exaSound e18 - e20 - e28 - Info and Experiences Post All Here

[bmoura]

Well, my Paul Hynes SR3-12 Power Supply is shipped and on its way. Unfortunately it "has been received at our international mail centre and is being made ready for despatch overseas" since Friday. I am hoping it gets here by Friday the latest. Wed would be nicer. Once I do have it I will put on at least 50+ hours before I give my initial impressions. Then another 50+ and then 100+ for a total of over 200+ hours for a final evaluation.

 

Paul stated that his SR5-12 would give even better results but that was out of my price range at the moment. He did say that the SR3-12 is a great match for the e20 with great results, just that the SR5-12 will give that last bit of performance.

 

More to come.

 

Interesting. How do the two differ? And what is the price on the SR5-12 ?

[bmoura]

exaSound is offering a 15% #BlackFriday discount for their e20 Mk III and e28 DSD 256 DACs. See their web site at exaSound Audio Design > Home

[bmoura]

I took advantage of the 15% discount (it was available before Black Friday--many thanks to George for telling me about it) and became the proud owner of an e20 Mk III yesterday.

 

I'd also like to give a plug to exaSound's customer service. Over several back and forth exchanges, George patiently answered all of my questions prior to purchase. Shipment was also extremely prompt after I paid.

 

Overall, a great purchase and a highly recommended product.

 

George at exaSound is great to work with. Be sure to ask him about a copy of the DSD256 classical music file mentioned in the Stereophile review of the exaSound e28. He sent me a copy for playback on the e28 - as Kal Rubinson said very impressive !

[bmoura]

Hmmmm....I guess we cannot edit posts? Interesting. [Edit: guess there's a time limit. ]

 

Anyways just to briefly explain the above: currently I do have an older DAC, but it only does Toslink from the Mac mini (no USB input), which has a max output of 24/96 using optical.

 

So I have done a bit of saving for a new preamp, but really I am looking to upgrade both. For the price range of the e20/Vega I could probably get a DAC such as the Sonore exD (or possibly a used Mytek) and a pretty nice preamp, but certainly nothing earth-shattering.

 

On the other hand, I wondered if it would be better and easier to, for that price range, just go straight to the e20/Vega sans preamp. There is certainly something to be said for simplification....

 

Or you could spend a bit more and go to the exaSound e28 - and have Multichannel and Stereo DSD and PCM playback....

[bmoura]

I remember in the early days of stereo, RCA came out with a series, IIRC, Stereo Action Unlimited, (Catalogue code was LSA I think) where the sound walked across the stage, from one speaker to another, obviously with some sort of panning. We had a record with a cut "Did you ever see a Dream walking" and the dream (instruments) did walk across your listening field. Needless to say these didn't catch on anymore than the records with trains going from one speaker to another. With a switch on the E28 you could have whole orchestra or singer move in a circle around you. Wouldn't that be fun.

 

Larry

 

To change the perspective of an Multichannel recording, as you are describing, would require adding a Surround Synthesizer like the Surround Master (see Surround Master by Involve Audio | Involve Audio) to your audio setup.

 

I prefer enjoying the fidelity of the original recording and the Surround Sound decisions of the artist and their producer/engineers vs. that approach, when possible.

[bmoura]

Nope. That's usually a drug side effect.

 

Well, that's another way to get such effects!

[bmoura]

BTW, I was listening to my E28 in 2 channel mode last night (JRievr) and the DSD128 presentation is soooo good. I have a couple DACs inhouse for review, and the E28, although built to be multichannel, holds its own and in some ways bests what I'm breaking in (no names please ). George and co have done miracles with the Sabre chipset and analog stage for this price (caveat: I power it with my Hynes SR3-12).

 

Hmm, another DSD DAC review by Ted? I'm up for that!

[bmoura]

Just got my E28. First question: There are 8 RCA outputs marked 1-8. I can't find anywhere which ones go to which channels. I connected 1-2 to L-R front, 3 to Center, 4 to SW, 5-6 to LR Rear, 7-8 empty. No sound yet, but I still am not sure about the other settings. I am using A+. Thanks, Larry

 

exaSound does need to mark the channel assignments on the outputs. No question.

[bmoura]

Ted et al, why then is there channel 7 and 8? Is that for 7.1 movies?..Because as everyone knows multichannel music pretty much max's out at 5.1.. I've asked before whether there is some sort of setup where you could feed the E28 movie soundtracks but nobody took the bait.. Are these channels for BluRay music tracks from JRiver? Or could they be used in a Movie playback setup? I'm not interested in doing this but I'm just curious..

 

I assume that exaSound made the e28 an 8 Channel DAC to allow for up to 7.1 playback. You can look at it as future proofing for beyond 5.1 playback. At the price, it's a deal.

[bmoura]

^Sure.. Man oh man... I'm beside myself waiting for this thing!!! I just about can't even sleep hahaha

 

I just received the Paul Hynes SR3 Power Supply that Ted and others here have raved about. Looking forward to adding that to my e28 setup.

[bmoura]

Let it break in quite a bit. During the process the sound is all over the place, unfortunately.

 

I'm guessing it probably needs 100 hours or more of break-in before the evaluating starts.

 

I noticed that the unit didn't come with a power cord. Which one are you using with the SR3-12 ?

[bmoura]

Brian,

I have a full loom of Mark Cole's Sablon Corona Petit cords.

 

If I run out (like when I demo another DAC) I use a Cardas Golden Ref (without the ferrite collar). The exaSound line (well, at least the E20 and E28) seems quite sensitive to power cords.

 

A full loom of power cables? Does that mean a lot? Or that you have every model from Sablon?

I'll take a look at these cables as well.

[bmoura]

Attention all Exasound owners. This might be slightly off topic but you need to download Eric Bibb's Opus 3 DSD 128 download called A Analogue Selection of Eric Bibb! Probably the best Analog transfer I've heard to date. Great music too! Acoustic blues/folk/bluegrass. Sounds astonishing on my E20!

 

dsdfile.com | A Selection of analogue Eric Bibb

[ATTACH=CONFIG]9497[/ATTACH]

 

When I first went to DSDFile.Com, they actually gave away "Meetin' at the Building" by Eric Bibb in DSD128. I've since bought a few of the Opus 3 DSD128 transfers. Really excellent.

 

I hear that DSDFile is looking to release the Opus 3 Surround SACDs as Multichannel DSD Downloads in the near future. Would love to have Tiny Island as a Multichannel DSD file!

[bmoura]

exaSound have released new OSX drivers. Seems like they support native DSD256 now:

 

Release Notes - Version 5.0.4, 2014-03-22

 

Core Audio DoP256 - support for DSD256 on e20 Mk III, e28 and e22 DACs

Mac OS X ASIO - native support for DSD256 on e20 Mk III, e28 and e22 DACs

 

Interesting. When Mac exaSound owners get that update, you'll want to grab the DSD256 sample file from exaSound as well. Very nice !

[bmoura]

I've had good results with Kimber B-Bus USB Cable from Music Direct and the exaSound e28 here. Sells for $100.

[bmoura]

If you want to try new DSD256 sources originally recorded in the sampling rate, please read this post.

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f13-audiophile-downloads/originally-recorded-dsd256-piano-solo-sources-japanese-group-wechseldominate-19942/#post309920

 

Very interesting. DSD256 is always worth a listen on the exaSound e28.

[bmoura]

Speaking of 256fs DSD, it would be great if NativeDSD.com could get hold of these 11.2 DSD masters... SOKA International Jazz Festival Recorded in DSD256 using Pyramix and Horus

 

That would be very cool! I wonder if the SOKA folks know about NativeDSD.com?

[bmoura]

Hi, and thanks Exa

 

I read you correctly.

Why a second pc? Because I use Jplay in stream mode, means the second pc is just a transport, and my HTPC is the control pc, with Jriver with two zone, one for music, the other for video. The second pc is optimised, Xeon cpu underclocked to 1500mhz, ECC ram, tweaked motherboard cloack etc etc...

 

Check the exaSound Blog. They do not recommend using JPlay with the exaSound DACs:

 

In our view JPlay is an unnecessary layer of processing. We like, use and endorse Windows players like J River Media Center and Foobar. We like them because they give the user control over the sound processing. With these players we can turn on as little or as many features as we need. More importantly, we understand what is going on within the player. JPlay works in magic ways, and therefore we prefer to stay away from it.

 

Should I use JPlay with exaSound DACs? > exaSound Audio Design

[bmoura]

The ability to play native DSD256 is definitely worth having !

 

Native DSD playback - simply surberb, but watch out for the provenance !

We only had native DSD64 material. Played straight with Foobar and JRMC 19 it sounded surprisingly good. Much better than Redbook converted to DSD 64 and in a similar league to a Redbook converted to DSD 128. Then using Foobar to upsample to DSD128, the sound really sparkled. Then we up sampled to DSD256, and the sound was incredible. It's the best I have ever heard. Better than a Light Harmonic DSD setup I heard 3 years ago at the New York Show (I am sure LH have upped their game since then).

 

So the clear conclusion is it's definitely worth having a competent DSD DAC that can handle DSD256

 

A further finding is that DSD64 as a recording format may well be good enough. DSD 64 is not good enough as a playback format, but that is easily handled by software upsampling that seems to have no bad effects what so ever, and then sounds fantastic at DSD256. It seems that there are no sound damaging filters perceptible when the DAC is playing DSD256

 

 

If you're experimenting with the various DSD resolution modes on the exaSound e20 (I have an exaSound e28 here), check out the Free DSD downloads over at the "Just Listen" section of NativeDSD.Com

https://justlisten.nativedsd.com/albums/just-listen-1-compilation

 

They have 8 files in native and resampled resolutions from DSD64 to DSD256 in both Stereo and Multichannel. Includes Jazz, Latin, Classical Guitar music. Found it helpful - and of course, exaSound is one of the few companies with DACs even supporting DSD256!

[bmoura]

Last night I was listening (again, again & again) Ricardo GALLEN, Fernando SOR, Guitar Sonatas, Study, with my exaSound e22, Audirvana Plus & Mac Mini on DSD256. And I'm still admired because it was a live guitar and guitarist in my listening room.

 

We urgently need more music in this resolution with this DAC.

 

Cheers!

 

Roch

 

Agreed. That's quite a recording - especially in Multichannel DSD256. Love it!

Looking forward to the DSD256 files coming to Native DSD.Com soon.

[bmoura]

We dont even have enough DSD128. 256 will NOT happen commercially.

 

Native DSD has already posted free music files in DSD256 and has announced they plan to sell albums in DSD256 as a special request item.

 

So I think the question is more one of how many albums get released in DSD256. That's different than "256 will not happen commerically". It will - and it's already been announced.

 

dsd

[bmoura]

I still cant imagine anything better than the DSD128 I currenty enjoy. How to improve on perfection?

 

The good news, here on the exaSound thread, is that exaSound e20, e22 & e28 owners don't have to imagine! They can download the free Stereo & Multichannel DSD256 music downloads from Native DSD.Com's "Just Listen" web site and judge for themselves.

[bmoura]

Ted,

please have a look at all of Miskas replies in this thread. 8-channel is not the point.

Matt

 

Unless you want to hear DSD and PCM in Multichannel as well as Stereo. Then 8-channel IS the point!

[bmoura]

Yes, but the higher the number of channels, the higher the advantage for ASIO over DoP.

 

Matt

 

True. That's why I'm using ASIO with my exaSound e28 DAC, JRiver and Windows 8.1 - for Stereo and Multichannel download playback!

[bmoura]

As am I. I'm trying not to be seen as the bad guy here. I just see that most DAC mfg'ers will not be willing to do ASIO development (until, as George so succinctly put it, DoP has run out of room...i.e no support above 384k) when, at 64fs there is little reported wrong with DoP.

 

But you guys are opening my eyes to the fact that DSD256 and above is non-DoP territory. Thanks...my bad.

 

An interesting point. It's worth noting that iFi now has an ASIO driver for their iDSD Nano DAC that supports Stereo playback up to DSD256. And that DAC is only $189. So it can be done by companies other than exaSound.

 

As Ted suggests, if there is more customer requests for ASIO and/or more interest in double and quad rate DSD, ASIO drivers from more DAC makers are likely to follow.

 

Until then, good to be an exaSound owner!