Using I2S With the Denafrips Terminator and Metrum Ambre?

Hi Ron,

i2s pin out, voltage level and protocol have to be matched in order for the two devices to work together. 

In the market now there are two type of i2s:

1. LVDS over HDMI i2s
2. LVCMOS over RJ45

If Metrum get back to you on the RJ45 pinout, you may try to customs made a RJ45 cable in short length (less than 15cm if possble) to match the RJ45 i2s-c of the Terminator DAC. 

https://www.denafrips.com/terminator-download

Hope it helps!

Best,
Alvin @ Vinshine Audio 

thanks  alvin! I started looking into it more. It looks like if I use the I2S "C" input and swap 3 wires, it will match the ambre. I just ordered an ethernet breakout board from amazon to test. if it works I will have a custom 12" cable made.

Anyone know who would make a custom RJ45 Ethernet cable for I2S for a reasonable price?

@alvin1118 What are some options to stream from a computer to a DT using the I2S input?

I have the Ambre working with the terminator. Using a breakout board, I tested it and worked like a charm, then I made a cable and it also worked fine. If anyone wants the pin swaps I will post next week as I'm on vacation and dont remember the exact pin swaps.

That's good news! Do you hear differences between i2s and other digital interfaces?

@yyzsantabarbara , for computer USB to digital converter, you may like to consider Singxer SU1/SU6. There are other make as well, like Gustard, Matrix Audio, HydraZ.

Hope it helps!

Best, 
Alvin @ Vinshine Audio 

@alvin1118   Would a PS Audio Perfect Wave Transport be compatible, or could be made to be compatible, with I2S into a PONTUS?? Unless I’m wrong, I *think* the Perfect Wave is (HDMI) I2S-A (??). I know it does not have USB out, but I’m still curious.

Thanks!

John

Hi John,

DENAFRIPS Pontus/Venus/Terminator HDMI i2s interface is compatible with PSAudio PWT. We have customers using this combo.

Here's a customer from Pennsylvania who use PSAudio player with the Terminator, connected via HDMI i2s interface. 

https://www.denafrips.com/single-post/2018/06/03/DENAFRIPS-TERMINATOR-Pennsylvania 

Hope it helps!

Best,
Alvin @ Vinshine Audio

@ron1264

My experience mimics yours. I have a Metrum Pavane II and would probably pull the trigger on the Jay's CD2 if it was possible find a way to get the optional user installable Metrum RJ45 based I2S module to talk to the Jay's LVDS based system. I've emailed Metrum twice now asking for a potential solution and have had no response. I did get a response from Vinshine saying the two were incompatible but no potential "fix" was suggested (assuming there is one).

@acresverde 

I was able to get it to work with the following pin swaps. check the pin swaps on both devices and if you know how to terminate an ethernet cable you can make your own like i did. Here is what it had to do to make it work. 

Ambre to terminator
Pin 1 to 3   (gnd Pin 2 to 4)
Pin 3 to 7   (gnd Pin 4 to 8)
Pin 7 to 1   (gnd Pin 8 to 2)

Pin 5 stays the same. I would also recommend crossing the paired grounds in () as well. That's what i did and works great. The i2s connection is more transparent, bigger soundstage and more detail. The only negative and it's really not a negative is the level is lower, so I have to put the volume higher to achieve the same level as i did with spdif.

I would also recommend using a ethernet breakout board 1st to test. Much easier to work with then terminating cables. That's what i did. Amazon sells many different ones, I got this one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BAHLWZ8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

@alvin1118 Alvin, can you or anyone recommend a good footer replacement for the Terminator? I'm not crazy about the two piece spiked feet, especially for the weight of this Dac. One mistake, and anything under the terminator will get a nice scratch. I would like to go to a one piece footer solution.