[flatmap]

Adamora, not sure I'm following.  Do you turn the volume on the DacMagic Plus to 20% of its max while simultaneously taking the RCA output of the DacMagic to the input of your downstream amp?  And then you're turning the volume on the downstream amp to 60% of its max volume?

 

[Adamora]

Flatmap, I think you got that right, I basically get no volume increase from the alo Rx mk3 after going past the 1 o clock mark on the volume knob, no matter the source or gain.

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

I'm kinda speculating, but maybe you're getting some kind of clipping, and the amp is stopping because of some noise maximum.  Have you tried to simulate this with some other source?
 
This is one of these times that an email to ALO might be best...

 

[flatmap]

  I'm kinda speculating, but maybe you're getting some kind of clipping, and the amp is stopping because of some noise maximum.  Have you tried to simulate this with some other source?
 
This is one of these times that an email to ALO might be best...

+1
 
Yes first try another source.  E.g., try taking the headphone-out from your computer (bypassing the DacMagic) and feed that into the input of the ALO.  Just to see if that works normally.
 
Are you taking a balanced output of the DacMagic into the balanced input of the ALO?  If so did you make your own cable?  If so, good to check the cable construction one more time, perhaps using digital multimeter to verify the pins match up properly.
 
Or are you strictly using the single ended connection between DAC and Amp?

 

[Adamora]

  +1
 
Yes first try another source.  E.g., try taking the headphone-out from your computer (bypassing the DacMagic) and feed that into the input of the ALO.  Just to see if that works normally.
 
Are you taking a balanced output of the DacMagic into the balanced input of the ALO?  If so did you make your own cable?  If so, good to check the cable construction one more time, perhaps using digital multimeter to verify the pins match up properly.
 
Or are you strictly using the single ended connection between DAC and Amp?

 
I tried another source, it still stops the volume increasing past the 1 o clock mark.
 
I'm using a single ended cable as for the source and a single ended cable for the LCD 2.
 
I also tried another RX Mk3-B+ at the store i bought it from, Same problem...odd.

 

[CraftyClown]

Hey boys and girls. I've just joined the RX Mk3 club, having purchased one of the for sale forums.
 
I'm very excited about hearing it once it arrives, but I had a quick question first.
 
My custom IEMs the Heir 8a's have a 35ohm impedance. I was just wondering if that would still leave them in a range that might be considered sensitive and therefore leave me open to a certain amount of noise. I'm feeding the amp with my AK120 so I've been rather spoilt with a lovely black background for some time now
 
Edit: It's the B and not the B+ by the way. Not that I think there were any changes to the sensitivity between the two. Correct me if I'm wrong though.

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

I don't think you'll have an issue with too much noise, but the Mk3B isn't the quietest amp in the world.  I don't use IEMs, but some of my headphones are low impedance and I get no noise from mine.
 
FYI, I think the only improvement in the B+ is the extended battery life....
 
If I was hell bent on an ALO amp that's IEM friendly, I would be ordering the new International +...

 

[CraftyClown]

  I don't think you'll have an issue with too much noise, but the Mk3B isn't the quietest amp in the world.  I don't use IEMs, but some of my headphones are low impedance and I get no noise from mine.
 
FYI, I think the only improvement in the B+ is the extended battery life....
 
If I was hell bent on an ALO amp that's IEM friendly, I would be ordering the new International +...

 
Cheers Jeff. The MK3B is hopefully going to be the perfect portable amp for me, as I am getting Vinnie at Red Wine to mod my AK120 to the RWAK120B with the balanced output. Here's hoping eh

 

[SDBiotek]

I don't think you'll have an issue with too much noise, but the Mk3B isn't the quietest amp in the world.  I don't use IEMs, but some of my headphones are low impedance and I get no noise from mine.

FYI, I think the only improvement in the B+ is the extended battery life....

If I was hell bent on an ALO amp that's IEM friendly, I would be ordering the new International +...

Hopefully hiss won't be a problem with your iems. It is quite pronounced when I use my Noble K10s, and gets worse when I use my balanced cable. The RX does work fine with my headphones, though.

 

[flatmap]

.... I am getting Vinnie at Red Wine to mod my AK120 to the RWAK120B with the balanced output. Here's hoping eh

That sounds sweet!  Please report back when you get it up and running with your RX MkIII.

 

[CraftyClown]

Hopefully hiss won't be a problem with your iems. It is quite pronounced when I use my Noble K10s, and gets worse when I use my balanced cable. The RX does work fine with my headphones, though.

Ah, that's a shame, what with the 8as being very similar to the k10s and having the same impedance, I imagine I will have the same results.

How would you define that noise when listening to your k10s? Is it enough to distract your listening experience?

Also is listening to them noticeably worse (noise floor wise) when balanced? Or are the improvements worth it? I was planning to get my 8as re-cabled for just this purpose.

That sounds sweet!  Please report back when you get it up and running with your RX MkIII.

I certainly will. I'm very excited to hear this set up

 

[SDBiotek]

Ah, that's a shame, what with the 8as being very similar to the k10s and having the same impedance, I imagine I will have the same results.

How would you define that noise when listening to your k10s? Is it enough to distract your listening experience?

Also is listening to them noticeably worse (noise floor wise) when balanced? Or are the improvements worth it? I was planning to get my 8as re-cabled for just this purpose.
I certainly will. I'm very excited to hear this set up

I consider the noise level as pretty high, but you may be more tolerant of it than I am. You can definitely still listen to your music, but the hiss will be there. It is most noticeable in tracks that have quiet passages. Aside from the hiss, the RX MkIII actually does sound nice with the K10. The noise level is a bit higher when using the balanced output. For me, it outweighs any potential benefits from using balanced, at least with my iems. As folks like to say, though, your mileage my vary. I have been experimenting some other portable amps with balanced outputs, though, with better results. I don't want to derail this thread,  but feel free to send a PM if you want to know more.

 

[shigzeo]

  Hmm, If i lower my DAC/media players volume down to 20% while at any gain level, if i try to go past past the 60% mark on the volume knob, no volume increase happens, it just stops. is that normal? or is my unit defective.

A lot of amps use gains that spread ampage over a very small portion of the volume pot, some as little as 50%, some as great as 80%. Very good volume pots will go all the way to 100% with noticeable gains to the end, but they are not the norm.

 

[shigzeo]

Has anyone compared the RX MkIII with the Cypher Labs Duet?

I have at Ω image.

 

[flatmap]

  A lot of amps use gains that spread ampage over a very small portion of the volume pot, some as little as 50%, some as great as 80%. Very good volume pots will go all the way to 100% with noticeable gains to the end, but they are not the norm.

Not sure I've run into this, but good to know.  At least with the Rx MkIII, my volume dials up all the way to 100%, still increasing at the very top.