Mark 2 HiFace USB-SPDIF mods by jkeny

[Fran]

New review now published:

http://tirnahifi.org/reviews/?page_id=193


Fran

[jkeny]

Thanks Fran,
Looks great & reads well too :) Thanks you for putting in the time & effort into this write-up.

[ilDottore]

Dear John,
Would be it possible, to borrow your MK3 USB/SPDIF converter (caution applied ofkoooz), just to check, how it works in my system?
Currently I use Win7 laptop (Foobar2K, WASAPI, Fidelizer) as a source of FLAC/APE files, DAC: MHDT Havana, amp: Sugden A21a, speakers: Sonus Faber Concertino (first series). Cables (configuration depends from the moon phase ;) ) : IC Monster Interlink 400 or IC Nordost White Lightning, speaker cables: Monster Bi-Wire or Nordost White Lightning.
Many PC-Audio tweaks claims, that converter has very good influence on the sound in their systems.
From the other hand, there is an opinion of many Havana users, who came back to direct USB connection, stating, the sound is more "Havana-like" (sweet and fluent) by USB direct input. This is actually surprising, even for Havana designer, who consider SPDIF as a highest quality input.
But the sound from USB/SPDIF converters is "too technical and cold" for many Havana users.
At the moment. I'm very happy with my system sound, but if it can perform even better - why not? :)
So, I would like to judge it on my own.

I'm from Dublin suburbia.
Best Regards
Chris

[jkeny]

Hi Chris,
I see you only have 3 posts on this forum so forgive me if you are well known but if you can get someone on this forum to vouch for you & is known to me then yes it might be possible. You have also PMed me & posted this on my contacts sheet on my website! Hmmm!

But you know the device has a full money back guarantee so purchase is risk-free! It's obviously my preferable method of home trial & is the reason I give this money back guarantee!

[ilDottore]

Hi John,
I didn't know that you offer money back guarantee.
In that case, indeed, purchase is risk-free and there is no point to bother you with borrowing gear.
I'll talk to you soon, then.
All the Best
Chris

[jkeny]

OK, Chris, I must change my website so the free trial is more obvious!
Look forward to your future contact.

[audioexcels]

Fran,

I noticed you compared the Shigaclone to the MKII and found them to be equally good, or at least I think this is what you felt about the two. Is your Shigaclone about as well equipped parts wise/mods wise that it would be considered to be about as good as one could make the Shigaclone sound, and is it true that the MKII sounded just as good or possibly even better than the Shigaclone? I am assuming it's been quite a while that you may not remember too well as you now use the DAC which is a totally new brilliant beast from John.

Thank you Fran!

[Fran]

Yes - I would have thought that the shiga was about as good as it could be. I'm a long time follower of the whole shiga story, there from the fairly early days and have done nearly all the mods at one time or another. There's always others of course!!! I've built 3 of them now, all with different levels of mods, so I think I have a pretty good handle on what i can do.

Note that this was an older version of the USB-SPDIF - its now at MK3 stage. But at that time, it was equal to the shigaclone. Honestly, the JKDAC32 (and probably the JKdac) beats the shigaclone in terms of soundstage, resolution, cleanness of bass and treble. Not massively, but its there.

If you would really like to build a shigaclone, and have read a bit, you might know that the main controller board has been obsolete for a long time. However, a guy has recently started up to design a brand new board for it, plus has found a supplier of the chips needed and there will be a group buy starting soon for it on DIYaudio. PM me if you want more info.

If you're thinking about the jkdac or you have your own dac and want a USB input, probably best to email/pm John directly. FWIW, the jkdac32 is excellent, you'd need a very good dac indeed to beat it. A few of the lads here have them and I'm sure anyone would give you a listen if you want to do that....


Fran

[audioexcels]

That's incredible Fran. Even if you account for just the primary parts from when it was available, and add in all the mods, the regulator/s?, transformer/s, power supply, proper balancing of the transport mechanism, etc. etc. I would think you are spending close to or maybe even more? than what either of John's dacs cost!

[Fran]

Yes, and don't forget that the shiga is only a transport - you still need to add on a DAC!!

The way to go here is to buy a JKDAC32 or JKDAC, provided you are happy enough to use a laptop, do the rips, and playback in that way. Some people like the ritual of choosing and putting on a CD etc. Some people work all day with laptops and shudder at the thoughts of using one to relax. If none of that bothers you, then Johns DAC offers probably the best value for money out there.

Now that I've said all that, I do have to disclose that John is a friend of mine, we both DIY and bounce ideas etc off each other and so on. Having said all that, I did put my money where my mouth is and I have a JKDAC32 in almost daily use here. I'm saying all this so that you don't think I'm shilling the product, but realise I do know John......


Fran