[Asukara]

output impedance issue?

It does sound like impedance issue

 

[alphanumerix1]

It does sound like impedance issue

have you tried the clear out of balanced?

 

[Asukara]

have you tried the clear out of balanced?

Yes I am using my Clear and HE-500 out of the balanced output

 

[lentoviolento]

hi everyone,
i'm considering upgrading to this cayin. i'm currently using gilmore lite mk2 class A amp in SE.
is it worth it? i have auteur, lcd2 and soon ori.
i'm afraid about those saying is bass light and too sparkly.
maybe i should wait and go for gsx mk2 ?

 

[alphanumerix1]

Balanced? Yes. SE no (is fine for plannars though)

 

[jurumal]

hi everyone,
i'm considering upgrading to this cayin. i'm currently using gilmore lite mk2 class A amp in SE.
is it worth it? i have auteur, lcd2 and soon ori.
i'm afraid about those saying is bass light and too sparkly.
maybe i should wait and go for gsx mk2 ?

Wait for the GS-X mk2 if you’re willing to spend the extra $2000+. Just tried the GS-X this weekend. Out of the GS-X mk2 SE, there is a noticeable difference in resolution and clarity compared to Gilmore Lite Mk2 imo. From memory, the iHA-6 and Gilmore Lite mk2 have a very similar sound overall. The Cayin may have slightly faster transient response.

 

[lentoviolento]

What do you have now?
With cayin i would use balanced out

 

[thecrow]

@Andykong

I just received my iha 6 tonight. enjoying but waiting for my balanced cables to arrive for my headphones

not sure if i should just stick to my metrum hex dac (that suits me really well) or if i should at all consider the idac 6. I'm thinking there is no need for a second dac and I can use those funds towards perhaps to another headphone



what exactly is the "current" setting on the amp?
is it actually changing current or something close to that?
i'm wondering what that is all about

any insight would be great


also wondering why/how the SE output imp of 10 is so far different from the balanced of .3
isn't that quite unusual?

thanks
peter

 

[jurumal]

SE and balanced out of the iHA-6 have faster transients than the Gilmore Lite mk2 IMO. You’re also getting a lot more power with iHA-6. FR is similar between both tho.

 

[lentoviolento]

I don't know what to choose... This or nfb1 audio gd.. Or whait until i have the money to get gsx..

 

[Andykong]

Hi,

I wonder if my unit is faulty but with my Focal Clear I sometimes get some buzzing noise when nothing is playing and other times very loud noise. However it never happens with my HE-500, I'm using the balanced output for both.

The noise stops when I plug the HE-500 but it comes back when I plug the Clear.

I need to find out more detail about your setup and triggers of the noise issue before I can comment:

What is the setting of your iHA-6? H or L gain? High or Low Current? same setting on both headphones? Did the noise change at all when you change the Gain or Current setting?

What is the source of your system? connect to both RCA and XLR input of iHA-6? the noise appear on both inputs?

You said "some buzzing noise when nothing is playing and other times very loud noise", did the noise appeared in roughly the same frequency but with different amplitude? Did you notice any pattern that lead to the different level of noise. The noise will appear immediately when you press the pause or stop button of your player (ie, when nothing is playing)?

 

[Andykong]

@Andykong

I just received my iha 6 tonight. enjoying but waiting for my balanced cables to arrive for my headphones

not sure if i should just stick to my metrum hex dac (that suits me really well) or if i should at all consider the idac 6. I'm thinking there is no need for a second dac and I can use those funds towards perhaps to another headphone



what exactly is the "current" setting on the amp?
is it actually changing current or something close to that?
i'm wondering what that is all about

any insight would be great


also wondering why/how the SE output imp of 10 is so far different from the balanced of .3
isn't that quite unusual?

thanks
peter

Let's take a look at the power rating table of iHA-6

In general, when you set the current setting to LOW, you'll get a larger power rating and this will sustain a higher voltage swing, so this is good for high impedance headphones. When you set the current setting to HIGH, you'll increase the current capacity on the expense of slightly lower power rating, this is good fro planar headphone as they are quite often current hungry and require low voltage swing (because planar headphones are flat impedance). I'll also suggest low impedance low sensitivities headphone use High Current setting.

By the way, these are starting point, you should select the final setting through audition.

 

[Asukara]

I need to find out more detail about your setup and triggers of the noise issue before I can comment:

What is the setting of your iHA-6? H or L gain? High or Low Current? same setting on both headphones? Did the noise change at all when you change the Gain or Current setting?

What is the source of your system? connect to both RCA and XLR input of iHA-6? the noise appear on both inputs?

You said "some buzzing noise when nothing is playing and other times very loud noise", did the noise appeared in roughly the same frequency but with different amplitude? Did you notice any pattern that lead to the different level of noise. The noise will appear immediately when you press the pause or stop button of your player (ie, when nothing is playing)?

Hi,

Thank you for taking your time

So my iHA is plugged to the iDAC via RCA.
Gain and Current are both set to low and yes, same settings on both headphones.
I haven't tried changing gain or current when noise appear. It happens rarely, maybe 3 times since I bought it (4 months).

Haven't tried connecting the iDAC through XLR.

Yes, noise appeared like you said, same frequency with different amplitude. It appeared even when something is playing but also when the player is off.

The buzzing sound appears way more frequently than the noise, only one side at a time with the Clear. I also tried to turn the iDac off when the buzzing sound appear but nothing changes.
The volume knob doesn't affect the buzzing sound.

I love the stack when it works well, hoping it's nothing serious.

 

[Andykong]

Hi,

Thank you for taking your time

So my iHA is plugged to the iDAC via RCA.
Gain and Current are both set to low and yes, same settings on both headphones.
I haven't tried changing gain or current when noise appear. It happens rarely, maybe 3 times since I bought it (4 months).

Haven't tried connecting the iDAC through XLR.

Yes, noise appeared like you said, same frequency with different amplitude. It appeared even when something is playing but also when the player is off.

The buzzing sound appears way more frequently than the noise, only one side at a time with the Clear. I also tried to turn the iDac off when the buzzing sound appear but nothing changes.
The volume knob doesn't affect the buzzing sound.

I love the stack when it works well, hoping it's nothing serious.

I see, so noise and buzzing sound are two independent issues, I thought there are the same thing, my bad.

How loud is the buzzing sound? If it happens quite often, please perform one experiment for me: set current to high from now on and keep it for several days, see if this will affect the frequency of the buzzing sound?

 

[Asukara]

I see, so noise and buzzing sound are two independent issues, I thought there are the same thing, my bad.

How loud is the buzzing sound? If it happens quite often, please perform one experiment for me: set current to high from now on and keep it for several days, see if this will affect the frequency of the buzzing sound?

The buzzing sound is very quiet compared to the noise problem which is quite loud (when it happens)
I'll try what you suggest.
Thank you !