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DAC Kit - what else do I need?

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LoBo said:
OK, I'm thinking of creating a Wiki space for this DAC and the mods. Could take time. I think a few PFM projects could do with a Wiki.

I need permission from all who have contributed to this thread to use pics and info. So especially Bemused, Sam and Suffolk Tony for their pics.

It will be a community space that can be edited and added to by all.

I will need to collate and consolidate the information and the stages of modification.

We'll see how it goes.

Rich
Click to expand...

Go ahead Rich
 
I wonder, is it possible to add a Firewire interface, say in lieu of the USB?

I ask this because the likes of Weiss use them, apparently to good effect.
 
LoBo said:
I need permission from all who have contributed to this thread to use pics and info. So especially Bemused, Sam and Suffolk Tony for their pics.
Click to expand...


Help yourself to mine, and if you want any more do just ask... Photography is a hobby of mine and I can get you some cracking shots if you want. :)

Mine is barely modded, so once I have ironed out the few issues I am having with it I will be going through a whole host of mods to improve it, and will take plenty of pics along the way, all of which you are welcome to use.

Thanks,
Sam
 
Bemused said:
Anyone have a good photo of a virgin Gigadac.
It may be a help to some guys if we post a picture with all the bits marked up.
I could do this but I dont have original photos.
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Gigawork DAC Insides by Sam_catch, on Flickr

Can click on it and change size to get access to the full 4465x2940 image. If you want something shot squarer to the board and without the case etc just ask :)

**edit - I have set all the AV diy on my Flickr account to be under the creative commons licence, and will do so with any of the pics you want... Means you can use it with no worries about asking for permission (just gotta give credit/linkbank):)
 
LoBo said:
OK, I'm thinking of creating a Wiki space for this DAC and the mods. Could take time. I think a few PFM projects could do with a Wiki.

I need permission from all who have contributed to this thread to use pics and info. So especially Bemused, Sam and Suffolk Tony for their pics.

It will be a community space that can be edited and added to by all.

I will need to collate and consolidate the information and the stages of modification.

We'll see how it goes.

Rich
Click to expand...

Great idea! You'd be very welcome to use my photos Rich; like sam_cat I'm into photography so if there are any specific shots you particularly want, PM me.

From the standpoint of someone such as I, with little knowledge of audio electronics, a series of modification steps, from just basic setup to the current "State of The Gigawork Art" would be of great help.
 
Ok guys, thanks for the permissions. Like I said it might take a couple of weeks before everything's done. I have chosen wikispot.org for the site as it has a decent framework and allows me to edit the basic format etc.

Sam and Suffolk Tony - Definitely document your upgrades with lots of pics. As your'e sort of starting from fresh it will be very handy. Mine is a complete mess aesthetically! It might put people off! If I think of anything specific I'd like a pic of, I'll let you know.

Suffolk Tony - Regarding the Firewire, It's a bit complicated for this particular DAC unless you do a nice electronic design course and build a firewire transceiver from scratch. I'll try and explain to the best of my knowledge:

The Weiss and other Firewire DAC's use a special firewire transceiver chip which takes the 3 layer IEE 1394 FW data and turns it into a digital audio protocol like I2S which in turn is used by the DAC chip. The USB section on our DAC's has a USB transceiver chip which does the same.

Now, I2S is the native communication protocol used by 99% of all digital audio components out there. The S/PDIF (Sony / Phillips Digital Interface) protocol was designed to compress digital audio data and send it via consumer optical and coaxial connectors. Your digital source (CD transport / PC) uses a chip to convert the original I2S into S/PDIF to send to the offboard DAC via coax. Then, the S/PDIF receiver takes the incoming S/PDIF signal and converts it back to I2S for the DAC to use.

That is a lot of converting back and forth with potentially a lot of jitter added. A very much superior audio can be achieved if you bypass the S/PDIF and take the original I2S signal (via 6 pin connector) direct to the DAC. Again complicated but I know some people have done this with this DAC.

High quality DAC's like the Buffalo for instance, have connections provided for the I2S signal. When you get your Buffalo Tony, It is well worth investigating getting I2S from your source. If its a PC then you will need to get a suitable soundcard like ESI Juli@ or an RME which have dedicated I2S / DSD outputs. You can also hack your CD transport but I'm thinking you have a very expensive Naim player so maybe not. Maybe buy a cheap second hand one and hack it. Do your research and find one that definitely uses I2S.

I hope that explains a little. I fully intend to try the I2S into my Buffalo when I can afford an appropriate soundcard (they are expensive professional audio types)

Cheers guys :)
 
Got something yesterday:



Needs a slight mod to the board to fit it, will be using the standard one until I have fixed the input problems with the optical.

Sam
 
Came from gigaworks, cost about £28 delivered with the standard one too.. needed as I snapped legs on my standard one.
One link needs adding to the board, will post details later.
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
I'm really interested in one of those myself Sam. Couldn't see it on the gigaworks site though; guess you have to ask for it specially?
 
Suffolk Tony said:
I'm really interested in one of those myself Sam. Couldn't see it on the gigaworks site though; guess you have to ask for it specially?
Click to expand...

Yes contact the seller directly.

I'm thinking that you don't need the sampler module with the DIR9001, make sure you ask the seller about this and how to set the switches on the DAC module.

Not a problem for Sam as he doesn't use his.
 
OK ,thanks guys. Rich, I don't use the upsampler on my Trafo-equipped DAC either.

It's a marginal thing but I think the DAC sounds rather more natural without it.
 
Sam, the link you added is connecting pin 1 to the inductor pad sitting on the 5V supply track. Is this not connected already?

Tony mentioned in an earlier post that pin 1 isn't connected, which confused me as on both my DAC boards pin 1 is definitely connected to the 5V rail.
 
Not a clue.. The picture is one of the 3 he provided on how to modify the board for it.
I will upload the other 2 later, along with pics of the relevant area on my DAC..

Thanks,
Sam
 
Acordingly to the never right Gigaworks schematic pin one pin 1 of the CS4816 is the 4th input to the reciever and is not used. Now I know my pin 1 broke off, did not bother fixing it as its not used ?????
Pin one is RXP3 - 4th input, our board only uses three inputs RXP0, RXP1, RXP2.
Now the is often wrong but the Cirrus Logic pdf also agrees with this one.

Pin 1 on the DIR9001 is Channel-status data information of non-audio sample word, active-low but dont get confused as Gigaworks will have wired the 9001 in a totaly suprising manor. :D

Tony
 
Nice pics Sam, thanks

If I remember correctly thats a 5v0 rail on that resistor fed from the hot rgulator.
Might not be clever to run the CS416 with your link DIR9001 fitted.
 
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