# One voltage reference per DAC or one voltage reference for all DACs?

I have a circuit that requires six 18-bit DACs (AD5680) on it. Each DAC draws ~800µA at the high voltage output +5V and ~400µA at 0V output. Is there any issue with a single REF195 voltage reference for all of the DACs? The AD5680 is rated to supply 30mA. It can be assumed that the DACs are "close enough" to the voltage reference to not be an issue. The DAC output can be considered static, the output will change but not dynamically and there is plenty of settling time. I'm concerned with noise on the voltage reference supply bus or power supply pull or some effect that I have not considered.

• Are you suggesting using the REF195 to supply Vref AND Vdd to all the DACs or just Vref? The current drawn by Vref shouldn't change according to the converter output. – Finbarr Oct 29 '19 at 14:06
• If it's Vref only, each DAC only draws 40 uA typical, and there's no reason to think that there would be any undesirable interaction among the DACs through this path. – Dave Tweed Oct 29 '19 at 14:10

Keep in mind that the reference input is not differential so any difference in ground potential (say due to current from the DAC output) will show up as a slightly different DAC output voltage (measured with respect to the local ground). With a 5V Vref, one LSB is less than 20uV. A 300 mil trace 500 mils long (1 oz copper) has a resistance of about 0.8m$$\\Omega\$$, so about 20mA will cause a 1 lsb shift in full scale.