audiobill
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US delivery is included in the price, but there is a promo code field during checkout so there may be a discount available. No trial period or returns.
SOUNDAWARE DAM1:Reference-level DAC
- Thread starter soundaware
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m-i-c-k-e-y
Headphoneus Supremus
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What? Holy empty box, Batman!
Is it possible to make a compact version? A vertical orientation might be really nice.
m-i-c-k-e-y
Headphoneus Supremus
Chord Dave is a bit smaller not counting its PS.
soundaware
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Maybe there will be a model with an internal power supply in the future.
FOUNDERZERO
100+ Head-Fier
Pretty impressed at the circuit simplicity here. I imagine that wasn't easy to accomplish. Would be really nice to see the DAM1 and LPX packaged in a smaller chassis respectively. I get keeping the PSU as a discrete unit to keep interference to a minimum. A two chassis deal with each being around the size of Chord's Dave or smaller could be very appealing.
Baten
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Way to see the bright side, loll
FOUNDERZERO
100+ Head-Fier
???
This DAC is hardly the only model out there that doesn't fill its chassis out. Outside of cherry picking a couple sentences, it's evident that I would prefer something with a more fitting form factor, but I understand that Soundaware would like to be consistent with their designs because that's something the average consumer cares about a lot. Just because components aren't occupying every inch of the chassis doesn't mean that the product is made without care.
soundaware
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In fact, this is mainly due to the power supply and DAC is used in separate design, so as to reduce the adverse effects of radiation and vibration.
1laraz
Head-Fier
Hi Soundaware, what exactly does RAM contribute to in PA1-Ref and how does it compare to USB reclockers like Innuos PhoenixUSB? PhoenixUSB also completely regenerates the signal and has an 25 Mhz OCXO clock, but it misses RAM memory.
soundaware
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Regarding the situation that some friends mentioned that the DAM1 is empty internally, here are some answers on behalf of our engineers:
Since the DAM1 has no internal power supply, no earphones and only a pure DAC function, power consumption is very low. As a flagship DAC, the DAM1 uses the latest technology. The new electronics have resulted in significant miniaturisation of high-end materials. For example, the power supply: a 4uv noise linear regulator less than the original dozens of mv lm317 1/10 volume, and less than dozens of uv LT TO-220 1/10.
Noise relative to LM317 down nearly 10,000 times, but the volume is only equivalent to the size of two grains of rice. Not only power supplies, but also crystals and capacitors. High-performance film capacitors, previously as large as a fingernail cap, now only as small as 0805 (0.2mm) and can be SMD. For example, 22.5792MHZ crystal, now as small as 2016 size (0.5mm), but performance up to +-0.5ppm,-144 dbc/hz (1khz). Therefore, small size and high performance can be achieved.
In addition, with the multilayer PCB technology has been very mature, HIFI motherboard multilayer has been an industry trend, but some R & D engineers may not be skilled in the design of this multilayer impedance board. Multilayer PCBs have more complete ground planes and protection, as well as shorter paths, thus providing better signal quality. As a manufacturer capable of designing X86 HIFI motherboards, we are skilled in the design of these multilayer impedance boards. Due to the use of multilayer PCBs and miniaturisation of high-end components, the DAM1 does not need a large PCB at all.
DAM1 uses four layers of gold immersion, two-sided chip components, and impedance matching PCB, components are small, so the PCB is not large, it does not look like a traditional product that "uses a lot of components".
In fact, we are very careful about the choice of materials for the DAM1, perhaps audiophiles may not have noticed all of them. Here do not go into detail, only a few for reference:
The core has an 8-way level 500mA/1A, about 4uv noise reference linear power supply system. In addition to this, there are multiple dozens of uv levels of power.
DAM1 has two custom AT-cut OCXO levels with custom audio frequencies - 22.5792MHZ, 24.576MHZ high-end clocks. Heated to an accuracy of about <0.03ppm, 1khz -145dbc/hz.
We make extensive use of high performance polymer filter capacitors of less than 5 milliohms with >= 100uf capacity.
The PA1 module as well as the PLL of the Jinling DSP use two crystals, both low-noise, high-precision TCXOs.
Small package capacitors, all film capacitors when they can be used, etc.
Since the DAM1 has no internal power supply, no earphones and only a pure DAC function, power consumption is very low. As a flagship DAC, the DAM1 uses the latest technology. The new electronics have resulted in significant miniaturisation of high-end materials. For example, the power supply: a 4uv noise linear regulator less than the original dozens of mv lm317 1/10 volume, and less than dozens of uv LT TO-220 1/10.
Noise relative to LM317 down nearly 10,000 times, but the volume is only equivalent to the size of two grains of rice. Not only power supplies, but also crystals and capacitors. High-performance film capacitors, previously as large as a fingernail cap, now only as small as 0805 (0.2mm) and can be SMD. For example, 22.5792MHZ crystal, now as small as 2016 size (0.5mm), but performance up to +-0.5ppm,-144 dbc/hz (1khz). Therefore, small size and high performance can be achieved.
In addition, with the multilayer PCB technology has been very mature, HIFI motherboard multilayer has been an industry trend, but some R & D engineers may not be skilled in the design of this multilayer impedance board. Multilayer PCBs have more complete ground planes and protection, as well as shorter paths, thus providing better signal quality. As a manufacturer capable of designing X86 HIFI motherboards, we are skilled in the design of these multilayer impedance boards. Due to the use of multilayer PCBs and miniaturisation of high-end components, the DAM1 does not need a large PCB at all.
DAM1 uses four layers of gold immersion, two-sided chip components, and impedance matching PCB, components are small, so the PCB is not large, it does not look like a traditional product that "uses a lot of components".
In fact, we are very careful about the choice of materials for the DAM1, perhaps audiophiles may not have noticed all of them. Here do not go into detail, only a few for reference:
The core has an 8-way level 500mA/1A, about 4uv noise reference linear power supply system. In addition to this, there are multiple dozens of uv levels of power.
DAM1 has two custom AT-cut OCXO levels with custom audio frequencies - 22.5792MHZ, 24.576MHZ high-end clocks. Heated to an accuracy of about <0.03ppm, 1khz -145dbc/hz.
We make extensive use of high performance polymer filter capacitors of less than 5 milliohms with >= 100uf capacity.
The PA1 module as well as the PLL of the Jinling DSP use two crystals, both low-noise, high-precision TCXOs.
Small package capacitors, all film capacitors when they can be used, etc.
FOUNDERZERO
100+ Head-Fier
Do the DAM1 and LPX come in black? Seeing as how there aren't color options on the site, I'm guessing the answer is no.
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