[Zowie1]

I'm thinking of buying iFi Nano iUSB3.0 to use with my F-1 and Marantz HD-DAC01. However, all my USB-plugs in my laptop are 2.0. Would using 2.0 connections instead of 3.0 affect the sound quality?

 

[VilMo]

I have used exactly the same setup with a laptop that has both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports and could not discern any difference between the port types.

 

[Zowie1]

I have used exactly the same setup with a laptop that has both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports and could not discern any difference between the port types.

Thanks, this helped a lot. I thought the the 3.0 might make a difference but I'm happy I got this clarified. Now I'll just wait for the next day payday!

 

[jcn3]

what are you using for a player and what are your sound settings in windows? do you have the sound settings set to exclusive mode?

 

[Zowie1]

what are you using for a player and what are your sound settings in windows? do you have the sound settings set to exclusive mode?

I'm using iTunes, most of my music is in Apple lossless format and yes, I'm using exclusive mode.

 

[phile1]

How do you set exclusive mode in Win10 ?
thks

 

[shadowlord]

Hi,
Did you find the interface you were looking for, with toslink output ?

Last month, Weilang launched the new version of the Breeze U8, V.2.1, withe XU208 xmos chip (much cheaper than the Singxer F1 & SU-1).
Did someone try this new version of the Breeze ? Better SQ than the 1st version of the Breeze ?
Thnks
Rgds

sorry, but no.

i bought a new dac with usb input.

 

[Jazz.Khan]

How do you set exclusive mode in Win10 ?
thks

you dont. Your application either supports it or not. For example foobar and TIDAL supports WASAPI in exclusive mode while Itune use wasapi in share mode.

 

[jcn3]

you dont. Your application either supports it or not. For example foobar and TIDAL supports WASAPI in exclusive mode while Itune use wasapi in share mode.

while true, it's not exactly complete. to be able to select exclusive control, you need to allow it in win10. go control panel > sound > select your device > properties > advanced > select "allow applications to take exclusive control . . . "

 

[stoutblock]

Hi,
Did you find the interface you were looking for, with toslink output ?

Last month, Weilang launched the new version of the Breeze U8, V.2.1, withe XU208 xmos chip (much cheaper than the Singxer F1 & SU-1).
Did someone try this new version of the Breeze ? Better SQ than the 1st version of the Breeze ?
Thnks
Rgds

I just picked up one of these. Probably the first in the US? My Modwright Elyse uses the PCM1794 chip so does not have an i2s input so I'm using the SPDIF. I don't listen to DSD files so no big deal. The bridge seems to work perfect with the xCore Wasapi drivers automatically loaded by windows 10. The Elyse has an internal Optoma NuForce USB board which works pretty darn well but is a little dated. The new XMOS brings out more detail, space between sources with no edginess or brittleness at all. Really compliments the extreme musical quality of the Elyse DAC well. The price with a decent PS for this bridge is silly cheap!

 

[phile1]

Hi stoutblock,
you compare this XU208 Breeze with the U8 Breeze ?
Which interface did you have before ?

FIY, modding this Breeze is straightfoward (I does it on the U8 version) and brings the SQ far far above what the stock version can offer
Rgds

 

[stoutblock]

Hi stoutblock,
you compare this XU208 Breeze with the U8 Breeze ?
Which interface did you have before ?

FIY, modding this Breeze is straightfoward (I does it on the U8 version) and brings the SQ far far above what the stock version can offer
Rgds

No this is the first Breeze product I have owned. The only previous USB bridge I have tried is the Audio-gd DI-U8 which also performed well but not significant enough to add another component to the system. Recent DACs I’ve owned include the Audio-gd ref 5.32 with Amanero combo 384, Audio-gd master 7 with USB32. Both great DACs and USB interface but they were beat by the Modwright Elyse. I simply enjoy listening to music played through the Elyse more than the other DACs I’ve tried. The Elyse combined with the Breeze XU208 is quite exceptional.

I would be very interested in the mods for the Breeze XU208! Where do I find the specifics?

 

[phile1]

Hi Stoutblock,
The AudioGD DI-U8 was said to be a very good interface. If the Breeze XU208 is better than the DI-U8, that's pretty cool !

Modifying the Breeze :
I haven't seen info about Breeze mods, thus I tried some basics mods by myself. I'm a noob in electronics, so this could be done in a smarter way.
The idea is that its internal PS & especially the regulators that power :
1. the main board in 5V
2. the clocks in 3.3V
are not good.

So, I tested DIY PS to power externaly these parts.
This is photos of my Breeze DU-U8 & the way I power it : the board with 5V, & the 3 clocks with 3.3V
=> view from above : https://img15.hostingpics.net/pics/99925520170121223952.jpg
=> view from below : https://img15.hostingpics.net/pics/71951620170121203203txt.jpg

My laptop is my source. This is the layout of the DIY power supplies I tested, to power the different parts :
1. Corning 3.Optical : 10m usb cable from PC to hifi setup
2. W4S Recovery : well known very good USB "cleaner"
3. Breeze : main board 5V & clocks 3.3V
=> layout is there (hope it's clear...) : https://www.dropbox.com/s/nf593b1ko6t99u0/2017 12 06 - Layout external PS.pdf?dl=0

FIY this is the thread on a French forum where I posted the last mods of my DIY PS & results on SQ => http://forum-hifi.fr/thread-380-post-121867.html#pid121867
I haven't finished testing of these PS on the Breeze, I'll keep posting on this FR forum my results. When it is more or less done, I'll make a review of all this in a ENG forum to make it clearer (hope Google translate is fine !).

The thing is that the Breeze XU208 looks pretty the same as the DU-U8. Except the implementation of the XU208 chip, the way the board is powered & the clocks are powered looks the same.
Thus if the XU208 Breeze sounds better than ths DU-U8, I think that implementation of external PS like I did is easy, leading to a very very different SQ from the stock version.

By the way Stoutblock, do you use a W4S Recovery or another USB "cleaner" ? If not, you should.
Rgds

 

[Jazz.Khan]

Hi where did you buy breeze xu208 from? I had to return my F1 because of the issues I was having.

 

[stoutblock]

Hi where did you buy breeze xu208 from? I had to return my F1 because of the issues I was having.

AliExpress as per the link I used above.