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I2S Computer Build


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Hi, Ben.

I was using Pink Faun KS driver when I posted my comment. I believe Pink Faun uses C-Media chip so you can't use Thesycon driver.

 

Thanks Rurika. I understood that you were using the KS driver, what I meant was do you have any more info on it? Like when Jord gave it to you did he tell you anything about it or whatever? If not, that's cool, just doing some digging.

 

As for the driver supplier, I only mentioned Thesycon because that's what Jord said to me when they started looking into about a year ago. He said that Thesycon didn't only make USB drivers for other companies like XMOS, but that they could potentially make a native one for Pink Faun. I have no idea of the specifics of how that could happen, I was just regurgitating what I heard and what wasn't mentioned in here yet.

 

Haha, in the end I don't mind about it as long as they have a beautifully functioning one~ Just curious to hear how things panned out :-)

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  • 2 years later...

This thread started originally in Aug 2015, I am curious if almost 3 years lead to any big developments?

To this day, if you search Google for "Best I2S Ouput PC Device", the $330 Pink Faun is still the main topic you find. That device was originally released in 2013, surely a half decade later we have newer ways to tap an I2S output from a PC right?

I can't believe none of the motherboard manufacturers have put I2S out as a discrete output on the board.

A friend of mine who is a programmer and I are looking into ways to get the best possible quality data signal out of the PC to the DAC I2S input/s. It is actually very very close to the normal way USB works, but there are some things that set it apart.

We found this which helps you with writing audio drivers for Windows 10.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/audio/writing-64-bit-audio-drivers

If anyone has any ideas on I2S or wants to get involved, you can post here in addition to contacting me at my website www.HallmanLabs.com

Home: FUN01 v2.0 XMOS DSD DAC (Similar to Singxer SU-1)  -> I2S In -> Custom ES9038Pro (2x Sparkos SS3601, 2x Sparkos SS3602) -> Burson Cable+ RCA to RCA -> Yamaha RX-V863 -> Kimber KWIK-12 cable -> Wharfedale Diamond 220's
 
Headphones: Modded Aune T1 w/ 1963 Amperex Holland 7308 Bugle Boy -> Kenwood Basic C-2 -> Magni 2 -> Audeze EL-8
 
Burson V5-OPA & V5i Initial Review   |  Hallman Labs (my personal review/build log website)
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If you don't mind running a small Linux computer like BeagleBone Black or Raspberry Pi you can have I2S out direct from these devices.

Costs much less than a Pink Faun card.

 

In the DIY community there are multiple options for galvanice isolation and reclocking .. take it as far as you feel comfortable with ;-)

Rigelian iOS app -> BeagleBone Black with Botic driver + Linux MPD + XPEnology NAS -> Soekris dam1121 DAC I2S direct from BBB -> DH Labs Revelation -> NAD C162 -> DH Labs Revelation -> Odyssey Khartago Plus -> DH Labs Q10 -> Boenicke Audio W5

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On 9/14/2015 at 9:51 AM, Ben-M said:

 

There's more than 1 version of the Amanero though, isn't there? I was pretty sure I saw an LVDS version in the Melodious MX-U8 thread over on head-fi. The OP arbatels said he is planning on building a single I2s output USB DDC, and I gathered it was LVDS style. I'm not basing that on anything though.



You are correct about there being more than one version. Check out my latest thread and the extreme headache caused by a design decision that Leaf Audio made with regard to the DSD On pin in the 6 pins arrangement. Most people who don't build stuff themselves will use ribbon cables for I2S, well without tearing the wires out of the ribbon and rearranging, this Leaf Audio design would NEVER work using a ribbon cable the way it was designed. Took many many hours of working on the DACs to find this insanely annoying and small change in the design. Ridiculous decision in my opinion. 

You can see more at my website article here: https://hallmanlabs.com/2018/03/07/we-have-finally-cracked-the-nut-native-dsd-decoding-over-i2s-up-and-running-she-is-running-at-100-again-a-preview-in-photos-included/

 

 

Quote from my website about the pin arrangement for I2S USB cards vs. the DAC.

 

Quote

 

(Leaf Audio Amanero ONLY) I2S Header Looking from the USB input end (left to right):

GND | MCLK | LRCLK (or FSCLK) | BCLK | DATA | DSD On (<– Optional Pin, also called DSD0E)

 

(ES9038P DAC) Now the reference arrangement from the USB input end (left to right) is:

GND | DSD On (<—Optional Pin) | MCLK | LRCLK | BCLK | DATA

 

So just having the DSD On pin in the wrong place wrecks havoc. Please check your USB to I2S devices to ensure their pin pattern follow the ES9038P pattern (if you are using a similar DAC).

 

Once again, the correct pattern for my DAC here is:

GND | DSD On (<—Optional Pin) | MCLK | LRCLK | BCLK | DATA

 

Just to make this extremely clear, on your DAC’s I2S input, only 3 of them have 10k resistors and they are in a row on one side of the I2S row.

 

This order is with the screen side of the DAC closest to you, left to right is:

(Closest to ESS IC –>) DATA | BCLK | LRCK (<— also called FSCLK, closest to op-amps)

 


Note: I realize I can use my Raspberry Pi 3 or my Arduino Mega256 to get I2S easily, but the quality is not the same and one album of DSD music is about 2-4GB. Dealing with moving or pulling HDs only to have to put them all back and the quality thing turns me off. A good PC with a quality Gold or Plat 80 Plus certification power supply gives me better quality through a quality USB cable (AudioQuest). Now I do also use the SBooster VBus2 that isolates the USB cable from the  noisy 3.3V line. I have tested with and without, it matters.
 

 

es9038dac_audeze_el8_open_magni2_full_w_titles_sm.jpg

vbus2-w-titles-sm.jpg

Home: FUN01 v2.0 XMOS DSD DAC (Similar to Singxer SU-1)  -> I2S In -> Custom ES9038Pro (2x Sparkos SS3601, 2x Sparkos SS3602) -> Burson Cable+ RCA to RCA -> Yamaha RX-V863 -> Kimber KWIK-12 cable -> Wharfedale Diamond 220's
 
Headphones: Modded Aune T1 w/ 1963 Amperex Holland 7308 Bugle Boy -> Kenwood Basic C-2 -> Magni 2 -> Audeze EL-8
 
Burson V5-OPA & V5i Initial Review   |  Hallman Labs (my personal review/build log website)
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On 19/9/2015 at 12:28 AM, Pepi said:

I completed both USB and I2S server builds.

 

The USB server is a CAPS Pipeline with these changes:

PPA OS SSD with OCXO clock with crystal oscillatorthis

PPA Sarah SATA cable for the OS SSD

PPA Music SSD with TCXO clock

PPA V3 USB card with OCXO clock

E3-1240L V3 25W TDP CPU

2 AQ Jitterbugs plugged in but not in the USB data stream (didn't like it inline)

Light Harmonic 10G USB cable -> Regen with Netron Star Clock, LPS powering this -> Supra USB cable

Server 2012 R2 with AO 1.40, HQ Player

PS Audio DirectStream DAC

 

The I2S server is a CAPS Zuma with these changes:

HD-Plex LPS with 250W DC-ATX

5V feed from the LPS just for the OS and Music SSDs (made a surprising difference vs powering it with peripheral power from the ATX)

Pink Faun I2S bridge

Server 2012 R2 with AO 1.40, JRiver 21

PF supplied HDMI cable to DirectStream

 

Before finishing the I2S server (before the Pink Faun board arrived), I plugged in the SOtM USB card on the Zuma, ran it through the modified Regen and compared it to the Pipeline server.

There was no contest - the Pipeline was clearly better - soundstanding, imaging, details...

 

Partly due to this, I was expecting the Pink Faun board to not sound as good as well, but I was surprised - it sounds really good.

 

Given the parts and price difference, I now wonder what a souped up PF-based I2S server would sound like.

 

I give the edge to the USB server at this time but I plan to do more tweaking with drivers and software on the PF/Zuma machine.

 

I can relate to what EuroDriver is doing now with his project and when he says "we know we have to run hard and throw a lot high quality parts at the USB implementation to keep ahead of I2S".

 

Pipeline USB:

P9060301.JPG

 

Zuma I2S:

P9180308.JPG

P8290288.JPG

 

Wich Ocxo and tcxo clock did you use for the CAPS Pipeline (both ssd and usb card)? I'm planning on a hdplex h5 build, would it be okay with the HDPLEX 400W HiFi DC-ATX? And think i'll use a SOtM tX-USBexp. what motherboard are u using? and can't a i3 proces dsd? From a humble noob

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What would you all say is the best Linux build solely for HiFi?

I found "Audiophile Linux": https://www.ap-linux.com/

Is there anything you'd pick over this if you were focusing on the Amanero and playing DSD. I know the Linux method for delivering audio through the stack is superior to both Windows and Macs. This is why I am interested in using Linux with a desktop, but don't care to use a RPi3 or Arduino. 

Note: anyone interested in RPi3/2/1 or Arudino derivatives with the Amanero and DSD, look no further than this: 

https://hifiduino.wordpress.com/

Home: FUN01 v2.0 XMOS DSD DAC (Similar to Singxer SU-1)  -> I2S In -> Custom ES9038Pro (2x Sparkos SS3601, 2x Sparkos SS3602) -> Burson Cable+ RCA to RCA -> Yamaha RX-V863 -> Kimber KWIK-12 cable -> Wharfedale Diamond 220's
 
Headphones: Modded Aune T1 w/ 1963 Amperex Holland 7308 Bugle Boy -> Kenwood Basic C-2 -> Magni 2 -> Audeze EL-8
 
Burson V5-OPA & V5i Initial Review   |  Hallman Labs (my personal review/build log website)
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  • 7 months later...
On 3/8/2018 at 5:20 PM, henrikmink said:

 

Wich Ocxo and tcxo clock did you use for the CAPS Pipeline (both ssd and usb card)? I'm planning on a hdplex h5 build, would it be okay with the HDPLEX 400W HiFi DC-ATX? And think i'll use a SOtM tX-USBexp. what motherboard are u using? and can't a i3 proces dsd? From a humble noob

It appears no one has answered your question all these months ? I am thinking of using HDplex too + possibly usb bridge from pinkfaun. Did u manage to build the hdplex? 

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On 3/8/2018 at 2:38 PM, Oystein said:

If you don't mind running a small Linux computer like BeagleBone Black or Raspberry Pi you can have I2S out direct from these devices.

Costs much less than a Pink Faun card.

 

In the DIY community there are multiple options for galvanice isolation and reclocking .. take it as far as you feel comfortable with ?

Yes worth the effort for the DIY minded. I've been running a DIY I2S, reclocked and Isolated streamer based on a Sparky SBC for a year, excellent sound into I2S input of my PS Audio Junior DAC.

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/38910-sparky-dietpi-roon-ready-i2s-streamer/?do=findComment&amp;comment=832013

Topaz 2.5Kva Isolation Transformer > EtherRegen switch powered by Paul Hynes SR4 LPS >MacBook Pro 2013 > EC Designs PowerDac SX > TNT UBYTE-2 Speaker cables > Omega Super Alnico Monitors > 2x Rel T Zero Subwoofers. 

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