DAC AD1862: Almost THT, I2S input, NOS, R-2R

Disabled Account
Joined 2019
Hope the Bastanis speakers enjoy it :)



I gave the idea to Pedja to try an AD1862 dac as he said he will come back this summer with a new diy project to follow the new dac just launched. While he is attracted by the idea it seemed to me in his answer it was too much work to make a pcb from scratch cause time consuming and I think we will see an enhanced AYA Dac with the tda1541... I have some idea about parts in that last case.
 
Member
Joined 2007
Paid Member
Thanks Vunce! Yes, I am happy about that. I really don't like to deal with non working diy stuff (who would? ;-) ). And what happened, was not logical at all.
I never had an issue like that with a Pi.

So I have to decide if I build a streamer with it or a USB DAC.

Iggy, didn't understand your question. If you wanted to know, which DAC I prefer between AYA and IAN, it would be difficult to say. Full blown streamer with capability for highres and volume control and very good sound is a strong argument. AYA is more for the heart and old times, somehow. It sounds a not more honest, real and has more timbre ..... Blabla ;-) They are both keepers I can say and I am looking forward what may come from Pedja.

But, Miro is doing some other stuff as well and I have some very fine AD1865 in my drawer as well :- D (and the PCBs), but no TDA1540 unfortunately.

Stay happy!
 
Member
Joined 2007
Paid Member
@Cooljazz, Ian has a opamp I/V stage and a transformer I/V stage. The second one is for Lundahl and a specific type of Chinese transformer. I had the opampstage at first, using 1612 and 1622 opamps. Very dynamic with authority. After having read, what Ian had taken down about his transformer I/V findings, for the sake of fun I just ordered the Chinese trafo and the sound was so nice, that I kept it. For me it's sound is more musical, yet with less authority.


Congratulations on figuring it out!!

Time to enjoy it now. What are you planning for an output stage?

Fran, thanks! For now I keep the opampstage active. Currently there are a pair of opa134 and later I'll try a pair of Burson V6c, which I have around. For sure I'll try a trafo I/V. I do have a trafo from Ivan for my AYA, which I am going to try with this nice DAC as well. Beside that I have Pedja discrete stage, which also will find its way into this DAC :) So a lot of options. Not to forget the SEN and, I think you are playing with tubes. If I will come to this, I have not idea. Certainly work for a few month :)


I understood AYA was the third dac from your prefered third dacs, at least my understanding at reading the post. so asked for the two first in order.

There are more and more cheap very good dac, as the topping you described...


Writing on mobiles often gives unreadable results, due to automatic word completion and laziness. To make it clear, AYA is still my best sounding DAC. The 9038 Fifo stack with streamer, usb and spdif input is a very good sounding and convenience thing, lacking the last bit of, hm, difficult so say. When you imagine, it should sound like cotton fabric, it does still sound like a tiny bit plastic fabric. AYA is more bass, and real cotton. I could be totally satisfied with Ians stuff, yet I am an old fashioned guy (and of course I know better ;-) ) and so I like the DTA1541 and I am working on this DAC. If it turns out as good as it is said to, it will be a hard time.

Have a good day :)
 
Last edited:
Member
Joined 2007
Paid Member
@nautibuoy, thanks!

Yes, interesting; haven't been in this thread for a couple of weeks. I think my trafo for TDA is 1:6 and I will try it sooner or lesser. In my TDA1541 I am not really convinced that it is better than Pedjas original one. Without a buffer it is very unpleasing. I have a rather old two stage E88CC buffer with a 40 khz filter in between, that makes it listenable, yet not better than Pedja's opa861 I/V for my ears up to now. It seems, he has changed the design recently for the better. Let us see what will come :)

Cheers, Ernst
 
Member
Joined 2007
Paid Member
Wow, I am really excited about this DAC. Current chain in charge consist of USB bridge, JLSounds USB to i2s, AD1862 DAC ( LT1963A/LT3015 PSU, Burson V6c), Whammy (opa1622, Fairchild Mosfets), AKG K371 (6 kHz Peak passivly filtered), my ears. The K371 is fairly new and needs break in, but with this combo it already sounds amazingly natural for a closedback headphone. Great bass, airy heigths, surprinsing stage, ...... audiophile babbel ;-)
In any case, listening to it is a pleasure and no fatigue at all after a few hours.
 
Last edited:
Member
Joined 2007
Paid Member
@ Cooljazz,

when you follow the link from nautibuoy a few posts above, then you will be guided to a thread, in which this question is at least dicussed.

my 2 cents:

AD1862 hast got +-1mA pp outputcurrent.
ES9038 Q2M has twice the outputcurrent.
TDA1541 has got 0+2mA pp outputcurrent.

I read Ivans Post #561 in that way, he now uses 1:8 transformers for TDA1541. As the AD1862 has got the same outputcurrent, but without the offset, 1:8 should be ok for AD1862 as well. Take this as a bottom line.

The permalloy 600:10000 trafo I am using for 9038 is roughly a 1:4 transformer. A 1:8 would be at about a 600:35000 trafo. You can find cheap 600:30000/50000 trafos on the usual platforms.

Again just a few basics.

I for my own just bought the Chinese one, as Ian Canada had stated, that he would be totally happy with his purchase, if he didn't knew the better (and more expensive) one from Ivan.

If you are unsure, ask Ivan! He is the expert.

And, as stated here earlier, 170 $ for a perfect pair of trafos is not expensive.

Hope this helps a little.
 
I have messed up bad

@miro1360 , @vunce

Hi guys as the title says I have messed up real bad, I was working on AD1955 DAC circuit, made it generated cam files, unfortunately due to naming error instead of uploading AD1955 cam files I uploaded AD1865 cam files as attached on page 144 of this thread, and another design of AD1865 DAC with Vout instead of IOut.

By the time I realized my error I had already place the order and it was in process, I ordered it from seeedstudio for 10 PCB so soon I will have 10 PCB for which I have no apparent use, although the PCBs are dirt cheap but the shipping charges are a killer so I am willing to give away some PCBs free of cost to anyone who is willing to pay the shipping charges. I might have just one extra AD1865NK and a couple SOIC version not to be used but of course that's not free.

On another note, I have been testing Amanero and XMos boards and I think I could easily hookup the DAC with a display like LCD(HD44780) or an OLED already worked out the firmware for it both a PIC16F876A and an arduino, it will take me a while to get the next batch of PCBs for the circuit but if guys are interested in hooking up a display with your DACs, let me know.
 
I have completed allmost The dac board and LDO PS board, mouser has Some parts in backorder. Very Nice to work on The pretty boards!

Here is also discussing About transformer as i/v.
I have Some Philips microphone trannies 6x and primary 600 ohm impedance which could be tried. Does The transformer need any stage after that or can The AD1862 drive this current ?
 
Hi Miro,

Thanks for this design, i was able to test this and this works fine.

So i believe this can be marked as Tested :)

It is in 16 Bit mode using PCM56P, NE5534 as IV Opamp.

Thanks
Harsha

User @mllum asked for an universal layout for a few different pin-compatible DACs, #1443
PCM56P: 16-Bit; +-5VD, +-12VA (or +-5VA)
AD1860: 18-Bit; +-5VD, +-12VA (or +-5VA)
AD1851: 16-Bit; +5VD, +-5VA
AD1861: 18-Bit; +5VD, +-5VA
AD1856: 16-Bit; +-5VD, +-12VA (or +-5VA)
PCM61P: 18-Bit; +-5VD, +-12VA (or +-5VA)
... maybe another pin-compatible DAC exists
... SB solder jumper on the PCB select between bits, example:
- Short pins 2-3 for PCM56P (16-Bit)
- Short pins 1-2 for AD1860 (18-Bit)

These DAC chips can be considered as a lower cost solution (as they still be cheap). It may surprise with the sound as there are enough of them to test :cool:

I don't know much about the sound from these chips, there may or may not be an audible glitch (according to the datasheet it should be neglitible).

Each DAC has 3 pins taked out on the PCB for optional MSB adjustment (-V1, A1, T1, -V2, A2, T2). The adjustment consists of 3 hand-wired parts in series (resistor-trimmer-resistor). This procedure is not very simple, hence optional.


>>...pcb for 8 dac ic's 4 for the left channel and 4 for the right channel

This is not achieved in my PCB due to overall complexity. DAC chips can't be paralleled without decoupling and filtering capacitors. Doing this for 8 chips would significantly enlarge the PCB. Moreover this DAC is not tested if it even works :D Check it for possible errors before ordering.

Some people have made parallel chip-to-chip connections, where some pins left unconnected (4, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15) and power pins were decoupled for each chip and connected together underneath - right on the PCB (in this solution a higher digital interference can be present).

Alternatively the 4 same PCBs can be assembled, one with digital glue logic an 3 without glue logic, and all PCBs without opamps - just DACs with capacitors). The first PCB with assembled logic will drive the other three in parallel (BCK, DR, DL, LRCK, GND). The Iouts will be linked together for each channel (here one PCB can act with I/V opamps (R8,R9 value is 1/4 of the value from single DAC) or a passive I/V resistor ... or another I/V solution). Note, that only Iouts shall be linked parallel, not Vouts.


Example list of components (copied from BOM, except some resistors)
mouser:
771-HCT164D652
594-SFR25000Z0000ZA5
C320C104K1R5TA
R79IC3100Z340J
667-EEU-FR1E470
UFG1C471MPM
80-C1206C470G5G
538-87914-0804
575-343308
575-1154731641003000
 
Member
Joined 2007
Paid Member
I have completed allmost The dac board and LDO PS board, mouser has Some parts in backorder. Very Nice to work on The pretty boards!

Here is also discussing About transformer as i/v.
I have Some Philips microphone trannies 6x and primary 600 ohm impedance which could be tried. Does The transformer need any stage after that or can The AD1862 drive this current ?

Tubee, probably you need a buffer stage after this. But, just try it! If sound turns into a unpleasant no bass thing, you need one, as it was with my TDA1541.

Cheers