Raspberry Pi and a soldering iron

[ReggieB]

I bought a Audiophonics RaspDAC Kit (http://www.audiophonics.fr/en/diy-dac/audiophonics-raspdac-kit-diy-network-player-raspberry-pi-20-dac-sabre-p-10384.html) before Christmas, and I thought it was about time I sat down to build it. The kit comprises a set of parts and no instructions.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-AFIVIPT1az4/VoV1-tCDvXI/AAAAAAAAAn0/fsi1KG-krLI/w1215-h682-no/IMG_20151231_141748908.jpg

So I've had to do a little homework and I've sourced some additional parts to make things a little easier for myself.

The additional parts being some female to female ribbon cable (http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=Arduino+ribbon+cable&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XArduino+r ibbon+cable+female.TRS0&_nkw=Arduino+ribbon+cable+female&_sacat=0) to connect the DAC to the display, and some male pin connection strips (http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw=pin+strips+male+connector+pcb&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xpin+strip s+male+connector+pcb+arduino.TRS0&_nkw=pin+strips+male+connector+pcb+arduino&_sacat=0) to solder to the DAC and Display so that I can easily swap connections and minimise the amount of soldering required.

The main information I needed was the pin-outs for the display, which I got via Audiophonics support:

http://forum.audiophonics.fr/download/file.php?id=158&sid=e692fe7c3d6c9f8ee05fc6a0c4f592f7

I also had a little play with a breadboard to check out how the power switch needed to be wired.

I hit one problem fairly early on. The images of the built kit on the Audiophonics site show the power socket installed next to the audio RCAs:

http://audiophonics.fr/img/cms/newsletter/h2.jpg

However, with the DAC supplied, there is a headphone socket in the way:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Oa-XJcavfYU/VoV19s6NFEI/AAAAAAAAAno/VbEvtH9Onio/w1215-h682-no/IMG_20151231_145834931.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-MeI3r45UWKk/VoV1_MuT5LI/AAAAAAAAAn4/RP8_9BrwFrg/w1215-h682-no/IMG_20151231_145854702.jpg

So I'm going to have to drill a new hole for the power socket. For now, I'm leaving the lid off the unit and am dangling the socket over the side.

I used pin strips to provide the connections between the DAC and display:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gWfR_d110i0/VoV2DA4haOI/AAAAAAAAAoA/H5W0mQnLK5o/w1215-h682-no/IMG_20151231_150521660.jpg
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-q0CRhEfMF_g/VoV2JY-3fuI/AAAAAAAAAoI/rfZ6Tje9Pzo/w1215-h682-no/IMG_20151231_154155855.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-M7YTmZZm-WI/VoV2KPGI18I/AAAAAAAAAoQ/zNa7FYCi9SI/w1215-h682-no/IMG_20151231_154725893.jpg

As you can see, I'm not the greatest solderer in the world. At least this way I only have to solder the once, and can easily reconnect everything.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-WMC8E1jjPQo/VoV2MMQ1mcI/AAAAAAAAAoY/bBWbluEelb8/w383-h682-no/IMG_20151231_160427964.jpg

That image shows the two units connected via 10cm cables - in fact, I needed 20cm cables to get the reach needed when the units were fitted into the box.

This is everything assembled:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-dHxzLFTzZPE/VoV2P1xvhEI/AAAAAAAAAog/akPDBxdoMJk/w383-h682-no/IMG_20151231_180947819.jpg

The unit's now all connected up to my hi-fi and working (except the display). Work still to do:

Drill new hole for power socket
Get the display working - something needs configuring in the software - so I need to do more homework
Improve the power switch circuity - currently it just cuts the supply to the unit. I'd like it to power down the Pi
Increase the size of the resistor for the power switch light as it's a bit on the bright side for my liking.
Connect up the HDMI socket - I don't need it at the moment - but I'll connect it up once the power socket is in place.

[ReggieB]

I'm moved on a little bit - I now have a display, but of gobbledegook.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Es3sHvpJEQe_wZ5aoz7JULop6O6y0FX56Cn014skYWXk-QBHx37cSRE9qAMAKU13mpnZTWq8WdSXgIzsoy9YO_JVZ1IQi1q Q_mOPb4gjLKHeGJsld1gAMOOALl-27eu40hZhqgkO4baiZHB9AHMVh_TllK_F51BhCACy71Noul8sF 6fyNnKx90GxhyPRl-b2-_O6j9HhvgYhQCX_EJQBwBuqC2-uQ8MdB9lrVEiH7Dkfury7r8FxjziVmlopgSzqcqiPnmMrlFLXw NK1XavyZItqGtJB1FArSnZLUGSIG9p_WwCpERUdXEiJU71613f eCzvPuDQKgkzWHybj0HXn31AWBk5VtneDkXCMQMfToWEA8lbmY IGvYEpXvmnPS6_Yv2flAnSb1Z96Byfsn21W9MnMc1Gynn-C6X-dpf2xxPjdTrkLI7wmKmTvua1cKH3oFvmGFyaes_HKF0xvUH1Hr 3Et9Kp_D2fto4SLhZTxls2SeQwE4lLxvgiq_TlljIfssa_dQzm 7ZA9bMu3QInWBlLImpBDmgZ0gWzbx92AcWO5ohPxmQ-SbXWsSw5ESoEbVkUAh=w1375-h772-no

I was a little ingenuous saying there was no documentation. There is quiet a lot on the Audiophonics forum (http://forum.audiophonics.fr/), but it is mostly in French. Thank goodness for chrome's translate facility.

To get a display, I had to move to Volumio (I'd initially set the unit up with Moode), and then followed the instructions on the forum (http://forum.audiophonics.fr/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1492).

This at least got a display. I just have to fix the bug that's causing the display to be corrupted/malformed.

[Lunicycle]

Rob, You have probably seen this already but if you look at the pictures of the made up version on the Audiphonics website they look to have removed the headphone socket to allow the power socket to use that hole in the case. Will be interested hear what you think of the SQ. Cheers Richard

[struth]

I'm moved on a little bit - I now have a display, but of gobbledegook.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Es3sHvpJEQe_wZ5aoz7JULop6O6y0FX56Cn014skYWXk-QBHx37cSRE9qAMAKU13mpnZTWq8WdSXgIzsoy9YO_JVZ1IQi1q Q_mOPb4gjLKHeGJsld1gAMOOALl-27eu40hZhqgkO4baiZHB9AHMVh_TllK_F51BhCACy71Noul8sF 6fyNnKx90GxhyPRl-b2-_O6j9HhvgYhQCX_EJQBwBuqC2-uQ8MdB9lrVEiH7Dkfury7r8FxjziVmlopgSzqcqiPnmMrlFLXw NK1XavyZItqGtJB1FArSnZLUGSIG9p_WwCpERUdXEiJU71613f eCzvPuDQKgkzWHybj0HXn31AWBk5VtneDkXCMQMfToWEA8lbmY IGvYEpXvmnPS6_Yv2flAnSb1Z96Byfsn21W9MnMc1Gynn-C6X-dpf2xxPjdTrkLI7wmKmTvua1cKH3oFvmGFyaes_HKF0xvUH1Hr 3Et9Kp_D2fto4SLhZTxls2SeQwE4lLxvgiq_TlljIfssa_dQzm 7ZA9bMu3QInWBlLImpBDmgZ0gWzbx92AcWO5ohPxmQ-SbXWsSw5ESoEbVkUAh=w1375-h772-no

I was a little ingenuous saying there was no documentation. There is quiet a lot on the Audiophonics forum (http://forum.audiophonics.fr/), but it is mostly in French. Thank goodness for chrome's translate facility.

To get a display, I had to move to Volumio (I'd initially set the unit up with Moode), and then followed the instructions on the forum (http://forum.audiophonics.fr/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1492).

This at least got a display. I just have to fix the bug that's causing the display to be corrupted/malformed.

Strange it doesnt work with moode... Good luck fixing the glitch

[ReggieB]

Strange it doesnt work with moode... Good luck fixing the glitch

The file locations are different. The routine that generates the display needs to look up information from the player app - so it needs to know where the player is. Once I get it working with one setup, I don't think it will that difficult to migrate it to another system such as moode.

I'm working away at the moment, so progress may be slow.

[ReggieB]

Rob, You have probably seen this already but if you look at the pictures of the made up version on the Audiphonics website they look to have removed the headphone socket to allow the power socket to use that hole in the case. Will be interested hear what you think of the SQ. Cheers Richard

I'm not sure whether they've removed the socket, or earlier versions of the board didn't have the socket - I think the latter.

I have considered removing the socket, but I think it may be useful to have a 3.5mm output, and it's not that difficult to drill a new hole in the case.

[museguy]

I'm moved on a little bit - I now have a display, but of gobbledegook.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Es3sHvpJEQe_wZ5aoz7JULop6O6y0FX56Cn014skYWXk-QBHx37cSRE9qAMAKU13mpnZTWq8WdSXgIzsoy9YO_JVZ1IQi1q Q_mOPb4gjLKHeGJsld1gAMOOALl-27eu40hZhqgkO4baiZHB9AHMVh_TllK_F51BhCACy71Noul8sF 6fyNnKx90GxhyPRl-b2-_O6j9HhvgYhQCX_EJQBwBuqC2-uQ8MdB9lrVEiH7Dkfury7r8FxjziVmlopgSzqcqiPnmMrlFLXw NK1XavyZItqGtJB1FArSnZLUGSIG9p_WwCpERUdXEiJU71613f eCzvPuDQKgkzWHybj0HXn31AWBk5VtneDkXCMQMfToWEA8lbmY IGvYEpXvmnPS6_Yv2flAnSb1Z96Byfsn21W9MnMc1Gynn-C6X-dpf2xxPjdTrkLI7wmKmTvua1cKH3oFvmGFyaes_HKF0xvUH1Hr 3Et9Kp_D2fto4SLhZTxls2SeQwE4lLxvgiq_TlljIfssa_dQzm 7ZA9bMu3QInWBlLImpBDmgZ0gWzbx92AcWO5ohPxmQ-SbXWsSw5ESoEbVkUAh=w1375-h772-no

I was a little ingenuous saying there was no documentation. There is quiet a lot on the Audiophonics forum (http://forum.audiophonics.fr/), but it is mostly in French. Thank goodness for chrome's translate facility.

To get a display, I had to move to Volumio (I'd initially set the unit up with Moode), and then followed the instructions on the forum (http://forum.audiophonics.fr/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1492).

This at least got a display. I just have to fix the bug that's causing the display to be corrupted/malformed.

Dear ReggieB,
Nice work !

I am thinking of doing the same. Were you able to get the display to work ?

- Mark

[rikardo1979]

I have some issues too with this kit
It is a bit shocking they provide no instructions what so ever with it. I do have a newest version and the design of the PCB was radically changed

http://snag.gy/tZFzf.jpg

I am not even sure how to wire the new power button as the old great instruction is very unclear.
Can you tell how did you wired yours? Any chance you take a photo of it from connector side please?

http://snag.gy/CeI61.jpg

[ReggieB]

I played around with a small battery and an LED lamp to work out the best way to connect the power across it.

http://www.audiophonics.fr/12382-thickbox_default/black-aluminium-latching-switch-cylinder-head-with-white-symbol-250v-5a.jpg

I also got the pin outs from here (http://hongbo.en.alibaba.com/product/1120866416-215815160/ONPOW_illuminated_push_button_reset_switch_LAS1_A_ 22mm_Series_Dia_22mm_CE_ROHS_REECH_IP40_IP65_Plast ic_Industrial_control_.html).

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/SkXys-n0XvXF9w0XYPcG9JHOkEE-sEMLPXCgDOBtecT9ZRybOtKTybzVXG8xFlXo4WlqtIlkC5_qrP QPdey6QLIy7wRwdPKbNayO-Xk0OGpZBESbyQ_Z1VbdX3dvehBCNPL64JmDwRzlIc7J7H60Wg0 XJUSmY3heFacZAuhmxaX2QW1F0jyNCnvueviOPkrMUKo1F3JKO ZFuLSWtkngp0kPusNvt6ICsWQXxFZGKwAWHdlDzlPDQcO5rpXB 0-Wo8K83xKqbB2gz6FPu6z_eBpLzilk4ppNoRiFx-pm1DwfS_FCW2cU9Hw4ucmBL98V7LcQKL_Sv1hcl6QNfy5cuSPc 0nVeVBgjDbQiE1OU3Mz0PipfjTyC_QtzSnp7fxUOiLc2gl1ct6 uX96ZryKavHESxJLmD92bPl9jhM7Y2S8N_q379lUjjUmVtQflS 9Jn7YDZWSw2EnCjTiZUFEQ7Bfm4kyGB2Hf3NpxbWSsi37t7ptN PWdne8UVtuCxIKwmEGBWbcgrp6HqChWQdpID4BetMfqoshQ5sQ oTeoySOsbKJNS1bgJs_ePG59QlVljOec60h8y_=w858-h472-no

[rikardo1979]

I played around with a small battery and an LED lamp to work out the best way to connect the power across it.

http://www.audiophonics.fr/12382-thickbox_default/black-aluminium-latching-switch-cylinder-head-with-white-symbol-250v-5a.jpg

I also got the pin outs from here (http://hongbo.en.alibaba.com/product/1120866416-215815160/ONPOW_illuminated_push_button_reset_switch_LAS1_A_ 22mm_Series_Dia_22mm_CE_ROHS_REECH_IP40_IP65_Plast ic_Industrial_control_.html).

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/SkXys-n0XvXF9w0XYPcG9JHOkEE-sEMLPXCgDOBtecT9ZRybOtKTybzVXG8xFlXo4WlqtIlkC5_qrP QPdey6QLIy7wRwdPKbNayO-Xk0OGpZBESbyQ_Z1VbdX3dvehBCNPL64JmDwRzlIc7J7H60Wg0 XJUSmY3heFacZAuhmxaX2QW1F0jyNCnvueviOPkrMUKo1F3JKO ZFuLSWtkngp0kPusNvt6ICsWQXxFZGKwAWHdlDzlPDQcO5rpXB 0-Wo8K83xKqbB2gz6FPu6z_eBpLzilk4ppNoRiFx-pm1DwfS_FCW2cU9Hw4ucmBL98V7LcQKL_Sv1hcl6QNfy5cuSPc 0nVeVBgjDbQiE1OU3Mz0PipfjTyC_QtzSnp7fxUOiLc2gl1ct6 uX96ZryKavHESxJLmD92bPl9jhM7Y2S8N_q379lUjjUmVtQflS 9Jn7YDZWSw2EnCjTiZUFEQ7Bfm4kyGB2Hf3NpxbWSsi37t7ptN PWdne8UVtuCxIKwmEGBWbcgrp6HqChWQdpID4BetMfqoshQ5sQ oTeoySOsbKJNS1bgJs_ePG59QlVljOec60h8y_=w858-h472-no

I really dont get how this button suppose to work?
No matter what this is what I have


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCtlrzc8C90

[rikardo1979]

I managed to get this DAC working on XBian (http://xbian.org/) now :)
Next I will try to make the power button works and than OLED screen.

[rikardo1979]

now it makes sense why it did not work...

email reply from Audiophonics

Hello,

I've found your video and yes, you got a latching switch instead of pushbutton.
I now know why... The kit you bought was initially made for DAC V2

DAC V2 was not including power managment, and required a latching switch.

We will send you a push button free of charge.
Other parts are compatible.