[mandickay]

@mandickay You can find the Xilinx f/w here. https://onedrive.live.com/?id=636DC4E8060D66A1!557&cid=636DC4E8060D66A1

For Xilinx f/w look in "R7 MK2 Original PLL' directory. The file for header "A" in your picture should be "IIS_pro.jed". And the original PLL firmware for header "B" is 'R7_10m_clk_sel.jed".

Let us know if this works!

I now have original firmwares for the two Xilinx chips, but not FPGA.

Would you have the original FPGA firmware for R7 MK2?

 

[DACLadder]

@mandickay You are getting good experience setting up and programming devices. The new PLL_N FPGA is not compatible with the prior Xilinx. And vice versa the PLL_N Xilnx also needs the PLL_N FPGA. Should have mentioned that earlier.

Go back to the original default Xilinx and then try the Altera FPGA R721SMD.jic in this web directory below. Just to make sure the DAC functions OK. https://onedrive.live.com/?id=636DC4E8060D66A1!564&cid=636DC4E8060D66A1

Once working then try PLL_N Xilinx and Altera FPGA. Otherwise may have to contact Kingwa to confirm what is correct file for the other Xilinx.

 

[mandickay]

@mandickay You are getting good experience setting up and programming devices. The new PLL_N FPGA is not compatible with the prior Xilinx. And vice versa the PLL_N Xilnx also needs the PLL_N FPGA. Should have mentioned that earlier.

Go back to the original default Xilinx and then try the Altera FPGA R721SMD.jic in this web directory below. Just to make sure the DAC functions OK. https://onedrive.live.com/?id=636DC4E8060D66A1!564&cid=636DC4E8060D66A1

Once working then try PLL_N Xilinx and Altera FPGA. Otherwise may have to contact Kingwa to confirm what is correct file for the other Xilinx.

It is already very late night here in my place so I would try the Altera FPGA R721SMD.jic tomorrow. I think it is ithe FPGA that controls the functionality of the DAC.

I hope by retrieving the two Xilinx (IIS_pro.jed and R7_10m_clk_sel.jed) and FPGA (R721SMD.jic) back to their defaults my R7 MK2 would be OK.

Really grateful for your help DACLadder.

 

[mandickay]

@mandickay You are getting good experience setting up and programming devices. The new PLL_N FPGA is not compatible with the prior Xilinx. And vice versa the PLL_N Xilnx also needs the PLL_N FPGA. Should have mentioned that earlier.

Go back to the original default Xilinx and then try the Altera FPGA R721SMD.jic in this web directory below. Just to make sure the DAC functions OK. https://onedrive.live.com/?id=636DC4E8060D66A1!564&cid=636DC4E8060D66A1

Once working then try PLL_N Xilinx and Altera FPGA. Otherwise may have to contact Kingwa to confirm what is correct file for the other Xilinx.

Hi DACLadder,

I finally get this issue sorted:

01. Flashing the Altera R721 jic and the two original Xilinx jed to the DAC, then installing the Windows driver downloaded from Audio-gd website. Now the DAC goes back to its default state;

02. Then flashing the two latest 2021-Oct PLL-N firmwares. The DAC works perfectly. Both channel 5 and channel 6 works. The front panel LCD shows the sample rate correctly.

The sound of the 2021-Oct firmware is different from the old one. Its resolution is higher but it has a smoother edge. I like this softer sound.

Again big thanks for DACLadder for your big help.

 

[DACLadder]

@mandickay Good to hear and you are welcome. PLL_N does sound softer to the ear at first listen. After a few days realized the "softness" is just less grain. I just bumped the volume knob up a notch or two to compensate. The Linux optimized Amanero f/w is another thing to try. Seems to help balance the sound in my system. But you may want to wait as PLL_N is a big update and does indeed change the sound.

 

[mandickay]

@mandickay Good to hear and you are welcome. PLL_N does sound softer to the ear at first listen. After a few days realized the "softness" is just less grain. I just bumped the volume knob up a notch or two to compensate. The Linux optimized Amanero f/w is another thing to try. Seems to help balance the sound in my system. But you may want to wait as PLL_N is a big update and does indeed change the sound.

I think it is not only the grain is reduced but the output gain as well. Same to you I have to bump up my volume knob to compensate the new soft sound.

Flashing the Amanero firmware is a bit easier since I do not have to open the top cover. I would try it later but I would worry that the DAC might not work with my Windows PC after turning it into a Linux-optimized device.

 

[XavierP56]

> Same to you I have to bump up my volume knob to compensate the new soft sound.

This is a VERY good thing ! Let's hope the firmware will be quickly ported to the R7HE21. I need less gain for my preamp.

 

[mandickay]

Just flashed the Linux optimized Amanero f/w, the hisses and cracking noises when changing channel 5 to channel 6 disappeared, which is very good!

The Linux-optimized Windows driver is special. There is only 32bit to choose in the Windows driver panel while we could select 16 and 24 bits in the Windows-optimized driver.

The sound of Linux optimized Amanero f/w is not as soft and smooth as the Windows-optimized one. The sound is more balanced and it has a little bit more gain than Windows-optimized one. I would go with the Linux-optimized one as it solves the DSD-to-PCM noise issue.

 

[FredA]

Since my r7he mkii just received the new fw with enhanced 10M input (thanks again, Kingwa), i figured it was a good idea to re-evaluate the di20 firmwares, as i drive my dac though i2s with the di20he. Always thinking about synergy.

I was right to do so. It seems that using 4.075 brings even more air, bass quality and res. But it is at the expense of midrange, which gets dryer.

4.076, on the other hand, brings as much warmth as 3.933 but the same enhancements as 4.075. So it's my new winner. Result will vary course depending on the dac and hdmi cable you are using.

As someone pointed, one of the stength of the di20 is it allows some addional tweaking margin as many fws are available. Another benefit of going to 4.076 is it fixes an isue i had with the rca input, which would produce a slight glitch every 3min when fed by my oppo BDP103.

 

[PhMZ4]

I just updated my R8HE21 with latest Amanero FW (Linux optimized) and the latest Oct21 Altera FW update.
Soundstage seems a bit larger and deeper at a first glance and bass definition has profited a lot from first listening.
However I do still have a pop noise which going from PCM to DSD (native) and vise versa, could you observe a similar behavior?

 

[FredA]

I just updated my R8HE21 with latest Amanero FW (Linux optimized) and the latest Oct21 Altera FW update.
Soundstage seems a bit larger and deeper at a first glance and bass definition has profited a lot from first listening.
However I do still have a pop noise which going from PCM to DSD (native) and vise versa, could you observe a similar behavior?

On the contrary. It solves all popping issues here. You may need the upcoming fpga fw to fix this.

 

[PhMZ4]

Thank you, I thought the Oct21 FW Altera FW update would have cleared it already….but you are right, it says it ’reduces’ the popping sound.

 

[FredA]

Thank you, I thought the Oct21 FW Altera FW update would have cleared it already….but you are right, it says it ’reduces’ the popping sound.

Ok. i miss the fact there was a FPGA fw update for your dac. So the popping noises should have been reduced. Maybe this should reported to Kingwa.

 

[FredA]

I have to make a post.

My setup is usbridge sig->nimak purple usb->di20he (4.076fw)->AVplay silver hdmi->r7he mkii (oct. 21 pll fw) - >nimak 5 acss->HE9->Nimak 5 acss->Master-3->acoustic zen satori shotgun->Osborne eclipse with Crescendo tweeter.

I use a Nimak x18 on my main (passive) power distributor, and a mix of power cables, all with shielded plugs, for the gears. A filtered isolation transfo from Zerozone is applied on the usbridge sig, the Afterdark Eva ocxo (clocking both the di20he and r7he mkii) , and the di20he.

Flashing the latest Amanero fw on the di20he, and the 4.076fw, together with the new fws on the r7he mkii, gave me the perfect sound, if such thing exists.

Tonality is perfect, staging is wide and deep, the cymbals and drums sound better than ever, bass is rich, deep and clean, the level of details is amazing, the highs are silky. It relaxing and involving. Comforting and stimulating. Ridiculously good sound.

I encourage trying the different di20 fws, some will suit you setup better.

 

[Jackula]

I was right to do so. It seems that using 4.075 brings even more air, bass quality and res. But it is at the expense of midrange, which gets dryer.

Sounds like 4.075 will continue to be my winner then
The external 10mhz had made the sound too smooth on my setup and had to revert back to copper HDMI for a balanced sound - but, it is 60cm so the soundstage isn't as good as my 30cm silver. If the new firmware makes the sound dryer, I hope it will let me go back to my shorter silver HDMI without it becoming silky smooth.

Kingwa will be releasing the same FW for mk1 sometime this week - it's great to see him supporting legacy owners like myself