[eugeneyou]

then might take the 0.5 power supply then

 

[ClieOS]

Of course it will. I am using a 0.3A transformer myself.

 

[Guidostrunk]

Thank you, very helpful as always. Cheers
Quote:

Quote:

Anyone have a high pitched sound coming from their Stepdance? I got this high pitched sound coming from my amp around the 12 o'clock position. It's faint but noticeable. I dunno.

Jan posted on it here. You apparently have one of the defective 1054 chips, as did I, and it is worth sending it back to be fixed.

 

[Guidostrunk]

I am completely blown away by this amp. The soundstage is mind boggling, the depth, separation and how quite the back ground is amongst the music, very dark like the music just swarms you from out of no where. The Transparency is unbelievable. I just cant believe how much better this amp sounds compared to my Pico Slim. IMO its by a huge margin.

 

[Guidostrunk]

Not having any problems here.
 
Quote:

Just a quick question to stepdance owners who have the 300mAH powerex 9volt batteries.
I have read a few post of batteries not fitting in the stepdance, how is the powerex on that front?

 

[KLS]

Didn't really follow the whole thread, so if this has been discussed before...
 
Energizer XP8000
Anyone using such (big, in size ^^) batteries to power Stepdance, or other portable amps?

 

[ianmedium]

Quote:

Not having any problems here.
 
Quote:

Just a quick question to stepdance owners who have the 300mAH powerex 9volt batteries.
I have read a few post of batteries not fitting in the stepdance, how is the powerex on that front?

 

Thanks so much! I wnet out yesterday and got two and a stealth charger, now all that has to arrive is the amp!

 

[okw3188]

Hi, I would like to seek advice on the performance of Stepdance comparing to my RSA hornet. As it is time of the year, to buy myself a Christmas gift! My current setup is ipod classic > Hornet > Westone 3.
 
Thank you!!

 

[eugeneyou]

is any stepdance owner noticed the strong HISS sound when paired with IEM? 

 

[jr41]

I do hear a hiss if I have the volume turned up very high on the STEPDANCE with my UM3X, i.e. past 2 o'clock, but given I would deafen myself if listening at this volume, I don't consider it relevant. At sensible volumes, on either low or high gain, the STEPDANCE is totally black to my ears.
 
I remember Jan posted earlier in this thread advising a fault had been found affecting some STEPDANCEs - due to a faulty batch of a certain chip if I recall correctly. I can't recall the exact details, but I believe the issue resulted in unwanted background noise.

 

[ClieOS]

Dr. Meier explained it here.

 

[avid2010]

Don't think there is hiss on my unit though I have never listen past the 12 or 1 o'clock mark, it is too loud for me.
 
My Stepdance doesn't have the production number '750' or '830', instead it has '631'..

 

[violeta88]

Quote:

I am completely blown away by this amp. The soundstage is mind boggling, the depth, separation and how quite the back ground is amongst the music, very dark like the music just swarms you from out of no where. The Transparency is unbelievable. I just cant believe how much better this amp sounds compared to my Pico Slim. IMO its by a huge margin.

I know what you mean,  I have found myself enjoying headphones that I never have really liked before I owned the Stepdance, like the Sennheiser HD595, which gains some actual clarity with the stepdance and the Sennheiser IE7, which finally doesn't sound like the bass is overpowering the midrange and treble.  The biggest improvement is on my recabled HD580 though, as they gain similar levels of clarity and detail in comparison with my recabled K701, both amped with the Stepdance, the main differences being that the Sennheiser is a bit more sparkly in the treble and not as sharp in that region as the K701, and the bass on the Sennheiser is fuller and a touch slower paced than the K701, and the soundstaging is considerably more grandiose in the K701 with the Stepdance.  Compared to the Corda Arietta, the Stepdance has better deep bass extension, more detail, and gets almost as loud as the Arietta cleanly with the HD580, but not quite so with the K701, though the Stepdance is the first portable amp that I have owned that sounds really good with the K701 and provides an adequate amount of clean driving capability, without leaving me wanting more.  I'm sure the sound would be even better if I got around to having the replacement voltage converter chip installed (mine had one from the defective production lot in it), though it isn't much of an issue with all of my headphones other than the IE7 which I have issues with humming when the voltage converter chip is engaged, and a little hum at the middle of the gain range, and at max gain when the converter chip is turned off.  The second problem is what I experience with the converter chip engaged with my K701, HD580 and Etymotic MC5 (btw the MC5 also works amazingly with the Stepdance, and sounds very similar in tonality to the K701, with more bass weight, and a non-plasticky bass compared to the K701).
 
On another note, does anyone here know of someone who is good at removing surface-mount IC's and replacing them?  I hate to send the thing back to Germany, as I have the replacement part already, and I am willing to pay someone for their time and effort in replacing the chip.
 
--Eric

 

[cooperpwc]

For sure the Stepdance can hiss - it has an S/N ratio - but in my experience it is several 'hours' past any listenable level on the volume control. It is black with the Westone ES5 even at headbanging volumes.
 
The faulty LT1054 chip does not produce hiss but rather a high pitched squeal that can be heard at certain steps on the volume control. If you have the faulty chip, you really can't miss it. It is annoying. The good news is that having Jan swap out the chip solves the problem completely.

 

[eugeneyou]

there
 
Quote:

Don't think there is hiss on my unit though I have never listen past the 12 or 1 o'clock mark, it is too loud for me.
 
My Stepdance doesn't have the production number '750' or '830', instead it has '631'..

 mine is 750...i found the strong hiss sound when using the cable that came along with stepdance. But if used it with LOD, no problem.
 
Currently im using 0.5mA power supply to burn-in. When i plug-in the cable, i don even have to turn on the Stepdance. All i have to do is play my ipod and there it goes...So, is that normal?
 
Another issue is, when turning the volume knob, there will b some "electric-like" sound, is that normal too?