Ayon Audio Forum- all questions and suggestion

I already get 24/192 from a Wavelength Wavelink HS box from my MacBookAir computers and it sounds pretty damn good. I've also begun to use a Weiss INT202 Firewire interface for my Mini.

Not all USB implementations are created equal, despite a 24/192 moniker.

I don't think this upgrade is a "must do" the way the analog preamp volume control and analog inputs were from the 5 to 5S though I think Ayon should be mindful of their loyal customers' tolerance for these continual cycles :)

I myself moved from a CD2S used to a CD5S new.

I have moved the CD5S from my main system which is a combo HT/2 channel setup and will partner it with a Plinius SA-Reference Class A power amp and a pair of Australian made Lenehan ML2 Reference speakers.

Jmohd

What's the input impedance on your passlabs?

The Ayon doesn't have negative feedback so in the manual, it states that partnering with lower input impedance power amps CAN cause such distortions. I had the same problem with a pair of Focal Solo 6 Be active speakers.

Ayon recommends using amps with an input impedance of > 47kOhms

https://passlabs.com/products/amplifiers/xa.5/xa100.5

The PassLabs only has 30? I think.

The USB input IMHO was not worth the upgrade over the 5. But the analog volume stage and preamp output was, along with the XLR input.

You will get far better results with an OffRamp or Audiophileo or Wavelink HS

If the Skylla preamp is anything like the CD5S, I think it seems fairly noisy if it's
not partnered well with the power amp.

So best to audition with the power amps you want first. On others it's virtually
silent.

Particularly bad with active speakers with <47kOhm input impedance

MacMini
SSD (do a custom install of OS X without the extra apps)
8GB RAM minimum
Audirvana Plus

Use TB or FW for external storage of files

Use a good USB-SPDIF interface. I suggest Wavelink HS

On a whim, I dug out the Wavelink HS box and hooked my MBA to the USB port and gave the Ayon's PCM1704UK DAC a whirl.

Still sounds pretty good even if I had to use a cheap-ish NuForce impulse USB cable (only one I had that was long enough.

They didn't change the PCM1704 building block of the CD5S from the CD5.

where did you get that information?

Here's a pic of the PCM1704
http://highfidelity.pl/foto_testy/1108/cd5s/22.jpg

from this review of the 5S
http://highfidelity.pl/@main-209&lang=en

The 1796 is used in the CD07 IIRC

http://www.ayonaudio.com/fileadmin/upload/review/helios_CD5s_Audiophile_2011.pdf

Here's a review from the Ayon website which also states the CD5S uses the PCM1704