[Convolver]

If pin 3 on the XLR to RCA cable is not connected, it will work.

I ordered such a cable with pin 3 disconnected, so we’ll know this weekend if the included 4mm to XLR can be easily converted to L/R RCA plugs for line level input.

 

[ianjturner]

I ordered such a cable with pin 3 disconnected, so we’ll know this weekend if the included 4mm to XLR can be easily converted to L/R RCA plugs for line level input.

Ah yes I remember that little nugget from Seb!

My understanding, (and if someone could verify and would be much appreciated) is that Pin 3 is the -ve side to the balanced signal, and often the one which, when converting using a direct adapter will get shorted with ground. I guess this is less ugly for unbalanced to balanced, which might be why they exist at all? But a horror story for going the way we are trying to, balanced to unbalanced.

So I -think- what Seb may be saying is use the +ve side balanced signal as the RCA signal, and ground -> ground will mean that a signal of some sort makes it to the receiving amp. Leaving the -ve side of each amp floating with the Diablo is an ok thing to do.

So sorry I have this terrible habit of having to understand -everything- that's going on. :-D Just wouldn't want any breakages. Do shoot me down if this is wrong Head-fiers. I can take it.

 

[Sebastien Chiu]

A few million posts ago we were trying to figure out how to connect the Diablo balanced line out to an RCA input of an unbalanced amp. Is there a recommended way (obviously not a dodgy straight adapter/cable which will cause short circuits somewhere in the circuit, which iFi sensibly recommend against), or are you guys saying it's either a) use the unbalanced headphone out or b) get a balanced amp? I have seen that circuits to solve this do exist... and if anyone knows it'll be iFi!

I ordered such a cable with pin 3 disconnected, so we’ll know this weekend if the included 4mm to XLR can be easily converted to L/R RCA plugs for line level input.

So I -think- what Seb may be saying is use the +ve side balanced signal as the RCA signal, and ground -> ground will mean that a signal of some sort makes it to the receiving amp. Leaving the -ve side of each amp floating with the Diablo is an ok thing to do.

Your summation is pretty much correct.

If you guys would like a more technical answer again, happy to follow up with our tech team and go back to my post a million posts ago as well!

 

[ianjturner]

If you guys would like a more technical answer again, happy to follow up with our tech team and go back to my post a million posts ago as well!

This would be awesome Seb, I actually find it all very fascinating, and I'm sure others here would appreciate?

 

[Sebastien Chiu]

This would be awesome Seb, I actually find it all very fascinating, and I'm sure others here would appreciate?

In a nutshell, my response was as follows:

Using the included 4.4 to XLR cable is fine. We don't advise using the XLR to RCA cable because we don't know what connections are inside it. Some have 3 pins (cold signal) connected to the ground, which means it would short out the negative 4.4 output and isn't compatible.

If pin 3 on the XLR to RCA cable is not connected, it will work.

Our wiring is to the AES/EBU standard and some are not.

 

[S0undJunk1e]

I upsample to DSD256 when using Mac OS X and DSD512 when using Windows 10 Pro, but the best sound you will have is with HQPlayer, way better than Audirvana! Give it a try: https://www.signalyst.com/consumer.html it is fully functional, but in trial mode plays only 30 minutes.

Can you use HQ player with Tidal? I've been looking for a way to improve the sound without subscribing to Roon.

 

[t12ta]

Can charge batteries when Diablo is on?

 

[Bob Parish]

Can you use HQ player with Tidal?

No, with Audirvana yes...
I don't use stream services like Tidal, when I like I buy the album!
Are you thinking in try HQPlayer?
BTW, I hate MQA...

 

[deanbone]

Can charge batteries when Diablo is on?

Yes. Been using my diablo all day every day. Died yesterday so I charged it while using it and unplugged it after a while and it continued to work.

 

[deanbone]

In a nutshell, my response was as follows:

Using the included 4.4 to XLR cable is fine. We don't advise using the XLR to RCA cable because we don't know what connections are inside it. Some have 3 pins (cold signal) connected to the ground, which means it would short out the negative 4.4 output and isn't compatible.

If pin 3 on the XLR to RCA cable is not connected, it will work.

Our wiring is to the AES/EBU standard and some are not.

Any news on a firmware update? Need any beta testers? If you do I know a guy who go's by the name of me

 

[Bob Parish]

No, with Audirvana yes...
I don't use stream services like Tidal, when I like I buy the album!
Are you thinking in try HQPlayer?
BTW, I hate MQA...

The latest version support headphone parametric corrections from https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq.
There you will find EQ corrections for almost every headphone on the market. I'm using the attached one.
Another great advantage is the use of a very high quality volume control, for reduce some dB's and compensate the Diablo so high gain.

 

[S0undJunk1e]

No, with Audirvana yes...
I don't use stream services like Tidal, when I like I buy the album!
Are you thinking in try HQPlayer?
BTW, I hate MQA...

Tidal, for me, is the great compromise. The overall best blend of cd quality or better streaming and overall music selection. Tried Qobuz, sounded fantastic but I hated the music selection. I am actually trying Audirvana right now. It's a pretty nice improvement over Tidal's app.

 

[Bob Parish]

Tidal, for me, is the great compromise. The overall best blend of cd quality or better streaming and overall music selection. Tried Qobuz, sounded fantastic but I hated the music selection. I am actually trying Audirvana right now. It's a pretty nice improvement over Tidal's app.

With HQPlayer you'll have access to so many headphone corrections equalizers:

https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/tree/rework-targets/results/headphonecom/headphonecom_harman_over-ear_2018

https://github.com/jaakkopasanen/AutoEq/tree/rework-targets/results/innerfidelity/innerfidelity_harman_over-ear_2018

Basically, I use Audirvana for organize my library, much better than HQPlayer!

 

[ianjturner]

Zeos checks out the Diablo! You’ll have to pay for his Patreon (ZeosPantera, totally recommend tier 2) or wait for YouTube but in short he loves the sound, said it’s king of the ‘trans-portables’ (haha) for sound quality. Sits in the middle between linear and not.
He has a tiny gripe about the little Turbo/Eco/Normal button because he tends to over press and can skip over to Turbo but that’s not a huge issue because it mutes for a short period to let you save yourself! For me that’s not an issue since I’ll use the Diablo with one or two headphones and don’t use the button mid play. Most certainly worth a watch, a greatly balanced (pun intended) review from him as always.
Oh and he has a mini rant about MQA at the end - couldn’t agree more, it makes no sense to partially compress music at HD with downsides like being unable to tweak the sound, not even for volume levelling. As mentioned previously I can hear huge differences between true HD and MQA using the Diablo and MQA is missing something. Sounds badly filtered somehow.

I’ll take a GTO firmware though, on the Micro BL that was sublime.

 

[deanbone]

Zeos checks out the Diablo! You’ll have to pay for his Patreon (ZeosPantera, totally recommend tier 2) or wait for YouTube but in short he loves the sound, said it’s king of the ‘trans-portables’ (haha) for sound quality. Sits in the middle between linear and not.
He has a tiny gripe about the little Turbo/Eco/Normal button because he tends to over press and can skip over to Turbo but that’s not a huge issue because it mutes for a short period to let you save yourself! For me that’s not an issue since I’ll use the Diablo with one or two headphones and don’t use the button mid play. Most certainly worth a watch, a greatly balanced (pun intended) review from him as always.
Oh and he has a mini rant about MQA at the end - couldn’t agree more, it makes no sense to partially compress music at HD with downsides like being unable to tweak the sound, not even for volume levelling. As mentioned previously I can hear huge differences between true HD and MQA using the Diablo and MQA is missing something. Sounds badly filtered somehow.

I’ll take a GTO firmware though, on the Micro BL that was sublime.

Yeah I watched the vid a few hours ago, really wanted to seem him hook up the TIN P2 because they sound great on the Diablo. Zeos $10 patreon is definitely worth it even if your not a fan of his content, its worth it just for access to the telegram group, a lot of great like minded people and professionals there. For me I haven had issues pushing the gain switched further than intended because it pretty stiff but because it's between the outputs and the volume I often knock the volume when trying to change the gain lol but its not a big deal. Yeah that's definitely one of the reasons I don't use MQA, because replaygain breaks it, and that it's just a big money making scheme and there's literally no benefit to using MQA lol.