DA Converter and 176.4kHz/24bit playback

Suteetat -- Tue, 12/30/2008 - 17:47

Just read about RR HRx in Jan issue. I am very curious about the neccessary set up. I have an Esoteric DA-05
which is capable of receiving linear PCM 32kHz-192kHz/16-24bit . However, my impression is that I need dual AES/EBU connection or i.link (IEEE) for DSD or anything above 96kHz/24 bit. The manual is not very clear on this. I believe this is also the case with Chord and dCS unit. I don't know if the need for dual AES/EBU is a limitation of transport unit or not. In the review of Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC, I assume that it was a sngle AES/EBU connection from sound card to DAC that was used for the setup of playing HRx file. Any idea if this set up might also work with Esoteric DA-05?
Thanks for any information on this.

Robert Harley -- Wed, 12/31/2008 - 16:08

The high-res output from the Lynx soundcard is on a single AES/EBU cable feeding the Berkeley Alpha DAC.

I know that the Esoteric units require dual AES/EBU cables for DSD, but I'm not sure for 176.4kHz/24-bit PCM. It's not clear from the literature (www.teac.com/esoteric/documents/P05and-D05_002.pdf) whether it will accept high-res PCM on a single AES/EBU cable.

Suteetat -- Wed, 12/31/2008 - 20:15

I emailed esoteric regarding 176.4kHz/24 bit PCM connection and hopefully they can give the answer.
Currently I use a Cullen modified Sonos ZP-80/NAS music server which send 96kHz/24 bit PCM via coaxial
to DA-05 which works very well. At the very least, music from HDtracks which are 96/24 should work.
Thanks for the article regarding the computer setup. At least now there is a relatively more affordable way
of adding hard drive base high resolution digital playback via music server. Now if DA-05 can accept 176/24 via
single AES/EBU that would be even better.

Suteetat -- Thu, 01/01/2009 - 17:20

Robert, I just noticed that Lynx AES16 has a "wide wire' mode which basically outputs separate L and R channel on 2 AES/EBU. Do you have any idea if this is the same as dual AES/EBU connection that Esoteric P03/D03 or P05/D05 use?

Robert Harley -- Thu, 01/01/2009 - 17:30

I don't know if this is the same format that Esoteric uses. I'll ask an Esoteric representative to comment here on the TAS forum.

marinus.margare... -- Mon, 01/05/2009 - 12:35

Dear Robert,

I also have D03 ans D05 Esoteric Dac's please give me a replay if Esoteric gives you information on this subject.

Thanks,

Marinus Schimmel The Netherlands

Suteetat -- Tue, 01/06/2009 - 05:41

I just got this back from Esoteric..
<<

Dear Suteetat,

The D-05 can accept either a single of dual AES/EBU input. It can also accept a
digital S/PDIF input via either a coaxial digital connection (RCA connector) or the
Tos-Link optical connection. The preferred manner would be Dual AES/EBU because of the
upsampling capabilities. The next best is Single AES/EBU.

Regards,

Tim
ESOTERIC Support

>>> Suteetat Sukumalchantra <> 12/31/2008 5:24 PM >>>

Hi,

I have a quick question regarding Esoteric DA-05 digital input.
I plan to use computer based music server for playback some 176.4kHz/24 bit linear PCM files.
However, I am not clear if the Esoteric DA-05 require dual AES/EBU connection
for such file or if it can accept 176.4/24 file via single AES/EBU connection.

Thanks for your assistance.
>>

Hmmm.... not sure what to make of this. Either he just listed all the available options for digital connection or does he means that even single Toslink and coaxial can accept 176/24?
I hope Esoteric representative can comment in this forum a bit more clearly regarding this.

Tim at Esoteric support (not verified) -- Wed, 01/07/2009 - 18:00

The original question was about using either single or dual AES/EBU with a computer source. The D-05 and D-03 have other digital inputs that operate at various bit lengths and sampling rates. These include S/PDIF and and i-Link.
To upsample to 176.4kHz, you must use "dual" when using AES/EBU format. If you use single AES/EBU connection, the maximum bit rate is 88.2 kHz. Our DACs will do single or dual with those limitations.

Tim at Esoteric support (not verified) -- Wed, 01/07/2009 - 18:00

Suteetat -- Wed, 01/07/2009 - 20:17

Tim,
Thanks for clarification. Another quick question, Lynx studio AES16 card has this wide wire mode where 176.4kHz file
can be sent on dual AES/EBU connection with separate left and right channel. Is this the same dual AES/EBU format that Esoteric uses or is it some kind of proprietary protocol that Esoteric uses.

Suteetat -- Tue, 01/20/2009 - 04:07

A little update, I got the Lynx Studio AES16-SRC version today. As far as I understand, SRC version can also upsample 16/44 file to 24/176 while AES16 and AES16-XLR can only output native file. The good news is that AES16 wide wire mode is compatible with Esoteric D-05 dual XLR input mode for 176kHz file. I can also have D-05 outputs clock to AES16 via BNC cable at 176 kHz as well. I have ordered a few RR 24/176 discs but they are not here yet. So far 16/44 flac and Linn's 24/88 flac works great.

Robert Harley -- Tue, 01/20/2009 - 16:53

Let us know your reaction to the HRx discs.

Suteetat -- Wed, 01/21/2009 - 07:22

Robert, I will let you know once I get HRx discs. It has been 2 weeks since I ordered them but so far nothing yet. The distributer for RR here does not stock HRx unfortunately. However, today I downloaded Mahler Symphony No. 6 from Linn website which also offer studio master 24/192 flac version. While I am not familiar with this particular orchestra or the hall so I cannot comment much on the absolute tone, the amount of detail was quite amazing and the amount of soundstage depth is nothing like I ever heard before on recording. The sense of being in a live acoustic concert hall is also quite remarkable. I am looking forward to hear HRx very much.

Robert Harley -- Wed, 01/21/2009 - 16:28

High-res is really a different experience. The HRx files are spectacular.

Suteetat -- Mon, 01/26/2009 - 10:27

HRx just arrived today. Unfortunately I am leaving in a day on vacation so I don't have much time to do any serious listening right now.
However, my first impression is very positive. The only disc I have listened to so far is the Exotic Dance from the Opera disc.
The amount of detail is incredible. The string is much crisper, smoother and there is much more air around the instrument in
comparison to regular CDs. The Bacchanale from Samson et Dalila
was a good example. I have several other recordings which sonically, I think is quite good especially the more recent Erato and EMI set but
in comparison to HRx, they all sound rather flattened and rough.
I am sold on these 24/176. I don't own turntable since I have been collecting CDs since my last couple of years in highschool and I don't really
want to starting building my collection again and with these music servers, I am too much of a couch potato now to try to deal with any kind of discs, silver or vinyl :)
However, a well recorded CDs such as Bernstein's Mahler Symphony No. 2 or Kissin's Chopin 4 Ballades are still tonally just as pleasing despite lesser resolution, air or detail, I think.
My only complain of HRx is that there is not enough music yet on 24/176 that I really like to listen to. I consider myself a music lover first, audiophile second!
So hopefully there will be more to come soon.

naijeru -- Mon, 01/26/2009 - 19:59

Will there ever be a respectable amount of music available in high-res formats? Also, is there a benefit to be gained from remastering existing recordings?

Suteetat -- Tue, 01/27/2009 - 02:41

I would think that 24/176 would be a great way for remastering/re-release of some classic analog recording or DSD master (I don't have SACD player).
I certainly would not mind buying a remaster 24/176 even if I already have the CD, as long as the original is not 16/44 PCM master. This would be an easy way for recording company to generate more income from something that they already have in ther archive, I would thihk.

Dave P (not verified) -- Mon, 01/11/2010 - 22:31

I love my iTunes and squeezeboxes which are connected to my stereos, but haven't figured out how to get high resolution files 24/96+ from my Mac server in one room to my DACs in my listening rooms. It's physically difficult to route USB (which has limited fidelity), coax or optical or other traditional audio cables. Is there another digital network distribution solution for high resolution music? I have Ethernet or would prefer wireless.