[greatbadir]

Does anyone know if the M is likely to be (relatively) easily available in the UK, or are we going to be talking about taking a punt on eBay and paying an extra £500 in import taxes?

I know the import tax will be hidden in the end cost anyway (as it is in the price of the AK240, which is otherwise easy to get here), but I'd rather be able to buy it direct from somewhere in the UK than risk it being swiped by customs.

 

[Solude]

  Do you think a HM901 is bad?

 
Never wanted to hear one after seeing one  I'm just not a fan of the Sabre upper mid range shout.  The more of the cores you use the worse it gets.  The 2M is supposed to minimize this.
 
As for my concerns, the M isn't bigger with less battery because it uses a single 2M   But not using two freed up space and battery to hopefully implement a more sophisticated dap.

 

[headwhacker]

   
Never wanted to hear one after seeing one  I'm just not a fan of the Sabre upper mid range shout.  The more of the cores you use the worse it gets.  The 2M is supposed to minimize this.
 
As for my concerns, the M isn't bigger with less battery because it uses a single 2M   But not using two freed up space and battery to hopefully implement a more sophisticated dap.

 
Given that space and using a single DAC, where and how do you think they apply "sophistication" on M?

 

[Solude]

I have no idea.  But the easy answer would be whatever they do with the Femto or 192.

 

[musicheaven]

Does anyone know if the M is likely to be (relatively) easily available in the UK, or are we going to be talking about taking a punt on eBay and paying an extra £500 in import taxes?

I know the import tax will be hidden in the end cost anyway (as it is in the price of the AK240, which is otherwise easy to get here), but I'd rather be able to buy it direct from somewhere in the UK than risk it being swiped by customs.

You should address this question on their Facebook wall

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

   
Given that space and using a single DAC, where and how do you think they apply "sophistication" on M?

 
The two most crucial areas where current DAPs are cutting corners is the power filtering design for the DAC and AMP. The power filtering design for example is the biggest difference between a $1000 home DAC/AMP and a $5000 home DAC/AMP. They both could use the exact same DAC and AMP chips, but the main difference in sound quality is determined by the sophistication of their power filtering design otherwise known as part of the "implementation" of the DAC/AMP. This takes a lot of engineering and research, which is what makes an expensive DAC/AMP, the cost from the components themselves is only a small part of the total cost. Implementing a sophisticated power filtering design takes up a lot of PCB space, and there will never be a perfect implementation in a DAP sized product. The best example of portable implementation so far is the Chord Hugo, but it doesn't fit in your pocket. The Calyx M could very well have a better implementation than current pocket size DAPs if their Femto DAC is anything to go by.
 
I myself have used extreme will power to hold of on buying the DX90 and other daps to wait for the Calyx M. I might have to get both to compare though in the end, but my money is on the Calyx.

 

[Sauntere]

The Calyx M will be available in Australia from the middle of May. Price will be $1299 AUD which today is around $1221 USD.
 
Pre orders are available a little later today.
 
The vendor seems super confident this product will be at the very top end of performance.

 

[Solude]

Looking to be a good summer =)

 

[headwhacker]

The two most crucial areas where current DAPs are cutting corners is the power filtering design for the DAC and AMP. The power filtering design for example is the biggest difference between a $1000 home DAC/AMP and a $5000 home DAC/AMP. They both could use the exact same DAC and AMP chips, but the main difference in sound quality is determined by the sophistication of their power filtering design otherwise known as part of the "implementation" of the DAC/AMP. This takes a lot of engineering and research, which is what makes an expensive DAC/AMP, the cost from the components themselves is only a small part of the total cost. Implementing a sophisticated power filtering design takes up a lot of PCB space, and there will never be a perfect implementation in a DAP sized product. The best example of portable implementation so far is the Chord Hugo, but it doesn't fit in your pocket. The Calyx M could very well have a better implementation than current pocket size DAPs if their Femto DAC is anything to go by.

I myself have used extreme will power to hold of on buying the DX90 and other daps to wait for the Calyx M. I might have to get both to compare though in the end, but my money is on the Calyx.

Interesting, but given the size of compared to a desktop DAC/amp it's going to be very difficult to get at the level of the desktop part without sacrificing a thing or 2. Anyway, it will still come down to side by side listening comparison if tge added "sophistication" is well worth the price tag against DX90

 

[SilverEars]

   
The two most crucial areas where current DAPs are cutting corners is the power filtering design for the DAC and AMP. The power filtering design for example is the biggest difference between a $1000 home DAC/AMP and a $5000 home DAC/AMP. They both could use the exact same DAC and AMP chips, but the main difference in sound quality is determined by the sophistication of their power filtering design otherwise known as part of the "implementation" of the DAC/AMP. This takes a lot of engineering and research, which is what makes an expensive DAC/AMP, the cost from the components themselves is only a small part of the total cost. Implementing a sophisticated power filtering design takes up a lot of PCB space, and there will never be a perfect implementation in a DAP sized product. The best example of portable implementation so far is the Chord Hugo, but it doesn't fit in your pocket. The Calyx M could very well have a better implementation than current pocket size DAPs if their Femto DAC is anything to go by.
 
I myself have used extreme will power to hold of on buying the DX90 and other daps to wait for the Calyx M. I might have to get both to compare though in the end, but my money is on the Calyx.

Power filtering in DAPs?  Where is the filter being implemented?  Portable DAPs run off batteries.  Are you referring to filtering after AC-Dc in the home setup that runs off the wall?
 
Can you link me to an article about what makes Hugo's power filtering so special?  Like to read on it.

 

[Solude]

It's cute that you think batteries provide clean stable power

 

[SilverEars]

  It's cute that you think batteries provide clean stable power

How much cleaner than DC do you need? 

  

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

lol, true that batteries aren't ideal. But all batteries are not created equal, nor are their power stage implementation (the chips ensuring a specific unchanging voltage is being sent to DAC or AMP or other). I could hear cleaner more transparent sound in the DX50 from switching batteries to a Samsung brand one for example (believe it or not).
 
The Chord Hugo uses two very good custom batteries (very low internal resistance), one to power the DAC and one to power the AMP. Splitting the two power stages is often seen on High end home DAC/AMPs. Also the Hugo uses multiple stages of high emd ultra low distortion voltage regulators to ensure exact amounts of power are going to every chip, whereas current DAPs simply use 1 or 2 regular voltage regulators to regulate the power from the single battery then use regular circuitry to split the power further (transistors etc).
 
Currently no DAP even comes close to the design and engineering of the Hugo.
 
Its impossible the Calyx will come close to the Hugo either (limited space), but hopefully Calyx will attempt to be a step above current DAPs. Although with no internal pictures we can't tell whats going on inside the Calyx, hopefully the Calyx isn't as hard to open as it looks.

 

[musicheaven]

Why would Hugo be superior than Calyx or vice versa? Calyx is a player, Hugo is not so on those grounds, they'll always be different.

 

[greatbadir]

lol, true that batteries aren't ideal. But all batteries are not created equal, nor are their power stage implementation (the chips ensuring a specific unchanging voltage is being sent to DAC or AMP or other). I could hear cleaner more transparent sound in the DX50 from switching batteries to a Samsung brand one for example (believe it or not).


 


The Chord Hugo uses two very good custom batteries (very low internal resistance), one to power the DAC and one to power the AMP. Splitting the two power stages is often seen on High end home DAC/AMPs. Also the Hugo uses multiple stages of high emd ultra low distortion voltage regulators to ensure exact amounts of power are going to every chip, whereas current DAPs simply use 1 or 2 regular voltage regulators to regulate the power from the single battery then use regular circuitry to split the power further (transistors etc).


 


Currently no DAP even comes close to the design and engineering of the Hugo.


 


Its impossible the Calyx will come close to the Hugo either (limited space), but hopefully Calyx will attempt to be a step above current DAPs. Although with no internal pictures we can't tell whats going on inside the Calyx, hopefully the Calyx isn't as hard to open as it looks.

 


You clearly know your stuff - very informative.

Going by what we DO know about the M, and also whatever you may (or may not!) know about the AK240, would you say the M is also in competition with the AK240? Or do you think the AK240 is still a step up again?

I know the M is targeting the AK100/120, iBasso DX90/100, and whichever HiFiMan-it-is level, but just wondered if, in the M, we might potentially have something which will also rival something that costs nearly three times as much?