[soundlogic]

@soundlogic No problem. I tried switching 3 or 4 times. Does the Directstream DAC needs I2S MCLK? That could be messed up and would never know it with Kingwa’s asynchronous firmware DACs.

The Directstream does not have a clock input. As far as the Directstream working with other DI's that incorporate an external clock...they=Mutec, Singxter, and Gustard, have all worked fine with PSA I2s I/O.

 

[soundlogic]

Updated to V4.07b, both S and P modes are working, and internal clock is comparable to external. Looking forward to optimized firmware for external clock.

 

[DecentLevi]

Hey guys I got the Altera USB blaster updated in the device manager. Last time it was showing up under "other" devices instead of under Universal Serial Bus Controllers. But now I'm still having trouble with the Quartas software. I just replaced the "pro" with the "standard" version of Quartas 20.1 but it still didn't seem like the version you guys were using, having no automatic license retrieval or hardware setup button. So now I'm downloading the "lite" version and it's a whopping 3x larger at 6GB! I'm using the link provided in the DI-20 update instructions which redirects to this link. Is there another link I should be using to download another standalone version that you guys are using?

 

[FredA]

Just run the programmer with the corresponding path in your installation.

There is a distribution with just the programmer in it.

"C:\altera\12.1\qprogrammer\bin\quartus_pgmw.exe"

 

[DecentLevi]

Finally succeeded on the DI-20 firmware update to current V.407_Beta1. To do this you've gotta have programmer experience to find all the details not mentioned on the Audio-GD instructions... whole process stole 7 hours of my weekend I wish I could have back!
So far it seems to have been worth the trouble! This time I think I can actually hear an improvement in P (parallel) mode, seeming perhaps more lifelike / natural than S (serial) mode, and overall it seems it must have improved so much that as another user mentioned its' internal clock could be up to par with an external clock! Well that's speculative on my part not having tried an ext. clock, but I also agree with others that I have no desire to go back after this firmware update!

I have encountered an issue however that when switching to S mode now I usually get either a continuous background hiss or much louder distortion squelch.

 

[DecentLevi]

Update, after a power-cycle of my whole sound system including DI-20 and waiting about 5 minutes, seems the noise-floor issue with the DI-20 has subsided. And finally DSD over coax cables are working now. I'm only listening on my semi-detailed HD-650's for now but so far it could very well be the best sonic performance I've heard at home. A really amazing purity and transparency, texture, with hologrpahic soundstage and robust-ness to boot. Well a lot of that is also thanks to my Qutest DAC with aftermarket LPS.

 

[rsbrsvp]

Kingwa has not optimized the timing yet of the ext. clock.

Will the optimization improve sound or just solve glitches?

 

[FredA]

Will the optimization improve sound or just solve glitches?

There will be bug fixes too of course.

 

[ProLoL]

Ordered the DI-20 with the Accusilicon 90/98M to be hooked to my R2R11 via I2S, would be lovely to compare it against my previous U16, SU2, D10 and U12.

I hope there aren't any mods / flavors to choose from and plays music as is.

PS: I've read that there are parallel & series mode. What is the consensus on which better and why?

 

[Zachik]

Ordered the DI-20 with the Accusilicon 90/98M to be hooked to my R2R11 via I2S, would be lovely to compare it against my previous U16, SU2, D10 and U12.

Very interested to read your impressions vs. U12 (which I currently own and use)...

 

[ProLoL]

Very interested to read your impressions vs. U12 (which I currently own and use)...

Sadly I couldn't use U12's i2s output cause it's configured to be used with gustard products. The DI20 will be the end of chasing DDCs.

 

[Zachik]

Sadly I couldn't use U12's i2s output cause it's configured to be used with gustard products. The DI20 will be the end of chasing DDCs.

I'm using the spdif rca out from the U12. I guess I was hoping that you could compare spdif between the two.

 

[ProLoL]

I'm using the spdif rca out from the U12. I guess I was hoping that you could compare spdif between the two.

The U16 sounded better but buggy, the SU2 also sounded better but via headphones, my speaker system loved the U12 more than the SU2.

 

[Oepsie]

I'm using the spdif rca out from the U12. I guess I was hoping that you could compare spdif between the two.

I came from a U12 which sounded amazing in my (speaker) system. The U12 is very sensitive to cables (both RCA and USB), so I experimented a lot with this in connection to my dac (Electrocompaniet ECD-1 which is also very sensitive - no noise/signal handling at all it seems - but this also means that benefits are huge when fiddling with the digital components ).

Sadly, I had problems connecting the U12 to my SOtM streamer; the connection with my usb cable was highly sensitive, resulting in clicks and pops, when the connectors were no 'just right'. I had no problems with other cables. But when connection was good, the sound was astonishing.

In search for a DDC, I also tried a matrix spdif2 ddc with a linear power supply and the matrix seemed dull and quite flat in comparison with the u12 in my system. This was strange because the guy I borrowed it from, it sounded amazing in his system and when we tried my U12 at his place, it was the U12 that sounded rather off.. Guess system synergy is important also with DDCs

So I was very happy with my U12!

Still, the improvement from the U12 to the DI-20 was BIG with the ECD-1 DAC. Much more natural and detailed sound without compromising the musicality, PRAT and bass impact. Much more texture to voices and instruments, especially with bass and mid-bass. In my setup, the U12 was great with symbilance (sorry, don't know if this is the right word - the reverb of instruments like guitars and piano) and the DI-20 betters the U12 also in this aspect! Even more natural.

So I'm very happy with the step from U12 to DI-20

 

[DecentLevi]

I came from a U12 which sounded amazing in my (speaker) system. The U12 is very sensitive to cables (both RCA and USB), so I experimented a lot with this in connection to my dac (Electrocompaniet ECD-1 which is also very sensitive - no noise/signal handling at all it seems - but this also means that benefits are huge when fiddling with the digital components ).

Sadly, I had problems connecting the U12 to my SOtM streamer; the connection with my usb cable was highly sensitive, resulting in clicks and pops, when the connectors were no 'just right'. I had no problems with other cables. But when connection was good, the sound was astonishing.

In search for a DDC, I also tried a matrix spdif2 ddc with a linear power supply and the matrix seemed dull and quite flat in comparison with the u12 in my system. This was strange because the guy I borrowed it from, it sounded amazing in his system and when we tried my U12 at his place, it was the U12 that sounded rather off.. Guess system synergy is important also with DDCs

So I was very happy with my U12!

Still, the improvement from the U12 to the DI-20 was BIG with the ECD-1 DAC. Much more natural and detailed sound without compromising the musicality, PRAT and bass impact. Much more texture to voices and instruments, especially with bass and mid-bass. In my setup, the U12 was great with symbilance (sorry, don't know if this is the right word - the reverb of instruments like guitars and piano) and the DI-20 betters the U12 also in this aspect! Even more natural.

So I'm very happy with the step from U12 to DI-20

Promising words, thanks. Yeah the DI-20 is a sure shot performer for me, even over RCA coax cable which is said to be not quite as good as its' HDMI connection. Have you tried the newest firmware for the DI-20? V4.07. Although a direct A/B wasn't possible to the former firmware it shipped with new about a month ago, it's for me just a really satisfying, engulfing sound and I have no desire to revert back. It does have an occasional glitch with static noise injected which can be remedied by a whole system reset and waiting for a few minutes, but it really has me impressed as if the whole DDC has transformed in some way. Firmware update does require an (inexpensive) external hardware device and took me quite some time to figure out, but it was my first experience with a firmware upgrade other than over USB.

Probably some of us can work together to draw up a much easier firmware upgrade guide. The one listed on the Audio-GD site references outdated software and leaves out at least one step. If I knew the simple / concise way, it would have only took me 5-10 min. instead of 7 hours roaming around lost in cyberspace and trying the wrong things. The "actual" firmware transmission takes only like 10 seconds after the hardware / software is finally set up.

But like has been said, the newest firmware may be more about optimizing performance with its' internal clock so it (may?) be more recommended for people without an external clock.