[Triode User]

also is anyone out there using chromecast audio connected to dave to stream roon? this has to be one of the most minimalistic rf free setups possible. for headphone use.

I have used CCA as a Roon endpoint with its optical output connected to TT2 & dave and I was never all that impressed with the sound quality. I admit it was using its supplied power supply. It deserves a bit more investigation but I am not entirely sure you can 100% say it is rf free despite the optical connection (there are other transmission routes for potential rf).

 

[musickid]

thanks there it's quite tricky identifying what could be an ideal optical source.

 

[kelly200269]

thanks there it's quite tricky identifying what could be an ideal optical source.

The CCA makes a great optical source/Roon ‘end point’ for TT2/DAVE.
Just be aware that it won’t pass anything more than 24/48 without dropouts/stuttering.
More info can be found on the Roon community:

https://community.roonlabs.com/t/chromecast-audio-dropouts/47890

ASR also measured it as a Roon end-point, and apparently it measured very well:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ents-of-chromecast-audio-digital-output.4544/

 

[ZappaMan]

The CCA makes a great optical source/Roon ‘end point’ for TT2/DAVE.
Just be aware that it won’t pass anything more than 24/48 without dropouts/stuttering.
More info can be found on the Roon community:

https://community.roonlabs.com/t/chromecast-audio-dropouts/47890

ASR also measured it as a Roon end-point, and apparently it measured very well:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ents-of-chromecast-audio-digital-output.4544/

A very interesting article on cca, via Roon or direct cast. TLDR direct cast does not measure well, but as Roon end point it measures perfectly.

(Note devil in the detail, could be the way the tests were conducted if you read through the comments).

 

[Triode User]

ASR also measured it as a Roon end-point, and apparently it measured very well:

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ents-of-chromecast-audio-digital-output.4544/

Bear in mind though that ASR thinks that all there is to a DAC is that it should measure well with the tests that he does and if you agreed with him then we would all be using Topping DACs and none of us would be bothered with any of the Chord kit.

Nuff said?

 

[ZappaMan]

Bear in mind though that ASR thinks that all there is to a DAC is that it should measure well with the tests that he does and if you agreed with him then we would all be using Topping DACs and none of us would be bothered with any of the Chord kit.

Nuff said?

I think it’s just an interesting data point as such. I’d like to believe understanding/measuring transports is easier then dacs analogue ability.

But I agree the site is misleading.

Toppings, icing.

 

[kelly200269]

Bear in mind though that ASR thinks that all there is to a DAC is that it should measure well with the tests that he does and if you agreed with him then we would all be using Topping DACs and none of us would be bothered with any of the Chord kit.

Nuff said?

I think the interesting thing with the ASR review, is that the CCA didn't 'measure' very well in isolation, but as a Roon end-point it measured very well, with very low levels of jitter.
I think it makes a very neat, cost-effective Roon end-point, as long as you accept it's limitations on 24/48 max.

 

[marhol]

have you heard tt2/hms vs dave?

No, I havent heard TT2+Hms yet. I just wanted to say that Dave+ Pm1 combo should have "musicality" covered for days and years. And in my opinion Dave with its excellent transient speed, neutrality, holographic 3D presentation, dynamics and practically nonexistent digital or whatever distortion is pretty musical on its own (already without Hms or Blu2).

 

[ekfc63]

A used DAVE has come up locally and I’m trying to decide whether to make the jump from my MSC/TT2 with 1266 TC. Concerned that the Dave won’t have enough power to get the best out of the TCs.

 

[thomaskong78]

A used DAVE has come up locally and I’m trying to decide whether to make the jump from my MSC/TT2 with 1266 TC. Concerned that the Dave won’t have enough power to get the best out of the TCs.

I had listened to 1266 Phi CC with Dave about 3 weeks ago.

My impression is that Dave does not have enough power to drive it despite transparent headstage with nice details.

If you get the Dave, you had better get some powerful amp like Schiit MJ2 or The Monolith™ Liquid Platinum Headphone Amplifier which is on sale now.

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=33305

Both 1266 TC and Raal Sr1a are on Black Friday sale now. I am in a conundrum to choose one between those two excellent headphones.

 

[simorag]

A used DAVE has come up locally and I’m trying to decide whether to make the jump from my MSC/TT2 with 1266 TC. Concerned that the Dave won’t have enough power to get the best out of the TCs.

It really depends on what music you listen to the most, your typical listening volumes and preferences, as adding an amp to the DAVE will be a bit of a trade off in terms of transparency (less so if you get the amp right), but yes to get the best out of the TC you will need an amp IMO.

After multiple auditions over several months I had the chance of trying some very good amps, and the last "episode" of my quest is reported here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...ressions-thread.666765/page-608#post-15269980
There you will find a summary table with my very subjective and arbitrary ranking of how DAVE solo performs with the TC in comparison to some nice amps.

Based on that scoreboard, a sensible person would be more than happy with the DAVE directly driving the TC, but ultimately, being an audiophile, be prepared to get the itch for an (expensive) amp for the TC after a few weeks / months you get the DAVE .. your wallet is warned

 

[Triode User]

It really depends on what music you listen to the most, your typical listening volumes and preferences, as adding an amp to the DAVE will be a bit of a trade off in terms of transparency (less so if you get the amp right)

I don’t use headphones and always use speakers but just on this point of the loss of transparency by adding an amp to Dave, I compared TT2 driving speakers direct contrasted with Dave plus an amp (albeit a very good one). The Dave plus amp was still much more transparent than the TT2. (IMO of course).

 

[ekfc63]

It really depends on what music you listen to the most, your typical listening volumes and preferences, as adding an amp to the DAVE will be a bit of a trade off in terms of transparency (less so if you get the amp right), but yes to get the best out of the TC you will need an amp IMO.

After multiple auditions over several months I had the chance of trying some very good amps, and the last "episode" of my quest is reported here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...ressions-thread.666765/page-608#post-15269980
There you will find a summary table with my very subjective and arbitrary ranking of how DAVE solo performs with the TC in comparison to some nice amps.

Based on that scoreboard, a sensible person would be more than happy with the DAVE directly driving the TC, but ultimately, being an audiophile, be prepared to get the itch for an (expensive) amp for the TC after a few weeks / months you get the DAVE .. your wallet is warned

I have a decent speaker amp rated 60w but allegedly puts out more like 100w from my active two channel system that I can use either in the interim (while I either look for an additional one (since it’s been discontinued)) or maybe long term. The next thing would be to get a Hifiman HE adapter although I do have some concerns about it negatively affecting the signal path.

 

[jarnopp]

I have a decent speaker amp rated 60w but allegedly puts out more like 100w from my active two channel system that I can use either in the interim (while I either look for an additional one (since it’s been discontinued)) or maybe long term. The next thing would be to get a Hifiman HE adapter although I do have some concerns about it negatively affecting the signal path.

if your amp is SS you don’t need the adapter. Just be very careful with the volume.

 

[thomaskong78]

I have a decent speaker amp rated 60w but allegedly puts out more like 100w from my active two channel system that I can use either in the interim (while I either look for an additional one (since it’s been discontinued)) or maybe long term. The next thing would be to get a Hifiman HE adapter although I do have some concerns about it negatively affecting the signal path.

https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/he-adapter.html

It is safer to use the adapter for both headphone and amp.