Hi,
As I'm not very up to date regarding clocks, I have a simple question. I am upgrading my Buffalo III SE setup, first steps were hooking the new Placid and that was a great improvement (v1 to v2.1).
So, what would using a Cronus improve sonically speaking ?
Would I need an Hermes too knowing that I only use an Amanerro from USB (powered by a Placid) ?
Thanks for your help!
neo
As I'm not very up to date regarding clocks, I have a simple question. I am upgrading my Buffalo III SE setup, first steps were hooking the new Placid and that was a great improvement (v1 to v2.1).
So, what would using a Cronus improve sonically speaking ?
Would I need an Hermes too knowing that I only use an Amanerro from USB (powered by a Placid) ?
Thanks for your help!
neo
As far as I remember I also asked Russ the same question, but I'm going to ask again... Could it be a possible solution to change the value of R4 for more current? It's now 30 Ohm.
From my experience with Cronus reclocking, you can obtain more detailed tonality and better resolution of the music you are listening to, because the data of music source sent to BIIISE are more accurately regulated by the clocks on the Cronus board.
Definitely you need a Hermes-Amanero board because the Cronus board requires it for functioning. You might check the original introduction of Hermes-Amanero board by Russ.
Regards,
twluke
in theory the default resistor should give enough current to guarantee dac functionality untill 192k.
if you are a high res(>=192k) file fan and listen mostly to these type of files you can decrease value of r4 else you should live it like it is because the shunt will get hot when setup for high current and dac plays only low res files.
I am curious if your problem comes from here.
In the next future I want to try this mood too because my dac streams untill 192k after this I get no lock status.
I do not have many files above 192k so after the test I think I will revert back if I got heat issues.
if you are a high res(>=192k) file fan and listen mostly to these type of files you can decrease value of r4 else you should live it like it is because the shunt will get hot when setup for high current and dac plays only low res files.
I am curious if your problem comes from here.
In the next future I want to try this mood too because my dac streams untill 192k after this I get no lock status.
I do not have many files above 192k so after the test I think I will revert back if I got heat issues.
Hi twluke,
Did you make a comparison between sync and async?
Both situations with cronus in front of b3?
Did you make a comparison between sync and async?
Both situations with cronus in front of b3?
Uhm, I'm sorry to say that I've never done such a comparison. Even with Hermes-Cronus, I always leave my BIIISE (and also my older BIII) async-ed.
Regards,
twluke
Thanks twluke for the feedback.
It's always hard to estimate how enthusiastic people are when just reading posts but it seems that the difference between with or without the Cronus is not that big. Am I wrong ?
As a comparison, the upgrade from Placids v1 to Placids v2.1 was a big jump forward on every aspects of music reproduction.
I know that's hard to compare but, assuming such thing is doable, what would be in order of impact the main things to upgrade first ? It seems from things I've read here and there that clocking may be considered as the last improvement to do... if even necessary.
I understand it's a real thing when dealing with multiple digital sources but in my case, I'm not sure. I guess stepping up to dual mono should be a better way to follow even if it costs way more than the Cronus/Hermes kit.
Any thoughts ?
It's always hard to estimate how enthusiastic people are when just reading posts but it seems that the difference between with or without the Cronus is not that big. Am I wrong ?
As a comparison, the upgrade from Placids v1 to Placids v2.1 was a big jump forward on every aspects of music reproduction.
I know that's hard to compare but, assuming such thing is doable, what would be in order of impact the main things to upgrade first ? It seems from things I've read here and there that clocking may be considered as the last improvement to do... if even necessary.
I understand it's a real thing when dealing with multiple digital sources but in my case, I'm not sure. I guess stepping up to dual mono should be a better way to follow even if it costs way more than the Cronus/Hermes kit.
Any thoughts ?
Interesting question so I'll chime-in. This question also has so many facets. First, I question that we all hear and value the same properties of musical sounds in roughly the same way. So straight away we don't know if someone is talking about 'apples or oranges'. At the level of reproduction, the details of what happens to the pristine I2S coming out of Cronus matters greatly. Low resolution equipment will minimize the Hermes/Cronus advantage, very high resolution equipment will maximize it.
Everything matters and every system has a weak link. To answer your question from my limited personal experience (and YMMV): 1. DAC&buffer design choice, 2. Fully differential signal chain and amps, 3. Speaker resolving ability and acoustics, 4. Source resolution - everything from recording engineering to making the I2S that goes to the DACs. The better you've done with 1, 2, and 3, the more this source resolution matters and the more Hermes/Cronus will help.
I use BIIIse with Legato and think they are very well 'dialed-in'. I would definitely add Hermes/Cronus before doubling up the BIIIs.
No objections to what you were pointing out. But I'll recommend a small experiment of comparison between cum Cronus and sine Cronus before reaching this assumption.
In my case, miero's Botic system for MPD on BBB before the introduction of Hermes-BBB/Cronus boards worked well with BIII(SE) but with these boards, the sound quality from BIII(SE) became more enhanced: meaning that even with raising up the volume, you feel the sound still little loud or disintegrated. This also can be applied to Hermes-Amanero/Cronus. I can say that the sound quality from iTunes on my Macbook via USB/Amanero became well comparable to what can be heard from MPD with Hermes-BBB/Cronus system after applying Hermes-Amanero/Cronus combo.
I'm not sure what this is meant for. Upgrade of a unipolar Placid to 2.1 for shunt regulators on the BIIISE? or upgrade of bipolar Placid for such an I/V stage necessary for BIIISE? Anyway this upgrade is quite interesting for me. Thanks for this comment.
Uhm, probably no. Any digitized data can not be properly processed without quality clocking ...
Of course this will be of great help for system enhancement but you might consider that it does not lead to elimination of such a jitter often produced by incomplete clocking system.
Regards,
twluke
Thanks francolargo for your thoughts.
My BIII-SE is actually used to feed headphones 😉 From what you're saying, I guess Hermes/Cronus combo would reveal their strenghts more than in a speakers / room setup.
Replacing IVY by Legato is one of my to-experiment list items 😉
I may give Hermes/Cronus combo a try after all...
Actually it's just an upgrade using the newest versions of Placid HD et Placid HDBP to feed the DAC and the I/V. I did not change anything more 😉
Thanks,
neo
Worth a try... I'd leave it direct-soldered as you continue to troubleshoot...
Good luck.
help pls...
Hello!
i need some help with the amanero/hermes/cronus/rhea.
i got mine one a few weeks ago. today the last missing crystall came. i put all components together, flashed the amanero in slave mode - set the configuration bits... and nothing... daphile and windows found the device, but no sound. i checked all multiplier jumper, resistors, cables, conf. bites - nothing.
i got 2 amanero boards - no board was running in the setup. then i try to use the hermes without cronus. in normal mode an in slave mode... no sound. any ideas?
regards
limbik 5
Hello!
i need some help with the amanero/hermes/cronus/rhea.
i got mine one a few weeks ago. today the last missing crystall came. i put all components together, flashed the amanero in slave mode - set the configuration bits... and nothing... daphile and windows found the device, but no sound. i checked all multiplier jumper, resistors, cables, conf. bites - nothing.
i got 2 amanero boards - no board was running in the setup. then i try to use the hermes without cronus. in normal mode an in slave mode... no sound. any ideas?
regards
limbik 5
Hello,
I have some questions about the integration of the BBB hermes / cronus, as i don't find any documentation that help, i come here to ask. I want to connect these to an hdmi i2s kit (audio-gd), as my dac have this input. I tried but i don't arrive to make it work.
audio-gd i2s kit have this : DATA, BCK, WCK, MCK, GND
I connect it this way to the cronus with terminal block
WCK = D1
BCK = DCK
DATA = D2
and mck solder directly to the headers. My hdmi kit also need 3v3, i connect it to c_3v3
If i read right, cronus need additional 5v / 200 mA supply with the VD/GRD terminal, so i connect an usb alimentation. My BBB is power by it's 5v jack power.
I then use botic v4 image, and try to read a file with bbbplay, but of course it don't work. Any advice ?
I have some questions about the integration of the BBB hermes / cronus, as i don't find any documentation that help, i come here to ask. I want to connect these to an hdmi i2s kit (audio-gd), as my dac have this input. I tried but i don't arrive to make it work.
audio-gd i2s kit have this : DATA, BCK, WCK, MCK, GND
I connect it this way to the cronus with terminal block
WCK = D1
BCK = DCK
DATA = D2
and mck solder directly to the headers. My hdmi kit also need 3v3, i connect it to c_3v3
If i read right, cronus need additional 5v / 200 mA supply with the VD/GRD terminal, so i connect an usb alimentation. My BBB is power by it's 5v jack power.
I then use botic v4 image, and try to read a file with bbbplay, but of course it don't work. Any advice ?