[mtntrance]

  FWIW, the latest iPod Classic sounds just as good to me (via analog line out). And, that one will work digital out with the Centrance. 
 
No current digital out docks will work with the iPod 5th gen or earlier. Apple has changed things up since then.  

Do you know if the current Classics have the old 30 pin connector or the lightning 8 pin?  Maybe they will announce a new Classic release soon.

 

[georgelai57]

Do you know if the current Classics have the old 30 pin connector or the lightning 8 pin?  Maybe they will announce a new Classic release soon.

The current Classic uses a 30-pin and that works great for me. I hope on Oct 22nd they announce a iPod Pro.

 

[mtntrance]

The current Classic uses a 30-pin and that works great for me. I hope on Oct 22nd they announce a iPod Pro.

Yes, its time for an update.

 

[Mediahound]

The current Classic uses a 30-pin and that works great for me. I hope on Oct 22nd they announce a iPod Pro.

If they do, they would also announce a new high bit rate lossless music download format available in iTunes, which would totally rock as long as it's not like $20. an album. 

 

[pspivak]

I got my Centrance HiFi M8 yesterday and it made my wife and kids upset.  (You know, first-day-with-a-new-toy-itis; "Dad, What's for dinner?)
 
I played it too loud and over-saturated my hearing.  After about 30 minutes my ears were ringing but I played on; such OCD, real addiction, I was powerless.
 
The M8 is real good.  How good, I do not yet know.
 
What I can tell you is that it works very very well with the iPod Classic 6 and 7.  The first track was with Rickie Lee Jones "Easy Money" (stand up bass opening).  (OK, jaw dropping). At this point it was well worth the price of admission and the 9 months and 30 days.
 
I got to try the M8 with the Forza Audio Works OTG with my Galaxy S4 using USB Audio Recorder Pro.  Took some getting use to it and figuering out which thing to press on the screen, but it works great!  Yes, it will play an entire album, I just needed to figure out how.  I have some Mercury Living Presence classical FLAC files and they sounded real good.
 
I heard tape hiss at the end of a couple of songs on fade out, otherwise nothing but a silent black background between tracks.  I assure you, the HiFi M8 is quiet.  At this point I doubt I will send it in for the modification.  And I am sorry M Goodman but, do not get the HiFi M8 close (less than one foot) to the cell phone (ATT SF Bay Area) unless it is in airplane mode, connected or not.  This is a small price to pay.  OK, Cell Phone in the left shirt pocket and HiFi M8 on the belt on the right side -- no problem in regular, non-airplane mode.
 
A friend at work attached his cheepo headphones to the combo jack.  I can report with confidence that there was a lot of detail but the sound was not well balanced and the bass was almost non-existant.  So, I can confirm that the Centrance HiFi M8 will not turn a "Sow's ear into a silk purse". (OK, I am spoiled) Like any piece of high end equipment, the HiFi M8 requires you to use "top shelf" associated equipment with it.  That is how you get the great sound.  Like my son's 14 y/o girlfriend says, "Duh".
 
I don't know if I will go out on a limb about it until I get to use it for a while but I like what I hear so far.

 

[mtntrance]

Listening to my M8 via my iphone 5S on LCD 2.2s balanced.  Listening to the Phish 2013/07/17 Alpharetta, GA in HD ALAC (pm me if you want a link to this outstanding show/recording).  I was A/Bing from my Audio GD Ref 10.32 and the M8.  The M8 is pretty impressive and holds its own impressively.  Worth the wait and its time to sell my pico power-I just cant see using it anymore now that I have compatibility with idevices and this DAC.  

 

[ExpatinJapan]

Anyone tried single ended versus balanced headphones?

Impressions please.

 

[FatmanSize48]

Though I am no believer in cable science, I tentatively ordered a balanced, shortened cable for my HD800, which ought to arrive shortly, so that I might truly determine, for myself, if balanced audio is bona fide. I will report back with my findings as soon as I have had time to listen to my incoming M8.

 

[ExpatinJapan]

Though I am no believer in cable science, I tentatively ordered a balanced, shortened cable for my HD800, which ought to arrive shortly, so that I might truly determine, for myself, if balanced audio is bona fide. I will report back with my findings as soon as I have had time to listen to my incoming M8.

appreciated. I look forward to hearing more.

 

[FatmanSize48]

As do I. The strange thing is that the objectivist within me seems to favor balanced amplification, which seems to have some tangible evidence, while the subjectivist leans toward the notion that balanced amplification is pure snake oil. 

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

Anyone tried single ended versus balanced headphones?

Impressions please.

 
Three of my headphones are cabled in a way that I can listen to them single ended or balanced.  When I get my M8, I'll be glad to test...

 

[SECT]

hey guys, what's the generally consensus with the hifi m8 and sensetive IEMS? background hiss etc?
any comments greatly appreciated

 

[Nitrile]

hey guys, what's the generally consensus with the hifi m8 and sensetive IEMS? background hiss etc?
any comments greatly appreciated

I can't say that there isn't any hiss but its not bad enough for me to be bothered by it with my Westone 4R. Listening with the gain switch set at 2.

 

[pspivak]

hey guys, what's the generally consensus with the hifi m8 and sensetive IEMS? background hiss etc?
any comments greatly appreciated

Hi,  With Heir 8a and low gain setting, volume between 0900 and 1200 I do not hear the hiss.  I verified this as I heard tape hiss on the lead out at the end of songs followed by silence between tracks.

 

[FraGGleR]

I can't say that there isn't any hiss but its not bad enough for me to be bothered by it with my Westone 4R. Listening with the gain switch set at 2.

Holy crap how can you listen that loud? I top out around 1 or maybe 2 on gain 1 for my W4Rs. Maybe mine is louder? I'm one of the few who hears the hiss pretty plainly.