[cooperpwc]

I am really shocked by how stunning the Stepdance sounds with the DT880/600s in low gain mode. If it can improve any further from 9 to 12 volts, that is pretty exciting.

 

[ianmedium]

That is great news Paul. It can only improve with more volts!
I have a feeling that the more volts equal more headroom and ease of driving (a pure supposition at this time on my part) which is what a desktop mains power supply would give. As I mentioned before with the XP8000 it means in the stepdances case a true 24 volts.
 
I pulled the trigger last night so should be able to tell in the next week or so, just have to wait for shipping from the States!
 
I am now thinking how I am going to carry this. I think I will leave it separate from the ipod/stepdance but keep it connected and just leave in in it's pouch and in the lowepro bag as it has a reasonable length of cord that way on the table in the coffee shop or at home all that is showing is the stepdance/ipod.

 

[Racio]

Quote:

Hi Racio!

Hey, no problem on the delay - I'm thrilled that someone who actually owns the Energizer XP8000 has taken the time to measure the voltages at the three output jacks!  Thank you very much!
 
So, now we know that the 12-Volt jack actually delivers 12-Volts (+/- a bit with discharge, I suppose).   That makes it a pretty good DC pack for use with the Stepdance, in terms of voltage - better for sure than the 8.4-Volt internal rechargeable LiPo batteries I'm currently using.
 
Regarding capacity, the specs show that it has a capacity of 8000 mAh at 5-Volts and 2000 mAh at 20-Volts.  This means that at 12-Volts (with the Stepdance), it would have a capacity of 3333.33 mAh (or better than 8 times the capacity of internal rechargeable batteries). 
 
   8000 mAh * 5-Volts = 40,000 milliwatt-hours   (enough to power a 40-Watt light bulb for one hour)
   2000 mAh * 20-Volts = 40,000 milliwatt-hours
 
   So...  40,000 milliwatt-hours / 12-Volts = 3333.33 mAh  (enough to power the 1242-milliwatt Stepdance for 32.2 hours!)
 
Where did I get 1242-milliwatts?  In an e-mail exchange with Jan Meier, he wrote that when using my 13.8-Volt regulated power supply, the maximum current that the Stepdance can demand (in High Current mode, to which it goes automatically when an external supply is attached), is 45 milliamps per channel (90 mA, total).  13.8-Volts * 90 milliamps = 1242-milliwatts (or 1.242 Watts).  Dividing 1242 milliwatts into the 40,000 millwatt-hour capacity of the Energizer XP8000, gives us 32.2 hours of play time.  (I realize there's a little slop in my calculations because 12-Volts does not equal 13.8-Volts, but I'm not going to trouble Jan Meier with the question:  "How much current can the Stepdance draw with a 12-Volt external supply?"   I'm pretty sure that at just about any supply voltage the maxium current demand will be somewhere around 90 to 100 mA, with a mean current consumption of 50 mA.
 
Lastly, please don't confuse my use of milliwatts with the number of milliwatts driving your headphones.  I'm talking about the number of milliwatts of DC power consumed at the back end of the amplifier.
 
-----
 
Regarding the interchangeable tips that come with the XP8000:   I thought that the purchase price includes one free tip of your choice per year for the life of ownership - or something like that - for any tip they make that's not included in the original set.  Did you (Racio) buy the XP8000 new?  If so, are you aware of the free tip program?  (They do charge for shipping, if I recall correctly.)
 
Thanks again for taking the voltage measurements!
 
By the way,  B&H Photo is offering the XP8000 for $80.59, currently - best price I've seen, lately.  These guys are very reputable - I've bought a lot of camera gear from them over the years.
 
Also:  KLS was the first poster to suggest using the XP8000 with the Stepdance:  http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/507835/meier-audio-stepdance-discussion-and-impressions-thread/435#post_7062790
 
Mike
 

 
'Twas my pleasure! Yep, got mine brand new for $76 off Amazon a couple of weeks ago, I'm quite surprised they're currently selling at $92 already. By the way, contrary to the XP8000's specs online, which is 2000mA @ 12v, printed at the back of my unit it says that it's 5v=1000mA, 12v=3000mA, & 19v=2000mA, a recent product update I reckon.
 
With regards to the free tips, although I'm aware of it, I don't think I'll bother getting any. I find the supplied cables too long for portable use for the Meier, and IMO, DIY'ing a shorter cable with angled tips is the best option. On second thought though, a tip for my MacBook would be a boon.

Wikipedia: Yep is a commercial document management software program, available on Mac OS X. »

 

[raizetcity]

do we have to make a cable?seems the right tip is missing when you order the xp8000,what kind of tip is missing where can we get the right one. by the way i just plan to use it in a portable way
it's a major improvement with this battery guys

 

[ianmedium]

do we have to make a cable?seems the right tip is missing when you order the xp8000,what kind of tip is missing where can we get the right one. by the way i just plan to use it in a portable way
it's a major improvement with this battery guys

I was wondering that as well. I have mailed energizer with this question plus a copy of the specs of the plug needed that I found on Jan's website. As soon as I hear back from them I will post the answers here!

 

[raizetcity]

thanks ianmedium,we are all waiting for those news

 

[Szadzik]

What kind of tip connector is present on the XP8000?

 

[ces456]

Well, the power light went out on my Stepdance after about 3 weeks of use.  I guess this is not critical, but it's a little annoying.

 

[zilch0md]

Hi Racio!
 
Quote:

[snip]
 
I find the supplied cables too long for portable use for the Meier, and IMO, DIY'ing a shorter cable with angled tips is the best option.
 
[snip]

 
Can you tell us where you found a solderable, right-angled coaxial power connector for the Stepdance?  I'd much rather use that than a stratight connector.
 
Thanks!
 
Mike

 

 

[cooperpwc]

Quote:

Well, the power light went out on my Stepdance after about 3 weeks of use.  I guess this is not critical, but it's a little annoying.

You definitely should get that fixed. Contact Jan, he is great to deal with.
 

 

[Avi]

Quote:

 
Here is a question for the willing:  Is anyone else using the Stepdance low gain setting with full size cans?

I've switched to low gain for my DT990/250s and the stepdance has no problem driving them.

 

[cooperpwc]

Avi, how do you find the DT990/250 SQ in low gain mode compared with high gain?

 

[ianmedium]

No news from energizer yet guys.I will update as soon as I hear from them!
OT, I have just spent the last 6 hours burning a new version of the ring cycle that I have wanted for years, the Bohm 1967 live version, 14 CD's of pure bliss burned lossless to my itunes. I am now sitting here in absolute joy listening to it!
 
I must be mad ya know, I now have two versions of the ring!!

 

[zilch0md]

 
Hey everyone,
 
I've just finished applying edits to several of my earlier posts in this thread, warning future readers not to purchase the 14.8-Volt LiPo batteries I ordered.  Here's the edit I felt compelled to append to my earlier posts:
 
Edit applied on 15 February 2011 - Warning:  Don't purchase any of the 14.8-Volt LiPo batteries I recommended, above - Get the 11.1-Volt LiPo batteries offered by the same retailer, instead.  I've only today learned that the voltage specs for RC hobbiest batteries such as the  Blue LiPo 4-Cell 1000mAh 4S1P 14.8v 20C LiPoly Battery  are NOMINAL voltages!  This means that a 14.8-Volt battery is READY TO BE CHARGED when it gets DOWN to 14.8-Volts!  When fully charged, add 0.5 Volts per cell - which for these 4-cell batteries, equals another 2.0 Volts.  So...  when this 14.8-Volt battery is fully charged, it's at 16.8-Volts - FAR in excess of the 15-Volt limit for the Stepdance.   If you're still interested in an external LiPo pack for the Stepdance, get the 11.1-Volt 3-cell LiPo batteries from the same retailer as linked above, or for less hassle but more bulk and weight, get the Energizer XP8000, which provides a 12.0-Volt output jack that can be used with the Stepdance.  Search this thread for more info on the XP8000.   Mike
 
Now that I know what I'm talking about

,  I'm thinking I will order a couple of 11.1-Volt (nominal) Blue LiPo's, which when fully charged, will deliver 4.2-Volts per cell * 3 cells = 12.6-Volts. 
 
The Thunder AC6 Charger  is a geek's delight, by the way - lots of fun to program and operate, but it could be seen by some as way too much hassle, compared to plugging an Energizer XP8000 into its charger.
 
More later...
 
Mike

 

[ianmedium]

Thanks Mike, purely out of interest as I have ordered the XP8000. How does one connect the batteries you mention to the stepdance?