[JaMo]

Hello all,

The board is done! All inputs work except optical and USB. I think USB has short in solder, computer will not recognize. USB in is first version of the not very good USB 32 I never use. I will upgrade maybe XMOS USB. These available cheaply. For optical Kingwa said new board use 3.3 v but old optical module from M7 use 5 v. Is it correct? but again no matter. Never use optical.

Process all turn fine. There were some bump in the road 1) Some sort of black gum covering the optical? 2) very hard to unsolder some parts without burning component next to it 3) cable from display was too short to board! This time need real time advice. Looked for longer ribbon cable but ended taking unit to someone local who can help. We solder this ribbon wire from bottom of board to fit and did also two input. We try at his shop and M7 did not work He said leave with him and he will ask Kingwa.

Kingwa very understanding and response through whole process, very patient... even talking with Jeff who he does not know and is not customer. We measure all inputs with meters, they were fine. He say leave unit with him he will check. Two day later I get call and email where Kingwa says I don't know what the matter is return the board to me.... Jeff/Kingwa could not figure out so I took unit home - took out dip chip in display board and put back. Unit work perfectly All to do now is find more jumper tomorrow and enjoy full customization and experience!



Kingwa sent the firwares and I have had some time today to try.

Sound is changed from old board! I first start with smooth full oversample. Listen to around 2 days. Starting few hour ago I am in full NOS mode with accurate, I like this sound! I thought it would be more.... compressed sounding, grainy. But it turn out the opposite, sound is very smooth particularly with CD type file. With high bit depth file I think OS has edge but it is just different sound. Apple and orange. To sound cliche NOS seem more like "analog" - OS is more precise, more bass, tighter. NOS airier, musical.

What surprise me most is the transport difference now! Previous transport with M7was the Transient from CI Audio that experience a problem. I had to send for warranty. Meantime bought Singxer SU 1. A few weeks back CI Audio sent me a brand new transport!!! Very good company!!! Great service for 4 year old owner. I did not take out until tonight....

At first I was using Singxer with the NOS mode and decided to try Transient. Wow, It sound better than Singxer. Maybe I'm imagining... but some testing back and fourth and it really is better to me... not only smoother but more of the same I mention above. Something like Just in Time from Santana has very clear image to instrument, That's all Right from Stewart with his voice on higher notes there is less grain, less "shrill" if you dare call it this, and Peri Scope from Evans, drum piano and bass sound more dynamic! brushes light and bass pop. I think problem with singxer for me is power. Power for Transient coming from good linear source Bakoon and isolated USB card. Very clean power. Power for singxer is coming from wall outlet! I have order the 5 v power conversion for Singxer and think of getting something like UltraCap LPS? maybe something from Teradak or using bakoon. Problem with Transient is 24/192. I was really starting to enjoy higher sampling rates with the Singxer. Have been eyeing Holo Spring for the speakers, think it is almost time to buy I read singxer sound very good with this converter using I2S.

My apologies for such long rambling But I really love new board.

I do not know what to say to people who are "on the fence" . If you have M7 without itch you can't scratch, love M7. If you are person who has to scratch the itch! You will smile when hearing new board/S7.

Congrats! Usb upgrade to Amanero or Xmos will make wonders..
/Jan

 

[DACLadder]

Congrats and you did really well. FIrst I heard about the optical module voltage difference. I personally never use it. The Singxer SU-1 sounds very good with the M7 type DAcs. ANd I upgraded to the Amanero USB module with I did my DSP board swap.

 

[DACLadder]

And I use the external Channel Island +5V supply for USB power. It makes excellent +5V power source. I have a Transient Mk. II as well and maybe I should give it a try again!

 

[blackcatSVK]

Just found out my M7 is the previous gen with USB32, not the singularity one.
Anyone can enlighten me what is the different?

 

[mivarpet]

Just found out my M7 is the previous gen with USB32, not the singularity one.
Anyone can enlighten me what is the different?

The current Master 7 Singularity has a completely different digital / DSP (central) board and revised DAC boards (left & right). You can upgrade your Master 7 by replacing the digital board (disassembly and soldering required) and still get a worthwhile improvement as the preceding pages in this forum testify.

 

[DACLadder]

As stated the Singularity 7 modernizes the old Master 7 design and is a huge upgrade. The new DSP/ input board provides lower jitter performance, new DSP filters/ modes, and added capabilities for the inputs like faster sampling rates accepted. It is the same DSP design that AGD uses in their flagship R2R 7. There were also some small tweaks as well for the S7 analog boards to improve clarity and lower distortion. USB32 held back the M7 performance and thankfully the replacement Amanero USB board vastly improves sound quality and performance. Most everyone seems to agree the M7 improves dramatically when the DSP board is replaced.

But backing up a bit... the older Master 7 DSP board firmware can be updated to the 2016 version which gets a lot of thumbs up as very noticeable improvement. If you haven't upgraded the M7 DSP firmware to that would version maybe you can start there. And getting rid of USB32 eventually will vastly help performance. Whether new firmware or old the M7 always sounded best with HDMI I2S. And even with the SIngularity DSP I prefer HDMI I2S but now much less variation in sound quality between inputs compared to the older model.

Info on the S7...
http://www.audio-gd.com/Master/Singularity 7/Singularity 7EN.htm

 

[blackcatSVK]

As stated the Singularity 7 modernizes the old Master 7 design and is a huge upgrade. The new DSP/ input board provides lower jitter performance, new DSP filters/ modes, and added capabilities for the inputs like faster sampling rates accepted. It is the same DSP design that AGD uses in their flagship R2R 7. There were also some small tweaks as well for the S7 analog boards to improve clarity and lower distortion. USB32 held back the M7 performance and thankfully the replacement Amanero USB board vastly improves sound quality and performance. Most everyone seems to agree the M7 improves dramatically when the DSP board is replaced.

But backing up a bit... the older Master 7 DSP board firmware can be updated to the 2016 version which nearly everyone likes much better than the previous default release. If you haven't upgraded the M7 DSP firmware to that would version maybe you can start there. And getting rid of USB32 eventually will vastly help performance. Whether new firmware or old the M7 always sounded best with HDMI I2S. And even with the SIngularity DSP I prefer HDMI I2S but now much less variation in sound quality between inputs compared to the older model.

Info on the S7...
http://www.audio-gd.com/Master/Singularity 7/Singularity 7EN.htm

Thank you so much for the infor.
Could you please direct me to the upgrading guide? There is no official guide yet from AudioGD, and I cannot find any related information.
How much the upgraded parts would cost? I can do soldering job myself.

 

[DACLadder]

There is no official upgrade guide but start with the thread below. I believe I paid slightly over $300 USD with shipping for the DSP board. The Amanero USB board was around $100 USD.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/aud...ced-dac-pcm1704.625793/page-259#post-13943853

 

[blackcatSVK]

There is no official upgrade guide but start with the thread below. I believe I paid slightly over $300 USD with shipping for the DSP board. The Amanero USB board was around $100 USD.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/aud...ced-dac-pcm1704.625793/page-259#post-13943853

Well well well, a bit too much eh.
I hope they would sell the upgrade kit for current M7 owners with better price X_X.

 

[DACLadder]

The price is very affordable if you are considering buying a new DAC. I spent more recently on a headphone cable. I purchased the SIngularity 7 and have since sold my Yggy and MSB Analog DAC. That is the level of performance change I am hearing. The M7 DSP upgrade vs S7 differences are minor in comparison (but noticeable).

 

[xrobbo]

Hi everybody, I own a M7 already upgraded to the NOS7, that I use through the i2s port. In my condition, would you still say that upgrading to the Singularity would make a really significant sound improvement?

 

[DACLadder]

Look back in this thread through the summer 2017 (July, August) as you will see impressions of the DSP board change. I don't know about NOS performance but the new DSP can be jumpered OS or NOS mode. The original M7 was very bassy, sibilant with vocals, and vague on soundstage - all helped with the 2016 old DSP firmware release. The new DSP corrects all this with better/ tighter bass that is not bloated, much improved vocals, less glare in lower trebles, and better soundstaging. And much more low level detail with either the S7 or upgraded M7S. It is like night and day differences that you can notice immediately. I have always like the M7 and S7 as their sounds are more dynamic versus other DACs. May not be perfect but they sound like music and very engaging.

Whether you should upgrade I don't know but I am so glad I did. I'm sure others will comment as well.

 

[Pablovila]

Look back in this thread through the summer 2017 (July, August) as you will see impressions of the DSP board change. I don't know about NOS performance but the new DSP can be jumpered OS or NOS mode. The original M7 was very bassy, sibilant with vocals, and vague on soundstage - all helped with the 2016 old DSP firmware release. The new DSP corrects all this with better/ tighter bass that is not bloated, much improved vocals, less glare in lower trebles, and better soundstaging. And much more low level detail with either the S7 or upgraded M7S. It is like night and day differences that you can notice immediately. I have always like the M7 and S7 as their sounds are more dynamic versus other DACs. May not be perfect but they sound like music and very engaging.

Whether you should upgrade I don't know but I am so glad I did. I'm sure others will comment as well.

Hi: I have the original Master 7 and I am thinking in upgrading, but I have a doubt: what is the difference between the Singularity and the new flagship R2R 7? Thanks.

 

[DACLadder]

Hi: I have the original Master 7 and I am thinking in upgrading, but I have a doubt: what is the difference between the Singularity and the new flagship R2R 7? Thanks.

The new R2R 7 DAC uses discreet resistor ladder DACs where the Master 7 employs Burr-Brown PCM1704 DAC chips. The 1704s are no longer available. So, AGD has been releasing a lot of new models based upon Kingwa’s resistor DAC design.

Haven’t heard the R2R 7 but would very much like to have that pleasure. Happy with the Singularity 7. Getting a lot of mileage out of that DAC.

 

[macrog]

The new R2R 7 DAC uses discreet resistor ladder DACs where the Master 7 employs Burr-Brown PCM1704 DAC chips. The 1704s are no longer available. So, AGD has been releasing a lot of new models based upon Kingwa’s resistor DAC design.

Haven’t heard the R2R 7 but would very much like to have that pleasure. Happy with the Singularity 7. Getting a lot of mileage out of that DAC.

Has anyone compared the R2R 7 with the singularity 7?