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Review and Measurements of WesionTEK Khadas Tone Board DAC

Exalanoto

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Feb 18, 2019
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Does anyone know of a good enclosure for this board? I just modded a Hammond box, but i would like something that looks better.
 
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Deleted member 6802

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Hallo, my Khadas Tone Board has finally arrived and i started to compare it with my Arcam irDAC (1st gen). What i noticed is that my Arcam irDAC has a bit better resolution, detail and dynamics. The difference between both depends on how loud i play the music. Which i found quite odd tbh. Could this be because i am using it with my Raspberry PI 3B+ that also has an USB flash drive connected to it? Will a dedicated power suply for the Khadas Tone Board change anything?

P.S i am using the newest firmware for the Khadas Tone Board and i did an ABX test where my father switched between both DACs.
 

Veri

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The difference between both depends on how loud i play the music.
Note that louder usually sounds like better/more detail. If a DAC outputs 2.1/2.2v and the other one nominal 1.9/2V, unless you have the instruments to match them truly you are doing this by ear which in itself is an unreliable process.

Just to illustrate your brain/ears are easily fooling you. Possibly.
 

JASM

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Mar 11, 2019
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Out of curiosity, could anyone confirm if the PS4 can detect the Khadas Tone Board plugged in via USB?

ps4-audio-devices.jpg


Thanks.
 
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Deleted member 6802

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Note that louder usually sounds like better/more detail. If a DAC outputs 2.1/2.2v and the other one nominal 1.9/2V, unless you have the instruments to match them truly you are doing this by ear which in itself is an unreliable process.

Just to illustrate your brain/ears are easily fooling you. Possibly.

I tried another test, where i connected both DACs to my amplifier and played the same song via both DACs. I hide them both from my and my father sight. This time i was controlling which device was playing and my father was listening. First my father couldnt tell the difference and said "if i had to choose, the second one played bit better with more dynamics" that second one, was the Khadas Tone Board. You were right, we were both biased even tho i expected Khadas Tone Board to perform identically to my Arcam irDAC. I know you cant judge the performance of an DAC with ears but the whole idea of this "test" was to hear any audible difference.
 

Veri

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I tried another test, where i connected both DACs to my amplifier and played the same song via both DACs. I hide them both from my and my father sight. This time i was controlling which device was playing and my father was listening. First my father couldnt tell the difference and said "if i had to choose, the second one played bit better with more dynamics" that second one, was the Khadas Tone Board. You were right, we were both biased even tho i expected Khadas Tone Board to perform identically to my Arcam irDAC. I know you cant judge the performance of an DAC with ears but the whole idea of this "test" was to hear any audible difference.
Thanks for reporting back ;)
 

Veri

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In light of offerings like this from our chinese friends, the KTB seems to me now highly overvalued at US-$99, it is amaizing how fast things develope in the audio world .......

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Zishan-DSD...yer-AK4497-2-5-balance-with-amp-/273192212380

You think an AK4497 build that does not even come close to the reference AKM power/output design for $130+ is a deal? Amir already did several reviews on badly designed AK4997 devices... like this: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...nts-of-loxjie-d20-dac-and-headphone-amp.6011/

the tone board is definitely better.
 

ceausuc

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Roen

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Just make sure you pay with CC, so that you can get a refund if they scam you.
 

dweekie

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Apr 8, 2019
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Hey guys I just ordered Khadas Tone Board from this website with a discount coupon "OFF1ST" for 67$ ~= 60€.
What a great deal.

I thought the generic edition was preferred. It is pricier on this site. I know nothing of this site though, so good luck.

I may be wrong here and there may be nothing to worry about, but people have had problems when ordering from a site called ozzgeek.com. ozzgeek.com now redirects to the eccgeek.com site that you link to. Hopefully, you will not have any such problems.
I made a stupid order from eccgeek 1 week ago and it's still "On Hold". My card was not charged also so I guess I'm OK :)
I suppose the site is kind of.. dead?

Hopefully you'll be okay? You never know I guess, but keep us updated if this is a legit site.
 
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