[project86]

   
The new Mac Mini's are USB 3. Don't the USB 3 ports fall back to USB 2 if needed?

 
Yes, USB 3 ports should all accommodate USB 2 cables. The connection won't be as firm (no locking in place) but it's no worse than a regular USB 2 port would be. 

 

[jaffar]

Has anyone tried driving HD800s out of the X-Sabre XLR outputs?
Several folks reported good results with the Yulong DA8...
The X-Sabre has more voltage swing on the XLRs which may be a good thing. Volume control should be done on the computer.
 
Any opinions?

 

[Gibalok]

I would be thankfull if somebody recommend me good power cable for X-Sabre. Through some research I stopped on Oyaide (Tunami + Furutech adapters). Is it worth to spend 300$ for that? 
 
Im not sure it is worth for DAC. I do understand the difference of good cables for AMPs but not sure how it works for DACs. 

 

[project86]

  Has anyone tried driving HD800s out of the X-Sabre XLR outputs?
Several folks reported good results with the Yulong DA8...
The X-Sabre has more voltage swing on the XLRs which may be a good thing. Volume control should be done on the computer.
 
Any opinions?

 
Doesn't sound like a good idea to me - 6.8V straight to the headphones? That's going to require a heavy amount of digital attenuation. You'll definitely be throwing away substantial resolution by doing so.

 

[Loquah]

   
Doesn't sound like a good idea to me - 6.8V straight to the headphones? That's going to require a heavy amount of digital attenuation. You'll definitely be throwing away substantial resolution by doing so.

 
Not to mention the potential load on the DAC. Most outputs on DACs are designed of very high impedance loads (e.g. 50k ohm inputs on amps, etc.). Presenting a load of only 300ohms might be problematic...

 

[Kiont]

I've been reading reviews on the X-Saber, I have a Burson Conductor, and was wondering if using the X-Saber as DAC would be a good upgrade. 
I like the Conductor, but there is always room for improvement in this hobby.
 
It's really hard to find any Conductor DAC comparisons. 

 Most of the review seem to focus on the whole DAC/AMP package.
 
How about other DAC such as the Aneido D2 and Yulong D8?
 
Well, any help is appreciated it.

 

[jaffar]

   
Doesn't sound like a good idea to me - 6.8V straight to the headphones? That's going to require a heavy amount of digital attenuation. You'll definitely be throwing away substantial resolution by doing so.

 
Not much resolution will be thrown away.
Simple math: 6.8V on the X-Sabre is only 4 dB hotter than DA8's 4.2V - less than 1 bit difference in resolution.
Yulong's volume control is digital too.
 
You have both units and can easily compare the two.
I'm asking because I have HD800s and I'm looking for a DAC that can drive them directly, like DA8 does. The X-Sabre is a (slightly) cheaper alternative.
 
Thanks!

 

[raddle]

   
I always like my hifi better not doing things then doing them wrong. That´s where the problem is. I think some people forget what real instruments sound like. Cymbals and stings sound really compressed, even ´thin´. There is no attack and decay when striking a note. Cymbals sometimes sound more like a hiss than a cymbal. There is little involvement in the music. It doesn´t get my foot tapping.
 
 

It's interesting you say there is little involvement with the music. I've been suspecting I can do better than the X-Sabre but I'm not sure what else I'm going to get any time soon.

 

[coolchillies]

  It's interesting you say there is little involvement with the music. I've been suspecting I can do better than the X-Sabre but I'm not sure what else I'm going to get any time soon.

Don't take my comments as buyer advice. It's just my personal taste. I have a disposition for tubes and other sweet sounding stuff. Some people characterized the X-Sabre as warm. I'd rather call it 'dry'.

 

[Maxvla]

Maybe it's a dry heat

 

[project86]

   
Not much resolution will be thrown away.
Simple math: 6.8V on the X-Sabre is only 4 dB hotter than DA8's 4.2V - less than 1 bit difference in resolution.
Yulong's volume control is digital too.
 
You have both units and can easily compare the two.
I'm asking because I have HD800s and I'm looking for a DAC that can drive them directly, like DA8 does. The X-Sabre is a (slightly) cheaper alternative.
 
Thanks!

 
But the Sabre has a theoretically better volume control scheme as compared to using the controls in your playback software. There's also the impedance issue.
 
But I'll give it a try when I have a moment.

 

[raddle]

  Don't take my comments as buyer advice. It's just my personal taste. I have a disposition for tubes and other sweet sounding stuff. Some people characterized the X-Sabre as warm. I'd rather call it 'dry'.

Well I also love tubes! Why I love my Little Dot Mk IV SE. Do you have any suggestions for a tubed DAC?

 

[Loquah]

  Don't take my comments as buyer advice. It's just my personal taste. I have a disposition for tubes and other sweet sounding stuff. Some people characterized the X-Sabre as warm. I'd rather call it 'dry'.

 
I also LOVE tubes which is why I find the X-Sabre a great addition. It's "dry", but musical sound is a perfect complement for warmer amps and prevents the system from getting too warm.
 
Bottlehead are releasing a new DAC in the future. It's not a tube DAC (strangely), but as a tube-focussed company, it will no doubt sound sweet like their other gear.

 

[raddle]

   
I also LOVE tubes which is why I find the X-Sabre a great addition. It's "dry", but musical sound is a perfect complement for warmer amps and prevents the system from getting too warm.
 
Bottlehead are releasing a new DAC in the future. It's not a tube DAC (strangely), but as a tube-focussed company, it will no doubt sound sweet like their other gear.

Well you know people have different taste! Apparently some people call it "warm," some call it "dry," and some say it prevents the system from getting too warm! Makes you wonder if they are listening to the same DAC. I wonder if the source computer, software, and USB cable are affecting anything here.

 

[Loquah]

  Well you know people have different taste! Apparently some people call it "warm," some call it "dry," and some say it prevents the system from getting too warm! Makes you wonder if they are listening to the same DAC. I wonder if the source computer, software, and USB cable are affecting anything here.

 
I think the issue is more that descriptive terms are completely objective.
 
I personally like the X-Sabre's presentation no matter how it's described because I feel it doesn't add or subtract anything significant to / from the sound. That means I can then tweak the sound with tubes etc. if I want to. A previous DAC I used was a bit warm which made it hard to come back to the middle if I wanted to. It's easy to add warmth, but hard to take it away.