Here is a portable option using CS chips.
AIYIMA Mini Amp Portable Headphone HiFi AUX Amplifiers TPA6120 PC USB DAC Decoder Audio Headset Amplificador With Volume Control-in Headphone Amplifier from Consumer Electronics on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
This DAC board claims to implement the recommended design by AK.
AK4490EQ HIFI DAC decoder Official standard circuit I2S DSD input Semi finished DC 15V DIY Kits B3 002-in Digital-to-Analog Converter from Consumer Electronics on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
This one from the same manufacturer, using AK4495 with the same claim of using the official circuit. Has 6 op-amps !
Lusya AK4495S AK4495SEQ I2S DAC Audio decoder board support 32BIT 768K decoder T0241-in Digital-to-Analog Converter from Consumer Electronics on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
"Designed by Lee". Is this the same Lee as mentioned at the start of the thread by Abraxalito ?
Finished L1852DAC AD1852 24bit 192k soft control HiFi decoder CM6631 24bit 192k USB Asynchronous DAC-in Digital-to-Analog Converter from Consumer Electronics on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
AIYIMA Mini Amp Portable Headphone HiFi AUX Amplifiers TPA6120 PC USB DAC Decoder Audio Headset Amplificador With Volume Control-in Headphone Amplifier from Consumer Electronics on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
This DAC board claims to implement the recommended design by AK.
AK4490EQ HIFI DAC decoder Official standard circuit I2S DSD input Semi finished DC 15V DIY Kits B3 002-in Digital-to-Analog Converter from Consumer Electronics on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
This one from the same manufacturer, using AK4495 with the same claim of using the official circuit. Has 6 op-amps !
Lusya AK4495S AK4495SEQ I2S DAC Audio decoder board support 32BIT 768K decoder T0241-in Digital-to-Analog Converter from Consumer Electronics on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
"Designed by Lee". Is this the same Lee as mentioned at the start of the thread by Abraxalito ?
Finished L1852DAC AD1852 24bit 192k soft control HiFi decoder CM6631 24bit 192k USB Asynchronous DAC-in Digital-to-Analog Converter from Consumer Electronics on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
Yes, its a good DAC. But getting it into India is going to be a bit difficult.
Found two more sites selling DIY DAC.
1. Mableaudio is a company who can build tube amplifier and we also supply all the components for tube amplifier.Such as tubes,tubes sockets,switches,capacitors,resistors,PCB,chassis to get you started_MABLE AUDIO
Just search "DAC".
There aren't a lot of products but the ones that are listed seems well built to my untrained layman eyes !
SA9023 PCM5102 USB DAC
Finished DAC
2. Yuan Jing Audio - DAC Decoder
Lots of DIY solutions !
Yuan Jing Audio - 24Bit / 192KHz USB DAC Decoder XMOS+WM8741+AD827 - USD $77.20 - DAC Boards
https://www.yuan-jing.com/dacs-deco...ne5534-optical-coaxial?sort=p.price&order=ASC
https://www.yuan-jing.com/dacs-deco...axial-usb-decode-board?sort=p.price&order=ASC
https://www.yuan-jing.com/dacs-deco...cm2706-optical-coaxial?sort=p.price&order=ASC
https://www.yuan-jing.com/dacs-deco...4118-dac-decoder-board?sort=p.price&order=ASC
Found two more sites selling DIY DAC.
1. Mableaudio is a company who can build tube amplifier and we also supply all the components for tube amplifier.Such as tubes,tubes sockets,switches,capacitors,resistors,PCB,chassis to get you started_MABLE AUDIO
Just search "DAC".
There aren't a lot of products but the ones that are listed seems well built to my untrained layman eyes !
SA9023 PCM5102 USB DAC
Finished DAC
2. Yuan Jing Audio - DAC Decoder
Lots of DIY solutions !
Yuan Jing Audio - 24Bit / 192KHz USB DAC Decoder XMOS+WM8741+AD827 - USD $77.20 - DAC Boards
https://www.yuan-jing.com/dacs-deco...ne5534-optical-coaxial?sort=p.price&order=ASC
https://www.yuan-jing.com/dacs-deco...axial-usb-decode-board?sort=p.price&order=ASC
https://www.yuan-jing.com/dacs-deco...cm2706-optical-coaxial?sort=p.price&order=ASC
https://www.yuan-jing.com/dacs-deco...4118-dac-decoder-board?sort=p.price&order=ASC
He does the right thing actually: I recently got myself a Topping D10 for a start, tipped off by one of his posts. Schiit Modi 3 also mentioned in this thread is another inexpensive one I learned about. Saves tons of time doing own research for all of those who have interest but not enough time for that..
Great !
I was using this thread as some sort of a brainstorming/pasteboard lol. And if I can condense the whole thing and recommend a board, it would be the khadas tone board. The topping dacs aren't bad at all but according to other forums, the khadas tone board just beats them, probably by a small margin. But, my current financial situation demands a lot of cost cutting (I have kids and...they are undergoing some treatment...going to cost me...a lot). But, now that I got that Wolfson based dac, would I buy the khadas tone board ? No ! I would be saving a bit and try to get a "hi-fi" dac, probably a dac from chord or a diy dac designed by a diyaudio forum member.
Getting a diy dac from China comes with some risk as there is a good chance of issues like fake chips, bad soldering, dead components etc. That's the reason why I gone for that Wolfson dac as it was bought and tested by my friend. But yeah, YMMV
I got the DAC board now !
EDIT:
The seller (aliexpress) says it need AC 9V-12V supply. But my friend who sold it to me says 9V is enough. I have a 0-12V 1.5amp & 0-9V 0.5amp transformers. So, which one to use?
Also, should I twist the cable (phase and neutral) together (Main supply to transformer and transformer to DAC)? One more thing, there is a hole at the pcb which I guess is for connecting ground. So, what should I do with it?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
EDIT:
The seller (aliexpress) says it need AC 9V-12V supply. But my friend who sold it to me says 9V is enough. I have a 0-12V 1.5amp & 0-9V 0.5amp transformers. So, which one to use?
Also, should I twist the cable (phase and neutral) together (Main supply to transformer and transformer to DAC)? One more thing, there is a hole at the pcb which I guess is for connecting ground. So, what should I do with it?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Attachments
![IMG_20190130_135216940[1].jpg](/community/data/attachments/666/666754-c00028affb47c5b79bddf1b124e469c6.jpg)
Last edited:
I think I used a 9v 1A transformer with the one I had, but it’s been a while.
If you use the 12v that you have, you might want to watch the regulators and make sure they aren’t getting too hot.
You can twist the wires but should be fine without if you make sure that they don’t run close to the board(except where attached of course).
If you use the 12v that you have, you might want to watch the regulators and make sure they aren’t getting too hot.
You can twist the wires but should be fine without if you make sure that they don’t run close to the board(except where attached of course).
Not a good idea to use a capacitor in series with an inductor like a transformer because you will form a series resonant circuit. Depending on the particulars, you could develop very high voltage across the capacitor and or transformer with dangerous and potentially catastrophic effects, especially when connected to the AC line which can supply a lot of energy. Best to leave things like that to people who really know what they are doing.
You could use a power resistor, but that doesn't mean it would be a good idea. For one thing is means the transformer 'regulation' would likely become rather poor. The Basics of Transformer Voltage Regulation | Electrical Construction & Maintenance (EC&M) Magazine
Really, you should just get a proper transformer and or purchase a small 'variac' to use when you want to adjust line voltage for whatever purpose. A variac can be useful tool to have around anyway for electronics testing and other workbench utility functions. Otherwise, if you know how to calculate the necessary power rating for a resistor you would need, you might well find you don't have one in stock and would need to buy one. And, if you have to buy something then by far the best thing to do would be to buy a proper solution in the form of the right type of transformer or maybe a voltage regulator that can dissipate the power it would need to when fed from a 12v transformer.
Last edited:
Wow ! Thanks for the heads-up ! A variac huh? My college electronics lab had a few but they are costly here. I might move in a short time. So, I'm trying to limit my spending. After I settle, I plan to learn electronics formally so that I can understand at least half the things you people say
I'll try to get a 9V, 1 A transformer.
Ok, I connected the existing transformer (9v, 0.5 amp) to the dac and the usb out from the pc but the sound output is very low. I had to turn the volume to the max to hear anything at all.
I measured the output voltage of the transformer while the dac was working and it was 8.3v (required voltage is 9-12v as per the seller at AliExpress)
By the way, the RCA cable I used is very cheap though (of my old DVD player, very old )
Shall I connect the 12v transformer instead of the 9v ?
It was due to the old RCA cable. Re-arranging the cable solved it. Sound is decent but the bass is less defined compared to the Xonar DX soundcard. Treble is better than the Xonar DX. Mids are....almost the same or slightly lower defined. Playing the Colour to the Moon by Alan Taylor. Let me play Return to Innocence by Enigma next to check out the female vocals!
"Return to innocence" wasn't bad at all. But, I can definitely sense some issues with bass. May be it's the cable or even the low 8.3V supply.
Let me get an "audiophile" RCA cable and a shorter usb cable and test again.
I'll try to get a 9V, 1 A transformer.
Ok, I connected the existing transformer (9v, 0.5 amp) to the dac and the usb out from the pc but the sound output is very low. I had to turn the volume to the max to hear anything at all.
I measured the output voltage of the transformer while the dac was working and it was 8.3v (required voltage is 9-12v as per the seller at AliExpress)
By the way, the RCA cable I used is very cheap though (of my old DVD player, very old )
Shall I connect the 12v transformer instead of the 9v ?
It was due to the old RCA cable. Re-arranging the cable solved it. Sound is decent but the bass is less defined compared to the Xonar DX soundcard. Treble is better than the Xonar DX. Mids are....almost the same or slightly lower defined. Playing the Colour to the Moon by Alan Taylor. Let me play Return to Innocence by Enigma next to check out the female vocals!
"Return to innocence" wasn't bad at all. But, I can definitely sense some issues with bass. May be it's the cable or even the low 8.3V supply.
Let me get an "audiophile" RCA cable and a shorter usb cable and test again.
Ok, I'll try it.
Even with the 9v input, one of the voltage regulator gets warm. Shall I put a better heatsink on it ?
I have some LED heatsinks from a hobby project lying around somewhere.
If you can hold your little finger on it without pain, it should be alright. A better heatsink could help if it’s getting too warm, and really couldn’t hurt anyways.
I’m pretty sure that device was intended to be in a small non-vented enclosure and if you have it in something larger it should be fine.
I’m pretty sure that device was intended to be in a small non-vented enclosure and if you have it in something larger it should be fine.
Yes
Yeah, it's not too hot to touch. It's just warm like the warmth of a hot coffee.
I just measured the output voltage of the 12v transformer and it's 12.45 volt.
A bit higher than I wanted.
I'll report after I connect it with the dac
Last edited:
Can't wait to get home (at my workplace now) and try the 12V transformer.
By the way, I have a LME 49720 opamp. So, can I swap the JRC 5532DD opamp in the DAC pcb ? Would it be safe ?
I'm asking this coz I heard that the LME opamps are very picky about the rest of the circuit and can potentially damage my AMP if something goes terribly wrong.
By the way, I have a LME 49720 opamp. So, can I swap the JRC 5532DD opamp in the DAC pcb ? Would it be safe ?
I'm asking this coz I heard that the LME opamps are very picky about the rest of the circuit and can potentially damage my AMP if something goes terribly wrong.