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A new DAC is required

A little more reading shows the Bufalo takes one SPDIF right to the board.
So for a spdif single input buffalo I can delete the following
S/PDIF (WM8804) Receiver Module (Assembled and Tested) $75.00 USD
TOSLINK Optical Input Module Kit $15.00 USD

Leaving
Buffalo-II DAC Module + Placid Power Supply Kit Combo $289 USD
Legato v2.0 Kit for Buffalo-II $59.00 USD

The legato needs a Placid
Placid Bipolar Power Supply Kit $60.00 USD
and transformer
15V+15V (30VA) Power Transformer $22.00 USD
plus the transformer for the single rail Placid that comes with the Bufalo kit combo
9V+9V (15VA) Power Transformer $20.00 USD

So a basic setup would be
Buffalo-II DAC Module + Placid Power Supply Kit Combo $289 USD
9V+9V (15VA) Power Transformer $20.00 USD
Legato v2.0 Kit for Buffalo-II $59.00 USD
Placid Bipolar Power Supply Kit $60.00 USD
15V+15V (30VA) Power Transformer $22.00 USD

Have I got this right?
 
Tony, that's right, you don't need the WM8804, but you will need the toslink board if you want to use optical.

Having said that, the Sabre does benefit from having the WM8804 in front of it, and feeding it I2S. Despite the jitter-free claims of the Sabre chip, it IS sensitive to jitter.
 
Sparts155 said:
Tony, that's right, you don't need the WM8804, but you will need the toslink board if you want to use optical.

Having said that, the Sabre does benefit from having the WM8804 in front of it, and feeding it I2S. Despite the jitter-free claims of the Sabre chip, it IS sensitive to jitter.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info

So revising the list
S/PDIF (WM8804) Receiver Module (Assembled and Tested) $75.00 USD
Rquires 7.5VDC single rail supply assumed to be about 20mA

Buffalo-II DAC Module + Placid Power Supply Kit Combo $289 USD
9V+9V (15VA) Power Transformer $20.00 USD
Legato v2.0 Kit for Buffalo-II $59.00 USD
Placid Bipolar Power Supply Kit $60.00 USD
15V+15V (30VA) Power Transformer $22.00 USD

I think the existing giga r-core having 15-0-15 @ 0.5A and 9-0-9 @ 0.8A can step in for transformer duty.
And my old dual rail Hackercap and pair of STRs can feed the Legato
I will just remodel the Hackercap r/c values for the new loads.
The Legato is specified as constant current so the STRs should be at home in this application.

This revises my shopping list to
S/PDIF (WM8804) Receiver Module (Assembled and Tested) $75.00 USD
Buffalo-II DAC Module + Placid Power Supply Kit Combo $289 USD
Legato v2.0 Kit for Buffalo-II $59.00 USD

423.00 US dollars = 264.13 British pounds sterling which is not soooo scary as buying a comercial dac after all its just Dacmajic territory and the boards are all built (is this the case or is the Legato a kit of parts?) so it seema nice deal. No doubt carriage and duty will upset the bottom line a little.
Looks like the Legato can be improved by its inbuilt provision for upto three independant supplies and perhaps my fleas can be trialed with the Buffalo as it also has provisions for external supplies.
 
Don't forget to add the toslink module Tony:

http://www.twistedpearaudio.com/digital/torx.aspx

And yes, the Legato is an unassembled kit. It may be worth waiting a short while until Legato version 3.01 is out as this has some improvements.

TP are showing everything as out of stock at the moment but keep checking the site and the Diyaudio thread for info on the next Buffalo sale date.
 
You might also want to consider a TP Volumite (Simple I2C/SPI Volume Control), and maybe the Trident Shunt Regulators?

Also maybe look out for the Legato 3 coming to a TP site for a mere few seconds a month soon ;)
 
LoBo said:
Don't forget to add the toslink module Tony:

http://www.twistedpearaudio.com/digital/torx.aspx

And yes, the Legato is an unassembled kit. It may be worth waiting a short while until Legato version 3.01 is out as this has some improvements.

TP are showing everything as out of stock at the moment but keep checking the site and the Diyaudio thread for info on the next Buffalo sale date.
Click to expand...

Thanks Rich, looks like waiting is the order of the day with twisted pair anyway so I will probably hang on for the 3.01. After all it is 75usd.

Maybe I could graft the analog stages from the giga as a short term fix if needed or even bodge up a new jury rigged stage.

Regarding the Toslink, I would then need the input multipex card if I wanted to switch between coax and optical? I thought this to be the case and so opted to start with just coax spdif leaving optical as a future option.

Tony
 
AudioBear said:
You might also want to consider a TP Volumite (Simple I2C/SPI Volume Control), and maybe the Trident Shunt Regulators?

Also maybe look out for the Legato 3 coming to a TP site for a mere few seconds a month soon ;)
Click to expand...

Thanks, will hold out for 3.01, have seen the Trident but will probably play with some feas in the first instance as I have them.

Unsure of the volumite but its up for consideration one the dac is up and running.

Tony
 
Good sevice from the twisted pair, the S/PDIF Transceiver has been posted and I have a tracking number :)
 
Quick question about the Buffalo

What is the AVCC module?

Analog voltage current converter?
 
I think AVcc stands for Analogue Volts current circuit or collector to collector as in a transistor supply (Vcc). It is the analogue supply part of the DAC chip itself, there is also the DVcc which is the digital volts supply.

The module is a CCS shunt regulator which supplies only the critical Analogue section with a nice clean 3.4V
 
I know this is daft, but I got quite excited this morning because I got the first items for my forthcoming Buffalo II, the Trident regulators. Like the TP TOS module I got for my Gigadac, it's all so beautifully packaged -

trident1.jpg


trident2.jpg


Now all I've got to do is wait patiently for the rest of it, due mid-April. Incidentally, I notice Twisted Pair seem to have run out of most things now, and aren't advertising the release date for new Buf. 2 boards.
 
Suffolk Tony said:
Now all I've got to do is wait patiently for the rest of it, due mid-April. Incidentally, I notice Twisted Pair seem to have run out of most things now, and aren't advertising the release date for new Buf. 2 boards.
Click to expand...

Yes I have noticed that as well. Just got to the point (like Bemused) on what direction to go in and they disappear :(

Oh well, I am sure they are just gathering breath after a busy first few months and will start up again at some point.
 
Seeing as they do it in their spare time I have huge admiration for the tpa folks. It wouldn't surprise me if their families had said enough's enough for a bit! Having said that, where the chuff is legato 3 eh? I want it and I want it NOW ;)
 
I have been using Twisted Pear kits for years now, been through dual mono Opus DAC, Buff24, Kookaburra preamp plus SPDIF kits and so on.

Always work, always great quality kits, well packaged and easy to get up and running.

And yesterday a package arrived with Buffalo 2, volumite & Trident regs. Going to have me some fun this weekend.

Whilst the Legato3 looks like an interesting variation, Legato 2 is very good indeed (been using one with the Buffalo24). I am keen to see the TPA USB transport that Russ has been working on for a while.

Anyone who wants a great sounding, absolute bargain DAC, if you can pull off the purchasing trick (that's the hardest bit - getting the chance to buy), you won't go wrong with the TPA dacs.

Mark
 
A general question with Legato and Buffalo, can you use Teddy Regs instead of the Placid shunt regs.
 
Gareth
I am just learning Buffalo speak but from what I have gleemed the Legato presents a constant load to its supply, hence a STR should be quite suitable, thats what is gong to run mine in the first setup. Perhaps just hang fire, see if I set anything on fire... :D

Tony
 
MarkW said:
And yesterday a package arrived with Buffalo 2, volumite & Trident regs. Going to have me some fun this weekend.
Click to expand...

Jammy bugger springs to mind lol

MarkW said:
if you can pull off the purchasing trick (that's the hardest bit - getting the chance to buy),
Click to expand...

Watching that site like a hawk, how much notice do we get and how does GMT line up with Eastern Standard Time?

Tony
 
cutting42 said:
A general question with Legato and Buffalo, can you use Teddy Regs instead of the Placid shunt regs.
Click to expand...

In some places. TeddyRegs have a high output impedance; from memory, the placid is comparably low noise to a TR, but has much lower impedance.

Buffalo has lots of onboard regulation anyhow, so gains of fiddling there would most likely be less than changes to the supply to the Legato.

Legato used to have limited PSRR on its positive supply, so it really cares about that side. I haven't looked at the circuit for recent versions; this may now be different.
 
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