HAKAI playground

[Sopper]

What do you mean by running more stable and dev volumio build Sopper

Unlike others, I have had major and minor problems (and was getting really frustrated) running Volumio on HAKAI with ESI dac and my specific configuration wishes and demands. I will explain and go through the steps I made to get things stable in the thread “Volumio”, where it belongs.

[ThomasOK]

2 clips again:
HAKAI > USB > ESI Gigaport HD+ dac
ADSM > Coax digital > RME ADI-2 dac

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tzpwmlezm1h8u ... 8.MOV?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1c5nx1p6ynw3q ... 9.MOV?dl=0

Clip 1 is ADSM
Clip 2 is HAKAI

They re both pretty good but I do like clip 2 better. The detail in 1 is nice but maybe a bit too much. The movement in 2 is better and the drums sound more real. Nice clips.

[ThomasOK]

Comparing three clips are bit difficult but:

clip 3, clip 1, clip 2

I am very familiar with Dead Can Dance and also with East Indian styles of music so I had no difficulty cluing into what was supposed to be going on. I'm with jewa on the ranking, and with most everybody on clip 3 being the best. It was really the only one I liked. Particularly disliked 2 which I found a bit annoying with really weird drum sound and bad vocals too.

How about that track (or some other if you prefer) on the HAKAI with ESL DAC vs. RME DAC with the filter setting you find to be the best? And thanks for all the clips!

[David Neel]

Three pairs of clips here, comparing ADS/3 and Hakai with two different motherboards:

1. https://www.dropbox.com/s/k0ys54uxhiba3 ... 9.mp4?dl=0
2. https://www.dropbox.com/s/n9zhbkxagh29b ... 8.mp4?dl=0
3. https://www.dropbox.com/s/1ftkm8s60ixh6 ... 2.mp4?dl=0

1. https://www.dropbox.com/s/96govcehwl57j ... 4.mp4?dl=0
2. https://www.dropbox.com/s/j45z3z2v52ka0 ... 2.mp4?dl=0
3. https://www.dropbox.com/s/ukvbbk0xeuhy2 ... 3.mp4?dl=0

[lejonklou]

Three pairs of clips here, comparing ADS/3 and Hakai with two different motherboards:

1. https://www.dropbox.com/s/k0ys54uxhiba3 ... 9.mp4?dl=0
2. https://www.dropbox.com/s/n9zhbkxagh29b ... 8.mp4?dl=0
3. https://www.dropbox.com/s/1ftkm8s60ixh6 ... 2.mp4?dl=0

1. https://www.dropbox.com/s/96govcehwl57j ... 4.mp4?dl=0
2. https://www.dropbox.com/s/j45z3z2v52ka0 ... 2.mp4?dl=0
3. https://www.dropbox.com/s/ukvbbk0xeuhy2 ... 3.mp4?dl=0

Cool!

Not listened yet, but would like to know if it's the same player in both set of clips. That is, 1 in the first three is the same player as 1 in the second three, etc?

[David Neel]

Cool!

Not listened yet, but would like to know if it's the same player in both set of clips. That is, 1 in the first three is the same player as 1 in the second three, etc?

No curve balls this time! Same player, same number...

[Sopper]

3,2,1 for me in both clips
The gap in performance between 3 to 2 and 1 is bigger then 2 to 1

[Lego]

3 best then 2 then 1.

[David Neel]

Consistency, so far....

What is it that appeals about 3?

[Sopper]

Consistency, so far....

What is it that appeals about 3?

Different instruments and voice are easier to follow, clearer
Clip 1 and 2 made me want to stop listening halfway
@ iPad senheisser headphones

[lejonklou]

I am slightly divided here... On the first clip, I got most touched by number 2. 3 was impressive but touched me a little less. 1 was boring. 2, 3, 1 on the first.

On the second clip, I thought 3 transformed the playing into something that I could understand. On 1 and 2, I couldn't quite decipher the piece and how it was played. So 3, 2, 1 on that one.

[David Neel]

Any problems with pitch instability?

[tokenbrit]

3,2,1 for me in both clips
The gap in performance between 3 to 2 and 1 is bigger then 2 to 1

Funny, I thought 1 was a fair way behind the other two... 2 & 3 much closer to each other, to my ears. Otherwise, agree with Fredrik: 2 more engaging with the 1st track; 3 does a better job making sense of the 2nd track.

Any problems with pitch instability?

I was listening to the music rather than the pitch, sorry

[Charlie1]

On the first clip, I preferred 3 based on the first 10-15 secs. I liked 2 also, and superficially it seemed to flow better, but I think the notes were actually a bit rushed and it felt like they were started to fall over / crash into one another.

On the second clip, like most people, I preferred 3. I didn't like 2 this time - something odd about it. 1 was fine.

I like your system through the clips David - seems nicely balanced with a sense of calm too.

[David Neel]

Here are the conditions for the clips:

The ADS/3 and Hakai were set-up on separate shelves (as you can see from the video) with identical power cords and Linn silvers. Thus there may be small variations due to cabling. This meant that both were powered up for some time prior, and there was no need to switch off any Lejonklou boxes (which brings its own variations). The second Hakai was a transfer of the SSD, reconnection and ten minutes to warm up.

I asked about pitch instability because Fredrik noticed this in an earlier clip of one of the Hakais.

I'll say which was which tonight, in case there are more responses.

[Sopper]

2 x 2 clips HAKAI ESI dac vs RME dac
MPD version 20.21
instrumental this time

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i03bx65unwdto ... 2.MOV?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7ozpcv90199o9 ... 3.MOV?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/19u3g6qjdflas ... 5.MOV?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8adso13szb7ff ... 6.MOV?dl=0

[lejonklou]

2 x 2 clips HAKAI ESI dac vs RME dac
MPD version 20.21
instrumental this time

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i03bx65unwdto ... 2.MOV?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7ozpcv90199o9 ... 3.MOV?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/19u3g6qjdflas ... 5.MOV?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8adso13szb7ff ... 6.MOV?dl=0

I thought we already concluded that ESI Gigaport HD+ is better? *grin*

[Sopper]

I thought we already concluded that ESI Gigaport HD+ is better? *grin*

Aye, affirmative
But ThomasOK asked for this comparison, so I did
(And it is fun to do)

[beck]

(And it is fun to do)

And that is reason enough! :-)

[Charlie1]

2 x 2 clips HAKAI ESI dac vs RME dac
MPD version 20.21
instrumental this time

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i03bx65unwdto ... 2.MOV?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7ozpcv90199o9 ... 3.MOV?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/19u3g6qjdflas ... 5.MOV?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/8adso13szb7ff ... 6.MOV?dl=0

Track 1: Prefer the second clip which seems funkier and easier to follow the rhythms. Sopper - what is this song? Clip 1 is similar to what I hear when connecting Radikal-1st to the mains block - i.e. more rhythmic, but less tuneful and less clear sounding.

Track 2: I think it depends how I listen. I can experience a preference for either one. It's a bit like the tone test in the powercord thread - once you know how to listen another way, then you can get the opposite result. If pushed, I'd go for clip 1 which is similar to what I hear when connecting Preamp-1st to mains block - i.e. more in tune and clean sounding, but not so rhythmic.

Just want to add that I often lose track of what's what with all the elements in this Playground thread. I am not really following all the various DACs and bits and bobs, and so I just listen and state a preference. It's another set of ears anyway.

[tokenbrit]

Leaning towards 1 from both...

[David Neel]

Leaning towards 1 from both...

Me too. There's a bit more info on 2, but I got into the music more with 1.

[David Neel]

The streamers were:

1. ADS/3
2. Hakai N3160N-D3V
3. Hakai N3050N-D2P

[Sopper]

Track 1: Prefer the second clip which seems funkier and easier to follow the rhythms. Sopper - what is this song? Clip 1 is similar to what I hear when connecting Radikal-1st to the mains block - i.e. more rhythmic, but less tuneful and less clear sounding.

It's Marcus Miller - Pluck (Interlude)

Just want to add that I often lose track of what's what with all the elements in this Playground thread. I am not really following all the various DACs and bits and bobs, and so I just listen and state a preference. It's another set of ears anyway.

I can understand that.
David Neel and me are posting clips mostly.
David to show the difference between ADS/3 and HAKAI with 2 different motherboards; so 3 different setups.

I posted clips to hear the preferences between RME ADI-2 dac (one of the best measured DAC's) and ESI Gigaport HD+ dac, recommended by Fredrik, both on HAKAI build per spec.
But since i have an ADSM/0 around, i thought i throw that in the mix aswell…

And yes, a set of ears is most welcome :)

PS: the clips are not paired the same way; 1 in the first set of clips is the same dac as 2 in the second set of clips

The streamers were:

1. ADS/3
2. Hakai N3160N-D3V
3. Hakai N3050N-D2P

wow... the HAKAI (to my ears) clearly outperformed the ADS/3

[David Neel]

PS: the clips are not paired the same way; 1 in the first set of clips is the same dac as 2 in the second set of clips

Ok, then I'm torn, and to quote Sam Goldwyn, my indecision is final.