Using A DDC From USB OUT

[hervechatagnier]

Hi, newby here,

My present setup is the following:
Source : Qobuz connect via Windows PC
Windows PC hooked up to Douk Audio Pro
Douk Audio Pro Hooked up to NAD 3020 v2 via Audioquest forest coax cable.
NAD hooked up to Proac speakers.

I am interested in buying the Wiim Ultra to replace the PC for convenience purposes. I would like to bypass the Ultra DAC to use the one in the NAD 3020 v2. Would this setup achieve this:

Wiim Ultra to Douk Audio Pro and Douk Audio Pro to the NAD? Would this bypass the Ultra's DAC? If not, what do I have to do? Thanks in advance.

P.S. I am asking this because I am guessing that the DAC in the NAD v2 is better than the DAC in the Wiim Ultra.

 

[Aquaman]

Hi, newby here,

My present setup is the following:
Source : Qobuz connect via Windows PC
Windows PC hooked up to Douk Audio Pro
Douk Audio Pro Hooked up to NAD 3020 v2 via Audioquest forest coax cable.
NAD hooked up to Proac speakers.

I am interested in buying the Wiim Ultra to replace the PC for convenience purposes. I would like to bypass the Ultra DAC to use the one in the NAD 3020 v2. Would this setup achieve this:

Wiim Ultra to Douk Audio Pro and Douk Audio Pro to the NAD? Would this bypass the Ultra's DAC? If not, what do I have to do? Thanks in advance.

P.S. I am asking this because I am guessing that the DAC in the NAD v2 is better than the DAC in the Wiim Ultra.

All of what you are planning to do is possible.
What I don‘t understand is that you want to use the DAC in the NAD. What‘s the Douk doing in that chain then?

Once you have set it up you should also try using the Ultra‘s DAC. I’m not talking about a scientific ABX test, just using it for a while. It takes a little but you get a good impression.

 

[JAB]

USB digital out from the Ultra to the Douk and from there opt or coax out to the NAD will bypass the Ultra's DAC. What I doubt is the "better" DAC in the NAD. The V2 is the small one what can be positioned vertically? But once the things are there you can decide which way suits your taste more.

 

[slartibartfast]

Hi, newby here,

My present setup is the following:
Source : Qobuz connect via Windows PC
Windows PC hooked up to Douk Audio Pro
Douk Audio Pro Hooked up to NAD 3020 v2 via Audioquest forest coax cable.
NAD hooked up to Proac speakers.

I am interested in buying the Wiim Ultra to replace the PC for convenience purposes. I would like to bypass the Ultra DAC to use the one in the NAD 3020 v2. Would this setup achieve this:

Wiim Ultra to Douk Audio Pro and Douk Audio Pro to the NAD? Would this bypass the Ultra's DAC? If not, what do I have to do? Thanks in advance.

P.S. I am asking this because I am guessing that the DAC in the NAD v2 is better than the DAC in the Wiim Ultra.

What is a Douk Audio Pro and how do you connect to it?

 

[EddNog]

What is a Douk Audio Pro and how do you connect to it?

It’s a DDC. Takes USB input and reclocks it into other digital outputs like coaxial S/PDIF, Toslink, AES/EBU, IIS, etc.

-Ed

 

[slartibartfast]

It’s a DDC. Takes USB input and reclocks it into other digital outputs like coaxial S/PDIF, Toslink, AES/EBU, IIS, etc.

-Ed

Thanks I wasn't sure since everything they make seems to be called Douk Audio Pro

 

[hervechatagnier]

Thanks for your quick and precise responses folks. To answer a question above, I have the impression (totally uninformed) that the NAD 3020 v2 DAC is superior to the Wiim Ultra. I guess I'll have the chance to try both! Thanks again. Now I'm off to ordering the Wiim Ultra!

 

[EddNog]

Thanks I wasn't sure since everything they make seems to be called Douk Audio Pro

Pro Plus Ultra, Hyper Edition

 

[hervechatagnier]

USB digital out from the Ultra to the Douk and from there opt or coax out to the NAD will bypass the Ultra's DAC. What I doubt is the "better" DAC in the NAD. The V2 is the small one what can be positioned vertically? But once the things are there you can decide which way suits your taste more.

I've had the Wiim Ultra for several days now. I've tried two options:
1. Wiim output to Douk Audio Pro DDC and then to the NAD via coax. This setup bypasses the Wiim DAC and uses the NAD DAC right?
2. Wiim output via RCA cables directly to the NAD and using the NAD auxiliary mode. This uses the Wiim DAC right?

After listening to both options, I prefer the second one (using the Ultra DAC). The music seems less veiled and has a more defined, detailed sound. I'm surprised because I thought the NAD's DAC would be better because...well, it's a NAD with very good reviews.

Thanks all for the info.

 

[EddNog]

I've had the Wiim Ultra for several days now. I've tried two options:
1. Wiim output to Douk Audio Pro DDC and then to the NAD via coax. This setup bypasses the Wiim DAC and uses the NAD DAC right?
2. Wiim output via RCA cables directly to the NAD and using the NAD auxiliary mode. This uses the Wiim DAC right?

After listening to both options, I prefer the second one (using the Ultra DAC). The music seems less veiled and has a more defined, detailed sound. I'm surprised because I thought the NAD's DAC would be better because...well, it's a NAD with very good reviews.

Thanks all for the info.

Should not be a surprise. WiiM Ultra's DAC/analog output perform exceptionally well:

WiiM Ultra Streamer Preamp Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the WiiM Ultra network streamer, DAC, phono stage and preamplifier. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $329. Physical attribute are modern and attractive enough. Alas, I can't say the same thing about the graphical interface. Icons seem...

www.audiosciencereview.com

For NAD, I don't think it has been vetted with similarly objective testing, and without comparable data, we have no idea how good it actually is. The closest thing I can find is this, and the results do not look nearly as good as WiiM Ultra:

Amp measurements of d3020 v2 (at home)

I was looking for a scientific reviews of NAD d3020 v2 and some tips regarding its usage with Elacs DBR-62 and PC audio. Unfortunately there are not many scientific reviews regarding d3020v2, and I did not had experience with audio before, so i looked for and measured as much data possible and...

www.audiosciencereview.com

-Ed

 

[JAB]

I've had the Wiim Ultra for several days now. I've tried two options:
1. Wiim output to Douk Audio Pro DDC and then to the NAD via coax. This setup bypasses the Wiim DAC and uses the NAD DAC right?
2. Wiim output via RCA cables directly to the NAD and using the NAD auxiliary mode. This uses the Wiim DAC right?

After listening to both options, I prefer the second one (using the Ultra DAC). The music seems less veiled and has a more defined, detailed sound. I'm surprised because I thought the NAD's DAC would be better because...well, it's a NAD with very good reviews.

Thanks all for the info.

My answer to 1. and 2. is yes.
Iirc the NAD was new in 2018 or 2019. Six years is a long cycle for development of DACs.

 

[saberger1]

I've been experimenting with Ultra USB out to Douk U2 Pro USB in, then U2 I2S out to U8 I2S in. Sound is very good. Probably not a lot of change from my Denafrips Ares II or the Ultra DAC but got both the Douk's for essentially nothing used so thought I'd give it a try.

When doing a search online regarding the above connections the Google AI came back that by doing so, I'm losing my Ultra bass management / room correction pieces by using a digital output to another DAC. I'm using the Ultra as a preamp and still seem to be retaining bass management, but thought I'd ask here if there's any validity to the AI answer?

 

[hgo58]

I've been experimenting with Ultra USB out to Douk U2 Pro USB in, then U2 I2S out to U8 I2S in. Sound is very good. Probably not a lot of change from my Denafrips Ares II or the Ultra DAC but got both the Douk's for essentially nothing used so thought I'd give it a try.

When doing a search online regarding the above connections the Google AI came back that by doing so, I'm losing my Ultra bass management / room correction pieces by using a digital output to another DAC. I'm using the Ultra as a preamp and still seem to be retaining bass management, but thought I'd ask here if there's any validity to the AI answer?

You don't lose any of this. Sub woofer out still working with USB out and all EQ is also working.

Adding an additional chain of equipment may however introduce a delay that can make the sub woofer difficult to synchronize.

 

[saberger1]

You don't lose any of this. Sub woofer out still working with USB out and all EQ is also working.

Adding an additional chain of equipment may however introduce a delay that can make the sub woofer difficult to synchronize.

Thanks.

Yes I realize I’m overdoing it on the chain and it would probably be better to simplify but I like what I hear and there doesn’t seem to be any issues synching subs. All sounds fine here.

 

[Rayz]

coax out from ulltra to Laiv ddc, and from Laiv to Gustard x30 i2s. TOP

 

[saberger1]

coax out from ulltra to Laiv ddc, and from Laiv to Gustard x30 i2s. TOP

Why coax and not USB?

 

[saberger1]

I recently bought a U2 Pro to see what the fuss was about. Connected it to USB on the Ultra and then coax to my Fosi ZD3.

Without doing any scientific testing and after a few listening sessions I observed a few things. First off is that I did not hear any sound quality improvement by adding the DDC into the chain between the Ultra and DAC. While streaming Qobuz Connect, i swapped the audio output between optical out (straight to DAC) and USB out (to DDC then DAC). I couldnt hear any differences better or worse.

But, I did discover a major issue when testing it on my CD transport signal chain. My CD transport is connected to the Ultra’s Optical Input. When listening to CDs with the DDC in place between the Ultra and DAC there were a ton of skips, errors and cuts from the sound!!!! I thought it might be due to the Ultra’s buffer setting on the optical input but the same thing happened when that was disabled or enabled. It was unlistenable!

So, for my equipment at least, the U2 Pro did absolutely nothing at best and at worse, made my CD signal path experience a ton of errors. It’s been removed from my system. Not to say it cant improve the sound with different equipment, but for me, it did not work.

Having the same issue with my transport via optical to the Ultra, then USB out to U2 Pro. Lots of glitches. So just going from transport to U8 DAC without issue.

 

[saberger1]

Changed my optical cable to a different, shorter one and that seemed to do the trick. Hopefully.

 

[saberger1]

Well that cable didn't work either. Decided to use an old Topping DAC to go from transport optical out to the Topping optical in, then RCA out from Topping to Line In of Ultra, then USB out to Douk U2 Pro and I2S out to Douk U8. Glitches are gone.

I know this is convoluted but I want to use the Ultra for room correction and bass management, and both Douk's. I know of no other way that I can do this while eliminating the use of the Ultra optical in. While it's redundant and might very well result in some degradation of sound, I can't hear it. And since I have the Topping just collecting dust might as well use it.

Anyway, a possible solution if anybody else is having a similar dilemma

 

[musienri]

New member, first post here. I have previously bought a SMSL PO100. Yesterday, I tried my SMSL PO100 with my new Ultra, USB out from Ultra to SMSL PO100, then optical to Gustard A26 dac. No improvement in adding the DDC to the chain, so I disconnected the SMSL after 2 hours of listening. Very satisfied witht the Ultra in general.