• RAKK dac project history - KevinC 11:30:46 07/02/04 (3)
  In Reply to: Re: sneak preview of the RAKK dac posted by AnandR on July 02, 2004 at 09:41:38:

  Thanks Anand for the support!

  I haven't really given any info on the origin of this project and I should, because it shows you what we were thinking and gives credit to those who remain otherwise unmentioned.

  For almost a year, a Lundahl transformer user and friend in Vancouver, Ian Langs, has been on my case to develop a DIY DAC kit. On one of the many phone calls where he gently harrassed me about the project, I broke down and gave in, promising to call a contact at Burr Brown and see if they had an evaluation board for their new PCM 1792/1794 DAC products. I had already purchased an Analog Devices AD1853 eval board and wasn't all that enchanted with what I heard, so this was the other latest generation current output candidate. It turned out that they did have them, but only for loan, so I begged one for a month. When I got it I removed the nasty little opamps from their sockets to get access to the output connections and attached a quickie discrete FET differential amplifier (designed by me and built by Doug Bergen) to each differential current output, hooked up a simple choke loaded low voltage supply for the digital stuff and listened. What I heard fairly blew me away! There was more of everything I associated with music and less of everything I associated with CD sound. I had to grudgingly admit that Ian had driven me to something very good.

  What to do now.... After some consideration I invited Dave Davenport of Raleigh Audio to join me in this project, because I was excited about it, wanted it to happen soon, and value his design and listening expertise. Dave is a 30 year veteran of IBM who has substantial project management skills and is an inveterate perfectionist when it comes to the design details. It helps, too, that he has 30 years of electronic design and development experience. ;=)) Without Dave, I would still be working on the circuit board design!

  At the same time Dave worked on adapting and refining his differential parafeed line stage circuit and power supply to use as an active output stage while I came up with a way to use the LL1674 as an alternative passive output stage.

  We set a very aggressive timeline and worked together to explore different configurations and parts and settle on the best of these for the RAKK dac. It helped, too, to have the listening skills and encouragement of the Piedmont Audio Sunday School group. Lots of listening tests later Dave and I are nearly ready to ship the product.

  It has been a great project. In particular, it isn't often that you can undertake a project and discover that the medium you once disdained as second rate ain't second rate at all. I think that those of you who try the RAKK dac will agree that it "unlocks" the sonic potential in CDs, which will, afterall, be the dominant recorded music medium for some time to come.

  Thanks for reading my uncharacteristically long post!
  
  Kevin Carter
  K&K Audio
  www.kandkaudio.com
  
  

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  • Uncharacteristical long post! - Bas Horneman 05:18:52 07/05/04 (2)
    In Reply to: RAKK dac project history posted by KevinC on July 02, 2004 at 11:30:46:

    Kevin,

    I should gently harass you to make more of these posts! The internet is a PERFECT medium for such a thing. And inmates generally LOVE these type of stories. I also soothes the pain of having to wait for your products!

    Cheers,
    Bas
    To infinity and beyond!!!
    
    

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    • PS...when is part 2? - Bas Horneman 05:21:11 07/05/04 (1)
      In Reply to: Uncharacteristical long post! posted by Bas Horneman on July 05, 2004 at 05:18:52:

      of your project history? ;-)
      To infinity and beyond!!!
      
      

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      • Re: PS...when is part 2? - KevinC 07:35:58 07/05/04 (0)
        In Reply to: PS...when is part 2? posted by Bas Horneman on July 05, 2004 at 05:21:11:

        Actually, Bas, it's probably guys like you who will be writing Part 2 after you get your kits (soon), build them, and inevitably modify them to personalize and improve them. I look forward to that. Then maybe Dave and I can proceed to Part 3!
        
        Kevin Carter
        K&K Audio
        www.kandkaudio.com
        
        

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