EVGA Nu Audio

[rickca]

@Miska how would this perform as a DAC (forget the headphone amp) compared to Pro-ject Pre Box S2 Digital?  Also, do you think this would work OK on Linux?

[Miska]

2 minutes ago, rickca said:

@Miska how would this perform as a DAC (forget the headphone amp) compared to Pro-ject Pre Box S2 Digital?  Also, do you think this would work OK on Linux?

 

I could answer that only if I had the hardware. I've tried to get one for past six months or so without success. So for me, that hardware doesn't exist unless it becomes available in reality.

 

[seeteeyou]

Technically speaking it's more like USB DAC / DDC that's hidden inside the PC unless we're using stuff like Thunderbolt expansion boxes or Adnaco etc.

 

https://wccftech.com/the-evga-nu-audio-experience-more-than-just-a-sound-card/

Quote

The EVGA Nu Audio connects to the PC via a PCIe Gen2x1 slot so you don’t have to worry about occupying and splitting any precious PCIe Gen3 lanes on mainstream platforms and is passed through an Asmedia USB 3.0 controller on board.

 

Then I downloaded a copy of their drivers here

 

https://cdn.evga.com/nuaudiocard/EVGA NU Audio_0.1.2.3_WIN10.exe

 

Extracted everything and found something related to Thesycon, in that case USB Audio Class 2.0 might / might not be supported. It's definitely designed for both Kernel Streaming and ASIO, though.

 

I also checked some *.inf files and both of them (VID_3842 = EVGA) didn't seemed to be an OEM deal to me

 

https://pcisig.com/membership/member-companies?combine=3842

Quote

"EVGA NU Audio" = _Install_0,USB\VID_3842&PID_3100
"EVGA NU Audio" = _Install_0,TUSBAUDIO_ENUM\VID_3842&PID_3100&KS

 

[ferenc]

I ordered one and hope to get it sometime next week. 

I will be using it in my Windows 10/ASUS P10WS/XEON E3-1235LV5/SILVERSTONE NJ450-SXL 450W Passive PS/INTEL 280GB 900P Optane audio PC, which is working as NAA, Jplay and Roon endpoint. I am mainly interested in its A/D converter but I will compare it to my Singer SU-1 and Holo Spring 2 too.

 

It is very friendly priced easily can provide a very good starting point for the beginners. I think it is Windows only, will try with Linux as well. 

 

Will let you know for sure.

[the_bat]

I've actually got one  so it does exist.

 

I haven't (yet) been able to get it working under Linux - it's recognised but doesn't produce any output.  It does work very well under Windows.  

 

I'm still experimenting to find the optimal setup of Roon/Audirvana/RoonBridge/Squeezelite/native/PCM upsample/DSD upsample but for the money it seems to be a bit of a bargain - particularly if you're looking to simplify your system - just a PC with the Nu Audio internally.

[Miska]

Would be also curious to see how it compares against the new motherboards that have ESS Sabre DAC... I just got one (not the reason to buy it, but it just happens to be there).

 

[ferenc]

On 6/24/2019 at 10:16 AM, Miska said:

Would be also curious to see how it compares against the new motherboards that have ESS Sabre DAC... I just got one (not the reason to buy it, but it just happens to be there).

 

 

It seems finally I will get mine this Friday, just got the UPS notice it is on its way. Hope to have sometime this week-end to install it. 

[Miska]

13 hours ago, ferenc said:

It seems finally I will get mine this Friday, just got the UPS notice it is on its way. Hope to have sometime this week-end to install it. 

 

Did you order it from somewhere in US or from Europe?

 

Dealing with customs is PITA, so I'd rather have it from somewhere within EU.

 

[rickca]

5 hours ago, Miska said:

Dealing with customs is PITA, so I'd rather have it from somewhere within EU.

Why don't you order it directly from the EVGA EU site https://eu.evga.com/products/product.aspx?pn=712-P1-AN01-KR

[Miska]

2 hours ago, rickca said:

Why don't you order it directly from the EVGA EU site https://eu.evga.com/products/product.aspx?pn=712-P1-AN01-KR

 

I've probably been blind, because I didn't find such from main EVGA site. Anyway, I ordered now, have to see how it goes this time...

 

[ferenc]

It is now in my PC. Works quite well, need to find a longer interconnect to put to its final place. 

I did not try its own software, using it with ASIO and as Roon Bridge. it works without a problem.

I am mainly interested in its A/D converter will see if I have time Sunday to try it. The D/A is quite nice. Sounds good. Very smooth, no brightness at all. 

[Miska]

After about six months of struggle, I finally got mine.

 

To decide which computer to plug it into, has anyone got it working under Linux?

 

[4est]

1 hour ago, Miska said:

After about six months of struggle, I finally got mine.

 

To decide which computer to plug it into, has anyone got it working under Linux?

 

If you would, please let us know what you think of it. I would love a simple internal solution such as that for my shop system where I can run your software and convert to DSD.

[the_bat]

2 hours ago, Miska said:

After about six months of struggle, I finally got mine.

 

To decide which computer to plug it into, has anyone got it working under Linux?

 

 

Not so far.  The card is recognised properly but apparently ALSA can't correctly communicate with it.  

[ferenc]

6 hours ago, Miska said:

After about six months of struggle, I finally got mine.

 

To decide which computer to plug it into, has anyone got it working under Linux?

 

 

I asked AN support but did not get any answer yet. As the heart of the card is an Xmos chip, probably it can work. Somehow. 

It works very well with Win 10 Pro and Win Server 2019. I really like it. It punches way above its price range. Very smooth just a bit bass heavy, punchy, dynamic sound it makes even youtube very listenable. I really like it. It reacts on the linear PSU very well,  changes the sound a lot more with the linear PSU the my Holo Spring 2 KTE does. íSounds good with an ATX PSU, but sounds much better with a linear PSU. Very surprising. Plays DSD256 very well. For less than 300 Euro, it is a steal, quite honestly.

 

I will do few recordings this week-end as well, to check its A/D quality finally. 

[rickca]

8 minutes ago, ferenc said:

It reacts on the linear PSU very well

What LPS did you use and what voltage?  I have read on the EVGA forum that the SATA connector needs to include the  3.3V pins.  Did you make your own DC cable?

 

Apparently there is no formal Linux support.

[ferenc]

10 minutes ago, rickca said:

What LPS did you use and what voltage?  I have read on the EVGA forum that the SATA connector needs to include the  3.3V pins.  Did you make your own DC cable?

 

Apparently there is no formal Linux support.

 

It is a locally made one. I tried it with another locally made 20V, 10A, which I ordered for my latest MacBook Pro, to power it through a Thunderbolt 3 dock. The latter is combined with the HDPlex DC to ATX converter (the 400W one) and it sounds bloody good as well. There is no really significant difference between the fully linear and the linear + DC/ATX version. The biggest difference could be heard when I play DSD256 files from 2X HD, but with ordinary PCM or Tidal both works well. 

[Miska]

2 hours ago, ferenc said:

Plays DSD256 very well. For less than 300 Euro, it is a steal, quite honestly.

 

I'm just curious if they have some switch in the driver to switch DSD Direct mode of the DAC chip. Obviously they need some volume control for the headphone output, but I don't know if that's separate or if same volume controls also line outs. In DSD Direct mode, DAC chip's volume control is of course bypassed (that's why RME ADI-2 for example mutes corresponding headphone output).

 

[ferenc]

26 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

I'm just curious if they have some switch in the driver to switch DSD Direct mode of the DAC chip. Obviously they need some volume control for the headphone output, but I don't know if that's separate or if same volume controls also line outs. In DSD Direct mode, DAC chip's volume control is of course bypassed (that's why RME ADI-2 for example mutes corresponding headphone output).

 

 

I do not have headphones, so I will not try them, however there is a way to switch on/off the speaker and headphone outputs independently. There are some filters as well I tried them briefly, but did not realize any effect of them. Missed probably some more steps. 

[ferenc]

The Nu Audio board came up as Roon Bridge device under Audiolinux, as an ALSA device. Actually it shows up as 2 devices, one of them sounds distorted the other one sounds few dB quieter than a Singer SU-1 with the same DSD256 file. the DSD playback is converted to PCM 384 kHz in Roon when I connect to the Nu Audio board as Alsa device. I am using my iMac Pro as Roon Server. The Nu Audio card is in my custom Asus P10-WS mobo, 4 core Xeon PC, Audiolinux ruins from an USB stick. 

[the_bat]

Interesting. Had you ever run the card under Windows?  The reason for the question is that I did and the driver I downloaded from EVGA included a firmware update and since then I can’t get anything out of it under Linux. Daphile and Euphony recognise it but no sound emerges. 

[rickca]

On 7/4/2019 at 5:05 PM, Miska said:

I'm just curious if they have some switch in the driver to switch DSD Direct mode of the DAC chip.

Have you figured out whether DSD Direct mode is supported with the EVGA Nu Audio?  Even if you haven't done any measurements, what is your subjective listening impression of this card?

[Miska]

6 hours ago, rickca said:

Have you figured out whether DSD Direct mode is supported with the EVGA Nu Audio?  Even if you haven't done any measurements, what is your subjective listening impression of this card?

 

It is still sitting in the box, not installed anywhere! 😅

 

On 7/9/2019 at 11:18 PM, the_bat said:

Interesting. Had you ever run the card under Windows?  The reason for the question is that I did and the driver I downloaded from EVGA included a firmware update and since then I can’t get anything out of it under Linux. Daphile and Euphony recognise it but no sound emerges.

 

Did you check possible volume control settings from ALSA mixer? For safety reasons ALSA defaults to minimum volume...

 

[the_bat]

22 hours ago, Miska said:

Did you check possible volume control settings from ALSA mixer? For safety reasons ALSA defaults to minimum volume...

 

 

I tried the card with Euphony and raised a support ticket.  They asked me to provide some logs, which I did, and the response was:

 

Yes, unfortunately, it can be seen from the logs that alsa is not able to successfully communicate with your DAC.  So, although DAC gets properly detected it seems it's not actually fully supported in Linux.

 

 

[mansr]

34 minutes ago, the_bat said:

I tried the card with Euphony and raised a support ticket.  They asked me to provide some logs, which I did, and the response was:

 

Yes, unfortunately, it can be seen from the logs that alsa is not able to successfully communicate with your DAC.  So, although DAC gets properly detected it seems it's not actually fully supported in Linux.

What that really means:

Despite the card claiming to be a USB Audio Class device, it actually isn't.