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Looking to make a USb DAC with headphone amp for A-Levels, can you answer my questionaire

post #1 of 19
9/13/11 at 6:31am
Thread Starter 

Please could you answer my questionaire for the product I am making for my A-Levels. It will be enclosed in a Steampunk "glass and brass" styled case. Other details will be based around the answers I get from this questionaire.

 

 DAC

1. What kind of USB DAC circuit and/or kit do you prefer? i.e what you would reccomend.

2. Would you prefer regulated or unregulated power?

3. Should it be USB or mains powered?

4. Would you prefer a 1/4" or 1/8" stereo jack for the input/output?

 

Amp

5. What kind of amp do you prefer, solid state or tube?

6. What circuits/kits do you prefer and reccomend?

Would you prefer the product to be just a USB DAC or have the option to us the amp just as a headphone amp?

7. Would you like a gain switch?

 

Case

7. Are there any precortions you would reccomend me taking with the case?

 

Enviroment

8. What enviroment would you use the product under?

 

Usage

9. Would you use the product with IEM's or headphones mainly?

 

Thank you for your time in reading and answering this questionaire. All answers used will be credited to your Head-Fi username.

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post #2 of 19
9/23/11 at 3:38am
Thread Starter 

Bump because I kinda need a couple of answers.

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post #3 of 19
9/23/11 at 4:07am

 

DAC

1.  Use one of the latest Asahi Kasei (AKM) or ESS Sabre DAC chips.

2. 

3.  USB is ok.

4.  1/8"

 

AMP

5.  Solid state

6. 

7.  Yes

 

7. Put a UV lamp in there or something.

 

8. Listening to music.

 

9. IEM's.

 

 

 

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post #4 of 19
9/23/11 at 4:13am
Thread Starter 

Thanks for your input, it will be useful.

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post #5 of 19
9/27/11 at 6:03am
Thread Starter 

Bumping for more answers

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post #6 of 19
9/27/11 at 6:42am

DAC

 

1. I2S and S/PDIF inputs supporting up to 32-bit/192kHz, something like ESS Sabre32 Reference (ES9018) DAC chip

2. Don't care

3. USB is handy but I wouldn't mind a wall wart

4. For a DAC?  Optical and USB input and RCA unbalanced output (with switch for RCA output to other amp)

 

 

Amp

 

1. Tube

2. Bijou kit

3. I would prefer just a DAC that has S/PDIF and Optical

4. Gain switch would be cool

 

Case

 

1. Something metal by Hammond

 

Environment would be desktop use with some "take it along and use it at another desktop use"

 

Both IEM's and headphones hence why I want the gain switch to take out the hiss with IEM's.

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post #7 of 19
9/27/11 at 7:10am

 

Imho If you want a winner DAC... use one of the state of the art chips like the ES9018 mentioned above, or something like AKM AK4480, and keep it CHEAP.

 

Then you have something that doesn't exist... if you make it expensive with 6 different inputs, heavy good-looking casing etc. it will have a lot more competition.

 

 

 

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post #8 of 19
9/27/11 at 12:28pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks kiteki, can you reccomend any sites with infomation on how to impliment one of these DAC chips into a circuit?

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post #9 of 19
9/27/11 at 12:55pm

If you're going to design an entire DAC... shouldn't you already know how to do that?

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post #10 of 19
9/27/11 at 12:58pm
Thread Starter 

Well, I actually didnt intend to design an entire DAC. But the idea of learning how to design one interests me.

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post #11 of 19
9/27/11 at 1:06pm
Thread Starter 

I dont want to be spoon fed any infomation either. I just need a point in the right direction.

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post #12 of 19
9/27/11 at 1:19pm

read the data sheets for the DAC chips you are interested in.

They have a wealth of information and often have sample circuits.

 


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by ununennium View Post

I dont want to be spoon fed any infomation either. I just need a point in the right direction.



 

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post #13 of 19
9/27/11 at 1:30pm

Look at offerings from Twisted Pear and AMB as the can be configured

for a variety of situation.

AMB has great write ups on how his products work.

 

There are also lots of "chinese" DAC kits on eBay.

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post #14 of 19
9/27/11 at 1:34pm
Thread Starter 

I did read the data sheet for the es9018, it was flowcharts which were useful. But I'll check out AMB thanks.

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post #15 of 19
9/27/11 at 1:41pm


ESS keeps their data sheets kind of secret.

If the sheet you were looking at didn't have the pin assignments

for the chip on it, then it was only an advertising sheet.

Not very useful.

 

They will send you a data sheet if you request one.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by ununennium View Post

I did read the data sheet for the es9018, it was flowcharts which were useful. But I'll check out AMB thanks.



 

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