HXMelody HX500 digital transport

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6 hours ago, thisisvv said:

Do we have ios app for this? Unable to find the recommended app.

Yes It has in ios app but in chinese language description.

红芯转盘

Copy paste in App Store

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thisisvv

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6 hours ago, Symphony said:

Yes It has in ios app but in chinese language description.

红芯转盘

Copy paste in App Store

Thank you

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SgtDuke

Posted April 18, 2021

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Posted April 18, 2021

How well does offline SD card navigation work? Can you read the folder/file names from a distance and hold down a button on the remote control to comfortably scroll through them and then play a whole folder? Would you be willing to share a photo, or even a video, of how the navigation is working with the remote?

Thanks for sharing this find, it looks quite interesting, very similar to the Soundaware products, but less expensive.

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Symphony

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On 4/18/2021 at 2:06 PM, SgtDuke said:

How well does offline SD card navigation work? Can you read the folder/file names from a distance and hold down a button on the remote control to comfortably scroll through them and then play a whole folder? Would you be willing to share a photo, or even a video, of how the navigation is working with the remote?

Thanks for sharing this find, it looks quite interesting, very similar to the Soundaware products, but less expensive.

Navigating using remote is easy but I find it difficult to read the folder titles from a distance hence I navigate using the App. To use the app you need WiFi connectivity.

will try to post the video coming weekend.

Quality of sound through SD card & I2S out pot is outstanding.

happy listening.

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SgtDuke

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5 hours ago, Symphony said:

Navigating using remote is easy but I find it difficult to read the folder titles from a distance hence I navigate using the App.

That's what I suspected. The screens just aren't large enough to display a reasonable number of entries and be readable from several meters away at the same time. Video or screenshots of the remote navigation and app navigation would be much appreciated!

Have you tested gapless DLNA/UPnP playback to verify that there aren't any pauses between tracks that should run seamlessly together?

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Symphony

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4 hours ago, SgtDuke said:

That's what I suspected. The screens just aren't large enough to display a reasonable number of entries and be readable from several meters away at the same time. Video or screenshots of the remote navigation and app navigation would be much appreciated!

Have you tested gapless DLNA/UPnP playback to verify that there aren't any pauses between tracks that should run seamlessly together?

After a usage of several months I conclude that it works well with SD card only. In DLNA mode the system hangs after every three to four tracks play. Each time you need to restart the machine to play it again.

I have tried numerous times to seek help from the customer support but they never responded back.

I am not sure that the issue is only with my unit or it’s universal

I have reconciled to use it as standalone SD card player with app as tool to navigate on WiFi and I am enjoying . It sounds amazing .. on par with my other expensive transport Lumin U1

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SgtDuke

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12 hours ago, Symphony said:

After a usage of several months I conclude that it works well with SD card only. In DLNA mode the system hangs after every three to four tracks play. Each time you need to restart the machine to play it again.

That's a shame. Which DLNA server are you using? I have seen that even some high end streamers only guarantee compatibility with certain DLNA servers. Maybe it's just a matter of finding the right match with the HX500. On the firmware download page, they do mention updates to DLNA to be compatible with certain services.

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Symphony

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1 hour ago, SgtDuke said:

That's a shame. Which DLNA server are you using? I have seen that even some high end streamers only guarantee compatibility with certain DLNA servers. Maybe it's just a matter of finding the right match with the HX500. On the firmware download page, they do mention updates to DLNA to be compatible with certain services.

Thank you. I am very happy with what it’s doing it for me . Decided to use it as stand alone SD card player

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bobfa

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On 7/3/2020 at 5:30 PM, bodiebill said:

I guess many of us here are familiar with the ‘eureka’ sensation — the ‘this is it!’ feeling we get it when we finally achieve ‘perfect’ sound as a reward for our latest tweaks. And then, when the tweaking goes on, eureka is repeated, the ‘it’ becomes ‘was’ and is replaced by a new ‘it!’.

In the last decade I have had many such eureka’s. It all got better and better, optimizing my audio PC with AO, FP, Bughead rituals, Process Lasso, moving to dual box solution with HQPlayer embedded and NAA, with EC modulators, using AudioLinux and/or GentooPlayer, using fancy usb cables, usb treatments like the ISO Regen and/or iFi micro, replacing my network with fiber, first with FMC’s, then with fiber NIC’s, buying better routers, adding audiophile network- and usb cards, SATA-less endpoint with Apacer ECC RAM, and not forgetting feeding everything in the chain with expensive linear power supplies.

Then, about a month ago, I got intrigued by discussion threads (mostly on other forums, but also here on AS) discussing minimal SD card players and I thought I should try one for my Denafrips Terminator. I looked at two options, the Japanese SDTrans384 and the Chinese HXMelody HX500, and found it hard to choose between them:

The SDTrans384 attracted me because of its minimalism. It does not even come with an enclosure and only does S/PDIF and I2S (HDMI and raw). I thank @gstew and @pm325 for pointing me to it.

http://www.tachyon.co.jp/~sichoya/SDTrans/SDTrans6.html

The HX500 on the other hand was appealing for its versatility. It does S/PDIF coaxial, BNC, AES/EBU, TosLink and I2S via HDMI (the latter up to DSD1024). It also does network, NAS, DLNA, comes with a remote and there is also a smartphone app to control it.

https://shenzhenaudio.com/products/hxmelody-hx500-digital-turntable-player-lossless-pcm768k-dsd1024-dst-direct-solution-player

Very different beasts indeed.

Oh, and neither has usb output.

I decided to order them both; and am still waiting for the SDTrans384, customized with dual low-noise power and better oscillators.

The HX500 has been burning in for a few days. It is the transport only version, i.e. without DAC.

Yesterday and today I compared how it performs, switching between different sources and between different digital outputs.

My initial impressions are as follows (where A < B means B sounds better than A to my ears, = similar, and << considerably better).

sources
external usb drive with LPS
=
NAS
<<
DLNA
<<
SD card with ethernet for app remote control
<
SD card without network

digital outputs
S/PDIF coaxial
<
S/PDIF BNC
<<
TosLink
<
I2S/HDMI
(I did not try AES)

For me the clear winner is SD card as input and I2S as output, without network, playing wav or DSD256.

However, a networked setup with DLNA, using UPPlay and Minimserver from a Windows PC, sounds very good already, actually considerably better than my previous fully tweaked dual box setup. And that without using any LPS or network upgrades. This networked setup even sounds slightly better than my previous favorite: networkless single endpoint with wtfplay. I guess it must be the I2S topology that does that, or — implied — the shortcomings of usb.

I am still looking for better words to describe the different sound signature of I2S compared to usb (assuming that is what I hear). To mind come: open, direct, detailed, deep bass, clearer highs without any of the stridency I am so allergic to. Less artefacts.

In the past TosLink connections have not worked for me, so I was surprised that with the HX500 fiber sounds stellar, only just behind I2S.

Recommended, and a steal at USD 599. Makes you think…

No more network- or usb nervosa. I love this ‘less is more phase’ I am going through.

In fact, the HX500 sounds at least as good as my imaginary Taiko Extreme, although that could be just the eureka effect.

Looking forward to comparing it with the SDTrans384 before long...

Did you ever get the SDtrans384 to compare it ?

My Audio Systems

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bodiebill

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Actually, I bought the HX500 and the SDTrans384 at the same time to compare them. They are very close in SQ but I slightly prefered the SDTrans384 (I think due to better clocks which I had upgraded and better power supply). The HX500 was much more user friendly though. I gave the HX500 to a friend. Alas recently the SDTrans died on me and I am now looking for some replacement. I am considering Shinrico D7 or SHD20. These are better known in Russia and China but are supposed to have really good SQ and connectivity.

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bobfa

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On 7/25/2021 at 12:19 PM, bobfa said:

Did you ever get the SDtrans384 to compare it ?

Ordered it today. Now i am looking for some SLC SD cards for it

My Audio Systems

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bodiebill

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3 hours ago, bobfa said:

Ordered it today. Now i am looking for some SLC SD cards for it

The SDTrans384 can be picky with cards. Yamazaki san recommended

Toshiba 32GB(FAT32 format). for example EXCERIA series

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Symphony

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On 7/25/2021 at 10:59 PM, bodiebill said:

Actually, I bought the HX500 and the SDTrans384 at the same time to compare them. They are very close in SQ but I slightly prefered the SDTrans384 (I think due to better clocks which I had upgraded and better power supply). The HX500 was much more user friendly though. I gave the HX500 to a friend. Alas recently the SDTrans died on me and I am now looking for some replacement. I am considering Shinrico D7 or SHD20. These are better known in Russia and China but are supposed to have really good SQ and connectivity.

Please keep us updated on Shrinico … SHD20 specs as transport are promising

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gstew

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@bobfa, very curious what you think when you get your SDTrans384 in hand and running.

I haven't played with mine for awhile, I believe my current Allo.com USBBridge Signature-based player is close with more flexibility. But more $$$ to get that flexibility.

I had modified my SDTrans with local LT3045 regulators (from LDOVR.COM) replacing the on-board stock ones. AND the last time I played it, I used my now standard ultracap-buffered 5V supply... a pair of 325 farad UCs into the player.

SOMEDAY I need to upgrade the clocks.

I do have on my slate trying it and the TirNaHiFi modified EBay SDCard Players via direct I2S with my latest Ian Canada DIY DAC stack (best I've ever run, but I'm sure it is not a patch on the high-$$$ gear).

@bodiebill, curious if you SDTrans is repairable. What happened to kill it? I had another friend who had one who killed it with a power supply overvoltage. Looking at it, I suspected it might have been repairable depending on the behavior of the local regulators... if they died without passing the overvoltage on, it should be repairable... according to the designers only the screen directly use the 5V and that is easily replaceable. Let me know, I'd be willing to take a look at it.

More importantly, how well did the HX500 work with higher sampling rates (384 or higher) via I2S? I am curious to try PGGB, but am not interested in going back into the massive complex computer player world. The SDTrans384 is limited to 384 due to the data transfer protocol off the SDCard... I suspect that can be remedied with different hardware nowadays, but not with any reasonable upgrade to that HW. Hence my interest in the HX500.

Greg in Mississippi

Everything Matters!

2 systems... Well-Tempered Refs->ET-2.5->DIY or Lounge LCR MkII phono stages

Standalone digital Sony HAP Z1-ES or SDTrans384/Soekris DAM DAC

Networked digital Zotac PI320-W2 LMS Server -> EtherRegen -> USBBridge Sig -> Katana / Ian GB / Soerkis / Buffalo-IIIPro DACs

Passive S&B TX102 TVC or ladder attenuators -> BHK-250 -> Eminent Tech LFT-VIII / IV / VI

ALL gear modified / DIY'd; cables MIT; all supplies DIY’d or LPS-1.2s w/HUGE Ultracaps; Audio gear on DIY AC filters + PS Aud P15s; misc gear on separate AC w/filters

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seeteeyou

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https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=612390256416

HX500 could be quite interesting since the digital side only needs a pair of 7V rails as shown below, and here's an officially authorized seller of modified units

Regarding USBridge Signature as well as other transports that are based on either CM3 or CM4, recently someone upgraded the original CM3 to CM4 as shown below

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/57258-allo-usbridge-signature/page/49/?tab=comments#comment-1148796

On 7/22/2021 at 11:24 PM, caesee said:

After lots of tweak , I think maybe here is the first usbridge sig with cm4 and 24m hz ocxo

And then I also posted the links to all recipes afterwards

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/57258-allo-usbridge-signature/page/49/?tab=comments#comment-1148866

On 7/23/2021 at 5:56 AM, seeteeyou said:

24MHz SC-cut OCXO

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=616020923145

PCB for the OCXO

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=641823907828

CM4 to CM3 Adapter

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=650505496201

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=650890897662

Pure Copper Heatsink

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002935486960.html

BTW, we could also upgrade 54MHz clock on CM4 with something like this

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=650821434968

There really wasn't a single noteworthy Linux distro to demonstrate the TRUE potential of USBridge Signature, though we could actually give this highly optimized version of piCorePlayer a try afterwards upgrading from CM3 to CM4

https://github.com/sam0402/pcp-44.1KHz

https://www.stsd99.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=19950#p19950

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bodiebill

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26 minutes ago, gstew said:

@bodiebill, curious if you SDTrans is repairable. What happened to kill it? I had another friend who had one who killed it with a power supply overvoltage. Looking at it, I suspected it might have been repairable depending on the behavior of the local regulators... if they died without passing the overvoltage on, it should be repairable... according to the designers only the screen directly use the 5V and that is easily replaceable. Let me know, I'd be willing to take a look at it.

More importantly, how well did the HX500 work with higher sampling rates (384 or higher) via I2S? I am curious to try PGGB, but am not interested in going back into the massive complex computer player world. The SDTrans384 is limited to 384 due to the data transfer protocol off the SDCard... I suspect that can be remedied with different hardware nowadays, but not with any reasonable upgrade to that HW. Hence my interest in the HX500.

Greg in Mississippi

Hi Greg, good to hear from you!

Thanks for the kind offer, I might take you up on it...

I never tried the HX500 with sample rates higher than 192 and it is no longer with me (now at a friend's). But I was pleasantly surprised that to my ears it closely approached the SDTrans384 in terms of SQ.

I will PM you re the SDTrans384.

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bodiebill

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2 hours ago, Symphony said:

Please keep us updated on Shrinico … SHD20 specs as transport are promising

I decided to order the Aune X5S 8th edition (with word clock input) + Aune XC1 10 MHz external clock, For some reason I wanted a smaller low footprint device.

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matthias

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MUSICIAN (musician-audio.com)

On 7/27/2021 at 10:31 AM, bodiebill said:

I decided to order the Aune X5S 8th edition (with word clock input) + Aune XC1 10 MHz external clock, For some reason I wanted a smaller low footprint device.

There is also a digital player from Musician:

Matt

"I want to know why the musicians are on stage, not where". (John Farlowe)

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bodiebill

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10 minutes ago, matthias said:

There is also a digital player from Musician:

MUSICIAN (musician-audio.com)

Matt

Indeed, see

I believe @bobfa recently received one...

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bobfa

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