Buffalo32S DAC

[Currawong]

This is definitely on my list of projects, along with the CTH.

[Nebby]

x2 on that. I fully support what the TWP guys do but there are times that I wish they would stick with a design for a little while longer and not immediately jump to the next, newerbetterfasterquicker model.

x3 on that. I'm looking forward to playing with one.

[n_maher]

This just in...

[Beefy]

This just in...

Nice!

Would love to see a schematic, to work out how things are different from the old Buffalo......

[Smeggy]

Very nice indeed!

[naamanf]

Being a sucker I am sure I will end up picking one up to give a whirl.

[naamanf]

$469 for the board and $549 with power supplies.

[Hopstretch]

Already sold out or not yet released?

[naamanf]

I would say not yet released. They usually let people know ahead of time when they will go on sale..

[Augsburger]

$469 for the board and $549 with power supplies.

Naaman,

You mean with the new power supplies they were working on since Christmas right? Different than the IVY ones?

[naamanf]

It looks like it's the older PSs. No idea when the newer Placid PS will be available.

[Beefy]

Naaman,

You mean with the new power supplies they were working on since Christmas right? Different than the IVY ones?

IVY is their active I/V and line stage.

The new power supply has been in development since WELL before Christmas. Russ canned it temporarily because it worked but didn't behave very well. Though by the sounds of it, the new Buffalo has fairly substantial on-board voltage regulation...... I'm not convinced that you will need anything better than the LM317 based regulators they currently sell.

[swt61]

So is this new Buffalo going to require an Ivy or Counterpoint to sound it's best, or is that built in to the new board?

[Beefy]

All built in.

[n_maher]

All built in.

Just IVY built in right? I found that choice odd given all of the positive stuff that Russ had been posting about the Counterpoint.

[naamanf]

I think the reason they went with the Ivy II on the initial B32 is because it gave them better #s since everything was on one board.

The counterpoint would be on option on the second B32 board that allows more flexibility in configuration.

Oh what to do.

[Beefy]

Just IVY built in right? I found that choice odd given all of the positive stuff that Russ had been posting about the Counterpoint.

Heavily updated IVY.

Counterpoint is a funny one. Russ likes it, but I think that the design is a bit finicky. He still seems to worry about turn off thump and DC offset.

I think the reason they went with the Ivy II on the initial B32 is because it gave them better #s since everything was on one board.

The counterpoint would be on option on the second B32 board that allows more flexibility in configuration.

Yep. We can't forget that there is a second DAC-only tweakers board coming that will allow the use of IVY II, Counterpoint, or any other I/V stage the user desires.

Oh what to do.

I'm sticking with my existing Buffalo

[AlanY]

Does Twisted Pear use separate analog and digital ground planes? It's hard to tell if they do. From the schematics of the Opus and original Buffalo it looks like the digital and analog grounds are shared?

[Beefy]

Does Twisted Pear use separate analog and digital ground planes? It's hard to tell if they do. From the schematics of the Opus and original Buffalo it looks like the digital and analog grounds are shared?

NFI. I can normally follow a schematic OK, but the original Buffalo schematic bakes my noodle

[swt61]

So $549.00 includes most everything needed, save for case and connectors?

Seems like a pretty decent deal to me. I'm assuming that if I desired multiple switched digital inputs I could add the S/PDIF 4:1 MUX/Receiver Module?

[Beefy]

So $549.00 includes most everything needed, save for case and connectors?

You will need power transformers as well.

I'm assuming that if I desired multiple switched digital inputs I could add the S/PDIF 4:1 MUX/Receiver Module?

Yep, that is pretty much it. You should be able to power the MUX from the second channel of the LCDPS. You can also add optical and USB receiver modules with no worries.

[AlanY]

NFI. I can normally follow a schematic OK, but the original Buffalo schematic bakes my noodle

I think they're following Guido Tent's advice here:

http://www.tentlabs.com/InfoSupport/page35/files/Supply_decoupling.pdf

and not separating the digital and analog ground planes. This goes against pretty much every suggested layout by every DAC manufacturer, but Guido may still be right. I wish there was some good resource for this.

[Beefy]

I think they're following Guido Tent's advice here:

http://www.tentlabs.com/InfoSupport/page35/files/Supply_decoupling.pdf

and not separating the digital and analog ground planes. This goes against pretty much every suggested layout by every DAC manufacturer, but Guido may still be right. I wish there was some good resource for this.

Might be worth your while to ask Russ in the Buffalo thread on DIY Audio for confirmation. I am sure that he will be more than happy to give you a definitive answer

[Pars]

I think they're following Guido Tent's advice here:

http://www.tentlabs.com/InfoSupport/page35/files/Supply_decoupling.pdf

and not separating the digital and analog ground planes. This goes against pretty much every suggested layout by every DAC manufacturer, but Guido may still be right. I wish there was some good resource for this.

I'd take a look here.

DIYHiFi.org • View topic - Ground question

[AlanY]

I'd take a look here.

DIYHiFi.org • View topic - Ground question

That's fascinating, particularly the Henry Ott links. Thanks.