AYA II 2014 DIY edition interest check

As a result of initiative by several TDA1541A fans at diyaudio.com, AYA II DAC may re-appear in 2014, as a DIY project.

AYA II 2014 DIY edition would be offered as one-time group buy. Both unpopulated PCBs and kits would be available. At this point, we need to check the interest, and pass the threshold to make this undertake run. Threshold is 30 PCBs, or 5 kits.

We will announce the moment we pass this threshold, and then we can accept actual orders. From that point, estimated time of arrival is one month for PCBs, and one or two weeks more for kits.

PCB price will be 35 EUR plus shipping costs. Kits, which would include adequately populated PCBs and dedicated transformer, will cost 450 EUR (one input), and 550 EUR (both inputs), plus shipping. In addition, unpopulated PCBs with dedicated transformer would be available too, for 90 EUR plus shipping. If we reach 40 PCBs, price per board will be 30 EUR, and if we reach 10 kits, their prices will be 420 EUR and 520 EUR, respectively.

Items will be shipped by Airmail, which costs between 10 and 25 EUR (insurance included).

We will direct 5 EUR of every PCB purchase, and 10 EUR of every kit purchase to support musical culture, by donating local jazz festival.

You can join by filling the form below. (Form closed.)

98 thoughts on “AYA II 2014 DIY edition interest check”

  1. Technically, AYA II is well known device, so there is probably no need to speak much about it at this very moment.

    It worth however saying that, as compact and optimized in its core as it is, this project would be slightly updated on this occasion, to facilitate its use with possibly different external front ends, DEM clocking schemes, etc.

    Also, this time we can supply not only toroidal transformers but also EI units instead.

    Assembly manual will be normally sent to both PCB and kits buyers. Original AYA II assembly manual had 20 pages, and it will updated a bit, to suit 2014 version.

  2. Nikolaos Konidaris

    Hi. Just tried to register interest for 1 PCB but the page froze. Can you let me know if the registration was succesful?

  3. Thanks for joining, Nikolaos. Something apparently went wrong, however we have added you from this side, and no further action is needed from you at this time.

    Right now we are at 10 PCBs (one with transformer), and 3 kits, plus one order for either kit or PCB. So it is realistic to say that we will pass the threshold in a few days.

    It is however still too early to say that we are done, so sharing information about this project release with DIY fellows will be still welcome.

  4. Antonio María Ferragut

    I signed for one board, but I´m interested in dedicated trasnformer also.
    Cheers
    Antonio

  5. Thanks, Antonio, it is updated.

    Currently we have 6 unpopulated boards with dedicated transformers, and if we reach 10 such sets we can drop the price to 80 EUR per set.

    Overall, it is 21 board and 4 kits for now, plus one pending kit and one above said order for either kit or PCB.

  6. Hi,
    I have registered for the DAC. I like to confirm, am I registered for a Kit?

    Thanks
    Badri

  7. Yes, confirmed!

    Speaking about kits, it should be probably clearly announced (thanks Damien for reminding!) that the kits will include TDA1541A chip. Just as original kits, these kits would be also practically working devices, that still need only chassis and chassis mounted hardware (connectors, switches, fuse and LEDs).

  8. In the days before this started, I exchanged a couple of mails with Cheung Tsang (who actually triggered all this 😉 ), regarding additional features which this edition of AYA II could bring. And here is the outcome.

    1. More versatile input connectivity
    I2S line will get U.FL connectors. Since AYA II inputs are switched exactly at this line, adding these connectors will make it really versatile. So, apart from two existing front ends, you can use AYA II D/A section with one or two external sources. Mind you, I generally do not recommend “modular approach”, because it usually brings dubious benefits at the expense of obvious, even critical compromises layout-wise. However, I am aware that adaptive USB audio class 1 device is kinda surpassed these days and, since I do not plan to offer neither asynchronous USB nor audio class 2 USB device in DIY shape (nor do I have any major further plans regarding DIY items for that matter, sorry), it is also the way to “open” this project in that direction. Yet, AYA II could still sound nicely with existing USB stage, as well.

    2. Synchronous DEM clocking
    Instead of typically used capacitor to enable free running internal TDA1541A DEM oscillator, you can synchronize its DEM circuit to the incoming master or bit, or even word clock. Everything that is needed will be on-board, and this includes binary counter with selection of dividing ratios, and proper interface to TDA1541A pins 16 and 17. To make DEM working this way, you have to take into account the frequency you are actually starting with, and to connect adequately scaled frequency to DEM.

    3. TDA1541A mode selection
    This version will have a switch at pin 27 to facilitate possible TDA1541A use in simultaneous data mode.

    Also, I do not really recommend using any other output stage, but TDA1541A current output will have its own set of clearly marked pads.

  9. Hi Pedja, why do you not recommend other output stages, would a tube strage not work well here?

    thanks for sharing your design and knowledge too:-)

  10. You are welcome, Arthur.

    I have tried about any kind of output stage with TDA1514A, and found tube stages mostly not fitting well to it. Especially not to well executed TDA1541A, which is smooth and natural, and needs no corrections often brought by tube output stages.

    As a matter of fact, some people did “improve” my projects with tube outputs, and were (of course) unsatisfied with results (too soft and lazy). I must admit also that I did hear the tube output with my own TDA1541A DAC that matched well, but it was grounded grid stage, and not really common stuff. Still, existing AYA II output stage is both great and really simple to build. To improve upon it, one should be ready for serious work for small gains (if any).

  11. By the way, the goal is not than Pedja Rogic redesigns a complete DAC from scratch.

    For SOTA DAC there is already the Audial S.

    This operation was driven by entthusiasts at Diyaudio to allow people in a charity curse perspective to go with DIY and some kind modifications maid by Mister Rodjic on the 2014 pcbs. The second goal with a complete kit is to allow for less money than the SOTA to acess to a “good enough” for the lovers of music & the musical TDA1541 DAC chip.

    Damien (Eldam at DIYAUDIO)

  12. We have passed both PCBs and kits thresholds. So now it is official, we are going to release this AYA II 2014 DIY project.

    We will still try to reach price break quantities, hence the form above shell remain open for a couple of days more.

    Thank you all for your interest and confidence!

  13. Patrick Currie

    Tried to add EI transformer to my PCB order, but was shut out due to previous entering of my email address. Would you please note the change? Thanks for making this available – Pat (tubesguy)

  14. Hi Pedja, when the project opens will there be some flexibility to modify or change our requests? I would be interested in an EI transformer, and if perhaps an EI isolation trans if you will be offering them?

  15. Hello Damian,

    As you will hopefully understand, the less changes the better, but I will try to get flexible whenever possible. At this moment, it is not any problem to add transformer to order. Yes, it might be possible to include isolation transformer too.

    Speaking on this, we do have 10 orders for board with transformer so the price for such a combination has dropped to 80 EUR.

    Rgds

  16. Hi Pedja,
    sorry for my ignorant answer… will the TDA1541 chip be included in the unpopulated kit?

    Oliver

  17. Hi

    Can you also please confirm that you have my request for a kit.

    Regards
    Anders

  18. Thanks Pedja,
    no big deal I guess since I found a trustworthy source in Germany!

  19. Hi Guys,

    I’d like to change my order from a board and a kit to just a board. Funds are getting tight. Thanks

  20. Change confirmed.

    We do have more than 40 PCBs now, so their price has dropped to 30 EUR.

    We have seven kits plus one conditional order, so here we need two or three more for price break.

  21. Do we have a BOM? I’d like to order just the pcb (and transformer) and already have TDA.

  22. As stated above, every customer will get assembly manual, which of course includes parts list.

    BTW, you (or anyone else) can also order assembled kit without TDA (for 25 EUR less), and use the TDA you already have.

  23. The prices we currently have are 30 EUR for unpopulated board, 80 EUR for unpopulated board with transformer, and 450 EUR and 550 EUR for completed kit (populated board with transformer) with one or both inputs, respectively.

    For unpopulated boards, shipping costs are 10-12 EUR for European countries, 16 EUR for Asian countries, and 19 EUR for USA and Australia. We can ship probably up to 7-8 boards for the same price (up to 1 kg gross weight), which can be interesting for USA and Australian customers. We have several orders for unpopulated PCBs from there, so if anyone there is willing to organize local re-shipping, it might make things more effective.

    For boards with transformers and for kits, shipping costs are 16-20 EUR for European countries, 26 EUR for Asian countries, and 28 EUR for USA and Australia. Shipping more kits at once will not bring meaningful savings, however adding unpopulated boards to them might do.

    We can not mediate, and of course we are not going to forward anyone’s data by ourselves, but everyone interested in making savings on shipping can contact the others via this page, and we will gladly accept all your arrangements in this regard.

    The shipping costs above apply to Airmail with adequate insurance included.

    We will close this offer in two days, and then everyone who joined will receive e-mail with further information.

    Payment via Skrill is recommended, and it will accept all major debit and credit cards. It works similarly to PayPal (but sorry, no PayPal payments in this case), and it won’t require account verification for amounts like these, so everything can be done in the real time. With maximum fee of 4% it will cost surely less than bank transfer, but bank transfer can be accepted too.

    So, anyone considering to join can do it until Friday.

  24. Yes Jim, e-mails will be sent out on Saturday.

    And thank you too, for joining again!

  25. Thank you! Been listening to the my first AYA II nearly every night since Aug. 2008. A lot of other equipment has come and gone, but AYA II is still there. I guess after 6 years it’s time to upgrade.

    JimS

  26. Will the new board use through hole parts or will it be (partially) smd stuff? I have grown to like smd… 😉

  27. @ Mick: It is confirmed, thank you.

    @ Oliver: Original AYA II had several SMD parts, and it will remain like that. With adequate tip and relatively steady hand, it is possible to solder them all conventional way. There are several SOIC chips, several 1206 caps and resistors, one 0805 cap, sixteen 1913 caps, and one 7 x 5 mm oscillator. USB decoder is TQFP, and some people do it also with iron, but hot-air station can be useful here. Anyhow, stencil is not really necessary.

  28. @ Gerd: Something apparently didn’t work with your subscription, as there was no record, but it is added now, as you requested. And thanks, it is good to know that five years later AYA II is still interesting to you.

    @ Josip: It is really ambitious project, I appreciate. I have sent more detailed reply by e-mail.

  29. So, the bottom line is 55 PCBs, 13 of them accompanied with transformer, and 8 kits. We are going to produce a bit more boards, at least 70, to ensure everything goes smoothly. The form above is however now closed, and possible surplus items might be available only once we process existing orders, or if someone gives up.

    E-mails will be sent out today or tomorrow to all subscribed addresses.

    Those who ordered boards with transformers will be asked to specify if they want toroidal or EI unit. In this regard, it is highly recommended to read this article:
    http://www.audialonline.com/online-topics/psu-transformers-ei-vs-toroidal-and-more/
    My personal advice is to order EI only if you can place it at least 10 cm from board. Both toroidal and EI units will be 50 VA, and neither will be shielded. (I can explain the reasons later.) Toroidal will have electrostatic shield between primary and secondary, and EI will have split bobbins. Please also note that EI unit height is about 65 mm, as opposed to 40 mm required for donut.

    Those who ordered kits will be asked to specify both transformer type, and required front ends (one (and which one) or both, do they want U.FL connectors at unused I2S line or not etc.). Details on DEM options I will post in the upcoming weeks.

    For Australian and USA customers who ordered unpopulated boards, a side notice regarding the shipping. There are 11 orders from Australia, and 8 of these are for single unpopulated PCB, so shipping more of these unpopulated boards at once, or joining them to some package that includes transformer, might make some savings. From the USA there are 12 orders in sum, 4 are for one unpopulated PCB. Canada can be considered here too, three orders, two of which are for unpopulated boards. So, once again, any arrangement you can make regarding shipping will be welcomed at this side too.

    Once we define all these details (we could be hopefully fast and do this in a day or two) we will start collecting the payments. Lead time is 30 days for PCBs, and 45 days for kits. For kits 50 % is enough at this moment.

    And one answer to the question I got regarding Skrill. Unfortunately there is no way to process the card payment without registering with Skrill. Should you not need Skrill account no more, you can close it at any time, at no cost.

  30. 1 aya II dac PCB diy for me if possible. Diyaudio surname : stale25
    Thanks!

  31. In reply to Velickovic, and several similar requests that lately arrived by e-mail and contact form:
    Thanks all for your interest. We however still try to address and set up definitive quantities for existing participants. Once it is done we will see what we can do about late inquiries.

    Speaking on this, e-mails were sent out on previous Saturday and Sunday to all subscribed e-mail addresses. Those who still didn’t reply (6, out of 54) are kindly asked to do so. Thank you.

  32. Hi Mr. Rogic, sorry for the delay. Could you change my order to include 2 EI xfrs. Total: 2 bare pcb + 2 EI xrf.
    thx

  33. @ Milan:

    Yes, e-mails were sent out two weeks ago (24/25 May) to all the e-mail addresses subscribed to the original form. Obviously, there was your inquiry in the post above, the problem was that you did not actually subscribe.

    Now you have e-mail.

  34. Sylvain Bergeron

    Hi. If you still have the AYA-II PCB and the custom transformer, I would take one kit. Thanks.

    SB

  35. Somehow missed this group buy on diyaudio.com 🙁

    Is it possible to order one full pre-assembled kit? I believe the price was 450 Euros.

  36. eh..i found AYA-DAC-reissue info too late.. but if is available – one kit for me pls, offer is permanent i would like to have one in my system.
    thanks in advance

  37. Franz Mittermüller

    Hi, i have already asked you about this on 13.06.2014 in the regular contact formular. If possible i want to order a pcb, or a populated kit for the AYA 2.
    Thank you.

  38. Some original participants have given up, so we were able to slowly accept additional requests, and all the above inquiries are addressed by now.

    Up to this moment we received full payments for 48 PCBs (with or without transformers), and full or partial payments for 7 kits. It sums up to 55 reserved boards for now, and with about 10 boards and kits orders to still complete we are close to originally planned 70 boards.

    PCBs are still in process, and they will be ready by the middle of July. Of course, AYA II project is not new, and a lot of units were sold during the years, and the project in its core withstood the test of time too. However, a couple of new features were added on this occasion, and it will be better if we have one fully working and tested sample before anything is shipped. It won’t be a lot of testing though, and it won’t take more than one week.

    Regarding the shipping itself: yes, it will require signature on delivery, and everyone will be contacted prior to shipping, especially because it is the holiday season.

    (More to come.)

  39. As promised, we are going to forward 5 EUR per PCB, and 10 EUR per kit, to the local jazz festival. There is one relatively known jazz festival here in Belgrade, however this will be directed to the one happening 90 km further, in Valjevo, also in October, and also for the 30th time this year.

    Usually, its highlight is traditional RTS Big Band performance. I have actually entered the jazz the other ways, by listening to the smaller ensembles, ECM production, so-called world music, and similar stuff. In fact I didn’t even consider such a music actually a jazz – it was maybe about jazz musicians who played “something else”, but “real jazz” for me was about big bands, or at least about their musical derivatives.

    And back at that time that “real jazz” music was for me kinda surpassed, and basically… well, “useless for life”. But even then, even if I considered it conceptually outdated, the sound of big band was acoustically still just splendid. In fact, listening to the big band from time to time was one of those things that cut into the brain to actually form aural perspective. In one way, my conceptual understanding was correct: in previous two or three decades the music developed the way that didn’t favour big bands, and they lost their steam against more inventive small jazz bands. Yet, there was also the other, practical reason for such a development, the one that wasn’t intrinsically about aesthetics itself: it was about the higher “production costs” of big bands.

    Hence, in my view, having big bands alive is good, and that is why the festival like this deserves attention and support.

    Also, speaking about donations, I owe big “thank you” to all of you who asked about last month’s floods in this part of the world, and offered help. Belgrade was however only marginally affected, and nothing actually happened at my location, so the work here continued normally. Still, special thanks goes to Damien G. for his kind donation to the flood victims.

  40. Barry Husbands

    If you have a surplus I wiould like to buy one PCB please.

    Thank you

    Barry

  41. I came across AYA II 2014 DIY edition-is very very interesting, I have a question: do you anticipate more in the near future availability pcb? I think many tda 1541 fans would be that interested

  42. We are obviously late with this project, so I owe apologies to all. I’ve had to make some changes in PCB design, minor changes in fact, but they meant another round of process. Now I did drew the line, so complete PCB series should be done in about two weeks. Holidays will be over then, which might complicate things with building, but then again delivery will be probably easier.

    Apart from some layout (and layout related) changes, there are two parts changes with respect to the preliminary documents that you received. The first, as some of you noticed, BF245 is obsolete and practically already unavailable, and hence it is abandoned in this project. Just until a few weeks ago I’ve had my own stock, and I was unaware of how quickly it disappeared from major electronics parts stores. In fact, things with JFETs in classic leaded TO-92 package generally got tricky, as industry moved to SOT-23. This is great for automatic assembling, but troublesome for many DIY-ers, so I rather choose to stick with J113 here. The second is I2S / simultaneous mode switch, which is changed to more classic style DIP switch.

    Speaking on parts… Their availability, possible substitutes etc. might be a huge topic, and I will set another page that will be dedicated to anything related to parts.

    As for inquiries above, replies were sent to e-mail addresses.

  43. So, PCBs are here.

    Final checks and documentation completion will follow next days.

    Unpopulated PCBs will be then shipped first, probably starting the end of next week. PCBs with transformers will follow, and it will take a bit more until we complete the kits.

     

  44. Currently all the orders that include unpopulated boards (with or without transformers) are shipped, and work on completing the kits is in progress.

    Assembly manual will be done in one week, and once you have this document as a reference we will open the new page to discuss the parts availability, substitutes etc.

  45. Douglas, thanks for your interest. New requests continued to come on- and off-line, however I will not be able to continue with this project on regular basis. So here is the current state of things, and my proposal.

    At this moment it is sure that there will be several surplus boards, meant originally as reserve while making complete kits. However, instead of selling them as such, these boards would be employed more usefully to accept additional orders for complete kits / populated boards, as this would be possible to do without major fuss only while work on kits is in process. So if anyone is willing to place an order for complete kit or populated board, please do so during the next few days.

    Once we got the kits completed, and thus this originally started AYA II 2014 undertake done, I can set up a new list for unpopulated boards only. This list would be open probably sometime the last week of October, and then we will make required another batch of PCBs.

  46. Sorry, it had to read “this list would be open probably sometime the last week of October”, so it is corrected.

  47. Replies to requests for populated boards / kits were sent to e-mail addresses.

    Requests for unpopulated boards will be addressed in about ten days.

  48. Please let me know current price and availability and what is included. I will then select one. Thanks

  49. The prices are as quoted by initial, and updated by one of the later posts in this topic.

    So, completed kit (populated board and transformers) is 550 EUR, and kit with one input is 450 EUR. Kit can be shipped also with no front ends at all (so D/A and output stage only, with their own supplies, of course), and price in that case is 350 EUR. Relays and u.FL connectors can be also installed on board with one or no front ends, which adds 20 EUR to their prices (normally such boards have jumpers in this place). Kit without transformer costs 50 EUR less. For the second run, the price for unpopulated board will be again 30 EUR.

    Shipping cost depends on shipment weight and destination, and is between 10 EUR and 28 EUR for air mail, insurance included.

  50. Hi pedja ,
    Pls let me know
    When can be ship our complete kit ?coz I have to go oversea next week nobody at home and back end of oct.

  51. @ Myint:

    Everyone will be notified by e-mail prior to shipping, so we make sure everything goes when and where it needs to.

    Regards

  52. We will make official offer for second run soon, but all the inquiries above will be taken into account too.

    Once the offer is closed everyone will be e-mailed back.

  53. Hi Pedja,

    I’m trying to finish up my build and I find that I am unable to source the proper trafo in the US and I don’t want a bunch of toroids in the case just to have separate supplies. Do you have any spare trafos and how can I buy one securely, please PM me at your leisure.

    Thanks,

    Paul

  54. Hello Paul,

    Yes, at this moment there are two EI transformers that remained from previous batch.

    Payment and shipping can be done the same way, I have no more options than I have had previously.

    Regards

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