[Barry S]

FYI-- My Gungnir with Gen 2 USB is for sale since I'm keeping the Yggy. Perfect condition with original box. Thought I'd offer it locally before it goes up in the classifieds. Looking for $600.

 

[Billheiser]

   
Got to listen to Philips Fidelio X2 on @Billheiser's setup with the Bifrost Multibit and Valhalla2. It definitely has a strong bass sound, but I found it cleaner, faster, tighter, whatever the right words are to describe, in comparison with the Denon AH-D2000 bass, which can actually make me nauseous on certain songs and cheaper amplifiers. I hope you bring your Aune setup to the next meet. I wish I'd had more time at this meet to listen. . 

Agree, I strongly prefer the X2 to the D2000 - overall, and including the bass.  My pair of Denons can be too bloated and billowy in the bass (occasionally it fits the music, but not always).
 
I'll bring the Aune X1S again.  At the meet, with it set up next to my Schiit stuff, it suffered by comparison.  I hadn't truly realized that before, since at home the Aune is in a different room/different system than the Schiit.  So the X1S is very good for what it is, especially at that price point, but can't beat multibit + tubes.
 
I listened to the HE1000 twice, with the longer session on gandhisfist's Audio-gd NFB-xx.x, and dug it deeply.

 

[Billheiser]

During the meet I accidentally discovered that I could SIMULTANEOUSLY play different songs from different players (iTunes/Amarra, and Tidal on Chrome), via 2 USB ports from my laptop.  Whoa.  I'll never need to do that, but it blew my mind in a small way. 

 

[Billheiser]

Cell phone pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[yage]

  Back to serious topics...
 
I asked the question in the other The Element thread, but went ahead with the experiment - pretty conclusive proof the DAC in The Element is powered by USB. I use playback software called Audirvana+. When the software is disconnected from the DAC, it stops playing. In fact, it has a few indicators, such as recalling the volume of the DAC when last used, and telling me the input bit depth and sample rate (of the audio file) and the same for the output. Such as when I playback 24-bit/192kHz, the DAC in The Element can only handle up to 24-bit/96kHz.
 
When I turned off The Element, but left my Wyrd running between laptop and the DAC, the software continued to play. The internal DAC is definitely powered by USB.

 
Posted a question to JDS Labs to confirm. Here is the reply:
 

Hi Harland,  
Yes, The Element consumes less than 100mA from the USB bus for DAC operation only. The amplifier is powered independently.
 
Let me know if you have any other questions.
 
Best regards,

  John Seaber

 
So most likely would benefit from Wyrd / Regen / JitterBug in the loop.

 

[Barry S]

Cell phone pics:

I remember her--tall, striking, of the female persuasion, and...no pants. Well, of course it''s ok if you want to lounge around among my Ragnarok and Yggdrasil packing foam.

 

[Psalmanazar]

@yage @sheldaze
I'm severely disappointed with JDS Labs just sticking the ODAC rev b. in the Element instead of making a true desktop combo. It has a required wart anyway so why not just modify the design to power everything from mains power except for the USB receiver like Schiit does with their DACs? It just reeks of laziness and incompetence to me.

 

[gandhisfist]

Yeah, this really makes the element seem like something of a cashgrab from JDS Labs. The amp section seems very competent, shame to have the DAC setup for bus power when they could have added other inputs and really made it worth the cost. For the money though, i still love my Audio-GD NFB-15. Cheaper than the element, no bus power, more input options, switchable line and preout and 3W into 32ohms.

 

[yage]

  @yage @sheldaze
I'm severely disappointed with JDS Labs just sticking the ODAC rev b. in the Element instead of making a true desktop combo. It has a required wart anyway so why not just modify the design to power everything from mains power except for the USB receiver like Schiit does with their DACs? It just reeks of laziness and incompetence to me.

 
Quote:

Yeah, this really makes the element seem like something of a cashgrab from JDS Labs. The amp section seems very competent, shame to have the DAC setup for bus power when they could have added other inputs and really made it worth the cost.

 
My completely unsubstantiated opinion is that it's probably the simplest and most economical solution that guarantees (objective) performance from the ODAC section since I presume they wouldn't have to modify the PCB. Otherwise they'd have to subject the modified layout to their usual battery of tests and then deal with balancing the production of two types of boards. They'd also increase the chances of introducing new quirks into the design, compromising reliability.
 
Or it's just a giant cashgrab.

 

[gandhisfist]

I'm also not sure if they are actually allowed to modify the ODAC design based on the license.  It's too bad though, it would be nice if you could get the same performance but extend the functionality by accepting more inputs and removing the reliance on bus power.
 
The other reason I feel its a cash grab though is because if you've ever built an O2, you know how cheap it is to build (usually all the parts can be had for under $100).  They sell their combo unit for about $300 and now Massdrop has swooped in with their own and (imo) nicer separates version and a combo unit version both for just around $200.

 

[Billheiser]

What was the larger NFB you had there? Loved the sound paired w HE1K. Wassup w that crazy volume control? (No complaint, just unusual to spin it that much for small adjustments)

 

[gandhisfist]

@Billheiser, that is the NFB-10.33: http://audio-gd.com/Pro/Headphoneamp/NFB1033/NFB10.33EN_Specs.htm
 
It uses an I/V conversion volume control which I think is similar to what's used in the Ragnarok (@Barry S correct me if I'm wrong).  It certainly does travel a lot, but that's because its a relay and not a regular pot like on the smaller NFB-15.  To be fair though, I have to imagine most of that excellent sound was due to the HE-1000 and not the amp/dac.

 

[Billheiser]

Thanks for the link. A lot of power via balanced, wow! Good thing the volume control has such a long taper.

 

[gandhisfist]

Heh, at the meet back in April, I got to try an HE-6 out of it, unfortunately though it may have the power, it just didn't have the gain for the HE-6.  I would have needed a custom gain setting to get it loud enough.

 

[ScottFW]

This thread has "Featured Content" status on the main page. We're famous, and now everyone can see my Crack! LOL