IanCanada's Latest RPi GB Goodies Impressions... and your tweaks, mods and hints...

Okay, it took a while to figure out how to mount the Sabre controller inside a case. Maybe not the best way but it works and stays on it's place.
 

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Morning all. Hope we are keeping healthy.

Having a little measure of DC on 2 of Ian's IV Std I have here. One was problematic on delivery...it was one of the free giveaways so no issue with that. With help from Simon that got sorted and ended up in the streamer I built for my brother.

It began to show signs of DC on the signal and it triggered his amp protection once or twice when it was cranked up. He also commented on some HF distortion on one channel so I have taken it apart for testing

The numbers I got

XLR L
Pin2 75mV
Pin2 1.15v.....yes V not mV
XLR R
Pin2 75mv
Pin2 75mv

SE L 0.5V
R 0.5mV
My brother uses the balanced outputs
So clearly something amiss in the L channel. What should I be testing?

Out of interest I measured my working IV Std. I do get the smallest of clicks when altering the volume

XLR L
Pin2 51mv
Pin2 40mv

XLR R
Pin2 54mv
Pin2 40mv

SE L
0.5mV
R 4mv

So my SE R is maybe higher than it should be? I use the SE outputs

Any advice on what I should look for?

Thanks

It could be one opamp is broken. I had a similar problem. Change the opamps from position, if the measure also changes position you’ve found the error.
 
I finally got some ultracaps added to my player. I have a Mk1 battery board and added them as per Ian's original instruction across the cells after pre-charging...very carefully! There is potential for nasty unintended consequences here. I used some RC battery pack connectors to enable straightforward disconnection and insertion of a pre-charging resistor if need be. I cable tied the caps to a perspex sheet and stacked them underneath to neaten things up.

As I had three pairs I ultracapped the DAC AVCC, FiFoPi and separated clock supply rails. Early days as nothing has broken in yet, but initial impressions are yet another small veil of artifice has dropped away. I didn't want to stop listening. I don't think I can be bothered to A/B and isolate the effect on each of the three rails... but you never know I might get that bored/curious.

The only downside here is the ultracap pair balancing resistors slowly bleed away the charge so, if like me, you don't listen every day you need to remember to charge them before they get too hungry for the charge circuit!
 

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@misterdog the problem with these great rambling threads...

Separate clock power is tricky. If you haven't got a decent magnifier get one! I subsequently ditched the OsCon and went with a 1uF Wima MKP2 on Greg Stewarts advice. There is a 100pF NPO as close to each NDK as I could manange as per the datasheet. I also wound up making two little RF cans for the oscillators too, they are definitely very emmissive. Another subtle improvement but definitely worth trying. Stray RF is the enemy!
IanCanada's Latest RPi GB Goodies Impressions... and your tweaks, mods and hints...

Additional 3v3 rail:
Develop ultra capacitor power supply and LiFePO4 battery power supply
 
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This is with the standard clocks. I have ordered Accusilicon 90/98 clocks, so that will make the comparison more fair. Also, my current test setup is quite messy in terms of cabling, which cannot contribute to the sound.

So far then, especially for the price, really good!


I also have a question, I have checked with the maker of my DAC that it supports 768Khz. I am also going to install the Accusilicon clocks so the FifoPI can play it. However, I cannot find an I2S driver for DietPI that will let me output it. I tried several drivers, including the I-sabre driver, since that chip supports 768khz, but it will only try to output 384Khz at maximum.

Does anyone you know of a way to output I2S at 768Khz in DietPI? Or any other OS for that matter?


Hi, did you get the DAC running at 768kHz ?

How the Accusilicon Clock are sounding ?

Did anybody running the dac @ 768kHz ? Which clocks in place ?



I have order the 90/98 as I want to run the DAC @ 768kHz.
Actual the NDKs are installed, I hope the Accusilicon playing on the same level as NDK.


Best
Marcus
 

Great Thanks. I will take a look.
I almost forgot that the other thread "well tempered clock" will have something new coming up soon. I will check it out and wait.

I put the Fifopi in along with AD1865 R2R Dac Hat for RPI.
It is just wonderful. The harshness is virtually gone; bass is more solid.
Everything is so sweet and wonderful.