Shanling ET3 - Dedicated Digital CD Transport, With USB Drive and Wi-Fi Support

[pataburd]

Will you provide/direct me to a link with the HDMI pinout diagram for the ET3 (please)?
Thank you.

 

[Kiats]

Will you provide/direct me to a link with the HDMI pinout diagram for the ET3 (please)?
Thank you.

@Shanling provided the diagram earlier in the thread as well as the links to the manuals.

 

[pataburd]

SMSL D400EX HDMI pin assignment [same for SMSL M400]:

Shanling ET3 HDMI pin assignment:

. . . NOT compatible . . .


NuPrime CDT-8 Pro HDMI pin assignment:

. . . NOT compatible . . .

 

[Bakczy]

Isn't the IIS pin assignement something that can be changed in software? Maybe by firmware update of ET3 Shanling could provide a wider compatibility with different dacs over standard hdmi cables.

 

[pataburd]

@Bakczy that would be great!

Shanling?!?!? [NuPrime!?!?!]

 

[pataburd]

Just pre-ordered the ET3(!).
Therefore, the Shanling will probably take several weeks to get here.
Am looking forward to pairing this transport (USB Audio out) with the Mojo Audio Mystique Gen.1 XMOS and hoping to get the i2s situation resolved beforehand.

 

[Kiats]

Isn't the IIS pin assignement something that can be changed in software? Maybe by firmware update of ET3 Shanling could provide a wider compatibility with different dacs over standard hdmi cables.

Hmm… the Holo Spring 3 DAC has 3 different settings for the config of I2S. So I use the default setting for ET3 and another one for when I use the DAC with I2S out of iFi NEO Stream.

Never seen streamers have options thus far. For DACs, I think so.

Hence, I actually scoured the Holo Spring thread and the iFi thread as well as asked @Shanling for confirmation after reading the manual he had posted.

 

[Shanling]

Isn't the IIS pin assignement something that can be changed in software? Maybe by firmware update of ET3 Shanling could provide a wider compatibility with different dacs over standard hdmi cables.

We are pushing our engineers to check more on this, but so far have very little info about the I2S and what exactly might be causing issues on the connections and how can we fix it.

 

[Kiats]

We are pushing our engineers to check more on this, but so far have very little info about the I2S and what exactly might be causing issues on the connections and how can we fix it.

Yeah... IS2 has no real industry standards right now and I can imagine it's really tough to pick which of the most popular configurations to take into account...

 

[pataburd]

Yeah... IS2 has no real industry standards right now and I can imagine it's really tough to pick which of the most popular configurations to take into account...

Hopefully there will be some consensus/standardization within the audio[phile] industry--soon--about HMDI/i2s configurations.
Meanwhile, I have found solace with a good AES/EBU cable but would like to at least hear what i2s has to offer.

 

[Kiats]

Hopefully there will be some consensus/standardization within the audio[phile] industry--soon--about HMDI/i2s configurations.
Meanwhile, I have found solace with a good AES/EBU cable but would like to at least hear what i2s has to offer.

Yes. Hopefully so.

I am using the I2S with both the iFi NEO Stream (as a NAA for HQ Player) and the ET-3 into the Holo Spring 3 KTE DAC.

 

[pataburd]

Too bad neither the ET3 nor the CDT-8 Pro is i2s compatible with the SMSL D400EX, since I plan to keep that DAC for a good while.

 

[Kiats]

Enjoying some early morning listening on the RAAL Requisite CA-1a, off the ET-3, out via I2S into the Holo Spring 3 KTE and the SAEQ HSA-1C.

I will admit that the ET-3 has been getting a lot of airtime since it found a place in the rig a couple of months back. Big shout out to Wilson of Jaben SG for suggesting I try this out.

 

[mooster1223]

I'll be ordering an ET3 on Friday. I'll be feeding it to my Gustard A26 by I2s cable.

Is there a consensus on cable length? I was planning on 1 meter. The cable will be custom made for this application so now is the time to make a change in length if needed.

Thanks

 

[Kiats]

I'll be ordering an ET3 on Friday. I'll be feeding it to my Gustard A26 by I2s cable.

Is there a consensus on cable length? I was planning on 1 meter. The cable will be custom made for this application so now is the time to make a change in length if needed.

Thanks

I think at the end of the day, it really depends on how far are the two components you want to connect. I have a longer one and one shorter one cos I use 2 IS2 cables into my Holo Spring 3 KTE DAC: one from the ET-3 and one further away from the iFi NEO Stream. I am sure the shorter distance, as a rule of thumb, is usually advisable perhaps because of any interference along the way. However, any incremental perceived improvement in sound quality has to be balanced against convenience and perhaps flexibility. Well, those are just my thoughts.