REVIEW: HLLY DMK-IV DAC / headphone amp / pre-amp) - Page 11

New  unit has arrived, you can read about it at: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/509150/hlly-smk-iii-digital-audio-deocder#post_6881229

Would love to give some more HLLY products a try. Would love to give one of the tube integrated amplifiers at the HLLY store a go with the K1000 I currently have. Just like to say I like HLLY so far. My HLLY T-Amp 20 sounds great with AKG K1000. Build quaity is great, but the green LED is blinding. Lights up my whole room when the lights are turned off. Also, the RED RCA jack says Left and the WHITE RCA jack says right. This should be swapped around. R for Red, R for Right. That's how I remember it  Nevertheless, great cheap little product. Wouldn't hesitate to buy/try another HLLY component.

Also loving the features of HLLY's products. Having a DAC and a pre amp, would be perfect for my speakers. Looking forward to more reviews/impressions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stang 

Would love to give some more HLLY products a try. Would love to give one of the tube integrated amplifiers at the HLLY store a go with the K1000 I currently have. Just like to say I like HLLY so far. My HLLY T-Amp 20 sounds great with AKG K1000. Build quaity is great, but the green LED is blinding. Lights up my whole room when the lights are turned off. Also, the RED RCA jack says Left and the WHITE RCA jack says right. This should be swapped around. R for Red, R for Right. That's how I remember it  Nevertheless, great cheap little product. Wouldn't hesitate to buy/try another HLLY component.

 

Also loving the features of HLLY's products. Having a DAC and a pre amp, would be perfect for my speakers. Looking forward to more reviews/impressions.

     Thanks for your praise, Dear Stang, Yes, we are younger in Audio products, So maybe sometime we will make stupid mistake, But we are eager to offer better products in the future and Hope more people will support us!

     Hope more people will post their review of DMK-IV and we will improve it in the new version!

Thanks in advance!

    david gao 
 

Well David, how about addressing the lack of 96 khz sample rate support on any of the inputs of the HLLY DMK-IV despite claims to the contrary in your product literature and advertisements?

This kind of false advertising or shoddy engineering does not really inspire too much confidence concerning the technical qualities of your new HLLY SMK-II DAC.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fglx 

... does not really inspire too much confidence concerning the technical qualities of your new HLLY SMK-II DAC.

First of it is the SMK-III and secondly it is both a DAC and a Headphone Amp, I know because I have one on loan and will be sending it to two members here skylab and immtbiker next week so they can try it and post impressions. The SMK-III does handle 24/96 and I have posted pictures of the controls lighting up when a fed such a signal.

For someone with only three posts in this forum you sure talk big. 

  The DMK-IV is still available, But only not more than 100pcs left, the new version will be availabe in several month!

Can someone let me know what this sounds like as a pre-amp driving a power amp and speakers?

I see that it uses the CS3310 volume chip. I presume from looking at the schematic that this controlls the volume for the Headphone amp as well as the line out.

From the reviews on this thread it seems that people like the sound of this chip. As HLLY is now making a stand alone pre-amplfier http://hllyaudio.com/pre-amplifier/hlly-amk-ii-pre-amplifier-ad797-cs3310-included.html?guid=ON&language=en

using the same CS3310 chip. i was hoping someone would be able to elaborate on the sound of this chip vs a potentiometer.

thanks in advance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo 

The SMK-III does handle 24/96 and I have posted pictures of the controls lighting up when a fed such a signal.

I am not talking about the SMK-III but the DMK-IV which contrary to specification and advertisement clearly does not handle 24/96 either on its SPDIF or its TOS input except by spewing white noise. So while it is reassuring to hear that based on your preliminary observation the SMK-III does not suffer from the same defect, who knows what else might be faulty with it given the shoddy engineering and questionable advertisement practices on display with the predecessor device. 

And I might add that for someone who has reviewed the DMK-IV and in the process did not even notice that the device does not live up to its advertised specifications you sure do not seem to have been too diligent and thorough in your examination.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo 

For someone with only three posts in this forum you sure talk big. 

It is funny to see you correlate expertise with post count on this forum. Some people have more important things to do than spend every waking hour on a forum. Looking around Head-fi one easily gets the impression that lots of people here feel the need to make up for certain deficiencies in real life by trying to boost their ego by proxy of a prolific post count (not that I am counting you among those).

Furthermore, it is interesting that David while continuing to post on this thread remains unwilling to address the issue and at least provide a statement instead preferring to sweep it under the rug. Such behavior certainly gives some strong hints as to the kind of corporate culture and ethics that governs HLLY Electronics and by extension their product design and support processes.

Ok.

I do not know if I did it correctly, today I took a wave file (24/96) and played it using Windows Media Player via USB cable to the HLLY. I do not know how windows media player works so I do not know if the file sent to the HLLY was 24/96 or if it was converted to something else. Anyone knows?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo 

I do not know if I did it correctly, today I took a wave file (24/96) and played it using Windows Media Player via USB cable to the HLLY. I do not know how windows media player works so I do not know if the file sent to the HLLY was 24/96 or if it was converted to something else. Anyone knows?

It gets resampled unless you use Reclocker.  You can also try uLilith or Foobar2000 with ASIO4all for bitperfect output via USB.  Reclocker has WASAPI output and is compatible with some media players including Windows Media Player, there's a WASAPI output component for Foobar2k, and uLilith includes WASAPI as well.  Foobar2k and uLilith can make use of ASIO4all (which works out best for them when using USB output, WASAPI for SPDIF preferably).

Hi, do I understand correctly that this unit has been updated with better parts since it's initial review by Skylab? If so, can anyone speak to the quality of the newest version?

Also how does it switch between pre-amp and headphones being live? Is that via the remote, or does plugging headphones in turn off pre-amp?

Thanks.

I am not aware of any updates, but they have a new model out.

The selection on the features can be done via the remote or from the front panel by depressing the volume pot, then you go through the menu to select.

Quote:

Originally Posted by erin 

Can someone let me know what this sounds like as a pre-amp driving a power amp and speakers?

I see that it uses the CS3310 volume chip. I presume from looking at the schematic that this controlls the volume for the Headphone amp as well as the line out.

 

From the reviews on this thread it seems that people like the sound of this chip. As HLLY is now making a stand alone pre-amplfier http://hllyaudio.com/pre-amplifier/hlly-amk-ii-pre-amplifier-ad797-cs3310-included.html?guid=ON&language=en

using the same CS3310 chip. i was hoping someone would be able to elaborate on the sound of this chip vs a potentiometer.

thanks in advance.

Hey guys, can anyone comment on my question above?

Surely someone has tried it?

Thanks.

NEW Version DMK-IV will be available in two month!

We will offer sample for testing and review!

Old Version will be still available in one year!

THanks for support!

HLLY