SDTrans 384?

[rickmcinnis]

Just finished doing the battery supplies for the three 3.3 volts rails.

Also installed the "22 mHz" clock.

The first part went fine, the thing turns on but when I ask it to play it says error. I figure I must have installed the clock incorrectly.

Here is the instruction from the manual: (with spelling corrections)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6.3
External clock connection [CN11, CN15]
Through these connectors, you can provide external clock sources instead of internal clock
generators on-board. CN11 is prepared for 24.5760 MHz clock and CN15 for 22.5792 MHz.
Pins assignments and descriptions are given in the following table.
Pin Name
Description
I Output of an internal clock generator circuit(+3.3 V, CMOS level)
E Input for an internal circuit. An external clock source is to be connected to this
pin. (+3.3 V, CMOS level)
EN
Output of an internal clock enable signal(+3.3 V, CMOS level)
EN = H: External clock must be ON.
EN = L: External clock must be OFF ( high impedance).
G Ground
V Not to be used. Keep it unconnected.
As a default, I and E are shorted with a jumpering plug. An internal clock generator circuit
is connected to an internal circuit. When you apply your external clock source, please
remove the jumper plug first and apply the external clock source to E and G. The external
clock generator must be designed to output its clock signal on E only when EN = H and to
keep high impedance state when EN = L.
Within SDTrans, E pins on CN11 and CN15 are connected with a resister of small value.
Two clock signals for 24.5760 MHz and 22.5792 MHz are designed to use the one internal
line exclusively. Please remember this when you configure external clock sources.

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I had previously removed the jumper for the other clock since it was not needed. Figured there is no reason to leave it buzzing away.

So this what I did:

I am using the designations from the NGK spec sheet.

SB is connected to EN
G is connected to ground
OUTPUT is connected to E
Vcc+ is connected to the + end of the battery. Of course, there is a relay so all rails turn on simultaneously.

The little card has a n inductor (marked L1) at the Vcc+ input. There is a capacitor, though I am not sure what it is between. There is a resistor on the output of the card.

Connections are made to the header using silver wire of as short a length as I am capable of using.

Please tell me I have it connected wrong or could there be a conflict with one of those components.

The last bit of the manual says: Two clock signals for 24.5760 MHz and 22.5792 MHz are designed to use the one internal
line exclusively. Please remember this when you configure external clock sources.

Could this be causing the problem?

Nigel or Mr. Kenny? Please help!

[rickmcinnis]

Another panic attack for no good reason.

Disconnected the SB from EN and it works just fine.

Now to connect it up to the system.

[nige2000]

Yea en doesnt need to be connected cant remember which it is but they are either pulled up or down for enable
You probably had it off

New clks sound a bit ropy but yours has a few hrs on it ?h
Everything should be more refined clarity resolution etc

[jkeny]

Another panic attack for no good reason.

Disconnected the SB from EN and it works just fine.

Now to connect it up to the system.

Ah, right - SB stand for Standby & EN stands for Enable so likely opposite signalling
If it works unconnected, great
Interested to hear you results with these selected NDK clocks

[rickmcinnis]

Got a few hours to listen.

Yes, Nigel, initially I was thinking that I was not hearing much of anything different. I know I confused the issue but I had no interest in doing the mods separately.

I had previously removed the jumper from the "other" clock and did not install the good one here.

SO as the night goes by I start noticing that words being sung are more intelligible. Listening to Nick Drake/Bryter Layter and all is much easier to understand. He liked to slur words since he thought his voice was a soprano sax, I figure, but I can easily understand them. Of course, I have listened to this record hundreds of times over the years and I know what the words are but to hear them more clearly was interesting.

The string parts had before sounded patched in, now they sound like part of the whole. Who knows which is correct? I am assuming what I heard last night is correct.

Dylan's NASHVILLE SKYLINE followed on the card. I am not much of a Dylan fan but I have loved this record since I bout it when I was 13 years old. It is a WARM sounding record, almost murky at times on previous setups - there is now claity and the low bass is very powerful and LOW. Never heard it like that before.

The albums are in alphabetical order and since I am still in the midst of ripping my CDs again my selections are limited. So next comes Brian Eno's TAKING TIGER MOUNTAIN BY STRATEGY. I think this record is a work of art but no one would ever accuse it of being a "great recording". But many times these kinds of recordings tell you more than a "good" recording. There are so many layers/tracks on this, there is much to decipher. The record can sound edgy. Again, I heard it as never before.

I guess I was getting tired at this point since I cannot remember what came next.

In comparison to the LP, if anything, I am getting a warmer tonal balance with the SDTrans/SOEKRIS. The interesting thing here is that I perceive more detail even with this tonal balance. The LP still has an immediacy but the sense of wholeness one gets from the LP is now happening with the digital system. I cannot discount the effects of my ripping and copying schemes. There is a system that produces this sound not any one thing.

So it is now a toss up. I cannot say which one is superior. They both sound very different but equally enjoyable.

This morning I awake to find one of the BELLESON regs died last night so I will be returning to LP tonight and until a new one arrives. I was using the lowest power versions which were left over from the DDDAC1794 project. I need to get a the next size up. This one is the one driving the rail for the display and reader. The reg's specification's say it should not have had any problem with this load. Oh, well ...

Another thing that turns out to make a big difference is turning off the display LED. I need to put a switch here since REPLACING the jumper is a pain. Easy enough to pull it off ...

Anybody know what I need to get for a connector for those headers? I have never bought them and have no idea what to look for. Specifically for the two pins for the display power, please.

Took me most of two days to do this, not all at one sttting of course, but I walked away numerous times to keep myself from getting in a hurry and destroying the thing. I feel the time was well spent.

[jkeny]

OK, so the clock made a difference - not an in-your-face difference but important nonetheless.
How are you powering the clock, LiFePO4 battery?

[rickmcinnis]

I cannot imagine the battery mods, alone, making the differences I perceived.

I know I should have done them separately but I was impatient. No one will ever accuse me of being scientific.

I doubt there is such a thing as an "in your face" mod at this point. Though as the night went along and my amps warmed up, EVERYTHING warmed up, all of the gear had been off and there was about ten minutes while the SOEKRIS batteries were powering the regulators and the same for the new batteries in the SDTrans so there was some charging being done initially which could explain some of the ho-hum-ness at the beginning.

By the time I could not keep my eyes open I was very pleased with what I was hearing. Of course, there was a consortium of reasons for a change but I think it most likely the articulation improvements had to be due to the clock.

What is most responsible for the tonal balance? Hard to say - certainly the separate batteries are a factor but one has to figure the clock has to have a hand in this, also?

The clock is being powered by its very own battery.

Sure would have liked to have listened to it some more but not until Thursday - hope the new reg arrives that day. Back to the LP, not such a bad punishment.

Have you received your box, yet?

[nige2000]

I cannot imagine the battery mods, alone, making the differences I perceived.

eh..... yes it could!!!!!

the battery the foundation of any of my clock mods

easy interchangeable clocks is the only way to test the clocks

[jkeny]

Yes, Rick, I got the package, thanks - I meant to email you but forgot

As Nige says the battery can account for the differences you are hearing

[gstew]

<SNIP>
Another thing that turns out to make a big difference is turning off the display LED. I need to put a switch here since REPLACING the jumper is a pain. Easy enough to pull it off ...

Anybody know what I need to get for a connector for those headers? I have never bought them and have no idea what to look for. Specifically for the two pins for the display power, please.
<SNIP>

Rick, I use JST plugs from my model airplane stuff. I have a bunch I've cut off with short leads... shall I send you a couple?

Need pix of your SDTrans-Formed!

Greg in Mississippi