[cynan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drosera /img/forum/go_quote.gif There is a review of the DAC3-SE here. Which is basically the 3DV without the DSP-1. Although, as usual, it suffers from the problem that the reviewer doesn't have a DAC of similar quality to compare it to. (Rather unavoidable outside professional HiFi-reviewing, of course.)

Thanks for pointing this thread out.

It seems a bit of a shame that Kingwa is not including optical/usb inputs on his new DSP-1 DACs. One of the things I love about the Compass is the versatility of the inputs. This would seem ideal for the DSP DACs as the DSP-1 technology (as far as I can tell) is intended to reduce jitter, something that is more prevalent in lesser digital sources - such as many of those fed by USB, for example. Kingwa seems to market the DSP-1 almost as an equalizer of source devices...

On the other hand, I suppose he doesn't envision many of his customers who are interested in higher end DACs to bother with lesser digital sources.

Maybe Kingwa can add a DSP-1 option to the Compass

 

[B00MERS00NER]

Quote:

Originally Posted by senn_liu /img/forum/go_quote.gif here's a very rough side-by-side image comparison of the upgraded panels and the final ones: the old front panel is fine, but the rear just looks pretty untidy. fortunately that won't matter when i'm listening to it!

Looks like using the "new" back panel won't work with the upgrades, oh well like you said, it won't matter when we're listening.

 

[ScottieB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by senn_liu /img/forum/go_quote.gif being ultra-enthusiastic about the compass, i ordered one of the 30 upgraded (but not final) versions which are shipping now. unfortunately, with every time that i look at the final panel designs i wish more and more that i had waited so that i could have a product that looks as good as it sounds. i guess i thought i was above all the cosmetic considerations but turns out i'm just a shallow guy heh.

Well if you're enthusiastic enough to use the word "ultra" then what's a third one? Would that make you the only owner of ALL THREE iterations? THAT's ultra-enthusiasm!

 

[Drosera]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cynan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for pointing this thread out. It seems a bit of a shame that Kingwa is not including optical/usb inputs on his new DSP-1 DACs. One of the things I love about the Compass is the versatility of the inputs. This would seem ideal for the DSP DACs as the DSP-1 technology (as far as I can tell) is intended to reduce jitter, something that is more prevalent in lesser digital sources - such as many of those fed by USB, for example. Kingwa seems to market the DSP-1 almost as an equalizer of source devices... On the other hand, I suppose he doesn't envision many of his customers who are interested in higher end DACs to bother with lesser digital sources. Maybe Kingwa can add a DSP-1 option to the Compass

I think Kingwa, in his heart of hearts, would actually only want to equip his DACs with BNC inputs and CAST outputs, because that would be the configuration that would allow them to give their very best. He's willing to make compromises, as the USB input on the Compass and the DAC-100 attests and we might see further steps towards compatibility in the future. But he's really concerned that customers might not get the best from his equipment.

The DSP-1 is, amongst others, a reclocking device. That means that it will mainly help in correcting jitter caused by the reading of an optical disc. Which consists basically of re-aligning the clock signal with the digital data stream. Computer sourced audio can suffer (or may not, I'm not getting into this discussion again

) mainly from different kinds of jitter, or perhaps more precisely from distortion. This is far more random in nature and is probably impossible to remove again from the signal completely.

That's just my take on it, with very limited knowledge of digital audio.

 

[senn_liu]

do note that the "final" panels that are in the image i posted are mock-ups, not actual photographs of the real thing, so there is still a tiny chance that the new panels will fit onto the upgraded compasses, although that is highly doubtful due to the positioning of the rca jacks.

scottieb, no idea what gave you the impression that i am one of the original 18 testers, but i'm not. i'm just one of those who ordered the next 30.

anyway, when the compass eventually attains legendary status i can dig out my compass and proudly claim that i was there at the start, before it looked all pretty

 

[K3cT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by senn_liu /img/forum/go_quote.gif do note that the "final" panels that are in the image i posted are mock-ups, not actual photographs of the real thing, so there is still a tiny chance that the new panels will fit onto the upgraded compasses, although that is highly doubtful due to the positioning of the rca jacks. scottieb, no idea what gave you the impression that i am one of the original 18 testers, but i'm not. i'm just one of those who ordered the next 30. anyway, when the compass eventually attains legendary status i can dig out my compass and proudly claim that i was there at the start, before it looked all pretty

Yeah. If anyone here knows about the legendary red-and-blue gaunt-ish looking CrossRoads Mylar X3, our 'old' Compasses will be the same in that respect.

 

[LaidBack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cynan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for pointing this thread out. It seems a bit of a shame that Kingwa is not including optical/usb inputs on his new DSP-1 DACs....

X2. I'm very interested in buying one of the new Audio-gd DSP DAC's. I'm still deciding between the 3DV and REF 1. Without a USB input, I guess I'll have to find a quality usb to coax solution that does not compromise/degrade the signal. Any suggestions????

 

[ScottieB]

Ah my bad senn... guess I just ASSumed... was just joking anyway

 

[edselfordfong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drosera /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think Kingwa, in his heart of hearts, would actually only want to equip his DACs with BNC inputs and CAST outputs, because that would be the configuration that would allow them to give their very best. He's willing to make compromises, as the USB input on the Compass and the DAC-100 attests and we might see further steps towards compatibility in the future. But he's really concerned that customers might not get the best from his equipment. The DSP-1 is, amongst others, a reclocking device. That means that it will mainly help in correcting jitter caused by the reading of an optical disc. Which consists basically of re-aligning the clock signal with the digital data stream. Computer sourced audio can suffer (or may not, I'm not getting into this discussion again ) mainly from different kinds of jitter, or perhaps more precisely from distortion. This is far more random in nature and is probably impossible to remove again from the signal completely. That's just my take on it, with very limited knowledge of digital audio.

I'm also wondering about using his hi-end DACs with a computer.

I've read that some USB only DACs avoid jitter by not using SPDIF, but go direct to I2S. Could he in the future adapt his DSP1 for use with a USB direct to I2S protocol? The specs on the audio-gd page say that it uses I2S as an input data format. What about for an asynchronous USB DAC?

Forgive me if my question is jibberish. The web makes it easy for laymen to get in over their heads with the technical stuff.

 

[csroc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by B00MERS00NER /img/forum/go_quote.gif Looks like using the "new" back panel won't work with the upgrades, oh well like you said, it won't matter when we're listening.

I don't think that will be the case. There are two things on the back panel that cannot be moved, the USB and optical jacks, because they are PCB mounted. Everything else has reasonable range of movement and I can't see why you couldn't use the new layout with any of the older Compasses.

The front panel would be a bit trickier only because the shielding around the power supply on the first two batches of the Compass with the old design would interfere with the Super switch. It's not a big issue, if you're a little bit handy I'm sure you could trim the excess to allow it to fit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by senn_liu /img/forum/go_quote.gif do note that the "final" panels that are in the image i posted are mock-ups, not actual photographs of the real thing, so there is still a tiny chance that the new panels will fit onto the upgraded compasses, although that is highly doubtful due to the positioning of the rca jacks.

See above. I created those simulated images after someone else had a similar idea. I had forgotten to do so although I originally planned to a while ago. I have the original source files and a real compass with which to take more ideal photos for creating the mockups.

You can see where I originally posted those simulated images here (the versions I posted are bigger than those little thumbnails):
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/5471303-post3463.html

 

[crucial]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaidBack /img/forum/go_quote.gif X2. I'm very interested in buying one of the new Audio-gd DSP DAC's. I'm still deciding between the 3DV and REF 1. Without a USB input, I guess I'll have to find a quality usb to coax solution that does not compromise/degrade the signal. Any suggestions????

I realize this thread is focusing on the Compass dac/amp but I am also attempting to decide between thw 3DV and REF 1 also. Any suggestions are welcome and we can certainly move this to its own thread if warranted.

 

[Drosera]

Quote:

Originally Posted by edselfordfong /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm also wondering about using his hi-end DACs with a computer. I've read that some USB only DACs avoid jitter by not using SPDIF, but go direct to I2S. Could he in the future adapt his DSP1 for use with a USB direct to I2S protocol? The specs on the audio-gd page say that it uses I2S as an input data format. What about for an asynchronous USB DAC? Forgive me if my question is jibberish. The web makes it easy for laymen to get in over their heads with the technical stuff.

I think that might be a little too specific, to make a usb input on the DAC only for a very specific kind of usb output. I might be a better option to buy a Squeezebox or something akin to a Linn media server (okay, Squeezebox is cheaper

) and then use the ethernet connection from the computer and the s/pdif from the squeezebox into the DAC. I don't know if this is an ideal solution, but the fact that this type of connection is getting quite popular with some high-end manufacturers might mean this is the best option.

 

[edselfordfong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drosera /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think that might be a little too specific, to make a usb input on the DAC only for a very specific kind of usb output.

Well, there does seem to be a market for USB only DACs, and I would think that it will only get bigger (well, leaving out the economy right now). There are plenty of USB only DACs out there. Whether asynchronous, I2S or whatever, it's all USB to the user.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drosera /img/forum/go_quote.gif I might be a better option to buy a Squeezebox or something akin to a Linn media server (okay, Squeezebox is cheaper ) and then use the ethernet connection from the computer and the s/pdif from the squeezebox into the DAC. I don't know if this is an ideal solution, but the fact that this type of connection is getting quite popular with some high-end manufacturers might mean this is the best option.

I'm confused. I thought the point of the direct to I2S and asynchronous USB DACs is to avoid SPDIF.

Also, what's the advantage of the squeezebox or Linn? As long as you're computer is close enough to your dac, why not get your optical or coax out of a sound card, motherboard, or a usb converter, like LaidBack is interested in?

 

[haloxt]

The problem is that audio-gd has to get its hands on asynchronous mode audio drivers. Any takers? And while you are at it please please please fix the low latency drivers for windows.

 

[edselfordfong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haloxt /img/forum/go_quote.gif The problem is that audio-gd has to get its hands on asynchronous mode audio drivers. Any takers? And while you are at it please please please fix the low latency drivers for windows.

True, that is a challenge. But Kingwa seems to be a bit of a magician, doesn't he?

Anyway, it's all speculation. Who knows if Kingwa is even interested. But apart from the drivers, is it possible?