JKDAC32 on its way.....possible tour?

Hi Lebowski

Interesting, very interesting. I tried it on a number of systems including my own and in every case it was dry. Even had an email from an overseas guy saying the same thing. The only common factor I can think of is they were all solid state. Are you using valves?

Thanks

Bill

no valves, but a vintage Sansui AU-11000 that was voiced back in the 70's for valve like sound, whatever that means. I've attached specs of the Amp, it's no slouch.

I use +1dB attenuation with my WLM La Scala's and still myself nor Jasper or David (djb) could hear this 'dryness'. I think ozmillsy is correct, these things are system dependent.

"dry" attribute that some people attached to the JKDAC.

When most people in most system find a sound signature for a DAC that is recognised as "lean" or "dry" then clearly the DAC has a "dry" quality.

For those running a "warm" amp then the lean quality might aid system balance.

Balancing a system by getting a highly slanted DAC is a tough way to go, I would have thought, as it would likely lead to overcompensations down the track.

As long as it sounds good in the end .....

When most people in most system find a sound signature for a DAC that is recognised as "lean" or "dry" then clearly the DAC has a "dry" quality.

Or, here's another possibility - it's revealing the sound of the playback system i.e. that playback system has been slanted towards lean because that is the "balanced" sound that sounds good with current devices. Introduce a new device & what are you hearing - the device itself or the system? It's not as black & white as you make out in your statement. Or could it be that the playback software or software drivers impose this lean sound.

For those running a "warm" amp then the lean quality might aid system balance.

Balancing a system by getting a highly slanted DAC is a tough way to go, I would have thought, as it would likely lead to overcompensations down the track.

As long as it sounds good in the end .....

I agree - I always said that consciously using one element to compensate for or balance out other elements in a system is a wrong approach & a path fraught with danger i.e what happens when you try a new device in this system? But do we all subconsciously do this to some extent? Are our systems not tailored to the sound we like to hear in them? Is this a subconscious selection of components that have a "synergy" i.e a balance of the sound we like.

I believe that nobody has an objective stance in this unless you can get a band/singer/instrument to play in your room, record it & play back in realtime i.e be able to A/B switch between them & the recording/playback. Otherwise we are judging the sound based on notoriously fickle audio memory.

Yes,the JKDAC32 sounds as naggots says fuller, more gutsy. Does this mean the JKDAC is dry sounding? Maybe or maybe it is just accurately reproducing what is is fed? When you try the Young drivers with the JKDAC however, I'm not so sure that this "dry" sound is still there? It would be interesting to hear others' opinion on this?

Or is it like Paul Simon says "one man's ceiling is another man's floor"?

Bhobba states that he had an "email from an overseas guy saying the same thing" - well I am in touch with that guy & interestingly he is now using, as his reference DAC, a board with the same ES9022/ES9023 DAC chip on it as in the JKDAC. Ah you say it's a different implementation so it sounds different & therefore not "dry". No, here's the really interesting bit - when he first tried that board he found it sounded the same as my JKDAC - "dry". When he changed to different drivers, everything changed & the dryness was no more - in fact he thought it exceeded any DAC he had ever heard.

Edited November 14, 2011 by jkeny

your so right - its all relative and ultimately completely meaningless

your so right - its all relative and ultimately completely meaningless

Yes, that's the succincnt way of saying it Sometimes, I wish I had your ability for brevity.

Some interesting information for users of this JKDAC32 that I just discovered which will mean a better sound & full use of 32/384 from USB to DAC output. I posted this on the JKDAC thread but it bears repeating here:

I can confirm this change of drivers also works great for the MK3 HiFace USB-SPDIF converter, and not just his JKDAC(32).

I can confirm this change of drivers also works great for the MK3 HiFace USB-SPDIF converter, and not just his JKDAC(32).

Yes, it will work with any Hiface. How do you find the sound?

Yes, it will work with any Hiface. How do you find the sound?

Just in short, better bass i.e. more present (but not overly, just 'there' and well separated and spaced) and with lots of detail. The top end less sharp and better integrated.

I'm listening to it now using some Mozart String Quartet in a performance/recording I wasn't all that fond off, but is quite good now.

I will also give it of course a listen with my more favourite recordings.

It's not as black & white as you make out in your statement.

No its not. On my system and others you can clearly hear the dry sound (it may have something to do with the drivers) but it was far from annoying - just a characteristic you would say it has. On a system I tried it on that was dry to begin with the dryness accumulated and it was IMHO over the top and not to my taste or something I would listen to long term.

Thanks

Bill

The Young driver has improved the sound with the JKDAC32, a little more mid range guts and soundstage opening up a bit. If course this could be the extra 10-15 hrs or so I've racked up. I've let it run 12 hrs straight then charged till the led went faint green (1.5 hrs) then good to go for another 12hrs.

I find the best way to get the dac playing is to turn it on then restart iTunes then start bitperfect....... A little different to the orig JKDAC???

The Young driver has improved the sound with the JKDAC32, a little more mid range guts and soundstage opening up a bit. If course this could be the extra 10-15 hrs or so I've racked up. I've let it run 12 hrs straight then charged till the led went faint green (1.5 hrs) then good to go for another 12hrs.

It's easy to swap between the two drivers so a comparison is an easy task

I find the best way to get the dac playing is to turn it on then restart iTunes then start bitperfect....... A little different to the orig JKDAC???

I also find some start-up differences between the JKDAC & JKDAC32 but it's not a problem only sometimes needing a turn off & then turn on to start.

I'll give the dac another 30+ hrs or so and listen again this weekend. It definately has a richer midrange but still detailed, treble is smooth and liquid not metallic......sounds fantastic to me.

I just leave it on all day wearing out my valves on some of my dodgey 80s cds that are listenable now.....Japan, Talk Talk, Heaven 17 etc.......even the Stone Roses (worst recording I have) sounds richer and less ear shredding........a bit

Start up's not a problem now........it was a little frustrating at first as I could see it in Audio Midi but not hear it. Restarting itunes with the dac on then opening bitperfect works for me.

Hi,

I have been following the DAC threads here with interest for a while, have to say the 1 box I2S setup of the JKDAC seems great, just wondering what the build time would be for one of these?

Thanks,

gav.

Looking forward to hearing this on such good report. Would certainly save me a bunch of $$$ if it measures up.

The jkdac32 is proving to be the best dac I've had so far in my system, musical and non fatiguing.......will be really interesting to hear your thoughts Duckman as you've heard the last 2 dacs Ive had.

Further burn in and/or Young drivers have opened the soundstage, this dac seems to have an even grip from top to bottom, detailed but smooth......if that makes sense?!

The Metrum/jkmk3 would want to be good to easily better it.

I read with interest that the M2Tech Young driver is an improvement over standard HiFace one.

I'm using a MK2 JKSPDIF - I have downloaded and installed M2Tech Young driver in OS X Snow Leopard

- Will this be picked up by default OR does this need to be selected? If manual intervention is required how is this done and verified?

- Sorry if hi-jacking the thread.

I read with interest that the M2Tech Young driver is an improvement over standard HiFace one.

I'm using a MK2 JKSPDIF - I have downloaded and installed M2Tech Young driver in OS X Snow Leopard

- Will this be picked up by default OR does this need to be selected? If manual intervention is required how is this done and verified?

- Sorry if hi-jacking the thread.

You need to choose the option that says "Let me pick from a list of drivers".

There is a checkbox that you need to turn off "show compatible hardware"

Scroll down to M2tech in the left window & the Young driver should be seen in the right window

You need to choose the option that says "Let me pick from a list of drivers".

There is a checkbox that you need to turn off "show compatible hardware"

Scroll down to M2tech in the left window & the Young driver should be seen in the right window

I think this may work in windows but not OS X Snow Leopard.

Any Mac experts out there?

Just in case you haven't seen it, a solution for the Mac is implemented on the other thread.

An interesting comparison between a high-end dCs digital front-end & my two DACs here

An interesting comparison between a high-end dCs digital front-end & my two DACs here

Im surprised to see there was no reported difference between your two models?

I was very much hoping the latest PCM model would have sounded much more fleshed out then the initial Sabre model which sounded really thin in my system.

I want using a preamp so I could hear the actually quality of the DAC.

Maybe users who like the first DAC use a preamp to flesh it out and that obscures the differences in the source?

Im surprised to see there was no reported difference between your two models?

I was very much hoping the latest PCM model would have sounded much more fleshed out then the initial Sabre model which sounded really thin in my system.

I want using a preamp so I could hear the actually quality of the DAC.

Maybe users who like the first DAC use a preamp to flesh it out and that obscures the differences in the source?

There was a difference between them & the JKDAC (Sabre) was preferred!. The JKDAC32 that I brought had not been burned in & it had a few other things going on with it. The JKDAC was well burned in. Tomorrow I'm bringing both of the DACs that were used in the dCs comparison to a guys house that has a burnt-in JKDAC32. I will then have a better handle on this - I suspect that there is a big difference but will see.

Nada, here's something for you to ponder - the DAC chip used in the JKDAC32 is the PCM5102 - the 32/384 DAC chip.

I'm using the IIR low latency filter i.e the one with no pre-ringing. To me it sounds far, far better than the normal FIR filter. I know you expressed an interest in hearing this filter in the Luxman D-100 DAC - well here it is

My impression of this IIR filter is that the soundstage snaps into focus even more so than the JKDAC. As naggots said - it is a richer sounding & more fleshed out unit than the JDAC. Using the Young driver with it gives full 32/384 capability from the Hiface USB front-end. The stock Hiface drivers are 24/192. I haven't heard any 32/384 audio on it.

Nada, here's something for you to ponder - the DAC chip used in the JKDAC32 is the PCM5102 - the 32/384 DAC chip.

I'm using the IIR low latency filter i.e the one with no pre-ringing. To me it sounds far, far better than the normal FIR filter. I know you expressed an interest in hearing this filter in the Luxman D-100 DAC - well here it is

My impression of this IIR filter is that the soundstage snaps into focus even more so than the JKDAC. As naggots said - it is a richer sounding & more fleshed out unit than the JDAC. Using the Young driver with it gives full 32/384 capability from the Hiface USB front-end. The stock Hiface drivers are 24/192. I haven't heard any 32/384 audio on it.

Hi JK - well thats very interesting to read. TI really know how to make a descent chip. Im hoping to use mine to make a balanced DAC

Hi JK - well thats very interesting to read. TI really know how to make a descent chip. Im hoping to use mine to make a balanced DAC

So you have some of these chips? Have you tried one yet in SE mode?