[ProLoL]

This is a very interesting topic that I think is worth exploring further both in theory and in practice.

The question is what would make an external clock sound better than the very nice internal clocks in the DI20 in theory? I can imagine that it depends on the following four aspects:

1. Better clock oscillator (than the DI20)

2. Better PSU (than the DI20HE)

3. Less vibrations (than the DI20)

4. Better chassis shield (than the DI20)

Exactly what I was thinking.. an external clock wouldn't be a night and day difference from the great internal.

 

[jimmychan]

Is it possible to have some scientific measurement to find out the difference of Int clock vs ext clock?
For example measure the jitter and noise level of the Mclk Or something like that.

 

[rsbrsvp]

I am not a technical minded person- so I want to ask you all if it would be worth it to consider replacing the DI's amanero usb receiver with something better like an xmos?

Why does Kingwa not use something better than the Amanero?

 

[ProLoL]

I am not a technical minded person- so I want to ask you all if it would be worth it to consider replacing the DI's amanero usb receiver with something better like an xmos?

Why does Kingwa not use something better than the Amanero?

Simply cause it's better than xmos. You won't get anything better than his custom amanero hehe...

 

[rsbrsvp]

good answer. I did not know that.

 

[DecentLevi]

My external definitely wins in bass even on 4.07. However the internal sounds more naked;- less colored IMHO. I like that hyper-transparency.

Naked and transparent - this is a sexy sound! Makes you wanna do a tease dance, and it sounds / looks snazzy without that transparent thang on it, LOL.
But this v4.07 is a little disloyal sometimes.

 

[rsbrsvp]

The reason finalized firmware has not been developed yet is Kingwa needs MORE input from all of us.

Here is a quick email conversation we had:
__________________________________________________

Hi Kingwa.

I bought the Mutec Reference 10 SE-120 clock for my R-7HE and DI-20HE. As you know it is one of the best 10mhz clocks in the world.

It works perfectly but the internal clocks sound more transparent and more natural to my ears. Even the detail retrieval of internal clocks is at least equal and maybe better than the external clock.

Will there be firmware upgrades to improve external clock performance or will the internal clocks always perform better?


Thanks,

Steven



Dear Steven,
If your DI20HE work with the V4.07 firmware, this firmware is the version most for perform DOP output and based on the internal clock design, we need customer feedback the DOP function or other side if had bugs then edit it and improve the external clock codes.
If you want to test the external clock , you can load the older firmware to the DI20, the older firmware is improve the performance on external clock input.

Kingwa

 

[mudhole]

Is there any other members experienced the issue that coax input to i2s output on 3.98 3.99 or 4.07 has no sound? I know another member experienced the same issue, but both of us use the HDMI moded reference 1 DAC. I don't know it is the firmware's problem or DAC's problem. Hope some more members can give it a try on different DAC.

 

[rsbrsvp]

I refreshed to 3.98. Still like internal a lot. clearer and more open sounding than external clock. External has better bass and better focus.

 

[rsbrsvp]

Several DI users including myself have reported loosing their amanero firmware every time they change their DI firmware thereby needing to refresh their amanero firmware after every DI firmware update. I have discovered and confirmed that this is NOT a fault in the DI but rather in procedure.

Going according to the following chronological steps I have refreshed my DI firmware several times without loosing my amanero firmware:

1. Hook up the USB blaster to the DI while the DI is ON but the USB cable is disconnected from the DI.
2. Update DI firmware.
3. Reconnect USB cable from computer to the DI while computer and DI remain on.
4. Disconnect USB baster from DI while DI remains ON.
5. Turn off the DI. Wait about 10 seconds and reboot the DI.

Other methods may work- but I have had success using this procedure many times.

 

[newabc]

Hi DI-20 community,

I am planning to recommend DI-20/DI-20HE to the editon xx headphone users in head-fi.org. I believe DI-20 is the most valuable part to add to my chain that it, as a re-clocker, advances the hearing for almost all the areas. And it already comes with LPS inside (as most of the AGD products at least from 2013).

The brief introduction of edition xx: The hifiman edition xx is a reversion of the 1st gen edition x, an over $1000 MSRP can when it was released. By changing cables, it changes its aspects a lot. (For example, an OFC cable in amazon, near a AKG K702 taste; but a PCOCC cable from Lunashops, obvious warmer with 10-12% higher volume.) Usually more advanced cables, much more advanced hearing.

Can our community brings some links to the proper DI-20 reviews or introductions like:
(1) What improvements does the DI-20/DI-20HE bring to the current chain?

Other than the very high price silver cable,
(2) After getting a DI-20/DI-20HE, what USB and HDMI cables does our community already recommend? (For example, Fred recommended blue jeans series-fe cable.)
(3) What BNC SPDIF cables does our community recommend?

Lots of edition xx users in head-fi are using small amps like THX series(monoprice THX 887, drop THX 789, SMSL SP200, etc.) in their edition xx reviews. Actually, the AGD C-2/NFB-1amp's 2nd hand prices are already at the price range of SMSL SP200, but for the multiple LPSes inside, their sizes are huge compared to THX series.

Thanks!

 

[soundlogic]

I have emailed Kingwa also, requesting updated firmware to allow the external clock to sound superior as it did in the earlier FW versions. I gave some feedback related to my experience of S&P mode not working properly for me in earlier FW version. Bring on the popcorn!

 

[rsbrsvp]

Thanks to everyone who reports to Kingwa on the DI performance with the firmware upgrades. He needs feedback to continue.

I use ONLY USB in and HDMI out and with every single firware edition- I have ZERO issues with this setup.

I tried several previous firmware's with my external clock and to my ears 3.993 is the best match with the external clock. 4.07 wins with internal. IMHO!

 

[ProLoL]

Anyone else experience loud static and channel imbalances via coax out?

 

[myshark]

Anyone else experience loud static and channel imbalances via coax out?

Hi,
I have di20 with fw 4.07.
I use the aes and i2s output to the dac.
There will be loud static when using different source it seems.
My sources are auraliti pk90 usb and volumio x86 mini. I will have this prohlem when using the auraliti which uses linux mod customised os. But no problem with volumio.
Normally happenned when i try to experiment and change source from one to the other.
Doing the same thing direct to the w4sdac2v2 usb input is not a problem.
I feel it have something to do with source stream quality or os compatibility with the amareno in the di20.
now i dont change anything.

Thanks to this community, i have learn a lot. All are very helpfull. Thanks agajn.
/shark