Lakewest Audio.



FDAC

FDAC Project

Our thanks go to all of you whose pledges and support has made this project possible! In the following paragraphs we introduce the project’s design targets, development & production roadmap, milestones and related instalment payments.

Design Goals
The original project aimed to design a completely new DAC in the same form factor as the original MDAC however as the project progressed it became apparent that trying to repurpose the MDAC’s chassis / front panel and AC Adaptor resulted into many design constraints so the MDAC2 project has now become the FDAC (Fusion DAC) a Fusion of advanced Digital and Analogue design.

Features

FDAC Lite
FDAC L2
FDAC L3
FDAC L3 MM/MC
CNC Milled chassis 230mm wide, 44mm High, xxx Deep
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High resolution 256x64 OLED Display
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Dual ES9028 dual Mono design
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RCA AV Bypass
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x2 Optical SPDIF Input, x2 BNC Coax Input, x1 Optical Output (SPDIF/Clock)
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External 3.5mm Communications port (for connection to CD Transport / ADC etc)
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Digital Pre-amplifier Mode
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Internal HQ 115V / 230V PSU
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3W XLR Balanced and RCA Single Ended outputs
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High Current. Class A Multi-loop MOSFET Output Stage
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High Isolation, Ultra Low noise, Low impedance PSU
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Front Panel mounted Balanced 4W XLR and Single Ended 6.3mm headphone outputs
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Galvanically isolated USB 2.0 input (internally powered)
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Detox Clock-Lock support
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Optional Vishay Bulk Foil Resistors upgrade in critical audio positions
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Remote Control
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DSD DAC 64 / 128 / 256
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PCM DAC upto 32bits 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176, 192, 352, 384, 705, 768 (KHz)
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Dual ES9028 Dual Mono design (possibly dual ES9038)
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PMD100 HDCD Filter Opt. (DIL28 Pin socket on PCB) / PMD200 option on daughter PCB
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AV Bypass (Balanced XLR)
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Custom Full Width Chassis (FWC)
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Optional CNC Full internal electrical screening Chassis
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Std
4" 800x480 Colour Capacitive Touch panel IPS display (Upgradable UI & feature set)
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HDMI Video output (1900X1080 max)
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AM335x 1GHz ARM® Cortex-A8 with Linux Lite OS
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Wired Ethernet Port for LAN Connection
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Rear Panel microSD Slot to 32GB for direct Audio File Recording / Replay & OS update
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x2 External USB host ports for optional WiFi Dongle / Keyboard / USB Flash Drive etc.
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Future internal Squeezebox Touch & Roon support via software update
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Possibility for Future Tablet based Remote Control Applications
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Advanced Clock (Analogue Domain Decorrelator)
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ASRC free SPDIF support
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Wordclock & Video Clock Synchronisation
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Master / Slave Interface - supports x3 slaved FDACs increasing Max. audio channels to x8
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12V trigger outputs
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x5 BNC for user defined SPDIF Input / Output or Wordclock & Video Clock Sync.
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x3 Optical inputs, x3 Optical outputs (supports SPDIF or Clock Sync)
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x1 each XLR AES EBU input / output
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External Remote Control IR Loop (Communications port with VFET amplifier etc.)
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Electrically Isolated Analogue and Digital domains
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Future upgradable custom designed FPGA based Digital Filters / Modulator
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User upgradable FPGA Firmware + Software
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DSP for future Room EQ and other advanced features / upgrades
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Optional HDMI user upgradeable module (Via Rear Panel Digital expansion slot)
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Optional CD slot loader with Memory buffer based Re-read error reduction strategy
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PCM ADC upto 32bits 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176, 192, 352, 384, 705, 768 (KHz)
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Pure Native DSD mode ADC DSD 64 / DSD128 / DSD256
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14MHz Real-time Digital Preamplifier
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ADC / DAC internal loopback Self-test mode with future Remote LAN diagnostics support
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Dual Fully Balanced ADC Line Level Inputs
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Dual Fully Balanced MC / MM Phono ADC inputs (shared with Line Level ADC XLR's)
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MM / MC input Gain User selectable to 72dB
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Selectable MC "0 ohms" Current mode operation (adjustable Gain setting)
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Flat Gain (No RIAA EQ Correction) for digital domain RIAA Correction
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Passive RIAA EQ Filter Mode (For Native DSD and Non Digital RIAA Mode)
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Independent MM/MC Input Resistance and Capacitance loading
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Variable input Gain 0dB and 20dB to 72dB in 1-2dB steps across most of the Gain range
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Direct Microphone connection (External Phantom power), Tape head (WITH DSP EQ) etc
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User installable Low Noise MC Step-up transformers (Lundahl LL1931/33 & LL1941/43)
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Selectable Lundahl Transformer Gain Settings and Zobel termination
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Specifications

While we don’t believe that basic audio measurements are indicative of audio quality – a few do purchase their products on technical performance alone, so here are the target and ‘worst case’ guaranteed performance specifications:

  • THD XLR 1 kHz: 0.00005% typ. (0.0001% max.)
  • Dynamic Range XLR 20 Hz ~ 20 kHz: 135 dBA typ. (130 dBA min.)
  • Channel Separation 1 kHz: >130dB
  • Output Impedance: ~0 Ohm (limited by contact resistance)
  • Driving Capacitance: stable up to 10 nF
  • DC Offset: +/- 10 mV max.
Project roadmap

Before presenting the planned project schedule, it is important to stress that any timeframes given are only our best estimates and cannot be relied upon completely. We are undertaking development of the very best DAC possible and that is the primary goal which necessarily takes precedence to meeting any self-inflicted deadlines. After all what good is a DAC delivered on time, but knowingly crippled? That said, let’s look at the milestones and projected timeframes and the related instalment payment schedule.

The cost for the various FDAC options

FDAC L2

  • x4 Development instalments (£400)
  • PCB "At Cost"
  • PCB target cost £350 - £400 + Shipping
FDAC L3

  • x5 Development instalments (£500)
  • PCB "At Cost"
  • PCB target cost £400 - £450 + Shipping
FDAC L3 + Phono Stage

  • x6 Development instalments (£600)
  • PCB "At Cost"
  • PCB target cost £450 - £550 + Shipping

+ for all three options Full width chassis, PSU, Display & Packaging etc. (estimated £280)

FDAC cost

FDAC Version
FDAC L2
FDAC L3 ADC
FDAC L3 MM/MC
Development instalment Stg.1
£100
£100
£100
Development instalment Stg.2
£100
£100
£100
Development instalment Stg.3
£100
£100
£100
Development instalment Stg.4
£100
£100
£100
Development instalment Stg.5 (ADC)
£100
£100
Development instalment Stg.6 (Phono stage)
£100
FDAC FWC Chassi + HQ PSU (Sold at cost)
£280
£280
£280
Max cost of PCB's (Sold at cost)
£400
£450
£550
Total excluding shipping, Import duty & VAT (applicable on "At cost amounts" only)
£1,080
£1,230
£1,430

“At Cost” production payments

Concerning the final “At Cost” production payments, by request in order to ease the financial burden we will split these “At costs” production payments into three instalments, at this time we are not sure of the exact split between the 1st & 3rd production stages payments.

  • L2 / L3 / L3 Phone stage Analogue PCB £350 to £550 depending upon version + Shipping (this amount is split with the final 3rd stage payment below).
  • Full With Chassis (including HQ PSU & Front Panel) £280
  • Digital PCB (Split payment with the Analogue PCB, the exact cost spilt determined closer to production)

Renderings

FDAC Full Width Chassis:-

FDAC
FDAC
FDAC
FDAC

FDAC Digital board connector arrangement / Digital PCB:-

FDAC
FDAC
FDAC

Payment

Please note that the development funding serve to finance stages of the designs engineering and development and therefore are NON REFUNDABLE – you can however pass your position on to a 3rd party should you later decide to leave the project, please notify us with any change of details.

Production dates are subject to change due to design timelines slippage and other circumstance beyond our control – please understand that despite our best efforts timelines are for guidance only – if you join the project by sending funds then by default you understand and agree to these terms.

Delivery of rewards/perks are subject to best efforts and not guaranteed.



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