[thinkingoffish]

Hands-on experience is the best!
I'm just reciting the science I've been taught

It really depends on the headphone and personal preference whether it is good or bad. You can look up the impedance curve of the Elear, and you'll see quite a (EDIT: sub/lower mid bass) bump. So if someone really wants to up the bass you could pair it with something that has a high output impedance. Personally, I think pairing it with something like that crack which has like 100+ ohm output impedance depending on the build, would be way too much for me.

Low impedance / high sensitivity IEMs, and any mutli driver IEM in general, are where it is bad to not have sufficient damping factor, because it is too easy to totally mess up the freq response, not to mention now having multiple impedance curves with multiple drivers.

 

[ZenGentleman]

That's generally true, but (for instance), the Schiit Valhalla 2 is an OTL tube amp, and works very well with the Elear; the amp has switchable low/high gain, and on low gain the output impedance is very low. I note this about the Valhalla 2 just because I have it, and there may be others out there which would work well too.

I concur with Bill. I have a Schiit Audio Valhalla 2 with JJ ECC88 Gold Pins and I have no complaints about the sound coming through my Elears. Very seductive. In the near future I'm going to try some WE 396a tubes w/adapters, as there has been much praise about them in the Valhalla 2 thread. That's the thing about tube gear, it's easy to get addicted to tube-rolling. Always chasing that little tweak that can get you closer to your own version of musical nirvana.

 

[styks]

I concur with Bill. I have a Schiit Audio Valhalla 2 with JJ ECC88 Gold Pins and I have no complaints about the sound coming through my Elears. Very seductive. In the near future I'm going to try some WE 396a tubes w/adapters, as there has been much praise about them in the Valhalla 2 thread. That's the thing about tube gear, it's easy to get addicted to tube-rolling. Always chasing that little tweak that can get you closer to your own version of musical nirvana.

I'm a little concerned about your addiction comment! .... Unfortunately I'm a little OCD about such things, not sure if my credit can absorb such an assault!
Mjolnir is a tad rich for me thinking practically so the Valhalla 2 is now in my sights. I've emailed Schiit with a few question prior to a possible purchase. ..... I'm pretty sure from an earlier reply to a post I can feed it with my Mojo for now, until I can afford the matching DAC. My PC or TAB holds all my high resolution music files.
I was also asking Schiit, as my only other option, if I can use the recorder audio out, the only available audio out, from my Marantz PM7005 which has a decent USB DAC. I'm not yet knowledgeable on such things. If anyone here could advise I'd appreciate it. Marantz link to my amp. ........ https://www.marantz.co.uk/uk/produc...atid=hifi&subcatid=amplifier&productid=pm7005

 

[makne]

I'm a little concerned about your addiction comment! .... Unfortunately I'm a little OCD about such things, not sure if my credit can absorb such an assault!
Mjolnir is a tad rich for me thinking practically so the Valhalla 2 is now in my sights. I've emailed Schiit with a few question prior to a possible purchase. ..... I'm pretty sure from an earlier reply to a post I can feed it with my Mojo for now, until I can afford the matching DAC. My PC or TAB holds all my high resolution music files.
I was also asking Schiit, as my only other option, if I can use the recorder audio out from my Marantz PM7005 which has a decent USB DAC. I'm not yet knowledgeable on such things. If anyone here could advise I'd appreciate it. Marantz link to my amp. ........ https://www.marantz.co.uk/uk/produc...atid=hifi&subcatid=amplifier&productid=pm7005

There is no need to buy a Schiit dac just because you buy a schiit amp. Both your Marantz and Mojo can output standard line-level signal to an amp, just like any other normal dac. On the Marantz you use the recorder outs, on the Mojo you just set the correct volume. You can ask what that volume is in the Mojo thread.
The only reason to upgrade dac would be to get balanced connection between dac and amp. In that case you would have to get the gungnir or yggdrasil from the Schiit line-up.

 

[styks]

There is no need to buy a Schiit dac just because you buy a schiit amp. Both your Marantz and Mojo can output standard line-level signal to an amp, just like any other normal dac. On the Marantz you use the recorder outs, on the Mojo you just set the correct volume. You can ask what that volume is in the Mojo thread.
The only reason to upgrade dac would be to get balanced connection between dac and amp. In that case you would have to get the gungnir or yggdrasil from the Schiit line-up.

Thank you,
Just had a reply from schiit;

"
Hi Steve,

"Everyone who has used a Mojo as a source has not done well as really if you are using this as a source all an amplifier does it make it louder, end of.

On the Marantz the record out looks like it would send a audio signal out but unless you can set the record to say record off the USB then it might not work this would be in the settings, but a quick look like it might work to the Valhalla but i would double check with Marantz first."

So they advise against using the Mojo. Must confess that surprised me a little. Why? I'd have thought the Valhalla or Lyr would've added some tubiness not just amplify?
You seem sure the record out would power the Valhalla, I must say I'm not 100% sure if the DAC supplies a feed to recorder out? Do you know for sure? ...... I can enquire with Marantz of course.

I suppose the best answer would be if I can find a good desktop combined DAC / Tube Amp which would pair well with the Elear.

 

[makne]

Thank you,
Just had a reply from schiit;

"
Hi Steve,

"Everyone who has used a Mojo as a source has not done well as really if you are using this as a source all an amplifier does it make it louder, end of.

On the Marantz the record out looks like it would send a audio signal out but unless you can set the record to say record off the USB then it might not work this would be in the settings, but a quick look like it might work to the Valhalla but i would double check with Marantz first."

So they advise against using the Mojo. Must confess that surprised me a little. Why? I'd have thought the Valhalla or Lyr would've added some tubiness not just amplify?
You seem sure the record out would power the Valhalla, I must say I'm not 100% sure if the DAC supplies a feed to recorder out? Do you know for sure? ...... I can enquire with Marantz of course.

I suppose the best answer would be if I can find a good desktop combined DAC / Tube Amp which would pair well with the Elear.

I think what Schiit is saying is that because the Mojo already has a fully competent headphone output, there isn't really much reason to use an additional amp. Unless of course you just want to add distortion which is what you want to do with the Valhalla, but it seems like Schiit means that their amp is pretty transparent (because they said all an amp would do is make it louder, not change the sound).
I can assure you that getting another dac will NOT be any different, it is just that with a normal dac you HAVE to use an amp to drive headphones, with a Mojo you don't need an amp.

Regarding the Marantz I can't say 100% sure since I haven't used it myself, but using sound reasoning I think it should work. What else would the recorder outputs send out?
I have a Marantz PM5005 myself and that sends a fixed line-out signal through the recorder output, from the source/input I choose. Now the PM5005 doesn't have an internal dac so it just sends the line-in signal it's fed straight through the recorder outputs, but I don't see why your unit should work any differently with the internal dac.

 

[styks]

I think what Schiit is saying is that because the Mojo already has a fully competent headphone output, there isn't really much reason to use an additional amp. Unless of course you just want to add distortion which is what you want to do with the Valhalla, but it seems like Schiit means that their amp is pretty transparent (because they said all an amp would do is make it louder, not change the sound).
I can assure you that getting another dac will NOT be any different, it is just that with a normal dac you HAVE to use an amp to drive headphones, with a Mojo you don't need an amp.

Regarding the Marantz I can't say 100% sure since I haven't used it myself, but using sound reasoning I think it should work. What else would the recorder outputs send out?
I have a Marantz PM5005 myself and that sends a fixed line-out signal through the recorder output, from the source/input I choose. Now the PM5005 doesn't have an internal dac so it just sends the line-in signal it's fed straight through the recorder outputs, but I don't see why your unit should work any differently with the internal dac.

Ok thank you I understand what they are trying to say now.
I think that my Marantz should be the same, I agree. I'll drop a mail to Marantz to be sure. At least that may be an option.

I've been looking at Woo Audio WA7D, It has both USB/optical DAC inputs. It' more costly but I could go that route, after some research.
It's a combined unit, so well matched, it may give me what I'm looking for.

 

[tuckers]

What are the pin outs of the plugs into the Elears? I want to make my own set.

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

What are the pin outs of the plugs into the Elears? I want to make my own set.

2, 3.5mm

 

[tuckers]

What's + and what's - on the plug?

2, 3.5mm

 

[AuditoryCanvas]

What's + and what's - on the plug?

Tip hot, sleeve ground.
Here’s the measurements and pin out.

https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/dimensions-elear-diy-cable-builders

 

[waveSounds]

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss' album, Raisin Sand, sounds special on the Elear; courtesy of some tubes!

 

[PHC1]

I have a question for the Elear owners. Any of you experience one of the drivers not working after picking up or adjusting your Elears on the head? I don't get it, this is my second pair of Elear and this continues to happen. First pair was replaced by the dealer for another and the same symptoms on the second pair. It is not my amps since I have 3 other pairs of headphones including the Utopia. It only happens with the Elear and after the sound disappears or becomes distorted, it slowly comes back. Static? Some kind of a design oversight? What's going on with Elears?

 

[VenturaRoyal]

I have a question for the Elear owners. Any of you experience one of the drivers not working after picking up or adjusting your Elears on the head? I don't get it, this is my second pair of Elear and this continues to happen. First pair was replaced by the dealer for another and the same symptoms on the second pair. It is not my amps since I have 3 other pairs of headphones including the Utopia. It only happens with the Elear and after the sound disappears or becomes distorted, it slowly comes back. Static? Some kind of a design oversight? What's going on with Elears?

Cable problem maybe?

 

[zept0sec]

I have a question for the Elear owners. Any of you experience one of the drivers not working after picking up or adjusting your Elears on the head? I don't get it, this is my second pair of Elear and this continues to happen. First pair was replaced by the dealer for another and the same symptoms on the second pair. It is not my amps since I have 3 other pairs of headphones including the Utopia. It only happens with the Elear and after the sound disappears or becomes distorted, it slowly comes back. Static? Some kind of a design oversight? What's going on with Elears?

My first pair of Elears did worked perfectly until one day right side went silent. From what I'm told, it was a soldering issue and not the driver itself. Either way, my dealer replaced it out of new stock with a quick call to Focal.