I spoke too soon. There was data conversion not DSD. Call me annoyed at this point. The only possibility is Roon itself as this problem is right when the updates came through.
Today there are new updats from Roon. This should solve your problems.
Interested in your experience with the Gaia.
Mine still seems to be at China 
Iāve resolved the problem. The Gaia I2S pinout setting had to be ā0ā. Problem gone music restored. I originally entered the mode ā2ā and itās wrong.
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iPad build is 880, but core and PC versions are 882. I noticed that since the latest update both iPad and PC versions freeze a few times a day.
My version of 882 is three days old, so thatās not what solved the problem.
My first impressions of the Gaia, passing DSD256 is positive, right out of the box. Iām getting a more defined bass response with more detail through the frequency range. This improvement in range is likely the benefit of noise reduction in my digital chain. Itās a worthwhile addition. That said, itās a lot of money for a DDC.
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With my Euphony Streamer (Roon core 882) the updated Roon 880 on the iPad was working. Today on Amazon Pad I deinstalled the Roon App and installed it again. Then the Core had to be updated as we ll
(same build).
Now Roon is running with Android Pad.
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Received my Gaia and try to get it to work. I expected some issues or at least I was aware of the risk that it will not be PnP. And yes, it isnĀ“t!
None of the eight possible IĀ²S-configurations plays noiseless, L/R-channel and phase correctly with PCM and DSD. And in none of the configurations the Bit-Perfect-Test file from PS-Audio is played correctly on the DS over IĀ²S. When connected on Coax or AES/EBU to the DS it works like a charm, but not on IĀ²S.
I will ask the Denafrips helpdesk for a solution. Maybe I missed something?!
IĀ“m just glad, my Matrix works so great in every aspect, no issues at all. That is real PnP and sounds amazing. So if āOperation Gaiaā fails, it is not a big loss (except for the deterioration on 2nd hand sale).
FWIW:
- Source is an Aurender N200
- USB cable is JCat Reference or AQ Carbon
- Gaia is brand new, updated to FW 3.12
- HDMI cable is WW Silver Sphere
- DS is an upgraded PWD, running Sunlight
I hope you overcome the difficulties fairly quickly. By comparison to the Matrix IĀ²S how does Gaiaās AES/EBU sound?
Make sure you are doing anything in Roon or upstream that processes the data. Itās the usual issue. Donāt use Roon? Never mind.
Out of the box it sounds quite promising. ThatĀ“s why I keep hold on it.
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Not a Roon user. It must be related to Gaia, because with the Matrix in the same chain everything runs perfectly fine.
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Ho, Ho, Ho! Now itĀ“s Christmas time. My personal present Gaia is up and running!
With some very kind help from the Denafrips support this DDC is now feeding the DS on IĀ²S as it is supposed to be. Be aware, this is all about IĀ²S. When connected via AES/EBU, Coax or Toslink to your DS, everything is fine.
Now I would like to share my findings and experience in this regard, because I believe at least some of the users with Hermes or Gaia and a DS will not use it on its full potential. Please donĀ“t get me wrong. This is no offense nor am I a wise-guy. It is just my very, very friendly advice. As friendly as I can be when not using my native language. 
And please refer to the Denfrips manual and their support section online. Yeah, I know, real men donĀ“t need instructionsā¦
These days I learned a lot about digital audio and IĀ²S. So, in a nutshell, this is my step-by-step advice. For those who already know, just proceed to step 8.
- Connect your source, whatever it may be, directly with a single connection to the DAC and donĀ“t forget to choose the right input. DonĀ“t connect the DDC for now. And forget about everything after the DS, you donĀ“t need to listen now.
- Play the PS Audio Bit-Perfect-Testfile in repeat mode (the file can be found here).
- If the Display shows āBit Perfectā, you are good to go. If not, turn off any up-/downsampling, volume control, DSP or other digital witchcraft in your source. You should only proceed, if this is fine.
- Now loop in your DDC on the same connection and connect it via IĀ²S to your DS. Again, donĀ“t forget to choose the right input, now on the DDC as well as on the DS.
- Play the test file again in repeat mode and toggle between the eight possible IĀ²S-configurations on the DDC (000 to 111) and observe the DS-screen.
You may wait a second on every config to allow the DDC to lock in. If on occasion the āBit Perfectā display on the DS comes up, you made it. You found the right config. Save the config and, you might guess, proceed to step 8. - If you cannot find the Bit Perfect config (which, I guess, is most likely the case when using the DDC out of the box), drop the Denafrips support a short mail telling them what DAC you want to connect on IĀ²S. They will provide you with an FPGA-Update (it is not the 3.12 firmware update on their public website, this only refers to the USB-Controller!).
- After flashing the FPGA return to step 5. On one of the configurations you will see the āBit Perfectā on the DS screen and thatĀ“s it. Save this config and restart the DDC. Play some test files (like in post #29) to check L/R channel and phase on PCM and DSD and just some tracks with different sample rates in PCM and DSD to recheck the settings.
- Get yourself a cup of coffee, sit down, relax and listen (by the way, itĀ“s the second best thing you can do these daysā¦)
I will not judge Gaia against the Matrix/Farad-combo before extensive burn-in is finished. But from the pure functional point of view Gaia is working flawless. Sample rate changes take effect without any delay and operation is absolutely stable so far. Really a nice device with perfect build quality.
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Happy for you! Enjoy and tell us how it sounds when it has stabilised after burn-in 
Great set of instructions. The Gaia is on my short list of possibly unneeded but wanted midstream devices. 
Thatās a lot of instructions for the Gaia. It is in fact a pretty straightforward device. You can start with 000 as that was the setting that worked for me and other users. The firmware update would have bypassed the manual configuration of the pinout and just written it to the device. Iām loving mine and the lovely sound. Between the new analog board and the Gaia, Xmas listening will be ever the more enjoyable.
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The FPGA-Update does not write any configuration to the device. It just alters their effects. You have to find the right one anyway, even after the update. But as I said, when you find the best fit, all is fine!
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My Gaia is a few weeks old and I assume it has the most recent firmware. You didnāt mention which setting worked for your setup?
For my setup mode 3 (110) is the only one that works. But with another FPGA-Firmware on the DDC or another DAC it may be different.
PS Audio must have changed the I2s pin assignments on different PC board revisions as we have too many different configs here. 0, 2 & 3 so far in this and other threads.