Audio-gd Digital Interface

[soulorc]

Any idea how to modify RJ45 output into HDMI output on DI-2014?  I received my DI-2014 today only to find it's RJ45 version. I ordered it along with Master 7 HDMI. Maybe it is because I didn't say it clearly in the order. 

 

[conquerator2]

  Any idea how to modify RJ45 output into HDMI output on DI-2014?  I received my DI-2014 today only to find it's RJ45 version. I ordered it along with Master 7 HDMI. Maybe it is because I didn't say it clearly in the order. 

The HDMI version would be specified in the order summary [something like DI-V2014 [TCXO, HDMI]]. As for the modification, no idea. It is easy to modify a DAC of theirs [there's a detailed guide on their website - http://audio-gd.com/Pro/diy/I2Skits/I2SEN.htm]
You should ask Audio-gd if the same applies for the DI.
Good luck!

 

[soulorc]

  The HDMI version would be specified in the order summary [something like DI-V2014 [TCXO, HDMI]]. As for the modification, no idea. It is easy to modify a DAC of theirs [there's a detailed guide on their website - http://audio-gd.com/Pro/diy/I2Skits/I2SEN.htm]
You should ask Audio-gd if the same applies for the DI.
Good luck!

Thank you! Would HDMI be an improvement over RJ45? If not, maybe I can just stay with RJ45. 
 
I just found the modification for DI on the website you gave me. It looks pretty easy. I will try to contact them.  Another 40 bucks to spend.

 

[conquerator2]

  Thank you! Would HDMI be an improvement over RJ45? If not, maybe I can just stay with RJ45. 
 
I just found the modification for DI on the website you gave me. It looks pretty easy. I will try to contact them.  Another 40 bucks to spend.

Well, hard to say as I didn't have a chance to compare and likely won't have to any time soon.
I simply went for the HDMI version because according to Kingwa - "The HDMI is balance transmit, in theory it is better transmit mode than the RJ45."
I reckon as far as actual SQ improvements, it'd be splitting hair. I just found HDMI more convenient and more likely to be used than an RJ45 on a given product, but YMMV. 

 

[ciphercomplete]

It has been pretty well established that HDMI is superior to RJ45.  Check out the Master 7 thread particularly posts from DACLadder and Purrin.  That thread is probably a big reason Kingwa started offering HDMI I2S.

 

[soulorc]

  It has been pretty well established that HDMI is superior to RJ45.  Check out the Master 7 thread particularly posts from DACLadder and Purrin.  That thread is probably a big reason Kingwa started offering HDMI I2S.
 

 I read through all the pages in Master 7 thread and I did remember that HDMI is superior to RJ45. And that's why I ordered HDMI version of Master 7. I thought audio gd would automatically give me quote on HDMI version of DI2014 when I ordered them together... I should have confirmed that before I placed the order. Maybe the fastest way to solve the problem is to order a HDMI I2S kit and install it on my DI-2014.

 

[ciphercomplete]

^It shouldn't be hard to do at all.  It sucks they didn't send you the HDMI version which really should be the default version, not the RJ45.

 

[wmedrz]

I've looked inside my DI and it's super easy. All you do is plug it in and put two drops of solder. Get the HDMI board from Audio gd for 20 bucks. 
 
Question is, how do you like the sound as is? I have USB and HDMI and would love to compare it to RJ45 now....

 

[soulorc]

  I've looked inside my DI and it's super easy. All you do is plug it in and put two drops of solder. Get the HDMI board from Audio gd for 20 bucks. 
 
Question is, how do you like the sound as is? I have USB and HDMI and would love to compare it to RJ45 now....

Kingwa just agreed to send the HDMI kit to me for free. Haha! I really appreciate his business.
 
I will try to compare the sound when I get the HDMI kit. One thing I am worrying about is that I am using a poor RJ45 cable now. Although I am not quite a cable believer, I think a poor cable may affect the sound quality. I have a Apollo HDMI cable which is suggested by DacLadder. I will try it once I install the HDMI kit on DI2014.

 

[haitch]

I purchased my DI-2014 around Christmas and after burn-in just put it into my main HiFi. And I must say that I am very impressed. I also did the upgrade of my M7 to I2S so that is how I connect the DI-2014 to the M7. My primary test was to use the optical input (via PC with WiFi to an Aiport Express) to the DI-2014 and on my system to my ears the sound has improved a lot over optical directly into the M7. I have also tried RCA from an Oppo transport into the DI-2014 compared to RCA into the M7 and the DI-2014 wins again although I did not find this margin as large. I have also compared USB into the DI-2014 versus the Oppo via RCA into the M7 and find the DI-2014 better. In all cases the DI-2014 is a clear winner. The sound improvement I hear is a richer, smoother tone to the music. There is also more air and a layer of hash that is removed; without the DI-2014 there was a glassiness and flatness I did not realize was there until it was removed. I have spent far more than what the DI-2014 costs on cables and received no where near this level of improvement. Having said this, I upgraded my amp and preamp last year and would not rate the DI-2014 as providing anywhere near that improvement. I still need to do more listening to compare coax versus optical versus USB into the DI-2014, as well as trying USB into the DI versus USB into the M7. But for anyone using optical into their M7 I would say you simply need to try the DI-2014, especially at what it costs.

 

[soulorc]

I installed the HDMI I2S kit on my DI-2014. I can't do a AB test since it takes some time to go back and forth. But my initial impression is that HDMI has wider soundstage and better instrument separation than RJ45. 

 

[conquerator2]

Just a heads-up, the issues I've had with the DI's USB... Seemed to have been resolved by installing the latest drivers. I've been using the previous revision drivers and they seemed to work fine but those new ones seem to solve lots of issues people have had with their Audio-gd DACs [blue screens, etc.]
Well, I'll keep watching for a few days and if things stay fine, then I guess all's good.

 

[Miracle1980]

Using only the NFB-28 dac with usb (connected to a computer) will i have some benefits purchasing the Audio-GD Digital Interface 2014?  Or this is meant to be used with other devices (decoder, TV, etc.)?
Thanks

 

[i019791]

Any benefit for NFB-28 with the DI to spdif will be minimal, if audible at all
I suggest you do not bother unless you try going i2s to NFB-28, which I doubt it will be plug & play - better to check with Audio gd

 

[conquerator2]

  Any benefit for NFB-28 with the DI to spdif will be minimal, if audible at all
I suggest you do not bother unless you try going i2s to NFB-28, which I doubt it will be plug & play - better to check with Audio gd

Should be plug and play, it was plug and play with the NFB-7, driverless on Mac I believe. On Windows, I had to get the drivers going first of course. 

But the DI drivers and firmware updates are on the audio-gd site, or they're sent to you if you ask Kingwa/audio-gd