Threadripper may indeed be the best option if cores and cache take priority. Look forward to reading about your results with it.
Only reason I'm looking at i2s is because it's the most direct feed possible. I've used USB for both DAC power and audio data for years and built my audio PC from the ground up with all fanless components including a low ripple Seasonic psu and no moving parts (other than the optical drive). My MSI motherboard even has isolated 5V power and USB ports specifically for DAC use. I also use an Jitterbug and iPurifier2 so my USB can't get much cleaner. However, each piece changes the sound a bit (for the better imo) and I'm wondering if all the conversions/passes the signal takes before getting to the actual DAC chip are having a negative effect.
I looked at further USB upgrades but my current DAC has built-in galvanic isolation so I don't need the iGalvanic3 or Iso Regen (not to mention each of those costs about the same as my DAC). I also prefer internal components and less cabling to save desktop space and reduce clutter so the Pink Faun card is enticing.
I've found that a proper R2R (or multibit) design negates some need (for me at least) to transcode to DSD. However, I'd still like the ability to upsample when desired. Also curious to know if HQPlayer can do DSD512 using 48kHz files and whether the Holo Spring/Cyan can do DSD1024? Only know of 2 DACs that officially handle 1024 (including the Matrix X-Sabre) but would love to know if the Holos are capable. Extreme, yes, but so is DSD512 and building super-high powered machines specifically for audio processing. In for a penny.....
Just because you use an i2S connection from the computer to the DAC doesn't make it a good connection though.
Direct feeds only work well for cable implementation where the shortest distance is the superior one.
When it comes to digital corrections however, reclocking is fine and does not influence negative feedback if done properly.
There is no latency delay when all the bits are received and ultimately converted over to i2S when using such devices like Singxer SU-1.
The Pink Faun use dirty generated computer noise from the 12V power supply from the computer. Despite single or multiple 12V rail, it's still very very noisy regardless of how many filtering the Pink Faun card has on it. Generating from a different line of voltage is better in this case scenario. The i2S output from the Pink Faun I reckon is also inferior to the Crystek HD-575 available on the SU-1 and I doubt the former has much digital isolation and power isolation stages as compared to the later. This is why direct doesn't mean it's good. It may remove the need to improve USB signal integrity, but a line out i2S from the computer to the DAC is a pretty long distance that's full of jitter unless you can somehow keep it within 0.3-0.5M and even then, the noisy power from the computer will just simply induce the jittr count even more so. I2S is better when it's being more regulated and this usually is only offered by external devices.
I don't recall the Soekris dac1101 having galvanic isolation on it's input, especially at that price. I do know the new generation USB cards for the Schiit DAC's do, but again, that's USB.
I can't agree to the statement where R2R design negates the need to transcode DSD. The Holo Audio Spring as you know has two separate ladder for PCM and DSD. Playing the same PCM file music transcoded to Native DSD to let the DSD R2R Ladder decode it simply sounds way better. This can either be due to the improved filter/modulation that gets applied to these files when using HQPlayer or there may be some anomaly with this DAC in particular to how well it decodes DSD versus PCM. Either way, it's amazing and so I would heavily recommend R2R Ladder (DSD) as well as encoding PCM to DSD to gain from the improved filters that matches the level of degree as the Chord Dave.
I had a friend that can play DSD512 on 48Khz so should confirm. As far as I can tell, the highest the Spring can currently do is DSD512.
The stock firmware for the Singxer SU-1 does only DSD256 and needs the new v2.20 firmware update to support DSD512.
I do wonder how DSD1024 would sound like. I've had Matrix X-Sabre as well as the Pro (later release) and can say I prefer the Spring miles ahead.
Hi Thanh
@Energy ,
Any progress with experimenting HQplayer DSD512 xtr with the Threadripper yet? I am placing all my hopes on you! I really don't want to have to build a 7920X or higher system.
Fingers crossed that Threadripper can pull it off. Remember to use the highest speed DDR4 you can get for highest memory bandwidth. Jussi said that the memory speed/bandwidth is an important part, and he was excited about the 4 way interleaving available on Threadripper (like i9-79xx series too).
Keep us updated!
Yeang
I will give you an update this weekend! Setup has been completed but the CPU doesn't get here until Friday (11/3/2017).
I will test it at stock clocks to see if that works right out the box with upsampling PCM to DSD512 using the poly-sinc-xtr filter.
Do you know anything about modulation? I'm not sure which modulator is the best. Jussi has his set to ASDM7 while I had mine at AMSDM7 512+fs this entire time. Bit rate is at 44.1 x 512 for me.
And yes. I am using G.Skill Trident Z RGB at 3200MHz Quad Channel (32GB) which is four sticks of memory at 4-way interleaving.