I2S A or B for my DAC

Hi. Do I use I2S configuration A or B to connect to my PS Audio Directstream MkII? Thanks.

A is the PS Audio Profile, B is JAVS.

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A is the one,duffer5 said it well.

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Duffer 5,

I’m in need of some technical assistance on the I2S connection on the RS 130. I have connected the RS 130 to my DAC which is a Gustard R2R A26. I think it’s a well known and regarded DAC. The I2S pinouts of Gustard don’t match either alternative on the RS 130. I have looked for a cable with the correct pinout conversion to no avail. I’ve been thinking about making my own cable to match the connections between the RS 130 and the Gustard with a cable bridge. I think this would bypass the need for a D to D converter which I have been advised is needed. Will this approach work?

StandardModel

Duffer 5,

I’m not doubting what you say but why is that so? The signals look the same, just on different pins. Are the signals different in some incompatible way even though they are labeled the same?

StandardModel

I don’t think I can be of any additional help. I would suggest working with Hifi Rose directly to find a solution that best works for you.

Duffer 5,

I’ve again reviewed our prior messages on this subject. Which DAC did you move to and how does it compare to the Gustard R26?

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I moved to the Audio-GD R7HEMk3 and I would say it is a significant improvement over the Gustard R26 I had. Don’t get me wrong I think Gustard products are great but this Audio-GD is next level. There are many that compare it to the Mola Mola.

That being said i2s is a strange beast and even if pinout is exact there can be issues. So I would reach out to Hifi Rose and ask them which DAC’s have they tested with the RS130 and do they have a recommendation. I know others have enjoyed the Holo May as well as the Denafrips line of products. These are all R2R DACS but if you are looking for a delta sigma DAC I hear great things about the Ferrum Wandla DAC.

If possible make sure you get some sense of compatibility from Hifi Rose regarding an external DAC so you can do your best to negate any issues moving forward.

I guess it is true that audiophiles use music to listen to their equipment…

A26 is a good DAC, and it already has a perfectly fine USB input that is just about guaranteed to work, unlike an obscure (even for I2S) flavor of I2S connection that is just about guaranteed to do the only thing I2S does well – create aggravation.

Of course A26 is a streamer all by itself and does not really need RS130 in the first place, but I guess if you have money to burn and like 130’s screen…

But seriously, why?!

Duffer5,

You are, of course correct. I’m a big follower of Amir and I’ve seen the measurements. A good USB is as good, if not better than I2S. I know that. Still, it’s there and I wanted to hear for myself.

I’ve never tried the internal streamer of the A26. I could have saved a good bit of money.
Probably the weakest part of my system is my antique ears.

Just because.

StandardModel

That’s the problem with I2S. There’s something there. Alas, that something has no industry standard and can use both any pinout you can shove into (in this case HDMI, but it could be an RJ-45, or a bunch of BNC cables, or two cans on a string) connector and any voltage that does not melt the wires, And various signalling bits might have different meaning between different implementations.

While I can understand hy vendors add this nonsense – audiophiles with deep pockets are willing to pay extra for it – unless you get some guarantees beforehand that two particular pieces of equipment can actually talk the same I2S, you can’t realistically expect it to work.

Unless they improved it since they’ve generated their fliers, it is quite limited compared to what RoseOS does. But it does run Roon Bridge so while not technically a Roon Ready device it can be streamed to from Roon at the highest quality. And DLNA probably works well, too.

I perfectly understand trying out the connector since it is there, but at this point it seems to be just throwing good money after the bad. You might succeed at building a converter box. Or there might be smoke coming from two rather expensive boxes. All for trying out a connection that will sound exactly the same (no matter what Uncle Paul says) as any other. Just plug USB in and enjoy the music :smiley:

BorisM,

Thank you. "Enjoy the Music sounds like it would be a pretty good title for an online video magazine (https://enjoythemusic.com/ ) :smile:

StandardModel

Hmm… Looks like an… interesting place… :slight_smile:

Hello there. What are javs Dac. I been trying to connect my 150b to an external dac too. Thanks