[Zachik]

Hi Zachik, I can answer #1 based on my experience of owning both the U12 and a DI-20 (non-HE). Firstly, from a usability standpoint, the DI-20 is plug and play with the Amanero driver I previously installed for my R8. No issues with firmware, no glitches - just 100% music. The build of the DI-20 is much more robust and solid. I love the large display and the easy switching of functions. As far as the sound qualities, I find the U16 to be accurate, but dry in comparison to the DI-20. The U16 is quite good, but the DI-20 is much better and soundstage three-dimensionality, bottom-to-top extension, tightness of bass, musical flow, and body. I have about 500 hours on the DI-20 and the sound is still improving. I was listening to Autumn Leaves - Jacintha, and for the first time in my system, her voice was actually in front of the speaker plane. I had never experienced that before. Previously, I was able to get good depth and width of the soundstage, but all performers shared the same lateral plane. Last night was the first time on good recordings where the performer(s) were in front of the instruments, that I was able to get that 3-D realism of soundstage.

I am confused... You started by saying you have a U12 (like mine), but then you compare to U16... Typo??

 

[anroj]

I am confused... You started by saying you have a U12 (like mine), but then you compare to U16... Typo??

That was indeed a typo. I own a U16 as well as a C16. I will be keeping the C16.

 

[Zachik]

Couple quick questions:
1. Has anyone by any chance compare the DI-20 or DI-20HE to the Gustard U12? I know it is a long shot, but maybe not really since functionally both solve the same problem...
2. On the DI-20 (or DI-20HE) - anyone here A/B the SPDIF (Coax) to the AES? My DAC does not have I2S, so those are the only 2 options for me.
3. Lastly (for now ) did anyone A/B the Di-20 to the DI-20HE? I know several people here have both! Assuming I move forward - I am debating whether the $440 delta for the HE is worth it (compared to the 90/98 top spec non-HE) or whether I should use this cash for better USB cable or power cable?

1. The u16 beats the u12 which in turn is beaten by both di20 versions.
2. So far, aes/ebu is winning with the dh labs d110, but i would be curious to compare it with the new dh labs d-750 75ohms bnc cable
3. One of us has both and will come back with the answer at some point.

Thanks Fred!
Referencing same numbers as above:
1. Would you say the DI-20 compared to U12 and U16 more musical or more "reference" / analytical?
2. When you say the AES/EBU is winning (vs. RCA) - is it obvious improvement, or you have to try really hard to tell a very subtle difference? I have a pretty good coax cable.....
3. Waiting anxiously to read DI-20 vs. DI-20HE comparison!!!

 

[FredA]

Thanks Fred!
Referencing same numbers as above:
1. Would you say the DI-20 compared to U12 and U16 more musical or more "reference" / analytical?
2. When you say the AES/EBU is winning (vs. RCA) - is it obvious improvement, or you have to try really hard to tell a very subtle difference? I have a pretty good coax cable.....
3. Waiting anxiously to read DI-20 vs. DI-20HE comparison!!!

1. The di20he has a fuller sound, much improved soundstaging/imaging/depth. It is also more resolved and smoother.
2. Last time i checked, aes/ebu (d110) had better bass than bnc (Oyaide silver cable) but the difference was less obvious. But because it was DIY, the aes/ebu costs a third. I think it is more about the cable itself than the input. The best bang for the buck is obviously i2s > eas/ebu > spdif right now.

 

[JaMo]

Hi all,
I am very pleased with my DI20HE. It has now over 1200h and it is just excellent. This morning I did reset the Amanero module by accident. I was about to take a "readout/examine" of the present FPGA firmware and was clumsy..I wasn't sure of what firmware to chose but decided to flash on "CLPD_for_1081", and "firmware_2006be10" (for CPU) and got DSD256 to work for the first time with my Linux player (Raspberry Pi4). I am a bit confused by the Amanero webpage information... or lack of it so I dropped them a question?

I got an answer from Domenico Vellante (Amanero): "You can use firmware_2006be11 and CPLD_1081". (Not "DSDSWAPPED"!)

I then checked with Kingwa and he confirm Not "DSDSWAPPED".

So here we have it.

/Jan

ps. Regarding the firmware in DI20/HE, there is only one around, meaning: we have all the same version/J

 

[REAN1MAT0R]

Call me Fred.

Or on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.ca/-/fr/Bonded-p...+series+hdmi+0.3m&qid=1579086559&sr=8-1-fkmr0

Thank you sir )

 

[FredA]

Thank you sir )

You are welcome, your Highness.

 

[FredA]

@soundlogic

Hi. I just got the fw (the only existing one) and reflashed it, the glitch seems much less frequent if still there at all, cause the heating unit makes cracking noises.

Yes, just heard it on headphones, there is still an issue and it is far less obvious it seems now. Livable with so far. Parallel sounds so well!

Kingwa uses his own psu with the c16.

PM me to get the fw file or email Kingwa. You need to install the altera quartus programmer and to get a usb blaster first, and install the proper driver, which can be found in the quartus distribution. Quite some work to do...

Thanks to @JaMo for contacting Kingwa, who suggested a reflash, and for giving me the fw file. I think the glitch may very well go away now, it is far less frequent and obvious. There must have been some errors in the original flash.

Haven't heard any glitch in the last 15min, the sound is wonderful.

 

[REAN1MAT0R]

I am not deep in 10mhz clocks
Does Mutec ref 10 compatible with di-20HE, R-7HE and sotm usbultra as it has square wave signal?
Or should i prefer Cybershaft products with sine wave signal ?

 

[JaMo]

I am not deep in 10mhz clocks
Does Mutec ref 10 compatible with di-20HE, R-7HE and sotm usbultra as it has square wave signal?
Or should i prefer Cybershaft products with sine wave signal ?

Sine waves seem to be preferred. I haven't had any chance to test those high end XO's You point at so if they can add a result worth their price tags is unknown, at least for me. I use Oscilloquartz 8663-xs and a pretty good Trimble.. Both give a better/different sound compared to the internal XO and I have the ext xo's active at all time, I prefer the sound with them.
/Jan

 

[Raser]

Weird problem occured with my DI-20. All of a sudden all music rattles and has "static". Tried powering off the unit, rebooted computer. Nothing worked, and all of a sudden the problem disappeares? Any ideas what that could be. Has happened couple of times now.

 

[PLGA]

Weird problem occured with my DI-20. All of a sudden all music rattles and has "static". Tried powering off the unit, rebooted computer. Nothing worked, and all of a sudden the problem disappeares? Any ideas what that could be. Has happened couple of times now.

I've had a similar problem also a couple of times, mostly with MQA. It disappear after restarting the DI-20. I have no idea why, but also happened sometimes with my U16.

What DAC do you have? I have the Audio-GD R8 and the DI-20 is running with internal clocks.

I also had a couple of times an unbalanced soundstage. This one I guess it must be related to burning maybe ¿?

 

[Wynnytsky]

Weird problem occured with my DI-20. All of a sudden all music rattles and has "static". Tried powering off the unit, rebooted computer. Nothing worked, and all of a sudden the problem disappeares? Any ideas what that could be. Has happened couple of times now.

on which clock? internal, external, both?

I suggest to whomever has this issue that they troubleshoot by using SPD/IF from another interface instead of USB in. If the problem goes away then this may be addressed with the Amanero FPGA. If it stays, then maybe the other FPGA.

 

[Raser]

on which clock? internal, external, both?

I suggest to whomever has this issue that they troubleshoot by using SPD/IF from another interface instead of USB in. If the problem goes away then this may be addressed with the Amanero FPGA. If it stays, then maybe the other FPGA.

Internal, i dont have a external clock.
i need to test with some other digital source if the problem occures.
I do have couple of other interfaces and never had this kind of a problem.

 

[Raser]

I've had a similar problem also a couple of times, mostly with MQA. It disappear after restarting the DI-20. I have no idea why, but also happened sometimes with my U16.

What DAC do you have? I have the Audio-GD R8 and the DI-20 is running with internal clocks.

I also had a couple of times an unbalanced soundstage. This one I guess it must be related to burning maybe ¿?

I feed the signal from DI-20 directly to my speakers. Avantgarde Acoustic ZeroXd so the dacs are 24 bit BurrBrown.
Never had this kind a problem with any other my digital interfaces.
Can someone explain what is the clock setting in DI-20 settings. I mean this part:
The 2nd display element :
"C" (Clock) means the Clk OUT on the backplate outputs a 256fs main clock , "L" (LRCK/WCLK) means the output is the word clock .
That propably affects only if you are using a external clock?