Non-Oversampling DAC with reclocker for $120.00

Dmason · « **Reply #40 on:** 16 Apr 2005, 03:33 am »

Ooheadsoo,

That's funny! When I come across an old crappy piano in a bar, which is less likely anymore, with GLEE, I play old crappy piano in a bar music, 12 bar and barrelhouse. And I dont give a shit about the pitch. More beer here. It sounds better that way. Relative pitch being relative.

My only point was that there is something about connecting to a well done system that allows me to identify the key signature more easily. I test it against the keyboard, for fun, quite often. It is more of a curse, an affliction, than anything. The cleaner and more connected, more REAL sounding, the more accessible the music, and thus the pitch. Does that make sense? B flat SOUNDS like what it is.

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #41 on:** 16 Apr 2005, 03:54 am »

Hehe, only to you crazy chaps with perfect pitch

It's mainly a curse to you because you didn't make music your main trade

It sure would come in handy for me in my classes! Though I've heard that old world music (A tuned to 415hz rather than 440) drives people with perfect pitch nuts

I simply don't have perfect pitch, though my relative pitch is relatively competent, so I will likely never experience this "revelation" that you clearly are able to experience with gear that really complement each other.

Dmason · « **Reply #42 on:** 16 Apr 2005, 04:28 am »

Maybe it is just my tinnitus, a vestige of my former "rock star" past, which sings away at a high B- allowing me to "subtract." I don't understand it, but the [$120] Monica allows it. Maybe the [reference] Zanden would allow it ...."better."

BRN · « **Reply #43 on:** 16 Apr 2005, 12:05 pm »

Wayne1,

Thanks for the information on reversing the polarity. I am using only one source, but I'm using headphones until I get my speakers. Amd even then I like to use my cans late at night.

I guess I can follow the jensen diagram that you provided here http://www.jensen-transformers.com/as/as042.pdf. I assume that the inverter is connected to the analog output of the DAC and includes the cap and resister on the output side of the transformer as per the diagram. Is that correct?

Thanks,
Brad

Panelhead · « **Reply #44 on:** 26 Apr 2005, 10:16 am »

The Monica II dac from diyparadise.com arrived yesterday. Took less than a week.
Gotta drill a box to use, but the looks are great. Lots of BG caps and a couple Oscons.
This is my first dac. It is going to be fed from either a Marantz SA-8260 or a HD841. It will interesting to compare it to the discrete output stage in the Marantz.

George

doggie · « **Reply #45 on:** 26 Apr 2005, 07:16 pm »

Quote from: Panelhead

The Monica II dac from diyparadise.com arrived yesterday. Took less than a week.

How did you arrange for payment? Looks tricky right now...

Figo · « **Reply #46 on:** 26 Apr 2005, 08:31 pm »

i paid via western union.. cost a bundle but it should be worth it.. Monica2 is scheduled to arrive tomorrow.

Panelhead · « **Reply #47 on:** 26 Apr 2005, 08:41 pm »

Quote from: doggie

Quote from: Panelhead
The Monica II dac from diyparadise.com arrived yesterday. Took less than a week.

How did you arrange for payment? Looks tricky right now...

I did the IKODO thing. It cost about 8.00 USD. It was tricky, but simplier than my purchasing a Denon 103R from www.hifido.co.jp last week.
The biggest thing with the IKODO transaction is that they transfer some funds to you as a security check. It involves either calling the credit card or checking for the transaction amount.
Seems like paypal did the same thing to get verified.
Once Yeo got the money the Monica II was here in about 5 days. The hifido people were even more amazing, paid for the cartridge on Wed, it was at my front door on Friday, for 11.00 shipping and handling.

George

BobM · « **Reply #48 on:** 26 Apr 2005, 08:46 pm »

Just ordered one. $145 is the new cost to New York ($125 + $16 shipping + 3% paypal)

We'll see how it fares in about a week or two. A couple of questions:

Anyone have any suggestions on how to break it in, without going through a bunch of batteries?

How long (hours) does a battery last before a replacement is needed?

If I'm going to use a wall wart transformer, what is the required DC voltage (I didn't see anything on the site)? Does it use a 9 V DC battery? Will a 12V DC transformer fry it?

Thanks,
Bob

Panelhead · « **Reply #49 on:** 26 Apr 2005, 09:03 pm »

Quote from: BobM

Just ordered one. $145 is the new cost to New York ($125 + $16 shipping + 3% paypal)

Anyone have any suggestions on how to break it in, without going through a bunch of batteries?

How long (hours) does a battery last before a replacement is needed?

If I'm going to use a wall wart transformer, what is the required DC voltage (I didn't see anything on the site)? Does it use a 9 V DC battery? Will a 12V DC transformer fry it?

Thanks,
Bob

The addition of paypal makes ordering much easier. I think that it is fine to power it from a 12 volt source. The regulators should be fine.
I am going to try a dual supply, the board has digital and analog power inputs. Just got to get the drill press out and start making it happen.

George

Figo · « **Reply #50 on:** 26 Apr 2005, 09:45 pm »

i will be using a SLA 12volt rechargeable battery per yeo's advice

doggie · « **Reply #51 on:** 27 Apr 2005, 12:34 am »

Quote from: BobM

Just ordered one. $145 is the new cost to New York ($125 + $16 shipping + 3% paypal)

We'll see how it fares in about a week or two. A couple of questions:

Anyone have any suggestions on how to break it in, without going through a bunch of batteries?

How long (hours) does a battery last before a replacement is needed?

Thanks,
Bob

Bob I am running my Scott Nixon DacKit off of a 12v 1.3AH sealed Lead acid (SLA) battery I got from batterymart.com. You will need a charger also. These should cost you about $25 with shipping. From posts I read when I was setting up my SI amp to run off of a 3.4AH SLA, the battery should last a couple of years if you do not run it to zero very often. Just wire up a double-pole-double-throw switch so that the battery is either connected to the DAC or the charger. Batteries really make for a dark background... and fewer obscured details.

He takes PayPal now?

Best,

Paul

BRN · « **Reply #52 on:** 30 Apr 2005, 06:20 pm »

I have my Monica 2 up and running using 12VDC 1.3AH battery and it sounds very good. I started playing around with step-up transformers to reverse the phase and give a little more output. I need to do a little more listening before I make any final decision on the sound, but so far it is sounding good. I still think I need to work on the filter for the transformers to get the best sound from them, but I will let them break in some more before making any changes.

Brad

Figo · « **Reply #53 on:** 30 Apr 2005, 07:47 pm »

I am personally loving mine.. a serious bargain

running it off of a 12v/12ah SLA

ooheadsoo · « **Reply #54 on:** 30 Apr 2005, 07:54 pm »

What charger are you using for your 12ah battery?

Vinnie R. · « **Reply #55 on:** 30 Apr 2005, 07:55 pm »

Quote from: Figo

I am personally loving mine.. a serious bargain

running it off of a 12v/12ah SLA

12Ah SLA...that will play for A WHILE between charges!

Enjoy!

BobM · « **Reply #56 on:** 1 May 2005, 10:42 pm »

I got my Monica II on Friday and have been burning it in for 50 hours now. I'm using a 12V DC Wall Wart until the battery is delivered (4.3 WH for me). I figure I'll stroll down to the cigar store and put it all into a cigar box. I'll move the synch/lock LED to the front, and get a second LED(Red) to show that the power is on. Then a double throw, double pole switch to change between battery-off-wall wart power.

Yes, the output needs about 2-3 more clicks on the preamp to equal the same level as my DI/O or CD player (kind of like my vinyl). The midrange is very good right now, and the bass is deep and tight. The imaging is pretty good, but may not be as distinct as I'm used to.

But the top end is a bit muffled. Not as detailed or as distinct as I like (my system is soft to begin with, so I want the top end response and sparkle). I know Black Gates take 100 hours or so to open up. I hope that's all that it is and not a rolled off sounding DAC.

Anyone?

Thanks,
Bob

Dmason · « **Reply #57 on:** 1 May 2005, 11:22 pm »

"I know Black Gate take 100 hours or so to break in..."

That is very optimistic. I would caution 100 hours to really start to break in. No point in my experience, in reaching ANY conclusions much before about 500 hours; the damn things change and change some more.

I am finding that the frequency extension is increasing all the time now, AND, others chime in, it seems to have greater extension both ways, than the DACkit. YMMV. It sound reeeeellllly F---ing beauty right now. Three months from now, I will have a better idea. I bet a good tube pre would be truly decadent. No hint of digital anything.

yeo · « **Reply #58 on:** 2 May 2005, 02:27 am »

hi!

thx a lot for the support you guys have been giving me over the past few weeks. i'm really grateful so many of you guys have given monica2 a chance. however, i'm sad to say that monica2 is now temporarily unavailable.

due to the good sales of monica2, i realized my stock level of cs8414 chips will not last long so couple of weeks back, i placed an order for a batch of 50 pcs of cs8414s.

they came in 2 weeks ago and late last weekend, i began to use this batch. i'm horrified to find that 4 out of 7 dacs that i built had bad cs8414! this is driving me nuts!

so until i get more cs8414s in, i'm really disappointed that i can't put out more monica2s...

i'm speaking to another supplier right now and hopefully will get new parts in in the next few weeks.

in the meantime, please accept my apologies.

yeo

Panelhead · « **Reply #59 on:** 2 May 2005, 03:02 am »

Yeo,
Hope a new supply of chips gets you going again. I love my Monica II. Hope others get a chance to use one also.

George