I've ordered an iFi iPower 5v power supply. For $49 I figure it is worth a shot as an improvement. If not an improvement, I still needed one more PS anyway.
Some reviewers say it made a huge difference, others say not, or maybe the others are comparing it to even more expensive PS implementations.
Some reviewers say it made a huge difference, others say not, or maybe the others are comparing it to even more expensive PS implementations.
Nope. The iFi iPower came today and I didn't think it was better than my battery power. In fact I'd say worse. It just sounded harsh.
I'll give it some more playing time, but I'm saving the box so I can send it back if I don't think it is better. I'll do an A/B comparison to the best of my ability, although it certainly won't be blind.
Maybe a linear supply would be better, or maybe I'm just getting what I can reasonably expect from the Boss. That would still be a big bargain.
I'll give it some more playing time, but I'm saving the box so I can send it back if I don't think it is better. I'll do an A/B comparison to the best of my ability, although it certainly won't be blind.
Maybe a linear supply would be better, or maybe I'm just getting what I can reasonably expect from the Boss. That would still be a big bargain.
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I recently got my hands on an SMSL M8 with the ESS9018K2 for $112 via the swap meet. This was the first DAC I have tried outside of the players I have used with their on board DAC.
I had been mourning the loss of my Rotel 855 with TDA1541A for a few years as it stopped working. I tried a few other players that I picked up used.
I went backwards in time and tried a SONY CDP-101 with the dual TDA1540. It was an overwhelmingly buttery analog experience for my ears. I actually kind of liked it on certain recordings. Alas, that player also had some glitches and needed to be gone through so I shelved it.
I picked up a tank of an NEC player from the 90s for $30 at a thrift store with a sticky drawer that had a Burr Brown DAC in it that I was able to live with as a temporary solution.
I tried an Arcam player that I had read rave reviews about. I can’t remeber which chip but it was a fairly recent model. It was so harsh and shrill that I couldn’t listen to more than a few tracks before I decided to return it.
Also tried an older Marantz and a few others.
The SMSL is the most modern DAC I have heard and the only one I was able to compare directly to my favorite original “reference” DAC.
I was finally able to get my Rotel 855 working properly again by buying a second 855 that I could canabalize for parts.
I was happy to discover that I could hook the SMSL up to the Rotel’s Digital output and connect it to its own channel on my preamp and at the same time connect the Rotel’s own line level output to a second channel on my preamp. This allowed me to continually switch back and forth between the two and compare them.
I had a listening session with a fellow enthusiast. I was skeptical at first that there was much of a noticeable difference. However, it became clear as we listened to many different CDs of all types of music that we actually seemed to prefer the sound of the SMSL (to my dismay in a sense).
The sound stage just seemed to open up more with the SMSL. There was better placement of instruments especially in live venue recordings. There was more detail. The Rotel’s TDA 1541 and op amp output stage had a warmth that was aggreable to me, but I was acutely aware of how the recordings illusion faded and the sound shrank each time I switched back to it. It was like being moved from orchestra seats in a theater back to the nose bleeds.
Just my experience so far. I doubt I would have paid the $250-$300 the SMSL was originally selling for, but I’m glad I was able to find a deal on this one second hand. My understanding is that it can be improved with a better power supply.
I’d also still like to try and harvest the TDA1541 from the extra player and build some kind of NOS DAC with it as I have never tried that. Finding a well reviewed and supported board design at this point in the game has been difficult.
I had been mourning the loss of my Rotel 855 with TDA1541A for a few years as it stopped working. I tried a few other players that I picked up used.
I went backwards in time and tried a SONY CDP-101 with the dual TDA1540. It was an overwhelmingly buttery analog experience for my ears. I actually kind of liked it on certain recordings. Alas, that player also had some glitches and needed to be gone through so I shelved it.
I picked up a tank of an NEC player from the 90s for $30 at a thrift store with a sticky drawer that had a Burr Brown DAC in it that I was able to live with as a temporary solution.
I tried an Arcam player that I had read rave reviews about. I can’t remeber which chip but it was a fairly recent model. It was so harsh and shrill that I couldn’t listen to more than a few tracks before I decided to return it.
Also tried an older Marantz and a few others.
The SMSL is the most modern DAC I have heard and the only one I was able to compare directly to my favorite original “reference” DAC.
I was finally able to get my Rotel 855 working properly again by buying a second 855 that I could canabalize for parts.
I was happy to discover that I could hook the SMSL up to the Rotel’s Digital output and connect it to its own channel on my preamp and at the same time connect the Rotel’s own line level output to a second channel on my preamp. This allowed me to continually switch back and forth between the two and compare them.
I had a listening session with a fellow enthusiast. I was skeptical at first that there was much of a noticeable difference. However, it became clear as we listened to many different CDs of all types of music that we actually seemed to prefer the sound of the SMSL (to my dismay in a sense).
The sound stage just seemed to open up more with the SMSL. There was better placement of instruments especially in live venue recordings. There was more detail. The Rotel’s TDA 1541 and op amp output stage had a warmth that was aggreable to me, but I was acutely aware of how the recordings illusion faded and the sound shrank each time I switched back to it. It was like being moved from orchestra seats in a theater back to the nose bleeds.
Just my experience so far. I doubt I would have paid the $250-$300 the SMSL was originally selling for, but I’m glad I was able to find a deal on this one second hand. My understanding is that it can be improved with a better power supply.
I’d also still like to try and harvest the TDA1541 from the extra player and build some kind of NOS DAC with it as I have never tried that. Finding a well reviewed and supported board design at this point in the game has been difficult.
I'm not saying that it would level to or better the battery source but you need to add (as close to the DAC) a 1,000-4,700 uF electrolytic and a 0.1 uF poly (both in parallel to the ground).
I gave the iFi another try this morning and still found it harsh. I then put the battery back in and there was definitely an improvement. I'm going to return the iFi.
Are you saying to modify the board or just add it to the line? I'm not doing either but I didn't understand this.
Are you saying to modify the board or just add it to the line? I'm not doing either but I didn't understand this.
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Solder the two caps in parallel and place them between the V+ and 0V on the supply cable as close to the board or on the board itself if it is possible... and a shorter and larger gauge supply cable should help too. I am not contending that the outcome of these mods would better the battery supply you have but they will surely improve the overall DC voltage supply via iFi PowerFi.
It's not neccssarily the iFi filtering... it's the long and thin cable... and extra filtering always helps with a long run cable (at the device end).
I hear you
and being a (now retired) jeweller I've always been able to take an ingot and draw down whatever fine-silver wire diameter I've needed. Where possible a fixed point to point attachment with real stg solder (not 'silver solder'
) and where not possible then hard soldered to custom plug fittings of gold (solid not plated ) for the tarnish freedom....Oh, and my 30+ yr old cramolin kit still works too...
http://store.caig.com/core/media/media.nl?id=808&c=ACCT113328&h=3f8d8512c835e9a69f64&whence=
contact spray ingredient(s) | Electronics Forums
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I gave the iFi another listen and I think I'll keep it. I can't say that it sounded better, but at least when I told Alexa to "Turn on the Tubes" it turned on with everything else since it is plugged into that power strip. The battery was a manual process.
Since I made those silver interconnects I stopped using the modest little system by the computer, but I just turned it on and it sounds just fine. The silver made my main system so compelling that I stopped using anything else.
I'll keep an ear to the iFi setup to see if I really like it in the long run.
Since I made those silver interconnects I stopped using the modest little system by the computer, but I just turned it on and it sounds just fine. The silver made my main system so compelling that I stopped using anything else.
I'll keep an ear to the iFi setup to see if I really like it in the long run.
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I have one of those setup in my kitchen. It works fine and sounds better than anything I had there before. I also have an RPi/Allo Boss combo in my main system and it might sound a hair better. You really can't go wrong with either one.
I just purchased an FiiO K5 Pro.
I have been using an Audioengine D1 for the past few years.
My main setup is PC optical S/PDIF-to-DAC-to-KT88 single ended-to-Altec 604E w/Stonehenge cabinets.
I'm very familiar with the sound of the Audioengine D1. I have been listening to the FiiO K5 Pro for the last 4 days, and to me, it has an edge over the Audioengine D1 with respect to resolution and channel separation.
I have not used either for headphones so I can't comment on that aspect.
For $150, I'm very pleased with the sound of the FiiO K5 Pro. As a qualifier, I mainly listen to streaming audio at AAC 128kbps 44100 Hz, so there is that, but it is an improvement over the Audioengine D1.
I have quite a bit of music at 96/24 and 192/24 and it as well has apparent improved resolution to my ears compared to the Audioengine D1.
So for a budget device under $200, it's a great deal.
I have been using an Audioengine D1 for the past few years.
My main setup is PC optical S/PDIF-to-DAC-to-KT88 single ended-to-Altec 604E w/Stonehenge cabinets.
I'm very familiar with the sound of the Audioengine D1. I have been listening to the FiiO K5 Pro for the last 4 days, and to me, it has an edge over the Audioengine D1 with respect to resolution and channel separation.
I have not used either for headphones so I can't comment on that aspect.
For $150, I'm very pleased with the sound of the FiiO K5 Pro. As a qualifier, I mainly listen to streaming audio at AAC 128kbps 44100 Hz, so there is that, but it is an improvement over the Audioengine D1.
I have quite a bit of music at 96/24 and 192/24 and it as well has apparent improved resolution to my ears compared to the Audioengine D1.
So for a budget device under $200, it's a great deal.
Has anyone had the opportunity to listen to this DAC?
https://hifi-express.com/collection...-optical-coaxial-input?variant=18595729178724
Your impressions are welcome.
https://hifi-express.com/collection...-optical-coaxial-input?variant=18595729178724
Your impressions are welcome.
Topping D30 is for the same price and quality is not same as the one under ASR review /cheating/. Zen comes from a reputable company. Much better specification - balanced and SE output for the line and for HPA (switchable). Yes, it does have HPA.
It looks like it use XMOS f-series for USB i/f and some DSP processing. While I am not fan of MQA, they pay licence fee, it is noted. I don't think there is better offer in this price range.
Rasberry pi usb dac player
Hello greetings
need some help i bought a rasberry pi kit and a PIFI digi dac
card i want mainly to listen to music only so i installed volumio
ops on the sd card which goes into the rasberry pi slot sd card
i am using is scan disk extreme pro 8 gb.Now how to adjust
volume so i can feed it to a small amplifier please this is my
first dac project can someone help me .
warm regards
Andrew
Hello greetings
need some help i bought a rasberry pi kit and a PIFI digi dac
card i want mainly to listen to music only so i installed volumio
ops on the sd card which goes into the rasberry pi slot sd card
i am using is scan disk extreme pro 8 gb.Now how to adjust
volume so i can feed it to a small amplifier please this is my
first dac project can someone help me .
warm regards
Andrew
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