Gents, i think I ll go the easy way and buy dac9 from Weiliang.
Question, what to order as an upgrade from the same seller?
Opamps ?
USB board ?
Question, what to order as an upgrade from the same seller?
Opamps ?
USB board ?
Just finished reading both dual and mono 4399 threads.
Dual one went too technical with mods costing more than dac itself 🙂
Not sure if I d benefit from dual one , any suggestions ?
Dual one went too technical with mods costing more than dac itself 🙂
Not sure if I d benefit from dual one , any suggestions ?
I had chosen a single dac board as it was just a more simple approach for DIY , the small reduction in noise wasn't justifiable for me anyways vs cost.
Some of the mods looked like a bargain like the main filter caps, not sure about the rest, I guess it depends on what you are going to do with it(personal taste).
I did buy two boards both to have a reference and to look at for figuring out mods while using the main unit, something to consider. I have been concerned that if I toasted an ic, that I wouldn't be able to get a replacement in the future once the design is superseded, and would be starting over. This way I would be able to swap all the mods onto my replacement and not have to do it all over again.
Some of the mods looked like a bargain like the main filter caps, not sure about the rest, I guess it depends on what you are going to do with it(personal taste).
I did buy two boards both to have a reference and to look at for figuring out mods while using the main unit, something to consider. I have been concerned that if I toasted an ic, that I wouldn't be able to get a replacement in the future once the design is superseded, and would be starting over. This way I would be able to swap all the mods onto my replacement and not have to do it all over again.
I am looking for simpler way indeed. Have no time to invest in diy as it used to be. Possibly is going to get single 4399 and do minor mods as per Dario. Never played with opamps, so possibly going to ask for help with upgrade or even try output transformers, which does not look too difficult to implement. What about psu upgrade to something like salas?
I was actually going to mention that the upgrades would be worth it if you didn't want to spend lots of time messing around, so that sounds like a good option indeed. I had decent results with the opa627 in my dac, with a bias resistor added to the adapters.
I've been avoiding upgrading the regulators myself, and have focused my efforts on capacitor selection, but have stumbled upon some line isolation transformers that have really helped to quiet things down.
I've been avoiding upgrading the regulators myself, and have focused my efforts on capacitor selection, but have stumbled upon some line isolation transformers that have really helped to quiet things down.
Yep, I ll re read cap upgrade later on, after I power on board and enjoy some music 🙂
Need to sell my soldered but untested subbu dac, it takes too long and too much time to do it 🙂
Need to sell my soldered but untested subbu dac, it takes too long and too much time to do it 🙂
I need to place dac in existing enclosure which was done for different dac, all inputs have to be outboard. What is a switch on the back of the dac ?
I hear you regarding the time spent doing mods, can be rather consuming I have found. I do believe the weiliang stuff has the most potential, or the option at least, and simple layouts.
I had listened to mine for nearly 6 months before changing anything, but I'm pretty new to audio electronics modding, have always just plugged things in for the most part.
Looking back, I would say that changing the opamps, and the polyester 104 caps throughout would be the blanket changes which would yield the most benefit really without much fiddling around.
I had listened to mine for nearly 6 months before changing anything, but I'm pretty new to audio electronics modding, have always just plugged things in for the most part.
Looking back, I would say that changing the opamps, and the polyester 104 caps throughout would be the blanket changes which would yield the most benefit really without much fiddling around.
I had used the opa627 with some resistors tacked on for a boost into class a, sounded very good, have also liked the ad8066 also, without any resistors, and those were a bit more economical than the opa627s as well.
I did go for the burson opamp modules in the end, but if my setup wasn't primarily a headphone rig, the opamps sounded just fine. I had ran it through my home stereo(SAE2300, and Dahlquist speakers), and it sounded great. Even on my workshop stereo, the speakers did the disappearing thing with the (opa627)opamps, and those were just some Phillips bookshelf speakers and an old Kenwood amp. So I figure that the opamps can sound very good.
The last opamp in the chain is a servo on mine, and I think that the dac9 uses a different arrangement possibly (?) than the earlier weiliang DACs, so after the initial I/V stage I can't really be of much help I'm afraid. I had used the metal can LME49720HA for the servo after another member here clued me in to that setup, worked well there.
I did go for the burson opamp modules in the end, but if my setup wasn't primarily a headphone rig, the opamps sounded just fine. I had ran it through my home stereo(SAE2300, and Dahlquist speakers), and it sounded great. Even on my workshop stereo, the speakers did the disappearing thing with the (opa627)opamps, and those were just some Phillips bookshelf speakers and an old Kenwood amp. So I figure that the opamps can sound very good.
The last opamp in the chain is a servo on mine, and I think that the dac9 uses a different arrangement possibly (?) than the earlier weiliang DACs, so after the initial I/V stage I can't really be of much help I'm afraid. I had used the metal can LME49720HA for the servo after another member here clued me in to that setup, worked well there.
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There is a gb for salas reflector shunt regulator, specifically for digital. Any comments on implementing it with this dac?
Firstly, when adding all costs, it exceeds the price of those off the shelf super regulators like Dexa and Belleson. How good is this shunt regulator in comparison with the above two? Secondly, the size is quite large too.
IIRC, the Salas kit includes reservoir and rectifier.
In terms of noise and PSRR, the Salas should be rather better. Dunno about impedance, but it can implement load sensing, which will help.
Is this the DAC in discussion?
DAC Decoder AK4399 WM8805 Coaxial Optical Input Assembled Board DAC9 by Weiliang | eBay
Minishow tells me it comes with NE534 opamp.
He is offering to change this for ADA4627 or LME49710
And I'm confused... can I literally swap opamps without soldering? If its an easy swap - shall I just get the kit as it is from mini show and then purchase opamps from a uk supplier?
I'm driving a baby huey with el84 so I'm guessing that the opamp will not make much difference?
he is also supplying a 30VA r core transformer and a USB board
which begs another question from you guys - which usb board from minishow? I'm a Linux newbie whos somehow just configured my first Linux box and I've installed clementine,
stu
DAC Decoder AK4399 WM8805 Coaxial Optical Input Assembled Board DAC9 by Weiliang | eBay
Minishow tells me it comes with NE534 opamp.
He is offering to change this for ADA4627 or LME49710
And I'm confused... can I literally swap opamps without soldering? If its an easy swap - shall I just get the kit as it is from mini show and then purchase opamps from a uk supplier?
I'm driving a baby huey with el84 so I'm guessing that the opamp will not make much difference?
he is also supplying a 30VA r core transformer and a USB board
which begs another question from you guys - which usb board from minishow? I'm a Linux newbie whos somehow just configured my first Linux box and I've installed clementine,
stu
Thanks Dario, I think I will purchase the LME49710HA from digikey UK afterwards then
Is it a direct swap or will I need to change some of the surrounding circuitry?
Xmos USB it is then, I hope this will work under Linux, but its not a problem if it doesn't
If I make an order from digikey UK or Farnell I will need to pay a one off postage fee.... what would be your first suggestion for extra components to change, I don't want to do too may mods but I would be comfortable replacing a few bits...
stu
Is it a direct swap or will I need to change some of the surrounding circuitry?
Xmos USB it is then, I hope this will work under Linux, but its not a problem if it doesn't
If I make an order from digikey UK or Farnell I will need to pay a one off postage fee.... what would be your first suggestion for extra components to change, I don't want to do too may mods but I would be comfortable replacing a few bits...
stu
I ll be going similar upgrade path, surfstu. If timing will be good we can combine mouser shipping.
I've bought this DAC last month but I was waiting to open a thread because I wanted to publish an upgrade BOM like I did for the AK4396 DAC.
Well, someone started earlier... 😉
BTW
This DAC sound great as it is, I can't see any fake parts (including supplied AD797), some LT regulators are used, though, and some parts are useless or way sub-par..
I agree that other opamps sound better though (OPA827, for example) but it was expected, AD797 needs a dedicated design to sound best.
One strange thing is that the supplied gold/black Silmics II sound (way) better that white/brown ones you can buy from Mouser/Digikey/PCX, etc.
If those are fakes I want fakes everytime!! 😉
BTW the first parts mods are, as usual, on the LPF (I''m not a fan of direct out mods):
So, get rid of all 220pF PFR5 and use Wima FKP2 or Amtrans AMCH instead (fuller and more deteailed sound).
Remove all MKS2 bypasses of Silmics (more natural reverbs and less fatigue),
Replace the 2.7nF green EROs with Wima FKP2/Amtrans 2200pF.
After that replace the Samwha smoothing caps with Panasonic TS-HAs, same value:
This has a HUGE impact of sound, fuller and more detailed, those Samwhas are the worst quality parts in the kit.
If possible replace the 2 1000uF Panasonic FM with Elna RJHs you'll have sweeter HF and a more balanced timbre.
You can also use Nichicon FWs, better than FMs but not as good as RJHs.
For an overkill result you can swap the Samwhas with Mundorf AGs but, while they're an improvement over TS-HAs, the cost/benefit ratio is not that high.
In every case remove the bypasses of the smoothing caps.
If you have the CM6631 USB option replace the blue box cap with Wima MKP2, you'll gain a fuller and more refined sound.
I've noted that using USB sound is not as full as using SPDIF.
Last the DAC decoupling... from my experience on the MINI2496 I was expecting great results here but the vendor selections is quite good.
I've tried various OSCONS (Nichicons, Fujitsu, Sanyo) and plain capacitors and the supplied Sanyo for C30X sound really good, beaten only by Black Gate STD.
On C22/C28 the supplied oscons sound remarkably good but Black/gold Silmics II or BGs sound best.
On other positions the supplied Silmics are a really good choice, simply remove all MKS2 bypasses.
In general where an OSCON is used a bypass is very bad idea, remove it as well.
Having brand new caps with long leads would be a good idea to solder elcos nearer to DAC pins using the bypasses positions.
This is what I've discovered so far, subject to change and an ongoing test.
AD797 needs a dedicated design to sound best.
It would be a good project . DAC opamps output stage ( AK4396.AK4399,CS4398.....)
There would be many people interested by such a PCB .
😉
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