[Sonic54]

Thank you for your comments Chodi and Project86. The source is a MacMini and I am using BitPerfect software output. I have been using this without any problems for the last 8 months with an optical signal going to a Behringer UltraCurve 24/96. However, I wanted to upgrade the DAC. Hence the D18 which now replaces the Behringer ie optical input directly from the same source. I have gone back and forth between systems: no problems with the Behringer, but 50/50 chance of sound from the D18. Once the D18 is working it will continue without problems all evening, but there is only a 50/50 chance that it will work next time it is switched on. Any further thoughts guys?

 

[Chodi]

Quote:

Thank you for your comments Chodi and Project86. The source is a MacMini and I am using BitPerfect software output. I have been using this without any problems for the last 8 months with an optical signal going to a Behringer UltraCurve 24/96. However, I wanted to upgrade the DAC. Hence the D18 which now replaces the Behringer ie optical input directly from the same source. I have gone back and forth between systems: no problems with the Behringer, but 50/50 chance of sound from the D18. Once the D18 is working it will continue without problems all evening, but there is only a 50/50 chance that it will work next time it is switched on. Any further thoughts guys?

Sounds like maybe a broken Toslink cable to me. When it is not giving you a signal try moving the cable. The easiest thing to do if it's not the cable would be to hook it to another computer and see if that eliminates the problem. Since you say it is working all night once it locks on it sounds even more like the computer or the cable to me. Also check the bit rate you are transferring. Is it just standard 44100 or something else. There can be an incompatibility between the the software output and the dac. This can be your operating systems fault or the program you are using to play your music. Check all those software settings. Toslink cannot transmit more than 96k.
 
When it finally does work, what did you do to get it to lock on? Or does it just magically start playing and stay on all night?

 

[Sonic54]

Thanks Chodi, but I am only sending standard 44100 and I have swapped many times between the Behringer DAC and the D18 with the same optical cable and source. I have never experienced any problems with the Behringer DAC so I believe the cable and source to be fine.
Yesterday the D18 would sometimes work when switched on and then work fine until switched off. Other times the LED's would light up but "no sound". Today, I have tried to start it about 8 times with different time lapses between and even unplugged the DAC as I have heard that they can become locked up! But today I have not got it to operate at all. Perhaps it is now completely dead.

 

[Chodi]

Quote:

Thanks Chodi, but I am only sending standard 44100 and I have swapped many times between the Behringer DAC and the D18 with the same optical cable and source. I have never experienced any problems with the Behringer DAC so I believe the cable and source to be fine.
Yesterday the D18 would sometimes work when switched on and then work fine until switched off. Other times the LED's would light up but "no sound". Today, I have tried to start it about 8 times with different time lapses between and even unplugged the DAC as I have heard that they can become locked up! But today I have not got it to operate at all. Perhaps it is now completely dead.

Really does sound like a problem with the dac at this point. Very bad luck as I haven't seen a post about any defective D18's. I didn't notice if you bought it from a dealer or you ordered straight from China (which I did)? Either way sounds like you should shoot them a note and get a replacement. Let us know how this goes as reports on the vendors service are always helpful for perspective buyers.

 

[AManAnd88Keys]

Hello guys,
 
I have just ordered a Yulong D18. All these great reviews and discussions you guys have contributed have really helped me with making the (hopefully) right choice.
 
Thanks a lot!

 

[Chodi]

Quote:

Hello guys,
 
I have just ordered a Yulong D18. All these great reviews and discussions you guys have contributed have really helped me with making the (hopefully) right choice.
 
Thanks a lot!

Welcome to the D18 club! Please post your impressions once you get it. Also please list your associated equipment.

 

[AManAnd88Keys]

Quote:

Welcome to the D18 club! Please post your impressions once you get it. Also please list your associated equipment.

 
I'll get to that as soon as the D18 is here!

 

 

[AManAnd88Keys]

Finally, the D18 is here! I am listening to it right now, and it sounds GREAT. Nice soundstage, detailed...

I really like it but don't want to talk too much about the sound, as I have to spend some more time with it before I can come to any serious conclusions.
My setup: Sony SCD XB 790 QS /Laptop + X-fi USB  -> Yulong D18 -> Kimber Kable "The Timbre" RCA -> Matrix M-Stage -> Toxic Cables SPC -> Hifiman He-400
 
I know that the both my X-fi USB and Matrix M-Stage probably don't do the D18 justice, but unfortunately I can't afford any more upgrades right now.

 

[project86]

That's a mighty nice setup to build on though. Glad you enjoy it!

 

[AManAnd88Keys]

That's a mighty nice setup to build on though. Glad you enjoy it!

You know, I somehow expected you to say that - it was because of your excellent reviews that I decided to buy the M-Stage earlier this year and now the D18. It's all your fault Just kidding, thanks a lot!

 

[T.F.O.A]

Hi Guys, a quick question, i know the d18 upsamples to 24/192, how exactly does it do that?
Just naturally or you have to switch a jumper? with a 24/96 usb to spdif converter, from either coax or toslink output.
Will it still upsample to 24/192? or do i need to buy a 32/192 usb converter?

 

[Chodi]

Quote:

Hi Guys, a quick question, i know the d18 upsamples to 24/192, how exactly does it do that?
Just naturally or you have to switch a jumper? with a 24/96 usb to spdif converter, from either coax or toslink output.
Will it still upsample to 24/192? or do i need to buy a 32/192 usb converter?

Actually I don't think that the D18 by itself does upsampling. I do my upsampling in Foobar using Sox which send the upsampled content to the dac. In my case, I use Hiface Two to pass the data through usb. If the D18 does any upsampling by itself I am not aware. I think you also will find that the bit depth (16,24) is a function of the original encoding and while you can increase 16 bit material to 24 bit through Windows, you are really just adding 0's to 16 bit content. While that does no harm there is some debate about if it does any good. I leave mine set on 24bit because I have a fair amount of 24 bit recordings. 

 

[project86]

The ES9018 has its own patented internal process for upsampling/oversampling and is capable of very high rates. It is also highly configurable. I've seen some models using that chip that go to 384kHz, some that do 864kHz, and some that even go much higher into the 50mHz range. But this processing is different from what a typical upsampling engine from Analog Devices or TI will do, so the numbers aren't really comparable.

I don't know what exactly Yulong is using the ES9018 to do in this particular design. But ultimately it doesn't matter much because it just sounds so good!

 

[Turn&cough]

Has anyone here had a chance to compare the D18 to the EE Minimax(original version)?

 

[T.F.O.A]

I see, well since all my files is normal mp3 anyway i don't think it matters that most.
One more question, coax = s/pdif right? do i really need usb converter then? will the sound really matter that much?