[Whitigir]

Also your lks now has a major clock upgrade. I insist cause the test i have done shown that the r7 was able to get a level of realism, smoothness and resolution playing dsd256 you will never be able to hear even playing 96/24 pcm.

You are correct, I did a major upgrade on the clock, and it will see even further upgrade on clock. But even with stock clock, the DSD was still superior on lks004 in comparison to r2r7. I did post about it previously.

I upgraded lks004 clock because it couldn’t scale up with Pinkfaun i2s in PCM the way r2r7 does

Regarding pcm and DSD in your situation, you need to compare it when you get a good source and source clock for pcm. You will observe what I do, the PCM done right is superior to DSD on the R2R7.

 

[FredA]

My Pinkfaun has always been doing I2S. It does not do USB, but it is dedicated enough to do onboard USB. Then again, I used this for both r2r7 and lks004, the r2r7 can’t even get close in DSD performances.

In fact it was my lks004 that couldn’t catch up with r2r7 in PCM by Pinkfaun I2S. So I found out about the Clocks I need to replace inside the lks004, and now it scales up! My LKS004 now has expensive OCXO inside and it even further enhance the DSD512 but not as much and vastly improved as PCM.

However, since upgrading it, the Pinkfaun PCM into LKS004 sound so freaking good. Still different than r2r7, but so so good. After all, DSD maybe the best way to go, but if it isn’t done right, then PCM done right will always win

Got it. Gotto try those ocxos in the r7...

 

[FredA]

Just read your last posts. From my previous experience, Crysteks could be an improvment.

 

[FredA]

If i were into dsd listening, i would go for the nfb7.77 instead. To much popping goimg from pcm to dsd and the other way around.

 

[Whitigir]

If i were into dsd listening, i would go for the nfb7.77 instead. To much popping goimg from pcm to dsd and the other way around.

Yeah, but I didn’t go with 7.77 because I like how simpler and easier it is to work and modify on LKS004. I just go with whatever make more senses rather than brands. I also like lks004 because it is single board with everything on board and no interconnecting wires too. I love both devices

 

[FredA]

I can't complain much with my setup. If you heard what i am hearing right now, you would not complain either. Yours is most like superior of course but mine is still excellent, best i have ever had by a couple of notches. As far as jitter goes, there are a few ways to improve thing: shorten the signal path in order to preverve signal integrity and minimize rise time, use the best possible cable for the application, minimize the noise level. And of course: use better oscillators.

Doing some experimenttions, i can state again that the new firmware can upsample 44/16 material better than audirvana, which i find amazing.

Going usb, one can reduce jitter by using a better clocked usb signal as usb audio is a real time protocol and the incoming audio needs to be buffered and reclocked, same as spdif. So my next move will be to get a more silent and better clocked usb transport.

 

[Chopin75]

With dsd256 however, using an actual dsd file, it's great. Using on-the-fly conversion on my mac mini, it really ordinary.

Someone would have to try a direct dsd512 i2s signal from a dsd512 file to really evaluate dsd512 or a usb signal with recent usb interface that performs well with that sort of rate. What was your setup?

@Currawong : i should have notified you that i had quoted you, so that you get a chance to clarify your thoughts on the r-28. I apologize.

Agree! Glad u finally use original DSD files. Playing Great oringinal DSD recording (not mastered from PCM) can simply be amazing on R2R7! Liquid smooth, not artifical smooth but very naturalistic. Piano tone is amazing. But R2R7 can be quite picky on the recording. Inferior recordings can show their flaws easily.

 

[FredA]

Agree! Glad u finally use original DSD files. Playing Great oringinal DSD recording (not mastered from PCM) can simply be amazing on R2R7! Liquid smooth, not artifical smooth but very naturalistic. Piano tone is amazing. But R2R7 can be quite picky on the recording. Inferior recordings can show their flaws easily.

I perfectly agree. The short sample of classical music i got is breathtaking. Better than any pcm file i own.

 

[Chopin75]

I can't complain much with my setup. If you heard what i am hearing right now, you would not complain either. Yours is most like superior of course but mine is still excellent, best i have ever had by a couple of notches. As far as jitter goes, there are a few ways to improve thing: shorten the signal path in order to preverve signal integrity and minimize rise time, use the best possible cable for the application, minimize the noise level. And of course: use better oscillators.

Doing some experimenttions, i can state again that the new firmware can upsample 44/16 material better than audirvana, which i find amazing.

Going usb, one can reduce jitter by using a better clocked usb signal as usb audio is a real time protocol and the incoming audio needs to be buffered and reclocked, same as spdif. So my next move will be to get a more silent and better clocked usb transport.

How about the SOrm utra 200 with master clock input? U can clock the input with external clcok. Their DDC USB has same clock + external
Clock option.

 

[FredA]

Should be excellent but i expect the likely upcoming allo usbridge signature to match or best it for less than half of the price, at least with the standard clock. On a pc though, i would maybe go for an audiophile usb card.

The allo is not a very end-user-friendly product. It it meant more for geeks. With it, i hope to get rid of the mac mini in my chain. I would still use the mini to rips cds and other tasks.

 

[Chopin75]

You are correct, I did a major upgrade on the clock, and it will see even further upgrade on clock. But even with stock clock, the DSD was still superior on lks004 in comparison to r2r7. I did post about it previously.

I upgraded lks004 clock because it couldn’t scale up with Pinkfaun i2s in PCM the way r2r7 does

Regarding pcm and DSD in your situation, you need to compare it when you get a good source and source clock for pcm. You will observe what I do, the PCM done right is superior to DSD on the R2R7.

When u do DSD do u use native DSD files with no upsampling or all upsampled or from PCM? Also what software programs do u use? I presume u use windows, ? HGplayer, foobar ? Do u use audio enhancer like fidelizer? And I preuse Asio drive?

 

[Chopin75]

Should be excellent but i expect the likely upcoming allo usbridge signature to match or best it for less than half of the price, at least with the standard clock. On a pc though, i would maybe go for an audiophile usb card.

The allo is not a very end-user-friendly product. It it meant more for geeks. With it, i hope to get rid of the mac mini in my chain. I would still use the mini to rips cds and other tasks.

I still don’t get how thr allo isolate the computer. How is it different from regular DDC?

 

[Whitigir]

When u do DSD do u use native DSD files with no upsampling or all upsampled or from PCM? Also what software programs do u use? I presume u use windows, ? HGplayer, foobar ? Do u use audio enhancer like fidelizer? And I preuse Asio drive?

Asio4All
Both Native, and upsampled from 24/192 and 16/44.1 (I compare as much as possible)
HQPlayer , Jriver, Foobar, Audirvana and no further enhancer . I do favor HQPlayer more and IMO is the best

 

[FredA]

I still don’t get how thr allo isolate the computer. How is it different from regular DDC?

You can connect it with rj45 to your local network and use it as roon or upnp end point (to which you can send music to from Audirvana). Or use it as a standalone player. It is a pi based computer, fanless, with a high-quality usb board.

 

[Chopin75]

Asio4All
Both Native, and upsampled from 24/192 and 16/44.1 (I compare as much as possible)
HQPlayer , Jriver, Foobar, Audirvana and no further enhancer . I do favor HQPlayer more and IMO is the best

I heard great things about HQPlayer but mainly in its upsampling of DSD. Do u think it is also best for native DSD and PCM playback without upsampling/conversion? Also how much CpU is needed if I just do Native DSD up to 256 and converting 64 to 256 but no 512 or any conversion from PCM ? My current MAcbook pro is quad core i5 but latest 8th gen. It is supposed to be even more powerful than 7th gen quad core i7. And I have 16GB RAM