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

[OCC7N]

Yeah this is just bizarre. It's bad enough that lately hifi gear has gone with 50 ohms. But mix and match connectors and impedance from Audio-gd? It seems incredible



Yep, 75 ohm digital interconnects started in the 1980s and go to this very day. There are zillions of cables, adapters, fittings, etc. and devices!

I have no idea who the genius was that decided to go with 50 ohm clock setups.

But this clock thing only counts for devices that has clock connectors right?

If I decide to connect my rme adi2 dac to the di20he I should use a 75Ohm coax cable as RME suggest. So I am really not getting all this mix up.

(Further more on reading/google it says 50 is better for analog and 75 is better for digital/video)

 

[gimmeheadroom]

But this clock thing only counts for devices that has clock connectors right?

Well, S/PDIF is 75 ohm. For some reason some of the hifi companies decided to use 50 clock setups.

If I decide to connect my rme adi2 dac to the di20he I should use a 75Ohm coax cable as RME suggest. So I am really not getting all this mix up.

This is because S/PDIF coax is specced at 75 ohms.

(Further more on reading/google it says 50 is better for analog and 75 is better for digital/video)

Really, there is no basis for that because there are no 50 ohm analog standards...

 

[OCC7N]

Well, S/PDIF is 75 ohm. For some reason some of the hifi companies decided to use 50 clock setups.



This is because S/PDIF coax is specced at 75 ohms.



Really, there is no basis for that because there are no 50 ohm analog standards...

When I look at highend dacs they are 75Ohm.

I dont get how a dac can do “both”. Its confusing.

2 in 1 marketing

Confusion of the highest order.

 

[DACLadder]

50 ohm 10M clocks originated from the RF world where 50 ohm is big. Audio just adapted what was available. Same as the HDMI interface.

75 ohm makes more sense for audio convenience. Almost everyone has 75 ohm cables.

With short 1M or less.cables there is no advantage 50 or 75 ohm when properly matched.

 

[OCC7N]

50 ohm 10M clocks originated from the RF world where 50 ohm is big. Audio just adapted what was available. Same as the HDMI interface.

75 ohm makes more sense for audio convenience. Almost everyone has 75 ohm cables.

With short 1M or less.cables there is no advantage 50 or 75 ohm when properly matched.

But the connector is 50Ohm. So I need to buy 75cable with 50ohm connectors?because they are not the same.

This is far out of my mental reach. Im gonna wait with patience till Kingwa get focused on one …pure native 75ohm. My patience went up a lot.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

50 ohm 10M clocks originated from the RF world where 50 ohm is big. Audio just adapted what was available. Same as the HDMI interface.

50 ohm coax is the standard for RF, yes. But are there clocks used in radio? I never heard of that.

And about audio adapting what was available, that doesn't make sense since 75 ohm clock setups have been used in audio since the 1980s. This is just a poor choice, oblivious to over 40 years of digital audio development. There is no reasonable explanation for it.

But the connector is 50Ohm. So I need to buy 75cable with 50ohm connectors?because they are not the same.

This is far out of my mental reach. Im gonna wait with patience till Kingwa get focused on one …pure native 75ohm. My patience went up a lot.

No, even though it's not optimal, 50 ohm plugs work with 75 ohm jacks, and 75 ohm plugs work with 50 ohm jacks.

And both @DACLadder and I have done listening tests with mismatched setups and not found them to be detrimental over short distance, as @DACLadder said.

 

[DACLadder]

@gimmeheadroom 10Mhz is the standard clock frequency for GPS receivers. Long before audio use. That is why we see so many used 10 Mhz OCXOs on the market as they are pulled from obsolete cell phone tower equipment. Cybershaft and AfterDark employ these used OCXOs and cull the best for the most expensive clocks. At least they did a few years ago. These are the large size oscillators that run on +12V and burn hot. Newer OCXOs are smaller and consume less power (thankfully),

(Cybershaft states they use new OCXOs in current production.)

 

[gimmeheadroom]

@gimmeheadroom 10Mhz is the standard clock frequency for GPS receivers. Long before audio use. That is why we see so many used 10 Mhz OCXOs on the market as they are pulled from obsolete cell phone tower equipment. Cybershaft and AfterDark employ these used OCXOs and cull the best for the most expensive clocks. At least they did a few years ago. These are the large size oscillators that run on +12V and burn hot. Newer OCXOs are smaller and consume less power (thankfully),

(Cybershaft states they use new OCXOs in current production.)

Ok, I was thinking radio communications, I didn't consider GPS. That's kind of a special application.

Edited: at least, this is the best explanation we have why some hifi companies did this. Thanks.

 

[OCC7N]

I don´t see much love for the R-1 2021 edition. Isn´t this dac the gateway for audio-gd r2r?

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I don´t see much love for the R-1 2021 edition. Isn´t this dac the gateway for audio-gd r2r?

R2R-11 is the one a lot of us got started with. It is surprising that more people don't consider the R-1 in its price category.

 

[OCC7N]

R2R-11 is the one a lot of us got started with. It is surprising that more people don't consider the R-1 in its price category.

Im curious to know what upgrades has been made since the first version. How well it compares with other dacs. But reviews are very few

 

[dougms3]

So just want to catch up because theres alot of discussion beyond my comprehension, is the consensus for the ock-2 a go or no go?

 

[Crypt Keeper]

But the connector is 50Ohm. So I need to buy 75cable with 50ohm connectors?because they are not the same.

This is far out of my mental reach. Im gonna wait with patience till Kingwa get focused on one …pure native 75ohm. My patience went up a lot.

Don’t worry about 75/50 Ohm connectors… What matters is the impendence of a wire used … Some manufacturers (Gustard) been using 75 Ohm BNCs on their 50 Ohm "clocked" gears for a while now … Again, really good 50 Ohm clock cables are expensive and hard to find …

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Im curious to know what upgrades has been made since the first version. How well it compares with other dacs. But reviews are very few

I believe our own @FredA did a significant review (he has both) and I think @sajunky also mentioned some technical upgrades.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

So just want to catch up because theres alot of discussion beyond my comprehension, is the consensus for the ock-2 a go or no go?

I don't have one but from all the posts I read here it's a smokin' deal. It's up to you if you need a 75 ohm 10 MHz clock and are ok or not with the 50 ohm connectors.