Recent content by hifiamps

If there is a buzzing from the transformer, try to tighten the bolts a bit. I can highly recommend Grover Huffman cables. The electrolytic caps on ProtoDAC take about 60 hours to burn in. Play Sub FM internet radio for a few days. Try different 5V power supplies with ProtoDAC. Power supplies can...

The cost of a Raspberry Pi Zero W with header is very low. About $16 USD. Use CUERipper to rip CDs to a USB thumb drive. Play your CDs and have access to internet radio. You certainly could get a DIR9001 SPDIF to I2S converter board as a bridge from the CD player to ProtoDAC for about the same...

Digi2 Pro provides an SPDIF output only. You need an SPDIF input (be sure your CD player has an SPDIF output). Yes, jitter is a problem with HAT DACs. Some of the DACs, like the Allo Boss are master DACs, with their own clocks. Ian Canada really has the only solution at this time with the...

Hi edoardoz, Integrating a CD player SPDIF output with a Raspberry Pi streamer can be done using the Ian Canada ReceiverPi DDC. I would recommend ripping CDs and play the flac files from a network drive or local USB drive, but that is just my preference.

PGGB-AP performs very high quality "ludicrously long linear windowed sinc filters (1 Million to 8 Billion taps)". There is a one month free trial. Also, "PGGB-RT is now available as foobar2000 component!" This is the only upsampling software that I have tried that does not worsen the sound...

This is a proper isolation transformer. 3kVA.

Maybe SMSL has trouble with quality control on these. They are not adequately inspecting the product being shipped out. There is definitely something fishy looking with those Nichicon caps. The wrapper on the real one is never crinkled like that. It's specifically listed as an "audio-grade"...

From quick research, some signs of fakes are uneven wrappers, or ink smudging off the wrapper. Incorrect vent pattern and dimensions (12.5 × 25mm for the 10V 4700 Nichicons). Also read the fakes are getting better. Harder to tell. The other signs require device removal (measuring specs...

Posted our pics in another forum. They question the wrap on the Nichicons. It's crinkled or rippled at the top. Counterfeits? The + vent shape is correct for Nichicon. Would need to measure dimensions of the cap and see if it matches the data sheet. Top=bottom cap ID

Where and when did you purchase your MkII? I guess they are sending cheaper components to US market. This kind of thing makes it very difficult to trust the quality of any Chinese product. Is there another factory filling SMSL orders with lower quality parts? I suppose I should return the...

Purchased on US Amazon.com sold by S.M.S.L Factory Store . It says that on my order invoice and order details. I carefully checked that the seller was reputable. Sounded reputable. Item was in stock, fulfilled by Amazon, and shipped out within a few days. Now I see that Audio Deals is the...

RPi 3B+ and Moode 6.6 playing DSD256 without pops. But over network, need to have a larger buffer setting.

It works with Linux (Moode). If using USB input, be sure it's set to U1. It starts in U2 optical by default.

Based on photos posted by the_brunx , the Topping E30 build quality looks substantially better, and is a better value. They use what appear to be genuine TI OPA1612A op amps, which are about $5 each. ASR test results are better too. Forgot to say it earlier, but thanks to ASR we are able to...

The op amps have no markings (MkI used JRC version of 5532, smaller caps, AK4490 from pictures). Nice looking metal film resistors, but can't make out the tolerance. Just delivered today. My first USB DAC, upgrading from Allo Boss. The key to the Boss was SoX upsampling to 32/384, which turned...