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MDAC First Listen (part 00110010)

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fusion5 said:
The FPGA (XMOS) is not missing.
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I think I mixed up the XMOS USB Audio 2.0 IC with the FDAC's FPGA. In that case no FPGA for the MDAC replacement board. Maybe John can clarify.

IIRC the FDAC will feature a Xilinx Spartan 6 FPGA.
 
fusion5 said:
I think I mixed up the XMOS USB Audio 2.0 IC with the FDAC's FPGA. In that case no FPGA for the MDAC replacement board. Maybe John can clarify.

IIRC the FDAC will feature a Xilinx Spartan 6 FPGA.
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Yes, no FPGA / DSP on the MDAC2 replacement board.
 
John,

Just you remind you that IF or WHEN you offer the Superior upgrade for the MDAC (or board) please remember I want to be first in line for it. I'll be opting for the full monty version with the best caps and resistors, etc....I want to give my MDAC an upgrade....(turn it into an FDACLite)

I will enjoy this while I wait for the full-fat FDAC...:D:D:D
 
timow said:
Sad to hear. I thought that FPGA was one of the really important "things" in original Mdac2 upgrade...
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True but I think that some of what it was going to do may have been fixed by the new ESS chips.
I'm not sure where the reconstruction filters will sit on the mdac2 ie whether they will be native to the ESS chips and whether they will be different from the m-dac.
 
PM just sent, but please only ship your unit next week as we still have a very full workload ahead.
 
JohnW said:
The FPGA is still present on the FDAC, but not the simpler and cheaper MDAC2.
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Yes, if the only target is "simpler and cheaper MDAC2". On the other hand adding FPGA will allow future performance enhancements with FDAC advanced filters (which was supposed to based on FPGA).
 
timow said:
Yes, if the only target is "simpler and cheaper MDAC2". On the other hand adding FPGA will allow future performance enhancements with FDAC advanced filters (which was supposed to based on FPGA).
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Is this where a lot of other dacs improve their SQ from ?
Like with ps direct stream, pikes peak was a huge improvement. Is there anything on the FPGA other than filters that the fpga handles and can be improved on with firmware updates ?
 
DANOFDANGER said:
Is this where a lot of other dacs improve their SQ from ?
Like with ps direct stream, pikes peak was a huge improvement. Is there anything on the FPGA other than filters that the fpga handles and can be improved on with firmware updates ?
Click to expand...

High end dacs are often using signal processing (DSP, FPGA) to "improve" SQ. For example Chord Electronics Dacs are based purely on FPGA to implement (all) Dac features.
There are some comments of FPGA and DSP in earlier MDAC treads by Johnw (check reply #306 in below link).
http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/showthread.php?t=164768&page=21
 
timow said:
Yes, if the only target is "simpler and cheaper MDAC2". On the other hand adding FPGA will allow future performance enhancements with FDAC advanced filters (which was supposed to based on FPGA).
Click to expand...

The thing is that the new output stage, dual mono DAC, XMOS based USB Audio 2.0 and the new clock circuit are available right now and should bring a considerable improvement over the old MDAC.

The FPGA is not ready yet. Besides basic stuff like the PCB space required, I'm not sure it would be viable to maintain a second FPGA software stack.
 
fusion5 said:
The thing is that the new output stage, dual mono DAC, XMOS based USB Audio 2.0 and the new clock circuit are available right now and should bring a considerable improvement over the old MDAC.

The FPGA is not ready yet. Besides basic stuff like the PCB space required, I'm not sure it would be viable to maintain a second FPGA software stack.
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I don't know how much DAC chips (ESS9028/9038) going to be different in FDAC and "simpler and cheaper" MDAC2 from programming point of view but with same FPGA it sounds more or less same "FPGA software stack"?
 
timow said:
Yes, if the only target is "simpler and cheaper MDAC2". On the other hand adding FPGA will allow future performance enhancements with FDAC advanced filters (which was supposed to based on FPGA).
Click to expand...

If you look at the feature matrix http://mdac2.lakewestaudio.com/

You can see that FDAC Lite does not include the FPGA. My understanding is that the MDAC upgrade will be <=FDAC Lite.

You need at least FDAC L2 or L3 if you want the FPGA.
 
Rune said:
If you look at the feature matrix http://mdac2.lakewestaudio.com/

You can see that FDAC Lite does not include the FPGA. My understanding is that the MDAC upgrade will be <=FDAC Lite.

You need at least FDAC L2 or L3 if you want the FPGA.
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I was pointing to the feature of original MDAC2 project not to stripped down FDAC lite. Adding FPGA to "simpler and cheaper" MDAC2 will make it more interesting (and fun) if performance could be enhanced/finalized with FDAC L2/L3 advanced filters later time with minimal cost.
 
timow said:
I was pointing to the feature of original MDAC2 project not to stripped down FDAC lite. Adding FPGA to "simpler and cheaper" MDAC2 will make it more interesting (and fun) if performance could be enhanced/finalized with FDAC L2/L3 advanced filters later time with minimal cost.
Click to expand...

The purpose of the 'Superior' project is to prove John's on the right track with his design for the FDAC. The Superior PCB enables him to quickly test using MDAC. It was never the intention of this development to create MDAC2.
 
JohnW said:
The would be the FDACLite = MDAC2 I guess - basically a new MDAC Mainboard + PSU.

The problem being the "new" external PSU - I don't see a practical cost effective solution ATM but I we have some options open, but currently I'm working on the FDAC ADC section (I need to get the PCB design to Jarek) so it will happen in due course....
Click to expand...

John would 15v be enough? This looks interesting. Jan Didden is well known on DIYA and the publisher of Linear Audio magazine. Only 150ma though . . . . ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Sb2mIbpzFk
 
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