cMP - the open source high-end Memory Player
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| Posted on December 30, 2007 at 05:42:01 | ||
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Posts: 1320
Joined: November 9, 2006 |
Music delivery is perfected. cMP (cics Memory Player) delivers memory playback (without RAMDisk or other utilities) thereby eliminating disk interference during playback. In creating cMP, its critical objective was the implementation of fundamental designs that:
Such designs in theory should render a stunning sonic experience. Its implementation however was a massive challenge. Did this theory meet the sonic expectations? Yes as evidenced in cMP's bit perfect performance and ultra low jitter. How does it sound? The most descriptive word that comes to mind is emotional. cMP's sonic purity is truly profound. It grips those musical lines across any genre with remarkable precision. Soundstage improves, there's better layering and even more ambient information. Bass is tighter, with natural vocals & instruments. FRONT  BACK  More pictures and screenshots are available from the cMP documentation link provided below. FEEDBACK Pre-release testing by music lovers located all over the world yielded further insight and perfection of cMP.
Bottom line: cMP is a (one box) highly advanced memory player that's easy to setup and use. cMP's core strength lies in newly developed operating system software components (built in c/c++) that uses XP SP 2 as a foundation. Windows Explorer is done away with while cMP takes over and more. Bit perfect delivery is achieved yielding an ultra high resolution of more than 23.5 bits (a limitation in measuring instruments prevents measuring cMP's perfect resolution). DAC's have yet to achieve this resolution (as a minimum of 141db SNR is needed)! For cMP's bit perfect measurements, see (Bit Perfect Measurement & Analysis ).
Visit cicsMemoryPlayer.com where you'll find detailed easy to follow instructions and much more. Ensuring clean AC power delivery to equipment is very important. For DAC, pre-amp and amplifiers, use a dedicated AC circuit. For source equipment, use another AC circuit as this is where cMP's main PSU should be powered from. Use another less important AC circuit for powering cMP's 2nd dirty power inlet. Use of quality power cords and line conditioners is recommended.
Thank you.
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| RE: Looks like cics's site is down, posted on July 25, 2011 at 16:06:29 | |
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Posts: 11
Joined: April 4, 2008 |
What´s going on?
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| Works for me!, posted on July 25, 2011 at 16:22:11 | |
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Posts: 12587
Location: N. California Joined: April 9, 2004 |
d
 Cut to razor sounding violins
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| RE: Suggestions welcome for modification U1 voltage regulator on the Juli@ digital part., posted on July 25, 2011 at 23:21:03 | |
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Posts: 11
Joined: April 4, 2008 |
Theob: where you get lifep04 battery?
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| Sorry for the false alarm, posted on July 26, 2011 at 07:21:40 | |
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Posts: 3040
Location: Atlanta Joined: December 15, 2003 |
I was worried!
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| Xonar Analog or External DAC ???, posted on July 28, 2011 at 16:32:32 | |
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Hi Daniele, Are you using an external DAC with your Xonar, or analog outs from your Xonar? Thanks, Tim
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| My experience so far with ferrite/cap filters on the P24 and P4 , posted on August 8, 2011 at 09:34:52 | |||||||||
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Hi Theo, Good too hear you found a new mobo and have it up and running again. I’m not sure if I correctly understand your questions (and thoughts behind the questions) too provide a useful answer. Some things puzzle me. > If you can count the caps in the atx power supply all you need are the ferrites over the 5 v and ground lines etc and then the cap in the p24 connector on the mobo.< * I don’t know if you can assume that the caps inside the ATX PSU will act as being a part of the 3 order filter on the P24 line. May be it works this way, may be it doesn’t. I just don’t know. > all you need are the ferrites over the 5 v and ground lines etc < * (V)HF AC pollution travels from the ATX onto the MoBo on all DC plus voltage P24 lines.
* How do you avoid DC bias in the ferrites (saturation of the ferrites)? The magnetic flux produced by DC plus and DC minus currents through the ferrite have too be equal too avoid saturation of the ferrites through a DC bias. > Or you can use a p24 extension to push caps in the extension connector, ferrites on the extension line and caps pushed into the connector into the mobo. Which way did you do it? < Back in may 2011 I just pushed caps into the connectors of the MoBo and/or connectors on the P24 extension cable. I did that too quickly verify if a 2nd or 3thrd order with ferrites + caps would have some effect.
> Now on my new mobo I have caps into the p24 connector for the 5 and 12 volt lines, ferrites on the wires...very little improvement < With only a few ferrites clamped on the P24 In my situation there also was very, very little improvement. As I posted before at least 6 or 7 ferrites on ALL P24 wires are needed to make SQ improvement that is worth the trouble. But one only gets a real nice significant (!) sound quality improvement when creating a 3 order filter through adding caps in front and after the ferrites. I used 7 ferrites which clamp around ALL P24 wires (thus no DC bias) See picture.
I tried this cap-ferrite-cap filter on the Antec Earthwatts ATX and on the 2 Pico’s I use. In all 3 situations I got the same sound quality improvement. Attention: same amount means: the pico 160-xt with P24 filter still sounds better with the filter than the Antec with the filter. So my experience with using ferrites so far is: * As the author on the www.audiosystemsgroup.com pointed in his white papers on the use of ferrites : just a few ferrites will have no effect. You need at least 7 too 8 too create enough impedance too get past the threshold effect (see the white papers) * A very nice sound quality improvement is realised when also caps are used too create a 2nd or 3thrd order filter But a 3thrd order filter with ferrites is only effective from 1mHz and up. I also want too filter the 300 kHz switching noise (and it’s harmonics.) So I also need something too filter these frequencies.
It sounds really good. Thankx too audiodan I got this idea. More too come on these extra filters. I need more time for experiments and listening.
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| I simply use ordinairy line filters. The can be found everywhere. , posted on August 10, 2011 at 02:22:08 | |
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Hi Theo, Yes I still use this 10:1 ratio. But there is no real calculation or knowledge behind this ratio. I just copied values that I red in 2 documents on decoupling (the Murata paper and the Altera paper). > I would like to see a link to these devices to understand them better. < Nothing special about these filters. They all have the same schematics and they are widely used. You will find them everywhere. Since they are cheap, it’s an easy way too combine 2 chokes in a handy enclosure onto one can easily solder the PSU wires. I don’t connect them too a real earth. It’s just the chokes I’m interested in. It’s easy too create a 3 order filter with them. I place caps before and after chokes so I can experiment with much higher capacitance values. Ontstoringsfilter 0,6 A (Conrad Electronic) http://www.produktinfo.conrad.com/datenblaetter/525000-549999/534625-da-01-en-Printfilter_0_6_A_5500_2000.pdf On the 12 V DC power line which powers the Pico, I use one which can handle 1,6 amps. On the P4 12 V DC power line I use one which can handle 0,6 amps. I chose hight mH values. The Voltage drop across these filters is about 0,3 – 0,4 Volts. But this is easily corrected through raising the output voltage of the linear PSU’s a little. I’m really amazed that these filters give a profoud positive SQ effect on the 12 V DC power line which powers the Pico. Not in my wildest dreams I would have expected this. It was audiodan who suggested trying this. 7 or 8 ferriets on the 12 V DC power line to the Pico have no effect. I expected this. But I didn’t expect 2 x 6mH chokes + caps placed BEFORE the Pico too have such an effect. So the last stop, before the top (an all linear PSU) is no longer a hybrid PSU solution (P24: Linear PSU + Pico and a Linear on the P4) The last stop before the top is: a hybrid PSU solution with heavy filtering. What filters and what way is the most easiest DIY solution, still has too crystallize from experiments. So far I found: - caps + (much)ferrites + caps give a nice sound quality improvement and is easy to do. But It only effective in the mega Hertz regions. - The Pico uses the LM2642 chip from National Semiconducter which has switching frequency of 300 kHz. This frequency (and harmonics) should also be filtered. So chokes have too be brought in. Using ferrite based coupled chokes which can be found in these ready made line filters is an easy way the experiment with chokes in the P4 12 V dc power line. Too my (big) surprise these filters also had big effect on SQ when placed on the 12 DC power lines that power the Pico on the P24. So cheap linear bench PSU’s (50 – 90 euro’s) may give a nice SQ pop, but the output of cheap linears appears to be very noisy somehow. I see no other explanation for the very significant SQ improvement when ferrites, caps and/or chokes are used on the outputs of a linear. My overall conclusion is: A hybrid PSU solution is no longer the last stop before the top (an all linear PSU). The last stop before the top is: a hybrid PSU with heavy filtering. I hope other inmates with more skills and knowledge will join these filter experiments. When done right: ferrits + caps give a real significant SQ improvement, but will not deal with the 300 Khz swithing frequency from the Pico. > What really baffles me is that with my old mobo I got a significant sq pop but not on my new mobo. Maybe it needs more breakin time, maybe its the difference between an ES2L and an S2L Ga-G31m mobo.< I’m not a member of the ‘breakin school’. I don’t ‘believe’ in it the way audiophiles handle the subject. I also don’t think it’s the difference between mobo’s types. I used several brands and types and the difference are very little too none. I really have absolutely no clou on what is wrong and what might be the cause, as all details about your setup and connections matter very much. Mark
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| could this be because your DAC is inside the PC on a soundcard?, posted on August 11, 2011 at 03:32:57 | |||||
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Hi Audiodan, I read your post and I’m also puzzled by the disastrous effect on Sound Quality you got in your setup.
The effect in your setup is even more puzzling since you used only 3 ferrites (with no caps added). * Filtering the 12 Volt input of the Pico 160-XT. - 8 Ferrits on the 12V DC line. (combined with a ferrite/cap π-filter on the P24) - 2x 6 mH ferrite based chokes. (combined with a ferrite/cap π-filter on the P24) But thank you for the tip! Filtering the 12V DC line too the Pico combined with filtering the P24 with 7 flat ferrite clamps for ribbon cable with caps added, gave a really big (!) SQ improvement in my setup. Thinking of the opposite effect you and I experienced through using Ferrite based filters. Mark
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| Picture of caps soldered on too P24 connector on the P24 extension cable, posted on August 13, 2011 at 06:36:31 | |||||
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Hi Theo, Here’s a picture.
Although since I’m using a very small SilverStone SST-ML03B HTPC-case for already 4 months now, I still have still plenty of room inside the case for the P24 with 7 ferrites for ribbon cables clamped onto the P24 extension cable. I use another P24 extension cable (with 3 extra black square ferrites on it. More is always better :-) ) too reach the P24 connector on the MoBo again. This way the P24 with flat-ferrites can be laid on the bottom of the case in parallel with the MoBo. Using this extra P24 extension cable allows me too efficiently use the space that is in front of the mobo. See picture.
Mark
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| RE: Picture of caps soldered on too P24 connector on the P24 extension cable, posted on August 13, 2011 at 07:18:14 | |
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Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan Joined: November 4, 2000 |
thanks
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| I used a 'Stanley knife'. , posted on August 13, 2011 at 14:56:24 | |||||||||
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Hi Theo, I used such a knife. I think in the US they are also called ‘Stanley knife’
The trick is: first cut in at all 4 corners.
You than make a cut on the inside along the sides like this.
After that, you can cut off the plastic strip on both sides. Take it easy. You may need a few strokes too finally cut all the way through the plastic on the side. See picture.
Mark
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| RE: I used a 'Stanley knife'. , posted on August 13, 2011 at 15:09:24 | |
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Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan Joined: November 4, 2000 |
perfect...thanks again!
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| Did you try Mouser.com or Partsconnexion.com?? nt, posted on August 18, 2011 at 22:28:47 | |
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Posts: 12587
Location: N. California Joined: April 9, 2004 |
f
Cut to razor sounding violins
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| RE: Did you try Mouser.com or Partsconnexion.com?? nt, posted on August 19, 2011 at 02:58:17 | |
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Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan Joined: November 4, 2000 |
Mouser has them... thanks DR
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| RE: Question for Gstew, posted on August 23, 2011 at 09:30:24 | |||||||||
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Hi Jolida, Like you, I’m also in the process of providing the Julia (digital part) with a better power quality. I’ve red that the digital part only needs 3.3 V.
Unfortunately I didn’t study the specs of this regulator very good before i bought it. After hooking up the Tentlab shunt regulator too the 12V P4 output of my Pico PSU, the Tentlab shunt only came up with 2.2 Volts. I first thought I had somehow made a mistake with the grounding arrangement or so. But no matter what I tried, not in any situation it produced more than 2.2 Volts. :-( . After reading the specs more carefully, I realized that I probably bought the wrong regulator. The specs show that the Tentlabs shuts regulator only can deliver a max of 100m Amps at 3,3 Volts. As I could not find anywhere, how much current the ESI Juli@ digital actually needs, I decided too slide in my Thurlby Thandar: TTi PL330TP triple linear PSU and diretly feed the digital part with 3.3 volts. This was a very time consuming operation as I have too take my cMP setup out of a very small wall mounted cabinet which is hanging at the wall just beneath the Flat Screen TV.
On the display I could read that the Juli@ digital part consumes 113 mA at 3.3 Volts. But I am glad I ‘unmounted’ the cMP setup from the insides of the hanging cabinet, because I was struck by the sound quality improvement. The sound stage now is HUGHE ! For the first time I use this cMP setup the music is now completely free from the speakers (3D like). Also the level of micro details exploded. For the first time lots of audible information about the venue or stage where the music is recorded can be clearly heard (echo in the venue, breathing of the artist, coughing audience, plectrums touching guitar strings, screeching music stools, ect, etc.) I think I will settle on a simple small 3.3 Volt linear bench PSU or so. There is just enough space left inside the cabinet too fit an extra small linear bench PSU. It will also cost around 50 euro’s. However a shunt regulator is much smaller and will not require any space outside your HTPC case. About the feeding the P4. Because I can hide an extra linear PSU in the same cabinet as my cMP setup is in (so looks, outside design and aesthetics play no part, I think I will settle on an extra small linear bench PSU instead of buying another small regulator This is my experience so far in powering the digital part of the ESI Juli@. I'm sure Gstew will/can provide you with much more detailed information as he is very skilled in building his own PSU’s Mark NB On some forums inmates say: if improving the power on the P24 or the P4 improves sound quality, than there must be something wrong in other parts of the setup.
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| what makes you think the Tentlabs shunt regulator could power the P4 ?, posted on August 25, 2011 at 07:10:18 | |||
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Hi Jolida, I think don’t quite understand your question. This thread subject is about: how too power the digital part of the ESI Juli@. I was not able too power the Juli@ digital part with the 3.3 V Tentlabs shunt regulator. Probably because of it’s max current is limited too 100 mA. When I tried too power the digital part with a linear PSU al works fine. On the meters of the linear PSU I could read that the digital part needs 113 mAmp at the 3.3 V entrée point. I’m puzzled what makes you think I want too power the P4 with the Tentlabs 3.3 V shunt regulator. In an optimized cMP-setup the power at the P4 varies from 1,3 Amp (spikes) during boot up and is still 0,19 amps when XP is at rest. So it’s impossible too power the P4 with it. The capacity to deliver current is (much) too low and also the voltage is wrong (3.3 Volt DC). The P4 needs 12 V DC . So what makes you think I want to power the P4 with it ??? The ferrites I use you can buy anywhere. I buy them at www.conrad.nl. But these ferrites are nothing special. Any online shop arround the globe for DIY electronics sells them. Please keep in mind that in this situation only using ferrites (without caps), has very little effect. You need too combine the ferrites with caps to create a filter. See graph from a Murata white paper on using ferrites for noise suppression and decoupling.
Mark
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| Ow, I now see the mis-understanding. :-), posted on August 25, 2011 at 07:56:02 | |||
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Hi Jolida, Ow I now see the mis-understanding. :-) I make use of P4 extension cables for their connectors. I buy a whole lot of P4 extensioncables and than I cut them in half and solder their connectors too the filters I’m experimention with on the P4, P24 and on the power line too the 3.3 V input at the Julia.
This way I can easily swap the filters in and out. It’s very easy this way too listen too the effects on sound quality with or without the filter in place in the power line. I think the DExa can handle a very short spike of 1.3 mAmp. That’s why the short 1,3 spike causes no problem. I red your doubts on the possible effect on dynamics, bass, ect. But these thoughts and effects are from the analogue audio domian. I think these effect and laws do not apply too the digital domain. Here it is about the effect of noise (high frequency ripple) on the power and on the Zero Volt (GND) and what effect this has on the proper function of: clocks, timers, logic, ect, ect. Which in the end all will result in some sort of jitter. Modern computers with proper drivers and proper software, don’t lose bits anymore. With the right drivers and right software audio can also be ‘bit perfect’. Just like your photo’s, documents and other files also are ‘bit perfect'. But in a modern PC the timing of the bits is mostly not optimized in the way it is important for high quality audio reproduction . Of course timing in a PC is very important for proper technical function. But unfortunately audio reproduction not always necessarily benefits from this in a PC. But sometimes it does. The new I core processors and chipsets do sound much better. Mark
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| RE: Love too hear this., posted on August 26, 2011 at 02:30:28 | |
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Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan Joined: November 4, 2000 |
Did not haev any extra ferrites to add but I will this weekend.
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| for filtering only: you don't need the 4700 bulk cap., posted on August 26, 2011 at 09:52:34 | |||||||
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Hi Jolida, Yes. If you want too filter the output too the Juli@ and/or the P4 than filter has too be between the PSU and the Juli@ / P4. Following the Muratta Paper on the use of ferrites or the Altera AN 583 paper, I just copied the values they where using in their experiments. =>P4 => P24
=> SSD
Note: - As the Muratta paper stresses it is important to use caps with good HF qualities.
Right now I’m also experimenting with other filter methods. Mark
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| I'm not an expert. I don't know. Other more knowledgeable inmates better should comment on this., posted on August 26, 2011 at 10:50:38 | |
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| Improving Hybrid Power Supply through filtering with coupled inductors. , posted on September 4, 2011 at 15:03:29 | |||||||
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Improving Hybrid Power Supply through filtering. Part 2. Hi All, Building an all linear power supply unit for my cMP-setup is beyond my DIY capabilities. So for a quite a while I’ve been looking for ways too improve the Hybrid Power Supply situation in ways that are in reach of my DIY capabilities. (A Hybrid Power Supply is: a Linear PSU -> P4 & linear PSU -> Pico PSU (160 XT) -> P24 ). A linear PSU may not produce switching noise, but the rectifiers diodes and regulators used inside linear PSU’s still produce noise. That’s is why guys who build there own high quality DIY linear PSU stress the importance of using high quality low noise rectifiers diodes and high quality low noise regulators (Noise that isn’t produced, doesn’t need to be filtered out). Also they use circuit designs in which much attention is given too smoothing ripple and noise filtering through use of: large chokes, large capacitance, capacitors with (very) good ((V)HF qualities, gyrators, or whatever means. In my cMP setup I use mass fabricated linear bench PSU’s (Velleman, Peaktech, TTi) for powering the P4 and Pico on the P24. Although mass fabricated Linear PSU’s are a big improvement over using a standard (noisy swithing) ATX computer PSU, I tried too see if some extra filtering on the output of these standard linear PSU’s, would improve sound quality. 1. Ferrites 2. Cap - ferrits – cap (pi-filter). 3. Messing around with pi-filters from ferrite based coils/chokes + caps. I also had such a data transmissionline filter from TDK lying around. I first tried them on the P4 as this is most easy and simple too do and also just too see if there is any effect on sound quality at all. Too my surprise these ferrite based chokes have equal effect (!!) on sound quality as the pi-filter made of ferrite+caps. However I find implementing much more easy. It only takes about 15 minutes too solder such a filter onto a P4 extension cable. Just cut a P4 extension cable in half and solder the ferrite based chokes onto the P4 extension cable.
All varieties roughly had the same (big) effect on sound quality. 4. Creating a filter through coupled inductors.
The ferrite cokes in these pre-fabricated filters are also coupled.
These coupled inductor filters sound best !! Not by a mile. But these coupled inductor filters noticeably sound better than the filter techniques used under 1, 2 and 3. So I ordered 8 of these little TDK data transmission line filters too try them on the P24. Probably by the end of the week I will have constructed a P24 extension cable with on each line a filter working through coupled inductors. As always any thoughts, suggestions, remarks and comments are very much welcomed. Too be continued. Mark
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| I did desolder it. But the TTi linear PSU is still powering it right now, posted on September 5, 2011 at 02:36:53 | |||
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Hi smicyta I wanted too replace it with a shunt regulator from makes like: Newclassd (the dexa regulator) or from my country fellow man Guido Tent (a Tentlabs Shunt regulator). Since shipping from Denmark (only 750 kilometers from Rotterdam) would cost 27 euro’s and shipping from Eindhoven (75 kilometers) would cost € 4,70. I choose the Tentlabs Shunt regulator.
But I could not get it too work. The Julia digital part however works when I power it with my TTi linear PSU. Than I saw that the Juli@ digital part uses 113 mA in my setup. But being an amateur, I did not check the specs very well before I ordered the Tentlab shunt regulator. When I connected the shunt regulator too the Juli@ digital part, the shunt regulator did not produce more than 2.3 volts. No matter how I tried. When not connected too the Juli@ digital part, it nicely produces 3.3 volt. Only after I did read again the specs, I discovered that the Tentlab Shunt regulator can only provide 100mA. So I guess that is might be the reason that the regulator will not output 3.3 V but 2.3 volt. So right now the bulky and monstrous TTi is still powering the Juli@. But too keep the peace at home, I have too come up with a solution very fast. So I ordered an IC LT 1086 CT3,3 3,3V POS VR 1,5A T regulator. My soldering skills are improving. And I also have less fear messing things up. I’m planning too construct my own DIY regulator. I want too feed it with filtered 5 volt DC from the Pico and than feed the resulting 3.3 V too the Juli@ digital part. Everything filtered as much as possible. See how that will sound. Mark
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| Definitely worth doing. But you also have too remove noisy (power) sources., posted on September 8, 2011 at 01:48:36 | |||||
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Hi Smicyta, As also reported by other inmates removing the LT1117 regulator and directly powering the digital part of the Juli@ with 3,3 Volt DC low noise power, it is one of the tweaks/modifications with biggest positive effect on sound quality. Yesterday I did my first electronic construction and soldering project ever! I constructed a simple voltage regulator based on the LT 1086 CT3,3 3,3V POS VR 1,5A T regulator. It turned out too be not being so hard at all.
I’m not completely surprised that there only was 'some' sound quality improvement in your setup. The noisy elemets in the power supply are still present. You also need too remove the noise sources that produce noise so that noise levels drop as much as possible. Right now I’min the process of evaluating various home made filters before and after my home made LT 1086 CT3,3 regulator and also what PSU I need for powering the input.
With adequate filtering is it perfectly possible too power the regulator with 5 Volt DC coming from the Pico 160 XT. So do try too clean the power of the Juli@ digital part by providing low noise power but also by removing noisy power sources. Mixing low noise power sources with high noise power sources is obviously giving less noise reduction, thus less sound quality improvement. Mark
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| RE: ZJYS51R5-2PT-01, posted on September 8, 2011 at 08:43:30 | |
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Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan Joined: November 4, 2000 |
Thanks Mark
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| RE: That is wierd - I use 256K with no problems, posted on September 13, 2011 at 16:08:15 | |
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Posts: 3180
Location: ann arbor michigan Joined: November 4, 2000 |
What is the Lucy Latency program?
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