I will be designing a PCB for the Sabre8 DAC chip. The schematic is still in progress. Getting a nice box is also an obstacle.
I wonder if those twisted pear guys ever do a group buy on some DAC boxes???
I am still working on the PIC microcontroller. Right now, every time I power down the DAC demo board box, when I turn it back on I have to configure it through the USB port before I get any sound.
I could rewire it so the Wolfson board sends SPDIF to the Sabre8 demo board and I wouldn't need the USB configure. But then I will be limited to some defaults, and the input would be 96K max with the master clock I have in the box. The way it is right now with the Wolfson board sending I2S, it will receive 192K data.
When I finish the PIC micro with the I2C controller, it will boot up and configure the Sabre8 chip and we won't need the USB port any more.
I wonder if those twisted pear guys ever do a group buy on some DAC boxes???
I am still working on the PIC microcontroller. Right now, every time I power down the DAC demo board box, when I turn it back on I have to configure it through the USB port before I get any sound.
I could rewire it so the Wolfson board sends SPDIF to the Sabre8 demo board and I wouldn't need the USB configure. But then I will be limited to some defaults, and the input would be 96K max with the master clock I have in the box. The way it is right now with the Wolfson board sending I2S, it will receive 192K data.
When I finish the PIC micro with the I2C controller, it will boot up and configure the Sabre8 chip and we won't need the USB port any more.
Hi Dustin,
I am really impressed with the sound. The ASRC function sounds much cleaner than the Cirrus Logic or TI implementations that I have experimented with.
Overall, the Sabre8 as I have it right now sounds better than the Anagram DAC. It is a very detailed sound and is neutral. The problem with op-amp IV converters and op-amp output stages is that the op-amps have a sound of their own. Transformers have a sound too, but the effects sound very neutral to my ears. The THD distortions do not sound "digital".
Neutral is good.
My Camelot DAC with the Anagram module is now being stored in the parts cabinet. I thought it was great a few years ago, but now technology has passed it by.
I wish I could get your managment to reconsider on the decision to not sell the ASRC chip. Your ES1204 does sound better than the Cirrus CS8421 ASRC chip. I think there is a market for the chip.
By the way. I discovered that by using the Wolfson WM8804 SPDIF receiver in front of your "A" revision ES1204, it fixes most of the locking problems and it sounds very good.
I am really impressed with the sound. The ASRC function sounds much cleaner than the Cirrus Logic or TI implementations that I have experimented with.
Overall, the Sabre8 as I have it right now sounds better than the Anagram DAC. It is a very detailed sound and is neutral. The problem with op-amp IV converters and op-amp output stages is that the op-amps have a sound of their own. Transformers have a sound too, but the effects sound very neutral to my ears. The THD distortions do not sound "digital".
Neutral is good.
My Camelot DAC with the Anagram module is now being stored in the parts cabinet. I thought it was great a few years ago, but now technology has passed it by.
I wish I could get your managment to reconsider on the decision to not sell the ASRC chip. Your ES1204 does sound better than the Cirrus CS8421 ASRC chip. I think there is a market for the chip.
By the way. I discovered that by using the Wolfson WM8804 SPDIF receiver in front of your "A" revision ES1204, it fixes most of the locking problems and it sounds very good.
Hi Spartacus
In post #15 of this thread there are links to some articles about the Sabre.
The White Paper on the ESS website gives a detailed explanation of the part. You can find it here along with the schematic of the demo board:
http://www.esstech.com/techsupp/drivers.shtm
In post #15 of this thread there are links to some articles about the Sabre.
The White Paper on the ESS website gives a detailed explanation of the part. You can find it here along with the schematic of the demo board:
http://www.esstech.com/techsupp/drivers.shtm
The biggest problem I am facing, is that this chip, for now at least, seems to be made of unobtainium.
Calls to ESS and pleas to purchase samples have been ineffective so far.
I already have a PCB laid out for the chip, but it does me no good without the chip.
So until I find you can actually get these things on something other than the demo board, I am not going to waste any more time with it.
Also it won't do me (or other DIY folks) any good if the only way to get them is in qty >= 1K.
Cheers!
Russ
Calls to ESS and pleas to purchase samples have been ineffective so far.
I already have a PCB laid out for the chip, but it does me no good without the chip.
So until I find you can actually get these things on something other than the demo board, I am not going to waste any more time with it.
Also it won't do me (or other DIY folks) any good if the only way to get them is in qty >= 1K.
Cheers!
Russ
Generally speaking, when a commercial manufacturer comes into a forum and asks for input, they usually give something back in return. On other forums manufacturers give up much more expensive items such as entire computers. Buffalo Technology has given out thousands of dollars of product as well as Nokia, just to name a few. Don't get me wrong here. I'm not looking for handouts, but if you are going to make money off our information, the least you could do is donate a couple dozen chips.
Not to brag about our forums here, but good news posted here about a product that we have had a chance to use, travels very fast right to the people in industry that order thousands..
And most here aren't asking about a donation, but just the opportunity to buy some in reasonable quantities..
And most here aren't asking about a donation, but just the opportunity to buy some in reasonable quantities..
The chip I have on the demo board is marked A ENG. I assume that means it is revision A of an engineering prototype version.
I can't speak for ESS, but there may not yet be any production chips available in any quantity.
I can't speak for ESS, but there may not yet be any production chips available in any quantity.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Just found this thread - very interesting DAC!
I was considering combining an FPGA as front end digital filter with one of the TI or Wolfson DACs in 8xFS bypass mode (In my opinion their DACs need better onboard filters)
Then along comes this part which seems to tick both boxes...
I have asked the UK rep for info on availability of samples and when will this part be in full production, etc.
It looks like ESS are moving away from their traditional market of PC sound card products (I think these are dead and buried), and may be dipping their toes into the world of consumer/pro audio. Good to see another player in the premium audio DAC field anyway!
Will post any news I get on availability.
-Len.
I was considering combining an FPGA as front end digital filter with one of the TI or Wolfson DACs in 8xFS bypass mode (In my opinion their DACs need better onboard filters)
Then along comes this part which seems to tick both boxes...
I have asked the UK rep for info on availability of samples and when will this part be in full production, etc.
It looks like ESS are moving away from their traditional market of PC sound card products (I think these are dead and buried), and may be dipping their toes into the world of consumer/pro audio. Good to see another player in the premium audio DAC field anyway!
Will post any news I get on availability.
-Len.
Hi All,
I just talked with our distributor, and he tells me anyone should be able to get parts from him. His website is
http://www.shawelectronics.com/contact.html
Please talk to him and he can get you the parts you needs.
Thanks
Dustin
I just talked with our distributor, and he tells me anyone should be able to get parts from him. His website is
http://www.shawelectronics.com/contact.html
Please talk to him and he can get you the parts you needs.
Thanks
Dustin