Headamp Blue Hawaii Special Edition
Sep 22, 2013 at 5:42 AM Post #4,021 of 9,881
I am a user of K01 too. But I don't think the K01 XLR is a must.

I have the K01 connect both XLR and RCA, XLR with +6DB connected on headphone amp and RCA for speaker amp. The XLR pair are stealth sakra v10. And  RCA pair are nordost Odin. I feel that use of XLR for Headphone better only because of the sound stage. 


Stupid me, I forgot about the K-01 having a setting which allows either 0dB or +6dB ( XLR only ) , and I've been using +6dB for quite sometime not realising it.
So every time I've compared my XLR's to my RCA's there's been a 6dB difference which is no wonder the XLR's sounded more intense than the RCA's.
It's also made me wonder if there's any difference between silver cable and copper, I say that because I've just compared my interconnects again with the BHSE only, and with the 0dB setting on my source, and I could hear no difference between the two interconnects.
I do hear a difference though between using the 4 pin XLR socket on the GS-X, and the normal headphone socket, because I only use XLR's from my source, and using the 4 pin socket sounds a lot better.
 
Sep 22, 2013 at 7:42 AM Post #4,022 of 9,881
Interconnects and sockets are only a part the connection, your amp and DAC utilise specific components for fully balanced and SE circuits. So whilst your comparing your cables, you are also comparing two completely different audio standards and circuitry. Theoretically there would be more of a plauseable difference between this than any metal compound used in the production of the interconnects.
 
Sep 23, 2013 at 3:46 AM Post #4,023 of 9,881
   
I have a similar experience regarding the soundstage, which is why it sounds better up to a certain level of volume than RCA. But once you exceed that level, RCA seems to do a better job since there is 1/2 the output gain (with SR-009). The differences in soundstage are not huge, I think just noticeable where you can tell there's a difference. Both are still very good, but if I fell the need to listen louder (w/o losing sound quality), I toggle to RCA.
 
Pretty sure my DAC uses all four DAC modules in either SE or XLR.
 
Output Switch – There is toggle switch , marked BAL and S. This is a new feature, which allows the unit to use all four DAC modules in
a Single Ended system. The Balanced setting (BAL) is the standard setting and will work in all systems. The Single ended setting (S.)
is for Single ended systems only.

 
Hello Golfnutz.
 
"New feature": are you talking about the K-01, or another DAC?
 
Sep 23, 2013 at 7:30 AM Post #4,026 of 9,881
John stop ruining it for everyone. Ruiner.

 
Bahaha. Just keeping the pixie dust at an even keel. 
 
   
MSB Platinum DAC III

 
At a guess they’d be some kind of additional buffering through SE outputs even if all DACs are firing, probably adding some flavour into the mix.
wink.gif

 
Sep 24, 2013 at 2:25 PM Post #4,028 of 9,881
I have gone for Blue. I'm not at all sure how it will look in real life though.
 
Macrog
 
Sep 24, 2013 at 5:00 PM Post #4,029 of 9,881
Silver one is super nice as well.  All BHSEs are a work of art.  :)
 
Sep 24, 2013 at 8:37 PM Post #4,030 of 9,881
Sep 25, 2013 at 10:06 AM Post #4,032 of 9,881
  I have gone for Blue. I'm not at all sure how it will look in real life though.
 
Macrog

 
Blue is the color all the COOL KIDS get :wink:  It's actually quite lovely, a rather bright yet deep blue.  Certainly nothing youre used to in audiophile gear, but it will make you smile :) 
 

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