JH3A - How will you feed it?

If you want a portable setup, there are only two options (to use the digital input):

iPod with CypherLabs AlgoRhythm Solo

iRiver H1x0

If you are OK with analogue input, I would look into the HifiMan HM-602 and the S:Flo 2.

Or the HiFiMan HM-801. Depends what floats your boat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by violinvirtuoso 

If you want a portable setup, there are only two options (to use the digital input):

 

iPod with CypherLabs AlgoRhythm Solo

 

iRiver H1x0

 

If you are OK with analogue input, I would look into the HifiMan HM-602 and the S:Flo 2.

And from the Solo to the JH3A, what does one use?

By the way, the crew at Cypherlabs sent me the following email to my inquiry about when the Solo might be ready for purchase.

Nothing new yet, but we anticipate some announcements in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

Thanks,

The Cypher Labs Sales Team 
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hero Kid 

Or the HiFiMan HM-801. Depends what floats your boat.

Yes the HifiMan HM-801 would work, but I believe the OP is trying to sell his HifiMan. He can't afford the HM-801 and JH-3A.

Oh yeah duh. I read that when I first read this topic yesterday but forgot when I posted today ;)

one quick question:

what's best for me?

imod with line out?

or iPod with CypherLabs AlgoRhythm Solo?

I am totally confused?

Short answer: If you can deal with the price and bulk, the Algorhythm Solo will give you the best sound.

Explanation: The iMod's Line-out signal has the signal go through the iPod's internal DAC and out the Line-Out (and then through some capacitors). This makes a very clean signal, great for use with an amplifier. The bottleneck of the iMod is the internal DAC. This DAC is great for portable audio, but not so great when everything else in your rig is top-notch. For example, one rig that some people own is an iMod -> Some top-notch iPod LOD -> External Capacitors (V-Cap Dock) -> RCA Interconnect -> LISA III -> headphones. Assuming they have good headphones, the weak link is the internal DAC.

The Cypher Labs AlgoRhythm Solo bypasses the internal DAC in the iPod. The Algorhythm Solo supposedly (I don't know) has a high-quality DAC inside it. But what makes the AlgoRhythm Solo really awesome, is that you can output a digital signal. If you use the AlgoRhythm Solo with the JH-3A, you will be feeding the JH-3A the best possible signal. The signal won't be damaged by bad DACs, amps, etc. Everything would be top-notch. If you rockboxed your iPod, you would be able to play full 24 bit songs. If you input an analogue signal into the JH-3A, it just converts it back into digital for use with the DSP. So if you don't want to damage the signal, you will input digital.

Pros: You can have up to 240 GB of the best portable audio (so far) with a great user interface.

Cons: You will carrying around 3 boxes costing about $2500.

.

thanks for great answer
can i use imod with Algorhythm Solo ?
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by violinvirtuoso 

Short answer: If you can deal with the price and bulk, the Algorhythm Solo will give you the best sound.

Explanation: The iMod's Line-out signal has the signal go through the iPod's internal DAC and out the Line-Out (and then through some capacitors). This makes a very clean signal, great for use with an amplifier. The bottleneck of the iMod is the internal DAC. This DAC is great for portable audio, but not so great when everything else in your rig is top-notch. For example, one rig that some people own is an iMod -> Some top-notch iPod LOD -> External Capacitors (V-Cap Dock) -> RCA Interconnect -> LISA III -> headphones. Assuming they have good headphones, the weak link is the internal DAC.

The Cypher Labs AlgoRhythm Solo bypasses the internal DAC in the iPod. The Algorhythm Solo supposedly (I don't know) has a high-quality DAC inside it. But what makes the AlgoRhythm Solo really awesome, is that you can output a digital signal. If you use the AlgoRhythm Solo with the JH-3A, you will be feeding the JH-3A the best possible signal. The signal won't be damaged by bad DACs, amps, etc. Everything would be top-notch. If you rockboxed your iPod, you would be able to play full 24 bit songs. If you input an analogue signal into the JH-3A, it just converts it back into digital for use with the DSP. So if you don't want to damage the signal, you will input digital.

 

Pros: You can have up to 240 GB of the best portable audio (so far) with a great user interface.

 

Cons: You will carrying around 3 boxes costing about $2500.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thehadi 

thanks for great answer
can i use imod with Algorhythm Solo ?

You probably can. I don't know for sure though. If you want to confirm, you should ask the people at Cypher Labs:

sales@cypherlabs.com

Quote:

Originally Posted by violinvirtuoso 

You probably can. I don't know for sure though. If you want to confirm, you should ask the people at Cypher Labs:

 

sales@cypherlabs.com

Virtuoso,

You are correct.  I talked with Ken at ALO via email today and he says to connect the iMod one will need a short mini to USB to connect to the Solo.

Here's one email from Ken.

Here's part of a second email from Ken.

Quote:

Originally Posted by violinvirtuoso 
... If you rockboxed your iPod, you would be able to play full 24 bit songs. If you input an analogue signal into the JH-3A, it just converts it back into digital for use with the DSP....

Sorry, a rockboxed iPod will NOT output 24 bit songs - it converts it to 16 bit.  This was the reason I decided not to rockbox my iPod and settled for an iMod instead.

CJ
:)