Hi folks.
I'd like to share my first impressions riding the Buffalo.
My setup:
Buffalo supply: 2*7,4V Racepack batteries NiMh 4500mAh.
Input: I2S - PCM2707 (DDDAC receiver with Tent)
Material: 16/44.1
Output: Directly passive out - no IVY or anything else - connected directly to the AMP
DIP: 3 on "-"
Impressions after 3 hours of running it
Sounds good but not overwhelming. Lot's of details and attack.
The upper end gets a bit annoying after while.
My NONOS 1543 DAC sounds more natural ( Voices, instruments, etc). (With slightly less details)
I suppose the DAC got some more potenial:
What can I do here?
1. Do I need to checkout the I2S connections - decoupling, level, what else?
2. I am wondering if the direct analog out can deliver quality signal, or if an active stage is needed? The DAC is actually feeding a 20k impedance - this should be OK.
3. Buffering the analog PS part of the DAC
4. Perhaps I am also missing the Blackgate sound signature
BTW: I gotta a high sensitive system - 98dbSPL. The analog output level of the DAC fits perfectly the overall gain in the chain.
Cheers
I'd like to share my first impressions riding the Buffalo.
My setup:
Buffalo supply: 2*7,4V Racepack batteries NiMh 4500mAh.
Input: I2S - PCM2707 (DDDAC receiver with Tent)
Material: 16/44.1
Output: Directly passive out - no IVY or anything else - connected directly to the AMP
DIP: 3 on "-"
Impressions after 3 hours of running it
Sounds good but not overwhelming. Lot's of details and attack.
The upper end gets a bit annoying after while.
My NONOS 1543 DAC sounds more natural ( Voices, instruments, etc). (With slightly less details)
I suppose the DAC got some more potenial:
What can I do here?
1. Do I need to checkout the I2S connections - decoupling, level, what else?
2. I am wondering if the direct analog out can deliver quality signal, or if an active stage is needed? The DAC is actually feeding a 20k impedance - this should be OK.
3. Buffering the analog PS part of the DAC
4. Perhaps I am also missing the Blackgate sound signature
BTW: I gotta a high sensitive system - 98dbSPL. The analog output level of the DAC fits perfectly the overall gain in the chain.
Cheers
Soundcheck, my guess is your setup could benefit from an active output stage that does a bit of filtering. Perhaps an IVY or a counterpoint when it is released.
Even a transformer output might help as it will also tend to filter.
I would not suggest going straight out of the buffalo as there will be some HF out of band noise. This would be pretty fatiguing.
Cheers!
Russ
Even a transformer output might help as it will also tend to filter.
I would not suggest going straight out of the buffalo as there will be some HF out of band noise. This would be pretty fatiguing.
Cheers!
Russ
Russ White said:
Russ, Is there much common mode noise/distortion coming out the Buffalo? Do you have any comparative measurements?
Soundcheck, try adding a 10nf - 22nf cap across the outputs - this will give you some filtering in case HF noise is a problem. Also, don't forget that you are comparing to nonos which has a natural treble rolloff of around 3dB.
soundcheck said:
Yes but ur 1543 probably does not have oversampling so the noise is only just above audio frequency band and will probably not upset ur amp - the buffalo with it's oversampling will have much higher frequency HF noise which probably will upset ur amp.
This has been my expereince in similar circumstances.
mike
Spartacus said:
Unfortunately my gear is not anything near as good as Dustin's for measuring, but there is definitely some common mode noise. It is in the Mhz range.
The IVY does a wonderful job rejecting this as would any fully symmetrical output stage.
Unfortunately some of the out of band noise is not common mode, that of course has to be filtered.
Distortion wise I am not sure there is really much difference except that the THD+N is largely dominated by the "N"
Cheers!
Russ
i just read the ivy manual and it states that C13-16 (the caps from current input to ground) should never be used without R5-8 - why?
wouldnt it help to have, say 2x 2.2nF to ground from the current inputs even with ivy configuration "Buffalo 1", to reduce high frequency noise BEFORE the ths4131 (maybe also reducing slewing effects)?
wouldnt it help to have, say 2x 2.2nF to ground from the current inputs even with ivy configuration "Buffalo 1", to reduce high frequency noise BEFORE the ths4131 (maybe also reducing slewing effects)?
Russ White said:
Unfortunately my gear is not anything near as good as Dustin's for measuring, but there is definitely some common mode noise. It is in the Mhz range.
The IVY does a wonderful job rejecting this as would any fully symmetrical output stage.
Unfortunately some of the out of band noise is not common mode, that of course has to be filtered.
Distortion wise I am not sure there is really much difference except that the THD+N is largely dominated by the "N"
Cheers!
Russ
Thanks for the info Russ. I have a few options for connecting my Buffalo to, single ended and balanced, so will be interesting to compare. I've initially got it connected single-ended via a coupling cap and 10nf across the output for basic filtering. Simple, but sounds remarkably good.
Dan
95% done......
Who else is close to finishing their build?
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Who else is close to finishing their build?
I finished my Buffalo build yesterday. Not as neat as Beefy's implementation; just on a piece of wooden board to test everything out. It will eventually go in the same housing as the preamp I'm planning to build; then it will be wired more neatly.
The assembly was easy, thanks to Twisted Pear's exemplary silkscreen labeling and layout documentation; everything worked the first time around. The DAC locked to the SPDIF-signal as soon as I switched the CD-player on, even without a CD in the drive. And then sweet, beautiful music, everything absolutely stable. That's great so far, and I'm happy, although I'm not quite sure if my birds nest implementation is really achieving the full performance of the Buffalo.
Kurt
The assembly was easy, thanks to Twisted Pear's exemplary silkscreen labeling and layout documentation; everything worked the first time around. The DAC locked to the SPDIF-signal as soon as I switched the CD-player on, even without a CD in the drive. And then sweet, beautiful music, everything absolutely stable. That's great so far, and I'm happy, although I'm not quite sure if my birds nest implementation is really achieving the full performance of the Buffalo.
Kurt
Attachments
I will likely be bringing the upgraded (face lift) web site online next week. At the same time, we will be "back from vacation" and the Buffalo and most other items will be be back in stock.
We have the largest stock of Buffalos to date about ready to go, so hopefully they last a little longer this time around. We will also be working to fortify the inventory as quickly as possible.
We will also be adding a stream of new products to the site in the next few weeks, so keep checking in.
We have the largest stock of Buffalos to date about ready to go, so hopefully they last a little longer this time around. We will also be working to fortify the inventory as quickly as possible.
We will also be adding a stream of new products to the site in the next few weeks, so keep checking in.
Jean-Charles said:
Hello,
I (being completely nuts) am not quite satisfied with my first layout for Counterpoint. So I am reworking the PCB a bit, but it will be ready in the next few weeks. It will actually be ordered in the next couple days, but then we need to test it etc. It is probably the most challenging circuit I have ever laid out.
Cheers!
Russ
Dual Stereo
Before I order I want to know if this solution will work as posted in the "Digital" thread:
"My inital idea was to parallell two Buffalo cards placed above each other together with a SPDIF I2S card like I asked in my post #935 yesterday.
So Brian and/or Russ, would it be possible to do this and are there any potential, functional problems doing so?"
Brgds
Before I order I want to know if this solution will work as posted in the "Digital" thread:
"My inital idea was to parallell two Buffalo cards placed above each other together with a SPDIF I2S card like I asked in my post #935 yesterday.
So Brian and/or Russ, would it be possible to do this and are there any potential, functional problems doing so?"
Brgds
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