[Pharmaboy]

After doing some research the Amiron Home look to be my perfect headphone, great sound signature for my music/media tastes. Has anyone tried/tested these with the R2R 11?

After issues with the sound of the R2R 11 and HD6XX, today I decided to break out the Hifiman HE-500 and they sounded great. The sound opened up and dynamics increased compared to the 6XX. No ear fatigue with the HE-500. The only problem with the Hifiman HE-500 is the weight, I can only use for maybe 30 minutes and they go back in there case. Maybe I will sell the Hifiman HE-500 (never use) and HD6XX and purchase some Amiron Homes.

I also plan to run my old Matrix M-Stage from 2012 by RCA to the R2R 11 and see if that improves the sound/decreases ear fatigue of the HD6XX.

Someone also recommended sending the R2R 11 back to Audio GD and getting the NFB 11.38, but I have read in the forum that there really isn't much difference in the R2R 11 and NFB 11. If anyone owns both please let me know. I also think that sending the R2R 11 back would be a big headache, so I will probably keep it and try a different amp or headphones.

In closing, does anyone run one of Audio GDs higher end amps with the R2R 11 as a DAC? This maybe my next step if I decide not to go with the Amiron Homes.

Thanks,

James

FYI, as part of a recent review here of an extensive HD650 mod compared to a stock HD650, I did a lot of listening to both on my 2012 Matrix M-Stage HPA-1 w/the best of all the opamps I rolled, 2X OPA827AIDs on a brown-dog adapter. Very nice sound, fully competitive with other, stronger SS amps on hand.

 

[JKDJedi]

FYI, as part of a recent review here of an extensive HD650 mod compared to a stock HD650, I did a lot of listening to both on my 2012 Matrix M-Stage HPA-1 w/the best of all the opamps I rolled, 2X OPA827AIDs on a brown-dog adapter. Very nice sound, fully competitive with other, stronger SS amps on hand.

Headphones are as subjective as your taste in music. Hit and miss is diffrent for everyone.

 

[JimJames]

I've been havig this crackling/poppig issue with my r2r11 since I received it a week or so ago. Today I'll be able to try with a different computer. It is a Mac so those don't need any type of driver to be installed right, or should I start searching for some rivers for iMacs?

 

[JKDJedi]

I've been havig this crackling/poppig issue with my r2r11 since I received it a week or so ago. Today I'll be able to try with a different computer. It is a Mac so those don't need any type of driver to be installed right, or should I start searching for some rivers for iMacs?

no driver needed

 

[Heavyboxer]

I've been havig this crackling/poppig issue with my r2r11 since I received it a week or so ago. Today I'll be able to try with a different computer. It is a Mac so those don't need any type of driver to be installed right, or should I start searching for some rivers for iMacs?

Are you using optical with 192khz output from your pc? I had thensame thing and when I lowered it to 96khz, the max stated on the website, everything was eerily quiet.

 

[JimJames]

no driver needed

Are you using optical with 192khz output from your pc? I had thensame thing and when I lowered it to 96khz, the max stated on the website, everything was eerily quiet.

Ok so I just tried with my brother's Macbook and it worked flawlessly, plug , choose amanero as output and enjoy.

So Heavyboxer you're using yours via optical limited to 96khz right? I am using mine via USB, now I am horrible with computers and might be doing it wrong but to change the bitrate and all that what I do is: configuration -> sound -> device properties (Digital output Amanero Technologies USB Driver 1.0.62) -> compatible formats (here there is a section that says sampling rate/ speed with various options from 44.1khz to 192khz, I tick all the options from 44 to 96khz) -> (still inside device properties) advanced options and choose as the predetermined format: channel 2, 24bit, 96000Hz. And that's it. Am I doing something wrong?

Oh and how do you use an optical cable from a laptop? From what I have seen googling you have to use the jack as the output but I'd much rather use another output as the jack in my laptop is kinda messed up (still works fine, but quite often I have to put some pressure on it briefly with my hands when it goes wrong). And what about a coaxial? If it's any easier...

Thanks for your time people, I still haven't been able to enjoy music through that damn r2r11 which is driving me crazy, but you are very helpful!!

 

[Heavyboxer]

Ok so I just tried with my brother's Macbook and it worked flawlessly, plug , choose amanero as output and enjoy.

So Heavyboxer you're using yours via optical limited to 96khz right? I am using mine via USB, now I am horrible with computers and might be doing it wrong but to change the bitrate and all that what I do is: configuration -> sound -> device properties (Digital output Amanero Technologies USB Driver 1.0.62) -> compatible formats (here there is a section that says sampling rate/ speed with various options from 44.1khz to 192khz, I tick all the options from 44 to 96khz) -> (still inside device properties) advanced options and choose as the predetermined format: channel 2, 24bit, 96000Hz. And that's it. Am I doing something wrong?

Oh and how do you use an optical cable from a laptop? From what I have seen googling you have to use the jack as the output but I'd much rather use another output as the jack in my laptop is kinda messed up (still works fine, but quite often I have to put some pressure on it briefly with my hands when it goes wrong). And what about a coaxial? If it's any easier...

Thanks for your time people, I still haven't been able to enjoy music through that damn r2r11 which is driving me crazy, but you are very helpful!!

I HAD the R2R-11... now it's off my hands and twiddling my fingers till my R28 gets here. (And finding out that my Schiit modi mutilbit has balance issues which takes 3 days of non stop power to correct.)

I connected both optical as well as USB on my unit, mostly to see what would be better. The optical setting should only be till 96khz, but you can max out the usb setting to whatever your pc states. That being said, I can't differentiate between optical 96khz and USB 192Khz... I think that would actually be bat hearing territory anyway.

 

[Heavyboxer]

Ok so I just tried with my brother's Macbook and it worked flawlessly, plug , choose amanero as output and enjoy.

So Heavyboxer you're using yours via optical limited to 96khz right? I am using mine via USB, now I am horrible with computers and might be doing it wrong but to change the bitrate and all that what I do is: configuration -> sound -> device properties (Digital output Amanero Technologies USB Driver 1.0.62) -> compatible formats (here there is a section that says sampling rate/ speed with various options from 44.1khz to 192khz, I tick all the options from 44 to 96khz) -> (still inside device properties) advanced options and choose as the predetermined format: channel 2, 24bit, 96000Hz. And that's it. Am I doing something wrong?

Oh and how do you use an optical cable from a laptop? From what I have seen googling you have to use the jack as the output but I'd much rather use another output as the jack in my laptop is kinda messed up (still works fine, but quite often I have to put some pressure on it briefly with my hands when it goes wrong). And what about a coaxial? If it's any easier...

Thanks for your time people, I still haven't been able to enjoy music through that damn r2r11 which is driving me crazy, but you are very helpful!!

And if you do not have an optical out on your notebook, that's fine, just use your USB.
Headphone output jack to the R2R-11 is a no no...using the headphone jack means you're using the laptop dac. Also, the unit does not have RCA in so no luck there.

For source selection, so long as the device properties -> advanced and to the highest was what I used.

 

[JKDJedi]

Ok so I just tried with my brother's Macbook and it worked flawlessly, plug , choose amanero as output and enjoy.

So Heavyboxer you're using yours via optical limited to 96khz right? I am using mine via USB, now I am horrible with computers and might be doing it wrong but to change the bitrate and all that what I do is: configuration -> sound -> device properties (Digital output Amanero Technologies USB Driver 1.0.62) -> compatible formats (here there is a section that says sampling rate/ speed with various options from 44.1khz to 192khz, I tick all the options from 44 to 96khz) -> (still inside device properties) advanced options and choose as the predetermined format: channel 2, 24bit, 96000Hz. And that's it. Am I doing something wrong?

Oh and how do you use an optical cable from a laptop? From what I have seen googling you have to use the jack as the output but I'd much rather use another output as the jack in my laptop is kinda messed up (still works fine, but quite often I have to put some pressure on it briefly with my hands when it goes wrong). And what about a coaxial? If it's any easier...

Thanks for your time people, I still haven't been able to enjoy music through that damn r2r11 which is driving me crazy, but you are very helpful!!

I'm assuming you downloaded the driver to your laptop ..right? Try I diffrent USB cable. If that doesnt help, something in your laptop is interfering. Could be the usb outlets themselves, or some device in there just not giving. Try it on a different desktop pc just to be sure.

 

[Kimchee248]

Agreed! I have no wanderlust for really expensive cans, I'd just like to hear the Focal Clear, is all My focus now is on a new tube preamp that I can build after I get some surgery done.

The clear is so awesome coming from a headphone journey from a ath50, hd558, hd598, hd6xx, hd600, monolith m1060, he500 and now current focal clear pro I can say that these are truly my end game . At first these sound closed at my soundstage then as day 2 past the clears showed me that soundstage isn't everything the layering of instruments and detail is ungodly I can hear every instrument the guitar string , symbols., drums , vocals all sound organic and natural to the point that it almost sound like they are giving me a personal performance the clarity is so beautiful unlike all the other cans I previously owned which were all veiled it's like I have been death all my life and finally I can hear everything for the 1st time yes it's quit expensive but it worth it if your serious about a true audiophile experience and a endgame focal clears has spoiled me and I cannot go back to listening to anything else. Sounds more like am listening to speakers rather than headphones p.s. am pairing it with my nfb11.28 awesome together.

 

[Chopin75]

The upgrade is done on my unit, so let me add my thoughts to yours.

• The process was not as easy as I had been thinking. The implementation of the covering plate is very tight, and doesn't come off easily. On the other hand, we had to bend the connector pins a little to connect the upgrade cable head to the two connectors, as a capacitor blocks the way in some degree. After this, the upgrade took not more than a few minutes, but has to be applied on both connectors!
• I can second, that there is almost no pop sound using PCM tracks. If there is any it's barely noticeable.
• Regarding native DSD playback: I think the pops get a bit louder than before, and I can hear two pops when I change the track manually. One smaller when the songs stops and a second stronger when the new track starts. Luckily it appears only when I start an album or manually change tracks.
• Native DSD hiss noise remains the same by me in the affected tracks.
• The overall amplification seems to be weaker than it was before the firmware upgrade, as I have to turn the volume knob to 1 o'clock instead of my standard 12 o'clock setting.
• It's interesting but the sound seems to be slightly but noticeably more three dimensional and natural than before, as well as the clarity is a little bit even better to me. When I started my first test, I had to double-check whether my desktop speakers were on duty or my headphones. Yesterday I thought, my perception was some kind of placebo, but today I experienced the same shift in the overall characteristics of the sound.

All-in-all, it was a worthy upgrade for me.

I have similaf issues when playing DSD with my R2R7, mainly pops with changing tracks of different albums/tracks manually and also no level noise usually at beginning of the track with DSD256. I do hope maybe a firmware update with DSD will resolve this like it did with PCM. Did u use I2S or USN input, and using amenero USB board ?

 

[JSOppenheimer]

Hi, I have a small problem with the jumper that governs whether the fixed output mode for line out is available or not.

If I understood correctly, you have to move that black jumper outlined in red box to enable the fixed mode. Well, the jumper initially was in the 2 leftmost pins (which is supposed to be variable only), but when I moved it to 2 rightmost pins (supposed to enable variable + fixed) as shown in picture, output switch set to fixed mode still works like it is variable mode, eg. R2R-11's volume still dial affects the output. What am I doing wrong here? Has anyone else had any problems getting the fixed output mode working? I really can't figure out what I'm doing wrong here, and the idea of experimenting around without knowing what I'm doing here makes me nervous.

I guess that there are only 2 things I could do here, but I really don't know:
I) Does it matter which way the jumper is rotated? It probably shouldn't, as isn't it just a dumb interconnect between 2 pins?
II) Am I actually supposed to move that bigger white connector with 3 pins to the right slot from the left slot? I'm not gonna try this out without any confirmation, seems dangerous and probably wrong, and the only reason why I'm even thinking about this is that moving that black bit doesn't seem to do anything.

EDIT: Never mind, solved it with quite an unlikely solution! I grabbed an another jumper from the electronics bag that came with R2R-11, I plugged it in the rightmost pins, and bam, now it works like it should in fixed mode. I have no idea why the default jumper didn't work, but only thing that matters is that now it's fine.

 

[MelonHead]

I have similaf issues when playing DSD with my R2R7, mainly pops with changing tracks of different albums/tracks manually and also no level noise usually at beginning of the track with DSD256. I do hope maybe a firmware update with DSD will resolve this like it did with PCM. Did u use I2S or USN input, and using amenero USB board ?

A few of us had an interesting private conversation, where we had located the problem and evaluated with different chains and source music. Unfortunately not only DSD256, but DSD64 and DSD128 encoded files are affected by this problem as well. If you want to know the details, I can invite you, to this conversation.

 

[Chopin75]

A few of us had an interesting private conversation, where we had located the problem and evaluated with different chains and source music. Unfortunately not only DSD256, but DSD64 and DSD128 encoded files are affected by this problem as well. If you want to know the details, I can invite you, to this conversation.

Yes, please if you can invite me to that conversation, much appreciated.

 

[elira]

A few of us had an interesting private conversation, where we had located the problem and evaluated with different chains and source music. Unfortunately not only DSD256, but DSD64 and DSD128 encoded files are affected by this problem as well. If you want to know the details, I can invite you, to this conversation.

Please add me to the private conversation.