Updated: 30-Dez-08
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#12

Happy NEW YEAR 2009 !!

2008, what happened?
DDDAC1543MK2 updates
What's cooking?

2008, what happened?
First of all, this was a year of private consolidation.  We bought a house, moved in (obviously) and most time went gone with renovation and other house related actions. I did build a new Home Cinema and listening room again . For the cinema, I went to FULL HD in both audio as video. VERY impressive ....  I finished the filters for the GYDINELS and also finished the whole setup in two nice enclosures, containing HYPEX modules for the subwoofer, the TUMOS amplifiers with active filtering for low/mid and the passive filters for the TOP units of the GYDINEL. I can really enjoy music now, mmm :-)

I further experimented with playing ripped music straight from the PC. I built now VISTA PC based on the Intel ATOM330 (no fans and very quiet) I am experimenting with XX High End from www.phasure.com I am very impressed by the sound quality. No HUGE things, but clearly more space in the sound stage and more detailed. Warm recommendation to experiment with this.

Of course this means for the reader of my Site, you have not been hearing much from me, so apologizes for this !

DDDAC1543MK2
The modular setup proved to be a great success. I have had so many positive response from many DIY who built my DAC. Thanks !
I get many questions on best tweaks. Well, the most important one stays the same: the output capacitor. Best results are so far with the Mundorf Gold/Silver capacitors....


Further I did a small redesign of both the USB Board as the SPDIF Board:

USB:    Last year I added some circuitry which allows to DAC to be switched on and off without the need for unplugging or PC re-boot. Also improved the 2707 pcb layout. I also added a TDA1543 in NOS so there is kind of junior dddac1543. Of course this can be in any later stage be expanded with a "real" DAC Module with 12 chips

SPDIF:    Some people encounter problems with the a-synchrone reclocking. Specially when DVD players are used with FS 48kHz. I simply added the possibility to choose for the way the unit clocks. Synchrone or A-synchrone. The choice is now up to the user !

(STILL :-) In the  pipeline....
Little luxury problems I had the last few years :-) Due too moving homes and more than ever busy job, I only enjoy music and Movies and have constructed less. Still a have a wish list. I will keep it short to NOT put too much pressure on me !

1.    A full automatic BIAS module for new and existing DDDAC 1543 MK2 Modules. I have pilot version built "already" but still working on it (a bit...). The idea is, that you will not need the Rref resistor anymore to bias the DC at the output. This has a few advantages:

    The Chips run less hot as the internal current source is not used anymore
    The internal current source is no part of the signal circuit anymore (should improve sound)

No clue when it will be ready, but I will post it at DIY-audio for sure

2.    Nothing special, but for my "home-office" I bought nice small B&W Loudspeakers and they are worthy enough to get fed by a nice DAC and amplifier. So I will built a small stand alone USB-Amplifier. You guess right: my USB DAC Module through a stepped attenuator into a pair of HYPEX amps. This should be small and sound close to high END !

3.    Balanced version of the DAC. I think, I will do a redesign of the DAC board, giving the option to invert the data signal, so when using 2 modules, you can go out in balance. Very simple and it might serve some need


LET ME KNOW (by email) what you think, what you like me to tweak design ? Always interesting to hear the voice of the Cloud.....

Happy Listening and Building !!!!

Doede Douma

IMPORTANT: The information provided on this page is intended as guide for DIY activities and therefore free to copy and or publish. If any one wishes to use any of the information from my WEB site, please make sure to refer and footnote to my URL Link as source! Doede Douma