[Whazzzup]

sorry Nothing to add

 

[Articnoise]

So far I haven't met a headphone cable that wasn't balanced (= 4 conductors). The difference is just in the termination. So I guess balanced and single-ended cables from the same brand and with the same name are identical except for the plug(s).

There is no advantage to having four different conductors in an SE cable. On the contrary, it is a waste.

 

[JaZZ]

There is no advantage to having four different conductors in an SE cable. On the contrary, it is a waste.

I beg to differ: 2 headphone drivers make for 2x 2 conductors. Reducing them to 1x 3 at one point would require either a stereo input socket at one of the earpieces or an additional solder joint at the Y splitter.

 

[Articnoise]

I beg to differ: 2 headphone drivers make for 2x 2 conductors. Reducing them to 1x 3 at one point would require either a stereo input socket at one of the earpieces or an additional solder joint at the Y splitter.

I have no idea why you keep debating this jazz. This is the most basic of basic.

Singel ended

The cable's grounded shield is used for both signal transmission and noise rejection.

Balanced

Four identical wires are used for signal transmission. The grounded cable shield is used only for noise protection.

https://robrobinette.com/Push-Pull_Vs_Single-Ended_and_Balanced_Vs_Unbalanced.htm

 

[Super Pang]

Please tell, no harm either way

Not a huge fan of Hi-fi Choice but their group tests are often useful so I downloaded the digital edition out of curiosity.

Auralic Vega G1 (Recommended)
Bel Canto DAC 2.7
Chord Electronics Hugo TT2 (Group Test Winner)
Hegel HD30
PS Audio Directstream (Recommended)
T&A DAC 8 DSD (Recommended)

It seemed like quite a clear win which is all the more impressive considering some of the others have streaming features. I like how they described the Directstream as being "for people who want a DAC that sounds like a very good turntable". Many seem to. Personally I like my turntable to sound like a very good turntable and my DAC to sound like a very good DAC.

 

[Hooster]

I beg to differ: 2 headphone drivers make for 2x 2 conductors. Reducing them to 1x 3 at one point would require either a stereo input socket at one of the earpieces or an additional solder joint at the Y splitter.

 

[JaZZ]

I have no idea why you keep debating this jazz.

Because I'm a Head-Fi member and like to share my experience.

I don't know what real headphone cable (brand, type) above (first) picture would represent, but you can easily imagine that the common ground can't remain common ground on the driver side. You would have to disentangle the common-ground strand and make two out of them manually, but I've never seen such a solution myself, and it wouldn't make sense, nor would it save material (copper/silver) or money compared to the common 4-wire concept. It only makes «some» sense for cables that are plugged into a one-sided stereo socket.

Fact is that of the many («single-ended») headphone cables I've had and reterminated every single one was balanced internally. Speak: Sennheiser, HiFiMan, HEDD Audio, Lavricables, Norne Audio, Beyerdynamic, AKG, Sony...

 

[varadero xl1000v]

Hi Guys.

I would like to share one thought with you: Suppose someone who loves music very much wants to buy everything they need to enjoy digital playback. I have the Hugo tt2, and I am waiting to receive the M Scaler as well. But I know this is not the "End of the Road"!

I read that you need an external clock, a network switch, and good quality cables to connect them.

Question: Do you think the above is necessary, or not? Would you recommend me to make such purchases? in addition to these, there are other devices that help playback?

I would like your experience ..

Good morning Guys. In the continuation of the post, I quote the following link that concerns another network switch at an affordable price. If anyone bites him, I would like his opinion.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjABegQIBRAB&usg=AOvVaw30BvgAS9d1FoF9reR6AxFu

Please also read the review by ...... amir. If this person is reliable for you ..
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...el-bonn-n8-audio-grade-ethernet-switch.12360/

 

[JM1979]

Can anyone give a comparison between the TT2 vs comparably priced R2R Dacs?

 

[Triode User]

Can anyone give a comparison between the TT2 vs comparably priced R2R Dacs?

At various times friends have brought their R2R DACs to my house to show off their new toy. I am afraid that to my ears they all have a similar sound signature in that the bass treble and mid all play away in their own little worlds without ever coming together to create music. I often tell my friends that it is as if the sum of the parts never comes together to make a whole. I sold my TT2 a while back but when we swop back to other Chord DACs here everything just relaxes back into an 'oh, yes' moment. Sorry but I fail to see any attraction in the R2R dacs.

 

[Amberlamps]

At various times friends have brought their R2R DACs to my house to show off their new toy. I am afraid that to my ears they all have a similar sound signature in that the bass treble and mid all play away in their own little worlds without ever coming together to create music. I often tell my friends that it is as if the sum of the parts never comes together to make a whole. I sold my TT2 a while back but when we swop back to other Chord DACs here everything just relaxes back into an 'oh, yes' moment. Sorry but I fail to see any attraction in the R2R dacs.

The attraction is...... they come with a free ladder.

 

[Arniesb]

At various times friends have brought their R2R DACs to my house to show off their new toy. I am afraid that to my ears they all have a similar sound signature in that the bass treble and mid all play away in their own little worlds without ever coming together to create music. I often tell my friends that it is as if the sum of the parts never comes together to make a whole. I sold my TT2 a while back but when we swop back to other Chord DACs here everything just relaxes back into an 'oh, yes' moment. Sorry but I fail to see any attraction in the R2R dacs.

I think some people like distortion and rolled of highs r2r dacs bring. Chord Fpga and Chips based designs have much shorter signal paths so less roll of and more speed across the board and not everyone like this. Ofc many people use usb as source so any accurate dac will highlight its problems, but more colored dacs can make bad source more listenable. Just my opinion.

 

[Jon L]

Sorry but I fail to see any attraction in the R2R dacs.

I do sometimes wonder if people's hearing and brain are truly processed and wired differently. I'm not a fan of R2R DAC's, either, but when I see people swearing by them in the same room, I have to wonder... Subjective perception is such an impossible thing to measure, document, and compare.

 

[Crazeenick]

Does anyone have any ideas as to how I can EQ my headphones when used with a Chord Hugo TT2/Mscaler? My old DAC was the RME-ADI-2 which included a 5 band parametric EQ which I found very useful to EQ my various headphones (and sometimes tweak the EQ to my speakers also). I am going to miss having that facility when I get my new TT2/Mscaler.

I know people use Equalizer APO for Windows on their computer, but I don't use a computer as my source - I use an Innuos Zen Mk3 (FLACs). I am told I could apply EQ using Roon - but I don't currently use Roon and I'm not sure I want it. I could EQ in the analogue domain by passing the output of the TT2 via a Schiit Loki 4-band equaliser into my Naim Supernait2 integrated amp and plugging my headphones into that. However, I suspect the headphone output on the TT2 will be superior to that on my Supernait2. So it seems I'd have to choose between (a) having no EQ but better sound direct from the TT2 or (b) slightly poorer sound via my SN2 amp, but with the EQ I want.

So what to do about EQ? Any other ideas?

 

[Rob Watts]

I do sometimes wonder if people's hearing and brain are truly processed and wired differently. I'm not a fan of R2R DAC's, either, but when I see people swearing by them in the same room, I have to wonder... Subjective perception is such an impossible thing to measure, document, and compare.

I agree - to me R2R sound as bad as they measure, and when you measure them they are not fit for purpose. So I too don't understand where fans of this are coming from.

Subjective assessment does not need to be impossible - if you are very careful, and evaluate different parameters separately, it is entirely possible to objectively quantify subjective listening tests - but it is very hard to do accurately.