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USB to I2S 384Khz - DSD Converter

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Joined 2007
Paid Member
Hi all,

I have a question that I hope one of you may be able to help with ....

As it is I have been using a Combo384 for some years now and have been very satisfied with it.

However, recently I have tried to use it in connection with Kontakt Player and something called Galaxy Pianos (a computer based Steinway/Bösendorfer/Vienna piano software), and here have experienced a very noticeable delay in the sound when trying to use the Combo384 "between" the computer & my external DAC (modified DDDAC).

On the other hand when I use my laptop's built-in hardware/software combination ("Enheden High Definition Audio) played back through the headphone output there's no delay.

FYI I have attached a couple of screendumps showing the setup of Kontakt Player in relation to Galaxy Pianos & Combo384 (Please note that the latency samples with each "soundcard" cannot be set lower).

I am using the 1.067 Combo384 driver and to my memory the OEM config tool 115 - but not entirely sure about that.

Might I be lucky that one of you know what could be the issue here?

Cheers & thanks,

Jesper
 

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Is the laptop firmware and are all its drivers up to date? Don't know if that could be it or not, but maybe worth checking. Also, might be interesting to try with any other USB board you might have around to see if its Amanero specific. If not, then seems like attention would stay focused on the laptop. If it were a desktop, might be worth trying a USB extender board on the PCI bus to see if using a dedicated hub for the dac USB port helps.

Also, there are some software tools that can help map out which USB ports on the laptop are shared with with other internal USB devices on the same hub (camera, keyboard, track pad, etc.). Maybe choose one that is less heavily loaded, if possible.
 
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Joined 2007
Paid Member
Hi both - & thanks for your feedbacks.

@Markw4: Thanks for your suggestions - I will keep them in mind but since I reckon that amanero may have hands-on experience with what may be the "challenge" here I will start out with those suggestions ...

@amanero: Thanks also for your fine help. Just one question before I try out what you suggest:

* Is the cpld_1082 also fine for both PCM_384 kHz, and DSD512 playback?

Cheers to you both,

Jesper
 
Member
Joined 2007
Paid Member
@amanero: Hi again ... So I now found the time to try out the new firmware etc. that you kindly provided me with, however, unfortunately it doesn't appear to work with the Kontakt Player that I use for my piano.

The new driver/cpld/flash combination does appear to work with my other/normal playback sources, though ...

I have inserted some screendumps of what the Kontakt Player settings look like after the update you provided me with has been performed. Importantly .. when I start up Kontakt Player after the update there is a very loud "pop" sound that I first thought could have damaged the speakers but fortunately not so ... Incidentally, this is something that I have never experienced before with your combo384 so related to this situation.

The first screendump shows what it looks like when trying to select the newly available Amanero ASIO combo384. It appear as if it doesn't really recognize the card (?) ...

The second screendump shows that I may instead select the ASIO 1.03 setting, yet this is where the high latency exists, i.e. a "slow piano". Also, with the ASIO 1.03, I cannot click the ASIO config button.

The second screendump also shows that the new Amanero ASIO combo384 dialog box is available, however, apparently not recognized by Kontakt Player.

FYI I used the update tools you have provided me with in the above post, but when the config tool opened I changed the word "update" that appeared in the dialog box text line to "combo384" as the dialog box text suggested. I do not know if this may has made a difference ... ?

Any chance you may have a suggestion as to what can be done about this?

Cheers & thanks,

Jesper M
 

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Hi Jesper, i can try to download the player if possible and check it. But typically with samples at 64 - 256 and latency between 8 - 10 ms there aren't problems.

After the update the ASIO 1.03 is not more able to access the board because the USB VID/PID are different, so it's strange you are able to use it.

Check the driver loaded double clicking the audio device in control panel -> Sound
Thank you!
Dom
 
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Member
Joined 2007
Paid Member
Hi Domenico - & thanks for your prompt reply ...

Check the driver loaded double clicking the audio device in control panel -> Sound

I hope the information you need is what is in the attached screendump? It looks as if it is a 1.067 driver (and I did play the piano again when I checked this) ...

What do you think has happened?

Cheers,

Jesper
 

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Member
Joined 2007
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Thanks Domenico - fine service ;-) ...

One thought here: Normally my DAC is battery powered and this includes the combo384 board. So when updating things - otherwise as you described earlier - I disconnect the USB cable and then I also disconnect the battery & the battery charge circuitry. However, this likely results in a slower drop in the PSU voltage on the combo384 than just disconnecting the USB cable would caused. There are some larger capacitors that need to discharge. Just FYI if it may matter.

That said, when I used your update tool it reported back that the update was successful.

Cheers & thanks again, Domenico,

Jesper
 
now i haven't a way to verify but if you used oemid combo384 the update tool completed reistalling a default firmware.

When step1 completes you can just wait a bit and then press step2.
Step1 restarts automatically the board to continue on step2 so you don't need to unplug the cable or remove the power supply to reset the board.

BRs,
Dom
 
Member
Joined 2007
Paid Member
Hi again,

I tried to re-install the driver etc. you provided me with (writing "update" in the first config tool dialog box) and now the Kontakt Player recognizes the new ASIO option. And the ASIO 1.03 no longer can be selected (appears to not be present).

I am also able to play the piano with the new ASIO option, however, it is even slower than it was with the ASIO 1.03 version. Also, by default Kontakt Player sees the combo384 as "stopped" - only when I disconnect and re-connect the USB cable while the "settings" dialog box is open is it recognized as "running". Additionally, when I click the "configure ASIO" button, Kontakt Player crashes and must be restarted.

Just FYI these are the settings in the ASIO dialog box and in the Kontakt Player settings box. Apparently the latency/delay values are very low so possibly something odd is going on here ... :confused:

Sorry to ask about this, Domenico ... I hoped it was a straightforward thing as I really would like to use the DAC with the piano ....

Jesper

A P.S.: Just in case it matters I cannot set the FIFO size. The slider can't be moved.
 

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Hi Guys, i'm just wondering if anyone is actually using the 4 channel i2s firmware on mac? I had taken the note to mean that it didnt require driver (on the mac) for 4 channel on mac, but does it perhaps mean that this configuration doesnt work on mac?

you see, a few years ago, I updated the firmware to the 4 channel version and after that it stopped being mounted on my mac. I had some trouble rolling it back, so I thought I had bricked it somehow after erasing it, from doing the update in wine, rather than on a PC and had been unable to roll it back properly on PC. yesterday I came across it and plugged it in, checked all the voltages everywhere and all was good at all points on the board. so on a whim, since I now have a win laptop in the house, I mounted it in the installer, managed to erase it and roll to a 2 channel and bam! it finished the install and I was able to mount it on my mac!! I installed the 4 channel FW again, it refused to mount again. back to just about any other combo of CPU and CLPD FW and it works.

Is there a specific combo of CPU FW that I must use to use the 4 channel i2s?
 
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Joined 2020
Cheers for bumping @InspectorGadget, I didn't know this thread existed.

@amanero,

I'm interested in the Combo384 to use with Ian's BridgePi.

Is there a version of the Combo384 with no clocks?

The Combo384 on the main website is the only version you sell?

I'll be using Ian's stack along with Andrea's clock, so prefer the Combo384 had no clocks at all.

If there firmware to disable clocks?
 
Hi Guys, i'm just wondering if anyone is actually using the 4 channel i2s firmware on mac? I had taken the note to mean that it didnt require driver (on the mac) for 4 channel on mac, but does it perhaps mean that this configuration doesnt work on mac?

you see, a few years ago, I updated the firmware to the 4 channel version and after that it stopped being mounted on my mac. I had some trouble rolling it back, so I thought I had bricked it somehow after erasing it, from doing the update in wine, rather than on a PC and had been unable to roll it back properly on PC. yesterday I came across it and plugged it in, checked all the voltages everywhere and all was good at all points on the board. so on a whim, since I now have a win laptop in the house, I mounted it in the installer, managed to erase it and roll to a 2 channel and bam! it finished the install and I was able to mount it on my mac!! I installed the 4 channel FW again, it refused to mount again. back to just about any other combo of CPU and CLPD FW and it works.

Is there a specific combo of CPU FW that I must use to use the 4 channel i2s?

Hello,

To enable 4 output channels:
- run ConfigTool.exe
- select CPLD i2s_4ch and press Flash CPLD
- when done after 1 second unplug and replug the board
- select CPU firmware i2s_4ch and press Flash CPU
- when done I2S Data output channels 1/2 and DSDOE channels 3/4

on Mac you have this www.amanero.com/4ch.jpg

Thank you!
Michael (support)
 
Cheers for bumping @InspectorGadget, I didn't know this thread existed.

@amanero,

I'm interested in the Combo384 to use with Ian's BridgePi.

Is there a version of the Combo384 with no clocks?

The Combo384 on the main website is the only version you sell?

I'll be using Ian's stack along with Andrea's clock, so prefer the Combo384 had no clocks at all.

If there firmware to disable clocks?

Hi A123, do you need a board without mounted clocks?
or do you need the board (working in slave) with an external MCLK?

Thank you!
Michael
 
Disabled Account
Joined 2020
Hi A123, do you need a board without mounted clocks?
or do you need the board (working in slave) with an external MCLK?

Thank you!
Michael

I believe without mounted clocks. Could be wrong as it's very preliminary stage ATM.

I just need the I2S feed as pure as possible, then sent on to be re-clocked.

I'll be using with Ian's BridgePi and FiFoPi reclocker (not shown) along with Andrea's clock (not shown):

857818d1593835252-asynchronous-i2s-fifo-project-ultimate-weapon-fight-jitter-bridegpiusbstreamer-jpg



50030500091_216782128d_o.jpg


Asynchronous I2S FIFO project, an ultimate weapon to fight the jitter

Asynchronous I2S FIFO project, an ultimate weapon to fight the jitter

Asynchronous I2S FIFO project, an ultimate weapon to fight the jitter
 
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Hello,

To enable 4 output channels:
- run ConfigTool.exe
- select CPLD i2s_4ch and press Flash CPLD
- when done after 1 second unplug and replug the board
- select CPU firmware i2s_4ch and press Flash CPU
- when done I2S Data output channels 1/2 and DSDOE channels 3/4

on Mac you have this www.amanero.com/4ch.jpg

Thank you!
Michael (support)

OMG, did I really not see there was a 4 ch i2s CPU firmware as well as the CLPD? yes, I really didnt see that. that'll teach me to do that late at night. I either didnt see the matching 4ch i2s CPU program, or saw it and disregarded it as the CLPD as the name is exactly the same and there areso many variations. anyway, all appears to be well now. updated and 4 channels visible on my mac.

thats embarrassing.

does anyone know if it works in 4 channel mode on rpi? keen to give it a bash on moOde, now that camilladsp is bundled.
 
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