[newabc]

There is some kind of strangeness that when almost all the world are clone but they are selling as brands in usb blasters: Waveshare, XYG/XYG-study and Terasic. We should know that even in China, if some brand with an obvious high price, has no obvious advantage on other similar products, they will be complained widely.

On 11/1 update: The "00ic" can be added into the above 3(Introduction: eng, chn). Terasic can be found in mouser.com. Waveshare/XYG has 2 versions, v1 and v2, waveshare link, both can be found in amazon.com. On the other hand, with a clone face, RioRand indicated its brand name in amazon.com.

If anyone can read Chinese, this google search can found some introductions on dealing with a blaster. Audio-gd's pages on the 2nd page.

 

[Thenewguy007]

I noticed that there is a 3.993 & a 3.993_2 file in the firmware folder. Is the v2 the better one?

Also how do you know you successfull loaded the firmware? Altera does not say which firmware you have when you open up the program with the DI-20.

 

[FredA]

I noticed that there is a 3.993 & a 3.993_2 file in the firmware folder. Is the v2 the better one?

Also how do you know you successfull loaded the firmware? Altera does not say which firmware you have when you open up the program with the DI-20.

I suppose the 3.993_2 a bug fix to solve a glitch with the spdif input. I will give it a try.

When you program the fpga, the qrogrammer tells you if it was successful. You can also run a verification, just check the corresponding box and click on "start".

These is also an option to read the fw and save it to a file. Then you can compare the checksum of the saved file to that of existing fws.

 

[FredA]

I don't see a 3.993_2 anywhere?

Ok. Got it on the headfi drive. The _2 (October) has bug fixes compared to the original 3.933 (June). But it does not fix the glitch with the spdif input some users are experiencing, including myself.

 

[DACLadder]

In my OneDrive folder I added _V2 to the October version of 3.933 as it had the same file name as a version from June. It’s the same file as the official version that is current on Audio GD site (Oct. 2020) and same checksum. You are welcome to use the files but no warranty.

Quartus will program, readback, and verify what is on the FPGA has no programming error. The upper right corner has programming progress block and error messages displayed at the bottom. Takes like 10 sec. when everything is working correctly.

Did you resolve your USB Blaster issue?

 

[Wynnytsky]

Today was the big day when my friend brought over his 2014 MSB dac. My usual routine is to keep the i2s home court advantage and feed spdif to the visitor, but the MSB didn't respond to the DI20HE's coax output. So I unplugged my junk and ran USB into the MSB. It was stunning. Then I bypassed my crazy-spensive TVC and ran the MSB directly into the amps (this dac has the stepped preamp feature) and there was even more truth to be heard. It was a teary eyed moment of national pride for me -- last time this struck me was watching falcon heavy's feb 2018 dual booster landing. Before that, probably some olympic event in the 80s. Alas, a current model sporting these features blows past the latest offering from EMM labs, and I'll say rightfully so.

So I want to fix my DI20HE's spdif -- my r2r7 doesn't like it either. I replaced 3.933 with 4.075 and still nothing. Any tips? I will say switching back to 4.075 brought me much closer to the colorless MSB -- my evening is ending on a good note!

 

[DACLadder]

Did the MSB Analog DAC have the latest ProUSB module? And did the MSB have the matching milled aluminum power supply? Love the DAC output volume control and white LED display.

The MSB ProUSB is fully synchronous with the DAC. No PLL needed and makes recovering data from this input much simpler and less complex. Synchronous just means the DAC supplies the two audio clocks back to the USB module instead of using discreet XOs like the Amanero design.

 

[FredA]

Today was the big day when my friend brought over his 2014 MSB dac. My usual routine is to keep the i2s home court advantage and feed spdif to the visitor, but the MSB didn't respond to the DI20HE's coax output. So I unplugged my junk and ran USB into the MSB. It was stunning. Then I bypassed my crazy-spensive TVC and ran the MSB directly into the amps (this dac has the stepped preamp feature) and there was even more truth to be heard. It was a teary eyed moment of national pride for me -- last time this struck me was watching falcon heavy's feb 2018 dual booster landing. Before that, probably some olympic event in the 80s. Alas, a current model sporting these features blows past the latest offering from EMM labs, and I'll say rightfully so.

So I want to fix my DI20HE's spdif -- my r2r7 doesn't like it either. I replaced 3.933 with 4.075 and still nothing. Any tips? I will say switching back to 4.075 brought me much closer to the colorless MSB -- my evening is ending on a good note!

Long shot: maybe you are confusing the clock input or the clock ouput rca with the spdif output... I have the latest r7 fw, no issue using either aes/ebu or bnc (acss)... Have not tried rca.

 

[Wynnytsky]

Maybe you are confilusing the clock input or the clock ouput rca with the spdif output

your damn right I'm confilusing! Just now plugged into red and the r2r7 is sounding lovely Funny thing is I initially connected the MSB to red and got no output, so I switched right away, and it was futile from there.

@DACLadder yeah he had the latest USB and SPDIF modules installed. I was unaffected by the aesthetics till I saw the white LED display, and that won me over.

 

[BoyNamedSue]

If you don't have much burn-in done, don't worry too much. And sound quality with improve up to 1000h. The worst phase is up to 350h. You have the audio-gd M7 as dac?

Here with 3.933 fed with my oppo bdp-103 over a cheap monoprice cable on the spdif input, there is indeed a periodic glitch. Can be quite annoying. 3.93 does not have it, if i am not mistaken. Give it a try.

It's too bad cause otherwise 3.933 is perfect for my setup. I don't use the spdif input much so i don't car so much.

Thanks for the help! Yes, I have the original AGD Master 7, but with firmware upgrade. I got around to trying 3.93 last night, and unfortunately still have issue with spdif input from my transport. USB works great so will keep using the di20 for this purpose, which it was designed for. Glad to hear that sound will only improve with burn in.

 

[FredA]

Thanks for the help! Yes, I have the original AGD Master 7, but with firmware upgrade. I got around to trying 3.93 last night, and unfortunately still have issue with spdif input from my transport. USB works great so will keep using the di20 for this purpose, which it was designed for. Glad to hear that sound will only improve with burn in.

Glad to help.

I expect Kingwa will fix this issue at some point. Maybe 3.93 works with my oppo but not with your source. Not sure which version i had that fixed this issue. It's quite annoying cause otherwise, the sound is brillant though it.

 

[Thenewguy007]

In my OneDrive folder I added _V2 to the October version of 3.933 as it had the same file name as a version from June. It’s the same file as the official version that is current on Audio GD site (Oct. 2020) and same checksum. You are welcome to use the files but no warranty.

Quartus will program, readback, and verify what is on the FPGA has no programming error. The upper right corner has programming progress block and error messages displayed at the bottom. Takes like 10 sec. when everything is working correctly.

Did you resolve your USB Blaster issue?

Problem was I was using the USB Blaser II drivers. Turns out mine was a USB Blaster I, once I used the driver from the Blaster I folder, Windows recognized them & installed it.

 

[mivarpet]

I've received the audio gd power cable today, it's awesome, very open and neutral sounding would also say holographic

I too got one of Audio GD's new power cables and agree with ProLoL. It's a great cable and I found I had tighter bass and slightly better top end extension, along with better imaging with it plugged into my M7S. The previous cable was DH Labs Power Plus. I also tried the Audio GD cable on my pre & power and found the greater improvement was on the power amp, but both with similar types of improvement that the DAC experienced.

The Audio GD cable is great value & I will be ordering more. Thank you yet again Kingwa!

 

[marcelnl]

power cables can make a nice difference, the audiogd one looks great. Making one is pretty simple too!

Mothership has landed, that MSB Dac looks great!

 

[sajunky]

The MSB ProUSB is fully synchronous with the DAC. No PLL needed and makes recovering data from this input much simpler and less complex. Synchronous just means the DAC supplies the two audio clocks back to the USB module instead of using discreet XOs like the Amanero design.

What an incredible device! It passes transparently all USB data formats giving galvanic isolation and transfer data over kilometer distance!

I like it very much. However I must say that Amanero in a form how it is sold on their website does the best as an universal USB decoder. An A-GD version is customised, I don't know how is modified. Ask Kingwa whether and how Amanero clock is synchronised with system clock.