Soundaware D100 Transport

@Hands

Can you please try the coax output and find out if there is noticeable SQ difference? I am thinking of getting the younger brother D200 which does not have BNC connection.

Many thanks.

Arnold

 

Thanks Hands.

 

I have been running mine for few days but I haven't done any A/B comparison with my PC/Mac because I did not want to change my source! I have not realised that my DAC is more capable than what I think it is (Audio-gd DAC-19). Please note that I am a Rando and proud of it! I will not make many detailed impressions because (1) I am not good in poetry and (2) I am lazy.

I have first tried the D100 Pro with my LS50 powered by Rok. The difference was immediately apparent to my Rando ears. The tone/timbres are more natural, I don't know why. Instruments sounded so good especially with Acoustic music. The SD card that came with my D100 Pro contains sample music which are very good IMO. The layering is better, and the spatial cues is excellent. Dynamics is also better I think. Even the instruments in the background, though faint, cannot be missed. You just hear them.

I would have thought that the improvement in my DAC is the BNC connection. Perhaps BNC is the better of the input (no AES in my DAC) but I was already feeding my DAC via BNC before (using Audio-gd DI-U8.) Anyway, whatever it is, I am not going back with PC as source whilst unless my D100 Pro cannot play some files I have.

Now for the GUI. It is too simple but navigating the music via USB is very 1949! Selecting folders is a PITA. The remote controller will save you some time but I wish there was a search function there.

I have tried some uPnP apps on my Android. They work but still not very easy to use. I will try to find more apps that can easily be used.

Back to my listening enjoyment.

 

Thanks Hands. Mine came with the latest official firmware 2.7.4. Did you just upgrade from 2.7.4 to v2.98 beta? It appears there are in between beta firmwares as well.

 

Thanks. Will try the upgrade tomorrow.

Cheers.

 

Dear audiophiles:


I am very new to computer audio, so please forgive me my silly questions…


1. Does D100 PRO provide bit-perfect output?

2. Is gapless playback provided only in case the appropriate CUE file is present?

3. Could somebody please check if WV format is supported?

4. Assuming some Linux OS distribution is employed, what version of it, i.e. 32-bit or 64-bit? Possible implications of using 32-bit version, as far as I understand: cannot work with files over 2GB or volumes over 2TB.


Please chime in! Any clarification on the above would be very much appreciated.

 

4. This might give you a clue

USB *2: Each USB interface supports maximal 3TB HDD and each partition supports maximal 2TB.500mA power supply for each USB interface. Support USB1.0/2.0/3.0 storage with FAT and NTFS file system

 

Thank you very kindly for taking your time to answer newbie’s questions!


3. The firmware for desktop players V2.0 listed on their site does not show support for WV, and I was wondering if the newest firmware for desktop players V2.7.4 does. Could somebody please check it?


4. “…each partition supports maximal 2TB” statement seemingly points to the idea that they indeed use 32-bit version of OS (is it Linux?). Could somebody more knowledgeable please comment on this? Perhaps, attempt to play a single music file with the size greater than 2GB?

 

3. If you can send me a sample of a WV file I can try it for you.

4. I don't have a single music file more than 2GB in size so I cannot help you there.

 

Dear Audiophiles:


WavPack compression (.WV files), along with many other formats like flac, ape, wav, is supported by various players on several Linux distributions (including Ubuntu). For example:

· Aqualung - A gapless music player that has an XML-based music DB (native WavPack support)

· DeaDBeeF - Ultimate Music Player for GNU/Linux (native WavPack support)

· Audacious - low resource use, high audio quality, and supporting a wide range of audio formats (native WavPack support)


The problem is, in my mind, even bigger than just finding out if D100 supports WV format: we know very little about the “software side” of D100 PRO… We are not even sure if some Linux distribution is indeed employed!


Perhaps, some Super Best Audio Friends forum members fluent in Mandarin could please browse SoundAware D100 forum in search for answers?


Has anybody had a chance to talk to SoundAware at CanJam Singapore 2016 in February or at 2016 Munich HIGH END show which was held in MOC exhibition center on May 5th - 8th?!


I am positive, many people interested in this awesome player will be more than grateful for such input… Please, please chime in!

 

I couldn't agree with you more on the lack of communication with English-speaking communities, Hands!


Do you know if Soundaware D100 Pro (Deluxe) music transport is the only currently available upgrade from D100 Pro? As you know, Deluxe model is 220V only, unfortunately. I wonder if they have any plans to introduce 120V Deluxe…

 

Review: Soundaware's D100PRO transformed the sound quality of my DACs, but the software has serious flaws.


Would you agree with the above? Any comments, please?

 

lukeap69,

Where would you like me to send WV sample, please? Send me a PM.