The TooleAudio BantamDAC
BantamDAC History
| DIY DACs based on the Texas Instruments/Burr-Brown PCM2702 have a history going back several years. The first DIY design was put forth by Guzzler in 2004-2005 and sold as kits for awhile. Some of that documentation was lost, I believe, because the original Guzzler website is no longer active. The original build thread at Head-Fi seems to be lost, too. If you any of you retrieve it, please let me know and I will add it to the history. User Dsavitsk still has an outstanding article and review of the original Guzzler DAC here. The rest of the lines of the DIY PCM2702 DACs are explained on the Alien DAC web site. The BantamDAC continues in this tradition of DIY USB DACs based on the PCM2702 TI chip. Colin Toole originally posted the first layout version of the BantamDAC as a thread on Head-Fi.org titled, ""Comments on my PCM2702 DAC Layout?" This was on August, 10, 2006. Colin had improved on the Alien DAC layout and simplified the design to use USB-power, only. He had designed this layout/board because he had missed the Group Buy for the Alien DAC. However, the Alien proved to be so popular that another Group Buy was held. Jeff Rossel (Glass Jar Audio) furthered the Alien availability by offering kits. Later on, Jeff gained the rights to the boards and the availability of the Alien was assured. |
 A pair of Alien DACs |
 The first BantamDAC Layout | |
 The first prototype BantamDAC board |
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| However, in late 2007 and early 2008, shortages occurred with the Texas Instruments REG101/102 regulators. To date, they've been unavailable for months and may be for the forseeable future. These are the regulators required on the Alien DAC. However, since the BantamDAC uses the TPS regulators, it seemed appropriate that their might be some popularity for the layout. Colin resurrected the design in the Summer of 2008 and the BantamDAC team ordered some prototype boards. A few of the prototypes were successfully completed by the prototypers and with some small changes, production boards were ordered and arrived October 1, 2008. | |
