[lobehold]

 
I had an email  chat with Mr. Mallinson when I bought my Concero HD, he does understand that there is a market for a lower price Invicta all-in-one type product, if you are looking for such a product and you are happy with the Concero, I suggest you wait.

 
That sounds encouraging, hopefully this proposed product doesn't lose the compactness and is still powered by USB.

 

[BoxerOrBag]

   
That sounds encouraging, hopefully this proposed product doesn't lose the compactness and is still powered by USB.

if you look at the Fostex HP-A4, that product is certainly possible

 

[jexby]

In that case, I really can't think of anything better than Concero HP. Nice choice! 

Actually I can, HiFi-M8.

if your headphones need a tad more power and you don't require the DSD feature of the DAC.
My M8 has been amazing when portable on battery power and when on desk to laptop via USB.
(Listening now via iPad mini and Onkyo HD player)

Been comparing Herus to M8 for over a week.
More details to emerge after more listening but it's starting to boil down to:
If you must have smallest DAC amp possible, costs less yet can drain your iDevice battery at times, go Herus.
If budget allows, space allows but need more mW of amp and better balance across music spectrum, go M8!

Concero HP seems to fit (feature wise) right between Herus and M8.

Still loving loving Concero HD + Lyr at desktop.

 

[project86]

Actually I can, HiFi-M8.

if your headphones need a tad more power and you don't require the DSD feature of the DAC.
My M8 has been amazing when portable on battery power and when on desk to laptop via USB.
(Listening now via iPad mini and Onkyo HD player)

Been comparing Herus to M8 for over a week.
More details to emerge after more listening but it's starting to boil down to:
If you must have smallest DAC amp possible, costs less yet can drain your iDevice battery at times, go Herus.
If budget allows, space allows but need more mW of amp and better balance across music spectrum, go M8!

Concero HP seems to fit (feature wise) right between Herus and M8.

Still loving loving Concero HD + Lyr at desktop.

 
 
See, I think the M8 was great, better than most, yet somewhat lagging behind the concero HP. Don't get me wrong - I love what CEntrance did with it. I love the process, the input/feedback from HeadFiers, the options, the true portability... M8 is great for what it is. I do think the HP sounds better though. 
 
Is it too much to ask for a product as small as Herus, with the features of M8 and the SQ of HP? 

 

[jexby]

See, I think the M8 was great, better than most, yet somewhat lagging behind the concero HP. Don't get me wrong - I love what CEntrance did with it. I love the process, the input/feedback from HeadFiers, the options, the true portability... M8 is great for what it is. I do think the HP sounds better though. 

Is it too much to ask for a product as small as Herus, with the features of M8 and the SQ of HP? 

It might be too much to ask Herus to keep its size while providing 4pin XLR jack. Ha!

Despite owning M8 and not HP, I'm glad to hear your testimony.
Proves again Resonessence puts out good products.
And indeed if I only needed a desktop transportable unit, might have gone HP.

But the m8 features of battery, iDevice connectivity and power + plugs won me over
instead of solely sound quality.

Btw, Herus does have small air hiss with Westone UM3X and seems to bring mids and vocals a step or two more forward in the presentation on IEMs.
With HE-500s, M8 delivered more depth and refined accuracy to bass for sure- especially as rock songs get more complex and mixed. Soundstage more even and wide.

So if the HP does that and more over both Herus and M8, then cheers to ya!
Glad to hear it. (no pun intended)

 

[JWahl]

   
I had an email  chat with Mr. Mallinson when I bought my Concero HD, he does understand that there is a market for a lower price Invicta all-in-one type product, if you are looking for such a product and you are happy with the Concero, I suggest you wait.

Or even just a reasonably priced standalone desktop DAC with linear regulated power supply would be nice.  Right now the only midway compromise would be to pair the Concero up with a solid mid to high tier standalone DAC ($1000-$2000)  I'm currently eyeing the Anedio D2 for this reason and then eventually purchasing a Concero again to add the Resonessence flavor in the way of their selectable filters and jitter reduction processing.  
 
IIRC the Anedio already uses the same high quality primary clock crystal (different frequency) as the Invicta and a similar design philosophy so I think the Concero pre-processing would be ice on the cake.  And with the Anedio price drop, the combo would still come in under $2000 together.  I have to assume the Anedio uses one of the stock filters from the Sabre chip so I think resonessence's tweaked filters would have a pleasant effect.
 
EDIT: Project86, have you ever tried using either of the Concero models to feed an s/pdif signal to the Anedio? 

 

[BoxerOrBag]

   
  Is it too much to ask for a product as small as Herus, with the features of M8 and the SQ of HP? 

 
my HP-P1 ran out of battery on my drive home the other day

  Or even just a reasonably priced standalone desktop DAC with linear regulated power supply would be nice.  Right now the only midway compromise would be to pair the Concero up with a solid mid to high tier standalone DAC ($1000-$2000)  I'm currently eyeing the Anedio D2 for this reason and then eventually purchasing a Concero again to add the Resonessence flavor in the way of their selectable filters and jitter reduction processing.  
 
IIRC the Anedio already uses the same high quality primary clock crystal (different frequency) as the Invicta and a similar design philosophy so I think the Concero pre-processing would be ice on the cake.  And with the Anedio price drop, the combo would still come in under $2000 together.  I have to assume the Anedio uses one of the stock filters from the Sabre chip so I think resonessence's tweaked filters would have a pleasant effect.
 
EDIT: Project86, have you ever tried using either of the Concero models to feed an s/pdif signal to the Anedio? 

 
when I was chatting with Mr. Mallinson, I was reading through MSB's website

 

[JWahl]

 
 
when I was chatting with Mr. Mallinson, I was reading through MSB's website

Ha, now that would be interesting to see MSB make something more affordable.  It does seem a new trend as of late for uber expensive DAC makers creating lower cost units with trickle down tech.  The closest to a somewhat affordable MSB would be maybe scoring a used Rockna DAC with the MSB modules.  Rockna is also very big on using the same Xilinx FPGAs as in the Concero.  Though it seems they're not very well known in the U.S.  Wadia, Resonessence, Meridian (sort of), and Light Harmonic, are a few of the big players jumping on the trickle down bandwagon.  I almost jumped on the Light Harmonic Geek Pulse bandwagon but by the time the perks caught my interest it was too late and the campaign ended just before my payday.  It will be interesting to see how that project pans out.
 
As you can see, I've become of huge fan of the digital processing in the Concero.  It's really changed my mind on what's important in a DAC besides just big power supplies and discrete output stages.

 

[M-13]

   
I had an email  chat with Mr. Mallinson when I bought my Concero HD, he does understand that there is a market for a lower price Invicta all-in-one type product, if you are looking for such a product and you are happy with the Concero, I suggest you wait.

Awesome. Eagerly waiting so I can upgrade. HD Concero is nice, but I want to upgrade to something that can be a bit more, but pay less than half of the Invicta. The Concero has turned me into a Resonessence fan boy and I would like to upgrade within the family line.

 

[Dave74]

   
Alpha Dogs + Concero HP... now there's a simple, solid, inexpensive, high-performing, isolated system for folks on the go. Hmmmm....
 
(eyes wallet, which stares back nervously)

While I haven't tried the Alpha Dog's, I am using my Concero Hp with Sony 7520's and V-Moda M-100's and I find it is a great combination with either pair as a portable solution.  It gives the Sony's a very smooth and musical sound that I didn't seem to get out of my Audioquest Dragonfly when paired with them.  I feel the M-100's are more balanced through the Concero than directly through the headphone out of my iPhone or MBP, as the mids don't seem quite as recessed.   I also have a pair of Momentum's that I'll have to try out more with them when I get home.     
 
If I had to choose between the 7520's, M-100's and Momentum's with the Concero though, I think I would pick  the Sony's, although there are times I do like the warmer sound of the M-100's.  
 
I've had my Concero for about 2 weeks now and I'm enjoying it more and more as it continues to break in.  

 

[jexby]

Or even just a reasonably priced standalone desktop DAC with linear regulated power supply would be nice.  Right now the only midway compromise would be to pair the Concero up with a solid mid to high tier standalone DAC ($1000-$2000).

My choice/solution in this space was to jump on Geek Pulse X, femto clock and analog stage upgrades for $600 plus their LPS $299.
Will be waiting months and hope it delivers on the hype.

Probably doesn't qualify as high tier, but it's as high as needed in foreseeable future.

 

[tninety]

Anyone on the Concero HD saving the last filter it was set to? I want to settle on just one but not a fan of having to carry around an Apple IR remote or a phone with an IR blaster all the time.

 

[Nick Dangerous]

Can filter settings be saved? Would have been easy with the HD since I preferred native most of the time. Regular Concero = IIR all the way.
 
(with HD800)

 

[tninety]

  Can filter settings be saved? Would have been easy with the HD since I preferred native most of the time. Regular Concero = IIR all the way.
 
(with HD800)

Yeah I want them to do this too. I don't see any issue with just having it save. Have they said anything about that?

 

[BoxerOrBag]

as far as I know, Resonnessence checks all their threads on Headfi, you can also twitter them if you like