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Buffalo DAC (ESS Sabre 9008)

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S

soundcheck

Member
Joined 2005
soundcheck-audio.blogspot.com
Hi.

I got some questions:

1. Anybody around who built a Toslink input for the Buffalo DAC? Any recommendations?


2. What kind of inputs are available on the 8 channel Sabre evaluation board?


3. Anybody out there who had a look at an 8 channel LPCM HDMI receiver? This might be a very nice idea to feed the multichannel Sabre!?! ( Intention: Active crossover with Brutefir using a HDMI-GPU
( e.g. Nvidia) for 8 channel LPCM)



THX
 
Russ White

Russ White

Member
Joined 2005
twistedpearaudio.com
Spartacus said:
Thanks for your input Beefy. I don't think it's a PC related issue, though I'm blowed if I can think what it might be. I'll need to get a transport with a co-ax digital output to rule that out.

Those screen shots are sine waves, by the way!
Click to expand...


Spartacus, send me some pics of your setup.

Are you using the D1 terminal for SPDIF input or the comparator input (SPDIF terminal)?

If you using the D1 for SPDIF input (TTL level) the SPDIF switch must be open. Otherwise D1 will be shorted to the comparator output.

If you are using the "SPDIF" terminal then that switch should be closed.

Cheers!
Russ
 
W

woodturner-fran

Member
Joined 2006
Thanks Brian,

Progress report: Case done and painted. LCDPS/LCBPS/DAC/IVY all put together and ready to mount. After a little more spit and polish on the case I should be ready to assemble. I'm hoping to have sounds tomorrow night!

2 more Q's:

1. The green LEDs for automute and lock - is it OK to substitute different LEDS for these? I fancy some red ones through the fascia..

2. What is the purpose of the automute? When, if ever should it kick in?


Thanks

Fran

BTW: impeccably put together kits, really neat, although I think I will need glasses after doing the SMD opamps on the back of the IVY. With these fingers I need big buttons!!
 
Russ White

Russ White

Member
Joined 2005
twistedpearaudio.com
MrMajestic said:
Just got myself a Denon DVD-1920 off of ebay :) Would it be beneficial to use a TP SPDIF receiver inside it to transfer PCM audio to the outside? I remember this being done on the Oppo. Also, I might be wrong on this, I remember Russ or Brian talking about a board to be designed for use with the Denon to get DSD to the DAC. Is this something that is being done, or was I dreaming :)
Click to expand...

I am planning on producing an SDIF3 DSD output board at some point yes. :)

I would not bother with using the SPIDF board as a transmitter for the DVD-1920. It would just be redundant. The reason it makes sense for the Oppo is that it converts the DSD to PCM. The Denon does not.

Cheers!
Russ
 
Russ White

Russ White

Member
Joined 2005
twistedpearaudio.com
woodturner-fran said:
Thanks Brian,

Progress report: Case done and painted. LCDPS/LCBPS/DAC/IVY all put together and ready to mount. After a little more spit and polish on the case I should be ready to assemble. I'm hoping to have sounds tomorrow night!

2 more Q's:

1. The green LEDs for automute and lock - is it OK to substitute different LEDS for these? I fancy some red ones through the fascia..

2. What is the purpose of the automute? When, if ever should it kick in?


Thanks

Fran

BTW: impeccably put together kits, really neat, although I think I will need glasses after doing the SMD opamps on the back of the IVY. With these fingers I need big buttons!!
Click to expand...

Hi Fran,

Conditions under which the DAC enters automute are dictated by the firmware to some extent. It will be on until the DAC locks onto a signal. It can also be set to automute when a defined length of silence is reached. The default value for this is too short resulting in unwanted mute states during track transitions etc. Our firmware disables this as it really is not needed.

Any LED < 2.5V forward should work fine. So feel free to swap green for red or whatever you like. Though most blue and white LEDs will have too high a drop. Most green, red, and yellow should be ok. I would not worry much, the worst that would happen is the LED won't light. :)

Cheers!
Russ
 
W

woodturner-fran

Member
Joined 2006
I think I measured these and they worked out at 1.85V drop so hopefully they'll be OK. I've kept the automute LED in for now but if it turns out to be a bit redundant (the lock will kinda tell you if theres a signal) I might just use that LED as a power on indicator.

Again, thanks Russ/Brian. Hopefully next time I post I'll have something to contribute!

Fran
 
S

Spartacus

Member
Joined 2002
Well it turns out my problems were due to the 64Fs notch delay. Turned it off and now everything is peachy. Has anyone else had any strange behaviour from the notch? I didn't have any issues with the demo board .... Dustin?

Oh, and I 'till I posted those pics I didn't realize my scope was so filthy!
 
Russ White

Russ White

Member
Joined 2005
twistedpearaudio.com
Spartacus said:
Well it turns out my problems were due to the 64Fs notch delay. Turned it off and now everything is peachy. Has anyone else had any strange behaviour from the notch? I didn't have any issues with the demo board .... Dustin?

Oh, and I 'till I posted those pics I didn't realize my scope was so filthy!
Click to expand...

Ah, ok this is making more sense now.

I suspect the issue is actually with the firmware. Fortunately its not much of a problem, but I will have to dig to see why it is happening.

The manual on the site happens to be one revision off (an oversight on our part sorry for the error).

switch #3 actually controls the selection of using the 6-bit quantizer setting and true differential vs the 9-bit and pseudo differential.

I would actually recommend setting that switch low anyway.

I will make sure the corrected manual is on our site and look at a possible firmware change.

Thanks for the info on your problem. Sorry for any grief it has caused you.

For now I would suggest users set switch #3 low.

Cheers!
Russ
 
C

chalkandtalk

Member
Joined 2006
Hi Russ and Brian,

I have taken delivery of a Buffalo and IVY, many thanks. A quick question about the IVY if I may:

The opa1632 opamps don't appear to have a dot on them to denote correct orientation. However, there are three lines on the left. Do I line up these lines parallel with the line on the pcb?

cheers

Aidan
 
S

Spartacus

Member
Joined 2002
Hi Fran,

You are almost there. I'm sure you'll get it sorted soon enough. Russ and Brian are very helpful.

One note though - S/PDIF levels are notoriously none standard with PC gear. Mine is 2.5V peak-peak, whereas it should be 0.5V. The Buffalo wouldn't lock on when connected to the comparator input until I'd built a resistive network to pad it down. Alternatively try connecting your S/PDIF signal to the D1 input and setting the S/PDIF switch to low.

Also make sure switch 3 of the row of 4 is LOW.

Good luck.

Dan
 
rossl

rossl

Member
Joined 2004
home.roadrunner.com/~rossl/diyaudio.htm
woodturner-fran said:

I've just connected it to my PC (USB to SPDIF converter) but what I'm hearing is heavily distorted with crackles all the way through the music. It also seems to have a hard time locking on to the SPDIF signal. Crackling is worst on bass notes.
Click to expand...

Your DPLL switch setting will probably have to be set to "Medium". You may even need a firmware change to set it higher.
 
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