Hello,
Mine will arrive next year february because i will be in South east Asia for a long time and have other electronics that need attention too.
In my country the difference between the streamer with or without internal 2TB disk is 400 euro so i will probably just buy an external 2 TB for less than 100 euro.
One of the dealers here told me the best ripping software is the one from dbpoweramp. Doede uses something different. What will you use?
Did you go back to choke input again?
Greetings, Eduard
Mine will arrive next year february because i will be in South east Asia for a long time and have other electronics that need attention too.
In my country the difference between the streamer with or without internal 2TB disk is 400 euro so i will probably just buy an external 2 TB for less than 100 euro.
One of the dealers here told me the best ripping software is the one from dbpoweramp. Doede uses something different. What will you use?
Did you go back to choke input again?
Greetings, Eduard
I use EAC rip program eduard. Mine have 2 TB internal hd. I want to keep it as simple as possible. I think the dddac will shine with an Aurender in front, or another good player as the Aries. And yes, choke input it is on dddac and waveio.
Replaced a PC that was dedicated to the task with SSD and no moving parts as passive cooled too. Aries is MUCH better and continues to get better with new firmware updates
Just to follow up on these topics.. I am VERY happy with the Aurender. Not only sound wise, but the user interface is so easy to use and does all I need. Even Tidal (cd streaming) is included). Now i admit immediately I did not check the Aries, so cannot comment "what is better". In this case, it replaced my mac mini which replaced my special SSD notebook. I also use a 10TB NAS behind the Aurender. On the 2TB I just copied some music i play more often (and the audiophile stuff ;-)
Curious what your opinions are on the streamer. Stereoplay just did a test last month, but did not comment the sound quality of it (are they afraid for discussions about digital streams cannot sound different? 😀 )
I also use the bit perfect mode of EAC
I use dbpoweramp to convert all formats into apple lossless (and mp3 for my car...) but also here, never di a "rip-what-sounds-best-comparison) If any one did, feel free to comment?
Curious what your opinions are on the streamer. Stereoplay just did a test last month, but did not comment the sound quality of it (are they afraid for discussions about digital streams cannot sound different? 😀 )
I also use the bit perfect mode of EAC
I use dbpoweramp to convert all formats into apple lossless (and mp3 for my car...) but also here, never di a "rip-what-sounds-best-comparison) If any one did, feel free to comment?
Smooth Dancer, I would also be interested in your experience with Aurender especially compared to Odroid which you were also running.
I'm still running the Odroid C2 via I2S. I have added an isolator IL715 between Odroid and DDDAC one week ago which was another step into the right direction. I'm wondering why you want to go with Aurender? When I remember correctly you were very satisfied with Ordoid over WaveIO, which is the same experience I made. Have you had the chance to hear WaveIO on one of these streamers? Or was the choke PSU for WaveIO a game changer?
As recommended, my focus will now be on PSU side. I have added a bigger transformer for my standard DDDAC PSU at the moment. This transformer will later feed two Lundhal 1694. They are already ordered and I'm waiting for it...
From beginning of my DDDAC journey, I can say that this makes so much fun. Trying all this tweaks, with Shunts, CCS, PSU design, digital source. It's a learning process which helps me to push the DAC into the direction which fits to my personal taste and audio chain. And not forget the DDDAC itself which gave me the chance to start on a high SQ level without all these tweaks. It is important for me to be able to hear music between these single working phases
Thank you guys for sharing your experience!
I'm still running the Odroid C2 via I2S. I have added an isolator IL715 between Odroid and DDDAC one week ago which was another step into the right direction. I'm wondering why you want to go with Aurender? When I remember correctly you were very satisfied with Ordoid over WaveIO, which is the same experience I made. Have you had the chance to hear WaveIO on one of these streamers? Or was the choke PSU for WaveIO a game changer?
As recommended, my focus will now be on PSU side. I have added a bigger transformer for my standard DDDAC PSU at the moment. This transformer will later feed two Lundhal 1694. They are already ordered and I'm waiting for it...
From beginning of my DDDAC journey, I can say that this makes so much fun. Trying all this tweaks, with Shunts, CCS, PSU design, digital source. It's a learning process which helps me to push the DAC into the direction which fits to my personal taste and audio chain. And not forget the DDDAC itself which gave me the chance to start on a high SQ level without all these tweaks. It is important for me to be able to hear music between these single working phases
Thank you guys for sharing your experience!
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Doede@
After many ours and days of research I landed on the Aurender. It seems like it have a small advantage when it comes to sound and build quality. That said, many like the Aries too.
michl2604@
I was very happy with Odroid C2, but after a while I started losing focus when I was playing music. Bass was great, tight and articulated, but the midrange miss the "bloom" and I wondered if it realy was any better than my old pc usb-waveio-i2s.
To make a long story short; I prefer usb through waveio, Odroid was very impressiv to begin with, but felt short in terms of missing a small piece of "naturalness".
Odroid is a bargain and have many strong sides, but for me I had to admit that waveio is a very good usb-i2s converter.
Why I landed on the Aurender ? It just feels right. Good internal shielding, build quality, and most important, this is a computer build up from ground with one goal only, and that is sound quality.
Today or tomorrow I will know if I'm right.
After many ours and days of research I landed on the Aurender. It seems like it have a small advantage when it comes to sound and build quality. That said, many like the Aries too.
michl2604@
I was very happy with Odroid C2, but after a while I started losing focus when I was playing music. Bass was great, tight and articulated, but the midrange miss the "bloom" and I wondered if it realy was any better than my old pc usb-waveio-i2s.
To make a long story short; I prefer usb through waveio, Odroid was very impressiv to begin with, but felt short in terms of missing a small piece of "naturalness".
Odroid is a bargain and have many strong sides, but for me I had to admit that waveio is a very good usb-i2s converter.
Why I landed on the Aurender ? It just feels right. Good internal shielding, build quality, and most important, this is a computer build up from ground with one goal only, and that is sound quality.
Today or tomorrow I will know if I'm right.
Thanks for your feedback.
In the past I also faced the situation, that in the first hours after a change I was sure that it was an overall improvement, but in the end it lacked in some points which led me to roll back this change. On the other hand there are some changes which need some time to settle down (CCS, Shunt regs). It's quite difficult to judge on these things also because it is mostly not possible to compare with the previous set up.
Maybe I'll give WaveIO another try in the future (connected to another source, but Aurender is out of my scope 😱). But for now I'm still very happy with Odroid and will concentrate on choke PSU first.
Looking forward to your report regarding Aurender.
In the past I also faced the situation, that in the first hours after a change I was sure that it was an overall improvement, but in the end it lacked in some points which led me to roll back this change. On the other hand there are some changes which need some time to settle down (CCS, Shunt regs). It's quite difficult to judge on these things also because it is mostly not possible to compare with the previous set up.
Maybe I'll give WaveIO another try in the future (connected to another source, but Aurender is out of my scope 😱). But for now I'm still very happy with Odroid and will concentrate on choke PSU first.
Looking forward to your report regarding Aurender.
I 'm playing the DDDAC since shortly with the Aries Mini and I must say......that goes very well. Music is on the NAS. I played before with the MacBook Air with JRiver, Amara, Audirvana (1 and 2) but have to say Aries has the best interface, also for Classical music. Sound quality is superbe (imho better than the software players).
Although best sound still was playing a music file in Protools ...but then I had to import every file with would take hours.......
Although best sound still was playing a music file in Protools ...but then I had to import every file with would take hours.......
We must have in mind that many of the tests of network players like Aurender/Aries is done with different type dac's, and none I have read so far is with our beloved dddac.
I'm pretty sure Aurender, with it's non compromised lay out and build quality, will be a match made in heaven with dddac on it's tail.
About time to settle; theese new shunt boards need longer time than the old ones. My 7 board dac is now at it's best. The sound is so far the best in my set up. At least a few days more until Aurender shows up.
I'm pretty sure Aurender, with it's non compromised lay out and build quality, will be a match made in heaven with dddac on it's tail.
About time to settle; theese new shunt boards need longer time than the old ones. My 7 board dac is now at it's best. The sound is so far the best in my set up. At least a few days more until Aurender shows up.
Hello,
It seems that the difference between dbpoweramp and the other ones are not to small. So when people are raving about small mods made to the circuit i think there should be a kind of test where several programmes are used to rip the same cd.
I know the Aurender app is wonderful but i need to rip my cd collection and i only wanna do it once.
Greetings, Eduard
It seems that the difference between dbpoweramp and the other ones are not to small. So when people are raving about small mods made to the circuit i think there should be a kind of test where several programmes are used to rip the same cd.
I know the Aurender app is wonderful but i need to rip my cd collection and i only wanna do it once.
Greetings, Eduard
Hello guys,
After a few weeks I am still a bit disapointed with the sounding of the DDAC 4 (old) boards with the Cinemag transformers (too flat for me, treble to harsh).
I want to try with some "capacitor" as described on the DDAC site for which it is written : "The standard Mundorf capacitors I deliver with the Kit are very reasonable compromises.".
As I didn't get those capacitors with the kit I buyed from the audoi creative shop can any of you point me to some good examples of capacitors I could try that don't sound too harsh ?
Many Thanks,
PS : I must point out that my speakers (Old B&W matrix II floor standing are quite harsh and hard to pair with other audio material)
After a few weeks I am still a bit disapointed with the sounding of the DDAC 4 (old) boards with the Cinemag transformers (too flat for me, treble to harsh).
I want to try with some "capacitor" as described on the DDAC site for which it is written : "The standard Mundorf capacitors I deliver with the Kit are very reasonable compromises.".
As I didn't get those capacitors with the kit I buyed from the audoi creative shop can any of you point me to some good examples of capacitors I could try that don't sound too harsh ?
Many Thanks,
PS : I must point out that my speakers (Old B&W matrix II floor standing are quite harsh and hard to pair with other audio material)
If your speakers sound harsh you have a problem. Dddac doesn't sound harsh at all.
The cinemags and capacitors was a dynamic killer in my setup.
The cinemags and capacitors was a dynamic killer in my setup.
Indeed, capacitors sounded harsher than Cinemag's. Then something else is "wrong" in the system
treble to harsh Solutions
Lobotom1,
I have a single board original 3.0 DDDAC with the Cinemags and the sound is not harsh. The Cinemags need a resistance load of 8K-15K to sound right. If the load resistance is 47K or higher the Cinemags will sound harsh in the treble. If your preamp has a high input resistance then you need to add resistors from your Cinemag RCA outputs to ground so that the combined parallel resistances of the preamp input and the resistor you add fall in range.
The other Cinemag tweak is to add a 150pf cap such as a WIMA FKP2 from the RCA outputs to ground. The SQ change is more subtle, but it sounds better to me and others.
If you get rid of the harsh sound but the sound is still flat, you need to add a buffer between DDDAC output and the Cinemags or start stacking up DAC boards. I can help with the buffer.
Lobotom1,
I have a single board original 3.0 DDDAC with the Cinemags and the sound is not harsh. The Cinemags need a resistance load of 8K-15K to sound right. If the load resistance is 47K or higher the Cinemags will sound harsh in the treble. If your preamp has a high input resistance then you need to add resistors from your Cinemag RCA outputs to ground so that the combined parallel resistances of the preamp input and the resistor you add fall in range.
The other Cinemag tweak is to add a 150pf cap such as a WIMA FKP2 from the RCA outputs to ground. The SQ change is more subtle, but it sounds better to me and others.
If you get rid of the harsh sound but the sound is still flat, you need to add a buffer between DDDAC output and the Cinemags or start stacking up DAC boards. I can help with the buffer.
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Thank you guys,
At least I know I will need to try tweaking the Cinemag output than using capacitors to reduce harshness.
Carlsor I am using already 4 boards so I suppose a buffer is not needed. About the resistor I think I did it properly based on this forum : 18K resistor between the black + orange wire to the ground RCA to compensate my Macintosh 4100 load impedance of 100K.
I will try the 150pf cap solution,would it mean adding this capacitor to the orange, black wire after the resistor or before it ?
Many thanks,
PS : Indeed in my setup the DDDAC sound more flat and harsh compared to the previous DAC but still the dynamics, instrument placement and details are amazing especially for classical and jazz music. THere is no point for me returning to previous setup, I just need to find where I made a mistake .. and with my poor electronic skills it could take a while!
So one more time thank you for your help and patience (also for the future )
At least I know I will need to try tweaking the Cinemag output than using capacitors to reduce harshness.
Carlsor I am using already 4 boards so I suppose a buffer is not needed. About the resistor I think I did it properly based on this forum : 18K resistor between the black + orange wire to the ground RCA to compensate my Macintosh 4100 load impedance of 100K.
I will try the 150pf cap solution,would it mean adding this capacitor to the orange, black wire after the resistor or before it ?
Many thanks,
PS : Indeed in my setup the DDDAC sound more flat and harsh compared to the previous DAC but still the dynamics, instrument placement and details are amazing especially for classical and jazz music. THere is no point for me returning to previous setup, I just need to find where I made a mistake .. and with my poor electronic skills it could take a while!
So one more time thank you for your help and patience (also for the future )
Attachments
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Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you have connected the RLoad not correctly. In my opinion it has to be parallel Plus and GND at the RCA. You have connected the Rload in series at the moment, isn't it ??
Check this:
http://www.audio-creative.nl/wp-content/uploads/Uitgangstrafo-voor-de-DDDAC-17941.jpg
Check this:
http://www.audio-creative.nl/wp-content/uploads/Uitgangstrafo-voor-de-DDDAC-17941.jpg
Michl2604,
You are right I made a mistake in the diagram, the rload 18k is connected betwwen the yellow wire and the two (black & orange wire) on the other side, the two poles of the resistor is then connected to the RCA - & +.
Is the quality of the resistor important for such setup ?
You are right I made a mistake in the diagram, the rload 18k is connected betwwen the yellow wire and the two (black & orange wire) on the other side, the two poles of the resistor is then connected to the RCA - & +.
Is the quality of the resistor important for such setup ?
I use a 10K LDR load resistor on my Cinemags which feed a 330K preamp input resistor. I have a switch for turning off the LDR resistor for use with 10K input devices. At a friend's house I heard the Cinemags play into a 100K integrated tube amp with no additional load resistance and it sounded like fingernails scratching a chalk board.
Because 10K is the "sweet spot" of Cinemag loading, I recommend that you use 12K load resistors. I am a believer that that quality of load resistors matters. Dale RNXX resistors are good enough to prove that load resistors solve your harsh treble problem. I like Caddock MK-132 or TF020 resistors for line load resistors. The LDR sounds great, but needs a current control circuit to work, but I rarely take the simplest route in HiFi projects.
Because 10K is the "sweet spot" of Cinemag loading, I recommend that you use 12K load resistors. I am a believer that that quality of load resistors matters. Dale RNXX resistors are good enough to prove that load resistors solve your harsh treble problem. I like Caddock MK-132 or TF020 resistors for line load resistors. The LDR sounds great, but needs a current control circuit to work, but I rarely take the simplest route in HiFi projects.
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Hello Everyone, I have been living with the Cinemag implementation for a while now and have realized that the bass bloom has been made more uniform and I can sense a more balanced and evenly spaced out sound. At times I have felt a bit of bass reduction as well but I am not sure if it is the case of improper connections of the tafos. I will post pics shortly.
I am looking at replacing the Dale I/V resistors with better ones. From what I have read, AudioNote Tantalums or Shinko Tantalums are preferred by some people here. Can someone please help me with the links of sites from where I can order these. I use four boards and hence need 4 33ohms resistors. Is there a minimum power rating that I should be looking at 2Watts or something? Please help.
I am looking at replacing the Dale I/V resistors with better ones. From what I have read, AudioNote Tantalums or Shinko Tantalums are preferred by some people here. Can someone please help me with the links of sites from where I can order these. I use four boards and hence need 4 33ohms resistors. Is there a minimum power rating that I should be looking at 2Watts or something? Please help.