In the Buff-alo

[_Scotty_]

You could build a little perf-board with a 5volt 3pin regulator and then regulate down to 3.3 volts.
That way you still use the same transformer and maybe have some potential benefit from cascading your regulation. I am cheap enough to try to get out of buying another transformer if I can make what I already have work for the cost of a 5volt regulator.
Scotty

[richidoo]

Good idea. The Belleson regulator designer prefers not to have any preregulation, but I'll try it. For the cost of a 7805 and a couple caps might as well. Thanks

[richidoo]

The Belleson regulators can take 35V input, so I'll just use my 7.4V supply. Peak current is only 50ma each regulator, so the extra overhead is no problem. These are series regs based on Jung, not shunts. They remain cool to the touch with the 1.7V overhead I have now.
http://www.belleson.com/

[richidoo]

The PS actually puts only 6.6vdc to the Buffalo under load. The one regulator that Belleson doesn't make yet is the 1.2vdc voltage for Sabre's core. Voltage still comes from the Buffalo's onboard  LT chip reg which can take 20V input.  I got the DAC up and running on its own power now, and it sounds significantly better without the pre-regulator. More bass kick, denser tone, stronger everything.

[richidoo]

Mike and I compared this DAC to his Oracle DAC1000 last Friday. We used Mike's Oracle transport and Black Cat Veloce digital interconnect, DNA500 and Aerial10s. Both DAC piped directly to the amp, with Oracle using its own analog IC volume attenuator chip and the Buffalo using its internal 32 bit digital volume control. The DAC1000 is also a preamp, so it has extra voltage to spare, but the Buffalo transformer was over the halfway mark with lowish volume levels. Low sensitivity speakers with an amp that needs 2V to play loud might want more voltage. I think Mike used my SC3 ICs for both DACs.

The Oracle DAC had a little less resolution than the Buffalo, but denser tone which I expected, because line transformers don't usually fatten things the way a active circuit can. But the transformer had a more realistic, natural tone. The Oracle has an excitement which is fun to listen on all kinds of music. I think the transformer might have been slightly more microdynamic, but we did not calibrate volume levels so that's hard to tell except for feel. We did not try the Buffalo through the DAC1000 as preamp, but that would have made them sound more alike, and fattened up the transformer sound. I was thrilled that my DAC was able to stand next to it without being embarrassed.

I have an older Twisted Pear Legato discreet active output stage kit on hand, and plan to also try a 6n6p tube/transformer output when funds allow. But with my 95dB speakers the DAC is more than enough for me, and I like the transformer's seemingly unlimited detail and perfectly natural tone. With the regulators the bass is full and powerful, no thinness, so it is a nice combination.

Thanks for the visit Mike.

[mdconnelly]

Rich, glad you could make it over.  It was great to hear your DAC!   A couple observations on my part...

-- the tonal quality of Rich's DAC was exceptional and far removed from any digititis.  Smooth, engaging and highly musical.  

-- Interestingly, I think the bass from Rich's DAC was a bit more defined and pronounced than the Oracle.  Hard to say for sure because deep bass in my room suffers a bit - minimal room treatments.

-- To my ears, the Oracle provided a more defined soundstage with quicker transient response and a more defined decay.  I don't think I can agree that the Oracle had less resolution but it was denser.  

A couple potentially unfair points to note:

-- The JPS SC3 RCA ICs were used between Rich's DAC and my amp but JPS SC3 XLR balanced ICs were used between Oracle and amp.

-- The Oracle DAC/Pre was powered thru my UberBUSS but Rich's DAC was straight to the wall.

As I've said before - I think our systems adjust our hearing and much as we strive to adjust our systems.  I've lived with my rig as it currently is for probably the longest period of my audioholic years and, to be honest, I'm really happy with it.  For Rich's DAC to sit in for the Oracle and perform as well as it did was quite impressive!   I'd love to hear it in other systems and compared to other DACs like the new EE Minimax+

[richidoo]

Belleson has a 1.2V regulator in development, I have been selected as beta tester.    I don't expect it to make much difference, but Hynes has a 1.2 as part of his Buffalo kit. 1.2v powers the DAC core (it's own internal microprocessor.)

[rollo]

  Is there a way to eliminate the analog output all together ? Meaning going from the DAC chip to a trannie then to a standard preamp ?? Would gain be the only issue. Why not just use the preamps analog instead of both CD and Preamp.
  BTW Bill cannot wait to hear the new DAC.


charles

[richidoo]

Thanks Charles. I hope you can hear it sometime soon. I think you'll like it.

This DAC has only a super high quality 1:1 transformer between the DAC chip and the output jack. I think it makes about 1+Vrms at the output, but not measured yet. It is a strong DAC chip.

After reading about the Lampizator DAC I'm curious to try that tube 6N6P, but I know it will smear transients and warm things up, but there may be a special magic distortion with that tube that I'd like to hear. But powering the tube with Belleson regulated high voltage PS will not be a cheap experiment so it won't happen soon, unless someone wants to commission a custom richi-dooDAC?   

There is no harshness at all right now with just the transformer, despite a feeling of unlimited resolution, so it doesn't need any warming or smoothing. It also doesn't need a tube for current buffer. Carl and I played it last week driving his 10kOhm McIntosh MC402 directly and it made awesome bass. It sounded great through his Belles 21a  preamp also, which he preferred due to the zooming out effect. The direct connection felt like the music was all around us, while the preamp held the music as a whole in front of us. I liked the direct connection sound better on my test tracks and the preamp better on his stuff. Thanks to Shane for the USB/spdif adapter.

Carl said it was the first DAC he's heard besides his Nixon TubeDAC that didn't have his dreaded "oversampling" sound. We both preferred it to his TubeDAC.

I think it got better after breaking in a couple hundred hours. I don't know why that still surprises me. I don't expect things to get better but they do.

[Carlman]

Yes, this was the first DAC I've heard that I wanted to actually buy in a very long time. It is musical and detailed without the hard brittle fake upper registers.  No digititus at all!  No fatigue.  Just music with all the details intact and unadulterated.

Excellent and satisfying, thanks for opening my ears, Rich.

[rollo]

    So Richadoo you are hereby commissioned to make one for me.    Pretty please.  . With sugar on top  ,


charles
SMA

[richidoo]

Awesome!! Buffalo is DIY only, so you must buy your own Buffalo 3 DAC ($300) from Twisted Pear Audio and send it to me with a $1700 check, and I'll assemble it for you with all the goodies.

[rollo]

Awesome!! Buffalo is DIY only, so you must buy your own Buffalo 3 DAC ($300) from Twisted Pear Audio and send it to me with a $1700 check, and I'll assemble it for you with all the goodies.

  Hmm, gotta think about it, now. $2000 for a piece not heard first is a gamble. I trust your ears to a point. 
   Gotta think this one out.


charles
SMA

[richidoo]

I wouldn't trust my ears if I were you. You already have a great DAC.

[_Scotty_]

ROAD TRIP!
Scotty