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Pictures of Your Portable Rig [Part XIV]
Feb 3, 2011 at 2:05 PM Post #2,312 of 3,208


Quote:
cn11 said:
My current 'transportable' rig I use daily at work. Soon to have a warrior05 cable for the Pro 900s.... 
 
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Have you tried the 580's and if so is there a slight difference or a major one in your opinion?  Thanks!
 
Feb 3, 2011 at 2:22 PM Post #2,313 of 3,208
I don't have the 580s, but do have Mogami recabled 780s... and the differences are pretty big up to the Pro 900s. First, the soundstage is a decent amount wider, and more 3D. Bass is about equal, perhaps a little bigger/fatter with the Pro 900s. But the other huge area of improvement besides the soundstage is treble and detail. They have a much more resolved and detailed sound over the 780s. It's a hair more edgy/aggressive, but it doesn't become harsh or strident (at least I don't find them that way even though some do-- and I'm one of the most critical of strident/harsh treble). Overall, they really justify the price difference, being a much more refinded, detailed, and open sounding headphone. 
 
The one area they lose out on though is isolation. They do leak/allow outside sounds in somewhat. I suppose it's due to the velour pads over the pleather ones on the 780s. But it is more than adequate to listen in comfortable quiet in an office setting, and the leaking is not loud enough at all to disturb cube-mates. 
 
There are a few quick comments comparing them to the HFI-580 in the last pages of the Pro 900 review thread:
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/527451/ultrasone-pro-900-review/270#post_7241936
 
Feb 3, 2011 at 3:20 PM Post #2,314 of 3,208

 
Quote:
cn11 said:
I don't have the 580s, but do have Mogami recabled 780s... and the differences are pretty big up to the Pro 900s. First, the soundstage is a decent amount wider, and more 3D. Bass is about equal, perhaps a little bigger/fatter with the Pro 900s. But the other huge area of improvement besides the soundstage is treble and detail. They have a much more resolved and detailed sound over the 780s. It's a hair more edgy/aggressive, but it doesn't become harsh or strident (at least I don't find them that way even though some do-- and I'm one of the most critical of strident/harsh treble). Overall, they really justify the price difference, being a much more refinded, detailed, and open sounding headphone. 
 
The one area they lose out on though is isolation. They do leak/allow outside sounds in somewhat. I suppose it's due to the velour pads over the pleather ones on the 780s. But it is more than adequate to listen in comfortable quiet in an office setting, and the leaking is not loud enough at all to disturb cube-mates. 
 
There are a few quick comments comparing them to the HFI-580 in the last pages of the Pro 900 review thread:
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/527451/ultrasone-pro-900-review/270#post_7241936
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Thank you!
 
Feb 3, 2011 at 4:27 PM Post #2,315 of 3,208
You're quite welcome. The poster referred to in that link has added a slightly more detailed comparison just now at the end of the thread. Check it out, perhaps it'll offer some more info to help with your choice....
 
Feb 4, 2011 at 3:39 AM Post #2,316 of 3,208
 
This rig is obviously too unwieldly for use during a lot of outdoor activities, but it's great for sitting on a park bench, camping trips, picnics, doing the laundry, hanging out in the garage, reclining in the backyard hammock, etc.
 
Sony PCM-M10 Linear PCM Digital Recorder (capable of playing up to 96-KHz/24-bit WAV files), equipped with a 32GB microSDHC card
Milian Acoustics SPOFC Kevlar-sleeved interconnect cable (with Switchcraft terminals)
Meier Audio Corda Stepdance amplifier (with iPowerUS 520 mAh 8.4-Volt Liithium Polymer battery)
Radio Shack Model 274-875 Gold Series 1/8" Jack to 1/4" Plug Adapter
Audez'e Audio Research Labs LCD-2 (current version with thicker pads)
Case Logic TBC-304 Camera Case (neck strap not shown)
   
 

Everything except the neck strap, as carried when listening.
 
 

Looking down into the top loading case, showing a divider cushion I got from an older camera case.  Nothing rubs on anything.  (This is the view I see when I open the case to adjust the Stepdance volume or pull out the Sony PCM-M10 to operate it.)
 
 

Sony PCM-M10 can be pulled from the case to make adjustments without disconnecting the interconnect cable. The Switchcraft right-angle plug pivots as I swing it out or back into the case. Mahler's 2nd Symphony (Scherchen) is shown on the display in this shot.  It's goosebump city on the LCD-2s!  Download this free 96/24 sample file and three others from High Definition Tape Transfers. 
 
 

Everything pulled out of the case except for a spare battery that's in the front zipper pocket and a USB SD card reader and microSD adapter that I keep in the lid pocket.
 
Mike
 
Feb 4, 2011 at 1:57 PM Post #2,322 of 3,208

Thanks RuiCanela!
 
Quote:
ruicanela said:
Hi Mike your portable rig is impressive and beautiful !! Are you using a line out from your Sony to feed Stepdance or a regular headphone out.?
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Yes, I'm using the Line Out from the Sony SPM-M10 - I should have mentioned that in my post.
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Here's an e-mail I received from Sony Customer Care on January 22, 2011, in response to some questions I had asked about the PCM-M10:
 
Quote:
 
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Dear Mr. Michael,
 
Greetings!
 
We do apologize for the delay in our reply as we need to check with our counterpart.
 
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Further, can you please confirm what type of DA converter is used inside the PCM-M10? Is it a mutlibit, R2R ladder DAC (like PCM1704) or delta-sigma design (like CS4382)?  

 -->    PCM-M10 is using "delta-sigma design" DA converter.
 
 
Can the Line Out from the DAC deliver 96-kHz 24-bit playback to an external amplifier or is playback limited to 48-kHz 24-bit?  

 -->    PCM-M10 does not convert 96kHz/24bit file.
         So, if you recorded with 96kHz/24bit, then Line Out will be  96kHz/24bit.
 
Thank you for the compliments. Comments were passed to engineers and designers.
 
Thank you and we will wait for your reply.
 
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Additional impressions of the PCM-M10 can be found in this short (two-page) thread and in this three-page thread.
 
Thanks again,
 

Mike 
 
 
Feb 4, 2011 at 2:04 PM Post #2,324 of 3,208


Quote:
botanique said:
cn11 awesome rig! Let me know, please, do Arrow properly drive U900?
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Very, very much so! And I just use medium gain, high is not required at all... Sometimes I can't believe how good the sound is with this small of a combo. That said, I can't help but wonder what more a stationary amp would do for the sound. I bet it could sound even more open, spacious, with the frequency extremes better controlled still. I intend to try out something along the lines of a Lisa III (or the upcoming Triad L3), or perhaps an AMB mini3 (second-hand, already assembled). But then I won't be able to post photos of it here in the portables section.  
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