[gracky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT /img/forum/go_quote.gif Kind of make sense from marketing perspective, who would continue buying D220 otherwise. But does that also mean that the only functional advantage the new one has is just I2S input and getting it without matching I2S CD transport is jut blowing extra $200?

April says 100Sig has better parts, including the gold plated board. I suppose I2S can be a big advantage, especially with the T100 transport to come soon. Simon Lee said the 100 series combo has driven B&W 805Sig very successfully at CES08, a work which he had thought to be hard, and he thinks it might be a virtue of I2S connection. Also balanced digital input should be useful considering that DA100 has only one coax input. But I hope to have a DA220 with I2S input (220Sig?), it should make a very versatile gear.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gracky /img/forum/go_quote.gif April says 100Sig has better parts, including the gold plated board. I suppose I2S can be a big advantage, especially with the T100 transport to come soon. Simon Lee said the 100 series combo has driven B&W 805Sig very successfully at CES08, a work which he had thought to be hard, and he thinks it might be a virtue of I2S connection. Also balanced digital input should be useful considering that DA100 has only one coax input. But I hope to have a DA220 with I2S input (220Sig?), it should make a very versatile gear.

Balanced digital input, what is that? You mean AES/EBU, but it's not balanced, same PCM stream as SPDIF, just different connectors.

 

[gracky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT /img/forum/go_quote.gif Balanced digital input, what is that?

AES/EBU. You're correct.

 

[SirMikeAloT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bozebuttons /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hey Mike, Welcome to the Dark Side,sorry about your wallet.

Thanks! I hope to invest in a pair of headphones soon... and probably the HP100 with the IS2. I think Im gonna go with the Sennheiser 650s. I like a laid back sound, not forward. Im very sensitive to forward sounding stuff, makes me want to crawl out of my skin.

Anyways, if you believe in burn-in I believe my DA100 Sig is there. I like the unbalanced outputs better than the balanced. The balanced output is much lower, which just means turning up the volume.. but it seems less alive. I have Silver Balanced cables which may have something to do with it???

One thing Ive noticed is that the digital coax cable is much better than the optical. This is something I never noticed with my Lavry DA-10, which I believe reclocks the incoming signal vs recovering the incoming signal (DA100). The coax is much more defined and cleaner. The optical seems sloppier and the instruments overlap a bit. Mind you this is all subtle.

The soundstage is huge and I am shocked by the realism in tone and balance throughout the sound spectrum. I will try to write a review once I have time!
Thanks.
Mike

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirMikeAloT /img/forum/go_quote.gif One thing Ive noticed is that the digital coax cable is much better than the optical. This is something I never noticed with my Lavry DA-10, which I believe reclocks the incoming signal vs recovering the incoming signal (DA100). The coax is much more defined and cleaner. The optical seems sloppier and the instruments overlap a bit. Mind you this is all subtle.

From DA100 manual
http://www.hifi500.com/product/da100_manual.pdf
Quote:

- COAX : Theoretically, all digital inputs are same in its music quality. But, in the real world of HiFi, COAX is better than the other connections (we believe what we hear).

Did you have a chance to try USB input?

Your balanced operation observations do not sound very promising though.

 

[SirMikeAloT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT /img/forum/go_quote.gif From DA100 manual http://www.hifi500.com/product/da100_manual.pdf Did you have a chance to try USB input? Your balanced operation observations do not sound very promising though.

I did. I thought the USB input sounded excellent. It was recognized on my Mac and I had no technical problems. I will have to spend some more time with it in my upstairs system.

I do agree though that the DA100 takes a compressed MP3 and really takes it to another level of quality. Im amazed by that aspect.

Also about the balanced sound... I never liked the balanced output on my main system, I think it might be my preamp.. the Supratek Sauvignon, the unbalanced always sounded more natural.
Mike

 

[strangemusic]

So... I've been reading this lengthy thread and some other threads, and have noticed the DA100 Signature... and my question is as follows.

If I have no plans to be going to a Balanced system in the foreseeable future, is there any reason to drop the extended coin on the Signature?

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by strangemusic /img/forum/go_quote.gif So... I've been reading this lengthy thread and some other threads, and have noticed the DA100 Signature... and my question is as follows. If I have no plans to be going to a Balanced system in the foreseeable future, is there any reason to drop the extended coin on the Signature?

Even that I own a standard version of DA100 and do not see any foreseeing needs to upgrade it with the newer one, if I was buying it now, I'd get the Signature with balanced output, just to be future proof, who knows, one day you might decide to go balanced route.

 

[SirMikeAloT]

I wish someone with the previous DA100 would chime in on comparisons, if anyone has bought the Signature model.
Mike

 

[MCC]

I have problems with the USB input in my setup- I can hear computer noise through the headphones and the DAC miserably fails a simple 20Hz-20kHz sine sweep. I get quite a bit of distortion and a strange descending sweep in the background once it reaches the treble. I switched to optical and it sounds much better than before, and it's all linear-alicious now.

Don't trust that USB is the best simply because it works for everyone else. I was wondering why it sounded so much better in Dad's speaker setup...

 

[krrm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MCC /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have problems with the USB input in my setup- I can hear computer noise through the headphones and the DAC miserably fails a simple 20Hz-20kHz sine sweep. I get quite a bit of distortion and a strange descending sweep in the background once it reaches the treble. I switched to optical and it sounds much better than before, and it's all linear-alicious now. Don't trust that USB is the best simply because it works for everyone else. I was wondering why it sounded so much better in Dad's speaker setup...

Do you have the problems when you are using Linux? I use usb on OpenSuse to my Stello, and once in a while the sound gets distorted. I believe it is due to me updating software (happens quite frequently as I'm using some of the "experimental" Suse repositories). Unplugging the usb cable helped the last time. Never had any problems during "normal" use.

 

[dreamwhisper]

I have a problem with the DA100's usb 1.1, accepting at most 16/44?!
This seems like soon-to-be-obsolete technology.
Do other high-end DACs accept 24/192 signal through usb (for example DA220, DAC1), or is this next generation technology?

 

[2deadeyes]

I believe USB is limited to 16/32, 16/44, 16/48. My DA220MKII works with 16/44 & 16/48 on USB; I haven't tried 16/32 but I'm sure it also works.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MCC /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have problems with the USB input in my setup- I can hear computer noise through the headphones and the DAC miserably fails a simple 20Hz-20kHz sine sweep. I get quite a bit of distortion and a strange descending sweep in the background once it reaches the treble. I switched to optical and it sounds much better than before, and it's all linear-alicious now. Don't trust that USB is the best simply because it works for everyone else. I was wondering why it sounded so much better in Dad's speaker setup...

Couple of things to try:
1) Switch to ASIO4ALL
2) Disable mapping through this audio device or better yet disable device altogether. http://www.head-fi.org/forums/3642561-post587.html
3) Connect to computer USB port, not hub
4) And last but not least, lift the ground on your amp first and if no avail on DA100 too. RadioShack.com - Power & Batteries: Surge protectors & power cords: Power & extension cords: 3-Prong Grounding Adapter-2-Pack

Most likely you have a ground loop from USB so the last option should help.

 

[dreamwhisper]

So the DA100 will accept 24/192 signal, but only with coaxial/optical?