[Wynnytsky]

That was 5 years ago. By now he's fat and jolly with a full white beard.

It's use-them-or-lose them December and all I've got to preoccupy me are these QRD panels (2 more coming today)
Also listening to a lampi antlantic. 2 days ago a PSAudio Direct Stream visited to be compared to the atlantic. For that reason we only gave the psaudio the spdif and both the psaudio and lampi sat on dining room chairs.

I found the comparison between my r2r7 and the psaudio more interesting because they had similar gravitas on the XLR outs. With the r2r7 having a clear home court advantage (i2s, brass footers into maple, better cords) the r2r7 delivered a bit more slam, "light", and an analog feel. Also the r2r7 had a rawness that is more engaging and critical of the stuff it's connected to. Compared to other dacs you might say the r2r7 overreacts to upstream changes, and that's what I want in this hobby.

The lampi was very different. It's brought a speed+density than nails the human voice and reveals texture in places you thought were just smooth (with a very fancy power cord and good RCAs). It also has a spooky low noise floor that delivered natural dynamics even without the XLR gravitas. My preamp is passive so higher voltage sources tend to work better for me, yet I didn't hear any penalty to cranking the volume louder on the lampi to close the XLR/RCA gap.

I look forward to repeating the r2r7 vs lampi next year with a broken in di20he and my electrical service replaced, which I hope will be a bigger improvement than my lovely Niagara 1200.

 

[FredA]

Just FIY, the internal clocks only start perfoming like they should after 150 hours or so. Using an external clock, you will get a taste of what it can do much sooner.

 

[soundlogic]

That was 5 years ago. By now he's fat and jolly with a full white beard.

It's use-them-or-lose them December and all I've got to preoccupy me are these QRD panels (2 more coming today)
Also listening to a lampi antlantic. 2 days ago a PSAudio Direct Stream visited to be compared to the atlantic. For that reason we only gave the psaudio the spdif and both the psaudio and lampi sat on dining room chairs.

I found the comparison between my r2r7 and the psaudio more interesting because they had similar gravitas on the XLR outs. With the r2r7 having a clear home court advantage (i2s, brass footers into maple, better cords) the r2r7 delivered a bit more slam, "light", and an analog feel. Also the r2r7 had a rawness that is more engaging and critical of the stuff it's connected to. Compared to other dacs you might say the r2r7 overreacts to upstream changes, and that's what I want in this hobby.

The lampi was very different. It's brought a speed+density than nails the human voice and reveals texture in places you thought were just smooth (with a very fancy power cord and good RCAs). It also has a spooky low noise floor that delivered natural dynamics even without the XLR gravitas. My preamp is passive so higher voltage sources tend to work better for me, yet I didn't hear any penalty to cranking the volume louder on the lampi to close the XLR/RCA gap.

I look forward to repeating the r2r7 vs lampi next year with a broken in di20he and my electrical service replaced, which I hope will be a bigger improvement than my lovely Niagara 1200.

Regarding the PSA Directstream...Not sure if the unit you are auditioning is brand new, but the DSD is another example of "VERY-LONG-BREAK-IN" = 600-700 hours.

 

[Wynnytsky]

Regarding the PSA Directstream...Not sure if the unit you are auditioning is brand new, but the DSD is another example of "VERY-LONG-BREAK-IN" = 600-700 hours.

We're told not to pull i2s connections w/o powering things off. It's a pity the DI20HE doesn't have a second i2s output like the SU6. I paid extra to have a pink faun made with two outputs for this very reason -- comparing DACs should be as easy as switching inputs on your preamp. This PSA was last over around early 2018 and I remember it edging out the r2r7. Today both units are on the latest firmware so I'm guessing it fared better before because I took the time to move the i2s connection back and forth.

BTW I only play up to pcm192

BTW I think these ferrites improved things for my SU1

Doesn't that little board look like a joke compared to what's in the DI20?

 

[newabc]

Doesn't that little board look like a joke compared to what's in the DI20?

These days I am looking at the amp sales/trade forum of head-fi. I totally agree with you and think this can also apply to the comparation of Audio-gd's amps and a lot of so call "audiophile" solid-state amps made by other companies with similar price tags.

 

[FredA]

We're told not to pull i2s connections w/o powering things off. It's a pity the DI20HE doesn't have a second i2s output like the SU6. I paid extra to have a pink faun made with two outputs for this very reason -- comparing DACs should be as easy as switching inputs on your preamp. This PSA was last over around early 2018 and I remember it edging out the r2r7. Today both units are on the latest firmware so I'm guessing it fared better before because I took the time to move the i2s connection back and forth.

BTW I only play up to pcm192

BTW I think these ferrites improved things for my SU1


Doesn't that little board look like a joke compared to what's in the DI20?

The di20 has much more reservoir caps and regulation, and look quite a lot more high-end.

 

[Clemmaster]

We're told not to pull i2s connections w/o powering things off. It's a pity the DI20HE doesn't have a second i2s output like the SU6. I paid extra to have a pink faun made with two outputs for this very reason -- comparing DACs should be as easy as switching inputs on your preamp. This PSA was last over around early 2018 and I remember it edging out the r2r7. Today both units are on the latest firmware so I'm guessing it fared better before because I took the time to move the i2s connection back and forth.

BTW I only play up to pcm192

BTW I think these ferrites improved things for my SU1


Doesn't that little board look like a joke compared to what's in the DI20?

It looks like proper engineering.
Audio-gd looks DIY by comparison.

 

[Wynnytsky]

It looks like proper engineering.
Audio-gd looks DIY by comparison.

I'll say the SU1+HDPlex sounds good enough to keep me from opening the xmas boxes piled up in my entry way
Instead of hanging lights and garlands I'm decorating the wall with not so much as a 3M command strip
If the vacuum cleaner bumps a 2d QRD then it'll be my own personal 911

For the bass traps I didn't have enough new toilet paper rolls, but I did have 3 new rolls of paper towels, and that's working ok.
The square diffusers stretched the image too high -- adding absorption on the very top pushed it all the way back down to the tweeter.

 

[FredA]

It looks like proper engineering.
Audio-gd looks DIY by comparison.

Yep. Engineered for max. profit. Who cares if it is beaten by the very cheap u16, which the di-20 in turn mops the floor with. DIYers just care about sound, not much about costs. To each his own preferences.

Kingwa will have sold over a hundred if not double this figure at the end of the year, the su-1 is already a museum piece, a cheaply, but well engineered one.

Lets face it, the di shares the same overall design, only Kingwa perfected it in just a few months, benching it against a state-of-the-art CD transport, while designing a phono stage and redesigning SPDIF in his spare time, and even finding the time to release a few other new products. Some people have genuine talent, and are blessed with superior learning and creating capacities, let's face it. But Kingwa really does not prioritize profits. Some like this trait, some don't. Can't make unanimity.

 

[jimmychan]

@jimmychan Did you get your DI20HEs to work OK with Gustard's 10M clock source? You mentioned that you had trouble a long time ago with the first HE. Thanks!

@DACLadder Both my two DI20HE do not work on P mode with Ext. Gustard's 10MHz clock. It works fine however on S mode. Later I will test it with R7's i2s input.

 

[JaMo]

I gave my DI20HE a good listening session yesterday evening. I listened in my rig. (Linux-DI-R7-M1-M3,M2's-Quad ESL63/Gradient SW63). I have mostly been using Ext XO (Oscilloquartz 8663) and did this also this time. I will compare the internal Accusilicon's later.

At ~545h. Super resolving without any pushy feeling. Soft and pleasant, embracing and sparkling at the same time. Fluid and powerful. It's excellence in the full register. It is like being out at night in the far north of Sweden when the earth is lighted out and all the stars shines very clear from the black background (space). It is breathtaking really. This thing is hard to beat.
/Jan

 

[motberg]

It looks like proper engineering.
Audio-gd looks DIY by comparison.

the photo appears to be actually a DIY SU-1
which, BTW was pretty much required to keep the thing from sounding awful...
maybe the SU-1 was an example of something properly engineered using input from an AP only... not sure...

 

[FredA]

the photo appears to be actually a DIY SU-1
which, BTW was pretty much required to keep the thing from sounding awful...
maybe the SU-1 was an example of something properly engineered using input from an AP only... not sure...

You are right, most people modded it, removing the first stage psu to feed it with an external dc source.

But still, i think we should concede the Singxer f1 was a great value. The su1 was apparently not much of an upgrade over it, while costing much more. Now, the di-20 is most likely the new king in this price range.

 

[FredA]

@DACLadder Both my two DI20HE do not work on P mode with Ext. Gustard's 10MHz clock. It works fine however on S mode. Later I will test it with R7's i2s input.

Thanks for the tip. The di seems more picky with ext. XOs using the p. mode. I had a glitch in P mode occuring once every 2-3 minute. None in S mode so far, with still excellent sound quality. Something for Kingwa to investigate. At this stage of burn in, i still prefer the external clock.

 

[Il Cuffiotto]

Since yesterday evening, I started my burn in process for my DI-20HE / R7HE combo. First impressions, totally new and cold: astonishing.