[vlach]

Quote:

I suddenly vaguely recall some rule that you can't courier batteries? Maybe that's the reason GG did not reply. Or simply that it was sold...

Hi googleli, this is slightly off topic but can i ask you provide a brief comparison of the 2Stepdance vs the SR71A? Also, i am very curious about the Energizer XP8000 and i wonder if i could use it to make my HDP portable? Thanks.
 
 

 

[Jan Meier]

Dear headfellows,
 
Just a note that the "technical details" for the 2STEPDANCE (and for the upcoming JAZZ) on my website have been updated. You now also can find pictures of the PCB.
 
Enjoy!
 
Jan

 

[cooperpwc]

Wow, The new Corda Jazz is like a home-use 2Stepdance, with the same OPA209 opamps but biased into Class A. (Jan must really like the OPA209; that's a good sign for the 2Stepdance actually.)  in addition to the 32-step stepped attenuator and active balanced ground, it also has crossfeed. Nice!

 

[knowhatimean]

My 2Stepdance arrived 2days ago. First things first, I didn't realize how small this amp actually is. I guess the size of amp relative to the size of someone's hand (after seeing the pictures here ) did'nt kick in until I actually had the amp! There is nothing small about it's performance so far. I initially tried using the 2Step at its' original settings , but quickly decided the high gain setting did'nt leave me enough volume range as the sound moved into the loud range much to quickly for my taste. I briefly tried it w/ my Denon D5000s (& they may have sounded better than I've ever heard them sound portably), but I was more interested in how my HE-4s would sound . As I may have mentioned before I really did'nt have that much trouble driving them w/ the amp I ' was ' using, this amp (2Stepdance) takes control of the music's dynamic swings very nicely. I found out very quickly not to assume that I had set the correct volume by listening to what I thought was the correct average level for a symphonic piece. I was kind of taken back when I heard how quickly the dynamics of the music could swell when a loud passage w/ percussion approached. Initially , I was listening to see if I could detect if any of the parts of those 'swells' displayed any slight "fuzziness"(or distorted in real terms). After several different loud passages I stopped trying (as intently) to detect this ! I'm sure if I tried long enough & hard enough I could make the amp distort, but I think I'd rather be less of an "audiophile" & enjoy what I'm listening to. One of the things I like about the HE-4s(& if the HE-500s are that much better my wallet is in trouble) is that it does'nt 'romanticize' or 'sweetin' the treble I prefer the sound to be slightly dry as I'm better able to hear other elements within the soundstage as you're not as focused on the lead line of the passage! I think to really appreciate why someone like Beethoven is so special you need to really listen to how all the parts create the whole. I think I like the 2Stepdance on the "whole"

 

[SpudHarris]

Quote:

Dear headfellows,
 
Just a note that the "technical details" for the 2STEPDANCE (and for the upcoming JAZZ) on my website have been updated. You now also can find pictures of the PCB.
 
Enjoy!
 
Jan

Count me in for the JAZZ, saving my pennies already
 
2Stepdance was my 1st Meier Amp and I'm now a lifer!
 
 

 

[zilch0md]

Quote:

Wow, The new Corda Jazz is like a home-use 2Stepdance, with the same OPA209 opamps but biased into Class A. (Jan must really like the OPA209; that's a good sign for the 2Stepdance actually.)  in addition to the 32-step stepped attenuator and active balanced ground, it also has crossfeed. Nice!

Right, this is indeed a good sign for the 2Stepdance having OPA209s - Jan surely wasn't considering the lower current consumption of the OPA209 when he selected it for use in the Jazz.   

 

[b0ck3n]

He may have been considering keeping costs down in sticking to the same make. I have to say I rather like the appearance of the new Stepdance, but won't take the leap unless I see some favourable measurements.

 

[googleli]

I bought an AC-DC convertor which allows me to control the Voltage. If I set it at 15V and connect it to the DC input jack, will it overdrive the Stepdance? I think the current is 2A. If this is ok, it will be my temporary solution for the office LCD2 setup until someone else posts an energizer pack for sale.

 

[Axcelon]

I now have the original StepDance + XP8000/WI15 setup.  I'm running a 5.5 gen iMod into it, and listening with the original (v1) LCD-2.
 
It is a very powerful setup.  I listened using the 12V output from the XP8000 first, then with the WI15 when it arrived.
 
I am wondering if anyone has a good oscilloscope out there.
 
The WI15 adapter produces an audible hiss, implying a switch-mode voltage reducer.  This means that the voltage it supplies (which is only designed to be good enough for a power supply for a laptop) is not a pure, near constant voltage, which is the point of using a battery (since there is no "noise" under those conditions).  Worse, the fact that I can hear the hiss of the adapter implies that the distortion of its supplied voltage has significant components in the audible range.  The buffering of the SD should mitigate this to a fair degree, however I was immensely impressed with the 12V source from the XP8000.
 
I know what the physics and EE predict in these situations.
 
Zilch0md, do you still have your 15V pure battery rigs?  Would you be able to compare the WI15 to them?  I'd be curious to hear what you have to say.
 
The WI15 might benefit from adding a pi-filter stage between the 15V output and the SD, for maximum sonic performance while supplying 15V over the discharge range of the battery.
 
Make sense?

 

[ianmedium]

I now have the original StepDance + XP8000/WI15 setup.  I'm running a 5.5 gen iMod into it, and listening with the original (v1) LCD-2.
 
It is a very powerful setup.  I listened using the 12V output from the XP8000 first, then with the WI15 when it arrived.
 
I am wondering if anyone has a good oscilloscope out there.
 
The WI15 adapter produces an audible hiss, implying a switch-mode voltage reducer.  This means that the voltage it supplies (which is only designed to be good enough for a power supply for a laptop) is not a pure, near constant voltage, which is the point of using a battery (since there is no "noise" under those conditions).  Worse, the fact that I can hear the hiss of the adapter implies that the distortion of its supplied voltage has significant components in the audible range.  The buffering of the SD should mitigate this to a fair degree, however I was immensely impressed with the 12V source from the XP8000.
 
I know what the physics and EE predict in these situations.
 
Zilch0md, do you still have your 15V pure battery rigs?  Would you be able to compare the WI15 to them?  I'd be curious to hear what you have to say.
 
The WI15 might benefit from adding a pi-filter stage between the 15V output and the SD, for maximum sonic performance while supplying 15V over the discharge range of the battery.
 
Make sense?

I think there must be something wrong with your 15v adapter as I am listening at the moment to my set up with the LCD's and it is inky black silence. I just switched off the music and turned the volume up to full and nothing, not a sound. Then I put on one of my pieces of music with a lot of silence between the notes and turned it way up past my normal listening levels and again no hiss whatsoever, just inky black silence.

 

[Jan Meier]

Dear Headfellows,
 
The powerlines on the 2STEPDANCE have more extensive LC-filtering than those on the STEPDANCE. I therefore expect the 2STEPDANCE to be more silent when using a switched mode supply. This change has been made because it has become increasingly more difficult to get linear supplies.
 
Cheers
 
Jan

 

[googleli]

Hi Jan, great to see you here. Would you consider making lots of energizer packs and sell them as options to the Stepdance / 2Stepdance? Many thanks.

 

[Jan Meier]

Dear Googleli,
 
> Would you consider making lots of energizer packs and sell them as options to the Stepdance / 2Stepdance?
 
Sorry, but I have no plans in that direction.
 
Jan

 

[googleli]

Thanks Jan. I am now using an ac dc transformer with variable output voltage. If I switch it to 15V and connect it to the DC jack of the Stepdance, would it overdrive the Stepdance?

 

[ianmedium]

Great news Jan. I can understand you not wanting to get into the power pack solution. it would be quite a hassle for a small number of sales I think! Congratulations on another winner amp. I am still loving my original!