There are of course plenty of commercial dac-amp combo on the market right now, many of these powered by USB. Some are even quite cheap and decent. But since DIY isn't about saving money but about having fun, I'm starting to gather ideas to build my own.    The aim would be to have a smallish...

I'm trying to lay a small board for a tpa6120a2, just the amp board, no onboard PS, no pot. Here's a first attempt, at 50*50mm, dual sided. It's heavily based on jcx's suggestions in various threads.   Some comments:   - to ease layout and bypassing, the power supply is provided seperately...

It is is quite likely that I'm going to have to move abroad again, for quite some time. Moving gear in between Belgium and France was easy but Toronto or Boston is a different business. It's not for tomorrow morning ( should be Fall 2015) but I'm already contemplating ways to simplify a lot my...

I'm working on a DAC and bought one hifi2000 galaxy gx247 to case it. I just realized that the case was not built in a way that would allow all the panels to make a strong electrical connection. I'm putting a transformer in there and I'd rather earth the whole enclosure.   Since these cases...

Hi all,   since it's a bit difficult to get the original parts for the dynalo, I've redrawn a pcb, using 2SJ74/2SK170 at input and bc550c/bc560c for the rest.   The pcb is inspired by the one provided by Kevin Gilmore in the original article, with the addition of some local decoupling caps...

Disclaimer: someone asked me how difficult it would be to build an amplifier similar to the Zana 2. My first reaction was that it is just plain crazy to use 6C33C for headphones. Still, the concept has been bugging me and I had to try and see how this thing could even work in theory. This will...

Hi,   I've been discussing with another head-fi member what one could get as a very simple USB dac for 200-300€ these days.   Ease of soldering (pre-soldered expensive smd chips are good!) and implementation are important factors. Strong dislike of Chinese pcb with plenty of misused red wima...

The postman brought me a nice little gift yesterday:     Btw, for the European guys in search of transformers at a reasonable price, the pair cost me 30€ shipped, from Don-Audio. It took about 5-6 weeks to get it. Looks like a good time to thank the Torpedo team for specifying a now easy to...

I thought it might be a good idea to share some of our most useful layouts for home-etching. It might save some time for someone else.   First is a regulated dual supply, based on good old lm317/337.       PDF : https://docs.google.com/file/d/0Bx-wF8DC66I5NEFnUXNscG9nSnM/edit

Since I don't want to go further OT in Wakibaki's thread, I thought I'd create a new thread to post this. To be completely honest it is very much an intellectual exercise for now. So I'd really welcome anyone's input. Even to tell me this is completely wrong and i've been tricked by ltspice.  ...

It's been a long time I've had a look at what was available as DIY electrostatic amps. Is there anything decent one could build under 500$ (before casing) ? Preferably (but not required) with PCBs I could buy somewhere ?   I'm pondering whether or not help someone building one vs buying a stax...

When I first started visiting head-fi, the Audiovalve RKV was one of the "ultimate" amplifiers you could get. Later on, I was lucky to find an early kit from Elrad, based on the same schematic (which can be found here , along with many explanations about the rkv). I've since sold this one but I...

Since I've been testing/listening to the amp since yesterday and everything seems fine, I thought I would document the build somewhere. It might interest someone else, who knows ?   The objectives of the amp:   -1- sufficient voltage and current for hd650 (aiming for 4Vrms as an overkill)...

Hello, I'm looking for an input transformer for a white cathode follower. The idea is to have a touch of gain in front of it as well as galvanic isolation. The wcf is used as an headphones buffer (senn hd650). I don't need much gain but unity is a bit low. So here are the requirements ...

Two ideas I'm considering... stupid ?     DC-coupled, you'd better have some good offset protection.       With a WCF for twice the current ! Requires a floating PS for the opamp.       Both are missing some protection diodes and the like. Just concepts for now.

I was wondering if any of you had used this transformer: http://www.edcorusa.com/p/547/gxse5-600-15k   I was thinking about converting my current tube amp (kind of a Morgan Jones on steroids) in a triode SET amp. I'm mostly using my hd650 now and the 15k-600r gives a 7k5 load with 300r...

It's been a while I didn't get a soldering iron hot but I received this morning the parts needed for my next project and it feels nice. Good feelings have to be shared      Nothing fancy here, it's kind of an opportunity build, based more on what I've got on hand than careful planning. A...

I've got a question about an article that was published in the January 2011 of Hifi News. If anyone has it and is willing to have a look inside for me (really a 2 minutes affair, I'm not looking for a scan or anything), could he please contact me by PM ?   I'd be very grateful to anyone who...

I just got such a transformer (260-0-260V @ 0.1A, 2X 6.3V@3A, 1X 5V@3A) and iirc, it's also used in some bijou builds. So I've got a question to those of you who did use it:   How warm does it get ? I'll be drawing 60 to 70ma from the HV secondary and 2.8A from one of the heaters secondary...

No, I'm not about to ditch my K340 to the dustbin quite yet. However:   - With my 30-years birthday getting closer, some friends asked me if I'd welcome a new pair of headphones; - I've got the feeling that the highest frequencies of my K340 aren't exactly what they once were. After 8...

Over the years, I've played with quite a few little amps (so many it often diverted me from my big projects, but that's another question  ). This version is the fusion of a few designs, keeping their stronger points and simplifying everything else when possible.     Let's start with the...

Ok, here's for comments a small (8cm/5cm) I/V stage. It's optimized for the PCM1794/8. It's a simplified/cheaper version of what I'm currently using.   I/V opamps are opa1632. A buffered trimmer set the input voltage at 0V. No caps in // because the opa1632 is apparently sensitive to...

The PCM2707 chip in my DAC decided to stop working, after a few months of good work (they're more sensitive to plug-in/out issues than the good old pcm2702). Desoldering went bad and I lifted some tracks (and lost a second pcm2707 trying to wire it in anyway ) so replacing it looks like a lost...

At first sight, it'd be as simple as playing an asymmetric waveform generated in audacity (see attached one) and check with an oscilloscope the output of the DAC. Or am I missing something ?      

I just noticed that VEVO put back the whole concert online on February 6th, not only individual songs. For those who wish to see it as intended by Terry Gilliam, without cuts, time to go. ;)  It's in 720p quality.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYpD5pDQNvk&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL  ...