[FredA]

Off topic but... Got new ribbon speaker cables on ali. Around 250usd for 3m, biwired. The brand is Xangsane.

Well after 200h of burn-in, they clearly beat my acoustic zen satori shotgun. Great bass, great mids, great transcients, great highs, great timbres, fantastic imaging/staging.if you like violins, drums, trumpet and bass,this is a great cable. Very transparent too, and not lean. Smooth. Compared to the AZs, they have cleaner bass, and are also better from upper mid to highs. A huge value. They really need the burn-in, especially for bass and they intially have a plastic coloration.

 

[myshark]

Off topic but... Gor new ribbon speaker cables on ali. Around 250usd for 3m, biwired. The brand is Xangsane.

Well after 200h of burn-in, they clearly beat my acoustic zen satori shotgun. Great bass, great mids, great transcients, great highs, great timbres, fantastic imaging/staging.if you like violins, drums, trumpet and bass,this is a great cable. Very transparent too, and not lean. Smooth. Compared to the AZs, they have cleaner bass, and are also better from upper mid to highs. A huge value. They really need the burn-in, especially for bass and they intially have a plastic coloration.

Hi FredA.
If you dont mind to post the link.
Thank you.

 

[FredA]

Hi FredA.
If you dont mind to post the link.
Thank you.

There you go

https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/1005001900474382.html

 

[Jackula]

Installed the 2021 HDMI isolator and updated Xilinx + PLL firmwares, neither was straightforward.

For the HDMI isolator, I initially followed the colour coding for the USB module that was already there, where blue wire is 3.3v and white wire is GND. Turned everything on and neither HDMI nor USB was working. Tested using a multimeter and found the HDMI isolator wires are reversed. De-soldered and resoldered blue wire to GND and white wire to 3.3v and everything started working.

For the Xilinx update, the Win10 version refused to install and the non Win10 version kept crashing. After some research, I renamed libPortabilityNOSH.dll to libPortability.dll and the non Win10 version installed.

Then for the listening test - and btw since I changed both the HDMI module and firmware, I don't know which is affecting what. Using my favourite firmware 4.095 on the DI-20HE, everything sounded tighter especially the bass. Using my favourite WireWorld Chroma 7 0.6m, the soundstage was larger and imaging tighter than my Silverlight 0.3m while it still retained the raw gritty sound of copper. The only problem was the bass, it had lost some of its meat, it was too soft sounding and missing slam.

After going up to 4.096, the slam was back but now the midrange is too forward and as Fred called it - "dry", too dry even for my tastes. I switched to the Silverlight which helped very so slightly, but the sound was even softer than with 4.095. I'm back on Chroma 7 now which to my ears and synergy has the most balanced sound, despite some midrange dryness. At this stage I'm just hoping it's a burn-in issue on the HDMI module, and after approx 100 hours it does seem to be improving (or my ears adjusting to it), because I really do love the new level of refinement!

 

[FredA]

Installed the 2021 HDMI isolator and updated Xilinx + PLL firmwares, neither was straightforward.

For the HDMI isolator, I initially followed the colour coding for the USB module that was already there, where blue wire is 3.3v and white wire is GND. Turned everything on and neither HDMI nor USB was working. Tested using a multimeter and found the HDMI isolator wires are reversed. De-soldered and resoldered blue wire to GND and white wire to 3.3v and everything started working.

For the Xilinx update, the Win10 version refused to install and the non Win10 version kept crashing. After some research, I renamed libPortabilityNOSH.dll to libPortability.dll and the non Win10 version installed.

Then for the listening test - and btw since I changed both the HDMI module and firmware, I don't know which is affecting what. Using my favourite firmware 4.095 on the DI-20HE, everything sounded tighter especially the bass. Using my favourite WireWorld Chroma 7 0.6m, the soundstage was larger and imaging tighter than my Silverlight 0.3m while it still retained the raw gritty sound of copper. The only problem was the bass, it had lost some of its meat, it was too soft sounding and missing slam.

After going up to 4.096, the slam was back but now the midrange is too forward and as Fred called it - "dry", too dry even for my tastes. I switched to the Silverlight which helped very so slightly, but the sound was even softer than with 4.095. I'm back on Chroma 7 now which to my ears and synergy has the most balanced sound, despite some midrange dryness. At this stage I'm just hoping it's a burn-in issue on the HDMI module, and after approx 100 hours it does seem to be improving (or my ears adjusting to it), because I really do love the new level of refinement!

Things will evolve for sure. But reducing jitter can also mean a drier sound. Cable swap may be needed. It's worth the effect given how improved clarity is. Staging is really superb now in my room. The Aliexpress full silver i2s cable is very smooth and resolved, by the way.

 

[jimmychan]

There you go

https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/1005001900474382.html

This "Nordost like" cable is very attractive.

 

[FredA]

This "Nordost like" cable is very attractive.

The seller said it's close to a Vahalla. Not sure, but definitely an excellent cable.

 

[Il Cuffiotto]

On my Linux driven system the PLL_N DAC f/w seems to have the greatest affect on reducing pops and clicks. USB or I2S. I can use any Amanero f/w with good results as far as operation with PLL_N. System dependent I’m sure. Di20 f/w 3.933, 075, & 076 also work well with PLL_N.

Hi dear DacLadder
I finally received my xilinx blaster yesterday. I immediately started process of flashing using my win 10 laptop. All went ok until I tried to select the file, when program crashed. Drivers are OK, cable recognised. I don't know what to do...any suggestion to solve?

 

[FredA]

Hi dear DacLadder
I finally received my xilinx blaster yesterday. I immediately started process of flashing using my win 10 laptop. All went ok until I tried to select the file, when program crashed. Drivers are OK, cable recognised. I don't know what to do...any suggestion to solve?

@Jackula just went through perhaps the same problems, so maybe he could help.

 

[Il Cuffiotto]

@Jackula just went through perhaps the same problems, so maybe he could help.

Hi Fred! I'm a hard headed man, lol. Tricking xilinx 14.6 installation, all went ok and now I am happily playing music. Needed to erase a .dll file and rename another one. Crazy xilinx. But I won and regained my sofa. Thanks to all of you of course! I'll post a link to the youtube video that helped me.

 

[Il Cuffiotto]

 

[FredA]

Hi Fred! I'm a hard headed man, lol. Tricking xilinx 14.6 installation, all went ok and now I am happily playing music. Needed to erase a .dll file and rename another one. Crazy xilinx. But I won and regained my sofa. Thanks to all of you of course! I'll post a link to the youtube video that helped me.

I went through the same process 4 years ago or so. Once set, your are good for a while, especially when you do not update the operating system, like me. I have a profond aversion for OS updates forced on people, and on anything forced on people really. One should not try this on me.

 

[FredA]

This "Nordost like" cable is very attractive.

They seem to sound better at night if ever this makes sense. Again tonight, the upper mid to highs ease combined to the clean and tight bass make marvels. Love hearing those violins at the back of the stage in
Music for Loving with Strings, disc 1, track 9.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

http://audio-gd.com/R2R/R11MK2/R11mk2EN.htm

BANG! It's baaaack

Hello to all my old friends, wanted to post this info and will probably not be back again soon.

@FredA and whoever else likes jazz and has Audio-gd DACs, have a listen to the Images album by the Crusaders. If you listen to it all the way through, your mind will be blown at the quality of the recording and how the Audio-gd gear renders transients. Cymbals, snare drums etc., just totally lifelike.

 

[FredA]

http://audio-gd.com/R2R/R11MK2/R11mk2EN.htm

BANG! It's baaaack

Hello to all my old friends, wanted to post this info and will probably not be back again soon.

@FredA and whoever else likes jazz and has Audio-gd DACs, have a listen to the Images album by the Crusaders. If you listen to it all the way through, your mind will be blown at the quality of the recording and how the Audio-gd gear renders transients. Cymbals, snare drums etc., just totally lifelike.

Yeah, i am getting one!

Is it old jazz you are suggesting?