[chicolom]

Quote:

I'm actually considering selling my Compass 2 for a cheaper, smaller setup, since I plan on sticking to my X1, and don't need all that power and size. Maybe like an Asgard 2 with an ODAC.

 
 
You should also look into the iFi iCan.  I use it more often then the M-stage.
 
I like it because it's a desktop amp but with has two levels of quality sub-bass boost as well as a soundstage boosting switch, which surprisingly doesn't sound gimmicky and works pretty well.  Since the bass boost is at the amp-level it's clean and causes zero distortion, unlike bass boosting with a mixamp/dss and double amping which can clip the signal and distort. 
 
The iCan isn't as powerful as the asgard, but it should be plenty for the X1.  It also has very low output impedance (<0.5 ohms) so very good damping factor and what not...
 
 
Here are some more of my impressions on the soundstage boost:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/475618/matrix-m-stage-amp-review-simple-cheap-and-excellent/3990#post_9481152
 
Here's an article on it's bass boost:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/ifi-audio/xbass-totally-addicted-to-bass/467554343280313

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Got my Inakustik Star cable...only to find that it IS an optical cable. The description was completely wrong. Do NOT order this, thinking it's the 3.5mm cable (mis-labeled). It wasn't even the right length.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004Q9SRKQ/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



Sigh, another return...

Guess I'll stick to the Mediabridge cable for now.

 

[Overwerk]

Quote:

Got my Inakustik Star cable...only to find that it IS an optical cable. The description was completely wrong. Do NOT order this, thinking it's the 3.5mm cable (mis-labeled). It wasn't even the right length.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004Q9SRKQ/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



Sigh, another return...

Guess I'll stick to the Mediabridge cable for now.

i wore the mediabridged x1 out yesterday, it is way less frustrating than 3 meter cables, can manage to be stashed in my pocket, and the x1 does draw a lot of head turns.
 
open air headphone outing for the win

 

[Kamakahah]

i wore the mediabridged x1 out yesterday, it is way less frustrating than 3 meter cables, can manage to be stashed in my pocket, and the x1 does draw a lot of head turns.

open air headphone outing for the win

I bet they do. I don't have the kind of swagger it would take to pull that off.

 

[Overwerk]

MLE, did you think the premium is worth the 2x price of the mediabridge?
anyone have compared and have opinions on any of these cables vs the stock LP1 cable? I swear I have the m100 cable somewhere I just can't find them. I am using lp1 cable. They seem like same material, different remote, but I don't know whether they should sound any different or they are supposed to be different quality.

 

[chicolom]

Quote:

Got my Inakustik Star cable...only to find that it IS an optical cable. The description was completely wrong.

 
Wow, that's messed up. 

 
 
I got my 5' Star cable.  Luckily it's the correct cable on the 5' listing, here > http://www.amazon.com/In-akustik-003101015-Series-Stereo-Audio/dp/B003E674VK/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_1
 
 
I haven't used it yet, but the cable is ridiculously THIN.  The wire is as thin as it looks in the pictures.   I'm not sure how durable it will be, but at least it was only $7.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

That sucks. The mediabridge cable is deliciously thick and sturdy (king of like the AD700 cable FWIR), and still plenty bendable. I just really need someone to test for impedance. I'm tempted on buying the shorter Premium cable, as 5 feet won't give it a lot of length to twist and bunch up. It is a really nice cable, despite the thickness. I think cables should be at LEAST 6 feet though. If I still had my receiver, I wouldn't have enough to reach my seating position.

Can someone PLEASE post an exact picture of how to test for a cable's impedance? My stepfather has a multimeter, so I'll take the cable (as well as a few others) to test for impedance.

 

[Overwerk]

Quote:

That sucks. The mediabridge cable is deliciously thick and sturdy (king of like the AD700 cable FWIR), and still plenty bendable. I just really need someone to test for impedance. I'm tempted on buying the shorter Premium cable, as 5 feet won't give it a lot of length to twist and bunch up. It is a really nice cable, despite the thickness. I think cables should be at LEAST 6 feet though. If I still had my receiver, I wouldn't have enough to reach my seating position.

Can someone PLEASE post an exact picture of how to test for a cable's impedance? My stepfather has a multimeter, so I'll take the cable (as well as a few others) to test for impedance.

multimeters ---even kids could use them, come on

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I have never used such a thing in my life. I don't work with my hands, ever. They're baby soft.

If it's that simple, post a hotdarn image of where to put the contacts, and what settings on the multimeter, etc.

 

[Thujone]

Quote:

I have never used such a thing in my life. I don't work with my hands, ever. They're baby soft.

If it's that simple, post a hotdarn image of where to put the contacts, and what settings on the multimeter, etc.

I think it's as simple as doing sleeve to sleeve or tip to tip on the connector from both sides. I can't remember until I have it in my hands, haha.

 

[HolyCheese]

When using the multimeter you first have to touch the probes together, black and red, and see what the resistance is. It should be 0 but it could be higher. Note that number.
 
Then you put the probe on the 1 spot of the plug and the other probe on the 1 at the other side. Same goes for 2 and 3. This is the resistance of the cable. If the probes itself had a resistance then you should substract that.
The multimeter should be on the ohmage setting, the lowest possible setting. On the picture it's the resistance setting 200.

 

[plakat]

What you're about to measure is not the impedance though but the resistance. The 75Ohm value mentioned somewhere before from a cables spec is impedance (at some given frequency well above audio range), not resistance.
 
If you're looking for low-resistance connections avoid unnecessary adaptors as well, any additional connector adds a little bit.

 

[chicolom]

Quote:

That sucks. The mediabridge cable is deliciously thick and sturdy (king of like the AD700 cable FWIR), and still plenty bendable.

I'm tempted on buying the shorter Premium cable, as 5 feet won't give it a lot of length to twist and bunch up. It is a really nice cable, despite the thickness. I think cables should be at LEAST 6 feet though.

 
 
The monoprice cable I have probably lot like the mediabridge.  Nice and thick but soft and bends easy. 
 
I think the Star cable will be OK as long as it's treated properly. 

 

[chicolom]

I did some cable measuring of my own with a multimeter. 
 
 
These are the readings that I got:
 

Stock Philips X1 Cable	1.8 ohms	:\
In-kakustic "Star" MP3 cable (4.9')	0.2 ohms	Very low resistance
Monoprice "Designed for Mobile" 3.5mm cable (6')	0.4 ohms	Pretty good!

 
I also measured my replug breakaway adapter, and it adds 0.2 ohms to the total overall resistance.  So it has 0.2 ohms resistance.
 
 
MLE, to use the multimeter you turn it on and rotate the mode dial in the middle until it's pointing towards one of the ohm Ω settings.  Sometimes the multimeter will have different options for ranges, for example it will measure mega-ohms (M) or kilo-ohms (K), but you just want to measure SINGLE ohms - so look for the lowest ohm setting.  Next you grab both prongs and touch them together and read what the device's own resistance is.  Mine reads ~0.2 ohms. Then you just solidly press the prongs to both outer tips of the cable, read what the resistance shows on the multimeter, then subtract the resistance that you measured for the device itself (subtract 0.2 ohms in my case).  So for example, when I measure the stock Philips cable, the multimeter reads 2.0 ohms and I subtract the 0.2 resistance from the multimeter to get 1.8 ohms for the cable itself.

 

[aspburgers]

The monoprice cables look a little heavy for the jack on the headphone.