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In Reply to: RE: Assumption on my part? You are right. posted by rickmcinnis@dogwoodfabrics.com on October 20, 2011 at 14:34:00
Yah, that's a bit of a bummer... but I'm beginning to think that galvanic isolation for I2S is just a matter of finding the right interface chip and putting it in. The chip on the EXAU21 sure looks that way (although the setup on the RAKK DAC looks more complex).
On the upsampling, it's too bad you don't have a choice. I still upsample to 192 & have compared with each major upgrade of my SW/HW and keep coming back, so I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing. Being able to try upsampling in the PC versus NOS would be nice. But that would be a significant change to the architecture... I understand why it's not there.
I do think it is one of the better choices available for a DIY DAC in that it includes both ASRC and galvanic isolation. While I think that you can do better than using these techniques, I don't know of anyway to do that without a very integrated, dedicated, and comprehensive implementation. The ASRC and galvanic isolation make it a much more universal device.
I do think that power regulator upgrades might make a difference, similar to adding Twisted Pear Tridents or Paul Hynes regs to a TP Buffalo DAC. But it looks to be a very involved, complicated, and expensive job... it looks to have 10 (or more?) on-board regulators! Good for sound, bad if you want to try to get better sound!
Again, I think it is a good choice. More expensive (especially the output stage) than some of the alternatives (like the TP Buffalo), but it looks like they did their homework and did a LOT of the right stuff to begin with. Like I said, I suspect upgrades are going to be difficult because it looks like it's so good to begin with. As best I can tell, it should be the equal of many DACs 2-4x it's cost as a fairly easy-to-assemble kit.
Of course, I don't have one and haven't heard one, so take that all with a grain!
Greg in Mississippi
Everything matters!
Follow Ups:
but as I read the article it seems to me that GI has nothing to do with the DAC but how the power supplies are implemented. If the receive board is powered separately from the DAC and the grounding instructions are followed ...
From what I have read I am not getting the benefits of GI - my version of the board has the dreaded DC to DC converter, I hope I can remove it - I was using my same power supply for the DAC for the receive card (a large HYNES supply - same as the one used by the ALTERMANN DAC folks would use instead of a battery.
Have to get another 5 volts BELLESON on the way and hope for a better presentation with the benefits of GI. We'll see ...
When I receive Dave's reply I will post that.
Thanks for bringing this to my attention!
LOL.
Sounds like you may have additional SQ improvements available when you separate the supply. I just assumed (stupid of me, I know, but I'm so good at doing it!) that you had the receive card separately powered.
Looking at the manuals for both the I2S interface and the DAC, to me they aren't totally clear and consistent on how that works, but the comments in the manuals plus the post exchange between Dave & Soundchekk made it clear to me.
And then I cheated... I looked at the picture of the RAKK DAC board and could follow the I2S and SPDIF lines coming into the board and see them go through the GI devices (optocouplers or something similar).
On the Belleson, PartsConnexion has them on sale through the end of the month. They are on back-order, but expect a shipment soon... I've already got an order in.
Later!
Greg in Mississippi
Everything matters!
so I didn't!
I installed it and never considered that anything had changed. How many times to I have to learn THAT lesson?
Getting the converter off the board will make a difference also.
I am looking forward to an improvement (so what's new?).
Just hope there is one!
Still waiting to hear from Dave.
Bye,
had to look back at correspondence to remember. Used Dave's old DAC supply for the receive board which means it is still using that converter.
Guess I will still make the change to 5 volts and get rid of that converter but I have been enjoying the benefit of GI.
YIKES!
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