Sonore ultraDigital v2.0

[vortecjr]

 

The Sonore ultraDigital v2.0 is a USB digital converter with SPDIF output via BNC and an LVDS i2s output via HDMI. The LVDS i2s output supports various formats for compatibility with various digital to analog converters. For use with microRendu, ultraRendu, opticalRendu and Signature Rendu SE only. Please note Sonore will not provide support for direct connection to Windows.

 

 

Features

SPDIF output via BNC: PCM 44.1K-192K, DSD64 via DOP

LVDS i2s output via HDMI: PCM 44.1K-384K, native DSD64, DSD128, DSD256, DSD512

USB input support PCM, DSD via DoP, and native DSD via Linux

No drivers needed for Linux and OS X

Power input: USB bus powered

Selectable LVDS i2s output formats via HDMI: Gustard, PS Audio / Denafrips, Holo Audio, L.K.S., Wyred4Sound, etc.

Selectable master clock output rate (for DIY use only)

Selectable off/on switch for the 5V output on HDMI pin 18 (need for some i2s DACs)

 

Here are some jitter measurements of the Sonore ultraDigital

 

Notes on the art of measurements

*Please note that these measurements fluctuate up and down in real time.

*These are random captures and no effort was made to capture the lowest value. 

*The dashboard of the Audio Preceision analyser is shown so you can see the settings.

* Changing the settings on the left can make the results go up or down. 

 

Test setup #1

Sonore generic SMPS powering the microRendu

Roon streaming a 16 bit 44.1 kHz tone to a microRendu in RoonReady output mode

ultraDigital SPDIF BNC output to the Audio Preceision analyser

 

Test setup #2

Sonore generic SMPS powering the microRendu

Roon streaming a 24 bit 48 kHz tone to a microRendu in RoonReady output mode 

ultraDigital SPDIF BNC output to the Audio Preceision analyser

 

Link to product page: https://www.sonore.us/ultraDigital.html

[vortecjr]

On 10/31/2017 at 8:39 AM, Charente said:

I appreciate Specs are TBA ... but can you say whether this is an add-on product for a micr/ultraRendu or an alternative ?

This is just something for our customers that need a digital source with their DAC. 

[vortecjr]

9 hours ago, nbpf said:

Great, thanks for posting! Finally a device with SPDIF output from Sonore! I' m looking forward to see how it compares to Eitr, MC3+ USB, etc.

That is easy...the ultraDigital is the only one with LVDS i2s output via HDMI output:) 

[vortecjr]

10 hours ago, nbpf said:

I understand, but I need an SPDIF output, not i2s. Thus, what matters to me is how the ultraDigital compares to Eitr, MC3+ USB, etc. in terms of SPDIF output quality! Does the device provide galvanic isolation? Does it require device specific drivers for Linux? Thanks, nbpf  

Like the micro/ultraRendu line it has external DC input so you can tweak the sound with the power supply you use. We will offer a iFi iPower supply or you could use your own uber expensive power supply with it. So the sounds is going to vary from great to whatevery your needs are. How it compares to other gear I'll leave that up to you. Yes it has galvanic isolation and reclocking to deal with the jitter it induces as a result of it. Nothing special needed for Linux and native DSD is supported via the LVDS i2s output. 

[vortecjr]

Sign up for the mailing list on our website and we will keep you posted;)

[vortecjr]

1 hour ago, George Hincapie said:

 

Will it be recognised as a Roon end point?

If we submit the unit to Roon if would show up as ultraDigtial. If we don't it would show up as micro/ultra/signatureRendu.   

[vortecjr]

1 hour ago, rickca said:

@vortecjr did John Swenson do the hardware engineering for this product?

Nope. John is busy on other fun projects. 

[vortecjr]

2 hours ago, Charente said:

 

If it's just a DDC then perhaps not John.... hence my very first question.

You are also correct because its not an endpoint. I just wanted to add what would happen inside Roon. 

[vortecjr]

5 hours ago, mikey8811 said:

So if one were to use it, there wouldn't be a need for an ISO Regen?

 

ie. the chain would be Streamer -> USB cable or USPCB -> Ultra Digital -> HDMI cable -> DAC .

 

Correct?

 

Have you guys tested it and done a comparison in sonics vs an ISO Regen cleaned USB connection to a DAC?

Its mean to be connected directly to a micro/ultra/signatureRendu and then to your DAC.  

[vortecjr]

2 hours ago, nbpf said:

I might be missing something of course but it seems to me that the ultraDigital is a USB -> SPDIF and a USB -> i2s convertor.

 

Thus, meaningful comparisons would be against devices like the Schiit Eitr, the Audiobyte Hydra Z, the Mutec MC3+ USB, etc.

 

In such comparisons the same DAC input (SPDIF or i2s) would have to be used for all tests. In order to assess the capability of the devices to deal with noisy USB inputs, it would be meaningful to compare each device pair first on a clean source (for instance, the output of an Iso Regen) and then with a source that is not so clean like the USB output of a Raspberry Pi.

 

This is quite a lot of work but, considering that many alternatives to the ultraDigital only have SPDIF outputs, certainly doable if the devices are available.  

Most of customers just want to listen to music:) 

[vortecjr]

1 hour ago, kboung said:

Interesting, is the galvanic isolation before (like ISO-regen) or after the USB receive? and does the USB input need power?

It uses USB power for one side of the isolation and external power of the other side of the isolation. 

[vortecjr]

1 hour ago, kboung said:

Interesting, is the galvanic isolation before (like ISO-regen) or after the USB receive? and does the USB input need power?

You are overthinking things...it's exactly where it needs to be for this kind of product:) 

[vortecjr]

1 hour ago, George Hincapie said:

 

The point is that Roon will see it and it'll work; I don't mind what it is seen as.

 

I would be grateful if you would respond to an earlier post of mine. Would Sonore make a SPDIF version of the mR/uR?

We might revamp the old Rendu (Ethernet input, SPDIF/i2s output), but that is pending a firmware change we are anticipating. To soon to say if and when this might happen.

[vortecjr]

4 minutes ago, nbpf said:

Hmm ... this is a bit disappointing. I thought the device was a generic USB interface like Hydra Z, Eitr, MC3+ USB, etc.   

It is. You can connect those devices to a micro/ultra/signatureRendu as well. 

[vortecjr]

15 minutes ago, nbpf said:

Right, thus you cannot expect them to buy no matter what comes to the market and start running systematic tests by themselves. Most customers need to rely on careful and honest comparisons to make up their choices.

We have customers asking for all kinds of solutions to problems. This is just one solution to a problem and our customers know that they are going to get a great product from us. Everything else is forum jitter.  

[vortecjr]

7 hours ago, mikey8811 said:

 

Actually I disagree. I am only interested in the device if it provides an improvement sonically to what I am currently using (safe to say that is the case for most of us).

 

I am currently using an Aries via the USB output via a LPS 1 powered  ISO Regen to my DAC.  My DAC has an I2S input which I understand is better than USB. So I am only interested in the device if it is sonically better than what I currently have via a ISO Regen'd USB. I am not interested in SPDIF nor AES/EBU which the Aries already has as outputs. If comparisons unequivocally point to a better sound then I can jettison the ISO Regen and replace it with the Ultra Digital and a HDMI cable.

 

I hope this clarifies where I am coming from. I'm not really interested in academic comparisons to other USB to SPDIF converters. I had considered the Singxer F1 but was told I would have to defeat the inbuilt linear power supply for it to sound at its best (which I think is silly).

I think you answered your own question when you said, "My DAC has an I2S input which I understand is better than USB." Really the only opinion that should matter is your own. Far to many times I see people hang on very word someone said about a product....right or wrong. 

[vortecjr]

42 minutes ago, nbpf said:

Talking about specs: how much will it cost roughly?

We have to save some information for the group that signs up for the mailing list:) 

[vortecjr]

Please keep the comments on topic.

[vortecjr]

maybe...we are working on it. 

[vortecjr]

11 hours ago, oneguy said:

This would be interesting to pit against the Singxer SU-1. I hope the price doesn’t break the bank. 

We just thought it would be nice to offer customers a Sonore digital converter that matched the look of the ultraRendu:) 

[vortecjr]

Unfortunately, no.

[vortecjr]

4 hours ago, Cxp said:

Will the isolation provided by the UltraDigital in theory block high frequency noise generated by an SPMS upstream in the chain (example iFi powering an Ultrarendu)? 

 

Just curious if moving an Sbooster to the UltraDigital and then powering the UltraRendu with SMPS is ok? Or is an LPS on both still the best? 

 

 

If you are worried about that then you need to shut the DC neg terminal to AC ground per John's grounding technique. We are going to provide Y-cables for use with linear supplies like the sBooster. We are also going to source a small inexpensive linear supply with dual transformers and dual outputs.  

[vortecjr]

1 hour ago, oneguy said:

Here’s a random question: can a single LPS-1 power an ultraRendu and an ultraDigital? If so then I won’t need my second LPS-1. The thought just occurred to me seeing that both of the ultras can support 7v in. 

No...not enough current. 

[vortecjr]

1 hour ago, oneguy said:

Any plan to make it DSD512 capable with a firmware upgrade or is it hardware limited?

I don't have a way to test it and honestly I don't care to support it:) That said you can try it if you like, but its not a listed feature.   

[vortecjr]

1 hour ago, TubeMan said:

What's the difference between this and Singer SU1 / F-1,

 

as i can see it uses  Singer standard driver

The Singxer F-1 is 100% USB bus powered. The Singxer SU-1 is USB bus powered on the XMOS side (dirty side) and linear powered on the digital output side (clean side). The ultraDigital is a condensed version of the Singxer SU-1 main board with some minor tweaks. In this case the USB bus powers the XMOS side (dirty side) and external power is used for the digital output side (clean side).