[Wynnytsky]

Wow. Quite something @Wynnytsky . I bet it sound amazing?


Mine is a full cast copper from Jupiter Condenser.
The Autotransformer and the likes from Dave Slagle and the resistors from Duelund.

Still in a wine box...a travesty. soon I will transfer this inside the box.

Not many speakers allow this amount of flexibility and enjoyment?

I don't think the autoformer in my xover is anything special. It's jumped to discard 6 dB (sob) of my B&C DCM50 midrange so bass horns can catch up. I asked Volti at a show (axpona or ny) how much they attenuated their mid that day and they said 10 dB!

Around 2014 someone loaned me a super basic slagleformer in a wood box that left a life-long impression on me. It was one of those moments where you go from a clean window to kicking the window wide open, or maybe removing the whole wall. This might have been it...

I had my r2r7 a full year when David visited me in 2018. I think he brought an Emia unit (black cube, copper wiring) that could bump up the sound a few dB (didn't match my fond memory of that tiny slagleformer). That day I had a friend's Bespoke to compare it to (0 dB gain) and by comparison the Bespoke was a resolution extravaganza (still using it today).

 

[iFi audio]

Along with feeding my DI-20 an improved USB signal with the help of both iFi Micro USB iPurifier 2

Great to hear our iPurifier2 it serves you well. If I may ask, what's your CD device?

 

[smodtactical]

I thought this may be of interest:
Just finished a fairly thorough critical listening comparison between my DI-20 USB rig and my CD transport, and seemingly against all odds the DI-20 one-upped the CD transport! Playing the same song at the same time on both systems into the Qutest DAC I was able to rapidly switch between inputs. The differences were very subtle. Both sounded almost identical with ABSOLUTELY NOTHING lacking on the DI-20 system. The differences I could discern were that the DI-20 system sounded modestly more true-to-life or organic, with a modestly larger soundstage. And not a bloated soundstage or anything of the like. This is no small feat I tell you, because my CD transport, though mid-fi is a very decent model and brand (Teac CD-P650B), with a very good Toslink optical cable directly to the DAC (this 1300 strand optical cable). By contrast the CD transport sounded ever-so 'fuzzy' like details were faintly 'smeared', something that can only be noticed with a fast A/B as it holds its' weight very well.

Along with feeding my DI-20 an improved USB signal with the help of both iFi Micro USB iPurifier 2 and Wyrd, I'm also using a state-of-the-art RCA cable. Recently I had a friend put together an RCA cable, DIY project to save vs. commercially available; using Neotech Nei-2001 UP OCC single/mono crystal silver cable which can without exaggeration be said to be the best wire in existence for electron transfer. Check out the review of this cable here, and mine used even better RCA connectors than theirs, also from Neotech. A large part of what made my DI-20 system finally overtake the CD transport could have also been due to the V4.07 firmware update, before which the transport had won the comparison. @smodtactical did you notice any improvements with the update?

Nothing night and day but its hard to say because i can't easily go back and forth. All I can say is it sounds truly wonderful.

When you said DI alone, do you mean using PC as a input to the DI? The PC is better than Lumin or Rpi4, that’s crazy. I thought It was equal or less.

Jimmy I know man, its crazy! It beat rpi4 + di20he and u1 mini (with ext keces p8 and ghent dc cable) + di20he. And it was so obvious the transparency and especially the dynamic range and contrast. Like it wasn't even close! And this is just with an audio sensibility usb cable out of the front of my gaming pc! Its just so confusing. I wonder if my ethernet bridge which is quite basic is screwing things up?

 

[Wynnytsky]

@smodtactical I think you should get this and report back here
https://www.newegg.com/evga-nu-audio/p/N82E16829276001

 

[mudhole]

Hi everyone. Is there anybody using coax input to I2S output over 4.07 or 3.99 firmware? I got my 49/98 non HE three weeks ago. The coax to i2s has no sound from day one. I tried all firmware, only the 3.32 has decent sound, the 3.93 works once then only has cracked sound since I tried to switch players. The 3.99 and 4.07 never had any sound.

My DAC is Audio GD reference 1 moded to HDMI i2s input with great help from Kingwa. The i2s is my only input. I have more than 500 CDs so that the CD player is important for me. I have an Audio GD Di-U8 DDC to switch between auralic aries and Oppo 103 CD player, it works no problem.

Now my Di 20 was powered more than 500hrs, still the same situation. I hope it's the firmware's bug instead of my Di 20's issue. There's more than 10 emails between Kingwa and me, he didn't give me an exact, answer just said use the 3.32 for now. But for my ears, the 4.07 is way better than 3.32, the 3.32 is just have a stronger bass than di-u8 , smaller soundstage, less transparent.

I used Di 20 coax input to di-u8 coax input to DAC i2s input, both spdif outputs of Oppo 103 and Aries are working under all firmwares. That means coax to coax works, and my CD player and cables have no issues.

Hope Kingwa could figure out the issue.

 

[smodtactical]

Hi everyone. Is there anybody using coax input to I2S output over 4.07 or 3.99 firmware? I got my 49/98 non HE three weeks ago. The coax to i2s has no sound from day one. I tried all firmware, only the 3.32 has decent sound, the 3.93 works once then only has cracked sound since I tried to switch players. The 3.99 and 4.07 never had any sound.

My DAC is Audio GD reference 1 moded to HDMI i2s input with great help from Kingwa. The i2s is my only input. I have more than 500 CDs so that the CD player is important for me. I have an Audio GD Di-U8 DDC to switch between auralic aries and Oppo 103 CD player, it works no problem.

Now my Di 20 was powered more than 500hrs, still the same situation. I hope it's the firmware's bug instead of my Di 20's issue. There's more than 10 emails between Kingwa and me, he didn't give me an exact, answer just said use the 3.32 for now. But for my ears, the 4.07 is way better than 3.32, the 3.32 is just have a stronger bass than di-u8 , smaller soundstage, less transparent.

I used Di 20 coax input to di-u8 coax input to DAC i2s input, both spdif outputs of Oppo 103 and Aries are working under all firmwares. That means coax to coax works, and my CD player and cables have no issues.

Hope Kingwa could figure out the issue.

Really strange, so coax in and i2s out with latest firmware doesn't work? And you tried to downgrade the firmware and that got it working? Seems like some sort of i2s-firmware interaction problem. I wonder if another cable might help? Do you have another hdmi cable?

 

[mudhole]

It only works properly with 3.32. I tried 3.93 first time, it worked with Oppo 103, when I switched to Aries's coax, it had a broken sound with Pops. After 1 week burn in, I tried the 3.93 with Aries first, it sounded ok, then I switched to Oppo, the broken sound coming again. After that, it's always coming with broken sound no matter with which player.

I am using a nordost silver shadow coax cable. And l also tried another cheaper coax cable, but I never tried another HDMI cable.

 

[mudhole]

I just tried another cheaper HDMI Cable, no sound with 4.07.
Kingwa doesn't think it because of the firmware, just told me to use 3.32 for now. But once I lused to the SQ of 4.07, I can't live with the 3.32 any more.
I just want to know if there are more people experienced the same issue?

 

[DecentLevi]

Don't be a "lused"er and fall into a "mudhole", you'll find a workaround - like the way I had to custom order a RCA to BNC cable to make the DI-20 work with the inputs of my Qutest DAC.

 

[mudhole]

Don't be a "lused"er and fall into a "mudhole", you'll find a workaround - like the way I had to custom order a RCA to BNC cable to make the DI-20 work with the inputs of my Qutest DAC.

I know there will be a solution since Kingwa do care his costumers and products. We had more than 30 emails back and forth while I had trouble with my my reference 1 i2s upgrade. I am still grateful for that.

 

[jimmychan]

I just tried another cheaper HDMI Cable, no sound with 4.07.
Kingwa doesn't think it because of the firmware, just told me to use 3.32 for now. But once I lused to the SQ of 4.07, I can't live with the 3.32 any more.
I just want to know if there are more people experienced the same issue?

You are not alone. I have the same problem with my Ref. 1 HDMI mod.

 

[mudhole]

You are not alone. I have the same problem with my Ref. 1 HDMI mod.

 

[jazzbug]

My DI20HE is USB in i2S out to PS Audio DSD. First I changed from Parallel to Series, I thought it's smoother.
Yesterday I had bit headache and Serires sounded bit irrigating, then I switched back to Parallel. I thought there's more body, low end and articulate, hence bit more engaging this time.
It might sound different to me next time

 

[smodtactical]

DI20HE is a miracle machine man jesus. It makes me Atticus and 800S sound utterly mind blowing through my HE9. I just cannot believe the detail, nuance, transparency.

 

[ZERUNG]

My firmware is still the old one. I use both in and out I2S. The output that I now use is via ACSS, which to me is superior, as also stated by Kingwa.

I am feeding in the I2S from my Auralic Aries 2i.

The HDMI does not work as my DAC uses single ended one and the DI20HE is not. I installed a converter for the HDMI signal, but no sound despite all the permutation and combination possible in the 20HE. If the ACSS is so good, then the HDMI (When it will work) must be absolutely out of the world?

I love my Tesla. I love my Lampi and now I love the 20HE. Not many unconditional loves around, for sure.....