From this thread I got reminded of the feasability to DIY a DAC.
Microelectronics are a hobby of mine, I can solder SMD and if worse comes to worst, I got a university with electronics labs where I can ask for help.
Detailed guides are plenty, one example: http://users.abo.fi/jskata/JEDAC/
Parts used in the link above come out to about 33€ for the core components and another 10€ for misc bits. So about 45€ total.
Getting PCBs for this professionally made may be the most expensive part of this endavour. Sound Quality should be on par if not better than the $100 DAC class.
So all that said, leaves on question:
Has anyone here done this?
Thoughts welcome
I also have a diy DAC project but at another level. I will use a Texas Instruments PCM1792A DAC chip as the core of this unit, ultra low-noise regulated power supply separated for digital and analog, OPA2209 opamps for current to voltage conversion and a discrete class-A output stage. For USB interface I’ve got AliExpress Xmos interface. I have no idea how much everything will cost me, but probably around 100€ isn’t a bad estimate
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Doesn’t look like much but it had just made me cry over a sound of a violin so… and this isn’t even the final version. What you see is a low-noise power supply, xmos USB interface, pcm1792a DAC chip, opa2209 opamps for I/V conversion, LME49720 opamps for filter/buffer/balanced amp and another one for differential to single ended conversion.
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That is amazing!
I love the floating headphone jacket next to secondary of the transformer 
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Well I just quickly soldered something together to test the thing. DIY world is just amazing
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The thing is finally assembled and I think it is stunning. It is still missing XLR connectors for balanced output (yes it is a balanced dac 
)
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Thanks 
just calculated roughly how much it cost me and I am not even surprised…at least 130€ 
