Review and Measurements of WesionTEK Khadas Tone Board DAC

[Pdxwayne]

Tone Board received today a new firmware which change the PID&VID to a custom one.
Also, there is a custom Thesycon, non evaluation driver for it.
Be aware, the new driver works only after the firmware update !
Details here.
Direct link to the firmware, driver and DFU tool, here.

I don't see the Thesycon driver....Where could I find this custom one? I installed the evaluation one and the dfu tool said can't find dll. Thanks!

 

[Aldoszx]

I don't see the Thesycon driver....Where could I find this custom one? I installed the evaluation one and the dfu tool said can't find dll. Thanks!

This is the link: https://dl.khadas.com/products/tone1/
You have 3 folders in there: "dfu_tool", "driver" and "firmware"

Direct link to driver: https://dl.khadas.com/products/tone1/driver/Khadas_Tone_Driver_V4.86.0_201118.zip

 

[Pdxwayne]

This is the link: https://dl.khadas.com/products/tone1/
You have 3 folders in there: "dfu_tool", "driver" and "firmware"

Direct link to driver: https://dl.khadas.com/products/tone1/driver/Khadas_Tone_Driver_V4.86.0_201118.zip

Thanks! There is a chicken and egg issue here. The dfu tool won't see the device unless there is a new firmware, even I install Khadas driver. Thus, the web instructions said to install custom Thesycon driver first in order to install firmware with dfu tool. Then dfu tool would see device with Khadas driver. But, there is no Thesycon driver available to work with dfu to install firmware.

 

[Aldoszx]

Thanks! There is a chicken and egg issue here. The dfu tool won't see the device unless there is a new firmware, even I install Khadas driver. Thus, the web instructions said to install custom Thesycon driver first in order to install firmware with dfu tool. Then dfu tool would see device with Khadas driver. But, there is no Thesycon driver available to work with dfu to install firmware.

Check the Khadas forum. The link is in my previous post.
It seems you need the evaluation XMOS driver in order to flash the new firmware.
That's because Tone1 has been releases with a generic XMOS PID&VID.
The new firmware change the VID&PID with a custom one, for the new Thesycon driver.
So, the new driver could not be installed without the new PID&VID.

Evaluation driver, which contains also DFU Tool, is here: https://dl.khadas.com/Firmware/Tone...e XMOS]-XMOS-TUSBAudio-EVAL-V4.11.0-Setup.zip

 

[Pdxwayne]

Check the Khadas forum. The link is in my previous post.
It seems you need the evaluation XMOS driver in order to flash the new firmware.
That's because Tone1 has been releases with a generic XMOS PID&VID.
The new firmware change the VID&PID with a custom one, for the new Thesycon driver.
So, the new driver could not be installed without the new PID&VID.

Evaluation driver, which contains also DFU Tool, is here: https://dl.khadas.com/Firmware/Tone...e XMOS]-XMOS-TUSBAudio-EVAL-V4.11.0-Setup.zip

Yeah, that was the one I used. Oh, I didn't know it comes with dfu tool. Will check.

 

[Aldoszx]

Yeah, that was the one I used. Oh, I didn't know it comes with dfu tool. Will check.

It has DFU Tool.
Also, you can try the newest version from here: https://www.xmos.ai/download/USB-Audio-Class-2.0-Evaluation-Driver-for-Windows(4.13.0).zip
Edit: I forgot, you'll need a free XMOS account to download evaluation drivers.

 

[wiz2596]

What's the improvement of this new firmware? What's PID and VID?

 

[Aldoszx]

What's the improvement of this new firmware? What's PID and VID?

VID = Vendor ID
PID = Product ID

Basically for USB device identification.
More details here: https://www.voti.nl/docs/usb-pid.html

Those are the unique identification numbers used for Thesycon to provide customized drivers, in this case.
I don't think there is an improvement besides the PID&VID change in order to install new drivers.
Until now, the biggest problem with Khadas Tone Board was the lack of updated ASIO drivers for Windows.

 

[Pdxwayne]

It has DFU Tool.
Also, you can try the newest version from here: https://www.xmos.ai/download/USB-Audio-Class-2.0-Evaluation-Driver-for-Windows(4.13.0).zip
Edit: I forgot, you'll need a free XMOS account to download evaluation drivers.

Thank you! I was thinking that there is only one version of dfu....

I got the firmware to install. I also can see the device using dfu after uninstall Thesycon and install Khadas driver. Strange that I needed to install Khadas driver 3 times before my laptop would install correctly.

 

[Aldoszx]

It's strange indeed.
But it is working now?

 

[Pdxwayne]

It's strange indeed.
But it is working now?

Yes, device manager showing correct device name and info.

I have never updated anything on the board. Previously I had issue switching USB input to coaxial input automatically. Now it is working.

Thanks for letting know about the difference dfu part!

 

[Windofrce]

Just flashed it. Every minor thing seems to be fixed now. Great job

 

[Pdxwayne]

Just flashed it. Every minor thing seems to be fixed now. Great job

The harsh highs issue I have noticed is mostly gone. Happy about that!

 

[Windofrce]

The harsh highs issue I have noticed is mostly gone. Happy about that!

Hmm can you explain? Did not noticed something like that. Are you sure it is not placebo? How you tested?

 

[Pdxwayne]

Hmm can you explain? Did not noticed something like that. Are you sure it is not placebo? How you tested?

Oh, I even started thread for it.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...sound-different-than-khadas-tone-board.17177/
That was with my speaker setup. Already moved away and don't have same environment to test.

I moved to using headphones only when I got my L30. I also got very busy in the Topping L30 thread. You can start with post #1876 at https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-l30-headphone-amplifier-review.15226/page-94.

Yeah, lots and lots of time spent trying to resolve the harsh high issue. Almost return the KTB a few time back to Amazon....

 

[alashikata]

New driver

https://dl.khadas.com/products/tone1/

I did flash and test, make sure to set Buffer 180+ or more to play SACD ISO or DSD files. All drivers work now with Foobar2000

https://forum.khadas.com/t/driver-or-fw-need-to-be-fix/3539/110

 

[Windofrce]

Oh, I even started thread for it.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...sound-different-than-khadas-tone-board.17177/
That was with my speaker setup. Already moved away and don't have same environment to test.

I moved to using headphones only when I got my L30. I also got very busy in the Topping L30 thread. You can start with post #1876 at https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-l30-headphone-amplifier-review.15226/page-94.

Yeah, lots and lots of time spent trying to resolve the harsh high issue. Almost return the KTB a few time back to Amazon....

Didn't noticed that. I use it with JDS Labs Atom AMP and Beyer headphone so if there is anything sharp there I would definitely feel it because Beyer headphones are already at bright side. If I can use it with DT990 than it is definitely okay in regards of highs

 

[Aldoszx]

FW upgrade instructions, https://www.khadas.com/post/tone1-upgrade-to-official-v2-firmware

 

[Pdxwayne]

Didn't noticed that. I use it with JDS Labs Atom AMP and Beyer headphone so if there is anything sharp there I would definitely feel it because Beyer headphones are already at bright side. If I can use it with DT990 than it is definitely okay in regards of highs

Curious, was it also your first time update firmware? Or you updated firmware once or twice before? Also, have you tried coaxial in?

The brightness was observed with either speakers or headphones. Speakers were not too bad, but still bright. The headphones with L30 was really bright, especially with Philips Audio Fidelio X2HR.

For example, when listening to Diana Krall 'A case of you" from Live in Paris, the starting piano sounded louder than normal, the following vocal sounded dimmer than normal, sounded very imbalance. Once I updated firmware, the balance is back.

 

[Windofrce]

Curious, was it also your first time update firmware? Or you updated firmware once or twice before? Also, have you tried coaxial in?

The brightness was observed with either speakers or headphones. Speakers were not too bad, but still bright. The headphones with L30 was really bright, especially with Philips Audio Fidelio X2HR.

For example, when listening to Diana Krall 'A case of you" from Live in Paris, the starting piano sounded louder than normal, the following vocal sounded dimmer than normal, sounded very imbalance. Once I updated firmware, the balance is back.

Mine Tone Board came preinstalled with latest 1.04 firmware version. Yesterday I flashed v2.00 firmware and that is first time I am flashing firmware on it and did not noticed any differences in terms of sound.