[Headdie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by paara /img/forum/go_quote.gif So from digital (CD or mp3) to analog (reciver)to digital (DAC to pc)to (dac) analog (reciver) again

I'd rather say from analog tuner, to digital for processing, and back to analog for listening. The DSP is not to improve the sound fidelity, but to experiment with sound effects.

Now, you make me think about something I forgot : Would it be possible to use it as an analog headphone amplifier only, bypassing the ADC-DAC section ?

 

[hotaudio40]

No, that particular DAC - ADC doesn't have an analogue feed-through.

It just does digital conversion in to the PC and digital conversion out of the PC via the USB port.

 

[Wenglish]

Just as a quick heads up post, I'm still alive and plan on getting a review of the amp up soon. The last two weeks have been a whirlwind: came down with bronchitis, a pipe burst in my apartment, semester started, and a lot of sub calls.

I think I've listened to maybe four hours of music this past week? It's pretty awful.

 

[paara]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wenglish /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just as a quick heads up post, I'm still alive and plan on getting a review of the amp up soon. The last two weeks have been a whirlwind: came down with bronchitis, a pipe burst in my apartment, semester started, and a lot of sub calls. I think I've listened to maybe four hours of music this past week? It's pretty awful.

Hi Wenglish

Hope you are well or better now

I am stuck in Poland, with 8 more days left of my semester. While my new DAC supreme is waiting for me back in Norway, just waiting for its first digital-analogue mastering. Frustrating...

Looking forward to a review, I'll try to type something as well.

 

[goober-george]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pankkake /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's exactly what I have I am satisfied with it right now, however it's only been a few hours. It works pretty well - and it works under Linux, that's one of the main reasons I chose it (I'm aware that pretty much all USB DACs should work with Linux, but some are not and I didn't want to take a risk). I feel like I miss an hardware volume changer, though. But after setting a few keyboard hotkeys or my tux droid remote to change the volume it will almost be as practical.

I also own the HD-595 can you explain what improvements you've noticed?

 

[Wenglish]

First, let me state that someone with more listening and reviewing experience would do a much better job than me. So if this review is no good it's their fault because they didn't do a review first (and thus make my review obsolete before I even wrote it).

After some intensive, extended (and a lot more inattentive, sporadic) listening, here are my thoughts on Dave’s TPA6120a2 portable amp w/ digital volume and balance control.

I’m going to start with negatives, because frankly, that’s a short list.

My first complaint: no power LED. I knew that there wasn't one when I ordered and it's not all that hard to remember to turn the amp off when you're not using it. But with an LED it'd be easier to tell with a quick glance if the unit was powered on.

I don’t have much to say on battery life mainly because I haven’t paid enough attention to it. The Panasonic 9v that shipped with the amp didn’t last 24 hours, I can’t say exactly when it died, but it stopped playing sometime while I was asleep (which was after the 16 hour mark). The 280mah 9vs I have last a while, but I haven’t had that much listening time of late. I can’t really complain as I have enough time to charge a 9v before I need to swap it out, but if you’re looking for an amp that’s going to last 200 hours then you’ll be disappointed.

Other than that, the only negative I have about this amp is that with my JVC HA-RX700s there is a noticeable hiss throughout the volume range. I did not have this hiss with my Ultrasone HFI 2200s. I made a post specifically about this earlier in the thread, but the short hand version is that it’s a non-issue for practical listening for me.

On the positive side of things let me restate my happiness with the build quality. The battery slot, while not overly snug, fits my oversized rechargables nicely (so no worries about not being able to fit those slightly oversized 9v batteries in). No complaints about the battery door, jacks, or volume pot, either.

Also, to reinforce another one of my previous statements—I can’t detect any channel imbalance at lower volume levels. I find myself using the amp as my sole volume control, which is quite nice for late night listening/lazy people like me who don’t want to move to adjust the volume.

And now for the part that everyone really cares about, how this amp sounds.

As for listening notes…well, the majority of my listening is with my 2200s. They are better than the JVCs in every facet (except in isolation, but that’s open vs. closed). And given their price difference that’s how it should be.

I plugged the JVCs straight into the HotUSB1, put on Blitzkrieg (I’ve been on an old school kick), and get a nice, clean sound. The DAC does a great job over my onboard sound; I have a review a few pages back in the thread. It feels like the recording has some breathing room but the bottom end is lacking any real power, the highs are a bit bland, and the mids have a hollow quality (which really isn’t a quality at all).

Plugging them into the amp (leaving the amp at default ½ volume) brings about a definite change. It feels like I’ve moved up a few rows, the music is closer. Bottom end still lacks a real kick, but it’s got more power (without becoming boomy or messy, it just has an actual presence now). The highs have maybe a tad more sparkle to them, nothing to write home about, but these are cheapo cans. Most importantly the mids don’t sound so hollow—they’re not liquid, they’re not viscous, but they just sound much more there.

I’ve been A/Bing Nocturnal Vision. The intro has some nice drum fills and bass guitar; the latter half of the song has this great Motorhead-inspired driving riff. The amp really improves how the JVCs handle the song.

Switching over to the 2200s—and sticking with Nocturnal Vision because I like the song—the HotUSB1 alone presents a better sound than the JVCs with the amp. It’s not nearly as loud—the HotUSB1 alone can’t quite drive the 2200s to loud volumes, but a good sound nonetheless. For the intro the cymbals have a great sparkle, the drums sound great and varied. The bass guitar lacks distinction in the intro, though. For the second half of the song the guitars are a bit flat, and the bass guitar is a little buried, but that’s more of me looking for things to complain about.

Adding in the amp and the intro sounds much better—the drums sound about the same, but now there’s more definition and separation for the bass guitar. The amp really helps with the second half of the song—the bass driven riff sounds much more up front and alive and to me that’s not a bad thing—this is heavy metal; it’s supposed to be in your face. The soundstage doesn’t change as much with the 2200s, I feel, but that could just be the S-logic presentation making itself felt.

This amp and the 2200s make for some tight, punchy (but not boomy or muddy) bass. I can’t call it head slam—but putting on Dark Eternal Night off the latest Dream Theater really comes close to it. Overall I'd say that the mids and highs seem a little warm.

The only thing I haven’t mentioned yet is price. I got mine shipped to my door for around $70 from one of the auctions David is running—and for $70 I really can’t complain. There just isn’t much competition at that price point (Gary’s pa2v2 comes to mind, and then there are DIY projects).

I wish I had some other amps around to make some comparisons with. Eventually, I’ll get them and make comparisons. Until then, I’ll just enjoy this amp because it’s doing quite nicely for me.

 

[paara]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wenglish /img/forum/go_quote.gif REVIEW

Thanks Wenglish

 

[hotaudio40]

I think that is a very honest and informative review!

Thanks very much!

I appreciate you taking the time to do that and hope your feeling better so you can listen to more music

hotaudio40

 

[Pariah1]

I'd like to just chime in here and say that although I decided to buy another DAC then the HOTAUDIO SUPREME PCM2702 (the Blue Circle Audio Thingee based on my preference for the more nuetral sound that it is supposed to have compared to the descriptions I have read of Dave's more "warm" sounding DACs), I emailed Dave with some questions about his DACs and he quickly responded and gave informative answers. Though the Blue Circle Audio dealer I ordered from did give me detailed responses to my emails I sent them as well, they weren't as quick in response. In fact, having bought various audio gear from Usher speakers to vintage recievers to headphones to PMP's over the past few years from audio dealers and ebay merchants and thus dealing with many sellers, I have to say that Dave was the best with customer service, even though I didn't buy anything from him!

I have a week to try out my Thingee when it comes, and if I do not care for its sound I will send it back and buy the PCM2702 from Dave, as it was and is my second choice. And I may have to buy one in the future anyway even if I like the Thingee, just to hear what it has to offer!

So thanks to Dave for excellent customer service, even to a (as of now) non-customer!

 

[hotaudio40]

Hey "customers" are my bread and butter and I treat them the same way that I'd want to be treated, sometimes better then I treat myself

Anyways, Thanks!

A little off topic,

Today I was testing a DAC with a new amp set up.

I was using an old "HI-FI NEWS TEST DISC".

Well I was having a blast with track #13 which is a wicked drum type riff, but I made a mistake...

I hit one of the upper tracks by accident...

All the upper tracks are sine waves and as fate would have it, the track I happened upon was a like 15k sine wave but unfortunately it played at the same volume that I was listening to the Drum riff at...

So I smoked both my tweeters in about a 1/4 of a second!

At first I had thought I had smoked my upper hearing, as I was sitting pretty close the speakers when they fried...

But no, my hearing is intact

at least most of it is...

So basically what I would like to know is:

Can I get replacement tweeters ( Part # d26tf-06 ) or am I pretty much SOL ???

Of course I looked on google, but I couldn't find anything. I know there must be a replacement or something close.

If anyone knows of a suitable replacement, and something within a budget, as I'm still on a pretty tight budget, I'd like to hear what a good replacement would be or perhaps maybe I should just go with a whole new set of speakers.

So be warned!!!

Never use a test CD with your amp cranked right up as it is a pretty simple thing to select the wrong track and blow your speakers to bits!!!

hotaudio40

 

[Bherserk]

Just got my supreme, and even though it's only got 12 minutes on it I like it already.

I can only join in on the recommendations of hotaudio, the customer experience is great.

 

[paara]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotaudio40 /img/forum/go_quote.gif So basically what I would like to know is: Can I get replacement tweeters ( Part # d26tf-06 ) or am I pretty much SOL ???

Might want to try Vifa - Contact us
ask if they have some laying around

 

[paara]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bherserk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just got my supreme, and even though it's only got 12 minutes on it I like it already. I can only join in on the recommendations of hotaudio, the customer experience is great.

If this is the tweeter you have:

Spec: Nominal Impedance6 Ohm
Nominal Power (IEC 268-5)90W
Frequency range3-30kHz
Sensitivity88dB
Effective Diaphram7.1 cm2
Voice Coil Resistance4.6 Ohm
Operating power6.4W
Voice coil Diameter26mm
Voice coil Height1.6mm
Air gap height2mm
Free air resonance1500 Hz
Moving Mass0.27g
Force factor2.3 Txm
Magnet weight104g

They sell them here: Vifa items main
and here http://diyparadiso.com/price/stock-speakers.htm (Vifa D26TF-05/06 dometweeter)

 

[paara]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bherserk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just got my supreme, and even though it's only got 12 minutes on it I like it already. I can only join in on the recommendations of hotaudio, the customer experience is great.

Daves supremes are popular amongst the Norwegians

 

[hotaudio40]

Hey thanks allot!!!
Those are my tweeters

How did you find that ???

I looked all over google and couldn't find them...

Do you have inside connections

Yes, I will check them out for sure, but now I'm thinking I may totally upgrade my PSBs, even though I really enjoyed them, my neighbor, who happens to be a HUGE speaker buff, and has been making his own speaker boxes since he was a kid, says he will take them off my hands

But, then again, they sound very nice too me, so I may end up keeping them.

It's the classic case of do I spend the money on the fix, or do I do a complete upgrade and perhaps use them for mid-range, as they do sound very nice without the tweeters

Thanks so much for your help again,
Now I have options!

And yes.... I do sell allot of my 'Supremes' to Norway...

Who would have thought!

Hotaudio40