Review: Jkeny’s modified Hiface
Jan 14, 2012 at 12:08 AM Post #378 of 431


Quote:
 
I will state it again, but the Red Wine HPA is hands down better with the Mk3. 

 


 


Are you saying the Red Wine HPA is a superior USB "converter" than the MK3?  You basically tested the MK3 on the Red Wine and then listened to the Red Wine w/out it and found the sound to be hands down superior with the MKIII out of the equation, correct?
 
What do you use the MKIII for at this time...maybe you will be selling it?:))

Interested in more of your impressions and what exactly you heard or if plain and simply put, the Red Wine made the MK3 seem like a low to mid-fi converter vs. your Red Wine's converter.
 
Jan 14, 2012 at 1:13 AM Post #379 of 431


Quote:
Are you saying the Red Wine HPA is a superior USB "converter" than the MK3?  You basically tested the MK3 on the Red Wine and then listened to the Red Wine w/out it and found the sound to be hands down superior with the MKIII out of the equation, correct?
 
What do you use the MKIII for at this time...maybe you will be selling it?:))

Interested in more of your impressions and what exactly you heard or if plain and simply put, the Red Wine made the MK3 seem like a low to mid-fi converter vs. your Red Wine's converter.


I believe you misinterpreted his comment. He's saying the MK3 improved his HPA not the other way around.
 
 
Jan 15, 2012 at 12:24 AM Post #382 of 431


Quote:
Are you saying the Red Wine HPA is a superior USB "converter" than the MK3?  You basically tested the MK3 on the Red Wine and then listened to the Red Wine w/out it and found the sound to be hands down superior with the MKIII out of the equation, correct?
 
What do you use the MKIII for at this time...maybe you will be selling it?:))

Interested in more of your impressions and what exactly you heard or if plain and simply put, the Red Wine made the MK3 seem like a low to mid-fi converter vs. your Red Wine's converter.


When using the MkIII and the HPA together the sound was better, vs the hpa directly connecting to the source.  The sound field was deeper and wider. The instrument separation was more precise. It gave it more of a 3 dimensional sound. Without sacrificing any clarity or dynamics. 
 
 
Jan 15, 2012 at 2:25 AM Post #383 of 431


Quote:
 It seems like the USB cables from the larger manufacturers (Audioquest, Wireworld, Synergistic, etc.) are the ones with somewhat questionable performance gains.
 



Maybe it is caused their price and bigger network of dealers? Acustic revive, wywired, etc are expensive and small brands and their cable are used mostly in high-end rigs of experienced listener. On other hand, 60$ wireworld or Kimber can buy anybody and connect it to whazever rig. And simply if more people try one thing, you get much more opinions from both sides. Somebody hear big diference with Wirewolrd and maybe would hear difference using Wywire, but people who didnt hear difference with same wirewold can have same problem with Wywire, but because their poor experience with wireworld they never get to try Wywire.
 
I dont follow most discusions about usb cables, so I can be wrong.
I now just use my Wireworld starlight and it is better in my system than oem usb cable. I will need another with different connector and I'm looking to try Audioquest Carbon, because it is recommended by Gordon Rankin and I have opportunity to buy it from local distributor.
 
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Jan 15, 2012 at 4:47 AM Post #384 of 431

Quote:
When using the MkIII and the HPA together the sound was better, vs the hpa directly connecting to the source.  The sound field was deeper and wider. The instrument separation was more precise. It gave it more of a 3 dimensional sound. Without sacrificing any clarity or dynamics. 
 

In my system MK3 even increased the clarity and dynamics:)
 
Jan 24, 2012 at 6:02 PM Post #387 of 431


Quote:
You should order an Audiophilleo AP2 and do a comparison for us.  It only costs $10 max to ship the Audiophilleo back for a full refund and you get the idea of what exactly each are doing.



I might do that. It will be at least a couple months though. As I am still waiting to see if things change with the LCD 3. I go back and forth on pulling the trigger now.
 
I know the one thing the Audiophilleo has over the Mk3 is integer mode. Maybe if enough Hiface owners and Empirical Offramp owners email request M2TECH for an integer mode driver update { hint, hint :wink: }, we could compare apples to apples. M2TECH has replied to me it's Bit Perfect, so theirs no need. But it WOULD sound better than "just" bit perfect, with an additional integer mode. That's why some pay for Amarra and Pure Music over free itunes( Mac). They are all bit perfect but the audiophile players sound better, and even better with integer mode. We should  just let them see the demand for a better driver. But the only way to really know is to try each unit side by side.
 
Sorry for the tangent I saw the opportunity and took it! ......... but we REALLY should email them...... LOL :)
 
Jan 28, 2012 at 2:50 AM Post #388 of 431


Quote:
I might do that. It will be at least a couple months though. As I am still waiting to see if things change with the LCD 3. I go back and forth on pulling the trigger now.
 
I know the one thing the Audiophilleo has over the Mk3 is integer mode. Maybe if enough Hiface owners and Empirical Offramp owners email request M2TECH for an integer mode driver update { hint, hint :wink: }, we could compare apples to apples. M2TECH has replied to me it's Bit Perfect, so theirs no need. But it WOULD sound better than "just" bit perfect, with an additional integer mode. That's why some pay for Amarra and Pure Music over free itunes( Mac). They are all bit perfect but the audiophile players sound better, and even better with integer mode. We should  just let them see the demand for a better driver. But the only way to really know is to try each unit side by side.
 
Sorry for the tangent I saw the opportunity and took it! ......... but we REALLY should email them...... LOL :)

 
Very good point about the integer mode as I heard the Off-Ramp 5, the modified Off Ramp 4, and the latest most updated version of the Overdrive DAC (basically an OR5 w/DAC in one, but sounds a bit better all in all vs. OR5+it).  Amarra was being used so obviously Steve from Empirical has probably known about this a while or maybe even prefers the player over itunes in general?
 
Good point about waiting it out for the LCD 3 or pulling the trigger now, but you have a $10 shipping fee back is all, so you have absolutely nothing to lose pulling the trigger now:wink:.
 
I just wish I didn't have to pay, wait, then send back, wait, all that process to order from John Kenny or I would have done this comparison already.  
 
 
 
Mar 13, 2012 at 2:39 PM Post #390 of 431


Quote:
Has anybody tried a USB B male to USB A male adapter with JK HiFace MK3 as recommended by John Kenny on his website (https://sites.google.com/site/hifacemods/home/announcements) or tested higher quality USB cables with MK3?



I've tried a few high-end USB cables with mine. Yes, they do make a subtle difference (very consistently to my ears). Personally, for the gains I found, I'd rather invest the hundreds of dollars elsewhere...maybe towards a better source or transducer.
 

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