[Joong]

Emotiva Mini-x + Oppo BDP-105 + He-5LE results in impressive sound quality, which is at least equal to Schiit Lyr with Telefunken + Uberfrost + He-5LE.
The Telefunken tube cost set alone exceeds an Emotiva.
The price does not follow SQ.
 
I hooked BDP to my windows machine through HDMI cable.
 
This pairing of Emotiva sounds like tube amp.
The speaker tabs are connected to female TRS jack, where two black output terminals are short-circuited.
Now volume is at 10:00, and I hear the same tuby sounds that made me happy when I first time bought Schiit Lyr a year ago.
 
It is very economic solution without big investment in Amplifier side.

 

[Taowolf51]

I feel like this has been answered before, but how does the Hifiman HE Adaptor compare to a straight XLR to speaker amp converter?

 

[ohhgourami]

I feel like this has been answered before, but how does the Hifiman HE Adaptor compare to a straight XLR to speaker amp converter?

Not having tried it myself, many have reported decrease of in SQ. Probably attributed to the metal film resistors used.

You can have wirewound resistors at the speaker tap and won't decrease SQ. Much cheaper too!

 

[GigArt]

I'm looking for the nice amp to feed HiFiMAN HE-4. Emotiva mini-X A-100 might be the one I need.
What is the cheapest way of connecting the HE-4 to A-100? Can I just purchase a custom adapter from BTG (6,3 mm female -> banana plugs) for the stock HE-4 cable?

 

[manbear]

I'm looking for the nice amp to feed HiFiMAN HE-4. Emotiva mini-X A-100 might be the one I need.
What is the cheapest way of connecting the HE-4 to A-100? Can I just purchase a custom adapter from BTG (6,3 mm female -> banana plugs) for the stock HE-4 cable?

Yes, you can, though such an adapter will only work with common ground amps like the Emotiva. I built an adapter using a Switchcraft model 1230 6.3 mm female jack and some wire. This jack uses screw terminals, so no soldering needed. All you have to do is strip the wire, match up the conductors, and screw them on. Not even $20 in parts, and you don't have to wait several weeks.

 

[GigArt]

Yes, you can, though such an adapter will only work with common ground amps like the Emotiva. I built an adapter using a Switchcraft model 1230 6.3 mm female jack and some wire. This jack uses screw terminals, so no soldering needed. All you have to do is strip the wire, match up the conductors, and screw them on. Not even $20 in parts, and you don't have to wait several weeks.

Cool! Then I'll definitely go for Emotiva. As I understand, it doesn't require balanced cable because of the common ground design so I can use such adapter? Will it be compatible with LCD-2 if I'll get them someday?

 

[manbear]

Cool! Then I'll definitely go for Emotiva. As I understand, it doesn't require balanced cable because of the common ground design so I can use such adapter? Will it be compatible with LCD-2 if I'll get them someday?

AFAIK, any single ended cable on any headphone will technically work. The big compatibility issue is the amp itself, which has to be common ground.

 

[spurxiii]

Has anyone tried the Emotiva with the HD600s?

 

[koiloco]

I have. Just like hd800, I didn't like it personally. It was not bad or anything but not a good pairing to my ears.

 

[spurxiii]

I have. Just like hd800, I didn't like it personally. It was not bad or anything but not a good pairing to my ears.

Thanks for the info. I'll try it out when it comes anyhow

 

[LoveKnight]

Is this http://www.ebay.com/itm/Switchcraft-1230-3-Pin-Female-Cable-End-Connector-1-4-Extension-Jack-Screw-NOS-/181157586078 the Switchcraft model 1230 6.3 mm female jack that you mentioned? Uhm, very interesting but from this picture I hardy imagine how to connect wire inside it, could you please take some pictures to demonstrate and that will help me a lot? Thanks very much.

 

[manbear]

  Is this http://www.ebay.com/itm/Switchcraft-1230-3-Pin-Female-Cable-End-Connector-1-4-Extension-Jack-Screw-NOS-/181157586078 the Switchcraft model 1230 6.3 mm female jack that you mentioned? Uhm, very interesting but from this picture I hardy imagine how to connect wire inside it, could you please take some pictures to demonstrate and that will help me a lot? Thanks very much.

Yep, that looks like it. I got mine from Mouser though. The outer barrel screws off, revealing the screw terminals on the inside. They are very easy to access. Once you screw the wires on, you slide the supplied plastic sleeve over the terminals to keep things from shorting, then you screw the outer barrel back on. Once it's assembled, things are a bit tight inside, so it takes more pressure than normal to plug the jack in and out. 

Here's a pic of mine with the outer barrel and the plastic sleeve removed. Note that I only have one wire connected to the sleeve (blue wire). This goes to either one of the L- or R- terminals on the amp. It makes no difference, and then you don't have to try to screw two wires to the same little screw mount on the sleeve.
 



Here's the technical drawing of the inside: http://www.switchcraft.com/Drawings/1230_CD.pdf

 

[Taowolf51]

And would the blue wire go to the left or right black terminal? What gauge wire did you use?

 

[manbear]

And would the blue wire go to the left or right black terminal? What gauge wire did you use?

Which of the negative terminals you choose on the amp makes no difference. I have it connected to the negative terminal between the two positive terminals just because the wires look tidier that way.

I am using 24 gauge wires. If I were to redo the wiring though, I'd get something a little thicker, like 22 gauge.

 

[robrob]

  And would the blue wire go to the left or right black terminal? What gauge wire did you use?

 
With the X-100 and other common ground amplifiers/receivers the two black (negative) speaker terminals are connected together internally to ground so with a single-ended cable only one connection to either black speaker connector is required.