Twisted Pear Audio Buffalo III DAC Build

13»

Comments

  • headrott
    headrott Posts: 5,496
    edited August 2012
    I'm going to have to get me an Otto II! How long ago did this one come out? Within the last month?
    Relayer-Big-O-Poster.jpg
    Taken from a recent Audioholics reply regarding "Club Polk" and Polk speakers:
    "I'm yet to hear a Polk speaker that merits more than a sentence and 60 seconds discussion." :\
    My response is: If you need 60 seconds to respond in one sentence, you probably should't be evaluating Polk speakers.....

    "Green leaves reveal the heart spoken Khatru"- Jon Anderson

    "Have A Little Faith! And Everything You'll Face, Will Jump From Out Right On Into Place! Yeah! Take A Little Time! And Everything You'll Find, Will Move From Gloom Right On Into Shine!"- Arthur Lee
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,504
    edited August 2012
    headrott wrote: »
    I'm going to have to get me an Otto II! How long ago did this one come out? Within the last month?

    It is a slick addition to the TP offerings! They became available late July. He had introduced OTTO II in their mfr forum at diyAudio July 12.

    http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/twisted-pear/216799-introducing-otto2.html

    Brain added a diagram in this thread at the TP forums. I have mine configured like the diagram (OE jumpered to GND, 10K resistor between S and GND. It is getting 4.94v B+ from the Denon. B1 is default output when not powered. When S is powered, it switches to B2. Russ mentions some other configurations.

    http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/twisted-pear/216799-introducing-otto2.html
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • schwarcw
    schwarcw Posts: 7,338
    edited August 2012
    I know that I have lauded Rich many times for his DIY craftsmanship. But until you have seen the build quality of his projects and heard the sound with your own ears, words cannot describe both the visual and audible quality of his work. To say he has a great talent is an understatement. Rich you in a class by yourself.

    He's actually a pretty good guy also. Crazy ****, but a good guy! LOL!:lol:
    Carl

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,981
    edited August 2012
    schwarcw wrote: »
    I know that I have lauded Rich many times for his DIY craftsmanship. But until you have seen the build quality of his projects and heard the sound with your own ears, words cannot describe both the visual and audible quality of his work. To say he has a great talent is an understatement. Rich you in a class by yourself.

    He's actually a pretty good guy also. Crazy ****, but a good guy! LOL!:lol:


    Yep, one of these days I'll get down to pay him a visit. He's a rock star in this DIY stuff for sure. The quality and thought that goes into his builds are just sick. Should really go into buisness for himself doing this stuff.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,504
    edited August 2012
    Aw, thanks for the kind words.:redface: I'm just a Red Solo Cup kind of guy inside. Carl, usually I manage to suppress the crazy **** thing, except with you....what does that mean?:cheesygrin:

    Tony, come on down man! I'm DAC-less right now, having sold the modded Music Hall 25.3 and the BIII lying gutted on the bench. Once I get the new DAC going I'll try and set up a get together. Been working so much, I'm burnt out for the weekends.
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,193
    edited August 2012
    Tony,

    Don't go in the basement. Just ask Ed. :cheesygrin: It would be nice to see you again.

    Rich,

    I am working all the time and can relate to the weekend burn out thing.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,649
    edited August 2012
    SCompRacer wrote: »
    I'm DAC-less right now, having sold the modded Music Hall 25.3 and the BIII lying gutted on the bench.
    Huh! Slacker ,you've had a week already to get'r done.:cheesygrin:
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,504
    edited August 2012
    heiney9 wrote: »
    Tony,

    Don't go in the basement. Just ask Ed. :cheesygrin: It would be nice to see you again.

    Rich,

    I am working all the time and can relate to the weekend burn out thing.

    H9

    He signed a non-disclosure! Nothing goes on like in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo though.
    FTGV wrote: »
    Huh! Slacker ,you've had a week already to get'r done.:cheesygrin:

    I'm no slacker! I just got a treatable case of the dead-arse.:cheesygrin: Just got the Placid HD power supply I needed the other day. Ready to solder up. I've been introducing the new parts to the existing build making sure everything works. Then I sit down in the sweet spot and listen to digital through the retro system with Polk 7A's. I say ain't this nice....the cat jumps in my lap....progress halts.:biggrin:

    I'm happiest soldering stuff to the boards. No expectations other than a good solder joint. Assembling it all and expecting it to work, now that is the scary part.
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • agfrost
    agfrost Posts: 2,430
    edited August 2012
    heiney9 wrote: »
    Tony,

    Don't go in the basement. Just ask Ed. :cheesygrin: It would be nice to see you again.


    H9

    I managed to escape the basement a couple weekends ago, but I caught a whiff of solder flux and brake cleaner and may have blacked out for a period of time... :eek:
    Jay
    SDA 2BTL * Musical Fidelity A5cr amp * Oppo BDP-93 * Modded Adcom GDA-600 DAC * Rythmik F8 (x2)
    Micro Seiki DQ-50 * Hagerman Cornet 2 Phono * A hodgepodge of cabling * Belkin PF60
    Preamp rotation: Krell KSL (SCompRacer recapped) * Manley Shrimp * PS Audio 5.0
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,649
    edited August 2012
    SCompRacer wrote: »



    I'm no slacker! I just got a treatable case of the dead-arse.:cheesygrin:
    Well at least it's treatable.As time goes by I find myself ever increasingly getting relapses of the incurable variety.
    agfrost wrote: »
    ... and may have blacked out for a period of time... :eek:
    Yikes! not liking the sound of that.For your sake I hope no vids show up on YouTube .:eek:
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • shadowlight
    shadowlight Posts: 327
    edited August 2012
    Wow looks great. Is it possible to add remote control to the DAC and use it as preamp? Will have to read through the TP forum.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,504
    edited August 2012
    shadowlight wrote: »
    Wow looks great. Is it possible to add remote control to the DAC and use it as preamp? Will have to read through the TP forum.

    Thanks!

    Yes on the remote. I've seen some use the Alps remote pot. You can even do a digital display/remote using the Arduino board to control via I2C. It requires ability to write, I think they call it, simple code.:eek::biggrin: Hifiduino is helpful in that area. You can select source, control volume, etc. The ESSSabre32 DAC chip has volume control built into it. My DAC uses a manual pot. No hit on sound quality using it.

    http://www.arduino.cc/

    http://hifiduino.blogspot.com/2010/02/programming-buffalo-dac-review-of.html


    An example using the digital display.
    imagen153z.jpg

    The thread. (You have to be a member of forum to view forum uploaded pics).
    http://www.twistedpearaudio.com/forum/yaf_postst2592_Quad-Buffalo-III-with-large-diplay--finished.aspx

    Along with their support forum, Twisted Pear also has a manufacturer forum at diyAudio.
    http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/twisted-pear/
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • shadowlight
    shadowlight Posts: 327
    edited August 2012
    @ScompRacer - Thanks for the information. Time to go read and get myself familar and figure out if I have the skills to build something. The closest that I have come to DIY was building the ClassD audio amp but that was already build, all I had to do was connect wires and drill some holes :smile:
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SCompRacer
    SCompRacer Posts: 8,504
    edited August 2012
    You are most welcome. Once I get past the dual mono build and it works, I may look into a digital display with remote. Right now the remote/digital display would be too much for me to take on.

    The kits are easy to build. All the parts to populate the board are shipped attached to ID tags. Like resistors, labeled R1-R12 A & B with their value. Simply pop them out one at a time and place them in the marked location on the PCB and solder away. No picking through a loose bag of parts.

    They have a comprehensive integration guide for a BIII build linked off this page just below the picture.
    http://www.twistedpearaudio.com/digital/buffalo.aspx
    All the answers are in there along with a BOM (bill of materials) list for additional items you need, such as chassis connectors, terminals and headers. They even provide the digikey and Mouser part numbers. For instance, rather than use the supplied screw type fasteners for everything, I used header pins and terminal plugs, like on the OTTO II pictured above.
    Salk SoundScape 8's * Audio Research Reference 3 * Bottlehead Eros Phono * Park's Audio Budgie SUT * Krell KSA-250 * Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ * Signature Series Sonore Music Server w/Deux PS * Roon * Gustard R26 DAC / Singxer SU-6 DDC * Heavy Plinth Lenco L75 Idler Drive * AA MG-1 Linear Air Bearing Arm * AT33PTG/II & Denon 103R * Richard Gray 600S * NHT B-12d subs * GIK Acoustic Treatments * Sennheiser HD650 *
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter