[jbarrentine]

 
I'm going to need a dac

 

[Solrighal]

 
 
I'm going to need a dac

 
You have everything you need right there.

 

[jbarrentine]

I want to see what a higher end dac actually sounds like. I wouldn't mind something that can take both optical and coax as well as usb. 

 

[Solrighal]

I'd like to hear something better than my ODAC but it's a big jump price-wise to something appreciably better.

 

[connieflyer]

The dac in your odac is a good one, as far as spending alot on dacs, I bought one that has a few inputs, amp and While I like it, it did not make as much diffence as I had hoped. 

 

[Solrighal]

  The dac in your odac is a good one, as far as spending alot on dacs, I bought one that has a few inputs, amp and While I like it, it did not make as much diffence as I had hoped. 

 
That's what I suspect would be the case for me too. I did an online hearing test & it turns out my upper limit is a relatively low 15KHz. From what I've read higher end DAC's tend to focus their improvements on the higher frequencies so it's kinda pointless for me to spend money where I won't get a return.

 

[BRMSlash]

It looks like the Polaris has been updated to version 1.2.  The main difference I see in the schematic is the jfet cathode bypass cap is now always in service (where as it was previously not active in the low gain setting). 
 
The comments at DIY-Audio-Heaven state:

The ‘tick’ on changing the gain settings has been addressed in this version. It is easy to retrofit v1.0 (=v1.1 except for the BW settings) if so desired and involves adding a resistor on the bottom of the board.

 
Personally I haven't particularly noticed the 'tick' noise.  However, I think this is a good change as it will help the cathode bypass cap burn in faster.
 
I've recently been playing with the gain switch again and can now listen to both medium and high gain.  I couldn't do this before due to the treble glare, so the cathode bypass cap mustn't have been burnt in enough before.  Now medium and high gain sound great.  The medium gain provided a bit more clarity, bigger sound stage with smoother tone. Where as the high gain gave more punch and liveliness but with a slightly reduced sound stage and clarity.  I'm a little bit torn between the two settings as I like both for different situations.  Medium gain for spacious vocal songs, but high gain for rock.  I think I'm leaning towards medium gain for general use.  Or maybe I should mod my Polaris to something in between?

 

[dpump]

  It looks like the Polaris has been updated to version 1.2.  The main difference I see in the schematic is the jfet cathode bypass cap is now always in service (where as it was previously not active in the low gain setting). 
 
The comments at DIY-Audio-Heaven state:
 
Personally I haven't particularly noticed the 'tick' noise.  However, I think this is a good change as it will help the cathode bypass cap burn in faster.
 
I've recently been playing with the gain switch again and can now listen to both medium and high gain.  I couldn't do this before due to the treble glare, so the cathode bypass cap mustn't have been burnt in enough before.  Now medium and high gain sound great.  The medium gain provided a bit more clarity, bigger sound stage with smoother tone. Where as the high gain gave more punch and liveliness but with a slightly reduced sound stage and clarity.  I'm a little bit torn between the two settings as I like both for different situations.  Medium gain for spacious vocal songs, but high gain for rock.  I think I'm leaning towards medium gain for general use.  Or maybe I should mod my Polaris to something in between?

BRMSlash,
 
Can you clarify what you mean by the cathode bypass cap? When I look up jfet, I see drain, gate, and source. I associate cathode with a vacuum tube. So in my limited understanding, I'm lost! 

 

[JacobLee89]

   
That's what I suspect would be the case for me too. I did an online hearing test & it turns out my upper limit is a relatively low 15KHz. From what I've read higher end DAC's tend to focus their improvements on the higher frequencies so it's kinda pointless for me to spend money where I won't get a return.

 
aha. I'm not even 30 and my ears are pretty much capped between 14-15k. I suffer from tinnitus though, which could be a contributing factor.
You're doing great.

 

[BRMSlash]

BRMSlash,
Can you clarify what you mean by the cathode bypass cap? When I look up jfet, I see drain, gate, and source. I associate cathode with a vacuum tube. So in my limited understanding, I'm lost! 

Yeah, I'm more familiar with tube terminology over transistors, so I was referring to the leg of the jfet that is attached to ground.  So I think it would be 'source' in transistor terminology.

 

[jbarrentine]

I have a 1.2  

 

[Twain250]

  Yeah, I'm more familiar with tube terminology over transistors, so I was referring to the leg of the jfet that is attached to ground.  So I think it would be 'source' in transistor terminology.

 
Yes, when comparing JFET transistors to vacuum tubes…
 
Source -is the equivalent to Cathode
Gate -is the equivalent to Grid, and
Drain -is equivalent to Anode / Plate
 
Another interesting aspect of JFET’s is that, unlike vacuum tubes, they can operate with different voltage polarities
depending upon whether they are P-Channel or N-Channel type.

 

[BRMSlash]

@jbarrentine - Nice!
@Twain250 - Cheers. Good info.
 
Just modded my 1.0 Polaris with the 1.1 start-up delay and 1.2 gain updates.  The shorter start-up time is nice.  The gain mod is reasonably significant as the added resistance for the low gain setting is always in parallel with all the others, so increasing all gains slightly.  Even though it's only slight, I think its bumped up the mid gain setting enough to get that extra impact and liveliness whilst still retaining clarity.  The low gain sounds better too and more consistent with the other gains.

 

[Aplle]

Can anyone recommend Polaris settings to use with the DT 990 (600 ohm)?

 

[JacobLee89]

  Can anyone recommend Polaris settings to use with the DT 990 (600 ohm)?

 
Since it's just switches that you can play around with, and no setting is permanent. The only good recommendation is to just play around until something sounds good.