THE ORRONOCO AUDIO DIY

The story of this amplifier built is came 2 month ago when my friend asked me if I could build small amplifier that sound good enough to drive his 2 way bookshelf speakers. He just moved to the new house and the living room design is now more minimalist. Previously those bookshelf speakers are connected to the home audio receiver, so he can watching TV, playing games, and listen to the music with the same setups. In the new house, that home receiver cannot fit to the new cabinet. He replaced it with only using a Yamaha sound bar. It is sound good for movies and playing games, but not for music. That is why, he contacting me to build a small affordable good sounding amplifier that can fit inside his new cabinet so He can still using the bookshelf speaker just to listen to the music only. Since this build is simple, I think this is a good share for everyone who want to build an amplifier.

It is quite some time that one forum on the internet was shocked with someone amplify a raw DSD digital signal without any DAC, and it works! This issue also takes my curiosity and I want to try how could this possibly done. I am searching more information and this is quite makes sense since the DSD file is basically a pulse density modulation  and it is looks like an analog signal show on the oscilloscope. This is called data stream that very fast data generate and creating just like the analog signal. It is completely different with common pulse code modulation  or PCM in most music files, which they are basically codes that need to translate first before convert to the analog by using a DAC. So in this post, I will try by myself this digital DSD files amplify directly to analog.

On my previous DAC built, the  another ultimate DAC build  here   is basically an oversampling AD1865 DAC using CDX1144, then the current signal from DAC will going to the replaceable module called the IV & LPF combo module. This DAC is including a simple headphone amplifier that was initially built for experimenting various type of IV and LPF, then by using a headphone, I can carefully study how those modules effect to the sound quality. But I never did it anyway:) So I think, this is the first time I open it up again since the very first time built. Right now I will testing one simple method of DAC IV converter using only a resistor per channel. I am really curious how the sound quality with it.

My first trial using the GIC LPF is on this TDA1541 USB DAC. The result is surprisingly amazing. You might check the post  here  for the detail review of this DAC. I guess it is already few month passes since the built and this TDA1541 USB DAC is still "naked". Not even I think to put it inside a casing. I using this DAC in my test bench, to testing others audio components and I guess this is the time to find a casing for it. First of all, I don't want fancy aluminum casing. They are expensive. So I take the unused steel box that, a little bit rusty. It is need some cleaning and painting, but at the end it is a nice casing compare if not using any casing at all. Please continue read this post. At the end of this post, I will share the GIC LPF schematic that I implemented in this TDA1541 USB DAC.

For years I was searching a better headphone that I can compete with my currently favorite headphone, is the Sennheiser HD600. Then, it is happened once I got this Audeze LCD-2 headphone right now. Other than that, I personally like the design of this headphone more than anything I had before. It is just like a classic headphone which I think Audeze is quite conservative with their headphone design anyway since all of them shared the same design languages. So let's take a look closer.

A chain in one audio system is commonly consist of a source, pre-amplifier, power amplifier, and a pair of speakers. Especially between the pre-amplifier and power amplifier, most owners demanding more simple setup like using only an integrated amplifier. This integrated amplifier is including variety of input selection and a volume control and a pre-amplifier circuit inside. For the purest audiophile, the coloration from the pre-amplifier is avoided. That is why they prefer only using a power amplifier, minimizing extra components that can cause the coloration from it. With this in mind, they are prefer to use a passive preamplifier to connect to the power amplifier.

In this part 3 of the Reisong A10 single ended vacuum tube amplifier, I will share the upgrade progress to make this amplifier sound better by replace all the vacuum tubes and increase the bias on them. On the previous upgrade, I have changed this amplifier configuration from ultra-linear to triode. The triode is well known for better sound but has lower power output compare to the ultra-linear. This lower power output will become an issue if the speakers connected to this amplifier is having low sensitivity. But because this amplifier is intended to use for balanced headphone amplifier only, so the power output is not become my concern. This amplifier is having so much potential, so keep reading for this final progress of this amplifier upgrade.