Pure i-20 iPod/iPhone Dock as a DAC - Page 25

Hmmm....seems unlikely given price points and the reviews done thus far.  I'm wondering if my personal tastes in sound are really that unique....hard to imagine.

Hi Fellows

I've bought a Uniross 2250mA AC/DC PSU to use with this. I've observed a strange behaviour yesterday. The audio channels have got swapped around when using the Optical/Coax connections. I've checked on the DAC, and then my O2 amplifier. Then I tried using the same old whistling PSU. It corrected the fault. Then I plugged in the Uniross PSU back in and this time around it was normal. Does anyone have a clue of what might have happened?

Thanks....

An interesting post khatch, with several possible answers; BwMr75's being one. (Btw, "Believe your ears" is surely good advice!).

Need more information. Can you detail the sonic differences you hear that makes the analog output/BCL combination better? Valuable information.

Cheers.

ps: Another possibility. The Lehmann (BC) was originally designed quite a few years ago. Dare I suggest it would naturally have been optimized to make the sources then available sound their best? Ironically, it might synergize better with what today would be considered mid-fi.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by khatch 

Surprised and confused....

 

<snip>

 

So, totally confused by that result, I completely disconnected everything and just took the analog output from the Pure dock and pumped it directly into the Lehmann BCL amp - taking the DACmini out of the picture (both amp and DAC). 

 

Low and behold, it sounds better than any of the other combinations.

 

I'm open to your input, thoughts and recommendations.....how can this possibly BE?

 

 

 

@AiDee -

I really appreciate your comments.  This most definitely could just be one of those situations where, synergies being what they are and are not, the Pure i20 and BCL make good company.  As you suggest, it could certainly be related to the BCL being an older design, though I'm not really sure that classic circuit design really goes "out of style", per se.  I think part of it has to do with DAC design as well.  Let's face it, chip design being what it is, a 3 year old chip is a doorstop by today's standards.  In that light, a very low end DAC designed today can probably hold it's own with something made and sold for thousands more a few years ago.  That factor has to be driving audio manufacturers (especially the higher end) totally nuts - as it has to really mess with their marketing and strategic planning.  I think it will be very interesting to watch what your Schiit BiFrost evolves into - or what upgrade options become available for it.  Seems like a really smart move to me.  And as you noted yourself, the BiFrost is no slouch compared to your EE MiniMax.  For that kind of price differential, I would expect a much bigger, and very NOTICEABLE, delta.  But I think I'm expecting too much in this regard.

Funny thing - so I played around with my gear more today and eventually just plugged the Pure i20 straight into my Headamp GS-1.  Same result as with the BCL - sounds fantastic, to ME at least.  I took my BCL back home and returned the Centrance DACMini today.  Pretty sure the problem is both the DAC and the amp in that unit.  While it produced a really nice soundstage, it put a metallic "sheen" on everything it pumped out.  Very hard to describe, but for me it added a "tizzy" quality to the sound, especially strings.  And with as much chamber music as I listen too - that's a VERY bad thing.  I like good texture as much as the next guy, but a 300 year old cello should NOT sound like a steel stringed guitar, and that's what I was getting - through the HD650 no less....lol.

Now that I've opened this can of worms, I'm very curious to see how the Pure + GS-1 combo will stand up against the Anedio D2 I have on pre-order.

More on that later.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AiDee 

An interesting post khatch, with several possible answers; BwMr75's being one. (Btw, "Believe your ears" is surely good advice!).

 

Need more information. Can you detail the sonic differences you hear that makes the analog output/BCL combination better? Valuable information.

 

Cheers.

 

ps: Another possibility. The Lehmann (BC) was originally designed quite a few years ago. Dare I suggest it would naturally have been optimized to make the sources then available sound their best? Ironically, it might synergize better with what today would be considered mid-fi.
 

 

@khatch - all agreed. Great comments and observations.

Looking forward to your D2 findings in due course 

Just for infirmation, in answer to my own question (did i-20 Dac run with every apps), I got a clear answer from Pure :

The SPDIF output on the i20 is an uninterrupted digital output, so if he uses the digital outputs on the i20 into a DAC he will have a pure digital feed.This is regardless of application.

I am impressed by there this company, they answer to all technical questions, I've never seen this !

Florent.

I picked up an i-20 for a secondary system in a summer cottage.  I compared the stock i-20 to the Onkyo ND-S1 with an upgraded power supply.  Very different sound even though both units tout direct digital signal to the dac.   I kept everything the same (interconnects, dac, amp) and everything plugged into the same power source.  I just switched out the dock to compare.

The ND-S1 had a bigger sound stage by about 1/3 but less definition.  Sounded slightly mushy in comparison, but somewhat more musical and easier to listen to.  I found when I switched back to the ND-S1 after listening to the i-20, I missed the definition in the Pure dock, especially on vocals.   I think the ideal setup would be a combination of both of these units "sounds."  I am planning on sending my ND-S1 in for some mods later this month.  I am anticipating better definition and an even larger sound stage as a result.

I think with a better PSU, the i-20 might gain that larger sound stage.  I'd be interested in if anyone had tried one yet.  Took me a while to find one for the ND-S1.

No, the Pure i-20 has zero case tolerance unfortunately.  I bought an extender (this one) like schaqfu and it works great.

Quote:

Originally Posted by always learning 

Can the Pure i-20 dock an iPhone without removing the phone case?  

 

My snug fitting bamboo wood case from Grove is not easily slipped off & on.  Thanks.

if you are not too heavy handed,an ipad fits also.

i find it useful for recharging my daughter's Ipad, with which i use a logitech app as the remote control for my squeezebox server.

i use this as a charging station quite often.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cat6man 

if you are not too heavy handed,an ipad fits also.

 

 

ahh, good to know, thanks.  I hadn't tried that yet but I will. 

I use this cable http://www.cablejive.com/products/dockXtender.html between my iPhone and i-20.

It passes audio and will charge. Originally thought I'd want the shorter cable but decided the 6' would be better. I'm glad I went long.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockyhill 

I use this cable http://www.cablejive.com/products/dockXtender.html between my iPhone and i-20.

 

It passes audio and will charge. Originally thought I'd want the shorter cable but decided the 6' would be better. I'm glad I went long.

very nice.  i've been looking for one of these for a long time.

I was thinking about getting a cable, but wasn't sure if they would pass through all the pin data.  I guess this does though?

I read through the thread but I'm a little confused. Can you bypass the DAC on the pure? 

It would look like this, 

Ipod > Pure > Bitfrost > Lyr > Headphones > ME!

You can baypass Pure DAC connecting Pure with other  DAC via coax(optical) out.