[Gilberto 62]

Hello guys. I want to tell you about a little experiment that I have done. It is nonsense with little importance and without any technical contribution or great knowledge such as the high-level comments that run here, but I am excited to explain it to you, fellow owners of our beloved LKS.
I have a file from a Johnny Guitar Watson album, "Gettin down with" with beautiful songs on, (... just ...), 16-44 cd quality, which I play beautifully on dsd512. Well, I bought the vinyl from that album in mint quality, reproduced on my Technics sl1200 with an Ortofon 2M Black capsule and well, I don't know what to tell you ... I really like vinyl, that sweet, silky veil, but folks, this LKS is something special, it sounds so good ...! I do the comparisons, vinyl, dac, vinyl, dac and ... buffff ...! This dac sounds with a very special authority, it is as if he were saying: "... hey, watch out, here I come ..." A greeting to everyone ...

 

[JBP3]

Hello guys. I want to tell you about a little experiment that I have done. It is nonsense with little importance and without any technical contribution or great knowledge such as the high-level comments that run here, but I am excited to explain it to you, fellow owners of our beloved LKS.
I have a file from a Johnny Guitar Watson album, "Gettin down with" with beautiful songs on, (... just ...), 16-44 cd quality, which I play beautifully on dsd512. Well, I bought the vinyl from that album in mint quality, reproduced on my Technics sl1200 with an Ortofon 2M Black capsule and well, I don't know what to tell you ... I really like vinyl, that sweet, silky veil, but folks, this LKS is something special, it sounds so good ...! I do the comparisons, vinyl, dac, vinyl, dac and ... buffff ...! This dac sounds with a very special authority, it is as if he were saying: "... hey, watch out, here I come ..." A greeting to everyone ...

hi Gilberto 62, thank you so much for this contribution! Your vinyl set up sounds very nice, something I wouldn’t mind having myself for sure. So it’s nice to hear CD upsampled and played on the LPS is just as nice.

 

[b0bb]

@ b0bb. Can you give me the part number of the ultra low leakage Tantal you used in 003 ?

If you mean the yellow one, it is a solid tantalum bead.
Those are becoming hard to find, the one from Mouser may fit the bill, but you have to check the voltages on the 004,Solid Tantalums have very low tolerance for overvoltage.

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetai...=sGAEpiMZZMtZ1n0r9vR22U82yln1BPhnoXNuC395sQM=

@ AuxInput. & b0bb. Do you guys know if the analog power supply is a class A ( shunt) power supply ?

It is a series-shunt arrangement, I think you helped repair another member's 004 when the current sense resistor and voltage reference burnt out

 

[Xoverman]

Hey b0bb tanks for the fast answer.
So on the analog section I soppos the two 15V transformer winding's go each to a rectifier.
After the rectifier ground is tied together, and everything is filtered by the two big Mundorf camp's.
After that comes the series-shunt arrangement.
What is the 6,5V for? DAC analog side?

And if you can, please share your knolage about the Digital side with us

 

[b0bb]

What is the 6,5V for? DAC analog side?
And if you can, please share your knolage about the Digital side with us

Trace the feed going to the LT1963, it is the analog first stage regulator for the 9038 chips
As there several versions of the board you will have to check yours

The 6.5V is likely the source for the LT1963

 

[Xoverman]

hi Gilberto 62,
I have made the same experience, it's very hard to find a vinyl setup that can compete with 004.
Especially when it's heavily tweaked.

 

[Xoverman]

After taking the digital transformer out of the DAC chassis a couple of months ago, I decided to do the same with the analog transformers yesterday. I also installed a audio gread filter from "Thel audio" in front (primary) of the transformer, just as I did in front of the digital transformer.

http://www.thel-audioworld.de/module/Netzfilter/Netzfilter.htm

That again brings great sonic impact, just as I expected itwould. Everything sounds more real. I'm very happy with the result.
But there seems to be a small tradeoff. Bass extension and transients suffered just a little bit. I put a WIMA 0,47uF between filter and transformer. That almost solved the transient response problem, but bass is still a little bit degraded.
On the other side I have the impression, that the bass is more transparent and tighter. So maby because bass is tighter and more transparent I get the illusion that it is lacking a little bit.
I guess I'll play around with the grounds some more.

 

[Gilberto 62]

Well, that comparison, which I have also done with my CD player, s (Denon dcd2000) and where the LKS sounds a little better, just a little, is with the factory dac, without any upgrade or tuning because I did not I know what a screwdriver or a spanner is for ... I have only connected to the dac some Furutech rca and electrical connection cables and a 1 meter IFI Mercury 3.0 usb cable, the latter advised by my appreciated "hpsxrb". ... I think it is the least I can do, because the LKS deserves it. Maybe someday, if someone recommends me a recognized professional, I decide to send my dac to do those impressive things that I see here, in the forum, of people with impressive knowledge and experience ...

 

[iFi audio]

a 1 meter IFI Mercury 3.0 usb cable

If I may ask, how does it work for you?

 

[Gilberto 62]

Hi. Well, I can only say that very well, I am very satisfied with the result of this cable, the IFI Mercury usb 3.0 (version 2.0). At last, I can have the pleasure of savoring the delights of LKS in music playback. I previously had an Audioquest Diamond which, for me, was an absolute failure ...

 

[iFi audio]

Hi. Well, I can only say that very well, I am very satisfied with the result of this cable, the IFI Mercury usb 3.0 (version 2.0). At last, I can have the pleasure of savoring the delights of LKS in music playback. I previously had an Audioquest Diamond which, for me, was an absolute failure ...

I'm happy to hear that it did what it supposed to for your setup

And what was off with that AQ Diamond? It's said to be good

Apologies for a slight derail!

 

[Gilberto 62]

Well, in principle, I bought the Audioquest Diamond 5 meters because I needed that cable length because of the distance I had between my pc and the dac. Here, in this forum, colleagues with experience and knowledge told me that this cable distance (... 5 m ...) was not recommended and it seems that this was the reason for the disaster. Everything was cuts, noises, clicks, player blocked, frozen, dead ... a total failure. After multiple tests, trials and experiments on my part, I clearly saw that the problem was in the cable, something that today is truly incredible for me because it was an expensive and recognized cable and even though it had 5 meters it was sold to function properly. Well, the cable went back to the store and there it worked fine ... It went back to my house and sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. Tired and fed up with this, I decided to follow the advice of the forum and I brought my pc close to the dac and I bought the IFI Mercury cable that was recommended to me by the colleague "hpsxrb", who had read several rewievs about this cable in which they said very good things about he. And so it has been ...! I can play all my digital files upsampling to dsd512 and with the DPLL filter at 8 and, when the dac is already warm, going down, 7, 6 ... 2 ... A delight ...! Think that this is my first dac and my entry into the world of digital reproduction and my problems and disappointments were so many and so unpleasant for a couple of months that, when I read the opinions of others here, I felt envy and great Sadness at my failure that I got to thinking about selling the dac on eBay and giving up on all of this. Finally, now and thanks to the advice and recommendations of the colleagues in this forum, I can be happy ... very happy ...!

 

[oldearwax]

Well, in principle, I bought the Audioquest Diamond 5 meters because I needed that cable length because of the distance I had between my pc and the dac.

When you had problem a month ago,
were your computer and LKS plugged into different power outlets
that are far apart in your house ?

 

[iFi audio]

Well, in principle, I bought the Audioquest Diamond 5 meters because I needed that cable length because of the distance I had between my pc and the dac. Here, in this forum, colleagues with experience and knowledge told me that this cable distance (... 5 m ...) was not recommended and it seems that this was the reason for the disaster. Everything was cuts, noises, clicks, player blocked, frozen, dead ... a total failure. After multiple tests, trials and experiments on my part, I clearly saw that the problem was in the cable, something that today is truly incredible for me because it was an expensive and recognized cable and even though it had 5 meters it was sold to function properly. Well, the cable went back to the store and there it worked fine ... It went back to my house and sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. Tired and fed up with this, I decided to follow the advice of the forum and I brought my pc close to the dac and I bought the IFI Mercury cable that was recommended to me by the colleague "hpsxrb", who had read several rewievs about this cable in which they said very good things about he. And so it has been ...! I can play all my digital files upsampling to dsd512 and with the DPLL filter at 8 and, when the dac is already warm, going down, 7, 6 ... 2 ... A delight ...! Think that this is my first dac and my entry into the world of digital reproduction and my problems and disappointments were so many and so unpleasant for a couple of months that, when I read the opinions of others here, I felt envy and great Sadness at my failure that I got to thinking about selling the dac on eBay and giving up on all of this. Finally, now and thanks to the advice and recommendations of the colleagues in this forum, I can be happy ... very happy ...!

That's quite the story, much appreciated. But one thing I'll say though, 5m USB connections can cause various unpleasantries. And most importantly, it's great to read that you managed to overcome challenges and be happy with what you have. After frustrations there has to come a day when everything starts to work as intended. Thanks again

 

[Gilberto 62]

Oldearwax, you ask me how the dac and the pc were connected to the mains. Well, among the multiple and disappointing tests I did, yes, I also tried that detail, I connected PC and dac in different sockets, in the same, near, far ... I did so many tests ... There came a time, that at I was ashamed to write here, in the forum, because it only explained problems, problems and more problems. I felt like the most incapable, awkward, and ignorant person of all who have written here. I seriously thought about taking the dac out of my house and forgetting about it, with sadness and anger. Finally, as I was already advised from the beginning, here in the forum, regarding that problematic cable distance (... 5 m ...), I decided as a last resort before throwing it all away, bringing the PC closer to the dac and try the IFI Mercury (... 1m ...), cable recommended by the super friendly and patient partner of the "hpsxrb" forum. And end of the problem ...!