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DIY DAC for maximum 200€

post #1 of 75
9/16/09 at 4:13pm
Thread Starter 
Hi all,
I need some DIY DAC, maximum for 200€, it must have optical in and RCA out, my gear is BVaudio Headamp and AKG K701, please try to help me, thank you.
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post #2 of 75
9/16/09 at 4:35pm
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f6/gam...thread-430793/
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post #3 of 75
9/16/09 at 4:39pm
Thread Starter 
And what about The Opus and toslink module ?
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post #4 of 75
9/16/09 at 4:50pm
You would need to ask someone else, I have not heard one. I do not like to comment on things I have not built and/or heard.
I have heard and can easily recommend a y1 and based on that recommend a y2 that I have not yet heard. I am listening to a y1 now and have been able to compare it to all of my CAL Audio Lab DACs and can state that it sounds better than the Delta and Sigma and gives the Alpha a run for it's money and I expect the y2 to be better than all of them.
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post #5 of 75
9/16/09 at 4:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wizik View Post
And what about The Opus and toslink module ?
By itself the Opus is balanced output only. You would need either the Ballsie or IVY boards also, which is another 75US. Plus you need to case everything up, and provide connectors, etc which you can plan on costing at least another $75. That has you up to about 227 Euro, not counting shipping, which can get nasty.
Query the posters on the Gamma2 thread, maybe one of the prototypers has a total price for a Gamma-1 Full + Gamma-2 build that they did(I would but I built a G1 Full and a G1 Lite along with my proto G2 and am too lazy to figure it out..).
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post #6 of 75
9/16/09 at 5:00pm
Thread Starter 
I´m noob in DIY, on that y2, I can buy all what i need and only build it ? Or I need to buy somethink else ? Is there a puwer supply integrated or it´s powered by AC adapter ? Sorry for my English if somethink is not good.
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post #7 of 75
9/16/09 at 5:01pm
Not sure about the euro to dollar these days but this might be close;

The Buffalo DAC

Sounds amazing, very similar to the MCD500 from McIntosh.
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post #8 of 75
9/16/09 at 5:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wizik View Post
I´m noob in DIY, on that y2, I can buy all what i need and only build it ? Or I need to buy somethink else ? Is there a puwer supply integrated or it´s powered by AC adapter ? Sorry for my English if somethink is not good.
Your English is excellent!
The y2 needs the y1, check out AMB's site; there you can find out all about both DACs. However that will be all you need to buy, it is self contained. Well, it does need 5vdc or can be run from USB. I use either my PC or the USB charger for my Blackberry.
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post #9 of 75
9/16/09 at 5:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wizik View Post
I´m noob in DIY, on that y2, I can buy all what i need and only build it ? Or I need to buy somethink else ? Is there a puwer supply integrated or it´s powered by AC adapter ? Sorry for my English if somethink is not good.
The Y2 does not require an external PSU, it can be powered by usb bus power. It can take an external PSU though.
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post #10 of 75
9/16/09 at 5:47pm
If you buy the Opus and SPDIF reciever boards from TPA and the parts from mouser you can actually do it pretty cheaply. I made mine with a passive output stage and a dual 317 powersupply on protoboard. Overall I think it cost not much more than $100. If you buy the preassembled modules though, it does get expensive.

That being said, I kinda wish I waited for the Y2 to come out since it offers so many features in such a small enclosure.
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post #11 of 75
9/16/09 at 5:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrSlim View Post
Query the posters on the Gamma2 thread, maybe one of the prototypers has a total price for a Gamma-1 Full + Gamma-2 build that they did(I would but I built a G1 Full and a G1 Lite along with my proto G2 and am too lazy to figure it out..).
My Gamma 1 Full+++ / Gamma 2 build came to right around $200. That includes the case and everything in it plus an AC adapter. It does NOT include custom made end panels from AMB or elsewhere, but does include the blank ones that come with the case that you can drill yourself.

It's a great-sounding DAC. It's a fairly challenging project from a soldering point of view if you haven't done any (or much) soldering before, but doable if one is modestly mechanically inclined.
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post #12 of 75
9/16/09 at 9:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mugdecoffee View Post
If you buy the Opus and SPDIF reciever boards from TPA and the parts from mouser you can actually do it pretty cheaply. I made mine with a passive output stage and a dual 317 powersupply on protoboard. Overall I think it cost not much more than $100. If you buy the preassembled modules though, it does get expensive.

That being said, I kinda wish I waited for the Y2 to come out since it offers so many features in such a small enclosure.
Wow, I'm really surprised. Kudos to you for being able to do it so cheaply. What did you use for the passive output stage? I presume the $100 does not include the Casing..

Another advantage of the Gamma1/2 (since both are needed) is the fact that the ASRC chip is built in, whereas you have to add the Metronome card for it on the Opus.
Either one of these DACs would be great, although the small size and integration of the Gamma2 is a big bonus

If I decide to build another DAC I might consider the OPUS.
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post #13 of 75
9/16/09 at 9:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by thisbenjamin View Post
Not sure about the euro to dollar these days but this might be close;

The Buffalo DAC

Sounds amazing, very similar to the MCD500 from McIntosh.
Google is your friend: Currency Exchange: XE - The World's Favorite Currency and Foreign Exchange Site

The buffalo may be the holy grail of DIY DACS, but its in a different price range. The basic board without power supplies will be over 300Euro, and if you add the Twisted Pear power supply kits(you may be able to build them cheaper) you are looking at over 360Euro. And those prices do not include casing and connectors, which the Gamma2 does.

The Gamma1/2 combo beats it hands down on price. We'll just have to see how the performance compares.
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post #14 of 75
9/17/09 at 5:30am
Thread Starter 
Hi all,
what I need for The Opus ?

I look for :
# Opus DAC + S/PDIF Receiver Combo [1] DAC Module (Assembled and Tested)
# [1] S/PDIF (WM8804) Receiver Module (Assembled and Tested)
# [1] Low-Current Dual Power Supply Kit

and one toslink module, its all what I need, or I need somethink else ?
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post #15 of 75
9/17/09 at 11:37am
You will also need the IVY board to convert the differential output of the DAC to single ended output to connect to your headphone amp, or talk to mugdecoffee about the passive output stage he put together.

Since S/PDIF is a single stream of data for both channels, you only need one toslink module.
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