Rockna Wavedream DAC: Awesomesauce

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by purr1n, Nov 7, 2019.

  1. Xecuter

    Xecuter Brush and floss your amp twice a day

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    100% - I almost always prefer the sound of 'local'

    I've been tinkering with the rockna and the mutec mc3+ with the reference 10 SE 120 from a usb output of pc to mc3+, reclock to external 120 clock, AES output to dac Verses PC - USB dac on local.
    I honestly can't hear a difference so far.


    [​IMG]
     
  2. Garns

    Garns Friend

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    Interesting, with the pi2aes via i2s local sounds clearly and significantly worse, smoothed over and no microdynamic texture. On the other hand either local or stream from the pi2aes sound significantly better than usb, much more focussed.

    @Clemmaster the description of the two modes is as follows:

    "stream mode will track the input frequency constantly while local mode will adjust the lock only from time to time, using a few stages of memory buffers."

    Also, I'm interested in exactly what difference others hear. My thoughts (copied from earlier the thread) were:

     
    Last edited: Oct 21, 2022
  3. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    I had been using Streaming pretty much ever since I got the DAC. I was using exclusively the USB input, so I don’t think the setting matters, since the USB clocks are in the DAC either way (based on my wrong assumption that “Local” meant reclocking with the WD’s internal clock and “Strean” meant no reclocking).

    Now that I started using I2S with the NEO Stream and Coax with à CD transport, i clearly found “Local” to be the preferred setting.

    My Pi2AES is acting up and up until very recently, I never managed to get its I2S output to work. For the short while it worked, I found it very good sounding on Local.
    I guess I can try the Stream setting again with the NEO Stream and see if I notice the same improvement.
     
  4. Michael Kelly

    Michael Kelly MOT: Pi 2 Design

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    Reach out to us via [email protected] and we will repair or replace your unit. There’s no reason for you to suffer bad sound!
     
  5. Michael Kelly

    Michael Kelly MOT: Pi 2 Design

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    Can you contact me at [email protected] and I can walk you through to see if perhaps the pin out is not proper. Polarity swapping can cause strange artifacts including lower volume and phase mismatch.
     
  6. Bourne Perfect

    Bourne Perfect Friend

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    Using what is certainly my worst 'source' I can come up with i.e. Xbox Series X>>hdmi-toslink splitter>>toslink to AES converter>>WD (eek! kek!), I hear zero difference whatsoever. Maybe from the ghetto daisy chain. Haven't hooked up my Bryston cd w/ AESyet, will probably do that next weekk. Debating on a Denafrips Hermes or Gaia in the meantime as a digital hub of sorts, and for the i2s out...
     
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2022
  7. Garns

    Garns Friend

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    Okay, so since I seem to have the minority view, I redid the stream vs local again. The system is a bit different from last time I did this: superior software on the Pi2aes (Symphonic mpd), and more resolving interstage caps and pot in the aficionado.

    This time, I can clearly hear that local has greater transient resolution, less phasiness, and a more coherent FR - the low and high freqs sound a bit disjointed on stream by contrast. Stream I think still has this slight extra microdynamic texture but the loss of precision and coherence is palpable. So I'm gonna make like a UK government and switch my allegiance 180 degrees to team local.
     
  8. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    Exit stage left....
    You have 6 weeks to change your mind.
     
  9. AdvanTech

    AdvanTech Friend

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    Update: The balanced Slagleformer AVC is in, and it does make a bit of difference-like a light veil has been lifted. I like it a bit more in the chain compared to the heavy digital attenuation I was doing. Though, I have to admit, that the improvement-per-dollar ratio on this piece is low.

    The biggest surprise was finding that I'd much prefer digital attenuation to having the Goldpoint back in the chain. I know it's just some resistors, but everything just sounds more 'right' with just the Wavedream or Wavedream + ic0n 4PRO.

    [​IMG]
     
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  10. GoodEnoughGear

    GoodEnoughGear Evil Dr. Shultz‎

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    I wonder if capacitance plays a part? How long is the cable run?
     
  11. AdvanTech

    AdvanTech Friend

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    6.5ft in, 6.5ft out.
     
  12. RCMattyW

    RCMattyW New

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    Which options did you go with on your icOn 4PRO. I had mine wired in silver and was impressed with it though got quite a noticeable improvement changing the standard RCA connectors for WBT-0210 Cu low mass RCA connectors. The same improvement changing the RCA sockets on my power amp though not so keen on modding the DAC. Too difficult to be worth the effort. The WBT's just seem to let more of the signal through lifting sonics to another level.

    I wish I were running a genuine Rockna Wavedream but the D1000 will have to do for now. If a Wavedream comes up used for the right price however I gope to rectify the situation ;)
     
  13. iFi audio

    iFi audio MOT iFi Audio

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    Ulala, icOn, Pass etc. You're a man of culture ;)
     
  14. dirtyunderwear

    dirtyunderwear New

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    Hi all,

    Looking to get some help troubleshooting my recently acquired Wavedream Edition XLR. I'm trying to see if I may have gotten a dud. The sources I've been using to test with are Pi2AES and an old Auralic Aries (as a sanity check) across various input types.

    My first problem is that using LOCAL clock has been extremely finicky, to the point where 90% of the time I get no audio. Sometimes if I change to a different input and change back I may be able to get a lock and have sound come through but most of the time its a crap shoot. This happens across all the inputs I've tried: AES, I2S, USB, COAX. Sometimes if I can get music to play it may stop after a couple songs or if I hit pause and wait a bit. I expect the Pi2AES and Aries to be pretty decent sources and still be able to produce sound under LOCAL. When I switch to STREAM sound instantly appears. Anyone experience no sound with LOCAL?

    My second "problem" is that when I switch between the filters I hear zero difference. Flipping from linear to NOS I expect at the very least something subtle since NOS/no filter should be quite different, but it sounds exactly the same to me. Maybe my ears are absolute crap :) On 96/24 material I do hear static when I switch to NOS, which doesn't happen with 44/16 material.

    I also had a few instances where the DAC stops playing music, as if it locked up, but the interface is still operational. One time was when I was flipping back and forth between filters. A reboot of the DAC brings the music back. Anyone run into this before?

    When powering on the DAC it displays the modules that are installed. I think it shows either RD1-0 or RD1-1. On mine it shoes RD1-<funny character>.

    Appreciate any insight you folks may have!
     

    Attached Files:

  15. Collusion

    Collusion Friend

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    There's certainly something wrong with your unit.

    If I were you, I'd try to update the firmware first and see whether it helps. If the problem persists after that, you should contact Rockna's support.
     
  16. dirtyunderwear

    dirtyunderwear New

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    Yeah, currently working on getting/finding the latest firmware (or even an older version for that matter).

    I reached out to the dealer for some help as well, but playing the initial "not a problem with the dac, it's a problem with your streamer" game, hence wanting to check with others here if they experience the same no sound issue using the LOCAL clock with their Pi2AES.
     
  17. foo_me

    foo_me Friend

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    USB should at least work without any issues. It should be plug and play whether or not you even install their usb drivers.
     
  18. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    I second @foo_me, you should try USB in Stream mode, see if that works fine. Then switch to Local, which should also work since the USB clocks are inside the DAC :)
     
  19. dirtyunderwear

    dirtyunderwear New

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    Did some more testing:

    PC using USB - when switching from STREAM to LOCAL while staying on the same input, I can reliably get audio even if I pause the music for at least a few minutes. I lose audio when I switch to a different input and then back to the one I was using. I will also lose audio if I play something with a different sample rate. The sample rate on the screen correctly changes, even if there is no audio. Rebooting the dac while the clock is set to LOCAL I won't get sound.

    Aries using COAX, XLR, USB - same results as PC

    Pi2AES using I2S - when set to LOCAL I can get audio if I switch to a different input, wait 3 seconds, switch back and hit play within 1 second. If longer than 2 seconds no audio.

    Pi2AES using XLR or COAX - when switching from STREAM to LOCAL while staying on the same input, if I hit play within 5 seconds I get audio. Waiting any longer I don't get audio. I noticed that this basically coincides with when the screen on the dac shows IDLE. Flipping to a different input and back again (like with I2S) doesn't help to bring audio back.

    The static still persists when using NOS/no filter when playing 96/24 material on my PC over USB. Pausing the music the static sticks around. I get no static with 352/24 material though, go figure.

    My dealer also forwarded the info to Nic for his input. We'll see if all my sources are just no good with LOCAL and the dac is perfectly fine.
     
  20. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

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    Given all you've tried, unless it's something else entirely (maybe electrical issue?), your DAC seems broken to me...
     

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