JCAT XE USB EVO / femto USB PCIe controllers Review + Appreciation Thread

[leeperry]

^ You guys don't have cats or else

I've been able to borrow JCAT XE EVO USB for the week-end from a local friend, short story is that its improved VR's and EMI/RFI filtered USB output make non-EVO pale quite a bit in SQ, I'll be running more comparisons and will be sure to post a formal review ASAP.

 

[leeperry]

newer JCAT USB XE EVO version review is up: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/jcat-usb-xe-evo-card.27709/reviews

 

[Diet Kokaine]

After a brutal 24 hour roller coaster burn in process (hopefully the worst is over), I've rearranged the capacitor layout a bit.
They are now installed directly on the LT3045 board.

Just a single 220uf Audionote capacitor on the 12V battery input.

(2)Audionote 4700uf capacitors + .1uf Duelund JDM Tinned Copper on the 5V output.

Both input and output wires are still Duelund 2.5mm silver foil.

Sounds incredible. Amazing resolution and musicality, timbre is to die for.

I'll post a full review after the burn in process is complete.

A good Linear power supply is an absolute requirement for this card as far as I'm concerned.

 

[OCC7N]

I can hear the difference between accessing my music from an SSD in my PC and from my NAS (in the same room) so I get the need to upgrade the network at some point if you're using a server, I just keep a master copy on my NAS and use MirrorFolder on the PC (which I mainly use for listening to music) and FolderSync on the DAP to synchronise themselves with it so that everything is local and there are three levels of backup.

I note that Cat 7 and 8 cables are shielded and JCAT also make NICs, how does the improvement compare to that which the Femto and a decent USB cable offers, given that network cables often have long runs, you need a better router and there isn't the option to change the network card in a NAS?

It is more than that. I can still make an crap HDD sound better than the best internal disk. It is how you setup the network and network protocols to bypass CPU and task offload it directly into the USB stream.

The worst disks to use is the internal on servers for this operation, specially your systemdisk where OS installed.... My network stream goes through multiple points/events of regeneration/isolation before it hits the USB/DAC. On top of that I have specific network protocol that presents the music, in an not ordinary presentation, but much better, where even the cheapest DACs will compare with much more expensive stuff.

You can confirm this easy by placing all your files on a USB thumbdrive and connect it to one of the USB ports on the JCAT.

I have moved my bottlenecks to only be depended on power to the D/A units. The only units that really need the PCI cards is the ones with generic powerdesign and soundsignature -> to sound more pleasing

 

[skasundr]

It is more than that. I can still make an crap HDD sound better than the best internal disk. It is how you setup the network and network protocols to bypass CPU and task offload it directly into the USB stream.

The worst disks to use is the internal on servers for this operation, specially your systemdisk where OS installed.... My network stream goes through multiple points/events of regeneration/isolation before it hits the USB/DAC. On top of that I have specific network protocol that presents the music, in an not ordinary presentation, but much better, where even the cheapest DACs will compare with much more expensive stuff.

You can confirm this easy by placing all your files on a USB thumbdrive and connect it to one of the USB ports on the JCAT.

I have moved my bottlenecks to only be depended on power to the D/A units. The only units that really need the PCI cards is the ones with generic powerdesign and soundsignature -> to sound more pleasing

What do you mean by "specific network protocol"? What network protocol do you use, and how can I learn more about it?

 

[OCC7N]

What do you mean by "specific network protocol"? What network protocol do you use, and how can I learn more about it?

PM do not spend much time on the threads

 

[Simon Patten]

Some time ago I noticed a difference in sound quality between local files and the same files stored on my NAS - local sounded better - and someone much deeper into this hobby than me said that SSD sounds better than HDD so personally I would avoid networking for optimum SQ. It makes sense as the cabling, distance, router and 2 x network interfaces can't help matters.

 

[Diet Kokaine]

Jriver has a decoded to memory option. CPU is not involved after the initial processing.
It sounds the best on my system.
The data goes from RAM to usb card.

 

[dougms3]

Jriver has a decoded to memory option. CPU is not involved after the initial processing.
It sounds the best on my system.
The data goes from RAM to usb card.

Where is that option?

I'd like to try that.

 

[Diet Kokaine]

https://jriver.com/

Under playback options..
Memory playback

 

[alexaldente]

newer JCAT USB XE EVO version review is up: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/jcat-usb-xe-evo-card.27709/reviews

Nice review! I'm curious if the JCAT USB XE + OCXO clock is better than the JCAT USB XE EVO on it's own.

 

[kingoftown1]

Recently received the USB XE Evo. Less than 2 days in, but I'm pleasantly surprised. I don't have the OCXO to go with it, so I'm just running the card powered by a Plixir Elite BDC. Everything just sounds a bit more immersive & real, with slightly better timing. I was skeptical considering the high price compared to the original USB XE, but having owned the Femto, XE, and now XE Evo I'd say all 3 are priced comparably in terms of price:erformance.

 

[leeperry]

Recently received the USB XE Evo. Less than 2 days in, but I'm pleasantly surprised. I don't have the OCXO to go with it, so I'm just running the card powered by a Plixir Elite BDC. Everything just sounds a bit more immersive & real, with slightly better timing. I was skeptical considering the high price compared to the original USB XE, but having owned the Femto, XE, and now XE Evo I'd say all 3 are priced comparably in terms of price:erformance.

Right on and do you still feel that AXF107 improves XE USB EVO? Did you disable its LED's completely?

SERUM2 has just taken the music production world by storm and I can't really believe how good it sounds in 24/96 through the XE USB EVO to a heavily amped HE6SEV2, sound rendering is

 

[kingoftown1]

I actually removed the AXF107 when I installed the Taiko DC-ATX a couple months ago. It was doing good things in my PC up until then, but it was slightly detrimental when the Taiko was in place.

 

[Androxylo]

JCAT USB card vs improving the power noise at the DAC side - which one makes more difference? Source or destination? (I have Unison USB at the receiving end with galvanic isolation, using stock USB card and regular wall outlet power, so both sides are upgradable).