Review and Measurements of WesionTEK Khadas Tone Board DAC

[johnk]

FYI

Here is my KTB and Pi setup.

https://core-electronics.com.au/tower-mount-enclosure-4x-raspberry-pi.html

 

[wiz2596]

FYI

Here is my KTB and Pi setup.

View attachment 65248

https://core-electronics.com.au/tower-mount-enclosure-4x-raspberry-pi.html

nice setup

 

[DeadmAn]

Hey, guys
i get a question. Can I use a lightning to usb-c cable to connect my iPhone with KTB in order to power it and act like audio input? Then connect JDS Atom and headphone output thereafter? If it’s not possible, any other options to input from my phone?

 

[BYRTT]

Hey, guys
i get a question. Can I use a lightning to usb-c cable to connect my iPhone with KTB in order to power it and act like audio input? Then connect JDS Atom and headphone output thereafter? If it’s not possible, any other options to input from my phone?

Cant see a problem provided 1) iPhone operating system support 2-channel UAC2 devices 2) Power draw from KTB especial at plug in initialization is within specification of iPhone lightning buss.
Now say it works then probably down the road you will notice KTB probably such that relative small iPhone battery flat too fast and irritating often, so in general for point 2 suggest use a external power supply for KTB and feed the external power over either a special USB-C split cable or via two pins on the internal 40-pin header that you can read more about in the supported documents.

 

[porotikos]

hi guys. i am thinking to get the new sonkoz dac and use my khadas toneboard with raspberry pi4. i know toneboard works with rpi3. but rpi4 is a bit different. anyknow knows if they will work together? anyone tested this already? thank you

 

[hyperknot]

Pi 4 + KTB perfectly working here, super stable! I even have an additional 2 TB external hard drive hanging from the Pi 4, no external power and still it works perfecly, no problems at all.

 

[porotikos]

Pi 4 + KTB perfectly working here, super stable! I even have an additional 2 TB external hard drive hanging from the Pi 4, no external power and still it works perfecly, no problems at all.

That is so great to hear. Thank you so much mate. Now to check cases and perhaps a shorter usb cable. Cheers.

 

[hyperknot]

I'm using it without a case, with this heatsink only: https://thepihut.com/collections/raspberry-pi-cases/products/xl-raspberry-pi-4-heatsink
It's very important to buy the official power supply, it's cheap and guaranteed to work well!

 

[porotikos]

I have bought a similar heatsink but a big bigger to cover the whole board but ill also look for something stackable to put khadas as well in there. I already bought a power adapter from china. If it doesnt work well, ill getvthe official one. Thank you

 

[hyperknot]

The problem with cheap power adapters is that they work, but they are unstable. So maybe you'll see the Raspberry Pi rebooting or freezing, but there is actually no problem with the Pi, but with the PSU.

 

[porotikos]

The problem with cheap power adapters is that they work, but they are unstable. So maybe you'll see the Raspberry Pi rebooting or freezing, but there is actually no problem with the Pi, but with the PSU.

Thank your for that. Didnt know it. Thats perhaps why my rpi 3 b freezes some times. Ill buy an original if i see any problems with rpi4. Btw what od are youvusing? Raspbian? I prefer osmc butvit is not ready yet for rpi4

 

[hyperknot]

Thank your for that. Didnt know it. Thats perhaps why my rpi 3 b freezes some times. Ill buy an original if i see any problems with rpi4. Btw what od are youvusing? Raspbian? I prefer osmc butvit is not ready yet for rpi4

Volumio! I tried so so many distributions until I've settled on Volumio. Everything just works, UPnP, Airplay, Spotify, USB hard drive with macOS file system, it's just a wonderful system.

 

[Transpareo]

I have a quick clarifying question about an ability to get spdif out through the white rca on the generic board, with the other vim boards acting as brains. A person on a respected electrical forum basically implies that its possible to be get spdif out with generic version + vim boards, because all versions are electrically identical. https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-line-level/334646-khadas-tone-board.html#post5714676

I'm trying to sell my generic version, and just can't explain to my customers properly if they will be able to get the spdif out. The spec manual says you can't, but that contradicts what people "on the ground" say.

So, can you get spdif out with generic board attached on top of vims or not? And why generic version even has gpio pins in the first place? Thanks!

 

[wiz2596]

any news about khadas 2?

 

[Aldoszx]

any news about khadas 2?

Dont think will be a version 2.

 

[Labjr]

any news about khadas 2?

@Ben1987 left Khadas to start Soncoz. I think it's uncertain if Khadas will have a balanced DAC or not. Soncoz makes a balanced DAC but it doesn't plug into Khadas VIM modules.

 

[Lumpy]

I have a quick clarifying question about an ability to get spdif out through the white rca on the generic board, with the other vim boards acting as brains. A person on a respected electrical forum basically implies that its possible to be get spdif out with generic version + vim boards, because all versions are electrically identical. https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-line-level/334646-khadas-tone-board.html#post5714676

I'm trying to sell my generic version, and just can't explain to my customers properly if they will be able to get the spdif out. The spec manual says you can't, but that contradicts what people "on the ground" say.

So, can you get spdif out with generic board attached on top of vims or not? And why generic version even has gpio pins in the first place? Thanks!

I've had to work that one out myself yesterday. SPDIF out is available with a VIM connected and it's just a passthrough from the VIM, the tone board doesn't process anything (glorified RCA in this scenario). You could also add a RCA straight on the VIM via the GPIO. Check also the specs page of the TB, it kind of says it as well under the SPDIF out section comparing the two generic/vim TBs.

 

[Transpareo]

it kind of says it as well under the SPDIF out section comparing the two generic/vim TBs.

The guy I want to sell it to says he needs spdif out via the rca from the VIMs. And in spec comparison the company specifies that the generic version doesn't support the spdif out. https://dl.khadas.com/Hardware/Tone1/Specs/Tone_Board_Specs.pdf
I'm confused since I'm not that a technical person.

This is what the guy wrote to me, he wants to use TB with VIM2 (translated): I want to use that dac in the low frequency "chain link"/part/element (of the bigger system, I suppose - author's note), there will be another DAC used with a system based on 1704 (don't know what he is talknig about here). I need spdif out specifically from the tone board to that (1704), because of its clock signal generator (or another version: because of other's DAC clock signal generator - can't translate unambiguously) .

 

[Lumpy]

Don't take my word... guess he wants to send the spdif out digitally to a different DAC, again he doesn't need the TB for that unless he uses it as a DAC itself. The clock will be sent from the VIM CPU not TB, it will just bridge the GPIO headers on the VIM with the TB.
The generic board will work if you solder the headers or connect the PINs required, but he might as well solder an RCA plug on the VIM itself.

 

[somebodyelse]

The VIM and generic boards are electrically identical, but the generic one has the 20 pin and 40 pin headers supplied loose rather than already soldered to the board. The spec sheet is referring to the fact that the SPDIF output is passed through from the VIM, not generated on the Tone Board, as @Lumpy has explained. I also agree that the clock source for the SPDIF output and the Tone Board's DAC won't be the same, which isn't ideal if it's going to be used in an active crossover.