Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Feb 15, 2022 15:10:50 GMT
It's time to start getting the digital parts of my system up to speed. First up will be the Soekris PSU. Currently running with a SMPS, the Soekris 1421 I had demonstrated a very positive response when the SMPS was removed and replaced with a very simple LPSU. Therefore, I have no reason to believe the 2541 won't benefit from an upgrade. Thankfully, the LPSU should only cost £100-150 to build. The first part I have ordered is this rather nifty regulator PCB for £22.00 It's got a decent spec and should have all the requirements needed to do a very capable job. I'll be ordering the transformers next. a.aliexpress.com/_mr42KLS " Adopting high-speed op amp OP plus MOS field tube output architecture, the op amp adopts the new and original high-precision op amp OP07, the field tube adopts the new original Infineon IRF9Z34 IRFZ34, etc., the output voltage is stable and the ripple is low, and the response speed is fast, which is very suitable Provide power to the DAC board" |
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Post by misterc on Feb 15, 2022 15:20:29 GMT
Good Start Oli
When you have settled in with this let me know and I can take them out to the next level or two for you
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Feb 15, 2022 15:23:52 GMT
Good Start Oli When you have settled in with this let me know and I can take them out to the next level or two for you Cheers T. I will most likely change the caps the moment it lands. I have a particular affinity to a particular Panasonic cap at the moment, so will be getting some of those. |
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Post by jimbo on Feb 15, 2022 16:52:02 GMT
The LPSU on your Soekris 1421 certainly improved the performance of the DAC if I remember correctly so I expect the same will happen on the Soekris 2541 when you get it sorted?
Interesting Oli, I am using something at the moment that uses some Panasonic caps and it is doing rather a good job. I will mention more on my blog later.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Feb 15, 2022 17:05:35 GMT
The LPSU on your Soekris 1421 certainly improved the performance of the DAC if I remember correctly so I expect the same will happen on the Soekris 2541 when you get it sorted? Interesting Oli, I am using something at the moment that uses some Panasonic caps and it is doing rather a good job. I will mention more on my blog later. Ah yes! You heard it after the upgrade, didn't you. It was a different animal after the LPSU was fitted. I have a few more bits of information that i will "smuggle" into this LPSU, so hopefully i can eek a bit more from it. Ohhh, i am intrigued. Tell us more! lol |
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Post by sq225917 on Feb 15, 2022 20:08:58 GMT
I have a couple of spare lt3045 boards, single and double, upto an amp. Think their set for 3.3v for digital rails.
Good for cascading after a more coarse reg, lm317, lt3083 etc.
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Post by zleepy on Feb 16, 2022 7:16:53 GMT
I'm following this thread with great interest. These kinds of modifications/upgrades are so much fun. Very tempted to try this myself.  |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Feb 16, 2022 10:12:23 GMT
I have a couple of spare lt3045 boards, single and double, upto an amp. Think their set for 3.3v for digital rails. Good for cascading after a more coarse reg, lm317, lt3083 etc. Nice idea is that. I may look at that further on into the build. |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Feb 16, 2022 10:13:05 GMT
I'm following this thread with great interest. These kinds of modifications/upgrades are so much fun. Very tempted to try this myself. I haven't found anything that didn't respond well to a LPSU upgrade from SMPS, so get your soldering iron out and get to work! lol |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Feb 16, 2022 10:41:15 GMT
Casework and transformers are now ordered too. I have everything else, so........ Just have to wait now.  |
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Post by zleepy on Feb 16, 2022 12:38:08 GMT
That's a really nice enclosure! Can you display the link?
And what transformers have you ordered?
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Feb 16, 2022 13:08:16 GMT
That's a really nice enclosure! Can you display the link? And what transformers have you ordered? Both transformers are from Multicomp. Off the shelf from RS online. I'll do a link to the casework later. |
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 12, 2022 17:18:50 GMT
A few weeks have passed and finally the regulator PCB has arrived. It's a really well made PCB. Very heavy in the hand and as i said, the build quality is superb. I decided to check it out, so i hooked up the two traffos and gave it a few measurements. It's absolutely on the money, +/-12v and +5v. I will adjust the voltage once there is a load on the PCB, but it is very stable.   |
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optical
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Post by optical on Mar 12, 2022 18:16:39 GMT
A few weeks have passed and finally the regulator PCB has arrived. It's a really well made PCB. Very heavy in the hand and as i said, the build quality is superb. I decided to check it out, so i hooked up the two traffos and gave it a few measurements. It's absolutely on the money, +/-12v and +5v. I will adjust the voltage once there is a load on the PCB, but it is very stable. That looks absolute quality Oli. Even the green lights look cool against the black board. Those cores are going to look very smart too. Great stuff as ever. |
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 12, 2022 18:17:56 GMT
A few weeks have passed and finally the regulator PCB has arrived. It's a really well made PCB. Very heavy in the hand and as i said, the build quality is superb. I decided to check it out, so i hooked up the two traffos and gave it a few measurements. It's absolutely on the money, +/-12v and +5v. I will adjust the voltage once there is a load on the PCB, but it is very stable. That looks absolute quality Oli. Even the green lights look cool against the black board. Those cores are going to look very smart too. Great stuff as ever. Yeah, shame they won't be seen 🥺 Very happy with what's arrived so far. Can't wait to get it up and running. |
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Post by optical on Mar 12, 2022 18:21:55 GMT
That looks absolute quality Oli. Even the green lights look cool against the black board. Those cores are going to look very smart too. Great stuff as ever. Yeah, shame they won't be seen 🥺 Very happy with what's arrived so far. Can't wait to get it up and running. Perspex case/lid?! Okay I know that's not your style but the combination of the copper colour on the cores with the green lights and black boards would look particularly "sick" as the kids say (I believe).... |
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Post by optical on Mar 12, 2022 18:22:59 GMT
Ah, I see the case you've got anyway, that's a beauty too
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 12, 2022 18:23:13 GMT
Yeah, shame they won't be seen 🥺 Very happy with what's arrived so far. Can't wait to get it up and running. Perspex case/lid?! Okay I know that's not your style but the combination of the copper colour on the cores with the green lights and black boards would look particularly "sick" as the kids say (I believe).... Hahaha, oh no, I'll have to charge myself Sean Jacobs prices for that sort of finish lol |
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Post by misterc on Mar 12, 2022 19:39:21 GMT
Nice work Oli the case sylish shape adds to the quality factor as well. Green LED's hummm  |
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 12, 2022 21:26:04 GMT
Nice work Oli the case sylish shape adds to the quality factor as well. Green LED's hummm Cheers T. I'm not sure if the LEDs are actually in the circuit or just there for show. If they are cosmetic, they are coming out. |
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 14, 2022 22:15:09 GMT
More capacitance captain! Part 1 of the cap upgrade is done. 2200uf caps out, 3300uf caps in. Not a great deal of different in ESR, so not really an upgrade, just more capacitance. I am going to swap the 560uf caps to 1000uf, if I can find them the right shape.  |
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 16, 2022 23:20:07 GMT
FFS!!!!  In the last few weeks, I have had 1) The case for the 686 build (£198) go to the outbound airport, get stuck and be returned to the seller. Then resent and now isn't tracking...no refund as of yet. Now repurchased from another seller at £221, while I await assistance from PayPal. 2) The BRZAudio Bluetooth DAC be cancelled, then resent....now no tracking update since20/2/22....now awaiting AliExpress to refund me (£48) after I wait 60 days!!! 3) My Zenmarket order of 200m of PC-TRIPLE C hook up wire got to the airport....EMS stopped all parcels to the UK due to flight problems.....now after three weeks and £180ish tied up in that later, I have to wait for it to get back to Zenmarket so they can bill me for FedEx to deliver it. They have refunded my postage at least. 3) Now the case for the Soekris power supply is cancelled after already waiting weeks! Another £40 sat with AliExpress that I need refunding. Reordered with the seller I bought the replacement 686 case from, for £67!! I am well pissed off at this point. |
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Post by optical on Mar 17, 2022 0:01:05 GMT
FFS!!!! In the last few weeks, I have had 1) The case for the 686 build (£198) go to the outbound airport, get stuck and be returned to the seller. Then resent and now isn't tracking...no refund as of yet. Now repurchased from another seller at £221, while I await assistance from PayPal. 2) The BRZAudio Bluetooth DAC be cancelled, then resent....now no tracking update since20/2/22....now awaiting AliExpress to refund me (£48) after I wait 60 days!!! 3) My Zenmarket order of 200m of PC-TRIPLE C hook up wire got to the airport....EMS stopped all parcels to the UK due to flight problems.....now after three weeks and £180ish tied up in that later, I have to wait for it to get back to Zenmarket so they can bill me for FedEx to deliver it. They have refunded my postage at least. 3) Now the fucking case for the Soekris power supply is cancelled after already waiting weeks! Another £40 sat with AliExpress that I need refunding. Reordered with the seller I bought the replacement 686 case from, for £67!! I am well pissed off at this point. Christ, that is a horrific run of bad luck there. That kind of thing could easily get you down as some of the things you would have gotten to 'soften the blow' of things being delayed or cancelled have themselves been delayed or cancelled! Plus the drag for refunds etc.... What a total pisser. Good thing is though you've not given up and you'll have some cases to replace the cancelled ones albeit at some extra cost. I'm sure you'll have plenty to do to take your mind off it anyway and it will all be worth the wait. Unfortunately things are not how they once were logistically or most other ways.... Not much we can do about it though so no point in staying pissed off. Although I would be absolutely fuming with that list of events. Keep at it mate! |
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Post by antonio on Mar 17, 2022 8:20:41 GMT
That really is bad luck Oli, I only had two orders go wrong, one went to Turkey and the other was for a pair reading glasses, the lens' were not right. Good luck in getting your re-orders and refunds. I've yet to order anything from Zen, especially since 2022 is a 'No Buy HiFi' year for me  |
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 18, 2022 7:43:13 GMT
Hoping the luck has started to change?
Just had a refund for the original 686 case via my PayPal claim!
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Post by electronumpty on Mar 18, 2022 18:03:11 GMT
Good , always a relief when things like that go through.
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Post by rexton on Mar 18, 2022 19:28:37 GMT
This hobby can be like this sometimes. I hope the tide turns.
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 24, 2022 21:07:59 GMT
Tide has turned and the case for the PSU landed today! I haven't assembled it as I was doing the 686, but it's now definitely on the radar. Changed the Rubycons to Wurth caps and Went from 560uf to 1000uf per cap. Much more like it IMO.  |
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Post by electronumpty on Mar 24, 2022 21:34:13 GMT
Was it Wurth it?
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Bigman80
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Post by Bigman80 on Mar 24, 2022 21:50:35 GMT
Ha! Well, for about £8 and 10 minutes if my time, I think so. |
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