JH Audio JH-3A

[shaggy]

heh, although I'm certainly not going to purchase this baby any time soon, I am eagerly anticipating decreased a price for the JH13

 

[nc8000]

Quote:

nc8000, I hve been wondering where you were through all of this.
 
Welcome back. You are right and even the bass drivers are a write-off (although they are implying that the shell can be reused).

Yes this is certainly an exciting product to pop up in my absence. Will be very interesting to hear comparisons to a normal JH13/16 with TWag from a Protector as the total price will be roughly the same. My finances and the current resurgence of the dollar however ensures that I stay with my current setup.
 
Quote:

heh, although I'm certainly not going to purchase this baby any time soon, I am eagerly anticipating decreased a price for the JH13

Why would this cause a decrease in the JH13 price ?

 

[cooperpwc]

There is no reason to assume that it will affect the price (although anything is possible). Shaggy apparently missed the sale on May 13 from 12pm-4pm when the price on the JH13s dropped to $899 for four hours.

 

[D.Rose]

i have just ordered the JH13 a while ago...and now here comes the JH-3A. Might consider getting another JH16 with JH-3A if the comment is truly positive

 

[warp08]

Quote:

Good news!
 
The iPad > camera connection kit > Nuforce uDAC > COAX S/PDIF output works well.  I've been listening to this being fed into my Nuforce HDP coax DAC with JH13Pro for a while tonight.  
 
That means you can use the uDAC to feed COAX S/PDIF from the iPad into the JH-3A, and stay within the digital realm longer without using the iPad's DAC or the JH-3A A/D converter.

 
I guess you guys didn't see Ken's latest post in the ALO forum about the limitations to use the Algorythm Solo via the USB connector kit with the iPad.  Sorry, I'm using a slow connection so I can't pull up the direct link, but he claimed that the Apple connection kit introduces a lot of jitter to the signal, so they don't recommend it.
 

 

[cooperpwc]

Found it in the ALO sponsor forum
 
Quote:

  The AlgoRhytm will have a hi grade DAC on board, better than what is in the ipod, and will export to analog mini out, as well as have a SPDIF for your home DAC to use. Regading the camera kit with ipad:
 
The USB audio from iPad via camera kit does not support asynchronous audio data format (AlgoRhytm is asynchronous!).  Only the lesser TI USB chips seem to pull audio from iPad via the camera kit.  This means 2 things:

1) iPad camera kit USB audio will be full of jitter.

2) the only way to get around the limitations of this synchronous data transfer is to feed the iPad a "pure" clock signal, so that the iPad digital audio clocks to the "pure" clock - this is what Algorhythm does.

 

 
 
I understand their point about the clock but we are also getting some positive feedback on the iPad USB out. They might have a wee bit of personal interest in promoting the superiority of their product. One would hope at $579 that it is superior; the question is by how much in practical use. (I don't know and am curious.)

 

[monsieurguzel]

Yeah, to me that is a little bit of self promotion.  Most very high end USB DACs out there aren't asynchronous and they do a marvelous job pulling digital signal from USB.  Granted the do have their own dejittering methods, but still I'm sure that a digital signal from iPad/iPhone 4 will do just fine.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

 
I guess you guys didn't see Ken's latest post in the ALO forum about the limitations to use the Algorythm Solo via the USB connector kit with the iPad.  Sorry, I'm using a slow connection so I can't pull up the direct link, but he claimed that the Apple connection kit introduces a lot of jitter to the signal, so they don't recommend it.
 

Found it in the ALO sponsor forum
 
 
 
I understand their point about the clock but we are also getting some positive feedback on the iPad USB out. They might have a wee bit of personal interest in promoting the superiority of their product. One would hope at $579 that it is superior; the question is by how much in practical use. (I don't know and am curious.)

Well, that might explain why in my HM-801 review it sounded so much better than the iPad with USB DAC...

 

[aloksatoor]

If an ipad feeds the pico dac, I would be quite happy with the sound quality. For less than the ALO offering you also get awesome amplification in a smaller package......
if the new iphone has this capacity then apple gets my money once again else it goes to the androids.....

 

[blessingx]

I'm listening to an iPad + camera kit + Pico DAC/amp + HD580s right now. 
Have used the camera kit + Behringer UCA202 + several optically fed DACs also. 
 
Wouldn't count on the iPhone though. 

 

[bneiderman]

 
Quote:

  bneiderman, share! ...Anything interesting that hasn't already been covered?

 
 
I hope Matt does not mind me posting some quotes of our conversation. He is the best. Wrote me from China of all places!
 
Anyhow, most interesting to me is that I own an Ipad and want to use the camera connection kit as that is the most portable you can get with the JH3A to me. Matt explained a lot about jitter to me. Interestingly, the Ipad only works with synchronous USB products which are essentially subpar. He stated, "Synchronous USB means that the source sends the data & clock information and the receiver doesn't have a choice, but to receive it as-is, meaning that any data and clock interruptions or jitter will be passed on to the analog audio output." Hence if you have an amp/dac that works with the Ipad you are getting jitter and subpar analog as that is a synchronous device. USB is supposedly horrible for audio transfer as well.
 
This was the best part of our conversation..."The only way to make USB as good as SPDIF is to use asynchronous data transfer - which means that the USB source clock and data timing are completely independent from the sources clocks and operating system.  This is what makes the stuff by wavelength audio so good.  This is what I'm doing in the the JH3A.  All data communications in the JH3A are completely asynchronous - even the analog inputs and the USB input.  As far as I know, the JH3A will be the only device available that can pull digital audio from the iPad and process it asynchronously -  DSP is so cool!"
 
Now who can't be excited by this thing!!!???!!!

 

[SoupRKnowva]

Quote:

 
 
 
I hope Matt does not mind me posting some quotes of our conversation. He is the best. Wrote me from China of all places!
 
Anyhow, most interesting to me is that I own an Ipad and want to use the camera connection kit as that is the most portable you can get with the JH3A to me. Matt explained a lot about jitter to me. Interestingly, the Ipad only works with synchronous USB products which are essentially subpar. He stated, "Synchronous USB means that the source sends the data & clock information and the receiver doesn't have a choice, but to receive it as-is, meaning that any data and clock interruptions or jitter will be passed on to the analog audio output." Hence if you have an amp/dac that works with the Ipad you are getting jitter and subpar analog as that is a synchronous device. USB is supposedly horrible for audio transfer as well.
 
This was the best part of our conversation..."The only way to make USB as good as SPDIF is to use asynchronous data transfer - which means that the USB source clock and data timing are completely independent from the sources clocks and operating system.  This is what makes the stuff by wavelength audio so good.  This is what I'm doing in the the JH3A.  All data communications in the JH3A are completely asynchronous - even the analog inputs and the USB input.  As far as I know, the JH3A will be the only device available that can pull digital audio from the iPad and process it asynchronously -  DSP is so cool!"
 
Now who can't be excited by this thing!!!???!!!

 
are you sure you didnt miss quote that? cause the 3A cant pull digital data from any idevice, i asked about that specifically at canjam. i think you meant the algorithm solo maybe? 
 

 

[bneiderman]

 
Quote:

 
are you sure you didnt miss quote that? cause the 3A cant pull digital data from any idevice, i asked about that specifically at canjam. i think you meant the algorithm solo maybe? 
 

 
No misquote. I was very worried about the jitter from the Ipad interface and went back and forth with him trying to understand it. He told me he made a custom DSP interface to remove the jitter from the Ipad and make it asynchronous.
 
He told me, "iPad camera connection kit does indeed send digital audio via USB."
 
 
Here is another little snippet:
 
"Yes, I can use the DSP to "fix" jittery signals from USB or SPDIF - the DSP
runs a bazillion times faster than audio data, so this process is very trivial
in the DSP.

So for iPad and CD's from a computer - the USB on the JH3 is as good as it
gets.  For iPod/iPhone - the CypherLabs AlgoRhythm to the JH-3A is the best."
 
As well he stated:
 
"Don't worry about what you'll read about the 1/8" connector being non-optimal
for SPDIF signals - the ONLY connector that's made for this sort of data is a
BNC... but not just any BNC, a special BNC that is optimized for 75ohm signals.
That being said, the JH3A's DSP completely "reclocks" the SPDIF input & removes
all jitter from the data, so it totally removes any connector or cable
limitations (DSP is so cool!)"
 
Don't ask me how he does this. I am no electrical engineer. I read CT's, Xrays and MRIs for a living. Matt was very helpful as I am a newbie to all of this. I don't mind giving my money to guys like this who are so helpful even on a business trip. He is one standup dude!

 

 

[cooperpwc]

bneiderman, that is just incredible information. Thanks.

 

[bneiderman]

Quote:

bneiderman, that is just incredible information. Thanks.

No problem. I thought the information was too important not to share as I think we all had confusion on this. This thing sounds like a winner all around. I also just asked him about the Algorhythm Solo to the Ipad as opposed to the connection kit to the Ipad. I was confused about what would be better if they are both giving digital data. He thinks the Solo sounds marginally better than the connection kit. You see the DSP eliminates jitter from the digital output of the USB while the Algorhythm prevents jitter from entering the system was how he explained it to me. He also reminded me that the DSP is really powerful and software upgradeable implying that in the end this camera connection kit could sound for all intents and purposes just as good as an Algorhythm solo from the Ipad using 16/44 CD audio. For other idevices the Algorhythym solo would be needed for awesome sound. Who knows about the new iPhone 4 though. It may use the connection kit as well. I will find out next Thursday. So all I can say is that for the Ipad using CD quality files and apple lossless, the camera connection kit and the JH3A sounds like an all around winner for a nice transportable setup. I CAN'T WAIT!