iMac to nDAC - SYNC

Posted by: AndyF on 09 May 2013

Just picked up a nice new nDAC to replace my ageing CDX which was on its way out. nDAC primarily being fed by my quad-core iMac like this:

Files stored on external drive, played on iMAC via (in the main) Fidelia out via 5m Chord USB to a Musical Fidelity V-Link 192, from there via Chord Signature to nDAC. The problem I have is the nDAC has two lights, one to show sync of incoming data stream, the other for HD (ie above 48Khz). Issue being although V-Link shows 'locked' data stream, the nDAC often drops the sync (on anything above CD quality). I've changed the iMac preferences to show the V-Link as the output mode (not just in the application) but still drops the sync. Any ideas of any other settings I should be looking at? I demo'd my iMAC in-store and don't recall this issue arising. Once the Sync has dropped, it only recovers when selecting a CD quality track not another high res track. Confused. I have tried another software player (Audirvana Plus) but has still dropped sync on a high res track. Any ideas?

Posted on: 05 June 2014 by Phil Harris

Hi,

The guys here looked at the output on the two V-Link 192's that we have had here and the outputs were drifting quite badly out of spec on the 48k multiples. One of our R&D guys did a few mods to the two that we've had back here and that seems to have cured the drift but of course that makes them non-standard and probably likely invalidated their warranty.

Cheers

Phil

Posted on: 05 June 2014 by Hypermobile

Were those V-Links out of spec? or out of Naim input spec?
In the first case ...Warranty is for Musical Fidelity i guess.

Is there any way i get the info what has been modified.
Maybe sent we should sent it to Musical Fidelity so they can fix it?

Thanks a lot!

Posted on: 05 June 2014 by Phil Harris

I really don't want to say.

We don't seem to have had the same issues reported with other 192k USB S/PDIF interfaces.

Cheers

Phil

Posted on: 05 June 2014 by AndyF

All I can say is whatever happened to the v-link while it was in Salisbury, it did the trick. On that basis I think you have to take your v-link back if it's under warranty and ask for it to be checked.
Andy

Posted on: 05 June 2014 by Hypermobile

Originally Posted by AndyF:

Thanks!! That's the way we go.

Let you know when it's fixed.

Regards
Sebas

Posted on: 06 June 2014 by pcstockton

Just figured I would chime in.... I have been using my V-Link 192 > Naim DAC for 100s and 100s of hours without a single sync issue. I have plenty of 48, 96, and 192 recordings. This is not an inherent V-Link issue. Must be a bad run.

Good luck!

-Patrick

Posted on: 06 June 2014 by AndyF

Patrick
It may not be a design issue, but having seen the jitter output from the two clocks on mine, one was operating barely within Red Book tolerances and the other well outside. Whether that's poor quality in components or not I don't know (clearly no one checks them before they leave the factory) but fortunately for me,
both clocks on my v-link 192 now operate well within spec.
Regards
Andy

Posted on: 06 June 2014 by pcstockton

Originally Posted by AndyF:

That's great to hear!

How did you test your clocks?

Thanks,

Posted on: 06 June 2014 by AndyF

My V-Link went on holiday to Salisbury...

I get the impression they looked at mine out of interest as much as anything to see what was going on, having done so (and having confirmed to themselves they didn't have a problem with the nDAC) they can't be seen as a repair business for someone else's kit!

I think it's a case that the V-Link is a great piece of kit built to a price point and unfortunately the quality control reflects that; yours either works straight from the box or it doesn't, they may check a sample but obviously don't check them all.

Regards
Andy