[gljus]

Hooray!!
I finally found a u-toob channel that explains electric circuits for unwashed like me.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkyBCj4JhHt8DFH9QysGWm4h_DOxT93fb

Nice! Visual representation is very important in EE.
I think it was Gauss (don’t take my word on it) who said “Tell me in numbers or I don't know what you're talking about” and my EE teacher used to say “too much talking, draw me a diagram”.

 

[Skycyclepilot]

Great read... Took me back to my electronics engineering classes in the late eighties, and the professor who told us that the designers had it easy. All they had to do was pass their work on to us, and it was our job to make the damned design actually work...

 

[Ableza]

"Snark" or being snarky is simply being irreverent and using satire. If it goes too far and becomes judgmental and rude, then it is "snide." That line is sometimes difficult to learn, and even harder to find when dealing with an international audience. And some people get their panties in a knot for even the most casual approach into snark, and for those people I have nothing but tiny amounts of sympathy. (That was being snarky.)

 

[US Blues]

"Snark" or being snarky is simply being irreverent and using satire. If it goes too far and becomes judgmental and rude, then it is "snide." That line is sometimes difficult to learn, and even harder to find when dealing with an international audience. And some people get their panties in a knot for even the most casual approach into snark, and for those people I have nothing but tiny amounts of sympathy. (That was being snarky.)

(To be read in a "Foghorn Leghorn" voice): Never, I say never, confuse snark with snarf!

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

I agree that sometimes language can be a little difficult here.
For whom English is not the first or even second language it's easy to make mistakes and be mistaken.
I know even the Brits and the US'ers have trouble understanding each other sometimes.
Last week there was a Scottish PM who asked some questions to an English PM.
The English PM was not capable to understand his fellow Great Britain citizen at all.

 

[Jason Stoddard]

Hey all,

Okay, after this I really need to get back to engineering.

But, so you know:

1. I deleted one post above because it had links to videos that I didn't consider relevant. Seriously, guys, you don't have to have the last word/get the prize for most posts/respond or rebut everything.
2. I have asked for a member to be reinstated on this thread. If the fights begin again, caused by either side, I'll ask that both parties be removed from this thread. If you don't like someone--to the point where you just can't help responding to everything they say, or reporting them to the mods (which goes straight to me, and causes me to stop engineering, which makes me grumpy), then it's best to use the ignore function.

And, again, if you feel that your life and experience is so compelling and authoritative that you absolutely must have the last word on everything, best to step away from the keyboard for a while. This is where "a while" means "from a few weeks to a few years."

All the best,
Jason

 

[ashirin]

Random question: has anyone used a modi in a car audio situation? If use will power it, it should be possible to implement it. I would imagine you would have a hard time finding a 12v processor that would have a dac of modi quality.

I made a post about this a little while back which you can see here. The short version is that I use a powered USB hub that runs off of a 5V input, combined with a first gen Modi, with my phone as the source. As mentioned by @rkw a Modi 3 would actually make this setup even cleaner as you wouldn't need the USB hub for power. My only word of caution is that the strong output from a Modi (especially ones with a 2V output) might be too "hot" for some cars auxiliary inputs. It's not a problem in my Camry but it was in my partners VW Passat. So your mileage may vary.

It has been discussed, but I don't remember the outcome. However, most car stereos aren't resolving enough that it would make a difference. If you want a clear and obvious improvement, do any or all of the usual car audio mods: upgrade the speakers, add an external amp, add a subwoofer, DSP correction.

If you did want to use a Modi in the car, it wouldn't be difficult. Modi 3 is powered by 5V USB, and there are 12V to 16V adapters you can use for the Multibit.

I definitely agree that the upgrades you mentioned (new speakers, amps, subwoofers) are going to make a significantly bigger difference in your cars sound, but those components are also expensive, and either require you to know how to install them or pay even more to have them installed professionally. For what it's worth, adding the Modi made a noticeable improvement to the sound of my car which has a stock factory (aka trash) system. It's also just fun to put one in your car (for the nerd points).

I have looked extensively into upgrading my cars sound system, since I spend a lot of time driving and almost all of that time is spent listening to music. However, changing one component doesn't make much sense. Upgrading the speakers, the amplifier, and adding a subwoofer (the minimum work I would consider doing), with components of worthwhile quality, would cost about $1100. If I want other upgrades like sound dampening in the doors/floor or a new headunit as a source, the cost goes up from there. When the timing is right and I decide to make the upgrade, I will almost certainly look into moving to a Multibit DAC as the source.

To that end, I would also appreciate a link to a good quality 12V to 16V adapter that would work with a Mimby. I thought about this problem before and the only solution I came up with was using a 12V to 110V AC inverter plugged into the normal Mimby wall wart. This wouldn't be expensive but it would take up a ton of space.

 

[Pietro Cozzi Tinin]

To that end, I would also appreciate a link to a good quality 12V to 16V adapter that would work with a Mimby. I thought about this problem before and the only solution I came up with was using a 12V to 110V AC inverter plugged into the normal Mimby wall wart. This wouldn't be expensive but it would take up a ton of space.

You don't need to go to 110V first.

 

[sam6550a]

Robert, here is one of my photos, please try not to be too critical.

My wife loves your cat.

 

[ScottFree]

(which goes straight to me, and causes me to stop engineering, which makes me grumpy)

Like a Grinch?

 

[sam6550a]

I made a post about this a little while back which you can see here. The short version is that I use a powered USB hub that runs off of a 5V input, combined with a first gen Modi, with my phone as the source. As mentioned by @rkw a Modi 3 would actually make this setup even cleaner as you wouldn't need the USB hub for power. My only word of caution is that the strong output from a Modi (especially ones with a 2V output) might be too "hot" for some cars auxiliary inputs. It's not a problem in my Camry but it was in my partners VW Passat. So your mileage may vary.



I definitely agree that the upgrades you mentioned (new speakers, amps, subwoofers) are going to make a significantly bigger difference in your cars sound, but those components are also expensive, and either require you to know how to install them or pay even more to have them installed professionally. For what it's worth, adding the Modi made a noticeable improvement to the sound of my car which has a stock factory (aka trash) system. It's also just fun to put one in your car (for the nerd points).

I have looked extensively into upgrading my cars sound system, since I spend a lot of time driving and almost all of that time is spent listening to music. However, changing one component doesn't make much sense. Upgrading the speakers, the amplifier, and adding a subwoofer (the minimum work I would consider doing), with components of worthwhile quality, would cost about $1100. If I want other upgrades like sound dampening in the doors/floor or a new headunit as a source, the cost goes up from there. When the timing is right and I decide to make the upgrade, I will almost certainly look into moving to a Multibit DAC as the source.

To that end, I would also appreciate a link to a good quality 12V to 16V adapter that would work with a Mimby. I thought about this problem before and the only solution I came up with was using a 12V to 110V AC inverter plugged into the normal Mimby wall wart. This wouldn't be expensive but it would take up a ton of space.

The 12VDC to 16VAC solution that you mentioned is probably the best. Many vehicles now come with 120VAC power outlets-- what an excuse to buy a new vehicle!

 

[ashirin]

You don't need to go to 110V first.

In theory you don't, but I can't find an adapter (I believe it would technically be called an inverter) that goes from a 12-14V DC input (what your car puts out), to a 16V AC output (what a Mimby needs). DC to DC converters are easier to find, but that won't work for Schiit products, which require a VAC input. If someone knows of such an inverter, I would still love to get a link.

But that's why I considered using a 12VDC to 110VAC inverter followed by the standard Schiit wall wart. I'm not actually suggesting anyone do this; It would be massive, probably extremely inefficient, and complete overkill for the quality offered by the vast majority of car sound systems (and the noisy environments they are in). Then again... "massive," inefficient," and "overkill" are all words I would use to describe Schiit products. Yet here we are.

If anyone ever goes through the trouble of using a 110V inverter, they could also also plug in a Wyrd, since most inverters have two outputs anyways, and both devices would require much less current than the inverters provide. This would solve the "device draws too much power" problem with mobile devices, and it would help clean up the dirty power coming out of the car. Or you could go crazy and put in a Bimby. At least then you'd be taking advantage of having converted to 110V, and you'd also reap the benefits of future Schiit USB interfaces which hopefully solve the "device draws too much power" problem anyways.

More realistically, just use a Modi 3 or Fulla 2, which solve all of these issues much more neatly. Or use your car's sound system the way it was meant to be used. Those all work.

 

[Ableza]

Having been part of car audio for many years, where the words "massive" and "inefficient" cease to have any real meaning, I'd recommend using a 120VAC inverter if you must use gear designed for that power source. Using a Modi in a car would also require the USB input to be powered, so make sure your head unit - assuming it outputs to USB - also outputs 5V power.

That being said I would not recommend using home gear in a vehicle except maybe as part of a show setup, but that's me. There are fine sounding solutions designed for 12V applications and the subtle improvements of a multibit DAC over those would largely be lost when driving anyway. In my opinion, of course.

 

[Derrick Swart]

"Snark" or being snarky is simply being irreverent and using satire. If it goes too far and becomes judgmental and rude, then it is "snide." That line is sometimes difficult to learn, and even harder to find when dealing with an international audience. And some people get their panties in a knot for even the most casual approach into snark, and for those people I have nothing but tiny amounts of sympathy. (That was being snarky.)

“Panties in a knot” puts a smile on my face each time!

 

[rkw]

To that end, I would also appreciate a link to a good quality 12V to 16V adapter that would work with a Mimby.

There are many 12V to 16V adapters for laptops. Example: https://www.powerstream.com/ADC-p006.htm