[salavat]

Someone asked about hissing - I plugged JH Audio Angie - I do not hear any hissing, loud level for them is below 50 % of volume, and there is no hissing. There is some noise if I put volume level up to 100 %, but this level is unbearable even with LCD-2.

 

[mswlogo]

Anyone using the E2 with Beyerdynamic T1 (2nd Generation or not) headphones. Or similar impedance headphones (600 ohms).

Do you use the E2 headphone out or additional amp?

Besides not maxing out volume, how does one know they are adequately driving a set of headphones.

 

[chaturanga]

Guys how is the ME2 when paired with IEMs? Any hiss?

 
I am using ME2 with my 32Ohm 1More Triple Driver IEMs (On PC and Android) and when I plug in IEMs to ME2 I am being confused if I plugged in or not. A deep silent I am getting. 

 

[chaturanga]

  Someone asked about hissing - I plugged JH Audio Angie - I do not hear any hissing, loud level for them is below 50 % of volume, and there is no hissing. There is some noise if I put volume level up to 100 %, but this level is unbearable even with LCD-2.

 
Similar with my 1More Triple Driver, no hissing according to my ears. 

 

[mswlogo]

  Someone asked about hissing - I plugged JH Audio Angie - I do not hear any hissing, loud level for them is below 50 % of volume, and there is no hissing. There is some noise if I put volume level up to 100 %, but this level is unbearable even with LCD-2.

According to Audeze the "Optimal" wattage for LCD-2 is 1-4 Watts.
The $2000 Meridian Prime Headphone amp puts out 0.25 Watts at 42 Ohms. It would be much lower at 70 Ohms that LCD-2's are at.
The Explorer2 would probably be less, certainly no more than the Prime.
 
Just because an amp can get up to loud and unbearable levels doesn't mean it's optimally driving it.

 

[Noobzilla]

I am such a noob! I'm close to 2 years using my E2 and I literally just read this hour about using clean usb power 

 
 
Looks like I have 4 options from cheapest to most expensive:
1) powered Amazon basics USB hub
2) Audioquest Jitterbug
3) some Wyrd Schiit
4) USB REGEN
 
Anyone here use Audioquest Jitterbug? I use my E2 for my desktop and also bring it to work everyday, so the Jitterbug seems like my best bet considering I can also use it on top of Wyrd or REGEN if I upgrade even further in the future (at least from what I read). Most of the info I found points to positive benefits for the E2 minus a few saying it's better without it. 
 
I'm also using some cheapo 6 inch USB cable. Not sure if it makes any difference? Perhaps it may because I bought this $7 2 feet audio cable from ebay for my D600 and the sound did get worse (to my big surprise!). Any recommendations on a quality cable for the E2? I'll give it a try. 
 
EDIT: Can people with no MQA-enabled device play Master quality songs from Tidal? My E2 is not updated, but somehow Tidal detects it as MQA-enabled and I can play Master. I do notice slight improvement from HiFi quality. 
 
EDIT2: I also have MQA passthrough enabled.
 
EDIT3: My E2 is not updated because I get an error. My device was bought on ebay, apparently from someone who stole it from Meridian hence my serial code is blacklisted t.t 

 

[WhiteKnite]

  I am such a noob! I'm close to 2 years using my E2 and I literally just read this hour about using clean usb power 

 
 
Looks like I have 4 options from cheapest to most expensive:
1) powered Amazon basics USB hub
2) Audioquest Jitterbug
3) some Wyrd Schiit
4) USB REGEN
 
Anyone here use Audioquest Jitterbug? I use my E2 for my desktop and also bring it to work everyday, so the Jitterbug seems like my best bet considering I can also use it on top of Wyrd or REGEN if I upgrade even further in the future (at least from what I read). Most of the info I found points to positive benefits for the E2 minus a few saying it's better without it. 
 
I'm also using some cheapo 6 inch USB cable. Not sure if it makes any difference? Perhaps it may because I bought this $7 2 feet audio cable from ebay for my D600 and the sound did get worse (to my big surprise!). Any recommendations on a quality cable for the E2? I'll give it a try. 
 
EDIT: Can people with no MQA-enabled device play Master quality songs from Tidal? My E2 is not updated, but somehow Tidal detects it as MQA-enabled and I can play Master. I do notice slight improvement from HiFi quality. 
 
EDIT2: I also have MQA passthrough enabled.
 
EDIT3: My E2 is not updated because I get an error. My device was bought on ebay, apparently from someone who stole it from Meridian hence my serial code is blacklisted t.t 

 
I am using the viablue USB cable.  Very nice quality cable for the price.  Does the blue light come on when you play tidal masters?  Masters will still output sound even if passthrough is on if your device isn't decoding MQA

 

[Noobzilla]

I am using the viablue USB cable.  Very nice quality cable for the price.  Does the blue light come on when you play tidal masters?  Masters will still output sound even if passthrough is on if your device isn't decoding MQA

Just single white light. Does that mean I'll notice even more difference if I get it enabled? O.o

I'll check those cables tomorrow. Thanks!

 

[WhiteKnite]

Just single white light. Does that mean I'll notice even more difference if I get it enabled? O.o

I'll check those cables tomorrow. Thanks!

Yes, single white light means you are getting 44/48khz.  In fact if you turn off hardware decoding you will get better resolution if you don't have MQA working.  Tidal will unfold up to 24/96 via software.  Better to just update the firmware and enable MQA then use the hardware decoding.    

 

[john777]

Is it possible to get the digital output from an iPad Pro into an E2 and then out to amp? Apple Camera Kit Connector? Running Tidal app.

 

[Noobzilla]

  Yes, single white light means you are getting 44/48khz.  In fact if you turn off hardware decoding you will get better resolution if you don't have MQA working.  Tidal will unfold up to 24/96 via software.  Better to just update the firmware and enable MQA then use the hardware decoding.    

 
Thanks for the info! Been checking if I can tell any difference playing the same song in master but different settings (passthrough on or off)

 

[WhiteKnite]

Once you upgrade FW you'll get the full capabilities of the ME2 as well, like the apodizing filter.  If there is any audible difference it would likely be very small.  All I know is my music sounds amazing and I can rest assured that I am getting the best sound possible with my hardware when the blue light is on.  

 

[Noobzilla]

  Once you upgrade FW you'll get the full capabilities of the ME2 as well, like the apodizing filter.  If there is any audible difference it would likely be very small.  All I know is my music sounds amazing and I can rest assured that I am getting the best sound possible with my hardware when the blue light is on.  

 
Just got a response from Meridian. $80 + shipping to get my unit replaced by a new MQA-enabled one (got mine on ebay... apparently seller stole it from them <.<) I guess I can actually afford it now vs a year ago. Total with the additional price would just be the same as if I had bought it for full retail price 2 years ago. Unless I can get a different MQA-enabled dac/amp that's about $100 or less and sounds better than the ME2, I might as well bite it. I've noticed a slight upgrade from Tidal HiFi to 24/96, so now I'm curious to get full MQA!

 

[WhiteKnite]

Wait, why can't you just upgrade the firmware?

 

[Dadracer]

Is it possible to get the digital output from an iPad Pro into an E2 and then out to amp? Apple Camera Kit Connector? Running Tidal app.

I don't know if the ME2 would draw too much power from your iPad but in principle it should work although you will need an adaptor from the CCK to the ME2 micro usb socket. The DAC that would work is the Audioquest Dragonfly (red or black) as they have been built to draw minimal power from idevices but you'll need to wait some weeks before they are MQA ready with the new firmware that is coming.
 
Alternatively and if you are thinking of this as a desktop set up as your amp question suggests, then you can use an Auralic Aries Mini as a streaming node and connect the ME2 directly to that, then out to an amp and control it wirelessly from your iPad using the Auralic Lightning DS app which integrates with Tidal and now as of 2 weeks ago Tidal MASTER.
 
This is the system I am currently listening to, except my controller is my iPhone.............anyhow just some ideas........