Anedio D2 measurements and specs correct?

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I have a anedio d2 dac for sale, anyone interested? I'm located in US

 

[JustIntonation]

Hmm for what it's worth. Still have my D2 in use.
Was using its USB input but just recieved the Armature Hecate USB to S/PDIF converter (same as Singxer F-1, just rebranded) in anticipation of using it with the Hypex Fusion amp due in this week, and hooked it up to the D2 with a good quality 75ohm cable to get it ready and to my surprise sound quality improved. Imediately audible in the treble. That last bit of sparkle and cleanness.
So the D2 USB input is not up to the standard of the D2 DAC itself.

 

[graz_lag]

From what shop you get the Armature Hecate if I can ask ?
I understand your comment abt. the subjective sensation of sound improvement via the USB/SPDIF bridge ...
Each time I say the same I get fired on my back, fact which is also understandable as there is no support for it from an engineering standpoint ...
My Topping DX7s is now the 3rd DAC in the row I am keeping feeding via my Weiss INT204 USB to S/PDIF interface, after the Teac 501 and the NAD M51.
3 on 3 so 100% is too much to be just an occasional feeling, IMHO ...
OK the Teac 501 was not very good at the USB infeed, but the M51 as well as the DX7s are both supposed to be.

 

[graz_lag]

Anedio : there is an Anedio U2 interface on sale at my local Craigslist for abt. 90 EUR ... including all sort of SPDIF' adapters

 

[JustIntonation]

From what shop you get the Armature Hecate if I can ask ?
I understand your comment abt. the subjective sensation of sound improvement via the USB/SPDIF bridge ...
Each time I say the same I get fired on my back, fact which is also understandable as there is no support on it from an engineering standpoint ...
My Topping DX7s is now the 3rd DAC in the row I am keeping feeding via my Weiss INT204 USB to S/PDIF interface, after the Teac 501 and the NAD M51.
3 on 3 so 100% is too much to be just an occasional feeling, IMHO ...
OK the Teac 501 was not very good at the USB infeed, but the M51 as well as the DX7s are both supposed to be.

I got it from Audiophonics.fr (I think the only shop that sells them). It was slightly cheaper for me there then to order a Singxer F-1 and I know the support and returns are good at Audiophonics. Btw, I'm located in The Netherlands.

As far as the Armature Hecate vs the Anedio USB input. I'm sure the difference would be measureable. It's not in my head
Perhaps it's better clocks in the Hecate, perhaps it's the complete isolation from both data and power from the computer (double galvanic isolation), perhaps it's the newer chip from XMOS with more processing power and latest drivers. I don't know what's going wrong in the USB implementation of the D2 but it's audibly very clear to me that the Hecate is the correct one and the D2 USB input the coloured one.
Btw, it does make me wonder exactly what kind of processing is going on inside the XMOS USB to S/PDIF chip. Why did the newer X208 (not sure if I'm getting the model number correct) need twice the processing power and why would that sound any better? I thought it was bit perfect USB to S/PDIF already? Anybody here know?

edit: btw as far as I can tell the Armature Hecate and Singxer F-1 are the same as the expensive Singxer SU-1 that has been getting rave reviews except that the SU-1 has its own power supply and more output formats / connectors.

 

[JustIntonation]

Anedio : there is an Anedio U2 interface on sale at my local Craigslist for abt. 90 EUR ... including all sort of SPDIF' adapters

View attachment 20624

Yep, that's supposed to be exactly the same as the USB input on the D2 DAC. So that wouldn't be a good buy probably.. (though the Armature Hecate is 200 euro)

 

[graz_lag]

I am holding off several purchasing proposals for my Weiss INT204 each time I put it on sale just for fun on my local Craigslist ... that maybe 1 day I may wish to sell it sooner or later for a cheaper solution like the Singxers ... and buy a new road bicycle with the huge saving ...

 

[JustIntonation]

I am holding off several purchasing proposals for my Weiss INT204 each time I put it on sale just for fun on my local Craigslist ... that maybe 1 day I may wish to sell it sooner or later for a cheaper solution like the Singxers ... and buy a new road bicycle with the huge saving ...

I'd try it out. Armature Hecate (not the "LT" version). If it isn't equal (or who knows perhaps even better) than the Weiss then return it for free within two weeks
https://www.audiophonics.fr/fr/inte...s-xcore-208-usb-spdif-asynchrone-p-11412.html

Btw, I'm running it with the v4.45.0 driver (downloadable from the audiophonics page) which if you install it you can see it's the latest Singxer driver. Working flawless with my windows10.

 

[graz_lag]

I'd try it out. Armature Hecate (not the "LT" version). If it isn't equal (or who knows perhaps even better) than the Weiss then return it for free within two weeks
https://www.audiophonics.fr/fr/inte...s-xcore-208-usb-spdif-asynchrone-p-11412.html

Why not ? It looks exactly a F-1, I have read Singxer does some OEM assembling, so this is one is a good example.
How do you power the unit ? Taking the 5V directly from the PC USB ?
That was in fact the only "point" for which I was unsure abt. adopting a F-1 alike solution ...

 

[JustIntonation]

Why not ? It looks exactly a F-1, I have read Singxer does some OEM assembling, so this is one is a good example.
How do you power the unit ? Taking the 5V directly from the PC USB ?
That was in fact the only "point" for which I was unsure abt. adopting a F-1 alike solution ...

Yes it's powered by USB. But at the same time it's also galvanically isolated from USB power (the only one that does this double isolation of both data and power I think). How exactly this works I have no clue

 

[graz_lag]

@L5730 here there is some material for your investigations ...

 

[L5730]

Having looked at USB isolators, I can explain some of how the Aramture Hecate works.

https://www.audiophonics.fr/20106-t...-spdif-asynchronous-interface-diy-version.jpg

USB goes to XMOS u208 without isolation. USB, being a two-way communication, is a pain to isolate.
The XMOS chip puts out a data stream and this goes to a pair of TI ISO7641FM isolators (hence 'dual' isolation wording) and some opto-isolators.
There is also a DC-DC isolator on the edge of the PCB, that's the tall black rectangular shaped thing.
Looks like I2S data and the Xilink chip has some nice features set for jitter and such. A couple of crystal clocks over there too.

This is just a USB to S/PDIF (coax.) converter, with some nice features.
Looks to be the same device as a Singxer F-1, as to whom came up with it first, I am at a loss.

So if you wanted to add galvanic isolation, and separate the ground of the USB, and computer, from your S/PDIF (coax.) or I2S capable DAC, then this will do that.
Isn't S/PDIF coax. restricted to 24/192 anyway? So that limits to DSD64 and DSD128 (DoP 88.2 and 176.4 kHz respectively).

 

[trl]

There are few threads I invite @JustIntonation to test his hearing to, as it might be interesting to find out his thoughts about:
- https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...can-we-trust-our-ears.3884/page-4#post-136991
- https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s-distortion-audibility-etc.5859/#post-137002
- https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-thresholds-of-amp-and-dac-measurements.5734/

BTW, me and one of my friends were able to "guess" 10 out of 10 times a modded DAC from the original non-modded DAC on AKG K701 headphones. Volume matched by scope, channel imbalance was less than 0.5dB, so it might be possible to hear some differences in soundstage and the harsh sound as well (like aliasing vs. non-aliasing on the trebles department).

Have you ever listened to an OPA2604 in LowPass of a DAC while oscillating? It has the best soundstage ever, to bad trebles were somehow roll-off...and to bad it was oscillating and overheating.

Also, has someone ever A/B-tested a TPA6102A (10 Ohms output impedance) vs. discrete output buffer (0 Ohms output impedance) on 8 to 16 Ohms low-impedance headphones? There's simply no sub-bass on the TPA chip, and basically because of the damping factor. So yes, 2 audio devices may sound different and measure identical, well...of course, nobody measure them with 8 Ohms resistive loads.

 

[JustIntonation]

Actually.. My bad, I had another look and there are no measurements of the D2 USB input.
The measurements are of the D2 S/PDIF input.
https://web.archive.org/web/20161206045028/http://www.anedio.com:80/index.php/product/d2_measure (under jitter).
With a master clock jitter of 0.5 ps rms.
I can't find specs for the USB input, but read somewhere it's the same as their U2 USB to S/PDIF converter. I can't find any measurements of this but it's claimed spec is 20 ps rms. This is 40 times the master clock jitter of the D2 DAC. https://web.archive.org/web/2016101...edio.com/index.php/product/usb2_specfications Anyhow this is an old product where the DAC is so good it's still up to current spec but aparently the USB input is not..
As for the Armature Hecate it should outperform both. It is a next generation product with the best next generation chips, drivers and clocks available (crystek cchd-575). So perhaps I should not have been surprised to hear a difference..

Btw I have good ears, especially for a 41 year old. But this isn't some super hearing thing. I wish I had a good ADC laying around so I could record the difference and do a proper ABX in foobar2000. But even by uploading it it would show you all that the difference is readily audible. Alas, no good ADC here now.

 

[trl]

Oh, so you got my age too?
Now here's what I hear today: "Want people to tell you that you look 10 years younger? Just tell them you're 50".

I have an ASUS U7 with a better than -110dB ADC inside, but for some reasons, sometimes it gets me lot of 2nd and 3rd harmonics; also, depending on it's driver and USB port used, the background noise mihgt be lower or higher (oscillated between -160dB and -140db). so, I was thinking myself to get a QA401, but...not sure it really worth the money for the tasks I'm involved right now (home-use stuffs, nothing really serious).

 

[bennetng]

MOTU 624 has one of the best analog loopback result I've ever seen and it is much cheaper than ADI-2 Pro FS.
http://prosound.ixbt.com/interfaces/motu-624.shtml
http://prosound.ixbt.com/interfaces/motu/624/2444.shtml

 

[graz_lag]

MOTU 624 has one of the best analog loopback result I've ever seen and it is much cheaper than ADI-2 Pro FS.
http://prosound.ixbt.com/interfaces/motu-624.shtml
http://prosound.ixbt.com/interfaces/motu/624/2444.shtml

600 EUR here if France :
https://www.sonovente.com/motu-624-...gZA6gWtXq45dQN1YWpgevZ9NcoedE9DwaAhqTEALw_wcB

 

[trl]

Very nice layout, also the ES9016S should sound perfect. However, if only audio measurements are needed, still QA401 beats every internal or external sound card...it's also a bit cheaper, even after paying taxes and shipping. Of course, if someone finds something better and cheaper, I'd be interesting to purchase as well.

L.E.: Worth a read: https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...analysis-systems-technical-measurements.4465/

 

[bennetng]

March Audio has a QA401 and several MOTU interfaces.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...546/&q=qa401&c[users]=March+Audio&o=relevance

 

[graz_lag]

Actually.. My bad, I had another look and there are no measurements of the D2 USB input.
The measurements are of the D2 S/PDIF input.
https://web.archive.org/web/20161206045028/http://www.anedio.com:80/index.php/product/d2_measure (under jitter).
With a master clock jitter of 0.5 ps rms.
I can't find specs for the USB input, but read somewhere it's the same as their U2 USB to S/PDIF converter. I can't find any measurements of this but it's claimed spec is 20 ps rms. This is 40 times the master clock jitter of the D2 DAC. https://web.archive.org/web/2016101...edio.com/index.php/product/usb2_specfications Anyhow this is an old product where the DAC is so good it's still up to current spec but aparently the USB input is not..
As for the Armature Hecate it should outperform both. It is a next generation product with the best next generation chips, drivers and clocks available (crystek cchd-575). So perhaps I should not have been surprised to hear a difference..

Btw I have good ears, especially for a 41 year old. But this isn't some super hearing thing. I wish I had a good ADC laying around so I could record the difference and do a proper ABX in foobar2000. But even by uploading it it would show you all that the difference is readily audible. Alas, no good ADC here now.

I have bought the Singxer F-1 from a member here, I expect to get it on next week.
I will be comparing it to the Weiss INT204, will post my feedback.
Actually, I have decided to buy it based on your comments abt. the Armature Hecate ...
You cannot say I did not advise you ... there is always someone around here who's ready to fire at your back as soon as you start posting feelings and impressions abt. USB/SPDIF interfaces ...