New AK4497 DAC project

[Cogito]

Even the AK4490EQ board I have that was $26 has a $5 DAC ship in low quant. The chip price drops by half in quantity.

The AK4497EQ in quantity is $44 at Digikey for a $118 board. Still may be fake or a second, so will see what happens.

Now to get some power supplies resurrected.

DAC chip is likely genuine but everything else is an imitation.

[Pelliott321]

I have had good luck with Twisted Pear DAC kits
They use the ESS chips They just released one with the latest ESS Pro chip. I always wait for the Rev 2 before I take the plunge
They use shunt bases PS but you can use your own. They have two different audio out boards.
I feel what I have is very musical (for digital)
They have a forum in DIYAudio

[HAL]

Paul,
Very familiar with the Twisted Pear Audio folks.

I really liked the Opus with the Wolfson Micro WM8741 DAC. Love the minimum phase filters. To bad when Cirrus Logic bought them, they discontinued the entire line of WM874x DAC's.

With very good separate regulators for digital and analog sections, they were the best I heard compared the ESS and others. That is why I am trying the AKM's, as they have filters that are not linear phase available.

A friend has the TPA ESS DAC and after doing a repair to his unit, got a good listen. Another friend has an Oppo BDP-105 wiht the ESS DAC as well. Not my cup of tea.

Shashi

The resistors look like Xicor which are inexpensive. The caps are suspect since they look like organic electrolyte versions.

All through hole components except the DAC and IC's, so easily changed. Might even put in some Texas Components bulk metal foils for the opamp feedback loops and output stages. They are expensive, but sound excellent.

[Roscoe Primrose]

Unless you can do SMD soldering, you have a non-working board.

SMD soldering of a chip that big is not that hard. Paste and a temperature controlled iron with a small tip is all you need.

Roscoe

[tomp]

If anyone needs a hot air reflow system to work with SMDs I have one you can borrow.

[Cogito]

Walmart has SMD soldering station for $55
https://www.walmart.com/ip/SMD-2in1-862D-Soldering-Station-Soldering-Iron-Kit-Welder-Kit-Hot-Air-Gun-Rework-Station-Accessories/195704626?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=10478&adid=22222222227084754390&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=t&wl3=200443101349&wl4=pla-325840529968&wl5=9007575&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=117097058&wl11=online&wl12=195704626&wl13=&veh=sem#read-more

[HAL]

Get a big magnifying lens and light as well to work with for the SMD soldering or a good pair of magnifiers.