[randytsuch]

I finally ordered a buffalo today.
Here's the link, for those who have not heard of it.
http://www.twistedpearaudio.com/digital/buffalo.aspx

The first time it went for sale, it was not announced, and you just had to be lucky enough to hit the site at the right time.
The next time, it was announced, but the site had problems, and I couldn't order it.  Then, later the site came back, and they went on sale, but I missed it.

But, this time, I was waiting, and ordered it as soon as the sale started.
I think it sold out in about 4 minutes, which has been typical when they go on sale.

There is another sale tomorrow.

I am planning to gut my old SACD1000 case, and install a squeezebox and buffalo in that case.  If that does not work out, I will use a par metal case like I did in my previous SB project.

Randy

[JoshK]

I've been kicking around the idea of using one of their dacs in a box with my SB too.  Where do you tap the I2S from on the SB board?  Right in front of the DAC?  Do you know if it is justified correctly or do you need their Metronome to justify it for the Buffalo?

Anyway, cool idea.  I've been thinking of doing something similar. Then I've also thought of putting the SB board inside my lite audio dac.  A Duet board might be a better option for that idea. 

[TomS]

I've been kicking around the idea of using one of their dacs in a box with my SB too.  Where do you tap the I2S from on the SB board?  Right in front of the DAC?  Do you know if it is justified correctly or do you need their Metronome to justify it for the Buffalo?

Anyway, cool idea.  I've been thinking of doing something similar. Then I've also thought of putting the SB board inside my lite audio dac.  A Duet board might be a better option for that idea. 

I was watching and totally missed the first one.  Oh well.

Josh, maybe this link gives some insight into I2S logic (reclocking for it in SB2)  http://audiogestalt.wordpress.com/

[randytsuch]

I've been kicking around the idea of using one of their dacs in a box with my SB too.  Where do you tap the I2S from on the SB board?  Right in front of the DAC?  Do you know if it is justified correctly or do you need their Metronome to justify it for the Buffalo?

Anyway, cool idea.  I've been thinking of doing something similar. Then I've also thought of putting the SB board inside my lite audio dac.  A Duet board might be a better option for that idea. 

For I2S, I think you would need a Metronome, or build the circuit like Tom suggested.  I'm pretty sure that circuit is based on something John Swensen came up with, I have seen it before at AA, and somebody else had a page with a similiar project.  John did it in a FPGA, but that's overkill unless you are doing something else with the FPGA.

I have a XO3, bought it on sale a while ago, so I might use the XO3 to feed data to my buf.

A duet would be cool, but then I would need to buy a controller too.  Since I have one more SB2, and a SB3, I don't really need a duet/controller.

Randy

[Folsom]

Let us know how it sounds.

I wish they sold PCB board and maybe options of components. A lot of the stuff on the boards need to be replaced in my opinion. I just know the difference in sound of capacitors etc... and reason it is only smart to use good ones. If you are not going for balanced sound then four DACs is just a way to make up for poor capacitors by smoothing the signal maybe more than it needs. You can do the same thing with caps that do it TOO far to the point where it does not sound right because it is sloppy, but represent other qualities you look for...

I mean surface mount caps? Gag.... the only ones I can think of are some FC's maybe FM's, but so few out there. Plus they seem compromised, I bet they build a charge quicker in the case and cause the sound to be harsh. That is what I would guess, because I think they sound harsh.

[randytsuch]

Let us know how it sounds.

I wish they sold PCB board and maybe options of components. A lot of the stuff on the boards need to be replaced in my opinion. I just know the difference in sound of capacitors etc... and reason it is only smart to use good ones. If you are not going for balanced sound then four DACs is just a way to make up for poor capacitors by smoothing the signal maybe more than it needs. You can do the same thing with caps that do it TOO far to the point where it does not sound right because it is sloppy, but represent other qualities you look for...

I mean surface mount caps? Gag.... the only ones I can think of are some FC's maybe FM's, but so few out there. Plus they seem compromised, I bet they build a charge quicker in the case and cause the sound to be harsh. That is what I would guess, because I think they sound harsh.

I would guess they will start selling the pcb's, when they catch up with demand.  Their problem is that every time the get some, and put them on sale, they sell out if a few minutes, even though they are buying more every time.  I think they have been doubling the order quantity each time.

As far as SM caps, there are good reasons to use sm, depending on application.  I think it is unwise to say sm is bad, for anything.  For high speed digital stuff (like in a DAC), SM is good because there is no lead inductance.  Trying to wire in a blackgate in here may be detrimental, because the lead inductance could more then negate any positive the blackgate brings.

In my squeezebox, I did replace some of the sm caps, with panny FC's.  I want to try oscon sm's, but I can't find a place to buy them from.

If these were signal caps, I would have a different opinion, you need to pick the right cap for the specific application.

As far as multiple dacs, for a current output dac (only time you would have multiple dacs), more dacs will give you a higher Signal to Noise Ratio, which is usually a good thing.  That's why the DDDAC uses a stack of current out dacs.

Well, I guess I'll see when I get it, and put it together.

Oh, and one slightly off topic thing, on caps.  When you parallel caps, you can create resonances, depending on the values and types of caps you are playing with.  There was a long thread on this at diyhifi a while back, where a few guys made some measurements with some good test equipment.  This might be why you did not have good luck when you tried adding a bypass cap. 

BTW, for those interested, the 2nd sale is coming up, in a few hours now

Randy

[poseidonsvoice]

Randy,

I will be very interested in what you have to say about the Buffalo dac, especially since you own Peter Daniel's NOS dac as well.

Anand.

[randytsuch]

Randy,

I will be very interested in what you have to say about the Buffalo dac, especially since you own Peter Daniel's NOS dac as well.

Anand.

It will be a while.  I think Twisted Pear said that it would take up to a month to ship the orders they are taking today, and then I need to build it up. 

I actually have not been using my NOS dac lately, it has been replaced by my modded SB.  I might try it again, when I get this running.
But, I just built a Sympatico amp, which has a balanced input.  I'm planning to run the Buffalo balanced, to feed the Sympatico.  Since the PD is not balanced, it's would not be an apples to apples comparision.

Randy

[TomS]

Refreshed to see "Add to Cart" but still didn't get in...  Too many projects going now anyway.   Maybe next time.  Let us know how that works out with the SB3 rebox.

[Folsom]

Oscom are common enough. You need to know they are made by Sanyo, and that will help you find them. Parts Connexion has a few, and a bunch of other DIY audio places I have found do as well. They would be what I would probably use for any digital stuff. They have been around what like 20+ years as the best standard for digital?

[GBB]

I finally ordered a buffalo today.

The first time it went for sale, it was not announced, and you just had to be lucky enough to hit the site at the right time.
. . .
There is another sale tomorrow.

Randy,
Thanks for the heads up.  I've been interested in these for a while but they were never available when I did think to wander over to the twisted pear site.  The Burning Amp DIY get together that was held in San Francisco a few weeks back had one of these DACs on display and playing music and it sounded very good indeed.  Today I managed to get one ordered, so I 'll have one to play with over the upcoming holidays.
And I like the idea of getting the Metronome board and seeing if I can get I2S out of my Squeezebox.  That should be a killer combination based on what I've seen written by John Swenson.

---Gary

[dweekie]

Let us know how it sounds.

I wish they sold PCB board and maybe options of components. A lot of the stuff on the boards need to be replaced in my opinion. I just know the difference in sound of capacitors etc... and reason it is only smart to use good ones. If you are not going for balanced sound then four DACs is just a way to make up for poor capacitors by smoothing the signal maybe more than it needs. You can do the same thing with caps that do it TOO far to the point where it does not sound right because it is sloppy, but represent other qualities you look for...

I mean surface mount caps? Gag.... the only ones I can think of are some FC's maybe FM's, but so few out there. Plus they seem compromised, I bet they build a charge quicker in the case and cause the sound to be harsh. That is what I would guess, because I think they sound harsh.

It's a 8 channel dac in one chip; they don't use 8 seperate dac chips.  4 channels are dedictaed to a single channel.  The numbers on the Panasonic FK cap are very good; it's hard to argue their choice for digital use.  I don't see much to replace other than the onboard regulators.  But, as a diy product, everyone's entitiled to their own opinion.   

[JoshK]

Yesterday I spent most of the day trying to organize my shop space (basement) a bit better. If I can get my "lab" set back up instead of using the dinning room table then I can actually get some projects done.

I have a CD-pro2 kit that needs a tune up.  I was thinking of putting a metronome in it to justify the I2S feed out of the transport and feed it to one of their dacs.  I haven't decided which.

I thought that would be a good experiment to see if I can figure out how to work with the I2S stream.  If so I might try the Lite audio hack.

[Folsom]

Also check these guys out for Oscon

http://www.thlaudio.com/indexE.htm
http://www.partsconnexion.com/catalog/CapacitorsElectrolytic.html

[randytsuch]

Also check these guys out for Oscon

http://www.thlaudio.com/indexE.htm
http://www.partsconnexion.com/catalog/CapacitorsElectrolytic.html

Thanks, but I want sm (surface mount) oscon's, which are much harder to find.

Randy

[dweekie]

If you want to try a conductive polymer smd cap similar to some of the sanyo oscons, the Chemi-con PXA series is available from Mouser.  Then there's the Vishay Oscons available at Mouser as well, which is similar to the organic polymer line of the Sanyo Oscons.  They might be the same thing with a different cover.  I would give these a go if you are dead set on the Sanyos but can't find them. 

[Folsom]

I was reading at DIY and found on this page there is a long post about the changes the Buffalo really needs. With what I know about it I would probably do them.

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=117238&perpage=50&pagenumber=21

[randytsuch]

I was reading at DIY and found on this page there is a long post about the changes the Buffalo really needs. With what I know about it I would probably do them.

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=117238&perpage=50&pagenumber=21

Hi DOS
Thanks for the link
I am assumming you are talking about wildmonkeysects posts.  They made a lot of sense, seperate power for seperate functions.  I tried to do a similiar thing with my SB rebox mod.  I need to read it in detail when I have some time, and then study the circuit some more.

Randy

[Folsom]

Yes I refer to him.

It would be easy with the Buffalo. With the SB3 it is a pain, no schematic, all surface mount and is some modules that freaking horrible lead free stuff (yeah I hate lead free, it is the biggest pain in the butt ever, plus nickle hairs or whatever, damnit I guess I will only modifiy old stuff from now on). Wayne suggests that the SB needs this approach but I just do not own the equipment to diddle with it. That in part is why I may never like the SB3 as a prefered source.

Also I would scrap the opamp all together. The only real way to go is either nothing (if the DACs can put out a good 2v or more anyways) or discrete. I would do what I am doing for a seperate line buffer. Four BL170 JFETs, some resistors, and just clean power in and you got world class line buffer.

I guess you might end up with the biggest DAC box only shorted by the DDDAC thing.

I mean why use a pretty dang impressive new DAC with garbage opamps. I doubt I will ever like opamps. They are almost like the sound of a cabinet for me, which I gave the freaking boot with my OB speakers.

Oh yeah I would bunk the compression screw terminals too. The only kind I have used for terminals where solid copper bars coated in silver, and even that is still something in the way of the signal.

[randytsuch]

Yes I refer to him.

It would be easy with the Buffalo. With the SB3 it is a pain, no schematic, all surface mount and is some modules that freaking horrible lead free stuff (yeah I hate lead free, it is the biggest pain in the butt ever, plus nickle hairs or whatever, damnit I guess I will only modifiy old stuff from now on). Wayne suggests that the SB needs this approach but I just do not own the equipment to diddle with it. That in part is why I may never like the SB3 as a prefered source.

Also I would scrap the opamp all together. The only real way to go is either nothing (if the DACs can put out a good 2v or more anyways) or discrete. I would do what I am doing for a seperate line buffer. Four BL170 JFETs, some resistors, and just clean power in and you got world class line buffer.

I guess you might end up with the biggest DAC box only shorted by the DDDAC thing.

I mean why use a pretty dang impressive new DAC with garbage opamps. I doubt I will ever like opamps. They are almost like the sound of a cabinet for me, which I gave the freaking boot with my OB speakers.

Oh yeah I would bunk the compression screw terminals too. The only kind I have used for terminals where solid copper bars coated in silver, and even that is still something in the way of the signal.

Uh, what opamps are you talking about?  When I looked at the buffalo schematic, I did not see any opamps.  Most people I have seen are using the TP Ivy for the IV conversion.  I have not decided how to do IV yet. 

And I have not been using the screw terminals that come with the TP kits, I solder wires directly to the boards.

Randy