You can't really know without real testing... in a similar situation !
I stopped to read only datas, as I can make sound a dac very different jusy by playing on a 2 cm wire between a TS7a or an A123 cell and the IanClock board !
There are too much parameters to allow you to be sure the best thing on paper sounds the best at ears (at least without a very long tuning to have the best...in your own hifi).
Here you talked about 3 different layout and crystals :
- Christek 957 (or the brand new one talked above)
- Laptech (non OCXO one)
-NDK
And CLock board 2 from Ian, or ANdrea pcbs or the combo (possibility to stack a part of the ANdrea's pcbs on the Ian CLock 2 (and 1 version as well) .
What did you really benchmark at ears witch what supplies and which DAC ? Did you always test with uf-l wires to inteconnect the pcbs... and with witch crystals ?: how many layers of pcb did you have to stack to feed and take the beat of the crystals ? (I'm sure a simple dip14 socket or one layer of pcb between the crystals and the rest can be heared !)
I believe all those parameters matters !
Anyway, it's true Ian said the best sound he had was with OCXO from SUPRA (Mr Moro)....
I stopped to have definitive conclusion on a layout as when I change only a simple cap or wire, all the sound change for the best or the worst in relation to each system !
Few gears are defintly the best everywhere ! Have to say about DACs with several way to feed it, Mr Pedja Rogic AYA II stays the best I had at home :the most musical one on Classical, Jazz... and even Rock or World Music !
The Wave I/O with NDK Crystals and Simultaneous pcb from Ian sounded very good but for the moment I prefer the recloked version with Crytek 957 and FIFO and Isolator before .... subjectivly: my tastes, my hifif, my room !
I stopped to read only datas, as I can make sound a dac very different jusy by playing on a 2 cm wire between a TS7a or an A123 cell and the IanClock board !
There are too much parameters to allow you to be sure the best thing on paper sounds the best at ears (at least without a very long tuning to have the best...in your own hifi).
Here you talked about 3 different layout and crystals :
- Christek 957 (or the brand new one talked above)
- Laptech (non OCXO one)
-NDK
And CLock board 2 from Ian, or ANdrea pcbs or the combo (possibility to stack a part of the ANdrea's pcbs on the Ian CLock 2 (and 1 version as well) .
What did you really benchmark at ears witch what supplies and which DAC ? Did you always test with uf-l wires to inteconnect the pcbs... and with witch crystals ?: how many layers of pcb did you have to stack to feed and take the beat of the crystals ? (I'm sure a simple dip14 socket or one layer of pcb between the crystals and the rest can be heared !)
I believe all those parameters matters !
Anyway, it's true Ian said the best sound he had was with OCXO from SUPRA (Mr Moro)....
I stopped to have definitive conclusion on a layout as when I change only a simple cap or wire, all the sound change for the best or the worst in relation to each system !
Few gears are defintly the best everywhere ! Have to say about DACs with several way to feed it, Mr Pedja Rogic AYA II stays the best I had at home :the most musical one on Classical, Jazz... and even Rock or World Music !
The Wave I/O with NDK Crystals and Simultaneous pcb from Ian sounded very good but for the moment I prefer the recloked version with Crytek 957 and FIFO and Isolator before .... subjectivly: my tastes, my hifif, my room !
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Probably because this isn't your first language. You have been confused from the start.
Nice bump, @fedde.
I see there are three possible ways on the i2soverusb v3.
BTW, how to configure I2S for TDA1387? Same as TDA1541?
In which power configuration did you test these boards?
I see there are three possible ways on the i2soverusb v3.
BTW, how to configure I2S for TDA1387? Same as TDA1541?
Sounds promising, thank you for responding. I am also interested what supplies you use.
In the meantime, I already ordered an i2soverusb v3 to try it out. Let's hope it brings improvements in my system. The v3 manual is not so clear to me by the way. Do you need to configure all these jumpers and zero ohm resistors also for the spdif output on H2? Or is this only required to configure spdif on the other header?
Fedde
In terms of “hearing” any usb i2s is either a pass or fail - it’s digital and it the usb byte should be represented Vs clock in the correct timing graph. Or fails todo so. Regardless of how it does it.
A pc playing will run a codec translating to linear pcm or dss. OSX has all that built in so no driver for usb audio class 2.0.
So the pc codec in use can/may change the audio (codec digital filters etc).
Once the i2c hits the dac. Soekris for example then fifos the bytes again in the fgpa before sampling up to switching speed with each digital filter.
So a dac and the format to linear PCM/dss codec itself are the only thing that should change the sound if configured.
The last piece is the circuit design - how well the digital signal is transferred. Going back to my first point - the digital signal at the pins of the dac should be as per the digital timing graph (including leading edges) and the power supplies should also be dampened so that power is suppler in specification too. Then there’s noise I can see how bad circuit design impacts sound - well that’s again down to the digital signal graph and power making their way across the digital ICs isn’t the analogue domain. What about differential input dacs to reduce noise susceptibility?
So what out non usb?
I can see where dejittering would help here..
A pc playing will run a codec translating to linear pcm or dss. OSX has all that built in so no driver for usb audio class 2.0.
So the pc codec in use can/may change the audio (codec digital filters etc).
Once the i2c hits the dac. Soekris for example then fifos the bytes again in the fgpa before sampling up to switching speed with each digital filter.
So a dac and the format to linear PCM/dss codec itself are the only thing that should change the sound if configured.
The last piece is the circuit design - how well the digital signal is transferred. Going back to my first point - the digital signal at the pins of the dac should be as per the digital timing graph (including leading edges) and the power supplies should also be dampened so that power is suppler in specification too. Then there’s noise I can see how bad circuit design impacts sound - well that’s again down to the digital signal graph and power making their way across the digital ICs isn’t the analogue domain. What about differential input dacs to reduce noise susceptibility?
So what out non usb?
I can see where dejittering would help here..
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i tried some ps.. salas reflector, lt3035, and studer 900 ps.
In generaly i don t feel diference on power the usb side separated . I m using a laptop on batery..
On the clocks there is big diference..
This is my akm4497 dac with i2soverusbiii
Playing:
YouTube
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@NickNuck,
Same feeling, layout drawing is a big part in the result and not that easy, high speeds are a b..ch!
What about frequency of the crystal and his phase noise in the low end, quality of gnd reference ?
I'm not understanding your inputt about diferential dac? Beyond the concept, is there an existing diy board somewhere already ?
About OSX, does the latest Windows 10 have not natively implemented the USB2 ? Still a difference with OSX ?
@everyone who tried,
How is the last JLSound board stands vs the older ones please?
Btw The Wave I/O is a little better when the non isolated outputt is chosed, and the ps chip for the spidf desoldered of the board... didn't listen to the last one customized with the improved NDK xtals by lucian... Should I jump in with the JLSound number 3 ?
Same feeling, layout drawing is a big part in the result and not that easy, high speeds are a b..ch!
What about frequency of the crystal and his phase noise in the low end, quality of gnd reference ?
I'm not understanding your inputt about diferential dac? Beyond the concept, is there an existing diy board somewhere already ?
About OSX, does the latest Windows 10 have not natively implemented the USB2 ? Still a difference with OSX ?
@everyone who tried,
How is the last JLSound board stands vs the older ones please?
Btw The Wave I/O is a little better when the non isolated outputt is chosed, and the ps chip for the spidf desoldered of the board... didn't listen to the last one customized with the improved NDK xtals by lucian... Should I jump in with the JLSound number 3 ?
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