Audio-gd Digital Interface

[upstateguy]

I'm coming in a little late, so I apologize.
 
Quote:

Did anyone try DI with USB3.0 jack?  
 
It seemed my Hiface can't work on my new desktop.... 
 
That really bothered me because I have too many USB devices..

 

Why doesn't it work?  Please explain.

 
Quote:

I tried my DI in my main system first were it worked fine! (Win7- Foobar - WASAPI or KS - DI)
 
I then tried it in my second rig which still runs on XP and there i can't get KS to work.
It only works with DS? ( Win XP - Foobar - KS/DS - DI)
 
anybody else had problems with XP ?

Is ASIO4ALL an option with XP?

 
Quote:

No sense in ditching the hiface, its more compact.

 

I already ditched my HF.  I went back to the BCT I was using before the HiFace because, IMO, the 'treble tilt 'of the stock HF caused the tone to be off on instruments and vocals...... and especially the piano.
 
My problem with the stock HF is that it has too many issues to simply pass it off on some unsuspecting guy, and so, there it sits, in a baggie, in the unused stuff drawer.

 
Quote:

True but I find it a bit bright in my system so Ive been attracted to the comments here about the DI's difference in sound compared to the HiFace.
I am currently awaiting a replacement HiFace from TweekGeek so I'll give it another go first before finally deciding.
Space is not an issue for me either as I have all my gear on a wide stand and the netbook is just for PC audio and doesn't travel.

I found Tweak Geek to be a real stand up company.  They replaced my unit right away and paid the return shipping.  Unlike m2tech, I wouldn't hesitate to buy from Tweak Geek again.

Even though the replacementFace definitely sounds better than the originalFace it still retains the treble tilt and the "louder sounds better" problem, which IMO creates pseudo-details rather than increased resolution (with the upsampling DACs that a lot of us have).
 
Sounds like sour grapes?  Well it is, and I'm annoyed with myself that I fell for another FOTM product that didn't work out.
Quote:

Quite possible. In doing the math though, the cost of getting the jkenny mod for the HiFace (and possible getting the attenuators he recommends) versus selling the HiFace and then buying  the DI  with PSU, it comes out about even....

I was under the impression that Kingwa initially said that there was little difference between using the dedicated PSU and USB power.  If that is the case, do you need more than an Elpac?
 
USG



 

 

[Dynobot]

The only problem I see with using a DI is...
 
Case #1---USB out---->USB cable affect--->[DI affect]+[PSU affect]--->Coax cable affect---->Coax IN
 
Vs.
 
Case #2---Coax out---->Coax cable affect---->Coax IN
 
It would be nice to minimize the affects between source and Dac.  The answer to better audio IMO comes from reducing variables not increasing them.  In Case #1 you have 4 variables between the source and the Dac.  Case #2 you only have 1.
 
In order for Case #1 to be a viable option it must do some major massaging to the digital signal before it reaches the Dac.  Again IMO, every variable has only 2 options, either to degrade the signal or be neutral.  What are the chances that each variable is completely neutral?  Next to none imo.  So what you are really doing is stacking up a bunch of variables to act as a tuning device instead of going for purity.   IMO..

 
I assume the only thing we are after is a reduction in jitter with USB vs. Coax out from the PC.  [If sample rate is not an issue]
Do we know that jitter coming from a computers USB is less than the jitter coming from the same computers Coax?
 
People have compared the DI and other USB-to-Coax interfaces with Asynch models.  There was not a unanimous vote for Asynch, which IMO means Asynch's advantages are only in theory because they do not consistently produce superior results....theoretically reduced jitter or not.
 
Less is More -but- More is Better is turning into the Audiophile mantra.  We want to reduce jitter by increasing the stuff in the chain.

 

[ninjikiran]

 
 
Quote:

I received my DI (version B) today and it comes with a lot of jumper plugs. Does anyone know how should I make use of it?
 
My I suppose to open up the DI from the top pannel after unfastening 5 screws? I unfastened the screws and the top pannel doesn't  come loose. Is it glued from inside? I haven't try prying yet.

 
 
Stuff you should touch if you desire,
NO-C which is jumper 6 enables and disables upsampling
D0 and D1(MMD0/MMd1?) are used in tandem to choose upsampling mode if NO-C is set to 1.  I think D0 and D1 are 3/4
 
Stuff you probably should not touch unless you need to.
SPDIF I assume enables and disables the spdif input and its #7
OMDO which is #8 is something I really don't know.  It has something to do with the Tenor chip and custom modding probably(I2S)
 
Have no idea what the following jumpers do,
IM00 - #5
ATT1 - #1
ATT0 - #2
 
Supplement Image from Audio-GD site

 

[Dynobot]

Then by all means we should toggle them to find out....
 

 
Quote:

 
Have no idea what the following jumpers do,
IM00 - #5
ATT1 - #1
ATT0 - #2

 

[ninjikiran]

Don't own the device

was just trying to aid the guy.
Quote:

Then by all means we should toggle them to find out....
 

 

 

[volume]

Quote:

The only problem I see with using a DI is...
 
Case #1---USB out---->USB cable affect--->[DI affect]+[PSU affect]--->Coax cable affect---->Coax IN
 
Vs.
 
Case #2---Coax out---->Coax cable affect---->Coax IN
 
It would be nice to minimize the affects between source and Dac.  The answer to better audio IMO comes from reducing variables not increasing them.  In Case #1 you have 4 variables between the source and the Dac.  Case #2 you only have 1.
 
In order for Case #1 to be a viable option it must do some major massaging to the digital signal before it reaches the Dac.  Again IMO, every variable has only 2 options, either to degrade the signal or be neutral.  What are the chances that each variable is completely neutral?  Next to none imo.  So what you are really doing is stacking up a bunch of variables to act as a tuning device instead of going for purity.   IMO..

 
I assume the only thing we are after is a reduction in jitter with USB vs. Coax out from the PC.  [If sample rate is not an issue]
Do we know that jitter coming from a computers USB is less than the jitter coming from the same computers Coax?
 
People have compared the DI and other USB-to-Coax interfaces with Asynch models.  There was not a unanimous vote for Asynch, which IMO means Asynch's advantages are only in theory because they do not consistently produce superior results....theoretically reduced jitter or not.
 
Less is More -but- More is Better is turning into the Audiophile mantra.  We want to reduce jitter by increasing the stuff in the chain.

I had a similar understanding to yours  and argued about increasing the variables,but what we don't understand and was explained that these variables benefit our cause by improving the power to the signal,cleaning it.

 

[lordearl]

Exactly - these variables are all present, whether you use a DAC with an inbuilt USB receiver or Hiface or the Audio-GD DI, etc  What counts is how the variables are implemented.  Of course, even this means nothing except a bunch of numbers until you actually hear the components.
 
I've just ordered the DI and am going to compare it with my PopPulse Wireless USB interface:
 
http://www.poppulse.com.hk/PopPulse%20PC-Link%202496Khz%20Wireless%20USB%20Digital%20Transport.html
 
Of course, being wireless...there's probably a lot of jitter, but I'm keep to test for myself to see if it is even possible to HEAR a difference.....

 

[brianmay]

+ 1
 
and with jkeny battery modded hiface is also very interesting to compare.
 
Quote:

Any comparisons with the halide bridge yet?

 

[Putzeudel]

What drivers come with the device? What options do we have for bit-perfect output with a XP system?

 

[tim3320070]

What exactly is there to "clean" and what variables are introduced that stop the 1's and 0's getting to the DAC that affects SQ? We are talking purely digital signals. If you feel jitter or noise is the result, the DSP3 and power filtering is there for that.
To the poster above- this is a driverless converter.

 

[leeperry]

 

What drivers come with the device? What options do we have for bit-perfect output with a XP system?

 
w/ all the windows mixer sliders maxed out, DS and ASIO4ALL will be bit-perfect on XP SP3.

 

[volume]

Even when XP is bit perfect,Vista had better audio capability then XP. 

 

[volume]

I presume there are about 20 or more users with a DI now, would you care to post some impressions after all this while.
 

 

[Dynobot]

What is the purpose for the "USB external RAM" as seen in the pic below???
 
Also, if you use ONLY the USB input is the internal class A power supply being used??
 
 
 

 

[Currawong]

Buffering the USB input to stop drop-outs and supply the digital data to the DSP I'm guessing.