[Cankin]

from Hifidiy

Looks interesting, PCM2707 I2S to PCM1798 and with tube output

 

[MisterX]

Interesting... I can't help but wonder if the US site will offer the enclosure and accessories as well.

(pictures stolen from the Chinese forum)

 

[bhjazz]

Tres sexee! With I2S to boot...nice!

 

[ferds]

BB PCM1798 + PCM2707 + TUBE OUTPUT USB DAC KIT! - (eBay item 120194785894 end time Dec-14-07 09:47:26 PST)

$99.99 + $30 (S&H) for an unassemble KIT. not bad!

 

[MisterX]

HiFiDIY Kits


Quote:

11 USB DAC Kit $89.95 Tube not included ( Ship from USA )

Shipping was $8

Who is to say if the extra $30 is bad or not bad.

(that extra $30 is about about what it would cost for the US dealer to ship one to you ferds so........)

 

[ferds]

oppss!

 

[Cata1yst]

Now who has 120$ burning in their pocket and wanna try it out?

 

[TheRobbStory]

I might bite the bullet after the holidays. One thing I don't understand:
Quote:

Input: USB and Output: optical SPDIF output and coaxial SPDIF.

 

[ferds]

From what i understand.. the input is only USB where the output is either analog(tube) or digital (coax/optical) since PCM2707 cannot output I2S and SPDIF at the same time..

 

[J.D.N]

If it doesn't come with a case, then you can get something similar from here:

Audiokit Home Page

Never ordered from them, but it all looks good.

 

[MisterX]

Quote:

R-Core transformer for this USB DAC $25.00, headphone Amp $29.95.

Quote:

The Transformer and Headphone Amp shipping cost: Ship from China China Post SAL: $28.50 China Post Air Mail: $40.00

Ouch.

 

[ferds]

Someone from Diyaudio.com have built this dac with very good results..

diyAudio Forums - HIFIDIY.net PCM1798 USB DAC with Tube Buffer

Quote:

Originally posted by bongoman I'm glad to report that I assembled the DAC last night and it started up fine first time! Unfortunately the kit doesn't come with any English instructions and it's not really possible to make any sense of the Chinese ones that came with it. Basically I had to rely on looking at photos dotted around the web on Chinese forums and the partial schematics to do the assembly. Generally speaking it wasn't that hard though and managed it in a night. The kit itself consists of the main PCB, with the USB receiver and DAC ICs taped to it. All of the other components just come in a bag which meant a couple of bent pins on the opamps, but nothing drastic. The PCBs are very good quality and thick, with gold plated double thickness copper tracks. The instructions consist of a page of Chinese and a partial schematic. A daughter board is provided for the optional tube buffer stage, but you need to get a dual triode valve which they will supply for about $5. I would also recommend buying their matching R-Core transformer (~$20), especially if you intend using the tube buffer as it needs a 60V supply and that transformer does all the voltages. My first impressions of the sound are that it is very very good. This DAC sounds very detailed, clear and warm with my Tripath TA2024 amplifier. I hate to say it, but it generally sounds a lot better than my 4 x TDA1543 DAC. At times it can sound more predictable, but there is a much much better noise floor and it doesn't suffer from the annoying quantization cockups that the TDA1543 produces at low amplitudes. It's also a massive improvement on the sound that comes out of a standard Squeezebox 3, although that's not surprising really. I certainly don't feel a need to upgrade the DAC chip to a PCM1794 at the moment, the PCM1798 sounds great! The next task is to give this little beauty a S/PDIF input, as currently it's USB input only with S/DIF outputs. I plan to piggyback a CS8416 to inject I2S and possibly make use of the existing low PPM onboard clock. If anyone needs a hand with building this DAC, I'd be glad to help where I can.

 

[regal]

So it has a opamp I/V, an opamp buffer, with a tube straped on the end. this is not the right way to do a tube DAC. The tube should be used in leu of the opamp buffer.

That said the price is good for a PCM1798 DAC. I would just leave off the tube buffer and feed it to a tube amp.

 

[LFF]

Looks tempting. Has anyone here on Headfi tried it yet?

 

[Cankin]

You can bypass the tube

English page with full schematic