Hey all!
I just resent the beta firmware emails to all the beta testers. Let me know if you still have not received it. Outlook was being…well outlook…
2 Likes
No rush watching Survivor anyway! Thank you
1 Like
We like our mountains in Colorado!
2 Likes
I sure hope that there will still be code developement to bring back the balance control via remote that will benefit users that run the DAC directly into the amp. I would like to see updates directly from the internet like the PST. The ability to turn off unused inputs would also be great. There still may be issues related to the usb input as I am still fighting an occasional dropout using JRiver media center 29. I never had this issue with the mk 1. Another issue is if you use the remote to dim the display you cannot wake it by pressing the power button.
2 Likes
vmax and I have done a few tweaks already with superior results. The new 179 FW sounds different from 178 for sure, and it is still changing SQ as we speak. I will wait until tomorrow to give it more time to settle.
Edit: But after a few hours I have to say the previous shortcomings (for me) were completely removed. So far I like it!
3 Likes
Debugging code isn’t benign - I almost forgot to turn it off for the release. That would have left header pins on the board being little antennae.
6 Likes
Loaded Antero and it fixed the issue I was having feeding hi res (>96/24) and DSD files from my Aurender N100H. The DSD files play with no issues noted so far. The MKII correctly displays PCM and DSD resolution.
Thanks, PSAudio ! 
4 Likes
That’s really good news!
@aaronm @barrys - How do you want to handle feature requests? There’s several already in this thread, but it’s getting a bit long and probably a bit challenging to tease out what’s been brought up.
Here’s a few:
- Larger volume and format “font”.
- Turn-off unused inputs.
- Balance control from the remote for DAC to Amp users.
- Firmware updates over network (WiFi or Ethernet).
- Freeform input naming.
I’m sure there’s been a few others.
Thanks!
Vince
3 Likes
Since we’re in this final inning of testing, wanted to re-mention one other possible bug so it’s not lost. Now on 2.3.3 and 179 Antero, and still I have this issue:
Regarding the green/red dots and sampling rate display:
Oppo 205>i2s input on MK2 via an HDMI to i2s converter: get red dot, input and sampling rate not displayed on MK2, but music plays fine. I have green dot and sampling rate displayed through all other ouputs from the Oppo.
Not sure if this is really a bug since I realize the i2s converter is probably unusual, but this same connection did give green dot/sampling rate on the MK1. I can live with this one, but would be nice to get that green dot/sampling rate!
It’s a known bug, it’s fix, optionally powering off some inputs and enabling a few new features of the FPGA for the Mk II will be in a future release. (It won’t be a week, but it won’t be a year 
)
7 Likes
Just loaded 2.3.3 and 179 Antero, same sampling rate USB issue… can’t get DSD MK2 to auto detect sampling rate, stuck at the rate of the first track after reboot.
@tedsmith - I thought at one point you mentioned that if we select an input with the remote that with the selection, for example USB, that the other inputs would be “turned off”.
Am I misremembering what you wrote?
If this is true, it seems to me that the shorting plugs in this particular scenario wouldn’t be necessary.
As a warning, I do have an active imagination that often needs course correction. If needed I can ask my wife to be a character witness.
1 Like
FPGA update to 179 Antero worked without issue. I retested several inputs and had no issues. I also can confirm no sample rate or green light when using a DDC to convert USB to I2S, the files all play fine (really better then fine, they play wonderfully).
I don’t know if it was the reboot but when switching recordings whether the same format or to a different format, the MKII seems to play the first song much faster. I feel like there was a few noticeable milliseconds of delay before I loaded 179, now with 179 it seems instantaneous.
Listening to Omar Sosa and Paolo Fresu’s song “Alma” one more time before bed. There’s a certain optimism in this song that I personally find very peaceful.
4 Likes
WRT USB and JR, I did something similar to the Audio settings that you mentioned in a previous post. My settings in JR30 were a bit different than yours. That said, I ran for about two hours the other night with no dropouts. Of course, that came after a new OS reboot on my laptop and a few other changes. Sometimes it is challenging to isolate cause and effect in computer audio…
1 Like
Interesting.
I am getting a green light and sample rate when connecting to I2S #1 via the Matrix.
Aureder N100H > usb output .> Matrix > MKII DAC via I2S #1 input.
My dropout came back. It played for many hours both days and than last evening I noticed it was happening. I am going to reload Media Center and see if that helps.
1 Like
I did say that that was one possible interface (and that another is to explicitly select which inputs to turn off), but for those that like auto input selection that “auto input shutdown” wouldn’t fly. It seemed to me that people would have inputs that they used regularly and inputs that they didn’t. That doesn’t mean that having one of the input shutdown modes be to automatically shutdown the non-selected inputs is a bad idea.
4 Likes
So noted and thanks Ted!
My 2.3.3firmware and 179 Antero went off without a hitch. I can say emphatically that 179 does sound better than previous leaks loads.
My gripes about lost vocal emotions is totally gone with 179 and using the USB and HDMI input shorting plugs and audiophile fuse. I will likely wait to drop in the Lundahl output transformers. At this point MKII has left the Modded DS MKII significantly in the dust and has brought everything closer to live and my DS ready to be boxed up for trade in.
How is everyone getting their return labels. By requesting, in email at purchase , or were they in their DS mkII box? I haven’t found where I received anything poking around emails.
My only remaining gripe is lack of seamless playback of gapless recordings. The long pauses and sometimes truncation provides an interrupted listening experience. If Ted can change his muting algorithm for pops between dissimilar tracks that currently treats all songs like there’s encoding format changes when, it is not always necessary. Like playing playing entire albums, especially live ones or where recording formats have not changed in playlists.