Audio-gd Digital Interface
May 10, 2012 at 1:43 AM Post #2,806 of 4,156
I never really tested JPlay when I was running the DI - only after I changed to the JK mk3.  Nowdays I usually don't bother to use it when in windows, and I don't use fidelizer either.  I use JRiver 17 in Windows, and when I want to do some critical listening I use JPlay in hibernate mode and to my ears I hear a pretty clear difference especially with high resolution material.
 
May 10, 2012 at 3:21 PM Post #2,808 of 4,156
Quote:
Just got the Olimex USB-ISO! Initial impressions are very positive. Haven't played with power supply positioning yet...

 
 
Congrats on getting the olimex. Glad to hear that initial impressions are positive. I was a bit surprised at the improvement when I first got it hooked up.
 
Quote:
JPlay and Fidelizer make absolutely zero difference on my system (KS, 4 sample buffer, "XTREME", etc.) compared to Foobar2000 WASAPI 250ms buffer. I've tried every setting in fidelizer, I've tried hibernate mode with the 'max quality' settings in JPlay (have tried older versions of these software as well). No difference detected either way. I can hear a difference between USB cables but not between software... though it is obvious to tell DS vs WASAPI.
edit: I should mention I have tweaked some settings in f2k. I use full file buffering so it plays from memory (told it to play anything <1GB from memory basically), set playback thread priority to max, and have all replaygain, vst, etc. disabled. I'm not sure that these make much of a difference besides reducing dropout frequency.

 
@somestranger, I didn't know that foobar had the option to play from memory. Is this an extra component, or something you changed in the settings? Please advise.
 
Thanks everyone for impressions on Jplay. I did some criticial listening yesterday going back and forth between fidelizer+Jplay/hibernate mode versus fidelizer+foobar2000, and I can reliably hear a difference with the most obvious one being that the bass has more authority and increased resolution (more tone and texture) with Jplay. It may be relevant to note that I am listening on my speaker system with a sub (REL strata), and so the difference may be more noticeable with a sub compared to a headphone system.
 
May 10, 2012 at 4:27 PM Post #2,809 of 4,156
I think there is no doubt that the DI power supply should feed the Olimex USB Isolator. The differences are there, and to go a little further you can power it with a good power cord and changing the DC cable for another (I have both the silver and copper Teralink cable, and preffer the later).
 
May 10, 2012 at 6:33 PM Post #2,810 of 4,156
@somestranger, I didn't know that foobar had the option to play from memory. Is this an extra component, or something you changed in the settings? Please advise.


Preferences -> Advanced -> Playback -> Full file buffering up to (kB): [put a really big number like 999999999999 for full buffering]
Also in the same place you can change "Thread Priority" to 7 to make the playback thread run in "realtime."

Are you using native sample and bitrates in foobar? I found 16/44.1 to match most of my source material made a slight improvement, and I heard a longer buffer can improve the sq in some cases though I did not notice a difference between 50ms and 250ms so just left at 250ms.
 
May 11, 2012 at 12:11 AM Post #2,811 of 4,156
Quote:
So, I got my battery in the mail today and nothing has exploded yet. I'm impatient so I put it on the charger for about 30 minutes to get some testing in before going out.
The battery certainly makes an improvement,although it requires careful listening to notice. In comparing to the DI w/ isolator but no power supply, the Improvements seem to be 'sharper' sounding string instruments, 'blacker' background, and slightly more low level details and ultra low frequency bass (<30hz) likely as a side effect of the 'blacker' background.
In one of my main test songs, "Invisible Man in a Fluorescent Suit" by Shpongle, the opening 60 seconds has significantly more subtle details (especially the 'pat tat tat' sort of sound around 0:50-1:00) and the violin sounds more realistic like there is a quicker transition from one movement of the bow to the next. Around 1:59 there's some details in the background that used to be pushed back and required active listening that are now very clear. The drop at 2:29 and subsequent bass-intensive portions thereafter seem to reach deeper in the 20-30hz range.
Overall, it seems like a great upgrade that's worth getting over the power supply. I still can't really tell much of a difference using the power supply, such that it could just be a placebo. The battery is definitely an upgrade in sound quality, but I would say the USB Isolator and hex inverter swap are higher priority upgrades for the DI-V1. The difference in sq upgrade is somewhere between the isolator/hex inverter upgrades and upgrading the USB cable (I use a Furutech GT2).
By the way, regarding the whole switching between battery and usb thing I found it remarkably easy. Sometimes just flipping the switch works (especially if you're not playing anything), but if it doesn't these seem to have 100% success rate:
Switch from USB to Battery:
-Stop all playback on computer
-Unplug USB from DI
-Switch to battery
-Plug USB back in
Switch from battery to USB:
-Stop playback
-Unplug USB from DI
-Switch to USB
-Plug USB back in
edit:
P.S. No dropouts yet on battery, noticed some when switching to PSU.
edit2: changes seem more immediately noticeable on speakers -- very immersive soundstage and deep bass.

 
Hi somestranger26, I forget to ask you, what do you mean by " if it doesn't these seem to have 100% success rate". What happened if it was not successful?
 
 
May 11, 2012 at 3:01 AM Post #2,812 of 4,156
another quote from Kingwa
 
Quote:
Your site says that a 7.4v Li-po battery may be used to run the DI.   Can i use a 6.4v LifePo4 battery with the new DI ? If yes, will it be better than a Li-po batery?
 
---------6.4V is ok. But I have not compare.
Kingwa

 
 
also, i have just received a Teralab DC cable and a Tentlabs 24.576 xo clock.
the upgrade in sound quality is bigger than i've expected.
better defined bass, larger soundstage and much-much better positioning.
 
May 11, 2012 at 3:54 AM Post #2,813 of 4,156
Quote:
I think there is no doubt that the DI power supply should feed the Olimex USB Isolator. The differences are there, and to go a little further you can power it with a good power cord and changing the DC cable for another (I have both the silver and copper Teralink cable, and preffer the later).

 


Thanks for the tip on the Copper Teralink Cable, ordered one from ebay here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=251058206157
Will probably end up getting another Iron Lung Jelly Fish for a power cable.
 
Cant wait for my DI-DSP (both clocks upgraded) and PSU to get here.... hopefully they ship on may 15 like the estimate
 
May 11, 2012 at 8:08 AM Post #2,814 of 4,156
Yes, the Olimex USB-ISO is quite impressive.

I did try feeding it with the DI-PSU, but I only noticed a slight difference, if any. I have to compare a litle further for a final conclusion. What I noticed though is that the Olimex device got quite hot! Not good for component longevity... Not sure why since the DI-PSU voltage is within parameters.

But my guess of why it might sound better is because the Olimex device is not being powered by The computer PS. Maybe a wall wart for the Olimex, keeping the DI with its own PS might sound better still. Any of you tried that?
 
May 11, 2012 at 3:21 PM Post #2,815 of 4,156
Quote:
Maybe a wall wart for the Olimex, keeping the DI with its own PS might sound better still. Any of you tried that?

 
I have been curious myself. I have a DI-DSP with PSU coming and will definitely test if powering both DI and olimex at same time using two PSU's makes a difference. I wonder though, in theory, if a difference should be expected.
 
May 11, 2012 at 3:28 PM Post #2,816 of 4,156
Quote:
Preferences -> Advanced -> Playback -> Full file buffering up to (kB): [put a really big number like 999999999999 for full buffering]
Also in the same place you can change "Thread Priority" to 7 to make the playback thread run in "realtime."
Are you using native sample and bitrates in foobar? I found 16/44.1 to match most of my source material made a slight improvement, and I heard a longer buffer can improve the sq in some cases though I did not notice a difference between 50ms and 250ms so just left at 250ms.

 
Thanks for the tip. Made the changes and didn't notice a difference off the bat, but also didn't do any critical comparisons either.
 
My output on foobar is set at 24bits with 50ms buffer, and the DI is upscaled to 96khz. I recall not noticing a difference changing the foobar bit rate and buffer size, but remember upscaling on DI smoothed out the sound a bit.
 
May 11, 2012 at 6:28 PM Post #2,817 of 4,156
Gotta give JPlay a whirl.....thanks for the insight guys on the latest from JRiver. I'm currently using MC 15...time to upgrade I suppose now that I have integrated the PC into the main system at the new abode, (3D HT is fricken cool).
 
Peete.
 
May 12, 2012 at 3:44 AM Post #2,818 of 4,156
I think upsampling to 96khz really seems to suite AudioGD DAC's - for some reason I even prefer 24/48 to 24/88.2 with my Reference 7.1 for some reason.  Guess I might have to give the DI DSP a try.
 
May 12, 2012 at 8:32 PM Post #2,819 of 4,156
Hi somestranger26, I forget to ask you, what do you mean by " if it doesn't these seem to have 100% success rate". What happened if it was not successful?

The device would be plugged in but windows would show no audio devices installed. Basically just means you have to either unplug it for a while and try again or reboot computer.

I did try feeding it with the DI-PSU, but I only noticed a slight difference, if any. I have to compare a litle further for a final conclusion. What I noticed though is that the Olimex device got quite hot! Not good for component longevity... Not sure why since the DI-PSU voltage is within parameters.
But my guess of why it might sound better is because the Olimex device is not being powered by The computer PS. Maybe a wall wart for the Olimex, keeping the DI with its own PS might sound better still. Any of you tried that?

Doing comparisons of DI-PSU + Olimex -> Battery + DI vs Olimex -> Battery + DI I don't notice any difference. Don't worry about the olimex getting hot, it's designed to withstand such conditions. Mine has been in use for a year or more now I believe and still going strong although one of the crappy usb adapters I had broke (replaced by a much higher quality one). It'll get hot regardless of whether its fed by usb or the power supply in my experience. It may get warmer from the higher voltage since more heat is 'wasted' by the switching regulator to downregulate to +5V.

When people earlier in the thread compared Olimex -> DI + PSU or Olimex + PSU -> DI found the latter to be superior for whatever reason. I think a wall wart for the Olimex would be pointless. IMO, use a high quality linear power supply like the DI one or something like what leeperry is using to power the olimex or just battery power the DI and don't worry about powering the Olimex.
 
May 13, 2012 at 6:25 AM Post #2,820 of 4,156
Audio-Gd website,a new look ,nice
smile.gif

 

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