Lite DAC60 - PCM1704 R2R tubed DAC Mod Project

[walfredo]

 

  I'm really interested in seeing your overall costs & estimated build time.  Looks like the Dac60 can be found online for $400-$450 (unless I'm mistaken) so this could end up being a fun winter project. 

Check on the shipping charges - it will probably total out to pretty close $650 if you live in the US.  Buy on Ebay and get the 'Buyer's Protection' guarantee.
 
The smell of melting solder!  Tis' the season!!  Then some grogg listening to some great tunes playing through an awesome DAC!
 
Cheers!~

 
I bought direct from http://www.diygene.com.  Hope it works.  I'll report how it went. 

 

[walfredo]

 

  I'm really interested in seeing your overall costs & estimated build time.  Looks like the Dac60 can be found online for $400-$450 (unless I'm mistaken) so this could end up being a fun winter project. 

Check on the shipping charges - it will probably total out to pretty close $650 if you live in the US.  Buy on Ebay and get the 'Buyer's Protection' guarantee.
 
The smell of melting solder!  Tis' the season!!  Then some grogg listening to some great tunes playing through an awesome DAC!
 
Cheers!~

I bought direct from http://www.diygene.com.  Hope it works.  I'll report in the thread.

 

[shortcuttomonct]

I saw that site as well.  Let me know if the shipping was exorbitant. 

 

[walfredo]

  I saw that site as well.  Let me know if the shipping was exorbitant. 

Shipping was ~ $160, IIRC.  Total was ~ $600.

 

[rb2013]

 
Shipping was ~ $160, IIRC.  Total was ~ $600.

Good price!  The $50 saving could go toward better tubes or caps. 

 

[rb2013]

 
I bought direct from http://www.diygene.com.  Hope it works.  I'll report in the thread.

They take Paypal always a plus for me.

 

[walfredo]

Yes, I got it yesterday!!  diygene.com was so so.  They took 8 days to ship it, and they only did after I opened a case with paypal (they were not answering my emails).
 
Very first impressions are a bit mixed.  On the good side, the sound is very "real" and non-fatiguing, as I had expected/hoped.  On the bad side, it is a bit flat/unengaging.  
 
For now, I still prefer my Aune T1 + Philips PCC85.  That said, it took me trying over 10 tubes to get the Aune to this level.
 
I have high hopes that tube rolling + some of the mods suggested by rb2013 can add a bit of life and sparkle to it.
 
Merry Christmas/Holidays/Solstice everybody!!
 
[]s
Walfredo

 

[rb2013]

  Yes, I got it yesterday!!  diygene.com was so so.  They took 8 days to ship it, and they only did after I opened a case with paypal (they were not answering my emails).
 
Very first impressions are a bit mixed.  On the good side, the sound is very "real" and non-fatiguing, as I had expected/hoped.  On the bad side, it is a bit flat/unengaging.  
 
For now, I still prefer my Aune T1 + Philips PCC85.  That said, it took me trying over 10 tubes to get the Aune to this level.
 
I have high hopes that tube rolling + some of the mods suggested by rb2013 can add a bit of life and sparkle to it.
 
Merry Christmas/Holidays/Solstice everybody!!
 
[]s
Walfredo

Sorry to hear about diygene.com - I had better luck with hifi-china on Ebay. 
 
The mods will take it to a whole new level.
 
Cheers!

 

 

[rb2013]

Update - the sound of this unit is just blowing me away!  What tonal purity!  Natural, rich and smooth.  Yet incredible detail.  This unit is easily on a par with my $7K APL DAC, in some ways better.  I have it running in my office 8 hours a day - what a pleasure.  Especially on a great Glen Gould Bach piano recording.  I have never such a realistic piano recreation on a stereo before.  Like he is humming along in my office.   I am sold on the R2R design and will start saving to build another of these for my main listening room. 
 
In the meantime I began a Soekris R2R DAC build project.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/754547/the-soekris-r-2r-dac-technical-details
 
I will update this thread with the details on the stage 2 and 3 mods.
 
Possible further mods and upgrades to my existing Lite60:
I've been toying with the idea of going up the Mundorf film cap line -from the Silver/Oil to the Gold/Silver/Oil.
 
I'll also will be trying the 3M AB-5100S EMI absorber paper on the chips and case - should be here soon.

 

[rb2013]

I just pulled the trigger on the Mundorf Gold/Silver/Oil 2.7uf caps - Sonic Craft has a great sale going on now - these were only $100/each!  Woohoo!
 
http://www.soniccraft.com/product_info.php/mundorf-supreme-sgo-27uf-1000vdc-p-3587

 

[rb2013]

 
Well did the Mundorf coupling cap swap tonight - Mundorf Supreme Silver/Oils (humble hifi rated 11) for the TOTL Mundorf Supreme Gold/Silver/Oils (humble hifi 12+).  Wow what sound!  Mama-Mea!  So smooth- relaxed - natural.  Exquisite - even without burnin.  After a few hundred hours run time they should be even better.
 
Well worth the extra money!
 

 

[rb2013]

BTW Added 3M EMS shielding to all the chips and the transformers.

 

[zaccio]

Hello rb2013 is ths model of choke works too ?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHOKE-5H-Henry-150mA-Fender-Marshall-VOX-Inductor-DIY-Tube-Valve-Supply-Filter-/191449915049?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c934ddea9

 

[rb2013]

  Hello rb2013 is ths model of choke works too ?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/CHOKE-5H-Henry-150mA-Fender-Marshall-VOX-Inductor-DIY-Tube-Valve-Supply-Filter-/191449915049?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c934ddea9

That Choke is 5 Henrys the Hammond I used is 10H - the Hammond was 125mA this one is 150mA.  I'm not sure if it would work or give the same sound.
 
Here is the link to the choke I used:
http://www.partsconnexion.com/product12660.html
 
Good luck!

 

[zaccio]

Found the same Hammond model in Italy because I'm in Switzerland For the tubes I already have 6N23P in my Project Pre Box RS but what do you think about these links?
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/6N23P-E88CC-ECC88-6DJ8-Pair-Voskhod-Rocket-NEW-NOS-/171702082991?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27fa3dddaf
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/6N23P-E88CC-ECC88-6DJ8-Voskhod-Matched-Pair-Gray-Shield-Lot-of-2-/281614796170?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item41918cc58a
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/2x-SELECTED-6N23P-SARATOV-TUBES-70s-STRONG-PAIR-6DJ8-6922-E88CC-6N23P-/251885944155?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3aa5927d5b