[hgpsemaj]

Anyone have a link to this second device ? More info and specs? Price? Looks like some kind of i2s connection. Kind of interesting as I'm working on a soekris dual Dac build. I plan to use the waveIO but need or weigh options

 
I wish it may assist:
 
https://world.taobao.com/item/44443361091.htm?spm=a312a.7700714.0.0.ioEaKd#detail
 
RMB187.

 

[hugoboss]

  I guess I've been away from the DDC stuff for a while, but when I went to check the Tanly USB, XMOS, I2s link on taobao is said the item was no longer for sale. I can't find any other links to the Tanly and I always had thoughts to buy it. Did something happen while I stopped paying attention there? Is there a new one coming based on that new xu208 chip? Any info?

 
there is  a new law in china online shop
the product can't exceed the price limits there is a new regulation in the china goverment. not because the unit is not available but there is some restriction now.
if your gogle tranlsate it will show something like that. not only tanly
many product . most of it is the expensive ones.
 
liek this i saw this available one month ago a new r2r dac holo spring
but now cant buy it
 
https://world.taobao.com/item/527818416876.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a312a.7700824.w4004-2612727925.7.EKJaig
 
it said
 

"according to local laws and regulations or policy platform, under this limit orders to buy goods." this is in gogle translate​

 

[bimmer100]

Silly me. It's a Dac. Ak4495. I was browsing on my phone and assumed it could of been some sort of DDC but should of looked more closely.
I just noticed the white i2s plug.
Thank you anyhow. This isn't something I would use for my soekris project. But would be great for ultra compact Dac project.

 

[prot]

This is a pretty concise read  and I think not posted here yet... has some info on packet noise, signal integrity, cable/connector impedance, etc..
http://www.audiostream.com/content/usb-audio-gremlins-exposed-beyond-1s-and-0s-ifi-audio#1MxBk7mve7ph6ZpM.97

A very good summary of the usb-gremlins. Wish that Lavorgna guy didnt put his name on a competent technical text written by ifi/amr (that's the guy who 'reviewed' the audioquest $10000 network cable and heartily 'recommended' it).

However, all interfaces have their gremlins, I wont go so hard on Usb. Usb can actually sound very good .. and you surely dont need to buy the $1000 usb cable or go into crazy usb chains like intona+wyrd+regen+lpses+mega dollar cables. Just use your common sense like for everything else. Try to fix eventual electrical issues and use a 'normal' usb cable that is truly built to the 2.0 spec (e.g. supra, belkin gold, etc). A good and relatively cheap ddc like u12 may also help a lot .. especially with old and/or badly isolated dacs.

Still, I think that abartels's no-usb experiment has the best potential from everything I saw around here. And should be quite cost-effective too. Especiqlly if you have the diy skills and a "monster dac"

 

[prot]

liek this i saw this available one month ago a new r2r dac holo spring
but now cant buy it

https://world.taobao.com/item/527818416876.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a312a.7700824.w4004-2612727925.7.EKJaig

That is a pretty interesting device. Do they use soekris modules or built their own r2r ladder? Any extra info you might have on the device, highly welcome.

 

[hugoboss]

this dac r2r i saw 1 or 2 month ago at taobao , i dont have any photo inside the machine
but i know the seller previous flagship product it is called t-rex mk2
 
trexmk2 use dual PCM1704
Analog parts:
1: Improved power supply part of the design, the new power supply is the use of a combination of parallel and in series, while keeping the old version of power ultimate low-noise (<1uV) premise, improved dynamic performance. Total power consumption has significantly increased to 40W
2: Improved analog amplifier circuit, amplifier circuit using a new version of the op-amp plus a combination of discrete components, play to their strengths, performance, and have been listening to a sense of balance
3: Increase the single-ended output, Legacy provides only a balanced output, although the single-ended output from the balanced outputs can be transferred out. But the new special single-ended output will undoubtedly end in a single system for better performance
4: Use high-quality O-100W transformer and rectifier and filter circuit has done a certain amount of optimization
 

 
then he launched a new flagship call holo spring dac
he claimed it will use separate dac 1 for dsd 1 for pcm
the price for preorder is 7800 yuan for standard version 8900 yuan for upgrade 4 pc jantzen capacitor
then suddenly his product got something like i said can't buy like its violating chinese new law or whatever.
 
so i jumped to audiogd new nos 7 dac
 
 

 

 

[hugoboss]

seems like your lucky day i have the product in detail in his facebook
 
https://www.facebook.com/wildismaudiohk/posts/1723144021264279
 
 
this is gogle translate
 

 
 



 
 
 
HOLO Audio Springs Spring, latest full decode discrete R2R DAC

"The world's first to support DSD's R2R DAC"

Is expected to launch 4 to 5 months, the price is expected to less than 10k yuan, there jensen capacitor version and general version ..

First put some of the skill test report than reference

Interested can wts app or Call: 63,442,556 Jo
Email: wildismaudio@yahoo.com.hk

After experienced Tyrannosaurus T-Rex1 and 2, the prehistoric era finally ended, T-Rex and his little friends about to usher in a new stage. "Spring" is the first design of a new era, a milestone for me. Stephen is a full discrete R2R type of decoder, he does not have ready-DAC chip, but with a self-designed core DAC module breakthroughs DAC chip, so as to achieve new heights.

* Re-invent the wheel. Yes, once again we invented a new wheel. Although the original round wheels have a classic design. Obviously, I do not like other designers, like, just to look a maverick invented a triangular or square wheels. This time, in order to get rid of the constraints DAC chip, I use the discrete components to form this R2R DAC module. This module is not only looks "cool." Performance and functionality are beyond any existing DAC chip.

* Supports DSD's R2R DAC. Stephen is the world's first to support DSD's R2R DAC, so far the only one. This is not the DSD converted to PCM before digital-analog converter, but directly by the discrete components of the DSD digital to analog converter.

* Spring with a variety of sampling mode and flexible conversion mode

1. NOS mode with no digital oversampling, the raw data directly to analog conversion.Because digital oversampling will produce time-domain distortions such as ringing, so NOS avoid these problems. Generally NOS other performance indicators have a significant impact, but spring is designed to allow in the NOS mode also maintained a good performance.
2. OS mode, the PCM super-sampled PCM higher frequency, the DSD DSD supersampling to higher frequency, then digital to analog converter.
3. OS PCM mode, regardless of the input is PCM or DSD input over all sampled PCM approach to digital to analog converter
4. OS DSD mode, regardless of the input PCM or DSD input over all sampled DSD approach to digital to analog converter

* Springs digital input interfaces include, USB (ground isolation), RCA, BNC, AES, fiber optic, HDMI interface I2S. All digital input interface supports DSD (DOP mode).Springs analog outputs are single-ended and balanced each group.

Spring is the DAC a R2R structure, and modern popular delta-sigma type DAC different, R2R within a clock can be restored analog value sample point, and the delta-sigma through after oversampling for high-speed digital 0 and 1 represents a switch to analog. In comparison, the conversion structure R2R direct and pure, but delta-sigma is essentially a digital chip, high-speed 0 and digital signal switching to a low-pass filter to the analog signal process is prone to various problems, generate digital taste, but also in the super-sampling process will inevitable cause some ringing distortion. But DAC R2R structure requires high-precision resistor network, the cost is very expensive. The chip is a digital delta-sigma DAC essence on, so low cost.

 

 

sorry for out of this thread topic

 

[abartels]

Nice find!

 

[abartels]

  For the ones who finds my Raspberry Pi 3 + Hifiberry DAC+ Pro project interesting:
 
After 5 days of burn-in time I have to conclude that "first impressions", until now, FAR exceeds what I've expected!!
 
What I did:
 
1- I took a basic RPI3
2- I took a HifiBerry DAC+ Pro and soldered a 2-pin header for external 5V power, and a 5-pin header for I2S output.
3- Mounted HifiBerry DAC+ Pro on Pi3's top
4- From Hifiberry website I downloaded latest installer and installed PicorePlayer for DAC+Pro on MicroSD card
5- Connected I2S to an older AK4495SEQ dac
6- Powered RPI3+DAC+ Pro with ONE 5V (diyinhk 0.8uV ultra low noise psu), so NO power input thru RPI's Micro-USB input
 
Things to consider:
 
The AK4495SEQ dac I used for this test was a previous one I used before I started my "Monster Dac project".
This dac is sounding very well, but has an integrated power supply on board, it's a very big difference in SQ in comparison with my "Monster Dac"
It's native SQ (connected to diyinhk isolated Xmos - just as in "Monster Dac") is a much less open sound character, less detailed and more compressed soundstage.
Low frequencies are not that detailed, mid frequencies are not as natural, and it is not that airy (black around voices and instruments).
 
On this AK4495SEQ dac I used a NEW "simple LME49720 - plastic version" opamp as output stage. This one hasn't burned-in yet too.
 
 
The previous impressions:
 
Listening to this set during the past days was not that good at all, at least, in comparison with my "Monster dac". It changed every day in a positive way, but it didn't please me at all.
(Don't forget that I am used to a very open soundstage, very natural sounding, very airy, just better than any analog I have ever heard, with massive Bass control which reaches to the
deepest registers I've ever heard (and felt...))
The soundfield was a bit fuzzy, no pinpoint precision, lack of bass control - but more powerful deep-bass. Voices seemed to sound different, not sure how to explain.
 
 
So, how did the RPI perform yesterday, after 5 days of burn-in time (needs at least 7 days):
 
What I heard yesterday was amazing. I didn't expect this at all. It seemed that the soundstage had widened, A LOT, maybe even wider than my monster dac!
There were several occasions where I heard lot's of phase-tricks in recordings, sounds which seemed to went out of the room, behind my head, everywhere!
There wasn't any listening fatigue anymore, pinpoint precision was almost as good as my monster dac, bass was VERY deep and powerful, but still lacks control.
 
But, what amazed me the most was it's sound character in total, not sure how to describe it, it's like, when comparing to my monster dac, the sound is more massive,
it surrounds you and it seems voices have much more body and impact. It's almost as if my monster dac is sounding pinched, more like a studio recording, while RPI is more
like a live concert, more rhythm and pace, it's just there!
 
I can't imagine how it can sound when properly powered, fully burned-in, and connected to my monster dac instead if the isolated USB XMOS I've built in.
 
I expect bass control to be better in the coming days because I know this opamp really needs it's burn-in time, and pinpoint precision and details will also gain.
 
These are wild days in Audioland, heard a lot of "rumors" of using rpi for audio, but now I know why, it has a phenomenal potential, and, I will explore those completely 

 
 
To be continued.....

 
After 7 days of burn-in I listened again to RPI and DAC+Pro.
 
It really sounds VERY good!
Of course it's not that airy as my monster dac, and also bass control is less, but that is something which is inevitable when using this AK4495SEQ in comparison to my "monster dac".
 
It still has a very wide soundstage, very 3-dimensional sounding, and it has a beautiful "punch", full body. 
 
I couldn't wait and powered 3.3V and 5V for DAC+ Pro external. This improved it again. It's a combo I could live with, definitely!
 
Very curious how it would sound in combination with my "monster dac", but that has to wait since I sold my "monster dac" to a friend of mine.
 
Since the DAC+ Pro uses mediocre TCXO's from ExpressO, it can't reach the best quality. And, sadly those tcxo'x can't be replaced very easily because they have
an on/off function. This means I would have to design a relay board before I could use NDK's.....
 
I will investigate this further, I'm very eager to try the Ian Canada FIFO II - Isolation board - Dual TCXO board, this should bring it to an absolute phenomenal SQ level.
The Ian Canada solution is independent from quality of clocks at it's input because it rebuild / regenerates everything completely new. But it has it's pricetag....
 
 
Regards,
 
Alex

 

[hgpsemaj]

Please note, RS and E14 are officially authorised to manufacture RPI3 which are in England and China respectively:
 
RS (i.e. Made in England.) Product:

 
E14 (i.e. Made in China.) Product:

 
Additional heat sinks may be needed for RPI3:

 

[abartels]

  Please note, RS and E14 are officially authorised to manufacture RPI3 which are in England and China respectively:
 
RS (i.e. Made in England.) Product:

 
E14 (i.e. Made in China.) Product:

 
Additional heat sinks may be needed for RPI3:

 
Thanks for pointing me to this! Heatsinks are unnecessary since PiCorePlayer only uses about 10% max of cpu performance, it's absolutely not getting hot.
 
If using it with upsampling features then you probably could better cool it with heatsinks

 

[abartels]

Listening to it right now, sounding VERY good! I have a good memory for how devices sounded before, I can say this couple almost is as airy as my "monster dac" fed with I2S from Isolated XMOS.
Voices (body) are better (as is piano), 3D effects are more present, bass response is not as tight as I'm used to, but that could easily be the difference in LME49720 plastic vs metal can.
Have to test that, but metal can (HA version) has to burn-in.
 
Can't imagine how it would sound in my dac..... (the two were VERY different in soundcharacter before, the "old" AK4495 was not in the same league, now it is, and on some fields it's even better.....)
 
Tonight I know if my "monster dac" has been sold, so it could take a while before I can test it with RPI, will definitely build me a new one 

 

 

[hgpsemaj]

Please note, diyinhk has newly released a Xmos USB to I2S Interface:

 
Feature:

1) Newest XMOS XCORE-200 2000MIPS 2 Tiles 16 Cores upto 2000MIPS in dual issue mode

2) 4 layer PCB, Solid ground plane (a must for high speed digital circuit)

3) NDK NZ2520SD Ultra low phase noise oscillator and Murata capacitor sourced from Japan directly (guarantee no fake product from China)
According to the official datasheet, the phase noise of NZ2520SD is much better than the famous crystek 957 under 25khz(human listenable range)
For easier comparsion(lower is better), we overlay the two phase noise graph at the same scale, under 25khz(human listenable range) nz2520sd(red line) is better, over 25khz(human unlistenable range) crystek 957 is better.

4) Dedicated I2C port for the OLED VU meter display to avoid using the same I2C port control the DAC/ADC chip(if needed) which can causes interference to the DAC/ADC chip (common fault in most design on the market)

5) OLED display is the latest technology with highest contrast, complete dark background, full viewing angle and it looks much better than the commonly used LCD display.

6) Full copper one piece housing, gold plated(not cheaper gold flash) high quality Molex USB connector.

7) Compact size 50mm x 50mm

8) PCB is powered by external 3.3V(800mA max. 400mA typ.) regulated supply, it is usually connected to the same 3.3v digital power DAC is using(warning: over-voltage or reverse-voltage can damage the xmos chip immediately, double check before power on)

 

For further information:

http://www.diyinhk.com/shop/audio-kits/107-xmos-dsd-dxd-768khz-high-quality-usb-to-i2sdsd-pcb.html#/xmos_option-xmos_768k_pcb

 

[robertsong]

  I answer my own question 

 
Can´t really see the need for LPS to the Intel NUC as I will configure it.
My config will be as follow:
 
Intel NUC with a Sbooster Vbus2 isolator (blocker) connected at USB port, totally disconnects the USB train from dirty 5v.
https://www.sbooster.com/sbooster-tweaks/sbooster-vbus-isolator
 
El cheapo USB cable for data transport.
 
Aqvox USB PSU
http://www.aqvox.de/usb-power_en.html
 
Intona USB Isolator powered by the Aqvox.
 
Supra USB cable to the F1 DDC.
 
And finally Oehlbach coax cable from the F1 to my Hegels coax input.
 
This should be a good solution and the final step in upgrading for now.
But I have an eye open for the Pro4A also when it´s available in about two weeks.

 
Looks great except the "El cheapo cable for data transport". That cable matters too. I would go with something at least as good as the Supra.
 
Oh, and a linear PSU will definitely help on your NUC2. But it's the top priority here because they are expensive. Worry about everything else you listed first. Just my opinion.

 

[Caper]

   
Looks great except the "El cheapo cable for data transport". That cable matters too. I would go with something at least as good as the Supra.

Ok, I can pick up one Supra more at my local store.
Pretty cheap cables here, made in Sweden.