ANK DAC5.1 Signature Instructions for use

DAC5.1 Signature
Construction Manual
Version 2.0 Jan 2016
[e-mail]
1-613-822-7188

Table of Contents
1 - INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................1
2 - ABOUT ANKITS...............................................................................................2
3 - EQUIPMENT ...................................................................................................3
4 - TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS.................................................................................4
5 - SKILLS / PREREQUISITES .................................................................................5
5.1 HARDWARE/MECHANICAL................................................................................................... 5
5.2 WIRE –STRIPPING /TINNING................................................................................................ 6
5.3 OHM METER /RESISTORS ................................................................................................... 6
5.4 SOLDERING ...................................................................................................................... 6
5.5 CAPACITOR ORIENTATION .................................................................................................... 6
5.6 VOLTAGE CHECKS .............................................................................................................. 7
6 - DAC5.1 HISTORY & TECHNICAL OVERVIEW.....................................................8
7 - DAC5.1 ASSEMBLY..........................................................................................9
7.1 INSTALL THE FEET............................................................................................................... 9
7.2 INSTALL THE DAC5.1 POWER SUPPLY.................................................................................... 10
7.3 INSTALL THE MAINS TRANSFORMERS .................................................................................... 12
7.3.1 Securing the PCB onto the chassis..............................................................................................................12
7.3.2 Connecting the White wires .......................................................................................................................13
7.3.3 Connecting the White/Grey wires..............................................................................................................14
7.3.4 Connecting the Black wires ........................................................................................................................15
7.3.5 Connecting the Black/Grey wires ...............................................................................................................16
7.3.6 Connecting the jumper cables 120V ONLY.................................................................................................17
7.3.7 Connecting the jumper cables 240V ONLY.................................................................................................18
7.3.8 Connecting the PCB to the Rocker switch ..................................................................................................19
7.3.9 Connecting the Rocker switch to the IEC....................................................................................................20
7.3.10 Connecting the IEC’s to the ground..........................................................................................................21
7.3.11 Final schematics of the 120V and 240V circuits .......................................................................................22
7.3.12 Mount the Mains Transformers into the chassis......................................................................................24
8 - FILAMENT BOARD ........................................................................................25
8.1 BUILDING THE FILAMENT BOARD ......................................................................................... 26
8.1.1 Mount the Filament board into the Chassis...............................................................................................28
8.2 POWER SUPPLY PCB ........................................................................................................ 29
8.2.1 Install a bridge ...........................................................................................................................................31
8.2.2 Install the 8-Pin Valve Base........................................................................................................................32
8.2.3 Install the White EVO Film Caps & the black 47uf TUBE cap .....................................................................33

9 - SUPER REGULATOR BOARD ..........................................................................34
9.1 INSTALL THE RESISTORS ..................................................................................................... 36
9.2 INSTALL THE FIRST CAPACITORS ........................................................................................... 37
9.3 INSTALL THE BRIDGE RECTIFIERS .......................................................................................... 38
9.4 INSTALL THE REGULATORS AND HEAT SINKS ............................................................................ 39
9.5 INSTALLING THE REMAINING CAPACITORS ............................................................................... 40
9.6 FINAL PRODUCT .............................................................................................................. 41
10 - DAC5.1 INTERWIRING.................................................................................44
10.1 WIRING THE PTL4 TRANSFORMER TO THE POWER SUPPLY PCB ................................................. 48
10.2 WIRING THE PTDAC4-1 TRANSFORMER TO THE FILAMENT BOARD ............................................ 49
10.3 WIRING THE CHOKE TRANSFORMERS TO THE POWER SUPPLY PCB.............................................. 51
10.4 WIRING THE 15K MILLS RESISTOR TO THE POWER SUPPLY PCB ................................................. 52
10.5 WIRING THE SUPER REGULATOR BOARD .............................................................................. 53
11 - TESTING THE POWER SUPPLY .....................................................................55
11.1 INSTALL THE 5U4G EH TUBE IN POSITION IN THE 8PIN SOCKET .................................................. 57
12 - DIGITAL BOARD..........................................................................................59
12.1 CONNECTING THE COAXIAL CABLE FROM SPDIF TO THE CON1 PORT .......................................... 60
12.2 MOUNTING THE BOARD INTO THE CHASSIS ........................................................................... 61
12.3 WIRING TO THE SUPER REGULATOR BOARD .......................................................................... 67
13 - ANALOG LINE BOARD .................................................................................69
13.1 INSTALLING THE JUMPERS ................................................................................................ 72
13.2 INSTALL THE COMPONENTS............................................................................................... 73
13.2.1 AudioNote Tantalum Resistors.................................................................................................................73
13.2.2 Valve Bases ..............................................................................................................................................74
13.2.3 4 x 470uf ..................................................................................................................................................75
13.2.4 VCAP Film Caps ........................................................................................................................................75
13.3 WIRING TO THE FILAMENT BOARD ..................................................................................... 77
13.4 WIRING CONNECTIONS TO THE POWER SUPPLY ..................................................................... 78
14 - I/V TRANSFORMER INSTALLATION .............................................................79
14.1 CONNECTING I/V TO DIGITAL BOARD.................................................................................. 80
14.2 CONNECTING I/V TO LINE BOARD ...................................................................................... 81
15 - TRIPLE C CORE OUTPUT TRANSFORMERS ...................................................83
15.1 MOUNTING INTO THE CHASSIS .......................................................................................... 84
15.2 OUTPUT TRANSFORMER (CC-410) CONNECTIONS TO THE POWER SUPPLY .................................... 85
16 - REAR OF DAC5.1 CHASSIS CONNECTIONS ...................................................86

17 - WIRING THE OUTPUT TRANSFORMER SECONDARY’S .................................89
18 - FINAL CHECKS – DAC5.1..............................................................................91
18.1 POWER UP &TESTING ................................................................................................... 91
19 - INSTALLING THE ROTARY ON/OFF SWITCH ( OPTIONAL )............................92
19.1 FRONT AND REAR FACEPLATES .......................................................................................... 95
20 - FINAL THOUGHTS .......................................................................................96
21 - DAC5.1 APPENDIX ......................................................................................97

1 -
Introduction
Congratulations on your purchase of the DIY version of the ANKits DAC5.1. This is very high
end and sophisticated piece of audio equipment that will surely become the showpiece of your
sound system! We are excited you have chosen to join us on the path of audio superiority, and
thus, we have created this manual to help guide you through each step of the assembly process
with as much detail and clarity possible. To facilitate the build process, the manual has been
divided into several chapters, each focusing on a separate aspect of the system; follow through
the chapters in order and we guarantee not only a problem free experience, but a pleasant
time doing so.
If you are new to building kits, or if at any time you feel as though you need help or advice,
feel free to contact us and we will do whatever it takes to get you on the right track.
Enjoy!
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2 -
About ANKits
AudioNote UK started out in the early 90’s developing several DIY audio kits while they were
building up their finished product business. DIY Audio has a long history and it was a chance for
knowledgeable customers to take advantage of world class designs and components!
AudioNote was focused on using the very finest materials and custom made components to
their specifications across the entire product line – from customer film and electrolytic
capacitors to tantalum resistors, transformers, binding posts, wires, etc… The Kit1 300B Single
Ended integrated amplifier was born during development of the Meishu and it proved to be
extremely popular worldwide. The ANKit business was born! As the finished product business
and dealer network started to flourish, AudioNote eventually broke the kit business off into a
separate division, thus in 2004, AudioNoteKits started up and was supported by a website such
that customers not located near AudioNote dealers could now order kits and have them
shipped direct. Kit development continued in earnest during the 2000’s with development
assisted by AudioNote engineering. AudioNote parts were used throughout the kits depending
on the various levels and budgets. By 2013, ANK AudioKits had a strong product range covering
all the areas of two channel audio: Single Ended 300B product line, EL34 & EL34 classAB and
single ended product line, Digital to Analog Converters, Pre-Amplification, Phono stages and
AudioNote Speaker kits. The end result is that customers worldwide with DIY skills can build an
entire high end audio system to their liking.
With the products getting to higher and higher levels in 2013 with the release of the Level 5
Mentor and DAC5.1, some customers wanted these high end products but wanted a
professional builder to assemble them. ANKits began offering this service for Level 4 & 5
products so that a significant investment in a kit could be turned into a work of art!
Since ANKits was born in 2004, over 2500 kits have been shipped worldwide to all corners of
the globe. There is a good demand for high end audio kits and ANKits has been delivering the
goods now for over a decade. We expect you to have a great experience building your kit and
look forward to hearing from you about your experience.
Regards
Brian Smith – Director ANKits
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3 -
Equipment
Here is the list of equipment that will be required:
•Philips Screwdriver
•Wire Strippers
•A large, organised work area
•Soldering Iron Station with wet Sponge
•Lead Solder with Tin/Silver
We highly recommend using Leaded solder with some silver content on the build. You can use
Lead free ONLY if you are experienced using it and confident. Lead free solder requires a higher
melting temperature and thus is more difficult to use. We don’t recommend unleaded solder for
first time builders.
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4 -
Tips and Suggestions
Practice soldering and soldering techniques (such as stripping and tinning) prior to starting the
kit. Have an organized work area where you can work on the kit on a regular basis.
Try not to do too much in one sitting, be sure to review your previous work before moving on
to make sure everything is correct.
Try to work a little bit each day on the kit, if you start to feel tired, take a rest.
If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].
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5 -
Skills / Prerequisites
We have learned a lot over the last decade from customers and here I would like to share some
tips with you to ensure a successful project. Please read through this section thoroughly, it will
give you a good idea of what is ahead and ensure your success!
5.1
Hardware/Mechanical
Not all of us are mechanically oriented, that is fine. The kit is quite well laid out such that all the
hardware is provided and bagged in individual sections so everything should make sense. Start
thinking mechanically because 30% of the kit is mechanical.
First thing to remember is that good hardware is beautiful; we use all stainless steel Metric
hardware in the kits. It truly is a thing of beauty, don’t rush your hardware!!
A few things we must understand first are:
I. We use the British Metric Hardware (M3 M4 M5 screw size 10mm, 15mm, etc..) as
opposed to the American Imperial system (5/1000th or 50/1000th, 1 inch ¾ inch).
Familiarize yourself with some of the hardware in the kit.
II. The screws will be called M3 or M4 and this is the diameter of the shaft. The length of
the shaft will be in millimeters, so you would need an M4 screw 16mm and then the
option is a PAN head which is a round spherical head or a COUNTERSUNK or FLAT head.
This would be used when a screw head needs to be flush with a surface (for example
under a transformer!).
III. So if you are asked to use an M3 16mm CSK screw, this is a M3 size obviously which is a
thinner shaft diameter than an M4. 16mm is the length of the shaft, and the head type
is CSK which is countersunk or FLAT head.
IV. Once you have the screws handled, we can look at the matching nuts such as M4 nut or
M3 nut and corresponding washers.
V. Standoffs are common in the kits (again, they are either M3 or m4 size). They are
threaded typically so the screw goes into them; we use several different lengths in the
kit.
VI. If any of the hardware is confusing or something is not fitting right, please email us.
Tool: A little patience
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5.2
Wire – stripping / tinning
When it comes to wires, we use typically 18gauge (thicker) and 22 gauge in the kits. Its PTFE
Teflon silver plated copper wire, but in some other kits, we will use a solid silver wire. Basically
this is classed as Hook up wire, we typically twist wire for you when it needs to be. The other
wire we use would be called shielded cable like an AN-A (AudioNote) or AN-V. This is where you
have two conductors for signal and then a big ground braid wrapped around; this is called
shielding and allows the cable to not pick up noise. You should practice stripping some 18g or
22g wire and then try TINNING this wire; this is the process of adding solder to the bare wire so
that the invisible coating on the wire can be burned off and then allows for easy soldering to a
PCB or an RCA or a transformer terminal. So it is a good idea to practice this a little before
starting on the kit.
Tool: Wire strippers & solder
5.3
Ohm Meter / Resistors
Using the ohm setting on your multimeter is VERY useful when building a kit. First of all, you can
measure resistors (much easier than reading the color codes on the side), the color codes with
practice can also be a good way but the multimeter in OHM mode is the fastest way for a new
builder (and an experienced one).
Tool: Multimeter
5.4
Soldering
We suggest you practice your soldering before embarking on the kit, feel free to request
practice parts with your kit so that you can practice TINNING wires and making nice solder
joints. The key is a reasonable soldering station with sponge, the right temperature, and a good
size tip. Also, tips can wear out so make sure your tip is working. Check out YouTube videos for
soldering examples. The solder should flow freely, if it’s forming balls then there is a problem
with the tip or the temperature or sometimes the surface. Feel free to contact us for HELP!!
5.5
Capacitor Orientation
Any audio circuit is going to be composed of resistors and capacitors. For those who have not
built before, here is a little lesson on capacitors. There are basically two types of capacitors that
we use in the kits, Electrolytic capacitors with PLUS and NEGATIVE side and typically have
values of 100uf 450v, 10uf 160v, or 470uf 35v. These caps have a stripe down one side and that
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would designate the negative side of the cap. The cap has to be installed in the correct
orientation or it will possibly explode at some point!
The other caps we use we call Signal caps. These capacitors have audio signals going through
them and they have values like .1uf 600v, .22, or .47uf. These are not “polarized” in that they
don’t have a direction. Some manufacturers will recommend an input and output side for sonic
purposes but there is no harm installing either way from an electrical standpoint. When
working with the kit, make sure you identify the Electrolytic and Signal capacitors!
5.6
Voltage Checks
There are a couple of voltage basics that can really help the cause. There are two types of
voltage: DC and AC. DC is a constant voltage, for example the High Voltage in a 300B amplifier is
typically 425v DC, so when you measure from the high voltage point to any ground in the circuit
(even the chassis), you will measure 425v DC.
The other type of voltage is AC voltage, this is basically a voltage that is constantly changing in
the form of a SIN wave. The filament voltages on an EL34 are 6.3V AC or alternating voltage.
With your handy voltmeter, you can measure DC or AC and makes troubleshooting
straightforward. The other key tool on your meter is the OHM meter, you can take a resistor
and measure the resistance in Ohms. For example, you pick up a resistor, put a probe on each
end and set your meter to OHMs and measure 1000 ohms for example, this is then a 1K
resistor. Just as important as resistance, being able to measure continuity is one of the most
powerful debug tools, in other words, is there zero ohms or a straight connection between this
point in the amp and another point? Ask us some questions about this if you don’t understand!
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6 -
DAC5.1 History & Technical Overview
The DAC5.1 Signature has grown out of over 12 years of DAC research and development at
AudioNote and ANKits.
The DAC1.1, released in 2001, incorporated a solid state power supply and a single 12au7
output tube. Designed using the audio note resistor ladder architecture, this made it a powerful
and cost effective option. The kit business started to gain a lot of traction around 2003 as
ANKits and in 2007, the DAC2.1 was released. The old power supply was retired in favor of the
new M2 Power Supply which was both tube rectified and tube regulated. The line stage was a
dual 6922 output which made for a much lower output impedance than the DAC1.1. IV
transformers were introduced into the kits for the first time and it was a great success!
In 2009, the DAC3.1 was launched where we moved to the transformer coupled output stage.
In 2011, based on customer demand and feedback, the DAC4.1 was launched and it became
ANK’s most successful product to date, also launching the triple C core output transformers.
Since 2011 we have been looking at DAC architectures and trying to track the ever evolving
industry. We settled on architecting and developing the DAC5.1 where we took a fresh look at
not only all the digital aspects of this new DAC, but also the analog aspects as well. The list of
advancements in this DAC is quite extraordinary, as you can see below:
New Shunt Based Power Supply incorporating the WE 274B rectifier (5U4G)
New Digital Board with new on board Power supply for quiet operation
Super Regulator Board introduced using latest regulator technology
New Large Can IV transformers for interface between digital and analog domains
New 12au7 – ECC99 Line stage
Triple C core output transformers
WBT 75Ohm RCA input
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7 -
DAC5.1 Assembly
In this section we are going to have an overview of the building of the DAC5.1; this will help
familiarize you with the overall build so you can plan accordingly. Below is our latest version
chassis (Figure 1); we have drilled a few holes to accommodate new layouts for the mains and
chokes.
7.1
Install the Feet
The 4 large feet will be installed in the corner holes of the chassis. Use the M4 20mm Pan
screws provided with washers and secure with the nut on the inside of the chassis.
Figure 1 - Latest Chassis
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7.2
Install the DAC5.1 power supply
The heart of the DAC5.1 is a very sophisticated power supply with 2 Mains transformers along
with three substantial chokes.
This highly sophisticated SHUNT power supply is comprised of the following Mains
transformers, chokes, PCB’s and SHUNT resistor.
Mains for HT (PTL4)
Mains for Filaments (PTDAC4.1)
Choke 1 CH12H12
Choke 2 CH9H12
Choke 3 CH5H45
10K 50W SHUNT resistor
Filament board to supply Line
board filament supplies
DAC5.1 Power Supply PCB
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In this first section, we are going to get two mains transformers positioned into place and make
connections for the IEC, Rocker Switch, and Mains primary sections. This is where the wall
electricity will be coming into the DAC and into the primary of the dual Mains transformers.
Mains for HT (PTDAC4.1)
Mains for Filaments (PTL4)
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7.3
Install the Mains Transformers
The DAC5.1 utilizes two Mains transformers, one supplies the high voltage taps and the other
supplies all the filament and digital voltages. We separated these up for ultimate sonic
reproduction. See appendix for the wiring information for these transformers.
Position the PTDAC4.1 Mains transformer into position as shown on previous page and then the
PTL4 transformer. The primary side of these transformers is the one with the white black white-
grey black-grey and green wires, make sure this “primary” side is facing the back of the chassis.
No need to secure these yet at we have to hook up the primaries and sort out the IEC section
and Rocker section prior to securing these into place, just place them in their approximate
location.
7.3.1
Securing the PCB onto the chassis
You will notice in your IEC kit bag you will find a rectangular PCB as shown in Figure 2 below.
We call this the IEC PCB and we will be connecting the wires from the primary of the mains to
this board.
Go ahead and secure this PCB to the rear of the chassis using the supplied M3 standoffs found
in the Hardware Bag (IEC). Make sure the “white” is at the top as shown in the picture. The next
step is to wire up these components, it makes sense to wire this section up before we actually
secure the mains transformers as it will be difficult to get to the IEC section once the
transformers are secured. This graphic series can also be found in NEW IEC.pdf file in higher
resolution.
Figure 2 - IEC PCB, Rocker Switch, and IEC Socket
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7.3.2
Connecting the White wires
Figure 3 - White Wires to PCB
Take the white wires as shown from each mains and wire to the PCB – We suggest that you
strip the end of the white wire to an appropriate length. Give yourself a little slack and then tin
the end of the wires by adding solder to the exposed wire so that the solder melts to it, then
clip the tinned wire to a length of maybe ¼” so that it can fit through the hole and then SOLDER
from the bottom of the board. You might have your own system but that should be the best
way to go. Obviously you will want to make these connections while the Board is NOT secured
to the rear of the chassis. We would also recommend that you solder on the top as well, make
sure that you leave 1-2mm of room for the exposed tinned wire to be visible so that the solder
will stick to it.
A common beginner mistake would be to push the wire into the hole but then the insulation of
the wire is pressing against the pad, this is bad form so take our advice and have a really good
smooth solder connection on top and bottom of the board for these mains primary wires.
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7.3.3
Connecting the White/Grey wires
Figure 4 - White-Grey Wires to PCB
Once you have the first two mastered, then try with the White-grey wires as shown above.
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7.3.4
Connecting the Black wires
Figure 5 - Black Wires to PCB
…Followed by the Black wires…
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7.3.5
Connecting the Black/Grey wires
Figure 6 - Black-Grey wires to PCB
…And finally the black-grey wires.
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