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Introducing the Hermes-Amanero

Need some help. I've installed my Hermes-Amanero-Cronus. I configured the Amanero using Russ's example without issue and it responds properly during playback. However there is no lock on my BII and checking with a scope I have no output on DCK, D1 or D2 on the Cronus. I have those inputs from the Amanero-Hermes at the Hermes connector on the Cronus and the Rhea clocks are running. Any suggestions as to what to check next?

Which firmware on the Amanero?

Did you check with the scope at the Cronus inputs?

Can you get a picture of the setup - with focus on the cronus?

Cheers!
Russ
 
All better now. Turned out to be a cold solder joint on one of the Potato pins. I didn't mention (guess I should've) that I was seeing sporadic activity on the outputs but it wouldn't last and certainly wouldn't allow the DAC to lock. I started to think a cold solder joint based on that this morning. When I started to scope the in/outs on the Potato, I got a lock but that didn't last. Then I took an iron to the Potato pins and everything seems solid. Thanks for the help Russ.
 
Wow! This sounds amazing. Thanks Russ and Brian

I was actually able to flash the Amanero from a Mac Mini running VM Ware Fusion PC emulation software!

Is there any way to check which version of the software I have on my BIII? At the moment all switches are reversed from those indicated in the guide except for SW2-position 1,2,and5 because I am using the 4 spdif input and sidecar in a dual mono set up.

For anyone else contemplating a similar rig be ready to crank the current on the channel powering the SPDIF Sidecar and Cronus. In fact would it be better to split them up say powering the SPDIF and Sidecar from one channel and the hermes, amanero, cronus from the other? Or would another Placid just for these head end boards be preferable?
 
Everything sounding and working great up to 192K. The sound stage is wider and the instruments are more detailed and defined comparing the Hermes-Amanero Cronus I2S to SPDIF both from the computer via Hi Face or direct from a decent transport like the Pioneer Elite.

Testing PCM externally up-sampled to 384 and things get noisy with blinking lock led's. Turning off the oversampling "jitter reduction" and things lock but with an occasional pop. I assume this is because there is now drift between the Cronus clock and the Blll. Still this seems the most analog sounding solution yet so I'm curious to test synchronous mode. I will move my questions about that to the Blll forum, but in the meantime is there some setting that I am missing that would allow 384 pcm without the pops or noise or is this really only supported with synchronous clocking? I have the faster clocks and the 1:2 jumper in so thought it should be possible.
 
Everything sounding and working great up to 192K. The sound stage is wider and the instruments are more detailed and defined comparing the Hermes-Amanero Cronus I2S to SPDIF both from the computer via Hi Face or direct from a decent transport like the Pioneer Elite.

Testing PCM externally up-sampled to 384 and things get noisy with blinking lock led's. Turning off the oversampling "jitter reduction" and things lock but with an occasional pop. I assume this is because there is now drift between the Cronus clock and the Blll. Still this seems the most analog sounding solution yet so I'm curious to test synchronous mode. I will move my questions about that to the Blll forum, but in the meantime is there some setting that I am missing that would allow 384 pcm without the pops or noise or is this really only supported with synchronous clocking? I have the faster clocks and the 1:2 jumper in so thought it should be possible.

Will be interested to see what Russ has to say. This might have some bearing on my situation. As well as bypassing jitter reduction, did you also try setting the BIII switches for MAX DPLL bandwidth?
 
I already have the 100 Mhz clocks on the BIII.

I will try the current mod to the Trident. I assume the new version will handle the added heat better than the original which died at stock settings and was replaced.

Liking 8 bit, True quantizer settings. DPLL has been default, but I recall a note mentioning that it can become confused with high sample rate PCM so will explore different settings there as well.