Hi all, relatively new K50 user here. I’d like to try the I2S connection but my Aqua La Scala DAC has a different format to the K50 and after attempts from the dealer seems to be incompatible.
I’m thinking about changing the Aqua to a DAC with a CDT built in, possibly the Ayon CD35. Does anyone have experience of this pairing they could share and is the RG45 I2S connection compatible?
Thanks
i2s has known incompatabilities IF the setting is not right on dac or streamer. Usually you can change in one device. For example on a Denafrips DAC if I2S is not working properly in the menu you need to program the right combination of 3x 0 or 1. For example 1.0.1. or 0.0.0. Some have dipswitches in the bottom. Now I think of it K50 has exactly that.
‘‘there is no universally agreed standard for the I2S pinout some products will simply not work with another I2S product while others provide dip-switches inside to change the connection scheme’’
Thanks for sharing this, very interesting and now I wonder if the dealer had the right knowledge, as the K50 dip switches were never mentioned. They focused on the RG45 pin configuration and provided a custom made SoTM cat 7 cable which should have worked but didn’t.
Saying this, reading the forum there seems to be a lot of preference for AES which I haven’t tried with the K50 as I use the Aqua AES input for my CDT. I’ll have to try the K50 with it and compare to the Curious USB I’m currently using.
In the attached review by Christiaan you will find plenty of ideas to try. I recommend his writing on the K50. He also did a very good follow up review. He tries and describes in detail different connections.
I do not know about compatibility, ask Antipodes (Well, you already did on these pages ;-). But please do try I2S though, the dealer should be able to get you the right i2s cable. With USB (AES?) you could miss out on something.
Image from Antipodes design : Connecting To A DAC
This should be the pin config for connection of the Antipodes to the Ayon
Note that the RJ45 cable will have an Ayon end and an Antipodes end (Std RJ45)and needs to be installed the right way round.
Hi Mark, just wanted to let you know I took the plunge with the Ayon CD35 and had a local chap make a basic I2S with the config you provided, and it works! Very happy indeed. At the moment a high end USB cable still sounds better, but I’m going to order a good I2S now I know it works and do some comparisons.
Thanks for all the help!
Cheers, Chris
Brilliant, appreciate the feedback Chris
