Using laptop as the ultimate source/receiver

[kaushik]

Let me add a few options ,

A good DAC in ebay is Noodle dac ,i think store name is gigaworks or so,comes pre built just you add a cover.


If you can wait a little while,
I am building an USB dac based on PCM2702. It is a basic one but uses good quality inductors,and capacitors,gold plated RCA etc..If there are 10 people i can offer as kit /prebuilt form.

 

[bizarre]

I'm a DIY fan, I cannot do DIY as I have little time in hand but I can definitely support it.

If you're serious about doing this stuff, I'm ready to wait. Count me in! Just give me a hint as how long this wait is going to be.

 

[audiodelic]

i also sent kaushik a pm .... for the usb dac .... price and time etc.

 

[magma]

kaushik
what kind of PCB's are you using

are you having them custom made or making them yourself

if you can indeed get quality boards made i can tell you exactly what components i require to be soldered onto the board with the DAC chip

if it turns out how im thinking it would be a killer dac

P.S have you seen Peters designs?
sourcing components is not to difficult for me.
im stck at the PCB (quality PCB not just run of the miill)and the dac chip


cranky : im wondering how you havent tried this- you definetely know whats going into the buffalo or the PD dac- whats stopping you from buildiing the entire thing yourself instead of sourcing the chips and components from buffalo)

 

[kaushik]

bizarre,audiodelic

I have never sold Dac,but i am confident about my assembling skills.Only small problem is aluminum window
cut.
Dac proto (for demo listening) will be ready in 20Days approx.

magma,
feel free to pm me , and drop me links...I can get FR4
FR4,1.6 ,1/1 Oz with
Finish: HASL/Green/While
I use 4% silver solder made by WBT.
Hi end DAC can be built ,even reference grade designs are available online. problem is if boards are less than 20pcs the fabrication is a little costly because the 8mil spacing of leading Dac chips/designs demands for a dedicated fabrication
machinery at the PCB vendor and charges go high .

Next ordering toroidal ,SS enclosure etc for a small quantity is a bit difficult.

I am interested to help people here in india have good dacs for less but instead of doing good ,i hope i dont
run into bad reputation because audio is subjective.

 

[magma]

kaushik

send me your email


the PCBs are the pains as you say
you need a qty order for them to be reasonable.

i will send you some of peters designs.
if we can execute them and find enough buyers here on the forum to get a qty order we should start a new thread with the permission of the mod

for now lets concentrate on the soldered board with the transforemer
i just might have access to torodal tranformers here in mumbai


P.S enclosures for the DAC are the least of my worries.

 

[bizarre]

Kaushik,

I read in another thread of yours that the DAC you are developing will not be at par with the CDPs but would be better than on-board SCs. Now since you already know the things and you can source parts, why not get a DAC that's at least an entry to hi-end, if not reference grade?

By the way what is the price you are looking at for the current version of the DAC and what is expected cost if you make it to your satisfaction (not reference series)? I am asking this because, if the higher end version is in my budget, I would like to go for that.

Audio is subjective but you yourself are audiophile. If your thing can satisfy you, you won't get any bad reputation from my side. I know what DIY is and the risks associated with it.

If you want to built the DAC in phases, I am okay with that too.

 

[rallynut]

@kaushik,very generous of u to offer a diy dac to members!!would be lovely to see and hear impressions of the finished product.kudos.am sure it'll turn out wonderful.cheers

 

[square_wave]

For all practical purposes, to beat a cd player based playback system the following criterion is of paramount importance:

Is your ripped flac/wav PRISTINE ? Unless you have ripped it from your own cd using some software like EAC (with the appropriate settings), it is of no use. If it is downloaded from the Internet, it usually crap. Once you have errors in your file, no playback system is going to help you.
The primary reason why most hardcore audiophiles do not move to pc based playback system is this. What do you do if you want to buy some music which you want ? Where do you go for the pristine flac/wav ? Once the music companies start legal downloads of pristine flacs, people will move on to a disc-less solution.

You can of course import the cd, rip it and store it away
Most Indian pressings of cds are pathetic. Seems like they do some sort of processing on the files before they print them. I am just waiting for the companies to start legal downloads.

WAV and flac will sound more or less the same. But the 320kpbs vbr will sound different in a resolving sound system.
Truly hi-end separates (transport and DACs) are difficult to beat with a PC based playback system. But we talking about very hi-end gear here which cost a arm and a leg.

 

[bizarre]

Sqare_Wave,

1. I wish to build a pc-based audio system doesn't mean I will be using 128Kbps MP3 files.
2. If Indian CDs are pressed pathetically then they are this way for PC and CDPs both. You can't help it!
3. I am not looking at very hi-end system, the idea is to get the entry into hi-fi. To be very frank, I don't even know what do I want but considering the discussion in this thread and others on this forum, I concluded that the PC-based audio systems can beat decent CDP based systems. Of course there is a money-to-performance ratio. It cannot be insane. I cannot expect a 2k USB DAC to beat a 40K CDP, right? But the DAC I am going in for should make some sense. Otherwise why not stick with what I have right now.

And I understand audio systems need constant upgrades. They can never satisfy you. And I am trying to start building my first home audio setup. :yahoo:

 

[square_wave]

Sqare_Wave,

1. I wish to build a pc-based audio system doesn't mean I will be using 128Kbps MP3 files.
2. If Indian CDs are pressed pathetically then they are this way for PC and CDPs both. You can't help it!
3. I am not looking at very hi-end system, the idea is to get the entry into hi-fi. To be very frank, I don't even know what do I want but considering the discussion in this thread and others on this forum, I concluded that the PC-based audio systems can beat decent CDP based systems. Of course there is a money-to-performance ratio. It cannot be insane. I cannot expect a 2k USB DAC to beat a 40K CDP, right? But the DAC I am going in for should make some sense. Otherwise why not stick with what I have right now.

And I understand audio systems need constant upgrades. They can never satisfy you. And I am trying to start building my first home audio setup. :yahoo:

Lot of people into hi-end pc based playback systems buy their cds and rip them to flac/wav using EAC and store away the cds. If you are going to do this, the pc based playback system will beat a decent cd player based system. Agreed

 

[kaushik]

magma
- sent PM
Dac building has just started for me , peters design will have to study the feasibility .
I am having talks with components channels.I would like to off load the mechanical
work like enclosure building to other forum members.That will speed up the things.

bizarre
the dac may come close to CDP sound ,this is a new task and several tests
with experienced people are needed to conclude.

I will be happy to build a few mid end units ,provided components sourcing
works out.while entering mid level audiophile devices the component
requirements are specific such as special capacitors,non inductive resistors,
gold PCB,mid end special sockets etc .One way is i can make in 10+ Qty
So even some buyers are there great amount of money is held up and my status at present
is not suitable for that .

Pricing of this basic DAC will depend on no of people willing to buy . But hopefully
will be 30% cheaper than importing a DAC kit of same type.

@kaushik,very generous of u to offer a diy dac to members!!would be lovely to see and hear impressions of the finished product.kudos.am sure it'll turn out wonderful.cheers

Thank you ,hope my DIY skills become useful for some people at the same time i get the knowledge
and a small margin as a appreciation of the time i spent.

 

[Sindhu]

Audition the Cordette at ProFx from Chord. It gives USB and Bluetooth connectivity. So you can also use BT gadgets like iPod Touch etc. But Chord hardware is of "cost no bar" types. This one goes for Rs. 36K. Have a listen - It IS fabulous.

 

[suri]

hope my DIY skills become useful for some people at the same time i get the knowledge
and a small margin as a appreciation of the time i spent.

hi kaushik,

Braveheart, take heart, your skills will be useful for generations - you are special!!

 

[kaushik]

@suri ,
credit goes to you ,tally2tally and the people who have taken
part /helped in the 1st ever dac group buy in this forum..

i just want to put some thoughts here ..

after the build we will have answers to all the
people and new audiophiles ..

For people who want to make laptop as source ,
the answer is a few days away...

 

[bizarre]

Kaushik,

Looking forward to it.