Since no Airlens is available yet, I’m looking at a 40-50 foot USB cable to go from my computer room’s Mac pro running Jriver MediaCenter 27 to the MkII. Ted mentioned the Corning Optical cable as a good choice, but they don’t seem to make a Type A to a type B.
I found an optical type A to B - does this look like a good choice?
The company seems open to custom configs so I’m wondering if it would make sense to ask if they could make a model that doesn’t carry power (other than to power their optical to USB chip)?
Ehm, real experts welcome to comment of course, but I was once limited to a 5m USB cable for DSD. Maybe normal resolution PCM would make it through that far. But I’d recommend a network device of some kind in between like iFi Zen Stream or Holo Audio Red. Also, needs to end in a old-fashioned USB2 tip at the end too for the DAC… not with the extra USB3 bump on top.
PS: Of course, Sonore, Innuos, Lumin, etc, etc products should also be in the consideration set.
@sixpack1@mycrowave Darn, why did you have to mention USB drops today! Now I have them. But I think it is network related. I loaded a new OS on the NAS yesterday and Plex churned through the music SSD a lot once reloaded. That should be over at this point though.
Other factor could be that I am testing sending DSD256 from HQPlayer through a Raspberry Pi4 via ethernet. Not sure at what point I opt to try an iFi Zen Stream or HoloAudio Red. I sold the Silent Angel M1T in final anticipation of the AirLens, knowing that I could use USB in the interim. Oh well.
Anyone having USB drops with iFi Zen Stream or HoloAudio Red?
Dang. Good catch. I was hoping that firmware version that changed your MK2 into a Stellar Strata wouldn’t get out in the wild but now…… Thanks. And we’ll get it fixed.
I now have at least 200 hours on my MII. I am using a usb connection from my Wolf Audio server running J River to the MKII . I don’t want to jinx myself saying I haven’t had any drops. For those who do ,I hope they are fixed quickly.
The MKII might just be the best piece of gear in my system. Every listening session is a learning experience. Songs I know very well are revealing details I didn’t know were there especially on Red Book CD’s. There is a positive weight added to the presentation that gets one closer to being there. I can’t get over the size of the soundstage and how holographic some songs can be on a 2 channel system.
I am begining to think a Windows update caused changes in power management and backgroud applications. I went through all the optimizations I could find on the internet and shut everthing down that I could. This would explain why I did not have the issues with the mk 1. Now will be the test of time to see if the dropouts are gone. I pray this is the solution. I will report after a number of days running if this cured the problem.
About 30 hours burning. Wow. Guitars especially sound wonderful with this DAC. Voices seem
Crisper. Bass nice and tight but not overwhelming. So far so good.
I know USB to Ethernet and visa versa exist, but not sure what the sonic inpact might be. At least I know Ted recommended (in 2018) the Corning optical, which I could pick up for $150 plus cost of a decent USB A-B cable. Once Ps audio releases a streamer or server I can can revisit options.
Damn update causes so many problems. I usually disable it but if you forget to check it automatically turns back on. I just hope this actually is the cause.
An update the other day upon rebooting deleted Teams and my VPN software. It also “unregistered” Visio. Why? To get the VPN to work I had to do surgery on the registry. I suppose Microsoft determined I had nothing better to do.
I agree with everything you have said about the sound of the mk 2. No question that it is revealing so much previously hear information and dodo from ASR is laughing at the advertising by PS Audio saying bits are bits! Just more fake news being spread on the internet!
That is the first step for them. Using them to make false assumptions and bad mouthing others is the last step. Measurements are the first step but how you apply them is the real science. They can keep buying the Toppings which are good deals but not in the same universe as the DSD. Their loss.
I have stopped visiting that site and refuse to add my +1 to his video view counts.
