Soekris Dam Dac

[rickmcinnis]

I feel sure I am not going to replace that isolator for this or any other purpose.

The more I contemplate this I think I will go with USB isolator and use the standard port. Just don't want to do any additional soldering to the board. It has suffered enough of my insults and it is working so well ...

NONETHELESS I am grateful for all of comments that have helped me think this through.

Sure it would be neat to have a ready switch without the computer stuff but it is not that much of a compromise to use umanager.

I might even try out some different filters now that it is easy to use them. But still not in any hurry to do that. And just a few keystrokes away ...

[gstew]

I feel sure I am not going to replace that isolator for this or any other purpose.

The more I contemplate this I think I will go with USB isolator and use the standard port. Just don't want to do any additional soldering to the board. It has suffered enough of my insults and it is working so well ...

NONETHELESS I am grateful for all of comments that have helped me think this through.

Sure it would be neat to have a ready switch without the computer stuff but it is not that much of a compromise to use umanager.

I might even try out some different filters now that it is easy to use them. But still not in any hurry to do that. And just a few keystrokes away ...

I don't blame you at all, especially if you cannot hear a diff with the non-isolated connection.

Thanks for raising this all, though. Now I understand how the Isolators are used on the DAM, so I can try some things with them.

Later!

Greg Stewart

[wushuliu]

Hi everyone, I'm considering getting one of these boards (the .05 resistor one), but I'm not seeing a lot of comparisons. How does it rate vs other DACs you've heard in both stock and modded form?

w

[gstew]

From Soren "around USD 200 in qty 100 for the dam1121-02"
"It's an improved DAC R-2R core, without the AC input power supply and without output buffers. It also have direct support for connecting multiple units together syncronous, t.ex. for balanced used."
"Same base design, but different firmware."

His pricing seems way off - it seems to need two to make balanced output but waiting on datasheet & connection diagrams to work it out

that price is really disappointing

i was expecting about $100 in those sort of quantities or $120 +vat and delivery
the 0.05% R3 is €176

come to think of it there isn't anything else like this on the market maybe Sorens gonna just gonna sink the boot in with the first batch and see how it goes
find that price quite a bit discouraging especially when theres still mods to be made

Yep, I pretty much told him that but he waffled a bit about removing onboard PS & buffers because OEM customers didn't want them :)
It's also improved some places, i.e. with 600 uF decoupling on each vref line and support for direct coupling of multiple units.

Pretty disappointing, indeed !

Ok, the OEM version is out or soon to be out at about $250 USD/board versus about $265 USD for the 1121. I can only see two reasons it MIGHT be worthwhile to get the OEM boards:

1. It does enable use of a better off-board clock, but then it is limited to the Si570 AND requires an LVDS connection. That means you could setup an Si570 with a better power supply and possibly get some gains. OTOH, this can't be used for Nige-style clock experiments.

2. You don't risk damaging the boards while removing the stuff you don't need (output stages) or are going to replace (regulators and power supply capacitors).

With these, I just don't see any reason to sell my currently basically stock 1121 Rev1 and buy a pair of OEM boards. If I was buying new now, I MIGHT be tempted to get the OEMs. But other than the two things above, I see no real benefit in them.

What am I missing?

Greg in Mississippi

[nige2000]

Hi everyone, I'm considering getting one of these boards (the .05 resistor one), but I'm not seeing a lot of comparisons. How does it rate vs other DACs you've heard in both stock and modded form?

w

single ended with good dc power with your f1 i2s in
Im sure youll have a dac well in the league of good dacs costing a few thousand

Some heavy modding will take it to a level beyond anything ive heard to date

[nige2000]

Ok, the OEM version is out or soon to be out at about $250 USD/board versus about $265 USD for the 1121. I can only see two reasons it MIGHT be worthwhile to get the OEM boards:

1. It does enable use of a better off-board clock, but then it is limited to the Si570 AND requires an LVDS connection. That means you could setup an Si570 with a better power supply and possibly get some gains. OTOH, this can't be used for Nige-style clock experiments.

there's a potato chip that will take a clk signal and output differential i have some to try
i have had success just connecting oscillator output signal to either to clk + or - on the 1021

2. You don't risk damaging the boards while removing the stuff you don't need (output stages) or are going to replace (regulators and power supply capacitors).

i still see plenty of mod opportunity

With these, I just don't see any reason to sell my currently basically stock 1121 Rev1 and buy a pair of OEM boards. If I was buying new now, I MIGHT be tempted to get the OEMs. But other than the two things above, I see no real benefit in them.

What am I missing?

i guess not much
there is a little less stuff to remove

despite my better judgement i have ordered one
it is bugger all different to the 1021
for me the adjustable clock and the fpga are the real elephants in the room
id like to try and get fixed clocks onto the new fifo reclocking before shift registers
i find the new reclocking system not all that optimal
but ill see what can be done

[gstew]

there's a potato chip that will take a clk signal and output differential i have some to try
i have had success just connecting oscillator output signal to either to clk + or - on the 1021
<SNIP>
i still see plenty of mod opportunity
<SNIP>
i guess not much
there is a little less stuff to remove

despite my better judgement i have ordered one
it is bugger all different to the 1021
for me the adjustable clock and the fpga are the real elephants in the room
id like to try and get fixed clocks onto the new fifo reclocking before shift registers
i find the new reclocking system not all that optimal
but ill see what can be done

Thanks for response, Nige!

Will watch your progress. I suspect reclocking flip-flops could be added to the older 1021 with a little work.

Also VERY interested in your fixed clock experiments.

I still don't think one can do without the FPGA without a MAJOR re-design.

Wanted to ask this as I'm about to start removing parts from my 1021s... I see no reason based on what I see and what you said to wait.

Later!

Greg in Mississippi

[wushuliu]

Hi everyone, I'm considering getting one of these boards (the .05 resistor one), but I'm not seeing a lot of comparisons. How does it rate vs other DACs you've heard in both stock and modded form?

w

single ended with good dc power with your f1 i2s in
Im sure youll have a dac well in the league of good dacs costing a few thousand

Some heavy modding will take it to a level beyond anything ive heard to date

Thanks Nige. Just ordered the rev3 board. I plan on making the fewest mods needed to get good sound. I'll use the I2S outs from my awesome F-1 converter for input. I think I can use the 3.3v from the F-1 to the dac, thereby not needing a separate PS. For main power I am trying out an inexpensive SOLA industrial linear power supply with +/- 12v, 5v, and 5mv ripple:

[wushuliu]

So does the soekris really need hundreds of hours to burn-in?

[nige2000]

doesnt everything need burn in?
Oscillators need a run in time states it in most data sheets
So there will be a little edge to the sound but will start to reall flow after a Few tens of hoursof
But still shouldnt sound bad as such oob