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Buffalo IIISE DAC - No signal from the dac output
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Vingborg  
#1 Posted : Wednesday, September 4, 2013 6:40:07 PM(UTC)
Vingborg

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Good evening Brian, Russ and everyone else at this forum. :-)

I purchased and received this Buffalo IIISE dac. And thank you for that. :-)

A few days ago, I finished the assemply and turn the power on. All the Trident led's lights up very well. Happy with the result I connected the SPDIF digital signal.. But.... The dac output is dead, no signal, no noise, nothing!?!

I have connected the dac output to a Zapfilter from the danish company LC-audio.
This Zapfilteris an high fidelity output stage for dac's. Both current and voltage.

I run the SPDIF from my cd player, through this Digital switch and futher on to the Buffalo SPDIF input.

No signal, even though the input switch tells me that it has locked on a signal - And the lock led on the Buffalo lights up!
Just for making sure about the input digi switch, I took the SPDIF directly from my Sony player and put it into the Buffalo input header - Still nothing...
What could be wrong, I hope it's nothing serious..:(

The picture shows the Buffalo with the left channel still connected to the Zapfilter there has its place in my Sony cd player. The right channel on the Zapfilter is reconnected to the Sony dac.

Buffalo and Zapfilter

Afterwards I connected the dac output headers directly to the XLR input on my preamp. Still no signal!? My preamp has an input impedance of 47kohm, there should be something coming out.. right?

Picture of the Buffalo IIISE and psu
Buffalo and psu

Close up of this beautiful dac - A pleasure for the eye. :-)
What a beauty

All the Dip-switches are untouched
Is the Sapre 9018 chip on the pcb not functional? I can't see what I could have done wrong..

Please help me in this unpleasant case. I can't wait to hear this dac sing for me.. :D

Best regards
Henrik Vingborg
Denmark

Edited by user Wednesday, September 4, 2013 6:45:00 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified
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Brian Donegan  
#2 Posted : Wednesday, September 4, 2013 6:46:05 PM(UTC)
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Can you try shorting the 3.3V and PB4 pins where the volume pot is connected, just to rule that out?
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Vingborg  
#3 Posted : Wednesday, September 4, 2013 6:49:02 PM(UTC)
Vingborg

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Originally Posted by: Brian Donegan Go to Quoted Post
Can you try shorting the 3.3V and PB4 pins where the volume pot is connected, just to rule that out?


Oh I forgot to tell - I have tried that - No result..
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Brian Donegan  
#4 Posted : Wednesday, September 4, 2013 7:36:39 PM(UTC)
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Can you measure the output voltage of this trident?

(Also, could you measure the output voltages of the AVCC module, but from under the board.)
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Vingborg  
#5 Posted : Wednesday, September 4, 2013 7:59:14 PM(UTC)
Vingborg

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Originally Posted by: Brian Donegan Go to Quoted Post
Can you measure the output voltage of this trident?

(Also, could you measure the output voltages of the AVCC module, but from under the board.)


Yes I can - Output voltage of the trident is 1,2 vdc

AVCC output volttage is 3,47 vdc.. Under the board, how is that.?
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Brian Donegan  
#6 Posted : Wednesday, September 4, 2013 8:19:02 PM(UTC)
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The reason I asked for under the board was to make sure the output voltages were present on the Buffalo itself, not just at the output of the regulator.

It is probably safer to test (with the power off) that there is full continuity between each of the regulator outputs and the pads on the Buffalo module itself.
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Vingborg  
#7 Posted : Wednesday, September 4, 2013 8:41:56 PM(UTC)
Vingborg

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Originally Posted by: Brian Donegan Go to Quoted Post
The reason I asked for under the board was to make sure the output voltages were present on the Buffalo itself, not just at the output of the regulator.

It is probably safer to test (with the power off) that there is full continuity between each of the regulator outputs and the pads on the Buffalo module itself.


Ok then, I understand. I have also done that and it is the same result, I have double checked all the ground, + and - rails.. Can't find anything wrong..

I'll sleep on it, its getting late in Denmark now. I'll get back tommorow when I come from work. :-)

Hope the solution is near..

Best and goodnight
Henrik
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Russ White  
#8 Posted : Wednesday, September 4, 2013 9:57:22 PM(UTC)
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Have you checked the DAC with no output stage? Just use +Out with a series cap (say 1-2uf) and GND as a test.
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Vingborg  
#9 Posted : Thursday, September 5, 2013 10:51:57 AM(UTC)
Vingborg

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Originally Posted by: Russ White Go to Quoted Post
Have you checked the DAC with no output stage? Just use +Out with a series cap (say 1-2uf) and GND as a test.


Hi Russ,

Again I forgot to tell you - I had a red Wima 1uF MKP on both the + and - on the XLR, that means of cause 4 pieces.
I was not sure that it was necessary, but I did solder these in the end of the cable just to protect the dac..
Was it the correct way to do this.? Both + and - ?

The reason for the caps at the end of the cable was that I was just a little anxious to get started and I didn't wanted to resolder the output headers to much..

When I had the Zapfilter on, there where no caps in between.

I haven't tried with + and ground to an RCA plug - I can do that this evening when I get home from work. :-) And the family is sleeping.:D


Best from Henrik Vingborg
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Dogsione  
#10 Posted : Thursday, September 5, 2013 5:18:58 PM(UTC)
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I may be out of my league here, but I notice there is nothing connected to IP_S...

[Nevermind, I didn't look closely enough - s/pdif input...]

Edited by user Sunday, September 8, 2013 8:38:40 PM(UTC)  | Reason: I'm a dope...
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Vingborg  
#11 Posted : Thursday, September 5, 2013 6:34:22 PM(UTC)
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Good evening folks,

I am just finished with the RCA test: + out with Wima 1uF MKP and ground. Same setup as I did with the XLR, but this time + and ground only and into RCA input on the preamp. Like Russ suggested..

I am so sorry to say - No signal or even noise, nothing... But the lock led lights up!!

What to do.?Think


Best regards
Henrik
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Brian Donegan  
#12 Posted : Thursday, September 5, 2013 6:36:22 PM(UTC)
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Try removing the firmware chip.
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Vingborg  
#13 Posted : Thursday, September 5, 2013 6:58:21 PM(UTC)
Vingborg

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Originally Posted by: Brian Donegan Go to Quoted Post
Try removing the firmware chip.


Hi Brian,

I will do that as the first thing tommorow when i'm home from work. :-)

By the way - If this 8 leg chip is removed, will the dac then be able work right and give signal on the output.?

Henrik
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Brian Donegan  
#14 Posted : Thursday, September 5, 2013 7:02:11 PM(UTC)
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It will work for S/PDIF. I test all the modules without the chip, then add them prior to shipping. I have not idea why the firmware would cause the problem you are seeing, be it's worth a shot.

Incidentally, when I program the chips, the last step is verification that it programmed correctly, so in theory at least, there should never be a problem Angel.

Edited by user Thursday, September 5, 2013 7:02:50 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified
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Vingborg  
#15 Posted : Sunday, September 8, 2013 5:27:58 PM(UTC)
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Hello again,

I'm back again, sorry for my late answer.. I had to build some thing on my house and a wedding party came trough this weekend.

But now I have tested the Buffalo dac with the firmware chip removed and was still no signal or noise..

What can we do, Brian and Russ, I would really like this dac to play for me..

Best regards
Henrik Vingborg
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avr300  
#16 Posted : Sunday, September 8, 2013 7:21:29 PM(UTC)
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Hello country fellow man..

Just a thought. Is the problem upstream? Is the filter/amp behaving as expected.

The fact that the DAC is lighting up the lock LED indicates it's on to something, it's playing.


Why not try once more, cheap headphones connected via a couple of caps. Simple-simple.
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Brian Donegan  
#17 Posted : Sunday, September 8, 2013 7:43:46 PM(UTC)
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Is the volume on your source turned down?
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Vingborg  
#18 Posted : Monday, September 9, 2013 4:36:23 AM(UTC)
Vingborg

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Originally Posted by: Brian Donegan Go to Quoted Post
Is the volume on your source turned down?


Hi Brian,

I would be wasting your time If I haven't turned the volume up Angel Drool

Hi, avr300 How nice to meet a country fellow in here Angel - Upstream, how is that? The following Zapfilter is behaving like normal..
The whole scenario seems like if there was no power to Buffalo board at all - But the fact is: The whole Buffalo dac is perfectly powered up, all the tridents lights up fine and the lock led is on! - But no analog signal is coming out!

Yesterday I tried over and over again both XLR and RCA with the red Wima 1 uF caps directly to the input on my pre and without caps into the Zapfilter (Hi-fi analog buffer for dac's) No signal, not even noise...

Now, something is not working, I don't know what and I can't locate the problem..

For me it looks like the Sapre chip is unfunctional but that is strange because Brian says that he has checked each and every one before shipping - So I don't know, maybe it couldn't handle the long trip to Denmark, maybe a little solder ring on the pcb is broken, I don't know but I would very much like toAngel

What is the next step?Angel

Best and good morning
Henrik Vingborg
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Russ White  
#19 Posted : Monday, September 9, 2013 12:01:13 PM(UTC)
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Maybe try a different source?
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Vingborg  
#20 Posted : Monday, September 9, 2013 4:57:39 PM(UTC)
Vingborg

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Originally Posted by: Russ White Go to Quoted Post
Maybe try a different source?


Hey Russ Angel

I only have SPDIF (coax) and TOSLINK (optical)on my Sony XA50ES player.. Like I said earlier in this thread, I use a digital input switch with SPDIF (bnc) and TOSLINK (optical). The lock led on the digital switch and on the Buffalo dac!! lights up!

So how can I try another source, please tell me.. It is supposed to work with SPDIF, don't you agree? And I have even tried with SPDIF directly from Sony to the Buffalo and the lock led lights up!! That means it has caught a signal, yes?

Now - I only want this unpleasant matter to be finalized and listen to my dac with my Sony as transport.

So where are we going from here?

Henrik

Edited by user Monday, September 9, 2013 4:58:42 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified
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