New member: checkBut there was no need.... the difference where obvious in my system. My girlfrend confirmed it listening while chattingShe also liked KTB sound more.
How did you match the volume?This is a science forum, your anecdotal experience is quite meaningless I'm afraid.
Unfortunately, it is not.
Take time to read the forum carefully to understand why.
We're really not trying to be mean btw. It's just, you're probably the tenth or so person coming in with an "obvious" difference which your partner heard too (not a good argument!). It's really a recurring pattern at this point
Not very polite either...
It's just, you're probably the tenth or so person coming in with an "obvious" difference which your partner heard too (not a good argument!). It's really a recurring pattern at this point
Yep. Sorry about that.
If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to share them.
They're all worries, but not necessarily showstoppers. Using an external device removes, or at least reduces, many of the worries. A well engineered device designed to run from switch mode supplies will filter and regulate them as needed - look at the RME DACs, or the Tone Board running off USB power for examples. Good design will also lead to relatively high rejection of EMI. It may even be good enough to give decent results right next to the coils of a graphics card. Reducing the level of EMI by moving the card a few slots further away from the graphics card might help, so long as you're not moving it closer to another source of interference. Having it in a screened box outside the computer will probably be better. Ultimately measurements are the only way to know whether you're making things better or worse, and different people have different thresholds of 'good enough'.
Generally, yes. It is not a good idea to put anything audio inside. However, technology change as well. Better fans, better motherboards, etc. I talked to Burson and they said the Fun amplifier is designed to reject noise from the PSU and vibration from the fans. But they told me to buy RCA cables that are heavily insulated. My PSU is on the bottom of the case (inverted case with the motherboard upside down) with a full metal shroud over it. So, there is a flat space on top of the shroud for the Khadas tone board. But just out of abundance of caution will glue on a small piece of acoustic tape on the PSU shroud where the tone board will sit. And one of the 140mm intake front fans will blow directly at the KTB. This is not by design, it's the only place I can put the KTB but I don't mind the extra heat dissipation
Good advice but I am not going to follow it. I am going to explain why. I have read all the documentation before and know how to do it but I have to remove the KTB from its aluminum enclosure or to create more holes in the case in order to reach the pins on the tone board. Do you remember the MARCH audio. They used Khadas design to make their own DAC and it measured higher because of the aluminum case which provided some EMI rejection. It was unadiable in reality but still. I don't want to have bare PCB around all these PC components. Very likely the positive effects of the KTB connected directly to the power supply are going to be negligible compared to the negative interference and added noise because the board is exposed. Also, Amir took its measurements with only the USB cable plugged in and they were excellent. I am taking it a step further with the iFi AUDIO iPurifier3 which would further help to provide clean power and signal. I used it before (older version) and it made a huge difference in my case (even dramatic). Some people might think it is a snake oil but I am a believer. Let's not forget iFi is a reputable manufacturer with solid proven designs and they are not going to sell something that does not work. After maybe two weeks would do it (have other things to take care right now) and will post pictures and impressions on the sound.
That's rightKTB wasn't designed as an in-case card for personal computers, though. So it would benefit from shielding. Cards specifically for in-case usage already have this considered in the design...
It was designed to stack directly on top of their single board computers, somewhat closer than the separation between cards in a PC, so it really ought to have been considered in the design.KTB wasn't designed as an in-case card for personal computers, though. So it would benefit from shielding. Cards specifically for in-case usage already have this considered in the design...
When I hear "shielding" in HiFi I am wondering in the real world:KTB wasn't designed as an in-case card for personal computers, though. So it would benefit from shielding. Cards specifically for in-case usage already have this considered in the design...
