Master/slave link

[Confused]

Dear audio Guru,

First of all, I wish to express that I have nothing but admiration for the british humor

This may need to be revised to English humor, or if you think the Welsh and Northern Irish are funny (which they often are), then UKish humor will be more correct, depending on how our Scotish friends voted today.

An update, the Scots have voted, the term British remains valid. I was a little worried that we would need to set up a little mini forum just for Rufus. He can stay with us all now, but we will need to give him more power.

[GuillaumeB]

Our friends across the channel have been experimenting with these cables with great results:

http://audioprana.free.fr/coa_num_cot.htm

They also make an S/PDIF>AES hybrid cable which is featured a bit lower down the page.

Prices seem very reasonable, their top of the range S/PDIF cable is 300 euros.

Quoting from jalucine's post on the Forum Audiophile (http://www.forum-audiophile.fr/amplis/de...-2595.html)

"En conclusion, ce câble fait faire un progrès significatif au système. La transparence, la résolution, l’image sonore, la qualité des timbres, la musicalité globalement."

Translation: In conclusion this cable had a major impact on the system: greater transparency, better resolution, improved imaging and timbres and overall musicality.

Interestingly this is exactly how I would have described the improvement from my TA XL S/PDIF. Except that my cable cost me over £3k!!!!

Once again if you haven't tried other cables linking your two units you really owe it to yourself to have a play... (obviously I'm not aiming this comment at the cable sceptics on this forum!). In my system is was a very big improvement.

Guillaume

[Confused]

An update to my earlier post, regarding the companion turning itself off, when I try to use a companion SPDIF input.

Oxford Audio Consultants had also kindly offered to try my configurations in their own dual mono that they had in store. They reported that with their Devialet's, everything worked as it should, including a CD player running through the companion input. In an earlier 'phone call Oxford Audio advised that they had a similar issue with another customer, in this case the issue was corrected by disabling the second USB input in the companion.

I had reported my problem to Devialet, they asked me to try switching the master and companion SD cards. I tried switching the master / companion SD cards. This resulted in identical functionality, albeit with the amps switched, and the remote control didn't work. (Which is exactly as you would expect) This is where things get interesting. Having tried the card switch, I thought that I would re-load the configurations as one last try. When on the configurator I tried selecting the companion USB input, then disabled it, just to see if I noticed anything, mindful of what OAC had told me. I created the master SD file, went back to the configurator to make the companion file, but the system hanged whilst generating the file. (this happens a lot with me) I Went back into the configurator, retried, and this time successfully generated the companion config. When I tried these in the amplifiers, I found that the USB was enabled (when it was not in the configurator, but even more surprisingly, the companion input now worked, for the very first time. I guess this proves at least that there are no issues with my hardware or trigger cables. When I went back to the configurator, I noticed that the master USB was indeed enabled on the master. This is wrong, considering that even when I messed around trying to turn the USB on and off, this was with the COMPANION input. I remade the cards, suffered the hanging issue again, tried them, the companion input no longer works. I tried making two more SD cards, this time deliberately enabling the USB to emulate my earlier success in getting the companion input to work, however, this time I had the same issue with the companion input, plus the USB that I don't use enabled.
I then decided to return the SD cards back to my original configuration, to remove the unwanted USB and unbelievably, everything now works perfectly, no rouge inputs selected, companion input working.

A further point to note, I did notice something similar to the USB mysteriously turning itself on before, but this was with one of the coax digital input deselecting itself between making the master and companion SD's.

I would have to conclude that there are bugs in the Devialet configurator, at least with dual mono set-ups trying to use companion inputs. (probably quite a rare combination)

Has anyone else noticed anything similar?

---

Another question, I note that all the input descriptions are orange coloured on the display on both amps, except when I use a companion input, it shows "CD" in orange on the companion but "CD" in white text on the master. Is this normal?

[f1eng]

I haven't changed much in my configuration for yonks, I enabled the USB and Ethernet inputs with the intention of trying them one day, but haven't yet...
My only problem has been that my slave unit does not always read its SD card. Sometimes I have to remove it and put it back more than once before it recognises something other than "factory configuration".
Also, I switch everything in the house off at the plug before going to bed. I switch on again the next day and 4 times out of 5 the slave comes on as a 250 in factory config. Again either unplugging the SD card or recycling the mains switch several times is reqired. I am pretty fed up about it because my D-Premiers were perfectly reliable until the update (I now think of it as a downgrade...). Both had SD card faults immediately following the update, the master latch failed on the SD card slot and the slave had this fault. They went back to Devialet and the master came back fixed but the slave is still defective, either in hardware or software.

[smokejumper]

Once I had realized that my link cable was not fully pressed home in one of the D250s, my configuration worked just fine. It was only one additional coax digital on the companion though, I didn't try USB. I got my link cable from amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B007C...UTF8&psc=1

It's inexpensive and build is good, if you wanted to try it.

[mauidan]

After reading this thread again, I was reminded of this old article: http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue14/spdif.htm

"Once the impedance is accurately matched and the transition times decreased, the Transport will become less sensitive to different digital cables, shorter cables can be used with confidence and the result is cleaner audio with better focus, definition and clarity."

I'm guessing that Devialet has optimized the Master/slave link inputs/outputs so that the provided .5m cable
works and is less sensitive to other digital cables.

Since the thread has also touched on power cables; with the filtered IEC that Devialet uses, I can't see spending a lot of money on a PCs.



Finally, if I stack my 400 units (haven't received them yet) with the Master on top, will the Master display the temperatures of the slave?

[darthsteph]

Oh !

Give a try to some good PCs, I think you'll be surprised… really surprised !!!

[IanG-UK]

I would have to conclude that there are bugs in the Devialet configurator, at least with dual mono set-ups trying to use companion inputs. (probably quite a rare combination)

Has anyone else noticed anything similar?

---

Another question, I note that all the input descriptions are orange coloured on the display on both amps, except when I use a companion input, it shows "CD" in orange on the companion but "CD" in white text on the master. Is this normal?

The dual mono configurator has not worked for weeks. If you chose "advanced" and select an 800 then chose not to share sources, the general settings and the remote settings disappear.

It must be a major fault as I raised it 7 weeks ago with Devialet and then 3 weeks ago and still there is no action.

[Mikeeo]

I would have to conclude that there are bugs in the Devialet configurator, at least with dual mono set-ups trying to use companion inputs. (probably quite a rare combination)

Has anyone else noticed anything similar?

---

Another question, I note that all the input descriptions are orange coloured on the display on both amps, except when I use a companion input, it shows "CD" in orange on the companion but "CD" in white text on the master. Is this normal?

The dual mono configurator has not worked for weeks. If you chose "advanced" and select an 800 then chose not to share sources, the general settings and the remote settings disappear.

It must be a major fault as I raised it 7 weeks ago with Devialet and then 3 weeks ago and still there is no action.

Strange, as I used the configurator yesterday for my 400 and that worked fine as I also enabled inputs on the companion.
I must say that I am a bit worried with all the reports of this and that not working may it be homepage/configurator and hardware. For me this is an indication that Devialet has been too fast in their quest for growth reaching out to a bigger audience (now when we picky music/gear lovers have been catched) and as a result quality went down the priority list.

My 5 c at least/Mike

---

Oh !

Give a try to some good PCs, I think you'll be surprised… really surprised !!!

You have my full support in this! PC's are mandatory and if possible try installing a dedicated mains for the system (just did it).
The filter in the Devialet does only take some or nothing (my experience) of crap on the mains and I would rather see it omitted.

/Mike

[Mikeeo]

Hi,

Just changed my Crystal Diamond digital link to my own construction ie VHaudio 75 ohm silver cable with Silver Bullets in each end.
The sound picture came together like I had from the stereo set-up. The cable is fresh made so I have some 100's of hours before proper cooked. Nuff' said the supplied link is not up to he task!
My outlay for this was about 170 USD plus my own job.

/Mike