DAC to the Future

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CN211276
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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by CN211276 »

Classicrock wrote: Fri May 17, 2019 11:21 am I discovered ferrite rings over 20 years ago - checked a couple TDK brand at a show to try. I find them best on mains cables for digital. Too many can make the sound overly smooth and dull. DSJR has been recommending them for years.
I have them on mains cables but the big improvement came about with the recent ones as the Mscaler seems to be a magnet for RF. I will see what effect extra rings have, a no brainer at the price.
Main System
NVA BMU, P90SA/A80s (latest spec), Cube 1s, TIS, TISC(LS7)
Sonore OpticalRendu, Chord Mscaler & Qutest, Sbooster PSs
Network Acoustics Eno, ifi iPurifier3, AQ JB FMJ, Cisco 2940 & 2960
DH Labs ethernet, BNC & USB cables, Farnells cat 8 ethernet cable

Second System
NVA P20/ A20, Cubettes, LS3, SSP, SC
Sonore MicroRendu, Chord Mojo 2 MCRU PSs, AQ Carbon USB cable & JB FMJ

Headphones
Grado SR325e/Chord Mojo, Beyerdynamic Avetho/AQ DF Colbat

RIP Doc

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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by savvypaul »

CN211276 wrote: Fri May 17, 2019 11:29 am
Classicrock wrote: Fri May 17, 2019 11:21 am I discovered ferrite rings over 20 years ago - checked a couple TDK brand at a show to try. I find them best on mains cables for digital. Too many can make the sound overly smooth and dull. DSJR has been recommending them for years.
I have them on mains cables but the big improvement came about with the recent ones as the Mscaler seems to be a magnet for RF. I will see what effect extra rings have, a no brainer at the price.
The MScaler costs £3.5k and it is a magnet for RF????
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Classicrock
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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by Classicrock »

CN211276 wrote: Fri May 17, 2019 11:29 am
Classicrock wrote: Fri May 17, 2019 11:21 am I discovered ferrite rings over 20 years ago - checked a couple TDK brand at a show to try. I find them best on mains cables for digital. Too many can make the sound overly smooth and dull. DSJR has been recommending them for years.
I have them on mains cables but the big improvement came about with the recent ones as the Mscaler seems to be a magnet for RF. I will see what effect extra rings have, a no brainer at the price.
How so? It looks to be shielded with a slab of aluminium? Does it come with a plug top switch mode PS by any chance?
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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by CN211276 »

Classicrock wrote: Fri May 17, 2019 11:58 am
CN211276 wrote: Fri May 17, 2019 11:29 am
Classicrock wrote: Fri May 17, 2019 11:21 am I discovered ferrite rings over 20 years ago - checked a couple TDK brand at a show to try. I find them best on mains cables for digital. Too many can make the sound overly smooth and dull. DSJR has been recommending them for years.
I have them on mains cables but the big improvement came about with the recent ones as the Mscaler seems to be a magnet for RF. I will see what effect extra rings have, a no brainer at the price.
How so? It looks to be shielded with a slab of aluminium? Does it come with a plug top switch mode PS by any chance?
I think the cause is the very high sampe rate and the cable acting as something of an ariel. It comes with a walwart PS and any other would invalidate the warrenty.
Main System
NVA BMU, P90SA/A80s (latest spec), Cube 1s, TIS, TISC(LS7)
Sonore OpticalRendu, Chord Mscaler & Qutest, Sbooster PSs
Network Acoustics Eno, ifi iPurifier3, AQ JB FMJ, Cisco 2940 & 2960
DH Labs ethernet, BNC & USB cables, Farnells cat 8 ethernet cable

Second System
NVA P20/ A20, Cubettes, LS3, SSP, SC
Sonore MicroRendu, Chord Mojo 2 MCRU PSs, AQ Carbon USB cable & JB FMJ

Headphones
Grado SR325e/Chord Mojo, Beyerdynamic Avetho/AQ DF Colbat

RIP Doc

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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by Fretless »

DAC's the way, uh-huh. uh-huh,
I like it, uh-huh. uh-huh.


The last instalment had me pretty pleased with myself that I had a reasonably proficient network system running in the bedroom. At no extra cost or outlay. But like a dog gnawing at at bone - I can't let it go.

Coming across an old USB charger it set me thinking (again) -what could I use this for? A 5V/1A PSU and my eye caught on the variant of the Chinese cheapy DAC that the Doc is so keen on, just sitting on a shelf in my office. I had ditched this unit after a brief and unsuccessful trial with the TV - it would just pack in and stop working without warning.

Image

This is the cheapy DAC with remote volume control - handy if it would only work. So I tried plugging it in in place of the Edirol UA25EX - and blow me down - music came out! And not bad music either.

Took a while for the unit to warm up a little and the sound was pleaant, roughly on a par with the Edirol with slightly more detail but less oomph. Also the CCD (Chinese Cheapy DAC) was responding very badly to the remote and tended to shut itself off if not used for a while - lights were on but no sound came out until I unplugged it a restarted the thing, then it would work again.

Time to try some other stuff - grabbed a Profigold OCC coax and ran that from the Pi/HifiBerry Digi+. Nice! Big improvement in clarity and dynamics - now the unit was starting to sound like a lot more than the 12 euro I paid for it. Next up - swapped in the Pi / Digi+ PRO I use at my work-desk. Another step up in dynamic quality and musicality. The system is starting to really sing. However the unit is still a tad grainy-sounding and the #$@%! remote still isn't doing it's job.

A new battery in the remote helped - a bit. And then i spotted another USB charger with 2.1A output. Now got that hooked up and the first thing you notice is that the LED's shine a lot brighter AND the remote is working better AND the SQ had improved by a dramatic degree. The sound-field is sharp and wide. Bass tight and surprisingly deep. Level of fine detail is also unexpectedly subtle and refined.

I haven't even got any special PSU's running on either the Pi or the DAC, just standard 2A wall-warts. But this lttle installation has me really shaking my head in disbelief. Finally I see why Doc has been pushing these units as secret weapons. When properly implemented they are deadly.

:grin: :violence-shock: :violence-rapidfire: :banana-dreads:

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
Headphones: German Maestro & AudioQuest

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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by Fretless »

The very cheap and basic remote control is the main attraction for this DAC - and also the main drawback as it takes some getting used to, the buttons have a tendency to stick under the casing. Also you have to be in exactly the right position to see the LED lamps that show if it is responding to the remote. But for the price... Shouldn't grumble really.

Apart from that the sound is more than satisfying and I can hear Doc saying "get a proper LPSU on that!".

Well maybe I will.

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
Headphones: German Maestro & AudioQuest

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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by setting son »

And he would be right, I reckon.

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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by Fretless »

So I have just pushed the 'buy' button on AliExpress for one of these - a dual-output 5V 15W USB linear PSU for about 45 pounds (including P&P)

Image

Already winging its way from China to my letter-box.

There are 2 versions of this unit - this one has the more expensive Talema ring-core transformer and there is a cheaper alternative version with a Chinese-made Bingzi component.
Hopefully I will be able to run both a Pi and the cheapy DAC from the same LPSU. And try it out on other devices for fun.

To be continued ...

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
Headphones: German Maestro & AudioQuest

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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by slinger »

I bought exactly the same model. I haven't hooked it up yet though as it'll be part of a system refurbishment when I get off of my lazy arse and start it.
Amps - NVA P50, AP30, A40, Stanislav Palo Tube Headphone Amp BB 85
Speakers - Monitor Audio Silver RX2
Cables - NVA LS1+LS3, SSC, Gotham S/PDIF, IBRA Optical
Digital - NAD C516BEE, SONY ST-SDB900 DAB TUNER, TEAC UD-H01 DAC
Analogue - Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Esprit SB, Graham Slee Gram Amp 2 Phono
Cans - Grado SR80, ATH-M50X

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Re: DAC to the Future

Unread post by Fretless »

I'm in the middle of a re-think about the various DAC's I have in use. There is a reshuffle in progress and a couple of interesting surprises.

The PSU has far more impact than I thought. :think:

Upstairs:
Vinyl
Pro-Ject 1.2 + Grado Sig Jr + Cambridge Alva Duo
DigiVolumio PC + Kiss DP-500 + Sabaj A20d
NVA: P50sa - Cube2 - SSP - LS6+ Sabaj A10a (x2)
Downstairs:
Vinyl
Logic DM101 + Syrinx LE1 + Grado Sig MCX
DigiDenafrips Ares II + Volumio PC + Cambridge CXC
NVA: P50 - BMU+ Aiyima A07 MAX (x2) + Arcam One
HP: HifiBerry Digi+ PRO + Sabaj A10d
Office:
Allo DigiOne SIG + SMSL M300se + Douk G4 (x2)
Mission 760 + Monolith THX AAA 887
Headphones: German Maestro & AudioQuest

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