Something cool for Raspberry Pi/ODROID: I2S/DSD isolator HAT with native DSD decoder

The next, I'll test DACs in master clock mode. It would be a great news for this kind of DACs with having an isolator between Raspberry Pi.

I have a HifiBerry DAC + Pro, it can generate both BCK and LRCK from local master clock, RPi will be slave in this case, high jitter issue will be fixed. HifiBerry DAC + Pro will work with my isolator in bi-directional mode.

Ian
 
Member
Joined 2012
Paid Member
A pity you haven't managed to combine an isolator and a reclocker.

Especially since you've been Mr. FIFO for quite some years over here
and especially that the PI is known for its rather lowQ I2S.

I hope you'll gonna change this sooner or later.

Good luck with your isolator.

I think there are people that want a combined isolator/reclocker but there are others that do not need a reclocker added because they will combine the isolator with Ian's fifo and clock. I am in the latter group as I will be happy with having an I2S isolator to direct connect an Odroid SBC without the need for an USB to I2S converter.
 
For DSD playback, will this isolator & daughter board work with an IQaudio Pi-DAC+ on an RPi? The Pi-DAC+ uses the PCM5122 chipset, but I haven't been able to find a reference that it is capable of handling a DSD signal, and the name of the chip gives me doubts...
 
For DSD playback, will this isolator & daughter board work with an IQaudio Pi-DAC+ on an RPi? The Pi-DAC+ uses the PCM5122 chipset, but I haven't been able to find a reference that it is capable of handling a DSD signal, and the name of the chip gives me doubts...

Hi jclin4,

This isolator works for IQaudio Pi-DAC+ in both master and slave mode. However PCM5122 itself dosen't support DSD decoding, so just I2S I think.

That's why now I'm interested in developing some DSD/I2S DACs for Raspberry Pi.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/pc-b...raspberry-pi-start-es9018k2m.html#post4962508

Ian
 
Hi Ian,

Do you know of any nice tiny pre-built u.fl daughterboards (single or multiple) like the one I hacked off an old wifi board in the pic (added to a Digi+PRO for MCLK out) ? Or a better solution to that?

Thanks!

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


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


And on the other side soldered the coax directly in for now.

V3bjDTBffsmWbvhjM-F45hzKb7R1pjmZxvrzsxA6Wtg9sylsj3q54IXP_DVr8ThWWWupEacupoRpYd8k6yM9EqHEH612L3KbWulfSBtUlDviAPk3gofE-4i6VDqug0a6pxZRMQC07oIDmBDyHzY1bOXA3rhiwi7QI0q13F_0EHa4ZBVUUp0vMlOFnjPBQygA0FVdzJfGYSM8Nk87vYxzC8cW5bQtjln4mYEAdRrjyl6LWC4fUFrqUf6X9d7EAUD05ZQcWtYMS2085oVSCDAnstO3yv6iVcm9eBoNwXlLZTMUk9o0JcewblsrwMF0he0ejf3adr2H8ZUEZq5PmG9jF3ktyYOScD35npXJ5woBeDmI66MyrNLQsCXP63m6wgds3VFWWjBxggujyCBqbaDy4ITPb7vcxivc8rQlprCCvTDb-SS1nTTu01gnowc3SyXfny13Yyuu4c-eiAWaUTSMNCxSJCLgVMEVcGUCzkhkQjcrCsg2e7MnLC4i9CordR3yjrpz3TNQHkzb4g21X0ynHF9c56LyfNnDYttWRwCsKb420giQLRmqoFXoJr62EswdDpMvk9xBtsieIJXZ21lEtI12cy7Ii7NuWaEaT0toMph1Pd3yjxcpxDZComIFX8QEe0We_8lYwqve8pbUbivF5NrIR2o9H6ZEDADKgNP7-w=w1280-h960-no
 
Last edited:
Hmmm, not quite-- I like that little pi board! Is there anything special about the u.fl jumpers you use here and there in pics, is there a certain spec (ohms, shielding) for those in this use? Do you try to keep those short?

Thanks!

Hi sckramer,

u.fl is a standard RF connector which was first introduced by Hirose.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirose_U.FL

It's a good solution to transmit clock signals from board to board up to 6GHz. The impedance is 50ohm. So, 50ohm u.fl cable is also required. Shorter would be better but doesn't make big difference. The most important thing is to keep impedance continues along the clock trace.

Ian
 
Hi Ian,



So I went researching u.fl a bit more and it's really is a delicate connection meant to be connected once or very few times, good for internal or if you have a project done and not gonna touch it anymore. Not nearly robust enough for this.

This project started as researching adding i2s in, so removed the crystal but it was just mute. Got to know the circuit really well, and decided to try ext. MCLK in. ( might revisit i2s later, may know what it is now )
(This is a PSAudio DLIII)

Found theres a nice medium connector between u.fl and full BNC... and look what I found in an old wifi router, all kinds of good stuff:

attachment.php


Here's how I ended up doing it: (left the ferrite bead)

attachment.php


ext. nice medium sized connection: (added above the usb)

attachment.php


Made an adapter for pi headers: (working on digi+ pro)

attachment.php


Made an adapter u.fl to that medium coax: (my slaved digi+ on a kali -- kali does have a u.fl for MCLK underneath, attached there and strain relieved)

attachment.php


After listening for a week with the lash up (that original chintzy white wifi u.fl wire in prev post) to a Kali/slave Digi+ just had to make it permanant it is such a fundamental jump in sound quality!

attachment.php


Any thoughts or critiques please?

Is it the single clock domain (source), instead of 2 (source/dac) giving such a difference? This Dac had a good 6 year run and my "reference" -- so I'm fearless :D Also the beauty of this is... just select 96KHz on the front and it's back to stock operation! Never used the 192KHz upsample setting anyway (why I chose to rip out that supporting clock :))

It was fun analyzing the clocks on the scope, attached one channel on the dac, one on the source (the internal i2s lines)... and you can see the deviation, and jittery in relation to each other... now everything's in lock step.

Thanks!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0764.JPG
    IMG_0764.JPG
    348.2 KB · Views: 132
  • IMG_0780.JPG
    IMG_0780.JPG
    376.6 KB · Views: 135
  • IMG_0781.JPG
    IMG_0781.JPG
    396.5 KB · Views: 1,000
  • IMG_0782.JPG
    IMG_0782.JPG
    478.2 KB · Views: 1,014
  • IMG_0771.JPG
    IMG_0771.JPG
    408.4 KB · Views: 984
  • IMG_0772.JPG
    IMG_0772.JPG
    489.1 KB · Views: 993
  • IMG_0774.JPG
    IMG_0774.JPG
    396.7 KB · Views: 1,007
  • IMG_0779.JPG
    IMG_0779.JPG
    379.5 KB · Views: 1,006
Last edited:
Hi Ian,

i hope it´s ok that i step in.
so you really still have some of the RPi I2S adapter boards ?
(thought they were all gone..)
i really would like to have one (or two).
is it okay to send you a PM ?


cheerio,
Balou

Hi Balou,

I can give you two of the Pi I2S adapter PCB for free if you just need the bare PCB.

You can PM me.

Ian