Music server with TDA1541 (I2S direct)

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Here is my 160GB server base on the TVIX module with TD1541 and I2S tapped from the TVIX board.
Output stage is a variation of Mr Pass D1 (jfet circuit thanks to stefanobilliani)
And the sound is the best I had so far. It was a big jump in quality when dropping the cs8414 and go I2S direct.

Here's a pic. Everything in a wooden box.
 

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Close up of the I2S connection.
The original CS4340 dac was pull and I2S signal tap from those pads.
The TD1541 uses LT1021 for +5V and TL431 for -5V and a larger discrete power stage for the -15V (not shown here)

OsCon, ZL and stack film type for various decoupling.

The I2S is output from the dsp chip EM8511.
 

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The under side of the point-to-point 1541 dac.
Ugly, but it works. A small copper foil ground is use directly under the dac. All decoupling is to the analog ground.
A large tant cap is used for the LT1021 as suggested by the datasheet.

Hopeful, my next tweak to this dac will be the DEM reclock but not enough time.:)

...Chuck T
 

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This is the TVIX media player before I took it apart.
http://www.tvix.co.kr/Eng/Products/M3000U.aspx

But it does sound so much better in its current mutilated form.

I use EAC to rip all my CD in wav format to my 160G hd. This media player needs to connect to the TV for the display and selection of songs.

In its original form, the TVIX mades are very good transport, quite a bit better than the Philips 963 dvd I once had. But the true potential is in using its I2S. It made you wonder why SPIF was invented in the first place.
 
Hi dddac,

There is a small board attach to the side next to the large ferrite toroid, that is the infra-red with 3 led for status. I drill holes in the front panel for the infra-red and leds.

I use component cable to connect to the TV, not yet connected in my first pic, but you can see all the rca sockets next to the TVIX board.

Yes, death to spif.:cool:
 
Sorry to heard that, I was rough in handling the TVIX and it still survive.
There were several times I thought it didn't output video but it turn out I had got the component video connection wrong.
Was it just no display? Did the led go on and harddisk spinning?
 
hi Chuck,

you're tvix project looks great. And there are several models of the tvix with the EM8511 available for low prices. Do you know the newer chipsets also have the possibility to tap I2S?

And how about the clock? Do you use the internal clock? Is there a possibility to go for an external (really good) clock? Do you have a scheme of the tvix?

eddy
 
Hello again Chuck

Looks like we have another equipment in common. Mine's the newer MU3100. But I have not mod at board level yet.

Didn't like the sound from the TVIX. I'm using its digital coaxial out to for connection to an outboard DAC. Had a Sarotech 2.5in HDD Player as a comparison, the Sarotech sounded better. I figured the 3.5 in HDD was vibrating too much (from the spinning) and giving off too much heat. So I replaced the 3.5in with a notebook 2.5in (using an adaprter) and took off the fan. Now it sounds much better. However, the 2.5in HDD is hanging loosely in the original casing. There is still a little vibration from the 2.5in which I will be looking for some rubber bungs to secure the HDD in place and isolate it from the case.

So far the sound has dramatically improved. Its more defined now, not muddy and hollow as before.
 
Edraket,

Flash memory? I'm waiting for the SSD to come down in price. Maybe next year huh. With SSD, it will be truly vibration free source. Right now its on hard disks (but the 2.5in instead of 3.5in) which has less vibration.

I'm playing music off the this modded TVIX and it sounds better than a regular CDP. (I'm using a NAD 515 BEE for comparison.) The sound is more defined, less muddy.

In comparison to the Sarotech 2.5in (palm size device) the TVIX sounded more fuller. The Sarotech being slightly shy on the bass. Overall, I'm pretty happy with the results.
 
edraket said:
hi RaZmaTaZ,

did you play some songs from flashmemory yet? I'm curious how it sounds.

eddy

Eddy

Got both SD adapter and a CF to SATA (from ebay) for the DVICO(TVIX) and the Sarotech and both dun seem to work. Both the SD and CF card works on a regular USB card reader but when I stick them in their HDD adapters, the music players dun seem to be able to read the flash disks. Any ideas?
 
ChuckT said:
Here is my 160GB server base on the TVIX module with TD1541 and I2S tapped from the TVIX board.
Output stage is a variation of Mr Pass D1 (jfet circuit thanks to stefanobilliani)
And the sound is the best I had so far. It was a big jump in quality when dropping the cs8414 and go I2S direct.

Here's a pic. Everything in a wooden box.

I have a question about this interesting mod: do you have schematics for this board or you reverse-engineered it?
Btw does the tvix have its own "audio" clock?

Cheers

Andrea
 
TDA1541 i2s with WD mini

Just thought I would pop in and contribute.

I just hooked up my WD TV Mini Media Player ( WDBAAL0000NBK ) to my Analogmetric TDA1541 DAC using i2s and so far I think it is at least as good as my usual source which is a fully optimised CMP + Cplay computer with teralink x (1) USB>i2s converter. I tentatively think the WD might be better. I heard more details and better decay of sound, and HF sounded like it went higher and clearer.


I checked the i2s lines with my CRO and I find the signals to be very square with no ringing or overshoot. This is very promising.
I will do more testing tomorrow.

I got some tips with doing this from here: http://community.wdc.com/t5/WD-TV-Mini-DVR-Expander/DAC/td-p/5259

The only thing disappointing about the WD mini is the lack of gapless playback.
 
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