Post by leonski on Dec 22, 2022 17:43:36 GMT -5
Seems to be 2 major approaches to the Design of a DAC...and many other pieces in the audio chain.
But this applies mainly to DACs.
First? Clean Sheet Design. Designer takes the paperwork and a bunch of sample parts for the people manufacturing the DAC chip....itself.
Reads the data sheets. Assembles the parts.....Power supply, and uses a breadboard or even simulation software to come up with a design.
This could take a while and if the designer is given free reign? Could end up very elaborate and expensive.
Second? Use the REFERENCE DESIGN provided by the DAC chip manufacturer. Includes various filter options and most everything else
needed On a single board. Easy to do. Sort of. Some changes may be made to make it easier to manufacture and some parts substituted
in the interest of reliability or cost.
But this approach REALLY decreases cycle time and 'time to market' while providing a well-vetted and proven product.
Other gear also can use this approach. Notably? In years past when I built up my own PC? The video card was a straight copy of the
MSI offering.....right down to the color of the board. I suspect in those days the NVidia went the same way......
Others are now in the mix, but what you buy is probably a straight-up duplicate of the reference board.
Up on my bookshelf? I have a Western Digital 'D' amp. this is one of their reference boards. Need a power supply. It has L/R single ended
connectors AND a terminal block for speaker outs. DONE in about an hour, counting securing to a baseplate for later finishing into something
for the stereo shelf.
But this applies mainly to DACs.
First? Clean Sheet Design. Designer takes the paperwork and a bunch of sample parts for the people manufacturing the DAC chip....itself.
Reads the data sheets. Assembles the parts.....Power supply, and uses a breadboard or even simulation software to come up with a design.
This could take a while and if the designer is given free reign? Could end up very elaborate and expensive.
Second? Use the REFERENCE DESIGN provided by the DAC chip manufacturer. Includes various filter options and most everything else
needed On a single board. Easy to do. Sort of. Some changes may be made to make it easier to manufacture and some parts substituted
in the interest of reliability or cost.
But this approach REALLY decreases cycle time and 'time to market' while providing a well-vetted and proven product.
Other gear also can use this approach. Notably? In years past when I built up my own PC? The video card was a straight copy of the
MSI offering.....right down to the color of the board. I suspect in those days the NVidia went the same way......
Others are now in the mix, but what you buy is probably a straight-up duplicate of the reference board.
Up on my bookshelf? I have a Western Digital 'D' amp. this is one of their reference boards. Need a power supply. It has L/R single ended
connectors AND a terminal block for speaker outs. DONE in about an hour, counting securing to a baseplate for later finishing into something
for the stereo shelf.
