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Audio-gd Master 7 Singularity Review (DAC)

3125b

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I was just pointing out that they are able to make better products than the one measured by Amir.
Although it seems almost random how any given product performs.

Their specs are completely made up (120dB SNR, 106dB SINAD for this one for example) and performance does not at all correlate with the price.
And then there are further problems like the ordering and warranty process, especially considering that almost every one of their units I've heard of so far had some sort of issue, from loose screws rattling around to poor-quality transformers to weird bugs in the software. On top of that, their documentation and manuals are terrible and the marketing material (borderline) fraudulent.

So even if they managed to put out a well performing product at a competitive price, one should really only consider them as a last option.
I think they understood correctly that their audiophile clientel listens more with their eyes than with their ears and performance therefor does not really matter.
 

Harmonie

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And I thought that @amirm had a big backlog and therefore ... priorities :rolleyes:

(sorry but couldn't help it ;)
 

Xulonn

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And I thought that @amirm had a big backlog and therefore ... priorities :rolleyes:

(sorry but couldn't help it ;)

Those priorities apparently include exposing snake oil and overpriced junk audio components, and not just finding truly excellent ones.:cool:
 

PO3c

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That's correct. And they charge extra for them from what I recall. Agree that in this day and age, this should not be a bolt on solution.
I agree, but lets face it. This is not a current product but from the time when Class Compliant USB where not very common and we all where buying USB isolating devices. Which begs for the question if you made sure the USB and FPGA circuit had the latest firmware given you found faults where both of these clearly are suspects?
 

Labjr

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I agree, but lets face it. This is not a current product but from the time when Class Compliant USB where not very common and we all where buying USB isolating devices. Which begs for the question if you made sure the USB and FPGA circuit had the latest firmware given you found faults where both of these clearly are suspects?

I think their current products use Amanero.
 
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amirm

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And I thought that @amirm had a big backlog and therefore ... priorities :rolleyes:

(sorry but couldn't help it ;)
I do. I am so overwhelmed with big boxes in our living room that I am testing large devices sooner than I would otherwise! And this one came in a massive box. :)
 
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amirm

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Which begs for the question if you made sure the USB and FPGA circuit had the latest firmware given you found faults where both of these clearly are suspects?
Where are you seeing any firmware update? And even if you found one, what is the confidence that it would not brick the unit? Company doesn't even have an ecommerce system. No way I would install any executable from them anyway on my machine to upgrade said firmware.
 

ShiZo

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I just looked and that is the case.
For shits and giggles I'd like to see the measurements in 8x oversampling mode, but it's crazy how hard it is change the filter. That alone is a deal breaker.

And if Amir is confused on how to control the settings, that says a lot.
 

don'ttrustauthority

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From their website:


A class-A power supply! Regenerative power driver? This is not a translation issue. They are basically tricking gullible audiophiles. I see it as fraud.
Well, then you better sit down when I tell you the truth about Santa Claus .... (I'll lay off all the news people tell you about to save something you don't even have).
 

sarumbear

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Well, then you better sit down when I tell you the truth about Santa Claus .... (I'll lay off all the news people tell you about to save something you don't even have).
I was born in Turkey and I visited Santa’s grave. I also work in media so I know why the Coke bottle is in the shape of Santa and the North Pole connection. Creating an illusion is marketing. Tricking someone using technical terms is fraud.
 

Helicopter

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Me too. Is the AS-1 a "modern" DAC? (Might be - it uses "Two ESS Sabre ES9028Pro Chips in Mono mode, Managed by an FPGA" and even has countersunk flat-head screws to attach the top rather than "old-fashioned" protruding round-head screws that the Singularity model uses (which ASR member "@Addicted to music" might appreciate).

The HomeTheaterHiFi.com review and measurements looks better than I would expect for an Audio-GD product based on @amirm reviews of the company's other products.


20210909_193558.jpg


Something about that... logo...

1631230521338.png
 

PO3c

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Where are you seeing any firmware update? And even if you found one, what is the confidence that it would not brick the unit? Company doesn't even have an ecommerce system. No way I would install any executable from them anyway on my machine to upgrade said firmware.
Link to firmware with hard to read manuals http://www.audio-gd.com/Products-EN.htm

As far as I know the first few revison for the FPGA design now at least 13 years in the making and used in several of their late products where sourced outside Audio-GD. In later revision I wonder if not Kingwa where more involved in the development. And late produktion I'm told had a complete rewrite which they now can disdribute from their site. Older version they would only install from a remote desktop session at a resonable fee.

My first encounter with this FPGA design where the DAC-19 DSP revision in 2010 (released some time before this). DAC-19 first started out utelizing a standard S/PDIF receiver (testet somewhere on this site) and later got an FPGA from its bigger siblings just before they desided saving the sparce PCM chips for the Masters. DAC-19 PCM take the same firmware files as the M7.

Anyway, their mail-support have always got me sorted when in doubd — even for 7 years old second hand products. Witch few other DAC manufactores can claim. RME is the only one that comes to mind.
Still I prefer the sound from my M7 in 8xOS mode (not Singularity revision) over any of my RME DAC's in current hi-fi setup. For some reason it let me focus on the music over detailed and what apears as flatter 'sounds' comming from RME. Had both RME and M7 up for a several months with identical digital transports and always ended up on the M7.

For direct factory sale to end user 300 hour burn in at factory before testing and shipping seem a good idea given cost of return shipping if fault accumulate ;) Probebly does nada for the sound after warm-up but marketing have a free selling point for those whom are in believe.

There are only two adjustment points for each audio channel inside this design. Sugesting all the discrete circuits probebly have some accuracy issues that adds to caracter. I doubd I can hear the difference from .008% and .003% distortion figures for the two channels even if this difference would look nicer if aligned.

Although, the nonlinearity intrigue me. Given Kingwa comes from amp building (cloning Krell is the saying) and should know his stuff this beavior makes one wonder if the design is dated and not been adjusted for newer replacement components like new transistors etc. The M7 design have been taken in and out of production over a decade when stock of PCM1704-K chips have allowed for short runs.

One interesting test would be if verify if it actually has the K revision of the DAC chip. Or if they are reprinted U versjons.
 
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amirm

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Link to firmware with hard to read manuals http://www.audio-gd.com/Products-EN.htm
That link is a disaster. It says "R7" is the right firmware and then goes to list a bunch of revisions with R7 in them. What it says are fixed have nothing to do with my testing.

Owner has purchased this unit in 2018 so it is way past 2010 that you say was the start of it.
 

AML

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Disappointing, but it is an older dac now. I wonder how long the D90SE will stay on top? Maybe till AKM eventually launch new chips?
 
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