[brunk]

Quote:

 I've read somewhere that they saved the USB input to achieve the low price and focus on sound quality.
 
You can add a M2Tech Hiface Two and you have a high-end 192kHz/24bits USB input on the D18 

Yep. I can report the HiFace Two works very nice with DAC. I am actually using the KingRex UC384 converter with it and find it to be a step above. Plus, it has I2S capability which makes it 32/384 compatible = future proof.

 

[project86]

Quote:

Hi,
 
I am not sure whether this question has been asked before because I did read through all the postings here.
 
Question: When will Yulong release a new model of Sabre D18 which has a USB input?
 
Anyone has any idea. Thanks.

 
I'm a little late to answer but I'll chime in: Yulong appears to be working on his own Async USB to SPDIF converter. They are calling it the U18 and it has been in the works for a while. Here is the thread with pics. You can see the prototypes made with various chipsets: Xmos, Tenor TE8802, and VIA 6631 Async USB chips. They settled on the TE8802. Looks like it outputs the signal to AES/EBU, Toslink, or coax. 

 

[cfcmick]

Quote:

 
I'm a little late to answer but I'll chime in: Yulong appears to be working on his own Async USB to SPDIF converter. They are calling it the U18 and it has been in the works for a while. Here is the thread with pics. You can see the prototypes made with various chipsets: Xmos, Tenor TE8802, and VIA 6631 Async USB chips. They settled on the TE8802. Looks like it outputs the signal to AES/EBU, Toslink, or coax. 

Interesting he's not going with Xmos. Have you heard the Stello U3 with the D18 by any chance? If not, any thoughts if you've heard it with any other DAC's .'
 
Thanks,
Mick.

 

[customNuts]

Quote:

 
I'm a little late to answer but I'll chime in: Yulong appears to be working on his own Async USB to SPDIF converter. They are calling it the U18 and it has been in the works for a while. Here is the thread with pics. You can see the prototypes made with various chipsets: Xmos, Tenor TE8802, and VIA 6631 Async USB chips. They settled on the TE8802. Looks like it outputs the signal to AES/EBU, Toslink, or coax. 

Thx mate, do u know if it accepts linux?? & have u got your pk90 yet??

 

[customNuts]

and was there any mention of eta?

 

[project86]

Quote:

Interesting he's not going with Xmos. Have you heard the Stello U3 with the D18 by any chance? If not, any thoughts if you've heard it with any other DAC's .'
 
Thanks,
Mick.

 
I have heard the Stello but didn't spend a lot of time with it. I just borrowed it to compare with the Izmo M1 which also uses XMOS. They sounded the same to me, although very slight differences in character could potentially show up under long term use. 
 
Both the U3 and the M1 do a fantastic job though. 
 
Quote:

Thx mate, do u know if it accepts linux?? & have u got your pk90 yet??

 
I don't know about Linux but I kind of doubt it. I haven't heard of much success with other TE8802 based devices.
 
No PK90 yet, but I am about to order this week. Finally have some spare $$$ for it. 
 
Quote:

and was there any mention of eta?

 
I think September or early October is the plan so far. I'm just going by that thread I linked to, using Chrome to translate. So I don't really have any special insight. 

 

[cfcmick]

Quote:

 
I have heard the Stello but didn't spend a lot of time with it. I just borrowed it to compare with the Izmo M1 which also uses XMOS. They sounded the same to me, although very slight differences in character could potentially show up under long term use. 
 
Both the U3 and the M1 do a fantastic job though. 
 
 
I don't know about Linux but I kind of doubt it. I haven't heard of much success with other TE8802 based devices.
 
No PK90 yet, but I am about to order this week. Finally have some spare $$$ for it. 
 
 
I think September or early October is the plan so far. I'm just going by that thread I linked to, using Chrome to translate. So I don't really have any special insight. 

Thanks. I know the U3 retails for $495, but what is the price of the M1 as I can't find it (in english anyway).

 

[customNuts]

Quote:

Thanks. I know the U3 retails for $495, but what is the price of the M1 as I can't find it (in english anyway).

I emailed izo and they said the price (inclusive of international shipping) was 52,800yen. So just translate that to your preferred currency.

 

[project86]

Quote:

I emailed izo and they said the price (inclusive of international shipping) was 52,800yen. So just translate that to your preferred currency.

 
Yep, that's roughly $680 USD, meaning it is slightly more expensive than some of the other dedicated D to D converters out there like Stello U3, Anedio U2, Audiophilleo2, etc. But still not as much as the Audiophilleo1, Empirical Off-Ramp, etc. And since the M1 is also a USB DAC and headphone amp it does have the edge in functionality. But I'll have more about that when I review it for InnerFidelity. 

 

[cfcmick]

Quote:

I emailed izo and they said the price (inclusive of international shipping) was 52,800yen. So just translate that to your preferred currency.

Thanks, mate.

 

[cfcmick]

Quote:

 
Yep, that's roughly $680 USD, meaning it is slightly more expensive than some of the other dedicated D to D converters out there like Stello U3, Anedio U2, Audiophilleo2, etc. But still not as much as the Audiophilleo1, Empirical Off-Ramp, etc. And since the M1 is also a USB DAC and headphone amp it does have the edge in functionality. But I'll have more about that when I review it for InnerFidelity. 

Thanks.

 

[Chodi]

Finally got around to trying my D18 from the xlr balanced outputs. Both of my amps are single ended as are my all my headphones so the only way to do this was to order up some xlr to rca adapters (got them from Korea through ebay). Plugged them into the xlr outputs on the D18 and sat back to listen though my T1's. I was immediately struck with the fact that the xlr outputs were how this dac was designed to be used. While the tonal balance was similar to the rca, only slightly sweeter, the sound stage and focus improved markedly. The width and depth of the sound stage was larger but the big difference is that the instrument placement and focus is obviously better. I recommend this simple tweek to anyone using the D18 with a single ended amp. The cost of the adapters was insignificant. The improvement is not subtle.

 

[project86]

Quote:

Finally got around to trying my D18 from the xlr balanced outputs. Both of my amps are single ended as are my all my headphones so the only way to do this was to order up some xlr to rca adapters (got them from Korea through ebay). Plugged them into the xlr outputs on the D18 and sat back to listen though my T1's. I was immediately struck with the fact that the xlr outputs were how this dac was designed to be used. While the tonal balance was similar to the rca, only slightly sweeter, the sound stage and focus improved markedly. The width and depth of the sound stage was larger but the big difference is that the instrument placement and focus is obviously better. I recommend this simple tweek to anyone using the D18 with a single ended amp. The cost of the adapters was insignificant. The improvement is not subtle.

 
Thanks for your impressions. That's pretty much how I hear it - people should definitely hear the XLR output if at all possible.
 
It could happen that someone might actually prefer the RCA outs, since they have a more "traditional", straight forward "hi-end" DAC sound. But I suspect most would like XLR better, and since it's so cheap to try - why not?

 

[polaron-Fi]

Hello!
 
I will receive soon the monoblocks from North Star, as well as a Pass Aleph power.
Both powers have XLR inputs.
With the intention to avoid a pre amp, I Will have a North Star Essencio Plus...
 
I wonder if I should instead... buy a yulong or Metrum Octave dac and add a usb/spdif converter.
 
So my question is what converter? It is important that this usb/spdif converter has a vomume control. I thought about the Izmo M1. Other suggestions?
 
Needless to say that my priority source is a computer.
 
Thanks a lot for you help.

 

[polaron-Fi]

... or just the anedio2!