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The iQube Enigma (Review Updated) - Page 10

post #136 of 305
3/22/08 at 8:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by All Day Breakfast View Post
Well done DD. I've opened mine a few times now and gently messagged the spring clips but I wish I had your video for the first time round. There are 2 key things in your video from my point of view.
1) It's hard from the instruction manual to know whether the technique for opening the cover requires brute force or finesse. The video clarifies that.

2) The manual doesn't include that step that you added on the web and in the video about partially closing the 1 spring side before attempting to open the second side. That missing piece of information was crucial for me.

I thought you did a good job on the video.

Hopefully Hans will see it as useful but I'm fairly certain his customers will.

Without knowing the economic consequences I also thought the rechargeable battery suggestion coming with the unit was a good one.

Neither of these two suggestions require Hans to forgo his design goals nor redesign the unit and both would reduce or eliminate the single greatest weakness of this otherwise totally enjoyable unit.
I would also like to thank DEX for his great contributiuon, I stand corrected, the video is a great addition!!! Thanks Dex!!.

I will post it on the iqube website immediately.

Also the rechargeable option is one that I plan to introduce and I will speak to moon audio to see if we can also do that for the US sales.

Thanks again and nice to see that you all are so help full BIG THUMBS UP!

Hans
It is our philosophy to manufacture true High End cables for specialized connections in headphone, MP3 player, and HiFi component interconnections
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post #137 of 305
3/22/08 at 9:26am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hoosterw View Post

Thanks again and nice to see that you all are so help full BIG THUMBS UP!

Hans
Yes, I am all thumbs up with a couple of shorter nails. You have great aesthetics's and a great sound with the iQube.
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post #138 of 305
3/22/08 at 9:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hoosterw View Post
I would also like to thank DEX for his great contributiuon, I stand corrected, the video is a great addition!!! Thanks Dex!!.

I will post it on the iqube website immediately.

Also the rechargeable option is one that I plan to introduce and I will speak to moon audio to see if we can also do that for the US sales.

Thanks again and nice to see that you all are so help full BIG THUMBS UP!

Hans
That's great news Hans! Take a bow DEX and slwiser.

A great piece of kit!
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post #139 of 305
3/22/08 at 12:05pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by hoosterw View Post
I would also like to thank DEX for his great contributiuon, I stand corrected, the video is a great addition!!! Thanks Dex!!.
No problemo, Hans, it was a fun enough little exercise to do, if not just a wee bit nerve wracking. Making sure everything remains in-frame while manipulating the iQube and simultaneously supplying commentary turned out to be a real juggling act.


Quote:
Originally Posted by hoosterw View Post
I will post it on the iqube website immediately.
Gorsh...*flattered*

You can use the "embedding" code that's available on YouTube to place it directly into the (currently woefully empty ) faq section on the iQube site. Feel free to add the accompanying text explanation from post #105 here.


Quote:
Originally Posted by hoosterw View Post
Also the rechargeable option is one that I plan to introduce and I will speak to moon audio to see if we can also do that for the US sales.
I dunno. It strikes me as "6 of 1, half-dozen of the other". Whether or not rechargeables are shipped installed in the iQube, it seems clear to me that the owner is gonna have to open that battery compartment eventually.

So why delay the inevitable? Is it not better just to learn the procedure straight away and feel confident & comfortable with it, than to dread having to do it cold, perhaps just a year or so down the road?

One final thought. The iQube cover retaining clips could conceivably be shipped pre-conditioned, using the massaging technique previously discussed. Of course, although it takes but a mere few seconds to accomplish, those seconds do add up in an assembly process and ultimately would entail additional time and effort. So if doing so would further add to the price of the iQube, diminish your margins, or delay the development of a matching iQube DAC, well, nevermind!
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post #140 of 305
3/22/08 at 12:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dexdexter View Post
The iQube cover retaining clips could conceivably be shipped pre-conditioned, using the massaging technique previously discussed.
Not a bad ideal either....I like it.
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post #141 of 305
3/22/08 at 3:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dexdexter View Post
snip... or delay the development of a matching iQube DAC, well, nevermind!
I'll buy the matching DAC too
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post #142 of 305
3/22/08 at 3:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by All Day Breakfast View Post
I'll buy the matching DAC too
What DAC?
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post #143 of 305
3/22/08 at 3:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by slwiser View Post
What DAC?
x2, yeah what dac ? Tell us, tell us..
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post #144 of 305
3/22/08 at 3:49pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by musicmaker View Post
x2, yeah what dac ? Tell us, tell us..
It's mostly just me trying to nudge Hans, as I had earlier on in Post #31:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dexdexter View Post
Hans, since you've already found us here and are apparently in a good mood, howsabout getting those Class D elves of yours to blow a little pixie dust on a matching battery-operated DAC with optical and USB inputs?
When I spoke to Hans last weekend at the Netherlands Meet, he acknowledged that there has been some discussion in that general direction...
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post #145 of 305
3/22/08 at 3:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by musicmaker View Post
x2, yeah what dac ? Tell us, tell us..
Hans?
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post #146 of 305
3/22/08 at 5:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dexdexter View Post
It's mostly just me trying to nudge Hans, as I had earlier on in Post #31:



When I spoke to Hans last weekend at the Netherlands Meet, he acknowledged that there has been some discussion in that general direction...

That would be quite cool, this thread is a bastion of wisdom- I know what kind of rechargeables to use, and how best to open the little beastie. Damn the torpedoes, open the wallet, iQube will be mine.
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post #147 of 305
3/22/08 at 6:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dexdexter View Post
...I dunno. It strikes me as "6 of 1, half-dozen of the other". Whether or not rechargeables are shipped installed in the iQube, it seems clear to me that the owner is gonna have to open that battery compartment eventually.

So why delay the inevitable? Is it not better just to learn the procedure straight away and feel confident & comfortable with it, than to dread having to do it cold, perhaps just a year or so down the road?
snip
Ray Samuel does the calculations on his web site for one of his battery powered amps to show how the battery will last something like 8 years of constant use before needing replacement. I'm not into the techie side of things so I let this slide off my scales but if the calculations are straight forward the question is, how long will the batteries likely last? I don't know how much it matters if you learn how to open the thing after the first 100 hours if you're going to install batteries which last 8 years. 2 years or less between battery changes is one thing but 4 years or more between battery changes starts to influence the calculus IMO.
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post #148 of 305
3/22/08 at 7:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hoosterw View Post
I would strongly suggest not to exceed the specification of 2.35mm outer diameter. A long term increased force on the female connector inside the IQube might damage this and as a result give a bad connection.

I will check with the designers and the supplier of the internal female what is allowed and then report back here.

Rgds

Hans
hello, just to add about my previous post the 2.5mm plug when half inserted in the amp still moves up and down left and right and fits snug when fully inserted without putting pressure on it. i was assuming this would be fine and i don't want to mislead people with what i said, i myself will hold back on useing the plug until i hear back from you/someone here. thanks jeremy.
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post #149 of 305
3/22/08 at 7:46pm
To add some info from the battery site mentioned earlier

1. Standard NiMH cells have an approximately life span of 3 years with increased internal resistance, lowered capacities, and higher self discharge with age. Cheaper brands may have less.
2. NiCd cells have about 5 year life span usually fails with internal shorts (complete failure) or excessively high resistance.
3. LSD NiMH cells currently have no data in this regard, they're advertised as having better longevity than regular NiMH cells. They've only been out for less than 3 years now. The oldest cells reported (1.5 years old) was lightly used and perform like new.

and
LSD [low self discharge] NiMH tech has dramatically improve the performance, longevity, durability, and cycle life too. However, it is new and relatively unproven tech. For general use, the Sanyo Eneloops LSD NiMH seem the very best and there seems to be no reason to buy any non-LSD NiMH cells these days

and
regular NiMH AA rechargeable batteries giving 10 shots in a digital camera, regular AA alkaline batteries gave 90 buy Sanyo eneloops gave over 400 shots on a charge!

While this data says nothing definitively about Eneloop AAAs, It suggests that they would have a performance lifetime of more than 3 years and maybe in the 4-5 year range. Assuming for the moment that's true, does it matter if you successfully opened your iQube 4 years ago and never since?
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post #150 of 305
3/23/08 at 9:28pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by All Day Breakfast View Post
LSD [low self discharge] NiMH tech has dramatically improve the performance, longevity, durability, and cycle life too. However, it is new and relatively unproven tech. For general use, the Sanyo Eneloops LSD NiMH seem the very best and there seems to be no reason to buy any non-LSD NiMH cells these days

and
regular NiMH AA rechargeable batteries giving 10 shots in a digital camera, regular AA alkaline batteries gave 90 buy Sanyo eneloops gave over 400 shots on a charge!
Of course, there was a time when one could get LSD in a sugarcube. So I don't know how I can pass up the opportunity to go trippin' with LSD in my iQube!

Eneloops ordered. Thanks, Eric & Steve for all the great info!
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