[Schopenhauer]

I'm thinking there won't be an easy way of comparing the H10 and Dragon IHA-1. I find these to be two very different amps. However, I'm finding it difficult to articulate what the differences are. I find the IHA-1 hands down more listenable(I think). But that wouldn't be surprising really from a $1600 tube amp. 
 
I would hesitate to say the IHA-1 is more musical than the H10. That's because - and I hate to use such a mongrel concept - the H10 has such strong PRaT. I see an increase in PRaT as roughly inversely related to the quality of lushness. The problem is that some music is lush.

 

[FlySweep]

I miss my H10.

:'(

 

[LancerFIN]

I miss my H10.

:'(

Why did you sell it?

 

[FlySweep]

To help fund a totl HD800/rig.. which is still in progress (but I'm closer).

What I miss most about the h10 was the synergy with the he-560 and the hd650. There's not many solid state amps I liked with the hd650.. the h10 was my favorite, to date.

 

[Schopenhauer]

To help fund a totl HD800/rig.. which is still in progress (but I'm closer).

What I miss most about the h10 was the synergy with the he-560 and the hd650. There's not many solid state amps I liked with the hd650.. the h10 was my favorite, to date.

Sweet! What rig?

 

[FlySweep]

Sweet! What rig?

BH Mainline, DNA Sonnett, ECP Black Diamond are at the top of my list.. but I'm tempted to chase down an R2R DAC.. mmm

 

[lukeap69]

BH Mainline, DNA Sonnett, ECP Black Diamond are at the top of my list.. but I'm tempted to chase down an R2R DAC.. mmm

Sweet! I will (may) have a change to listen tomorrow with BH Mainline with my HD800, I'll let you know how it compares with my Rag. The Black Diamond is also apparently very good with the HD800 - there is a review of Ragnarok on head-fi where the Black Diamond, GS-X and Rag were compared.
 
I am also thinking about R2R DACs. I may save up for an Yggy to mate with Rag... but that won't be immediate - my NFB-1 still put smile on my face everytime I use it though not so much with songs with a hint of sibilance e.g. Silent Lucidity by Queensryche.
 
Happy TOTL rig hunting! 

 

[swannie007]

So, finally got home from working away from home for three weeks and had a stack of packages to open! E bay loves me, as do the local postie and the local delivery services! This is my reward for working in the bush for weeks at a time. Anyhoo, one of my packages contained my balanced cables for my HE400i's to use with the U12, X10, H10 stack and I must say that it is just beautiful!! I can't pull myself away to do anything. I just want to listen to music all the time. There seems to be better separation of instruments and a "cleaner window" into the music, more depth to the soundstage, it just sounds more "real", as though you are there in the room listening to the musicians with a very real sense of space. It may just be a placebo effect because I was away from the gear for three weeks or that I fitted the balanced cables but I don't care, I'm loving it! Besides, it's all about the music and if these small additions to my system help me enjoy it more, then that's just fine by me.
So, greetings to all my shipmates and here's hoping you all have a good listening weekend. Cheers.

 

[zilch0md]

I run Tidal through a tablet straight into the U12 with no intervening software. I max it out from the tablet to keep the noise floor as low as possible.

 
And the bit depth as high as possible...

 

[zilch0md]

Hey FlySweep!
 
Quote:

BH Mainline, DNA Sonnett, ECP Black Diamond are at the top of my list.. but I'm tempted to chase down an R2R DAC.. mmm

 
Going off-topic further still...
 
NOS DACs are magical with the HD800. I know you are a big fan of the HD650 sound and I would still have mine but for having an LCD-2 rev.1 and HD800.  (I just couldn't justify keeping the HD650, but regret selling it, just the same.)
 
In my experience at least, the HD800 cannot be made to emulate the most attractive traits of the HD650 - no matter your choice of upstream gear - without degrading some of the HD800's most attractive traits. The HD800 will always sound like an HD800, to some degree, as long as you protect the traits which distinguish it from other headphones.  
 
My Metrum Octave MkII NOS DAC has had a much greater impact on my overall success with the HD800 than any changes in gear, including amps. So I vigorously commend your plan to avoid oversampling DACs with the HD800.
 
 

Spoiler: Off-topic NOS DAC suggestion

I always respect the privacy of  PMs, so I'll leave it to him to identify himself, if he wishes, but there's a Head-Fi member who has owned the Metrum Quad and the Metrum Hex (which straddle the Metrum Octave MkII in price and performance), but he has settled on using this $250 battery-powered 96 kHz NOS DAC almost exclusively.
 
 

The Battery DAC™

 

 

 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Non-Oversampling-NOS-DAC-TDA1543-DIR9001-SPDIF-Coax-Optical-dual-9V-NiMH-w-charg-/201003880227
 
From bottom-left to top-left, the jacks are for Optical Input, Coaxial Input, Analog Line Level Left and Right Output, 12V DC input.  The batteries can be charged while it's in use (but why?) 
 
The specs include this line:  
 

1. No Op-Amp - direct output with 2Vpp (will drive any power amp well)

 
That means the V rms is something less than 2V (probably about 1.5V rms)
 
The designer/seller, "leopardo42," is apparently the salt of the earth. Reading reviews and threads a while back (not just his eBay page), it seems everybody is happy with his service and his product.  I'm thinking of giving it a try, but haven't done so yet.  
 
One side of me would be thrilled to discover that I could replace my Metrum Octave MkII with this much more affordable DAC, while another, far less practical side of me would hate to break apart the Metrum stack (keeping only the Aurix amp).

 
Mike

 

[lukeap69]

Okay Mike. You started this - now it's truly your turn to be a guinea pig. Perhaps there is a chance my opinion with HD800 and H10 pairing will change... My H10 will be waiting for your impressions...

 

[zilch0md]

@lukeap69 
 
Haha!  
 
I really do want to hear the Battery DAC, so...  I've just now ordered it.  
 

 Estimated delivery between Friday, Feb. 27 and Monday, Mar. 9

 
I was all strapped into the bungee rig and you pushed me off the bridge.  

 
I have such a soft spot for battery-operated gear and this thing is so much smaller than the likes of a Beresford Bushmaster MkII - the 12V-powered oversampling DAC I had for a long while.
 
I might end up using it "portably" too - it could be just the ticket for allowing me to go "portable" with the iBasso PB2 balanced out to the HD800, which is only barely tolerable using my best oversampling DAC (either portable or desktop) - the PCM1592A Line Out of my FiiO X5 DAP (which also offers Coaxial Out).
 
Joy!
 
Mike

 

[Kyno]

I'm letting go mine (http://www.head-fi.org/t/755814/gustard-h10) to fund a Crack I've been eyeing for months since it's now available to buy it here locally. Got to try it the HD650 and T1.
 
I guess I don't need to praise the H10 (especially with orthos like my HE-560), they're already 53 pages of it 

 

 

[LancerFIN]

  I'm letting go mine (http://www.head-fi.org/t/755814/gustard-h10) to fund a Crack I've been eyeing for months since it's now available to buy it here locally. Got to try it the HD650 and T1.
 
I guess I don't need to praise the H10 (especially with orthos like my HE-560), they're already 53 pages of it 

 

You are couple days too late... damn it.

 

[lukeap69]

  @lukeap69 
 
Haha!  
 
I really do want to hear the Battery DAC, so...  I've just now ordered it.  
 
 
I was all strapped into the bungee rig and you pushed me off the bridge.  

 
I have such a soft spot for battery-operated gear and this thing is so much smaller than the likes of a Beresford Bushmaster MkII - the 12V-powered oversampling DAC I had for a long while.
 
I might end up using it "portably" too - it could be just the ticket for allowing me to go "portable" with the iBasso PB2 balanced out to the HD800, which is only barely tolerable using my best oversampling DAC (either portable or desktop) - the PCM1592A Line Out of my FiiO X5 DAP (which also offers Coaxial Out).
 
Joy!
 
Mike

I knew you needed a little push... 

 
As they say, smileys speak louder than words. So,