Firestone Audio i♡TW 192kHz USB DAC (iLoveTW, I Love TW, I Love Taiwan, iLTW) - Page 2

>USB Chip : TENOR - TE8802 Operation Mode :

Nice, first DAC to use the new Tenor chip instead of the old TE7022L one?

>Support Adaptive and Asynchronous mode for audio stream transmission

Any idea if that statement implies the device generally works in async usb transfer mode...or is it not implemented properly?


EDIT: oh, ok
>which needs to be enabled through a toggle switch within the circuit board. Users also need to download a custom driver (currently only available for 32-bit OSes) that allows ASIO output asynchronously over foobar or whatever else you use. At the front, there are indicator lights telling you what sample rate and bit depth the DAC is receiving.

um, as in you can only get async using ASIO output and with the custom driver installed?

Has anyone had any problems with the 32b drivers? (thinking back to the musiland ones, it's not always a positive experience)
Edited by svyr - 5/29/11 at 12:53am

Well, I don't own the ILTW, so I can't confirm whether or not it will work in async with wasapi; the computer that I tested it on was only running XP, but it had kernel streaming available as well as ASIO. The driver seemed to be working fine; no problems encountered for me.
 

so async was working in KS mode on XP? (if so, only with the driver, or without it too when the switch was in the right position)?

Thanks for starting this thread!

 

I have one of these coming in on tuesday or wednesday.  I have to say though, this is my first foray into dedicated DAC's.  I'm eager to give it a go.

 

One of the questions that I have is whether the OP-AMPS are replaceable on this thing and whether that's advisable with this DAC.  I've been looking at some Burr-Brown OP-AMPS but I don't if that will make a difference or even if it's possible with the ILTW.  Anyone know?  It sounds like the SUPPLIER would be a better investment.

 

I'll test this thing out when I get it and report back.   Anyone have specific requests?

 

Specs below.

 

Aaron

 

 

Marantz SR5003

McIntosh MC2255

Infinity BETA 50

Intel BOXDP55WB Silent PC Windows 7 32-bit

Acoustically Treated Room

 

I think all the settings have to be set in their specified modes to work. Basically, my experience was that the ILTW was running in Asynchronous mode in Foobar through ASIO, and streaming 24/192 files. The laptop was running 32-bit XP, and I checked the different output modes --- kernel streaming also worked. I asked the owner of the shop to let me listen to the ILTW on my own laptop. We installed the drivers, but it didn't register, and realized that it was that my laptop was running 64-bit Windows 7, and the driver only works for 32-bit XP/2000/Vista/7. Thus, I elected to listen to it in adaptive mode. We switched the toggle inside the case, and flipped the switch in the back as well. The DAC then identified itself in Windows 7 x64 in adaptive mode with no problems and I could listen to it in WASAPI, Kernel, and every other type of output with no problems, just like a typical USB DAC.

 

Unfortunately, I don't have more information beyond that. If I have more, I'll be sure to let you guys know.

Any other news on this? I can't decide on this or the Audio-GD NFB-12 to use with the Schiit Lyr amp.

 

I don't know if the async mode is worth it because the NFB-12 is about $150 cheaper, plus also functions as its own amp.

Hi,
I have one of these, well it just turned up I have been using the headfi forum for lots of research and after considering many options I decided I wanted to try an async USB one, perhaps the arc am rdac or musical fidelity m1dac. I will give some feedback once it's run in. Although I will not be using it primarily for headphones, I will be using it as part of a main hifi system. So I will be running the output from the dac to a pair of arcam amps and then a pair of monitor audio silver 9 speakers.. I will be comparing it to an arcam alpha 8se cd player, so no direct comparison to another dac. But I will let people know what I make of it compared to this certainly. I will also dig out my pair of ols skill beyerdynamic headphones and see how it sounds with those. I'm hoping I can blah some beta drivers from firestone to get async working on win7. Maybe I can switch to x86 if not. I'm wondering if another companies driver for a device with the T8802 chip will work? Anyone know of another device?

I can't answer your question about the driver, but I look forward to read your review.

 

Thanks.

 

 

I have one of these and only seem to be able to get 96khz mode to work. i have set the jumpers to async, the async light is on. Drivers installed OK on Win7x86. Just detects as 96 only, and if I try and play a 192khz file in foobar with wasapi it gives me an error!? :(

Edited by liquidsmoke - 8/19/11 at 5:42pm

In the pics I saw a switch in the back of the unit to select 96K or 192K, do you have it in the 192K position?  

Well, I was hoping to get away with just editing my reply, but since javier has responded I now can't lol. So after I spent about 3 hours faffing around with windows drivers I flicked the switch and it's all good I have tested a couple of well produced tracks including the Michael Jackson history album. I tried it with the arcam cd, the cd rip through the dac, and a 192khz vinyl rip posted on 2496.org. I have to say oninitial impressions, the dac seems very capable at cd quality compared to the arcam, but i will need further listening to confirm which i prefer. The vinyl rip was odd, it sounded very open and natural, however i did think i enjoyed the cd version more.

.

 

Edited by liquidsmoke - 9/8/11 at 3:49am

Please Delete.

there are 2 versions of iltw.

 

first one you have to open up the case and switch to async mode.

 

newer second version has the mode select switch at the back of the case.

 

also new driver software ready to be downloaded for win7 64 bit

 

at first i consdered getting the schiit bifrost but it cannot handle 24/176.

 

this iltw can handle anything from 44 to 48 88 96 176 192 native resolution without upsampling. thats a dac that i wanted

 

initially i had problem having win 7 to recognize the dac while plug into the usb port at the back of computer. after fiddling with installing driver software i did not succeed. then i switched to the front usb port and now working without issues.  apparently there is something wrong with the rear usb ports reduced to usb 1 and not usb 2.0. just beware if u do the new installation to ensure your usb port is 2.0 to take advantage of async mode.