[grawk]

Audio Technica ESW9s and ESW10s. W10VTG if you can find them.

 

[IceClass]

The Sony MDR-CD3000 works well straight out of the Duet.
It doesn't really have the oomph for the AKG K340 and K145 though.

 

[Feather225]

How about Denon D7000 pairing with duet?

 

[_js_]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grawk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Audio Technica ESW9s and ESW10s. W10VTG if you can find them.

Thanks, grawk! I really appreciate the advice. I am beginning to see why maybe the Grado SR225's aren't the best headphones to pair with the duet, but that may change when I get the new ear pads for them. We shall see. I did consider an RS1 or RS2, but from my research here on head-fi, I'm thinking I would prefer the RS1 to the RS2, and that is pretty much beyond my budget. Plus, I want to own a different brand than Grado this time round.

Can't find the ESW10's, but Head Room has the ESW9As for a good price. I assume, from looking on the AT website, that the 9's and 9A's sound exactly the same, yes?

 

[jackBnimble3556]

Would this work on a PC with firewire?

 

[_js_]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackBnimble3556 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Would this work on a PC with firewire?

No. Not unless you could write your own drivers and software for it.

 

[grawk]

Check audiocubes for the ESW10s. The ESW9A and ESW9 are the same headphone.

 

[immtbiker]

Yes, they will.

Also, any headphone that you like out of an amp/dac combo, will fare well with the Duet. I use everything from R-10's to ESW-9's/10's to Sony Sony PFR- V1's to UE-10's.

 

[grawk]

Glad to see it got to you minty

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

HiFi.nl - recensies Apogee Mini-Dac

Google Translated from Dutch to English


Mini in size

It was November 2002 when I hurt in the heart of a digital analog converter brand Apogee Electronics return importer see leave. In wrote inter alia as a result of the high purchase price of the device and A / D and D / A conversion provides: "Now that an Apogee converter would bring no A / D conversion occurred. Then the price is much lower and more may come close to the maximum for me. "My desire seems to be interrogated as the Mini-Dac to the site of Apogee announced, I remain alert and impatient or TM Audio The first boxes to arrive. Hardly a day back from vacation, I blow Utrecht same afternoon and heard the first euro notes from the 1285 draft Dutchman Lucas van der Mee.

Lucas van der Mee is a senior designer at Apogee Electronics. Dutchman, a nice history. So he started as a technician and sound engineer in the group The Levee. Then he worked first as a man of everything and later as a principal engineer with many years Wisseloord Studio `s and was en passant the HTS. Given its remarkable performance in Wisseloord he was asked to come and work for the Ocean View Way `s Studio in LA. As a result, he was technical manager in five studio `s. One of his self-imposed tasks was to modify, including Apogee converters, because in his eyes the analog input and output was much better. When the studio `s part, he was sold to Apogee and was the creator of all SE versions (much, much better analog outputs which also was confirmed by a competition). He is now the main man in Apogee for the hardware design. Although Apogee leader in the USA on its territory, the company only twenty great man. Design of everything they own, the etching of printing and assembly is outsourced

Mini-Dac

The first responsibility of Van der Mee is responsive to the market for professional applications of A / D and D / A converters. He themselves audiophile and many of his friends to such guarantee is nice, but much less important for the company itself. It is from the professional angle that the desire to show to a portable D / A converter to develop it is possible to direct on-site inspection to have a shot. Apogee has in the delivery package a microphone amplifier, A / D converter, which seamlessly via a USB bus connected to a laptop for recording. The Mini-Dac is developed in a similar case and thus constitutes an interface between the microphone, speakers and the hard drive through the USB bus signals to both sides through. Both Mac OS and Windows-based storage systems.

So far I have nothing to do a recording engineer. A seminar TM Audio gives me a chance with Lucas to discuss the Mini-Dac and he makes me very happy if I have more and more decisions audiophile recognizable. I tell him my enthusiasm about the PSX100SE. The Mini-Dac would be "my cup of tea" thinks he can be. With all the functionality for home, next to the studio options.

The Mini-Dac has said over as a source selector switch options for home studios that are not necessary. This, I work through the USB port. One option that I could not even try because the additional USB card and is not included with the review copy. I have no connections for ADAT, S / MUX and Double AES / EBU. You do? However, I use normal AES / EBU, S / PDIF via RCA and an optical interface and the ability to 44.1, 88.2, 48 and 96 kHz signals to convert digital to analog format. A source of 192 kHz is unfortunately not (yet) at home. The Mini-Dac can imagine signals from 176.4 and 192 kHz to. Trouble was found during the seminar.

The front is equipped with LEDs that the sample frequency and even two LEDs as VU meter works. Rest us three things, the on / off switch, a headphone jack (6.3 mm) and a volume control. The volume through jumpers to bypass for purists among us. On the back of the Mini-Dac from left to right: the power connector, the RCA and optical S / PDIF input, the AES / EBU input (more on this later), a USB bus, a mini-jack line-out and left and right analog via XLR cable. Included is an external switching power supply with Dutch plug. The mini-jack line-out, you can connect a headset but also an amplifier or active speakers. With the volume control on the front set the volume. The same applies to the XLR connectors. Who has not balanced input on his amplifier can verloopjes with the signal on the bus to RCA XLR convert or through a verloopje mini-jack to RCA. The AES / EBU digital input, which I would come back, because of lack of run with a 9-pin Sub-D connector as you listed on your PC. A verloopje of Sub-D to 2 x XLR is in the box. Through the verloopje you can connect two digital sources or use of AES for Double studio format.

Apogee in the manual gives no information what is in the box to find. Except how jumpers sales, output or calibrate the USB card mount. By e-mail and interviews with Lucas, I can cite the following. "The basis of a multilayer print dac is a plate where a layer of the food, the earth and the signal is separated. As an example, layer 1. food signal, 2. ground, 3. signal power, 4. ground power, 5. feeding ground, 6. ground signal. On the board you're one of each opamp the shortest way to the power source. Moreover, each opamp buffer you with a set of ELCO's the first demand for power to be absorbed. Analog outputs you need to make good, low impedance and strong enough to direct a headset to send. All you can do against jitter, do it! "Then you're not there yet because there is still in a converter. The converter used in the Mini-Dac is an Analog Devices AD1955. Comparison tests have been done with the new chips from the competition, but Apogee is now one year old chip in hearing tests with flying colors, still the winner. The differences were not subtle.

The power of the Mini-Dac is a super high speed switcher. The external power supply is actually nothing more than a DC (DC) provision. In the Mini-Dac, the DC into AC ultra high frequency (AC in the order of about 750kHz), a multiple of the sampling rate. Then, the regulated AC to DC normal tension. The advantage of this principle is that the external power supply almost anything is possible, the noise generated is under control and far above the audible orange. The speed with which this circuit can respond to changes in demand is far beyond any audible transient. Apogee claims much overcapacity in the local food and capacitors. The dynamic range of the Mini-Dac is measurable 3 dB higher than that of the PSX100SE. At THD and noise, according to the designer of the Mini-Dac as `s 10-15 dB better. The difference is primarily found in the third harmonic. The AES / EBU digital input is equal to the S / PDIF input, were it not for the XLR balanced and separate transformer. This reduces the noise significantly and therefore present the jitter even lower. Unique compared to many other dac is also the bells of the signal. As a manufacturer, you the choice: I clock the input signal to close tolerances than the best source or the input clock signal, I order that each source or lockt, although I live with jitter? Apogee resolve that with two internal clocks to work between which a data buffer. The clock at the entrance is tolerant to the source, the second clock on the conversion side that the precise timing data from the buffer is. Expensive but the ultimate solution.

I have a somewhat complicated digital source to my disposal, which is of high quality. The running gear is a Teac VRDS-T1 with a Trichord Clock 2 and smaller modifications as lead bitumen and a better power cord. The unbalanced signal to a Monarchy Audio Digital Interface Processor, which reduces jitter. From there I go to a balanced assembly (Sonic Frontiers) D2D-1 sample rate converter that jitter of the signal again and also trying to rid upsampled to 24 bit 96 kHz. Then balanced to the Dac. Previously, an M-Audio Superdac 2496, for this review the Apogee Mini-Dac. After the dac with verloopjes of XLR to RCA. In order to achieve synergies in the set to get all digital cables Apogee (Wyde-Eye). The second digital source is still there a Marantz DV6200 DVD player. I also tried optical cables, but the results Wyde-Eye are far superior. Because the solution with the Sub-D verloopje is not necessary for me, I have only one source with XLR, I was sold to a 110-Ohm Wyde Eye cable to Sub-D instead of Neutrik XLR. I can not say that this result was better, my peace of mind was to do something, it does not completely subjective.

The Mini-Dac appeared sensitive to respond and has had at least a week to come to full maturity. Was the picture as big as the first puff between the speakers is, after one week there was width, height and depth to the speakers gave out. I have taken the trouble to dac direct connection to the running gear, or only through the DIP or work without upsampling. In all cases the image quality was deteriorating, not the control to the dac, but not under the control of jitter busy signal or a lesser quality. The dac remained at all times perform better than others dac or less equivalent to a high level. The choice of the listening session to describe both the jitter box as the sample rate converter is twofold. Firstly, I am so accustomed to listening and second, why would I be satisfied with an inferior signal as the best in the audio rack on the cable can be found? The choice of an XLR connector above an S / PDIF is made purely on hearing. Who XLR to his or her decision, should certainly apply. The profit is about 20% in the quality of the display. The Apogee able to do alone. Digital level, AES / EBU always superior.

The analog part of the set consists of a preamplifier with two Clear Audio Monarchy Audio mono blocks of each 100 watts. Speakers of JMLab (Electra 926 with a SW900 active subwoofer). Cabling is largely, and I use Siltech SQ-88 Classic intermodal links with LS-110 Classic speaker cables. Where possible, standard power cords replaced by Siltech SPX-30 Classic. Among the speakers and amplifiers can be found Master Base. Across the digital violence is a Garrard 301 turntable with a Pro-ject 9Carbon arm and a Benz Micro L2 element. The phonoamp is one of Linto Linn. Here Siltech cables, from the Classic series but MXT New York. The complete set to run behind a netfilter Kemp. The netfilter connected to a separate group wired directly from the meter. As an alternative to the amplifiers is heard through an available Lua Sonata SEL (integrated tube amplifier). In those circumstances, without the subwoofer on. Those who like all-and-out's want to know is an equipment list at the bottom of this text.

With admiration

I quote again Lucas van der Mee: "The best D / A converter has no hole in the middle. And a good place. As long as you have not reached that (I think now very close to an analog sound to be) you have no good dac. Even Apogee still can not totally against analogue to. I compare my converters with analog systems to achieve a good result. The 'hole' with each generation dac `s smaller. And the placement better. The Mini-Dac (and Apogee Rosetta 800) of the last generation and beats including the Cello dac of a few years back with jumps. Then you are on is still very expensive systems (DA2000). "

Claiming is one thing, make something different. And what is a 'hole' that talked about? In recent times, several dac's home unsafe, including not to be sneezed Chord Dac 64. In my memory still haunted PSX100SE, though I terén on past information. Memory colors, including that of an audio reviewer and often makes things better than they were. Whether you noticed something is not. That 'hole' for example. Never very attention to Apogee it began. Now for my M-Audio, then I am indeed. Left and right are separated and when I move my head is a singer to the left or right. Freeze is not here. Also observed during a visit to a dealer for a set of the week "story in a totally different set-up and space. The Mini-Dac does indeed different and can directly compare with my record that no 'hole' has. A nice wide picture where everyone in his or her place remains. This may I also suddenly in many more places to sit in the room and the hot spot is less clear-cut. Cool. I get you further explain what I heard in several music clips.

I started as time with the PSX100SE with Patricia Barber. This is yet another strong opening on voice, percussion and piano. The drums are better and tighter, more impressive than I normally am / was able to achieve. The Mini-Dac gives a strong sense of rhythm. A broad and solid borne image space to the contributions of each solo musician. "Two for the Road" is an eye opener. Wow this is where I am waiting. What a masterful and natural sound. The display hardly leaves much to be desired from high to low. From basin to bass and piano to voice, I enjoy an unprecedented figure. That is true with Mary Black as she sings about Adam in the window. "

What I read back in my notes on the Apogee PSX100SE the time and now hear is pretty similar. Mary is in the heart of a bowl with the band around her. The singing voice is more attractive and it is good to determine which voting state. Mary Black who has ever seen live understand my enthusiasm. This is a live performance at home. At the time I went to learn from recording engineers just as the benchmark 0 dB level. I am in the ongoing torture again with Sarah Connor. Dynamics almost absent, and good output in the digital distortion. However, better than I ever remember to have heard. I enjoy even the bass and gusts of Sarah themselves far away is reminiscent of Mariah Carey. It is nice to hear this issue again if it remains there. Stereo image or beautiful view we do not speak. The Mini-Dac to punish mercilessly.

However, it is beautiful "Home of whipers of Lori Liebermann. The recording is characterized by a dead quiet background. So terribly clean. Placement of each instrument to determine the exact size and dynamics are fully exploited. What I always think that if I listen to a turntable instead of a CD player. The smooth sounds are owed to. Not fluent in the sense of drowsy and tough, but round, warm and full. Just horrible voices are obviously displayed. The clean record for the first time I hear the pedals of the piano as they are released. Not what the string as it does, but the sound of the mechanics and the tone is already extinct.

During "Let the sun come down on me" is the goose bumps. The whole CD is a wonderful mix of emotion and technique that sounds brilliant. From delicacy to vote acrobatics with Rachelle Ferrell. Live in Montreux in 1991 and 1997. Here, I take the improvement in the Mini-Dac against the PSX100SE. I am no longer at the back of the stage, in March just before, like everyone else. I assure you gentlemen dealers, turn this CD as a demo with a Mini-Dac in a store and the set is sold. What action have we missed by not at that time to be in Montreux. What a good idea of the tapes Verve still giving so we can enjoy at least after. It is excitement and thrill. The bassdrum is more impressive than during 'Prayers dance. I look for the 'hole' in the hope Van der Mee to detect a failure, I can not. Placement is tight and firm. On the CD are two parts of actions committed. It is the first time that I so easily make a distinction between 1991 and 1997. The room is different, the air vortex, the atmosphere. That was never as fast as that before.

It is the compelling atmosphere of the drawings that the Mini-Dac for me to make a hit. Back to the Chord Dac 64. Knew that with the utmost precision down to each bit. When viewed through a magnifying glass. The Apogee Mini-Dac else is there with them. I do not miss so much detail, but the whole is rounder and softer in nature. It was cold out there but that the final details. If the Chord dac in the long buffer mode. The impression that the Mini-Dac, that is truly analog. I get the CD and LP of Kari BREMNES 'Norwegian mood. We always use it to ourselves to prove that fast analog to digital is superior.

For the first time that it was gone. The Mini-Dac provides more than the big brother that the difference between plate and CD has been reduced to a difference between elements. I hope you understand what I mean, analog versus analog. Road to the digital impression is always a CD was present. How easy for a Mini-Dac recording technicians will come to the fore as I listen to recordings in which one wrong handles panorama controls or wrong microphone technique is not correct. While it is always enjoyed more than criticize. You have to simply watch. Silence and the result of a dac with soft signals let me show with Miles Davis. His "Time after time 'means a whole room in the handle. Only occasionally interrupted by a student, the soft tones jingle thin in the area for me. The trumpet of scheurend Davis, sad, subdued, changing of voting. Subtle is the right word. Subtle at a deathly silence. It should not be easy for a musician this game to keep pace. I can imagine that lesser musicians will play faster and faster. If not Davis and his band.

There is little known work that I do not spin. Whether it comes to the Celtic sounds of Meav, lazy soft jazz of Norah Jones to Locatelli, Bach, Mozart clarinet works of Musical Fidelity's Antony Michaelson chef, it passes the review. Every genre seems appropriate and the Apogee has no particular preference. The atmosphere remains the most striking figure, like the pure smooth playback. There is plenty of detail, not to speak of an analytical character. Soloists earn a place where they get it. Where they part of the orchestra or the band, they remain present in the grouping. Sometimes the sound off on the narrow well. Usually better than I was normally experienced. Never less than I recall from other DACs. Well this is the Mini-Dac a bargain. Especially against PSX100SE but also against more expensive competitors. Who can succeed cheaply should not leave, I will not succeed as I expect a similar view from a digital source. It is beautiful. Very nice in my ears. Period.

Beautiful

I still under way with music and astonished me. Especially for the small differences that exist in relation to my turntable. Dire Straits, Tina Turner, Sade, the pictures that I have held double. What I always default to handle the record does not anymore. 20 years it takes to achieve. I have now as it were, two record players. One plays the other vinyl polycarbonate. Initially fell against me about the appearance of the Mini-Dac. The picture was not so wide and so it was completed. It is just time for me to realize that the digital display so that we simply are different from the analog originals. The more I use the Mini-Dac his work was done, the greater was my admiration. Whether I am listening with strained ears or listen to background music, I remember not a rest and some easy listening observed. Evening to evening, I ran from my house to work as soon as a CD to run.

The Mini-Dac is definitely not everyone's choice. Precisely because he is different than many dac that I have heard. For me, the Mini-Dac the end of an era. Is there no SACD and DVD-Audio than not makes me less. The 500 CDs that do not populate the cabinet to be replaced as the Mini-Dac mine would be. Enjoy every piece of music, pop, singing, classical, easy listening. Point to the Mini-Dac if your choice is not. For that I can praise, despite the above proposals. Then you find him to be smooth. Lack of digital. Mark my words!

Price:
Apogee Mini-Dac exclusive option USB card Euro 1285
Apogee Mini-Dac including USB option card Euro 1625

Importer:
TM Audio
Zonnebaan 52
3542 EC Utrecht
Tel: (+31) (0) 30 2414 070
Fax: (+31) (0) 30 2410 002
E-mail general: info@tmaudio.nl
Web Apogee Electronics: Premium Digital Audio Solutions and Audio nieuws | TM Audio - professional sound equipment

 

[immtbiker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grawk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Glad to see it got to you minty

Didn't get them until this a.m.

I was going by meet experience in the last year, with every headphone that I could steer towards a Macbook that had one attached.
I can now say that I have 4 living room personal hours with the Duet (thank you, Dan) and R-10's ESW-9/10's and HP-2's. More cans to be demo'd this weekend.

I am a Mac newbie (even though I dove in head first with a 24" iMac in November and I bought myself an Air for Christmas), but I find it interesting that when I have my optical out hooked up to my Portaphile/MicroDAC at the same time, sometimes I have to reboot to start Maestro and the Duet to gain connectivity, and sometime I don't.
I know it's silly, but I was hoping that I could run the Firewire output to the Duet and the Optical output to the MicroDac, so I could switch off between systems, so I don't have to go by memory to compare sound characteristics.

One thing that I don't understand though, is why, when you turn up the volume on the Duet or on the Maestro control interface, the volume on your Mac raises. I thought that the Duet was supposed to bypass the amp/dac section on the Mac, and the Mac volume control should not come into play.

 

[immtbiker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif HiFi.nl - recensies Apogee Mini-Dac Google Translated from Dutch to English

Wow, talk about "getting lost in the translation".

How does the relate to the Duet, HeadphoneAddict?

Does it use the same d/a a/d section?

 

[grawk]

The reason is that core audio controls the duet, and so the knob just tells core audio to raise or lower the volume. As to switching between the optical and the duet, you should be able to do that from audio midi settings, I've never had trouble doing that. You have the settings for both set at 24/96 in Audio Midi?

 

[immtbiker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grawk /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've never had trouble doing that. You have the settings for both set at 24/96 in Audio Midi?

Until you mentioned it, I never even knew "Audio Midi" existed

I said I was a Mac newbie!

I changed the Duet setting to 24/96, but can't find how to change the optical output also:

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow, talk about "getting lost in the translation". How does the relate to the Duet, HeadphoneAddict? Does it use the same d/a a/d section?

Because in the mini-review of Duet vs Apogee mini-DAC I linked to earlier in this thread back in July, Blutarsky and I had found the Duet performance at 24/96 firewire and driving my HE60/HEV70 (and HP-1000/D2000 from headphone out) was at least 98-99% of the performance of the mini-DAC with stock PSU at 24/96 optical. i.e. very good.

So, much of the good stuff in the review in terms of sound applies to the Duet. But, for the guy above who wants to use Duet on a PC, he could do a mini-DAC with firewire instead.