T+A DAC 200

[AudioDoctor]

3 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I do need to pinch myself quite often. 

 

If your kids are anything like mine, they do a good job of keeping you humble... 

[The Computer Audiophile]

1 minute ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

If your kids are anything like mine, they do a good job of keeping you humble... 

+100

 

I hold out hope that this Mark Twain quote will ring true for me when my 10 year old gets a little older.

 

"When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years."

[AudioDoctor]

16 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

+100

 

I hold out hope that this Mark Twain quote will ring true for me when my 10 year old gets a little older.

 

"When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years."

 

Don't tell my Dad but, that describes me...

 

A good example of my 10 year old these days...

Yesterday at breakfast we were eating cheerios and I noticed that some of them were heart shaped. When I mentioned this fact she let out a sigh and said, Yeah, it says it right on the box...

 

In my defense, I hadn't yet had my morning coffee.

[The Computer Audiophile]

OK, first question about the DAC200. When I set the PRE OUT mode to LINE rather than Variable, the volume indicator at the bottom of the display switches from VOL to PHO and I can adjust PHO with the volume knob. 

 

What it PHO?

[h128]

Quote

What it PHO?

I would guess that it indicates headphone output. I set mine to variable mode so I've never seen that.

[The Computer Audiophile]

7 minutes ago, h128 said:

I would guess that it indicates headphone output. I set mine to variable mode so I've never seen that.

I bet you're right. 

[OE333]

2 hours ago, h128 said:

I would guess that it indicates headphone output. I set mine to variable mode so I've never seen that.

That is correct.

 

In VARIABLE output mode the volume adjustment affects both the preamp outputs (RCA and XLR) and the headphone output.

In LINE mode the volume attenuartor for the RCAS/XLR outputs is bypassed but the volume of the headPHOne output can still be adjusted by the volume knob (and the IR remote control).

That the volume adjustment is still active for the headphone output is indicated by the "PHO" on the display.

[The Computer Audiophile]

I have DSD1024 working on the DAC200 with @Miska’s newest NAA image. Still many things to test and set to my favorite, but so far so good. 
 

[mevdinc]

7 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I have DSD1024 working on the DAC200 with @Miska’s newest NAA image. Still many things to test and set to my favorite, but so far so good. 
 

Can't wait for your review.

Yesterday, I had a brief opportunity to listen to DAC 200 in a HiFi shop and it sounded really lovely.
 

[e.Latte]

On 7/30/2022 at 11:56 PM, The Computer Audiophile said:

I have DSD1024 working on the DAC200 with @Miska’s newest NAA image. Still many things to test and set to my favorite, but so far so good. 
 

I can only get 256 DSD out of my computer. From what I understand you are feeding the DAC 200 with a NAA? Are you going in USB from the NAA? If you are running this from a computer, do you mind sharing your build specs? :) 

[OE333]

If your computer is capable of upsampling/converting to DSD 1024 you normally can choose if you want to use a direct USB connection between computer and DAC or if you want to go via ethernet -> NAA -> USB.

The NAA option is best suited if you have a long distance between computer and DAC. If your computer is located close to The DAC (less than 3 meteres) the direct USB connection should work perfectly.

An additional benefit of the ethernet/NAA variety might be that ethernet brings an additional galvanic isolation between your audio domain (i.e. DAC&AMP) and the IT (network&computer) domain....

My recommendation: try both and see what works best for you.

 

If on the other hand your computer is not capable of upconverting to DSD1024 then neither direct USB nor ethernet/NAA will work.

[The Computer Audiophile]

1 hour ago, e.Latte said:

I can only get 256 DSD out of my computer. From what I understand you are feeding the DAC 200 with a NAA? Are you going in USB from the NAA? If you are running this from a computer, do you mind sharing your build specs? :) 

Are you running into this Mac limitation?

 

”The playback of DSD files is restricted to a maximum of DSD 256 on Apple MAC computers, as Apple only supports playback in DoP format and does not support native streaming.”

[e.Latte]

3 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Are you running into this Mac limitation?

 

”The playback of DSD files is restricted to a maximum of DSD 256 on Apple MAC computers, as Apple only supports playback in DoP format and does not support native streaming.”

I am using Windows. I think it is the limitation of my processor and graphics card. I want to upsample to 1024 DSD since the DAC 200 is capable of 1024 DSD and I want to hear how it sounds. I am currently using ROON and HQ Player from my computer and connecting directly into the DAC 200. My current settings on HQ Player are Source, IIR, FIR, Shaped, 768 PCM, and on the DAC 200 I have it set to NOS 2. Sounds incredible. I am curious to hear how DSD 1024 sounds compared to my current settings. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

3 minutes ago, e.Latte said:

I am using Windows. I think it is the limitation of my processor and graphics card. I want to upsample to 1024 DSD since the DAC 200 is capable of 1024 DSD and I want to hear how it sounds. I am currently using ROON and HQ Player from my computer and connecting directly into the DAC 200. My current settings on HQ Player are Source, IIR, FIR, Shaped, 768 PCM, and on the DAC 200 I have it set to NOS 2. Sounds incredible. I am curious to hear how DSD 1024 sounds compared to my current settings. 

To do DSD1024 on my CAPS Twenty computer, I have to adjust the modulators down from ASDM7ECv2 to something else. I'm listening to DSD256 at ASDM7ECv2 right now will switch to DSD1024 in a bit. 

 

The PC I'm using is here - 

 

 

[AudioDoctor]

Is this the DAC with a built in NAA? And if so, is the image it is running, upgradable?

[Miska]

5 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

Is this the DAC with a built in NAA? And if so, is the image it is running, upgradable?

 

No NAA on DAC 200. But USB works up to DSD1024.

 

[Miska]

14 minutes ago, e.Latte said:

I am using Windows. I think it is the limitation of my processor and graphics card. I want to upsample to 1024 DSD since the DAC 200 is capable of 1024 DSD and I want to hear how it sounds. I am currently using ROON and HQ Player from my computer and connecting directly into the DAC 200. My current settings on HQ Player are Source, IIR, FIR, Shaped, 768 PCM, and on the DAC 200 I have it set to NOS 2. Sounds incredible. I am curious to hear how DSD 1024 sounds compared to my current settings. 

 

Try DSD256 first. For example with:

1x=poly-sinc-gauss-long

Nx=poly-sinc-gauss-hires-lp

Modulator=ASDM7ECv2

 

You can then try higher rates. But I'd say it is very good at DSD256.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

16 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

Try DSD256 first. For example with:

1x=poly-sinc-gauss-long

Nx=poly-sinc-gauss-hires-lp

Modulator=ASDM7ECv2

 

You can then try higher rates. But I'd say it is very good at DSD256.

 

The we get to the question of higher DSD rates versus "lower" level modulators as we hit the maximum our PCs can handle. First world problems :~)

[AudioDoctor]

41 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

No NAA on DAC 200. But USB works up to DSD1024.

 

 

Is the built in NAA only on the 39,000 dollar HV whatever?

[AudioDoctor]

21 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

The we get to the question of higher DSD rates versus "lower" level modulators as we hit the maximum our PCs can handle. First world problems :~)

 

3090 Ti's are at all time low prices right now...  ;-)

[Miska]

8 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

Is the built in NAA only on the 39,000 dollar HV whatever?

 

Yes, that's the case, in the HV seriest streaming DAC/pre-amp.

 

[StreamFidelity]

44 minutes ago, Miska said:

9 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

Is the built in NAA only on the 39,000 dollar HV whatever?

 

Yes, that's the case, in the HV seriest streaming DAC/pre-amp.

 

Is an update actually recommended?

Jul 17 2022

Network Audio Daemon 4.2.3 released. Bug fixes and component updates.

 

I can't do that of course, but we could trigger the update at T+A.

[OE333]

12 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

Is the built in NAA only on the 39,000 dollar HV whatever?

 

Why not use an external NAA ?

A RK3399 or RK3328 based SBC and DietPi might be a good starting point...

[Zauurx]

3 hours ago, OE333 said:

 

Why not use an external NAA ?

A RK3399 or RK3328 based SBC and DietPi might be a good starting point...

 

This is the sbc of ZenStream and if only iFi audio would open up the possibility of booting on DietPi (instead of an outdated Volumio 2 version).... this is certainly the only possible improvement to this excellent streamer !! 🙃

[AudioDoctor]

5 hours ago, OE333 said:

 

Why not use an external NAA ?

 

Because that wasn't my question?