[cooperpwc]

  Still no update regarding poor battery life?? Seem they will never figure out a solution for extending battery life....

 

 
Too early to say actually. If its a hardware issue, there will be limits to what is possible though.
 
they still haven't included a screen dimming option which is surprising.

 

[warrior1975]

The screen dimming is mind boggling... That's a huge eater of battery, I'd imagine that would be up there in priority.

 

[sonickarma]

Also the auto library scan could do with being optional, not every bootup.

 

[Matias]

I am listening to Calyx M (firmware 1.0) compared to a Geek Out 1000 (firmware 1.5, using TCM digital filter and a Schiit Wyrd as power supply). Both without external amp, yesterday using Audeze LCD-X and HiFiMAN RE-600S, today LCD-XC.
 
Both have more or less the same level of resolution since they are based on the same Sabre32 mobile DAC. It is just their implementation that is different. The M has a lot more relaxed sound, a little more dynamic and warmer sounding. The Geek Out sounds brighter, impressive and very detailed in the first minutes, but it limits the dynamics and feels like is having more difficult time pushing the big phones. Even with its 1 amp class A bias and regulated external power supply the Geek Out is more harsh and fatiguing compared to the M. Using IEMs those dynamic limitations are not as evident, but the general sound signature remains. Needless to say I prefer the M. The M sounds a lot closer to my external DAC 24/192 + Burson Soloist amp then the Geek Out.
 
Sure, they are different beasts entirely, I am comparing apple to oranges: one is a 1,000usd stand alone DAP or USB DAC, while the other is a 300usd USB DAC only (with a 100usd USB power supply). Still this could help anyone interested so I thought it was worth sharing. 

 

 

[pekingduck]

Thanks for the comparo. This is interesting cos I've heard people say the GO crushes the Hugo, AK240 etc! Did you hear any hiss with your RE600s with the GO?
 
Quote:

  I am listening to Calyx M (firmware 1.0) compared to a Geek Out 1000 (firmware 1.5, using TCM digital filter and a Schiit Wyrd as power supply). Both without external amp, yesterday using Audeze LCD-X and HiFiMAN RE-600S, today LCD-XC.
 
Both have more or less the same level of resolution since they are based on the same Sabre32 mobile DAC. It is just their implementation that is different. The M has a lot more relaxed sound, a little more dynamic and warmer sounding. The Geek Out sounds brighter, impressive and very detailed in the first minutes, but it limits the dynamics and feels like is having more difficult time pushing the big phones. Even with its 1 amp class A bias and regulated external power supply the Geek Out is more harsh and fatiguing compared to the M. Using IEMs those dynamic limitations are not as evident, but the general sound signature remains. Needless to say I prefer the M. The M sounds a lot closer to my external DAC 24/192 + Burson Soloist amp then the Geek Out.
 
Sure, they are different beasts entirely, I am comparing apple to oranges: one is a 1,000usd stand alone DAP or USB DAC, while the other is a 300usd USB DAC only (with a 100usd USB power supply). Still this could help anyone interested so I thought it was worth sharing. 

 

 

[cooperpwc]

  I am listening to Calyx M (firmware 1.0) compared to a Geek Out 1000 (firmware 1.5, using TCM digital filter and a Schiit Wyrd as power supply). Both without external amp, yesterday using Audeze LCD-X and HiFiMAN RE-600S, today LCD-XC.
 
Both have more or less the same level of resolution since they are based on the same Sabre32 mobile DAC. It is just their implementation that is different. The M has a lot more relaxed sound, a little more dynamic and warmer sounding. The Geek Out sounds brighter, impressive and very detailed in the first minutes, but it limits the dynamics and feels like is having more difficult time pushing the big phones. Even with its 1 amp class A bias and regulated external power supply the Geek Out is more harsh and fatiguing compared to the M. Using IEMs those dynamic limitations are not as evident, but the general sound signature remains. Needless to say I prefer the M. The M sounds a lot closer to my external DAC 24/192 + Burson Soloist amp then the Geek Out.
 
Sure, they are different beasts entirely, I am comparing apple to oranges: one is a 1,000usd stand alone DAP or USB DAC, while the other is a 300usd USB DAC only (with a 100usd USB power supply). Still this could help anyone interested so I thought it was worth sharing. 

 

 
Very interesting impressions. Another interesting comparison would be using the Wyrd + M as a USB DAC/amp, versus Wyrd + Geek Out 1000.
 
FYI I tried the Calyx M that way with the Wyrd. I think that it was definite improvement over the M on USB alone. However I was still not convinced that it met the sound quality of the M as a standalone DAP. It is much much closer anyway.

 

[Matias]

 

 
Yes, I did hear a little hiss noise, even with Wyrd cleaning the power. Not sure what to think because if Geek Out is noisyfor IEMs and doesn't have enough power to give big phones the dynamics they need... Only good enough for intermediates?

 

[gracky]

Re: M as a USB DAC
 
In fact, Dr. Yi, the CEO of D&A, has an opinion that the M as a USB dac is better than the 24/192. I myself had used a 24/192 before buying an M and I strongly agree with him about this, but there are some conditions.
 
The most serious obstacle to getting full(?) potential of the M as a DAC is the PSU of course. I tried gd-audio's class-A PSU, and in terms of sound it sounded great, but because it is a shunt regulator with limited current capability, it not only couldn't charge M but also drained M's battery used with the M as a USB dac. Now I'm using a sigma 11 PSU of AMB Lab (DIY assembled). I think the class-A PSU was sonically better so I'm considering building a shunt regulator with 1A capability using the Salas' board, but it will be a big project to me and I don't have time right now. It should require a huge heat sink, and casing will be quite a job. Anyway a linear PSU benefits the M (as a dac) greatly.
 
I'm infusing the sigma 11's power into the USB line from the Mac mini to the M with a DIY connector following a recipe I've encountered at computeraudiophile.com. (I don't find its url right now, but its idea was breaking +5 and gnd lines of USB connection and deceiving the computer's USB port by inserting an LED between +5 and gnd.) 
 
Being a source component, the M's output jack is connected to a 3m Y cable. I made mine with the blue dragon bulk cable from moon audio and a pair of Eichmann bullet plugs. 3.5 mm plug is a switchcraft I think. Anyway I fed the April Music HP100 headphone amp with this cable driving the HD600s. Originally I used HP100's volume and the rig sounded very good, but I tried M's volume control putting HP100's volume to the max. 
 
Well, I've got some hum. Usually forgivable (at the max volume), but it is a problem if I were to use the M as a preamp and the HP100 as a power amp. And I believed this configuration sounded better except the hum. At that time I grounded the power inlet of the HP100 only in the rig. So I hasn't thought that the grounding was the problem. I accidentally cut the ground to the HP100's power and the hum disappeared. But without any ground in the whole rig, it sounded worse... I thought that I should ground somewhere else, and I noticed I connected the shield of the blue dragon cable to the ground pin of the 3.5mm switchcraft plug. So I can ground there I thought, and bingo! The hum disappeared. The sound was great. With this setup, the images presented by the HD600s are completely out of head and very very holographic...
 
With this setup, I think the M as a USB DAC completely exceeds the 24/192. I strongly believe it could compete any audio grade DAC under at least $2k. And now the M (with same PSU and USB connection) is feeding the Ayre V5 driving the Mini Maggie system with an additional DWM woofer. This stereo setup presents a spectacularly deep sound stage and distant stereo images in my small room (less than 10" x 15"). I'm very happy with my new speakers. 
 
Looking at the attached picture of my M with the PSU and the USB connector, you would understand what I did.

 

[Matias]

  Re: M as a USB DAC
 
In fact, Dr. Yi, the CEO of D&A, has an opinion that the M as a USB dac is better than the 24/192. 

 
Interesting, I have a Calyx DAC 24/192 and M, and a new Audioquest 1/8" to RCA adapter. When I have time I will compare 24/192 versus M with my external amp and will let you know.

 

[goodvibes]

I would be disappointed in the 24/192 if that were the case. There are always compromises involved with a DAP.

 

[gracky]

I would be disappointed in the 24/192 if that were the case. There are always compromises involved with a DAP.

The 24/192 was introduced at least 3 years before the M, and they discontinued the 24/192 realizing that the M is better. Developing a better product is not blamable imo. Remember that the 24/192 was one of the best dacs in its price range.

 

[Matias]

24/192 is older yes but not discontinued that I know of.

 

[cooperpwc]

  Re: M as a USB DAC
 
In fact, Dr. Yi, the CEO of D&A, has an opinion that the M as a USB dac is better than the 24/192. I myself had used a 24/192 before buying an M and I strongly agree with him about this, but there are some conditions.
 
The most serious obstacle to getting full(?) potential of the M as a DAC is the PSU of course. I tried gd-audio's class-A PSU, and in terms of sound it sounded great, but because it is a shunt regulator with limited current capability, it not only couldn't charge M but also drained M's battery used with the M as a USB dac. Now I'm using a sigma 11 PSU of AMB Lab (DIY assembled). I think the class-A PSU was sonically better so I'm considering building a shunt regulator with 1A capability using the Salas' board, but it will be a big project to me and I don't have time right now. It should require a huge heat sink, and casing will be quite a job. Anyway a linear PSU benefits the M (as a dac) greatly.
 
I'm infusing the sigma 11's power into the USB line from the Mac mini to the M with a DIY connector following a recipe I've encountered at computeraudiophile.com. (I don't find its url right now, but its idea was breaking +5 and gnd lines of USB connection and deceiving the computer's USB port by inserting an LED between +5 and gnd.) 
 
Being a source component, the M's output jack is connected to a 3m Y cable. I made mine with the blue dragon bulk cable from moon audio and a pair of Eichmann bullet plugs. 3.5 mm plug is a switchcraft I think. Anyway I fed the April Music HP100 headphone amp with this cable driving the HD600s. Originally I used HP100's volume and the rig sounded very good, but I tried M's volume control putting HP100's volume to the max. 
 
Well, I've got some hum. Usually forgivable (at the max volume), but it is a problem if I were to use the M as a preamp and the HP100 as a power amp. And I believed this configuration sounded better except the hum. At that time I grounded the power inlet of the HP100 only in the rig. So I hasn't thought that the grounding was the problem. I accidentally cut the ground to the HP100's power and the hum disappeared. But without any ground in the whole rig, it sounded worse... I thought that I should ground somewhere else, and I noticed I connected the shield of the blue dragon cable to the ground pin of the 3.5mm switchcraft plug. So I can ground there I thought, and bingo! The hum disappeared. The sound was great. With this setup, the images presented by the HD600s are completely out of head and very very holographic...
 
With this setup, I think the M as a USB DAC completely exceeds the 24/192. I strongly believe it could compete any audio grade DAC under at least $2k. And now the M (with same PSU and USB connection) is feeding the Ayre V5 driving the Mini Maggie system with an additional DWM woofer. This stereo setup presents a spectacularly deep sound stage and distant stereo images in my small room (less than 10" x 15"). I'm very happy with my new speakers. 
 
Looking at the attached picture of my M with the PSU and the USB connector, you would understand what I did.

 
Hokay, I accept the challenge and will revisit M as a USB DAC. My PSU is the Schiit Wyrd.

 

[cooperpwc]

  Anyone feeding the M into an external amp? How's the sound quality as a source? is it still lush sounding?

 
Hint, pekingduck... I may be seriously revisiting my earlier reply. That was based on a fast impression long ago and before I had the Wyrd to act as a power supply/USB isolator/reclocker. I am now going back and forth between the M and my other DACs (none stellar but they are not bad), all using the Wyrd. More to follow down the road.

 

[maeschba]

 

Many thanks for the translation. I bought a Calyx M yesterday. I couldn't boot the device or charge the battery. Now it works.