[Mossberg]

Thanks for quick replies.
I did try to unplug the usb but that didn't work, so I unplugged it and plugged it back in my other room and it was dead silent. I went back and plugged it back in but moved my router away and it working perfectly now. I should have thought of this.
 
Thank you!

 

[brunk]

  Thanks for quick answers.
I did try to unplug the usb but that didn't work, so I unplugged it and plugged it back in my other room and it was dead silent. I went back and plugged it back in but moved my router away and it working perfectly now. I should have thought of this.

 

[Clemmaster]

I got this noise too with the RE262.
 
Day 2 with the unit: it really reminds me of the NFB-27 but it is a bit grainy in the treble when the Audio-GD is perfectly smooth. This could be either the DAC itself or the fact the EF-6 is more transparent than the SA-31 I used to run the HE-5LE with, which would smooth out treble a bit.
Also, I find the sound a bit thin with the EF-6 + HE-6/5LE. Again, the SA-31 helped fleshing out the mids compared to the built-in amp in the NFB-27 (which I never really used for this reason. I found the SA-31 technically as competent and much more musical) so I suppose the Hifimen are to blame for that.
I totally agree with Tony's Ciunas review and the comparison with the DA8: vocals are better on the Ciunas, treble is smoother but the Yulong is more involving, more fun and has a better sound-stage/imaging.
 
Besides these 2 small issues, the DA8 is the most communicative (read dynamically involving) DAC I owned since I sold the Audio-gd. The imaging and details level is very good, especially on the sides where my other DACs tend to be fuzzy.
 
I'm going to order a new SA-31. I've been using the 5LE yesterday and every time I switch back to it, I immediately notice the drop in overall technicalities but, at the same time, I find it more natural than the HE-6 and much more focused (though smaller in scale).
 
I probably should wait for the A18 to arrive, though.

 

[Elder]

  Hi guys,
 
I got my unit yesterday and was able to listen to it quite a bit, in three words, I love it.
There is one thing bugging me though, especially with my Denons d7000, there is a bit of noise in the background.
This noise sounds "pulsive" like a ticking noise I was not used to from lets say my PC out.
 
Project86 said he had experienced something similar with IE headphones, I wonder if it is the same, but I cant try it because I don't have an adapter.
Has anyone else experienced this and can this be minimized in any reasonable way?

Keep your DA8 away from strong radio frequency interference (RFI) sources like cellphones, wireless phones and wireless routers. I found mine sensitive to DECT wireless phones noise. I realized that the noise has been captured from the RCA cables, so make sure the cables are also clear of RFI noise sources as well. The cabinet seems to be a good RFI/EMI shield, but it looks like there is not enough RFI filtering at the RCA output. I never had any cable connected to the balanced outputs, so I never noticed any RFI entering through them. Other external connections can be sensitive, too, like the Coax SPDIF and the headphone jack but I never noticed any problem with them. I only noticed the noise with earphones with high sensitivity. The noise is independent of the volume setting. This is expected as the volume control is in the digital domain.

 

[brunk]

  I got this noise too with the RE262.
 
Day 2 with the unit: it really reminds me of the NFB-27 but it is a bit grainy in the treble when the Audio-GD is perfectly smooth. This could be either the DAC itself or the fact the EF-6 is more transparent than the SA-31 I used to run the HE-5LE with, which would smooth out treble a bit.
Also, I find the sound a bit thin with the EF-6 + HE-6/5LE. Again, the SA-31 helped fleshing out the mids compared to the built-in amp in the NFB-27 (which I never really used for this reason. I found the SA-31 technically as competent and much more musical) so I suppose the Hifimen are to blame for that.
I totally agree with Tony's Ciunas review and the comparison with the DA8: vocals are better on the Ciunas, treble is smoother but the Yulong is more involving, more fun and has a better sound-stage/imaging.
 
Besides these 2 small issues, the DA8 is the most communicative (read dynamically involving) DAC I owned since I sold the Audio-gd. The imaging and details level is very good, especially on the sides where my other DACs tend to be fuzzy.
 
I'm going to order a new SA-31. I've been using the 5LE yesterday and every time I switch back to it, I immediately notice the drop in overall technicalities but, at the same time, I find it more natural than the HE-6 and much more focused (though smaller in scale).
 
I probably should wait for the A18 to arrive, though.

Hmm interesting. I have found other DACs to be grainy, but not the DA8. Matter of fact, I find it so transparent that it makes you really step up your game to catch up. Maybe give it a few more days for things to burn in, or perhaps you'll realize you're hearing a clearer window and you have discovered problems that were covered up until now. If imaging, dynamics and details are in fact as you say very good, isn't that the definition of high fidelity? Without those qualities, resolution is lost.

 

[Clemmaster]

The DA8 definitely is a HiFi device, no doubt!
Like I said, the grain (or "tizz") is probably due to the HE-5LE: it has raw treble. The SA-31 will confirm that.

I am really looking forward getting the F5 to see if the HE-6 becomes better at focus and holographic imaging.

One thing that bugs me with the DA8's preamp operation is that one click on the knob directly sets the output to full volume! That's dangerous and there's no delay (as opposed to switching from pure DAC to preamp mode)...

 

[brunk]

The DA8 definitely is a HiFi device, no doubt!
Like I said, the grain (or "tizz") is probably due to the HE-5LE: it has raw treble. The SA-31 will confirm that.

I am really looking forward getting the F5 to see if the HE-6 becomes better at focus and holographic imaging.

One thing that bugs me with the DA8's preamp operation is that one click on the knob directly sets the output to full volume! That's dangerous and there's no delay (as opposed to switching from pure DAC to preamp mode)...

Yeah, the HE-5LE does have a little glare from what I remember when I owned it. One thing I do hear now that i didn't previously was pre/post ringing on the impulse response. It's really only audible on the sharp filter. On slow filter, it is greatly reduced and maybe even inaudible. Pretty much all Sigma Delta DACs have this limitation, and some people are more sensitive to it than others. Purrin as a matter of fact is sensitive to ringing, hence his aversion toward these types of DACs (see his DAC thread and historical posts), but that doesn't mean they are inferior like he claims. He's just sensitive to it. On the contrary, many NOS or R2R DACs need to have several in parallel to even rival the resolution of a single ESS9018, but they do lack in pre/post ringing. They still have other issues I won't discuss here though. 
 
Yeah I agree about the volume knob thing, there really should be a discrete button for it instead of being integrated on the volume control. I haven't had an issue with it, but I am extra cautious when I use it.
 
EDIT: The most tell-tale sign of pre/post ringing, or lack thereof is what I like to call "the silence between the notes". It's almost like a subtle 'gong' or 'hitting a glass with a fork' effect. Switching between sharp and slow filters reveals this effect to me, YMMV. Don't mistake it with ambience though.

 

[Gradius]

 

Exactly teiki, nothing more is needed to say.

 

[Esprit]

  Keep your DA8 away from strong radio frequency interference (RFI) sources like cellphones, wireless phones and wireless routers. I found mine sensitive to DECT wireless phones noise. I realized that the noise has been captured from the RCA cables, so make sure the cables are also clear of RFI noise sources as well. The cabinet seems to be a good RFI/EMI shield, but it looks like there is not enough RFI filtering at the RCA output. I never had any cable connected to the balanced outputs, so I never noticed any RFI entering through them. Other external connections can be sensitive, too, like the Coax SPDIF and the headphone jack but I never noticed any problem with them. I only noticed the noise with earphones with high sensitivity. The noise is independent of the volume setting. This is expected as the volume control is in the digital domain.

I have my router near the DA8, I'm using only XLR cables (DA8->Bryston pre->Adam active speakers) and till now I have not heard, perceived, any disturbance

 

[Elder]

  I have my router near the DA8, I'm using only XLR cables (DA8->Bryston pre->Adam active speakers) and till now I have not heard, perceived, any disturbance

It is good to know that the XLR outs seem to be RFI immune. May be the sensitive part is the RCA outputs only. I only experienced noise with my DECT wireless telephone and noticed that the noise was gone when the RCA cables were disconnected. I never had a router near the DA8. I mentioned wireless routers as possible RFI noise source. Other people, including Mossberg, have already reported that a wireless router caused some noise. This is also dependent of the RFI source itself. Sometimes using a different brand or model with different power and antennas can make a difference. Anyway, the inducted noise is very soft and I only noticed with sensitive earphones. With the Beyer DT990 and with the Superlux HD681 I cannot hear any noise with the wireless phone handset very near the DA8.
 
I would like to clarify that the noise I am talking about is heard at the internal HP amplifier. I never heard any noise coming from the RCA outputs to the power amplifier.

 

[brunk]

  It is good to know that the XLR outs seem to be RFI immune. May be the sensitive part is the RCA outputs only. I only experienced noise with my DECT wireless telephone and noticed that the noise was gone when the RCA cables were disconnected. I never had a router near the DA8. I mentioned wireless routers as possible RFI noise source. Other people, including Mossberg, have already reported that a wireless router caused some noise. This is also dependent of the RFI source itself. Sometimes using a different brand or model with different power and antennas can make a difference. Anyway, the inducted noise is very soft and I only noticed with sensitive earphones. With the Beyer DT990 and with the Superlux HD681 I cannot hear any noise with the wireless phone handset very near the DA8.
 
I would like to clarify that the noise I am talking about is heard at the internal HP amplifier. I never heard any noise coming from the RCA outputs to the power amplifier.

Hmm, makes me wonder how wide of a frequency response the internal amp has, perhaps 100khz or more.

 

[Elder]

  Hmm, makes me wonder how wide of a frequency response the internal amp has, perhaps 100khz or more.

I believe the frequency response of the internal amp is irrelevant concerning the interference. The signal causing noise is in the hundreds or thousands of megahertz. I have experienced DECT phones and cellphones causing very annoying noises on regular wired telephone sets and on very low cost plastic type computer amplified speakers. These devices have a very narrow audio bandwidth, specially the telephone set.

 

[Esprit]

Sometimes using a different brand or model with different power and antennas can make a difference. 

I live in a little town but now in my house I'm receiving over 20 wifi signals from my neighbours (In addition there are lots transmitters for mobile) 

 

[Esprit]

No posts about speakers in this thread but: what are the most noticeable differences between the Auralic Vega and the Yulong DA8? 

 

[project86]

  No posts about speakers in this thread but: what are the most noticeable differences between the Auralic Vega and the Yulong DA8? 

 
 
I haven't heard Vega enough to really give it a thorough evaluation. Based on my limited exposure, I'd say it's more neutral and vibrant, more resolving, and somewhat more detailed. Overall a "better" DAC assuming the sound signature fits your preferences. You sure do pay a lot to get that small improvement though.