Hiface 24/192k USB to spdif converter

Fair 'nuff on the red book CD rips.
Interestingly, all of the Squeezebox family convert 16 bit to 24 bit for the digital volume control to work.
And it is implemented upstream of the digital outputs too.
So 16/44.1 wavs/flacs are always played back as 24/44.1 .

Even more interestingly is that when you compare a true 24/44.1 (HDCD content ripped with dbPoweramp) file against a 16/44.1 converted to 24/44.1, the superiority of the true 24/44.1 file is all too readily apparent. Just so long as you don't allow yourself to be fooled into thinking that the louder ('cos it is by 6dB) 16/44.1 files has more detail initially.

Chris:)

Too true. No matter what you rip in i.e. 16 or 24 bit you cannot better the cd original you start with! Buying music originally recorded in Hi Res format should be quite different though.

Think that I will stick with the SB3 until recording material catches up with things.

Regards

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Originally Posted by Stratmangler

Hi Ali

Chris' post about it is here.

Chris:)

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Cheers Chris.

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Originally Posted by chrism

Buying music originally recorded in Hi Res format should be quite different though.

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I'm quite taken with the ripped DVD-A stuff that I have - 24/96 stereo or 24/192 stereo stuff that I know the SB3 cannot handle natively. In fact there are no Squeezebox products that can handle the 24/192 stuff natively. Correct playback depends on server side downsampling, which you're probably aware of.

If you have any DVD-A stuff that you want to rip google DVDA Explorer - the program only seems to work on MLP (Meridian Lossless Packaging) files.

I've also ripped all of my music video DVD's - all of them have a sample rate of 48 kHz, but curiously only one of them has 24 bit word depth (Jethro Tull Live in Montreux 2003 as it happens).

Chris:)

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Originally Posted by Ali Tait

Cheers Chris.

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No probs.

Chris:)

All my listening was done with CDs and CDs ripped to WAV with EAC :)

Just boxed up my modded HiFace for an audio meet - Top 8 pin connector is for I2S out & connectors on the side are for two 3.3V power supplies, one feeds the clocks & one feeds the Xilinx chip. My review of the sound is below.

At the meeting it was run through BNC into an Pass D1 DAC, Airtight amplifier , QUad ESL 989 speakers. Comments were f***ing Hell! Another person said they hadn't heard as good a sound from PC. It beat the Lector CDP (with tube output stage) as this had some edginess ( tubes had recently been changed on this!) in comparison to the liquid HiFace sound.The owner was experiencing this edginess for a while now so maybe an unfair comparison.

I'm offering a mod service 50 euro to change the PS to external connectors as in the pic. PM me if interested!

http://imgur.com/f1aKY.jpg

Here's my write-up of the sound after I did the PS mods:

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The HiFace has better clarity all through the frequency range
- bass is amazingly textured & powerful
- treble has an airiness to it
- finer details are revealed
- soundstage is deep & wide with venues & recording ambience being revealed clearly
- as I said already, just like really good analogue, not a bit of digititis in it. Last night I listened for about 4 hours through headphones without a hint of harshness or headache
- This unit really is a killer when modded - I would love to hear others try it & report their impressions! It would be interesting to hear how it compares against some of the big ticket Transports/DACs (Ayre, Wavelength,dCs, etc) - I don't own or have access to these units

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Excuse my ignorance but where do you take the power from on the modded unit, do you need a separate ps.

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Originally Posted by roob

Excuse my ignorance but where do you take the power from on the modded unit, do you need a separate ps.

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That's the whole point of the modification - to supply an external clean power supply to the critical parts of the circuit. The white connector at the side is where the power for the clocks & the Xilinx chip are fed - these can be separate individual 3.3V supplies or both fed from one supply!

Here's a photo with battery attached.
http://imgur.com/Xah1I.jpg

And here's the ESS DAC attached via I2S - I know it's uncased but it's driving HD650s beautifully! It shouldn't but it is? The red & black wire are for 3.3V supply (the same battery as above), the two core shielded black cable feeds the headphones directly, no amplifier, no caps, nada :)
http://imgur.com/aC6T0.jpg

Can anyone tell me if theres any benefit of a modded one of these over USB connection to a beresford caiman? On just standard 16/48, or is there no benefit unless you go for hires material