[NymPHONOmaniac]

9V batteries don't really like to source that much current - also a slightly lower voltage (it says rated for 7-9V?) would probably run cooler (but probably lower the output voltage too?).

Also the things that got hot look like voltage regulators - they could probably do for a heatsink more than the XMOS chip, and there's some comments in the aliexpress page that show someone strapping a nice big heat sink to them - you can use thermal glue, or just whatever heat transfer paste or tape or w/e and bolt directly through the metal tabs to a heat sink, that's what they're there for.

Also there's another aliexpress comment that seems to be suggesting they're running it successfully at 7V / 150mA - which is only around 1W.

Okay, will try your advices....wasnt thinking to have to deal with complication tough. Thanks alot, if im able to make it work properly I will share my impressions here.

Cheers!

 

[vector84]

If you want a quick sanity check on if current supply out of a 9V battery is a major problem would be a couple in parallel to split the current load which is really easy to do with 9V battery connectors. (just like jumping a car, positive to positive, negative to negative).
(just don't put them in series or you get 18V, but that would be more involved a mod anyhow )

 

[bsoplinger]

… To BUY (still work perfectly after 8 months):https://www.ebay.com/itm/252298238894?ul_noapp=true

Unfortunately that listing doesn't ship to the USA. Do either of these match your choice? They both look good to me and I like that the 2nd one already has a plastic case for the board for not much more than the bare board.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Douk-Audio...120855?hash=item3f8d36d617:g:~y4AAOSwUlxZ~cey

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Douk-Audio...874994?hash=item3f7eb732f2:g:zMkAAOSwcj5ZOfA~

 

[easily_amused]

Hi man, you have a very interesting passion that I understand fully, its such a joy to have different sound source for our ears! Can you share your favorite DAC-AMP and did any of them are findable on Aliexpress???

I'm very poor so my last buy depress me alot....but my goal is to test DIY DAC-AMP that are easy to use, I mean, plug and play (with or without driver), we do not need case for them to work, its more about protection here...DAC chips are very important, whats your favorite and more affordable one???

Thanks to share here, your some kind of wizard here now

Thanks! It's hard to pick a favourite and, honestly, most of the time I'm listening to an Aune X1S which is a great little common desktop unit, nothing special I guess. But I'm using it mostly because it's pretty good sound, looks good under my monitor and is quite neutral, so it's been good for getting into my new headphones.

Of what IO have tried there's a G&W T2.2A amplifier that I really love (mostly because it's huge, industrial, looks like someone bolted half a tree onto the front of it and when you turn it on it hums like a nuclear reactor). I have only listened to it a few times (bare in mind I've only been collecting for 3-4 months!) but it's nice and warm.
https://www.hifi-amplifiers.com/en/...d-class-a-tube-headphone-amplifier-p-891.html

I also have this amp which I don't think has an English name but uses 6N2 and fu32 tubes, it's also huge, weighs about 8kg, I don't think the link below is the exact version - mine is similar but has slightly different units on the back. Anyway it's ... different. Really clear though. I think I need some higher impedance cans for this one though.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Bla...amplifier-86-50-power-supply/32688253172.html

I've also got a Litehifi h1 (apparently, I just had to look it up). It's a 'portable' balanced headphone amp which looks like a roughly machines star trek prop. Planning on having a listen to it tonight.Then there's a TCG T1 which came in export style boxing (with english words and everything) which was fun. And there's literally another 6 smaller tube amps in a variety of weird shapes and sizes that I haven't got to playing with yet.

From the DAC/Amp side of things I've made quite a lot of use of an FX-Audio dac-x6 - it's great but, like the Aune, kind of common. Plus a small SMSL unit which does DSD too (forget the name, it's packed right now). Both are great value for money I think, although I'm hardly an expert. I'm doing a lot of listening to try to understand the differences in sound so let me have some more time and I can comment on them.

I've also got a few DAC/Amp combos I haven't used yet: a Rhyme Voice 6J1 (which is gold coloured so must be awesome), a HIFI7011 tube dac/amp (I think it's from ZhiLai?) and ... some others? I think there's 2-3 more but they're packed right now.

I'm going on holiday for 3 weeks, then I come back and in mid-Jan move to a new house where I have my own study. Going to set everything up, take some photos and get listening heavily!

 

[easily_amused]

Oh, I meant to add ... I don't use Aliexpress or those websites I linked from. Usually I order using a wechat, through an called Baopals. I think they have a webpage too. I like them because they offer great English support and I can pay directly with wechat. Also, they directly contact the seller when there's a problem and they'll mediate the conversation. Occasionally though I go straight to Taobao or buy from an actual store.

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Hum, this one look very promising, but you need an external amp (portable one can do)....but hell, the famous WOLFSON WM8741 high end DAC worth by himself 14$!!!!!!! And this DAC is....35$!!!!!!!!

To beautiful to be true??? Perhaps....but its a finish product so it should work perfectly, and inside construction doesnt look bad at all...
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/D3-...-5fdf-462b-b8ef-ebf3b4fc070c&rmStoreLevelAB=5


I'm sicko(really want to put this on my credit card that is already full!)....right now I listen to the incredible sound of AK4490 dac,bassy, wide, ultra detailed and 3D sounding....and wait for the thing to stop working in about 10 minutes....still strugling about this, and really think seller should have talk about the heatsink to add by yourself. But, when it work, yes, the sound is fabulous.

 

[vector84]

Unfortunately that listing doesn't ship to the USA. Do either of these match your choice? They both look good to me and I like that the 2nd one already has a plastic case for the board for not much more than the bare board.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Douk-Audio...120855?hash=item3f8d36d617:g:~y4AAOSwUlxZ~cey

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Douk-Audio...874994?hash=item3f7eb732f2:g:zMkAAOSwcj5ZOfA~

The second one is the one I picked up btw - which is the same seller as the unboxed one that @Nymphonomaniac wrote about, and the board I received looks identical to his.

It's a metal case too btw, the end caps might be plastic though

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Unfortunately that listing doesn't ship to the USA. Do either of these match your choice? They both look good to me and I like that the 2nd one already has a plastic case for the board for not much more than the bare board.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Douk-Audio...120855?hash=item3f8d36d617:g:~y4AAOSwUlxZ~cey

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Douk-Audio...874994?hash=item3f7eb732f2:g:zMkAAOSwcj5ZOfA~

Yes, both are the very same DAC-AMP I talk about, I like the fact having a volume control, and as said before, it work on my Samsung J3 (yeah, basic smarthphone but I just use it for music, hours, and Fungo free phone!)....soundsignature is quite unique, and ...vintage if I can say that! Like, analogish, especially nice for vocal, it is not a razor sharp sound like Sabre dac or too digital sounding, very forgiving and warm, but vast and musical, mid centric. And must of all, plug and play stuff, no struggling. For less than 64ohm headphone the little amping will be enough, but an external amp is needed for higher impendance ones. Listen to it right now, just to confirm another time I LOVE this TDA1305T sweet sound

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

The second one is the one I picked up btw - which is the same seller as the unboxed one that @Nymphonomaniac wrote about, and the board I received looks identical to his.

It's a metal case too btw, the end caps might be plastic though

You receive a defective one I think? Still never listen to it fully???

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

Its not a dac or amp....but a DAP....but hey, I press buy button right way when I see whats hide inside his beautifull body: the top of the line AK4497EQ DAC!!!!!!!!!!!!

I ask the seller for a rebate, hes been kind enough for letting it go for 230$ because its a new product....well well....he make doing a very consequent impulse buy. Hope it will worth it and IMPRESS me for real!!!
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/F-A...DSD-Digital-Audio-Player-DAP/32841440263.html

Only other DAP I know using this chip is the Astell & kern Ultima SP1000 that cost 3500$. Hope to have a real revange against rich ass people with this incredibly promising DAP!!!!!!!!

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

LOL when I say rich ass....the Ultima is clearly for them. Check the guy at they end of publicity, at the top of his skyscraper, smoothly shaking head listening bad music thinking hes the king of the world LOL Donald Trump too own a A&K Ultima.

 

[maxxevv]

The newly updated Topping NX4 intrigues me though. With the ES9038Q2M chip.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Top...-6a24-4ea0-814e-07621bba43b8&rmStoreLevelAB=2

But this particular one is most interesting in my opinion as it actually allows access to the sound filters built into the DAC chip via jumpers.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/ES9...-29f8-4265-af75-30ea66dc6a48&rmStoreLevelAB=2

Or if you're on a budget and willing to DIY, this:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/NEW...id=5bebb37c-a24b-4234-8fee-85880ba83efb&tpp=1

 

[bsoplinger]

… Or if you're on a budget and willing to DIY, this:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/NEW...id=5bebb37c-a24b-4234-8fee-85880ba83efb&tpp=1

Interesting. I can compare the kit picture to the finished model picture. I see the basic board. I see the rectified power supply. I see the added power input and switch. But what's the big, round, blue thing behind the input selector in the finished model they offer? I'm trying to figure out what makes it go from $50 for basic board and power supply to $180 besides a nice box and assembly.

 

[maxxevv]

The blue thing is a sealed power transformer.

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/pr...206.html?spm=2114.12010612.0.0.335e155e30FB56

You need to know how to put everything together and put the right things together too. A complete box includes matching parts and labour for assembly and some basic testing. The parts alone will be about US$110~145 depending on parts selected. So the premium is for labour. Sort of what calling a handyman to fix the leaking tape versus doing it yourself would cost.

 

[bsoplinger]

The blue thing is a sealed power transformer.
…
You need to know how to put everything together…

I know enough to use a soldering iron safely but not too much more. And I saw the phrase rectified power supply and figured that was that as far as going from an outlet to the circuit board. But now adding in $25 for that and it is a rather nice looking box and knobs… Makes the assembled version seem much more a reasonable price. Thanks for explaining.