[Jon L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT Little update, folks. Second round of direct USB versus Transit/Toslink, with additional help of my wife's golden ears, ....... revealed no winner. In fact she feels that USB sounds cleaner than Transit->SPDIF. And I have a difficult time dissect any difference at all. Looks like this time USB is done right indeed.

Um, if USB is done "right," it should blow away the stock Transit, especially using the extra limiting factor of the toslink connectors and cable.

 

[Solude]

Not going to get into the electrical connections from PCs are evil debate but the Stello gear is impressive. I use the CDT200/DA220 stack and its jaw dropping good. That really hits home when I take into consideration that its also playing the amp role to my Senn 650 since teh rest of my dynamic rig is gone and the Stax is in transit.

The Stello easily bests the Tri-Vista 21 as a dac/amp combo. I do however wish that the DA220 came in the standard Stello case. And I'll have to wait for the O2/KGSS to hit my door to do a proper Emu 1212m vs Stello CDT200, Tri-Vista 21 vs Stello DA220 comparison.

I do hope the Stello bests the MF since its input control makes switching from PC to transport less involved.

Quick note though, either Stello or MF is full of it on specs. Single ended both play at the same volume at -24dB so either the MF isn't 2.2V or the Stello isn't 1.3V or the advertised output impedances are way off. I'm guessing its the impedances since the Stello doesn't specify it's and as an amp it has total control of the Senn 650 suggesting a really low output impedance.

Err so ya, Stello woot!

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solude Quick note though, either Stello or MF is full of it on specs. Single ended both play at the same volume at -24dB so either the MF isn't 2.2V or the Stello isn't 1.3V or the advertised output impedances are way off. I'm guessing its the impedances since the Stello doesn't specify it's and as an amp it has total control of the Senn 650 suggesting a really low output impedance.

My guess is that the MF has a fairly high output impedance, since it is a tube DAC, and in theory only needs to be able to drive the input of a preamp, so an output impedance of a few hundred ohms wouldn't hurt too much there. Of course when you hook up headphones, that changes the ballgame a lot.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon L Um, if USB is done "right," it should blow away the stock Transit, especially using the extra limiting factor of the toslink connectors and cable.

Please do not start that I2S debate.
It is the best USB implementation I have seen so far. And the fact that it is on par or should I say even sligtly better than Transit means a lot to the most people who are using comp rig as main source and not after some crazy, not available to masses, hypothetical USB solutions.

 

[GASTAN]

Is DA220 "twice" as good as DA100 ?
I know its stupid question. Maybe I should ask, wheter DA100 is good enough, and would be enough to connect HD650 to my laptop without any necessary ampliefier. How much would Stello HA help ?
Would DA220 be better than DA100 + amp ?

thx

--G

 

[humanflyz]

the DA220 is not an amp, it's a DAC. So you can't really connect your headphones to it. You will need a headphone amp regardless of whether you get the DA100 or the DA220.

 

[GASTAN]

Well, I guess I've seen it in someones signature -balanced HD650 directly (without amp). I am not sure now wheter it was DA10 or DA100

how about Lavry DA10, it has headphone out.
is it better than Stello DA100 ?

--G

 

[humanflyz]

Neither the DA220 nor the DA100 has pre-amp outs, so you can't directly connect any headphones to it.

 

[GASTAN]

I guess it was AD10 then.
Lemmie google that one out

 

[BrianS]

lavry black da10 has both headphone out, dac, and balanced out

 

[Solude]

Got to love Team Never Reads The Question

Yes you absolutely can drive your headphones directly from the DA100 or DA220 while running off your PC. See PCs have these things called volume control and when used in a downward fashion provides attenuation just like an amp would

While I'm ampless I'm running my Emu 1212m > Stello DA220 > Senn 650 with volume set at -24dB which is below 200mV which is cake for the Stello gear.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solude Got to love Team Never Reads The Question Yes you absolutely can drive your headphones directly from the DA100 or DA220 while running off your PC. See PCs have these things called volume control and when used in a downward fashion provides attenuation just like an amp would While I'm ampless I'm running my Emu 1212m > Stello DA220 > Senn 650 with volume set at -24dB which is below 200mV which is cake for the Stello gear.

Yeah, this is indeed very doable. Of course it is best to use a soundcard which outputs 24-bit on the digital, so that you are just shifting the redbook down through the unused 8 bits, not altering the original signal. How much audible difference this makes over attenation on a 16-bit only output, only a test would tell.

 

[Patu]

I have DA100 and HP100 ordered and they should be shipped to me on monday. I'll write more when I get them.

 

[lagardere]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patu I have DA100 and HP100 ordered and they should be shipped to me on monday. I'll write more when I get them.

Great news! Did you ordered them directly from Korea or did you manage to find any distributor in Europe?

 

[circularlogic]

I've just received mine and am loving it so far!