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AR-T Legato II USB-S/PDIF Converter
Nov 29, 2012 at 2:37 AM Post #31 of 90
Quote:
leoduran said:
Yes, the SBT seems active at all times,,, so Pat at ART has designed a work-around, by snooping the data lines and timing out - allowing the Legato II to enter the battery-charging state (without having to unplug the USB cable).
My Legato is in the shop right now getting the modification (it's a tiny circuit that hardly draws any power, and should be completely unintrusive).
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Haven't visited this thread for awhile.  Nice to see you guys onto the Legato II.  Yes, it is the best sounding redbook transport in my book.
 
I have been working with Pat on the work-around for the batt charging circuit with regard to SBT and folks that do not turn off their PCs.  I still haven't got my updated PCB yet.
 
Nov 29, 2012 at 9:10 AM Post #32 of 90
viper2001 said:
Haven't visited this thread for awhile.  Nice to see you guys onto the Legato II.  Yes, it is the best sounding redbook transport in my book.

I have been working with Pat on the work-around for the batt charging circuit with regard to SBT and folks that do not turn off their PCs.  I still haven't got my updated PCB yet.
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My modded box should be shipped home today... Sounds like the work-around should do the job!... Thanks for your contributions to that effort.
BTW, are you using the stock BNC cable?
 
Nov 29, 2012 at 10:03 AM Post #34 of 90
Well I have been listening for a few days now to the Legato 2 and it sounds better everyday. I have been listening thru the SBT+EDO and from my computer using foobar & Jriver+JPlay. Right now I prefer foobar, but both sound very good. I had to get a longer bnc cable, I ordered one from Blue Jean Cable and it sounds excellent, the usb cable I am using is Audioquest Carbon. I was wondering about SOtM tX-USB card, how much a difference that would make paired with the Legato 2? (I know I am going crazy here, but if your reading this your also probably crazy too)
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Nov 29, 2012 at 11:15 AM Post #35 of 90
Quote:
leoduran said:
My modded box should be shipped home today... Sounds like the work-around should do the job!... Thanks for your contributions to that effort.
BTW, are you using the stock BNC cable?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I spent quite a bit time working with Pat on the SBT+EDO issue with regards to batt charging on the Legato II.  He bought a SBT just for this part of the testing.  I was off for vacation and haven't heard back from him for 2 weeks.  Last I know he was working on a new PCB, not an add-in card to fix the charging issue.  I actually suggested a vertical daughter board, but he initially refused that idea but I guess something eventually came thru!
 
We also worked on the charging LED issue.  There are different states for the batt that I suggest using a different color LED to indicate the status.  I want the red-amber-green status light indicating trickle charge-normal charge-fully charged modes.  The trickle charge mode is caused by a deep discharged SLA batt, in which it may require 24 hrs trickle charging before it can go into normal charge mode to prolong batt life.  I even worked out a truth table to arrive at the LED colors by observing the status lines and voltages.  He said it is difficult to do and it involves more parts and there is no room.  Not sure what he is up to now on this issue.
 
Anyway, I'm using the stock BNC cable.  Don't be deceived by the looks, it is actually a very high end BNC coax made by GORE cables.  It has very tight impedance control over the entire length of the cable.  A better BNC cable than the stock one will cost you plenty more money with diminishing returns.
 
Nov 29, 2012 at 7:57 PM Post #36 of 90
Quote:
viper2001 said:
Yeah, I spent quite a bit time working with Pat on the SBT+EDO issue with regards to batt charging on the Legato II.  He bought a SBT just for this part of the testing.  I was off for vacation and haven't heard back from him for 2 weeks.  Last I know he was working on a new PCB, not an add-in card to fix the charging issue.  I actually suggested a vertical daughter board, but he initially refused that idea but I guess something eventually came thru!
 
We also worked on the charging LED issue.  There are different states for the batt that I suggest using a different color LED to indicate the status.  I want the red-amber-green status light indicating trickle charge-normal charge-fully charged modes.  The trickle charge mode is caused by a deep discharged SLA batt, in which it may require 24 hrs trickle charging before it can go into normal charge mode to prolong batt life.  I even worked out a truth table to arrive at the LED colors by observing the status lines and voltages.  He said it is difficult to do and it involves more parts and there is no room.  Not sure what he is up to now on this issue.
 
Anyway, I'm using the stock BNC cable.  Don't be deceived by the looks, it is actually a very high end BNC coax made by GORE cables.  It has very tight impedance control over the entire length of the cable.  A better BNC cable than the stock one will cost you plenty more money with diminishing returns.
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? The Blue Jean Cable cost me exactly $23 dollars and sounds better then the the one that came with the Legato 2 so no diminishing returns here.
 
Nov 30, 2012 at 5:17 AM Post #38 of 90
Quote:
sonic77 said:
Well I have been listening for a few days now to the Legato 2 and it sounds better everyday. I have been listening thru the SBT+EDO and from my computer using foobar & Jriver+JPlay. Right now I prefer foobar, but both sound very good.
bigsmile_face.gif
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Do you prefer Foobar to Jriver+Jplay or do you prefer Foobar to Jriver+Jplay and the SBT+EDO?
 
How different do the various combos sound? Pat had mentioned that some customers notice quite a bit of difference between various PC's and software.
 
What are the specs on your PC? I was sort hoping that I'd be able to stop second guessing my source at some point.
 
Nov 30, 2012 at 7:33 AM Post #39 of 90
sonic77 said:
Well I have been listening for a few days now to the Legato 2 and it sounds better everyday. I have been listening thru the SBT+EDO and from my computer using foobar & Jriver+JPlay. Right now I prefer foobar, but both sound very good. I had to get a longer bnc cable, I ordered one from Blue Jean Cable and it sounds excellent, the usb cable I am using is Audioquest Carbon. I was wondering about SOtM tX-USB card, how much a difference that would make paired with the Legato 2? (I know I am going crazy here, but if your reading this your also probably crazy too) :bigsmile_face:
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I would recommend to stay away from the SoTM usb card, i have tried it along with a couple of other people that did not feel it made an objective improvement. Belden cox are very good, a freind of mine compared several with oscilloscope and found one belden model was best, and some audiophile cables really poor. For JPlay I find i prefer 4.3 and some even prefer 4.2 to current release depending on your taste.
 
Nov 30, 2012 at 9:03 AM Post #40 of 90
Thanks drez, I will skip the SoTM USB card and I thought Belden Coax cable just sounded better over all, of course that is based on my ears and everybody has different opinions. I prefered foobar over SBT+EDO and Jriver+Jplay again my preference. SBT+EDO was a little too sterile, for my tastes  and Jriver+Jplay is not bad at all just that I preferred foobar+Sox. I go back and forth between all of them, I am still relatively early in listening, but right now I prefer foobar, it may change later as I listen longer. I am using WIN 7 64 bit addition, AMD Phenom II X4 945 3ghz, 12 GB of memory. I wonder if WIN 8 would make a difference in sound? The set up I am using consists of, XPA1 amps, XSP1 preamp, XLR cables, Anedio 2 DAC, Legato 2, Magnepan 1.6QR, Epik Empire Duals Sub speakers. Don't get me wrong SBT+EDO is a very clean and clear sound, I think it's just that I like to have control over the sound and foobar and Jriver+Jplay let me do that, the thing is, everyone will have different opinions and preferences, and equipment, you just have to find whats right for you.
 
Dec 1, 2012 at 9:04 AM Post #41 of 90
Windows 8 is great imo, very focussed, while 7 sounded more airy but less precise. Every player sounds better in win 8 imo. I also changed HPET to 64 bit setting in bios which seemed to help as well in terms of focus and timing. As you say though it is a matter of preference. Imo jplay is sounding very lush with 4.3a (more than i like) but i havent compared directly with foobar/sox. What is edo by the way?
 
Jan 13, 2013 at 10:32 PM Post #42 of 90
The patch PCB for my Legato II has arrived and I just installed it myself yesterday.  It is not something one can easily do himself unless he has the soldering skill to do it.  The patch PCB is to allow the Legato II to charge the battery even when the computer is powered on all the times but not playing music (or SBT in this case).  With the patch PCB in place, my Legato II will go into batt charge mode when no music is playing on my SBT for about 18 mins.
 
 

 
Pat is making a run of Legato II.1 PCB.  This will add 3 functions to it:
- the patched PCB will be incorporated into the main circuit
- charge LED that will change from red to green when batt is fully charged
- a circuit to shut down the unit if batt is below a certain voltage (this is to prolong the lifetime of the batt in case the user has no charger connected and keeps on playing until the batt is depleted)
 
Just general operability improvements, nothing to affect the sound.
 
Jan 15, 2013 at 8:47 AM Post #45 of 90
I had the first legato, and compared to my USB asyn input in my Ayon Skylla 2 Dac, it was clearly not as good.  It was fogier, hazier, not nearly and clean and defined.  However it was more laid back- which I like.
 
 
I am interested in this Legato 2 because although my USB input is steller, it is a bit forward.  It seems like the presentation of the Legato 2 is more relaxed and laid back and if it can get the dynamics and detail as good as the USB input on my DAC- I would have a winner.  Usually the more relaxed the presentation, the less dynamic and defined it is  in my experience.
 
Do users of the Legato 2 find it's detail retreival is less foggie and more defined and clear  than the Legato 1?  Also- is it as relaxed as the 1?
 
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