Dspeaker Dual Core review

cremar · « **Reply #200 on:** 22 Feb 2013, 07:06 pm »

Updating the firmware did the trick. All the menu items are there now and I have music.

rodge827 · « **Reply #201 on:** 22 Feb 2013, 07:15 pm »

Awesome

Enjoy

wisnon · « **Reply #202 on:** 22 Feb 2013, 09:50 pm »

Yup, I figured it must have had the original firmware, given that by May last year all input sensitivity issues were handled in updates. See my list on the other page.

TheMooN · « **Reply #203 on:** 23 Feb 2013, 09:30 am »

Many thanks.

cremar · « **Reply #204 on:** 3 Mar 2013, 11:02 pm »

Chris,

You mentioned earlier that you found that using battery power helped with a hardness to the sound of the DC. How much of an improvement did it make? I am finding the sound a little hard or edgy too, and am wondering if something like the Pyramid battery mentioned earlier in this thread would take it far enough in the opposite direction.

Thanks,
Regan

rodge827 · « **Reply #205 on:** 4 Mar 2013, 02:58 am »

Regan,

The Pyramid PSU's are a DC power supply and are not battery, you can read about then here:

http://radioproshop.com/pyramid-ps/powersupply.htm

I haven't used one so I can't comment on what improvements might be gained. I have read a lot about the King Rex 12v Linear supply and the Paul Hynes SR Power supplies, but there too I can't comment since I haven't tried either one yet.

I had my BPS prior to buying the Dual Core and used it for my CD transport. When I got the Dual Core I realized that it was 12v and gave the BPS a try. The sound stage opened up a bit and instruments sounded more "natural" than by using the supplied ps. My wife and a couple of friends noticed the difference right away. I fired up the system and we listened to a few tunes using the supplied ps, then I switched the BPS into the system without telling anyone what I had done and asked, Whaddya think? Everyone agreed that whatever I had done that the sound quality had greatly improved.
Transport, MSB Digital Director, and Dual Core are all on the Battery Power Supply.

More pics of the BPS are in my gallery.

cremar · « **Reply #206 on:** 4 Mar 2013, 05:02 am »

I don't know why I thought the Pyramid was a BPS. Thanks for clearing that up for me. It's probably all I can afford to try right now. I'll have to save up for a Paul Hynes or maybe a RWA. I tried going back to my Wadia 121 dac tonight and wondered how I ever listened this way. The bass was just droning on...not the Wadia but my room. It's hard to listen to uncorrected bass now.

rodge827 · « **Reply #207 on:** 4 Mar 2013, 01:46 pm »

Quote from: cremar on 4 Mar 2013, 05:02 am

It's hard to listen to uncorrected bass now.

So true!

I was at a Hifi and Video store about a month ago to look at a new TV.
They had a 2 channel room, it was a slow day, so the sales guy spun some vinyl for me.
Good highs, very good mid range, but flabby undefined bass.
I told him about the Dual Core, said he hadn't heard of it, and began to remark on the virtues of his speakers, electronics, TT, cartridge, cables....

neekomax · « **Reply #208 on:** 25 Mar 2013, 10:01 pm »

Hey y'all, so I'm picking up a second hand Dual Core from an AC member tomorrow, just wanted to check in on two things:

1. I am currently re-ripping CDs to my new Mac Mini, and have been going Apple Lossless (ALAC), and some AIFF. Will I be able to play these through both digital inputs of the DC? I think I read that there was something about only certain formats being compatible with it, perhaps before one of the firmware updates. Sure hope I'm not limited in this way. If so, I'll have to run it between my preamp and my amp, but would prefer to use it as a DAC.

2. Not sure if the guy I'm buying from has updated to the latest firmware (sent him a PM not long about it, but haven't heard back yet). If he hasn't, how would this Mac user go about doing that (re: Only PCs being able to update the firmware)?

Pretty psyched to get this into my system!

TIA, dudes!

rodge827 · « **Reply #209 on:** 26 Mar 2013, 12:16 am »

Neekomax,

Welcome to the club!
I'm a PC guy and can't help you, but if you contact Tim Ryan at Simplifi Audio, he can answer your Mac questions.

Chris

neekomax · « **Reply #210 on:** 26 Mar 2013, 12:50 pm »

Thanks Rodge!

So, the seller responded and said he updated the firmware for me, and that the volume was set at -50 db in case I wanted to use it as a preamp. Anyone know what that means, maybe just that I should be aware that the volume is turned all the way down?

No one has any idea about ALAC & AIFF files through the digital inputs?

rodge827 · « **Reply #211 on:** 26 Mar 2013, 01:32 pm »

Quote from: neekomax on 26 Mar 2013, 12:50 pm

Thanks Rodge!

So, the seller responded and said he updated the firmware for me, and that the volume was set at -50 db in case I wanted to use it as a preamp. Anyone know what that means, maybe just that I should be aware that the volume is turned all the way down?

That would be my guess.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #212 on:** 26 Mar 2013, 01:34 pm »

I have had no probs with any file types over digital. I will try to confirm AIFF and ALAC today

neekomax · « **Reply #213 on:** 26 Mar 2013, 01:41 pm »

Thanks guys.

Really excited. Ever since I got into hifi, I've been puzzled at the seeming lack of quality EQ in the digital domain made for home audio; coming from the pro world, where you EQ everything basically. Very interested to hear what the Dual Core does in my small room.

Now if only had the day off tomorrow to play with it!

wisnon · « **Reply #214 on:** 26 Mar 2013, 01:47 pm »

U will LUV it!

WC · « **Reply #215 on:** 27 Mar 2013, 02:54 pm »

I know that it is not really what the DSpeaker is made for, but can you use it the record to the computer the analog or digital inputs or is the USB only able to send and not receive? This connection is not shown on their connection diagram.

neekomax · « **Reply #216 on:** 31 Mar 2013, 07:14 pm »

So I thought I'd check in with the Dual Core crowd and report on my results with my newly acquired (though used) unit.

First, I've had some technical problems with the digital inputs. The optical S/PDIF input needs special handling in that I have to jiggle the cable a bit to get sound. Once it's in place, it works, but it's a bit annoying. It is the input I'm using for the moment, however. Because...

I have a high pitched, low volume, constant squeal when using the USB input from my Mac Mini. You hear it pretty well when I crank the gain on my 100 watt amp to 12:00 or higher (gets louder obviously). So I've abandoned the USB for now. I have been in touch with the distributor about these issues, so hopefully they'll be able to help.

Meanwhile, I'm carrying on and using it as my DAC and signal processor. I ran the basic calibration the other night, and this was the result:

As the user manual warns, once corrected, one may perceive a lack of bass. Did I ever! I guess I've become very accustomed to my speakers with their dual active subs overloading my room with bass. So I've set the house curve pretty high on most music, and I turned up the gain on the subs in my SAM 1s from about 12:00 to 1:30 or so to compensate. I may turn them a bit more, we'll see. I'll run a room response analysis first to get a handle on just how much boost I'm actually applying. From what I gather, these compensations should fairly equally boost the bass, instead of just having certain arbitrary frequencies super hot as a result of room modes, which is what I was hearing before the DC was in my system.

Aside from the digital input issues, it sounds really great as a DAC though, and is my first hi-rez capable piece of gear. I've downloaded a few 24/96 tracks and have started listening to those through Audirvana +. Very nice. I'd like to try is between my Decco preamp and my Acurus amp with the analog ins/outs as well, see what difference that makes, but I will lose the hi rez capability, so I'm keeping like this for now.

roscoeiii · « **Reply #217 on:** 31 Mar 2013, 07:46 pm »

I also have a finicky optical input. Now that you have those measurements and the mic, you can also play around with speaker placement etc to get rid of that big dip.

neekomax · « **Reply #218 on:** 31 Mar 2013, 08:33 pm »

Quote from: roscoeiii on 31 Mar 2013, 07:46 pm

I also have a finicky optical input. Now that you have those measurements and the mic, you can also play around with speaker placement etc to get rid of that big dip.

Huh, interesting to know I'm not the only one with this type of issue.

Good thought on trying to get rid of the dip around 80 Hz, but I don't have much flexibility with speaker placement in my small room. What exactly would you try? I think maybe adding a third sub might be the most effective at fixing that, no?

roscoeiii · « **Reply #219 on:** 31 Mar 2013, 08:37 pm »

A third sub might work, if speaker and/or sub repositioning isnt' much of an option. Not sure how much working with room treatments or rearranging other parts of the room may also help with a dip like that. The Dual Core can try to bump up that dip a little bit, but read the manual on that. They discourage against too much, for very sound reasons IIRC.