S:flo2 impressions thread - Page 132

That's what I was looking for.  Thank you.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by violinvirtuoso 

 

The Headphone Out has the signal routed through the DACs and an internal amplifier (for volume control and stuff). A true Line Out takes the signal directly from the DACs. In the case of the S:Flo 2, there is an internal amp for the Line Out as well. This amp does not allow for volume control, but technically makes the Line Out not a true Line Out. However, from what I have read, the amp is there to convert the signal, not to affect sound quality.

 

EDIT: In essence, both the Headphone Out and the Line Out utilize the S:Flo 2's dual Wolfson DACs.

Did I answer your question?

 

maybe plug's socket for head-directs re-zeros could fit sflo

I think it was a video review done by CNET...
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by marcello 

No, it's not true. S:flo2 use dual dac chips all the time. rockchip decodes music formats, dac converts digital to analog, but it's balanced, therefore you need tda1308 to convert it to unbalanced signal and from there it goes to LO, or opa2604 chip and HO. it use the dac all the time the same way.

 

Can you give a reference, where you read it?
 

Hi all, just to let you all proud S:Flo2 owners know we will have custom cases coming in next week, preorder is up for anyone that wants to save a little. The fourth case (with the clip) will be in on August. The brown leather hyde case is the one we are sending to all preorder 3 buyers :)

I asked Graham slee the line out question i.e  thats its driven by an opamp and he said

"A small number of DACs are what you'd call passive out but most have active output stages which most often than not feature an op-amp such as the OPA2604. Usually the output will be around 2 volts rms  """"""2"""""         """""2222""""""""""""""""""    ,   

 please ignore all the twos and hyphons i cant seem to edit them out

Quote:

Originally Posted by violinvirtuoso 

 

The Headphone Out has the signal routed through the DACs and an internal amplifier (for volume control and stuff). A true Line Out takes the signal directly from the DACs. In the case of the S:Flo 2, there is an internal amp for the Line Out as well. This amp does not allow for volume control, but technically makes the Line Out not a true Line Out. However, from what I have read, the amp is there to convert the signal, not to affect sound quality.

I would disagree with this statement.  I would guess that for the LO, the signal from the DAC goes to a op amp, to buffer the signal, before it goes to the jack.  This is standard practice for consumer electronics, I don't know of a consumer product where there is not an op amp between the DAC and the output jack.  The op amp has more drive then the DAC, so it can normally better drive a cable, or whatever you connect to your SFLO.  It also degrades the signal (anything in the signal path degrades the signal).  The degree of degredation depends on the opamp, and the implementation of the circuit.

The IMOD does connect directly from the DAC to a jack, but that's not what I would call a consumer product.

A standard mod to CD players has been to bypass the opamp, and connect the output of the DAC directly to the jack.  Vinnie of Red Wine Audio started off years ago, as just a DIY guy, who did this on a cheap Toshiba CD player, and made a much better sounding player with a fairly simple mod.  There were many posts on Audio Asylum years ago on this CDP.

Randy
 

Does anyone know what the Play FX  LEQ setting does?

Quote:

Originally Posted by T.R.A.N.C.E. 

Does anyone know what the Play FX  LEQ setting does?

I have no idea.  I quit messing around w/ the Play FX stuff after day 2 since it was a PITA.  Flat Eq set on User, done.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anaxilus 

I have no idea.  I quit messing around w/ the Play FX stuff after day 2 since it was a PITA.  Flat Eq set on User, done.

yeah, when select user does your volume drop a bit if your previous setting was Play FX?, its a bit weird, I have to use more volume if I want to use user. Also wouldn't the "Normal" setting be flat as well?

As I have posted previously (and with the proviso, as always, "In my humble opinion"): Forget the EQ. That's a pretty fine HO you've got there, and if you want better, you've got to try and improve on the player's internal amp, or improve your headphones. I think it's as simple as that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by T.R.A.N.C.E. 

yeah, when select user does your volume drop a bit if your previous setting was Play FX?, its a bit weird, I have to use more volume if I want to use user. Also wouldn't the "Normal" setting be flat as well?

Yeah, I had some issues w/ that.  Using the LO bypassed the volume switching issue I think.  Haven't confirmed it for sure.  I had it on Normal but when playing w/ the PlayFX it didn't revert back to normal so I set it to user and made everything flat and left it alone.  If the software decides to do something different tomorrow I'll adapt.  Its like the player came w/ its own audio game like Bejewelled or something.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickosiris 

As I have posted previously (and with the proviso, as always, "In my humble opinion"): Forget the EQ. That's a pretty fine HO you've got there, and if you want better, you've got to try and improve on the player's internal amp, or improve your headphones. I think it's as simple as that.

I don't need to improve the internal amp or get new headphones.  The LO is a clear improvement to my ears.  And its included in the player for FREE!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickosiris 

As I have posted previously (and with the proviso, as always, "In my humble opinion"): Forget the EQ. That's a pretty fine HO you've got there, and if you want better, you've got to try and improve on the player's internal amp, or improve your headphones. I think it's as simple as that.

The custom EQ works fine for me, not noticing any sound quality issues while using it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by randytsuch 

I would disagree with this statement.  I would guess that for the LO, the signal from the DAC goes to a op amp, to buffer the signal, before it goes to the jack.  This is standard practice for consumer electronics, I don't know of a consumer product where there is not an op amp between the DAC and the output jack.  The op amp has more drive then the DAC, so it can normally better drive a cable, or whatever you connect to your SFLO.  It also degrades the signal (anything in the signal path degrades the signal).  The degree of degredation depends on the opamp, and the implementation of the circuit.

 

The IMOD does connect directly from the DAC to a jack, but that's not what I would call a consumer product.

 

A standard mod to CD players has been to bypass the opamp, and connect the output of the DAC directly to the jack.  Vinnie of Red Wine Audio started off years ago, as just a DIY guy, who did this on a cheap Toshiba CD player, and made a much better sounding player with a fairly simple mod.  There were many posts on Audio Asylum years ago on this CDP.

 

Randy
 

You are right, there is a buffer in the S:Flo 2's Line Out. What I was saying is that a "True" Line Out has nothing in between the DACs and the Line Out. Because the S:Flo 2 does, it technically is not a "True" Line Out. AFAIK, a Line Out is anything that bypasses the volume control. So the S:Flo 2 does have a Line Out, and it does sound excellent. So yes, no consumer product has a true Line Out built in (Cowon X5?, HifiMan 801).
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by violinvirtuoso 

You are right, there is a buffer in the S:Flo 2's Line Out. What I was saying is that a "True" Line Out has nothing in between the DACs and the Line Out. Because the S:Flo 2 does, it technically is not a "True" Line Out. AFAIK, a Line Out is anything that bypasses the volume control. So the S:Flo 2 does have a Line Out, and it does sound excellent. So yes, no consumer product has a true Line Out built in (Cowon X5?, HifiMan 801).
 

The buffer isnt for volume control.  I thought it was for managing balanced and unbalanced voltages no?  The Sflo2 Line Out has no volume control unless you use the EQ.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickosiris 

As I have posted previously (and with the proviso, as always, "In my humble opinion"): Forget the EQ. That's a pretty fine HO you've got there, and if you want better, you've got to try and improve on the player's internal amp, or improve your headphones. I think it's as simple as that.

Meh, personally I don't use EQ but what's wrong with it? It's all about personal enjoyment and sometimes people forget this. if you're using the HO and you want a "neutral" sound you're going to have to use the EQ anyway because the HO has treble roll off :/

But I keep it flat with the LO to my K702s. However when I'm listening to techno or something like that the EQ is heavily used :)