Yep via the 5Vdc 1Amp output on the back.
Thanks Sean!
1 Like
Pink capacitors??
No, blue ones. But I got it working again, it seems my iFi nano iUSB3 was the faulty part.
1 Like
Glad to hear your DAC is still working. What difference (when it was working) did the iUSB3 bring?
Nice!
You had all the S2D owners a little worried that there could be a batch issue hehe.
Good to hear the music is flowing again.
Anyone using a headphone amp with the S2D?
I have the Aune X7s class A balanced amp on order with an Aune XP1 power supply and a custom balanced cable for my MrSpeakers ETHER C Flowās.
Not much, when I bought it I didnāt have any external power and then it made a difference, when running without it I canāt tell any difference (proper A-B might still yield a difference though).
Right now I am trying toslink, and unless I am mistaken the stereo imaging became wider, so Iāll use that for a while just as an experiment. But I think toslink depends a lot of the quality of the sender since its not asynchronous, and of course no high sample rates or DSD.
Iāve been surprised by TOSlink sounding great too.
I wasnāt sure how ESSās famous incoming jitter elimination tech works with the TOSlink input, in a dual DAC chip configuration like this DAC uses.
Was hoping @John_Westlake could help with that one.
He already stated that USB is the best for this DAC, but at least for me toslink seems to have a quieter background and wider sound stage. Its also quite easy to do A-B, just switch zones playing the same tune in Roon, and select input on the DAC.
But I think toslink depends a lot on the accuracy of the sender, since it canāt be reclocked. Other options for USB is also something like Schiit Eitr and coax.
I just got a Graham Slee Solo ULDE and they are working wonderfully together with for example Grados or HD650
I guess it can depend (like everything in life).
Incoming jitter is better with USB for obvious reasons and it obviously supports higher sample rates (and MQA decoding for this DAC).
TOSlink has superior ground / leakage current loop / RF isolation - unless the USB source is battery powered.
John has acknowledged leakage can affect SQ earlier in the thread, on the PSU side of things but they exist with mains connected USB sources too.
ESS have their famous jitter elimination tech which in theory should help TOSlink but I donāt know how the dual chip arrangement works with ESSās jitter elimination tech, as with this DAC. Probably a question only John can answer to be honest.
My ears agree with you though, TOSlink sounds nice.
Im using the matching S2 Head Amp with my Aeon Open Flows. Seems to works pretty well so far. Much better than the included headamp on the DAC, which honestly shouldnāt have been.
One thing i would have liked to see in this DAC would be a fixed output setting on the RCA jacks for use with amps/powered speakers with a volume control.
Someone else said that a DAC thatās electrically connected to a normal computer will always sound less than optimal, and I think I am starting to agree with him. Need some isolation, and the āfreeā version is Toslink, but having said that I would guess a sotm-sms200 or micro/ultrarendu is even better (those are to expensive for me to buy and try though).
I have both Renduās so my personal subjective opinion about TOSlink sounding great is in reference to the Renduās (and a battery powered, mains power de-coupled USB source).
I have a linear power supply to the DAC, but my comparison was between toslink and USB straight into the computer, and the toslink is a clear winner. From memory, it also sounds better than connected through the iFi nano iUSB3 (which is broken now).
Interesting to hear that it also compares well with high level audio tweaks like microRendu.
For me thereās something less fatiguing, over an extended (say 2 hours) listening session, for example. Itās hard to describe.
Iām only using a really cheap USB-to-TOSLink converter too.
If someone were on a budget and happy with PCM192kHz (or less) and DoP64 and didnāt need MQA, Iād easily recommend using a USB to TOSLink converter with this DACā¦ Even with a nice TOSlink cable (like Sys.Concept and Lifatec make) you would be well under half the price of an Allo USBridge.
I have mine connected directly to the computer toslink out (asus motherboard). I would guess a high quality USB to toslink with a good clock would be best.
I keep hearing improvements though, like telegraph road by dire straits, at 11:10 guitars plays that are sort of the in background but to the left and right, and they sound much more clear and precise with toslink than with USB.
1 Like
I received notification from Audio Advisor a couple of days that they (Sumico) were sending me out a new unit.