[Oepsie]

I'm guessing the vbus2 is more like one of these passive guys...

Actually, it is not

It only cuts the power lines, nothing else. And it works fine with the DI-20.

The other devices you link to tries to do something to the usb signal itself (to my understanding at least). I also have the first device, the jitterbug, and in my chain, there is a clear degredation of the sound quality using that device. Less dynamica, a veil effect across the midrange and a clear loss of detail/naturalness.

In my previous digital setup with a laptop and a gustard u12, it however gave a clear improvement, so its definitely system dependant.

 

[Zachik]

I tried out a matrix 2 with an lps before buying my non-HE DI-20 (90/98). In my system, the matrix seemed quite dull and flat. My gustard u12 actually sounded better, more lively and musical to my ears. The DI-20 is a huge improvement over both in my opinion.

I am using a Gustard U12, and very happy to hear the DI-20 (90/98) is a huge improvement!!
Still waiting to see some impressions comparing it to the Denafrips Iris, which cost roughly the same (as non-HE version).

 

[DACLadder]

Does the Denafrips Iris require external 45/49Mhz clocks to function? There are BNC connectors on the rear to connect these two clocks. I see no oscillators onboard other than a single small oscillator which may be required for the USB interface.

https://www.denafrips.com/iris

 

[Zachik]

Does the Denafrips Iris require external 45/49Mhz clocks to function? There are BNC connectors on the rear to connect these two clocks. I see no oscillators onboard other than a single small oscillator which may be required for the USB interface.

https://www.denafrips.com/iris

No! Just like the DI-20, it is an optional external clock.

 

[Wynnytsky]

Less dynamica, a veil effect across the midrange and a clear loss of detail/naturalness.

when I had a U12 everything helped (dark cables, tube buffer, ear plugs)
but over the years as the chain improves, your impression above pretty much reflects everything I add to some extent or another -- nothing is free

I wonder why the vbus2 claims to not support either the w4s recovery or intona (the very two tweaks I've used the longest)

These guys claim an advantage to cutting the line at both ends
https://www.madscientist-audio.com/gbu.html
If you have a 2nd vbus2 then let me know your findings

 

[smodtactical]

Has anyone compared di20he + a streamer vs full size u1 ?

 

[Bech]

I wonder why the vbus2 claims to not support either the w4s recovery or intona (the very two tweaks I've used the longest)

This is because these units uses the 5v USB power in some way. My former Matrix x-spdif 2 also needed 5 v from USB even though I powered it by a LPSU.

These guys claim an advantage to cutting the line at both ends
https://www.madscientist-audio.com/gbu.html
If you have a 2nd vbus2 then let me know your findings

You are only able to use the vbus2 with the "A-end" of a USB-cable.

https://www.sbooster.com/sbooster-tweaks/vbus2-isolator/

 

[Wynnytsky]

Last night I was reading @FredA's recent impression of the DI20 being smooth in serial mode and so I gave it a try. Yeah definitely smooth on the attack like dsd64 -- parallel has a crispier bite. Serial also made my room sound like I'm floating in the center of a sphere with no floor bounce to contend with.

The smoothness prompted be to take my training wheels off...

and that left the 200watt hdplex dedicated to the PC (about 13watt) and the 200watt keces dedicated to the Morion (4watt)

I sold the w4s in the past and ended up buying another. Last time I tried removing it was before the clock, firmware, litz interconnects, litz power cables, etc, so I either removed the source of the aberration, or something else is addressing it. I curse the diesel train that sat idling on the track down the block -- this robbed me of the full experience but I heard the potential and am looking forward to putting the new sound through it's paces.

 

[DACLadder]

I have always liked the DI-20HE’s serial data mode slightly more than parallel. The vocals (pcm) seem to have better attack. Rhythm, pace, imaging are excellent as well. Go with what makes you happy!

 

[motberg]

I'm very much in the less-is-more camp, but I haven't yet been able to live w/o the w4s recovery.

+1 on the Recovery.
I have used Recovery with at least 5 different DDC's and always was an improvement (still haven't had the opportunity to get my DI-20 however) .
I always used a good isolated power source however, and upstream used some isolator, either Intona or Singxer..

I have the JCat Femto USB card, PPA v2 and Matrix Element H. I doubt if I could tell them apart when followed by my SIngxer UIP-1/Recovery chain.

 

[motberg]

Does the Denafrips Iris require external 45/49Mhz clocks to function? There are BNC connectors on the rear to connect these two clocks. I see no oscillators onboard other than a single small oscillator which may be required for the USB interface.

https://www.denafrips.com/iris

Interesting observation.....
I am pretty sure one idea is to slave the DDC to the OCXO 45/49Mhz clocks within the Terminator +.
Maybe explained here somewhat on page 4 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/denafrips7/4/

 

[Wynnytsky]

Interesting observation.....
I am pretty sure one idea is to slave the DDC to the OCXO 45/49Mhz clocks within the Terminator +.
Maybe explained here somewhat on page 4 https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/denafrips7/4/

OMG reads like Denafrips is the NWO for digital audio. The clock (plus smaller changes) increases the terminator's price by $2k. In the article it didn't say the Iris would do the slave thing like the Gaia. It's almost $8k for a TPlus&Gaia, but I'm going to assume that is the last word.

I wonder if there's any merit in matching the signal distance between the oxco<=>r2r and oxco<=>transport? The article says the TPlus has the oxco within centimetres of the r2r module and I presume the Gaia would be happy with two 1m 75ohm cables. I guess 50mhz isn't high enough for this to be an issue. I wonder what freq it does become an issue.

 

[DACLadder]

I guess 50mhz isn't high enough for this to be an issue. I wonder what freq it does become an issue.

Frequency limit for a cable depends upon the cable type and the length of cable used. The edges of square waves have energy much higher than 50Mhz. 1ns square wave risetimes require at least 1Ghz bandwidth (freq = 1/time). Same issue with 10M clocks with square wave outputs. The fundamental frequency is low but the edges of the clock require much, much higher bandwidth.

When comparing coax cables I look for the 1Ghz attenuation which is usually speced at 100ft or m. But if you use no more than a few feet of any cable then they will all perform more closely.

Some examples of 50 ohm coax comparing at 1Ghz.
RG58, 1Ghz -20dB at 100ft. (generic rf cable)
RG400, 1Ghz -14.7dB at 100ft. (double shielded, silver plated)
RG8, 1Ghz -8dB at 100ft. (12mm thick, stiff cable)

 

[soundlogic]

Fellow DI-20 owners, any idea why: when I switch from ”S” mode to “P” mode, I get zero signal? Switching back to “S” mode returns the music. Dead air in P mode. I have re-booted streamer, DAC, and DI-20,
USB in from my Aries G2 streamer, I2s out to PSA Directstream DAC. I am currently using firmware version V3.93
Any suggestions or similar experiences?
Thanks; Tim

 

[FredA]

Fellow DI-20 owners, any idea why: when I switch from ”S” mode to “P” mode, I get zero signal? Switching back to “S” mode returns the music. Dead air in P mode. I have re-booted streamer, DAC, and DI-20,
USB in from my Aries G2 streamer, I2s out to PSA Directstream DAC. I am currently using firmware version V3.93
Any suggestions or similar experiences?
Thanks; Tim

It's normal to loose the signal for about 3-4s. If the music does not resume afterwards, it's not normal. You can give 3.99 a try, there were bug fixes done. I am on 4.07b now with no such issue. 4.07b is a beta that should be finalized within the next weeks.