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No love for Monica USB DAC - Why? - Page 3

post #31 of 42
2/21/08 at 11:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhaedrusX View Post
how about some pics?
Pics this weekend for sure. Maybe tonight.
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post #32 of 42
2/26/08 at 1:05pm
Any further thoughts, coop?

As I just posted on the diyparadise forum, I been playing with different power sources for my old Altoid Monica 2. I'm currently using an 8-cell battery pack from Radio Shack with 8 Duracell AA batteries. This provides the smoothness and openness of usual battery power, but unlike the Rat Shack AA batteries in the same setup, the highs are clearer and the bass is tighter. Basically, it removes the muddiness that had made me think it lacked synergy with the Atrio. Go figure! Who'd have thought that the brand name could make that much of a difference, but it really does. VERY nice. Looks like I might be sticking with Duracells. Gonna get expensive in the long haul, but I'm liking this sound signature.

So, picks and impressions of the USB version?
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post #33 of 42
2/26/08 at 9:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Packgrog View Post
Any further thoughts, coop?

As I just posted on the diyparadise forum, I been playing with different power sources for my old Altoid Monica 2. I'm currently using an 8-cell battery pack from Radio Shack with 8 Duracell AA batteries. This provides the smoothness and openness of usual battery power, but unlike the Rat Shack AA batteries in the same setup, the highs are clearer and the bass is tighter. Basically, it removes the muddiness that had made me think it lacked synergy with the Atrio. Go figure! Who'd have thought that the brand name could make that much of a difference, but it really does. VERY nice. Looks like I might be sticking with Duracells. Gonna get expensive in the long haul, but I'm liking this sound signature.

So, picks and impressions of the USB version?
Pics are already here. Impressions are coming in that same thread hopefully this weekend once I am well past 200 hours burn-in and can also take the time to make a proper comparison with the MicroDAC.

I'm jealous of your portable Monica. My H140 headphone out is sounding a lot worse since I became accustomed to Monica's initimate sound signature.
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post #34 of 42
2/27/08 at 11:00pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by PhaedrusX View Post
i'm glad you're enjoying it.

i never left mine unattended during the burn-in, so i wasn't able to easily discern changes while i was listening. then again, i found the sound so inviting from the start, it didn't really make me want to analyze it too closely. i was simply involved in the music.

how about some pics?
I also just listened to it from the start - I have enjoyed it immensely from the day I cased it up and listened to it.

There has been some previous discussion about power supplies for the Monica USB - personally I am using a 14V 1A wallwart running at 18V, which makes mine sound fine to me.
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post #35 of 42
3/6/08 at 3:30am
i'm running a 20V 2.5A Switch Mode PS, and i noticed there is more than a little heat coming off the LM317 regulator.

i know the LM317 will auto shut down if it gets too hot, but should i be adding a heatsink with the voltage i am supplying, or is this just the normal running temperature for this regulator?
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post #36 of 42
3/6/08 at 7:44am
Thread Starter 
I think yeo suggested a heatsink to me when I mentioned 18V.
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post #37 of 42
3/7/08 at 2:44am
hmm...i did some research and i think you're right.
i don't have a lot of room to work with around the LM317, so hopefully i can find something that meets the requirements and fits.
i'll look into it, thanks.
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post #38 of 42
3/7/08 at 6:26am
Thread Starter 
I had some heatsinks that I bought off ebay that were just folded aluminium. I unfolded one so that it was almost flat - it works fine and took up very little space beyond the board.
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post #39 of 42
3/8/08 at 12:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by fordgtlover View Post
I had some heatsinks that I bought off ebay that were just folded aluminium. I unfolded one so that it was almost flat - it works fine and took up very little space beyond the board.
nevermind...it's sorted.
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post #40 of 42
11/22/11 at 12:08am

Know this is an old thread....

I have an old (non USB) Monica. I'm trying to convert it to USB, but I don't want to invest any more $. (Yup, I'm a cash-strapped DIYer!) 

Every pic of Monica's PCB (posted here or on diyparadise.com) shows only the TOP view. Can someone who (still) own a Monica USB turn it over, snap a few CLOSE-UP shots, and post them. This will allow me to add cheap glue-logic and the USB decoder chip.

 

FYI...

diyparadise is supposed to be for DIYers. But the guy that operates that site -- Yeo -- has gotten too ... uh .. comfortable with his lucrative eStore. So no more schematics (as was his past practice). Also, any worthwhile postings or improvements posted by members on the diyparadise forum get "incorporated" into the "Intellectual Property" of Yeo and diyparadise. If you want DIY, send $$ to Kuala Lumpur and you get a sub-par, over-priced kit.


Edited by alphaman - 11/22/11 at 12:11am
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post #41 of 42
11/22/11 at 5:19am

Actually I think that the opposite may be true. I am not convinced that Yeo makes much money at all from diyparadise. I think that he does other things to pay his bills and he no longer has the time to do penny-level DIY business. It's too bad but the company name may be a bit of an anachronism. It's still a fine DAC if purchased in kit form. (Mine was fully assembled and operational.)

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post #42 of 42
11/22/11 at 6:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by cooperpwc View Post

Actually I think that the opposite may be true. I am not convinced that Yeo makes much money at all from diyparadise. I think that he does other things to pay his bills and he no longer has the time to do penny-level DIY business. It's too bad but the company name may be a bit of an anachronism. It's still a fine DAC if purchased in kit form. (Mine was fully assembled and operational.)


Disagree mostly ...

 

That site is a confusing mess of distracting banner ads, Google ads and Kontera PPC ads. You can make some $$ that way, but it really confuses the avg. visitor.

 

The major mark against Yeo's claim to DIY is almost a complete lack of topological detail -- i.e, schematics. AMB, HagTech, Tangent, nwavguy, and most other DIYers who also sell (kit) stuff, always provide full schematics in the true spirit of DIY. Of course, that's Yeo's site and he can do as he pleases. But his tactics are ... uh ... tacky.

 

Yeo has REALLY increased his $$ since I purchased a Monica in late 2006.  Me, I DIY mostly from scratch now, but for a nonDIYer like you, if your want to upgrade, I'd go for the ESS based Twisted Pear DAC. It's reputed to be WAY better than anything out of DIYPARADISE. Yeo uses a budget /antiquated D/A chip (TDA1545A) in a horrid zero-oversampling config ... polishing the turd with a great I/V (not his but designed by Rudolf B. of diyaudio.com) and tube equipment (see pics on diyparadise of Yeo's reference system) and full-range (and horn) speakers ... a front end like that is way euphonic ...  my Teclast T-51 DAP blows away the much-tweaked Monica I bought years ago....sonically and, of course, ergonomically.

 


Edited by alphaman - 11/22/11 at 6:52am
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