[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironmine /img/forum/go_quote.gif Then, how come my Stello played music when I fed it with 24/192 files via optical from my iRiver H120 player? I am puzzled. How can it be explained?

It gets downsampled.

 

[ironmine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT /img/forum/go_quote.gif It gets downsampled.

Well, I guess it's ok with me. As long as Stello can accept 88.2 or 96. I read some papers that explained that upsampling should be done by an even integer. I mean 44.1>88.2 and 48>96 are supposedly better than, for example, 44.1>96. Also, I read Dan Lavry which wrote that 88.2 or 96 kHz is all that is necessary to get the job down and upsampling to higher values is actually not needed and is even detrimental to the quality of the sound. So, I don't intend to feed Stello with 176.4 or 192 signal...

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironmine /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, I guess it's ok with me. As long as Stello can accept 88.2 or 96. I read some papers that explained that upsampling should be done by an even integer. I mean 44.1>88.2 and 48>96 are supposedly better than, for example, 44.1>96. Also, I read Dan Lavry which wrote that 88.2 or 96 kHz is all that is necessary to get the job down and upsampling to higher values is actually not needed and is even detrimental to the quality of the sound. So, I don't intend to feed Stello with 176.4 or 192 signal...

I highly recommend to look into M2Tech HiFace, seriously it could take your Stello to the new level, I was very happy with direct Stello USB feed until I get a chance to compare it with hiFace to Stello coaxial. I went ahead and ordered second unit just for Stello right away.

 

[ironmine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT /img/forum/go_quote.gif I highly recommend to look into M2Tech HiFace, seriously it could take your Stello to the new level, I was very happy with direct Stello USB feed until I get a chance to compare it with hiFace to Stello coaxial. I went ahead and ordered second unit just for Stello right away.

Thank you for your advice, Andrew. Are your impressions based on blind tests or... ? Did you compare using headphones or speakers? Please don't be offended by my question, but $150-180 plus shipping is a lot of money for me, I cannot afford to invest my money into an inefficient upgrade. Especially now, when my speakers are clearly the weakest link in my rig and I save money to upgrade them.

Is Musiland Monitor 01 very much behind M2Tech HiFace in terms of the effect achieved?

Do you recommend M2Tech HiFace with a RCA output or BNC output (to be used with an adapter BNC-RCA)?

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironmine /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thank you for your advice, Andrew. Are your impressions based on blind tests or... ? Did you compare using headphones or speakers? Please don't be offended by my question, but $150-180 plus shipping is a lot of money for me, I cannot afford to invest my money into an inefficient upgrade. Especially now, when my speakers are clearly the weakest link in my rig and I save money to upgrade them. Is Musiland Monitor 01 very much behind M2Tech HiFace in terms of the effect achieved? Do you recommend M2Tech HiFace with a RCA output or BNC output (to be used with an adapter BNC-RCA)?

Headphones test (W5000), the difference was pretty clear to my ears, and no, it wasn't a blind test, so take it with a grain of salt, but I don't want to go back to Stello USB since then.
I ordered both units BNC just because my other DAC is Chord DAC64 with BNC input and I happen to have two high quality Zu Ash cables terminated in BNC, so I just got a decent RCA adapter. But if I were you, I'd just go straight RCA, adapters do not add fidelity for sure.

 

[ironmine]

Andrew, what is your opinion of Musiland Monitor 01?

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironmine /img/forum/go_quote.gif Andrew, what is your opinion of Musiland Monitor 01?

Didn't have a chance to get my hands on, but based on impressions I've read here and other boards, hiFace has the edge over it.

 

[exFictitiouZ]

I've been considering getting a Stello DA100 for myself quite some time now. I wonder if there's any difference in the internal components of the Signature version vs. the standard version since I don't really need the additional input interfaces

Thanks

 

[forbigger]

nope, outside from the inputs and balanced output, it is essentially the same dac

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by powerslave /img/forum/go_quote.gif ... Blue Circle Audio Thingee as a USB-SPDIF converter passed into my DA100 sig via coax and the sound is more fluid and controlled. There is less background noise or hash. I don't hear as black a background via USB then i am getting now and you can hear better separation of instruments. The term black background is fitting for the thingee. Mostly though it's just the way the various sounds/instruments blend together so nicely.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT /img/forum/go_quote.gif I doesn't take anything over 96khz, I tested it with hiFace. Toslink itself is limited to 96, meaning that in order to get 192 you need coaxial, but like I said even over coaxial it tops at 96. Manual is actually pretty clear on that. BTW, I retested usb input vs. Trends converter, clearly Trends -> Stello is superior, hiFace seems on par or better and offers up to 192 sampling rate.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT /img/forum/go_quote.gif ... I don't want to go back to Stello USB.

Ok, so it's pretty clear that the Trends and Thingee do a better job as a USB transport than the native USB built into the Stello.

Since they are using the same chip as the Stello, the question becomes, Why do the Trends and Thingee's conversions sound noticeably better than the Stello's?

A second question is why is everyone worried about 24 bit? My understanding from reading the threads about 16 bit Vs 24 bit, is that 24 bit takes up an enormous amount of space and you can't audibly tell the difference.

USG

 

[ironmine]

Can anyone please tell me which USB receiver does Stello DA100 have and which clocks does it have onboard?

 

[K_19]

It's been about a week and a half now since I brought in the DA100, and I'm loving it. Love the amazing bass response and soundstage on this thing. And although my WA6 is a tube amp, it's not a particularly warm one so it still mates very well in my book. The upsampling feature has been handy depending on what my mood is and what headphone I'm using, and I'm using both about equally so far (each have their strengths... 192 sounding more upfront and clear while bypass has much superior soundstage).

I've tried both USB and coax on it thus far and while the USB implementation is great, feeding it coax through my uDAC USB -> SPDIF transport definitely beats it in pretty much all areas (most evidently IMO in detail/instrument separation). The problem is I need my uDAC in my secondary rig so I've already bought the m2tech hiface for my main rig. I'm hoping that the reported neutral/detail oriented nature of hiface will go along well with warmer, impactful presenation of the DA100.

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironmine /img/forum/go_quote.gif Can anyone please tell me which USB receiver does Stello DA100 have and which clocks does it have onboard?

I think Andrew said it was a 2707.

I never heard anything about the clocks.

USG

 

[ironmine]

Quote:

Originally Posted by upstateguy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think Andrew said it was a 2707. I never heard anything about the clocks. USG

I've opened the case of DA100 and am looking inside.

I can see PCM2704 as a USB receiver. Andrew is wrong.

I can also see the following:

AD1896A - 192 kHz Stereo Asynchronous Sample Rate Converter
(http://www.analog.com/static/importe...ets/ad1896.pdf)

AKM AK4117VF - Low Power 192 kHz Digital Audio Receiver
(http://www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/akm/en/...k4117_f03e.pdf)

AKM AK4395VF Advanced Multi-Bit 192 kHz 24-Bit Z-Modulator DAC
(www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/akm/en/product/ak4395/ak4395_f01e.pdf)

BB OPA2604AP Dual-FET Input Low-Distortion Operational Amplifier
(http://focus.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/opa2604.pdf)

There are also two clocks - 28.3220 MHz and 24.576 MHz.

 

[upstateguy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironmine /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've opened the case of DA100 and am looking inside. I can see PCM2704 as a USB receiver. Andrew is wrong. I can also see the following: AD1896A - 192 kHz Stereo Asynchronous Sample Rate Converter (http://www.analog.com/static/importe...ets/ad1896.pdf) AKM AK4117VF - Low Power 192 kHz Digital Audio Receiver (http://www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/akm/en/...k4117_f03e.pdf) AKM AK4395VF Advanced Multi-Bit 192 kHz 24-Bit Z-Modulator DAC (www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/akm/en/product/ak4395/ak4395_f01e.pdf) BB OPA2604AP Dual-FET Input Low-Distortion Operational Amplifier (http://focus.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/opa2604.pdf) There are also two clocks - 28.3220 MHz and 24.576 MHz.

Good work ironmine...