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

[gimmeheadroom]

I just got an OCXO from Queen*s_land and it has a switch on the back. The seller was really prompt and good to deal with, with thanks to @FredA for his recommendation. This is the link - https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-HIFI-DIY...0MHz-Sine-Wave-Square-Wave-MV89A/333541364404

It's powered by this PSU also (great value) - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001858502040.html

It's been a great value upgrade for my R7Mk2 / DI20 combination.

Thanks, this is the one. Apparently he added the switch but never informed me. Anyway, from my point of view it has everything on the front. I want the outputs on the front and the power connection and switch on the back- after that I never got a response. And this was before the latest tax changes in the EU, now I cannot buy anything outside the EU or I'll pay at least 2X for it, which I am not going to do.

 

[FredA]

Qeen-something or other. He did say I could just unplug it, but I prefer a switch.

I didn't see anything on the Afterdark site that was anywhere near 1000 euros. Could you post a link or two to what you suggest in the price range? Also, it has to be something which ships from inside the EU, or it will cost at least 2X the list price.

Is the Gustard worth the money? It looks to be about 1500 euros on the French distributor for Audio-gd. Oh, also, I need 75 ohm and 50 ohm outputs since I have gear that uses one or the other.

Gustard has another unit, cheaper but it is only 50-ohm. Afterdark is based in Asia. They have a customizable unit with 3 out starting around 1200 euros for perf. much inferior to the c18 ( https://www.adark.co/collections/pr...e-integrals-integrated?variant=32223822839926) for the same money.

The ebay seller is your best choice. He can cusomize the output level, between 75 and 50 ohm and between square and sine. It is you best affordable option. Then the c18 is, but it is only 50-ohm too. You can negociate on ali for around 1300 euros based the lowest price posted.

As for a switch, these unit should preferably be left on 24/7. Otherwise they won't reach peak performance.

 

[DACLadder]

@gimmeheadroom The Gustard C18 has excellent specs at -110db/hz @ 1Hz (lower or more negative the better). No experience, just reading the spec sheets. If you can live with two square wave and two sine wave 50 ohm outputs.

Gustard also has a C16 clock at $659us and -100db/hz @ 1Hz. Again no experience. I would recommend the best performance clock you can afford to get max benefit from 10M. -120db/Hz @ 1hz is the gold standard for 10M clocks ($$$$$)..

The ebay seller 'Queen' clock mentioned above is the best performance value out there with the Morion OCXO and -105db/hz @ 1hz performance.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Kingwa has released a document "Foobar2000 setting guide for playing PCM384 and DSD512". It can be downloaded from the Audio GD's main web page...
http://www.audio-gd.com/En audio-gd.htm

Thank you @DACLadder I wonder why an ASIO proxy is needed, does anybody understand this?

Gustard has another unit, cheaper but it is only 50-ohm. Afterdark is based in Asia. They have a customizable unit with 3 out starting around 1200 euros for perf. much inferior to the c18 ( https://www.adark.co/collections/pr...e-integrals-integrated?variant=32223822839926) for the same money.

The ebay seller is your best choice.

But that means another 100% on top of the price + shipping, is the ebay clock worth 650 USD?

He can cusomize the output level, between 75 and 50 ohm and between square and sine. It is you best affordable option. Then the c18 is, but it is only 50-ohm too. You can negociate on ali for around 1300 euros based the lowest price posted.

Thanks that would be 2600 euros at least, so no go. If it gets up into the stratosphere, the Mutec clock starts to look affordable since it is made next door.

As for a switch, these unit should preferably be left on 24/7. Otherwise they won't reach peak performance.

Understood. But I used to have to travel for work, before corona I was flying 12 times a year. When I leave the apartment I turn off all the power. I can't take a chance on anything when I'm not here. And I like the idea of being able to turn individual boxes off and not have hot plugs lying around even when I'm here at times.

@gimmeheadroom The Gustard C18 has excellent specs at -110db/hz @ 1Hz (lower or more negative the better). No experience, just reading the spec sheets. If you can live with two square wave and two sine wave 50 ohm outputs.

Thanks, I would hestitate until somebody verified it. I don't go for measurements on audio, but clocks are just clocks, so measurements should be meaningful.

Gustard also has a C16 clock at $659us and -100db/hz @ 1Hz. Again no experience. I would recommend the best performance clock you can afford to get max benefit from 10M. -120db/Hz @ 1hz is the gold standard for 10M clocks ($$$$$)..

The ebay seller 'Queen' clock mentioned above is the best performance value out there with the Morion OCXO and -105db/hz @ 1hz performance.

Yeah but I would have to pay twice the price, is it still worth it?

 

[FredA]

But that means another 100% on top of the price + shipping, is the ebay clock worth 650 USD?

I paid 350 for mine. So 650 is a lot. You could start like i did with a unit like this one:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001705401580.html

Get a 12v lps for it eventually.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I paid 350 for mine. So 650 is a lot. You could start like i did with a unit like this one:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001705401580.html

Get a 12v lps for it eventually.

I cannot buy anything from Aliexpress or any place outside the EU, thanks to the EU itself

 

[FredA]

I cannot buy anything from Aliexpress or any place outside the EU, thanks to the EU itself

ebay?

 

[gimmeheadroom]

ebay?

Only if the seller ships from inside the EU. There is an option to go through Pitney Bowes which handles importation. We still pay a lot, but at least we know at the time of purchase how much something is and there is no further paperwork. But no Asian sellers seem able to participate in that. It helps buying things from America or the UK, if they use that ebay program, but there is no obligation for them to sell that way.

Otherwise, we have no way to know how much something is, the shippers charge random fees, customs clearance fees, taxes, duties, penalties etc. There is no website for calculating the bottom line and no way to appeal if the cost is not calculated according to law. We have to sign off a power of attorney before we know anything and once that happens, we're obligated to pay whatever they decide.

Legalized Robbery 2.0

 

[FredA]

Only if the seller ships from inside the EU. There is an option to go through Pitney Bowes which handles importation. We still pay a lot, but at least we know at the time of purchase how much something is and there is no further paperwork. But no Asian sellers seem able to participate in that. It helps buying things from America or the UK, if they use that ebay program, but there is no obligation for them to sell that way.

Otherwise, we have no way to know how much something is, the shippers charge random fees, customs clearance fees, taxes, duties, penalties etc. There is no website for calculating the bottom line and no way to appeal if the cost is not calculated according to law. We have to sign off a power of attorney before we know anything and once that happens, we're obligated to pay whatever they decide.

Legalized Robbery 2.0

Ridiculous.

There is this new unit available at magnahfi. 2.5k euros but great performance for the money.

https://magnahifi.com/mk508-pro-10-mhz-ocxo-reference-master-clock/

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Ridiculous.

There is this new unit available at magnahfi. 2.5k euros but great performance for the money.

https://magnahifi.com/mk508-pro-10-mhz-ocxo-reference-master-clock/

Thanks. The Mutec REF10 is 3799. So it is a slippery slope.

I guess I will just buy another lottery ticket to pay for the Mutec, and I should get the SE120 while I'm at it

I have an idea, what if Kingwa offers a clock for 1000 USD. It should have 4 10M squarewave outputs, two 50 ohms and two 75 ohms. I would be the first customer

 

[FredA]

Thanks. The Mutec REF10 is 3799. So it is a slippery slope.

I guess I will just buy another lottery ticket to pay for the Mutec, and I should get the SE120 while I'm at it

This Chinese unit is better than the ref10 on paper.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

This Chinese unit is better than the ref10 on paper.

I didn't compare specs but the back panel on the Chinese one is a bit odd and so is the idea they should loop the clock to get square wave output. If anything goes wrong with the Chinese one I'm not sure there would be any way to have it fixed, probably have to buy a new one.

Mutec is in the next country and I already have experience with their service- which is excellent. I have two of their boxes and every time I write to them part of the email response from them is "thank you for buying our products!" They really seem to appreciate even small customers. To me this is worth extra.

Once it gets into that kind of money, I would be willing to spend the extra for something repairable where I can get on the phone and talk to the main guy and get it resolved, or be able to send it back and forth without more EU interference etc. They also offer the SE120 as an upgrade over the REF10 if you already had one, and that is really good also. So you don't feel like you wasted your money when your gear is upgradeable.

 

[FredA]

I didn't compare specs but the back panel on the Chinese one is a bit odd and so is the idea they should loop the clock to get square wave output. If anything goes wrong with the Chinese one I'm not sure there would be any way to have it fixed, probably have to buy a new one.

Mutec is in the next country and I already have experience with their service- which is excellent. I have two of their boxes and every time I write to them part of the email response from them is "thank you for buying our products!" They really seem to appreciate even small customers. To me this is worth extra.

Once it gets into that kind of money, I would be willing to spend the extra for something repairable where I can get on the phone and talk to the main guy and get it resolved, or be able to send it back and forth without more EU interference etc. They also offer the SE120 as an upgrade over the REF10 if you already had one, and that is really good also. So you don't feel like you wasted your money when your gear is upgradeable.

Right. The mutec has solid reputation, breath quality and is upgradable. Also very versatile.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Right. The mutec has solid reputation, breath quality and is upgradable. Also very versatile.

Now all I need is money

 

[FredA]

Now all I need is money

You could sell a few gears.