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Review and Measurements of WesionTEK Khadas Tone Board DAC

Gouwa

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Thanks for confirming!

I see that your web site listed multiple firmware versions since 2019.

If Amazon USA still have very old hardware, like those made in late 2018 and shipped to Amazon warehouse in late 2018, would those Tone1 from late 2018 comes with firmware older than v1.04?

Thanks!

I don’t think there still have any stocks with 2018 batches, and existing stock on any platforms including our distributors should be produced in 2020.

Just a reminder that the 2018 is design code rather than the date code of the producing date of PCB board.

Good day!
 

fera

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Hi there!

I just received my tone board :)

I've got a question to those who use it with Kodi, did you select SPDIF and "Best match" with sample rate limit 384 Khz?

Or should I set it in Kodi as Analog?
 

Gouwa

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You might need specify more details with the hardware connection between:
* Tone1
* The player run Kodi (is it a SBC or TV Box?)
 

fera

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You might need specify more details with the hardware connection between:
* Tone1
* The player run Kodi (is it a SBC or TV Box?)

You're right, I'm using an X96 tv box with Coreelec on s905x3 SoC with usb connection to Tone Board 1.
 

Gouwa

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You're right, I'm using an X96 tv box with Coreelec on s905x3 SoC with usb connection to Tone Board 1.
Confused, for your application, if with usb connection between the Tone1 and TV box, why you need to select SPDIF? (not quite familar with Kodi)

Anyway the Tone1 support up to PCM 32 bit 384Khz via USB IN FYI.

Have fun!
 

fera

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You have misunderstood me, I was talking about the System/Audio settings in Kodi, and that it always shows every dac as an analog sink and an spdif sink.

But I guess a I figured it out, since I cannot limit sampoe rate if I select Analog, and it sounds like it means that in Analog setting it will always
IMG_20201125_163544.jpg
IMG_20201125_163609.jpg
be resampled.

I attached a couple shots of the menu point.
 

alashikata

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Not sure about the SPDIF output but it's a SPDIF input

USB provides the power aslo usb input as well.

So when Khadas is on, you support to see 2 devices: USB and SPDIF input. If you play old CD, DVD, and others old devices, SPIDF is the best since those devices don't have high biterate except HDMI stuffs. However, you play songs with PC/LT with high biterate, then select usb device is the best option since its support 32 bit 384Khz. The SPIDF is probably 16 bit 96Khz.
 

Veri

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So I could power it via the USB socket using an external PSU, and use the SPDIF input then?

Will this work with either version of the board?
Yes, SPDIF input should work but needs power over USB of course. For both versions of the board:
The Tone Board has a S/PDIF port configured by default as an input.
 

somebodyelse

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So I could power it via the USB socket using an external PSU, and use the SPDIF input then?

Will this work with either version of the board?



The SPDIF socket is labelled "In&Out"

View attachment 95924
The spdif connector has 3 possible configurations. By default it connects to the SPDIF input pin of the ESS DAC. The other configurations are selected by 2 pins in the header, and connect it to the SPDIF IN and OUT pins on the header. This is to provide back panel access to the SPDIF input and output capabilities of the VIM single board computers the Tone Board was designed as a companion for. There is no configuration that connects it to the XMOS so you can't use it as a USB to SPDIF converter.

The only difference between the 2 board versions is that the VIM version has the header pins already soldered, while the generic one gives you the choice of whether and which way up to solder them.
 

Gouwa

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Would headphone out have the same THD+N with line out?
The 4.4 HP Jack almost with similar THD+N performance with BAL RCA, and 3.5 HP Jack will be little bit lower.

The full specs will be released on 16th Dec the time launched the T2P, you can register on our Tone2 Pro page (khadas.com/tone2pro) for the latest information.
 

lobe67

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Hello
I Know i ' m exposing myself to some sarcasm with such a message ..but i have to tell my disapointement about the sonic results of the kadhas.. I'm using it with coaxial input ( my old marantz cd delivers the output), The KTB being powered by a simple ipad 5 V charger. Tonally , high instruments tend to have a nasal timbre , bass has no impact, piano lacks realism... There is plenty of details , yes, but globally music doesn't seem to appear as a whole.. All those considerations are purely subjective , I know, but i really think something ( not measured yet ? transient respons..?? ) is not totally right...
It might be my drive or the power supply..but for Now i'm turning back to my old philips CD player ..Maybe my expectations were too high. I'm still searching for the digital combination that gives the same sense of ..realism, ..truth , being there as my good analog sources ( Garrard 401, Alpine tape)...
 
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flowjm

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Hello
I Know i ' m exposing myself to some sarcasm with such a message ..but i have to tell my disapointement about the sonic results of the kadhas.. I'm using it with coaxial input ( my old marantz cd delivers the output), The KTB being powered by a simple ipad 5 V charger. Tonally , high instruments tend to have a nasal timbre , bass has no impact, piano lacks realism... There is plenty of details , yes, but globally music doesn't seem to appear as a whole.. All those considerations are purely subjective , I know, but i really think something ( not measured yet ? transient respons..?? ) is not totally right...
It might be my drive or the power supply..but for Now i'm turning back to my old philips CD player ..Maybe my expectations were too high. I'm still searching for the digital combination that gives the same sense of ..realism, ..truth , being there as my good analog sources ( Garrard 401, Alpine tape)...

My guess is that you are used to the inaccurate sound of your old cd player, so that the transparency of the ktb sounds "wrong" to you. That's not to imply that your taste is bad, but you might find that trying to find a better dac simply results in disappointment.
 
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