[RH64]

Thanks ClieOS,

Just to give an update, I switched to a 3.5mm to RCA cable and have been playing music for 2 hours and the battery gauge is still showing close to full. Also, the device was getting warm before and it is cool to the touch. I have the volume at 60 still.

I will probably test the balanced output again buy connecting headphones with a balanced cable and playing with the volume at 60 (I won't wear them for this test!).

Just a question, the headphones originally came with a 3.5mm cable. In this case, is it ok to just swap the cable to a 2.5mm headphone cable? OR like the RCA inouts, do headphones themselves need to be made for a balanced connection?

Appreciate all of your education here!

Thanks,
Robert

 

[HipHopScribe]

Thanks ClieOS,

Just to give an update, I switched to a 3.5mm to RCA cable and have been playing music for 2 hours and the battery gauge is still showing close to full. Also, the device was getting warm before and it is cool to the touch. I have the volume at 60 still.

I will probably test the balanced output again buy connecting headphones with a balanced cable and playing with the volume at 60 (I won't wear them for this test!).

Just a question, the headphones originally came with a 3.5mm cable. In this case, is it ok to just swap the cable to a 2.5mm headphone cable? OR like the RCA inouts, do headphones themselves need to be made for a balanced connection?

Appreciate all of your education here!

Thanks,
Robert

What kind of headphones? Generally speaking, if your headphones have dual inputs (one for each cup), you're good to use them balanced. If your headphones only have a single input, generally you can't use them balanced without modification. I say generally, because there are rare exceptions to both scenarios.

 

[Marco Angel]

Hi everyone, I've been gone from this post like for 5 months, now I'm wondering if the lack of EQ via LDac is gone? Or is still a limitation? Thanks in advanced!

 

[jsmiller58]

Hi everyone, I've been gone from this post like for 5 months, now I'm wondering if the lack of EQ via LDac is gone? Or is still a limitation? Thanks in advanced!

Still no support for EQ on the BTR5 when using the LDAC codec.

The es100 supports it, if you must have EQ on LDAC. Personally I don’t bother, but I might if the es100 had more than just a few customizable presets (I have many IEMs and its inconvenient to constantly tune it). Nonetheless I don’t miss EQ and am happy with my BTR5. But that is just me!

 

[d73b3e]

...But that is just me!

Me too. First thing I check to turn off is EQ on player, receiver. Still, I miss the days of 64kbps WMA and QMP + OzoneMP

 

[RH64]

For the headphones I would be using Sennheiser HD600 and Fiio F9. I think the Fiio even came with a balanced cable option.

 

[archy121]

So, when listening to MQA audio (using the iPhone adapter), BTR5 screen shows 96k. This is Tidal best resolution: 96kHz/24bits.

Than we are not getting full MQA unfolding
as I’m guessing the BTR5 does have license. 96/24 is achievable over BT.
MQA can unfold to 384k

 

[ClieOS]

Than we are not getting full MQA unfolding
as I’m guessing the BTR5 does have license. 96/24 is achievable over BT.
MQA can unfold to 384k

Technically correct, but don't forget the signal is transmitted via BT codec (aptx HD, LDAC or LHDC, UAT, etc) and therefore it will go over transcoding - this means whatever the extra bit of MQA info inside the music will be lost before the music is sent over BT, well before it reaches the DAC inside the BT adapter. Unless someone develops a new MQA compatible BT codec, it is impossible to do real MQA over BT.

 

[Luke Skywalker]

Balance and unbalanced do not sound the same. Balanced output is cleaner and the stereo separation is more defined giving a better defined soundstage and image placement. Also many people (myself included) only have 2.5 cable terminations. Balanced output also tends to have more power output (not sure why this is the case). This is good for me when I am using my CL2 planar, which tend to love higher voltage. Sometimes 3.5 out may be preferred; it can give music a warmer, bigger, more generous sound over balanced, after all this is music not surgery!

Agree 100%! Going from regular to balanced when connecting my Audeze LCD-2's to my HiBy R6 Pro was stunning... I make a point to connect everything by balanced these days... ES100 has a 2.5 so I'm good using my Lola's + JH balanced cable. My iFi xDSD has the 3.5 balanced so i had to buy a converter for my Audeze balanced 4.4 cable and for my JH 2.5. I also have a 2.5 -> 3.5 balanced converter to connect my JH to the HiBy R6

Kind of a pain getting the adapters and stuff but I'm convinced the sound is superior so it's well worth it

 

[Luke Skywalker]

Than we are not getting full MQA unfolding
as I’m guessing the BTR5 does have license. 96/24 is achievable over BT.
MQA can unfold to 384k

Hey here is a 24/192 MQA test track if anyone is interested. I used it to test the full MQA support they just added to the HiBy R6 Pro. I haven't found anything above 192 yet... https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/1cbce60c-2412-451e-a1e1-39faf87b617b

 

[Luke Skywalker]

Possibly, but I have many IEMs, some very sensitive, and don‘t hear any hiss on the BTR5’s 2.5mm or 3.5mm outputs. On the other hand I have an R6 Pro DAP and that hisses like a bag of snakes with very sensitive IEMs.

That's great to know, thanks. I'm listening to classical at the moment using my Lola's connected to my R6 balanced and I don't hear any hiss... However I'm planning to buy some nice custom IEM's as soon as I can get impressions made and I wonder if I'll have that issue. Thinking of Elysium...

 

[Luke Skywalker]

Dragonfly is over-hyped and represents poor value. Search for tests of them based on bench tests. Dragonfly also does not offer volume control.

I have the Dragonfly Red to keep in my car and it's certainly better than no DAC Amp at all, however I dislike that it doesn't have a balanced output and maxes at 24/96. Another factor is that it sucks the battery dry on my iPhone while I'm listening to music. I prefer devices that have their own battery, such as the iFi Hip-Dac for that reason

 

[HipHopScribe]

For the headphones I would be using Sennheiser HD600 and Fiio F9. I think the Fiio even came with a balanced cable option.

Both of these are fine to run balanced

 

[PTDennis]

Than we are not getting full MQA unfolding
as I’m guessing the BTR5 does have license. 96/24 is achievable over BT.
MQA can unfold to 384k

I think that Tidal MQA is only up to 96/24 https://support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000397069-TIDAL-MASTERS

 

[mindhead1]

Showing out of stock in the US until June 2. I can get the es100 delivered in 2 days. Which to get?

ES100 is great. Get it if you need a BT amp now.