Using I2S With the Denafrips Terminator and Metrum Ambre?

@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.