Re: Re: The problem is USB
Peter,
I found all your comments on setting up a computer-based audio system very interesting... And that plus reading cics's AOB and other recipes along with the many comments over on AA got me started down the path of doing my own PC-based system.
I'm starting out with a very 'stock' cics-specified system... and I'll be starting out using your SPDIF DAC fed from a Juli@ card. I have a few questions related to this...
1st, what's the max bit depth and rate your SPDIF DAC will handle? I've read the TDA1543 will do 192 sampling rate, but I seem to remember that the CS8412 does not. And I'm pretty sure both are limited to 16 bits and won't do the full 24 bits from a cMP-Squared machine.
2nd, what's the details on your ultra-deluxe USB DAC? I can see the V-Caps for outputs (which version?) and the Caddock TF020 for the I/V and VREF resistors (likely from Michael Percy, as Parts Connexion doesn't list the right values). Any other changes you'd care to share? And is all of this applicable to your SPDIF DAC?
3rd, what are you doing with your computer-based nowadays? I like what you do in optimizing your system and am always interested in harvesting ideas from your directions. For example, are you still using the PicoPSU with the linear supply? That seems to me to be an excellent way to go for these setup... And use linear supplies to replace the distributed supplies as specified by cics in the cMP/CPLAY setups.
TIA!
Greg in Mississippi
P.S. The other reason I'm hot-to-trot on this AOB/cMP-Squared system is the success of my Shigaclone. It sounds quite good and I'm very happy with it... And excited about the possibility of eventually surpassing it with the PC-based music player!
Peter Daniel said:
Peter,
I found all your comments on setting up a computer-based audio system very interesting... And that plus reading cics's AOB and other recipes along with the many comments over on AA got me started down the path of doing my own PC-based system.
I'm starting out with a very 'stock' cics-specified system... and I'll be starting out using your SPDIF DAC fed from a Juli@ card. I have a few questions related to this...
1st, what's the max bit depth and rate your SPDIF DAC will handle? I've read the TDA1543 will do 192 sampling rate, but I seem to remember that the CS8412 does not. And I'm pretty sure both are limited to 16 bits and won't do the full 24 bits from a cMP-Squared machine.
2nd, what's the details on your ultra-deluxe USB DAC? I can see the V-Caps for outputs (which version?) and the Caddock TF020 for the I/V and VREF resistors (likely from Michael Percy, as Parts Connexion doesn't list the right values). Any other changes you'd care to share? And is all of this applicable to your SPDIF DAC?
3rd, what are you doing with your computer-based nowadays? I like what you do in optimizing your system and am always interested in harvesting ideas from your directions. For example, are you still using the PicoPSU with the linear supply? That seems to me to be an excellent way to go for these setup... And use linear supplies to replace the distributed supplies as specified by cics in the cMP/CPLAY setups.
TIA!
Greg in Mississippi
P.S. The other reason I'm hot-to-trot on this AOB/cMP-Squared system is the success of my Shigaclone. It sounds quite good and I'm very happy with it... And excited about the possibility of eventually surpassing it with the PC-based music player!
Hi Greg,
The NOS DAC will only work with frequencies up to 48 kHz and I’m pretty sure it’s limited to 16bits. Presently, I’m only listening to CDs, so for me that does not impose any limitation.
The Ultra Deluxe version uses V-Caps in the output and Caddocks TF020 for Vref and I/V conversion. So far, this is the best combination I could come up with and it does not seem like there is anything better (BTW, Vishays didn’t work well here). Comparing to stock Rikens and BG N it’s not mind blowing, maybe some 10% better: it’s mainly more refined with less “haze” but also slightly less musical and warm. I wouldn’t loose any sleep if had to go back to Riken/BG N combo.
The only other area I was experimenting recently, are the 4 main filter caps. I had here for a while BG FK 2200/35 and it seemed to me like a right choice, until one day I compared a DAC I just built for a customer and the stock DAC was better than my “audiophile” version with tweaked caps. So I went back to BG STD/NX combo and this is how it will stay. Placing BG N 470/16 in place of C2 brings further improvement, but still of rather subtle nature.
Those mods are certainly applicable to SPDIF DAC as well, and in a past I was also using 4 x BG N 1000/50 with SPDIF DAC and it seemed like an improvement to me, but when I tried those caps with USB version, it didn’t work at all.
My computer setup looks like in attached picture. I installed motherboard on a spruce board with an aluminum angle attached and working as heat sink for LM7812 regulator. I’m still using PICOPSU and the cap installed there now is BG N 470/16. There is another cap attached to the angle and it provides filtering before regulator (Panasonic Audio Grade 6800/63)
It’s still not clear to me if computer is an improvement over Shigaclone: in some ways it’s seems better (mostly when it comes to technical side of a sound) but in some ways it’s still behind. I find the system to be a bit on a bright side and lacking smoothness I so much enjoy with a CD player. But all the changes I did recently improved computer playback substantially and I don’t have problem listening to it all day long.
The NOS DAC will only work with frequencies up to 48 kHz and I’m pretty sure it’s limited to 16bits. Presently, I’m only listening to CDs, so for me that does not impose any limitation.
The Ultra Deluxe version uses V-Caps in the output and Caddocks TF020 for Vref and I/V conversion. So far, this is the best combination I could come up with and it does not seem like there is anything better (BTW, Vishays didn’t work well here). Comparing to stock Rikens and BG N it’s not mind blowing, maybe some 10% better: it’s mainly more refined with less “haze” but also slightly less musical and warm. I wouldn’t loose any sleep if had to go back to Riken/BG N combo.
The only other area I was experimenting recently, are the 4 main filter caps. I had here for a while BG FK 2200/35 and it seemed to me like a right choice, until one day I compared a DAC I just built for a customer and the stock DAC was better than my “audiophile” version with tweaked caps. So I went back to BG STD/NX combo and this is how it will stay. Placing BG N 470/16 in place of C2 brings further improvement, but still of rather subtle nature.
Those mods are certainly applicable to SPDIF DAC as well, and in a past I was also using 4 x BG N 1000/50 with SPDIF DAC and it seemed like an improvement to me, but when I tried those caps with USB version, it didn’t work at all.
My computer setup looks like in attached picture. I installed motherboard on a spruce board with an aluminum angle attached and working as heat sink for LM7812 regulator. I’m still using PICOPSU and the cap installed there now is BG N 470/16. There is another cap attached to the angle and it provides filtering before regulator (Panasonic Audio Grade 6800/63)
It’s still not clear to me if computer is an improvement over Shigaclone: in some ways it’s seems better (mostly when it comes to technical side of a sound) but in some ways it’s still behind. I find the system to be a bit on a bright side and lacking smoothness I so much enjoy with a CD player. But all the changes I did recently improved computer playback substantially and I don’t have problem listening to it all day long.
Attachments
It has to do with returning currents which are split into two diodes and that can cause noise in some setups. When done carefuly, it works without problem though.
The amp in a picture below has one 300VA trafo, 2 separate bridges and 4 channels:
The amp in a picture below has one 300VA trafo, 2 separate bridges and 4 channels:
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.
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.
Pics of my DAC
Trying to upload a photo of my DAC...let's see. Okay, that worked. I wanted to say thanks to Peter for the fabulous kit. My version here worked first try (Peter soldered the surface mount components). I put the system (described in the next paragraph) together in one go so I don't have proper before-after comparisons. All i can say is that it sounds great.
The DAC is mounted on a solid piece of what started out as 8/4 cherry. My source is iTunes with lossless files feeding the DAC. The DAC supplies Pete Millett's hybrid headphone/pre amp which in turn drives a Decware Zen experimenters Tube Amp (built from kit... I can supply photos of the whole set up if anyone is curious.) Those 1.8 watts drive some vintage Klipsch Heresys.
I'll stop there. As I said, it all sounds fabulous. Life is good.
Ryan
Trying to upload a photo of my DAC...let's see. Okay, that worked. I wanted to say thanks to Peter for the fabulous kit. My version here worked first try (Peter soldered the surface mount components). I put the system (described in the next paragraph) together in one go so I don't have proper before-after comparisons. All i can say is that it sounds great.
The DAC is mounted on a solid piece of what started out as 8/4 cherry. My source is iTunes with lossless files feeding the DAC. The DAC supplies Pete Millett's hybrid headphone/pre amp which in turn drives a Decware Zen experimenters Tube Amp (built from kit... I can supply photos of the whole set up if anyone is curious.) Those 1.8 watts drive some vintage Klipsch Heresys.
I'll stop there. As I said, it all sounds fabulous. Life is good.
Ryan
Attachments
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.