CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS
Lobby => Head Amps, DACs, Sources, Portable Equipment Discussion => Topic started by: Luckbad on September 05, 2015, 04:35:17 AM
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I have one incoming with TXOC. I didn't go with HDMI instead of RJ45. I also didn't ask them to leave solder off the clock for easier future upgrades.
http://www.audio-gd.com/Pro/dac/DI2014/DI2014EN.htm
Inputs will be USB, coaxial, and optical. Outputs will be RJ45-I2S, BNC, and RCA.
After it arrives, I would be happy to let local OC pyrates check it out. Probably not for long since I'll be using it. :)p13
Update: I sent this back. My PC has USB issues and I overspent, so this was a casualty for now.
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Would be happy to! How long till it makes it to you do you figure?
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Between 5 and 500 days I think.
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Between 5 and 500 days I think.
so lh labs?
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Between 5 and 500 days I think.
500 days? Do you live in Mars?
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500 days? Do you live in Mars?
No. Azeroth!
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Would be happy to read some impressions about this one as well ...
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No. Azeroth!
Had to goggle Azeroth. It's in WoW! You learn something everyday... :)p1
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I'd like to try it out.
Using a transdac.
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I just realized that I'm putting myself into a bit of a pickle. I sold off all of my external amplifiers and I'm waiting on a Liquid Carbon.
I have an Audio-GD NOS-1704 incoming--likely next week. I also don't have a USB->SPDIF converter until the DI-2014 comes (it'll ship this week, but who knows how long before it gets through customs--sometimes it takes like 3 days to get stuff from China/Japan to my door, sometimes 3 weeks).
Now I need to figure out how the crap to test it to make sure it works when I get it...
I'm wondering if I can use my motherboard's optical out, then my Sound Blaster ZxR or Titanium HD's inputs to test it. At first glance that seems like it ought to be possible. It might sound mediocre, but I can at least verify whether the thing is functional.
I didn't expect to be able to sell all my other gear as quickly as I did, so I've been using a Dragonfly loaner at work and completely forgot that the NOS-1704 is going to need something to try it out with.
If I also pick up the Audio-GD Reference 5.32 in a month or so, I'll be interested to compare it to the NOS-1704 with and without the DI-2014.
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Okay, figured a roundabout way to at least test my NOS-1704 when it gets here to ensure that it technically functions.
Asus Maximus VII Hero Motherboard S/PDIF (Realtek selected in Foobar/JRiver) -> Audio-GD NOS-1704 -> Sound Blaster DBpro RCA -> Sound Blaster ZxR (Default Device) "Listen to Device" on the DBpro.
I'm listening to it like this right now (Realtek S/PDIF -> DBpro S/PDIF -> Listen to Device on ZxR) without the Audio-GD in the sequence and it actually doesn't sound that bad. I was half expecting it to destroy my headphones or something, so I plugged in my Sennheiser HD598s in case something went awry (really, a $150 headphone as a guinea pig?).
I can also perform RMAA/REW measurements using the same method to ensure nothing is horribly out of whack.
I might also pick up a super cheap amplifier to test the chain properly before I get the DI-2014. Or if I'm not feeling lazy I can dig up the X-Fi Titanium HD and simplify things a little by using its RCA line in from the NOS-1704 and I can play things without the "Listen to Device" crap.
Edit: Or I can be a little less stupid and use the DBpro's S/PDIF Out -> NOS-1704 -> DBpro S/PDIF In. It measures itself quite well (much better than the Realtek ALC1150 or whatever S/PDIF my motherboard outputs with).
http://www.basshead.club/measurements/zxr/dbpro_dbpro.html
Edit 2 (don't want to keep polluting the recent posts column): I ordered a review unit of the Project Polaris from Garage1217 that'll come this week. I'll compare it directly with the Liquid Carbon as well. I don't want to get a fancy new NOS-1704 DAC and sully my first impressions with a crap amplifier.
I'm hoping that after listening to the NOS-1704 for a bit from TOSLINK, I'll get audible improvement using the DI-2014. If I don't, then... welp. I'm not a clinical listener, so it's possible I won't hear a difference, especially combined with the forgiving nature of NOS dacs. It might take a Yggy, Master 7, etc. to show improvements with the converter. Which is what you pyrates are for.
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It's here. I'm still waiting for my dac to use it with. Should come Monday.
Anyone in OC who wants to check it out ping me and maybe we can set something up. Gotta check with the wife first of course.
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Okay, finally putting this thing to use.
Audio-GD DI-2014 -> NOS-1704 -> C-2 Class A
My first impressions were an emotional roller coaster.
It immediately sounded awesome... but I had never heard the NOS-1704. In any case, it sounded pretty glorious.
30 seconds later it stopped playing through foobar2000.
WTF.
I tried increasing buffer size in foobar2000 and the Via ASIO control panel. Nope. Still stops before finishing even a single song.
Then I remembered testing all of my USB outputs for audio quality and one of them was far better than the others.
Eureka! Sorta. It's on the front, and I'd really rather use one of the back ones. But I've now listened to ~10 songs in with no dropouts.
Gad, I am cursed by crappy USB. I had the same issues with a Schiit Wyrd.
Anyway, it's finally working.
I have it hooked up to three inputs that I can quickly swap to in foobar2000 with the same song with only momentary interruption.
My order of preference for connection:
1. BNC from DI-2014 using DIR9001
2. Coaxial from DI-2014 using CS8416
3. TOSLINK from DBpro using CS8416
There is an audible improvement going from the TOSLINK of my sound card to coax via the DI-2014. Everything is a little bit clearer.
Again, there is an audible increase in clarity going from coax to BNC because the BNC input uses the DIR9001 while the other inputs use CS8416.
The only drawback is that DIR9001 can only do 96kHz while CS8416 can go up to 192kHz.
In any case, this converter is great compared to the zero others I've ever heard. It's nice to be able to hear a definitive improvement over the TOSLINK of my DBpro.
This combo of gear has given me super hardcore upgraditis. I now want a Master 11, which would make this DI-2014 completely unnecessary.
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DIR9001 > CS8416 even if it is limited to 96KHz. Lower jitter, more neutral, better technicalities across the board. And that's not even talking about any DAC implementation...well, for the most part.
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If anyone wants the Audio-GD DI-2014 I just got, let me know ASAP via PM. It's excellent, but after hearing my setup (DI-2014 -> NOS-1704 -> C-2 Class A), I want to sell it all and get a Master 11. Kingwa will let me return the DI-2014 since I'm spending stupid money there soon, but I can avoid international shipping if one of you wants it.
I also have Audio-GD RCA cables and BNC cable and a Blue Jeans RCA->BNC cable if you need it. I can also return the first two.
Let me know today if you're interested because I'll be shipping it back tomorrow most likely.
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DIR9001 > CS8416 even if it is limited to 96KHz. Lower jitter, more neutral, better technicalities across the board. And that's not even talking about any DAC implementation...well, for the most part.
I didn't expect it to be so obviously sonically superior. It's an input! But I could very easily tell which input was better.