HAL at CAF2023

[P.I.]

Nick,
The dspNexus 2x8 HiRez DAC's that Danny heard at LSAF was a prototype with the flagship AKM AK4499's.  These are the best DAC's I have ever heard and do digital volume control at a very high level of sound quality.  There are 4 of the DAC modules in a dspNexus 2x8, so no need for external ones.

Seems like there maybe two audio shows in TX in 2024, LSAF and SWAF that Gary Gill is organizing.  I am not planning on doing another TX show next year as I am trying for a bigger room at CAF2024. 

Back in 2018 I wanted to bring my line arrays to CAF, but 4 ribbons broke when the speaker fell.  They had to be rebuilt and did not make it in time for the show, so I had a big room and The Monoliths speakers.  I made the best of it, but it was way to big for the speaker.  I want a smaller room than that, but with new line arrays in work.  

The upgraded Monoliths II speakers will be at AXPONA 2024 in the Danville Signal room.  The idea is the new Radian Audio drivers replacing the original BG planars.  Depends on when the updated LT3.2 planar tweeter is released as the original LT3 is out of production.

Rich,

Thanks for the information. One of these days, it would be nice to hear a dac with the AKM chips that I keep hearing good things about. I was hoping to meet you one of these days, but I’d have to skip a lot of lunches to be able to fly back east to attend CAF. I was on the dspNexus site and the capability of the product is rather amazing. What’s especially interesting to me is the time delay capability.

Glad the show went so well for you and thanks for posting all the updates and the video as well.

Nick

Nick,
Understand.

There is some Danville interest in doing a DAC using the AKM AK4499EX chip set.  Basically the same DAC and output stage as the dspNexus 2x8 for stereo with USB Audio input.  There has been a lot of interest in a stand alone stereo DAC, so only time will tell.

Rich

Thanks, Rich

Maybe you guys can use my PecanPi+ DAC (AK4499EXEQ based) for that all you have to do is add USB to I2S conversion and there is your stereo USB DAC. Will fully support up to 32bit/1536k, it already has SPDIF input, so can be both SPDIF and USB in.

Leo,

Can you provide any more info on the dac part and are any of the dac components able to be upgraded?

It's all here:
https://orchardaudio.com/pecanpi_plus_implementation_spec_test_results/

Great component selection and I have no doubt as to your implementation! 

It's all of the good parts you selected in addition to the DAC chip and CL input receiver.  Nice.

[HAL]

Greg Weaver's report on the HAL CAF 2023 room. 

https://www.enjoythemusic.com/Capital_Audiofest_2023/Weaver/page3.htm

[Nick B]

Greg Weaver's report on the HAL CAF 2023 room. 

https://www.enjoythemusic.com/Capital_Audiofest_2023/Weaver/page3.htm

Thanks, Rich. That was fun reading. So you’ve been creating audio magic for many years, huh? 🎶🎶😊

[HAL]

Nick,
My first speaker project was in 1980 in college when the IEEE printed the Linkwitz-Riley paper on the crossover design.  I programmed it in Fortran 7 on punch cards for a UNIVAC 1108 mainframe.  Lots of iterations later had the 4-way, 4th order passive crossover designed.  An idea of the length of time in the hobby.

Greg not only heard the VSR VR-4's in my room but also later the VSR VR-8's with Pass Labs Aleph P preamp and Aleph 2 monoblocks as well.  He did a write-up for his Audio Analyst page for both on the fledgling Internet.

Fun times when we were all much younger.

[Nick B]

Nick,
My first speaker project was in 1980 in college when the IEEE printed the Linkwitz-Riley paper on the crossover design.  I programmed it in Fortran 7 on punch cards for a UNIVAC 1108 mainframe.  Lots of iterations later had the 4-way, 4th order passive crossover designed.  An idea of the length of time in the hobby.

Greg not only heard the VSR VR-4's in my room but also later the VSR VR-8's with Pass Labs Aleph P preamp and Aleph 2 monoblocks as well.  He did a write-up for his Audio Analyst page for both on the fledgling Internet.

Fun times when we were all much younger.

Rich,

I’ve enjoyed music since age 12 at least and started buying my own equipment in the mid to late 70s. Bought a Tandberg cassette deck, an Infinity amp or integrated, Revox tuner etc etc. What a very long time ago. Am thrilled to have the system I have nowadays and looking to fine tune/improve even more.