[Fibre101]

The following cable/connection changes provide sound improvements in my system:

- silver USB > copper USB
- 0.5m silver HDMI for IIS > 1 ft BlueJean HDMI > 1 m silver HDMI
- silver ACSS > silver RCA or silver XLR >AGD ACSS - connects from R8HE to HE9

None of the silver USB(.5m), HDMI(.5m) and ACSS(2m) cables is expensive. All combined is less than $500 CAD. My Silver RCA(2m) is about 4 times that, however, it still sounds better using the silver ACSS from the DAC to pre amp.

Biggest sound improvement I have experienced in my system: adding the DI20HE

Thank you, just ordered the pure silver hdmi. Next is probably the silver acss as it should make another huge improvement. They are a bit expensive though. The nimak ones are popular.

 

[sajunky]

Yeah, has the ifi defender helped a significant amount? I realize that the motherboard of pc's with parts such as the cpu and others can inject noise into the usb. I thought that maybe the di20 with its isolated usb would do the trick to get rid of that noise but maybe having a clean outputting USB of your source can help possibly? Is this why many use streamers as a source instead of their pc?

Audio GD v2021 DACs also have isolator on USB, but ground loop redirector makes a difference, so my educated quess is yes, I have no doubt it will help DDC too. Mainstream network streamers produce much less noise, but it is still not a level required for the audio gear. I do recommend switching off the internal WiFi/bluetooth radio and use external WiFi extender device on the short cable instead of a wired network. It is a tip to save on the expensive streamers.

 

[iFi audio]

I realize that the motherboard of pc's with parts such as the cpu and others can inject noise into the usb. I thought that maybe the di20 with its isolated usb would do the trick to get rid of that noise but maybe having a clean outputting USB of your source can help possibly? Is this why many use streamers as a source instead of their pc?

That's correct. DACs have to work on what they get from transports, so the cleaner data transports can output to them, the better.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

DI-20HE just arrived

I'll swap out the base model to my headstation and swap in the HE to my big rig over the weekend.

 

[Zachik]

DI-20HE just arrived

I'll swap out the base model to my headstation and swap in the HE to my big rig over the weekend.

I would love to read your notes on whether or not you can tell the difference between the 2 units...

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I would love to read your notes on whether or not you can tell the difference between the 2 units...

I don't expect to notice anything, since I'm not gonna swap them back and forth to do a comparo.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

First hours with the new DI-20HE in my big rig. I can hear the skins on the kick drum stretch, like I'm there. I recommended the Crusader's Images album before, and I recommend it again. Great music and tremendous recording.

 

[AudioAlex]

I have burnt in my DI-20HE, R-7HE. and HE-9 pretty well now. Using the Blue Jeans cable that Fred recommended between the DI-20HE and the R-7HE, and a pure silver USB cable from my Mac Mini to the DI-20HE,- I can safely say that I have NEVER heard transparency and detail at this level with all of my headphones; nothing even close. It is so far ahead of anything else I ever heard in terms of transparency; just totally un-coloured pure music.

No upsampling on the R-7HE; it is a downgrade. NOS is the purest....

Thanks to those in this thread who encouraged me to purchase this equipment...

Which headphones do you like best with the setup.. I'm aiming to get the same.. Thanks.

 

[rsbrsvp]

Has anyone compared the ACSS coax out vs the SPDIF RCA out?

There is a fellow who did a review on the DI and analyzed the Jitter concluding that the ACSS BNC output had 7 times more jitter than the SPDIF (no ACSS) out.

https://goldensound.audio/2021/07/22/audio-gd-di20he-measurements/

I'm curious if anyone has compared the two and how they hear the differences....

 

[gimmeheadroom]

That reviewer is just another audioscientology preacher. ACSS uses BNC cable and supports up to 384 KHz. It's better than S/PDIF.

Why don't you listen for yourself?

 

[rsbrsvp]

I'm waiting for a new dac to arrive any day. When I get it- I'll test..

 

[sajunky]

I'm waiting for a new dac to arrive any day. When I get it- I'll test..

Then please report back.

I have to defend @GoldenOne as he is not audioscientology preacher, but make listening tests as well. We have a different opinion at times and I feel he hates me, but his approach to the measurements is very systematic and care is taken to get it right.

In this case he made a mistake. He didn't investigate how ACSS works and he measured voltage using a standard differential probe. This is wrong, as ACSS is not a voltage driven, but a current loop interface. To get meanful results he should assembly a differential current loop probe (following working conditions of the receiver) and measure a current. I posted my objection to this particular test, but he seems recognises me as an enemy and didn't acknowledge a mistake.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

He also made significant, embarassing mistakes in his crusade to discredit MQA a while back. So he's in my ignore list and I consider him Senior Assistant audioscientologist...

The fact he doesn't acknowledge mistakes is one of the requirements to be on the list

 

[Don Quichotte]

A few months ago I was promising some impressions from the Audio-GD DI20HE - Mutec MC3+ USB - Aurender UC100 match. Well the match happened in my home and the results are somewhat inconclusive but also surprising for the most part. My system consists of: Accuphase DP550 CD player with USB and SPDIF coax digital inputs, Accuphase E470 amplifier, Martin Logan Impression 11A speakers, Clearer Audio copper cables (for the most part). I'm favoring timbre and a wide range of contrasts (dynamic, textural, chromatic...) So;

1. The Audio-GD had a problem making a stable connection to my PC (running Windows 10) via USB. Installing and uninstalling the driver didn't make a difference, just as trying a different PC didn't help. In a friend's system, fed by the Sotm sms200ultra neo, it worked fine. Consequently, I didn't have the chance to burn it in enough.

2. When it worked, the sound was rather uninspiring. A bit dry and boring, with (surprisingly, given the look and weight!) restricted bottom end in terms or presence and extension. Tighter sound overall, especially in the bass, compared to the Aurender but also drier. Overall, the direct USB connection to the dac was better (lusher, more musical and perhaps with better inner detail and immediacy) than going through the Audio-GD both in my system and in my friend's. I have tried various power cords in a wide 100-1200 Euro range as well as USB and digital coax cables up to 700 Euro.

3. The Mutec was light and forward sounding. This forward character made it seem more detailed, but in fact it was just presenting detail in a much more forward manner. I could immediately hear it was tuned with the pro audio market in mind, a matter-of-fact sound. Better treble extension than the Aurender perhaps, I'm not sure on this as it's been more than a month and I'm writing from memory, and clearly a tighter attack. No bass weight to speak of, it desperately needs a serious power supply IMO. It was clear to me from the first few minutes that I was going to return it. Oh, and I was shocked to see that the coax out connector was nickel (?) plated!?! Unlike the official pictures and manual images...

4. The cheaper, simpler Aurender was the winner not because it is absolutely great but because it was, to me, the most musically convincing of the three. It's a bit unfair as it was well burnt in. In absolute terms, it also loses some detail compared to the direct USB connection, has flabbier bass, subtly less treble and bass extension and is less dynamic, but it adds a beguiling midbass to lower midrange fulness and has a liquid sound. A good example of this fullnes can be heard on the first part of Vashkar, the second track of Carla Bley's Trios album. In my system, the Aurender with cheap (but pretty good in my experience!) Supra USB and digital coax cables make for a more convincing timbre overall compared to the direct USB connection, a more cohesive sound in terms of bass - mids integration and is tonally a bit more neutral (a little bit colder midrange than direct connection, which is good given the typical Accuphase extra dose of warmth I'm hearing in my system), with a very smooth and liquid sound, musical and easy on the ear.

Well, there's that, FWIW...

 

[sajunky]

He also made significant, embarassing mistakes in his crusade to discredit MQA a while back. So he's in my ignore list and I consider him Senior Assistant audioscientologist...

The fact he doesn't acknowledge mistakes is one of the requirements to be on the list

I do also recognise MQA as a cheat and an attempt to monopolize the entire music industry. Taxing everyone, from artists producing content to us, listeners. The main supporters of MQA are streaming companies having record of cheating on artists having conflict of interest, they jumped on MQA bandwagon for the same reason - greed.

In this topic my view is that CD format is almost sufficient when listening on R2R DAC like my R2R-11. Absolutely sufficient on the road, there is no reason for MQA. On desktop I can afford to stream or download 24/96kHz (my preference) format or 192k. The last one only beneficial on some selected new recordings, not being a common case.