[Currawong]

Guys… I’m thouroughly reading your posts and have to admit you go far behond my tuning ambitions on the HW side, as imo the baseline Kingwa is setting with its devices is quite well coherent (value/cost) and going to the next level is surely more rewarding in upgrading to the next better component, eg. from R8HE to R7HE MkII.

On my side I recently went on a different path after having optimized all possible I could (mains filtering (incl. DC blockers), cables, LPSs everywhere, etc…), I started to investigate the software based SoX over sampling, in setting the DAC in NOS mode and then playing with the different parameters SoX is offering…. I could achieve some major improvements compared to the built-in OS 8x code while preserving the nice signature Kingwa has originally designed. So far, I’m quite pleased going towards a ‘linear phase brick wall’ filter with 28bits ultra settings, providing a nice and subtle tonal balance, while keeping the nice slam we have on these gears…. I’ll continue to investigate and keep you informed on my findings.

I recommend trying Archimago’s “intermediate phase“ filter options for SoX. I’ve tried it in HQPlayer with good results.

 

[tonedeafmelomaniac]

Hi there, does Audio-gd dacs support Android devices to use them as a source?

 

[Bleumoonljb]

Hi there, does Audio-gd dacs support Android devices to use them as a source?

If you are talking about connecting your phone to DAC via USB port, I just tried with OnePlus phone, it cannot recognize the device, so it doesn't work in my case. Not sure if there are other people succeed.

 

[DACLadder]

@tonedeafmelomaniac Does anyone make a Bluetooth to DAC USB audio adapter? Seems that would be easiest.

 

[slazhx]

Hi guys, I need some advice.

Last night, I updated my R7HE 2020 model with R7-2020_PLL_N firmware. The quartus showed update success, however, there was no sound from external clock input mode (E). I have Mutec Ref10 in the chain and the DAC had been working flawlessly in both External and Internal clock mode before the update. I check the BNC connections and they seem ok. The front panel shows "E" without "FAIL" warning when switching from "I" to "E". Just no sound.

Now I can hear the sound only with internal clock mode (I). Anyone had encountered this problem?

Also, what are two "F/S" on the second page of front panel menu for? (See attched picture)

Thank you.

 

[DACLadder]

@arayasg For PLL_N the R7 2020 upgrade guide says you also need to update the Xilinx CPLD as well as the Altera FPGA.

The 'FF’ on the front panel 2nd page are just reserved, place holder functions at the time your R7 shipped. They are still reserved (no function) in the 2020 PLL_N f/w.

 

[FredA]

Hi guys, I need some advice.

Last night, I updated my R7HE 2020 model with R7-2020_PLL_N firmware. The quartus showed update success, however, there was no sound from external clock input mode (E). I have Mutec Ref10 in the chain and the DAC had been working flawlessly in both External and Internal clock mode before the update. I check the BNC connections and they seem ok. The front panel shows "E" without "FAIL" warning when switching from "I" to "E". Just no sound.

Now I can hear the sound only with internal clock mode (I). Anyone had encountered this problem?

Also, what are two "F/S" on the second page of front panel menu for? (See attched picture)

Thank you.

You need to reprogram one of the xilink CPLDs under the hood of your dac. Read the instructions carefully. Otherwise, the external clock won't work. You need to get a Xilink usb programmer and get the Impact SW to do the programming. Could be tricky.

 

[PhMZ4]

I recommend trying Archimago’s “intermediate phase“ filter options for SoX. I’ve tried it in HQPlayer with good results.

After several days of experimenting with SoX, I came to the following settings with which I’m very pleased on my system:
u:1A:3.05:32:99.745 based on Archimago’s Extremus but with more taps and accuracy.

In order that to work well on the USBridge Signature (had some dropouts from time to time with the default configuratio), I had to tune PiCorePlayer a bit for it to work properly, as it becomes quite intense for the internal CM3+ board:
ALSA buffer set to 65536 to give more room for the USB being more stressed
CPU isolation for the squeezelite process to preserve a continuous flow on the output buffer avoiding any user tasks compromising the flow

Compared to the DAC’s internal OS8 (R8HE 2021), it’s a major upgrade in sound quality and realism…

 

[PhMZ4]

If you are talking about connecting your phone to DAC via USB port, I just tried with OnePlus phone, it cannot recognize the device, so it doesn't work in my case. Not sure if there are other people succeed.

You’ll need an OTG USB cable for it to work properly

 

[slazhx]

@arayasg The R7 2020 upgrade guide says you also need to update the Xilinx CPLD as well as the Altera for PLL_N.

The 'FF' on the front panel 2nd page are just reserved, place holder functions at the time your R7 shipped. They are still reserved (no function) in the 2020 PLL_N f/w.

You need to reprogram one of the xilink CPLDs under the hood of your dac. Read the instructions carefully. Otherwise, the external clock won't work. You need to get a Xilink usb programmer and get the Impact SW to do the programming. Could be tricky.

Thank you for your advice. What I did is connecting Altera USB Blaster to R7HE (2020 model) and updated the f/w through Quartus 16. Can you guide me on where you the study from the start about updating the Xilinx CPLD?

 

[PhMZ4]

Thank you for your advice. What I did is connecting Altera USB Blaster to R7HE (2020 model) and updated the f/w through Quartus 16. Can you guide me on where you the study from the start about updating the Xilinx CPLD?

You’ll find all needed details a few pages before in this same thread…

 

[FredA]

Thank you for your advice. What I did is connecting Altera USB Blaster to R7HE (2020 model) and updated the f/w through Quartus 16. Can you guide me on where you the study from the start about updating the Xilinx CPLD?

First you need to get the Xilink programmer.

 

[nikko510]

I was updating the Xilinx CPLD and Altera PLL_N software on both the R7HE 2020 and R7HE MK2 models.
Both always connect to an external clock without any problem.

 

[slazhx]

Sorry for my ignorance, I didn't read the manual carefully so I thought the process is just with Altera/Quartus similar to DI-20. I have only Altera blaster and need to get the Xilink one first.

Is this the one I need? (Alinx AL201 Intel/Altera FPGA USB Blaster, not PANGOMICRO) / The ebay link on manual has already expired.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002703504597.html?pdp_ext_f={"sku_id":"12000021782265860","ship_from":""}&gps-id=pcStoreJustForYou&scm=1007.23125.137358.0&scm_id=1007.23125.137358.0&scm-url=1007.23125.137358.0&pvid=76fbe082-8cbc-44d6-befd-5971ed12ae26&spm=a2g0o.store_pc_home.smartJustForYou_1047717688.0

 

[JaMo]

Sorry for my ignorance, I didn't read the manual carefully so I thought the process is just with Altera/Quartus similar to DI-20. I have only Altera blaster and need to get the Xilink one first.

Is this the one I need? (Alinx AL201 Intel/Altera FPGA USB Blaster, not PANGOMICRO) / The ebay link on manual has already expired.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002703504597.html?pdp_ext_f={"sku_id":"12000021782265860","ship_from":""}&gps-id=pcStoreJustForYou&scm=1007.23125.137358.0&scm_id=1007.23125.137358.0&scm-url=1007.23125.137358.0&pvid=76fbe082-8cbc-44d6-befd-5971ed12ae26&spm=a2g0o.store_pc_home.smartJustForYou_1047717688.0

No,
You should get an USB blaster like this one: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/326...exp_id=8f28ce4e-f11d-49da-b73f-c33bbea94f80-6