[DACLadder]

Do you have anyone using devices like the schiit wyrd, or uptone USB regen? Any point?

I use a JCAT USB board and linear +5V supply.  That board has made all my USB sources sound a little better.  But see how it goes first with what you have.   Some motherboards are better than others. 

 

[DACLadder]

I just realized there is the hydra Z and it looks great on paper. I don't know where to buy it or how much it costs. I hope I made a good choice with the u12.

If ordering from Amazon don't do any mods until it works to your satisfaction.  Otherwise send it back if not happy.  HDMI I2S will work with something like the Master 7 but L - R reversed and absolute phase not right but it played and made music out of the box.  It will gives good enough sound for an audition at least.

 

[bimmer100]

  If ordering from Amazon don't do any mods until it works to your satisfaction.  Otherwise send it back if not happy.  HDMI I2S will work with something like the Master 7 but L - R reversed and absolute phase not right but it played and made music out of the box.  It will gives good enough sound for an audition at least.

Good to know! thank you!
I didn't know if i was to plug it in if anything would happen, something were to blow or whatever. So at least I can test it first. Hopefully the modification is fairly easy? is there any photo walkthroughs for how to do it? I can solder, but hopefully it's nothing to extreme
 
I will be using an Elfidelity USB card with linear power (TeraDAK) supply as well. Hope it will work well.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Elfidelity-USB-Power-Source-PC-HiFi-Internal-USB-Power-Filter-Audio-DIY-USA-SHIP-/261887332510?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cf9b3909e
 
and
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/181467993450?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

[MINORISUKE]

  .....
HDMI I2S will work with something like the Master 7 but L - R reversed and absolute phase not right but it played and made music out of the box.
.....

Not correct.  I have posted this issue several times.
HDMI LVDS I2S/DSD output of U12 works fine, if a connection to your DAC is correct.  This comes from the reversed pin assingment of No.1/3 and 7/9.  "PS Audio" assingment is not a standard, as there is no such one.  PS Audio is proposing all the manufacturers to follow their "suggestion", which the most of Chinese manufacturers simpy ignore.
However, there is a channel swap for DSD playback.  PCM is correct.  I have to say this comes from the faulty firmware of U12.

 

[DACLadder]

  Not correct.  I have posted this issue several times.
HDMI LVDS I2S/DSD output of U12 works fine, if a connection to your DAC is correct.  This comes from the reversed pin assingment of No.1/3 and 7/9.  "PS Audio" assingment is not a standard, as there is no such one.  PS Audio is proposing all the manufacturers to follow thier "suggestion", which the most of Chinese manufacturers simpy ignore.
However, there is a channel swap for DSD playback.  PCM is correct.  I have to say this comes from the faulty firmware of U12.

Sorry but not sure what I stated incorrectly for use with the Master 7 DAC only.   Out of the box the U12 played PCM through the Master 7 but the L - R channels are reversed as well as absolute audio phase on both channels.  I don't care about other DACs or DSD at this time.

 

[bimmer100]

 
Sorry but not sure what I stated incorrectly for use with the Master 7 DAC only.   Out of the box the U12 played PCM through the Master 7 but the L - R channels are reversed as well as absolute audio phase on both channels.  I don't care about other DACs or DSD at this time.

I'm trying to find a DIY info to allow it to work with the Master11 without modification. Is that even possible? Any adapter?
I may just return the thing if I can't hook it up without modification.

 

[DACLadder]

  I'm trying to find a DIY info to allow it to work with the Master11 without modification. Is that even possible? Any adapter?
I may just return the thing if I can't hook it up without modification.

Since the Master 11 is PCM only it would have the same issue as the Master 7 when connected with a factory U12.  There are other USB converters that will work straight away on HDMI I2S without modification like the Off Ramp 5,  CI Audio Transient mk. II, and even the DI2014.
 
A special HDMI cable that reverses I2S SDATA and LRCLK signals would do the same as the chip change on the U12.  But most HDMI cables are molded and no access to the wires.  A chip change was easiest for me and it was by luck that I could find a chip that was close enough to what I needed.  The U12 really needs jumpers to allow users to select polarity of the signals on the HDMI I2S interface.  

 

[rb2013]

  Since the Master 11 is PCM only it would have the same issue as the Master 7 when connected with a factory U12.  There are other USB converters that will work straight away on HDMI I2S without modification like the Off Ramp 5,  CI Audio Transient mk. II, and even the DI2014.

Do you know if the Hydra Z is in that camp? PCM over HDMI i2s.

 

[bimmer100]

Since the Master 11 is PCM only it would have the same issue as the Master 7 when connected with a factory U12.  There are other USB converters that will work straight away on HDMI I2S without modification like the Off Ramp 5,  CI Audio Transient mk. II, and even the DI2014.

You mentioned in one of the threads how good the u12 sounds compared to the or5. I like that it's cheap. I may mod it anyhow. But sell it "modded" if I choose to not use it.
I also have a nfb-28 (2015 edition) with HDMi as well. Would like to use this for both. If thats relevant.
I appreciate your help DACLadder, seems you have a bit of experience with this.

 

[DACLadder]

 
Do you know if the Hydra Z is in that camp? PCM over HDMI i2s.

That is true but two users had issues with Master 7 DAC using the Hydra Z.  Weird problem of low, distorted volume in both cases and the jumpers did not help. 

 

[DACLadder]

You mentioned in one of the threads how good the u12 sounds compared to the or5. I like that it's cheap. I may mod it anyhow. But sell it "modded" if I choose to not use it.
I also have a nfb-28 (2015 edition) with HDMi as well. Would like to use this for both. If thats relevant.
I appreciate your help DACLadder, seems you have a bit of experience with this.

I can't answer for the NFB-28 as I have no experience.  But if it uses Kingwa's HMDI receiver board then may have issues.  I only really know well the PS Audio standard of PCM over HDMI I2S.

 

[hgpsemaj]

  Since the Master 11 is PCM only it would have the same issue as the Master 7 when connected with a factory U12.  There are other USB converters that will work straight away on HDMI I2S without modification like the Off Ramp 5,  CI Audio Transient mk. II, and even the DI2014.
 
A special HDMI cable that reverses I2S SDATA and LRCLK signals would do the same as the chip change on the U12.  But most HDMI cables are molded and no access to the wires.  A chip change was easiest for me and it was by luck that I could find a chip that was close enough to what I needed.  The U12 really needs jumpers to allow users to select polarity of the signals on the HDMI I2S interface.  

 
 
The following HDMI cables are not molded and may gain access to the wires for modification:
 
http://world.taobao.com/item/45787880289.htm?spm=a312a.7700714.0.0.NoAvJn#detail
 
http://world.taobao.com/item/36461990334.htm?spm=a312a.7700714.0.0.NoAvJn#detail
 
http://world.taobao.com/item/45505001852.htm?spm=a312a.7700714.0.0.NoAvJn#detail
 
 
Regards,

 

[bimmer100]

 
I can't answer for the NFB-28 as I have no experience.  But if it uses Kingwa's HMDI receiver board then may have issues.  I only really know well the PS Audio standard of PCM over HDMI I2S.

I thought you had a stock Mastery7.
do you not have the standard Audio-gd stuff?
 
I think the same stuff will be in the NFB28 as the Master 7 and Master 11
for hdmi. If I send a photo, would that help?
 
It sounds to me if your master 7 isn't factory then It's likely i'm wasting my time with this Gustard U12.
if your master 11 is factory, maybe i'm not. 
I primarily 99% will use master 11 with u12 if so...

 

[MINORISUKE]

   
 
The following HDMI cables are not molded and may gain access to the wires for modification:
 
http://world.taobao.com/item/45787880289.htm?spm=a312a.7700714.0.0.NoAvJn#detail
 
http://world.taobao.com/item/36461990334.htm?spm=a312a.7700714.0.0.NoAvJn#detail
 
http://world.taobao.com/item/45505001852.htm?spm=a312a.7700714.0.0.NoAvJn#detail
 
 
Regards,

Or you use x2 of the following with No.1/3 and 7/9 reversed and the rest connected straight, and x2 normal HDMI short cable.
http://www.delock.de/produkte/S_65168/merkmale.html

 

[DACLadder]

  I thought you had a stock Mastery7.
do you not have the standard Audio-gd stuff?
 
I think the same stuff will be in the NFB28 as the Master 7 and Master 11
for hdmi. If I send a photo, would that help?
 
It sounds to me if your master 7 isn't factory then It's likely i'm wasting my time with this Gustard U12.
if your master 11 is factory, maybe i'm not. 
I primarily 99% will use master 11 with u12 if so...

Not really stock but... I designed my own HDMI I2S board but the later AGD version works and is pinned out the same/ functions identically.  I do not own a Master 11 but since it is PCM only should be the same as the Master 7 as far as how its HDMI I2S port works.  But you can say my Master 7 works just like the factory built models.  
 
I can't comment on the NFB-28 and DSD over the HDMI I2S interface.  That is another mode specific to sigma-delta DACs and doesn't apply to ladder DACs.  But you can also send PCM over HDMI I2S to the NFB-28 and that mode may have the same connection issues as the Master 7 but don't know for sure.   These would be Kingwa questions or perhaps someone familiar can clarify.
 
If you have no ability or find someone to modify the Gustard U12 HDMI I2S port (or cable) then it will not work correctly and/or give best performance with any of the AGD products as they all use the same HDMI I2S receiver board.  The U12 only works for me with PCM to the Master 7 as it is modified to conform to the PS Audio method,  The U12 though with work great as-is with a Gustard DAC over HDMI I2S as they are both pinned out to be compatible.  You would though have the exact same signal polarity issues going the other way with say using the Off Ramp 5 and a stock Gustard DAC.  There is a lot of confusion in this area as there is no industry standard for I2S over the HDMI hardware and seems every manf. does something differently.  But the PS Audio method does work for a lot of higher end DACs and seems to be favored - at least in N. America.