Alien DAC: Built

Assembled Alien DAC w/USB Power (Top)
(Click for more photos…)

I decided that I’m going to build another one of those Millett Hybrid Maxed headphone amplifiers, except this time I want to build one using a bit more specialized parts, stick it in a case with wooden end panels, and fit both a USB audio adapter and input switch in the housing. As you can see here, the two PCBs will easily fit in the case. (The Elna RFS / Silmic II capacitors can also be seen there.)

Today the Alien DAC kit arrived from Glass Jar Audio, so I set to work putting it together. It really wasn’t too difficult, most of the parts were either through-hole or 1206 / 0805 SMT. The SOT-8 voltage regulators were real easy to solder as well, and I had very little trouble with the SSOP28 PCM2702E. The board is reasonably well laid out, but there are a couple of things I would have changed. I’m really not sure what the designer was thinking (I think he wanted to save space / make things more compact), as hand-soldering SMT IC legs to ground without thermals is a huge pain in the ass. Regardless, it worked out.

Oh, and the bottom of the board can be seen here.