Bump.

I'll try to make it, just depends on the dates...

Red Wine Audio Cassabria - it is a beautiful hybrid tube amp but is also rather mellow and warm, but can be brightened up depending on the tube (I settled on a NOS Telefunken.) It needed a dac with more clarity and resolution then the micro iDSD. The combination was just too mellow and thick.

I had the original micro iDSD and was using it as the dac with Audeze LCD-3 headphones which were also kind of warm sounding. I did not particularly like that pairing as it was a bit too dark and mellow sounding. The AFOs are warmish, the iFi is also warmish, maybe it's just too warm for you?

I just picked up one of these for half the new price to get back into headphones. It's shockingly good as a combined unit. The review of Projectx86 on Part time audiophile said it really is reference level and I believe it. I didn't see a thread for it so I started one. Anyone else using one?

Just picked up a set of these. Very nice fit and finish and vastly superior comfort to last headphones I had (LCD-3s with the old style headband.) Very interesting personality with a little warmth. I debated on whether to try these of the Ether Flow Open. I think I went with the right headphone...

That is strange. I use roon and it reads 192, 96, etc correctly. The only thing I can think of is the max sample rate setting in audio menu may be limiting it back down to 44. Also, it is sometimes good to set another device as the default system sound device just so the OS isn't trying to mess...

My original 2014 lcd-3f driver went out earlier this year and a was upgraded to the newest. I wouldn't say it sounds grainier at all, I would just say it sounds more open, but still has the same basic character. To me the newer version was a definite improvement.

  Agreed. There is nothing even close right now. It is too bad though, they should figure out how to fix the clicking, I would think it could be done even with firmware.

Dude, you really are talking smack! The headphone outputs are coupled directly to the XLR outputs, which is why Ayre suggests unplugging the rear XLRs before listening to the headphone outs. This leads me to think the very same output devices are used for the headphone outs. Indeed, if you look...

Can't speak to the Schiit dacs, and I do know the Hifiman does require a lot of gain, so the Codex may not quite have the voltage swing for the HE-560, but I wouldn't know since I haven't tried it with them. What I can say is with the HD800S and the LCD-3, if you are running out of volume then...

I've played with this issue of ticks and pops for quite a while with both Ayre products and finally just learned to accept it. Now that I think about it, I briefly owned another Sabre and Streamlength dac (BMC PureDAC) and it also had similar behavior when switching between sample rates or to...

I doubt you are going to get much of a satisfactory answer from Ayre. It sounds like your noises may be a bit beyond what I am accustomed to hearing, but I think it may be related to the Streamlength USB driver software they are utilizing. I had a QB-9DSD and I got similar behavior with a slight...

Mine does it, usually nothing that makes me jump up and notice though. If yours is enough to be truely bothersome then I would check with Alex at Ayre. It shouldn't be enough to make you fear for your speakers or headphones.   It is annoying though, it should seem like there should be a little...

I have a click sometimes when the sample rate switches. Does that sound right? Especially when going into or out of DSD.

Not to start a cable discussion but ...   Power cable is the cable I have the hardest time accepting could be a significant player. The power coming through your wall is basic Romex. Furthermore, the Codex is a fairly low power device. What is the thinking with power cables given that coming...

I just wrapped up my week with the HD800S loaner. Thanks to Todd for making this possible as it was very useful in my decision on whether I wanted to make a change to my listening rig. The only way to really get to know a product is to listen to it in your own home, on your own time, on your own...

  The Aurender's USB output should be pretty superb, that is a big part of what you are paying for with it. I can't imagine any of the relatively inexpensive USB fixers like the Regen, Jitterbug, etc improving anything. I would think the Aurender probably has higher quality components than any...

I have a set of newly replaced LCD-3s. Mine were the 2014, first release of the fazor. To me the upgrade is substantial. They sound quite a bit more open and clear than before. They still sound like Audezes, but just with added clarity and better image than before. However, I have recently tried...

I am completing my week with the loaner HD800S. I have been testing it from the Ayre Codex and comparing against my LCD-3F (newest drivers.) To put it short, I think I will probably pull the trigger on the HD800S in the coming weeks. It is simply a better technical headphone than the LCD-3...

I read that. It was a weird conclusion to me as I think running from the RCAs is significantly inferior to running the Codex balanced either by the XLRs or the headphone out. I sold my Red Wine Audio Cassabria because it was only single ended input. The codex was better direct with the balanced...

I received an HD800S review loaner this week and have been listening direct through the Codex using the balanced output. It works very, very well. It has been a while since I got to listen to an HD800 but the 800S does sound very different from what I remember, definitely a little warmer...

The Uptone REGEN made a notable difference in my case. This might be because my computer is a totally non-optimized homebuild with no audiophile hardware tweaks. I am about to get a Sonore microRendu which may be a big improvement over the Regen.

  My dealer said that his expectation was for the QB-9 to be discontinued and essentially replaced by the Codex at their lower end.

I didn't even realize there was a new headband until I put it on. It looks basically the same. My old one worked, but it felt kind of loose and seemed like it was too big for my head even though it worked. This new one fits much more snugly. I will see if it is more comfortable or not. On thing...