AnAnalogSpirit
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2009
- Posts
- 808
- Likes
- 30
Preface: There was some question in this thread: http://www.head-fi.org/t/543561/first-news-of-the-teclast-t59-hifi-player/ about doing some DIY "mods/upgrades" to the T51. I suppose in the past a few individuals have managed to swap out opamps (I believe on the Headphone-Out). There was also the question of whether or not the DACs could be swapped out. Since this information is also relevant to the main T51/s:flo2 thread, it is posted here, also.
Note: I'm not advocating that anybody "autopsy" their players and "play doctor", OR void their warranties in doing so. It just seemed like relevant information.
Quote:
I recall that the Practical Devices XM6 Portable DAC/Amp box offered the choice of selecting one of three of Wolfson Micro's DACs. The part numbers are: WM8740, WM8741, and WM8742. What had me curious is why a single DAC/Amp would offer more than one option. I had assumed that all DAC chips were different in package, or at least pinout.
From the Practical Devices site: "The XM6's USB-DAC stage is equipped with Texas Instruments' SRC4192 digital upconverter, feeding the legendary Wolfson Micro WM874x-series DAC (your choice of WM8740, WM8741, or WM8742), operating with 24-bit resolution at a 192kHz sampling rate. The result is absolutely unrivalled USB audio quality."
- Practical Devices Corporation. "XM6: No other portable amp offers all this:." http://www.practicaldevices.com/amps.htm . n.d. Web. 26 October, 2011.
Looking up the info on the DACs at Wolfson's site showed they are the available in the same package: 28-pin SSOP package. On the page for the WM8740 under the "Related Products" it lists the WM8741 DAC (Bottom Right of page, in a coloured cell).
- Wolfson Microelectronics. "WM8740: High performance stereo DAC." http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/products/dacs/WM8740/ . n.d. Web. 26 October, 2011.
While reviewing the info on the WM8741 DAC, I ran across this text in the first column, near the bottom of the page, "The WM8741 is available in a convenient 28-SSOP package, and is pin compatible with the WM8740."
- Wolfson Microelectronics. "WM8741: High Performance Stereo DAC." http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/products/dacs/WM8741/ . n.d. Web. 26 October, 2011.
Then, of course, looking up the WM8742 DAC, I ran across this text located in the first column, near the bottom of the page, "The WM8742 is available in a convenient 28-SSOP package, and is pin compatible with the WM8740 and WM8741."
- Wolfson Microelectronics. "WM8742: Stereo DAC with DSD Support" http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/products/dacs/WM8742/ . n.d. Web. 26 October, 2011.
Here's a table from Wolfson Micro, listing the properties of the three DAC chips:
- Wolfson Microelectronics. "DACs: Stereo DACs" http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/products/dacs/ . n.d. Web. 26 October, 2011.
So it would SEEM, that at least PHYSICALLY, these three DACs from Wolfson Microelectronics are available in the same 28-pin SSOP package and are pin-compatible, which SHOULD mean the pinouts are identical. Whether or not the T51 can make USE of the WM8741 or WM8742 as stand-ins for the WM8740 with regard to the firmware, I have no idea...
Someone with actual Electrical Engineering know-how will have to step in and make some educated guesses as to the ACTUAL possibility of swapping out the DACs in the T51.
Note: I'm not advocating that anybody "autopsy" their players and "play doctor", OR void their warranties in doing so. It just seemed like relevant information.
Quote:
Do not think it is possible to swap the DAC in the T51, because of the pin structure of the destined DAC.
I recall that the Practical Devices XM6 Portable DAC/Amp box offered the choice of selecting one of three of Wolfson Micro's DACs. The part numbers are: WM8740, WM8741, and WM8742. What had me curious is why a single DAC/Amp would offer more than one option. I had assumed that all DAC chips were different in package, or at least pinout.
From the Practical Devices site: "The XM6's USB-DAC stage is equipped with Texas Instruments' SRC4192 digital upconverter, feeding the legendary Wolfson Micro WM874x-series DAC (your choice of WM8740, WM8741, or WM8742), operating with 24-bit resolution at a 192kHz sampling rate. The result is absolutely unrivalled USB audio quality."
- Practical Devices Corporation. "XM6: No other portable amp offers all this:." http://www.practicaldevices.com/amps.htm . n.d. Web. 26 October, 2011.
Looking up the info on the DACs at Wolfson's site showed they are the available in the same package: 28-pin SSOP package. On the page for the WM8740 under the "Related Products" it lists the WM8741 DAC (Bottom Right of page, in a coloured cell).
- Wolfson Microelectronics. "WM8740: High performance stereo DAC." http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/products/dacs/WM8740/ . n.d. Web. 26 October, 2011.
While reviewing the info on the WM8741 DAC, I ran across this text in the first column, near the bottom of the page, "The WM8741 is available in a convenient 28-SSOP package, and is pin compatible with the WM8740."
- Wolfson Microelectronics. "WM8741: High Performance Stereo DAC." http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/products/dacs/WM8741/ . n.d. Web. 26 October, 2011.
Then, of course, looking up the WM8742 DAC, I ran across this text located in the first column, near the bottom of the page, "The WM8742 is available in a convenient 28-SSOP package, and is pin compatible with the WM8740 and WM8741."
- Wolfson Microelectronics. "WM8742: Stereo DAC with DSD Support" http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/products/dacs/WM8742/ . n.d. Web. 26 October, 2011.
Here's a table from Wolfson Micro, listing the properties of the three DAC chips:
Wolfson Micro Stereo DAC chips | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
- Wolfson Microelectronics. "DACs: Stereo DACs" http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/products/dacs/ . n.d. Web. 26 October, 2011.
So it would SEEM, that at least PHYSICALLY, these three DACs from Wolfson Microelectronics are available in the same 28-pin SSOP package and are pin-compatible, which SHOULD mean the pinouts are identical. Whether or not the T51 can make USE of the WM8741 or WM8742 as stand-ins for the WM8740 with regard to the firmware, I have no idea...
Someone with actual Electrical Engineering know-how will have to step in and make some educated guesses as to the ACTUAL possibility of swapping out the DACs in the T51.