[TitaniumDust]

I lived with that for a year or two -- the SU1's i2s port doesn't like my r2r7 and the xilinx/altera flashes didn't resolved it.
As of DI20HE that's all in the past!

Thank you Wynnytsky and newabc, much appreciated! I think it is time to pull the trigger on a DI-20 90/98M. I will most likely get the ball rolling tomorrow. If anyone else has more info on my questions above, please do chime in!

 

[FredA]

Thank you Wynnytsky and newabc, much appreciated! I think it is time to pull the trigger on a DI-20 90/98M. I will most likely get the ball rolling tomorrow. If anyone else has more info on my questions above, please do chime in!

It is Chinese lunar New Year, so the buying process should be slowed down. It is an important holiday there.

 

[Tango Sierra]

The DI-20HE passed the 600-hour mark yesterday. My perception of sound quality improvement since 500 hours is significant. I can not hear a difference between ACSS and AES/EBU outputs and since I am using the identical grade of cables from the same manufacturer, IMHO, I believe sound differences others hear is a cable difference, not an output difference. If others are using the same brand and grade of cable on both outputs and feel that there is a sound difference, please say so.
For the I2S HDMI output, I am using a different brand of cable but it does use OCC silver just like my other cables. However, this output does sound different to me, more open around the performers, greater separation and a far deeper soundstage. The soundstage width is only slightly wider. On the other hand, there is a trace of harshness to vocals and brass instruments with the I2S HDMI output that is less obvious on the other two outputs. Remember, I have an M7S, not an R7.
With this setup, I can easily use the M7S to select the input that gives me the more favorable sound to my senses on each individual album. Hopefully, a future firmware update to the DI can combine the best of both worlds on one output.

 

[TitaniumDust]

It is Chinese lunar New Year, so the buying process should be slowed down. It is an important holiday there.

Indeed it is spring festival time, which I think is wrapping up right about now. My amp replacement being shipped from China has been delayed as well. I'm not in any hurry as I always keep backup equipment for just this reason. I was a bit bummed to find out from Kingwa that the Amanero drivers don't include an ASIO control panel where you can adjust latency/buffers but I did find another thread on these forums about a Windows registry hack where I may be able to adjust it. Once I get the DI-20 and play around with it, I'll verify the hack works, and if it does, I will probably upload some tweaks that allow us lowly Windows users to get the best sound out of the DI-20.

 

[Tango Sierra]

Since my Hi-Fi rack is direct to the right of my desk chair and this is where I mostly listen to music, another advantage of having a DI-20HE is by accepting the USB connection from my Aurender Music Server, now the USB input on the M7S is free to accept the USB output from my desktop computer so I can listen to YouTube direct to the M7S. (Before I was connecting the sound of my computer by feeding the USB to an iFi Black Label Nano and sending the Nano's fixed analog output to an input on my M9 preamp/headphone amp.)
Since the M7S should sound better than the Nano, I started comparing music files from the computer to M7S with the same music files from the Aurender/DI-20HE combo. The results were not even close. Do I even need to state the winner?

I then noticed that Schiit was having a "Last Call" for the Eitr at a clearance price of $99. After a short "why not" thought passed through my mind, I ordered one and two days later it was here. Serious comparisons to the DI-20HE will have to wait until after the full 1000 hour burn-in of the DI and I am not expecting the Eitr to win; I just want to see how close it is. But of course, I had to give a quick listen. With the computer connected to the Eitr via USB and Eitr connected to the M7S RCA Coaxial input, the sound was greatly improved over the direct connection of the computer to M7S USB input. I then tried the Eitr coax output to the DI-20 RCA coax input. This is going to require a lot more listening tests (which will have to wait for the 1000 hour burn-in of the DI) but initially, I'm thinking that too much reclocking is going on here and the Eitr may be better off connected to the M7S input than the DI-20. And on top of everything, now the USB input on the M7S is free once again for some other future use.

The 1000 hour burn-in should be finished 13 February. Stay tuned for further impressions.

 

[FredA]

@TangoSierra

Given the price difference, which is 30x, no surprise here.

 

[Tango Sierra]

For the I2S HDMI output, I am using a different brand of cable but it does use OCC silver just like my other cables. However, this output does sound different to me, more open around the performers, greater separation and a far deeper soundstage. The soundstage width is only slightly wider. On the other hand, there is a trace of harshness to vocals and brass instruments with the I2S HDMI output that is less obvious on the other two outputs.

Since I first posted this earlier today, I ordered a 0.3 meter WireWorld Chroma 7 HDMI cable. I want to see if the OFC copper tames the rough edge of vocals and brass without affecting the openness, soundstage and clarity of the DH Labs OCC silver cable I am using now.

 

[FredA]

Since I first posted this earlier today, I ordered a 0.3 meter WireWorld Chroma 7 HDMI cable. I want to see if the OFC copper tames the rough edge of vocals and brass without affecting the openness, soundstage and clarity of the DH Labs OCC silver cable I am using now.

No harshness here with the BlueJeans hdmi.

 

[JaMo]

No harshness here with the BlueJeans hdmi

+1
I am voting for the Blue Jeans cable. It is a cheap cable but very good cable. More expensive for me living in Sweden, but still worth to buy it.
/Jan

 

[Zachik]

Using an Intel NUC as music server - I am wondering what would be a better upgrade for me: a dedicated music sever such as the Innuos Zen MK3, or the DI-20HE (to be used with my NUC)?
I have read several people here have dedicated music servers (I remember Aurender being mentioned), which claim their USB is superior to "standard PC". Does the DI-20 improve even on those "better" USB ports? And does anyone here have experience specifically with the Innuos Zen Mk3 by any chance?

 

[Wynnytsky]

Using an Intel NUC as music server

I'm on my 3rd NUC and I can't find anything for them to do well. With audio the fan is too loud. 4k video is unwatchable because the audio/video track offset is way off and gets worse as you watch. The web browsing might be better than a smart TV but it's far from effortless.

This week I built this for someone
https://secure.newegg.com/Wishlist/...1053476&RandomID=3393214311232420200129044636
For media I have a standing prejudice against fans and CPUs above 35watts and this computer squashed them. It combines 65w Zen+ desktop horsepower, 4k video playback @25C, temps never go past low 40s, and the fan is silent. I made fanless computers that were louder than this because of DC squeal coming off the mobo.
I'm using the supplied wall brick but I presume my 200watt HDPlex would improve something.

When Zen3 is out I'll probably build this exact same thing for myself. It has two NVMe slots and would be equally good in an office running Roon server.

 

[Zachik]

I'm on my 3rd NUC and I can't find anything for them to do well. With audio the fan is too loud.

Forgot to mention my NUC is in one of those fanless silent cases: https://www.newegg.com/p/287-0009-00039?item=9SIAHR691S5991
So, definitely NOT loud. I am curious, though, whether moving to a dedicated hardware like the Innuos Zen Mk3 be an audible improvement.
I do understand their claims that the LPS and the separate power and clock for the USB out (for DAC) should have better results, at least measured results. But the big question: is it audible difference? and especially if I choose to use a DI-20 (or DI-20HE) between whichever music server and my DAC...
BTW, my NUC is running Win10 and Jriver Media Center software.

 

[Tango Sierra]

No harshness here with the BlueJeans hdmi.

OK, it is cheap enough so I ordered a 12" BJ from Amazon. Now I can compare my DH Labs, the Blue Jeans, and Kingwa's recommended WireWorld Chroma HDMI cables.
Right now I am comparing so many different things my head is spinning.

 

[PLGA]

Right now I am comparing so many different things my head is spinning.

Totally agree with that. Many of us, chronical audiophiles, make many changes in so little time that sometimes its hard not to get confused.

For me, a new component has to make an immediate (with only few hours of burning time), noticeable and unequivocable change in sound quality to be worthwile. For instance, today my system sounds like never before and it continues to improve day by day, but I'm not really sure wich component is changing the most as I have several of them burning at the same time!!!

A few days ago, I put the Audioquest Niagara 1200 AC filter and it made a change right away, so I considered worth the investment, but later on the system continued to improve and I dont really know wich component is improving the most: the Niagara, the DI-2 or some cables and valves also in their burning period. I think Im going crazy!

I will do a couple of upgrades more (on their way) and I will stop for a while. My walet will also be relieved.

 

[TitaniumDust]

Pretty soon I'll be burning in a new DI-20, a new amp and a new silver BNC/SPDIF cable, all at the same time. I'll just take my head out of the sand after 1000 hours and see how things went.