Portable amp for LCD2

[ianmedium]

Must admit I always thought the main benefit to balanced cables was that they could run long lengths of cable without loss of sound quality. That does not really matter with portables though. Hopefully I shall find out for myself soon enough

 

[grokit]

 

[dyl1dyl]

Quote:

Must admit I always thought the main benefit to balanced cables was that they could run long lengths of cable without loss of sound quality. That does not really matter with portables though. Hopefully I shall find out for myself soon enough

Hopefully you will be pleasantly surprised

 

 

[vlach]

Quote:

as i have mentioned, in my experience using the balanced out of the 71b was clearly a better sound.
 
i should also mention that as far as balanced gear goes, i have neither experience, nor knowlege, or even understanding of what a balanced or semi balanced rig is.. i just went by sound quality comparison, and it didnt take more than 2 quick switches back and forth from single ended output to balanced output to declare a clear winner and never look back.
 
"even when i am using an ipod and lod.. in other words, nothing fancy being fed into the 71b".
 
 

Regarding your last sentence; an iPod and LOD would not benefit from the 71B because the signal is not balanced coming out of the iPod...
 

 

[vlach]

Quote:

WHICH IS WHY my conclusion to the fully balanced input/output [trans]portable rig is this:

iPod - CLAS - RSA Portable Balanced DAC - RSA SR71B - LCD2

Ray Samuels' new portable balanced DAC will be coming in 3-4 months, so wait until then.



There's more to CLAS than it being just a DAC... but I do feel the fostex HP-P1 will be a very redundant purchase, and it will just add weight and a bigger box to the stack...

Seems like the ideal product would be a balanced CLAS which would eliminate one device...bet you that's what we'll see next from Cypher Labs
 
 
 

 

[Girls Generation]

Seems like the ideal product would be a balanced CLAS which would eliminate one device...bet you that's what we'll see next from Cypher Labs
 
 
 

Possible, but I doubt it.

Regarding your last sentence; an iPod and LOD would not benefit from the 71B because the signal is not balanced coming out of the iPod...
 

It doesn't matter because the SR71B is phase splitting to output a balanced signal; one does not require a balanced input with the SR71B.

 

[rudi0504]

Quote:

Dudes - I am looking for the ultimate bad arse portable combo for the LCD2, so I can use it in office and at the same time be able to carry it around in my luggage during my vacation and use the Energizer XP8000 to charge the devices.
 
I currently have the following portable stuff:
 
Digital transport: iPhone4, iPad2
IStuff DAC: CLAS, Fostex HP-P1
Amps: Meier Stepdance (15V), SR71A
Headphone intended to drive: LCD2. I also have the T5p and ED10 but the main focus is to drive the LCD2 well.
 
My question:
Would a full balanced setup using the SR71B be an upgrade over the above combos I have? I would need to add an iBasso thing in between the CLAS/Fostex and the SR71B to give the SR71B fully balanced input. I will also need to buy the SR71B-LCD2 cable from ALO. As my vacation is drawing near I may need to use a 3.5mm-SR71B connector first - would it defeat the purpose of balanced output from the SR71B?
 
In short, would this contemplated combo:
 
iPhone/iPad -> CLAS/Fostex -> digital out to iBasso -> Balanced out to SR71B -> Balanced output to LCD2
 
be a considerable step up over my current office rig, i.e.
 
iPhone/iPad -> CLAS/Fostex -> L/O to SR71A / 15V Stepdance?
 
How about changing the amp to Lisa 3?
 
Thanks all !!!

Daer Googleli
 
I have almost the same set up like yours :
 
I ranked like below:
 
First 
 
Iphone 4 G / Ipad 2 with file music WAV + Fostex Hp1 as DAC + Head Stage arrow 2 G + LCD 2 Rev 1 and Rev 2
 
Second
 
Iphone 4 G / Ipad 2 with WAV file music + Fostex Hp1 as DAC + RS 71 B in  Full Balance mode in  and out +LCD 2 rev 1 an d Rev 2
 
Third
 
Iphone 4 G / Ipad 2 with WAV file music + Fostex Hp 1 as DAC + Stepdance 1 + LCD 2 Rev 1 and Rev 2
 
Cable : LCD 2 with Moon  Audio Silver Dragon  v3
 
            Female 1/4 " Jack to Balance  Whiplash Eclipse Twag 2 (as Adaptor for LCD 2  to RS 71 B ) 
 
            LOD to USB Whiplash Eclipse Twag 2 ( Iphone 4 To Fostex Hp 1 )
 
            Balance to Mini Whiplash Eclipse Twag 2 ( Fostex Hp 1 OUT to RS 71 B line IN ) 
 
            Mini to Mini Silver Cable Scsag ( Fostex Hp 1 OUT to Head Stage arrow / Stepdance 1 )
 
 
These three are the best set up as Portable for my LCD 2 Rev 1 and Rev 2
 
In term of sound quality and very good i mpact
 
              

 

[grokit]

 
Quote:

Regarding your last sentence; an iPod and LOD would not benefit from the 71B because the signal is not balanced coming out of the iPod...

THe iPod/LOD won't benefit but the LCD-2 will.
 

 

[vlach]

Quote:

 

THe iPod/LOD won't benefit but the LCD-2 will.
 

 
Sorry, i meant to say "headphones" won't benefit from a 71B fed from an iPod LOD, however i didn't know about the phase splitting feature as GG mentions...

 

[zilch0md]

Quote:

Seems like the ideal product would be a balanced CLAS which would eliminate one device...bet you that's what we'll see next from Cypher Labs
 

That would be nice!  
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/549750/cypher-labs-algorhythm-solo-discussion-and-impressions-thread/480#post_7779528  (See my last sentence at this post.)
 
Mike
 
 
 

 

[obazavil]

Interesting... you liked Arrow more than balanced sr71b...
 
Quote:

Daer Googleli
 
I have almost the same set up like yours :
 
I ranked like below:
 
First 
 
Iphone 4 G / Ipad 2 with file music WAV + Fostex Hp1 as DAC + Head Stage arrow 2 G + LCD 2 Rev 1 and Rev 2
 
Second
 
Iphone 4 G / Ipad 2 with WAV file music + Fostex Hp1 as DAC + RS 71 B in  Full Balance mode in  and out +LCD 2 rev 1 an d Rev 2
 
Third
 
Iphone 4 G / Ipad 2 with WAV file music + Fostex Hp 1 as DAC + Stepdance 1 + LCD 2 Rev 1 and Rev 2
 

 

 

[vlach]

Quote:

Interesting... you liked Arrow more than balanced sr71b...
 
 

 
Indeed, i thought the SR71B was in a totally different league!
 
 

 

[obazavil]

Quote:

 
Indeed, i thought the SR71B was in a totally different league!
 
 

 
Good to know that Arrow can stand a good battle (and win for people like vlach) against balanced sr71b.
 
I was thinking of getting arrow 4G someday for Edition 8. Good to know it can be used with LCD2 with very good results
 
 

 

[Physther]

I currently have an ALO Continental and it sounds REALLY good with the LCD-2.  My semi-portable home setup is macbook -> headstage USB DAC -> Continental.  I have it on the FS boards only because I miss my lows with the music that I listen to.  It does sounds great with vocals, classical, and jazz though. 

 

[irvin59]

I've just got my LCD-2's. I'm using an iPad with Linn studio master recordings into a Fiio 7 Dac via camera adapter USB ( waiting for Dacport to arrive) and Alo continental amp. The sound is way better than I ever imagined I could get in a (semi) portable setup-just amazing. I much prefer the continental in this setup to the SR 71B in balanced mode (didn't think I would). The continental has much more power on tap and more authoritative sound.