Head-Fi.org › Forums › Misc.-Category Forums › DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Discussions › Alien DAC v1.1 Construction Thread
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Alien DAC v1.1 Construction Thread - Page 10

post #136 of 1560
8/1/06 at 8:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by robzy
Damn. Sounds as if im shelling out on some new ferrites.. :P

Rob.
I was looking at these:

490-1057-1-ND (aka BLM31PG601SN1L) MuRATA FERRITE CHIP 600 OHM 1500MA 1206 $0.20

They're higher current (1.5A instead of 200mA) but at the same size as their 200mA counterparts. Not all that cheap, but no mucking about trying to fit the wrong bits. If the 100mA ones would work then that's and alternative too they aren't 1206 sized however.

They do stock non Murata ferrites of the right size/spec:
240-2415-1-ND (aka HZ1206E601R-10) STEWARD FERRITE 500MA 600 OHM 1206 SMD

I'm placing an order with Digikey for my bits either later tonight or early tomorrow - let me know if you want some, and I'm sure we can come to an agreement. Flick me a PM.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sinbios
I think from digikey, this is the best choice.
I disagree - that's a weird array style, and they're 45c each. At least the 1.5A Murata ones above (490-1057-1-ND) are only 20c.
Reply
post #137 of 1560
8/1/06 at 9:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by raromachine
I'm placing an order with Digikey for my bits either later tonight or early tomorrow - let me know if you want some, and I'm sure we can come to an agreement. Flick me a PM.
Thanks but no thanks. As it turns out Farnell Australia is actually pretty damn good https://secure1.farnell.com/jsp/ende...KU=9526862&N=0 . I always thought RS Components was the bee's knees but all they have is high minimum's and out-of-stock signs :P

Rob.
Reply
post #138 of 1560
8/1/06 at 1:39pm
I have also ordered the wrong ferrites from digikey (75ohm) 8-pin array. I managed to solder them on properly with a little bit of patience.

I was wondering if it is really worth switching to the specified 600ohm ferrites. Would there be any noticeable difference in SQ?

Also wondering if anyone is ordering from Digikey anytime soon so I could piggyback an order for the correct ferrites.

Thanks
Reply
post #139 of 1560
8/1/06 at 2:44pm
I built up a 2nd board, the 1st one having ended badly.

I fired up iTunes with an Apple Lossless source and I get good output level but a very bad noise floor, so bad that music is completely distorted with the Windows volume control at anything less than full volume. At full volume the noise is present but somewhat masked by high signal levels and is very bad on soft passages. All the basic measurements on the board look good and a signal generated by a PC based function generator scopes ok. There is no noise with no signal (iTunes in Stopped mode).

Using RealOne player via a CD-Rom device, there is no noise or distortion and from that I assume there are no hardware issues with the Alien DAC board. Unfortunately I want to use iTunes as my primary source. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Reply
post #140 of 1560
8/1/06 at 3:43pm
I suspect software conflicts between iTunes and the ASIO driver you're using.
Try some other versions of the driver, maybe that will remedy it.
Reply
post #141 of 1560
8/1/06 at 4:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mb3k
I suspect software conflicts between iTunes and the ASIO driver you're using.
Try some other versions of the driver, maybe that will remedy it.
I had previously downloaded and installed the asio4all V1.8 linked from the construction notes web site. I think it is more complicated than that and I am not familiar with the architecture of the asio drivers. A little primer would help. I did a web search on asio4all and itunes and the only thing I found was a suggestion that iTunes can not use that driver. Has anyone gotten this to work with iTunes and Win XP?
Reply
post #142 of 1560
8/1/06 at 6:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilR
I had previously downloaded and installed the asio4all V1.8 linked from the construction notes web site. I think it is more complicated than that and I am not familiar with the architecture of the asio drivers. A little primer would help. I did a web search on asio4all and itunes and the only thing I found was a suggestion that iTunes can not use that driver. Has anyone gotten this to work with iTunes and Win XP?
Neil, check out this thread, it seems to have the information you want.
Reply
post #143 of 1560
8/2/06 at 3:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cetoole
Neil, check out this thread, it seems to have the information you want.
I downloaded Foobar V0.9.2and Asio V1.4 drivers. That combination plays properly on my Dell I8500 laptop, without excessive noise. Without the ASIO drivers I had a lower level of noise than I had with iTunes but still not acceptable.

There are all sorts of versioning issues with these two pieces of software and iTunes. The current Foobar supports Asio but iTunes Multi-Plugin is not compaible with the current Foobar. The previous Foobar version that is compatible with the Multi-Plugin is not Asio enabled. No version of Foobar supports Apple Lossless which makes it useless for iTunes (for me).

[Edit: The current Foobar version has an optional ALAC add-in that will play Apple Lossless files, but the download page has a disclaimer that it is buggy and known to cause instability. It's working for me after a half hour or so... YMMV and mine may too after a little more listening time...]

And finally, the current version of iTunes may not be compatible with the current version of the multi-plugin. That's the story as I currently understand it... I may have gotten some of the details confused but I think anyone interested in this will get the general idea
Reply
post #144 of 1560
8/2/06 at 7:04am
Wow, 0805 is really samll. Much tougher than i thought (moreso than the SSOP i reckon). But its all, more or less, going okay.

Rob.
Reply
post #145 of 1560
8/2/06 at 7:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by robzy
Wow, 0805 is really samll. Much tougher than i thought (moreso than the SSOP i reckon). But its all, more or less, going okay.

Rob.

I find it really easy! With the help of very fine tweazers and a fine tip in the iron.
Reply
post #146 of 1560
8/2/06 at 8:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MASantos
I find it really easy! With the help of very fine tweazers and a fine tip in the iron.
You know, you're right. Let me rephrase - i find 0805 to be very "finicky". Although when it comes down to it - i think i prefer it over through whole. (Especially when the resistor spacing is bigger than the resistors you have and you try and get it all even).

That being said though - i managed to lift up R11's track today somehow. Luckily enough it was salvagable.

Rob.
Reply
post #147 of 1560
8/2/06 at 1:21pm
After building two of these boards, the biggest problem I had was with the 805 ceramic caps (not the resistors for some reason). I have what I think are fine tweezers but I had a great deal of trouble getting the ceramic caps to lay flat while I held them with the tweezers. Maybe I need a better set of tweezers. If anyone has specific suggestions for better tweezers, I'd like to hear it.

Regards,
Neil
Reply
post #148 of 1560
8/2/06 at 4:08pm
Reply
post #149 of 1560
8/2/06 at 4:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by NeilR
After building two of these boards, the biggest problem I had was with the 805 ceramic caps (not the resistors for some reason). I have what I think are fine tweezers but I had a great deal of trouble getting the ceramic caps to lay flat while I held them with the tweezers. Maybe I need a better set of tweezers. If anyone has specific suggestions for better tweezers, I'd like to hear it.

Regards,
Neil
Rotate the caps 90 degrees -- with the side of the cap facing the board -- so you are grabbing what is usually the top and the bottom. This gives a bit more to grab on to.
Reply
post #150 of 1560
8/2/06 at 5:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dsavitsk
Rotate the caps 90 degrees -- with the side of the cap facing the board -- so you are grabbing what is usually the top and the bottom. This gives a bit more to grab on to.
And solder them into place rotated? I don't understand what you are suggesting. To be clear, I usually lay a thin coating of solder on the first pad I work. I lay the part down and apply heat. If I don't apply some downward pressure on the part, it sits on top of the solder hill. If I press down on the top of the part, it will often fly off into never-never land, never to be seen again. To prevent that, I try to grasp the part in the middle with tweezers in such a way that the part I am soldering has enough downward force. That method may not be the best way for everybody but it seems to be the lesser of many evils as I've tried a number of different strategies.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
Head-Fi.org › Forums › Misc.-Category Forums › DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Discussions › Alien DAC v1.1 Construction Thread