Audio-gd R2R DAC Thread
Oct 1, 2018 at 12:10 PM Post #587 of 1,265
Hi, guys! An R2R 2 owner in the thread.

I remember writing something about my DAC not working with the PS4 Pro. My bad. It is working.
The reason it didn't was a poor cable connection (it was my first experience with an optical cable).

By the way, if I wanted to get the so-called firmware update, I would have to contact Mr.Kingwa, is that right?
 
Oct 1, 2018 at 1:13 PM Post #588 of 1,265
Perhaps somewhat related, I have the r2r 1 and I had been using an older AG Digital Interface, USB to SPDIF, but recently swapped it out for a Schiit Eitr, and it sure seems like an upgrade to my ears.
Funny, I have an Eitr but also the USB isolator on my R2R-1. I can't hear a difference at all between the Eitr via Coax and USB directly to the PC.
 
Oct 1, 2018 at 2:05 PM Post #589 of 1,265
Funny, I have an Eitr but also the USB isolator on my R2R-1. I can't hear a difference at all between the Eitr via Coax and USB directly to the PC.
If you have a great USB board at the DAC end then there may be no difference (unless you use a super long or crappy USB that by the time it reaches the DAC, there will be too much signal degradation). Audio-gd comes with Amanero or custom put in XMOS F1 board. There are 2 separate clocks in the eitr which clocks 44 or 48hz separately which is supposed to improve things. Also if your USB output already has galvanic isolation inside the computer/transport or the transport has so little jitter or an excellent clock that clocks the signal before it exits via USB, then perhaps these USB DDC won't make a damn difference either.
 
Oct 1, 2018 at 2:50 PM Post #590 of 1,265
If you have a great USB board at the DAC end then there may be no difference (unless you use a super long or crappy USB that by the time it reaches the DAC, there will be too much signal degradation). Audio-gd comes with Amanero or custom put in XMOS F1 board. There are 2 separate clocks in the eitr which clocks 44 or 48hz separately which is supposed to improve things. Also if your USB output already has galvanic isolation inside the computer/transport or the transport has so little jitter or an excellent clock that clocks the signal before it exits via USB, then perhaps these USB DDC won't make a damn difference either.
I noticed a big difference when adding the Eitr to my Mimby, so the lack of change with the R2R-1 shows me that the isolator option was a solid investment.
 
Oct 1, 2018 at 5:15 PM Post #592 of 1,265
Funny, I have an Eitr but also the USB isolator on my R2R-1. I can't hear a difference at all between the Eitr via Coax and USB directly to the PC.
The main problem with usb is a possible ground loop. The isolator helps with that regard. Also, you will hear more difference between transports if you have the tcxo option. And if your setup is transparent.
 
Oct 1, 2018 at 5:17 PM Post #593 of 1,265
When I bought my r2r 1, I didn't see an isolator option.... Was this available only for a short time?
You probably can still buy it and install it yourself if you have some diy experience. You can order it from Audiophonics, and from Audio-gd too, i assume.
 
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Oct 3, 2018 at 12:35 PM Post #596 of 1,265
I have an interesting finding. Remember I have been having noise issue with DSD256 on R2R7 ? I was using audirvana ---> to F1 board ---> R2R7. This has affected some R2R11 users even more with DSD 64 and 128. I then used HQ player direct mode but the noise is still there; But if I use HQ player and not use direct mode to play DSD but use the upsampling/down sampling mode though actually keep playing at same rate of DSD 256 for my native DSD files, the noise is gone!
This mode applies some digital filter like Poly-sinc, IIR etc and probably gets rid of the noise. The down side is the sound is now more sterile, and less organic. The direct mode has this noise at the beginning fo the track or on some very quiet passage or towards the end of the track but it sounds absolutely gorgeous! The piano tone is like super real and all the musicality/emotions comes out. The filtered mode sounds cleaner, lost the emotions, but more like PCM. (but I don't think it is PCM, as the HQ player shows no PCM conversion at the output, it remains in DSD 11.2896 Mhz. It is like listening to vinyl vs digital remastered CD. I read from article attached that for some silence or low signal passages of DSD track, some sort of editing is needed, if my interpretation is correct, and may make audible noise, like in "noise gating"See 2, 3.1 adnd 3.5 . Since I am no electronic/sound engineering I have little idea if this is even applicable but it appears the digital filter applied on HQ player can get rid of this noise.
 

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Oct 20, 2018 at 3:53 PM Post #598 of 1,265
Does anyone tried using usb cable that separates data signal from power signal ?
I use regen USB adaptor at the last stage just before entering the R2R7. There is a switch that can turn off the vBUS.I presume this gets rid of the power signal completely. I also use a USB cable from DH lab , “Mirage”. It isolates the power line from the digital signal line but the power line is still active, if that is what u mean? I am also looking into optical USB that provides galvanic isolation without power line except for a few copper wire that needs to power the optical cable itself but they only make wires at least 10 M long !
 
Oct 20, 2018 at 4:00 PM Post #599 of 1,265
I use regen USB adaptor at the last stage just before entering the R2R7. There is a switch that can turn off the vBUS.I presume this gets rid of the power signal completely. I also use a USB cable from DH lab , “Mirage”. It isolates the power line from the digital signal line but the power line is still active, if that is what u mean? I am also looking into optical USB that provides galvanic isolation without power line except for a few copper wire that needs to power the optical cable itself but they only make wires at least 10 M long !
Yes exactly this is waht i meant. Do you hear any difference vs "normal" usb cable ?
 
Oct 20, 2018 at 4:33 PM Post #600 of 1,265
Yes exactly this is waht i meant. Do you hear any difference vs "normal" usb cable ?
The only ones I compared with was the stock crappy wire which obviously sounds much worse, but i did compare with a supposedly $100 USB cable that came with my geek pulse DAC. That sounds rather bright compared with the isolated cable but I assume the other cable is not isolate. The idolated cable has warmer, more refined and less raw sound. Probably better layering but I never went back to do AB comparisiom again after burning in. The isolated cable is placed before my igalvanic and seems to make a difference still as the igalvanic still needs some usb power. The regen usb adaptor is placed right before entering the R-7 and has blocksd vBUS so it does not get any power from USB. Works really great this way, considering my transport is only mediocre (macbook air with audirvana or euphony audio)




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