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Review and Measurements of WesionTEK Khadas Tone Board DAC

Huey2001

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Do not forget the Allo DigiOne for SPDIF output from a pi.
I have it and it’s very very good!

Hi, yes that is indeed a very promising spdif but also twice the price of the hifiberry... I am not sure whether I will go that far, but who knows. It certainly has my attention. Maybe I can pickup a second hand one.
 

Herbert

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It is some kind of strange to read this "Oh, I can´t wait to get a balanced, humpless Tone Board"
First of all, how many percent of you are able to use the benefits of a balanced connection?
Five? And do you need it for it´s original purpse, to send an audio signal over long distances
or do you just want to hook on the amp, just sitting beneath it?
My main DAC a from Twistedpearaudio has single ended and balanced output.
In 9 years, I only needed the balanced output once, to hook on a professional recorder to convert from 48kHz
to 44.1 in the analog domain...

But as far as I understood the signal path internally could be balanced, maybe a mean to get rid of the hump.
As far as I understood the schematics from Khadas, they did not do this, but I might be wrong here.

Also very interesting, but just an anecdote, not scientific: I brought the tone board to a friend and we compared it
to a Marantz CD-80 from 1989. We knew that both were not matched, we could trick ourselves by one
of us switching between the Marantz and Khadas, while the other one would loose track over time what was on.
In a live recording (Nik Bärtsch Live, ECM) we were not able to tell a differnce. With another recording,
(David Sylvian, Secrets of the Beehive, analog recording, you could her the tape hiss) we both had the impression
the Marantz sounded more pleasant and "warm". Maybe the hiss served as a good dither...:)
But we both know, that the Marantz would measure far worse than the Khadas....
 

milw50717

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Haha, you figure I would indeed keep having doubts if not using the pro... But other than possible analogue ears you do not think there is substantial measurable difference possible due to the extra clock?

I have no idea about measurements, but I didn't hear any real difference when I compared a non-Pro board to a Pro.
 

g29

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...
First of all, how many percent of you are able to use the benefits of a balanced connection?
....

You missed one major issue, elimination of ground loop issues. I use balanced for both, distance and ground loop issues. The locking connections don't hurt either.
 
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g29

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Im looking forward to a balanced, ESS hump eliminated DAC.

Khadas has gone silent on the balanced version. There is chatter about their SBC, but not their next DAC revision.
 

somebodyelse

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Indeed I will first try the usb, but I probably would need to be convinced a digi+ would not be better ;-)
Would the rpi with digi+ benefit from the pro or transformer version you think?
The benefit from the transformer is in breaking ground loops. Since there's currently no difference in price between the transformer and non-transformer DIGI+ there isn't a cost.
 

Huey2001

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Hi all, I received the Khadas Tone Board and trying to hear difference in sound. I use piCorePlayer rpi as client to my LMS server. Currently with Hifiberry DAC+ Pro.

I would like to test the “simple” USB connection from the rpi, but I can not get it working with piCorePlayer.
@milw70715 could you be so kind tell me if you have specific settings for the usb, and if you happen to also use piCorePlayer, could you maybe share your squeezelite settings? Or anyone that uses this combo? Tia.

I also managed to swap a spare Hifiberry DAC+ for a Digi+ and this one I do get working: so I am able to compare the Digi+/KTB combo to my Hifiberry DAC+ Pro: first quick impression in AB test is that it seems to sound more spacious.
 

DomieMic65

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May be rpi doesn’t have enough power for the ktb to boot and run.
Try using a powered hub between.
I suppose you changed the audio device in squeezelite settings to usb.. yes?
 

JaapDeventer

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Oct 29, 2018
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I ordered the Audiophonics aluminum case for the Sound Board.

Attempted installation and failed:

1. Case holes on bottom did not align with board holes

2. Side plates are not threaded to accept enclosed screws

Any other members have these issues?
Look at the manual, you need to remove the rings on the TB rca terminals first. These don't look like screw nuts but they are :)
 

Huey2001

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May be rpi doesn’t have enough power for the ktb to boot and run.
Try using a powered hub between.
I suppose you changed the audio device in squeezelite settings to usb.. yes?

Yes the audio device is set to usb audio. The led is also on, as well as when the rpi restarts I hear the plops...
Well, the only advantage of using usb is the simplicity and maybe bandwidth to run 384khz not?

Been listening to the spdif chain and I think I am quite happy with that! So I will maybe skip this for a later time, when bored with listening and in need for comparison testing.
Does make me think of saving up for an Allo Digione maybe :)
 

Huey2001

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I also have
I ordered the Audiophonics aluminum case for the Sound Board.

Attempted installation and failed:

1. Case holes on bottom did not align with board holes

2. Side plates are not threaded to accept enclosed screws

Any other members have these issues?

I also have this case and quite happy with it. Must admit it was not quite straightforward (I can not find a manual btw) but if you look carefully it should not be too hard:

First I placed the ends with the longest thread in the board. At one spot there are two holes close to each other. You should only use one (you should be able to see on the bottom plate which one). I used all 4 ends to give enough support to the board. (the threaded ends stick upwards through the board)
Use the little nuts/bolts to fasten the board to the ends. You can then use the remaining ends on top of the ones you just fitted, although that is not a neccesity, but it probably gives a bit support to the top half.
I then placed the plastic divider with three holes over the rca connectors, after removing the rings and bolts.
Place the whole construction on the bottom half and put in the 3 (!) little black screws, but not tight yet.
Then place the top half and apply the sideboards one by one after putting in the larger blacks screws in to keep them in place, but again not too tight.
When all is in set make sure everything is aligned and tighten all 4 black screws on each side.
Then put the rings and bolts over the rca’s and voilá: I think a very nice cased KTB ready for use!
 

Herbert

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You missed one major issue, elimination of ground loop issues. I use balanced for both, distance and ground loop issues. The locking connections don't hurt either.

Ooops, you are correct! The reason I do not hear the slightest hum / buzz on my Stereo must be that the RCA connectors alway unplug
by themselves ...
 

milw50717

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I would like to test the "simple” USB connection from the rpi, but I can not get it working with piCorePlayer.
@milw70715 could you be so kind tell me if you have specific settings for the usb, and if you happen to also use piCorePlayer, could you maybe share your squeezelite settings? Or anyone that uses this combo? Tia.

Sorry, I don't use piCorePlayer. I use Roon as my music server and my Pi 3s are all running Ropiee and it was plug and play for the USB connection as it comes pre-configured for that interface.
 

Nango

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Finally did manage to feed the KTB by my DAP via USB-OTG. It needs such a Y-Splitter cable, now I can do the KTB also in my portable setup:

ktb_otgL1085_.jpg
 

BYRTT

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...I also have this case and quite happy with it. Must admit it was not quite straightforward (I can not find a manual btw) but if you look carefully it should not be too hard...

Manual is on their site if we pick "Download" as below :)

KTB_1.png


Manual suggest only use 2 screws to mount PCB:
KTB_2.png
 

DomieMic65

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Hm, interesting, my kit did not contain black screws for in those nuts... I would need to open it up again to show my setup, and do not feel much for that. Anyways: enough ways to get it handled then...
For the little bronze feet you need use the screws from the KTB kit.
The only screw that are with the case are the 8 screw for front and back plate.
 
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