Make the correction to the PCB as the very first thing you do.
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-line-level/273474-best-dac-no-dac-110.html#post4653927
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-line-level/273474-best-dac-no-dac-111.html#post4654284
Ray
Hi all,
Great thread!!! Very interesting solution!
I was wondering if it is possible to use Raspberry Pi and use it's I2S, connect Ian's FiFO II and Dual XO II board to it, and use this flip flop board.
I suppose RPI 2/3 hasn't enough cpu power to upsample to DSD.
Why I am asking this? In my opinion it would be best to derive I2S directly from RPI or
PC, without taking use of USB. Pink Faun also has I2S card for PC, so no need for USB anymore....
Any thoughts?
Btw, Nautibuoy, is there any pcb available?
Alex
Great thread!!! Very interesting solution!
I was wondering if it is possible to use Raspberry Pi and use it's I2S, connect Ian's FiFO II and Dual XO II board to it, and use this flip flop board.
I suppose RPI 2/3 hasn't enough cpu power to upsample to DSD.
Why I am asking this? In my opinion it would be best to derive I2S directly from RPI or
PC, without taking use of USB. Pink Faun also has I2S card for PC, so no need for USB anymore....
Any thoughts?
Btw, Nautibuoy, is there any pcb available?
Alex
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I'm confused by your questions, you mention a flipflop and then enquire about SE PCBs? Also, this approach would derive it's input from a BBB, not the way you describe.
It is important to understand that this is a DSD only solution and will not playback PCM data; I2S is conventionally considered to be a PCM transport mechanism - you'll need to ensure that any I2S solution you have is able to route the necessary DSD data streams over the PCM/I2S channels.
If you plan on using a BBB I would recommend miero's Botic distro and I would use a reclocker such as the Acko SO3 or the TPA Hermes. I have used a BBB/Botic/SO3 combo to playback DSD256 media.
See my comment about DSD/I2S/PCM above. I can't disagree that eliminating USB would be a nice option and the idea has been explored here before but I don't think Pink Faun are going to help you, from their website;
"We think DSD is just another (we hope last) marketing trick of some companies in the audio branch. Trying to get some money out of a format which didn't make it in the first place. Being special in different way, instead of making better equipment. Of course compared against CD, DSD (SACD) sounds better, but against high resolution PCM, DSD must be seen as obsolete"
Perhaps their opinion is influenced by not being able to offer a DSD solution or maybe they've just never heard DSD rendered this way?
Generally most of us have gone the USB route simply because we know there are working solutions available.
If you have DSD media available, I would consider the BBB/Botic/reclocker approach.
Ray
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PCB Group Buy Update
If GB subscribers have received their PCBs but not let me know can I ask that you do so. It is now over two weeks since I posted the PCBs out and my list is still showing quite a few as undelivered.
I have attached the latest version of the spreadsheet.
I am now considering the possibility that a few packages might have gone astray in the post. I have therefore ordered a small additional batch of PCBs. When these arrive (in about two weeks) I will send out replacements to anyone who hasn't received their boards from the original GB and, after that I will make any remaining boards available to latecomers. Below I have started a latecomers waiting list that people are welcome to add their name to with their requirements.
Ray
Latecomers waiting list
Drummer44: Single-ended * ?; Balanced/FlipFlop * ?
Ignasi L: Single-ended * 2; Balanced/FlipFlop * 0
Arbartels1965: Single-ended * ?; Balanced/FlipFlop * ?
If GB subscribers have received their PCBs but not let me know can I ask that you do so. It is now over two weeks since I posted the PCBs out and my list is still showing quite a few as undelivered.
I have attached the latest version of the spreadsheet.
I am now considering the possibility that a few packages might have gone astray in the post. I have therefore ordered a small additional batch of PCBs. When these arrive (in about two weeks) I will send out replacements to anyone who hasn't received their boards from the original GB and, after that I will make any remaining boards available to latecomers. Below I have started a latecomers waiting list that people are welcome to add their name to with their requirements.
Ray
Latecomers waiting list
Drummer44: Single-ended * ?; Balanced/FlipFlop * ?
Ignasi L: Single-ended * 2; Balanced/FlipFlop * 0
Arbartels1965: Single-ended * ?; Balanced/FlipFlop * ?
Hello Nautibuoy,
I am a little confused and I think I am mixing-up a few things
1- Can BBB/Botic/SO3 be used with your FlipFlop pcb?
2- You prefer JLSounds Xmos because you can use it on more powerful cpu and upsample everything to DSD512 (with HQPlayer?)
I tested last few weeks with RPI2/3, before I used DualPC setup with AO/JPlay.
Before investing in BBB or other stuff, wat is in your opinion the best solution,
sq wise.
I have a spare HP Probook i7 with 16Gb RAM and 2xSSD.
For your information, I would need Single Ended PCB
I am a little confused and I think I am mixing-up a few things
1- Can BBB/Botic/SO3 be used with your FlipFlop pcb?
2- You prefer JLSounds Xmos because you can use it on more powerful cpu and upsample everything to DSD512 (with HQPlayer?)
I tested last few weeks with RPI2/3, before I used DualPC setup with AO/JPlay.
Before investing in BBB or other stuff, wat is in your opinion the best solution,
sq wise.
I have a spare HP Probook i7 with 16Gb RAM and 2xSSD.
For your information, I would need Single Ended PCB
No problem, helping people out is part of the function of the forum.
Yes, it should work OK but I suggest connections should be as short as possible.
I use the JLSounds USB board because it works well (only to DSD256 though), has onboard reclocking and is excellent value. The JLSounds doesn't required upsampled DSD and works perfectly well with pre-recorded DSD media. I know others are happily using the amanero board.
I upsample my 44.1/16 PCM files to DSD256 with HQPlayer. The PC that does this is physically remote and I stream the upsampled DSD over a dedicated Ethernet network to a low power silent computer that then connects, via USB, to the JLSounds board.
It's a while since I looked at JPlay; does it do DSD now?
I have no idea what is the best solution as I have only tried a few projects. I'm getting very good results with the JLSounds board and the FlipFlop PCB through a Broskie BCF buffer and, I think, there is even more detail with the JLSounds/FlipFlop feeding the Silk TVCs, but perhaps a little more 'polite' sounding (I plan to experiment with a buffer after the Silks too).
What are you planning to use it for?
For your information, I would need Single Ended PCB
Noted
Ray
Hi All,
I have managed to put together JLSounds USBI2S in DSD mode.
Observations/Systen:
- MAC OS X Yoseminite, newest vesion
- HQ player newest
- Outbound filter: 3,3 MKP, 1,2 mH speaker coil, 6,9 nF parallel mkt
- Listening over diyinhk headphone amp, Sennheiser hd300, bose headphones
- One channel dsd mode works well, almost no noidse
- If second channel is added, quite annoying white noise and more is added, yet listenable
- Cannot get more on this quite powerful mac than 5,6 MHz dsd
Question: Did someone test sucessfully with mac os x and hq player jlsound usb without artifacts ? Any input / experience would help.
I have listened in the last years to: Diyinhk pcm5102 dac, diyinhk es9018, dddac1543x8, usb pcm2707+4x1543, waveio-usb-> dacs above.
Power supplies: Usb-> diyinhk 2x5 volt lowest noise, after Isolator->doede class A 5 volt
Sound:
- DSD 128 with jlsounds is almost analog:
- most striking attribute is the bass - has real details definition, timing and flow, easiness
- clarity of rendering definition is positively striking, have experienced this only with best analog gear in that way - all the enchilada- analog lp drive fot 1000s of €, best riaa stages etc. ....
- mids are very genlte, but completely clear without artifacts - just right
- highs are just there, no too much and not too blurred under effects
- top highs are best defined of all dac combinations - top class
- overall promises made in this thread, can be seen as right conclusion into the right direction ...
Negative points:
- no documentation on jlsounds, that usb is not capable of dsd256 on mac os x
- hq player mac + jlsounds does NOT work DSD NATIVE !!!
- white noise, if played with both channels - drives me crazy, since do not know, if it is poor dsd mac based implementation or jlsound error.
- same usbi2s works with i2s pcm5102, 354KHz based dac without problems - no noise !
Next step: Contact jlsounds for help/fix of noise, tests with windows+linux(damn sold my olimex A20 soc board ..., because fellow listener was that amazed ... Need to wait).
+ listen on my active manger speakers to verify non headphone usage ....
Many thanks to all having started this thread - cool. Just need to get rid of the noise !!!
BTW: Native DSD does NOT work on mac os x + jlsound usb + HQ player .... Only DoP, which is not what I wanted.
Did someone try diyinhk usb dsd native and got it to work with hq player on mac ? Or waveio with beta dsd driver ?
My subjective taste is that although 30 bucks more, WAVEIO (4 layer pcb, top quality, prooven listening feedback ...) is the best sounding usb audio gear you can get when you go PCM and budget (not cheapo...) dacs like pcm5102 given best power supplies you can get - like doedes class A 5 volt ... . Would be quite interesting to test when Waveio has it's dsd native working. Yet did not test amareno .... Maybe soon ....
Happy easter ...
D44
I have managed to put together JLSounds USBI2S in DSD mode.
Observations/Systen:
- MAC OS X Yoseminite, newest vesion
- HQ player newest
- Outbound filter: 3,3 MKP, 1,2 mH speaker coil, 6,9 nF parallel mkt
- Listening over diyinhk headphone amp, Sennheiser hd300, bose headphones
- One channel dsd mode works well, almost no noidse
- If second channel is added, quite annoying white noise and more is added, yet listenable
- Cannot get more on this quite powerful mac than 5,6 MHz dsd
Question: Did someone test sucessfully with mac os x and hq player jlsound usb without artifacts ? Any input / experience would help.
I have listened in the last years to: Diyinhk pcm5102 dac, diyinhk es9018, dddac1543x8, usb pcm2707+4x1543, waveio-usb-> dacs above.
Power supplies: Usb-> diyinhk 2x5 volt lowest noise, after Isolator->doede class A 5 volt
Sound:
- DSD 128 with jlsounds is almost analog:
- most striking attribute is the bass - has real details definition, timing and flow, easiness
- clarity of rendering definition is positively striking, have experienced this only with best analog gear in that way - all the enchilada- analog lp drive fot 1000s of €, best riaa stages etc. ....
- mids are very genlte, but completely clear without artifacts - just right
- highs are just there, no too much and not too blurred under effects
- top highs are best defined of all dac combinations - top class
- overall promises made in this thread, can be seen as right conclusion into the right direction ...
Negative points:
- no documentation on jlsounds, that usb is not capable of dsd256 on mac os x
- hq player mac + jlsounds does NOT work DSD NATIVE !!!
- white noise, if played with both channels - drives me crazy, since do not know, if it is poor dsd mac based implementation or jlsound error.
- same usbi2s works with i2s pcm5102, 354KHz based dac without problems - no noise !
Next step: Contact jlsounds for help/fix of noise, tests with windows+linux(damn sold my olimex A20 soc board ..., because fellow listener was that amazed ... Need to wait).
+ listen on my active manger speakers to verify non headphone usage ....
Many thanks to all having started this thread - cool. Just need to get rid of the noise !!!
BTW: Native DSD does NOT work on mac os x + jlsound usb + HQ player .... Only DoP, which is not what I wanted.
Did someone try diyinhk usb dsd native and got it to work with hq player on mac ? Or waveio with beta dsd driver ?
My subjective taste is that although 30 bucks more, WAVEIO (4 layer pcb, top quality, prooven listening feedback ...) is the best sounding usb audio gear you can get when you go PCM and budget (not cheapo...) dacs like pcm5102 given best power supplies you can get - like doedes class A 5 volt ... . Would be quite interesting to test when Waveio has it's dsd native working. Yet did not test amareno .... Maybe soon ....
Happy easter ...
D44
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Thanks Ray! That's fix is really easy.
Any updates to the BOM, with your recent findings?
I suggest going the HQPlayer NAA route, running a suitable Linux distro on the NAA computer will remove the problems with DSD vs DOP and would enable native DSD256 via JLSounds if your upsampling PC were powerful enough. It will also allow you to physically locate the upsampling PC away from the audio system.
NAA computer can be low power and silent, here's some info on my NAA;
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-line-level/273474-best-dac-no-dac-61.html#post4568135
Ray
I'm now using these FlipFlop devices, which work well in my project, but it's up to you; I'm not recommending them above any other FlipFlops because they sound better or anything like that.
https://uk.farnell.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?msg=&catalogId=15001&CMP=AFC-AN-UK-ALL-473347&langId=44&storeId=10151&krypto=yJNBBwaPlFA7MjWSrCTe1pFitf0%2FH2e2uPp89cMMVSwPOB2jidbP7wAmASMCmgSc3Bv1ih4QZTfY%0A9Trm%2BmjcfiGg6qiOldeqj3joIQ%2FZzng%3D&ddkey=http:Logoff
Ray
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Hi Nautibuoy,
NAA is a valid proposal.Yet again linux fiddeling ground work .... Never funny and time consuming + sometimes just sucks because the "manuals accidentally" just do not work out and you spend days to browse 1000 forums ....
yet, jlsounds claims it's usb stuff to work DSD natively with mac os x on his product website.
That is why I want to make others aware of this fact - otherwise they will as well base their decision on a potentially wrong assumption.
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If you read the attachment to the link I posted about NAA you'll see it includes a Linux install guide.