[urbino]

I'm surprised they're doing another one so soon.
 
My advice to the Head-Fi'ers: pounce on it.

 

[brewweasel]

  I'm surprised they're doing another one so soon.
 
My advice to the Head-Fi'ers: pounce on it.

Yep, I took advantage of the last one... This thing is great, sounds good, and powers everything from my Adel A12s to my Beyer DT880 600 Ohm cans.  And it sounds really good to boot!  I get a very quiet 60 Hz hum in my A12 CIEMs (16 ohm impedance).  Totally worth it.

 

[urbino]

  Yep, I took advantage of the last one... This thing is great, sounds good, and powers everything from my Adel A12s to my Beyer DT880 600 Ohm cans.  And it sounds really good to boot!  I get a very quiet 60 Hz hum in my A12 CIEMs (16 ohm impedance).  Totally worth it.

 
Hum, eh?  What all do you have connected to it?

 

[AudioMan612]

Most hum is caused by ground problems.
 
I get a VERY slight hum from the outputs of my m920 if I turn my WA7 up all the way with my HD 700's.

 

[boatheelmusic]

No hum with the Grace.  Zero.
 
Problems elsewhere in the system.

 

[Michgelsen]

If the hum changes when you touch the housing or a bare connector at the back of the unit, thus influencing the grounding of your system, then this means you have not properly grounded your system.

 

[brewweasel]

   
Hum, eh?  What all do you have connected to it?

 
Just my laptop with a USB cable and house power.  The hum volume is constant irrespective if what the volume is set at too.  Doesn't matter if the laptop is plugged in or not.  There's also a lamp with a florescent bulb nearby as well, I may just be picking up some interference in headphone cable. I haven't tried moving elsewhere and to other outlets to see if it resolves the issue. I suspect it would go away if I turn of the light, honestly.  

 

[GUTB]

Hey guys. Isn't this just basically an unbalanced Sabre / XMOS DAC? Am I missing something that makes the M920 remotely worth even the Massdrop price?

 

[urbino]

   
Another possibility is that your PC (especially laptops) might be suspending your USB host controller during extended inactivity.  From Control Panel -> Power Options -> Change plan settings -> Change advanced power settings
 

 
Good luck!
 
- Dave

 
This fixed it.  No idea why, since this isn't a laptop, but it did.
 
Thanks, ViperGeek.

 

[urbino]

   
Just my laptop with a USB cable and house power.  The hum volume is constant irrespective if what the volume is set at too.  Doesn't matter if the laptop is plugged in or not.  There's also a lamp with a florescent bulb nearby as well, I may just be picking up some interference in headphone cable. I haven't tried moving elsewhere and to other outlets to see if it resolves the issue. I suspect it would go away if I turn of the light, honestly.  

 
With nothing more than that connected, and since it doesn't matter if the laptop is plugged in or not, it does seem like it's probably an induced hum from something else on that house circuit, rather than a grounding problem in your m920 setup, itself.

 

[AudioMan612]

  Hey guys. Isn't this just basically an unbalanced Sabre / XMOS DAC? Am I missing something that makes the M920 remotely worth even the Massdrop price?

It is balanced; it has balanced TRS connectors on the back.  The built-in headphone amp is single-ended.  It has excellent sound and build quality, as well as a pretty fat list of features (many of which can be set through the m920's menu).

You might want to take a glance at the manual, the setup menu quick guide, or earlier posts in this thread.

http://www.gracedesign.com/products/m920/m920.htm

 

[Dreaming Jester]

+1
 
It's balanced, has balanced digital and analogue inputs as well as balanced analogue outputs (TRS). The common opinion is it's a steal at even the full retail price.  

 

[Michgelsen]

  Hey guys. Isn't this just basically an unbalanced Sabre / XMOS DAC? Am I missing something that makes the M920 remotely worth even the Massdrop price?

 
Because it also has two analog inputs and volume control, it also a (balanced) preamp. So with the amount of inputs and outputs, volume control, and dsd capabilities in mind, there's not a lot of competition for this device. The only ones I can think of right now are the Benchmark DAC2 HGC and the Zodiac Antilope Platinum (which is ridicilously expensive), but there are maybe a few more.

 

[Tobes]

   
Because it also has two analog inputs and volume control, it also a (balanced) preamp. So with the amount of inputs and outputs, volume control, and dsd capabilities in mind, there's not a lot of competition for this device. The only ones I can think of right now are the Benchmark DAC2 HGC and the Zodiac Antilope Platinum (which is ridicilously expensive), but there are maybe a few more.

+1 and  none of those competitors have the m920's 3 independent volume controls which allow independent adjustment of 2 stereo power amps/powered monitors and headphone output - over a 99dB range in 0.5 db steps. Balance is also adjustable in .5dB steps.
I fully utilise these features and, AFAIK, the Grace appears to be the only game in town with those features (at any price!). 

 

[urbino]

   
Because it also has two analog inputs and volume control, it also a (balanced) preamp. So with the amount of inputs and outputs, volume control, and dsd capabilities in mind, there's not a lot of competition for this device. The only ones I can think of right now are the Benchmark DAC2 HGC and the Zodiac Antilope Platinum (which is ridicilously expensive), but there are maybe a few more.

 
The Oppo HA-1 is in the same category, with less flexibility but a balanced headphone amp.