AliExpress Cirmech WM-013 CS4398 DAC - review and measurements

[ssashton]

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[pma]

Started a DIY preamp project thread that used this DAC.

DIY preamp with multiple inputs - project

DIY preamp with multiple inputs I have designed several preamps in the past with analog single ended and balanced inputs, single ended and balanced outputs, but never with a digital S/PDIF input. Recently I have reviewed a cheap DAC board based on Cirrus CS4398 DAC, so it has been a challenge...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[niamex]

Hello everyone, I have joint yesterday after reading this thread. Not an electtonics engineer, just a music lover, Have bought one of that amasing board pursuaded by a friend who was sick and tired watching me spending time and money on various TDA 1541 A and TDA 1543 dac projects without good audible results.From the first moment I was supprised by the very acceptable sound coming out from the tiny toy. Immediately started playng upgrading games like single PS, rolling many OPAs /the last one OracleII/ etc., before the friend sent me two heavy unknown trafos /used 30-40 years ago in telephone projects/ and told me how to connect them and throw away the OPA. Now everything seems OK, good sound etc. Still I am sure the PS is not OK with these 4 diodes and two caps there.
So you are kidly requested to help me replace the PS with some hyper linear PS /I have some/ advising me how and where to cut off the existing PS and eventually eliminate the four voltage regulators, since I believe the clean and linear PS is verym very important for the sound quality.
Thank for reading this and tks in advance for your suggestions,
Ignat

 

[JSmith]

rolling many OPAs

A waste of your time, especially if just randomly swapping.

I believe the clean and linear PS is very very important for the sound quality.

Incorrect.

Oh and welcome to ASR.


JSmith

 

[Sokel]

Incorrect.

To be fair, partly incorrect:

RME ADI 2 DAC FS (ground?) hum- any ideas?

So- I made the mistake of spring cleaning and re-organising my AV rack yesterday. Today whilst using the RME with some sensitive IEMs I had a noticeable (assume 60hz or thereabouts) hum. So I started doing some testing. Observations: 1. Touching the join between the device and the IEM jack...

www.audiosciencereview.com

RME ADI-2 DAC FS - AKM Versus ESS Measurements (DAC, Preamp & Headamp)

I needed a more "lifestyle", all-in-one unit, that could also act as a streamer. Flanker rating: Draw Game Sorry for being this late, and thank you very, very much for this so accurate review, but now curiosity is killing me, what all-in-one unit did you choose to replace such a competent...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Use-case specific of course but it's there.

 

[wwenze]

To be fair, partly incorrect:

RME ADI 2 DAC FS (ground?) hum- any ideas?

So- I made the mistake of spring cleaning and re-organising my AV rack yesterday. Today whilst using the RME with some sensitive IEMs I had a noticeable (assume 60hz or thereabouts) hum. So I started doing some testing. Observations: 1. Touching the join between the device and the IEM jack...

www.audiosciencereview.com

RME ADI-2 DAC FS - AKM Versus ESS Measurements (DAC, Preamp & Headamp)

I needed a more "lifestyle", all-in-one unit, that could also act as a streamer. Flanker rating: Draw Game Sorry for being this late, and thank you very, very much for this so accurate review, but now curiosity is killing me, what all-in-one unit did you choose to replace such a competent...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Use-case specific of course but it's there.

The context in that thread is starting with a switching power supply. This cs4398 board already has a linear power supply on the board.

 

[niamex]

This cs4398 board already has a linear power supply on the board.

Yes, but not sofisticated one, if tha matters ?

 

[niamex]

Sorry for waisting your time but I thing it will be much easier to repalce the small variant of the dac with that one and work on it ???

 

[Sokel]

This cs4398 board already has a linear power supply on the board.

So is RME, multiple linear local low noise ones, as in most gear.
We're talking about the main one here.

 

[wwenze]

So is RME, multiple linear local low noise ones, as in most gear.
We're talking about the main one here.

That *IS* the main. That CS4398 board has everything needed for a main power supply, all that's needed is an AC transformer.

 

[Sokel]

That *IS* the main. That CS4398 board has everything needed for a main power supply, all that's needed is an AC transformer.

And of course you're right, I just saw the upper left corner regs and the right 7809.

 

[audio_tony]

And of course you're right, I just saw the upper left corner regs and the right 7809.

That board actually requires two transformers. One for the digital side (9vAC) and one for the analogue side (12-0-12vAC)

I have built one with a single transformer feeding both digital and analogue supplies and it didn't seem to affect the measurements (unsurprisingly!).

 

[niamex]

That board actually requires two transformers. One for the digital side (9vAC) and one for the analogue side (12-0-12vAC)

I have built one with a single transformer feeding both digital and analogue supplies and it didn't seem to affect the measurements (unsurprisingly!).

You meant the second one, not the one with the SMT elements ?

 

[audio_tony]

You meant the second one, not the one with the SMT elements ?

Sorry, yes I meant the second board as pictured in post #68

AliExpress Cirmech WM-013 CS4398 DAC - review and measurements

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www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[niamex]

Sorry, yes I meant the second board as pictured in post #68

AliExpress Cirmech WM-013 CS4398 DAC - review and measurements

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www.audiosciencereview.com

Noted, thanks. I think this board will answer some of my questions from my first post here. I will easily find the necessary spots for connecting the output trafos, but still my knowlege is not enough to solve the problem with the PS. I do not beleve that the existing PS on the board is as linear as it should be. Otherwise what is the reason to find so many linear PS costing up to 1000 $ and even more. Something is wrong there. Therefore you and the people arround here can help to advise how to disconnect the existing PS on the board without destroing it and where to connect the external PS /what voltage ??/
Many thanks in advancem hope that this could be interesting for other people as well.
Cheers, Ignat