[Elder]

  Thank you for the confirmation. So it's not an indication of anything seriously broken.
 
The main problem I experience with my unit are frequent changes of it's sound quality.
 
It sounded very bad when new, prominent highs with background noise, recessed mids and weak muffled bass, my integrated sound card sounded way better. Like I have read from other owners, it's nothing unusual so I gave him time to burn-in, and it worked, sort of.
 
The sound quality has continually improved during last 6 months, but very slowly. I would describe the change process like cycle during which the sound quality reaches it's maximum, then drops down and starts to rise again from mostly flat, unfocused and foggy state, with minor distortion on some frequencies (these are slowly eliminated in time).
The cycle duration varies, but is mostly between 12-36 hours of continual play.
 
Now(after 6 months) the sound has gotten much better overall, bass has a real texture and dynamics has increased a lot, but even now I (sometimes) have to wait 6-10 hours for quality and enjoyable sound it can provide when in "good mood".
During these happy hours I love it and I enjoy the sound quality I expected from such expensive dac/amp.
 
I'm not sure whether it's slow burn-in is normal and the sound quality will stabilize after it's "finished". I hope so because it's still improving (after 6 months).
 
I have to add that it's not just my imagination, few other guys have heard my unit in the past and were quite disappointed.
I tested another PC, USB cable, power cord and power source, but the problem remains.

I did not experience variable quality issues but I experienced a continued improving in audio quality with burn in. It is a long burn in, indeed. It took over 300 hours to sound very good. I also found the sound disappointing initially. My both units had the same behavior. I noticed that the DA8 is kind sensitive to external interference. I heard noise caused by a wireless phone near it. I found out the noise "entered" the unit through the cables. Sometimes through the RCA cable and sometimes through the headphones cable. This noise was only noticed with high sensitivity in ear phones. I believe this was only affecting the HP amp. May be some noise entering into the DA section could also cause other issues that affect the overall sound quality. Try to keep your unit and cables apart from RF generating devices like cellphones, wireless phones and WiFi routers. Also experiment changing the power plug to a different outlet or power strip. Try to have the computer and the DA8 connected to the same ground or disconnected from the ground at all and see what happens. Try to disconnect the line cables while using the HP amp to see if it does any difference. Another possibility is the power in your house being variable and affecting the unit. Try changing the USB, too. Look for a cable with RF filter (those ferrite cylinders around the cable) or a cable designed for audio.
 
For the best results, you have to upgrade the firmware and use the latest drivers (it appears as for JRiver but it is for all players).
 
With the latest firmware and drivers, you could try using the foo_dsd_asio proxy to upsample everything to DSD256. The latest version is capable of upsampling DSD, too.
You can download from SourceFourge:
 
http://sourceforge.net/projects/sacddecoder/files/foo_dsd_asio/
 
If you use foobar2000, download foo_input_sacd pack with the latest version of the sacd component and the asio proxy. If you do not use foobar2000, just the proxy is fine. You use it with any ASIO capable player. Select the foo_dsd_asio as the device instead of the Yulong. The foo_dsd_asio control panel allow you to configure the upsampling options. I like it better than the JRiver upsampling feature, as it uses less CPU power than the JRiver's one. I usually do not like upsampling my music, but I liked this latest version with DSD256. It requires a fast computer, though.
 
I also configure the buffers and latency settings to the smallest values possible. It looks like it sounds better with short buffers, but this may be dependent of your setup.
 
I hope this helps you to enjoy your music.
 
Cheers.
 
Edit: I was listening more carefully to the original and upsampled music. I still prefer the original.

 

[blackie333]

Thank you for your suggestions and advices, I really appreciate it.
 
I have already tried quite a few things, switch power outlets, power strips/UPS, USB cables (both with pins 1&4 covered with tape).
My Haswell PC with Foobar2000 and Yulong on the same power strip or on separated, still not covered the problem source.
All my mobile device are at least 1.5 meter away from the device. Quite a few wifi networks around, but that I can't change.
Problem is independent of the input(optical and USB tested) and affects both headphones and symmetrical out.
Device is not hot, but I'm listening on very low volume around -55 db.
 
From my experience for now it seems that the problem is more related to the unit itself, seems that something inside needs time to be properly "charged or warmed" (it seems absurd, I know) to sound dynamic & full again, not flat, dull & foggy as during "cycle" begin.
Sorry I can't explain it better in English. I will experiment some more with power source and location, maybe something will come out of it.
 
About the oversampling, I have tested Sox oversampling which sometimes sounds too smooth. I have tested the ASIO proxy driver, DSD128 via DoP was OK, native DSD128 quite OK, DSD256 seems to cause some noticeable background hiss, DSD512 is not really usable(increased hiss and strange ticking sounds in right channel). All tested with original f/w, no upgrade for now.

 

[Elder]

  ...
 
About the oversampling, I have tested Sox oversampling which sometimes sounds too smooth. I have tested the ASIO proxy driver, DSD128 via DoP was OK, native DSD128 quite OK, DSD256 seems to cause some noticeable background hiss, DSD512 is not really usable(increased hiss and strange ticking sounds in right channel). All tested with original f/w, no upgrade for now.

F/W upgrade fixes the DSD256 background noise issue but the DSD512 reamains unusable. It is worth upgrading the F/W, though, and it is easy. To erase the flash, you can use a little piece of solid wire, like a piece of 24 AWG wire from an ethernet cable, as the jumper. It will fit in the holes of the PCB. Insert the jumper then power on the DA8. Hold the jumper in place for a few seconds (wait for the unit to startup) then remove it. Cycle the unit power and wait for Windows finish detecting the device. Run ConfigTool.exe and follow the instructions. Future firmware releases will no longer require the jumper to erase the flash.
 
Cheers.

 

[blueangel2323]

I'm not familiar with upsampling to DSD. It's called an SACD driver so can only SACD sources be upsampled, or does it also work with MP3 rips of normal 44.1/16 CDs?

 

[gevorg]

I'm not familiar with upsampling to DSD. It's called an SACD driver so can only SACD sources be upsampled, or does it also work with MP3 rips of normal 44.1/16 CDs?

With foobar/JRiver, you can upsample pretty much everything to DSD, even MP3s. Not that it would necessarily make the sound better.

 

[Aleksandr-Rus]

I choose to new DAC. There is a problem with several people in rus forum,  with static noise during pauses, when you connect a stationary computer via usb! That's it.Such a problem as noise have multiple users with whom I spoke at the forum. But now, in June, the May release of an update da8. Sales of the old version is stopped. So this issue no longer makes sense. I'll wait for the new version of Yulong DA8 and study reviews on it.
 
Here is a quote .------> Leads course from the computer. Different modes of operation are different. Most likely the video card. I have everything exactly the same. In digital headphones hear hum from a computer via the built-in amp. Not strong, but in silence heard clearly. From different laptops no interference. With an external amplifier either. From different computers have the same noise
Only different in nature and volume. For example minimize a window - the silence, turns around and go digital noise. Sometimes heard when the mouse is moved.
 
But now, in June, the May release of an update da8. Sales of the old version is stopped. So this issue no longer makes sense. I'll wait for the new version of Yulong DA8 and study reviews on it.

 

[Rockcoon]

So when we can see d8 vs d8 II comparision? Ofcourse, d8 II fullbodied review would be nice. Especially new comparision to Matrix X Sabre.

 

[SodaBoy]

  I choose to new DAC. There is a problem with several people in rus forum,  with static noise during pauses, when you connect a stationary computer via usb! That's it.Such a problem as noise have multiple users with whom I spoke at the forum. But now, in June, the May release of an update da8. Sales of the old version is stopped. So this issue no longer makes sense. I'll wait for the new version of Yulong DA8 and study reviews on it.
 
Here is a quote .------> Leads course from the computer. Different modes of operation are different. Most likely the video card. I have everything exactly the same. In digital headphones hear hum from a computer via the built-in amp. Not strong, but in silence heard clearly. From different laptops no interference. With an external amplifier either. From different computers have the same noise
Only different in nature and volume. For example minimize a window - the silence, turns around and go digital noise. Sometimes heard when the mouse is moved.
 
But now, in June, the May release of an update da8. Sales of the old version is stopped. So this issue no longer makes sense. I'll wait for the new version of Yulong DA8 and study reviews on it.

Hello Aleks,
 
The Yulong DA8 uses an Amanero USB module which is quite well known in the DIY community. The issues you and your community are experiencing may be due to the following:
 
1. Ground loop
2. Dirty USB power
 
The Amanero USB module uses USB bus power from the computer, it is also not galvanically isolated (shared ground with computer). To my knowledge there are no changes to the Amanero USB implementation in DA8II (the new DAC), so I'm not sure it will fix your problem.
 
I think it is worth trying the Yulong U18 USB digital interface with the external power supply. This will isolate the USB 5V bus and eliminate dirty USB power, but if problems persist you will have to isolate the ground as well. Currently, there are very few USB isolators that can handle higher sample rates so there are fewer options in this regard.

 

[project86]

So when we can see d8 vs d8 II comparision? Ofcourse, d8 II fullbodied review would be nice. Especially new comparision to Matrix X Sabre.

 
 
Will definitely write up the DA8 II. It's pretty damn nice. I'm using it right now with my Stax rig and it sounds very impressive. Perhaps an incremental boost over the original, but a welcome one nonetheless.   
 
 
Not sure how long it will be though, I've got a lot of other reviews on my plate.

 

[Rockcoon]

Will definitely write up the DA8 II. It's pretty damn nice. I'm using it right now with my Stax rig and it sounds very impressive. Perhaps an incremental boost over the original, but a welcome one nonetheless.   


Not sure how long it will be though, I've got a lot of other reviews on my plate.

That's great news

 

[Esprit]

The Amanero USB module uses USB bus power from the computer, 

Not with Yulong: I have all my USB cables with pins #1&4 covered by tape and the Yulong (DA8 or DA8 II) works perfectly...
There is no need for external power supply.

 

[SodaBoy]

  Not with Yulong: I have all my USB cables with pins #1&4 covered by tape and the Yulong (DA8 or DA8 II) works perfectly...
There is no need for external power supply.

This leaves only ground loop issue. If he isn't outputting high sample rates, he could get a plug and play isolator for $40.

 

[j3294]

Has anyone used an Uptone Regen with their DA8? Would be interesting to hear your experience.

 

[Amleth]

  F/W upgrade fixes the DSD256 background noise issue but the DSD512 reamains unusable. It is worth upgrading the F/W, though, and it is easy. To erase the flash, you can use a little piece of solid wire, like a piece of 24 AWG wire from an ethernet cable, as the jumper. It will fit in the holes of the PCB. Insert the jumper then power on the DA8. Hold the jumper in place for a few seconds (wait for the unit to startup) then remove it. Cycle the unit power and wait for Windows finish detecting the device. Run ConfigTool.exe and follow the instructions. Future firmware releases will no longer require the jumper to erase the flash.
 
Cheers.

 
I just tried to do the firmware update, and I can't get the "Configtool" to see the device as erased. The supplied PDF instructions are woefully inadequate as far a clearly-defining a procedure, leaving me unsure as to what I'm doing wrong exactly. I've tried jumpering the contacts with the unit on, off, USB connected or not, and it doesn't seem to make a difference. The first time I did it, something obviously changed, as I got a "Device not recognised" error from Windows when I reconnected the unit, but the flashing tool still keeps insisting the device hasn't been erased, even though it must have been, as it no longer works for USB audio. So now I can't use the unit at all, until I work out what's going on here. :/
 
I have a new "Unknown device" under "Other devices" in Device manager now, but the flash tool doesn't see it.
 
Edit:
Whether the DA8 is plugged in or not, every time I click the "Start Update Step 1" button the ConfigTool flash program just says:
 Looking for device...
 Please Erase the Device.
 
Does it need some sort of generic driver installed for the software to see it, or should the "Unknown device" state work? If a driver install is needed, that's not in the instructions.
 
Do I need to uninstall the existing DA8 driver? I thought since it worked with the new firmware I could leave it in place, plus again the instructions didn't say to uninstall it.
 
Edit 2:
Tried various different physical USB ports, and get same beahviour from all of them. Only thing that changes is the "Unknown device" moves to different port numbers in Device Manager. Feeling pretty unhappy with Yulong right now... :/
 
Edit 3:
Amanero to the rescue again! There's an inf file in the package that you can manually point the "Unknown device" to and then force the installation (Windows will prompt about the driver being unsigned and how this will cause your children to die in their sleep, etc). This is the virtual serial driver the update program needs to actually talk to the Combo384 board, and once it was installed everything afterwards worked as it should. I guess it installed automatically for others, but not for me (I assume because of security settings and the driver not being signed). This should really be mentioned in the installation instructions, Yulong...

 

[moriez]

  Perhaps an incremental boost over the original, but a welcome one nonetheless.   
 

 

   the Yulong (DA8 or DA8 II) works perfectly...
 

 
Hey, I found out about the MK2 release just a couple of days ago. If you guys have spent some more quality time with the two your impressions are appreciated ^^