[Skip Pack]

Interested to hear if it's moving toward
production.

thanks,

Skip Pack

[hagtech]

THE RIPPER was looking like this on Friday...



I got the placement of components done, and power routed.  Need to work on 5V (from USB) routing and signals to the gain pot.  Most traces are real easy, because the clean placement allows for very short wiring.  Very few crossovers or signals on bottom layer.  This lets me maintain a cleaner ground plane that I can optimize for noise control.  One issue (at the moment) is the transmission lines for the D+ and D- USB lines.  To get 45 ohm impedance the traces have to be 1/8 inch wide.  Probably too hard to get through the small space available.  Will have to come up with something else clever, like maybe parallel 0.025" lines.  Fortunatley, the stub length is pretty small, and probably isn't a big deal for 1.1 mode operation.

Anyway, it's a few days away from ordering prototype board.  I can then build and tune.  Already have "audacity" running on my laptop, so I should be recording songs in a few weeks.  There's not a whole lot to debug, as the phono section is a BUGLE clone, the USB chip is very similar to the one in HAGUSB, the regulators are from HAGLCOCK, and the power supply adapted from the BUGLE SUPPLY.  So proven circuits all put onto a new board to fit into a new chassis.

The only real new thing I am doing is the addition of relays for signal selection.  I've chosen special hermetically sealed gas filled relays with gold contacts with silver cladding.  From the telecom world.  Trying to get the most sonically benign switching possible (especially for ultra-low level signals).  I can then re-use this in upcoming products.

jh

[Skip Pack]

Sounds like it's getting fairly close -- I'll be ready come mid-June or so.
Are you using many SMD devices? If so, would you provide a half kit with
those installed. The Bugle I did about four years ago was a breeze, but I'd
be breaking new ground on SMD ICs. Also, do you have a ballpark half-kit
price.

Thanks for the info.

Skip Pack

[hagtech]

Ok, done.  Ordered prototype boards yesterday.  If debug goes well, we should be in production with stock by the 4th of July.

Only one SMD part (and two small caps).  I will pre-install them on half-kits, just like I do the HagUsb.  Will also come with chassis panels, just like a FryKleaner Pro.  That will make assembly really easy.  Price may be $89.  Turns out there's quite a few parts on the board, it ain't cheap.  So even the DIY cost will likely be a little over $200 total.  Retail will be $599, I think.  But hey, compare that to a Black Cube or other competitive products.  The phonostage alone is worth the price, nevermind the ADC and DAC.

jh

[Berndt]

Just for clarity...
The ripper is going to allow me to rip my vinyl to my computer hd?
It has a phono stage and converts analog to digital?
It has usb outputs? You mention dac so it has usb input too?
Thanks for your patience in my edification.
Bill
ps, Jim I really enjoy your blog.

[hagtech]

Yes, yup, yeah, and yessiree.  

jh

[BradJudy]

Will there be two sets of input pads, one bypassing the phono stage?  It seems like that would make it a flexible product and the DIY folks could build it either way, depending on what they want to do (record phono-level or regular line level).

[hagtech]

There were a number of bells and whistles that came and went.  Many of them didn't quite fit, requiring a larger chassis.  Price could have easily gone way up.

So I applied the KISS principle.  You can't please everyone.  DIYers can indeed build it without phono section for line level input.  I did not add an extra set of inputs (like a linestage).  The special regulation for the USB had to go, so did special clocking.  I couldn't fit an optional S/PDIF output.  Left off the S/PDIF input.  No DAC volume control for headphones.  No more clipping detector.  

The RIPPER is not a do-everything device.  It has become a simple machine that records vinyl to hard drive and plays it back.  That's all.  

jh