Audio GD Reference 5 coming soon - Page 32

Nice to see the added interest. I still love mine. Use it as a dedicated DAC and recently changed from an optical source to a coaxial one, and definitely loving the change. Also I made my own ACSS cables, using some parts I purchased from King-Wa, which really brought a lot of clarity out of the DAC.

How did you make your own? You have a guide? 

I think you may have one of the last REF5 from audio-gd

REF5 is gone now , discontinoused by audio-gd

http://www.audio-gd.com/PriceList.htm

I've got sugestion from Kingwa that maybe in Aprill he will revive Ref.5.

He is not sure about his Sabre's DACs ("Waiting customers feedback") and I think Sabre will not be a new DAC's "king".

Manufacturer can not start with the production Reference 5th It's finally May, and heard nothing - I wonder why?

If someone had to sell Reference 5 / 230v / best in the European Union please offer - certainly speaks up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by artoist 

Manufacturer can not start with the production Reference 5th It's finally May, and heard nothing - I wonder why?

If someone had to sell Reference 5 / 230v / best in the European Union please offer - certainly speaks up.

TI missed the shipment date for the allotment of pcm1704uk chips A-gd had on order. They were due to arrive April 24 but now A-gd have been told June for that lot of K grade parts. TI offered the lower spec version but Kingwa said no...he wants to wait for the K grade. As a result any (A-gd) DAC using the pcm1704uk chip will be delayed until the new chip lot arrives. It stinks but what can you do.

Peete.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pricklely Peete 

TI missed the shipment date for the allotment of pcm1704uk chips A-gd had on order. They were due to arrive April 24 but now A-gd have been told June for that lot of K grade parts. TI offered the lower spec version but Kingwa said no...he wants to wait for the K grade. As a result any (A-gd) DAC using the pcm1704uk chip will be delayed until the new chip lot arrives. It stinks but what can you do.

 

Peete.

Any news on that meanwhile???

I wonder at what upgrade step a sonical improvement becomes quite obviously perceptable (i.e. fairly easily recognizable at first A/B-switching even with a few seconds in between): NFB-12 -> Fun -> NFB-2/3 -> Reference-5 (esp. concerning 3D-imaging of sound and detail clearity)?!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eunegis 

 

Any news on that meanwhile???

 

I wonder at what upgrade step a sonical improvement becomes quite obviously perceptable (i.e. fairly easily recognizable at first A/B-switching even with a few seconds in between): NFB-12 -> Fun -> NFB-2/3 -> Reference-5 (esp. concerning 3D-imaging of sound and detail clearity)?!

I would think that a larger step (jump to something like the NFB 8) would be required to discern a large improvement over the NFB-2/3....the improvements come with better PSU build spec and a more sophisticated digital input section.......the former is the most important factor however while the latter comes in a close second.

As for the production woes of the pcm1704uk I have no other news to report on that front. I'm sure TI is causing all kinds of problems for thsoe companies expecting shipment of these parts. Hopefully TI will be able to supply what has been promised in the very near future.

Peete.
 

Hmmm..., Peete and all others,

I wonder what the DSP-1 really does inside the R-5. I would expect it to "clean up" the signal or "put things in the right order". I see it as a kind of a re-clocking unit, but from my words you can tell that I'm a dummy with these technical details. Nevertheless, the DSP-1 is something special and should do something special to the sound.

There might probably be a certain relationship to the DSP-3, although I know both were programmed for the specific units they are working in. Nevertheless, concerning "signal cleaning" I expect them to do something very similar. Btw.: the R-5/DSP-1 isn't capable of asynchronous USB mode (the DI/DSP-3 has probably something to do with asynchronous USB operation in the DI - or is it solely the firmware/driver inside the DI), right?

So isn't there a significant upgrade in SQ to be expected over the NFB-2/3 to R-5, simply due to the DSP-1? Plus probably a generally different sound signature due to the different converters and certain consecutive differences in their implementation?

Eunegis

is there a thread comparing the dac chips ? i'm thinking a comparaison between PCM1704UK, WM784X and sabre ess32

How can one check to see what audio quality is actually coming out on the Ref 5 or Dac-19?

Or do you guys just trust foobar to do its job?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabrielisc 

How can one check to see what audio quality is actually coming out on the Ref 5 or Dac-19?

 

Or do you guys just trust foobar to do its job?

I use a high end dedicated transport for that job. The computer just has too many variables to account for (optimize, overcome in some cases, or work around) vs a stand alone dedicated transport. Some comp systems come close though, my own is quite good but it still falls short of a near ref level traditional transport. In the near future there should be a closing of this gap I would imagine, to the point where comp transports may become THE ref. The problem with that comes down to, what hardware/software combination that will entail, will likely be rigid, difficult for the average person to integrate (fully) and likely really really expensive. Back to square one for a lot of us without deep pockets (which makes a good stand alone transport under 1.2K USD a viable if not somewhat outdated option still).

Peete.