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e18 DAC - 8 channels at 32bit /384 kHz

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I am very excited to introduce a new member of the exa family, the e18 DAC. e18 is not a DIY product, but it is a close relative to the exaU2I. It uses a second generation USB to I2S interface and it can handle 8 channels at 384 kHz. Your support for exaU2I made releasing the e18 possible - thank you!

The e18 will help us to further develop our technology and we will make the advancements available to the DIY community.

You can find out more about the e18 DAC here.
 
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exaSound e18 DAC

Congratulations !

Could you post some more info on the analog section of the DAC ? I could not find anything in the features.

Davide

Thank you, Davide!

We believe that less processing is better, so we have minimalistic approach to the analogue stage and the filters. One thing worth mentioning is that there are no decoupling capacitors. The output is full range, virtually down to 0Hz.
 
Exa, I am thrilled with your dac.
Have a question:
Is your dac can be settled as output for stand alone computer with thuneau allocator input in e18
Zoran

Thank you, Zoran. The e18 DAC works with Allocator. Perhaps you've seen this guide - Using Allocator with exaU2I and Foobar 2000
exaU2I is limited to 4 channels at 384 kHz. The e18 DAC can handle 8 channels at all sampling rates.
 
Yes I so that,
but I didn`t express my question properly.
I mean with stand alone computer just with allocator duties and signal that came from the another one computer where cmp2 cplay (for example ) is given the signal.
So e18 is maybe going to be some kind of external interface?
From cplay comp to e18 via spdif and than again e18 usb connected to allocator comp
to make the crossover duties?
 
Yes I so that,
but I didn`t express my question properly.
I mean with stand alone computer just with allocator duties and signal that came from the another one computer where cmp2 cplay (for example ) is given the signal.
So e18 is maybe going to be some kind of external interface?
From cplay comp to e18 via spdif and than again e18 usb connected to allocator comp
to make the crossover duties?
Allocator is a VST plugin. It comes pre-packaged with a VST host. You can use the host if your player is not capable of hosting VST plugins.

In my opinion it is much simpler to avoid using the VST host that comes with Allocator. It imposes restrictive requirements for the ASIO driver buffer size. It also leads to overcomplicated driver configurations. You need to route sound in and out and often you need to mix technologies - WDM, KS and ASIO. When you introduce so many conversions you may lose quality, flexibility and reliability.

Our ASIO drivers change buffer size on the fly to optimize latency. This feature is not compatible with the allocator VST host. It works fine with other VST hosts. That's why we recommend using the Allocator VST plugin with third-party VST hosts.

If I properly understand you, you want to connect the e18 DAC to cmp2 cplay computer, then stream the sound to another computer for Allocator processing. The streaming interface between the two computers will be something like Jack. Your rational perhaps is that by offloading the Allocator processing to another computer you minimize jitter and noise on the cmp2 / cPlay machine.

Is this the scenario that you are trying to achieve?
 
Yes ,exactly

Then you will have something like this:

cmp2 cplay computer -> Jack 2 channels -> second computer -> VST Host -> Allocator VST plug-in ->e18 ASIO 8 Channels -> e18DAC -> 8 analogue outputs.

You need a VST host that can accept Jack as 2 channel input, host Allocator VST plug-in, and provide 8 ASIO outputs.

I've used Reaper / ReaRoute in similar configurations. I can also try other VST hosts for you.
 
Yes ,exactly
I wouldn't recommend this configuration. On the cmp/cpalay computer you have environment optimized for low noise and low jitter. Then you use Jack, it will introduce jitter. Then the second computer will cause more jitter and noise. Usually more processing amounts to more losses.

It will be better to use ASIO/VST capable player on the first computer.
 
exaSound e18 DAC - cPlay - Allocator

Than directly from CMP2/CPLAY ( as it have VST plug in ) with implemented
ALLOCATOR via USB to e18 ?
Does your program support CPLAY as well?

Yes, both the exaSound e18 DAC and exaU2I support cPlay configured with the Allocator VST Plugin. I see only one limitation - the maximum sampling rate supported by Allocator is 192 kHz.
 

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Yes, both the exaSound e18 DAC and exaU2I support cPlay configured with the Allocator VST Plugin. I see only one limitation - the maximum sampling rate supported by Allocator is 192 kHz.
That is what looks very promising , I will go for it.
Maybe because of Allocator limitation it is better to made this chain Cplay -> exaU2I ->twistedpear COD DAC -> Legato I/V Stage -> PSMLS attenuator
 
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