Headamp Blue Hawaii Special Edition
Sep 20, 2013 at 9:52 PM Post #4,006 of 9,881
hey john, what new DAC do you have?  mind linky/emailing/PMing me some p0rn?  
 
Sep 21, 2013 at 2:37 AM Post #4,008 of 9,881
Nothing you haven’t seen before Corey,
Just a straight up Buff IIISE with Trident regulators, LCDPS for VD and 2 x LCBPS for an IVY III plus Sumr transformers. I’m using the DACs internal volume controller, any future amp builds will not have analog pots, the digital control is the best solution I’ve heard thus far. I’ve purposely avoided looking further into FIFO reclockers, Salas shunt supplies etc., as I feel its a big rabbit hole, and I’m pretty happy with the TPA product as is. I may further down the track build a statement piece, but I’ve too many other things on the go at the moment. The other place has some earlier un-finalised pics in the build gallery (#5084).
 
Sep 21, 2013 at 2:44 AM Post #4,009 of 9,881
one of the problem is the RCA plug. RCA always have more choice then xlr.

 
As a rule if thumb I’d always put the circuit before the type of interconnect 
wink_face.gif
 
 
Sep 21, 2013 at 3:39 AM Post #4,010 of 9,881
I do believe the main reason why I can hear a difference between using my XLR interconnects and RCA's, is because the XLR's are silver cable and the RCA's are copper.
I've had a word with Ian and he's bringing his RCA silver cable interconnects to my place on Monday.
I'll only be using my BHSE and first I'll have my XLR's and RCA's ( copper ) plugged into the BHSE and we'll both have a listen, ( with my source I can change over and listen to either XLR or RCA in no time ) I'll then use Ian's RCA's along with my XLR's so obviously both will be silver cable, I'll then post my findings.
 
Sep 21, 2013 at 4:15 AM Post #4,011 of 9,881
For anyone who's got a fully discrete balanced DAC that includes both XLR and RCA. Have you tried connecting both at the same time to BHSE, and use the toggle switch (input) to compare the sound on the fly? I'm leaning towards RCA...

 
Um, just a technical nitpick here but there are vanishingly few discrete balanced DACs on the market. Perhaps you meant something else but I read that literally, as in something like the dCS Ring DAC, which is one of the few discrete DACs that exist.
 
I do believe the main reason why I can hear a difference between using my XLR interconnects and RCA's, is because the XLR's are silver cable and the RCA's are copper.
I've had a word with Ian and he's bringing his RCA silver cable interconnects to my place on Monday.
I'll only be using my BHSE and first I'll have my XLR's and RCA's ( copper ) plugged into the BHSE and we'll both have a listen, ( with my source I can change over and listen to either XLR or RCA in no time ) I'll then use Ian's RCA's along with my XLR's so obviously both will be silver cable, I'll then post my findings.

 
You do realize that you can't fairly evaluate XLR interconnects to an RCA pair, right? You're listening to balanced versus unbalanced and assuming your source is dual-differential, the balanced output is going to sound different (i.e., better) on principle.
 
Btw, on properly-designed balanced sources, the balanced output is twice the level of the unbalanced output - i.e., if the unbalanced output is 2V RMS, the balanced output is 4V RMS. It's supposed to be louder. Maybe not really a good thing for headphone systems all the time, but since high-end sources are typically used with speakers, it's less noticeable there.
wink.gif

 
When I previously owned the BHSE, I also owned a pair of the Analysis Plus Silver Oval in both XLR and RCA along with it. I heard some differences between the balanced vs unbalanced output that were obviously due to the source alone and not the cables.
 
Sep 21, 2013 at 5:10 AM Post #4,012 of 9,881
I guess the Dacs in the K01 being balanced the XLR will be purer since their must be more stuff in the signal path to get the AKM4399s to put out single ended. So running XLR youll hear more what the SR-009 (or any other phone your using) really sounds like.
So K-01(very linear in XLR mode) and BHSE being very linear what you hear is the recording and the phones, at least in theory:)
 
Sep 21, 2013 at 5:35 AM Post #4,013 of 9,881
I find the opposite with my GS-Xmk2, using XLR's with that amp sounds a lot better than with RAC's.
Regarding my K-01, at the time I got it my intention was only to use CD's and SACD's, and it's only in the last 4 or 5 months I've started using it's DAC, but to my hearing I can't hear any difference between using CD's and it's DAC, I am 52 though.
As I've mentioned, I didn't get the K-01 just for it's SQ, looks and build quality also had a big influence.
I'm not saying using XLR's with the BHSE / 009 / K-01 makes that combo sound bad because they don't, with some songs using XLR's the SQ is a lot better than with RCA's, it's I just prefer the SQ using RCA's with most of the songs I listen to.


David, what cables are you using for K01 and BHSE? My suggestion is at this level of electronics, a careful selection of cables is a must as the 009s are the most sensitive phones on the planet still in production. My 009s are able to reflect every small tweaks I've done to the system, among which changing cables is one of the most obvious. Based on your system, 009s do have the tendency of being slightly on the bright side, K01 is not a source famous for warm and lush presentation but neutrality and tons of details. Silver cables are generally not recommended except for those top of the line, maybe that's why your 009s sound better with copper RCA than with silver XLR.
 
Sep 21, 2013 at 7:52 AM Post #4,015 of 9,881
David, what cables are you using for K01 and BHSE? My suggestion is at this level of electronics, a careful selection of cables is a must as the 009s are the most sensitive phones on the planet still in production. My 009s are able to reflect every small tweaks I've done to the system, among which changing cables is one of the most obvious. Based on your system, 009s do have the tendency of being slightly on the bright side, K01 is not a source famous for warm and lush presentation but neutrality and tons of details. Silver cables are generally not recommended except for those top of the line, maybe that's why your 009s sound better with copper RCA than with silver XLR.


The last time I posted what interconnects I use, ( XLR's only ) that post was removed, so sorry but I see no point in posting them again just to be removed again.
The cable used on Ian's interconnects is exactly the same as mine ( made by the same place ) apart from mine being XLR's and his being RCA's, but even if I prefer the RCA's Ian has more than the RCA's I have, it'll be along time before I'll be getting any, in fact it's going to be quite sometime before I get anymore audio equipment.
I've been living in my home for 2 years and every room needs decorating, and because I haven't a lot of spare money ( now ) I've just cancelled my order for the Aristaeus in order to start with home decorating.
Once my home is complete though, there's a very good chance I'll be ordering another stats amp, however by the time that happens Justin probably won't be building the Aristaeus anymore, but who knows he might be building the KGSSHV.
 
Sep 21, 2013 at 9:10 AM Post #4,017 of 9,881
   
Um, just a technical nitpick here but there are vanishingly few discrete balanced DACs on the market. Perhaps you meant something else but I read that literally, as in something like the dCS Ring DAC, which is one of the few discrete DACs that exist.
 
 
You do realize that you can't fairly evaluate XLR interconnects to an RCA pair, right? You're listening to balanced versus unbalanced and assuming your source is dual-differential, the balanced output is going to sound different (i.e., better) on principle.
 
Btw, on properly-designed balanced sources, the balanced output is twice the level of the unbalanced output - i.e., if the unbalanced output is 2V RMS, the balanced output is 4V RMS. It's supposed to be louder. Maybe not really a good thing for headphone systems all the time, but since high-end sources are typically used with speakers, it's less noticeable there.
wink.gif

 
When I previously owned the BHSE, I also owned a pair of the Analysis Plus Silver Oval in both XLR and RCA along with it. I heard some differences between the balanced vs unbalanced output that were obviously due to the source alone and not the cables.

 
Your right, I didn't type it correctly. Should have said fully balanced discrete DAC. From the Platinum DAC III manual:
 
"The Platinum is fully balanced so there is a matched pair of 24 bit DAC modules for the inverted and noninverted signals on each of the right and left channels."
 
"One of our primary goals at MSB is to provide the music lover with the most accurate musical experience possible. During years of careful
design and improvement of our custom discrete DACs, which form the heart of your Platinum DAC,"
 
The whole point of the question was to find out if anyone else was doing the same thing (just because it's balanced, should you only use balanced...)
 
Sep 21, 2013 at 10:44 AM Post #4,018 of 9,881
The last time I posted what interconnects I use, ( XLR's only ) that post was removed, so sorry but I see no point in posting them again just to be removed again.
The cable used on Ian's interconnects is exactly the same as mine ( made by the same place ) apart from mine being XLR's and his being RCA's, but even if I prefer the RCA's Ian has more than the RCA's I have, it'll be along time before I'll be getting any, in fact it's going to be quite sometime before I get anymore audio equipment.
I've been living in my home for 2 years and every room needs decorating, and because I haven't a lot of spare money ( now ) I've just cancelled my order for the Aristaeus in order to start with home decorating.
Once my home is complete though, there's a very good chance I'll be ordering another stats amp, however by the time that happens Justin probably won't be building the Aristaeus anymore, but who knows he might be building the KGSSHV.


Buy some DNM Reson wire and build it with the Neutrik Gold over copper XLR plugs, if youre not happy with the sound I will buy the wire from you, I used this wire with tje APL NWO-M player I had.
 
Sep 21, 2013 at 11:39 AM Post #4,019 of 9,881
Buy some DNM Reson wire and build it with the Neutrik Gold over copper XLR plugs, if youre not happy with the sound I will buy the wire from you, I used this wire with tje APL NWO-M player I had.


I've never said I'm not happy with the XLR's I have, in fact using them with my GS-Xmk2 I couldn't be happier, I just prefer to use RCA's with my BHSE.
There will be better RCA interconnects available over the ones I'm using though.
 
Sep 22, 2013 at 12:25 AM Post #4,020 of 9,881
Hi Justin,
 
  That was pass eight month from I order BHSE.
 
  I send more email  to seek advice from you  about BHSE setup finish time in current two months. But very disappointed, I has not receive your reply.
 
  So, Hope you can attach importance to that, And tell me the BHSE setup finish time. Thanks!
 
  My email: 13925362288@139.com
 

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