46H8 there's a differential in leads orientation. You can always cross the lead 1 and 3 of BD140. Insulate both leads for safety. They say BD140 works best for 3v

An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.



Plus I found out that 47R can be eliminated to a direct connection and 220uF next to the trimmer can be increase to 1000uF.
 
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#145
Can someone who has built this board clarify how to use the twisted pear WM8804 module with the TDA Board please?

Twisted pear module has BCK(bit clock),SCK (system clock) LRCK (Left right clock) D out and ground.

TDA board has DATA, FS and BCK for input.

I presume BCK goes to BCK
Dout (twisted pear) goes to Data on TDA board.

Where does FS connect to ?
Where does the ground from I2S output of Wolfson board connect to on Oliver's TDA 1541 board?

Thanks in advance
 
#147
kamaths said:
Can someone who has built this board clarify how to use the twisted pear WM8804 module with the TDA Board please?

Twisted pear module has BCK(bit clock),SCK (system clock) LRCK (Left right clock) D out and ground.

TDA board has DATA, FS and BCK for input.

I presume BCK goes to BCK
Dout (twisted pear) goes to Data on TDA board.

Where does FS connect to ?
Where does the ground from I2S output of Wolfson board connect to on Oliver's TDA 1541 board?

Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

Hi kamaths,

i have such a module in my drawer for months but don´t connect it, because i use only my Mac as source.

I will try to connect it this week and post the wiring 😉

parodielin said:
For very beginner's questions:

1. Do I need to "adjust" the trimmer resistors?

2. Are there alternative terminal blocks from DigiKey or Mouser? Try to consolidate the BOM to fewer places.
Click to expand...

Hello parodielin,

With the trimmers on the shunt regulators you adjust the signle voltages to the needed point.
Surely you could switch them to fixed resistors, if you know the needed value from the trimmers.

If you don´t find the Wago terminals you could also use some standard Tyco Electronics Series 282841 from Mouser. They fit also.
 
#148
Hi Oliver,

It looks like I may be making 2x TDA DAC after all..... 😉
I have just been donated a second TAIWAN made "H2" TDA1541A, to match my original one, and the cost to implement is marginal compared to what I've already spent. So, TL431s and all that stuff goes back in.

So, I have one or two questions for you:

1. Are you not concerned about using 16v rated Os-con SEPC on the -15v circuit?

2. I see you have used larger (1W?) PRP resistors for the 10R shunt reg positions. Any reason I should do this?

3. With 2x TDA1541A, my I/V resistors should now be halved from 56R to 28R?
And my RK remain at 200R for 62NP tubes?

Many thanks again,
Lucas
 
#149
Hi Lucas,

to your questions:

1. Are you not concerned about using 16v rated Os-con SEPC on the -15v circuit?
Click to expand...

No. In this position we have no voltage drift. They work absolute perfect!

2. I see you have used larger (1W?) PRP resistors for the 10R shunt reg positions. Any reason I should do this?
Click to expand...

At the time i´ve placed the order, only the bigger 10R´s were in stock.

3. With 2x TDA1541A, my I/V resistors should now be halved from 56R to 28R?
And my RK remain at 200R for 6N2P tubes?
Click to expand...

Correct. You have only to change the R I/V value /2.

Best,
Oliver
 
#151
Hey Oliver,

I've just been reading on the old Lampizator site (again!) and this time read of how he likes to completely bypass Dem re-clockers like the 74HC02 (he mentioned this one specifically), and take I2S directly to the TDA1541A. Is this something you've tried or considered? Is this here because of multiple DAC chips? Is it necessary, and what does it offer us/ gain us please, in your experience?

Many thanks
 
#152
Hi Lucas,

the highly recommended DEM Re-Clock circuit and I2S attenuator is a development of ecdesigns, mastermind of the TDA1541A.

Both have major advantages to the sound quality, never mind if you use one or multiple TDA´s.

Also Thorsten Loesch attest this here. 😉
 
#154
Hallo Ernst,

the only statement i could give is from my setup:

Tube-I-zator

- 6N2P-ER
- Rk & R I/V Texas Components TX2575 resistor´s
- Russian K75-10 hybrid 1,5µF bypassed by K72P-6 teflon 0,047µF output caps

EC´s I/V stage

- Tyco Electronics RN73 Series 0805 SMD resistors
- Russian K75-10 hybrid 1,5µF bypassed by K72P-6 teflon 0,047µF output caps

ES´s I/V stage has a clear, precise sound. Also the width of the soundstage is quite good. Realy great for the few parts!

What i miss is in comparsion to the Tube-I-zator, is the unbelievable possibility to reproduce every microdetail of the music.
You could hear the felt knocking to the piano wires, the 3D soundstage is phenomenal, you have an abslolute "Live feeling"
with the tubes. Really awesome.

Regards nach Köln 🙂
Oliver
 
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#155
Thanks a lot!

Hi Oliver :wave2:

hmmm, seems that I have to think about Lampi/Tubizator. Thanks for the statement.

Currently I'm listening with DACEND II (AD1865) while I'm finishing my TDA1541 (with your boards) and still not really clear which I/V stage I should use.
For sure I'll try ECs, because its easy to build and does not need extra PSU!! Will try also older one from TNT and maybe TL Adagio and maybe yours, but with more affordable parts.

Will report!

Regards to MG

Ernst
 
#156
dvb-projekt said:
Hi Lucas,

the highly recommended DEM Re-Clock circuit and I2S attenuator is a development of ecdesigns, mastermind of the TDA1541A.

Both have major advantages to the sound quality, never mind if you use one or multiple TDA´s.

Also Thorsten Loesch attest this here. 😉
Click to expand...

OK, so presumably, Lukasz removes it because it's precise function/advantage is not clear to him due to the limits of his experience, and the DAC works without it, so he simplifies things because often that makes for better sound, not realising that it may be very important. This is my presumption, anyway. I will keep it all in.

Lukasz also mentions how external clocks should have their own transformer, as they dump a lot of noisy stuff into the earth, and this shouldn't be shared with the other circuits beyond the mains supply. That would include the Teralink X2, no?

My transformers are ordered. It will be 2x 50VA R-cores now, as 15 lines was too many for one transformer space wise. 😛

Also, don't sell out of TDA boards. I will definitely be needing one, and will pay just as soon as I have a few quid in Paypal! Also shunt regs, perhaps....

All the best
Lucas
 
#157
Lukasz also mentions how external clocks should have their own transformer, as they dump a lot of noisy stuff into the earth, and this shouldn't be shared with the other circuits beyond the mains supply. That would include the Teralink X2, no?
Click to expand...

I couldn´t comment this, but the X2 sounds better if it is powered by a separate +5V Salas Shut reg. 🙂
 
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#158
Ernst, I am in the same situation as you are... on the hunt for the best output stage for this dac.

Other postings on the forum regarding lampizator-style outputs have made me quite cautious of the doubt on the quality of this output stage... And on the other hand, Oliver here writes highly of the tubeizator!

I just don't know. All I know is that I have built a lampizator for my Behringer SRC2496 (also see lampizator site as "best DAC so far (2009)") and I was not impressed.

As Oliver rightly points out, EC-designs is the tda1541-guru, and you have got to have some trust that he will fit a decent output stage on the dac he has spent months/years designing....

All in all, I don't know yet... but I also want to avoid spending a lot of time/money in building various output stages only to find out that the best one is simply 2 transistors and 4 resistors...
 
#159
ECDesigns output stage is incredibly simple, but remember it is for current out DACs like TDA1541A only, not Behringer. It will be good, because it is simple, passive and based on 2SK170 fets, which are excellent in all such stages (I have them in almost every component in my system - 30 in total I counted.)

What Lampizator design did you use for the Behringer? Surely it was quite different from the 6H2P SRRP standard one Lukasz "lampizator" is famous for.

He calls all of his valve stages Lampizators, but by that he just means that they are tube DAC output in general. He also gets very excited and speaks highly of most of his designs, but if he only uses them once or twice, read between the lines. The SRPP 6N2P design he has developed over years with the TDA1541A is surely different. I have only heard good things about it from those that have used it, and complete derision from valve experts who haven't used it but think it shouldn't be good. Besides, Oliver has some seriously HIGH END gear, and would not be praising it had he not found it to be excellent. I am building one of Oliver's boards in complete confidence.
 
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