[sharktopus]

By the time the meet comes around, I may have modified/upgraded my Mad Dog's to the DIY Alpha primes, depending on how fast I can learn to use denhac's 3D printer.  So we'll see!  Also, there are a few guys there who are big/aspiring headphone nuts.  Is it cool if I brought a person or two along?

 

[mandrake50]

  By the time the meet comes around, I may have modified/upgraded my Mad Dog's to the DIY Alpha primes, depending on how fast I can learn to use denhac's 3D printer.  So we'll see!  Also, there are a few guys there who are big/aspiring headphone nuts.  Is it cool if I brought a person or two along?

Of course... the more the better!
The idea is to get together , get to know each other, and share the audio experience.

 

[DJ The Rocket]

I'm a total newb to the higher end headphone experience, so I have zero experience making cables.


Originally had a different brand optical cable but the head of it snapped off. It gets below zero in the mountains where I am and the cable gets removed and plugged in repeatedly. So I bought the Vodka cable because it's braided and the connector is very strong, so hopefully it won't snap off. So far so good on that.


As far as the player not making a difference, you would think that huh ? It is not the case in practice however. The DX80 was my original DAP, I used it for about nine months before upgrading to the DX200. Both the DX80 and the DX200 have the mini optical output. I am able to simply unplug one and plug the other in on the same cable without changing any other settings on my system or touching anything else. Running both with no EQ enabled, gain set to high, and the same fast filter settings on, there is a noticeable difference. The DX200 has better sounding highs and the DX80 has way more midbass. I don't pretend to know why but can clearly hear the difference. Go figure ?



My DX200 gets plenty of use, every single time I drive and lately it's been being used at work too. We have a decent stereo at my shop and can rock out in there so it's expanded beyond it's original purpose as my vehicular audio player now. Still haven't used the android system much though, just rocking the Mango player mostly. One thing is for sure, I enjoy the hell out of my IBasso DX200 - it's awesome.

I did some quick googling, and surprisingly, i found some plausible-sounding culprits for this. Although i should have asked before if you're using an SPL meter to ensure both players output at the same volume. That's usually the main reason for perceptual differences--your brain thinks louder = better, and you pervlceive higher fidelity and detail levels. I'm not sure whether testing the output voltage between the two players would be enough, I know that "digital amplification" is a thing but I don't know how it works. If you can verify that the players are <.25dB apart, this gets a hell of a lot more interesting

Nearly all of the things that could theoretically make two transports sound different are related to interference; it wouldn't be implausible that the higher end player has better shielding, but in my (anecdotal) experience, interference is introduced mainly in the wiring between components, not in the components themselves. It's for this reason that Rob Watts of Chord suggests using optical whenever possible, to eliminate most EM noise. Other potential differences can be related to jitter and clock accuracy, but asynchronous usb should eliminate most of.that.

Ultimately, I don't have much confidence in interference or jitter being behind this. I'd bet the farn that your 200 is simply playing louder than the 80. It helps that it's not my farm
Seriously though, I'm quite interested to hear how you're controlling for volume

Different DAC chips and implementations, among other differences

DX200: Dual SABRE ES9028PRO DAC Chips
DX80: Dual CIRRUS CS4398 DAC Chips

the DACs are bypassed completely when sending a digital signal (no analog needed

 

[Allanmarcus]

@DJ The Rocket 
 
DOH! Of course the DAC is not used for digital out. Dummy me.
 
Hypothetically, two bit perfect outputs would be be the same level. That said, these DAPs map not be outputting bit perfect. 
 
There are other explanations. Power Supply noise. Poor wiring. Other EMI noise. Heck, some people that claim to hear the difference between hard drives used in a NAS to server music over the network (I don't believe them).
 
I think there are a few DAC (whose names I cannot recall) that have a test file that one can feed into them and they will tell you if the signal is bit perfect.

 

[Allanmarcus]

I recommend someone make a banner graphic and get it posted to the Head-Fi home page.

 

[Allanmarcus]

Hey all,
 
I'm gonna see the Colorado Symphony on May 19 (Mahler Symphony No. 3 Conducted by Andrew Litton) on May 19 at Boettcher Concert Hall. I was thinking of taking Uber from my hotel or having my wife drop or pick me up (she hates the symphony). Any comments on this venue?

 

[mhpsd]

  Hey all,
 
I'm gonna see the Colorado Symphony on May 19 (Mahler Symphony No. 3 Conducted by Andrew Litton) on May 19 at Boettcher Concert Hall. I was thinking of taking Uber from my hotel or having my wife drop or pick me up (she hates the symphony). Any comments on this venue?

I think it is part of the arts complex.  I've not seen anything in the Concert Hall, but the Buell Theater was nice this weekend.  Very close to a light rail station and Uber should be easily available.
Hope that helps.

 

[MKnopfler]

Seriously though, I'm quite interested to hear how you're controlling for volume
 

I use this controller unit: http://www.audiotec-fischer.de/lng/en/director.html?xploidID=8ebscgs1a6fti9p58tgvdlv2p5i3v1cu
to control this DSP: http://www.audiotec-fischer.de/lng/en/helix-dsp-pro.html
The DX200 optical mini out directly into the Helix Optical in via toslink cable.

 

[artaxiad]

Hey all!
 
Just recently decided to stop just lurking round here, and excited there's a Denver meetup in the works. I'm gonna try really hard to attend, but it's not 100 percent I'll be able to make it.
 
If I do, the only thing I have that hasn't been mentioned already is a Little Dot MKII with a few different pairs of tubes to roll. I have unmodded HD650s, and a pair of TH-X00 Purplehearts (that I'm in love with). Also, if anyone is interested, I'd probably be willing to drag my Rega P3 turntable with installed Shure m97xe/Jico SAS needle as well.

 

[arteom]

Have been to many Colorado Symphony Orchestra performances at Boetcher, they always put on a great show. The concert hall, as mentioned, is part of the arts complex. Is centrally located in Downtown Denver.

Hey all!

Just recently decided to stop just lurking round here, and excited there's a Denver meetup in the works. I'm gonna try really hard to attend, but it's not 100 percent I'll be able to make it.

If I do, the only thing I have that hasn't been mentioned already is a Little Dot MKII with a few different pairs of tubes to roll. I have unmodded HD650s, and a pair of TH-X00 Purplehearts (that I'm in love with). Also, if anyone is interested, I'd probably be willing to drag my Rega P3 turntable with installed Shure m97xe/Jico SAS needle as well.

Bring the Rega! I will have my Technics there with a Denon cart and a Paul hynes phono stage.

I just bought a set of Beyerdynamic DT-1350's with an aftermarket cable. I should have a fairly full set of portables at the meet, the Beyer, Audio Technica ESW9, Audio Technica MSR7, AKG k81dj (k518).

 

[sharktopus]

Hey all, a few days ago, when I was trying out some new earpads on my Hifiman HE500s, the little plastic ring broke. So I make myself some new ones with a 3D printer. If anyone who is coming has a set of hifiman headphones and would like me to make them some extras, I'd be more than happy. They look like this:


And next to the originals on the left:

 

[Xsoldier416]

Hey all, I now live in the greater CO area and I think I'll be attempting to make it to the Denver meet up! I'll probably be in first thing in the morning and won't stay all that long, depending on work, but I think it would be fun! I don't have anything as far as processing hardware goes, but I do have a pair of 668Bs that I have been listening to for years that I like very much, so I can bring those if anyone was looking to buy a budget pair of cans that sound pretty good. Honestly I don't even know if they sell them anymore.

Looking forward to it! I made it to the NYC meet back in '13 and what an experience.

 

[Allanmarcus]

I'm looking forward to the meet!

Oh, I am going to sell the following. Please let me know if anyone in the Denver area is interested, and I will bring it.

beyerdynamic T1, re-terminated to balanced 4-pin XLR. Can re-re-terminate back to 1/4” on request, or can include an adapter for $20
$400

4 way RCA switch: Works well, but I decided to make a way over engineered “audiophile” switch for 10 times more and exactly the same functionality.
$10

Auralic Taurus Mk II:
$900
Amp works really well, but I decided to go the tube amp route.
I’m not the first owner. Prior owner put a few surface scratches on the side, but the front is is great shape. Even the side is fine, unless you look at it closely under a lot of light.

Bottlehead Crack with a few lesser tubes and an excellent set of higher end tubes.
$500
Some wiring upgraded to shielded wire.
Pot upgraded to Alps blue velvet pot
Knob upgraded to heavy black aluminum knob
Mullard ECC82/12AU7 (Blackburn, Great Britain, code Gf1 84D2), Catham (Tung-sol) 6080
Stock 12AU7, plus a misc, but working, output tube.
Also an RCA 6AS7G vacuum tube - top getter - black plate output tube

HD650, fully modded. Dynamat, cage removed, quarter mod, foam removed. Comes with the stock cable re-terminated balanced and a balanced to 1/4” adapter. I can re-re-terminate it to 1/4” if you would like. Also comes with a CaseBudi hard case.
$200

Balanced Cable For Sennheiser HD580 HD600 HD650 Headphones. Looks like it was made by Venus Audio from Mogami 2534 quad cable.
$25

Prices at the meet will all be lower since I don't have to ship. I'm not setting up a sale table. I won't bring this stuff unless there is interest.

 

[Allanmarcus]

Looks like I will bring a Wolf Ear Audio Makoyi amp instead of the Mjolnir 2.

More info here.

Also, a lot of really nice tubes.

 

[arteom]

That's a pretty sweet looking amp, Alan. I might be interested in your 650's. Would like to hear them and compare them to my stock set. I really like the 650's, but do wish they were as resolving as the 600's.