[ProtegeManiac]

I like the Velcro idea - or BluTack - under the i-20.

 
Just mind the other surface you're sticking either of them on, especially Blutack. That stuff looks deceptively easy to remove, but I had mine on my speakers and when I moved them (perhaps the weight pushed and compacted them) they tore out the outer layer of the wood off my desk.

 

[zilch0md]

   
Just mind the other surface you're sticking either of them on, especially Blutack. That stuff looks deceptively easy to remove, but I had mine on my speakers and when I moved them (perhaps the weight pushed and compacted them) they tore out the outer layer of the wood off my desk.

 
Wow!  Thanks for the warning!  Perhaps I'll just BluTack it to something like a marble slab for cutting cheese.  Yeah, I like that idea - I'm off to Amazon to see what I can find...
 
Ha-ha! That took me about 10 seconds...
 
http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-349-Marble-Cheese-Slicer/dp/B000MMRNKQ
 
The slab measures 8 x 5 inches vs. the Pure i-20  5.3 x 4.6-inch base - so it would fit very nicely - with 0.2 inches (5mm) to spare at front and rear, and 1.35 inches (34mm) to spare at each side.
 
Thanks for brainstorming with me!
 
With that problem solved, I went ahead and ordered the Pure i-20, too.  

 
 
The problems I was having with Tidal yesterday evening seem to have been a fluke.  Late yesterday and this morning, all is well - and there are very few complaints of dropouts in the Tidal forum here at Head-Fi...
 
Mike

 

[ProtegeManiac]

In case the marble has a tendency to slide or looks like it might scratch the table, just get a section of those non-slip mats and put it under the marble. 

 

[zilch0md]

Excellent idea!  I'll be sure to post how it all works out...
 
Thanks!
 
Mike

 

[zilch0md]

The Pure i-20 arrived yesterday and I'm thrilled with its competency at pulling SPDIF from my iPad 3 to Coaxial input of my Metrum Octave MkII > Nuforce HA-200 > HD800...

I'm drinking my first cup of coffee this morning, kicked back in my recliner, iPad and i-20 on the side table, streaming TIDAL and enjoying the fullframe album covers while shuffling through my favorites.

I am borderline euphoric with the quality and convenience of streaming 44/16 (except for rare dropouts!), but couldn't be more pleased with the Pure i-20 for Coaxial Out.

I haven't tested its Line Out, Optical Out or Video Out - it's doing what I wanted it to do - flawlessly, so far as I can tell right now, but I should probably buy an optical cable for comparison with Coaxial. One concern there is that the turning radius of a fiber optic cable might not be as "side table friendly" as my 75-Ohm Coaxial cable.

Frankly, I don't feel as if I have a problem that needs solving. The HD800 would reveal it. There is no noise floor in the silent portions of good recordings and there's no evidence of jitter-induced degradation of micro details. The Pure i-20 Coaxial Out is satisfyingly transparent - just doing its job, adding nothing.

Regarding stability of the iPad 3 when mounted on the i-20... The marble slab is a must-have, with its larger footprint and greater mass to anchor the Pure i-20. Some other material, like a block of aluminum could be used, but really, a less dense material would have to have a larger footprint to provide the same stability.

Unfortunately, the Pure i-20 has a somewhat porous rubber sole to which nothing adhesive will adhere - at least nothing I've tried, including Blu-Tack, double-sided foam tape, double-sided transparent tape, or even duct tape sandwiching double-sided transparent tape (to create double-sided duct tape. Nothing I've tried will stick to the rubber sole of the Pure i-20.

So, feel free to join me in laughing at my solution - that works very well:



Yes, four large rubber bands did the trick. LOL

By the way, the cheese slicer marble slab has rubber feet.



Mike

 

[ProtegeManiac]

So, feel free to join me in laughing at my solution - that works very well:

 
The only thing I'd change is white rubber bands to blend in more with the marble, i20, and iPad 

 

[zilch0md]

Good idea!

 

[zilch0md]

At $3.48, with a 93% discount, they're practically giving these away...

Apple 8 Pin Lightning to 30-Pin Adapter-Non Retail Packaging



http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IZGY0ZW/

Check out the Camelcamelcamel.com price history...



Mike

 

[russdog]

I understand the this device requires external power, as it not only can function as a DAC but also must be able to recharge an ipod.
What I'm not sure about is whether it requires external power to pass through the digital signal from the iPod.
 
So, 3 questions:
1. If someone wishes to use this solely as a pass-through (to allow the ipod to be a digital transport), does it need external power?
2. If it does, how much juice does it need to do only that and nothing else?
3. Can you have it do that and nothing else?  (i.e., can you have it *not* recharge a connected ipod?)

 

[zilch0md]

  I understand the this device requires external power, as it not only can function as a DAC but also must be able to recharge an ipod.
What I'm not sure about is whether it requires external power to pass through the digital signal from the iPod.
 
So, 3 questions:
1. If someone wishes to use this solely as a pass-through (to allow the ipod to be a digital transport), does it need external power?    
Yes, when you unplug the power, it goes completely dead.
 
2. If it does, how much juice does it need to do only that and nothing else?    
7.6V DC at something less than 1.2A  (which is the rated output spec on its power supply)
 
3. Can you have it do that and nothing else?  (i.e., can you have it *not* recharge a connected ipod?)  
No, there's no way to stop it from charging, that I can tell.

 
Mike

 

[doantrang01]

Guy, 4s and 5s. which one has better pure sound value ?  

 

[UmustBKidn]

...

So, feel free to join me in laughing at my solution - that works very well:


 

 
Wow. Truly epic, bro.
 
I stand by my earlier descriptions of the i-20 as bright. Of course, those are only my perceptions, YMMV. It's kind of silly to argue perception, as that changes for everyone.
 
Also, the remote does not work particularly well for me. I gave up on that quickly.
 
I am not a young man, and I have tinnitus. So when I mention something seems bright to me, personally, I think it's really bright - given that my ability to hear high frequencies is impaired (14 kHz on a good day). I suppose I could be wrong, but I don't think so. Again, YMMV.
 
I left a lot of features of the i-20 untested, because I only used it for audio at work. As a platform that permits many different types of connections, well, its hard to argue with utility, but I can't offer any opinions on the rest of that.

 

[zilch0md]

^ I've never tested any feature other than Coaxial Out - you must be referring to its Line Out as being bright. And yes, the remote control is flakey, at least with my iPad 3.



Thanks,

Mike

 

[UmustBKidn]

^ I've never tested any feature other than Coaxial Out - you must be referring to its Line Out as being bright. And yes, the remote control is flakey, at least with my iPad 3.
 

 
Yes. Line out run into a Bravo V2 hybrid was almost tolerable. Running the i-20 into my Magni was not tolerable at all (it made me want to listen to the ipod alone, it was that harsh).

 

[zilch0md]

   
Yes. Line out run into a Bravo V2 hybrid was almost tolerable. Running the i-20 into my Magni was not tolerable at all (it made me want to listen to the ipod alone, it was that harsh).

 
Ooooo....  Thanks for the warning!