[sibelius4th]

108W, give or take a couple.

Nice. I was expecting 2 to 3 times that. Thanks for the info.

Out of curiosity, are you using a power regenerator? If so, how do you like it?

 

[stuart1927]

I have a question about the headphone outputs on the Stratus. I'm using my Alpha Prime headphones and my cable is a single 4 pin xlr (labelled k-1000). Would I likely hear any difference if I got a new cable terminated with dual 3 pin xlrs to connect to the left and right output connectors?
 
 
Stuart

 

[bigfatpaulie]

  I have a question about the headphone outputs on the Stratus. I'm using my Alpha Prime headphones and my cable is a single 4 pin xlr (labelled k-1000). Would I likely hear any difference if I got a new cable terminated with dual 3 pin xlrs to connect to the left and right output connectors?
 
 
Stuart

 
No.
 
I have both with my HD800 and there is no difference.  Further to that, if you open the amp the the dual 3 pin and 4 pin wired together.  They are literally exactly the same output. 

 

[bigfatpaulie]

Nice. I was expecting 2 to 3 times that. Thanks for the info.

Out of curiosity, are you using a power regenerator? If so, how do you like it?

 
I have a PS Audio P3 and I personally like it with the Stratus, but I think it is a very case by case basis and certainly not as good as PS Audio's marketing department would have you believe.  I live in a condo downtown so interference and power fluctuations are an issue.  In my very specific circumstance, the P3 helps.  
 
If I lived in a situation with a little cleaner power (IE a house) I would ditch the P3 in a heartbeat.

 

[stuart1927]

No.

I have both with my HD800 and there is no difference.  Further to that, if you open the amp the the dual 3 pin and 4 pin wired together.  They are literally exactly the same output. 

good to know! I didn't want to go to the expense of new cables for no gain! After looking at the instruction manual it does say that both 3 and 4 pin xlrs have the same output. Kind of makes you wonder why you'd have xlrs for right and left, unless of course that's what cables you had. I've been thinking about getting another pair of headphones specifically for classical music. Narrowed it down to the hd800 and ether open. Ether would make sense as I have many cables for the primes, but the pedigree of the hd800s is hard to ignore....

 

[bigfatpaulie]

good to know! I didn't want to go to the expense of new cables for no gain! After looking at the instruction manual it does say that both 3 and 4 pin xlrs have the same output. Kind of makes you wonder why you'd have xlrs for right and left, unless of course that's what cables you had. I've been thinking about getting another pair of headphones specifically for classical music. Narrowed it down to the hd800 and ether open. Ether would make sense as I have many cables for the primes, but the pedigree of the hd800s is hard to ignore....

 
The headphone connector game is a real mess right now.  Too many cooks in too small a kitchen.  The 1/4 inch plug was the norm for years.  Then the k1000 came along and it had the 4 pin.  Tyll make the dual 3 pin XLR thing happen.  The all serve their purpose (I suppose)...  For example the dual 3 pin makes sense for, say Woo234's or dual Questyle monos.  But in most cases, you're correct - very little purpose.  At the time, however, there were very few 4pin connector options.
 
Donald is trying to give his users all the options he he includes every option.
 
Don't get me started on the headphone end...  That's a real disaster.  

 

[sibelius4th]

Thanks for the info, paulie.

 

[Frihed89]

The headphone connector game is a real mess right now.  Too many cooks in too small a kitchen.  The 1/4 inch plug was the norm for years.  Then the k1000 came along and it had the 4 pin.  Tyll make the dual 3 pin XLR thing happen.  The all serve their purpose (I suppose)...  For example the dual 3 pin makes sense for, say Woo234's or dual Questyle monos.  But in most cases, you're correct - very little purpose.  At the time, however, there were very few 4pin connector options.

Donald is trying to give his users all the options he he includes every option.

Don't get me started on the headphone end...  That's a real disaster.  

 

[Frihed89]

What kind of disaster?

 

[bigfatpaulie]

What kind of disaster?

 
Well, let's look at speakers for second.  How do you connect speakers - with wire and what...  Spades, banana's or raw wire.  That's really it.  And there is one type of binding post that accepts them all.  So no what what type of cable termination you have it will work with any speakers.  Now let's look at headphones...
 
Out of interest, and I will ignore portable usage (like 3.5mm) connectors for simplicity, so we have:
 
1/4 inch
4 pin
dual 3 pin
 
(I'll omit speaker taps but you could add the three options from speakers as well...  And STAX and the HE plug...  And...) 
 
On the other side we have:
Mr. Sperakers (Ether, Alpha, etc)
Audeze EL (why?!!?)
2.5mm mono (HE1k, Oppo, etc)
Mini XLR
3.5mm (Elear, Z7, T1 gen 2, Denon, Macintosh, etc)
The old Hifiman one that was on the HE-6's etc (which were lame)
Senn HD5/6xx
Senn HD800 (also lame)
And the LEMO now (thanks for nothing, Focal)
 
(That's all I can think of off the top of my head, but there are probably more)
 
The three types of connectors have different utility so I can appreciate why they are around.  The 9 different connectors, however are all EXACTLY the same in their function.  Sure some are better or worse, but they serve the exact same purpose.  If they were homogenized tomorrow nothing would change.
 
So now we (the consumer) have 3 types on the input side of things and 9 on the output side...  27 different combinations. That's 27 different, totally incompatible cables that all do the same thing.  And the only reason for this?  Arrogance.  Arrogance of the manufactures. 

 

[vc1187]

Well-spoken, Paul.  Very nice analysis, and my opinions fall in line with yours.  It would be nice to be able to purchase ONE very nice aftermarket cable and be able to seamlessly swap headphones.  Unfortunately, every company wants to make their own proprietary headphone connector instead of conforming to a standard.

 

[adamaley]

 

Deleted.

 

[bigfatpaulie]

  Well-spoken, Paul.  Very nice analysis, and my opinions fall in line with yours.  It would be nice to be able to purchase ONE very nice aftermarket cable and be able to seamlessly swap headphones.  Unfortunately, every company wants to make their own proprietary headphone connector instead of conforming to a standard.

 
Exactly.  If cables were more standardized, it would be easier to sell them used (as more people could use said cable) and would give you more options if you were looking as a used cable (because they would all work for your headphones).
 
 
 
I don't think this system works.
 
How would I have it work?
 
We need a system where the [headphone makers] sit down and discuss the problem, agree what is in the best interest of all the people.  And then do it.
 
And if not, they should be made to agree.  
 
That's it. 
 
I realize that this is a pipe dream, especially without Jedi.

 

[stuart1927]

Just bought a pair of Sennheiser HD800's for the stratus (not me.....you understand!) At less than $1000 on amazon, seemed like a good time to take the plunge and have an open alternative to my alpha primes. From what I've read, I didn't think the HD800s would necessarily be an improvement for me, and at $700 more expensive, definitely not!
 
Might go for some None audio cables to compliment the purchase,  as I hear it does make quite a difference. 
 
 
sbb

 

[vc1187]

Just bought a pair of Sennheiser HD800's for the stratus (not me.....you understand!) At less than $1000 on amazon, seemed like a good time to take the plunge and have an open alternative to my alpha primes. From what I've read, I didn't think the HD800s would necessarily be an improvement for me, and at $700 more expensive, definitely not!

Might go for some None audio cables to compliment the purchase,  as I hear it does make quite a difference. 


sbb

Congrats!