DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods

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Atlplasma

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Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #60 on: 28 Mar 2010, 04:34 pm »
Well put, Dave. I have the Gigawork dac and posted a few times on the DIY thread that deals with this device. Even though I'm a novice at this stuff, I got lots of support from the more experienced DIY modders. My impression was that this threat had the same sort of goals. That is, it was a resource for sharing information and practical instructions on how to make some modest improvements in an affordable piece of technology.

While I'm impressed by JB's  ability to master a significant amount of technical information, I don't feel his posts are really adding much to the thread. (Sorry, JB.) I suppose many of us only have a limited amount of time to spend on this hobby. I certainly would like to know a great deal more about the technical side of things, but I have to acquire that information incrementally--and perhaps through a bit of hands-on experience.

jb

Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #61 on: 28 Mar 2010, 07:13 pm »
jb, I think that you are missing my point on this.  This is a DIY thread about taking some cheap, run of the mill DACs and doing some simple mods on them to improve their performance.  There is no one on this thread that I know of that assumes that it can provode SOTA performance.  All we want to do is make something that is OK, better... good enough th be a DAC that we don't hate listening to and to have a little satisfaction in know that it sounds better because we had our hands in it.  No more, no less.

OK, but I thought SOTA was the goal.

The general consensus seems to be that stock/opamps mod they compete w/ retail anywhere from $600 to $2k range. Once you add transformer outputs, however, all bets are off and you open the vortex that is audio nirvana

With the potential of the chipsets on those cheap DACs there is no reason they can't be modded to give true SOTA performance. If you're happy polishing turds, I'll try not to spoil your fun.

doug s.

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Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #62 on: 28 Mar 2010, 07:19 pm »
OK, but I thought SOTA was the goal.

With the potential of the chipsets on those cheap DACs there is no reason they can't be modded to give true SOTA performance. If you're happy polishing turds, I'll try not to spoil your fun.
jb, all that's being asked of you is to post step-by-step description of mods, w/included marked-up pics for us parts swappers that aren't knowledgeable about the actual curcuits.  similar to what wu has done.  is that so difficult?  comments like polishing turds aren't helpful. 

doug s.

jb

Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #63 on: 29 Mar 2010, 07:19 pm »
jb, all that's being asked of you is to post step-by-step description of mods, w/included marked-up pics for us parts swappers that aren't knowledgeable about the actual curcuits.  similar to what wu has done.  is that so difficult?

Actually, for me your request is very difficult. I don’t have a Gigawork DAC and I don’t want one. It’s a turd. Had you guys settled on the third DAC in the group presented I might have be curious enough to buy one just to see how far it could go with simple parts swapping and minor circuit changes. The trouble is, with a combined digital IQ in single digits, you guys can’t tell the difference between a diamond-in-the-rough and a turd.

I won’t be posting here anymore because it’s impossible to discern if a poster is seeking the very best or is simply looking for camaraderie with fellow turd polishers.

dBe

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Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #64 on: 29 Mar 2010, 07:29 pm »
Actually, for me your request is very difficult. I don’t have a Gigawork DAC and I don’t want one. It’s a turd. Had you guys settled on the third DAC in the group presented I might have be curious enough to buy one just to see how far it could go with simple parts swapping and minor circuit changes. The trouble is, with a combined digital IQ in single digits, you guys can’t tell the difference between a diamond-in-the-rough and a turd.

I won’t be posting here anymore because it’s impossible to discern if a poster is seeking the very best or is simply looking for camaraderie with fellow turd polishers.
We will be able to tell people that we have the shiniest turd DACs around.  I think I'll have my faceplate engraved "ST-DAC" in your honor.

Buh-bye.

Dave

doug s.

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Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #65 on: 30 Mar 2010, 01:03 am »
Actually, for me your request is very difficult. I don’t have a Gigawork DAC and I don’t want one. It’s a turd. Had you guys settled on the third DAC in the group presented I might have be curious enough to buy one just to see how far it could go with simple parts swapping and minor circuit changes. The trouble is, with a combined digital IQ in single digits, you guys can’t tell the difference between a diamond-in-the-rough and a turd.

I won’t be posting here anymore because it’s impossible to discern if a poster is seeking the very best or is simply looking for camaraderie with fellow turd polishers.
w/o going back thru this thread to dig up your prior posts, i thought you talked about another dac you have worked on.  i was yust saying you could post in-depth tutorial w/pics of what you had done.  while you have made it clear that you do not want to be coming across as a turd polisher, do you really believe it's better to come across as a turd?   better be careful, before someone comes up and starts trying to polish you!  8)

doug s.

wushuliu

Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #66 on: 3 Apr 2010, 08:51 am »
Not content to leave well enough alone I went and ordered this guy:




http://cgi.ebay.com/DAC-kit-AD1865N-K-NOS-1-0-NOS_W0QQitemZ220578977025QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item335b881501#ht_2518wt_1165

going to do the easy mods on Lukasz' Lampizator site:

http://www.lampizator.eu/LAMPIZATOR/REFERENCES/NOS-DAC_AD1865/ad1865.html

DAC kit AD1865N-K NOS 1.0 NOS
 
A. DAC AD1865N-K NOS 1.0
    DAC kit construction:
 1. Input : SPDIF (coaxial)
 2. 26C32+CS8414+74HC02+AD1865N-K
 3. NOS (non-oversampling) application
 4. low noise JFET with class A buffer for analog output
 4. 2 stages regulator with LT1084 for digital section
 5. Audio grade components were used.
 6. SIC-SAFCO elect-cap for digital receiving section and ELNA for AD1865 D/A section filtering,
 7. High speed with low resistance D3S rectifier and Military grade resistors were used.
 8. Reserve the analog output from AD1865 chip directly for matching with HDAM, tube driver
      ***Means the kit can output from JFET stage, HDAM stage and Tube buffer stage to suit for you’re listening interests.****
 
B. Power supply
 . 0-9V*2 & 0-18V*2
     
C. PCB size:
     224mm x 145mm with double size gold plated.
 
D. Optional : HDAM kit, tube buffer module from my ebay shop

 

parodielin

Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #67 on: 11 Apr 2010, 04:27 pm »
How does this one compare to Gigawork?

Not content to leave well enough alone I went and ordered this guy:



parodielin

Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #68 on: 11 Apr 2010, 05:32 pm »
So I wanted to ask a basic question here.

For DAC, if I have the USB input, I can use it to replace the sound card on the laptop when I play MP3 or digital music. 

If I have digital input on my DAC and my CD player has digital out, I can bypass the dac inside the CD player and use the DAC for converting. 

So essentially, I can connect my music server (USB) and CD player (Digital) to DAC and connect the DAC to the Pass B1 Preamp and to the Class D Amp.  Am I understanding the whole scenario correctly?

In the CD player case, a high end DAC will transform a good CD player into a high end CD player.  Is that true?

Thanks!

srb

Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #69 on: 11 Apr 2010, 05:55 pm »
Am I understanding the whole scenario correctly?

Yes.

In the CD player case, a high end DAC will transform a good CD player into a high end CD player.  Is that true?

It can be!  The CD player has a slight advantage in that the connection between the transport and the internal DAC chip is usually via I2S, and doesn't need to rely on the S/PDIF conversion that is used to transmit digital audio over a digital cable to an external DAC.
 
Also, the inherent jitter (or minute mistiming of the digital signal) sometimes comes into play when making external connections to a DAC.
 
But, in general, most people realize an improvement if the external DAC is of significantly better performance than the internal DAC.
 
Steve
 
 

parodielin

Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #70 on: 11 Apr 2010, 05:58 pm »
That makes sense.  I bought a DAC with USB input for my laptop.  I didn't understand why a DAC needs digital input.  Beyond the CD player scenario, what other devices would output digital that can connect to a DAC?


Yes.
 
It can be!  The CD player has a slight advantage in that the connection between the transport and the internal DAC chip is usually via I2S, and doesn't need to rely on the S/PDIF conversion that is used to transmit digital audio over a digital cable to an external DAC.
 
Also, the inherent jitter (or minute mistiming of the digital signal) sometimes comes into play when making external connections to a DAC.
 
But, in general, most people realize an improvement if the external DAC is of significantly better performance than the internal DAC.
 
Steve

HAL

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Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #71 on: 11 Apr 2010, 06:09 pm »
Universal Disc Players will give S/PDIF output that is higher resolution than CD for DVD-A or DVD recordings.  This is for two channel playback.

srb

Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #72 on: 11 Apr 2010, 06:11 pm »
Beyond the CD player scenario, what other devices would output digital that can connect to a DAC?

Cable TV receivers, Digital Video Recorders (DVR), DVD/Blu-ray players, gaming systems (PS3, XBox, etc.) and HD/Internet radio tuners are some possibilities.
 
Aside from AV Receivers and Processors that have internal DACs that can decode multi-channel Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby True HD, DTS-HD Master Audio, etc., most all standalone DACs are 2 channel, and any of the multi-channel sources listed above would need to be set to output 2 channel PCM digital audio to be used with them.
 
Steve

wushuliu

Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #73 on: 11 Apr 2010, 06:40 pm »
How does this one compare to Gigawork?

Hasn't arrived yet. Anything from HK/China takes several weeks.

parodielin

Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #74 on: 11 Apr 2010, 06:42 pm »
This one looks great but I'm a little hesitate that it doesn't have a USB input which means I cannot use it with my computer sources. ;(

Be sure to share your perspectives.  Did you order the one with a transformer? 

Hasn't arrived yet. Anything from HK/China takes several weeks.

parodielin

Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #75 on: 11 Apr 2010, 06:45 pm »
My current source is actually an old Pioneer Universal Player that I use it and MP3 on computers.  So my best bet would be to get a dac with USB and digital inputs.  Well, wait for finishing the Class D and Pass B1 first. ;)


Cable TV receivers, Digital Video Recorders (DVR), DVD/Blu-ray players, gaming systems (PS3, XBox, etc.) and HD/Internet radio tuners are some possibilities.
 
Aside from AV Receivers and Processors that have internal DACs that can decode multi-channel Dolby Digital, DTS, Dolby True HD, DTS-HD Master Audio, etc., most all standalone DACs are 2 channel, and any of the multi-channel sources listed above would need to be set to output 2 channel PCM digital audio to be used with them.
 
Steve

HT cOz

Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #76 on: 14 Apr 2010, 09:03 pm »
Hasn't arrived yet. Anything from HK/China takes several weeks.

Let us know your progress.  That one does sound interesting!

What all is needed to get it working?

parodielin

Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #77 on: 20 Apr 2010, 01:25 pm »
Has anyone compared these DIY kits to the Maverick Audio DAC?

HT cOz

Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #78 on: 20 Apr 2010, 05:04 pm »
Any thoughts on this DAC?


http://cgi.ebay.com/24bit-192KHz-DAC-DIY-KIT-FULL-ASSEMBLED-KIT-Lampucera-/120551270538?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c116a688a

This is about where my tiny budget for these things are.  My source is a modded Olive Musica with BNC output.  I think its internal dac isn't that great and that one of these kits might be a step up.

wushuliu

Re: DIY DAC Kits and Easy Mods
« Reply #79 on: 22 Apr 2010, 11:15 pm »
Any thoughts on this DAC?


http://cgi.ebay.com/24bit-192KHz-DAC-DIY-KIT-FULL-ASSEMBLED-KIT-Lampucera-/120551270538?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c116a688a

This is about where my tiny budget for these things are.  My source is a modded Olive Musica with BNC output.  I think its internal dac isn't that great and that one of these kits might be a step up.

Don't know how it sounds stock, but the links I provided on the first page are for an earlier version and seems to need more modding than the larger gigawork. But for the money, why not?

here's another cheap one that's just come out. Haven't heard it, but it doesn't use opamps in the
output stage like the above and the seller seems to have good quality dac's (one of which is on the way). For the
money it can't hurt to try, and you can let us know what you think!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Special-offer-TDA1543-4-DAC-4-0-NOS-DAC-Kit-CS8412-/220589925703?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item335c2f2547