h1f1add1cted
1000+ Head-Fier
The TT2 is set to amp mode I guess? Try 64 or 96 ohms impedance setting from iESL.
iFi Audio Pro iESL - The Official Thread
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That's what I'd suggest, thanks!
jamesjames
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As I've said, the iESL is the most satisfying energiser I've encountered - particularly when paired with my Moon HA430. I think it also sounds excellent when paired with the iCan - although the balanced output option seems better to me than the HDMI link. Can you provide a little more information about the HDMI link? I have only ever associated HDMI with digital (and perhaps power). Is there some digital processing going on with the HDMI (unlike the balanced out)?
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No digital processing there, both Pro iESL and Pro iCAN are fully analog devices. We use HDMI as an interface to conveniently connect the two, that's all there is to it
jamesjames
500+ Head-Fier
Many thanks.No digital processing there, both Pro iESL and Pro iCAN are fully analog devices. We use HDMI as an interface to conveniently connect the two, that's all there is to it
i usee amp mode..thank you..
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Sure, anytime!
Ive been unable to find clear info on this; how exactly does the front XLR headphone out hook up? From what I've been reading, the impedance knob does affect it so it's not just a passthrough. What sort of ratios does it use? What is the output impedance?
h1f1add1cted
1000+ Head-Fier
Please check the FAQ: https://support.ifi-audio.com/kb/faq.php?id=969
On my tests 64 or 96 ohm is from sound qualitiy point of view superior to 16 or 24 ohm setting on iESL.
On my tests 64 or 96 ohm is from sound qualitiy point of view superior to 16 or 24 ohm setting on iESL.
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Thanks for dropping this link!
jamesjames
500+ Head-Fier
In my system the 96 ohm setting appears to give the best result - but I must confess I don't really understand why that should generally be so. Generally, I would expect a higher voltage would be required to drive a higher load impedance, and a higher current would be required to drive a lower load impedance. So, I would have expected some differences in performance, depending on the source and its capacity to deliver voltage/current. Am I wrong about this? I note the manual seems to suggest there will always be an advantage in selecting the higher impedance setting - although I understand it also to be suggesting a higher gain setting may be required to achieve a given gain.
After more than three years of use I discovered something that I think may be useful to share with you:
When used with a McIntosh amplifier, the background noise clearly noticeable with sensitive headphones from the IESL (and sadly with any amplifier) can be massively reduced by using the 4 ohms speaker outputs from the Mc instead of the 8 ohms.
The volume is globally turned down and you have to increase it, but also is the background noise.
It's still hearable and doesn't disappear completely but well overall it's now acceptable and more discrete than the tube hum we often have with tube amps.
Maybe the 2 ohms would be even more efficient at reducing the noise but well I'm a bit afraid to use it so I'm staying at 4 ohms.
Alas, my other amplifiers don't provide this possibility (they don't have the famous McIntosh autoformers), and so I never found a way to shut down the background noise.
I also notice that on some of my systems, the Impedance setting can generate some strange noise in some positions (something like zzzzzzzzzzzz), so at the end the only acceptable position is the most sensitive one (knob completely on the right).
Sad thing, seems that Ifi completely messed things with that. By the way, I once contacted the customer service about this, they told me they would come back to me and never did.
Well, anyway, we already discussed about this and even if this is a quite sad side of the product, well, if you have a McIntosh amplifier, I thought you could find this trick useful.
When used with a McIntosh amplifier, the background noise clearly noticeable with sensitive headphones from the IESL (and sadly with any amplifier) can be massively reduced by using the 4 ohms speaker outputs from the Mc instead of the 8 ohms.
The volume is globally turned down and you have to increase it, but also is the background noise.
It's still hearable and doesn't disappear completely but well overall it's now acceptable and more discrete than the tube hum we often have with tube amps.
Maybe the 2 ohms would be even more efficient at reducing the noise but well I'm a bit afraid to use it so I'm staying at 4 ohms.
Alas, my other amplifiers don't provide this possibility (they don't have the famous McIntosh autoformers), and so I never found a way to shut down the background noise.
I also notice that on some of my systems, the Impedance setting can generate some strange noise in some positions (something like zzzzzzzzzzzz), so at the end the only acceptable position is the most sensitive one (knob completely on the right).
Sad thing, seems that Ifi completely messed things with that. By the way, I once contacted the customer service about this, they told me they would come back to me and never did.
Well, anyway, we already discussed about this and even if this is a quite sad side of the product, well, if you have a McIntosh amplifier, I thought you could find this trick useful.
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jamesjames
500+ Head-Fier
Thanks for that. It seems you're using the McIntosh speaker connections with the iESL. I've not used the iESL's speaker connections. With both the 430HA and the iCAN I use the 'balanced' connection (balanced headphone out to balanced headphone in). I find this to be completely quiet. Indeed, I would say the iFi components are among the quietest I have come across - presumably attributable in part to their switching power supplies. In both cases, I prefer the 96 ohm setting on the iESL - which suggests to me that both the 430HA and the iCAN can produce the voltage necessary to drive the high load impedance optimally. I guess the balanced connection goes some way to reducing noise - also, the 430HA and the iCAN are basically differential amps, once again reducing noise.
Miiksu
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@iFi audio
This may be asked a thousand times already but can I use an amplifier for speakers and still keep this iESL connected at the same time? No need to disconnect wires?
This may be asked a thousand times already but can I use an amplifier for speakers and still keep this iESL connected at the same time? No need to disconnect wires?
h1f1add1cted
1000+ Head-Fier
Absolutely no problem. No need to disconnect. When the iESL is powered off, the signal is internally set into pass-trough mode from your amp to your speakers with zero signal change, everything is passive in this case.
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