borrego
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Product Information: http://www.xmos.com/products/development-kits/usbaudio2
Pros: $149, comes with ADC/DAC capability, fully programmable, pin outs for SPDIF (for adding a co-axle output board)
Cons: Limited 24bit/96kHz bandwidth of the TOSLINK output. DIYer can add a co-axle SPDIF boad (not from XMOS) and unleash the 24bit/192kHz capability.
Purchase Reason: Low cost USB Audio 2.0 (i.e. Async USB Audio) transport replacement for the good quality but "drop-outs" frequent Audio-gd Digital Interface.
Whom is it for: Budget minded DIYer who does not mind handling a bare circuit board and having TOSLINK output
Whom isn't it for: Anyone who need a readily finished case and co-axle SPDIF output for his/her USB Audio Transport
Where to Purchase: Digikey
What else I bought to use with it: Lifatec Silkflex Glass Fibre TOSLINK cable (http://www.lifatec.com/toslink2.html)
Case I currently used with it: A cardboard packaging box (originally came with my Mofi case purchase) with cut-outs for the TOSLINK and USB cables
Board Inputs: USB 2.0 B-type input, 3.5mm audio in
Board Outputs: TOSLINK (bandwidth limited to 24bit/96kHz) and 3.5mm line out (decode up to 24bit/192kHz)
OS I am using it with: Windows 7 32bit and 64 bit (WASAPI). The device also supports Mac OS.
Drivers I am currently using: Thesycon 1.26 drivers downloaded from Wavelength website, with modified inf files (manually adding the XS1-L1 device id)
Troubles I encountered: The Theyscon driver (even the one downloaded from the XMOS site) wouldn't install probably. Thanks to the helpful XMOS technically support pointing me to use the USBVIEW utility (http://www.ftdichip.com/Support/Utilities/usbview.zip) to uninstall all previous Windows USB audio devices. Since that the drivers installed properly and has been working perfectly.
Quirks: After the Windows driver is installed, there is just a single "Speaker" output option in the Windows sound device panel. There is not a dedicated SPDIF output option in the Windows sound device panel as usual with other USB audio transport devices. But the TOSLINK output does indeed work and output bit perfect SPDIF signal. According to the XMOS technical support, the board outputs I2S and SPDIF at the same time and cannot be individually turn off.
Special Thanks: To XMOS technical support, and leeperry who pointed me to the links of Theyscon 1.22 production drivers
DAC I use it with: The original Audio-gd NFB-1 (ES-9018 Sabre32 version, with 80Mhz TCXO upgrade)
Computers I use it with: Dell Latitude D520 (Windows 7 32 bit), HP Probook 4310s (Windows 7 64 bit)
Burn in period: The TOSLINK output circuit section of the board does not really have any capacitor requiring burn-in. I think the burn-in period was mainly for the TOSLINK receiver circuit section of the NFB-1ES which I didn't use previously. The sound "settled" around 15 hours of music play time.
Audio quality compared with the Audio-gd DI w/ 74AHC04 inverter chip upgrade:
1. Bass/Mid/Treble Balance: The XMOS board is more linear. It is like a straight line comparing to the Audio-gd DI's curve. I think the XMOS board is more neutral
2. Details/Instruments Separation: About the same with the "Audio-gd DI at its best" (with Fidelizer optimized OS, computer not running anything else except the audio player). Beats the Audio-gd DI when the computer is being used for any other tasks like web browsing.
3. Sound Stage: If the Audio-gd DI is 4:3 (width/depth), then the XMOS reference design board is more like 5:2. The sound depth of the XMOS board increased with more burn-in.
4. Stability/Consistency: XMOS beats the Audio-gd DI hands down. There is no drop-outs ever with the XMOS board. I don't experience and audible quality increase by using Fidelizer
Possible/Future Upgrades: Battery powered USB cable, lower ppm crystals (the stock crystals are 30ppm parts), co-axle SPDIF board, a proper case
Alternative: $349 XMOS XS1-L2 USB Audio 2.0 Multi Channel Reference Design (http://www.xmos.com/products/development-kits/usbaudio2mc)
Pros: $149, comes with ADC/DAC capability, fully programmable, pin outs for SPDIF (for adding a co-axle output board)
Cons: Limited 24bit/96kHz bandwidth of the TOSLINK output. DIYer can add a co-axle SPDIF boad (not from XMOS) and unleash the 24bit/192kHz capability.
Purchase Reason: Low cost USB Audio 2.0 (i.e. Async USB Audio) transport replacement for the good quality but "drop-outs" frequent Audio-gd Digital Interface.
Whom is it for: Budget minded DIYer who does not mind handling a bare circuit board and having TOSLINK output
Whom isn't it for: Anyone who need a readily finished case and co-axle SPDIF output for his/her USB Audio Transport
Where to Purchase: Digikey
What else I bought to use with it: Lifatec Silkflex Glass Fibre TOSLINK cable (http://www.lifatec.com/toslink2.html)
Case I currently used with it: A cardboard packaging box (originally came with my Mofi case purchase) with cut-outs for the TOSLINK and USB cables
Board Inputs: USB 2.0 B-type input, 3.5mm audio in
Board Outputs: TOSLINK (bandwidth limited to 24bit/96kHz) and 3.5mm line out (decode up to 24bit/192kHz)
OS I am using it with: Windows 7 32bit and 64 bit (WASAPI). The device also supports Mac OS.
Drivers I am currently using: Thesycon 1.26 drivers downloaded from Wavelength website, with modified inf files (manually adding the XS1-L1 device id)
Troubles I encountered: The Theyscon driver (even the one downloaded from the XMOS site) wouldn't install probably. Thanks to the helpful XMOS technically support pointing me to use the USBVIEW utility (http://www.ftdichip.com/Support/Utilities/usbview.zip) to uninstall all previous Windows USB audio devices. Since that the drivers installed properly and has been working perfectly.
Quirks: After the Windows driver is installed, there is just a single "Speaker" output option in the Windows sound device panel. There is not a dedicated SPDIF output option in the Windows sound device panel as usual with other USB audio transport devices. But the TOSLINK output does indeed work and output bit perfect SPDIF signal. According to the XMOS technical support, the board outputs I2S and SPDIF at the same time and cannot be individually turn off.
Special Thanks: To XMOS technical support, and leeperry who pointed me to the links of Theyscon 1.22 production drivers
DAC I use it with: The original Audio-gd NFB-1 (ES-9018 Sabre32 version, with 80Mhz TCXO upgrade)
Computers I use it with: Dell Latitude D520 (Windows 7 32 bit), HP Probook 4310s (Windows 7 64 bit)
Burn in period: The TOSLINK output circuit section of the board does not really have any capacitor requiring burn-in. I think the burn-in period was mainly for the TOSLINK receiver circuit section of the NFB-1ES which I didn't use previously. The sound "settled" around 15 hours of music play time.
Audio quality compared with the Audio-gd DI w/ 74AHC04 inverter chip upgrade:
1. Bass/Mid/Treble Balance: The XMOS board is more linear. It is like a straight line comparing to the Audio-gd DI's curve. I think the XMOS board is more neutral
2. Details/Instruments Separation: About the same with the "Audio-gd DI at its best" (with Fidelizer optimized OS, computer not running anything else except the audio player). Beats the Audio-gd DI when the computer is being used for any other tasks like web browsing.
3. Sound Stage: If the Audio-gd DI is 4:3 (width/depth), then the XMOS reference design board is more like 5:2. The sound depth of the XMOS board increased with more burn-in.
4. Stability/Consistency: XMOS beats the Audio-gd DI hands down. There is no drop-outs ever with the XMOS board. I don't experience and audible quality increase by using Fidelizer
Possible/Future Upgrades: Battery powered USB cable, lower ppm crystals (the stock crystals are 30ppm parts), co-axle SPDIF board, a proper case
Alternative: $349 XMOS XS1-L2 USB Audio 2.0 Multi Channel Reference Design (http://www.xmos.com/products/development-kits/usbaudio2mc)