New Audio-gd R-7, R-7HE R-8, R-27, R-27HE, R-28 Flagship Resistor Ladder DACs and DAC/amps

[borrego]

I wouldn't even bother, even it is cheaper. Many patents these days are not working. There is no a requirement to prove in a real environment that a proposed application is effective. I am not saying that this particular device is not working well. There are typically other things which are working, but for marketing purpose a working part is hidden behind a nonsense patents.

There is no provision in USB isochronous transfers for a packet retransmition. Just CRC check and an action is to drop a frame. Ranger xxx is not able to change it. A reason is that timeslots for the transmission are reserved in advance (when opening a device for a transfer), there is no mechanism to increase a pipe diameter dynamically. Secondly, isochronous packets arrive in order. And finally, timing is a critical factor. It is mentioned 125us for a timeslot. It is actually a microframe. Eight consecutive microframes constitute one high-speed frame (around 1ms). This is on the hardware PHY level. On the low system level there is a queuing system, hardware interrupts are programmed in advance to wake up a relevant portion of a software for transmitting individual frames. Bypassing a queue could result in insufficient service level for other devices (even a timeout errors).

The above is about asynchronous transfers. Amanero Windows drivers actually use a different transfer mode, bulk transfers. In a bulk mode there is a provision for retransmission of packets. Do Amanero make such requests? Honestly, I don't know, I didn't see any. It is why I started to test a hard drive, as I know for sure it would be retransmission requests, but again, I didn't see any. Errors appeared only when I switched to a 3m cable, and it was not a few, but plenty. Hard drive draws a lot of current, it is why errors came up on a relatively short cable. A DAC should work reliably on a longer cable without errors. My conclusion is that in a normal situation (when cable lenght is kept according to the recommendations) there is no errors on the USB transfers. When errors come, it will likely cause protocol errors and timeouts stopping the transfer.

What you mentioned were exactly why the Icron Ranger extender devices did their job by converting USB isochornous signal to Ethernet/Optical signals for long distance data transfer. They are not just USB signal repeaters.

 

[Crow123]

Look what greeted me when I came to get coffee

 

[Crow123]

Look what greeted me when I came to get coffee

 

[Crow123]

 

[Crow123]

I put an orange next to it for context the dac I long and wide

 

[tumpux]

Now, this will lead to channel imbalance..

 

[sajunky]

Now, this will lead to channel imbalance..

Just handle with careful.

 

[sajunky]

What you mentioned were exactly why the Icron Ranger extender devices did their job by converting USB isochornous signal to Ethernet/Optical signals for long distance data transfer. They are not just USB signal repeaters.

I don't know this device. My only concern is when such device do alter synchronization method from the asynchronous type as prefered for A-GD devices. If it installs its own devices driver, it require further investigation.

 

[DACLadder]

@Crow123 Always good to see a box with "Handle With Careful" printed on the top. Congrats and let it burn!

 

[jonh1]

Hello everyone!
Has anyone compared Holo May and Audio-GD R7HE?
Have a review or opinion of the Formuchans on this? Thanks in advance!

 

[borrego]

I don't know this device. My only concern is when such device do alter synchronization method from the asynchronous type as prefered for A-GD devices. If it installs its own devices driver, it require further investigation.

It requires no driver, and functions like a normal USB cable.

 

[sajunky]

It requires no driver, and functions like a normal USB cable.

Some drivers are installed automatically, please check in the Device Manager tree-view whether by example an additional hub is not installed.

 

[FredA]

@Crow123 Always good to see a box with "Handle With Careful" printed on the top. Congrats and let it burn!

Yep, love my collection of boxes. They make a nice stack in the basement.

 

[falcon70]

Hi guys,
Let me share with you a listening experience. My friend a few weeks ago purchased a Denafrips Termintar 2. His gears are much more expensive, than my Audio-GD chain. My setup is R8 (2021), HE1 and Master 3.
It was a short listening session, without side by side comparison. The source was Auralic aries G2.1 the Terminator connected with AES/EBU.

The sound was very very good, with lots of details, silky highs and bass. Really better than mine.
But I missed two things.
1. The mids. To my ear, the Audio-GD has more texture, more body and more air in mids. The femalile voices, winds and piano somehow closer to real.
That's why I like to hear old recorded music.
As I remember @Jackula wrote, that "He have not heard a more balanced and realistic midrange of any DAC at any price", when he compared the R7HE and Terminator.

2. The sound stage. AGD has a wider and deeper sound stage, the sounds even have a pitch.
Yes, it depends on the room and my room has better acoustics.
I think the R8 and HE1 do a very good job of creating a 3d image, you can rarely hear such a good one.

I also heard a kind of coloring in my friend amplification, especially at the piano. It’s really true that the HE1 and Master 3 pairs have a completely natural sound.

 

[gk2013]

Hello everyone!
Has anyone compared Holo May and Audio-GD R7HE?
Have a review or opinion of the Formuchans on this? Thanks in advance!

Comparing the Holo May KTE is not fair from price perspective. Holo MAY wins this game without doubt. Even Level 2. Holo May Level 1 would be interesting comparison though!