[plin]

Quote:

My headphones are rated at 25 Ohms last time I checked.  How much is the sound going to change?  I read that it becomes more neutral.  Does that translate to less bass?  Like I said earlier I have no immediate plans to get the mod, but if it's that benefiticial, I might consider it.

According to Innerfidelity's measurements Denon AHD-2000 have relative low impedance BUT with a flat impedance curve and almost constant zero phase angle, quite impressive actually for dynamic cans, usually only orthos get better than that. Because of this very good impedance graph I believe that you would not gain a lot by applying the 1 ohm mod (although the impedance is quite low). I think that the amount of bass will be the same and you would not gain much more control (it does not seem to have a high mechanical resonance, but a small one about 30Hz, that needs to be damped by low amplifier output resistance). I suspect that your bass will be a tad tighter, but not a lot.
Of course all the above is just theory, so, please, ask other members in corresponding forums about their experience.
 
But usually, in most cases, lowering amplifier output resonance means both less amount of mid-bass and better control.
 

 

[roker]

thank you for the responses
 
This helps a whole lot in understanding the science behind this stuff.
 
I think I'm going to roll with the old adage:  "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"
 
I might consider it in the future, but I don't think I could go without a good amp for 2 weeks again.  It's one of the things I look forward to when I get out of work (after my loving gf and cat of course).  I also have zero plans to buy a new set of headphones as I've been head over heels in love with the Denon sound since day one.
 
Review and pics forthcoming.  (maybe even a vid if I get a chance).

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Can anyone comment on a comparison of the sound of the Dac Mini CX using the USB input vs. SPDIF input?  Is there a stark difference in the sound of 24/96 vs. 24/192?  I'd hope that the convenience of the USB input is not achieved at much of a sonic price by forgoing the higher resolution of the SPDIF connection.  Thanks.

I don't see any point in going higher than 24/96 myself.  Some tech papers (by Benchmark I think) even show why 24/192 is worse.
 
I think the DACmini with my Macbook Pro via USB is just as good as optical.  And my CDP via coax sounded just about the same as a lossless CD rip on my macbook via USB.  Note - I use Amarra Mini music player on the Macbook Pro.  Without Amarra the CDP is slightly better (more spacious and transparent).
 

 

[roker]

 
 

 
 
The shininess of the Dacmini makes it hard to take a photo with a flash.  I need to borrow a good camera and take better pics.
 
 
I would pay someone to show me or fix my setup to look as wire free as possible.  I think that's reason why people pay so much for fancy wires.  I think my sound system is 80% complete.  I'd like to buy a small subwoofer to get some bass, but it's negligible.  I probably don't need to give my neighbors a reason to complain.
 

 

[bluemonkeyflyer]

I heard about but have not read Sterophile's review of the Dacmini.  Anyone have the bottom-line of what they had to say?

 

[plin]

Quote:

I heard about but have not read Sterophile's review of the Dacmini.  Anyone have the bottom-line of what they had to say?

 
I have read the Eric Lichte’s Stereophile review. It is interesting, almost humorous. It uses an answers to (imagined I assume) questions style. In short it says the below:
 
1. DACmini has very good value for money, excellent for computer source music reproduction.
2. DACmini is more musical than analytical «revealed the musical forest and let the individual trees take care of themselves».
3. One interesting note: Lichte says that he prefers the sound when using the free proprietary ASIO driver (for windows). Can anybody comment on that? Is beneficial to use the CEntrance ASIO driver?
 
The measurements by John Atkinson proved a well engineered product (good linearity and low distortions. good implementation of ASCR converter) with exceptionally low jitter on USB input, but source dependant jitter on S/PDIF. So, if your source is a computer, it is better to use USB. Also it revealed that 192KHz on S/PDIF doesn’t improve anything compared to 96KHz. 

 

[roker]

Quote:

So, if your source is a computer, it is better to use USB. 

BOOM!
 
I knew it.
 
I was just complaining about that the other day.
 
It sounded great through the S/PDIF on my PS3 though.

 

[koonhua90]

Disclaimer: I don't know if I am hearing things, or it might be placebo, or it might be RF interference/coupling on the cables.
 
I went ahead and compared the USB output with the coaxial output from the computer. All interconnects are cheap cables, nothing fancy. The amp is Schiit Lyr (siemens e188cc tubes) and the headphone is LCD-3, nothing fancy too. Music is lossless, both coaxial and USB at 96kHz, volume matched on computer. Note that the coxial cable is 6ft, a good 2 ft longer than the USB cable. I AB-ed them almost 10 times, but since there was no one around I couldn't do a blind test.
 
I swore I could hear that the treble was slightly harsher with the coaxial cable, there was a bit more smearing with the high frequencies. The USB output had less grains and was more smooth. Very very subtle, but I just followed my ears and brains, which told me that the USB has slight edge (very imperceptible though) in sound. I believe that my computer coaxial output sucks too much, and has too much jitter. I believe this is not a problem with the DACmini, rather it is my computer or the cables.

 

[plin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by koonhua90 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
.....The amp is Schiit Lyr (siemens e188cc tubes) and the headphone is LCD-3, nothing fancy too..... 
I swore I could hear that the treble was slightly harsher with the coaxial cable, there was a bit more smearing with the high frequencies. The USB output had less grains and was more smooth. Very very subtle, but I just followed my ears and brains, which told me that the USB has slight edge (very imperceptible though) in sound. I believe that my computer coaxial output sucks too much, and has too much jitter. I believe this is not a problem with the DACmini, rather it is my computer or the cables.

 
This is exactly what John Atkinson's tests showed for SPDIF input, low jitter with good (low jitter) digital source, but it gets worst with a mediocre source. You were not imagined things! (and calling LCD-3 a ‘nothing fancy’ headphone is an understatement!).
Actually, it is a problem of DACmini. Jitter rejection is entirely the responsibility of the DAC.
How much better than the amp section of DACmini is Schiit Lyr?
 
Can anybody comment about Eric Lichte’s note that CEntrance ASIO driver sound’s better? 

 

[koonhua90]

Quote:

 
This is exactly what John Atkinson's tests showed, low jitter with good (low jitter) digital source, but it gets worst with a mediocre source. You were not imagined things! (and telling LCD-3 a ‘nothing fancy’ headphone is an understatement!).
Actually, it is a problem of DACmini. Jitter rejection is entirely the responsibility of the DAC.
How much better than the amp section of DACmini is Schiit Lyr?
 
Can anybody comment about Eric Lichte’s note that CEntrance ASIO driver sound’s better? 

 
With the stock tubes, the 6BZ7, the DACmini amp wins. But once I put on the better tubes, the Lyr pulls ahead. Nothing heaven and earth. On the Lyr, 10 o'clock volume equals the 12 or 1 o'clock volume on the DACmini. I prefer to control the volume on my computer, so that is about 50% volume on my comp.
 
The sound on the Lyr depends a lot on the tubes, I really like the Siemens E188CC, the vocal is less forward, but the separation and the space that it attributes to the vocals is better. Soundstage and imaging improves slightly too. Typical SQ of German made tubes. In short the answer to your question is, if you put in great tubes, yes Lyr is gonna edge out the DACmini amp, just because it's that much more powerful, and due to that reason, at a low listening level, the Lyr sounds more effortless. On the other hand at a high listening level, the DACmini amp will run into headroom problem. 
 
I should be able to post a short comparison of all the tubes I have on the Lyr tube roll thread, once I get all my tubes in. Then again, if I were to live with only the DACmini, I think I will be fine, as long as I crank up the volume on the computer side.
 
I have installed the ASIO driver since a long time ago, and never really bother to compare it with anything else. I trust Centrance to know what they are doing. 

 

[plin]

Thank you koonhua90 for your reply. it is very thorough!

 

[deniall83]

Hey guys. I'm looking at getting a DACMini and I just read that it can be connected to an iPod. I'm assuming that it would still use the iPods internal DAC and just provide amplification. Is this correct or does it take the files out digitally and convery and amplify them?
 
Also, if connected to usb does the DAC and amp work or does the DAC only portion of it work and a dedicated headphone amp needs to be used?

 

[roker]

Hey guys. I'm looking at getting a DACMini and I just read that it can be connected to an iPod. I'm assuming that it would still use the iPods internal DAC and just provide amplification. Is this correct or does it take the files out digitally and convery and amplify them?
 
Correct.  You can buy a simple LOD and connect it to the LINE IN on the back of the unit.  Conversely you can buy an Pure i-20 iPod dock 
 
http://www.amazon.com/Digital-iPhone-Hi-Fi-Quality-Output/dp/B0049MOK92/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322298437&sr=8-1
 
Then use the coax out into the coax in and then you can bypass the internal DAC and have your self a nifty little Music server.
 
Also, if connected to usb does the DAC and amp work or does the DAC only portion of it work and a dedicated headphone amp needs to be used?
 
It has powerful Class A amp built in.  No need for separate amplification.  If you want in the future, it has a LINE OUT on the back and you can use that to feed another amp or speakers.  It's a pretty versatile unit.  Definitely the best audiophile purchase I've made to date.
 
 

 

[deniall83]

Quote:

 
It has powerful Class A amp built in.  No need for separate amplification.  If you want in the future, it has a LINE OUT on the back and you can use that to feed another amp or speakers.  It's a pretty versatile unit.  Definitely the best audiophile purchase I've made to date.
 
 

Thankyou for your advice. Quick question, while using the i-20 with the DACMini, does the DACMini supply both DAC and amp or does it use the amp only portion and relies on the DAC from the i-20?
 
Also, what cable do you suggest?

 

[koonhua90]

Quote:

Thankyou for your advice. Quick question, while using the i-20 with the DACMini, does the DACMini supply both DAC and amp or does it use the amp only portion and relies on the DAC from the i-20?
 
Also, what cable do you suggest?

You can do both, through 3 connections. Plug the analog out (dual RCA) into the analog in of DACmini, and you use only the amp of DACmini, and the DAC of i20. Plug the coaxial/toslink from the i20 into the DACmini, and the i20 becomes a transport, then you use both the DAC and the amp of DACmini. I'd recommend doing the latter, but you can experiment and see which one you like more.