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RME ADI-2/4 Pro SE - RIAA mode measurements

DrCWO

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@DrCWO
My CD transport does not provide an USB output. The AES/EBU, S/PDIF and Toslink outputs are limited to 192kHz.
Only the I2S output of my CDT carries DSD64 and DSD128 or PCM at 352kHz and 384kHz.
If you want to play the hi-rez layer of an SACD, upsample/resample a SACD (DSD64) up to DSD 256 or PCM 24/384, you must use the transport's HDMI output.
Please read the paper attached published by AES and authored by:
Dominik Blech and Min-Chi Yang, Erich-Thienhaus-Institute (Tonmeisterinstitut), University of Music Detmold, Germany

I know that here were also other articles saying there might be a difference. But I wonder who paid for those studies...

Citation of the summary:
"These listening tests indicate that as a rule, no significant differences could be heard between DSD and high-resolution PCM (24-bit / 176.4 kHz) even with the best equipment, under optimal listening conditions, and with test subjects who had varied listening experience and various ways of focusing on what they hear. Consequently it could be proposed that neither of these systems has a scientific basis for claiming audible superiority over the other. This reality should put a halt to the disputation being carried on by the various PR departments concerned."

Best DrCWO
 

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  • Perceptual Discrimination of Digital Audio Coding Formats.pdf
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Sonic-Wall

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Today for high-performance, low-latency chip-to-chip communication PCIe is clearly the leading interface.

For audio Wikipedia says I²S (Inter-IC Sound), is an electrical serial bus interface standard used for connecting digital audio devices together.

Again, I do not claim that I2S does sound better than any other interface but the separate clock line does provide some advantages.
This eliminates the coding/decoding effort as well as the reconstruction of the sampling frequency, which could help to better control the jitter.
 
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Rja4000

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Wikipedia says I²S (Inter-IC Sound), is an electrical serial bus interface standard used for connecting digital audio devices together
Wikipedia may be useful at times.
This ends when they pretend owning the only truth.

In my view, I2S is meant as an internal bus.
To work as an external bus, it would require quite a few additional features, which are, to my understanding, all but standardized.
 

LTig

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@badboygolf16v
Today for high-performance, low-latency chip-to-chip communication PCIe is clearly the leading interface.

For audio Wikipedia says I²S (Inter-IC Sound), is an electrical serial bus interface standard used for connecting digital audio devices together.
... and the next sentence is:
"It is used to communicate PCM audio data between integrated circuits in an electronic device."
 

Trell

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@badboygolf16v
Today for high-performance, low-latency chip-to-chip communication PCIe is clearly the leading interface.

For audio Wikipedia says I²S (Inter-IC Sound), is an electrical serial bus interface standard used for connecting digital audio devices together.

Again, I do not claim that I2S does sound better than any other interface but the separate clock line does provide some advantages.
This eliminates the coding/decoding effort as well as the reconstruction of the sampling frequency, which could help to better control the jitter.

:facepalm:
 

LTig

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sarumbear

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In my view, I2S is meant as an internal bus.
Correct. It was invented by Philips to be used as an audio bus mainly on TVs.

To work as an external bus, it would require quite a few additional features, which are, to my understanding, all but standardized.
For starters there is no standard connector for it.
 

pkane

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For starters there is no standard connector for it.
There are, in fact, many “standard” connectors, all incompatible even when the physical connector is the same. Many of the DAC and DDC manufacturers have taken to providing DIP switches so that the I2S interface can be configured to work with the various “standard” formats.
 

DrCWO

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There are, in fact, many “standard” connectors, all incompatible even when the physical connector is the same. Many of the DAC and DDC manufacturers have taken to providing DIP switches so that the I2S interface can be configured to work with the various “standard” formats.
As I2S was originally not made for data transfer between devices but ICs only, there was never a definition for a standard. In the early days some manufacturers used ethernet connectors with different pin assignments, now mostly HDMI connectors and cables are used for it as they are able to transfer high frequency signals.

But as I said before. I2S as inter device connection is no more necessary with the current DACs and their near perfect PLLs...
 

Guy.G

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@DrCWO
My CD transport does not provide an USB output. The AES/EBU, S/PDIF and Toslink outputs are limited to 192kHz.
Only the I2S output of my CDT carries DSD64 and DSD128 or PCM at 352kHz and 384kHz.
If you want to play the hi-rez layer of an SACD, upsample/resample a SACD (DSD64) up to DSD 256 or PCM 24/384, you must use the transport's HDMI output.
Are you confusing HDMI with I²S?
I know that many DACs with I²S inputs are using HDMI connectors, but that does not make them compatible with HDMI devices.
An I²S-compatible DAC is not going to accept an HDMI signal from your CD Transport.

My understanding is that the best way to get DSD out of a CD Transport like that is to use an HDMI to DoP extractor and connect the DAC via S/PDIF.
Or rip the disc and play it back directly via a computer/network streamer.
 

davidbea

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Exploring this option and pleading ignorance but wanted to confirm: I will need a pair of RCA to balanced interconnects to connect my turntable to this?
 

davidbea

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Been spinning vinyl through the 2/4 all day, sounds great. Heavily modded Rega RP6 with AT150MLX cart. 2/4 ref level set to +26 dB, works well for most cuts, good level, no clipping. All the EQ/filter options are great for getting it to sound just right. Haven't tried it with my old phono pre into analogue ins instead, not sure I will as it's sounding great as is. Be nice if they added an option to monitor the analogue inputs pre ADC at some point, for people that want to do their own digital RIAA curves etc.

Not had the TT set up for three years so I've got lots of great listening ahead! Also been nice listening to some of the projects I mastered that went to vinyl over the last few years.
How are you connecting your turntable to thew RME? I see only balanced analog inputs on the back. Thanks.
 

LTig

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Exploring this option and pleading ignorance but wanted to confirm: I will need a pair of RCA to balanced interconnects to connect my turntable to this?
Either this or an appropriate adapter RCA female to XLR male.
 

Chester

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So looking at these tests, the RME would perform slightly less well than the Cambridge Audio Duo. Can anyone more knowledgeable than I, explain whether this is likely to be audible with vinyl playback?

Thanks
 
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