exaSound E68 Stereo DSD512 and 8-Channel DSD256 DAC

[ted_b]

I am getting the s88 as soon as the room is done.  Are any of you using TWO linear power supplies on the s88 (digital dc input, analog dc input)?

[ted_b]

Good to know.  I should have probably, then, phrased my question this way: has anyone tried an upgraded power supply with both the analog dc input and the digital dc input on the new exaSound?   George gives both options. 

[ted_b]

I have Kal to thanks for turning me on to Coleman.  I have a Coleman Audio ab5.1 (6 channel switcher with 1/4" TRS in/outs).  This was found used on Ebay for $100.  And this way I can have different lengths (or even different brands) of balanced cabling, one for each channel.  For example my rear monoblocks are 40 ft runs, but fronts are less than 10.  That's tougher to do with db25 snakes. 

[ted_b]

Yes, Vocalion has done a great job of transferring quad to SACD.  The Quad forum has many threads about them.  I have quite a few.  Thx 🙂

[ted_b]

I never turn off anything digital, or the ps attached to digital.

[ted_b]

Yes, the 7.1SW uses DB25 connectors; their a/b5.1 (which I own, bought on Ebay for $99) uses 1/4" TRS.   I like the a/b5.1 for two reasons: 1) I only have 6 channels to switch, and 2) the individual 1/4" TRS connectors allow me to use different lengths for each channel, as my rear surrounds require a 40 ft run (through in-wall smurf tubes) while the fronts only need a fraction of that.   Maybe Redco or Pro Audio LA could customize a db25 snake with different lengths too, I do not know.

[ted_b]

Kal and I (and others on AS, I assume) are pretty active on a multichannel forum called QuadraphonicQuad.com, and on there is a member who has put together a very nice free set of tools called Music Media Helper (MMH).  One of it's swiss army knife capabilities is a channel remapper that is visual in nature.  I guess if you have several albums that are not getting mapped right, I'd do them offline with this tool, and avoid any JRiver DSP.  My $.02

 

https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/threads/music-media-helper-useful-tools-for-music-videos-mch-audio.22693/

[ted_b]

I have a Zektor switch (used ) that I've never unboxed.  PM me.

[ted_b]

Marcus,

May I ask, then, why did you choose the S88 over the E68, given that you use your Win10 pc for streaming, and use USB in, etc?

Thx

Ted

[ted_b]

The exaSound dacs are a great representation of how good an ESS chip can sound, given great power supply work, analog stage work, etc.  So...although exaSounds are sigma delta dacs the beauty of the sound of DXD may just be your thing.   I'll be comparing in the next month when I get my s88.  I just got 2 channel music flowing today (first my mains have heard a signal in 3 and a half years!!).  So I have some warming up to do, let alone setting up the rest of the multichannel system. 

 

Good listening, the answer often comes down to personal preferences, given the room, system, etc.

[ted_b]

The 8805 converts your incoming DSD to PCM anyway, so if you instead did it via a conversion tool (say DBPoweramp or similar) you would have channel trims and could convert to a higher sample rate than the 8805s internal conversion (which is probably 24/96).  Or maybe use HQPlayer to send the music to the DAC, and have HQplayer do the channel trims (which can do them in DSD too).

[ted_b]

Ah yes, sorry...but I assume the mch analog inputs go to PCM digital, too?  Or is there a "pure" bypass?  Anyway, he can stay DSD and do trims in HQP.

[ted_b]

Same reason as Roon as a front end. JRIver is a great library manager and has nice remote control capabilities, etc. and HQPlayer is the state of the art for the back end. 

[ted_b]

Geoffrey did a nice job but it is still slightly contortion-istic.  :)  But it works. 

 

Jussi, there is nothing wrong with those front ends, including yours.  But they are not as robust as Roon or JRiver when it comes to library management, bulk tagging and editing, remote control (client GUI) and the like.  I applaud all front ends to HQplayer, it's just that we'd like to add a more seamless JRiver to the mix.  Not a stay awake issue though, at least for me.

[ted_b]

George was nice enough to send me the Mark II (and I've been keeping quiet ever since).  My multichannel system is still a few days away, but I will make sure I give my feedback.

[ted_b]

What happens when you set (in JRiver's DLNA server settings) format to DSF instead of PCM 24 bit?

[ted_b]

I'll be unpacking and setting up my s88 FINALLY here soon (long time e28 user and dear friend of George's), but I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why anyone would use USB when the s88 has a clean ethernet input.  I may be missing something obvious.  My use will be to have the s88 as my HQPlayer NAA/dac combo for multichannel files.

[ted_b]

In both our cases (Steve with Roon, me with HQPlayer) we are able to use the s88 as BOTH our networked endpoint (Roon endpoint, HQPlayer NAA) and our multichannel dac...so Ethernet is not only the best option but anything else would be unnecessary overhead and chances for added noise and distortion.  

[ted_b]

Kal,

You bring up a good point that I'll test in my system (once setup and familiar of course).  I can swap the USB from the Holo May (coming from fitelt2 NAA) and compare that to internal NAA.  There are more than a couple variables in that comparison but I'll give it a go nonetheless.   Stay tuned.  :)

Ted

[ted_b]

Marcus,

I would be interested in you trying the s88 as a Roon endpoint (i.e connect via LAN and point Roon core to it).  It would be an interesting exercise to hear whether USB from Roon machine sounds any different than the s88 getting it's Roon instructions internally as a Roon endpoint.

[ted_b]

Yes, once you hook the s88 to your network Roon should see it as an endpoint, so go into Roon and make it your audio device.

[ted_b]

My S88 started as a Mark II prototype (eventually shipped back to CA for production updates) so I can't speak to differences.  It's stellar, nonetheless.  🙂

[ted_b]

Agreed!  I, too, ran into the caching out the old interface, but once I got used to the new one it is so much nicer.  I'm finding the channel trim presets are nice, and I've created at least two for very specific surround mixes (one of which seems to pop up in many mixes to the same degree, so a preset works).  Not DSD vs PCM either.

 

Great job George and company. 

[ted_b]

52 minutes ago, Desertpilot said:

Why DXD?  If it's the original recording format, that's my choice. 

As a founding member of NativeDSD, I couldn't agree more.  The S88 does wonderful music in DXD (and DSD versions too 👍 ).  Thx

[ted_b]

I have S88 Mark II (aka version 2), but can't compare cuz never had version 1 here for more than a few weeks.