Just a note - we have recently updated Cronus to version 1.4 (available now). It now includes and optional inverting of the buffered clock that goes out to the Hermes modules. This give the builder some flexibility on timing - inverting that clock can make edges align better at the FF with certain sources - like the Hermes-RPI - which is currently in testing.
So in 1.4 you will observe one more jumper that simply selects inverted on non-inverted Hermes output clock. Of course at the final output (same clock that feeds the FF) the signal is not inverted - and so all of the signals are aligned to the actual master clock.
Cheers!
Russ
So in 1.4 you will observe one more jumper that simply selects inverted on non-inverted Hermes output clock. Of course at the final output (same clock that feeds the FF) the signal is not inverted - and so all of the signals are aligned to the actual master clock.
Cheers!
Russ
I'm assembling my chronos (v 1.1) and will be using a stereo BIII SE Pro 28 and an Amanero. Am I correct in thinking that I only populate R5, R6 and R7 with the supplied 33 ohm resistors?
And for the divider I short J1:2 for 45.1584MHz / 49.152MHz Rhea Module combo correct? What crystal goes in X1 vs X2?
And for the divider I short J1:2 for 45.1584MHz / 49.152MHz Rhea Module combo correct? What crystal goes in X1 vs X2?
yes...
I just place all the resistors, mostly to have it look nice! With Amanero, yes, you want use the 1:2 clock divider with the 45.x and 49.x clocks. I would place the pin header though, just for future flexibility.
X-1 is the slower clock family, so in your case the 45.x goes there.
I just place all the resistors, mostly to have it look nice! With Amanero, yes, you want use the 1:2 clock divider with the 45.x and 49.x clocks. I would place the pin header though, just for future flexibility.
X-1 is the slower clock family, so in your case the 45.x goes there.
Looking for a little help, if anyone has a few minutes.
Just got a new Cronus combo but it's not working. Can someone confirm I should be seeing 3.3v on the vcc pin for each Rhea and on the Hermes header pins marker Hermes 3.3v?
At the moment, with no Rhea clocks installed - just powering the Cronus with a known good 5v supply - I am getting a nice steady 1.5v.
Thanks.
Mark
Just got a new Cronus combo but it's not working. Can someone confirm I should be seeing 3.3v on the vcc pin for each Rhea and on the Hermes header pins marker Hermes 3.3v?
At the moment, with no Rhea clocks installed - just powering the Cronus with a known good 5v supply - I am getting a nice steady 1.5v.
Thanks.
Mark
This sounds like a small (but critical - sorry) error on assembly (a variable regulator was inadvertently placed instead of the fixed 3.3V - this will result in 1.5V) of a couple of Cronus. I believe a replacement is on the way.
Very sorry for the mix-up!
Cheers!
Russ
Thanks Russ - no worries.
I'll check with Brian he has my new address!
Regards
Mark
Hello, i recently received my cronus-hermes-bbb parcel and i started preparing for the build. I have to say i'm a bit disappointed, as i was expecting some sort of assembly guide with the boards, some pictures, but... nothing...
I tried to find some documents about that in tpa site (something similar to the excellent LeonVB integration guide for BIII), but i couldn't find anything.
Then i started a long and painful chase among 3/4 source forums to find the needed infos - what a struggle! Yet i have found 2015 posts announcing a proper guide was coming soon, what happened to it? Maybe i missed it?
Not to mention struggling about BBB Linux software to make it work with cronus/hermes/BIII pro: what a mess! Countless different versions, releases, incoherent instructions scattered in various pages... Would it be so difficult to release a simple, updated, complete, prebuilt, working image one could easily flash in a sd card using a normal PC?
Russ, sorry to say this, but i think you can't ask a paying customer to spend hours searching, in 3 or more 200/300 pages forums, some infos about assembling and using your diy products... that's annoying... So maybe the time has come to release proper assembly guides and software for cronus/hermes/rhea/BIIIpro, hasn't it? I have many diy friends that do not buy your products as they say they're scared by lack of proper documentation and coherent, organized infos/software... it's a real pity, as your products are great!
Anyway, i'm coming to a more or less clear idea of what i have to do (not so clear to be honest), but there's a particular i couldn't understand well.
That's it: how should i power cronus board? In various pages i see:
- boards powered by external 5V PSU
- boards powered by BIII itself via direct connection (3,3V?)
- power conmnections between cronus and hermes (?)
So:
1) Does Cronus need 3,3v or 5V power?
2) I own a BIIIse pro stereo DAC, so where should i take 3,3V VD current from to power attached cronus board (BIIIse pro doesn't seem to have a 24 pin connector for cronus, but only 4 pin I2S and MCLK, am i wrong?)?
3) Is there a way to power cronus and hermes using the same 5V power supply or will this mess the isolation function of hermes board?
4) Very important: assuming i would power my 2xCrystek 50mhz family crystals cronus (and connected clean hermes side) using an external 5V supply, what current draw i have to expect from that psu? And
4b) Assuming i would power my hermes (dirt side)/BBB combo (no USB, capes or GPIO peripherals connected) using a single external 5V psu, what current draw i have to expect from that psu?
Thank you in advance for your answers and sorry for my frustration release...
I tried to find some documents about that in tpa site (something similar to the excellent LeonVB integration guide for BIII), but i couldn't find anything.
Then i started a long and painful chase among 3/4 source forums to find the needed infos - what a struggle! Yet i have found 2015 posts announcing a proper guide was coming soon, what happened to it? Maybe i missed it?
Not to mention struggling about BBB Linux software to make it work with cronus/hermes/BIII pro: what a mess! Countless different versions, releases, incoherent instructions scattered in various pages... Would it be so difficult to release a simple, updated, complete, prebuilt, working image one could easily flash in a sd card using a normal PC?
Russ, sorry to say this, but i think you can't ask a paying customer to spend hours searching, in 3 or more 200/300 pages forums, some infos about assembling and using your diy products... that's annoying... So maybe the time has come to release proper assembly guides and software for cronus/hermes/rhea/BIIIpro, hasn't it? I have many diy friends that do not buy your products as they say they're scared by lack of proper documentation and coherent, organized infos/software... it's a real pity, as your products are great!
Anyway, i'm coming to a more or less clear idea of what i have to do (not so clear to be honest), but there's a particular i couldn't understand well.
That's it: how should i power cronus board? In various pages i see:
- boards powered by external 5V PSU
- boards powered by BIII itself via direct connection (3,3V?)
- power conmnections between cronus and hermes (?)
So:
1) Does Cronus need 3,3v or 5V power?
2) I own a BIIIse pro stereo DAC, so where should i take 3,3V VD current from to power attached cronus board (BIIIse pro doesn't seem to have a 24 pin connector for cronus, but only 4 pin I2S and MCLK, am i wrong?)?
3) Is there a way to power cronus and hermes using the same 5V power supply or will this mess the isolation function of hermes board?
4) Very important: assuming i would power my 2xCrystek 50mhz family crystals cronus (and connected clean hermes side) using an external 5V supply, what current draw i have to expect from that psu? And
4b) Assuming i would power my hermes (dirt side)/BBB combo (no USB, capes or GPIO peripherals connected) using a single external 5V psu, what current draw i have to expect from that psu?
Thank you in advance for your answers and sorry for my frustration release...
There is a lot of info here:
Cronus Platform Overview
1) 5V ~ less than 200ma generally depends on variable factors.
2) You don't need to connect anything other than GND, BCK,D1(LRCK),D2(DATA) (and MCK if you choose - if you do - omit VDD-XO trident on the B3SE)
3) Cronus already feeds hermes on the clean side. On the BBB side it will get it's power from the same supply powering the BBB.
4) The clocks on the cronus get their power from the Cronus on board regulator - 3.3V
4b) That is unknown - it really depends on a number of variables - the best approach is to measure. I would plan on at least 2A. I use a 3A supply.
Cheers!
Russ
Cronus Platform Overview
1) 5V ~ less than 200ma generally depends on variable factors.
2) You don't need to connect anything other than GND, BCK,D1(LRCK),D2(DATA) (and MCK if you choose - if you do - omit VDD-XO trident on the B3SE)
3) Cronus already feeds hermes on the clean side. On the BBB side it will get it's power from the same supply powering the BBB.
4) The clocks on the cronus get their power from the Cronus on board regulator - 3.3V
4b) That is unknown - it really depends on a number of variables - the best approach is to measure. I would plan on at least 2A. I use a 3A supply.
Cheers!
Russ
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Thanks Russ!
Some more details please:
2) using a 9038 BIIIpro, i can run it in sync (by removing VDD XO and connecting MCK to cronus) even using standard firmware or i have to use 128fs sync firmware necessarily?
4) ok, what current draw have to be expected by cronus/rhea/hermes (clean side) in total from the external 5V psu?
4b) assuming BBB draws about 0,5A peak and no peripherals would be connected to it (not even USB pendrives), how do we get to 2/3A? Does hermes draw more than 1A?
2) I would recommend starting async. Believe me - the ES9038 does an awesome job this way.
4) Not a lot - plan for around 200-300ma with stock parts and you should have plenty of headroom - but it will vary depending sample rates etc.
4b) If you want to use a less capable supply then you will need to measure for your exact requirement - I was just telling you what capacity supply I chose to use.
Cheers!
Russ
4) Not a lot - plan for around 200-300ma with stock parts and you should have plenty of headroom - but it will vary depending sample rates etc.
4b) If you want to use a less capable supply then you will need to measure for your exact requirement - I was just telling you what capacity supply I chose to use.
Cheers!
Russ
2) I would recommend starting async. Believe me - the ES9038 does an awesome job this way.
4) Not a lot - plan for around 200-300ma with stock parts and you should have plenty of headroom - but it will vary depending sample rates etc.
4b) If you want to use a less capable supply then you will need to measure for your exact requirement - I was just telling you what capacity supply I chose to use.
Cheers!
Russ
Many thanks!
No worries!
I would power the Cronus with the same 5.0V supply as the B3SE-Pro.
Cheers!
Russ
Hello,
I am trying to find documentation on the various pinouts on the Cronus. Can someone point to the location if one exists. If not can someone help identify the pins for me to pull DSD with mute from the following images, especially if it is possible for pulling it from the jumper pins.
I am trying to find documentation on the various pinouts on the Cronus. Can someone point to the location if one exists. If not can someone help identify the pins for me to pull DSD with mute from the following images, especially if it is possible for pulling it from the jumper pins.
Attachments
The pin out is indicated on the very first page - Can you explain what you are trying to do? DSD and Mute? From what? Those are likely not even signals you would ever want reclocked
If you are referring to Hermes Amanero - it does not transport those signals as data because our DACs don't need them (they autodetect DSD) or they are used for other purposes - like clock selection (mute is clock select).
Cheers!
Russ
If you are referring to Hermes Amanero - it does not transport those signals as data because our DACs don't need them (they autodetect DSD) or they are used for other purposes - like clock selection (mute is clock select).
Cheers!
Russ
The pin out is indicated on the very first page - Can you explain what you are trying to do? DSD and Mute? From what? Those are likely not even signals you would ever want reclocked
If you are referring to Hermes Amanero - it does not transport those signals as data because our DACs don't need them (they autodetect DSD) or they are used for other purposes - like clock selection (mute is clock select).
Cheers!
Russ
The DAC in question is DSC 2.5 and 2.5.2
I am planning to use BBB+Hermes+Cronus --> DSC 2.5/2.52 using Botic driver.
If I use the Amanero that I purchased via TPA the pinout are:
3 - DSD1
4 - DSD CLK
5 - DSD2
6 - MCLK
7 - DSD on
11 - Mute
In the first post I see the pin outs for Hermes and B3 but confused about Cronus. The signal that I want to pull off Cronus are DSD1 (D1), DSD CLK (DCK), DSD2 (D2), MCLK, DSD On and Mute but I cannot seem to identify the pins in question on Cronus.
Cronus is agnostic to such signals... Hermes Amanero (which was designed really for ESS DACs) uses the mute signal for clock select (48khz or 44.1khz family) and DSD select signal is not used at all - so you would need to change the amanero firmware and/or pull those signals from the amanero itself. You could of course use cronus without the hermes - in which case you could map any of the data inputs to the signal you want and it will be present of the output - just not isolated.
Hello, some more questions:
1) The cronus board i recently received has a jumper switch that i haven't seen before in product pictures.
It is named "J_inv" and is placed just close to the clock multiplier jumper switch. It has 2 positions: "MCK -" and "MCK +". What is this switch exactly for?
I have both an Hermes BBB and an Hermes Amanero connected to my cronus via OTTO-II multiplexer. I noticed that in "MCK -" position, BBB gets a good lock, but Amanero cannot get a lock; while in "MCK +" position Amanero gets a good lock but BBB only gets an instable lock (talking about async mode).
Is this normal? This forces me to move the jumper everytime i change my source...
N.B.: in my setup i have cronus MCK connected to both hermes boards at the same time, without switching. DCK, D1, D2 and CS are switched.
2) I tried to use sync mode by connecting cronus mck output to BIIIse pro ext mck pad, and removing VDD_XO Trident. This doesn't work, as i get a lock, but music is substantially covered by noises and cracklings; or i can't even get a lock on certains files.
What am i doing wrong?
Anyway, at present the sound from BBB/Amanero-hermes-cronus-BIIIse pro is just phenomenal, really hiend gear!
I'm using lms as server in my i5 PC and squeezelite R2 on BBB, doing dsd256 conversion on the fly. It works very well!
Thanks again!
1) The cronus board i recently received has a jumper switch that i haven't seen before in product pictures.
It is named "J_inv" and is placed just close to the clock multiplier jumper switch. It has 2 positions: "MCK -" and "MCK +". What is this switch exactly for?
I have both an Hermes BBB and an Hermes Amanero connected to my cronus via OTTO-II multiplexer. I noticed that in "MCK -" position, BBB gets a good lock, but Amanero cannot get a lock; while in "MCK +" position Amanero gets a good lock but BBB only gets an instable lock (talking about async mode).
Is this normal? This forces me to move the jumper everytime i change my source...
N.B.: in my setup i have cronus MCK connected to both hermes boards at the same time, without switching. DCK, D1, D2 and CS are switched.
2) I tried to use sync mode by connecting cronus mck output to BIIIse pro ext mck pad, and removing VDD_XO Trident. This doesn't work, as i get a lock, but music is substantially covered by noises and cracklings; or i can't even get a lock on certains files.
What am i doing wrong?
Anyway, at present the sound from BBB/Amanero-hermes-cronus-BIIIse pro is just phenomenal, really hiend gear!
I'm using lms as server in my i5 PC and squeezelite R2 on BBB, doing dsd256 conversion on the fly. It works very well!
Thanks again!
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