Yoga Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Hey guys, Has anyone got/used the Teddy Pardo USB converter? It's an extension of the tried and trusted linear PSU... TeddyU2S - 192kHz USB to S/PDIF converter. | USB to S/PDIF converters | DACs | TeddyPardo XMOS based, although not much else is given in the specs. Currently looking at that, along with the Gustard U12 and Melodious MX-U8. (All started by considering the AP2 + PP, which apparently, is behind the U12 and MX-U8 in performance.) Abyss - Audeze - Sen Simaudio Moon 600i - Lumin A1 Kii Three - KEF LS50 Link to comment
rossb Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 I haven't heard it, but do own a Teddy USB psu, and also had his dac with the same USB xmos chip, so this is speculation, but slightly informed speculation. The Teddy USB converter should be good, because the PSU is very good. But I think a better usb converter with a Teddy PSU - such as the PUC 2 or Audiophilleo - would be better still, albeit in a more expensive two-box solution. Link to comment
Yoga Posted October 25, 2015 Author Share Posted October 25, 2015 I haven't heard it, but do own a Teddy USB psu, and also had his dac with the same USB xmos chip, so this is speculation, but slightly informed speculation. The Teddy USB converter should be good, because the PSU is very good. But I think a better usb converter with a Teddy PSU - such as the PUC 2 or Audiophilleo - would be better still, albeit in a more expensive two-box solution. Thanks Ross. I've not seen that PUC2 converter before. What's the general consensus? Abyss - Audeze - Sen Simaudio Moon 600i - Lumin A1 Kii Three - KEF LS50 Link to comment
rossb Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 There don't seem to be a lot of PUC2s out there, but everyone who has one seems to think it is the best USB converter they've heard. Link to comment
Qhwoeprktiyns Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Problem is, the PUC2 does not work well with Linux... I tried one, thought it sounded fabulous, but had clicks I could not get rid of. Anyone managed to use with a Linux distribution ? Link to comment
Cycleman Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 There don't seem to be a lot of PUC2s out there, but everyone who has one seems to think it is the best USB converter they've heard. Am I understanding corrected that it's only the PUC2 Lite that's just a USB converter? And the regular PUC2 is both a USB converter and a DAC? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Music is love, made audible. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Link to comment
Qhwoeprktiyns Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Am I understanding corrected that it's only the PUC2 Lite that's just a USB converter? And the regular PUC2 is both a USB converter and a DAC? Correct. Link to comment
joelha Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Problem is, the PUC2 does not work well with Linux... I tried one, thought it sounded fabulous, but had clicks I could not get rid of. Anyone managed to use with a Linux distribution ? In fact I have a PUC2 lite on order and I'm currently using Linux. I expect to receive the unit on Tuesday. Was it the DAC function (if you had the DAC version) that was causing an issue or was it the USB converter funtion? Joel Link to comment
Qhwoeprktiyns Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 It was the PUC2 lite, so USB conversion. Please let us know how it works for you (and which Linux system you are using). Link to comment
joelha Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Will do, hopkins. I'm currently using Daphile. And you? Joel Link to comment
Qhwoeprktiyns Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 MPD on an Archlinux AMR. I think at the time I was using Voyage MPD on an Alix board. Link to comment
joelha Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 That sounds like a serious setup, Hopkins. Is it possible that there was a latency setting which could have been adjusted to get rid of the clicks? In my experience, and yours may well be greater than mine, latency settings often affect whether there clicks occur or not. Joel Link to comment
Qhwoeprktiyns Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Pretty simple setup actually - an Olimex card with Archlinux and MPD. Could be latency settings - at the time I was just starting out on Linux, and there was less information available out there (I think). I am tempted to give it another try ! Link to comment
joelha Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 For purely selfish reasons, I hope you do. Keep me posted if you learn something and I'll do the same in return. Joel Link to comment
Qhwoeprktiyns Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 You will definitely find out before I do ! I have searched the net for some pointers, but it seems the fact that Linux is officially not supported by Yellowtec, along with some reports of problems, has left most linux users very hesitant to try it out. Moreover, they do not use a "standard" chip (such as XMOS) but have developed their own. Link to comment
mordante Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I thought USB to SPDIF converters were a thing of the past. Now every DAC has USB inputs. While those USB might be suboptimal most people will no buy a convertor for convenience sake. [br] Link to comment
Qhwoeprktiyns Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I thought USB to SPDIF converters were a thing of the past. Now every DAC has USB inputs. While those USB might be suboptimal most people will no buy a convertor for convenience sake. If things were that simple! First of all, DACs have different USB implementations. The source is also a factor in the quality of the USB signal. That being said, I would be curious to understand what is going on inside the Yellowtec to explain the results. Link to comment
Cycleman Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 While those USB might be suboptimal most people will no buy a convertor for convenience sake. Do you really think... When it comes to digital audio... That the denizens of Computer Audiophile... Are "most people"...? Dave, who says "nah" because most people on this forum are kind of obsessed or geeky or something else that has to do with delving deeply ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Music is love, made audible. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Link to comment
Marius Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Hey guys, Has anyone got/used the Teddy Pardo USB converter? It's an extension of the tried and trusted linear PSU... TeddyU2S - 192kHz USB to S/PDIF converter. | USB to S/PDIF converters | DACs | TeddyPardo XMOS based, although not much else is given in the specs. Currently looking at that, along with the Gustard U12 and Melodious MX-U8. (All started by considering the AP2 + PP, which apparently, is behind the U12 and MX-U8 in performance.) Yes, I have one in my setup for about 2 years now and i'm very pleased with it. I have compared it with a M2Tech Hiface EVO and i found the Teddy Pardo the better one. Link to comment
mordante Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 Do you really think...When it comes to digital audio... That the denizens of Computer Audiophile... Are "most people"...? Dave, who says "nah" because most people on this forum are kind of obsessed or geeky or something else that has to do with delving deeply Well some people here treat USB as the second coming. [br] Link to comment
joelha Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 Maybe we can get back to a discussion about the equipment. I have a Berkeley Alpha Reference DAC. While I could go from a sound card in my server directly to the DAC, I'm using an SOtM card into the Berkeley Alpha USB converter and then to the Berkeley DAC. Yes, the converter does make a meaningful difference and I wouldn't want to do without it. In my experience, a USB converter, done well, is more than a converter, it helps to further isolate the DAC from an electrically harsh computer environment. Joel Link to comment
joelha Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 To hopkins and anyone else who is interested: I tested the PUC2 Lite tonight against my Berkeley Alpha USB converter. The bad news? In Linux the PUC2 only and I mean only operates at 48khz . . . not 44khz or anything higher for that matter. The good news? Unbelievably, I didn't care. Yes, I know Daphile is resampling everything to 48khz in real time, something I hate in concept. But the sound was so much better than the Berkeley that it just didn't matter to me. Would I love an updated Linux kernel to address the 48khz issue? You bet. But the dropping of the noise floor is remarkable, allowing me to turn up the volume on my music more than I normally would. Under $500 and usb powered? It shouldn't be . . . but it is. One of my favorite parts of this hobby is its ability to continually surprise me. Tonight I was definitely and pleasantly surprised. Joel Link to comment
firedog Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I understood you to say that the PUC2 Lite sounded better than your $2k Berkeley converter? First time I've heard someone say they had a converter that sounded better than the Berkeley. Main listening (small home office): Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments. Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three BXT Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup. Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. All absolute statements about audio are false Link to comment
joelha Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Here's the thread: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/berkeley-alpha-universal-serial-bus-industry-standard-cables-connectors-and-communications-protocols-between-computers-and-electronic-devices-vs-bel-canto-ulink-vs-audiophilleo-random-musings-20307/index3.html And the comments from rossb are: "To recap, I compared a number of usb/spdif converters, including the Bel Canto uLink, Berkely Alpha and Audiophilleo, with and without external 5v PSU, and found that (in my opinion) the Audiophilleo with Teddy Pardo PSU was the best of them." And later: "After further experimentation, I have found that the PUC2 is significantly better than the Audiophilleo (my previous) preferred USB converter. The differences were quite substantial, and I still find it surprising that a USB converter can make any difference, let alone one of this magnitude. Compared with the Audiophilleo, the sound is bigger, deeper, fuller, there is more separation around instruments, and more tonal colour." So rossb is saying he believed the Audiophileo bettered the Berkeley (I can't comment on that as I've never heard the Audiophileo) but now he believes the PUC2 betters the Audiophilieo. In fact, it was those comments which got me interested. And believe me, I was skeptical as I think the world of the Berkeley usb converter (and my Berkeley Alpha Reference DAC for that matter). But I needed all of about 5 seconds to hear the difference. The PUC2 is just a lot "quieter" for lack of a better way of putting it. That's after only one night of auditioning so maybe I'll have a different opinion over time, but my impression is so strong, I'll be surprised if my opinion changes. Joel Link to comment
Cycleman Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Actually, I did read that someone else felt the same as I do as regards the Berkeley and the PUC2, but I can't find the thread or comment.In fact, it was that comment that got me interested. And believe me, I was skeptical as I think the world of the Berkeley usb converter (and my Berkeley Alpha Reference DAC for that matter). But I needed all of about 5 seconds to hear the difference. The PUC2 is just a lot "quieter" for lack of a better way of putting it. That's after only one night of auditioning so maybe I'll have a different opinion over time, but my impression is so strong, I'll be surprised if my opinion changes. Joel, a few questions from someone who loves his Berkeley USB converter. * Did you use the dual-headed USB cable that comes with the Yellowtec PUC2 Lite? If not, which USB cable did you use with the PUC2? * What USB cable do you normally use with the Berkeley? * Do you use the UpTone Audio Regen, with either converter? * What DAC are you feeding with both converters? * I'm guessing you're using an AES cable with both converters...is that correct? If so, which cable? And lastly, Joel, it's comments like yours that might move me to spend more money, and therefore I think you need to be responsible for that. <smile> Therefore, could you please loan me your PUC2 so I can make my own Yellowtec-to-Berkeley comparisons? Really, I'll send it back to you after two weeks. (Okay, just kidding around, but really...) Dave, who actually does wish he could test the PUC2 before spending about $500 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Music is love, made audible. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Link to comment
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