[Acix]

Quote:

Very nice. Truth be told I'm kind of jonesing for a used Stello U3 which I could use with an XLR adapter to directly connect it to the M51 at the back. At £365 new it's too much though, so it'd have to be 2nd hand. The other option will be to see if the new JKenny converter is compatible with the SBT as it's USB Audio Class 2, but that's about £330 as well, although it won't need an AQVOX or some such, which I'd have to buy for the U3.

 
I had the same thoughts as first about the Stello U3 but the price keeped me away. One day I'll be happy to compare them both, but for now I love the sound of the hiface 2. I've ordered the 5VUSB power injector to try to improve it even more... in the meanwhile looks like Audiofanboy have a great time start on post #291.

 

[Audiofanboy]

Quote:

 
I had the same thoughts as first about the Stello U3 but the price keeped me away. One day I'll be happy to compare them both, but for now I love the sound of the hiface 2. I've ordered the 5VUSB power injector to try to improve it even more... in the meanwhile looks like Audiofanboy have a great time start on post #291.

I am indeed having a great time with my DIY Ni-MH power injector! I just upgraded to better batteries, Eneloop 2000 mAh low self discharge. No it doesn't sound better than crappy batteries, but since I'd noticed the sound quality went down the drain in the last 30 minutes of battery life (when the voltage suddenly collapses), I figured if batteries have a better voltage, then the hiface *might* sound better. Better batteries last longer regardless, and with spares I don't have to wait for 16h of recharge without music...
 
Anyway, for a few dozen $/€, I'd still encourage people to try it, as it's the cheapest battery-powered solution I know of for the Hiface.

 

[Acix]

Quote:

I am indeed having a great time with my DIY Ni-MH power injector! I just upgraded to better batteries, Eneloop 2000 mAh low self discharge. No it doesn't sound better than crappy batteries, but since I'd noticed the sound quality went down the drain in the last 30 minutes of battery life (when the voltage suddenly collapses), I figured if batteries have a better voltage, then the hiface *might* sound better. Better batteries last longer regardless, and with spares I don't have to wait for 16h of recharge without music...
 
Anyway, for a few dozen $/€, I'd still encourage people to try it, as it's the cheapest battery-powered solution I know of for the Hiface.

 
 
What about a linear regulated PSU, do you think will bring it to the same SQ level as the batteries? BTW, what should be the best fit 5V 800mA, or 700mA?

 

 

[Audiofanboy]

Quote:

 
 
What about a linear regulated PSU, do you think will bring it to the same SQ level as the batteries? BTW, what should be the best fit 5V 800mA, or 700mA?

 

If you have a choice, I'd say batteries. After all, that's the way the whole DAC and converter world is leaning right now (albeit more expensive lithium based batteries). I'd investigate batteries if they turn out to be cheaper -which they should be theoretically but not necessarily- and a quality linear PSU otherwise. If possible, a PSU with a solid 1W of 5V DC output most likely (USB is 500 mW), knowing that the Hiface 2 draws something around 120 mW, just to have a nice power overhead.

 

[Gicu Gicu]

Hello guys,

My first post here comes with a question.

Can I use this (or is this safe to use) with the M2Tech HiFace2 instead of 4 x 1,2V batteries? > http://www.ebay.com/itm/Momax-iPower-Turbo-16800mAh-External-Battery-Dual-USB-LED-Flash-Light-Black-/140912320981
Link to manufacturer: http://shop.momax.net/?sp=&p=6&cat2=727&cat1=144&cat0=51&id=3963&cat1=144&cat0=51&new=&more=&s=1b8c0b7fdb453b2ce325d2c95cb568c0&lang=en

In short, I believe it's a Li-Ion/Li-Po battery. Is it as good for the sound as the NiMh option?

Top features

1. Utilizes battery cell made by Samsung

• Capacity: 16800mAh
  Output 1: 5.0V 1A

 

[Audiofanboy]

Quote:

Hello guys,

My first post here comes with a question.

Can I use this (or is this safe to use) with the M2Tech HiFace2 instead of 4 x 1,2V batteries? > http://www.ebay.com/itm/Momax-iPower-Turbo-16800mAh-External-Battery-Dual-USB-LED-Flash-Light-Black-/140912320981
Link to manufacturer: http://shop.momax.net/?sp=&p=6&cat2=727&cat1=144&cat0=51&id=3963&cat1=144&cat0=51&new=&more=&s=1b8c0b7fdb453b2ce325d2c95cb568c0&lang=en

In short, I believe it's a Li-Ion/Li-Po battery. Is it as good for the sound as the NiMh option?

Top features

1. Utilizes battery cell made by Samsung

• Capacity: 16800mAh
  Output 1: 5.0V 1A

I see no reasons why it wouldn't work, so long as you find a way to"inject" that power into the Hiface. Technically Ni-MH would be inferior solution, it just happens to be real easy to implement, but Lithium-based batteries would be better in terms (no so much in terms of sound, as in their battery performance).

 

[Gicu Gicu]

It has a "intelligent processor" that I think it detects the need to be active. So, if it would not detect the hiface it would not work. I will modify a usb cable to connect the hiface.

If I understood, i just have to disconnect the "+" from the USB that goes into the computer, and leave the "-" connected to it. And for the "injection" connect the "+" and "-" to the USB that hiface will connect, right?

 

[leeperry]

It's more than likely using a switching-mode voltage regulator IMHO, so the sonic advantage of batteries will go down the drain.

 

[Audiofanboy]

Quote:

It's more than likely using a switching-mode voltage regulator IMHO, so the sonic advantage of batteries will go down the drain.

Would a DC-DC regulator be that bad you think? It might I guess, as the hiface adds another one so 3.7V -> 5V -> 3.3V, seems a bit silly...
 
Yes, both data lines through from Hiface to computer, and just "break" the +5V connection between hiface and computer and leave ground connected. Then add +5V and ground from power supply to hiface, all of this with the shortest path/wires possible.

 

[Gicu Gicu]

Ok, if that external battery isn't good, i must stick to 2000-2500mAh NiMh batteries? How many working hours should I expect from them?

 

[Audiofanboy]

Quote:

Ok, if that external battery isn't good, i must stick to 2000-2500mAh NiMh batteries? How many working hours should I expect from them?

The Ni-MH mod thingie I did is basically just a cheap compromise you know, its main advantages are that it costs close to nothing and its works very well short of a full LiFePo4 battery system on a strongly modded Hiface. You could expect anything south of 20 hours, 15 hours easily (120 mA draw from the Hiface). With brand new pre-charged (to 75% of full capacity) 1900 mAh Eneloop batteries I got a consistent 14 hours on each set of 4 batteries, so fully charged I expect 18-19 hours total, which doesn't seem like much but is actually not bad at all.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

M2Tech just published new HiFace2 drivers
http://www.m2tech.biz/hiface2.html#driver

 

[Audiofanboy]

Quote:

M2Tech just published new HiFace2 drivers
http://www.m2tech.biz/hiface2.html#driver

Interestingly, M2Tech says these are 1.6.1 drivers, whereas the Luckit ones I've been using for a few weeks are 1.6.3. Older drivers? Even worth installing?

 

[Chodi]

Quote:

Interestingly, M2Tech says these are 1.6.1 drivers, whereas the Luckit ones I've been using for a few weeks are 1.6.3. Older drivers? Even worth installing?

The Luckit drivers were such an obvious improvement I think I will stay with them. I would imagine these are the same since they come from the same source. Perhaps each oem uses their own numbering scheme for their version of the drivers. I seriously doubt it would improve on the Luckit version.

 

[Baten]

Quote:

The Luckit drivers were such an obvious improvement I think I will stay with them.

 
Interesting, I'll give them a try.
 
Anyway, M2Tech coming out with a new product:
 
http://www.m2tech.biz/hiface_dac.html
 
any word on this yet?