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Stello U3: async USB to coax & AES/EBU transport <Impressions updated> - Page 7

post #91 of 273
1/12/12 at 5:21am
Thread Starter 

I'm currently looking into improving the shielding of the cable and aluminium foil is apparently pretty ghetto, especially if you don't connect the shield to either ground terminal of the cable. I need to source EMI shielding wrap or ERS paper evil_smiley.gif

 

Yep, it's a great sounding cable on the U3 happy_face1.gif


Edited by leeperry - 1/12/12 at 6:06am
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post #92 of 273
1/12/12 at 5:43am

I could try that myself.  I have a few sheets or ERS that I got from Stilpoints years ago.

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post #93 of 273
1/12/12 at 6:57am
Thread Starter 

sounds good! but ERS paper is pretty pricey apparently?

 

3M also got many adhesive tapes that could fit the bill: http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=66666UuZjcFSLXTtMxMXOXs6EVuQEcuZgVs6EVs6E666666--&fn=78812447023_A.pdf

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post #94 of 273
1/12/12 at 7:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by leeperry View Post

sounds good! but ERS paper is pretty pricey apparently?

 

3M also got many adhesive tapes that could fit the bill: http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediawebserver?mwsId=66666UuZjcFSLXTtMxMXOXs6EVuQEcuZgVs6EVs6E666666--&fn=78812447023_A.pdf



They were a bit.

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post #95 of 273
1/14/12 at 11:38am

Think im gonna go with Audio GD DI afterall..

 

U3 is to close in price to A2..

 

DI is better then V-link/Hiface, and compares well to Halide Bridge, is more versitile as well..

 

U3/A2 is no doubt better, but i just can't justify the cost right now. Not when these devices are just getting started good, and will be 150$ in 2 years, im not made of money, don't want to take that kinda hit.

 

I did alot of reading on U3 over last few days, from what i gather it's not as good as A2. I've never heard either so take that with a grain of salt.

 

Im also trying to be patient and buy the DI Used, 40$ shipping from china kinda sucks the value out a little bit.


Edited by MikeW - 1/14/12 at 11:39am
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post #96 of 273
1/14/12 at 11:53am

Right now the good USB-SPDIF converters are quite overpriced. It´s mostly because of the XMOS board, that costs something like 99 euros already. If you want to make a standard markup with these the price has to be quite high. It´s only a question of time something similar is available at sub-10 euro prices (like the Tenor chips used in many cheaper converters). The early adapters always have to pay extra, just the way it goes.

 

Having owned the DI and HiFace, I can recommend the DI. It´s clearly superior, and more versatile as well. My friend who has the stock HiFace EVO feels the DI is at least as good as it is. 

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post #97 of 273
1/14/12 at 12:18pm
Thread Starter 

 

Originally Posted by MikeW View Post

 

i just can't justify the cost right now.

 

the last few percents will always cost ya...the most important thing is that you don't regret going cheap a few days/weeks down the line ^^
 

Originally Posted by BrainFood View Post

I could try that myself.  I have a few sheets or ERS that I got from Stilpoints years ago.


I've done some quick A/B cable rolling, the Lacie kills all my other cables in SS clarity. I seriously need to find something easy and not too pricey in order to discretely wrap those damn wires evil_smiley.gif

 

This would be over the top and not too practical, though: http://www.ebay.com/itm/180786782252 biggrin.gif

 

PS: we may have a winner: http://www.ebay.com/itm/270770739809


Edited by leeperry - 1/14/12 at 6:16pm
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post #98 of 273
1/15/12 at 1:56am
Quote:
Originally Posted by leeperry View Post

I've done some quick A/B cable rolling, the Lacie kills all my other cables in SS clarity. I seriously need to find something easy and not too pricey in order to discretely wrap those damn wires evil_smiley.gif

 

This would be over the top and not too practical, though: http://www.ebay.com/itm/180786782252 biggrin.gif

 

PS: we may have a winner: http://www.ebay.com/itm/270770739809


Looks good.  I'll take my scissors to that ERS if your results are positive.smile.gif

 


Edited by BrainFood - 1/15/12 at 1:59am
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post #99 of 273
1/15/12 at 5:07am
Thread Starter 

Yep, I just passed the order together w/ a few spare Lacie's too so I can quickly A/B the EMI shield supposedly audible effect. It's a 30 meters roll so I will do a lot of overlap(as Chomerics advise), sandwiched between non-conductive electrician tape layers...the cable will finally be black on the outside, as it should have always been evil_smiley.gif

 

And to get back to the price matter, good clocks cost...the ref XMOS board is using jellybean 100ppm or so clocks, and the Tenor chips use a single low resolution 12 MHz clock so you can't really compare these two solutions to higher grade transports IMO.


Edited by leeperry - 1/15/12 at 5:20am
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post #100 of 273
1/15/12 at 6:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by leeperry View Post

Yep, I just passed the order together w/ a few spare Lacie's too so I can quickly A/B the EMI shield supposedly audible effect. It's a 30 meters roll so I will do a lot of overlap(as Chomerics advise), sandwiched between non-conductive electrician tape layers...the cable will finally be black on the outside, as it should have always been evil_smiley.gif


If it's not too much bother, perhaps you could post a picture or two while wrapping with the various tapes- for the sake of guidance.-)

 

Did you ever get to buy that USB to I2S XMOS board for the DP1's I2S input? (Edit: maybe that's a question best directed to the DP1 thread)

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post #101 of 273
1/15/12 at 10:05pm

so it looks like the Anedio U2 is very similiar to the Stello U3.. at 390$. They do brag about their pulse transformer as if it's something special too..

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post #102 of 273
1/16/12 at 4:32am
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Originally Posted by MikeW View Post

so it looks like the Anedio U2 is very similiar to the Stello U3.. at 390$. They do brag about their pulse transformer as if it's something special too..


Oh lookee, the U3 is already obsolete...cruel computer world biggrin.gif

 

This said, they didn't use the same kind of clocks as in the U3...I don't think the package they used is available for <10ppm.

 

Yep, many ppl state that pulse transformers add jitter. Isolation is never free jitter/ripple/distortion wise, but its pros are usually well worth the cons.
 

Originally Posted by BrainFood View Post

 

If it's not too much bother, perhaps you could post a picture or two while wrapping with the various tapes- for the sake of guidance.-)

 

Did you ever get to buy that USB to I2S XMOS board for the DP1's I2S input? (Edit: maybe that's a question best directed to the DP1 thread)



I really concur w/ this review: http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/acousticrevive2/2.html

A lesser cable (converter, USB DAC) washes out the soundstage. This is probably the strongest artifact of bad USB sound.

 

The SS on the Lacie was very noticeably clearer and wider than on my other cables. I did spend more than 1H A/Bing a handful of them.

 

Reading this review has given me new ideas:

-buy half a dozen Lacie's

-do what I previously said on one of them

-cut the power wires on the computer side on another, and use two discrete connectors for data and power, together w/ better shielding/wrapping like copper braid, black techflex and so on

-add a ferrite on the power wires

-A/B them all atsmile.gif

 

That Acoustic Cable blabla is selling for $500/meter, there's no way in hell I'm paying this kind of money.

 

I'd like to find better looking connectors than this, though: http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-type-male-Plug-solder-kit-rewireable-/220924198816

 

Originally Posted by BrainFood View Post

 

Did you ever get to buy that USB to I2S XMOS board for the DP1's I2S input? (Edit: maybe that's a question best directed to the DP1 thread)

 

It should ship soon, but yes I prefer to keep it in the DP-1 thread. I will give an update about it in due time regular_smile%20.gif


Edited by leeperry - 1/16/12 at 9:51am
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post #103 of 273
1/16/12 at 5:29am
Thread Starter 

Oh, and this PDF shows what regular ferrites do to USB signals on page 5: http://www.tdk.de/company/ACM2012SeriesPromotionMaterial.pdf

 

These USB connectors look as good as it's gonna get I think: http://www.ebay.com/itm/10X-USB-4pin-4-Pin-Plug-Male-Socket-Soldering-Connector-Plastic-Cover-Backshells-/160685779677


Edited by leeperry - 1/16/12 at 5:46am
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post #104 of 273
1/16/12 at 9:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by leeperry View Post

 

That Acoustic Cable blabla is selling for $500/meter, there's no way in hell I'm paying this kind of money.

 



Yeah, those pricey cables probably sound great, mostly, but there just seem to be too many other variables affecting the sound with computer audio- anything from choice of software player, its particular settings, source hardware, transport etc, etc.  Like you said, the Lacie wasn't that great with one DAC but much better with another.  

 

I look forward to your findings with regards to the shielding and more.smile.gif  

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post #105 of 273
1/16/12 at 10:08am
Thread Starter 

Well, my favorite cable at the time gives a narrower soundstage, a bloated bass and very shrill trebles on the U3 compared to the Lacie....it's got two ferrites, and you can see what these nasty things do to USB signals in that PDF I linked earlier. Bloated bass can be seductive, I think that was my problem. The DP-1 also deceived me when I first got it because its bass was never bloated or boomy, and many of my favorite songs sounded WAY different. It really takes a fairly high range DAC to gain the ability to nitpick about USB cables subjective clarity IME.

 

I think the best thing to do will be to only cut the power wires on the computer side and reroute them to a third party USB connector...even though I'm not sure whether that'll change anything at all if I use heavy shielding, but hey the cable costs $6 so I do what I want tongue_smile.gif


Edited by leeperry - 1/16/12 at 10:10am
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