[Cecala]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bradman /img/forum/go_quote.gif On the HR product page for the Astrodyne, by reading well between the lines, I'm given the impression that it might handle the max modules at a pinch, but even they are rather dubious of this.

I concur, Forum member 'Thesloth' states that the Astrodyne will handle Max+Max.

 

[Redo]

Again, I only used the MicroAMP. I thought the K701's were to die for, but on my MicroAMP they were hard sounding as stated above. It honestly was the brightest amp I tried at the entire Milwaukee meet, by a far shot.


The Home or Max modules may smooth things out, but that wasn't my experience with my MicroAMP Desktop.

 

[Soundinista]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cecala /img/forum/go_quote.gif I concur, Forum member 'Thesloth' states that the Astrodyne will handle Max+Max.

It would be very nice to have this matter settled here. I like my Max+Max single-ended Desktop a lot and am seriously thinking of buying a second Desktop. But I can't afford multiplying those DPS's. So, if I do get the second Desktop, it will have to be with the Astrodyne brick. Then the matter of configuration comes up: Is it really good enough for Max+Max? Only Home Module+Max DAC? Or must it be a Home+Home combo? And how close is a Home+Home to a Max+Max SQ-wise? And am I right in believing that the difference in DAC affects the sound more significantly than the difference in module?

Great thread, guys. I don't think I can add to what I've read here. In any case, my impressions on the Stepped Attenuator pretty much coincide with Feifan's (it will be on my next Desktop, if there's a next one), and, like Hardwired and others, I could use Wes Phillips' words to describe this amp/dac combo: it sounds "big and warm" and very deep in the bass.

Cheers,

 

[feifan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soundinista /img/forum/go_quote.gif It would be very nice to have this matter settled here. I like my Max+Max single-ended Desktop a lot

Me, too. Right now, I prefer it to the balanced DT.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soundinista /img/forum/go_quote.gif and am seriously thinking of buying a second Desktop. But I can't afford multiplying those DPS's. So, if I do get the second Desktop, it will have to be with the Astrodyne brick. Then the matter of configuration comes up: Is it really good enough for Max+Max? Only Home Module+Max DAC? Or must it be a Home+Home combo? And how close is a Home+Home to a Max+Max SQ-wise? And am I right in believing that the difference in DAC affects the sound more significantly than the difference in module?

My purely personal, subjective estimate is that the DT Max+Max sounds better with the DTP. [EDIT: I meant DPS -- not DTP. Sorry for the confusion.]

 

[Cecala]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soundinista /img/forum/go_quote.gif ........ it will have to be with the Astrodyne brick. Then the matter of configuration comes up: Is it really good enough for Max+Max? Only Home Module+Max DAC? Or must it be a Home+Home combo? And how close is a Home+Home to a Max+Max SQ-wise? And am I right in believing that the difference in DAC affects the sound more significantly than the difference in module?

I found these threads very interesting and you might too. Answers quite a bit.
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...=136059&page=2
and
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=256079

 

[Soundinista]

Feifan, your opinion in this matter will be very important to me. Thanks! But I don't know what the DTP is. Do you mean DPS?

 

[Soundinista]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cecala /img/forum/go_quote.gif I found these threads very interesting and you might too. Answers quite a bit. http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...=136059&page=2 and http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=256079

Hey, Cecala, thanks much! I see I'm walking right behind you, duplicating your questions without knowing it!

Must be the right questions!

Those are very informative threads indeed. The bad news for me is that I may need the Max DAC after all, given that I'll always use the Desktop DAC as source. Trouble is compounded by the claim that there is a noticeable difference between the Home and Max modules. So, I'm contemplating another Max+Max situation, which makes the Astrodyne vs. DPS question even more pressing. Since another DPS is out of the question with me...

 

[Soundinista]

The HeadRoom website has me completely befuddled now. Maybe somebody at HR can address this matter.

If I'm not mistaken, the forthcoming Ultra Micro Amp+Ultra Micro DAC combo will offer the very same sonic performance as one gets from the Max+Max Desktop (for $1 more). It's what I infer from the use of identical parts and from the language describing the new products. (Functional differences, such as the optional Stepped Attenuator on the one hand and portability on the other, are irrelevant here. We're talking SQ.) But, according to the Desktop page, a Max+Max combo requires a DPS, whereas the Ultra pages make no such requirement, implying that the accompanying wall-wart is good enough for the job. What gives? Have I missed something, or is the discrepancy real?

 

[Hardwired]

I noticed that too, and wondered about it. They also say the MAX components take up a lot more room in the Desktop case, but then they got them squeezed into a Micro case? Befuddled is a good word.

 

[bradman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soundinista /img/forum/go_quote.gif ... snip ... But, according to the Desktop page, a Max+Max combo requires a DPS, whereas the Ultra pages make no such requirement, implying that the accompanying wall-wart is good enough for the job. What gives? Have I missed something, or is the discrepancy real?

I believe I have this right, but jump in and correct me if I've got it arse about.

The Ultras, both the amp and the dac, use one Astrodyne power supply each. Each unit has its own Astrodyne all to itself and the astrodyne is perfectly capable of providing sufficient juice for a single module. If you want to, you can purchase the dps and run both the Ultra amp and Ultra dac off that, dispensing with the Astrodynes altogether. I expect the HR folks would tell you that the dps would give an sq improvement over the two Astrodynes in this situation. The Desktop amp, on the other hand, can only be plugged into a single power supply, so if the Astrodyne can't cut the mustard, you have to get the dps.

 

[MWALK]

Anyone have experience with HR Balanced Home with Max modules and Dac? I am currently using HRDTMaxed with Dac. This sounds very good being fed iTunes ALL from Macbook Pro via USB, BUT truely much finer sound is had when I go MBPro>USB>Wavelength Cosecant>HRDTMAX>701's. I wondering how much better the balanced MAX Home would be.

 

[Cecala]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soundinista /img/forum/go_quote.gif The bad news for me is that I may need the Max DAC after all, given that I'll always use the Desktop DAC as source. Trouble is compounded by the claim that there is a noticeable difference between the Home and Max modules.(

From what I have deduced from all of this is that having the Max module will be mandatory for me very soon, and for yourself all ready being a JVC Dx1000 owner. Its what gives these phones its superb sound(total control of the drivers by Class A Amplification). Now the Max dac component is a bit different in that if you mainly use USb as a connection then the topology's upsampling would be of great use as it removes jitter before being processed by the Cirrus Logic Dac. If you intend to use the Toslink(optical) or Coaxial input, one could argue that the 'Home' variant would suffice.

Another point that I feel compelled to bring up is this DPS Add-on. Having six outputs on the back, at least to me, seems of dubious value, how many people really make use of more than one? Why do I, or why should I have to pay for what seems like mere marketing? I suggest to Headroom that you make a power supply with one and only one output, period. It would be far cheaper and smaller and I bet would translate into many more sales.

 

[feifan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soundinista /img/forum/go_quote.gif Feifan, your opinion in this matter will be very important to me. Thanks! But I don't know what the DTP is. Do you mean DPS?

Yes, sorry for the confusion. I meant the DPS.

 

[feifan]

Jorge Cervera, Sales Manager/Staff Writer, HeadRoom Corporation, makes these comments re the Astrodyne and DPS in what appears to be a Korean discussion forum:

http://www.headphoneclub.net/zeroboa...sc=desc&no=510


[EDIT:] Max Dudious's article is long and focuses on the HRDB, but I found his take on the DPS and "brick" (I'm assuming he's referring to the Astrodyne) very useful:

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Iss...m_balanced.htm

 

[Cecala]

Thanks Feifan for the two very enlightening links.
Lets talk initially about numbers shall we as stated by the author on the second URl as provided.
a: Standard brick supplied with every Desktop=240mA
b: DPS as "required" for Home or Max setups=600mA
c: New Astrodyne power supply as an option=1.35A

These figures do not add up, how can the DPS provide a solely 600mA to provide up to 6 Desktops when 6x240mA=1.44A The DPS should at least provide double this figure(600mA) based on the standard brick supplied.
The Astodyne looks like it can be used across the board and falls in line with what Forum member 'TheSloth' has stated on the matter.

I will quote from the second link regarding the two power supply configurations compared to each other. Bare in mind that this was a Home+Home balanced setup where each board is duplicated. The Single ended variant Max+Max should I think use the same current or very closely so(This might need some clarification though).

"I recognize how the two power supplies could be taken as a matter of taste, or preference. I'd guess those who like a more refined presentation would like the traditional $400 DPS supply, and those who prefer a more dynamic presentation would like the $100 "Brick." And with the front-end all tricked out with digital feed, using the internal DAC, the balanced-drive feature, and the balanced line headphone cables, it becomes increasingly harder to make a case for either one over the other. The power supplies began to sound so similar, the differences so small, it was hard to choose."

Does anyone know or willing to make a guess why Headroom does not provide specs on their products?