DAC32 low-cost high performance music streamer

[mrw]

Yes, this is a major problem now that the UK has left the EU. The new VAT rules have really complicated matters. Rest assured though, we are working on a solution

I've just read them, or a brief summary, anyway, as it applies to small items < £135 sold directly to consumers. Thoroughly, thoroughly, annoying. In the "old days" the seller could have arranged for the shipper to handle it all. In the "old, old days" I would just have paid the post office any dues at the point of collection, and given them a fiver for their trouble. But now, it seems, the seller needs to register for UK VAT. Grrr...

I sense a business opportunity for a UK facilitator. Or perhaps, to be precise, a GB facilitator. Although it looks as if Amazon and its ilk can already play that role. (Online marketplaces (OMPs) are already responsible for dealing with it).

To make it worse - the rules are slightly different for Northern Ireland based customers compared to rest of UK.

Well, and why wouldn't they be ? Life wouldn't be worth living without tiresome complications. Sigh...

[Heuer]

Should not make much difference as exporting goods out of the EU means the 19% German VAT is not payable but duty and local taxes will apply on landed cost of import (so duty paid on total including shipping plus VAT or equivalent in your country). Of course you may also get stiffed by the carrier who may charge a "handling fee". Sell via Amazon would be the easiest option.

[philippe_44]

Don't forget Amazon.ca as well for us Canucks!

Price is reasonable, but from the website:

"For orders with a total value below 100,- € we are using Deutsche Post Warenversand National or International."

Not sure how much that would be to Canada, or what duty/taxes would be.

Definitely interested though!

Go Canucks!

[PolyVection]

Go Canucks!

Well as things stand, it might be easier to ship to Canada than from Germany to the UK.

[mrw]

Well as things stand, it might be easier to ship to Canada than from Germany to the UK.

Or from anywhere to the UK, if I’m understanding it correctly.

[PolyVection]

Or from anywhere to the UK, if I’m understanding it correctly.

Exactly!

[PolyVection]

Is it pure Squeezelite-ESP32 ... meaning that users can simply update the firmware using the builds that the Squeezelite-ESP32 team release?

Yes, it basically is.
We will ship with a custom compiled version of Squeezelite-ESP32 to have a little better control of the OTA updates. Meaning that we want to test each new community release before making it available to the DAC32 devices. Just to avoid that an accidentally released update can brick a large number of devices over night.

Nevertheless it stays fully compatible with the community release and you can easily switch over to that one and not use our tested versions.

[Ron F.]

This looks great as a ready to use product, just throw it behind a powered speaker!

I have a question however about the DAC implementation:
The PCM5122 is getting it's reference clock from the ESP32 part and uses it's PLL?

I am looking at the Allo MiniBoss DAC, which places this DAC part into master mode, and has two external crystals, 45 & 49 MHz, selecting one for sample rates that are a multiple of 44.1 KHz and the other for sample rates that are a multiple of 48 KHz. This strikes me as a good idea, can this be done in your product, would it improve performance such as lowering jitter?

[PolyVection]

I have a question however about the DAC implementation:
The PCM5122 is getting it's reference clock from the ESP32 part and uses it's PLL?

I am looking at the Allo MiniBoss DAC, which places this DAC part into master mode, and has two external crystals, 45 & 49 MHz, selecting one for sample rates that are a multiple of 44.1 KHz and the other for sample rates that are a multiple of 48 KHz. This strikes me as a good idea, can this be done in your product, would it improve performance such as lowering jitter?

Yes, the clocks are directly coming from the ESP32 where the internal PLL is used.
Our investigation showed that the ESP32 jitter level is pretty good and much better in comparison to e.g. a RPi.

[d6jg]

Yes, the clocks are directly coming from the ESP32 where the internal PLL is used.
Our investigation showed that the ESP32 jitter level is pretty good and much better in comparison to e.g. a RPi.

I would pre order a couple of these but I’m in UK (England). Can you shout when the VAT complications have been resolved please?