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- Feb 21, 2005
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All,
I apologize for the delayed response - I've been very busy these past few weeks.
Quote:
Hi Bredin,
I'm not sure what is going on with your buffer settings. I simply use iTunes on my Macbook to send WAV or Apple Lossless files via USB to the Isabellina HPA's dac and it works perfectly. I also do the same with my PC laptop (Dell) running iTunes. I have not played with buffer settings...
Hi All Day Breakfast,
Thanks for your post, and I'm glad to hear you are enjoying your Isabellina HPA + iTransport combo!
Correct - the Wadia does not have an on/off switch (but it does turn OFF when the HPA is turned OFF). If your HPA is ON and your Wadia is plugged it, it consumes a lot more power when your iPod is plugged in. So if you are not using the Wadia, I recommend you unplug your iPod (or unplug the power cable to the Wadia) and you'll get much more play time from the HPA if you are using another digital source.
Regarding a good BNC to RCA cable, I really like the Blue Jeans Cable (Beldin 1694A digital cable) with the 75-ohm BNC on one end, and the RCA plug on the other end for the Wadia. You can get is as short as 1.5 foot (approx. 0.5 meter) and the are very good quality at a very good price!
Digital Audio Cables at Blue Jeans Cable
Certainly there are high end cable makers who offer a BNC to RCA coax cable (e.g. Digital, and Ken at ALO Audio should be able to make a 75-ohm BNC to RCA cable)
Quote:
Hi ranma172,
I am also sorry to hear that you have not fallen in love with your Isabellina HPA (hopefully that will change soon!
). Which headphones are you using with it? The v-caps certainly take a long time to burn-in and sound their best - but I have also received a lot of really good feedback from customers who loved their HPA the minute the received it and started listening, and then really loved the sound after extended listening time (break-in).
But I do understand that synergy between the headphone amp and headphones is very important, and we all have different tastes in sound...
Hi GreenLeo, Miguel, and Combat Audio (and everyone else!) -
Thanks for continuing to post your feedback - much appreciated, guys
More more thing to add - at the NY Headfi meet (two weekends ago), I had the opportunity to listen to the Isabellina HPA with the Audeze LCD-2 headphones - stunning combo!
Audez'e | Introducing Audez’e LCD-2 headphones
These were only prototypes and hopefully production will begin by the end of the year. There are supposed to sell for $650 (which is a steal for the sound I was hearing with them!).
Happy Listening,
Vinnie
I apologize for the delayed response - I've been very busy these past few weeks.
Quote:
yes, the maya is a pci card. But if it's not using the buffer in the dac, why woulden't the buffersize go up over 6000ms? And why is the isabellina slow using Wasapi with 200ms+ bufferlength, when it's fast as anything else with 16000ms & direct streaming. |
Hi Bredin,
I'm not sure what is going on with your buffer settings. I simply use iTunes on my Macbook to send WAV or Apple Lossless files via USB to the Isabellina HPA's dac and it works perfectly. I also do the same with my PC laptop (Dell) running iTunes. I have not played with buffer settings...
Hi All Day Breakfast,
Thanks for your post, and I'm glad to hear you are enjoying your Isabellina HPA + iTransport combo!
Correct - the Wadia does not have an on/off switch (but it does turn OFF when the HPA is turned OFF). If your HPA is ON and your Wadia is plugged it, it consumes a lot more power when your iPod is plugged in. So if you are not using the Wadia, I recommend you unplug your iPod (or unplug the power cable to the Wadia) and you'll get much more play time from the HPA if you are using another digital source.
Regarding a good BNC to RCA cable, I really like the Blue Jeans Cable (Beldin 1694A digital cable) with the 75-ohm BNC on one end, and the RCA plug on the other end for the Wadia. You can get is as short as 1.5 foot (approx. 0.5 meter) and the are very good quality at a very good price!
Digital Audio Cables at Blue Jeans Cable
Certainly there are high end cable makers who offer a BNC to RCA coax cable (e.g. Digital, and Ken at ALO Audio should be able to make a 75-ohm BNC to RCA cable)
Quote:
ranma172, sorry you are not enjoying your Isabellina HPA as much as some of us have. It is a very nice piece and one that I enjoyed so much I am in the process of getting the funds together to upgrade to the Isabella fully loaded. I hope you fully burnt-in your unit (at least 400 hours) and that you are feeding it lossless files from your computer via an USB cable to get the most out of it. |
Hi ranma172,
I am also sorry to hear that you have not fallen in love with your Isabellina HPA (hopefully that will change soon!
But I do understand that synergy between the headphone amp and headphones is very important, and we all have different tastes in sound...
Hi GreenLeo, Miguel, and Combat Audio (and everyone else!) -
Thanks for continuing to post your feedback - much appreciated, guys
More more thing to add - at the NY Headfi meet (two weekends ago), I had the opportunity to listen to the Isabellina HPA with the Audeze LCD-2 headphones - stunning combo!
Audez'e | Introducing Audez’e LCD-2 headphones
These were only prototypes and hopefully production will begin by the end of the year. There are supposed to sell for $650 (which is a steal for the sound I was hearing with them!).
Happy Listening,
Vinnie