i2s - more popular than ever

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Read 7063 times.

vortecjr

  • Facilitator
  • Posts: 218
  • the sound has to be in concert with the music....
    • Sonore by Simple Design
i2s - more popular than ever
« on: 30 May 2015, 12:25 pm »
I know USB is popular, but I try to support an i2s output on my devices when it's possible. My custom built DAC, based on the Twisted Pear Audio Buffalo SE, has one i2s input fed from my Sonore Signature Series Rendu. Anyway, I maintain an i2s database to track the devices that support i2s input and recently found some interesting additions.

Here is a link to the new and improved i2s database: www.i2s.sonore.us

What are your thoughts?

Jesus R
« Last Edit: 17 Apr 2016, 06:26 pm by vortecjr »

mresseguie

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 4697
  • SW1X DAC+ D Sachs 300b + Daedalus Apollos = Heaven
Re: i2s - more popular than ever
« Reply #1 on: 30 May 2015, 05:08 pm »
Hello, Jesus.

I'm unfamiliar with 'i2S'. Could you explain a bit for those of us who do not understand?

Thanks,

Michael

firedog

Re: i2s - more popular than ever
« Reply #2 on: 30 May 2015, 05:14 pm »
Jesus-

It's great you keep an index. BTW, I suggested to Vinnie Rossie that he should consider the option of an HDMI-LVDS input to his new line. He replied that he wasn't familiar with the format, but that he definitely would consider it.

ted_b

  • Volunteer
  • Posts: 6345
  • "we're all bozos on this bus" F.T.
Re: i2s - more popular than ever
« Reply #3 on: 30 May 2015, 05:24 pm »
I documented my love of I2S in my PS Audio Directstream review over on CA.  It united my Sonore Signature Rendu and the DS DAC (via raw DSD, like a custom ASIO driver), using Nordost Silver Screen HDMI, and wow, what a nice presentation. 

riffer

  • Jr. Member
  • Posts: 81
Re: i2s - more popular than ever
« Reply #4 on: 30 May 2015, 06:35 pm »
Good work.

Audioclyde

Re: i2s - more popular than ever
« Reply #5 on: 30 May 2015, 10:36 pm »
I have encouraged Jim White of Aesthetix to consider adding the I2S input to their dacs; he indicated they were looking into it. I'd love to be able to use Signature Rendu to feed my Romulus Sig which I truly love the sound of.

Randy

vortecjr

  • Facilitator
  • Posts: 218
  • the sound has to be in concert with the music....
    • Sonore by Simple Design
Re: i2s - more popular than ever
« Reply #6 on: 31 May 2015, 12:55 am »
Jesus-

It's great you keep an index. BTW, I suggested to Vinnie Rossie that he should consider the option of an HDMI-LVDS input to his new line. He replied that he wasn't familiar with the format, but that he definitely would consider it.

I also contacted him and he seemed interested....

Jesus R

vortecjr

  • Facilitator
  • Posts: 218
  • the sound has to be in concert with the music....
    • Sonore by Simple Design
Re: i2s - more popular than ever
« Reply #7 on: 31 May 2015, 01:03 am »
I also contacted him and he seemed interested....

Jesus R

It seems easy enough to add it to that device. I'm happy to provide them the schematic for the receiver module....

Jesus R

vortecjr

  • Facilitator
  • Posts: 218
  • the sound has to be in concert with the music....
    • Sonore by Simple Design
Re: i2s - more popular than ever
« Reply #8 on: 31 May 2015, 01:22 am »
Hello, Jesus.

I'm unfamiliar with 'i2S'. Could you explain a bit for those of us who do not understand?

Thanks,

Michael

i2s and DSD are the native input to the digital to analog converter. The clocks are transmitted separately and the signal is not encoded and decoded...

Jesus R

JoshK

Re: i2s - more popular than ever
« Reply #9 on: 2 Jun 2015, 10:02 pm »
My custom built DAC, based on the Twisted Pear Audio Buffalo SE, has one i2s input fed from my Sonore Signature Series Rendu.
Jesus R

Do you guys sell that DAC?  Or is that a personal one?  You used to offer a Sonore Signature Series DAC, didn't you?

vortecjr

  • Facilitator
  • Posts: 218
  • the sound has to be in concert with the music....
    • Sonore by Simple Design
Re: i2s - more popular than ever
« Reply #10 on: 4 Jun 2015, 09:34 pm »
The kits are DIY only and as such we do not build them for customers.

The Signature Series DAC was a collaboration between Sonore and Raleigh Audio and the project was discontinued do to lack of interest. However, Raleigh Audio still builds the DAC (newer version) and offers the kits and it's a really nice tube DAC with i2s input!

http://www.kandkaudio.com/digital-audio/

Jesus R 

barrows

  • Industry Participant
  • Posts: 457
Re: i2s - more popular than ever
« Reply #11 on: 1 Jul 2015, 02:22 am »
I2S is the native format of digital audio used internally in a DAC.  The data will be in I2S format at the input to the DAC chip itself.  I2S includes the following 4 signals: data, bit clock, word clock, and masterclock.  A DAC which uses SPDIF input, will have an SPDIF receiver, which interprets (often poorly, and always with added jitter) a single signal, and then creates I2S from that single signal, and then sends the I2S feed to the DAC chip (or FPGA, etc).
The above is for PCM, for DSD, the signals are: data left, data right, bit clock, and masterclock.  For some DAC chips (example, ESS), PCM and DSD can be multiplexed on the same I2S inputs to the DAC chip.
It is important to understand, that I2S signaling was developed at first to be used internally in DACs (and CDPs), as the signal is single ended and can degrade over distance.  BUT, the I2S signaling used externally by the Sonore Signature Rendu is  known as LVDS, this is a balanced version of I2S (so 4 signals running on 4 twisted pairs of wires which are balanced) and does not degrade over normal interconnect distances (a meter or two).  An HDMI cable is used because there are good, high bandwidth HDMI cables with the proper impedance and enough twisted pairs.  LVDS I2S signaling as used by Sonore (and PS Audio for one example of a compatible DAC) results in much lower jitter than SPDIF interfaces which are compromised by design. 

Early B.

Re: i2s - more popular than ever
« Reply #12 on: 1 Jul 2015, 02:48 am »
I was previously using a digital cable, but switched to I2S and it is far superior. No contest at all. Gear is a PS Audio transport and Audio GD DAC that was modded to accept I2S via HDMI. 

JoshK

Re: i2s - more popular than ever
« Reply #13 on: 8 Jul 2015, 03:34 pm »
What isn't very clear from your list is Audio-gd and their newer DSD capable DAC the NFB-7 and whether it can do DSD via I2S (HDMI).  I was thinking of asking them as well.   It would be a much lower price point for a DAC that can do the DSD but with I2S on HDMI.