[restrav]

Another great sounding USB DAC that pulls way above its price: https://www.musicservertips.com/product-reviews/usb-dac-diy/

everything that this ebay seller is selling looks interesting. im thinking on picking up a dac board, an XU 208, a power supply and a box and make myself a cutting edge DAC

[wushuliu]

everything that this ebay seller is selling looks interesting. im thinking on picking up a dac board, an XU 208, a power supply and a box and make myself a cutting edge DAC

Sounds fun. Splurge on the power supply or anything that will clean the signal like ifi iSilencer, etc. Digital performance always comes down to the power supply and noise from my experience.

[restrav]

everything that this ebay seller is selling looks interesting. im thinking on picking up a dac board, an XU 208, a power supply and a box and make myself a cutting edge DAC

as in this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Assembled-XU208-XMOS-USB-Audio-Digital-Interface-XLR-AES-fiber-coaxial-/122420183602?hash=item1c80cfc232:g:V9cAAOSwhQhY22sv

+

this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Assembled-AK4497EQ-DAC-board-official-standard-balanced-line-I2S-DSD-Decoder-/122560787011?hash=item1c89313243:g:Dn8AAOSwPWRZS8gt

+

maybe this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/2016-NEW-MV06-6-Way-input-Motorized-Remote-Volume-Control-Kit-ALPS-ZJ-30-/142347599311?hash=item212493fdcf:g:iH0AAOSw03lY7zbd

ad this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HIFI-30VA-Linear-Power-supply-LPS-DC5V-9V-12V-15V-18V-24V-for-choose-/192198051284?hash=item2cbfe585d4:g:X7oAAOSw3gJZKC3E

maybe even one of the cases

[wushuliu]

I would be wary of the ebay dac boards unless they've been well vetted. They almost always require modding for decent results. The PS looks okay. Someone posted a power supply shootout not too long ago and the Zero One models on ebay did well. Ifi Power supply also ranked high and can do 5v. I have mixed feelings about its performance though.

[ccklone]

Hey Now,

Picked up a Signstek DAC from the Amazon link (there was a discount coupon, $23.74 total) . Put it into my chain and it does sound very good. I replaced an iFi Nano doing DSD256 via HQPlayer and an RPi2 to a Pioneer VSX-D912 with Meadowlark Kestrels in my cheap & cheerful set up. I really can't believe how good it sounds. I am using an iFi iPurifier with it as well. I think I am going to get another one for the garage with another RPi2. Thanks wushuliu. Let us know when you tweak it. 

--
Finest kind,
Chris

[wushuliu]

Hey Now,

Picked up a Signstek DAC from the Amazon link (there was a discount coupon, $23.74 total) . Put it into my chain and it does sound very good. I replaced an iFi Nano doing DSD256 via HQPlayer and an RPi2 to a Pioneer VSX-D912 with Meadowlark Kestrels in my cheap & cheerful set up. I really can't believe how good it sounds. I am using an iFi iPurifier with it as well. I think I am going to get another one for the garage with another RPi2. Thanks wushuliu. Let us know when you tweak it. 

--
Finest kind,
Chris

Hm. Interesting. Thanks for reporting back!

[Doublej]

Hey Now,

Picked up a Signstek DAC from the Amazon link (there was a discount coupon, $23.74 total) . Put it into my chain and it does sound very good. I replaced an iFi Nano doing DSD256 via HQPlayer and an RPi2 to a Pioneer VSX-D912 with Meadowlark Kestrels in my cheap & cheerful set up. I really can't believe how good it sounds. I am using an iFi iPurifier with it as well. I think I am going to get another one for the garage with another RPi2. Thanks wushuliu. Let us know when you tweak it. 

--
Finest kind,
Chris

How does it sound without the iFi Purifier?

[ccklone]

How does it sound without the iFi Purifier?

Hey Now,

It still sounds good without the iPurifier. I noticed with the iPurifier it has a bit more clarity. The background seems blacker. I have a spare Regen, might try that next.

--
Finest kind,
Chris

[lacro]

I too picked up the Signstek DAC  from Amazon. Five minutes after it hit the door it was connected to my garage boom box that I feed with a cheap Amazon Fire tablet streaming Pandora via wifi. I connected the tablet's mini USB port with an OTG adapter to the usb in on the DAC. It immediately sounded much better than the tablet's built in DAC. Good puchase - thanks wushuliu. BTW/ the lab power supply in the photo, I found at a yard sale last week. It was $5 and works great. 0-40V, 5A. This has been a good C&C week

[wushuliu]

Last update: I've of course made some mods to the dac. Nothing too crazy. I replaced the output caps with Silmic IIs and the power supply cap with a Nichicon. The output caps are definitely worth doing as they refine the sound quality. I also covered up the 5v USB pin and added a LT3045 power supply with a 4uV noise. Cheap too.  And tiny. This stuff is getting so affordable now. Finally, I got a little silly and added an iDefender and uPurifier to the chain. So it's an iSilencer, iDefender, iPurifier2, then DAC. It looks ridiculous but they still add up to way less than the iUSB products, and only the micro iUSB has the iDefender traits, but for $400.

Biggest jump came from the iPurifier and iDefender. These are items any usb dac should have anyway, unless you want to shell out big bucks for Uprone or iUSB/galvanic. So technically I'm all in for $270 and the IFI stuff is re-usable. Not bad.

My theory is the chip came out when no one cared about usb/source quality and it has to have that to shine. Then async and 24bit became the norm and this chip disappeared. I am very happy with the result and consider myself good on the dac front for now. I may try and borrow a more expensive dac to compare for kicks, but otherwise I think this thing sounds terrific. Still waiting to hear feedback on the new windows usb drivers. I think they play an important part as well, but proprietary drivers are the norm now I guess.

I don't think it's a dac for everyone - it doesn't have that 'hifi' sound I've come to associate with usb dacs, but for the money it's a no-brainer to try out.

[vlad335]

Last update: I've of course made some mods to the dac. Nothing too crazy. I replaced the output caps with Silmic IIs and the power supply cap with a Nichicon. The output caps are definitely worth doing as they refine the sound quality. I also covered up the 5v USB pin and added a LT3045 power supply with a 4uV noise. Cheap too.  And tiny. This stuff is getting so affordable now.

Late to the party but I also bought this DAC. NICE! Purchased some caps as well and will get to installing them.

If you dont mind me asking, how did you do the power supply mod? Any specific details of this mod would be enormously appreciated. My older Samsung tablet will not power this DAC for long periods.

Thanks!

[wushuliu]

Hi Vlad, I powered the dac with an IFI iDefender and a lt3045 module I got off ebay. The LT is wired up to cheap a wallwart. If I have time this weekend I'll post pics.

Alas, I will admit that I have already moved on to another dac - the SMSL IDea/Sabaj dacs. I'll do another thread soon. The Signstek remains my control dac though, to compare with others. I'll never get rid of it.

[vlad335]

Hi Vlad, I powered the dac with an IFI iDefender and a lt3045 module I got off ebay. The LT is wired up to cheap a wallwart. If I have time this weekend I'll post pics.

Thank you so very much. I still do not understand how you powered this unit separately but that is what I need to do. Hoping you can give me some insight. I googled LT3045 and USB and got no where. Lots of links for different voltage PSU's. What about covering up the USB 5v pin? Which one is it? How do you cover it it? Nail polish or something?

My tablet is older and having issues powering this thing. Lots of jitter and dropouts unless its fully charged. Its a first generation Samsung and I think USB power is a definite issue.

I plugged this DAC into my computer and directly into headphones... WOW! Magic. That is all I can say. Purchased many cheap DAC's but this one is different.

Once again, thank you for the rapid and helpful reply.

[wushuliu]

Thank you so very much. I still do not understand how you powered this unit separately but that is what I need to do..

Here is a pic of the chain below. It is powered by the LT plugged into the iDefender. The LT3045 is hidden by the photo angle but it's there



There are several vendors for the LT3045 and other ultra low noise boards. Here's are two popular ones:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LT3045-A-Ultralow-noise-0-8-Vrms-LDO-linear-regulator-0V-15V-1A-Fixed-out-/253115156739?hash=item3aeed6c903:g:N9cAAOSwFWVZpA7K

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LT3045-1-5-15V-500mA-0-8uVrms-Ultra-Low-Noise-DC-Power-Supply-/391791437134?var=&hash=item5b3896e54e:m:mSH167r97uf2QusQgOWuW0g

[vlad335]

Wow, thats quite a chain there. THanks for the help!!!!

Couple questions then I will leave you alone... Should specify 5volts correct? The wall wart for the power supply. Could use a 9v or 12v right?

Sorry, I'm pretty green when it comes to this stuff.

[randytsuch]

Here is a pic of the chain below. It is powered by the LT plugged into the iDefender. The LT3045 is hidden by the photo angle but it's there

There are several vendors for the LT3045 and other ultra low noise boards. Here's are two popular ones:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LT3045-A-Ultralow-noise-0-8-Vrms-LDO-linear-regulator-0V-15V-1A-Fixed-out-/253115156739?hash=item3aeed6c903:g:N9cAAOSwFWVZpA7K

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LT3045-1-5-15V-500mA-0-8uVrms-Ultra-Low-Noise-DC-Power-Supply-/391791437134?var=&hash=item5b3896e54e:m:mSH167r97uf2QusQgOWuW0g

I've been pursuing other hobbies for a while, but decide to resurrect my PC music setup.
I set it aside when I blew something up lol.

Just planning to try windows 10, wondering what playback sw you're using with win10?

I may buy the sighstek dac after I get my setup going again, see how I like it.

Randy

[wushuliu]

I've been pursuing other hobbies for a while, but decide to resurrect my PC music setup.
I set it aside when I blew something up lol.

Just planning to try windows 10, wondering what playback sw you're using with win10?

I may buy the sighstek dac after I get my setup going again, see how I like it.

Randy

Hey Randy. I'm using W10 Creator's update. I think its new windows USB drivers are an upgrade. Using Jplay minimserver and fidelizer for critical listening controlled by phone. The signstek tickles my fancy but don't know why. Ymmv.

[wushuliu]

Wow, thats quite a chain there. THanks for the help!!!!

Couple questions then I will leave you alone... Should specify 5volts correct? The wall wart for the power supply. Could use a 9v or 12v right?

Sorry, I'm pretty green when it comes to this stuff.

Anything above 7v should suffice. But not too high.

[randytsuch]

Hey Randy. I'm using W10 Creator's update. I think its new windows USB drivers are an upgrade. Using Jplay minimserver and fidelizer for critical listening controlled by phone. The signstek tickles my fancy but don't know why. Ymmv.

OK, cool.
So no Audiophile Optimizer?
I haven't tried fidelizer, I have licenses for jplay and AO I think.

[restrav]

i got my Signstek, Wushu, would you please be kind enough to detail the mods that you did?
did you try any planar headphones with it? can it drive them to loud levels?