New Audio-GD DI-20?

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On 6/12/2020 at 6:59 AM, smodtactical said:

Well I got DI20HE and its DOA. Sad. Tried everything to get it going. Will be returning, not sure for refund or replacement. Considering denafrips Gaia now but its very pricey for a DDC so I don't know.

I hope you have your problems addressed by Audio-GD??

I am getting one too, I hope that the issues solved when my unit is shipped.

I am sure like you I am trying to get the USB module out of my DAC and feed it pure I2S. I hope that is the true way out as I dont read too many good reviews of the I2S signal out of the computer addressing our CAS needs....even fro Pink Faun implementation - however some smattering of positive views from Head-Fi is hardly reassuring as they are struggling with the units reliability? I hope that is a software and not a hardware issue?

But the Gaia reviews are more positive....

My fingers are crossed for the DI-20HE.

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Well! I got my DI-20HE.

 

The journey is to take out my Amanero USB module from the DAC, feed IIS directly. (Ironically the Amanero is now in this unit). I did not want to extract IIS from the server either......

So the Di-20HE. Which is now my 'Wow!' module.

The sound is here by the bucketful. The unit still needs to burn in.....Some of the sanding of the rough edges from an extremely organic presentation should be possible....It has to be said, that the sound is not fully settled.

Also at this time it is PCM192 Max (Roon>HQPlayer) to the 20HE, then SPDIF to my Lampizator. These (20HE) only do DSD via the HDMI/IIS-Which I will try once I find out the DAC HDMI pin assignment and I have a suitable cable.

 

I will also use the external clock and that should do more? 

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@tedwoods Thanks for sharing this.

I have already taken the path away from all USB boards in my GG. However I do have another B7, which I might try the board you have recommended. I will also perhaps go linux soon.

 

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@Summit The Isoregen is no longer effective. Nor the UR.

 

Headfi had the DI-20G bettering U16 and to me the only competition was Gaia. But cost of the HE was the big swing....I was also A bit swayed by Kingswa, the designer. He seemed like a maverick and may do something crazy....

I never took stock of Berkeley (OR OR5) either,  the specs was not for me (No ext clock or IIS) I am sure that product is wonderful?

 

The HE provides you the Happiness of a Computer/DAC combination.....assuming you don’t have the means to pay for Taiko Extreme.

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I wanted to report. The DI20HE is AMAZING....just that and more.

It took a lot to of burning and burning. It was just amazing to hear what it did. With the outer master clock, it went one runk above.

 

So, what can be better? I got the Auralic Aries 2i (The sonore UR was useless). But the 2i will take time - it needs to burn in. But I already see that the lower bit is very promising.

 

But DI20 is amazing! 

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@Albrecht When the audio gd is fully burnt in, you will not need the UR as the sound of UR is immaterial; meaning you can sell this to fund the 20HE.

 

Yes I also use SPDIF... in fact that was the only reason to go for the 20HE. The sound out of this DI is perfectly perfect and putting this into your DAC takes the signal from the USB interface.....ensuring a better sound overall. Also the 20HE has another output called the ACSS, which has a better coaxial output ....which is what I am using. Lastly you can also do I2S over HDMI.