[abartels]

  Can it work at USB high speed ?

 
To clarify:
 
You mean the USB isolator from TeraLink?
 
Teralink TX2 / X1 ADuM4160 USB Isolator board 
 
Teralink ADuM4160 isolator board is breaks electrical connection between USB host and peripheral while allowing data to pass. Design is on Analog Devices ADuM4160 USB Isolator IC. and supports full/low speed USB 2.0 compatible operation and peripheral side power up to 600ma. Is very useful addition to any PC based test instrument, USB audio device, as well as any other USB application where elimination of ground loop or power line pickup is desire.

 

[prot]

To be honest, the most important upgrade are the XO's, they will bring you a HUGE SQ improvement.
Replacing caps for psu, changing the rectifiers, decoupling from polluted sub-power/signal, it all helps getting better SQ, but XO's are a MUST.

If i would have to explain in percentages in SQ increase from stock unit until now:

NDK NZ2520SD's                   70%
Panasonic FC caps                10%
MUR120 rectifiers                   5%
USB-decoupling gnd               10%
3M AB51000S                        5%

I'm aware of the complexity of soldering the NDK's, but if you follow my instructions from earlier post, it is very good doable.
And, you always could go for the Crysteks, they are much easier to replace the standard clocks.

Bricking U12 doesn't happen when follow instructions carefully. De-soldering components can be a bit tricky, always take
care that you don't heat too much and not pulling components out while they still are stuck, because otherwise you could
destroy via's to inner multilayers.

The XO's are simple to replace, if you've got good eyes (which I DON'T have,,,), soldering NDK's is possible, otherwise
use magnifying glasses.

you sure you still have a Gustard there ?
Thanks for the very useful mod-summary, but the only one that seems truly worthy (XOs) is too much for me. My soldering skills never went beyond DYI cables and the best "performance" was soldering some thin silver ones for a turntable. If you ever decide to sell your modded U12, send me a PM

 

[motberg]

Originally Posted by auvgeek /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 

Hi,
 
Here is a link for the Tanly
http://tw.taobao.com/item/40193288881.htm?fromSite=main&spm=a1z0k.7385961.1997985097.d4918997.gP8xeX&_u=81d7eit64f3
 
With the exception of the Tanly I have/had these DDC's - also the Wyred 4 Sound uLink and the Audio-GD DI-3. I was using various DAC's so cannot compare directly.
 
One thing to consider is software compatibility, the XMOS chips work well with almost everything, there is much forum support and some options for drivers.
I was using the Gustard U12 AES output, that offered a very nice detailed and dynamic presentation, however it has been recently mentioned here that it could possibly could be bested by the MX-U8. For the money, I think the Gustard, as is, is a super bargain. I would consider to somehow clean up or cut the 5V as being discussed here. If you want something easy, then can cheaply add in the future 
http://www.ab-system.hk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=64 
(TeraDak U9VA Linear Low noise Power Supply) which also has a 5V USB style output and includes a nice little adapter cable to inject clean 5V at the end of your USB cable where it enters the DDC. This is a useful little low power box that can also be used to power a miniDSP unit for example.
 
One thing I would consider also a plus for the U12 is the i2S output is HDMI format, which I understand is preferred (this was compared somewhat head-to-head vs. RJ45 Ethernet style in the Master 7 thread). So, when you go to upgrade your DAC, you would have that i2S HDMI input option, but would need to check pinout compatibility. One other trick that I found actually works is to use an attenuator in the SPDIF line.. so if you decide to go the coax route you may want to research that idea to add an attenuator.
 
That all said, I am a big fan of Audio-GD gear, I think you get a lot of value for the money.. but need watch freight cost (which is not an issue for me). The DI-V3 had a very nice organic sound, large sound stage, cohesive image, nicely balanced sound generally.. the DI-2014 should be even better due to the upgraded power supply.. but watch to make sure the chip and drivers are proven to work with your preferred software. One nice thing about the DI-V3/DI-2014 is there is an extra SPDIF COAX INPUT - so if you have some other CD player, etc. with SPDIF COAX output you can attach it and switch between that and the USB computer input. Also some upgrades are available, you can order an upgraded clock and HDMI i2S output format which I would consider worth the relatively small extra cost.
 
OK, I hope some new ideas there for you to consider... I think these are all good machines and with the recent activity you probably can find a mint condition used one and will have some budget remaining for a decent AES cable..     

 

[abartels]

you sure you still have a Gustard there ?

Thanks for the very useful mod-summary, but the only one that seems truly worthy (XOs) is too much for me. My soldering skills never went beyond DYI cables and the best "performance" was soldering some thin silver ones for a turntable. If you ever decide to sell your modded U12, send me a PM

 
Hi Prot,
 
Yes, I still use my U12 

 
I can imagine it's too difficult to do for someone who's not used to solder VERY small things, when my first NDK's arrived I was shocked hahahaha
2mm x 2,5mm looks on paper A LOT BIGGER than in reality hahahaha
 
If I plan selling it I will PM you, but, no promises for now 

 
Regards,
Alex

 

[korn-fi]

   
To clarify:
 
You mean the USB isolator from TeraLink?
 
Teralink TX2 / X1 ADuM4160 USB Isolator board 
 
Teralink ADuM4160 isolator board is breaks electrical connection between USB host and peripheral while allowing data to pass. Design is on Analog Devices ADuM4160 USB Isolator IC. and supports full/low speed USB 2.0 compatible operation and peripheral side power up to 600ma. Is very useful addition to any PC based test instrument, USB audio device, as well as any other USB application where elimination of ground loop or power line pickup is desire.

 
Yep, I'm referring to is  ADuM4160, ADuM4160 just supports low and full speed data rate : 1.5Mbps and 12Mbps.   although I do not own an U12, I think U12 uses USB high speed.

 

[prot]

Hi Prot,

Yes, I still use my U12 :wink_face:

I can imagine it's too difficult to do for someone who's not used to solder VERY small things, when my first NDK's arrived I was shocked hahahaha
2mm x 2,5mm looks on paper A LOT BIGGER than in reality hahahaha

If I plan selling it I will PM you, but, no promises for now :wink_face:

Regards,
Alex

My cables were actually under 1mm diameter so in theory all should be ok dimensions-wise ... but soldering a cable is not same as soldering and especially de-soldering sensitive chips ... you are also adding small caps&co, that's already advanced EE for me. No hurry with the PM but I assume you'll move on to some other project at some point

 

[pakultra]

Update:
 
I replaced U12's spdif transformer with DA101C (http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/0/811-2661-ND) and the two 2200uf capacitors with Nichicon UHW1E222MHD6 2200uf 14 mOhm capacitors (http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/0/493-6802-ND). Music has never sounded so fluid.
 
So far I've done these mods to my U12:
 
1) bypassed relay switch with

Neotech UPOCC 20​

AWG​

single core Mono Crystal Copper Wire

;​

 

2) grounded U12 from pin 1 of AES transformer to IEC with Neotech UPOCC single core​

Mono Crystal Copper Wire;
 
3) connected U12 +5 to USB socket Vcc pinout through a D4004 diode;
 
4) replaced regular USB cable with a D+ and D- only cable, shielding connected to computer and disconnected from U12;
 
5) replaced spdif transformer with DA101C;
 
6) replaced 2200 capacitors with Nichicon UHW1E222MHD6;
 
By the way, I figured out why my 820k pull up resistor didn't work as I expected initially. I overlooked that relay that was acting like a pull down resistor. That relay has a resistance of 65 ohm. It's resistance is so low that it's virtually pulling XMOS's Vcc sensor to ground! To make a high resistance pull up resistor work, that relay's 5+ pin has to be lifted, but desoldering that pin is going to be a lot of trouble...
 
I am starting to love my U12 now. Still surprised how little mods can add up to so much difference.

 

[prot]

Update:

I replaced U12's spdif transformer with DA101C (http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/0/811-2661-ND) and the two 2200uf capacitors with Nichicon UHW1E222MHD6 2200uf 14 mOhm
capacitors (http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/0/493-6802-ND). Music has never sounded so fluid.

So far I've done these mods to my U12:

1) bypassed relay switch with

Neotech UPOCC 20​

AWG​

single core Mono Crystal Copper Wire

;​

2) grounded U12 from pin 1 of AES transformer to IEC with Neotech UPOCC single core​

Mono Crystal Copper Wire
;

3) connected U12 +5 to USB socket Vcc pinout through a D4004 diode;

4) replaced regular USB cable with a D+ and D- only cable, shielding connected to computer and disconnected from U12;

5) replaced spdif transformer with DA101C;

6) replaced 2200 capacitors with Nichicon UHW1E222MHD6;

By the way, I figured out why my 820k pull up resistor didn't work as I expected initially. I overlooked that relay that was acting like a pull down resistor. That relay has a resistance of 65 ohm. It's resistance is so low that it's virtually pulling XMOS's Vcc sensor to ground! To make a high resistance pull up resistor work, that relay's 5+ pin has to be lifted, but desoldering that pin is going to be a lot of trouble...

I am starting to love my U12 now. Still surprised how little mods can add up to so much difference.

I so wish I was able to do those kinds of mods .. and be able to figure out such things.
Sounds like lots of fun and I'm totally jealous
Are you all EEs guys or just selftaught ? Maybe you can recommend a beginner's manual !?

 

[pakultra]

 

Update:

I replaced U12's spdif transformer with DA101C (http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/0/811-2661-ND) and the two 2200uf capacitors with Nichicon UHW1E222MHD6 2200uf 14 mOhm
capacitors (http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/0/493-6802-ND). Music has never sounded so fluid.

So far I've done these mods to my U12:

1) bypassed relay switch with

Neotech UPOCC 20​

AWG​

single core Mono Crystal Copper Wire

;​

2) grounded U12 from pin 1 of AES transformer to IEC with Neotech UPOCC single core​

Mono Crystal Copper Wire
;

3) connected U12 +5 to USB socket Vcc pinout through a D4004 diode;

4) replaced regular USB cable with a D+ and D- only cable, shielding connected to computer and disconnected from U12;

5) replaced spdif transformer with DA101C;

6) replaced 2200 capacitors with Nichicon UHW1E222MHD6;

By the way, I figured out why my 820k pull up resistor didn't work as I expected initially. I overlooked that relay that was acting like a pull down resistor. That relay has a resistance of 65 ohm. It's resistance is so low that it's virtually pulling XMOS's Vcc sensor to ground! To make a high resistance pull up resistor work, that relay's 5+ pin has to be lifted, but desoldering that pin is going to be a lot of trouble...

I am starting to love my U12 now. Still surprised how little mods can add up to so much difference.

I so wish I was able to do those kinds of mods .. and be able to figure out such things.
Sounds like lots of fun and I'm totally jealous

Are you all EEs guys or just selftaught ? Maybe you can recommend a beginner's manual !?

 
Lots of fun indeed
 
I am self taught. Electronics has been my hobby since I was little. To me, modding is a great adventure to somewhere exciting, undiscovered, untried, or at least unknown by my own experience.
 
I didn't plan to go this far with my U12. In the beginning I was just very unhappy about U12's mandatory requirements for usb power to start working. I would have simply returned my U12 hadn't I believed that it would be easy to make it work without usb power. But the modding turned out to be more complicated and challenging than I thought. One problem showed up after another. Couldn't help but keep trying until getting them sorted out one by one. I woke up last night, wondering why my pull up resistors didn't work. I went through U12's wiring in my mind and then, as if stricken by a flash of light, I saw what I overlooked. I went back to sleep, happy and fully satisfied now that I understood what happened. 
 
Internet is great. I did quite some work researching datasheets, internet publications and etc. Forum members are of great help too. I hope more people will discover the fun of modding.
 
U12 is fun as a DDC. It is double fun if you mod it and play with it like you'd do with a toy... 

 

[abartels]

I'm self taught too, but have electronics background 30 years ago,,,,,
 
Today my MX-U8 came in, including complete range of Elfidelity filters & Usb card.
 
 
So, tonight will be fun 

 
 
Will post first listening impressions MX-U8 in comparisson with my U12 

 

[mz2014]

  Hi everyone.
Which USB interface will be the best and how can I plug it to DAC board ( if it will work ? ).
Thanks
 
http://www.diyinhk.com/shop/audio-kits/69-isolated-xmos-dsd-dxd-384khz-high-quality-usb-to-i2sdsd-pcb-with-ultralow-noise-regulator.html#/xmos_option-xmos_pcb
http://www.audiophonics.fr/en/interfaces/amanero-combo-384-digital-interface-usb-384khz-to-i2sdsd-p-7403.html
http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=0.0.0.0.li1MtV&id=18075891198&b=danpin_zhutu_up1

Helloooo, can someone answer me, please

 

[hgpsemaj]

  Helloooo, can someone answer me, please

 
 
Raise this query to those USB interface suppliers, they must have more compatibility information in hand than us.

 

[prot]

thanks abartels and pakultra, sounds like the selftaught way is as hard & long as I expected .. not really something I could pick up at my age and with very limited time ... maybe a hobby for my pension
Still looking for a modding/electronics 101 manual ... maybe .. maybe ..

 

[abartels]

thanks @abartels and @pakultra, sounds like the selftaught way is as hard & long as I expected .. not really something I could pick up at my age and with very limited time ... maybe a hobby for my pension

Still looking for a modding/electronics 101 manual ... maybe .. maybe ..

 
Just take your iron at hand and start de-soldering components from old unusefull equipment, this is a good learning curve.
Then try to solder components on test-print or old pcb's. You will notice the oftener you solder the easier you get the job done.
 
Buy an iron not above 35 Watts or so, clean the wires on the components before soldering them, and try to use ass less as possible flux (let it flow but not a big BLOB around the wires)
 

 

[abartels]

Today I received all my Elfidelity stuff (4x SATA filters, 2x Fan filters, 1x USB card and 2x PCI filters).
 
And guess,,,,,,
 
At the same time my MX-U8 arrived 

 
 
I was at work and tested my MX-U8 and it worked, I let it play for about 5 hours (without DAC connected).
 
When I came at home I immediately connected MX-U8 to my set but in JPlay6 I only could select WASAPI or ASIO.
Since I prefer KernelStreaming (KS) is had to de-install the Chody drivers (version 2.23) and installed the Oppo 2.24 drivers.
I didn't want to switch to 2.26 driver because of the sonic difference between 2.24 and 2.26 (2.26 suposedly sounds better)
 
After installing and restarting AudioPC and ControlPC I got it working with JPlay6 in KS - UltraStream - Hibernate - 700Hz - 0.01s
 
 
First listening impressions:
 
Out of the box it sounds really good, but, as expected, not as good as my U12. It doesn't come close.
My U12 is much more refined, more airy, more black, bigger - deeper - wider soundstage, at the low end my U12 is much tighter.
 
And the biggest difference is listening fatigue (in comparrisson with my U12).
 
I suppose when MX-U8 has passed it's burn-in time it will come closer to my U12, but, without modifying I suppose it will not be better than my U12,
but, that's only a guess......
 
We will have to wait till burn-in time has passed, next week I will report back!!
 
After burn-in time the mods will start, be prepared