The Ultimate R2R USB DAC PCM1704 With Vacuum Tubes Output (Part 3) Chassis & Assembly

On the previous parts, I have made separate PCB for each DAC and power supply modules. This method makes me easier to upgrade to a different module someday.

The total modules are 4 PCB which they are consist of:

1. The PCM1704 DAC with receiver and power supply regulators.

2. The high voltage transformer for the vacuum tubes.

3. The low voltage power supply and regulator circuit for the vacuum tubes.

4. And the last is the vacuum tubes analog module.

Continuing this ultimate DAC project, I need to put them altogether in one single chassis.

And here it is.

The Ultimate R2R USB DAC PCM1704 With Vacuum Tubes Output (Part 2) DAC & Analog Section

I continue my post about the building process of this ultimate USB DAC using PCM1704 and vacuum tube output.

I choose this PCM1704 as part of this ultimate DAC project is because this PCM1704 is the latest R2R multibit DAC and discontinued before year of 2000. This PCM1704 is the only off-shelf IC that capable of 24 bit and 96 kHz sampling rate.

For the analog section will consist of a vacuum tube per channel. It is 6DJ8 tube that very popular and easy to find the upgrade replacement.

So let's continue.

The Ultimate R2R USB DAC PCM1704 With Vacuum Tubes Output (Part 1) Power Supply Section

A short brief about my Ultimate DAC built since last year are all having the same principles. The first things, they are optimized in the power supply section, using the best components possible and the better layout. Then the second things, they are theoretically the best to implemented.

For sure, all of my DAC built are never the same. I keep experimenting different kind of digital receiver, DAC IC and analog section variation to aim the best sound from the multibit vintage DAC.

With all of my previous DAC built are using the solid-state output, means they are using op-amps as the IV conversion, LPF and buffer output, but I have one dream to make a DAC using the vacuum tubes output.

And I think this is the right time to make it happen.