NEWS: Meridian Releases The Explorer Pocket-Sized USB DAC - Page 4

I don't think having to adjust the volume level higher should be a concern.  Different HF amps have different mV output at the headphone jack (there is no standard for that, different from, for example, the standard for a line-out jack).  Give it some time for break-in as well.  I know we expect perfection straight out-of-the-box, but you might be surprised at the change in sound quality over the next 100 hours or so.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wfranklin 

you might be surprised at the change in sound quality over the next 100 hours or so.

No doubt, this has some relatively large caps for a product like this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobeau 

No doubt, this has some relatively large caps for a product like this.

Yeah, those beefy electrolytics will take some time to form. (The muffler shape was a good choice to fit those in.)

well, blows my Audioengine D1 out of the water immediately through my JH16s. Will compare to a few more sources, ODAC when I have a sufficient amp again, and against my TEAC UD-501 with PCM content. 

Once I have sufficient amplification again, I'll use the HD800s to run the test.

Just got mine but haven't listened to it yet.  They have them in stock at Talk of the Town in Allendale (northern new jersey, about 30 minutes from my house).

Looks like only windows and mac drivers for now, though i'm hoping it will work eventually with android devices.

On Thursday, someone from Meridian will be in Allendale to introduce the Explorer and I'm going to try to drop by in the afternoon some time.

If you have any questions you would like me to ask Meridian on Thursday (other than android and linux support), post it here.

Marty

I heard it at CES.

Was impressed, but it was noisy (and I was using my Audeze LCD3's).

I should have a unit in for review soon!!

Three-way against dragonfly AND dacport needed. Can understand why people focus on the former as it is more readily available but...

I would sure like to know if it is iPad compatible via the CCK ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcginc 

I would sure like to know if it is iPad compatible via the CCK ?

If you have any questions you would like me to ask Meridian on Thursday (other than android and linux support), post it here.

Marty

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcginc 

 

If you have any questions you would like me to ask Meridian on Thursday (other than android and linux support), post it here.

 

Marty

Real specifications, the current information says almost nothing. At least SNR, crosstalk and most importantly output impedance. I think it´s baffling how a portable high fidelity product can even be advertised without mentioning the output impedance when most people will be using them with low-ohm sensitive headphones. There´s nothing subjective about frequency response variations due to impedance mismatches. The Astell & Kern iRiver DAP a good example of an interesting product ruined entirely by high output impedance, stunningly misguided for a portable device. I´m hoping the lack of this information doesn´t mean the Explorer suffers from it too as it´s looking like a product I might just buy soon. Not buying one blind though...

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcginc 

 

If you have any questions you would like me to ask Meridian on Thursday (other than android and linux support), post it here.

 

Marty

- Does it support iPad through CCK?

- What is headphone out output impedance?

- What is the max/average power draw from the usb bus?

By the way, for those who have the units in hand..

- Does it hiss at all with sensitive IEMs?

- How much volume change per step?  I wonder if it's fine enough

- Does it support the iPad through CCK?

- Does it require drivers to work at all in windows or only if you want to support 192khz?

- For easy to drive headphones, is the amp section quality enough that there is no improvement going external headphone amp and just using it as a DAC?

- What headphones does it not have enough power to drive well and thus require an external headphone amp.

- I imagine it'd improve with better USB power, maybe out of the iFi iUSB.  If you have something like that to try, please let us know if it sounds even better.

- I wonder how it compares to the iFi iDAC, I was contemplating the iFi iUSB+ iDAC combo but then the explorer showed up.  Now I have to wait for some comparisons.

Thanks!  Looking forward to more impressions.

Dang, as much as I'm enjoying my still-new DragonFly, this is really making me hurt!  I could have gotten the prestige and beauty of a Meridian product (let's face it, there's nothing else they make I could ever afford), plus a 24/192-capable mini-DAC if I had just waited another month?

With car hobbyists, it's easy to read a magazine and ignore temptation to go by a new car - after all, there are many reasons that just doesn't make sense.  But with stereo/headphone hobbyists, so many purchases are so closely within reach it just becomes a painful cycle of trying to make yourself say "no" over and over again...

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScuderiaHeadFi 

Dang, as much as I'm enjoying my still-new DragonFly, this is really making me hurt!  I could have gotten the prestige and beauty of a Meridian product (let's face it, there's nothing else they make I could ever afford), plus a 24/192-capable mini-DAC if I had just waited another month?

 

With car hobbyists, it's easy to read a magazine and ignore temptation to go by a new car - after all, there are many reasons that just doesn't make sense.  But with stereo/headphone hobbyists, so many purchases are so closely within reach it just becomes a painful cycle of trying to make yourself say "no" over and over again...

Ever since my dad got my hooked on head-fi its the same way with me. Before that (and somewhat now) it was computer parts for my gaming rig .

need a comparison with dacport LX, anyone?