Recent content by violeta88
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Brand NEW! Apogee Duet 2 & Breakout Box Unboxing Video
Thanks for the update on the Breakout Box. Does the sound quality change any with the addition of the breakout box? I have a breakout box on backorder, so I am a little curious if there is much of a difference between the breakout cable and breakout box sonically. --Eric P.S. I...- violeta88
- Post #17
- Forum: Dedicated Source Components
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Duet 2 questions
No problem. The Duet 2 is a really nice unit, and it has a pretty good headphone section built in as well, with enough power to drive both my Sennheiser HD600 and AKG K701. --Eric- violeta88
- Post #4
- Forum: Computer Audio
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Duet 2 questions
Quote: In response to your first question: turning the volume up and down on the mac when the duet 2 is connected is the same as turning the knob. The knob on the Duet 2 is an encoder switch, which controls a digitally controlled analog volume control circuit (most likely a relais of...- violeta88
- Post #2
- Forum: Computer Audio
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Apogee Duet 2 plus a headphone amp?
You can use a pair of 1/4" TS to RCA interconnects from the 1/4" mono outs on the breakout cable. Many of my issues with whining noises on Duet 2 are due to my having a faulty unit that is going to be fixed soon. another option that is more susceptible to ground loops is using a 1/4" to RCA...- violeta88
- Post #4
- Forum: Portable Headphone Amps
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New Sennheiser HD 448.
The HD558 ear pads are too large to fit on the HD448. If you want velour-like ear pads for the HD448, you must use the HD518/HD538 ear pads, though the sound will change, especially the bass on the HD448 with the velour-like pads, not necessarily for the better. I'd stick with the stock pads...- violeta88
- Post #194
- Forum: Headphones (full-size)
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Apogee Duet 2 plus a headphone amp?
If you were using higher end headphones, like the HD600 or K701 open headphones, or something that had very high current needs, like a Denon, a better headphone amp might be needed. But, the internal headphone amp on the Duet 2 is actually very good, as it uses very low distortion op-amps (the...- violeta88
- Post #2
- Forum: Portable Headphone Amps
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Robustness of HD598 only thing keeping me from purchasing. Need advice from users.
The flexibility on the bridges is actually a very good thing, as the old models had a very brittle, hard plastic that broke when flexed. The new plastic on the HD598 is surprisingly impact resistant and flexible, and should last quite a while. I use mine portable a lot, and while they are not...- violeta88
- Post #6
- Forum: Headphones (full-size)
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(Just launched) Apogee Duet 2
Actually I hooked up the same unbalanced cable to the Focals, that I was using with my old speaker amp, and the Focals work fine with it. I think there was just an incompatibility between the Duet 2 and the old amp I was using. --Eric- violeta88
- Post #68
- Forum: Computer Audio
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(Just launched) Apogee Duet 2
I have an update on the issues I was facing with using an unbalanced amp with the Duet 2. After conferring again with an Apogee Tech Support person, I decided to buy a pair of studio monitor speakers that had balanced inputs, a pair of Focal CMS 40 powered speakers, and voila the ground noise...- violeta88
- Post #66
- Forum: Computer Audio
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Apogee ONE + Amp? External Amp + uDAC?
Are you planning on using a portable amplifier with the Apogee ONE? If so, it will work fine as a DAC, though you may need to turn the volume level on the Apogee ONE to -12 db or so to avoid overloading the input on the portable amp. If you are planning on using a home amplifier with the ONE...- violeta88
- Post #2
- Forum: Computer Audio
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(Just launched) Apogee Duet 2
After upgrading my 1/4" to RCA cables to a more optimal configuration, I can now confirm that the breakout cable wasn't the weak link in the signal chain, and that the 1/4" preamp outs on the Duet 2 sound better to my ears (more detailed, clearer, with a more three-dimensional sound) than the...- violeta88
- Post #65
- Forum: Computer Audio
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(Just launched) Apogee Duet 2
I wanted to update my earlier comments to reflect that the plug adapter (Ebtech Hum-X) did eliminate the ground loop problem that I was having after all. Also, when the ground loop problem was eliminated, I have now realized that the line out and headphone outs are of similar quality with the...- violeta88
- Post #62
- Forum: Computer Audio
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(Just launched) Apogee Duet 2
The one downside to the Duet 2 in my opinion is the so-so quality of the breakout cable. I get much more detail and dimensionality using the headphone out as a preamp out to my speaker setup, however, this causes some other issues (ground loop problems) with my speaker amp, caused by noise in...- violeta88
- Post #59
- Forum: Computer Audio
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Meier Audio Quickstep (also Stepdance and 2Stepdance) Discussion and Impressions Thread
Hey everyone, Some of you may remember me from the earlier pages in the thread. I have been relatively silent about the amp as of late due to my failed attempt at replacing the unit's voltage converter, thus I haven't been able to use the unit in high voltage/current mode nor with an...- violeta88
- Post #1,788
- Forum: Portable Headphone Amps
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New Sennheiser HD 448.
The HD438 and HD418 pads will work on the HD448. BTW the HD438 and HD418 pads are the same part, but I don't remember the exact part number, as it has been a long time since I ordered them. --Eric- violeta88
- Post #189
- Forum: Headphones (full-size)