[tracer5]

Hello...consider not using the Amanero USB converter for the LKS-DA004. After trying the Gustard u16 digital interface IIs output I am totally satisfied with system performance. DSD512 is no problem. There is no need to use a Windows system. Any Linux, MacOS, or Windows operating system works well. Only Windows requires a driver.

 

[b0bb]

Please recommend the HQ Player DSD settings for LKS 004. I'm listening to the classics.
Does upsampling work on DSD512? I keep getting interrupted, while the DSD 256 works.
Secondly, which Amanero firmware do you use?

Yes, Amanero works with DSD512 if Firmware_2006BE10/CPLD_1081_SWAPPEDDSD is used.
However SMS-200's implementation of the NAA is limited to DSD256, this has nothing to do with the Amanero.
I use an Intel NUC for DSD512.

DSD512 dropouts are a symptom of inadequate CPU processing capabilty on the PC.
The newer EC modulators cannot yet be used at DSD512 with the current avaiilable CPUs.

HQPlayer settings I use for the Amanero

Output Mode: SDM
Autorate Family: Disabled
Ratelimit:
11289600 (DSD256/44 kbase) on SMS200
22579200 (DSD512/44k base) on NUC

SD Modulator: DSD7 or ASDM7 (can cause noise pumping on noisy tracks)
Filter: polysinc-xtr-mp or polysinc-ext2 if your PC is really weak.
48k DSD: OFF

Notes:
PC have at least a Quad core CPU with 4 real processors@ 3.5GHz, the clockspeed can be lower if have more processing cores.
Let HQPlayer do the PCM->SDM conversion, otherwise the ES9038 does that, I find it does a poorer job.
Nvidia GPU can offload the filter work if you have one installed in the PC.

 

[b0bb]

Hello...consider not using the Amanero USB converter for the LKS-DA004. After trying the Gustard u16 digital interface IIs output I am totally satisfied with system performance. DSD512 is no problem. There is no need to use a Windows system. Any Linux, MacOS, or Windows operating system works well. Only Windows requires a driver.

LKS uses pin14 on the HDMI connector to signal native DSD mode.

Gustard has this signal on Pin15

U16 is not going to have native DSD support on the LKS004, DSD-Over-PCM (DoP) maxes out at DSD256, this means no DSD512.

@Quadman ran into this very issue a few months ago
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/gus...ing-ess-usb-chip.888947/page-52#post-14816536

There are no Linux or Mac drivers, capability is limited to DSD256 over DoP

The only native non DoP commercial I2S devices I am aware of that works on the LKS004 are the Singxer SU1 and SU6, I have both of them working on the 004

 

[tracer5]

Please allow me to further inform about the Gustard U16. I2S 'HDMI' connection to the LKS-DA004 is not an issue after following some simple steps.

Jumper (J1) inside the U16 near the HDMI connector is labeled 'DSD Flag' with three jumper positions: Default (Pin15), Pin 14, and Pin 16. To connect to the I2S of the LKS-DA004 set the connector to pin14 so that the DSD mode pin is setup for controlling PCM/DSD audio of the LKS-DA004. The Gustard U16 is extremely versatile as there is no standard for I2S over HDMI. The U16 supports up to PCM 32bit/768KHz and DSD512, and supports both DoP and Native DSD. There is no need for Linux or MacOS drivers. Native DSD is supported without any problem at DSD512

 

[b0bb]

Please allow me to further inform about the Gustard U16. I2S 'HDMI' connection to the LKS-DA004 is not an issue after following some simple steps.

Jumper (J1) inside the U16 near the HDMI connector is labeled 'DSD Flag' with three jumper positions: Default (Pin15), Pin 14, and Pin 16. To connect to the I2S of the LKS-DA004 set the connector to pin14 so that the DSD mode pin is setup for controlling PCM/DSD audio of the LKS-DA004. The Gustard U16 is extremely versatile as there is no standard for I2S over HDMI. The U16 supports up to PCM 32bit/768KHz and DSD512, and supports both DoP and Native DSD. There is no need for Linux or MacOS drivers. Native DSD is supported without any problem at DSD512

The jumpers you are referring to are present in the older versions of the board. @DACLadder made a mention of it
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/gus...ing-ess-usb-chip.888947/page-52#post-14816407

The current version that Shenzhenaudio sells no longer has this, so there is no more configurability.
The pinout diagram I posted earlier came from Shenzhenaudio.
The user manual links make no mention of this jumper block.

Notice in the 2 following pictures the area behind the HDMI connector is completely clear in the latest boards.

https://m.shenzhenaudio.com/decoder...512-dop-and-native-dsd-digital-interface.html

Mac and Linux support USB 2.0 UAC audio mode without drivers but it gives you DSD256 via DOP and PCM.

On the Mac ASIO drivers are required for DSD512, Exasound is the only manufacturer I know of.

On Linux, DSD512 native support has to be registered with the linux kernel in order for HQPlayer's NAA Image to support DSD512
ARM Linux kernels on Sotm SMS-200 and Sonore uRendu have to be on 4.9x or newer to work with DSD512

There is no registration for the U16 or the ES8620 chip from ESS.
Linux does not support DSD Native mode for the U16 only UAC 2.0 mode
without a linux device driver

The current list of supported devices can be found here
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/blob/master/sound/usb/quirks.c

Here is part of the kernel source documentation
/* snd_usb_interface_dsd_format_quirks() is called from format.c to
* augment the PCM format bit-field for DSD types. The UAC standards
* don't have a designated bit field to denote DSD-capable interfaces,
* hence all hardware that is known to support this format has to be
* listed here
*/

Section for Xmos

Section for Amanero

 

[tracer5]

Yes there is a newer Gustard U16 circuit board without internal physical jumpers for configuring the DSD/PCM mode signal pin. That is true.

What is new is that there are now firmware files customized to each ‘standard’, HOLO, LKS, and PSA. In the case of the LKS-DA-004, the DSD mode signal (1=DSD mode, 0=PCM mode) is on pin 14, not the default per Gustard U16 which is pin 15. If one flashes firmware file GU16V1_4_LKS_0db.rom the mapping for the DSD mode is to pin 14 as needed by the LKS-DA004. Native DSD512 is no problem.


Some Linux distributions have native DSD512 playback support, not all. For Linux to have Native DSD support it is included at the kernel level. There are no add on drivers as Windows is dependent upon.

An example of a high quality player is Volumio. Direct DSD formats supported are DSD64, DSD128, DSD256, DSD512.

 

[b0bb]

Yes there is a newer Gustard U16 circuit board without internal physical jumpers for configuring the DSD/PCM mode signal pin. That is true.

What is new is that there are now firmware files customized to each ‘standard’, HOLO, LKS, and PSA. In the case of the LKS-DA-004, the DSD mode signal (1=DSD mode, 0=PCM mode) is on pin 14, not the default per Gustard U16 which is pin 15. If one flashes firmware file GU16V1_4_LKS_0db.rom the mapping for the DSD mode is to pin 14 as needed by the LKS-DA004. Native DSD512 is no problem.

That is the important distinction you left out when you made the recommendation.
U16 has to be ordered with the right firmware for the LKS004 or the user will have the task of changing the firmware to make it work with the LKS004.

U16 with default shipping firmware will not support Native DSD on the LKS004

Some Linux distributions have native DSD512 playback support, not all. For Linux to have Native DSD support it is included at the kernel level.

All of this applies to the XMOS and Amanero devices not the U16, no support for the U16 in the mainline linux kernel.
If you have a custom kernel with DSD512 enabled and running on linux for the U16, post details of what is in your /proc/asound directory

 

[Forgisound]

In addition to the weak NAS and SoTM SMS 200 Ultra, I also got a / mini PC, on which I run a HQ Player server. Currently Windows 10 is preinstalled. Under Windows HQ player can convert PCM to DSD 256 on the fly, but for the DSD 512 it is too weak (i7 4650U).
Is it worth installing Linux and what kind of distribution to run HQ Player server? Is Linux less resource intensive?

 

[b0bb]

In addition to the weak NAS and SoTM SMS 200 Ultra, I also got a / mini PC, on which I run a HQ Player server. Currently Windows 10 is preinstalled. Under Windows HQ player can convert PCM to DSD 256 on the fly, but for the DSD 512 it is too weak (i7 4650U).
Is it worth installing Linux and what kind of distribution to run HQ Player server? Is Linux less resource intensive?

The 4650U is a dual core clocked at 1.7GHz, it did quite well giving you DSD256.
You would really need a quadcore or better running at 3.5GHz+ to get the full benefit of the highend DSD modulator and filters.

Linux can consume much less resources if you do not have the GUI, with Windows there is no option and W10 has a lot of baggage.

Not sure what your budget is on this one but if you have 300-400 USD to spend on the CPU take a look at the Ryzen 3700x from AMD, 3.6GHz 8 cores.
https://www.amd.com/en/products/cpu/amd-ryzen-7-3700x

Get a microATX or mini ITX motherboard, 4-8Gb of memory, no disk, boot from a USB 3.1 stick using the image below.
There is a version of HQ player embedded that comes in a bootable USB disk image, it is a custom barebones linux kernel with HQ Player server already built in.
No need to install your own version of linux or mess around with the linux distributions.

https://www.signalyst.eu/bins/hqplayerd/images/

This is almost identical to the NUC setup I am using for the NAA, my USB image contains the NAA software instead of HQP server.

To reduce load on the SMS-200, run DSD in native mode, DoP takes more cycles and the little Dual core Allwinner ARM on the SMS-200 is already quite close its limits running NAA@DSD256
Roon is a lot less resource intensive and I can get SMS-200 to handle DSD512.

 

[xiamen]

I have Black discus everywhere at my home

Hi, you seems to place the black discus on plastic cover not in direct contact. Does that mean you can place it on an amplifier case without fitting it inside and it will still works?

 

[littlexx26]

Hi, you seems to place the black discus on plastic cover not in direct contact. Does that mean you can place it on an amplifier case without fitting it inside and it will still works?

Yes before the donut I put discus on the lid at the torroidal transformers area but not as effective as direct contact

 

[MartinWT]

I have been using Mad Scientist's Graphene Contact Enhancer with amazing results on all my power cables and interconnects.

I'm going to try treating the HDMI I2S cable to the LKS if I can get into the contacts with the smallest brush.

 

[VerloK]

I use the contact enhancer several months and i did not notice big differences.

I use it also on my RAM and PCI Cards ect.

 

[xiamen]

I use the contact enhancer several months and i did not notice big differences.

I use it also on my RAM and PCI Cards ect.

I use it too. I thought there are improvements. Not big, but I think expecting big improvement may be asking for too much. Trying out various mad scientist stuffs. Using oit n the amplifier transformer (just placing it on the lid) seems helpful. My Cayin has large transformers which may be why. One thing I did I thought was useful is using a pcie-riser from the computer to my matrix element-h usb card, and placing a nano on the riser cable.

 

[MartinWT]

I've used Magic Tubes on the interconnects from DAC to preamp (at the DAC end) to good effect. Donuts are also good. The graphene was remarkable, though. More music, less hi-fi.