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Buffalo II - Assembly for the Electronically Bewildered.

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Bemused said:
Pleased you have moved on yet again Tony.
What is the third transformer for? part of your dual mono?

Neat trick of mounting the transformers on the side, I use Galaxy Maggiorato GX288 230 x 280 mm x 80mm (1NGXA288) so space is a premium and are wondering how to fit it all together :confused:. The encapsulated Nuvotem transformers that I usually use are a little too large and I will probably use open Nuvotems in this build, your on the side trick will help.

I hate drilling the enclosure to mount boards to the covers and have always dropped an aluminum tray in that slides in the T slots but it sits quite high and wastes build height.
Tony
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Hi Tony,

Each Buffalo's got its own transformer & power supply, & with Paul's design you use both centre taps on each power supply. He did explain why but I got a bit lost!

My case is also a Galaxy Maggiorato (can't remember which one now) & both the left-hand power supply module and all three transformers are fixed with captive nuts which slide into the channel in the side extrusion. I had to grind the heads of the transformer bolts down to fit, but it makes for a nice easy fitting.

Tomek, if you go for some PH supplies, you certainly won't regret it! They're all individually made so they take a while to come but they're worth the wait!
 
That is great news Tony, really happy you have it working again and that it's another step up.

Cheers.
Steve - who's up to his neck in diamond tipped circular saw wall chasers and kango hammers at present :-(
Oh - And a mountain of brick dust.
 
Suffolk Tony said:
Each Buffalo's got its own transformer & power supply, & with Paul's design you use both centre taps on each power supply. He did explain why but I got a bit lost!
Click to expand...

Now I don't think you would have some further information to post regarding the centre taps or would you :)
 
Very nice Tony!

I emailed Paul a couple of times regarding a set of regs for the Legato, but never heard back - tempted to try a set althought they will be pretty pricey with exchange rates and shipping etc. From his website looks like they are around 90UKP each?

Cheers.
 
MartinC said:
Very nice Tony!

I emailed Paul a couple of times regarding a set of regs for the Legato, but never heard back - tempted to try a set althought they will be pretty pricey with exchange rates and shipping etc. From his website looks like they are around 90UKP each?

Cheers.
Click to expand...

Hi Martin,

Paul gets a bit snowed under with E-mails but he usually replies. I've found him excellent to deal with. Can you 'phone him? Regarding costs, I confess I've lost track with the precise costings but each Trident replacement reg.'s about £35.

I suppose they are pricey but as they're hand-built and sound really special I think they're worth it!
 
Hi there.

I have been thinking this weekend, and I figure that if I were to embark on a Buffalo DAC build, I would need the following. I have decided to go with Paul Hynes for as much as possible (easier, pricier - but also better, I trust):
----------------------------------------------------
- Blackish Enclosure for Buffalo III stereo to (possible) dual mono build
- Input connectors + Output connectors + Internal wiring (type of wire + handy colours?)
- Good quality (digital) power cord + ditto interconnects
- Spacers, nuts and bolts and some decoupling (internal + feet) and stuff
- L-profiles / heatsinks for PSUs?
- USB hi res receiver board (for use with SB Touch usb out / usb player)

TWISTED PEAR (from stereo to Dual Mono build)

Buffalo III DAC board w/o tridents 1 + 1
Legato 3.1 I/V Output Stage 1 + 1
9v Power Transformer 1 + 1
15v Power Transformer 3 + 3
4-Channel S/PDIF Level Converter 1
4 input selection Switch kit 1
Sidecar 1

PAUL HYNES

Legato Output PSU (Placid HD BP) 3 + 3
DAC board + Digital PSU (Placid HD) 1 + 1
AVCC Dual Shunt Regulator Module 1 + 1
Trident 3.3V Shunt RegulatorModule 2 + 1
Trident 1.2V Shunt RegulatorModule 1 + 1

Possibles
Teleporter (what use is this?) 2
----------------------------------------------------
Did I miss anything obvious?

I know that I will have to practise a lot of soldering and measuring and fine-tuning before I order all this, but if everything goes well, I suppose that I should be soldering and putting this together by October or so.

Best wishes,
Peter
 
Hi Peter,

My advice is to do this in easy, gentle stages. Start off with a Buffalo III & Legato, by all means get the PH regulators because that way you haven't got to build or adjust the power supplies; Paul builds them to spec., just give him a call.

Get a Modushop case, fused and switched mains inlet, phono sockets (or a DIN if you want to go that way). The TP transformers are fine, Tony who runs PFM supplies good wire that you can use for the internal wiring.

I'd start off with SP/DIF input - work out how many inputs you need.

The Teleporter is a method for sending I2S/PCM signals long distances via CAT5/6 cables. If you're intending to use a USB input straight into the Buffalo then you don't need them.

Once you're up & running you can then decide how much further you wish to go.
 
Thanks Tony.

I am always somewhat ahead of myself ... always.

I will make a stereo DAC first (and perhaps end with that as I will want to upgrade my Naim kit as well). I have seen a Paul Hynes parts list on Audiocircle, but some of the parts lists seem to be for battery powered DAC projects.

I will want a complete Trident kit from Paul Hynes
I will want a Legato kit also from Paul Hynes: are 3 psus for this overkill = is 1 enough?
I will want a Dac/digital circuit PSU from Paul Hynes: 1 (right?)

I will want at least usb in (the one you ordered):
(1) will this need a psu as well? (2) will I need to buy the sidecar?

I will most likely want one s/pdif in - will I need:
(1) an extra one-s/pdif input kit?
(2) a selector switch kit?

I will want one Din (preh) out - will I be needing any more outputs?
I'll contact Tony for internal wires.
The enclosure you suggest looks fine - can it be customized?

I have also considered splitting the DAC from its PSUs in the Naim kind of way.

I have really read up on this stuff and seen some pretty fantastic-looking builds and some monsterous ones as well - for instance Sovereign's enormous DAC project - both what he wants to fit into it and the way he is fitting it into a room of its own in his house:cool:

Best wishes,
Peter
 
Rosewind, just kinda think this maybe a little ambitious if you have not even soldered before...
 
Well progress is being made although a little slow, very slow actually as the B4 keeps me in the listening room rather than the workshop.
I have now got all the principle parts including Placids (thanks to TonyS), its going to fill a Galaxy enclosure to the brim, I may have to think of something larger so as to future proof or go twin box but separate power supplies has a whole heap of pain and torture problems.
I have stuffed the Legato and are probably going to juice up Opus S/PDIF Transceiver Module and see if I can get a signal lock. The Transceiver Module is a bit of a pain as it needs 7.5volt, probably run it from the spare winding of the 9 volt transformer for the time being. Anyone know a source of a 317 regulator pcb.

Tony
 
Hi All.

I'm making progress: ;)

I have ordered a soldering station and some lead-solder with 4% silver in it. Also a few good tools that may come in handy in the likely event that i should actuallly be able to learn how to solder like a ... man.

I consider making a blog about my sucesses and failures along the way to Buffalo iII bliss. All's Well that Ends Well.

Best wishes,
Peter
 
Why not move very quickly and join the HackerNap GB? Get yourself some 'Cap' boards in and stuff to your hearts content?
 
Bemused said:
4% silver will make life hard, we all use 60/40
Click to expand...

+1.
Learning to solder on a project like this is not a great idea.
Make life a lot easier on yourself and get some 60/40. Farnell still do it off the shelf so brand new - not that it matters. Order it with the other stuff your going to need?

Good luck - it is a great project.
 
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