Zen I/V Converter - Page 2

3rd September 2010, 01:59 AM
Nelson Pass The one and only Join Date: Mar 2001	Zen I/V Converter Thirteen years ago, Pass Labs launched the D1, a dedicated Digital to Analog converter for high end audio. It was based on balanced PCM63 DAC chips with a current source output, which requires a separate current-to-voltage converter (known as an I/V) to turn its output into the voltage to drive... Click here to read the entire article Last edited by Variac; 1st April 2011 at 11:40 PM.

30th September 2010

Gordon McGregor

diyAudio Member

Bonsai, I am not Nelson, but I can confirm that NE5534 are not good for I/V even comparing to other good op amps, and Zen I/V should be even better.

I have replaced plenty of NE5534+2xJRC2068 to OPA627 +2xOPA2134 for DF1706+PCM1704 in Pioneer 49/59TXi DAC board with ALL positive subjective opinions, in addition I had confirmed the difference in hearing in DBT (with >95% probability) using SACD DSotM source through i-link (song #7) with Lynx L22 soundcard and Sony MDR-V6 headphones, the difference in after-hit ringing of cymbals is noticeable for me without any doubts.

I even have some theoretical suggestion (THD hearing perception threshold) confirming the difference in sounding with measured levels of distortions per each harmonic up to 17th ... of course, it needs to be confirmed by multiple experiments and better equipment, but I had no time to continue it.

12th October 2010

kiwi88

diyAudio Member

I am looking for printed board to build ZEN I/V converter.
Can anyone help ??

11th January 2011

sin49

diyAudio Member

I found NE5534 and even the very expensive LT1028 quite non-linear compared to some of the newer opamps. I decided to use the TI OPA211 with PCM1972A and I am quite satisfied with the result. Now there are a couple of even newer interesting alternatives from NS and TI but I haven't tried them yet. Once I have built a version with them abd shown them to AP I hope to report more.

Should also try this Nelson's great idea.

19th June 2011

Alexandre

diyAudio Member

I´m going to build it with an added buffer (just posted it to the discussion thread)

-Alex