New USB to I2S Converters

There's a new wave of USB to I2S converters that are just coming out from Chinese manufacturers based on the XU208 XMOS chipset and I have a feeling that they'll be far better sounding than the current gen! They're definitely gonna be included in this DAC and I already bought the DiYinHK one to test it out.

Links below:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111961717820
http://www.diyinhk.com/shop/audio-kits/107-xmos-dsd-dxd-768khz-high-quality-usb-to-i2sdsd-pcb.html

Graveyard post

Hi, guys! So, I did end up disappearing for the past few months and I'm sorry for that; the school workload had become a little too much to handle so I had to take some time off this project to make sure everything was all caught up. I do have an announcement to make.

This project is still happening!

However, I won't put any ETAs this time because I can't promise anything, what with having to balance this and my education. I'll start a trickle feed of updates again, but they probably won't appear as often as before so please bear with me. I do have a couple worth mentioning so here goes.

Finally, an update!

I went on the WaveIO website recently and noticed that they have a firmware that's updated compared to the one I was given...

It does show that it works with Windows 10 which was what I suspected was the problem with the WaveIO not working before. Hopefully, I can move forward with this project now...

Small update

Sorry for the lack of updates but there has been absolutely no progress whatsoever! However, I have my WaveIO now! This means that with the DiYinHK power supplies, I can start prototyping the Soekrates at last but my Wire PSUs still haven't arrived so I can't guarantee that the DAC will sound exactly as it does as a final product.

I'm not dead!

I'm just waiting on stuff to get delivered. The WaveIO I had customized is coming and I was sent the wrong regulator boards for the DAM1021 power supplies so I'm waiting on those too. I can't really make any progress until those two arrive so sorry for the lack of updates lately!

Soekrates initial test update

Finally got a chance to test most of the electronics involved with the Soekrates build.

The DAM1021 was already updated to firmware version 0.99 so all I have to do now is wait for the Wire LT3042 PSUs and the WaveIO to arrive before I can get music coming from the DAM1021.

I got a nifty USB to RS232 adapter cable with no plug so I could simply connect them to J10 without having to fool around with the plug. I'll probably use something along the lines of this along with a small connector on the back panel of the Soekrates to allow for firmware updates without having to open up the Soekrates enclosure. I did have to install drivers but I can easily put a guide up for anyone who buys the Soekrates.

Soekrates Update 13

Had a chat with a nice chap and have decided on reverting to a single-ended configuration because of Soren's quote that balanced doesn't add much if at all to the sound:

diyAudio Member   Join Date: Jun 2009

Although I don't see the big need for the DAC resistor string to be balanced, balanced signals are most useful for box to box interconnect.... You will get 3 db better S/N ratio, not that it's needed, there should already be 126 db S/N ratio at the resistor string.... __________________ Søren

This will shave off roughly $500 off the total price of the DAC as well as let me make it a lot less tall than what it is currently, so that's exactly what I did. (9in x 7.5in x 3in or 228.4mm x 190.5mm x 75.4mm).