Those quotes are from GoldenSound’s review/measurements, which I linked in the same post(!)
The point here being that if you use an Intona - or other isolator with similarly low noise - the rest becomes moot. For a few hundred dollars it will save you countless hours and energy trying to optimize the noise output of your streamer/endpoint.
You can use whatever USB endpoint meets your functional and performance needs. And you can also use whatever upstream source control/playblack system you want as long as it doesn’t do any DSP before HQPlayer. Be it Room or JPlay or whatever else you like.
It will all sound exactly the same under these conditions.
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I wish it was that simple, but there are other variables than the isolated USB connection.
Agreed for the most parts. Having intona in the chain makes playing with usb cables or different NAAs moot (ie holo red, UP gateway, rpi4 or rpi5, or any sbcs).
Except to my experience, jplay iOS sounds the same as using hqplayer client without roon but roon with hqplayer sounds different than standalone hqplayer or jplay ios
What else do you think it could be? (Other than changed bitstream)
Those look to be Lian LI fans. But, Noctua fans can be deadly silent even on load.
7054 is good enough for DAC 200. The VBUS noise they are talking about there is not really relevant in this context. Isolation is the relevant part… 7055-B is a bit fancier looking case and may be a bit lower noise. But with DAC 200 comparing 7054 and 7055-C didn’t make difference.
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My listening room is 26dB and I’m working on getting it quieter. We have different definitions of “quiet”.
I have been holding off on getting a Red because I often wondered how Itona measured in comparison. What a whirlwind of data to come out in 24 hours. I think its time to order the Itona. Thanks @jussi_laako , @GoldenSound , @Deric_Chan , @patouskii , and others I may have missed… excellent info I’d been waiting on.
The Red uses a version of the CM4 which does not have a lot of the normal onboard ports of a regular Pi. So, it allows for Holo to improve, yes, as you describe. It’s not just because they “came to the same conclusion” but it also allowed them to make the Red a DDC if someone wants to use it that way. So, from your description you’ve built or found a similar isolation of USB from your PC. What card is that? Sounds interesting.
Also, we have different definitions of “quiet” but that’s for a different thread. 
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For the purpose of connection to dacs, is the extended isolation to 5kV rms in some of the intona models relevant at all, or the standard ones upto 1kV - ie 7055-c is fine?
It’s not relevant. In fact the USB 2.0 lines actually share identical isolation in the 7055-D and 7055-C.
They both have 5kV isolation on USB 2.0, it’s just that the additional USB 3.0 lines (which aren’t connected at all for a DAC anyway) are handled differently.
The 7055-C is actually the best one for audio as it has the benefit of having two voltage regulators instead of one and is slightly lower noise than the 7055-D
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Thanks. I have 2 7054 and 2 7055-C for my 4 systems
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Thanks for the replies. Can anyone confirm if 7055-C works with Holo Red or not? At least @jussi_laako has them both.
I listed some earlier and also replied to you in the other thread.
That was measured with the phone in hand and the washing machine on… It’s definitely under 30db…
That’s DSD512 super 512+ and DC in the background. As I said, the 4090 does all the work and the rest of the machine is without load.
I have 7055-C and Red. It does not work unless you use a USB2.0 hub between them. I have used a cheap and small passive one from Amazon that works well. No doubt some of you will think that will have negative consequences but if it’s behind the Intona then it shouldn’t matter.
Thanks for confirming. So it would be better to test with a USB2.0 model then.
Hey all,
First time posting in this thread, but I’ve been reading quite a lot while getting in HQPlayer. Anyway, I just wanted to chime in and let everyone know that I got confirmation today from Geno from Geshelli Labs that the Dayzee DAC (dual mono AK4499EX) is configured for DSD Direct (DSDD). It also accepts op amp upgrades in traditional 8 pin or professional 6 pin packages and has an absolute ton of simultaneous outputs - 2 sets of XLR and 4 sets of RCA as well as pass through for optical and coax digital out. I had to do the Amanero board firmware update to get native DSD512 working in Windows and on Ropieee on RPi4, which I’m using for NAA. This also had the effect of allowing DSD 256 (previously had to use DoP, so I was maxing out on the Combo384’s interface at DSD 128). It sounds absolutely sublime.
I also read on Super Best Audio Friends forum that Geno had confirmed to a user there that the more affordable J2 configured with the AK4499EX chip also has DSDD enabled. I believe the max configuration (with the 4499 and USB as well as op amp upgrade) comes in around 700-800, so assuming this information is correct, this DAC could be in the running for best budget to mid-level DSD bit-perfect DAC, while the Dayzee is punching really hard for the money at around $1,300 (closer to 1,600 w/ Sparkos pro op amps).
I didn’t realize I was already sitting here with a DAC that is capable of bit perfect DSD, so feeling super lucky today. The difference is unmistakable, and I think the Dayzee + HQPlayer has just surpassed my beloved Qutest (also using HQPlayer w/ PCM 768), something I would not have thought possible…
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Yes we all do have different references to what silence are. And surrounding silence where we live, etc. My pesonal level is that I hear and can distinctively detect the difference between maters of the same song title. I had a discussion with Qobuz, as I find them rrepresent labels that upload more and more sloppy crafted titles. Especially the re-remaster of older material is done quick and dirty. I gave them an example; Whitney Houston - I will always love you, from the movie track and the latest compilation of hits, milking the cow as long as possible. In the start, the back ground noise is clearly audible on both tracks, but in the latter album both noise and SQ is no longer worth the listening.
So, both music production is on a path to more music that is super post-processed, while certain audio industry is getting better and better, revealing the sloppy music production, since there are so few of us that really go deep. My RME/HQPlayer upsampling and the Hypex Nilai offer such large distance to noise floor, I am floored, but at the same time sad that most music production follow the trend with inferior audio products to the masses.
I use, among lots of other actions and mods, an unfortenatly discontinued USB card from Matrix Audio; Element H.
According to some, there are still some who retail this card, but prices gone to silly levels. However, knowing what I know today, I would probably purchase it anyway and most of my follow mates. The only one among my frind who taken a different path, is using an Ifi endpoint, with Ifi fiber network isolation, and further isolations, eg Topping, in the USB path. I don’t know why the heck the Element H product is discontinued. I will also start trials with USB fiber converters, I have rebuilt my home using fiber LAN, with excellent results, and are looking forward to seeing if this may have a beningn effect also in the USB line. It will proably boil down to that little final PSU in the back conversion from fiber to ethernet patch. But perhaps it is better to further improve external LPSU to the Element H, and ask for a custom built USB cable with shield lifted in the DAC connector, stop the loading of noise on the DAC pcb.
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Actually I would think placing the passive hub before the intona is more ideal (whether it actually makes a difference or not). So whatever the usb signals from the passive hub goes through an intona, reclocks and regen in a single output to the dac… purely my own subjective thoughts. 
Sorry yes that is what I meant by ‘behind’. I had thought it was obvious it had to be in that order for the 7055-C to resolve the handshake issue with the Red.