[Currawong]

I also know that @Currawong was wrong on the second issue. Apparently a place he had identified as DSD ladder on the main board serve a different purpose and I have an idea what it could be... Gustard also initially wrote that there were not using dedicated DSD ladder, but R2R ladder. My opinion on that is as follows, listen carefully: there is a multibit DSD ladder on the DAC board, but it didn't work well, they perhaps resorted to 1-bit solution as a backup, hence all this confusion.

1. Gustard's English wording is wrong. It shouldn't have said R2R when referring to DSD. It often happens that manufacturers have someone who isn't completely technically literate write their English materials.
2. By default, the R26 is set to re-sample DSD to PCM and use the R2R ladder. You have to turn this off in the menu.

Why would a manufacturer put a DSD ladder in their DAC? Because... wait for it... it's for decoding DSD!

 

[rodthebod]

2nd that Jake, John and myself have done this on a lot on our audio and psu leads,and it's surprising how much leaks in and out of any connectors

Which leads me to think that the BNC connector on the LB, isn't the ideal connector to be used here. If it is so sensitive to extra screening, SMA and MCX seem to be the preferred connectors, certainly for internal connection, the MCX connector on the R26 motherboard is an extremely tight fit which is good.

I can understand why Leo Bodnar have used the BNC as the go to 'industry standard' connection, it's robust and quick to connect, especially when being used in the field. But is it the best for signal transference......

More trials later when the alternative connectors arrive, this means transplanting PCB connectors which should be fun.

My system with internal LB clock and full shielding keeps giving, I may try some alternative speakers now, more up to date, more resolving.

 

[sajunky]

So you mean I could go to A*R and just keep hitting the dislike button? Is that defined as 'anti-trolling'?

When used properly, you hit dislike button when a content is critically low, you wouldn't bother with replying. In that sense is anti-trolling.

 

[cmod]

Simon from LB is going to join the TAS LB thread to find out what users of the LB clock would want and feedback...
connections was mentioned

 

[rodthebod]

Simon from LB is going to join the TAS LB thread to find out what users of the LB clock would want and feedback...
connections was mentioned

That's excellent news, I did give Simon at LB the heads up via email a few weeks back, on what was going on. Great that he's taking an interest now.

 

[rodthebod]

Allo Shanti LPS for Leo Bodnar clock at higher voltage to output 7.5v than standard 5.2v ---- 6v max.

After finding my Shanti had the adjustable resistors on it's motherboard glued up to prevent adjustment, I sort of gave up. But today thought better of it and freed up the tiny brass screws by carefully cutting back the adhesive, thankfully it seems to be superglue not epoxy so its broke free eventually. Holding the blue pots carefully with a pair of pliers to prevent them twisting off the PCB as the screw was massaged back and forth helped.

Anyway, the transformer on the shanti is rated 7.5v DC max, I could only get maximum of 6v out of the supply. It's not surprising really with all the regulation going on in this LPS.
So just for info if you want to use a Shanti, 6v max (6v/3A+6v/1A) out of either or both is all you can get.

It's easy enough winding back the pots to get back to the 5.2v whilst monitoring using a voltmeter/multimeter.

 

[Stellabagpuss]

That's excellent news, I did give Simon at LB the heads up via email a few weeks back, on what was going on. Great that he's taking an interest now.

That's funny Rod.. As l also contacted Simon about 3 months ago, thanking him for a great product, and trying to make him aware that his product is getting used by Audiophiles,and perhaps they should consider, releasing a Audiophile version,with sleep button etc, l believe LB clocks are mainly sold to the Radio Ham section,hence why they have been scoffed at by Audiophiles,indeed l had to my own words

 

[Dandoudou]

perhaps they should consider, releasing a Audiophile version

They should release a version with a lower phase noise, and a mix of outputs of 50 ohms and 75 ohms.

 

[rodthebod]

That's funny Rod.. As l also contacted Simon about 3 months ago, thanking him for a great product, and trying to make him aware that his product is getting used by Audiophiles,and perhaps they should consider, releasing a Audiophile version,with sleep button etc, l believe LB clocks are mainly sold to the Radio Ham section,hence why they have been scoffed at by Audiophiles,indeed l had to my own words

Great minds.......

 

[cmod]

That's funny Rod.. As l also contacted Simon about 3 months ago, thanking him for a great product, and trying to make him aware that his product is getting used by Audiophiles,and perhaps they should consider, releasing a Audiophile version,with sleep button etc, l believe LB clocks are mainly sold to the Radio Ham section,hence why they have been scoffed at by Audiophiles,indeed l had to my own words

Simon was saying he had hoped for the sleep button problem to be sorted this weekend.
Simon also said that the Ham radio guys had also mentioned the sleep button problem to him
He was wondering why I/we were using the LB clock with 2 outputs, what I got from him is, we should be using the mini version with single output.

 

[sajunky]

He was wondering why I/we were using the LB clock with 2 outputs, what I got from him is, we should be using the mini version with single output.

If he says so, it means outputs are not properly buffered. Let him know what is a typical usage in audio and why.

 

[cmod]

If he says so, it means outputs are not properly buffered. Let him know what is a typical usage in audio and why.

Or, if we are only using one output, no need for 2?

 

[sajunky]

Or, if we are only using one output, no need for 2?

Synchronising two devices avoids adding jitter during reclocking. Two devices (or more) synchronised with the same frequency is a Pro use, similar to recording studios.

 

[LarsHP]

Initial listening impressions versus Audio-gd Reference 7.1:

I have now had my R26 for a few days. It has been turned on all the time and playing music almost 24 hours a day. At first, it sounded really thin (lack of bass and lower mids), but after a couple of days with constant playback, I am convinced that "burn-in" of (the analog section of) a DAC is real. After about 100 hours of burn-in, it still sounds thinner than my Audio-gd Reference 7.1 (Burr-Brown PCM1704U-K) R2R DAC, which (in other words) has more weight to the bass and kick drums.

What's more surprising, is that after 100 hours, the R26 doesn't outperform the Ref 7.1 DAC in terms of resolution or detail retrieval. This is true even when using the LAN input on the R26, while the Ref 7.1 is feeded by my (modded) Squeezebox Touch to its BNC input. On paper, the Ref 7.1 shouldn't be able to hold a candle regarding jitter compared to the 12 years younger DAC, but in practice details and resolution is close, if not even.

These listening tests were done with (modded) HE-6 to my headamps, including Audio-gd Master 6; Ref 7.1 using ACSS connection, while R26 using XLR, so both are performing at their best.

- - -

Regarding the IC op-amp debate:
Seeing an IC op-amp in the output stage does not mean that we can conclude that there is an IC op-amp in the audio path.
The huge and 15 Kg heavy Ref 7.1 is a good example of that. Here's what the designer says about it:
"Fully discrete amp without any OPAs (the OPAs only for DC serve)".
In other words, yes, there may be IC op-amps, but they are not in the audio path.

 

[LarsHP]

For reference (sic!), here is the right channel of the Ref 7.1. As we can see, there are in fact ICs near the analog outputs, just like we see in the R26. I think we can assume that those in the Gustard DAC are there for the same purpose as those in the Audio-gd DAC (DC servo).