The AA I2S has either the wordclock or the bitclock inverted from phillips spec, I forgot which. I am also a fan of the AA DDE DAC's sound, the PMD100-AD1862 combo is a winner. One review I read years ago found that the i2s input had higher jitter than anything they had meaured, if you look at the schematic it goes thru a ton of glue ic's I guess because I2s wasn't meant for long distance.
I'm considering trying iancanadas fifo i2s to the AA DDE, but what AA did with the I2s inside the DDE is so confusing. I've got the schematics for both the v3.0 and v2.1 if anyone is interested. My gut is that a short direct I2s from a fifo or the waveio removing the unnecessary input section and one could have a big upgrade over the dti/transport i2s.
Also Colin Toole had a sectret I/V board project to upgrade these DAC's a few years ago.
I'm considering trying iancanadas fifo i2s to the AA DDE, but what AA did with the I2s inside the DDE is so confusing. I've got the schematics for both the v3.0 and v2.1 if anyone is interested. My gut is that a short direct I2s from a fifo or the waveio removing the unnecessary input section and one could have a big upgrade over the dti/transport i2s.
Also Colin Toole had a sectret I/V board project to upgrade these DAC's a few years ago.
Hi, I need help with my dear DDS Pro ! So far its great transport up today ! I turn it on today and its not working ? One month was resting and today I was nicely surprised ! He shows on the screen power but it wont take any commands. Aider from remote or on the DDS Pro !?????
I have switch it off and on many times, same result not working. Only difference is that every time I switch on it shows different digits on screen !??? Looks like it went MAD !!!???? Dose any one have experienced something similar ??? I'm desperate !
Thanks
I have switch it off and on many times, same result not working. Only difference is that every time I switch on it shows different digits on screen !??? Looks like it went MAD !!!???? Dose any one have experienced something similar ??? I'm desperate !
Thanks
SoNic_real_one,
Thanks for a advise ! I did keep transport on, maybe not long enough ! I will do it again and see what will happen ! Even if I need to replace the capacitor its great as long is not something more complicated. I really, really hope that's all. I was concerned that is some control chip !!! Other wise I change all power supply capacitors, rise each to 10.000uF and bridged with mkp Vishay. Screen was deem before that. After upgrade shines like hell ! More energy show nice sonic improvement too !
Do you now by any chance where is placed RESET CAPACITOR ?
Thanks for a advise ! I did keep transport on, maybe not long enough ! I will do it again and see what will happen ! Even if I need to replace the capacitor its great as long is not something more complicated. I really, really hope that's all. I was concerned that is some control chip !!! Other wise I change all power supply capacitors, rise each to 10.000uF and bridged with mkp Vishay. Screen was deem before that. After upgrade shines like hell ! More energy show nice sonic improvement too !
Do you now by any chance where is placed RESET CAPACITOR ?
I have been repairing a lot of DDS-Pro's in the last year. It seems that the majority of these were built with a number of caps installed on the clock/power board that are rated 16V, but are fed a continuous 24V, and they are now rapidly dying, sometimes causing severe overheating to the point of making resistors in the regulator circuits flame out & damage the stock servo board above it. The only reason these 16V caps have lasted this long is that they were Nichicons. This is your problem, with virtually no doubt at all. If you have the skill to do the work yourself, and it involves desoldering a double-side board with plate-through holes, so not easy, then PM me, and I will go through the schematic & write you a list of the caps to replace & with what to replace them.
stephensank
Thats great to now. I fill much better now. I do and I did some soldering work before. Im not professional but I can do it. Its obvious that caps need to be changed with the higher value !
More uF and more voltage for sure! I have seen inside DDS Pro some green non polar Nichicons. So far I have great experience with Nichicons and I love them. Especially KZ !
By the way my DDS Pro is near 30 years old ! So I guess it was just question of time (minute) which capacitor will go first. I will take your suggestion seriously and change all
capacitors inside ! Its about the time to do it !
Thats great to now. I fill much better now. I do and I did some soldering work before. Im not professional but I can do it. Its obvious that caps need to be changed with the higher value !
More uF and more voltage for sure! I have seen inside DDS Pro some green non polar Nichicons. So far I have great experience with Nichicons and I love them. Especially KZ !
By the way my DDS Pro is near 30 years old ! So I guess it was just question of time (minute) which capacitor will go first. I will take your suggestion seriously and change all
capacitors inside ! Its about the time to do it !
Probably you are safer replacing all the electrolythic capacitors. If they are still "good", probably they have reduced capacity with all what derives from there.
I don't have the schematic of your DDS Pro, usually the reset capacitor is a 1-10uF in close proximity to the CPU that controlls the diplay, keys... maybe is a general use CPU like 87C51. Or a 74HC04 close by the same CPU...
I don't have the schematic of your DDS Pro, usually the reset capacitor is a 1-10uF in close proximity to the CPU that controlls the diplay, keys... maybe is a general use CPU like 87C51. Or a 74HC04 close by the same CPU...
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Yes I will definitely ! Its the easiest and probably clever thing to do after near 30 years of use. After replacing with new and better quality caps sound will improve too for sure! I will look inside DDS Pro and gate back to you with results concerning reset capacitor. But any way I'm planing as you suggest me to change
all electrolytic capacitors ! Woow it must be a loot ! Thanks for the great help. Report will follow.
SONIC- YOU DON'T KNOW THIS MACHINE! Why are you arguing with me, when I very obviously know this unit extremely well?
The fact that you, Marko, are seeing green Nichicon Muse caps confirms that yours is one of the many that unfortunately has 100uf/16V caps before & after every one of the 11 or so regulators, with nearly half of those on the input side of the regs seeing a continuous 23-24VDC. It is a testament to Nichicon that these are only just now dying with a full 50% overload voltage after nearly 20 years service. As I said before, if you PM or email me, I will go through the schematics & tell you exactly which caps will positively need replacement. When I service them, I simply replace all of the input-side caps on all regs with 470uf/25V Fine Gold Nichicons, then 220uf-1000uf/16V FG caps on the post-reg side, depending on whether or not the particular reg is doing a job that actually affects audible performance, which is only about a third of them. Most of the new caps have to be mounted laying down, to fit in the very narrow space available.
You DO NOT need to go looking for reset circuit caps or anything to do with display/syscon processor. Your problem is absolutely going to be simply a matter of replacing the dying 100uf/16v caps on the clock/supply board.
The fact that you, Marko, are seeing green Nichicon Muse caps confirms that yours is one of the many that unfortunately has 100uf/16V caps before & after every one of the 11 or so regulators, with nearly half of those on the input side of the regs seeing a continuous 23-24VDC. It is a testament to Nichicon that these are only just now dying with a full 50% overload voltage after nearly 20 years service. As I said before, if you PM or email me, I will go through the schematics & tell you exactly which caps will positively need replacement. When I service them, I simply replace all of the input-side caps on all regs with 470uf/25V Fine Gold Nichicons, then 220uf-1000uf/16V FG caps on the post-reg side, depending on whether or not the particular reg is doing a job that actually affects audible performance, which is only about a third of them. Most of the new caps have to be mounted laying down, to fit in the very narrow space available.
You DO NOT need to go looking for reset circuit caps or anything to do with display/syscon processor. Your problem is absolutely going to be simply a matter of replacing the dying 100uf/16v caps on the clock/supply board.
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I don't know the DAC but your claim is hard to belive, that's it.
They put 24VDC in capacitors rated for and regs that are supposed to output probably 9-12V? What regs are those? 7805 for 9-12V range has a max input 27V...
Maybe the transformers where the issue in your US models. Based on the fact that is a Pioneer PD-S703, did they used the one for Japan market (100V) in US (120V)?
He probably has the model for 230-240V (european market).
They put 24VDC in capacitors rated for and regs that are supposed to output probably 9-12V? What regs are those? 7805 for 9-12V range has a max input 27V...
Maybe the transformers where the issue in your US models. Based on the fact that is a Pioneer PD-S703, did they used the one for Japan market (100V) in US (120V)?
He probably has the model for 230-240V (european market).
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Hi, there is no need for arguing 
! You help me both enough ! Everything will be ok. Transport is already on the table and I have start changing caps. I have some left overs so its gone be perfect. Panasonic FM, Nichicon KZ and Elna Silmic II ! Its not to complicated as I tough ! Other wise my DDS Pro is 220v and its in the perfect shape. Like new. Right now is not my first digital transport. I'm using Ipod with dock Onkyo modified and thats the best digital transport for me, so far! DDS Pro is staying with me because I love Alchemy and its steel one of the best! I'm using all the time DTI Pro 32 befor my heavily modified MSB Link DAC ! Regards Marko
! You help me both enough ! Everything will be ok. Transport is already on the table and I have start changing caps. I have some left overs so its gone be perfect. Panasonic FM, Nichicon KZ and Elna Silmic II ! Its not to complicated as I tough ! Other wise my DDS Pro is 220v and its in the perfect shape. Like new. Right now is not my first digital transport. I'm using Ipod with dock Onkyo modified and thats the best digital transport for me, so far! DDS Pro is staying with me because I love Alchemy and its steel one of the best! I'm using all the time DTI Pro 32 befor my heavily modified MSB Link DAC ! Regards Marko I stated this quite clearly already- On the clock/supply board, which is the Audio Alchemy-made board in the unit, NOT a Pioneer board, for god knows what reason, AA installed 100uf/16V caps on the PRE-REG, i.e., INPUT SIDE of all of the regs, about half of which are being fed 23V-24VDC, whether or not the power supply unit is wired for & run on 120VAC or 240VAC. It's called a production mistake, which seems, unfortunately, to have happened on the majority of DDS-Pro units produced. It is possible that AA knew that they were doing this, but designed the board & mounting accidentally with too little space for the value/voltage/quality caps they had intended(and indicated on schem), but knew that Nichicons would last for years running 50% over rated voltage, which they could do with a high degree of confidence, in my view. When they start dying, they don't simply short, but, rather, leak electrolyte & current, causing all manner of mischief in the supply voltages. The most typical first sign of trouble is EXACTLY what the OP describes.
Hi, there is no need for arguing
For heaven's sake, PLEASE don't use Panasonic or Elna caps! If you want this unit to hold up as admirably as it has, keep it Nichicon, unless you enjoy replacing caps & cleaning up damage from VERY corrosive leaked electrolyte every five or so years, from caps run well within their rated voltages. It would be a very large insult to this lovely transport to use other than Nichicons.
Now you gate me warred ! Way you have such bad filing about Panasonics and Elnas ?
Elna Silmic II has been recognized as the best of all, right behind the Black Gates and than
comes Nichicon which I realy like ! Panaconics are ok too ! But than again replaced Nichicons apart from green ones are nothing special. I dont now, I have all already instal caps I mention. Values are the same but voltage is higher ! Its 50v for all !
Elna Silmic II has been recognized as the best of all, right behind the Black Gates and than
comes Nichicon which I realy like ! Panaconics are ok too ! But than again replaced Nichicons apart from green ones are nothing special. I dont now, I have all already instal caps I mention. Values are the same but voltage is higher ! Its 50v for all !
I have been servicing high end audio, among other things, for 30+ years, and I see which cap brands are reliable & which are not, as well as how well they perform for audio. Elna & Panasonic/Matsushita are the two most guaranteed-to-fail cap brands in Japan, followed not far behind by Rubycon(Black Gate). Frankly, if a lytic cap is likely to fail in just a few years, or even ten or fifteen, I DON'T consider it an upgrade. Further, those doing comparisons between lytics generally fail to take two big factors into consideration. First, it takes at least 400 hours of rigorous use for any lytic to even come close to fully breaking in. At least. Secondly, only an idiot would depend on lytics for any sort of finesse, whether in supply or signal path. Even the best lytic starts to become a resistor, below or not far beyond 20kHz, so any hope of smoothness & spaciousness comes from adding nice film caps in parallel. Oh, and third, it almost seems like I am the only designer that understands that the caps after the regs should add up to nearly as large or larger than the pre-reg cap size, and as much of that as possible needs to be as close to each signal device as possible. So, if you can hear the difference between regulator types, you have failed to install enough capacity post-reg, and if you hear the difference between lytic brands, you have failed to adequately bypass with films, and/or use large enough lytic values.
Anyway, just lytic-for-lytic, I think upper grade Nichicons perform as well or better than any other brand, and I absolutely know for a solid FACT that they are, by far, the most long-term bulletproof reliable, as demonstrated by how long they survived the extreme abuse in your DDS, even down to the cheaper grades of the brand. The upper grades of Nippon ChemiCon are a not too distant second in reliability, and are the only other lytic brand I ever use.
Anyway, just lytic-for-lytic, I think upper grade Nichicons perform as well or better than any other brand, and I absolutely know for a solid FACT that they are, by far, the most long-term bulletproof reliable, as demonstrated by how long they survived the extreme abuse in your DDS, even down to the cheaper grades of the brand. The upper grades of Nippon ChemiCon are a not too distant second in reliability, and are the only other lytic brand I ever use.
stephensank
I think that you convinced me ! Im very happy with Nichicons too ! So far and for now I have change caps and I will leave it as it is ! Later I will order some good Nichicons and change all ! As a I mention before its all dun, but now I have a problem with other things.
It dasent work at all ! I went try everything and it doesn't power on. One regulator LM317 is not working.Nothing wrong with him but it doesn't get supply of power. Cant gate to the point where is the problem. One of LMs regulatorors is gate in very hot ??? Third, I have notice on the Pioneer board there is a 2 chip regulator. One of them is very hot too ? Apart from that I have a question.
To power up transport do they boards mast be mounted bask and fixed because the ground is connected with the long screw ! Or transport is supposed to power any way with out to be mounted ??? Right now is in hands of my good friend service man with hum today I spend few hours looking for mistake ! Intriguing that such simple thing make such big problems ! Drives me mad !
I think that you convinced me ! Im very happy with Nichicons too ! So far and for now I have change caps and I will leave it as it is ! Later I will order some good Nichicons and change all ! As a I mention before its all dun, but now I have a problem with other things.
It dasent work at all ! I went try everything and it doesn't power on. One regulator LM317 is not working.Nothing wrong with him but it doesn't get supply of power. Cant gate to the point where is the problem. One of LMs regulatorors is gate in very hot ??? Third, I have notice on the Pioneer board there is a 2 chip regulator. One of them is very hot too ? Apart from that I have a question.
To power up transport do they boards mast be mounted bask and fixed because the ground is connected with the long screw ! Or transport is supposed to power any way with out to be mounted ??? Right now is in hands of my good friend service man with hum today I spend few hours looking for mistake ! Intriguing that such simple thing make such big problems ! Drives me mad !
Hi stephensank,
I become owner of one Audio Alchemy DDS transport, and it is very useful to know what was your expirience. But i would like to ask you one more question. My intention is to find one donor of PEA1179, just in case. Can I use any Pioneer with PEA1179 or it must be PEA1179 Stable Platter or just Pioneer PD-S703 is valid donor?
Thanks