# DIY USB DAC Kits



## lacrossebowe8

While I have just recently registered to this forum, I have been reading up on USB dacs and DIY headphone amps. I plan to build the bottlehead sex amp as it fits my budget and should be relatively easy to build for someone with little experience. The harder choice is which DAC to buy or build. 

 I will be using my computer as a transport, so USB is a necessity. I have looked at the twisted pear dacs and they both look interesting, but it may be tough to get my hands on one. I have also looked at the DDDAC1543 MK2 but I have seen few comments on it so I am slightly hesitant about it. If anyone has any information on that it would be great. Apart from these two, I see few, if any other dacs that have a satisfactory usb integration. For example, the monica seems nice, but the usb is not available as a kit. I would like to build the dac, but would prefer a kit as sourcing parts could be tough. I am open to any other suggestions anyone has as well as relevant information on the twisted pear or DDDAC1543 MK2 dacs. 

 I will be starting with a pair of grado sr-80's I have laying around, then I will upgrade to something better (grado rs-1, akg 701 or something along those lines). Thanks for any suggestions.


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## JamesL

Alien dac kit distributed by jeff. 
 Highly recommended.


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## lacrossebowe8

That one looks interesting too. How hard would it be to power it independantly, as in not by the usb bus? The usb bus seems noisy. I would probably want to battery power it to keep noise down.


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## tomb

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *lacrossebowe8* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_That one looks interesting too. How hard would it be to power it independantly, as in not by the usb bus? The usb bus seems noisy. I would probably want to battery power it to keep noise down._

 

The ones who've tried both options report that there's no difference. The Alien DAC is linear-regulated in either case: USB or separate power. That cuts down on the potential noise.


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## Jambo

I don't want to overly plug my own stuff, but have a look at the project I'm working on:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f6/jambo-dac-288159/


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## lacrossebowe8

I have read some about your jambo dac and it also looks good. I would be pretty inclined towards it. When will you have a kit ready?


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## jamess71

Would these dacs be better that the DAC in a oppo 980? I'm not sure if it would be worth making one?

 Thanks 
 James


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## royewest

Don't forget Scott Nixon's DAC kits: dac.htm


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## MisterX

HIFIDIY USB DAC-HIFIDIY

 I would suggest leaving the toob off though.


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## Daveze

There's also the DAC-301. It's not a hard build, all the surface mount devices are already mounted, you just need to do a few through hole caps and various jacks.


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## rds

wait for jambo's kit - he really seems to know what he's doing and you can't beat those components.


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## lacrossebowe8

I was also thinking about doing an audio note 1.1 kit and a hagtech usb-spdif converter. this would be more expensive, but the audio note has everything I need to build it and is very easily upgradeable (although I suppose all diy dacs are.) Any thoughts on the audio note?


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## lacrossebowe8

Also does the alien dac have digital outs? As in can it convert to spdif so I could upgrade to another dac at some point? I seem to remember one kit did this but I don't remember which one it was.


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## MisterX

No, the Alien USB audio device does not have a S/PDIF interface. 

Alien DAC - Overview

  Quote:


 I seem to remember one kit did this but I don't remember which one it was. 
 

This one? 
Hagerman Technology LLC: HagUsb USB to SPDIF Audiophile Converter


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## lacrossebowe8

The hagtech wasn't the one I meant. I know that it does usb to spdif, but I was talking about some kit that had usb in, analog and digital outs.


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## error401

The Opus USB receiver offers both analog and digital outs, but it's not really DIY.


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## Jambo

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *lacrossebowe8* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_The hagtech wasn't the one I meant. I know that it does usb to spdif, but I was talking about some kit that had usb in, analog and digital outs._

 

Ya, mine does. To answer your earlier question, kits should be available by early June.


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## soloz2

jambo, is yours USB powered, or does it need an external power source?

 nm, I read a few pages in and found out that it needs an external power source.


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## lacrossebowe8

Jambo, what will pricing probably be? And will the kit have all parts minus the power supply or will I have to source parts?


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## sid_

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *lacrossebowe8* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Jambo, what will pricing probably be? And will the kit have all parts minus the power supply or will I have to source parts?_

 

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f6/jam...ml#post4215513


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