New D/D Converters from Denafrips

[Blake]

My personal, entirely subjective impressions using the Gaia with the Chord Qutest:

 

The Gaia transforms the Qutest.  I had to keep checking myself since the Gaia arrived to make sure I was hearing the magnitude of change I believed I was hearing.  Yep, it is real.  I could see the Qutest+Gaia combo as an "end game" combo for the vast majority of audiophiles.  

 

If I had been listening to the Qutest just by itself for a long time, and then I was blind-folded and someone connected the Gaia to the Qutest, but told me they had inserted a Dave*, I would believe them and immediately start figuring out how long it would take me to save up for the Dave because hearing the improvements, it would be difficult to go without.  Again, though, that is just me.

 

*I have not heard the Dave in my system and thus I am not saying a Qutest+Gaia would equal a Dave.  I am just trying to express the magnitude of the change.  After my years of buying and trying different DAC's in my system, I view the Gaia improvements to comfortably exceed one, and possibly equal even two DAC model jumps within a manufacturer's DAC line. 

 

Another data point:  I loved my Berkelely Alpha USB D/D converter and it improved every DAC to which it was connected (most recently a Yggy Analog 2).  The sonic improvements brought by Gaia exceed the sonic improvements from the Berkeley by a rather large margin.

 

I'd love to put a Gaia up against a PhoenixUSB or Chord M Scaler just to see how it compares (yes, I appreciate these are differing devices and it would be a somewhat flawed comparison due to the different connection types).  If you simply view all of these devices as "sonic improvement" devices at differing price points, which at the end of the day is what they are (thinking of the Gaia as merely a tool to convert to a different digital type is really missing the big point of the Gaia), the Gaia might prove to be a cheaper alternative for a given amount of sonic improvement.

 

What are the primary sonic improvements?  Dramatic (on an audiophile rating scale- i.e. not to my wife's rating scale) improvements to holography/sound staging and transparency (hearing even more musical information, details, the impression of the recording venue, etc).  The sound stage is huge and there is so much air between the performers.  I really value those aspects.  If those sonic attributes are not what floats your boat, then move along, nothing to see here.

 

Finally, as a Terminator Plus owner, the ability to take advantage of the TPlus' clock output to the upstream Gaia, is more icing on the Gaia cake.

 

 

[richard_crl032]

17 hours ago, Blake said:

My personal, entirely subjective impressions using the Gaia with the Chord Qutest:

 

The Gaia transforms the Qutest.  I had to keep checking myself since the Gaia arrived to make sure I was hearing the magnitude of change I believed I was hearing.  Yep, it is real.  I could see the Qutest+Gaia combo as an "end game" combo for the vast majority of audiophiles.  

 

If I had been listening to the Qutest just by itself for a long time, and then I was blind-folded and someone connected the Gaia to the Qutest, but told me they had inserted a Dave*, I would believe them and immediately start figuring out how long it would take me to save up for the Dave because hearing the improvements, it would be difficult to go without.  Again, though, that is just me.

 

*I have not heard the Dave in my system and thus I am not saying a Qutest+Gaia would equal a Dave.  I am just trying to express the magnitude of the change.  After my years of buying and trying different DAC's in my system, I view the Gaia improvements to comfortably exceed one, and possibly equal even two DAC model jumps within a manufacturer's DAC line. 

 

Another data point:  I loved my Berkelely Alpha USB D/D converter and it improved every DAC to which it was connected (most recently a Yggy Analog 2).  The sonic improvements brought by Gaia exceed the sonic improvements from the Berkeley by a rather large margin.

 

I'd love to put a Gaia up against a PhoenixUSB or Chord M Scaler just to see how it compares (yes, I appreciate these are differing devices and it would be a somewhat flawed comparison due to the different connection types).  If you simply view all of these devices as "sonic improvement" devices at differing price points, which at the end of the day is what they are (thinking of the Gaia as merely a tool to convert to a different digital type is really missing the big point of the Gaia), the Gaia might prove to be a cheaper alternative for a given amount of sonic improvement.

 

What are the primary sonic improvements?  Dramatic (on an audiophile rating scale- i.e. not to my wife's rating scale) improvements to holography/sound staging and transparency (hearing even more musical information, details, the impression of the recording venue, etc).  The sound stage is huge and there is so much air between the performers.  I really value those aspects.  If those sonic attributes are not what floats your boat, then move along, nothing to see here.

 

Finally, as a Terminator Plus owner, the ability to take advantage of the TPlus' clock output to the upstream Gaia, is more icing on the Gaia cake.

 

 

 

Hi Blake,

 

Nice review !

 

Can you also review the difference between same sources connected via the gaia synced to the Terminator Plus against direct connection to the Terminator plus on the same connection type of say usb and aes ?

 

Believe this will be useful for owners of Terminator Plus to consider getting the gaia.

 

Sorry if I had missed such a comparison.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

[ted_b]

Blake, great thread, thanks.

 

So for those of you who have used the Gaia (esp with non-Denafrips dacs) are you saying that sending it's I2S output to, say, the Holo dacs is not worth it due to the misuse of clocking with I2S?  I'm more than a little confused...thx.

[richard_crl032]

On 7/6/2020 at 1:55 AM, Ben-M said:

For that, there is the one and only Titans Audio Helen. The only D/D that does I2s in->I2s out, that anybody knows of.

 

So the whole flow there would be:

1. Terminator Plus Master Clocks->Gaia. 

2. USB source->Gaia.

3. Gaia USB->Gaia I2s.

4. Gaia I2s out->Helen I2s in.

5. Helen I2s in->Helen I2s out.

6. Helen I2s out->Terminator Plus I2s in.

Music.

 

That chain gives me a bit of a laugh, mostly because I've never heard of a DAC sending Master Clock outputs to an upstream device... Maybe I'm behind the times in the External Mster Clocking field...

 

Hi,

 

Indeed a laugh .. the Helen will no longer be clock synced to the Terminator Plus.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

[sig8]

I am tempted...........

[Blake]

On 7/26/2020 at 10:56 AM, ted_b said:

Blake, great thread, thanks.

 

So for those of you who have used the Gaia (esp with non-Denafrips dacs) are you saying that sending it's I2S output to, say, the Holo dacs is not worth it due to the misuse of clocking with I2S?  I'm more than a little confused...thx.

 

Hi Ted, I am not sure I am following your question here.  Perhaps I missed a comment in this thread or somewhere else.  Could you provide some further detail?

 

[R1200CL]

On 5/10/2020 at 11:08 PM, Blake said:

Alvin is using the Gaia with his Denafrips Terminator and he reports a big improvement with the Gaia in the chain.      

Hi Blake

It’s a bit confusing this double up DDC chain. 
However I was thinking there may be some analogies to Ethernet switches. As dual etherRegen is said to be better than one. 

 

To bad neither the Berkeley Alpha or SU-1 has other digital in like an AES/EBU. Or the Gaia USB out. Then one could test the hypothesis. 

(I don’t expect much improvement adding your Berkeley upfront the Gaia).

Maybe dual Iris will outperform one Gaia 😀

 

On the other hand, if this Gaia is this good, one should expect an improvement in front of almost any DAC.
 

Did you discuss with Alvin the differences between Iris vs Gaia if one only was after “normal’ USB to SPDIF converter (or AES/EBU). To me specs seems equal. So maybe an Iris will do ?
 

Do you know anything about Hermes ?

 

I must say it’s attempting to replace my SU-1. I still hope one day I can trow all usb out, and only use Ethernet as digital interface, or a DDC that has Ethernet in and AES/EBU out, so I still can use my old DAC. 

[richard_crl032]

On 7/26/2020 at 6:40 AM, Blake said:

My personal, entirely subjective impressions using the Gaia with the Chord Qutest:

 

The Gaia transforms the Qutest.  I had to keep checking myself since the Gaia arrived to make sure I was hearing the magnitude of change I believed I was hearing.  Yep, it is real.  I could see the Qutest+Gaia combo as an "end game" combo for the vast majority of audiophiles.  

 

If I had been listening to the Qutest just by itself for a long time, and then I was blind-folded and someone connected the Gaia to the Qutest, but told me they had inserted a Dave*, I would believe them and immediately start figuring out how long it would take me to save up for the Dave because hearing the improvements, it would be difficult to go without.  Again, though, that is just me.

 

*I have not heard the Dave in my system and thus I am not saying a Qutest+Gaia would equal a Dave.  I am just trying to express the magnitude of the change.  After my years of buying and trying different DAC's in my system, I view the Gaia improvements to comfortably exceed one, and possibly equal even two DAC model jumps within a manufacturer's DAC line. 

 

Another data point:  I loved my Berkelely Alpha USB D/D converter and it improved every DAC to which it was connected (most recently a Yggy Analog 2).  The sonic improvements brought by Gaia exceed the sonic improvements from the Berkeley by a rather large margin.

 

I'd love to put a Gaia up against a PhoenixUSB or Chord M Scaler just to see how it compares (yes, I appreciate these are differing devices and it would be a somewhat flawed comparison due to the different connection types).  If you simply view all of these devices as "sonic improvement" devices at differing price points, which at the end of the day is what they are (thinking of the Gaia as merely a tool to convert to a different digital type is really missing the big point of the Gaia), the Gaia might prove to be a cheaper alternative for a given amount of sonic improvement.

 

What are the primary sonic improvements?  Dramatic (on an audiophile rating scale- i.e. not to my wife's rating scale) improvements to holography/sound staging and transparency (hearing even more musical information, details, the impression of the recording venue, etc).  The sound stage is huge and there is so much air between the performers.  I really value those aspects.  If those sonic attributes are not what floats your boat, then move along, nothing to see here.

 

Finally, as a Terminator Plus owner, the ability to take advantage of the TPlus' clock output to the upstream Gaia, is more icing on the Gaia cake.

 

 

Hi Blake,

 

Any chance to share on my query in post #77 ?

 

My plan to test out the effect of the gaia is to connect coaxial rca of my bel canto fm tuner directly to the T+ and have its digital aes/ebu to the gaia and i2s to the TP+. In this way, several simple switch over while playing will leave least doubt on AB.

 

With typically preferred aes-ebu, synced clocked and even more highly regarded i2s, I really hope for some improvement with gaia else adding gaia is redundant for me since T+ already have all and more inputs and save space as well as $ o  the gaia, digital cable and powercord.

 

On the usb, I am not too sure as any conversion in gaia is expected to be of lower quality than in the flagship T+ with expected higher quality treatment and consideration .. 

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

[sig8]

I am also on the fence about this. I am using a modified SU-1 with my Holo Spring-3 DAC. Don't know if this will provide enough improvements to justify the cost. It is no return/refund item.

[Blake]

Hi Richard,

 

Sorry, I should have responded earlier but my work schedule has been off the charts.  I will indeed do a comparison that bypasses the Gaia-  so....  UltraRendu > usb > TPlus.  Unfortunately I don't have any other source to try AES/EBU, or other input options.  

 

I am intentionally holding off on comments to the TPlus and associated comparisons (TPlus alone, TPlus with Gaia but no clock sync, TPlus with Gaia with clock sync, and TPlus+Gaia I2S via LVDS vs LVCMOS) until the TPlus is fully burned in, along with the attached cables. 

 

It will be at least two or three more weeks before I will be comfortable that things have settled in.  And then I have to find the time to do all the A/B stuff.  When I am done I will be posting my thoughts in your TPlus thread.

[Blake]

4 hours ago, R1200CL said:

Hi Blake

It’s a bit confusing this double up DDC chain. 
However I was thinking there may be some analogies to Ethernet switches. As dual etherRegen is said to be better than one. 

 

To bad neither the Berkeley Alpha or SU-1 has other digital in like an AES/EBU. Or the Gaia USB out. Then one could test the hypothesis. 

(I don’t expect much improvement adding your Berkeley upfront the Gaia).

Maybe dual Iris will outperform one Gaia 😀

 

On the other hand, if this Gaia is this good, one should expect an improvement in front of almost any DAC.
 

Did you discuss with Alvin the differences between Iris vs Gaia if one only was after “normal’ USB to SPDIF converter (or AES/EBU). To me specs seems equal. So maybe an Iris will do ?
 

Do you know anything about Hermes ?

 

I must say it’s attempting to replace my SU-1. I still hope one day I can trow all usb out, and only use Ethernet as digital interface, or a DDC that has Ethernet in and AES/EBU out, so I still can use my old DAC. 

 

Hi @R1200CL

 

Your "double etherRegen" analogy might be accurate. Srajan on 6Moons was posting similar "doubling up" comments in some recent D/D converter reviews and previews. And @austinpop's outstanding eR review showed that doubling up yields additional sonic benefits.

 

@Abyss Man might be able to chime in on your Iris question, as he has had both the Gaia and Iris in his system, and I think he might have also owned a modified SU-1. 

 

I don't know of any Hermes details as I don't believe any prototypes or production units are out to the public.  However, I am almost positive I spotted one in Alvin's system 😁

 

Based upon my experience with the Chord Qutest, my response is definitely yes, Gaia will improve non-Denafrips models as well.  The Gaia took the excellent tone/timbre qualities of the Qutest and injected steroid levels of 3D holography, clarity and detail.  If I would have had a Qutest (with LPS)+Gaia combo 6 months ago, I would have ended my DAC explorations and lived very happily with that combo for the foreseeable future.

 

That is obviously an incredibly small sample size though.

[Abyss Man]

Hi R1200CL,

Before going to the impressions, please allow me to share my Termy and DDC journey. These are from my memory of course, so please use your discretion and don't flame me ok?

1. Termy was bought and loved it, Alvin recommended that I go with a i2S connection cause the Termy loves it, hence a Su-1 was bought and I was using a AQ Coffee HDMI cable with it. Nice improvement overall. What struck me most was the quietness.

2. The Gustard U16 appeared on the market and I bought it, although there were numerous issues with the FW it worked fine for me cause I never upsample my music. (It was better than the SU-1 for sure).

3. The new DSP V2 board for Termy was released. Out went the Gustard cause the board was slightly better sounding/equal in status and as such rendered the Gustard useless and anyways I was getting pissed off with the FW issues with the Gustard.

 

Fast forward to present day,

1. Termy was mated with the Gaia and it was a OMG moment. 3-D and Holographics went ballistic. I was convinced that this will be end game for a while at least.

2.  TP came in for an audit, and it was very good and I enjoyed it as much as the Termy/Gaia combo, but was not still not convinced that I should get the TP.

3. Enter Alvin, he told me to listen to the TP again and give it some time to settle down, and boy was he right. The TP was performing at a better level than the Termy/Gaia combo but in all honesty, a lot of us could live with the combo of Termy/Gaia. But me being me, I got the TP.

4. TP came in and was enjoying my new found improvements in SQ.

5. Enter the Iris, and immediately I could sense even the entry level DDC was a nice addition especially if clocked by the TP. The 3-D and Holographic presentation was.......well scary. I'm a headphone user and so many times I could swear that the audience was outside my field of hearing. A friend came over to listen and when asked what he thought, he said he does'nt know cause he has never heard headphones present music in such a manner. (There was no base to refer to). I'm using the Abyss Phi CC btw. It was like strapping speakers to your ears.LOL

6. Currently, I'm back to just the TP as the Iris is back on tour. I have lost some of that Holographic presentation but it still is one mighty DAC on its own.

* For the Iris and Gaia I was using just basic power cables and an el cheapo HDMI cable and yet it was as reported above.

7. Currently awaiting for my Gaia to arrive, after which I will get some decent power cords from Tellurium and a HDMI cable probably from Argentus, unless something better gets reported or recommended. Please also take a step back and look at the cables which are in your sytem. They make a huge difference as well.

 

To summarise:

I have not yet heard the TP/Gaia combo, but putting A+B together, I think it would be one bloody freaking good combo, not forgetting the TP loves I2S connection and is also recommended by Alvin. As we know USB implemenatation is never easy and thus the need for DDC or USB regenerators like the Phoneix from Innuos, Tx-usb ultra from soTm, Intona and so on. There is a market for these equpiments for a reason and manufacturer's spend a lot on R&D to achieve the ulimate or at least try and get us as close as possible to music nirvana.

 

Hope this helps and do forgive me if I don't make sense cause I'm not a professional reviewer nor do I have bat's ears. As long as my toes are tapping, I'm a happy bunny. I do not like to discredit any one or any gear or branding cause, end of the day, the choice is ours to make. It's a free world. God bless.

[seeteeyou]

41 minutes ago, Abyss Man said:

7. Currently awaiting for my Gaia to arrive, after which I will get some decent power cords from Tellurium and a HDMI cable probably from Argentus, unless something better gets reported or recommended. Please also take a step back and look at the cables which are in your sytem. They make a huge difference as well.

 

0.5m CAT8 Ethernet cable (Full Metal Case option for $33.45) could be a good choice as well

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000575872860.html

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/old-king-of-r2r-dac-is-dead-denafrips-terminator-plus-terminator-arrives.936310/page-6#post-15767608

Quote

Here comes the twist ... i2s B RJ45 with this 0.5m TZ cable (metal shield version) sounded just as good as the 0.5m Argentus in i2s A hdmi !

 

[richard_crl032]

7 minutes ago, seeteeyou said:

 

0.5m CAT8 Ethernet cable (Full Metal Case option for $33.45) could be a good choice as well

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000575872860.html

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/old-king-of-r2r-dac-is-dead-denafrips-terminator-plus-terminator-arrives.936310/page-6#post-15767608

 

 

Hi seeteeyou 

 

Yes indeed, this is the one that I am using in my sharing and had posted the cable specification of published ofc copper albiet no further details and if believable.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

[ted_b]

On 7/30/2020 at 6:44 AM, Blake said:

 

Hi Ted, I am not sure I am following your question here.  Perhaps I missed a comment in this thread or somewhere else.  Could you provide some further detail?

 

Miska (aka Jussi), among others, talks about how, in HDMi-based I2S implementations, the clock is on the wrong side; it should be using the DAC's clock.  So......with this supposed flaw I was wondering if the Gaia's I2S still outperformed it's USB (or other) connection when used with an I2S-capable DAC like the Holo.  I, personally, liked the Su-1 and its I2S connection to my Holo better than going directly to USB, but that was my own perception, and was previous to Holo using new USB boards on its DACs.  I'm wondering if the Gaia would be an upgrade in my system, using I2S.

[richard_crl032]

1 hour ago, seeteeyou said:

 

0.5m CAT8 Ethernet cable (Full Metal Case option for $33.45) could be a good choice as well

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000575872860.html

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/old-king-of-r2r-dac-is-dead-denafrips-terminator-plus-terminator-arrives.936310/page-6#post-15767608

 

 

TZ ofc cable spec

[SYM]

38 minutes ago, richard_crl032 said:

 

TZ ofc cable spec

Hi Richard, hows the tz cables performing with ur rest of your system? Ie switch, nas etc. Am keen to hear ur impression. Thanks

[richard_crl032]

1 hour ago, SYM said:

Hi Richard, hows the tz cables performing with ur rest of your system? Ie switch, nas etc. Am keen to hear ur impression. Thanks

 

Hi Sym,

 

Sure .. I only have their 0.5m RJ45 for i2s B between the Avatar and T+ but ordered for my router to switch, NAS to switch and Antipodes EX to switch ... figured that if it sounded equitable in sound quality to the solid core silver Argentus hdmi at least in my testing, I am very satisfied with the $ spent.

 

I had the well burnt-in Argentus via i2s A hdmi on loan from the Avatar to the TP+ and it was an easy switch between i2s A and i2s B which tells me that baringly any unknown i2s preference of RJ45 to hdmi, this OFC TZ cable is equitable in MY preference of sound quality to Argentus cable in MY system via both my Revel Salon 2 speakers and grado fg-1 headphones ymmv.

 

The Argentus hdmi is musical but a tad softer which my wife with grade 13 piano certification prefers over the more "neutral" sounding TZ rj45 that my 18 year old daughter who play the drum, guitar and also piano prefers .. for me, I am bias since I am the only one who knows the price and prefers the TZ RJ45 cables.  Hence I concluded that if available as an optional input, it is a vfm alternative to much more costly Argentus hdmi cable.

 

I also found out my 6% silver Pangea hdmi with "cardas copper" sounded even softer and veiled in comparison in MY system than the Argentus hdmi.

 

Go ahead, the TZ RJ45 Cat 8 OFC cable is only usd30+ with free shipping ... meanwhile, I have the recommended unshielded Cat 6 meicord RJ45 on the switch to my Samsung Qled in desperate attempt to burn in to hopefully and magically improve over the TZ cables .. lol !

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

[R1200CL]

5 hours ago, Abyss Man said:

Hope this helps and do forgive me if I don't make sense cause

Thanks Abyss

You only used Iris with I2S out ? Did you have it for a long time ?

So Alvin accepts returns ?

Edit. I’ve just noticed you’re in same town as Alvin 😀

 

I didn’t follow your whole story if it was in sequence, cause you had Gaia, and then Iris.

But I think you’re saying Iris is much better than SU-1 and Gustard U16.
 

I think the only difference between Iris and Gaia, is the clock. Gaia is using XCXO.
 

[SYM]

1 hour ago, richard_crl032 said:

Go ahead, the TZ RJ45 Cat 8 OFC cable is only usd30+ with free shipping ... meanwhile, I have the recommended unshielded Cat 6 meicord RJ45 on the switch to my Samsung Qled in desperate attempt to burn in to hopefully and magically improve over the TZ cables .. lol !

 

Thanks Richard. Using wife and dotter is a good way of keeping grounded  

 

cheers!!!

[Abyss Man]

1 minute ago, R1200CL said:

Thanks Abyss

You only used Iris with I2S out ? Did you have it for a long time ?

So Alvin accepts returns ?

 

I didn’t follow your whole story if it was in sequence, cause you had Gaia, and then Iris.

But I think you’re saying Iris is much better than SU-1 and Gustard U16.
 

I think the only difference between Iris and Gaia, is the clock. Gaia is using XCXO.
 

Hi,

I had the Iris for 3 days and yes, I used only I2S as this is the recommended connection by Alvin. As I said, I’m working with memory here when it comes to comparisons with the Singxer and Gustard, but, having said that, if I have moved on, it could be that I found a bump in SQ with the new gear in order for me to do that.

 

Iris uses Femto and Gaia uses OCXO, but, if the clocking duty is taken over by the TP then it would render the clocks in the DDC redundant I suppose. Then again, it’s not only about the clocks, the psu, the oscillators, the interface boards and stuff play a huge part as well. I can only report back on the difference when I hear the TP/Gaia combo, I’m not one to speculate. Cheers.

[richard_crl032]

1 hour ago, SYM said:

Thanks Richard. Using wife and dotter is a good way of keeping grounded  

 

cheers!!!

 

Hi Sym,

 

Indeed and it help with WAF and now DAF especially cos my system is in my living hall 😅

 

One further note is that my dotter pick up the input/cable 5 out of 5 times over various music and my wife pick up 4/5 in this "blind test".

 

AB testing on NAS, switch, Antipodes etc. will not be so easy or reliable with flip of the input switch and no motivation to pull my hairs over cheaply TZ cat 8 ofc RJ45 and hence nothing to share 🙏

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

 

 

[Abyss Man]

6 hours ago, seeteeyou said:

 

0.5m CAT8 Ethernet cable (Full Metal Case option for $33.45) could be a good choice as well

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000575872860.html

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/old-king-of-r2r-dac-is-dead-denafrips-terminator-plus-terminator-arrives.936310/page-6#post-15767608

 

Hi,

The Gaia i2S output is restricted to 1x RJ45 that runs on LVCMOS and the HDMI output that runs on LVDS. Personally I have not tried comparing both of these formats. Maybe I should. I do have a spare Supra Cat 8 lying arnd somewhere. Thanks for the heads up. But TBH, the LVDS is a better connection/preferred connection cause it’s got higher immunity to noise. But no harm trying since it’s just a simple plug in/out. Cheers.

[richard_crl032]

1 hour ago, R1200CL said:

 

I think the only difference between Iris and Gaia, is the clock. Gaia is using XCXO.
 

 

Hi R1200CL,

 

When Blake or I, if I can beat him to it with pending demo gaia, uses the T+, it will be synced to a better sealed ocxo clock with expected better psu, isolation etc treatment which is also your mentioned best clock near dac that I also believes in as well as synced components which is what I am getting from Avatar and covets.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

[richard_crl032]

2 minutes ago, Abyss Man said:

Hi,

The Gaia i2S output is restricted to 1x RJ45 that runs on LVCMOS and the HDMI output that runs on LVDS. Personally I have not tried comparing both of these formats. Maybe I should. I do have a spare Supra Cat 8 lying arnd somewhere. Thanks for the heads up. But TBH, the LVDS is a better connection/preferred connection cause it’s got higher immunity to noise. But no harm trying since it’s just a simple plug in/out. Cheers.

 

Hi Abyss,

 

Indeed the case of only hdmi i2s of the gaia being preferred lvds without saying I had tested and heard any difference in MY system since still pending demo gaia.

 

My hope it that I can daisy chain the Avatar and the gaia with gaia via hdmi i2s B and the avatar via the RJ45 i2sB which is lvds.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard