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Singxer SU-6
Aug 8, 2019 at 12:11 AM Post #76 of 1,018
So I suppose the SU6's competition is the Gustard U16. It seems it's out of the race for now due to software issues. But just for now...

The price of the U16 is certainly tempting. But without a spare power cord lying around one is looking at around an additional $250 or so right? So the gap narrows. The SU6 super capacitor power supply system is hard to beat regardless.

But what about the sound? Reading about the U16 it is often described as warm and more tube like. More liquid sounding. And nothing wrong with that, for many people warm but detailed is the holy grail. Me included.

But how does a DDC warm up the sound. I thought that this specific component should be the one piece of gear that should never be anything but neutral. It's just ones and zeros right? You would think that one DDC would sound better than another but how does it become warmer? Anyone have thoughts on this.
 
Aug 8, 2019 at 12:31 AM Post #77 of 1,018
PeterCraig said:
But how does a DDC warm up the sound. I thought that this specific component should be the one piece of gear that should never be anything but neutral. It's just ones and zeros right? You would think that one DDC would sound better than another but how does it become warmer? Anyone have thoughts on this.
Click to expand...
It's ones and zeros, and the timing of those ones and zeros (clocking) affecting the timing of the DAC's level changes (depending on the DAC design), and electric noise that may sneak in with the digital signal.
I once had a micro iDSD connected to a Schiit SYS, and that to a power amp. When I hooked up a computer with a particularly noisy PSU, noise came out of the speakers. Even when the micro iDSD was off...
 
Aug 8, 2019 at 9:49 PM Post #78 of 1,018
Alcophone said:
It's ones and zeros, and the timing of those ones and zeros (clocking) affecting the timing of the DAC's level changes (depending on the DAC design), and electric noise that may sneak in with the digital signal.
I once had a micro iDSD connected to a Schiit SYS, and that to a power amp. When I hooked up a computer with a particularly noisy PSU, noise came out of the speakers. Even when the micro iDSD was off...
Click to expand...

Sure I agree with that but in this case we have the U16 which appears to be on par with the SU-6 by most comparisons, nobody is complaining about the sound of either, and noise tends to add harshness or glare to the sound. Something else must be going on to add warmth to the resulting dac output. Could the ESS chip be doing something to specifically add warmth to the sound.

I know different USB cables can add or subtract warmth to the sound of a dac too. My current DH Labs cable sounds warmer to me compared to other cables I have tried.
 
Aug 8, 2019 at 10:14 PM Post #79 of 1,018
PeterCraig said:
Sure I agree with that but in this case we have the U16 which appears to be on par with the SU-6 by most comparisons, nobody is complaining about the sound of either, and noise tends to add harshness or glare to the sound. Something else must be going on to add warmth to the resulting dac output. Could the ESS chip be doing something to specifically add warmth to the sound.

I know different USB cables can add or subtract warmth to the sound of a dac too. My current DH Labs cable sounds warmer to me compared to other cables I have tried.
Click to expand...
Why wouldn't timing be able to have that effect?
Though given the extremely positive impressions about the U16 I have wondered whether it's actually messing with the bits. If there was a firmware that actually worked properly, I'd get one and check. I already found out that the MUTEC MC-3+ USB is not bit perfect if an external clock or USB is involved. Then there's a sample rate converter in the signal path, which means a digital filter, which means ringing and other artifacts.
Entirely possible that the U16 has the same issue. The Singxer SU-1 and the Topping D10 are bit perfect, however.

Edit: As a USB to S/PDIF converter, the MC-3+ USB is actually bit-perfect. In the reverse direction, i.e. when recording it's S/PDIF inputs via USB, it is not and I had mistakenly assumed that goes both ways.
 
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Aug 9, 2019 at 11:21 PM Post #80 of 1,018
My SU6 is on day 3 of burn in. The results are having its ups and downs but is mostly sounding good/great so far.

Alcophone said:
The Singxer SU-1 and the Topping D10 are bit perfect, however.
Click to expand...

You are able to measure this sort of thing? That's pretty cool. I was curious about that, those are the results one would hope for.
 
Aug 9, 2019 at 11:37 PM Post #81 of 1,018
PeterCraig said:
My SU6 is on day 3 of burn in. The results are having its ups and downs but is mostly sounding good/great so far.



You are able to measure this sort of thing? That's pretty cool. I was curious about that, those are the results one would hope for.
Click to expand...
Yupp, using the S/PDIF input of a Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 2nd Gen and Acon Acoustica as the software (plus some scripts to trim the recorded WAV file and remove extra WAV chunks). When things go well, the input and output WAV file are completely identical.
I'd love to replicate that with an RME ADI-2 DAC or ADI-2 Pro, but don't really have another guaranteed use for them, and those are somewhat expensive for toys. :)
 
Aug 15, 2019 at 8:07 AM Post #84 of 1,018
After downloading I cannot open the firmware 2.21 archive .rar file. The older 2.2 archive opens up OK.

Also there is a new Windows driver dated Aug 2. 2019 (v 4.67.0)
 
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