[wushuliu]

Hm, okay. I have a very limited budget. So I'm wondering if F1 + cheaper DAC (like $300 MyDac or DACiT) > iDAC2 w/Purifier...

 

[hugoboss]

update
 
now ifi microiusb 3.0 put in the chain so the chain is like this
 
pc
usb dual head cable one to
psu linear 5volt the other to
ifi usb 3
f1 coax out
coax in aune s16
the effect is better but not as dramatic change when pc-f1-aune s16.
 
so in my ear , i can live with just f1 without ifi usb 3. but with both in chain is better

 

[hugoboss]

  Hm, okay. I have a very limited budget. So I'm wondering if F1 + cheaper DAC (like $300 MyDac or DACiT) > iDAC2 w/Purifier...

i will test f1 with my most cheapest dac centrance mini
i will post the impression just wait .
 
so far the effect with $700 dac is very good

 

[prot]

I was with a Raspberry Pi running Ubuntu, but it wont output audio over USB lately and I don't know why. I tend to get excellent results using an iPad as a transport, though it wont always connect straight-away to the F-1, so I've been using my MacBook Air mostly. That goes into an iUSB 3.0 with an Aurorasound PSU (for their USB Bus Power unit). It has pushed the Yggy over the edge, much as using a Schiit Wyrd or the Audiophilleo did for the Chord Hugo before. Now if there was some means to put it inside the Yggy, that'd be much neater. 

Inside is so much better than outside

And I find it somewhat funny that everyone around here invests so much time and money in those usb digital devices but noone asks the simple, obvious question: what is the best digital interface?

 

[rb2013]

Inside is so much better than outside

And I find it somewhat funny that everyone around here invests so much time and money in those usb digital devices but noone asks the simple, obvious question: what is the best digital interface?

Yes - I'm sure the genius audio designers at Chord, Aqua Hi-Fi, Schiit, to name a few have spoken with their sota newest DACs - all USB and SPDIF!
 
My favorite is the Chord DAVE - $13000 of DAC greatness.  But no i2s, only USB and SPDIF...question answered
 

 

 
 
Cheers
 
PS Has your F-1 arrived yet?

 

[ginetto61]

  Yes - I'm sure the genius audio designers at Chord, Aqua Hi-Fi, Schiit, to name a few have spoken with their sota newest DACs - all USB and SPDIF!
My favorite is the Chord DAVE - $13000 of DAC greatness.  But no i2s, only USB and SPDIF...question answered
Cheers
PS Has your F-1 arrived yet?

 
Hi .. well honestly i spot some more options​ like the "nice" AES/EBU for instance but also some very nice bnc ... 

 

 

[roger7]

Inside is so much better than outside

And I find it somewhat funny that everyone around here invests so much time and money in those usb digital devices but noone asks the simple, obvious question: what is the best digital interface?

 
You shouldn't find it funny because there isn't the best digital interface yet. All have its drawbacks. And it all depends on other devices you have in the chain and their capabilities, especially in digital signal processing.
SPDIF - it was not designed for hi-fi, just mainly for debug purposes AFAIK. So its simple, not complicated, does not care about errors, no flow control, no error correction. But became standard in consumer audio equipment because was widely used and no better standard existed 30 years ago. But it must squeeze all three (four) signals needed for digital audio transmission into one. In 99% implementation is synchronous. Transmitter has is own clock, receiver has own and the receiver must recover the correct clock just from one mixed signal.
AES/EBU (AES3) is just balanced variation of SPDIF for professional studios that offers longer connections and is less prone to interference.
USB - it was not designed for hi-fi but for computers and peripherals, just to replace old serial/ps communication. But it could be asynchronous at least.
I2S - It's not a standard at all. It's just internal connection between transport and DAC. Different in different implementations. Could have different physical connectors (3 x BNC, RJ45, HDMI, etc.). No pinout standard. So when improperly connected can result in from no sound to device damage. So most DAC manufacturers don't want to take risk of this nor to explain to everybody why i2s connection is not working with particular transport. So i2s is more oriented for people with DYI skills. Audio-gd is  known manufacturer who equips its DAC with i2s (rj45, hdmi as option) because they allow some DYI (open case to change jumpers inside, change USB card, etc).
So good DDI (USB->SPDIF) can replace poor transmitter but can't change the DAC spdif receiver capabilities. Just offers better signal and hopes DAC spdif receiver recover it well.
I think we are still waiting for digital interface designed especially for hi-fi

 

[ginetto61]

Hi,
 

You shouldn't find it funny because there isn't the best digital interface yet. All have its drawbacks. 
And it all depends on other devices you have in the chain and their capabilities, especially in digital signal processing. ....
I think we are still waiting for digital interface designed especially for hi-fi

 
And what about Gigabit Ethernet ?  could it be a viable option as a better interface ? it can transfer up to 10 Gbit/s   

 

[Maxx134]

 
Hi rb,

Does the Audio Sensibilites Silver Statement work well with the APL and the DXIO Pro 3A?

I use one of Alex's SPDIF cables into my APL, it is one meter, so I was thinking of going 1.5 because of said reflections. $179 is certainly a very good price.....

Is the DXIO still tops on your list? Have you compared the XU208 to it yet? I don't want to play around with building my own case, - unless the difference is significant.

Thanks for all your posts...

Yes  the AS Silver Statement is the best SPDIF cable I have heard yet.  Works great with the APL.


You have to hear what the F-1 (XU208) does for the APL!  It's pretty stunning.  Amazing what digital can do when set up properly.  It does need a very clean power source and some attention to the data chain - but well worth the effort.

I posted back on #544 this:

Well - Does the PUC2 better the Berkeley????  Wow!  If so I would use some logic and say the F-1 (well fed) would just crush the Berkeley!!!

Of course this is all system dependent - but at least in mine the F-1 is heads over the PUC2 and the Pro3a.
 

The 1M is $179 the 1.5M $209 (worth the extra money)
http://audiosensibility.com/blog/products-2/digital-cables-occ-copper-and-occ-silver/#!/Statement-SE-Silver-S-PDIF-RCA-BNC-Digital-Cable/p/46391588/category=4059160

Why is 1.5m the ideal length for a RCA/BNC digital cable?

Using a digital cable of at least 1.5m in length dramatically reduces the effect of signal reflection (from the receiver back to the transmitter) in typical audiophile equipment. Reflection contributes significantly to jitter in the digital signal. And of course jitter reduces the fidelity of digital music.


In a perfect world where the impedance of the digital source transport (transmitter), transmission line (all wiring, cables, and connectors in between), and the input receiver (DAC) are all identically matched at the S/PDIF standard of 75 ohms, signal reflection is not an issue. But the reality is that this is almost impossible to achieve, particularly in the transmission line.


The choice of 1.5m is just a practical guideline since no one wants a cable in their system that is too long.


For more technical information on this subject consult the following technical article written by Steve Nugent of Empirical Audio.







 

Quote:
the 1.5M (as Audio Sens claim is the optimal length to inhibit back wave reflections)

I need to look into this as it is the first time I am hearing it.

Hmm back wave reflections? ?
Was that for VHF/UHF signals?
And are our spdif signals in the VHF/UHF range in which it would apply?
Sorry not able to read that article right now to find out for myself.

Frankly, I have a hard time believing the need for a LONGERRR CABLE. ..

I Think it's just a ploy to sell higher priced cables,
ha.

 

[Yviena]

Is it not impossible to get under 50ps jitter with SPDIF because there are no SPDIF receivers under 50ps?, lowest i can find is the dir9001 or the wm8804/8805.
Technically a straight usb to i2s connection would be much better by bypassing the receiver

 

[rb2013]

   
Hi .. well honestly i spot some more options​ like the "nice" AES/EBU for instance but also some very nice bnc ... 

 

Ok a little primer on SPDIF - it comes in four basic flavors bus all based on the same protocol:Two Coax with different connectors BNC and RCA (both 75 ohm and interchangeable with a simple adapter), Optical, and AES which is a balanced version using a XLR connector and 110 ohms (it is SPDIF but with a high gain and high impedance - so can run longer lengths) - AES with an adapter (to convert 110ohms to 75 ohms and a 10dB attenuator - to prevent damaging or overloading the SPDIF Coax receiver) can work straight into a SPDIF RCA or BNC connection.
 
So Gino as I said the $13,000 new Chord DAVE DAC does SPDIF and USB ONLY!

 

[rb2013]

  Is it not impossible to get under 50ps jitter with SPDIF because there are no SPDIF receivers under 50ps?, lowest i can find is the dir9001 or the wm8804/8805.
Technically a straight usb to i2s connection would be much better by bypassing the receiver

Not true at all - see the test specs for the Chord DAVE - 8ps at 96k on SPDIF.  If 'technically' a straight USB to i2s was much better Chord would have included it on their statement DAVE DAC.  The excuse that they didn't because their owners are not 'DIY' or too dumb to figure it out - is absurd.

 

[Yviena]

Not true at all - see the test specs for the Chord DAVE - 8ps at 96k on SPDIF.  If 'technically' a straight USB to i2s was much better Chord would have included it on their statement DAVE DAC.  The excuse that they didn't because their owners are not 'DIY' or too dumb to figure it out - is absurd.

Well it probably depends on what dac they have, i have listened to some sub 1000$ dacs and hdmi i2s did improve many of them.

Im kinda wondering what the new dacs that are gonna use the new ess9038pro will sound like. All dac chips on the market now are like 5-6 years old already.

 

[panhead]

  FOR ALL who need driver here i uploaded it personal for you all
 
http://www.mediafire.com/download/jma92ool3p16q3p/Singxer-USB-Audio-Class2-Driver_v3.20.0.exe

Many thanks for the help!!   The F1 is playing as I type.    Somewhat warmer than the Breeze,  will play overnight and post my further impressions.
 
 
Interface progression so far:
 
Audiophileo - then with Pure power,    Gustard U10,   Gustard  U12,  Melodious,    Breeze,  Melodious 1.7 and now the F1.          Its been a fun trip so far!
 
 
Has anyone tried these drivers in Server 2012??
 
 
Thanks again.

 

[mhamel]

So, back on topic...
 
It looks like it is going to be easy to A/B the F-1 against my DAC's built-in input. Using JRMC, I have the F-1 and the internal USB set up as independent devices inside of a link. For anyone not familiar with JRMC, that will allow it to send the same data to both interfaces at the same time. I've confirmed already that timing differences if any are not audible (at least in my setup, ymmv). The DAC switches seamlessly between native USB and F1->SPDIF. Going back to USB incurs a brief mute, almost instant but not quite.
 
The native USB on this DAC is excellent (it is also XMOS based, older chipset), but I can already hear some subtle differences with the F-1.  Very early initial impressions favor the F-1... I'll wait until the F-1 has 100 or so hours of playback on it before doing any critical listening.
 
One place where the F-1 already wins is stability. Despite them using the same version XMOS driver (which from what I can tell after dissecting the installer packages are only different in that they're hard coded to recognize only the device they are built for) the F-1 has not had a single hiccup over the past 24 hours where the built-in XMOS interface on the DAC loses sync once a day or so. Even if I wasn't able to hear differences, that alone would make it a keeper.
 
   -Mike