Weiliang DAC9 with AK4399

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risperdal

Member
2007-03-07 12:05 am
  • #1
    Hello,
    loved the DAC 2496 (AK4393) DAC KIT With CS8416+AK4393+5532 thread. Maybe we can start something similar with this DAC.
    Any suggestions? Thanks .

    For comparison i have DAC 2496 (AK4396) direct out and osconized (SEPC) and Cary Xciter, just run in DAC 9. Seems to be more analogue sound with better stage (first impression).

    Macbook>Squeezebox duet>DAC9>Teac Al 700P>Konus Essence
     

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    risperdal

    Member
    2007-03-07 12:05 am
  • #3
    I am beginner,so i have done it :rolleyes:,direct out stolen from first resistor behind AOUTRP and AOUTLP. Datasheet says that internal switched capacitor filters the noise beyond the audio band. For my ears the woolen sound has gone,voices are incredible,bass improved by wide margin. I can do that because my Teac have input capacitors (2,2uF). Hi Markus, in stock i found DAC9 beter, more analogue.Don`t forget to buy sigma 11(wonderful power supply)Hoe long does it take to complete sigma22?
     
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    markuspetursson

    Member
    2010-03-13 12:46 pm
  • #4
    Now that's the spirit. My sigma22 took a while, the initial build was pretty quick but theni shorted it frying my beta22 and psu and it took a very long time to debug, but now it runs like a dream. Would i need caps on the output for the beta? I ordered a transformer from minishow, so i won't need a beta11 will i? (i've plenty of spare parts from the sigma22 and probably could build an extra beta11 if needed ;)

    Risperdal where did you buy your dac9 from? how long was the shipping?
     
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    risperdal

    Member
    2007-03-07 12:05 am
  • #7
    Looks as if the coupling capacitors are Silmic II.Slimic II are not suitable for digital decoupling, or ? I think also that the traces are a way too long.
    I can choose between Wima MKS2 10 uf or 470 uf SEPC Sanyo. Any suggestions?


    Hi Markus, have little time now, but i bought this DAC from mini show, shipping was expensive but tooks only 4 days.
     
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    markuspetursson

    Member
    2010-03-13 12:46 pm
  • #11
    Dac9 arrived - sounds great

    shipped in 13 days with standard international shipping from China to Iceland must be a record :)
    Just hooked it up to transformer and optical to pc, sounds great, very detailed and yet analogue, if that means anything.
    Toslink optical -> DAC9 -> BETA22 -> AKG K701
    Listening to 88.2 khz 24bit Pink Floyd Wish you were here: Plenty of bass, overall very smooth and pleasant, which is great since the k701 can be quite harsh at times.

    One thing i think i might have noticed is a KNACK sound very short only heard it twice and not sure if it's a defect in the file, or link.

    Build quality of the board is fairly good, all solders are clean and shiny, only "defect" i've noticed is that the optical socket is at a slight angle i.e. not fully seated, should be a quick fix.

    I also bought some opa627's to replace those NE5534's but listening to the DAC out of the box i'm in no hurry to improve things ;) Can't really hear any wool :D , but i guess i can't judge that until after i've compared with direct out connection.
     
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    markuspetursson

    Member
    2010-03-13 12:46 pm
  • #14
    I tried to measure my DAC9 but my sound card was not up to the challenge.
    The meaning of Eternity is as everybody knows - 42.
    I replaced the ne5534 with opa627 today, and did a few back and forth switches to compare, my first impression was that the vocals in moved a bit more to the front and i gained some bass detail, it's still very smooth but now more vocal texture, roughness etc.
    Once i've figured out which output caps to use, if any, with my Beta 22 i'll check the DAC direct out lines.
    btw (no more knacks now, must have been something in the lines)
     
    Astaro

    Astaro

    Member
    2010-08-14 8:52 am
    Dubna, Moskow reg., Russia
  • #15
    markuspetursson what name, you have а sound card? Now embedded (integrated) in the motherboard can 95db. Please measure it of any available card. So, I'll make sure that there are not less than 95db (minimal for 16bit resolution) :=))))
    Easy programm to measure http://audio.rightmark.org/download.shtml
    there is a User's Guide (in English)
     
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    Peterma

    Member
    2009-01-13 4:32 am
    From London to Sydney Feb 69
  • #20
    First Impressions: I have been using this dac in direct out mode bi-passing the op-amps directly off the 4399 chip and one thing I noticed right away is that vocals have a more pronounced echo and the sss is clear and natural sounding, after burn in it should sound different so will soon see. I am going to connect a I2s usb reciever soon and it should sound even better than the SPdif connection i am using now. The difference between 4395/6 the 4399 has a smother sound with the same details, but everybody has their own taste of what sounds good, to me this dac is great without any mods maybe mods could make it even better.
     
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