Chinese AK4497 DAC dual-chip decoder board

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Thmartin

Member
Joined 2004
Hi,

Board : €78
AK4497EQ chips : €33,44 each (price has increased a lot since I purchased them 3 months ago)
XMOS U208 : €27,64
Chassis : €37,30
2x9V Talema transformer : €15,25
2x15V Talema transformer : €15,40

Displays are widely available in many colours, for instance here.

Some prices may have changed since, but total cost is approximately €240, still cheap for such a nice DAC.

why build a DIY DAC when companies like TOPPING offer great products for quite reasonable price
Click to expand...
Because I like building things ;)

Which TOPPING DAC are you mentioning ?

T.
 
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T

Thmartin

Member
Joined 2004
Azzuro said:
Hello thmarting,
Do you have removed red wima caps?

I soldered in // 100uf caps, and bass was more clear, but i have in stock nichicon muse caps and would like to know if better to completely this 1uf caps by 100uf caps instead.
Click to expand...

Hey Azzuro,
Nope, I haven't yet. I usually prefer to get my ears used to a setting before implementing a modification, it's easier for me to have an opinion. Haven't played yet with opamps for instance. But thanks for the hint, I'll try this.

T.
 
vacuphile

vacuphile

Member
Joined 2011
Thmartin said:
Hi,

Board : €78
AK4497EQ chips : €33,44 each (price has increased a lot since I purchased them 3 months ago)
XMOS U208 : €27,64
Chassis : €37,30
2x9V Talema transformer : €15,25
2x15V Talema transformer : €15,40

Displays are widely available in many colours, for instance here.

Some prices may have changed since, but total cost is approximately €240, still cheap for such a nice DAC.


Because I like building things ;)

Which TOPPING DAC are you mentioning ?

T.
Click to expand...

This board is ok, but some changes are required to make it great.

https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/dig...ac-dual-chip-decoder-board-7.html#post5364252
 
N

nickytheshaft

Member
Joined 2019
A

al2813

Member
Joined 2020
Hi, I am a complete noobie, but have spent the last year getting into this audio hobby. I just completed my first setup using ready made products, and I want to start a bit of DIY. I have been building PCs for years now, but building audio is a different experience and I want to jump in :)

So have been looking at a DAC to start with. I have 2 now both ESS based, and I thought I try out an AKM one first.

Some questions (and again sorry I am a noobie...):

- I see a lot of AK4497 boards in Ebay and Aliexpress. They all look quite similar and are priced quite differently. Is there a recommended one?

- I thought the boards already had the DAC chip included while I see here a separate DAC chip to be sourced and soldered. Is it a question of price (The DAC board referenced here is cheaper)?

- I see a lot of references to the Amareno USB board, and seems a lot of them are not original. How do i make sure I source a good one?


I would like to spend on this project around 250 and try to pit my DAC against a Topping D50s as a "challenge"
 
M

Markw4

Member
Joined 2016
al2813 said:
- I see a lot of AK4497 boards in Ebay and Aliexpress. They all look quite similar and are priced quite differently. Is there a recommended one?
Click to expand...

If you would to link those you may be considering maybe we can offer some advice about them.

- I thought the boards already had the DAC chip included while I see here a separate DAC chip to be sourced and soldered. Is it a question of price (The DAC board referenced here is cheaper)?
Click to expand...

Sometimes dac chips are not included if they are a major expense. Makes boards and kits look like more of a bargain.

- I see a lot of references to the Amareno USB board, and seems a lot of them are not original. How do i make sure I source a good one?
Click to expand...

The original Amanero board costs about $100 is is the only version that supports ASIO drivers and native DSD in Windows. And, even it needs some work to sound its best. A better option is JL Sounds I2SoverUSB, or else the latest Chinese USB boards featuring Accusilicon AS318-B clocks (about $70).

I would like to spend on this project around 250 and try to pit my DAC against a Topping D50s as a "challenge"
Click to expand...

You probably can't make a cheaper decent quality dac than Topping can, but you might be able to make one that sounds better if you work at it. First of all, most of the components on cheap Chinese dac boards (other than the dac chips) are fakes, look-alikes, clones, or just plain dirt cheap. That's how those guys make a profit. One of the first things to do when modding a cheap Chinese dac board is to remove most or all of the components and replace them with better parts and or better circuitry.
 
A

al2813

Member
Joined 2020
Many thanks for the detailed answers to the questions. It's hard to avoid pitfalls especially when like me you're not aware of the details.Will keep reading the posts and embark on the project when I feel safe enough to try. Obviously there's always the wish to get a high quality component at a lower cost, but there's also the appetite to make something yourself.
 
T

themystical

Member
Joined 2006
al2813 said:
Many thanks for the detailed answers to the questions. It's hard to avoid pitfalls especially when like me you're not aware of the details.Will keep reading the posts and embark on the project when I feel safe enough to try. Obviously there's always the wish to get a high quality component at a lower cost, but there's also the appetite to make something yourself.
Click to expand...

It sounds like you are wishing to do the same project that I was up for but unfortunately cannot now pursue.
The boards that I was going to use are advertised here:
FS: DIYINHK AK4497 DAC Boards
 
J

Jsano

Member
Joined 2021
heyoo, i know its been a while since this thread is active but here goes.

i was planning on buying and modding the same DAC board as the one vacuphile used, but i found that there was a new version of the previous DAC board listed in AE,

so i was wondering if anyone had any experiences or any technical insight to which board i should buy.

(New Board)
YJ-AK4497EQ DAC ???????? ?? ?? USB ??5.0?2019-???

Thanks
 
J

Jsano

Member
Joined 2021
vacuphile said:
View attachment 666937

This modification is almost mandatory. The 1 uF coupling cap from the digital section is too small to drive the 10k resistor to ground on the analog side; 3dB point around 15 Hz. AKM recommends 100 uF coupling caps. I used 220 uF because I had them laying around. Adding these makes a large measurable difference and also make the bass sound a lot tighter.

View attachment 666948

The coupling cap runs into a Sallen-Key connected opamp. AKM recommends a second order low pass filter with f3dB around 180 kHz. The values chosen on the board as it comes deliver a filter with a much higher corner frequency. I calculated the proper values for the SK-filter, but for reasons I don't want to spend time on, this created high DC-offsets. Therefore the solution chosen is to split the second order low pass in two. This here creates the first pole. 120 Ohm drive 10 nF for the required corner frequency.

This mod is equally recommended.

View attachment 666938

Below the opamp, proper decoupling close to the pins.

Easy to do and every little bit helps.
Click to expand...

Hello, i am planning to do the mod done by Vacuphile as well, but as i read the post i have some areas in which i am confused with,
please forgive me if it is something obvious XD (noob at this).

first question is in this picture
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
,
since we replace the film capacitor with the 2200uF caps, what should we fill the empty holes (from previous capacitors) with?

second question is in some of the pictures, such as View attachment 666948
i do not know what FB Upper and Lower means XD

Last question is similar to the first one, in this picture
View attachment 666948
there are some components removed, and as i read Vacuphile said that the second OP-amp slot will not be used since it will only worsen the audio.

so, i am confused as to what i should fill the empty parts with, since on the bottom PCB view View attachment 666938 , all holes are soldered.

Please help me lmao, i am looking forward to modding this board :p.
Thank You :)
 
C

Clack

Member
Joined 2008
I would like to keep this discussion alive with some info about the USB board.
Hope it is useful for someone.
I found this one works at once and nice, with all the connections in place, the spdif one as well.
As always, placing the USB board as close as possibile to the main board in essential.
The seller emails the drivers on request.
AIYIMA XMOS Scheda Figlia XU208 Scheda di Decodifica Supporto 32BIT 384 K ES9018 Decodifica Compatibile Amanero USB IIS Interfaccia Digitale|Amplificatore| - AliExpress

Also I am not sure how to get rid of the second opamps pair.
Is it still possible to go unbalanced without them?
 
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