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Lynx PCIe AES interfaces: AES16 and E22

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by purr1n, Sep 8, 2016.

Page 6 of 27
  1. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    Nothing compares

    They should sound the same. It's the same chip. The devices just have different features. I traded my E22 for the AES16e so I can run multiple channels for active crossover. Marv and I have been going back and forth and I'll be working on something in a few months that should be interesting.
     
    zerodeefex, Sep 9, 2016
    #101
  2. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    What PSU are you using?
     
    Clemmaster, Sep 9, 2016
    #102
  3. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    Luckbad, Sep 9, 2016
    #103
  4. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    I meant for the Akitio expansion chassis :)
     
    Clemmaster, Sep 9, 2016
    #104
  5. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    [​IMG]
     
    Clemmaster, Sep 9, 2016
    #105
  6. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    ok after help from @bazelio and @RKML0007 -- thank you! -- got the Lynx E22 up and running!

    so far, this is all i have to say....

    meborat.jpg
     
    Last edited: Sep 10, 2016
    brencho, Sep 9, 2016
    #106
  7. bazelio

    bazelio Friend

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    @brencho babes. Speechless.

    @Clemmaster I'm using the thing that came with it. I ordered parts for the AMB Sigma-11 but apparently I chose economy shipping and they're walking them to me. So it'll be a little longer.
     
    bazelio, Sep 10, 2016
    #107
  8. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    OK, here's the real deal with the impressions which I am going to keep very short. I've added my #2 CDP as a transport to the comparison.

    May also want to refer to here for more background information: http://www.superbestaudiofriends.or...3-usb-impressions-vs-cdp-vs-built-in-usb.2735. The modded Marantz CDP compared to my primary transport, the Theta Data III, is a little bit less precise, not quite as fast, a little bit less refined, but also bit airier (albeit more diffuse sounding). I don't feel like hauling the 50+ lbs Theta to where my computer is or vice versa, so the Marantz will have to do.

    In order of sound quality:

    1) Marantz CDP (modded) -coax SPDIF-> Gungnir Multibit DAC
    2) Lynx AES16 card -AES-BNC-> Gungnir Multibit DAC

    big gap

    3) PC -USB-> Gungnir Multibit DAC (Gen 2 USB)

    The CD player still beats the Lynx, but not by much. The Lynx has qualities very similar to the Theta Data III CD transport, having a refined engaging sound. The Marantz has a more open and airier sound.

    USB from the computer into the Gungnir sounds fuzzy, unfocused, boring, and worst of all has a temporal grain, as if sounds in time are chopped up and pieced back together. The Lynx is the complete opposite, presenting an extremely fluid cohesive quality to reproduced sounds, even slightly more so than the Marantz. The Marantz seems to be beat the Lynx by the tiniest of margins in the micro stuff. Ultimately, the Marantz is tiny bit more engaging to my ears, but its so close that personal preferences will likely be the determiner.

    For the record, the best USB to SPDIF converters I've heard are the Berkeley Alpha and Off Ramp 5. I don't think either of these USB converters compare to the Lynx or CDP (modded). I did sell my OR5 after all in preference of the CD transports. Finally, not all transports are built the same. Voldemike and I compared this transport to a stock Marantz (model higher up) compared to several others from Oppo, Tascam, Cambridge, etc. Not all CD transports sound the same. Most of the modern transports suck. So please don't go out and get a CD player thinking it's going to sound better than the Lynx.

    DSC_2931.JPG
     
    Last edited: Sep 10, 2016
    purr1n, Sep 10, 2016
    #108
  9. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    I slightly prefer the theta via AES to the vi dac. It's close enough though that I don't bother with CDs
     
    zerodeefex, Sep 10, 2016
    #109
  10. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    @Marvey

    Do you think I could get away with a Gungnir Multibit and two modi multibits out of an AES16e for the project we talked about? Just curious. Trying to avoid running three Gumbys.
     
    zerodeefex, Sep 10, 2016
    #110
  11. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    I didn't say so, but that was what I was trying to imply.

    Yes. Allocate the best DAC to the most critical region.
     
    purr1n, Sep 10, 2016
    #111
  12. Luckbad

    Luckbad Traded in a unicorn for a Corolla

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    We need more posts in this thread so it can go to page two and I can stop seeing that pic.

    I emailed Lynx for their thoughts about listening sound quality of the E22 and AES16e (i.e. If they think one is better than the other).
     
    Luckbad, Sep 10, 2016
    #112
  13. Madaboutaudio

    Madaboutaudio Friend

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    In my experience, it's more noticeable if it's direct USB connection, with wyrd in chain this effect is reduced but still noticeable if you pay more careful attention.


    Other Examples:
    Audio-gd Master 7's old Via32 USB has a very noticable temporal gain/warbling effect of sorts(in grand scheme of things, it's pretty horrible by today's standards)

    Sony NW-ZX2 DAP has a very continuous flowing musicality that cannot be found on all direct connection USB DACs that I have listen to. Maybe it has something to do with very low jitter/good clocking design?
     
    Last edited: Sep 10, 2016
    Madaboutaudio, Sep 10, 2016
    #113
  14. brencho

    brencho Friend

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    i feel such body shame LOL ok look made it thumbnail sized just for you lover boy
     
    brencho, Sep 10, 2016
    #114
  15. Madaboutaudio

    Madaboutaudio Friend

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    Here's a baby lynx to counter brencho's horribad picture:

    [​IMG]
     
    Madaboutaudio, Sep 10, 2016
    #115
  16. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    That's what I thought. This will probably fail a few times before I get it right but it should be fun.
     
    zerodeefex, Sep 10, 2016
    #116
  17. songmic

    songmic Gear cycler East Asia edition

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    It looks like your Marantz CD5004 is not really a vintage CDP (by our standards, at least), although it does appear to have been replaced with this.
    http://www.us.marantz.com/us/Produc...Id=HiFiComponents&SubCatId=0&ProductId=CD6006

    For less than $500 for the stock unit, it seems like a steal. I don't know exactly what mods were applied to your Marantz CDP, but if the mods weren't difficult or expensive, than going this route might pose an even higher value than going Lynx. Exactly how or where was the CDP modded, and how much did it cost? And did it make a significant improvement compared to the stock unit?

    I could forgo the modding part if the improvement isn't really that big, and even the stock Marantz CDP can go toe-to-toe with the Lynx.
     
    songmic, Sep 10, 2016
    #117
  18. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    Going for that active crossover multibit goodness? Gungnir Multibit for the trweeters...
     
    cskippy, Sep 10, 2016
    #118
  19. JK47

    JK47 Guest

    Are you guys doing something like TubemanRQ on HF did with 5 Gungnirs ? Then he threw in an Yggdrasil just for the tweeters. I haven't followed the thread or his progress for a long time, but the dude is nuts.

    post #2720 http://www.head-fi.org/t/603219/schiit-gungnir-dac/2715#post_11989727
     
    JK47, Sep 10, 2016
    #119
  20. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    I'm pretty sure that sounds like shit. I am considering an active crossover setup in the future. I am happy with the Phils for now.
     
    zerodeefex, Sep 10, 2016
    #120
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