https://i.postimg.cc/wjHYNVPZ/V1.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/hGtFyGK0/V2.jpg

...AK4490EQ versions above...

Hmm!

While we're Sharing, can we please have your Banking Information?  :;

Bottom Line, and Revision Whatever.    If it says 'RME" on the unit?   Then?  There's nothing more to be concerned with.

Not that it really matters (the bridge cable doesn’t hurt).

The video might well show an earlier, non series production, development stage of the board, or a board that was fixed for a broken trace.

https://youtu.be/43kkU49sRLo

Go to 5:57...

I also have seen it in several professional or domestic machines (like MOTU or SONY for example) and it can also be a prototype shown in this video but it doesn't stop me wonder or be annoyed by it...

It would be nice to have a "letter C at the end of the S/N owner", with expired warranty (if possible), interested enough to open the unit and share a picture to complete our collection

....Until we have new relevant inside pictures of missing PCB versions of this DAC (retail editions, with or without patch wires), we may notice another visible difference between revisions (other than DAC chips and surroundings) - the 10th relay present in V4's and presumably V5's (first ESS edition or not) output stage. As you can see, the PCB imprint is also present in the previous versions but not populated. I wonder how the unit differs in functionality and if there are benefits or downsides?

https://i.postimg.cc/ZqP3p9D5/ESS-patch-v.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/V6DCZxwy/V4.jpg

I'm a new user here granted, so not familiar with RME's revision patterns, but if it works, what difference does it make what revision the board is, and if there is a jumper cable? Either it works, or it doesn't, in which case they'd take care of it under warranty methinks?

Dunno, for what it is, and how much it costs, not expecting Côtes de Genève finish on the inside. Nor obsessing over hypotheticals. Works? Check! Doesnt? RMA to RME.

I was strictly expressing my opinion. To me this is an inexpensive product and not worth obsessing over. Note I said inexpensive, not cheap. It sounds fantastic and its feature set is second to none.

To you it's hand-wringing material, so it's a democracy, I know.

This thread now hits the same fate as on ASR before...

Note: below posts have been transferred from the model versions thread to keep that one readable. Unfortunately the forum software can not list the posts in the correct date order after such an action.

It seems that it that this specific wire was not part of the design from the beginning but it was a quick fix for supporting ess chip. There is a later ess version without this wire and with a proper pcb design. It seems that in order of not stopping production there was a kind of quality reduction. If the wire was not a faulty solution they would not have fixed it in the latest pcb version...There is a thread at ASR forum with photos that proves it (some photos i shoot them by myself).

There is evidence, it is the strange wire it did not exist before. But there is no proof… we need to have comparative measurements for that. However if it was ok they would not have fixed it again in later versions, as in new ess version the wire disappears again… It makes me doubt about it, and a device for such money and from a such good company should not leave background for second thoughts and doubts.

EVEN IF the wire is for the modification for ESS chip from old pcb stock, it is not a bad thing at all, first, RME study it completely and decided the move, second, it is good that nothing was wasted.

I never peep into the case or watch it with an borescope.... I just do not care....

I think you got all the answers that you need already on the ASR forum. I will not further comment on it,

Quote : “I think you got all the answers that you need already on the ASR forum. I will not further comment on it.”

Quote : “it is your right not to continue the subject if you don't want or think it is not needed.”

There are two rules in life.

1. Never give out all the information.

Quote: “There is evidence, it is the strange wire it did not exist before.”

With all due respect, that is complete nonsense, absolute tosh!

There is no evidence such a wire results in a reduction of audio quality.

On the contrary, it is evidence of highly responsive continuous improvement.

All excellent manufacturers, at some time or another implement a fix if one is required.

Re-designing, re-tooling, re-programming computer-controlled manufacturing, often requires bringing in the expertise of outside consultants, most often, the actual manufacturers of the large manufacturing plant tool itself.

Sometimes this is done in house by a manufacturer’s own experts, probably this was I am fairly sure, but that is not always the case. Therefore, implementing a solution can involve time, effort, personnel, travel arrangements, accommodation to be found, and the expense of all this has to be bought off, okayed by the finance dept.

In the interim, providing a temporary solution, maintaining quality, adhering to a programme of continuous product development and improvement, is the absolutely optimal, immmeadiate pathway and best solution for manufacturers and consumers alike.

There are times, I must confess, in my own experience of manufacturing companies, when we have shut down entire plant buildings (these would be easily ten times the size of the manufacturing plant that produce RME products), to stop production entirely, in just one of many such buildings (costing many millions in lost production) in order to fix a serious problem. (In one case, because of a fire).

Sometimes bringing an entire manufacturing plant to a grinding halt for a few days (or much longer). But this would only be done in the most serious of cases, and cost tens of millions in lost production in the industries that I have had an interest in and been directly connected with. This is why, all companies issue disclaimers such as: ”RME reserves the right to change specifications at any time without notice.”

It provides manufacturers with the required latitude to provide a genuine solution and implement it as quickly as possible. Providing legally recognised authority to enact product necessary modifications.

Therefore, its far more sensible, justifiable and legally correct to utilise pragmatically reasonable, pure common sense and provide an efficiently practicable business solution, to solve an unforeseen issue that keeps manufacturing plants open, people in work and perfectly good, quality products being delivered, to waiting customers.

Implementing change within an existing production environment can be challengingly difficult, demanding, time consuming and expensive.

To argue by implication, that plants should be closed, production ceased, people put out of work and measurable proof provided to satisfy individual doubt.

Is an entirely lost cause, a wholly fallacious argument no reasonable person would ever support and with respect, the type of argument only a troll would engage in.

Yup, I also know from friends who designed PCBs, that such patches are sometimes required, sometimes you see it still here and there. Nothing tragic. And maybe in this case maybe only a connection to logically trigger something or something completely uncritical in the digital domain. And even if this would be in the analog domain .. as long as this has been provided in quality without altering the sound or the overall quality of the product, well ... then there is no issue as you say and I could think of. that this has been carefully planned and tested by RME before implementing it.

And I wonder why the question did not came up yet, whether this is at least an audiophile patch cable ;-) ;-)

I did read a bit the same topic at ASR forum.... waves of questions there, first, someone found the wire at the RME video presented by MC, then challenge it, another member said no wire at the C version, that brought up another wave of discussion that the one with wire is a patched pcb ..... and then praise the DAC here to get a candy like a 3 years old kid .... But they have no guts to open the case to check every detail they doubted... may be to protect the resell value or with another reason?

I will second it, Utterly ridiculous!

I wonder, those worried about this small wire is not reliable, are their mains distribution at home is busbar or pcb not wires?

P.S. I am a NON-BELIVER of audiophile cable .....