T+a dac 8 dsd

[richard kimber]

Guys, do the balanced outputs sound better than the single-ended ones of the T+A DAC8 DSD ?

 

Can both be used at the same time?

 

- Richard

[richard kimber]

Yea, but there is said to be a SQ discount on both outputs when used simultaneously.

 

The Exasound explicitly says you can use both, which I assume means that for Exasound there is no SQ penalty. Can anyone confirm this? There is also said to be a penalty on the MDAC, which I'm currently using.

 

For me, It's a question of finding a DAC that I can also easily feed the L & R channels into a couple of active subs.

 

- Richard.

[richard kimber]

Yea, but there is said to be a SQ discount on both outputs when used simultaneously.

 

I've just got an email from T+A that says both can be used simultaneously without compromising the sound quality.

 

- Richard.

[richard kimber]

I'm not saying this doesn't happen ever, but my DAC8 DSD doesn't do this. Volume up/down no beeps. If you have one and are getting this problem contact support, they're very helpful. If you're just checking before buying one best to get a demo, but I'd recommend the T+A versus anything I've heard.

 

+1

With the caveat that you currently can't get direct DSD512 with Linux. I hope that will be resolved in the future. It needs kernel 4.9 at least, and maybe also a firmware update.

 

 

- Richard.

[richard kimber]

+1

 

- Richard.

[richard kimber]

Thank you @lmitche and @richard kimber, great !

 

@richard kimber are you using AHB2 power amp low-gain setting with T+A DAC ?

HYPEX driven (Nord Audio) power amp i would like to use doesn't have such input gain option (gain is 26db vs AHB2's 22db)

 

I'm using the middle setting, 4VRMS, which was the setting I used with my previous MDAC.

 

- Richard.

[richard kimber]

Interesting that you are using AHB2 amp with the DAC 8. I am going to buy that amp for my office system where I have a Benchmark DAC2. I would like to try out that amp with the DAC 8 and compare with the T+A stereo amp when I go shopping for my next speakers. Great thing that the AHB2 is such a small amp and easy to carry to a store.

 

I'm very happy with the AHB2.

 

- Richard.

[richard kimber]

Does anybody have issues with establishing a USB connection with DAC 8 DSD?

Since I purchased it, it found it difficult to lock the connection between the PC and DAC.

I had to restart both the PC and DAC few times and eventually it worked.

 

Using Linux, if I play around with various HQPlayer settings I quite often lose the connection and have difficulty re-establishing it; though this doesn't usually happen with 'normal' usage. I haven't experienced a problem using Win 10 so far.

 

- Richard.

[richard kimber]

I've always understood that with a Linux machine you need a T+A firmware update plus kernel 4.10, or possibly 4.11. Windows machines do it already.

 

 

[richard kimber]

58 minutes ago, Ben-M said:

I have a sliver of a memory about someone was sending a T+A DAC 8 DSD to someone close to the DSD scene (Ted B, Jesus, etc.) or they were sending a uRendu to T+A and there was something about trying to make it DSD512 compliant? I hope I'm not making that one up based on too much hope here...

 

Yes, my understanding is that a T+A DAC has been sent to the Amanero developers so that they can better develop the firmware needed for DSD512 under linux.

[richard kimber]

30 minutes ago, Ben-M said:

Ah-ha! So there was something to that sliver 

 

So the issue at hand is an Amanero USB driver/firmware issue... I really hope something can be worked out here and the Amanero(T+A DAC 8 DSD)<->Linux(uRendu) communication can be straightened out. If so, the DAC 8 DSD is very likely going to be my next purchase after my new speakers. If not, then it's likely onto the HOLO Audio Spring DAC

 

FWIW, even without DSD512 under linux, the T+A is a very good DAC. I'm very happy with it.

[richard kimber]

4 hours ago, Miska said:

 

It is just that T+A doesn't use Amanero board, instead they have designed their own straight on the main DAC board. So I don't know how they have arranged the programming procedure. Maybe they do it over JTAG or similar.

 

There's what looks like an ethernet socket labelled 'sys in'. The manual says it's for 'future extensions'. I've always assume it would involve that.

[richard kimber]

14 hours ago, RS241 said:

6.) Now the tricky part: How to upgrade existing DAC8DSD ? T+A recommends to send them in for firmware upgrade. This would be the "official" way.

 

Does this mean "send them in to your dealer, perhaps in the UK" OR ""send them to Germany"?

[richard kimber]

20 hours ago, christoph said:

for how many months has it been "just this close" over and over again???

It's the hi-fi industry. That's how it works

[richard kimber]

19 hours ago, musicbuff said:

1.    Use T+A's balanced output to connect to my power amp and the T+A's RCA output to connect the subwoofer

....

Are these suggestions safe? If so I'll experiment to see whether or not the SQ is degraded by these types of connections.

 

This is the way I've done it.  I confirmed with T+A before I bought the DAC that both balanced and RCA outlets could be used simultaneously without loss of quality.  I've not done any tests, but I'm happy with the sound.

[richard kimber]

19 hours ago, musicbuff said:

Yesterday I stumbled on a forum comment that said if the RCA output is used at the same time as the XLR it could adversely affect the sound quality of the XLR connection

 

I specifically asked T+A support about this before I bought the  DAC, and I was told you could use both simultaneously without affecting SQ. I use the RCA for my subwoofers and it all sounds pretty good.