[vincents]

HI SilentSound - thanks for your review - is part 2 posted somewhere as I cannot find it ?
 
I have just bought myself a new DACmini PX, which if I am lucky I will get burned in in time for it to be my birthday present later this month. I acquired a DACPort as my first DAC, then an Audio-GD NFB-11 (with the Sabre ESS9018 chip) to go with my LCD-2. I am hoping that the reviews I read of the great synergy with the LCD2 and the improved power supply and isolation of the DACmini will be another step up. 
 
I was able to buy the PX from the dealer for the same price as a CX black so it seemed a no brainer - probably won't use the amp function at all though as I was after a high end Dac-headamp combo on there are not that many single units around.
 
Interested to see your next reviews when they come.
 
regards - Vincent

 

[Iorek]

Hello all,
 
I recently ordered and received a DACmini CX with the 1ohm mod. I'll be ordering a pair of Audio Technica W1000x headphones to pair with it soon, but for now I'm using Sennheiser HD595s as well as a Klipsch ProMedia 2.1 system. It looks and sounds great; however, I do have one problem with it, as well as a few questions.
 
My problem is volume imbalance at low volumes. I've read that you're supposed to max out the volume control inside of Windows, but if I do that I can only set the volume knob on the CX to ~7-8 o'clock. There is a clear imbalance at this volume. If I set the primary Windows volume to 50% and foobar2000 to 25%, I can turn the volume knob up to 9 o'clock, and the imbalance is gone. My question is is this normal/optimal? How much is the sound degraded by having to use these volume settings, and is that degradation even audible?
 
Now for my (noob) questions:
 
Are the universal drivers only necessary if you're going to be recording? If I'm only using the DACmini for headphones and speakers, is it necessary?

Along those lines, I assume the latency test is for recording equipment? When I tried it out it threw an error and said to "check your connections and verify if input/output levels match."

Secondly, in the Windows 7 sound options, under the DACmini properties on the Advanced tab, when I do the format test the sound is distorted static-y. Is this normal? During normal playback I haven't gotten any static, but it's odd that it would have static there.
 
Also, if it matters, I'm using USB input.
 
Thanks guys!

 

[canyondust]

When you say you set the volume at 9 o clock, is that too loud on both headphones and the speaker system? If the volume is ok on the headphones, lower the gain on the input of the speaker system. If not, it sounds like there is gain being added in your software somewhere, but I don't know where to look as I'm unfamiliar with windows... Hopefully that helps

 

[plin]

Quote:

My problem is volume imbalance at low volumes. I've read that you're supposed to max out the volume control inside of Windows, but if I do that I can only set the volume knob on the CX to ~7-8 o'clock. There is a clear imbalance at this volume. If I set the primary Windows volume to 50% and foobar2000 to 25%, I can turn the volume knob up to 9 o'clock, and the imbalance is gone. My question is is this normal/optimal? How much is the sound degraded by having to use these volume settings, and is that degradation even audible?
Are the universal drivers only necessary if you're going to be recording? If I'm only using the DACmini for headphones and speakers, is it necessary?
Along those lines, I assume the latency test is for recording equipment? When I tried it out it threw an error and said to "check your connections and verify if input/output levels match."
Secondly, in the Windows 7 sound options, under the DACmini properties on the Advanced tab, when I do the format test the sound is distorted static-y. Is this normal? During normal playback I haven't gotten any static, but it's odd that it would have static there.

 
Volume imbalance is one thing that CEntrance says that check individually. From DACmini case study p9:
«We sort potentiometers with the help of the sophisticated, Audio
Precision-based automated test and relentlessly discard those, which fail a very
narrow acceptance range. This is why  every DACmini features extreme channel
balancing down to the noise floor, along with a smooth, quiet volume tracking curve.» So, probably this is a defective (not properly short-out) unit.
 
Universal drivers are not necessary, you can enjoy your DACmini with standard Windows drivers, but some say that CEntrance Universal drivers offer a bit of more performance.
 
Latency test is not applicable to DACmini.
 
Sorry, I cannot help you with the format test, cannot think what may be wrong there.
 
Enjoy your DACmini, it is a fine piece of audio equipment!
 

 

[Iorek]

 
Quote:

When you say you set the volume at 9 o clock, is that too loud on both headphones and the speaker system? If the volume is ok on the headphones, lower the gain on the input of the speaker system. If not, it sounds like there is gain being added in your software somewhere, but I don't know where to look as I'm unfamiliar with windows... Hopefully that helps

Sorry, I should have clarified. I'm really only concerned with the headphones. While the speakers are also imbalanced, they operate on their own potentiometer, so I'm sure that's their problem.
 
At 9 o'clock is where I consider the volume to be comfortable, but that's after having turned down the Windows volume to 50% and foobar2000 to 25%. That's pretty low considering the general rule of thumb for best quality is to keep them at 100%.

Quote:

 
Volume imbalance is one thing that CEntrance says that check individually. From DACmini case study p9:
«We sort potentiometers with the help of the sophisticated, Audio
Precision-based automated test and relentlessly discard those, which fail a very
narrow acceptance range. This is why  every DACmini features extreme channel
balancing down to the noise floor, along with a smooth, quiet volume tracking curve.» So, probably this is a defective (not properly short-out) unit.
 
Universal drivers are not necessary, you can enjoy your DACmini with standard Windows drivers, but some say that CEntrance Universal drivers offer a bit of more performance.
 
Latency test is not applicable to DACmini.
 
Sorry, I cannot help you with the format test, cannot think what may be wrong there.
 
Enjoy your DACmini, it is a fine piece of audio equipment!
 

Hmm, yeah, I can definitely hear an imbalance at low volumes. I can actually hear the imbalance shift from the left to the right and back to the left again as I turn the volume up. At 8 o'clock the imbalance is just slightly to the left. At 9 o'clock it seems to be relatively centered.
 
Regarding the format test inside of the Windows sound menu, I'd just like to know if that's normal to have static. As I said I don't experience any static during normal playback, so I thought that was weird.

 

[canyondust]

I also have channel imbalance with my dacmini, but my headphones are 50ohms and not very sensitive.
What headphones are you using with the dacmini?

Having to reduce the gain digitally in 2 steps of -50% and -25% does seem too much. I have enjoyable playback at 9-10 o'clock with my software set to 100% (iTunes at 100%, system volume bypassed)

Instinct tells me that in your situation there has to be some digital gain somewhere, or your headphones are 16ohm and have a sensitivity of >100db

 

[plin]

Quote:

Having to reduce the gain digitally in 2 steps of -50% and -25% does seem too much. I have enjoyable playback at 9-10 o'clock with my software set to 100% (iTunes at 100%, system volume bypassed)

Not really, this is just 2 bits (assuming linear volume control - in log would be much higher). DACmini is 24 bit, assuming that 'real' digital resolution in most high end24 bit  DAC's are around 21 bits, we can safely say that for 16 bit music files  one can use as much as 5 bits (almost 30db!) attenuation without SQ degradation.

 

[Iorek]

 
Quote:

I also have channel imbalance with my dacmini, but my headphones are 50ohms and not very sensitive.
What headphones are you using with the dacmini?
Having to reduce the gain digitally in 2 steps of -50% and -25% does seem too much. I have enjoyable playback at 9-10 o'clock with my software set to 100% (iTunes at 100%, system volume bypassed)
Instinct tells me that in your situation there has to be some digital gain somewhere, or your headphones are 16ohm and have a sensitivity of >100db

Right now I am using Sennheiser HD595s, but I'm about to upgrade to Audio Technica W1000x, which are even more sensitive.

 
Quote:

Not really, this is just 2 bits (assuming linear volume control - in log would be much higher). DACmini is 24 bit, assuming that 'real' digital resolution in most high end24 bit  DAC's are around 21 bits, we can safely say that for 16 bit music files  one can use as much as 5 bits (almost 30db!) attenuation without SQ degradation.

I'm using the USB input which according to CEntrance's site has a S/N of 113dB, so I can only lower the volume 17 dB before degradation starts. After testing more extensively last night, I've discovered that I need to lower the foobar volume by -12dB in order to put the CX at 9 o'clock for a comfortable listening level. Doable, but not much wiggle room, and I'm worried since the W1000x is even more sensitive.

 

[canyondust]

 
You don't happen to have the +10 Gain mod do you?

 

[Iorek]

 
Quote:

 
You don't happen to have the +10 Gain mod do you?

Heh, no, just the 1ohm mod... unless they did that one by mistake!

 

[Iorek]

So I'm borrowing a pair of HD800s from a friend, and with the Windows volume maxed, I can only take the volume knob to 8 o'clock. In the 6moon review of the DACmini they state that when using the HD800 with the DACmini most people would want the volume at 12-2:30. For me even 10 o'clock is extremely loud. I can't help but think I have something set up incorrectly for there to be such a difference in volumes.
 
Any ideas?

 

[canyondust]

I'd say try your dacmini on another computer (stock, no added things like foobar) and see what kind of gain you get. If its STILL really loud, either your unit isnt per normal spec, or you have very sensitive hearing

 

[some1x]

Just upgraded the power supply to a Welborne Labs PS. Highly recommended. I found the Dacmini more effortless and dynamic; better bass definition;  some glare and hardness removed. Most importantly, less fatiguing.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Just upgraded the power supply to a Welborne Labs PS. Highly recommended. I found the Dacmini more effortless and dynamic; better bass definition;  some glare and hardness removed. Most importantly, less fatiguing.

I haven't read many good things about that company's PS.

 

[plin]

Quote:

Just upgraded the power supply to a Welborne Labs PS. Highly recommended. I found the Dacmini more effortless and dynamic; better bass definition;  some glare and hardness removed. Most importantly, less fatiguing.

I am not arguing what you are hearing, but according to CEntrance, there is no need for an upgraded power supply. DACmini is designed to operate with a various range of PSUs, it just needs adequate voltage and current. 
There is a good technical reason for this, the DACmini chops the power fed from the external PSU, isolates it and re-regulates it. So, in theory, DACmini is completely immune to external PSU ripple, noise (common mode or not), etc.
Personally I haven’t any experience with a better external PSU. I am just using an inferior external PSU (a Chinese made very cheap 12V 1A PSU) with no sound quality degradation at all compared to the stock one. 
It would be interesting if others chime in and share their experiences with upgraded and / or linear power supplies with DACmini.