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T+a dac 8 dsd


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1 hour ago, bibo01 said:

I spoke with Amanero a coup'le of days ago.

...

 

Thank's a lot @bibo01 for your insights and valuable infos. So some hope for updated official Windows driver. Regarding Linux FW and from your point of view what are the 2003be "little nagging issues" ? Did you tried to flash 2003be on DAC8 DSD. Seems its already feasible and not too "dangerous" ?

 

Also, what do you mean when you are talk about "small on-board ressources" ?

 

Regards.

ROON > HQPlayer > USBridge > T+A DAC8 DSD > NAD M22 (Ncore Hypex) > Harbeth SLH5+
Setup details

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55 minutes ago, volpone said:

 

Thank's a lot @bibo01 for your insights and valuable infos. So some hope for updated official Windows driver. Regarding Linux FW and from your point of view what are the 2003be "little nagging issues" ? Did you tried to flash 2003be on DAC8 DSD. Seems its already feasible and not too "dangerous" ?

 

Also, what do you mean when you are talk about "small on-board ressources" ?

 

Regards.

Windows driver is ready. It just needs MS certificate which apparently it got more complicated with the recent intel bug.

Re Linux, I do not have T&A DAC, I have LKS Audio 004 Amanero based DAC. With 2003be I get a random thinning of the sound, sound loses bass and gets a high frequency noise. It may appear more often at DSD512 rather than 256. At DSD256, which is what I now keep my DAC set on, I may be able to play back with no issue for 1 hour or 20 min. It may happen (not very common) at the beginning of an album or it may not happen at all for the whole album. All in all this "nagging issue" does not prevent to enjoy my listen.

Amanero says that it may be due to a drifting of the quartz, how the buffer get full and empty. This is what he was going to test on now.

By "small on-board resources" I mean the processor capability and size of buffer on board Amanero board are limited. His new board overcomes such problems... oops. 

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12 hours ago, bibo01 said:

I spoke with Amanero a coup'le of days ago.

Regarding Windows driver, there is some bureaucratic hold on Microsoft side in order to publish a valid certificate. They asked for an amazing amounts of legal papers.

Anyhow, the new Windows driver is going to be compatible with the present (and future revisions) updated firmware for Linux -  2003be. Such firmware allows DSD512 in Linux. Some problems have been solved but it has still some little nagging issues. Unfortunately the resource on-board are small, so it's not very easy to solve all issues, although it's doable. Amanero is going to work to make a further firmware revision.

Because the present firmware is not perfect I don't see T&A install it just yet.  

 

When you say that there are still some nagging issues, do you mean with Linux -DSD512 spefically , or with  the new Windows driver?

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15 hours ago, bibo01 said:

By "small on-board resources" I mean the processor capability and size of buffer on board Amanero board are limited. His new board overcomes such problems... oops. 

Do you mean the Combo384 board has a new version coming out? Or that recent versions of this board, which is not in the DAC 8 DSD, have been upgraded and don't have the same limits? 

 

Either way, good info on both fronts. Thanks, guys. Even if no results, it's good to stay in the loop. 

 

As a recap: it seems there will still be another firmware revision ahead from Amanero, then MS Windows driver signing. Then T+A still has to get in touch with Amanero, receive the firmware, and then do a bunch of testing. They have already stated their focus is to confirm if everything meets current sound quality and functionality or better, otherwise this update won't be pursued by T+A. 

 

Sounds good to me, but also means "sit tight", as it's gonna take a while ?

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Hello everyone,

 

This is my first post here. I just bought a used T+A DAC8 DSD to join this family. While I don't have a try on DSD512 yet, I am already very satisfied with its performance with my music (mainly CD-ripped and some DSD64 files)! So I am planning to get myself a pc for DSD512 upsampling to get the 'real magic' from this DAC as many have recommended to have the best performance.

 

This is my current system:

 

Music files in Synology NAS (running LMS) > Logitech Squeezebox Touch (controlled by iPad) > ifi iUSB 3.0 > DAC

 

I have studied many threads in CA but still couldn't get a clear idea how DSD512 would be played. Here's the options I am thinking:

 

1. Music in NAS > i7 pc in fanless chassis (Win10pro / DSD 512 upsampling by e.g. HQ Player) > ifi iUSB 3.0 > DAC

 

2. Music in NAS > i7 pc > HQ player NAA > DAC

 

As I know option 2 would perform better than option 1, right? And is it true that the HQ player NAA must be Windows-based? (Somebody told me that the microRendu could be used for DSD512 but most people here said it couldn't)

 

Also I would like to ask how I could control the music playback by iPad in either option? (other than Roon)

 

Thanks a lot and sorry for my poor English.

T+A DAC 8 DSD

Audirvana+ (i7-7700) DSD 512 upsampling

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  • 2 weeks later...

To upsample to DSD512 with the T+A DAC 8 DSD, you must use Windows. In option 1, the ifiUSB3.0 is not a requirement. You can do: Music in NAS > i7 PC in fanless case (Windows 10 Pro, 64bit) upsampling to DSD512 > DAC. With HQ Player installed on the PC - probably at least an intel 7700 - you can upsample all files to DSD512 as long as you don't use the most demanding filters. While I only have experience with Roon, Jussi of Signalyst (author of HQ Player) lists three other remote control applications on his website: Signalyst

"Relax, it's only hi-fi. There's never been a hi-fi emergency." - Roy Hall

"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." - William Bruce Cameron

 

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I just tested the DAC 8 DSD with the brand new T+A MP 8 digital transport. In PCM mode, it is a better source than any "audio PC" for sure.

Unfortunately DSD upsampling it is not possible within this equipment, still need a computer in order to have the superior DSD sound of DAC 8 DSD.

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Concerning the MP 8 pairing with the DAC 8 DSD, this german article says that the option to connect the MP 8 to the DAC 8 via USB , which will add the possibility to play DSD files, will be enabled later. It requires a firmware update of the DAC 8 DSD.

 

https://www.mactechnews.de/news/article/T-A-bringt-neuen-Multi-Source-Streaming-Player-MP-8-Ideale-Ergaenzung-zum-DAC-8-DSD-168574.html

 

That's just DSD playback, not PCM to DSD upsampling of course, which probably requires too much CPU power for such a device.

 

BTW, both devices can also be interconnected with the Syslink RJ45 connection, for PCM up to 24/192 and control data.

 

The price of the MP 8 is 3150€, which is IMHO a bit steep for a streamer/CD drive without a DAC included.

 

 

Claude

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On ‎01‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 9:38 PM, CatManDo said:

I just noticed that a new T+A DAC8 DSD driver dated October 2017 is available on the T+A website. It has version number 1.0.62.

 

http://www.ta-hifi.de/audiosysteme/serie-8/dac-8-dsd/

 

The previous driver was 1.0.57. I haven't seen information about the changes.

 

Edit: the version number is identical to the Amanero driver:

 

https://amanero.com/drivers.htm

I asked their support and they just said it's the Windows 10 version. The previous version worked fine for me on Windows 10 - there must be something different or they wouldn't have issued it?

🎸🎶🏔️🐺

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Did you ask T+A or Amanero? I think the later, who programmed the driver, would be able to give information about the detailled changes, if they want to.

 

If you google "Amanero 1062" you'll find some discussions on this driver, in relation to other devices using the Amanero USB module. 

Claude

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I asked T+A support for the driver change details. TBH this isn't very clever to issue software changes without a change notice. There seems to be nothing on the Amanero web site either. Tried Google no luck. Do you have a link pls?

🎸🎶🏔️🐺

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31 minutes ago, bibo01 said:

I just spoke to the Amanero guy. 

The issue with Microsoft certificate has been finally solved. At the same time he is working on the new Windows driver (he is testing it right now) which he hopes to release by the end of the week. 

 

Thank's @bibo01. Good news again, finger crossed !

 

And then, when Win driver released, do you think Amanero plan to work again on Linux FW ? Seems there is still some glitches on 2003_be (for native DSD512) isn't it ?

ROON > HQPlayer > USBridge > T+A DAC8 DSD > NAD M22 (Ncore Hypex) > Harbeth SLH5+
Setup details

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2 hours ago, volpone said:

 

Thank's @bibo01. Good news again, finger crossed !

 

And then, when Win driver released, do you think Amanero plan to work again on Linux FW ? Seems there is still some glitches on 2003_be (for native DSD512) isn't it ?

Firmware update will follow suit because he has to test it with the new driver too. He has already in mind the small variation/adjustment he has to do for the firmware. Hopefully it's going to be pretty quick.

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I have a question related to the recent thread activity around DSD512 and USB.

 

I have an Auralic Altair, which will output 32-384 PCM as well as DSD 512 via the USB port. I am potentially looking at the T+A DAC8 DSD as an upgrade to the onboard dac of the Altair, but I would only consider it if I can use the full capabilities of the T+A with this approach.

 

Does anyone have any info on whether this might work?

 

Thanks for your feedback etc.

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15 hours ago, pvanosta said:

I have a question related to the recent thread activity around DSD512 and USB.

 

I have an Auralic Altair, which will output 32-384 PCM as well as DSD 512 via the USB port. I am potentially looking at the T+A DAC8 DSD as an upgrade to the onboard dac of the Altair, but I would only consider it if I can use the full capabilities of the T+A with this approach.

 

Does anyone have any info on whether this might work?

 

Thanks for your feedback etc.

 

At present the T+A DAC 8 DSD will only do DSD512 with Windows, as it needs the ASIO driver currently available only for Windows.

"Relax, it's only hi-fi. There's never been a hi-fi emergency." - Roy Hall

"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." - William Bruce Cameron

 

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On 2/10/2018 at 12:16 AM, pvanosta said:

Thanks Allan F,

Will I still be able to feed (and reproduce natively) DSD256 and 32-384PCM in this way though (USB out from Altair to T+A USB in)?

 

I am not familiar with the Auralic Altair and have no knowledge of how it outputs DSD. I only know the capabilities of the T+A DAC 8 DSD, so I would defer to guiltyboxswapper, who apparently is familiar with the Altair.

"Relax, it's only hi-fi. There's never been a hi-fi emergency." - Roy Hall

"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." - William Bruce Cameron

 

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As a very happy T+A DAC8 owner, the best way to use it is with HQPlayer upsampling to DSD512. It is recommended to have the best filters (XTR) which do require a very strong machine. I think it worth it but it does have a cost. I would not try to find any other solution that does not enable HQPlayer or DSD512.

 

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18 hours ago, sbenyo said:

As a very happy T+A DAC8 owner, the best way to use it is with HQPlayer upsampling to DSD512. It is recommended to have the best filters (XTR) which do require a very strong machine. I think it worth it but it does have a cost. I would not try to find any other solution that does not enable HQPlayer or DSD512.

 

Hi Sbenyo, how much difference in SQ there is between using xtr and shrt-mp-2s filters?

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