The γ2 Compact High Performance DAC

The γ2 Compact High Performance DAC

The circuit board

The γ2 circuit board is made of high quality FR-4 glass epoxy, with three copper layers, plated-through holes as well as silkscreen and solder mask. Together with the γ1 board, it is intended to slide into a Box Enclosures B2-080 series enclosure.

The board dimensions are 3.1625" x 3.9375" (80.33mm x 100.0mm) and is 0.062" (1.58mm) thick. Photos of the top and bottom side of the circuit boards are shown below. They are not in actual size.

The circuit board layout and silkscreen are shown below. The top layer is shown in red, the inner layer is in grey, the bottom layer is in blue, areas where there are traces in both the top and bottom layers are in lavender, and the top silkscreen is in light grey.

You may also view the following:

A larger image of the board layout (PNG format, 47KB)
A larger image of the silkscreen (PNG format, 22KB)
An image of the silkscreen layer (PDF format, 265KB)

The front and rear panels

If you purchase the pre-drilled and engraved panel set from AMB, then you may skip this section and read the Notes below. The information here is relevant if you will be drilling your own panels.

Since all γ1 and γ2 panel components are board-mounted, it is important that the holes on the front and rear panels be drilled accurately to match. The following diagrams and table shows the dimensions for the γ2 with all features installed, to be used with the γ1 Full++ configuration. If you have a lesser configuration, simply omit the unused panel components.

Dimensions
A	4.2717" (108.5mm)
B	1.1614" (29.50mm)
C	1.8996" (48.25mm)
D	0.4606" (11.70mm)
E	0.3858" (9.800mm)
F	1.5000" (38.10mm)
G	0.4875" (12.38mm)
H	0.2250" (5.715mm)
I	0.5250" (13.34mm)
J	1.4622" (37.14mm)
K	0.0117" (0.297mm)
L	0.0383" (0.973mm)
M	0.1373" (3.487mm)
N	0.0887" (2.253mm)
O	0.0453" (1.151mm)
P	1.5514" (39.41mm)
Q	1.0000" (25.40mm)
R	0.4750" (12.07mm)
S	0.0875" (2.223mm)
T	0.5375" (13.65mm)
U	0.9875" (25.08mm)
V	1.5125" (38.42mm)
W	0.1147" (2.913mm)
X	0.0353" (0.897mm)
Y	0.0193" (0.490mm)
Z	0.1324" (3.363mm)

Hole sizes (circular: D, rectangular: W x H)
Φa	0.1500" (3.800mm)
Φb	0.4100" x 0.4100" (10.41mm x 10.41mm)
Φc	0.3750" (9.525mm)
Φd	0.1700" (4.318mm)
Φe	0.2550" (6.477mm)
Φf	0.1950" (4.953mm)
Φg	0.3200" x 0.1650" (8.128mm x 4.191mm)
Corner radius
r	0.1181" (3.000mm)
Panel thickness
	0.0787" (2.000mm)

The following PDF file may be printed 1:1 and used as drilling templates, but their accuracy depends on the resolution of your printer. You should use a good, calibrated digital caliper to verify all measurements.

γ2 Panel drilling template (PDF format, 45KB)

Notes about the front and rear panels

If you are upgrading a γ1 Full++ (F) to a γ2, the mated two-board assembly rides a little higher in the B2-080 case slots than the γ1 board alone. If you already have panels drilled for the γ1 Full++ configuration, the γ1 board's jacks and switches will no longer align properly with their holes. Therefore, you cannot simply add holes to the existing panels to accommodate the γ2. New panels need to be made according to the diagrams shown above.

In the γ2, the case is connected to circuit ground via strips of exposed ground plane (along the sides of the circuit boards) against the case slots.

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