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At last... a revised Audiolab CD/Q thread.

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sq225917

sq225917

Bit of this, bit of that
Seems like we have bust Vbulletin with our huge interest in all things John Westlake.

Time to start again. ;-)
Please point to any bits you'd like from the original thread, and i'll paste them into this first post as per the suggestion below.

Dominik said:
This is the 8200CD & CDQ software changelog:


v0.9 vs v0.7
============

support for 8200CDQ
support for Issue A01 of front panel with dual backlight current sources & reset IC
improved remote control decoding of handsets with excessive carrier frequency offset
added display brightness adjustment
added Factory Defaults on powerup by holding Prev & Next buttons
added 3 new digital filters: Minimum Phase, Optimal Transient XD & DD


v1.0 vs v0.9
============

support for for Rev 1.11 of mainboard (trigger version)
single release works across all revisions of CD & CDQ
workaround for servo software v83 SPDIF bug
fix a glitch on rapid toggling of filter settings
fix a bug where display brightness wasn't saved when selected via handset's Display button
added Menu entry allowing to disable remote decoding of preamplifier keys (volume & mute)
improved handling of USB streaming restart (changing tracks etc.)


v1.1 vs v1.0
============

dropped USB Compatibility mode since iPad iOS 4.2+ now supports Asynchronous through Camera Connection Kit
added optional volume & mute control via USB
added External Preamp mode on CDQ to disable internal preamp functionality (when used as a CD/DAC only)
changed Input Level Trim now also active in Home Theatre mode
changed front panel keypad handling - keys now operate even while others are jammed
improved digital input selection via remote - last digital input recalled when pressing Digital up/down
added discrete codes for input selection
added direct selection of filter by num keys 1~7 when in Filter popup
CD servo now reset 5s into powerup to insure initial calibration is performed in stable conditions
support for servo software v86 with re-tuned radial loop
display track & time on Reading Error screen


Regards,
Dominik
Click to expand...
 
My CDQ arrived the other day, and I couldnt be happier. :)

As a thought, could the first post be edited to include links to interesting bits of the chat as it gets longer and longer, and maybe info re new firmware, button presses to get to the various hidden menus etc. Will save people trawling through a huge thread.

eg:

http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1297314&highlight=version#post1297314

Dominik said:
This is the 8200CD & CDQ software changelog:


v0.9 vs v0.7
============

support for 8200CDQ
support for Issue A01 of front panel with dual backlight current sources & reset IC
improved remote control decoding of handsets with excessive carrier frequency offset
added display brightness adjustment
added Factory Defaults on powerup by holding Prev & Next buttons
added 3 new digital filters: Minimum Phase, Optimal Transient XD & DD


v1.0 vs v0.9
============

support for for Rev 1.11 of mainboard (trigger version)
single release works across all revisions of CD & CDQ
workaround for servo software v83 SPDIF bug
fix a glitch on rapid toggling of filter settings
fix a bug where display brightness wasn't saved when selected via handset's Display button
added Menu entry allowing to disable remote decoding of preamplifier keys (volume & mute)
improved handling of USB streaming restart (changing tracks etc.)


v1.1 vs v1.0
============

dropped USB Compatibility mode since iPad iOS 4.2+ now supports Asynchronous through Camera Connection Kit
added optional volume & mute control via USB
added External Preamp mode on CDQ to disable internal preamp functionality (when used as a CD/DAC only)
changed Input Level Trim now also active in Home Theatre mode
changed front panel keypad handling - keys now operate even while others are jammed
improved digital input selection via remote - last digital input recalled when pressing Digital up/down
added discrete codes for input selection
added direct selection of filter by num keys 1~7 when in Filter popup
CD servo now reset 5s into powerup to insure initial calibration is performed in stable conditions
support for servo software v86 with re-tuned radial loop
display track & time on Reading Error screen


Regards,
Dominik
Click to expand...


http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1295674&highlight=eject#post1295674

JohnW said:
version number can be brought up by pressing and holding down the Eject button during power-up,
Click to expand...


Vbulletin is the software used to run these forums.

Sam
 
I'm getting so into computer audio I wish I'd waited for it.

But perhaps not, on reflection.

I'd feel naked and vulnerable without a cd player too :)
 
I just received an info form a distributor that the CDQ with the upgraded HW (12V trigger) will be available in their wharehouse in mid april. The guess is if there will be also the new transformator...

I will wait for this new version fianlly to buy my CDQ...
 
sq225917 said:
Seems like we have bust Vbulletin with our huge interest in all things John Westlake.

Time to start again. ;-)
Please point to any bits you'd like from the original thread, and i'll paste them into this first post as per the suggestion below.
Click to expand...

Aha, that could be why my attempts to find something with the search function are failing?

I'm trying to find the info on the maximum data rates on the various inputs. Mainly I'm interested in the limits of the USB input - I remember this being discussed and I think John mentioned about 24/176 as being the highest supported rate but I can't remember if this was USB or not...??? (just looking at some 24/176 downloads).

Cheers,
Phil.
 
JohnW said:
(snip...)

Jek

8200CD, First lanched – CD player with USB 24/96 kHz, Digital inputs to 176.4 kHz*

8200CDQ as CD But with 3x Line Level Analogue inputs + Class A Headphone amplifier (performance increase over 8200CD, Available within the next 60 days)

8200DQ, CDQ but without the CD section, so DAC + Line Level Pre Amplifier (includes the performance increase over 8200CD). Available within next 90 Days.

MDAC “Lite”, Small case format DAC, OLED display, Class A Headphone Amp, USB and Digital inputs only – No Analogue inputs. Expected to be lunched for CES, with production follow months.

* while the 8200 range was designed to work with 192 kHz digital input sources, due to a design issue within the ESS DAC internal SPDIF receiver, we cannot guarantee stable performance with 192 kHz source’s (works with a good quality electrical signal, fails if the signal's Pulse Edges are distorted). Digital inputs up to 176.4kHz function’s with no known issues. Sadly ESS has so far been lessthen helpful in resolving the issue, let’s hope that some “negative” publicity convinces ESS to respond in a more proactive and positive manor.

For lack of components before I left China, I was only able to partially update our CDQ with the planned “performance increase”, while I’ve been in Europe the components have arrived in China and Dominik’s fitted them to one of our “Lab Mule’s” and has been teasing me since – apparently the improvements goes well beyond what we had expected. I’ll be back in China next week to hear for myself!

(snip...)
Click to expand...

This was taken from post #361 in the original thread.

So it's;
24/96 async for USB
24/96 for optical
24/176.4 for SPDIF Coax

Here's the 8200CDQ manual - P20. http://www.audiolab.co.uk/Manuals/8200CDQ manual.PDF

Dave.
 
Raw dac chip, maybe a touch better- the implementation- more than likely a bit better, the USB- lots better.
 
Well what can i say about the 8200CD :-0 I think it's amazing it truly is amazing.

I have a Synology DS211j USB out into the 8200CD Acoustic Zen RCA's to Arcam AV888 then on to Bryston 4bsst feeding my Revel F32 speakers and two SVS PC-Ultras.

I have the 8200CD filter set too Optimal Transient (works best for me) and my Flac rips do sound sound ever so smooth yet so much detail, I did not realize how much I was NOT enjoying my music, I can quite happily sit here for hours and not get bored :)
It's strange how sound can push you away or pull you towards it :)

This HiFi industry need's this product, so many of us streaming music and DAC's are very much back in fashion (well more main stream) and AudioLab's design team have got this so right :))
 
The thing is Audiolab latched on to this quite late in the day, John Westlake and Dominik had been working on it for a considerable time on their own as a replacement/update to what John did for Pink Triangle with the Cardinal/Ordinal etc.

It is the way forward, but I see them releasing the cd player and cd/pre before they released the dac dac/pre as a cynical attempt to squeeze one more round of the cd player before it is consigned to history.

No doubt they know their market though...
 
sq225917 said:
It is the way forward, but I see them releasing the cd player and cd/pre before they released the dac dac/pre as a cynical attempt to squeeze one more round of the cd player before it is consigned to history.

No doubt they know their market though...
Click to expand...

Hi sq,

They sure know their market very clever people :) So will there be in the future a big drive for off board DAC's or will manufacturer's spend more time and effort implementing better internal DAC's?

This is what I think is so cool about the Audiolab CD player, You have a great CD player but also you have the advantage of using the DAC to enhance (will be mainstream) audio music files.

All we need now is fiber to every house in the UK :)
 
It is perhaps worth noting that audiolab presumably base their decisions on expected worldwide sales, not just UK sales, and that the UK market is pretty much ahead of the curve in adopting streaming. Elsewhere, CD players still have significant sales.
 
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