[Crgreen]

I’ve added a Toslink output to my Blu 2 as follows:

A male BNC to RCA male adaptor on the Blu 2’s digital out:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009OARV4K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The following SPDIF to Toslink convertor:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002WSAB8E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have a spare LPS-1 (after upgrading to the LPS 1.2) which I use to power it - 5v/1A

The Toslink cable supplied with the Dave goes from the convertor to the Dave. All upsampling is turned off, so it’s just plain vanilla Red Book into the Dave. It sounds glorious and much better than BNC Blu 2 to Dave. I’m afraid the interface between the RFI generated by the BLU 2 and Dave’s ground plane is a major issue for me.

I accept, this is a rather odd arrangement, and probabably not for anyone apart from an oddball like me. I now have two optical sources into the Dave — the above and and Aries Mini for Tidal, and battery USB, an IsoRegen with LPS-1.2 battery power supply. All sound good to me.

 

[Triode User]

Wait for the m-scaler to be launched because by all indications, it will have an optical input. Speculation is that it will be launched as early as next month's show in Germany...

I think the speculation about a launch is just a vague hope at the moment. I will be watching closely though because the remainder of my years hi fi budget of £5 depends on the side bet I have with a fellow Head-Fi member.

 

[Triode User]

I’ve added a Toslink output to my Blu 2 as follows:

Did you mean that? The rest of your post describes using the optical output from the convertor into Dave and saying you find that better than Blu2 into Dave (a real YMMV moment?).

 

[Crgreen]

Did you mean that? The rest of your post describes using the optical output from the convertor into Dave and saying you find that better than Blu2 into Dave (a real YMMV moment?).

Indeed I did, using the Blu 2 as a CD Transport only. All the convertor does it conver the signal from electrical to optical

I knew that would distress you.

 

[Triode User]

Indeed I did, using the Blu 2 as a CD Transport only. All the convertor does it conver the signal from electrical to optical

I knew that would distress you.

 

[TheAttorney]

Indeed I did, using the Blu 2 as a CD Transport only. All the convertor does it conver the signal from electrical to optical

I knew that would distress you.

Well it's certainly confusing me!

It seems that you're saying that the el cheapo toslink converter (with no upscaling) into DAVE's optical input sounds better than the full M-scaler through BNC connections. Truely a cat amongst pidgeons moment, and also suggests that you've wasted a whole heap of money in getting the Blu2.

So have you tried bypassing the Blu2 altogether and adding this toslink converter between non-CD digital source and DAVE?

 

[audio_1]

I’ve added a Toslink output to my Blu 2 as follows:

A male BNC to RCA male adaptor on the Blu 2’s digital out:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009OARV4K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The following SPDIF to Toslink convertor:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002WSAB8E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have a spare LPS-1 (after upgrading to the LPS 1.2) which I use to power it - 5v/1A

The Toslink cable supplied with the Dave goes from the convertor to the Dave. All upsampling is turned off, so it’s just plain vanilla Red Book into the Dave. It sounds glorious and much better than BNC Blu 2 to Dave. I’m afraid the interface between the RFI generated by the BLU 2 and Dave’s ground plane is a major issue for me.



I accept, this is a rather odd arrangement, and probabably not for anyone apart from an oddball like me. I now have two optical sources into the Dave — the above and and Aries Mini for Tidal, and battery USB, an IsoRegen with LPS-1.2 battery power supply. All sound good to me.

Could 4 of the Lindy SPDIF to Toslink converters be used to have dual optical connections between Blu2 and Dave? A good power 5 volt power supply would be required for the 2 converters plugged into the Dave dual BNC inputs. This would be a messy solution, also requiring 4 x digital (rca to bnc) and 2 x optical cables, but no ferrites. Full m-scaling on the BLU2 could then be used.

 

[Crgreen]

Well it's certainly confusing me!

It seems that you're saying that the el cheapo toslink converter (with no upscaling) into DAVE's optical input sounds better than the full M-scaler through BNC connections. Truely a cat amongst pidgeons moment, and also suggests that you've wasted a whole heap of money in getting the Blu2.

So have you tried bypassing the Blu2 altogether and adding this toslink converter between non-CD digital source and DAVE?

Let me clarify: it sounds better than the single BNC output from Blu 2 into Dave. As regards the dual BNC output into Dave, that gives greater detail, depth and soundstage. Unfortunately, it also adds a metallic sheen, like a false additive, which I find unacceptable. As I have said before, I consider this due to the interface, high RFI and interference with Dave’s ground plane, which can be reduced but not removed altogether with ferrites. So, tonally it sounds better, and of course, I get upsampling at the Dave end.

I probabaly have wasted my money, but since I can’t sell the Blu 2 for a decent price, I might as well retain it as a CD Transport — and it’s a superb transport — and avoid polluting the Dave by using an optical connection.

I’ve not tried adding to the toslink convertor between a non-CD source and the Dave, and see no point. My battery-powered USB connection works fine.

 

[Crgreen]

Could 4 of the Lindy SPDIF to Toslink converters be used to have dual optical connections between Blu2 and Dave? A good power 5 volt power supply would be required for the 2 converters plugged into the Dave dual BNC inputs. This would be a messy solution, also requiring 4 x digital (rca to bnc) and 2 x optical cables, but no ferrites.

The problem with that would be that I don’t think Dave Cana crept >96khz via optical.

 

[Jawed]

I’ve added a Toslink output to my Blu 2 [...]

The Toslink cable supplied with the Dave goes from the convertor to the Dave. All upsampling is turned off, so it’s just plain vanilla Red Book into the Dave. It sounds glorious and much better than BNC Blu 2 to Dave. I’m afraid the interface between the RFI generated by the BLU 2 and Dave’s ground plane is a major issue for me.

Epic! Fascinating setup.

You say the upsampling is set to "low", which according to the manual is with the upsample switch in the "Up" position. Does it still work if you set this switch to the "Mid" position? That should be 176.4KHz, which should work over TOSLink.

Now playing: Mogwai - I Know You Are But What Am I?

 

[Crgreen]

Epic! Fascinating setup.

You say the upsampling is set to "low", which according to the manual is with the upsample switch in the "Up" position. Does it still work if you set this switch to the "Mid" position? That should be 176.4KHz, which should work over TOSLink.

Now playing: Mogwai - I Know You Are But What Am I?

I have set upsampling to low, which is in fact off altogether. Mid-position is double — 88.2 — and to my ear doesn’t sound as good as 44.1. The high setting - 176 - won’t work properly as Dave’s Toslink input doesn’t reach that high, though the convertor can apparently handle up to 192. As I’ve said, leaving all upsampling to the Dave seems to sound best for this configuration.

 

[audio_1]

The problem with that would be that I don’t think Dave Cana crept >96khz via optical.

The problem with that would be that I don’t think Dave Cana crept >96khz via optical.

2 of the Lindy converters would be connected to the dual bnc inputs on the Dave. Just realised it wouldn't work as toslink is restricted to 192 kHz, not 352.8 or 384 kHz.

 

[Crgreen]

Could 4 of the Lindy SPDIF to Toslink converters be used to have dual optical connections between Blu2 and Dave? A good power 5 volt power supply would be required for the 2 converters plugged into the Dave dual BNC inputs. This would be a messy solution, also requiring 4 x digital (rca to bnc) and 2 x optical cables, but no ferrites. Full m-scaling on the BLU2 could then be used.

Actually, on reflection, that might work though as you say, something of a hammer to crack a nut. On the other hand, it’s a nut I’ve been unable to crack thus far.

 

[Jawed]

I have set upsampling to low, which is in fact off altogether. Mid-position is double — 88.2 — and to my ear doesn’t sound as good as 44.1. The high setting - 176 - won’t work properly as Dave’s Toslink input doesn’t reach that high, though the convertor can apparently handle up to 192.

My DAVE works with 192KHz from my computer, using the 1m optical cable that came with DAVE. But we've recently had a discussion about some TOSLink sources not working with DAVE at rates > 96KHz and it seems the Lindy might be one of these sources. That's a bummer.

As I’ve said, leaving all upsampling to the Dave seems to sound best for this configuration.

This sounds right (I forgot that "mid" is 1/4 of the full upsampling rate):

• ~1 million taps at 705.6KHz - UP - dual BNC
  
• ~500,000 taps at 352,8KHz - UP - single BNC
• ~250,000 taps at 176.4KHz - MID - dual BNC
• ~125,000 taps at 88.2KHz - MID - single BNC - which is less taps than DAVE alone

It's a real shame that Blu 2 doesn't have a USB output...

Now playing: Mogwai - You Don't Know Jesus

 

[flyte3333]

It's a real shame that Blu 2 doesn't have a USB output...

This is what I've been dreaming for, for the next M-Scaler.

An optically isolated USB audio output... No leakage currents between PSU's, no RF worries, no ferrites needed, and since it's USB, Dave's nice expensive clock (mm from the FPGA) is controlling the timing.

But I don't know if this would mean the M-Scaler's USB audio output could be used with ANY DAC that accepts PCM768kHz ? Or if that signal would be locked somehow for use with Chord DACs only?

Does ANY non-Chord DAC right now with a single 353kHz BNC input benefit from Blu2's up-sampling (500k taps)?

I don't care if it's locked for use only with Chord DACs but not sure if you can lock the USB audio output of an M-Scaler (in my dreams) so that it only works with Chord DACs. If it can be done, fantastic, a USB audio output can work!

The other tricky part of course is optically isolating the USB output.