I don't have the LCD-1, but I have fixed similar problems with my aviation headsets and other applications, using PC-7 epoxy. It's very strong and when it works it is a permanent solution, if unsightly.

From what I read, the MkII has a stronger version of Meier's FF. FF is a pre-emphasis and de-emphasis method, something that has been used in other areas of audio, from analog tape to vinyl LPs and CDs. Yet Meier's use of it in amplifiers and DACs is somewhat novel, and I wonder why we don't see...

The common Grado headphone models (SR60 etc.) sound excessively bright with uneven frequency response & high distortion. That is the traditional "Grado voicing", some love it, some hate it. They can benefit from the 120 ohm output of the Soul, which acts like a tone control, boosting output...

Nice - giving the DA loop a test drive! And that RME is no slouch of a DAC. Let us know your impressions.

BTW, I'll add that I still have the original HD580 that I bought in 1998. Over the years I've replaced the earpads, headband pad, and cable, but everything else is still original. They still perform and measure like new, indistinguishable from the original HD600. That's the kind of quality...

Most headphones (and the Harman curve) sound too bright to me so without EQ the HD650 would be the one for me. But the 600 is a tad cleaner, so if you have EQ available, especially if it is parametric EQ implemented in DSP, then the 600 is the way to go.

You're not annoying me at all. It's an interesting discussion that could be helpful to others. That sounds like the opposite of what I've been describing: use the Soul as a DAC only, where I'm talking about using everything in the Soul except the DAC. On the Soul, if you set all the knobs to...

Yes, this is a nice feature because analog balanced XLR has 2 different standards: consumer (about 4 V) and professional (about 12 V). It enables the Soul to gain-match to either. Low gain for professional, and high gain for consumer.

Indeed, the Soul is an excellent analog preamp, the best I have heard or measured. If you have at least 6 dB of headroom with the Soul MK1, then you can get an idea of what difference the MK2 might make. Set the Soul's digital gain switch to the LOW position. This drops overall levels by 6 dB...

It's explained earlier in this thread. To summarize: First, you need a DAC that has balanced XLR output. Connect the Soul digital output to the DAC digital input. Connect the DAC analog output to the Soul's analog input. Now when you listen to the Soul as you normally would: If the Soul's...

I mentioned above why the MK2 upgrade is not for me. Before taking the MK2 plunge, you might enjoy using the Soul's external DAC loop to try different DACs and see what difference it makes. It should be fun and educational, and help you with the MK2 decision.

Same here - my usage runs about 90/10 preamp/headphone. It does seem we're in the minority.

I do occasionally use the Soul to measure other equipment with test signals (not just music), so I need it to pass high frequencies at high levels cleanly without clipping. Its built-in DAC is still among the best I've heard, and when I want that extra 1% during a critical listening session I...

To add to the discussion & comparison, I discovered by accident how good the DA converters in my Tascam DA-3000 recorder are. It uses the Burr Brown PCM1795. This recorder has a mode called "DA-AD" where it doesn't record, but activates its AD and DA converters for real-time conversion. As...