[x RELIC x]

Thanks for your kind input RELIC, quite frustrating

Sorry here is the sequence
With the USB 5V OFF connection - Chord DAVE disappears from the ALSA device list - But Chord dave displays 768Hz - Squeezebox on Antipodes too shows it does not detect DAVE

With the USB  5V ON connection - Chord DAVE reappears on the ALSA device list - Chord displays NO DATA - But Squeezebox on Antipodes shows that it can detect DAVE

Any ideas now where I may be able to start?

It seems like a simple matter of devices communicating, but like I said I have no experience with the Antipodes DX or the Squeezbox app settings. One thing to try is make sure you are using the 5V USB and power both devices off. Next power on the DAVE and wait until the Mute message disapears. Now power on the Antipodes DX and see if they can now communicate. I'm wondering if it's a handshake issue similar to what happens with smartphones and portable DACs. Besides that I really don't know.

Congrats on your DAVE purchase by the way. Hopefully someone else can jump in with some advice if the above doesn't do anything. In the meantime, I would try hooking it up to a computer to make sure that the DAVE is working if you can. Glad the DAVE isn't the issue!

 

[Toolman]

I agree with those that have said the cradle is expensive but it is not superfluous if you have vibration below it (which will probably be something like 80% of cases.) There is simply no way the little blobs of rubber on the back of Dave could possibly perform to the level of the cradle in terms of suppression of vibrations.

I paid for the cradle despite the price level. I think it is both beneficial and aesthetically pleasing.....but then again I am fastidious about the detrimental affects of vibration on hifi performance.

I placed my order today for the cradle , Ive had it on my mind from day one and just had to have it .

Congrats...this cradle by itself is a piece of art.

About the only things I dislike about the cradle are (1) the high price, obviously :rolleyes: and (2) it tilts DAVE slightly downwards, and can pose some problem for longer jack connector or stiffer cable to be plugged in to DAVE.

 

[thunder 99]

Still struggling to make the Antipodes work, any suggestions would be welcome!
Cheers

 

[Beolab]

Still struggling to make the Antipodes work, any suggestions would be welcome!
Cheers

Firstly do you have a second DAC besides DAVE to try out with?

Then how do control the Antipodes?

Through an App or a a setup program in your PC / MAC or via the remote ?

I would reset the Antipode to default and delete the APP / Setup program and start all over again .

I think you have missed the question where you answer on what the purpose is with the 5v USB is connected to, because sometimes the USB can be setup to receive or send.

This is the case i think, or else if the Antipode are setup correctly and tested with another DAC and you have e-mailed Antipodes support, then it could be a faulty product, but i question it..

 

[thunder 99]

Thanks BeoLab
Antipodes has a web interface (Vortexbox). Issue is
The previous DAC was VEGA which was running on it fine.
There are two USB outputs on Antipodes DX - USB 5V ON and USB 5V OFF.
Issue is that With the Dave plugged into the 5V ON output, Chord appears on ALSA device list as well as in the app logitech squeezebox in the Antipodes but Chord displays NO DATA.
With the Dave plugged into the 5V OFF output, Chord disappears from the ALSA device list as well as logitech squeezebox app But Chord displays frequency. There is again, no sound.
 
 

 

[ecwl]

I'm not familiar with Antipodes so I just read some reviews about it. It sounds like multiple reviewers ran into some problems getting it to work with some specific DACs. But then they were able to get decent support from the Antipodes manufacturer. So maybe that's the better way to go...

 

[Beolab]

This could be the problem:

This info is taken from Antipodes support page for the DX:

USB Audio 2.0

Antipodes digital sources use native Linux 4 USB drivers that are 100% compatible with the only prevailing USB audio standard - USB Audio 2.0 (not to be confused with USB 2). Unfortunately, not all DACs have USB inputs that are fully compliant with this standard, and you may strike compatibility problems. These issues are not controllable by Antipodes Audio and if you need clarification of compatibility you should ask your DAC manufacturer whether their USB input has been tested for use with Linux digital sources. Because we cannot know when a manufacturer changes its USB firmware we cannot tell you with any certainty whether a DAC will be compatible.

So does the DAVE support true Linux USB 2.0 Audio @Rob Watts ?


Maybe you can go in to the WebOs interface and set the 5v USB output to support USB 1.0 just to see if you can get a connection.

 

[ecwl]

I clearly am in one of my moods, even with listening to DAVE with Utopia...

This info is taken from Chord DAVE manual:

Dave uses a class compliant USB interface so it does not require any driver software on Mac, Android or Linux devices. Simply plug a USB2.0 USB cable between Dave and the computer, tablet or phone and it will be automatically detected and play.

It is true that the manual didn't specify DAVE is USB audio 2.0 class compliant but I think this is probably implied because I don't think there are any modern USB receiver chips that are not USB audio 2.0 class compliant. But then I may be wrong.

 

[ubs28]

At what volume level should you put the Dave at when using an external amplifier? Should it be at 0 db?

 

[ecwl]

At what volume level should you put the Dave at when using an external amplifier? Should it be at 0 db?

I presume you mean a headphone amp with analog volume control. I think most people just put Chord DAVE in DAC mode. According to the manual, that is actually equivalent to +3dB (3V unbalanced, 6V balanced) output. The problem is, some amplifiers can't handle such a high input voltage. I think that's why we see some people not put the DAVE in DAC mode and then reduce the output volume to 0dB or -3dB to optimize the performance of their DAVE with their favorite amplifier. The kicker that I haven't heard yet is that the analog volume control of most amplifiers are not perfect so there's actually an optimal volume for most volume controls. I used to own the Benchmark DAC1 and I can tell you that the analog pots sound best within a specific range. As a result I used to use digital volume control while leaving the analog volume control fixed on the Benchmark. If you can figure out where your amplifier has the best linearity and channel matching at which volume, i suspect the best sound would come from leaving the analog volume control on the amplifier fixed at that volume and then just set your listening volume using DAVE.

 

[ubs28]

I presume you mean a headphone amp with analog volume control. I think most people just put Chord DAVE in DAC mode. According to the manual, that is actually equivalent to +3dB (3V unbalanced, 6V balanced) output. The problem is, some amplifiers can't handle such a high input voltage. I think that's why we see some people not put the DAVE in DAC mode and then reduce the output volume to 0dB or -3dB to optimize the performance of their DAVE with their favorite amplifier. The kicker that I haven't heard yet is that the analog volume control of most amplifiers are not perfect so there's actually an optimal volume for most volume controls. I used to own the Benchmark DAC1 and I can tell you that the analog pots sound best within a specific range. As a result I used to use digital volume control while leaving the analog volume control fixed on the Benchmark. If you can figure out where your amplifier has the best linearity and channel matching at which volume, i suspect the best sound would come from leaving the analog volume control on the amplifier fixed at that volume and then just set your listening volume using DAVE.

 
Thanks for the help. I noticed the same thing too. If I go too high on my amplifier (like on 3 o'clock setting) the sound signature changes. Hence why I don't go near max on the volume settings.
 
I think I'll connect the HD 650 and HD 800 on the amplifier and keep the HD 800 S directly to the Chord Dave. That makes it easier if I want to switch between headphones instead of plugging and unplugging headphones all the time since the Chord Dave has only 1 headphone output.

 

[ecwl]

Ah. I see. Looking at the specs for Taurus, you could put DAVE in DAC mode. Or if you find it too cumbersome, you can just set it to +3dB. It also seems that you can connect DAVE via RCA to Taurus which according to Rob Watts should probably sound slightly better than XLR. Or you can go nuts trying to find the best volume setting on the Taurus... I wouldn't recommend it unless you're supremely obsessive compulsive. Therein madness lies...

 

[daryldixon]

Antipodes can also do a remote connection to the DX I would contact Mark at Antipodes or http://verastarr.com does support

 

[paul79]

Totaldac Server is a Linux Server, Linux Real time in fact, and it works fine on the DAVE....

 

[jlbrach]

The DAC mode is -3 not + 3 FWIIW