[bodiebill2]

Did you read the R26 thread: shorting 15 with another pin on the hdmi cable?

Yes I read that, but if I understand well the post was from someone who could not play PCM with the R26 that way, only DSD. He solved this by shorting pin 15. However with me and the A26 it is the other way around: I cannot play DSD, only PCM. Of course it is possible that same tweak would work in my case, vice versa.

Actually I have some more information from the potential cable maker, claiming that @sajunky 's method will not work, but maybe better to share that in the A26 thread...

 

[MP1968]

Evening. I have sold my DI20 HE to someone in the UK (through another audio forum), and he's reporting something unexpected. I just wondered whether anyone had any thoughts.

His chain is Qobus -> Innuos Zen Mk3 (ethernet cable; limited to 96k) -> DI20HE (by 1 mtr USB cable) -> Border patrol Dac (rated to 24/96, by Spdif RCA 1.5m) -> amplifier.

Issue: music starts and sounds great, then within 15 minutes some kind of distortion begins. Like white noise and renders everything unlistenable.

He has two other DDCs: when he switches them back in everything is perfect again. Changing cables doesn't seem to help.

If he turns the AGD off for 20 minutes and restarts it, it seems to reset and go through the same situation.

He didn't realise that AGD doesn't send instruction manuals with their units, and said that he couldn't understand the buttons and display on the front of the unit (as they seem to do something different each time you press them). I've linked him to the User Manual on the AGD website. Maybe there's a setting awry somewhere.

I used the DI20 with my R7 for months with zero issues. I used all three inputs (SPDIF, the 10 MHz clock input, and USB), and AES out, SPDIF out, and i2s out. Never an issue anywhere.

I'm not familiar with Innuos, so I don't know if there's something in its software that needs to be tweaked to 'talk' to the DI20?

Any thoughts?

 

[dougms3]

Evening. I have sold my DI20 HE to someone in the UK (through another audio forum), and he's reporting something unexpected. I just wondered whether anyone had any thoughts.

His chain is Qobus -> Innuos Zen Mk3 (ethernet cable; limited to 96k) -> DI20HE (by 1 mtr USB cable) -> Border patrol Dac (rated to 24/96, by Spdif RCA 1.5m) -> amplifier.

Issue: music starts and sounds great, then within 15 minutes some kind of distortion begins. Like white noise and renders everything unlistenable.

He has two other DDCs: when he switches them back in everything is perfect again. Changing cables doesn't seem to help.

If he turns the AGD off for 20 minutes and restarts it, it seems to reset and go through the same situation.

He didn't realise that AGD doesn't send instruction manuals with their units, and said that he couldn't understand the buttons and display on the front of the unit (as they seem to do something different each time you press them). I've linked him to the User Manual on the AGD website. Maybe there's a setting awry somewhere.

I used the DI20 with my R7 for months with zero issues. I used all three inputs (SPDIF, the 10 MHz clock input, and USB), and AES out, SPDIF out, and i2s out. Never an issue anywhere.

I'm not familiar with Innuos, so I don't know if there's something in its software that needs to be tweaked to 'talk' to the DI20?

Any thoughts?

Qobus -> Innuos Zen Mk3 (ethernet cable; limited to 96k) -> DI20HE (by 1 mtr USB cable) -> Border patrol Dac (rated to 24/96, by Spdif RCA 1.5m) -> amplifier.

Well first you should ask him how he connected an ethernet cable to the DI20HE when it has no ethernet input or output. Also the DI20HE only has USB input, not output.

 

[FredA]

Qobus -> Innuos Zen Mk3 (ethernet cable; limited to 96k) -> DI20HE (by 1 mtr USB cable) -> Border patrol Dac (rated to 24/96, by Spdif RCA 1.5m) -> amplifier.

Well first you should ask him how he connected an ethernet cable to the DI20HE when it has no ethernet input or output. Also the DI20HE only has USB input, not output.

Indeed, and the bnc out is not guaranteed to work with all dacs, it is a current output. In case this is what is used. The mentioned music server has a usb audio out, it must be what is used. A likely cause is a dc offset. Can be fixed sometime with beefier power cord or else by just plugging both gears to the same power distributor. The usb cable could cause an issue too. Finally, the music server could have too much latency as well.

 

[dougms3]

Indeed, and the bnc out is not guaranteed to work with all dacs, it is a current output. In case this is what is used. The mentioned music server has a usb audio out, it must be what is used. A likely cause is a dc offset. Can be fixed sometime with beefier power cord or else by just plugging both gears to the same power distributor. The usb cable could cause an issue too. Finally, the music server could have too much latency as well.

My mistake, maybe he meant it this way.

Qobus (ethernet) -> Innuos Zen Mk3 (by 1 mtr USB cable) -> DI20HE (rated to 24/96, by Spdif RCA 1.5m) -> Border patrol Dac -> amplifier.

Either way, I digress, this is a Fred level problem.

 

[FredA]

My mistake, maybe he meant it this way.

Qobus (ethernet) -> Innuos Zen Mk3 (by 1 mtr USB cable) -> DI20HE (rated to 24/96, by Spdif RCA 1.5m) -> Border patrol Dac -> amplifier.

Either way, I digress, this is a Fred level problem.

I have had such issues at some point between the original usbridge and the di20he. I replaced it with the usbridge sig and the problem went away. I now use the orig usbridge without any issue to feed the r2r 11 mkii. Another super setup that keep me cie when i am working!

 

[OCC7N]

I looked up Border patrol Dac

I can only find a spdif output, Im having a hard time understanding the connection between di20 and the dac.

 

[myshark]

Qobus -> Innuos Zen Mk3 (ethernet cable; limited to 96k) -> DI20HE (by 1 mtr USB cable) -> Border patrol Dac (rated to 24/96, by Spdif RCA 1.5m) -> amplifier.

Well first you should ask him how he connected an ethernet cable to the DI20HE when it has no ethernet input or output. Also the DI20HE only has USB input, not output.

Previously encountered problem with serial mode. Maybe check the di20 mode: set to parallel instead of serial.

 

[MP1968]

To clarify: The Innuos is connected to the internet by ethernet cable, then a usb cable (1m) from Innuos to the AGD, then Spdif (RCA 1.5m) from AGD to the Dac.

@FredA
Does that help? Apologies for the confusion.

 

[FredA]

To clarify: The Innuos is connected to the internet by ethernet cable, then a usb cable (1m) from Innuos to the AGD, then Spdif (RCA 1.5m) from AGD to the Dac.

@FredA
Does that help? Apologies for the confusion.

See my reply above to dougms3. Also, an update to the Amanero fw, using the optimized for linux version could help. But start with checking issues like power or usb cable. A power cable with a bad contact can cause all sorts of issues. A bad usb cable as well.

 

[MP1968]

Many thanks. The buyer says that he has tried different cables and none of them have helped. But I don't know which cables.

I do know that he has swapped two other DDCs into his system (in place of the DI20), and the issue did not repeat. One is a Gustard U12, and the other he described as an 'Audio Gd digital interface', but I don't know which one.

I don't know why the DI20 should play well in his system but then after 15 min suddenly produce this noise. I don't have an Innuos, so I don't know how you set them up to interface with a DDC, but you mentioned latency above. Are there other Innuos settings like latency that he should check?

 

[sajunky]

I don't know why the DI20 should play well in his system but then after 15 min suddenly produce this noise.

First reply from @FredA suggests building up DC voltage during playing, I agree, it is most probably a cause. I will expand this suggestion. In first place the guy must check grounding:

- Are all devices (streamer, DDC an DAC) plugged to the same power extension? If not, it must be fixed.

- disconnect power strip from the power outlet, all interconnects, but not power cords and check resistance between enclosures using multimeter. It should be no more than few Ohms. A good testing points are screws. It is possible that on one device resistor connecting earth wire to the enclosure is damaged. It can happen during power surges. Worth to check also for safety reason.

- it will be useful to find out whether DC builds up between streamer and DI-20 or a DAC. A different DAC can be used for testing.

Other causes. What Ethernet cable is connected to a streamer? If STP (shielded), it should be replaced with the ordinary Cat5e UTP version.

Replace wired Ethernet with WiFi extender on a short UTP cable to the streamer. Not an expensive one, the best is $15 N300 small box with embedded power plug (no power cable). However for testing any other extender can be used.

The next suggestion from @FredA worth to try is replacing Amanero firmware with Unix optimised version. Are there reports about similar issues with this streamer?

 

[MP1968]

Thanks for the help / advice. I'm not an electronics expert but the possibility of DC offset / build up of DC voltage during playing seems like the consensus so far.

The least complex solutions atm seem to be 1. check the Innnuos settings (latency etc); check the di20 mode (parallel instead of serial); check which power supply(ies) the Innuos, DI20HE and DAC are connected to; check the ethernet cable connected to the Innuos (STP shielded -> ordinary Cat5e UTP version).

Otherwise we get into what seem like slightly more complex options, as described above.

 

[Pr155a1]

Hi all,

I'm the chap that bought the the DI20HE off Mark.

Thanks for helping trouble shoot this issue.

So to answer a few questions,

• All the boxes are plugged into the same good quality distribution block
• Low latency mode is enabled on the Innuos
• Ethernet cable is I believe Cat6
• Usb cable is Chord company (can't remember model number but cost £200 originally)
• Spdif cables are Mogami 75ohm with canare 75ohm RCA connectors and an Audio Note UK lexus interconnect.
• DI20HE is set to parallel mode

Something to note is that the noise seems to be in a certain hz range, mids/upper mids while the rest is clear, the hash also moves along with the music (ie, not one constant level).

I'll try another power cable to the DI20HE tonight.
Is there anything else (simple) that I've missed that could help solve the issue?

Thanks again for your help and to Mark for helping sort this issue. Sonically I'm very happy until this hash/white noise happens.

Phil

 

[Pr155a1]

Also, as mentioned earlier, the issue disappears once I plug my other interfaces back in.

Phil