[djobeat]

hello guys, i just got my 2nd hand ciunas shipped. i just want to know if there is anyone here using it straight to their headphones with an rca to 3,5mm female to female adapter? im currently on ciunas straight to headphones setup, and i am not getting the incredible separation that you guys are talking about. let me know guys.

 

[WNBC]

I have heard of people using SOME headphones straight out of the BALANCED outputs but I would not call it standard practice.  You would need a balanced headphone cable.  It can be really dependent on the headphones but I actually don't know of anybody that has used the RCA outputs.  This is not the designed usage of the Ciunas so it doesn't surprise me of your results.  If I misinterpreted your question and you are using a headphone amp then let me know.  The Ciunas is a DAC and not a headphone amp.  
 
Which headphones?
 
Why not use a dedicated headphone amp?
 
 
Quote:

  hello guys, i just got my 2nd hand ciunas shipped. i just want to know if there is anyone here using it straight to their headphones with an rca to 3,5mm female to female adapter? im currently on ciunas straight to headphones setup, and i am not getting the incredible separation that you guys are talking about. let me know guys.

 

[WNBC]

The closest I have come to using a DAC with its analog outputs and not a dedicated integrated amp section was the HifiMeDIY DAC. http://hifimediy.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=83
Lets just say that other than some really efficient IEMs one would not want to use it for full size headphones without a dedicated amp.

 

[Clemmaster]

  hello guys, i just got my 2nd hand ciunas shipped. i just want to know if there is anyone here using it straight to their headphones with an rca to 3,5mm female to female adapter? im currently on ciunas straight to headphones setup, and i am not getting the incredible separation that you guys are talking about. let me know guys.

 
The DAC is not designed to drive a load.
 
Some DAC (like the Yulong DA8) have special XLR outputs that are designed to drive headphones (it is a way to re-use the existing XLR output and avoid adding another connector to the faceplate). Generally, when this feature is available, the DAC already has a built-in single-ended headphone amp and is a pre-amp, too. These are very rare species and the Ciunas is not among these DACs.
 
You need an amp.

 

[djobeat]

 


I am using mdr v700dj, re 262, and eph 100. after your post, i am now using a seperate amp, but a stereo integrated amp (speaker amp), i know, i still don't have a headphone amp yet. this is the closest thing to the necessary setup. the result: to be honest still not much seperation. but oh well, i guess i have to wait until i get a proper headphone amp.

 

[WNBC]

Some stereo amps will have a good headphone section but it is definitely not all of them.  I have never been impressed with the headphone amps from standard stereo A/V amps I've owned but I'm sure there are good ones out there.  Since your IEMs and headphones are not hard to drive then you wouldn't need a powerful amp as your first headphone amp.  Something like a cMoyBB or Schiit Magni or one of the other dozens of amp options under $100.  
 
 
Quote:

  I am using mdr v700dj, re 262, and eph 100. after your post, i am now using a seperate amp, but a stereo integrated amp (speaker amp), i know, i still don't have a headphone amp yet. this is the closest thing to the necessary setup. the result: to be honest still not much seperation. but oh well, i guess i have to wait until i get a proper headphone amp.

 

[skandy]

Hi, I have had Ciunas converter in my system for about 10 days now and it's sounding very good. Have gone through this thread and the comments from other converter owners pretty much sum up my impressions. I'm just a beginner to digital audio so I wonder if having a better spdif cable to my NAD M51 would help to bring out anymore of the small details? I am currently using an old Audioquest VDM-1 cable. Not here to start another cable war, just want some comments before investing on a better quality cable if it will make that small improvement. Thanks.

 

[WNBC]

No wars here.  Try some reasonable priced cables and be open minded as well as fair.  I use a WireWorld Starlight USB cable.  I can't say it has made a difference because I haven't done the proper A/B testing.  I got a good deal on it but if I had to pay full price I may be more hesitant.  But truthfully, looked for controlled comparisons in a review.  I don't know of such reviews but surely there are some.     
 
 
Quote:

  Hi, I have had Ciunas converter in my system for about 10 days now and it's sounding very good. Have gone through this thread and the comments from other converter owners pretty much sum up my impressions. I'm just a beginner to digital audio so I wonder if having a better spdif cable to my NAD M51 would help to bring out anymore of the small details? I am currently using an old Audioquest VDM-1 cable. Not here to start another cable war, just want some comments before investing on a better quality cable if it will make that small improvement. Thanks.

 

[skandy]

 

Thanks WNBC but what about for spdif cable? As newbie I wasn't sure on what to go for and ended up with a Cardas USB cable from where I purchased the DAC.

 

[WNBC]

Lots of option out there.  I've also used WireWorld SPDIF cables but I couldn't tell you which ones were the best out of the dozens or hundreds of options out there.
http://www.kaplanhtdesign.com/Wireworld_Digital_Cable.html
 
Nowadays I use basic Blue Jeans Cables.  Good quality materials.  It's good cable to try first then decide on whether you want to compare it against the boutique brands. 
http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/digital-audio/index.htm
 
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by skandy /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Thanks WNBC but what about for spdif cable? As newbie I wasn't sure on what to go for and ended up with a Cardas USB cable from where I purchased the DAC.

 

[skandy]

 

Thanks again. I am based in Hong Kong so "boutique brands" seem easier to get hold of. I'm in no rush so I'll read up more first. Plus the Ciunas converter has already made a huge improvement compared to the USB input of my DAC.

 

[WNBC]

Report back to us what you find when using the more expensive cables.
 
Quote:

Thanks again. I am based in Hong Kong so "boutique brands" seem easier to get hold of. I'm in no rush so I'll read up more first. Plus the Ciunas converter has already made a huge improvement compared to the USB input of my DAC.

 

[sam1000]

Has anyone tried Android devices in combination with Ciunas?  I subscribed to Google Music a few months ago and want to use my androit devices (s4 and Tab10) with Ciunas. So far I have tried S4 using OTG usb cable, but no cigar.. Am i missing something? Ciunas works well with my squeezebox touch though..

 

[Clemmaster]

  Has anyone tried Android devices in combination with Ciunas?  I subscribed to Google Music a few months ago and want to use my androit devices (s4 and Tab10) with Ciunas. So far I have tried S4 using OTG usb cable, but no cigar.. Am i missing something? Ciunas works well with my squeezebox touch though..

It works with music player from the guys who created RecorderPRO (forgot the name) on my Nexus 5.

 

[djobeat]

would the ifi's product like ipurifier/ gemini cable / iusbpower improve the ciunas?
 
btw what dac would be a step up above the ciunas? something with similar timbre but also more technical. because to my ears, ciunas is lacking in dynamic and separation/detail. timbre is awesome though