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Review and Measurements of WesionTEK Khadas Tone Board DAC

Veri

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FWIW: Khadas sells this optional adapter cable for an additional cost.

Connect your Tone Board's RCA stereo output to a 3.5mm compatible set of speakers or headphones.

Compatibility:
  • Khadas Tone Board
  • Audio Equipment w/ RCA Output
  • Headphones or Speakers with 3.5mm Male Audio-Jack
RCA to 3.5mm cable


04a2a6_37f2f53c73314521b8da9bbff758e120~mv2_d_2500_2500_s_4_2.jpg
As said, this doesn't change anything about the 100ohm output. Still wouldn't do it.
 

g29

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Hi,
I connected the J3 FPC 30PIN to ESS Controller from Ian from diyaudio.com,
and now I can control any registers of ES9038Q2M.View attachment 34763

Very cool. Thanks for sharing.

From page 6, it looks like only 6 "signals" are used.
  • 5V
  • GND
  • I2C CL
  • I2C DA
  • LRCK/D1
  • SCK

Ian’s ESS controller user ’s guide
KTBD Manual

Update:

Looks like 10 wires (5 grounds) can be soldered to the 10 through hole mounts on the back of the controller/display and then soldered to a 30 Pin FPC to DIP breakout board. The ribbon cable then completes the connection between the controller/display and the KTBD.


lxUzBez.jpg
61qbclZ22YL._SY355_.jpg
 
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PJotr

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Very cool. Thanks for sharing.

From page 6, it looks like only 6 "signals" are used.
  • GND
  • I2C DA
  • 5V
  • SCK
  • LRCK/D1
  • I2C CL

Ian’s ESS controller user ’s guide

Yes exactly.

Looks like 10 wires (5 grounds) can be soldered to the 10 through hole mounts on the back of the controller/display and then soldered to a 30 Pin FPC to DIP breakout board. The ribbon cable then completes the connection between the controller/display and the KTBD.

You can connect to J3 10pin or to J1 40pin.
 
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g29

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Yes exactly.

You can connect to J3 10pin or to J1 40pin.

Have you noticed any anomalies using Ian's ESS Controller ?

Do all of the features/menu options/displays work with the KTBD ?

Did you diverge from the factory default settings/filter selections ?

TIA
 

PJotr

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Have you noticed any anomalies using Ian's ESS Controller ?

Everything looks good to me...

Do all of the features/menu options/displays work with the KTBD ?

Everything seems to be working as in the ESS Controller manual, some functions are not for ESS9038Q2M (like IIR filter Bandwidth, FIR filter shape).

Did you diverge from the factory default settings/filter selections ?

Yes, but I didn't spend much time on it, I focused on launching and functional testing of all functions by connecting KTBD to a laptop.
Now I have to connect to a better source than a laptop, maybe I will have to add a separate power supply to KTBD. We'll see ...
 

maxxevv

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This has certainly piqued my interest for the KTB add-on. Think it will fit nicely with a case made to match the JDS Atom dimensions !

Time for some research !
 

g29

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...

Yes, but I didn't spend much time on it, I focused on launching and functional testing of all functions by connecting KTBD to a laptop.
Now I have to connect to a better source than a laptop, maybe I will have to add a separate power supply to KTBD. We'll see ...

Thanks for the quick response.

I was wondering if the USB's 5VDC was enough to drive the DAC, ESS Controller and RCA outs by itself.

As for an alternate input source, this Topping D10 S/PDIF Bridge thread maybe of interest, but you will be limited to 192 via S/PDIF.
 

PJotr

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I was wondering if the USB's 5VDC was enough to drive the DAC, ESS Controller and RCA outs by itself.

KTBD normally is power hungry (specification 5V/500mA). But with laptop work OK, but when connect to eg. Raspberry Pi I have often hangs. And now I must connect to KTBD external power 5V and maybe 1A. I will test...
 

Anorgan

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KTBD normally is power hungry (specification 5V/500mA). But with laptop work OK, but when connect to eg. Raspberry Pi I have often hangs. And now I must connect to KTBD external power 5V and maybe 1A. I will test...

My raspberry 4 with touchscreen and KTB runs without problems on Anker usb charger via good usb cable (amazon basics)
 

PJotr

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My raspberry 4 with touchscreen and KTB runs without problems on Anker usb charger via good usb cable (amazon basics)

Raspberry 4 is a different USB design than eg. ver. 3B+. It is USB 3.0 (higher current) and separated USB Hub from LAN. And here everything can be OK.
 

Giulio

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Any evidence if the Tone board suffers from the so called noise floor modulation?
@amirm, can you post the FFT of the board when outputting nothing and a sin at full amplitude?
 

milw50717

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KTBD normally is power hungry (specification 5V/500mA). But with laptop work OK, but when connect to eg. Raspberry Pi I have often hangs. And now I must connect to KTBD external power 5V and maybe 1A. I will test...

What hangs, the KTB or the Pi - when you experience these hangs are you able to SSH into the Pi - and are the hangs during playback ?

Do you see any under-voltage messages in the output when you type 'dmesg | grep voltage' ?

Wired or Wi-Fi connectivity ?

I have an ethernet connected Pi 3B with a hifiberry Digi+ Pro HAT that feeds the KTB power via the USB and the audio via coax. unplug the USB cable from the Pi when not in use, so the KTB is not powered up but the Pi is left on 7x24. I've not experienced any hangs in even extended listening sessions lasting 5 or 6 hours. For a short time I also ran using just the Pi 3B feeding the KTB audio and power via the USB cable and can't recall any hangs.
 
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Anorgan

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What hangs, the KTB or the Pi - when you experience these hangs are you able to SSH into the Pi - and are the hangs during playback ?

Do you see any under-voltage messages in the output when you type 'dmesg | grep voltage' ?

Wired or Wi-Fi connectivity ?

I have an ethernet connected Pi 3B with a hifiberry Digi+ Pro HAT that feeds the KTB power via the USB and the audio via coax. unplug the USB cable from the Pi when not in use, so the KTB is not powered up but the Pi is left on 7x24. I've not experienced any hangs in even extended listening sessions lasting 5 or 6 hours. For a short time I also ran using just the Pi 3B feeding the KTB audio and power via the USB cable and can't recall any hangs.

@milw50717 do you experience a loud thump when powering on or of the KTB that is connected to the running amp?
 

PJotr

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I tested RPi 3B+ with KTBD and it turned out that the problem was the original USB cable. After replacement, everything seems OK.

About filters. I tested them a little and it's hard to spot the differences. The changes are subtle, it's hard to tell the differences.

Interesting information about filters can be read in diyaudio and archimago .
 
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