Hiface Impressions

[PeterSt]

power equals ~50% of overall SQ (IMHO).

Quite some more even. IOW, totally agreed !

[Telstar]

also agreed

[DannyD]

Just reporting that I got my jkeny-modded HiFace a couple days ago and think it is an appreciable and worthwhile improvement.  There is significantly enhanced clarity which results in a much more spacious presentation of the sound, and there is a lot more “air”.  The music really sparkles!  I haven’t A/B’d this yet, but I’m confident that the modded Hiface will easily trounce me Lynx card. 
I opted for John’s new configuration which houses the battery and the HiFace in a black plastic box with the USB connecter in the rear and the BNC and 3.3V power connecters and on/off switch in the front.  It’s definitely more professional looking than what I envisioned I’d be able to string together with batteries and wires piled up beside my computer.   I have yet to get the final 5% (sonically, per John) working and that’s to supply 5V battery power to the HiFace as well.  John and I are scratching our heads as to why this isn’t working.  I think the modded USB cable he provided is bad, but the ball’s in my court to try John’s next debugging step.  For now, the 95% improvement is certainly good enough for me! 

I think John is working on a new bigger black box that will incorporates the 3.3V and the 5.5V power supply.  That will really be a big improvement from a usability standpoint.  Okay, I’m not the most savvy guy when it comes to DIY electronics, but I had a ton of questions to get this far and since I’m not over the finish line yet, I obviously have several more to get the 5V working.  Though my little black box is a big step up from a hacked HiFace with a battery by it’s side, John won’t be done until all of the stuff is in a single “set it and forget it” box.  I guess my only real question back to John will be if he’s willing to take mine back for a trade-up!      It certainly sounds good enough that it’s worth staying the course.
 

[PeterSt]

Here's an attempt for a small contribution from my side ...

What John did, is cutting the ground from the PC to the output of the HiFace. Thus, the officially needed ground from i2s is not there. This can work, but officially will impeed for jitter because of current flowing where it shouldn't. And, with too much jitter on the i2s lines you will have no sound at all. So, when things seem to be really difficult, I would really try to connect that ground again. Just for trial.
Also notice that removing the ground may be a good idea for when you suffer from ground loops towards the PC, but nothing tells in advance you suffer from that. And if not, it really is better to have the ground there. Also, it may be so that with 3.3V and 5V you have two potentials, and i2s may struggle with that.

For what to reconnect to which you have knock on John's door.

To John : I hope this isn't inappropriate because you told this yourself in the open. But if you think it is, let me know as soon as possible, and this post will be gone.

Anyway, I hope this helps.
Peter

[manisandher]

One of the biggest issues the hiFace has is that it doesn't have a wordclock input - it cannot be slaved to the DAC. You can optimise everything else as much as you want, but it's performance will always be compromised as a result.

M2Tech are addressing this with their 'EVO': http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/M2Tech-Evo-and-DAC-details-and-photo

BUT... this requires a DAC with a wordclock output!

One thing I will never understand about the Berkeley Alpha DAC is the omission of a wordclock output. In the Pacific Microsonics Model One/Two, they went to such great lengths to get the wordclock right. Why on earth didn't they use this knowledge in the design of the Alpha?

Mani.

[DannyD]

Mani,

I'm hoping the new interface that Berkeley Audio allegedly has under development will allow the DAC and the PC to have their clocks master-slaved.  In that case, the HiFace, even its modded incarnation, will join my growing pile of obsolete interfaces. But in the meantime it's at least a fun and relatively inexpensive detour along the road to audiophile nirvana.

Dan

[jkeny]

Here's an attempt for a small contribution from my side ...

What John did, is cutting the ground from the PC to the output of the HiFace. Thus, the officially needed ground from i2s is not there. This can work, but officially will impeed for jitter because of current flowing where it shouldn't. And, with too much jitter on the i2s lines you will have no sound at all. So, when things seem to be really difficult, I would really try to connect that ground again. Just for trial.
Also notice that removing the ground may be a good idea for when you suffer from ground loops towards the PC, but nothing tells in advance you suffer from that. And if not, it really is better to have the ground there. Also, it may be so that with 3.3V and 5V you have two potentials, and i2s may struggle with that.

For what to reconnect to which you have knock on John's door.

To John : I hope this isn't inappropriate because you told this yourself in the open. But if you think it is, let me know as soon as possible, and this post will be gone.

Anyway, I hope this helps.
Peter

I may have experimented a long while ago with having no ground on the I2S tapped from the Hiface but I abandoned this as bad engineering & of no sonic benefit anyway.

This has nothing to do with what Danny is talking about which is a USB cable with the USB +5V cut & an external +5V supplied. I haven't cut the USB ground from the PC - I just spliced into it with the new ground from the external 5V supply. I tested all these cables before I sent them out.

Anyway, as I said the major 95% sonic improvement is what Danny is happily hearing.

BTW, I have synched the local clock from a ESS DAC back to the Hiface & it sounds excellent - this is my next product to release so I think your concern that the modded Hiface is compromised is premature

PS. It will be interesting to compare the modified Hiface to the new EVO and I'll be doing so as soon as I can. From what I know of the EVO I expect the modded Hiface to still sound better So the range might be: stock Hiface entry level; EVO for more outputs & flexibility - I believe my modded Hiface will offer best sound! 

Why? Because the EVO still has regulators on board

[jkeny]

Mani,

I'm hoping the new interface that Berkeley Audio allegedly has under development will allow the DAC and the PC to have their clocks master-slaved.  In that case, the HiFace, even its modded incarnation, will join my growing pile of obsolete interfaces. But in the meantime it's at least a fun and relatively inexpensive detour along the road to audiophile nirvana.

Dan

Dan,
You're so fickle - you only just got the modded Hiface & you're looking at you next device I thought you would be a life-long customer

Thanks for your impressions of the product - nice summary.

I'm keeping all this modular so I'm not yet putting it all in one box - I'll be doing an add-on box which will hold the charger, 5V supply & possibly an ADUM USB isolator but I'm not sure it will work with the Hiface. So you don't need to exchange your box for another

[PeterSt]

Hi John,

this is my next product to release so I think your concern that the modded Hiface is compromised is premature

Assuming you addressed this to me, I didn't say that ! nor do I think it by any means. If you got the impression something like that was in my head, I am very very sorry.
Man, I think the contrary ! (and only tried to help out).

I hope this is settled now ...
Peter
 

[jkeny]

Hi John,

this is my next product to release so I think your concern that the modded Hiface is compromised is premature

Assuming you addressed this to me, I didn't say that ! nor do I think it by any means. If you got the impression something like that was in my head, I am very very sorry.
Man, I think the contrary ! (and only tried to help out).

I hope this is settled now ...
Peter

No Peter, it was not addressed to you but rather it was a reply to Manishandher who said:

One of the biggest issues the hiFace has is that it doesn't have a wordclock input - it cannot be slaved to the DAC. You can optimise everything else as much as you want, but it's performance will always be compromised as a result.

The first part of my email was addressed to your comments about me cutting the ground.

So no problems. Peter
 

[DannyD]

I'll bite, John. Whats a UDUM USB isolator?

[jkeny]

I'll bite, John. Whats a UDUM USB isolator?

Hi Danny (is this Danny Doxan by any chance?)
It turns out that the ADUM USB isolator will not work with the Hiface according to Marco so it's a non-runner!

What it is, is a way of electrically isolating the PC from the unit connected through USB cable (Hiface). Why? Because there is a possibility that noise & ground issues can get to the Hiface. The Hiface is already isolated on it's output through the SPDIF transformer so this is not really an issue - it was just an experiment really.