M2Tech HiFace 2? - Page 7

Have you guys messed with the USB streaming method setting in the settings program.  I changed mine from safe (default) to standard to try and get jplay/jriver from making strange noises once in awhile.  Didn't help.  Don't get the noises with the Hiface 1.

Quote:

Originally Posted by realmassy 

Break-in? obviously none :-)

I can't hear any differences, it sounded great since day 1.

As for the external PSU, I'm curious as well, but I'm not going to be a Guinea Pig...I'm waiting for other people's feedback.

I think there's some definite theoretical benefit to get it away from the USB port because it is drawing from the port-mac/pc-etc.  But that's a 98 EUR Aqvox and that's a second Hiface just about!  As the one forum user stated, the Xmos "sound" is already "colored" so why bother right?:))))))

I personally hear no coloration and neutral is a good word IMHO.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audioexcels 

 

 

I think there's some definite theoretical benefit to get it away from the USB port because it is drawing from the port-mac/pc-etc.  But that's a 98 EUR Aqvox and that's a second Hiface just about!  As the one forum user stated, the Xmos "sound" is already "colored" so why bother right?:))))))

I personally hear no coloration and neutral is a good word IMHO.  

 

 

I've bit the bullet and ordered the Aqvox.  More because the USB port on Squeezebox Touch doesn't seem to be supplying enough power, proven by a powered hub seeming to alleviate the audio dropout issue at higher sample rates.  Hub is a bit of a messy solution cable-wise so the Aqvox is the cleaner solution.

Or at least that's what I'm telling myself. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarrenR 

Is anyone having an issue where the HiFace 2 doesn't get recognised by the mac mini after a couple of days?  I'm having to take out the HiFace and put it back into the USB socket to be recognised again.

 

My V-Link never did this.

 

Cheers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by realmassy 

It did happen once or twice so far, nothing major though.

Have you guys temporarily tried a powered hub and see if the issue goes away?  I'm wondering if it's power related.

Quote:

Originally Posted by realmassy 

If you think about what a usb to spdif converter is you realize that such a converter can not have a tonal signature, a timbre or anything like that.

It can. It just depends on the jitter spectrum.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telstar 

It can. It just depends on the jitter spectrum.

Interesting...

Quote:

Originally Posted by realmassy 


Yep, interesting, but where's the theory behind that? Any way to measure the jitter and relate it to frequency?

It was a joke in response to what the person said:)))

There's plenty of articles about jitter, but it doesn't tell me a single thing, especially when writers that are experts in this field still cannot really explain things accurate in threads going on right now...

Quote:

Originally Posted by realmassy 

^ sorry mate, I thought you were genuinely interested :-) I'm not into technical things, but as you said, there are so many peole around, each one with a different theory about jitter, so I wasn't surprsised at all to hear that.
Some numbers and measurements would of course help to validate Telstar's theory...0:)

LOL:))  Numbers won't tell us anything, that's the problem;)...most recent "theory" is measurements "around" the clock:)))))  IMHO, it's design, design, design...oh...and clocking is obviously helpful too, but only to an extent.  I think the term "jitter" is extraordinarily overrated, much as many things are.  Find what works for your situation, and if it works well, why break it?  If it can be improved, is it that much an improvement or just a subtle one (not an improvement in my book).  I hear too often these "improvements", but I think people just want to hear something, and claim it to be true.  Good for them:)))

Hi guys.

Wondering if anyone has plumped for the AQVOX yet?

Still enjoying my HiFace 2 immensely.

Warren, I've just found this cheap alternative to the AQVOX:

http://www.mikrotik-store.eu/en/MikroTik-5V-USB-Injector

You can use your own PSU, and it should basically do the same thing. I have a quite expensive 5V PSU that I'm using with a Onkyo dock, I just need to find a plug adapter.

A famous engineer as well as manufacturer has had an interesting paper about the subject some time ago on an American well known forum. I guess that looking back over our shoulder regarding jitter influence; we can now say that it has definitely an influence, but this is absolutely not the only component that counts! One can prove it a simple way, just plug an external clock between your transport and your DAC and you hear a difference. The same way latency affects computer audio by preventing operating system to deliver data in a synchronous way to driver at some occasions. SQ is affected by, for example, anti-virus real time scanning threads which can delay timing.

What people tend to forget is also that power source has much more influence on the result as well as EMI.  Galvanic isolation has also influence, sometimes positive, sometimes not, depending on the way it is built.

On the hiFace 2, if the technology used tends to try to limit these phenomenon, as soon as you are using the adapter on very high grade preamp/amp/speakers, you can easily hear differences depending on what kind of computer you use, cables, etc… when you plug it to regular or middle class systems, you never hear anything and I guess this is what brings confusion between people who believe/do not believe in these influences.

I no longer listen for jitter...I just listen to music:)