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Author Topic: AlienTek FY1, 384/32 DAC + AMP??? Can anyone read Chinese?  (Read 1351 times)

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Oktyabr

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AlienTek FY1, 384/32 DAC + AMP??? Can anyone read Chinese?
« on: February 12, 2015, 08:46:09 AM »
I wish I could read Chinese!  I've been googling (and poking and prodding links in Chinese) trying to find a users manual download, that might be in English, but so far no good.  If anyone here can read Chinese I'd love to find a link to a users manual and/or a translation of this page?  Since the text is embedded in a full page graphic I can't get google to translate it. :confused_face:

http://www.alientek.com/product/showproduct.php?lang=cn&id=41

As far as I can tell it appears to be a full blown desktop DAC/AMP with a very cool looking OLED display (I love shiny things).  Build quality looks good in the photos too (unless they are plating knurled plastic?!?).

It appears it uses XMOS USB audio to give it decoding of everything up to 384/32 (DSD?)
Includes an ASIO 2.0 driver
PCM5122 chip that must be the DAC(?)
CS5346 chip that I am guessing is the line in ("Mic") ADC?
MAX97220 chip that also says "112db", "125mW" and "600" in the same paragraph so I'm guessing 125mW @ 600 Ohms?


Anyone know anything about any of these chips?  I found the MAX97220 here: http://www.maximintegrated.com/en/products/analog/audio/MAX97220A.html
It says "A headphone load is capable of being driven with 125mW into 32Ω with a 5V supply." and it talks about "DirectDrive" and later says:

"3VRMS Output Drive into 1kΩ with a 5V Supply
2VRMS Output Drive into 600Ω with a 3.3V Supply"

Is that good?  Or is this just a paper weight with pretty looking lights?

I was bored and stumbled upon this video of it.  I wish there was a review in English!

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Solderdude

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Re: AlienTek FY1, 384/32 DAC + AMP??? Can anyone read Chinese?
« Reply #1 on: February 12, 2015, 12:24:35 PM »
Can't read Chinese but MAX97220 datasheet says: 3Vrms out max will yield 30mW into 300 Ohm and 15mW into 600 Ohm.
So I wouldn't qualify the HA section as 'full blown' but slightly above i-crap level.  ::)

It MUST have an internal DCDC inverter on chip to reach these RMS levels on a single 5V power supply without capacitive coupling.
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antifocus

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Re: AlienTek FY1, 384/32 DAC + AMP??? Can anyone read Chinese?
« Reply #2 on: February 12, 2015, 04:36:55 PM »
It looks like a crappy audio interface to me...don't really know what you want to know about this thing...
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Oktyabr

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Re: AlienTek FY1, 384/32 DAC + AMP??? Can anyone read Chinese?
« Reply #3 on: February 12, 2015, 06:21:43 PM »
Quote from: antifocus on February 12, 2015, 04:36:55 PM
It looks like a crappy audio interface to me...don't really know what you want to know about this thing...

You guys just told me what I wanted to know.

Thanks!
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Oktyabr

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Re: AlienTek FY1, 384/32 DAC + AMP??? Can anyone read Chinese?
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2015, 09:01:00 PM »
I guess I had hoped that their "DirectDrive" technology might let it act like a "perfect voltage source" and it would have been modestly capable into different loads.  I hadn't read that bit in the data sheet about the different loads.

Some of the translations I've done of various forum posts seem to suggest it's got a US$100 price tag, there abouts, and I was keeping my fingers crossed that between having (hopefully) enough ponies under the hood to drive AKGs, that that DAC might make it a pretty good value.  But yeah, I was bored and lots of pretty lights drew me to it, like a moth to a flame...
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knerian

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Re: AlienTek FY1, 384/32 DAC + AMP??? Can anyone read Chinese?
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2015, 09:07:20 PM »
It is 5something on taobao which puts it at $80-$90, once you ship it over and pay brokerage costs it will be well over $100.
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blue

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Re: AlienTek FY1, 384/32 DAC + AMP??? Can anyone read Chinese?
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2015, 02:27:07 AM »
I'd stay far away from most Chinese DIY.

There are certain brands that are quite good for the price though.
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Oktyabr

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Re: AlienTek FY1, 384/32 DAC + AMP??? Can anyone read Chinese?
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2015, 04:33:09 AM »
Good advice, and noted.  I've dealt with Chinese companies enough to know the ups and downs.

What I'm most interested in knowing is if this is worth $100-$200 US?
Most importantly, are the chips any good?
What's the story behind XMOS USB?
384/32 seems pretty future proof, especially at that price?
They talk about this being an external sound card, not a dedicated headphone amplifier.  192/24 in through the mic (line in) jack?  Yeah, I know what the numbers mean and that might be of use.

Some of the Chinese (I think) forums I've had google translate, while far from a perfect translation, seems to suggest that at least one group is doing a try-it sort of circle, where one is buying it and shipping it off to another member and then they play with it awhile and ship it off to another member and so on.  These are guys that plan to plug HD650's and the like into it... not IEMs that came with a phone.  I say this because I think I detect some enthusiasm among the Chinese "audiophiles" about this and wondered if it might have some value?  I mostly run AKG K712 and this wouldn't be my only amp/dac.  Just curious.

If I could find a link to the owner's manual or even a brochure, in English, I'd feel better about maybe trying one.  Had hopes someone might speak/read enough Chinese to help me out on this.
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knerian

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Re: AlienTek FY1, 384/32 DAC + AMP??? Can anyone read Chinese?
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2015, 05:14:44 AM »
Quote from: Oktyabr on February 13, 2015, 04:33:09 AM
Good advice, and noted.  I've dealt with Chinese companies enough to know the ups and downs.

What I'm most interested in knowing is if this is worth $100-$200 US?
Most importantly, are the chips any good?
What's the story behind XMOS USB?
384/32 seems pretty future proof, especially at that price?
They talk about this being an external sound card, not a dedicated headphone amplifier.  192/24 in through the mic (line in) jack?  Yeah, I know what the numbers mean and that might be of use.

Some of the Chinese (I think) forums I've had google translate, while far from a perfect translation, seems to suggest that at least one group is doing a try-it sort of circle, where one is buying it and shipping it off to another member and then they play with it awhile and ship it off to another member and so on.  These are guys that plan to plug HD650's and the like into it... not IEMs that came with a phone.  I say this because I think I detect some enthusiasm among the Chinese "audiophiles" about this and wondered if it might have some value?  I mostly run AKG K712 and this wouldn't be my only amp/dac.  Just curious.

If I could find a link to the owner's manual or even a brochure, in English, I'd feel better about maybe trying one.  Had hopes someone might speak/read enough Chinese to help me out on this.

Now I'm curious, what is the Chinese forum you're talking about?
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Solderdude

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Re: AlienTek FY1, 384/32 DAC + AMP??? Can anyone read Chinese?
« Reply #9 on: February 13, 2015, 06:13:21 AM »
Quote from: Oktyabr on February 13, 2015, 04:33:09 AM
What I'm most interested in knowing is if this is worth $100-$200 US?
Most importantly, are the chips any good?
What's the story behind XMOS USB?
384/32 seems pretty future proof, especially at that price?
They talk about this being an external sound card, not a dedicated headphone amplifier.  192/24 in through the mic (line in) jack?  Yeah, I know what the numbers mean and that might be of use.


It's not the chips that you have to 'worry' about.
It's their implementation and the parts around it and above all PCB layout and firmware.

Literally hundreds of things may go wrong.
It may even 'brick' after a while...,.  who knows... customer support ?
How long do you want it to last ? Just to see a buggy analyser/scope animation ?

The 192/24 in is a nice feature you don't see in DAC's .
This is more like an external DAC/ADC.

From a technical POV its my (but only MY) opinion that it may possibly sound good enough, even for a K712 which you could possibly drive even to decent levels.

It's not that expensive so if it keeps nagging you... just order it and play with it.

I consider it a toy, like those very small USB soundcards but with a nicer enclosure and an animated display.
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