The D10 has USB in to Coax and Toslink out. Read it VERY carefully. The D10 is the closest thing to the Schiit Eytr or something. You can ignore the analog out on it and just feed the BF2 from one of the digital outs. With all the DACs you have, maybe a spliter of the coax out?
There is only one input and that’s a USB. The other connections you can see on the back are optical and coaxial. Beware that those are actually digital outputs.
For $100 it gets the job done about as well as you could ask for. If you want a high quality solution then you chase that endlessly. I will say the quality loss using the d10 -> digital out won’t be noticeable. However given the choice, use Coax and not Toslink. Less jitter on toslink. On the BF2, USB has the best sound but the other interfaces are still VERY good.
If it’s any help @ShaneD I used to use a micca origen g2 as a D2D converter. Before my E30, I used a JDS labs EL DAC. I tried using it over USB on my computer, but I’d get intermittent popping sounds coming from the DAC (didn’t matter what I set it to). I decided to get the Micca origen g2 for D2D because my computer didn’t have a TOSLINK connector (and this way I knew it would support 24/192 as some cheap D2D’s can’t pass along a signal like that). In theory a D2D should work, as TOSLINK just passes the 1s and 0s for the audio only. I think that’s why zeos went straight optical/TOSLINK for a while (and still is I think?), as it takes away any possibility of there being driver issues (and makes it possible to split the connection to run to multiple DACs for testing). But as DagoRed said, the D10 would also do the same thing. The micca origen g2 would be smaller, but it’s up to you. Both options may fix your issue.
Edit: you can’t really buy the original D10 anymore, but the D10S is the same price and function. Also, both the origen and D10S are usb powered so you wouldn’t have to worry about needing to use an additional power plug either way. I hope the D2D you already got works for you though and maybe you can get an upgrade if you feel like it down the line. All the best!
Is there any difference on how you choose to feed a DAC?
Specifically, would you notice any difference between using a laptop to DAC set-up vs using a DAP as a transport to pass music to the DAC?
The files would be exactly the same for both.
I have the stock tube, and a Philips ECC88. I have ordered a higher powered otl tube amp though, which I believe will be more revealing of dac differences. Vali is the tube equivalent of a magni, after all.
Question/suggestion for @ShaneD: have you looked into the Ikko Zerda? Was thinking about it for a portable setup a for a friend. It would work as a DAC/Amp on the go, and a D2D (spdif) for home use. But it her case would be for a smartphone, so I don’t know if it’ll work the same in a DAP.
Thanks for thinking of me, but I am not looking for a portable set-up. I just use my phone on the go.
I am just using my DAP as a transport with my current DAC.
I will hook my laptop up with the BF2 tomorrow.
I also have a digital adapter coming from Amazon. It will allow the DAP to go USB to S/PDIF.
DAP to SMSL SU-8 to V220 via SE
Volume matching is Very close.
I have a test list of 44 songs, including Dave Matthews, Adele, Led Zeppelin, Head of the Herd, Counting Crows, etc. All songs I know very, very well.
I was led to believe that I would be “blown away” with the upgrade to BF2. My initial reaction is that I hear little to no difference between the two. Using my V220 remote and synching the sources I can go between the two devices in real time as the music is playing. I don’t hear any new depth or texture or anything else when switching to the BF2.
My landed cost on a BF2 in Canada was $1,135.00. Would I do it again? Nope!
Hopefully I will come to appreciate it more over time.
I should also mention that I do not consider myself an audiophile, do not have golden ears and am 60 years old.
Just my first thoughts. I will keep the DAC’s side by side for at least a week or two to do a full comparison.
I am not shocked. I am also the guy that thinks the HD600’s/HD650’s suck, so I obviously march to the sound of my own drummer.
When you get a chance after you finish what you doing now. Pair that Bf2 up with your LP - Those 2 dance very well.
The Bf2 is awesome, but may not necessarily be the most optimal dance partner for the vio. You may want to invoke @M0N for input. He has been helping me with sorting out my sources - specifically in regard to DAC pairings for my vio (v281).
One I knew was coming was lack of volume control (using DAP as a transport). BF2 to LP means the volume knob has a range of 7:30 to 8:00. Workable, but annoying.
I am not sure if the unit is defective or not but you can NOT pause the music or the signal stops transmitting through the S/PDIF cable. Then you have to unplug and re-insert the USB plug to get a signal flowing again. You can hear the DAC click when it is again receiving a signal. Finicky and probably won’t last with this “feature”.
I find the laptop interface beside my lazy boy annoying, but also kind of cool.
It takes up way too much space, but also limits my need to run into the office to enjoy the large monitor. And of course it offers volume control for the BF2.
I went out and bought a very nice laptop two and a half years for a project that quickly fizzled out and I never use it. I also like having iTunes next to me VS Sony’s less than ideal version of music management.
The BF2 has caused me to re-assess my current set-up so that’s probably a good thing.
Edit I just realized that perhaps I took two subjects, DAP and laptop, and made them one issue. If it is the DAP connecting via USB to the converter then most of this below (2nd half) is N/A. My bad. - I won’t delete just in case there is any value.
Are you running xlr out of the Bf2 into the LP? If so and if you are able can you run the SE out of the Bf2 into the SE of the LP. It may not help much but the lesser gain on the SE may improve the gain control on the LP some. And you can still use the balanced hp connection for your phones. With very little if any perceivable difference to SQ - just a thought.
For S/PDIF cable I assume you mean coaxial ? Or are you using the Toslink (optical) ? I have not experienced any pause/resume issues using the Toslink - I have not tried coaxial because I don’t have it available, so can’t say. But I tend to think the issue may be rooted in the converter - It does not appear to have an external power source - leading me to wonder if it is a low voltage quirk or related to power conservation.
Thanks for the response. My only laptop problem is a space one.
You are probably right on the converter thing, since it has no power. I am indeed using TOSlink out from the converter.
I had initially thought that SE would be a type of volume control since the difference is stark on the Violectric. The difference was barely noticeably on the LP? Of course the volume is barely on.
Cool - Yeah I did not find SE into the LP from the BF2 to make much difference either but, it was worth a try. The LP is known of the hot gain from that pot - just is what it is.
This is usually a PC or laptop thing but make sure there is no sleep or usb signal interupt when its not used. Windows power saving does this so the dap may have a similar option.
