fishski13
Member of the Trade: SolderWorksAudio
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2004
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hey john, what new DAC do you have? mind linky/emailing/PMing me some p0rn?
one of the problem is the RCA plug. RCA always have more choice then xlr.
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...
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.