An Assemblage 3.1 Non-Build

[Mr.Sneis]

I purchased this DAC from another HC'er in Canada down to the states but it looks like maybe he didn't get around to testing it out before selling it to me as it locks onto digital signals but provides no useful output otherwise.

I only have a glimpse of the history of this thing but it's lived a rough life.  I am positive old forum favorite NoNoNoNoNoNo is the previous previous owner and the work here is very very bad.  Lots of WTF and cold solder joints everywhere and bonus scorch marks on some box caps, that odd white wire is a jumper used after he lifted a pcb trace...

As a novice I have since cleaned this thing up as far as I can get it, at least at my skill level, which includes removing all of the crazy bypasses and dexa regulators for 7805//7905 still no joy.  Also looked to be a bit of soda or coffee spill near the power board and switches but it cleaned up OK and all regulators actually seem to test out fine.

Have reached out to partsconnexion but no real schematic seems to exist.  If anyone's willing to help me out with this thing or work on it for reasonable sum I would be greatly appreciative, otherwise I may have to suck it up and ship it to pcx.  No magic smoke or obvious damage. The opamps are getting proper +/- 15v and a passive IV test seems to be no output as well.  When locked on and powered up I can hear some intermittent static noises.

 

 

 

And here it is currently all cleaned up.

Edited March 20, 2017 by Mr.Sneis

[kevin gilmore]

this  definitely looks like NoNoNoNoNoNo class work. I have a few of his dead attempts in the basement, Jacob will remember.

better question would be why you would want to put any more money into this in an attempt to fix it

Edited March 20, 2017 by kevin gilmore

[Mr.Sneis]

Unfortunately it didn't come to me for free!  Purchased from a reasonably trustworthy member with a MO across countries, he hasn't truly gotten back to me either.

Edited March 20, 2017 by Mr.Sneis

[mypasswordis]

Wow that's bad.... NoNoNoNoNoNo continues to haunt from the proverbial grave. I'm not even sure pcx will be able to fix that clusterfuck but that would be the way to go if you ever want to let go of it for more than 0 dollars. Or just return it to the seller

[kevin gilmore]

Definitely return it if you can

otherwise get a scope and see if you get clock to the d/a outputs both before and after the opto isolators

then see if you get any data etc.. My guess is that the input board is in trouble and I can't imagine anyone actually be willing to troubleshoot something that old filled with obsolete parts.

check the +/-15 at each d/a board, same thing with the 5v

[n_maher]

2 hours ago, kevin gilmore said:

Definitely return it if you can

otherwise get a scope and see if you get clock to the d/a outputs both before and after the opto isolators

then see if you get any data etc.. My guess is that the input board is in trouble and I can't imagine anyone actually be willing to troubleshoot something that old filled with obsolete parts.

check the +/-15 at each d/a board, same thing with the 5v

Second the advice on the return, that goose looks pretty cooked.

[Mr.Sneis]

Yeah, trying to give him the benefit of the doubt so to speak trying to do what I can with what i have.  Just sent a pm pleading to work out a return even though its across country and shipping is not insigificant.  It's more likely the shoddy workmanship of NoNoNoNoNoNo that caused this than anything, very sad and stressful situation.

[grawk]

if it's the one that was listed for sale, he claimed it was filburt who did the mod.  I can't imagine his work would be as bad as that, so I'd take that as misrepresentation.

[Mr.Sneis]

Without a doubt NoNoNoNoNoNo did this one.  Why the heck is his name censored.

[spritzer]

We talked so much shit about him that he threatened to sue... 

[Pars]

Just had to try it to see if I remembered... NoNoNoNoNoNo

 

And no way in hell that is filburt's doing.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Voltron]

MasNoNoNoNoNoNosetts

Heh heh

[wink]

So, the Assemblage wasn't assembled too well..........    

[guzziguy]

It's more like Assem-blage!

[Mr.Sneis]

I'm done giving him the benefit of the doubt. I bought this DAC from Dreamwhisper and would not recommend anyone giving him any sort of trust in the future.  He's been zero help and has been awful at any sort of reply.  I love this hobby but stuff like this really just kills the enthusiasm.

Will be going through the motions with PCX.

[wink]

Nightmare Whisper

http://www.head-fi.org/t/834897/assemblage-3-1-d2d-1   

Edited March 28, 2017 by wink
More tragic info..... :ph34r:

[dreamwhisper]

Hey Ricky,

 

You're welcome to give me a call this weekend if you'd like to chat about more history about this unit or this transaction.

I didn't do any of the modifications on the Assemblage, but that electrical tape is good until 600V!

This is however, not the right application.

Cheers

[Icarium]

Uh, this is a super old thread -- but for future reference in case anyone needs... I have a pdf version of the assemblage dac 3.1 manual which has schematics/parts layout and assembly instructions (From Chris Johnson). I took a look through it...the schematics might be too blurry (not very high rez pdf) but yeah PM me if this is something you need in the future.