iancanada's over the top DIY DAC video - this is great!

[wtnh]

iancanada has been designing DIY DAC components for years. Most of his stuff is on the DIY Audio forum and available as group buys. He just posted a video describing "The Best Sound Quality Audiophile DIY DAC I Built in 2020". The components are all original designs and most of them are available for purchase by DIYers. (NB - I have no fiduciary interest in this - but I admire his creativity).

Anyway, he just posted this video describing his "ultimate" DAC system:

 

[tw99]

Isn't that just a bit overcomplicated ? And by what metric is it "best sound quality" ?

I'm more impressed by simpler designs personally. This just appeals to people who like soldering...

 

[charleski]

I'm more impressed by simpler designs personally. This just appeals to people who like soldering...

I want to see a DIY R2R DAC where someone hand solders 500 SMD resistors ...

 

[tw99]

To make a software engineering analogy, it's like writing 100,000 lines of code to solve a problem that only really needs 100.

 

[Audiophonics]

To make a software engineering analogy, it's like writing 100,000 lines of code to solve a problem that only really needs 100.

Everything is modular, you buy what you need

 

[wtnh]

I want to see a DIY R2R DAC where someone hand solders 500 SMD resistors ...

How about this:

 

[boXem]

Do you really think these have been hand soldered?

 

[Koeitje]

Zero measurements in that video, how do we know its good?

 

[wtnh]

Do you really think these have been hand soldered?

Of course not - just a joke. But early Soekris boards were available for DIY and people were hot air soldering SMD resistors.

 

[Michel Forbes]

To make a software engineering analogy, it's like writing 100,000 lines of code to solve a problem that only really needs 100.

There is more than one approach to designing DAC, Ian Canada decided to push the envelope in modularity and clocking using the Rpi.
If you look at the PSU, Super Capacitor, Linear, Battery...
The quality of board assemblage is also amazing considering the price.

 

[D!sco]

There is more than one approach to designing DAC, Ian Canada decided to push the envelope in modularity and clocking using the Rpi.
If you look at the PSU, Super Capacitor, Linear, Battery...

Is it though, when you can spend $100 on a perfect SINAD completed DAC? This just seems like DIY electroincs bling.

 

[Michel Forbes]

Is it though, when you can spend $100 on a perfect SINAD completed DAC? This just seems like DIY electroincs bling.

Why not...the target is high-end DiY...and frankly this fair a price when you look at the quality of board design.
Have read the manual for each product....it's highly professional for a one-man band.

 

[tw99]

Why not...the target is high-end DiY...and frankly this fair a price when you look at the quality of board design.
Have read the manual for each product....it's highly professional for a one-man band.

As I already said upthread, it's for people who like soldering.

I'm sure it's cleverly designed and decent value for what you get, but ultimately pointless, it's solving problems that don't need solving.

 

[Michel Forbes]

As I already said upthread, it's for people who like soldering.

I'm sure it's cleverly designed and decent value for what you get, but ultimately pointless, it's solving problems that don't need solving.

Most HiFi products originate from a DiY experiment and refinements offered at a very decent price should be encouraged.
In digital reproduction, everything related to clocking could be improved, designing clocks and PLL is a tedious job.
Using the Raspberry Pi SBC opens a completely new approach for an affordable player, IanCanada is pushing the envelope a little further.

 

[D!sco]

And there are already high quality DAC hats that use the 40-pin to accomplish this in addition to streaming, direct playback and remote control. This is just excessive, and I frankly don't see any validation for the massive pile of parts.

Hand soldering a board like this is equally unimpressive when you consider the silver solder baths you can make at home to accomplish exactly the same task, risk-free. Why risk burning out your chips or capacitors with excess heat? A $15 thrift store toaster will clean up all excess and leave it in the drip tray.

 

[sq225917]

The boards are pre assembled apart from the supercap boards. I own one, it's a fun way to fiddle with aspects of a dac design and gives people the opportunity to roll their own, so to speak.

Swapping out clocks and clock psus is enlightening. I can clearly hear a difference between the $1 clock and a crystek, can't tell the crystek and ndk apart though.

It's a great way of testing some audio myths, if you're that way inclined.

 

[gitaarwerk]

I built a streamer with Iancanada's first version of the i2s transport with reclock, buffer and isolator board. Even with the stock cheap clocks, it sounded terrific. The battery powered version which I modified it with later on with his recharge board, was an excellent addition. Made more difference than a lot other things. That said, I never measured it..so what do I know. It was still expensive as I had to import everything from Canada into the Netherlands. But it's an excellent sounding board to say the least.

To the poster before me... I swapped them indeed with a Crystak clock, and I couldn't hear much difference to be honest... if any at all. Battery vs switching PSU with voltage regulator was a different thing. I would love to see this system tested by ASR. But I'm not sure if he built a DAC to put on top of it. Should have a look... Iancanada works in medical engineering, so that's not a bad base to start from. But that's a belief/trust. Not measurements Audiophonics sells his stuff, so now cheaper to get in the EU than before.

 

[sq225917]

Yeh he does a couple of ess dac boards, they all sound fine. I'm sure they measure decent, but no better than £199 worth of chifi.

 

[syn08]

iancanada has been designing DIY DAC components for years. Most of his stuff is on the DIY Audio forum and available as group buys. He just posted a video describing "The Best Sound Quality Audiophile DIY DAC I Built in 2020". The components are all original designs and most of them are available for purchase by DIYers. (NB - I have no fiduciary interest in this - but I admire his creativity).

Anyway, he just posted this video describing his "ultimate" DAC system:

And where exactly is the “DIY” part? No schematics and Gerbers were shared, so other than pulling the wallet and pay for the boards, pushing the boards in the connectors and wiring the power supply, are the only “DIY” activities I can think of.

Less than I used to do when I was 12 years old, assembling radio kits required parts soldering. And it was also more educational.

And please don‘t start discussing the clock audibility…

 

[gitaarwerk]

I guess the DIY part is where you solder 2/3 u.fl connectors thats a challenge without an SMD set up including fat fingers as tweezers. Definitely brings that whole DIY experience to a new level. Solder 3 while cursing like you have to do 300. Less money and time spent, but the full immersion. The clock just intensifies for -that- audiophile experience.