Thanks, instruction writing is pretty hard in a foreign language. I'm glad so many people like it.
It indeed is meant to reduce the amount of searching by people building a BII-based DAC, so if there are errors or things unclear I'd like to hear about them. A few small things were already pointed out by Brian, and corrected in the version I'm working on right now.
It indeed is meant to reduce the amount of searching by people building a BII-based DAC, so if there are errors or things unclear I'd like to hear about them. A few small things were already pointed out by Brian, and corrected in the version I'm working on right now.
Please, let us know when the new version is out.
May be it's not a bad idea if you post your manual in the "Buffalo II" thread, as well.
Thanks for the hard work!
May be it's not a bad idea if you post your manual in the "Buffalo II" thread, as well.
Thanks for the hard work!
The new version is in the works, it will be available on the TPA website. You will be able to find it in the new document page Brian just created for this type of documents: Twisted Pear Audio Document Repository
It handily combines all the TPA manuals in one big list, and includes documents of the community.
It handily combines all the TPA manuals in one big list, and includes documents of the community.
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The nice thing is that that page "automagically" scans for all the doc we have posted, whether or not there is a link to it, and adds it to the list. Some are old, some are new.
As the Tridents have become so indispensable, I wonder if there will be a revised "Buffalo 3" with all the Trident shunts built-in.
Why? The different configurations allow different price points with higher price mostly equaling higher overall performance. Pick your own investment to start. The basic setup might just do you as well as you need.
Some folk will buy the basic kit as cost is relatively low and add Tridents or other tweaks (IVY, Counterpoint, Legato 1,2,3, Placid, LCDPS...) as time, money and perceiptions evolve over time. Warning: this might entail one getting their hands dirty and actually listening and evaluating what they hear with the mods they have done. This is where DIY gets FUN! And learn something, too.
Its all about DIY and finding that sweet spot on the performance to price ratio that works for you. IMO if you want a turn key Sabre solution, simply buy a Weiss DAC202 for 10 times more.
Because adding of Tridents are not supported by TPA and you do it for your own risk. Not everyone who want to have Trident performance supply want to risk. B3 will not limit your choice - you can always buy B2.
With that first part you certainly have a good point, and it's the only objection I have against the Trident modules. Several persons have had problems mounting them correctly and although Russ and Brian so far have extensively supported those persons that did run into trouble, the basic rule still is "on your own risk".
The second part is something I have doubts about. The original Buffallo and the B32 modules aren't available anymore. And I doubt that the BII will remain available if there ever comes a BIII.
In DIY you have to start to learn somewhere. If someone can screw up mounting Tridents onto a Buff2 board, I'd hate to guess what they could do assembling a complete Placid/Buff2/Placid/Legatto sans Tridents. Russ and Brian have shown EXTREME patience with a lot of folks here (me included).
IMO toasting a few projects and learning with understanding how not to do it again are the dues paid for DIY College of Hard Knocks. If you're not up to it, buy plug and play and enjoy. No shame it that. "A man's got to know his limitations." But I would prefer for Russ and Brian to concentrate on bringing new and inventive modules and products to the marketplace for sale and not be spread thin rehashing "which way do the diodes go" questions, that don't contribute to their bottom line either.
Certainly, but I also see the problem with the Trident/BII combo: the official DAC manual states not to expect support if your DAC breaks. I'm sure it sounds much worse than Russ and Brian intended it, but for modules (from the original manufacturer) that are meant to fit the BII that's quite a strange statement, even if it's a DIY solution.
As an owner, I definitely appreciate both sides of this situation. I couldn't remove the Buffalo II ferrites with a soldering iron and I wouldn't blame TPA for not feeling responsible if a customer like me damaged the board. On the flip side, I have *installed* a ferrite and obviously there is nothing to it. Meanwhile, the support that Russ and/or Brian have given me and others with B2/Trident has been well above and beyond that implied by 'DIY'. My suggestion - for the sake of consistency in support if nothing else - would be to leave the ferrites for the user to install if they are not planning to use Tridents. And if you want them off once they are in... you're on your own if the Buffalo board is damaged.
[Hint: try an aluminum foil nozzle directing air from a heat gun... 😀]
Frank
It's been quiet here so I hope maybe it's OK to veer slightly off topic. I answer hard questions every day and always have the policy that there are no 'dumb questions'... Readers here know that I'm not EE inclined but am a junkie for pure sound. ...so I'm just curious...
In layman's terms, what are the Tridents doing better than Buffalo's on-board regulated power supplies? Or similarly, what is Placid BP doing as the Legato supply that makes it a superior power source? What are the properties that make them sound so good?
Second question is: Compared to, say, an unregulated power amplifier supply, why wouldn't similar benefits apply to the final link in the signal chain? Is it that speakers are considered not to be adequately revealing?
Nelson Pass states that regulated supplies in power amplifiers 'deliver the goods' if they are large enough.
Third question is what would it take to scale up some of the Trident and Placid magic to make 6 or 7 kick-*** amperes (peak) to power a mid-size discrete power amp? [... at least in theory, forgetting about heat for the moment...]
If this is too far OT feel free to delete, but it would be nice to know more about the theory here...
Cheers,
Frank
In layman's terms, what are the Tridents doing better than Buffalo's on-board regulated power supplies? Or similarly, what is Placid BP doing as the Legato supply that makes it a superior power source? What are the properties that make them sound so good?
Second question is: Compared to, say, an unregulated power amplifier supply, why wouldn't similar benefits apply to the final link in the signal chain? Is it that speakers are considered not to be adequately revealing?
Nelson Pass states that regulated supplies in power amplifiers 'deliver the goods' if they are large enough.
Third question is what would it take to scale up some of the Trident and Placid magic to make 6 or 7 kick-*** amperes (peak) to power a mid-size discrete power amp? [... at least in theory, forgetting about heat for the moment...]
If this is too far OT feel free to delete, but it would be nice to know more about the theory here...
Cheers,
Frank
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