[fon55]

 

[davidnow]

Please find some of the R7 technical benefits (in comparison to the R8), should contribute to better sound.

• Heavy 4mm thick chassis
  
• 3 PCB's, separated left, right and digital processing board
• Singularity digital processing board
• Discrete Class A power supply
  
• 6 inputs -> Amanero upgradable to Singer F1 USB

Upgrading from Master7 to Singularity 7 was a big improvement in my opinion. So maybe R8 is not so close to R7...

 

[FredA]

Do your Gd audio just like my Precision 2 change color, they are not UV resistant.

I don’t have my gears in direct sunlight all day long. So it is a slow process. After 4 years, there is only a slight change of color with my master-1 pre.

 

[fon55]

2 hours a day in the sun for 3 years and this is how it looks

 

[FredA]

You are not lucky. This is my m-1 after 4 years:

 

[FredA]

After a week with the rpi v3b+, i confirm my initial impressions:

1. Sounds more analog
2. Depth depiction is better
3. Occasional edginess i had is gone for good
4. Best bass response ever in my room.

With the linear psu i have ordered to feed the pi, i expect yet another sound upgrade.

I feel like the r2r-7 is sensitive to certain frequency ranges that you find in the mac mini’s usb ports. Computers are an endless source of garbage and are very hard to isolate from. It is just logical that a small computer using no mobile part and running a lean audiophile OS beats a « normal » computer.

 

[hyperdanny]

Out of an email conversion with Jos (magnahifi.com). (He is a real nice guy, always very responsive and helpfull and definitely a reason, while I like to get hifi stuff from there)

Please find some of the R7 technical benefits (in comparison to the R8), should contribute to better sound.

• Heavy 4mm thick chassis
  
• 3 PCB's, separated left, right and digital processing board
• Singularity digital processing board
• Discrete Class A power supply
  
• 6 inputs -> Amanero upgradable to Singer F1 USB

I am a little confused here: I thought the R8 has discrete class A power supply too

 

[FredA]

I am a little confused here: I thought the R8 has discrete class A power supply too

The r-8 uses smd components in the digital power supply section. There are other differences, there may be fewer independent sources for the analog boards, at least the analog power supply section is not identical. Small compromise it seems. The best is to ask Kingwa.

 

[gLer]

Hey guys, FW3 has just been released for the R-28. Has similar FW been released for the R-7/R-8, and if so has anyone tried it (specifically with NOS 3)? Not sure if the different R2R dacs share similar firmware revisions so if not, pls ignore.

 

[FredA]

Hey guys, FW3 has just been released for the R-28. Has similar FW been released for the R-7/R-8, and if so has anyone tried it (specifically with NOS 3)? Not sure if the different R2R dacs share similar firmware revisions so if not, pls ignore.

Where did you get the info? Directly from Kingwa?

 

[gLer]

Where did you get the info? Directly from Kingwa?

Yes, he sent the files. But like I said it’s for the R-28, not sure if the other dacs are getting same/similar.

 

[FredA]

Yes, he sent the files. But like I said it’s for the R-28, not sure if the other dacs are getting same/similar.

Thanks. I am waiting on a v2 accurate version to go along with the r-7 faceplate upgrade. Maybe it will be a v3 accurate . This makes so many versions, Kingwa is getting a taste of what is involved managing them.

 

[FredA]

I read a short comparison of the r2r 7 he put against a Terminator on a french forum. Some people on this thread mentioned something to the effect there are audio-gd sales rep on this thread. I felt a little bit targetted. For their info, i am just a big fan of audio-gd and Kingwa.

Anyway, the Terminator won the comparison. But... the r2r 7 HE was fresh out of the box. Quite ironic. I am calling this doing advertising for Denafrips. Any serious reviewer should also know that any component has to be integrated to a system properly with a good power cable and interconnect match. And ideally, for a dac, be evaluated with different transports. Just my 2 cents. It is possible that the Terminator is actually better but we won’t find out reading botched comparisons like these.

 

[FredA]

Frankly, i don’t need to know about the Terminator. My dac performs at a level where i can’t point a single shortcoming soundwise and the listening experience is very immersive, just like i like it to be since i owned the Master-7.

But for anyone interested, getting the maximum out of any component at this level, you need to invest time and some money. And be an experienced audiophile to find the right tweaks to optimize your setup. Especially on the transport side. The whole chain downstream has to be worthy of the source and transport combo.

For some people, the loudspeakers are the key to good sound, for others, it’s the dac, then the amp for some. Sorry guys, all links matter and the weakest one determines how good things will be overall. Plus, you need good sinergy.

Recently, i got a set of Osborne Eclipses (with tweeter upgrade) replacing the Gallo 3.1s. It took some cable swaps and other adjustments to integrate them, and the end result is a richer mid range and bass that extends to 25 hz. Quite clean bass, not quite as the Gallos but close. So overall, it is an upgrade, a clear one, but not by miles. So my point is there is no component out there that will compensate for everything that is wrong in a setup. I put thousands of hours in this hobby. It is sort of a sickness, but a good one! I am at a point today where i know that most indecently priced gears out there are mirages. It is more important to know what you are doing than investing tons of money.

 

[DACLadder]

The Denafrips Terminator is interesting and shares similar features like switchable DSD/R2R and OS/NOS. Uses familar Crystek 957 TCXOs and has a lot of input options. The Terminator uses standard electronic parts like surface mount resistor and caps. Cost is $4250 US.

The R7 may not test at peak performance without a lot of time and fuss to setup and calibrate. That may be its "Achilles heel" in a direct comparison.