[rb2013]

  Believe me, I read the entire thread before asking, try to re-read my first post. Expected to see specific recommendations on capacitors replacement and got them as well as other tips.

So why did you repeatedly (and in a somewhat rude fashion) ask for the cap values when I posted it with pictures back on page 4, post #57? Sheesh!

   http://www.head-fi.org/t/736294/gustard-u12-usb-interface-8-core-xmos-chip/45
 
10/12/14 at 10:29am

THREAD STARTER 


OK I cracked open the case for some photos. While it was open, I decided to swap the

Philips BC 2,200uf 25v filter caps for some same sized Pana FCs

I had leftover from another project.

Should give a little better ps ripple filtering.

Here are the photos:






Edited by rb2013 - 10/12/14 at 10:32am

 

 

[conquerator2]

Waiting for mine to arrive, hopefully later this week 

I hope I like it, for the price 

 Seems like a very decent USB converter 

 

[sbgk]

  Waiting for mine to arrive, hopefully later this week 

I hope I like it, for the price 

 Seems like a very decent USB converter 

got mine today, sounds good already. thinking of just moving the transformer outside the box as a really simple way of removing emf.

 

[elwappo99]

  Sure, 219$ for a 1.5M cable is almost dirt cheap 

 
 
That's not that much money. Not like you can buy a pair of headphones with that much money 

 

[conquerator2]

   
 
That's not that much money. Not like you can buy a pair of headphones with that much money 

You're right, I can buy two AKG K240 MKII's for that price, or the Gustard U12, or 3 HiFiMAN RE-400s, or the Q701s.
Or the Vali, or Mini-X. Or the M-Stage.
Just saying 

 
[Sarcasm, right

]

 

[elwappo99]

 

   
 
That's not that much money. Not like you can buy a pair of headphones with that much money 

You're right, I can buy two AKG K240 MKII's for that price, or the Gustard U12, or 3 HiFiMAN RE-400s, or the Q701s.
Or the Vali, or Mini-X. Or the M-Stage.
Just saying 

 
[Sarcasm, right

]

 
haha, yea I think you caught my drift. I stopped playing into those expensive cables awhile back. Blind testing changed my mind a lot. Even if I was sure I heard a huge difference, blind testing made it clear the difference was very subtle. 
 
 
Off topic, since we're both hifiman fans, what amps are you running lately? I can't seem to find a good (would like balanced) amp to run them on. I keep my eyes open, but can't find anything I really enjoy them with. Have you jumped on the new Hifiman cans?

 

[conquerator2]

   
haha, yea I think you caught my drift. I stopped playing into those expensive cables awhile back. Blind testing changed my mind a lot. Even if I was sure I heard a huge difference, blind testing made it clear the difference was very subtle. 
 
 
Off topic, since we're both hifiman fans, what amps are you running lately? I can't seem to find a good (would like balanced) amp to run them on. I keep my eyes open, but can't find anything I really enjoy them with. Have you jumped on the new Hifiman cans?

I use the now discontinued Audio-gd SA31SE [with a custom 5/25 gain board] with the HE-560 and I quite like it. I am in the process of selling my NFB-7 and getting a Gungnir. Hopefully, it'll work out. The NFB-7 is a great, uber detailed DAC, but the HiFiMANs strive for more musicality, which it does not add.
Eventually, I guess I'd like to end up with the Rag and Yggy combo, but I want to try the cheaper Schiit first :]

 

[rb2013]

   
 
That's not that much money. Not like you can buy a pair of headphones with that much money 

Or 219 Apple earbuds - just saying.

 

[rb2013]

   
haha, yea I think you caught my drift. I stopped playing into those expensive cables awhile back. Blind testing changed my mind a lot. Even if I was sure I heard a huge difference, blind testing made it clear the difference was very subtle. 
 
 
Off topic, since we're both hifiman fans, what amps are you running lately? I can't seem to find a good (would like balanced) amp to run them on. I keep my eyes open, but can't find anything I really enjoy them with. Have you jumped on the new Hifiman cans?

I'm honored to be in the presence of such audio wizards.  A pair of $300 Headphones and an amp and everyone's a seasoned audiophile. 

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

   
I use the now discontinued Audio-gd SA31SE [with a custom 5/25 gain board] with the HE-560 and I quite like it. I am in the process of selling my NFB-7 and getting a Gungnir. Hopefully, it'll work out. The NFB-7 is a great, uber detailed DAC, but the HiFiMANs strive for more musicality, which it does not add.
Eventually, I guess I'd like to end up with the Rag and Yggy combo, but I want to try the cheaper Schiit first :]

 
 
Yea, I think I'm kind of on the same course as you. I'm playing around in the $200-$600 area, but nothing's really standing out. Maybe we'll both end up with Raggys! 

 
 
Quote:

 

I'm honored to be in the presence of such audio wizards.  A pair of $300 Headphones and an amp and everyone's a seasoned audiophile. 

 
Of course not! It takes a $200 cable to attain enough audiophile snobbery to condescend the $300 peasants! 

 

[rb2013]

   
Of course not! It takes a $200 cable to attain enough audiophile snobbery to condescend the $300 peasants! 

I bow to the 'Master Blower'.  Did you really have all those HPs and equipment on your list?  Most audio snobs don't trade
trade $30K speakers for $800 ones - unless they've lost they're jobs.  I just go with what sounds good.

 

Headphone Inventory	Only headphones of interest noted: Current: Hifiman HE-500 Denon: D7000 Sony SA5000 AKG K702-65AE AKG Q701 Mad Dogs Ultimate Ears Triple.Fi 10 ______________________________________________________ Past: Audeze: LCD-2 (balanced) Audio Technica AD-2000 Audio Technica AD-900 Audio Technica A-900 Beyerdynamic T1 Beyerdynamic: DT880 250ohm(balanced) Beyerdynamic: DT880 600ohm Beyerdynamic: DT770 Beyerdynamic: DT990 600ohm(balanced) Beyerdynamic: DT990 250ohm AKG: K702 (balanced) AKG: K701 (balanced)X3 AKG: Q701 AKG: K601 X2 AKG: K501 AKG: K340 AKG: K240 (Sextets MP) AKG: K240 (Sextets EP) Ultrasone: HFI-780 (balanced) Ultrasone: HFI-2400 Ultrasone: Pro-900 Ultrasone: Edition 8 Hifiman: HE-4 Hifiman: HE-400 Hifiman: HE-5 Hifiman: HE-5LE Hifiman: HE-6 Denon D5000 Denon D2000 Sennheiser: HD580 X2 Sennheiser: HD590 Sennheiser: HD600 (balanced) Sennheiser: HD650 (balanced) X3 Sennheiser: HD800 Grado: SR225 (balanced) Grado: HF1 Grado: HF2 Grado: RS1 Grado: RS2 (balanced) Fostex: T50RP Sony: SA5000 (balanced) Sony: SA3000 Ultimate Ears Super Fi Klipsch all over Sleek Audio SA6
Headphone Amp Inventory	Current: Burson Soloist-SL Schiit Vali iBasso PB-1 Emotiva A-100 Matrix M-stage Past: Burson Soloist Little Dot i+, Little Dot II, Little Dot III, Little Dot V, Little Dot VI+ Little Dot VII+ Audio-GD Phoenix Audio-GD Roc Audiotailor Jade RSA Tomahawk, RSA Hornet RSA SR-71A IBasso - D10 SWA CKKIII
Source Inventory	Current: Audio-GD Reference 1 Audio-GD Reference 3 Fiio X5 Emotiva Stealth DC-1 Zune HD Iriver H320 Past: Audio-GD Reference 5 Audio-GD Reference 19 Audio-GD DI Little Dot DAC_I Maverick Audio DAC1 Cowon D5, X5L, D2

BTW I'd try the Moon Blue Dragon HP cable with your HE-500's.  When I had mine it really helped them sound better.

 

[elwappo99]

 

I bow to the 'Master Blower'.  Did you really have all those HPs and equipment on your list?  Most audio snobs don't trade
trade $30K speakers for $800 ones - unless they've lost they're jobs.  I just go with what sounds good.
 

 
I wouldn't spend $30k on speakers 

. If $800 sounds better, why not buy those? Once you're in that range, you're paying for the psychological effect more than actual performance. But then again, if cables make such a large difference, maybe there's more to gain at that level.
 
Only takes a moment to look at my trader feedback and see those listed. I started using my profile as a way to track the gear I've owned since it's pretty convenient.

 

[conquerator2]

   
I wouldn't spend $30k on speakers 

. If $800 sounds better, why not buy those? Once you're in that range, you're paying for the psychological effect more than actual performance. But then again, if cables make such a large difference, maybe there's more to gain at that level.
 
Only takes a moment to look at my trader feedback and see those listed. I started using my profile as a way to track the gear I've owned since it's pretty convenient.

You mean 69? HE?! HE?!
Sorry, I had to 

 

[rb2013]

   
I wouldn't spend $30k on speakers 

. If $800 sounds better, why not buy those? Once you're in that range, you're paying for the psychological effect more than actual performance. But then again, if cables make such a large difference, maybe there's more to gain at that level.
 
Only takes a moment to look at my trader feedback and see those listed. I started using my profile as a way to track the gear I've owned since it's pretty convenient.

+1 Well I agree with all that.  I  fortunately bought the $30K speaker used - like almost all my cables and gear.  I paid $12K and sold them for the same.  The Maggies just image so well and project a life size image.  Really fun to listen to  - they need a very clean source and a pretty big room.
 
Hey 69 is a great trader score!  Does spending $2,000 on a headphone make you a Headphone Snob?  Just kidding!

 
My feedback on Audiogon (Rb99) is 634 (214 transactions - 213 positive - 1 neutral). I have bought and sold alot of gear over 20 years - including a pretty vast array of cables. 
To me they do sound different - I can double blind pick them out - and cost does not guarantee the best sound.  $219 is not alot in my book to spend on a cable - I've spent thousands.  Is it money 'well spent'?  Not most of the time - I will freely admit.  But some times a absolute yes!
 
Take my HD800's I would have sold them for the Stax-009's if I had to listen to the stock cable.  The Moon Black Dragon V2's cured the sibilance issues, gave them a richer tone and much better bass.  The difference in these HP's with this cable is not subtle.  
 
Have you read the epic 'Battle of 58 Flagship Headphone' thread?
http://www.head-fi.org/t/634201/battle-of-the-flagships-58-headphones-compared-update-audeze-lcd-2-revision-2-6-4-13
 
David Mahler used upgraded cables and even upgraded his HP cables.  I think he's a pretty good Headfier and not some shill for cable companies.

 

[elwappo99]

   
You mean 69? HE?! HE?!
Sorry, I had to 

 

 yea, its seems to be stuck there! 
 
Maybe it'll jump up soon. I'll probably get a pair of LCD-X, EL-8 (just announced), HE560, or HE1000. I'll have to follow your lead and see what you end up with