[elan120]

Do you recommend any specific configurations in HQplayer for DSD256 with those new EC modulators?

My filter preferences are either poly-sinc-ext2 or poly-sinc-xtr families.

 

[ppnuts]

Wonder if anyone here notice that with the new board, the Terminator is now rid of the popping noise between a DSD and a PCM file on the playing list and played in that sequence. This is a small but significant improvement.

 

[roberto2]

A great review in French:
http://www.audiophile-magazine.com/bancs-d-essais/denafrips-terminator/

 

[university]

Hey all I just recieved my Gustard U16 for my Terminator. I tried using two different HDMI's to run I2s and something is not working correctly as the sound just pops and cracks like crazy. Does this happen for anyone else and were you able to fix it?

I was able to run AES just fine and could very easily hear a difference. It eliminated pretty much all noise though there wasnt much with the Terminator in play, but now it is black as can be which is quite nice. Also switching between NOS and OS and the filters I can clearly hear a difference now where I had a harder time distinguishing the differences before. For under $300 I feel the upgrade is absolutely worth it.

I would however like to get the I2S sorted out if any of you may offer some insight. AES sounds better then USB, but its always nice to have the ability to try all options and decide the best route.

Thanks

Dan Lee,
I received the first batch of DSP boards and have the same problem as you. Weird popping noises when selecting the various I2S setting and the original stting with the old board that was sounding outstanding with my front end of 100 or 111 sound grainy and distant, any other setting I only get static and popping noises. This is disappointing due to the I2S was the best sounding for my setup. I have also noted lately that I have to manually go into the mute state and then come out of the mute state to get my board to function properly, i.e display the current settings of NOS or Phase status and to get the sound to act properly. If the dac has been off for awhile it acts as if it is malfunctioning on start up. Very different from the old board.
I was wondering if your board was having similar issues.
Still waiting on a replacement board from Alvin, but there is some delay with receiving it.
This is a word of caution as to the quality control of the boards seem suspect. And getting a replacement in a timely manner is a crap shoot at this point.

University

 

[meomap]

Dan Lee,
I received the first batch of DSP boards and have the same problem as you. Weird popping noises when selecting the various I2S setting and the original stting with the old board that was sounding outstanding with my front end of 100 or 111 sound grainy and distant, any other setting I only get static and popping noises. This is disappointing due to the I2S was the best sounding for my setup. I have also noted lately that I have to manually go into the mute state and then come out of the mute state to get my board to function properly, i.e display the current settings of NOS or Phase status and to get the sound to act properly. If the dac has been off for awhile it acts as if it is malfunctioning on start up. Very different from the old board.
I was wondering if your board was having similar issues.
Still waiting on a replacement board from Alvin, but there is some delay with receiving it.
This is a word of caution as to the quality control of the boards seem suspect. And getting a replacement in a timely manner is a crap shoot at this point.

University

I have not install my new dsp board yet.
Will check later next week.

 

[Dan Lee]

Dan Lee,
I received the first batch of DSP boards and have the same problem as you. Weird popping noises when selecting the various I2S setting and the original stting with the old board that was sounding outstanding with my front end of 100 or 111 sound grainy and distant, any other setting I only get static and popping noises. This is disappointing due to the I2S was the best sounding for my setup. I have also noted lately that I have to manually go into the mute state and then come out of the mute state to get my board to function properly, i.e display the current settings of NOS or Phase status and to get the sound to act properly. If the dac has been off for awhile it acts as if it is malfunctioning on start up. Very different from the old board.
I was wondering if your board was having similar issues.
Still waiting on a replacement board from Alvin, but there is some delay with receiving it.
This is a word of caution as to the quality control of the boards seem suspect. And getting a replacement in a timely manner is a crap shoot at this point.

University

Hello University,

Alvin helped me out with this issue and explained it pretty easy. I find that the Terminator is by far the best dac I have ever used and I think the new board is great. That being said it seems to have been designed with 99.9% focus on its main function which is to translate digital information into analog information. This provides for absolutely fantastic sound quality, but it leaves a lot to be desired in regard to figuring out what combination of buttons must be used to set what setting. A lot of it is just down right confusing. Perfect example is the sharp filter is represented by the 8x and 1x light being lit at the same time and 8x by itself is sharp off. I will try and find the post where Alvin walked me through the I2S set up and it worked on the first try.

Seeing as we are on this topic I feel I may have accidentally stumbled on to something else that may or may not be true. If any of you have found this or noticed it or know what it is please offer some insight. If you are playing a song and hit mute the source labels will have the red LED light cycle through one by one above them. If while in the the mute state you push the input- button you can cycle the light through different sources and it seems to my ears that each one represents a different filter as it seems like the sound changes slightly each time you pick a different one. I might have thought this random but if you start listening again and then hit mute again you will find that light is still over the one you left it over. Hell this could all be placebo, but it would also be pretty cool if it was put there purposefully waiting for us to uncover it. Haha Im prolly a bit crazy and Alvin's gonna chime in and tell me its nothing.

Anyway dont give up on the dac University. This thing is awesome. A little hard to understand at times but certainly worth the effort to learn.

 

[johnzz4]

Hello University,

Alvin helped me out with this issue and explained it pretty easy. I find that the Terminator is by far the best dac I have ever used and I think the new board is great. That being said it seems to have been designed with 99.9% focus on its main function which is to translate digital information into analog information. This provides for absolutely fantastic sound quality, but it leaves a lot to be desired in regard to figuring out what combination of buttons must be used to set what setting. A lot of it is just down right confusing. Perfect example is the sharp filter is represented by the 8x and 1x light being lit at the same time and 8x by itself is sharp off. I will try and find the post where Alvin walked me through the I2S set up and it worked on the first try.

Seeing as we are on this topic I feel I may have accidentally stumbled on to something else that may or may not be true. If any of you have found this or noticed it or know what it is please offer some insight. If you are playing a song and hit mute the source labels will have the red LED light cycle through one by one above them. If while in the the mute state you push the input- button you can cycle the light through different sources and it seems to my ears that each one represents a different filter as it seems like the sound changes slightly each time you pick a different one. I might have thought this random but if you start listening again and then hit mute again you will find that light is still over the one you left it over. Hell this could all be placebo, but it would also be pretty cool if it was put there purposefully waiting for us to uncover it. Haha Im prolly a bit crazy and Alvin's gonna chime in and tell me its nothing.

Anyway dont give up on the dac University. This thing is awesome. A little hard to understand at times but certainly worth the effort to learn.

I think you have your filter lights backwards.

 

[Dan Lee]

So much confusion haha. I very well may.

 

[alvin1118]

Hello @university, @Dan Lee ,

Thank you for the feedback. The Terminator DAC manual (for new DSP board) had been uploaded:
https://www.denafrips.com/terminator-download

You may download it here. I hope the manual helps to clear some doubts.

Many thanks.

Best,
Alvin

 

[johnzz4]

Hello @university, @Dan Lee ,

Thank you for the feedback. The Terminator DAC manual (for new DSP board) had been uploaded:
https://www.denafrips.com/terminator-download

You may download it here. I hope the manual helps to clear some doubts.

Many thanks.

Best,
Alvin

Alvin - it sounds like the digital audio receiver chip for AES was abandoned in favor of processing in the FPGA. Was this change made on the new DSP board, or is it just on newer builds of the full DAC?

 

[university]

Hello University,

Alvin helped me out with this issue and explained it pretty easy. I find that the Terminator is by far the best dac I have ever used and I think the new board is great. That being said it seems to have been designed with 99.9% focus on its main function which is to translate digital information into analog information. This provides for absolutely fantastic sound quality, but it leaves a lot to be desired in regard to figuring out what combination of buttons must be used to set what setting. A lot of it is just down right confusing. Perfect example is the sharp filter is represented by the 8x and 1x light being lit at the same time and 8x by itself is sharp off. I will try and find the post where Alvin walked me through the I2S set up and it worked on the first try.

Seeing as we are on this topic I feel I may have accidentally stumbled on to something else that may or may not be true. If any of you have found this or noticed it or know what it is please offer some insight. If you are playing a song and hit mute the source labels will have the red LED light cycle through one by one above them. If while in the the mute state you push the input- button you can cycle the light through different sources and it seems to my ears that each one represents a different filter as it seems like the sound changes slightly each time you pick a different one. I might have thought this random but if you start listening again and then hit mute again you will find that light is still over the one you left it over. Hell this could all be placebo, but it would also be pretty cool if it was put there purposefully waiting for us to uncover it. Haha Im prolly a bit crazy and Alvin's gonna chime in and tell me its nothing.

Anyway dont give up on the dac University. This thing is awesome. A little hard to understand at times but certainly worth the effort to learn.

Hello Dan,
Thanks for sharing your experience with your new board. I agree with you about the dac, it is great, the best in my system so far. I downloaded the new DSP board instructions the day I installed it, they are very easy to use. My problem does not involve how to use the board, but, what my specific board does in an abnormal way.

1. I2S sounds worst that the old boards input. It is veiled and distant in sound on the same settings used with the old board. (100 and 111 worked very well on old board, this was my preferred input, slightly better than AES). Had to abandon I2s input for USB or AES for stability with this new board.
2. After selecting or changing filters, I must press the mode button a second time and press the mode button a second time for it to select the filter or the sound is distant and veiled.
3. After a listening session with the normal preferred setting of NOS light on, Phase light on and sharp filter off and the dac is put on standby overnight. When I power it back on the NOS light on, Phase light on are not lighted and I have to press the mute button, then they are back on. Plus the sound is distant and veiled until the mute button is pressed.

I do believe I have a defective board is my reason for asking if other people are having these issues with their new boards. My board is very unstable and is affecting the sound quality of a very fine dac.
But since I have been patiently waiting on the replacement board, at this time all I can do is inquire and wait for the replacement or reinstall the old board to see if it resolves my issues.

Thanks

University

 

[university]

Hello University,

Alvin helped me out with this issue and explained it pretty easy. I find that the Terminator is by far the best dac I have ever used and I think the new board is great. That being said it seems to have been designed with 99.9% focus on its main function which is to translate digital information into analog information. This provides for absolutely fantastic sound quality, but it leaves a lot to be desired in regard to figuring out what combination of buttons must be used to set what setting. A lot of it is just down right confusing. Perfect example is the sharp filter is represented by the 8x and 1x light being lit at the same time and 8x by itself is sharp off. I will try and find the post where Alvin walked me through the I2S set up and it worked on the first try.

Seeing as we are on this topic I feel I may have accidentally stumbled on to something else that may or may not be true. If any of you have found this or noticed it or know what it is please offer some insight. If you are playing a song and hit mute the source labels will have the red LED light cycle through one by one above them. If while in the the mute state you push the input- button you can cycle the light through different sources and it seems to my ears that each one represents a different filter as it seems like the sound changes slightly each time you pick a different one. I might have thought this random but if you start listening again and then hit mute again you will find that light is still over the one you left it over. Hell this could all be placebo, but it would also be pretty cool if it was put there purposefully waiting for us to uncover it. Haha Im prolly a bit crazy and Alvin's gonna chime in and tell me its nothing.

Anyway dont give up on the dac University. This thing is awesome. A little hard to understand at times but certainly worth the effort to learn.

Sorry I forgot to add that I tried the (hit mute the source labels will have the red LED light cycle through one by one above them. If while in the the mute state you push the input- button you can cycle the light through different sources and it seems to my ears that each one represents a different filter as it seems like the sound changes slightly each time you pick a different one.) and also noticed a change in the sound presentation based on which input you press the mute button on while it is scrolling.
Big changes heard on my system between the source label selected during this process.

Thanks for sharing this find.

Regards,
University

 

[Dan Lee]

@university that certainly seems like your board has issues. Hope your new one gets to you soon and you can go back to just enjoying the unit.

Also I really appreciate you taking the time to see if I was delusional about the sonic changes from source label to source label. I really love this DAC and hope you don't let this board situation hurt your thoughts on it. I am 100% sure that whether the new board works or not Alvin will help you get it sorted one way or another. Gotta say his customer service is awesome. I have asked questions on this forum that he later contacted me on and helped me figure out. It's not very often you have people that dedicated to their jobs and their customers. That kind of service makes me feel even better about owning Denafrips products and why I will likely own more in the future.

In the meantime if I can help you with anything feel free to PM me. Not sure how qualified I am seeing as I had the sharp and soft filter backwards. @johnzz4 thanks for pointing this out to me. I also didn't know you couldn't use it in NOS which is likely why I never really noticed a change in sound haha. I discovered that after reading Alvin's link to the new manual.

 

[university]

@university that certainly seems like your board has issues. Hope your new one gets to you soon and you can go back to just enjoying the unit.

Also I really appreciate you taking the time to see if I was delusional about the sonic changes from source label to source label. I really love this DAC and hope you don't let this board situation hurt your thoughts on it. I am 100% sure that whether the new board works or not Alvin will help you get it sorted one way or another. Gotta say his customer service is awesome. I have asked questions on this forum that he later contacted me on and helped me figure out. It's not very often you have people that dedicated to their jobs and their customers. That kind of service makes me feel even better about owning Denafrips products and why I will likely own more in the future.

In the meantime if I can help you with anything feel free to PM me. Not sure how qualified I am seeing as I had the sharp and soft filter backwards. @johnzz4 thanks for pointing this out to me. I also didn't know you couldn't use it in NOS which is likely why I never really noticed a change in sound haha. I discovered that after reading Alvin's link to the new manual.

I agree with everything you have said about Alvin and his professionalism. His customer support is top notch. But, I have been waiting for a resolution and new board since August 2019. I feel once I get the new board and it is trouble-free, I too will see what the upgrade will do to take my dac to the next level as you have experienced. Hopefully, the company Denaprips will solve their parts shortage issue and ship soon.

 

[johnzz4]

@alvin1118 That’s a good question. What does MUTE then INPUT- do when it cycles through the source labels?