[Szadzik]

 
Quote:

I am using uDAC and Headphonia USB DAC cable with Stepdance. Both are pretty good.

The USB DAC cable looks very tempting - pretty cheap and portable too.
 
Do you think it is worth getting it or better to look at something more expensive? Will I get much improvement in up to $300 price range?

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:

The USB DAC cable looks very tempting - pretty cheap and portable too.
 
Do you think it is worth getting it or better to look at something more expensive? Will I get much improvement in up to $300 price range?

Can't really answer your question since I never listen to any expensive DAC before.

 

[average_joe]

I thought the USB-DAC-Cable was on par (actually slightly better) than the NuForce uDAC (original).  I also have a MX-HUD1 which I think is better than the USB-DAC-Cable by a good margin and can play 24 bit.  I am looking at the Streamer II+, but have yet to go for it since most of my listening is from portable sources.  I modded my USB-DAC-Cable to see if I could improve the sound with better output caps.  Minimal improvement IMO.  
 
I would say the USB-DAC-Cable is a good place to start, especially for the price! 
 
Quote:

 
Quote:

I am using uDAC and Headphonia USB DAC cable with Stepdance. Both are pretty good.

The USB DAC cable looks very tempting - pretty cheap and portable too.
 
Do you think it is worth getting it or better to look at something more expensive? Will I get much improvement in up to $300 price range?

 

[gameguytw]

I mod my stepdance because below:
 
1.I buy ipowerUS battery from Taiwan yahoo market

 
2.But I hardly put ipowerUS Battery to stepdance ,and it is impossible to take the battery except open the stepdance
IpowerUS battery is big ,and it is blocked by stepdance box






 
I  use 2~3 hours for mod the stepdance box for taking ipowerUS battery easily


 
Finally I MOD the box to finish

 
The Corda Stepdance buyer From Taiwan sign.
 

 

[ianmedium]

I had a battery problem whilst away. I thought I would get a couple of normal alkaline batteries to back up my rechargables and popped one in. Only problem was when it ran out I could not get it out! I had to unscrew the back cover and then realised the problem! The back of the battery was recessed so the spring effect of the back cover did not work! I have now taped a bit of plastic to the back of the other one so as to solve the problem.
 
Another thing I noticed was the alkaline had more power than the powerex 300mAh battery by quite a bit! To listen at the same volume, say 8.00 o'clock with the alkaline would mean having the volume at 10.00 O'clock with the powerex! I also noticed a slightly (and I mean slight!) sound improvement with the alkaline battery. I might pop over to my battery store and get the 9v (true) powerex and see what that sounds like compared to my existing 8.4 volt ones

 

[cooperpwc]

That's interesting, Ian. I use nothing but alkaline batteries which cost between $0.85 and $1.50 for my preferred brands at the local Tesco. It's an advantage of living in China.

 

[ianmedium]

Quote:

That's interesting, Ian. I use nothing but alkaline batteries which cost between $0.85 and $1.50 for my preferred brands at the local Tesco. It's an advantage of living in China.

Wow, that is cheap! A twin pack here from a local company called London Drugs was $5.50! I was just checking my battery store website and noticed they also sell imedion batteries which I believe are a powerx brand, same specs but a dollar more in cost, I wonder if there is a difference between the two!
 
I was really suprised at the difference in power and the slight sound quality change. Best I can describe it was there seemed to be a little more space between the notes in the music and decay on cymbols lasted a tad longer, nothing much but it was there! I will get the higher voltage batteries this weekend and will report back!
 
On a side note I took my IE8's with me on my vacation and the stepdance really makes them shine even more. I am looking forward to getting some triple.fi10's in the mail any day now and will see what they are like with the amp.
 
Just realised as well, the higher powerex and imedion are in fact 9.6v so this should be interesting!
 
I love this amp!

 

[Bojamijams]

gameguytw, I see you using the Stepdance with the HM-801? I assume you prefer it over the built-in amplifier? Can I ask which amplifier you have in the 801?
 
Is there anyone else here using the Stepdance with the HM-801?

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:

Is there anyone else here using the Stepdance with the HM-801?

I do, some time.

 

[vilasn]

Has anybody tried this amp with Yuin PK1?
 
Thanks.

 

[zilch0md]

Woody,
 
Quote:

Hi Mike,
 
 I either use the line out from my HiFiMan HM801 or HM602 or my Dell XPS 1530 laptop out to a Pico Dac or the Wadia 170i Transport out to the Channel Island VDA-2 DAC or an iMod into an ALO V-Cap or whatever. I've even listened to it through the line out of the s:flo. The StepDance to me is very versatile.
 
There is a new device on the horizon from ALO. It takes the digital signal from an iPod and sends it to it's own DAC or out to a DAC of your choice. I'd think people will be jumping on that. The name of it eludes me at the moment. It's the Cypher Labs AlgoRhythm Solo. (No wonder the name eluded me)
 
How do you love your StepDance? Congratulations BTW  

I sometimes fear that I might not actually be sufficiently skilled at listening to even appreciate my Stepdance, in part because I've gone straight from this:
 
44/16 FLAC > Sansa Clip > SE530
 
to this:
 
44/16 WAV or 96/24 WAV > Sony PCM-M10 Line Out > Milian Acoustic SPOFC interconnect > Stepdance > SE530 (and LCD-2, pre-ordered Nov. 29th, but not here yet.)
 
Despite my relatively untrained ears, I find the SQ difference between the two combinations to be stunning. 

 
 
I'm tickled to see how many different sources you own (given that you are also a Stepdance > LCD-2 owner) and I know this may be difficult to answer, but which of your sources sounds best with the Stepdance > LCD-2, in your opinion? 
 
I suspect it's kind of a silly question, given my understanding that there's a lot more potential for synergy between amp and headphone than there is between DAC and amp, but I'm sticking my neck out and asking anyway. 

 
Thanks!
 
Mike

 

[Woody469]

I don't think you need to be skilled at listening to appreciate the StepDance. You've purchased it I'm assuming because you trusted what people had to say about it. (unless you were lucky enough to hear it first)
The voice of public opinion has spoken.
I've had to rely on the input of people to make nearly all of my portable purchases. Home audio on the other hand is easier.  I can go somewhere and audition but for portable gear it's different for me. I don't know of a place to audition portable gear anywhere near here. That's why I am in awe when I hear about shops that let you "try before you buy"
From reading these pages (over time), I've slowly learned to trust certain individual's opinions etc.  Alot to be completely honest is hit or miss, mix and match.
I've always been told that source is the most important though. I tend to agree.
Personally, hanging around the house only, I like the HM801 with the Stepdance to push the LCD-2. That's an odd combination and nowhere near as portable as say an iMod-->StepDance-->SM3 combination but still portable enough to drag from room to room.
Another combination I listen to a lot is my laptop out to the Pico DAC--->StepDance-->LCD-2.
The amount of music I then have at my fingertips is just absolutely incredible.

 

[coolcat]

Quote:

gameguytw, I see you using the Stepdance with the HM-801? I assume you prefer it over the built-in amplifier? Can I ask which amplifier you have in the 801?
 
Is there anyone else here using the Stepdance with the HM-801?

 I do it all the time with my JH13 and LCD2.
 
 
I would say the sound improoved,but a head-fier here can't hear different,but I surly hear the different, I don't know if I use the correct words to describe my hearing. I think,that the sound through Stepdance is a little bit cleaner and the Bass is better.
Please try it and please share your impression. I want to know if someone else hear the different,between the HM801 alone and when paired with stepdance,which is the option I've found better (SQ).
 

 

[coolcat]

 
Quote:

I don't think you need to be skilled at listening to appreciate the StepDance. You've purchased it I'm assuming because you trusted what people had to say about it. (unless you were lucky enough to hear it first)
The voice of public opinion has spoken.
I've had to rely on the input of people to make nearly all of my portable purchases. Home audio on the other hand is easier.  I can go somewhere and audition but for portable gear it's different for me. I don't know of a place to audition portable gear anywhere near here. That's why I am in awe when I hear about shops that let you "try before you buy"
From reading these pages (over time), I've slowly learned to trust certain individual's opinions etc.  Alot to be completely honest is hit or miss, mix and match.
I've always been told that source is the most important though. I tend to agree.
Personally, hanging around the house only, I like the HM801 with the Stepdance to push the LCD-2. That's an odd combination and nowhere near as portable as say an iMod-->StepDance-->SM3 combination but still portable enough to drag from room to room.
Another combination I listen to a lot is my laptop out to the Pico DAC--->StepDance-->LCD-2.
The amount of music I then have at my fingertips is just absolutely incredible.

Hi why don't you try the HM801 as a DAC and sell your Pico DAC.
I've never heard the Pico DAC,but from what I've read here (though Pico DAC and HM801-Dac never been directly compared here, if I'm not wrong).I think,that HM801-Dac part is in the same level as the Pico-DAC (Actually It will be great ,if you try to compare them,so that I know how the HM801-Dac compared to another Dacs)
 

 

[cooperpwc]

Quote:

Hi why don't you try the HM801 as a DAC and sell your Pico DAC.
I've never heard the Pico DAC,but from what I've read here (though Pico DAC and HM801-Dac never been directly compared here, if I'm not wrong).I think,that HM801-Dac part is in the same level as the Pico-DAC (Actually It will be great ,if you try to compare them,so that I know how the HM801-Dac compared to another Dacs)
 

We all go OT now and then but this is silly. You're in no position (i.e. have no basis) to recommend selling the Pico DAC. Woody uses both; you have never heard the Pico. They are not at all the same. One (the Pico) is both OS and upsampling, the other is NOS.
 
I did appreciate your comments on how you find that the Stepdance improves on the 801's amp.