[Armaegis]

Pfft, you mean you don't spent all your free time and resources reviewing products for our benefit? What kind of reviewerus prolificus are you?

 

[bcwang]

The Stepdance has me intrigued, but there are a few potential things I haven't got any clarity on.
 
- Is there any hiss with very sensitive IEMs like the SE530 or UM3X?  Maybe the whole balanced ground thing makes hiss a thing of the past?
 
- How low can the volume go with said sensitive IEMs and normal line level source?
 
- Which step is the normal listening level with said sensitive IEMs and a normal line level source?
 
- Are the volume steps kinda big, like an iphone volume button kinda adjustment or very fine and feels almost continuous?
 
Thanks!

 

[Skylab]

Bcwang, you should try asking that question in the Stepdance thread. I can't help, since I am not an IEM guy.

 

[qusp]

any portable amp that uses a bipolar opamp has voltage and current traveling through the 'ground' node, because there is no such thing as ground in a portable battery powered device. but this makes no difference to the chip, it is only a reference with which to tell what is + and what is -. balanced ground

think there is a mix up in terminology there
 
virtual ground on a tube amp would be difficult and I dont see the point, generally tubes are push pull by nature, (balanced) so I see no benefit

 

[Axcelon]

Qusp
 
According to Jan Meier’s website, the “balanced ground” actually uses a specific signal that is generated in response to the L/R input channels—that is different from either one alone—and outputs that to the ground lead while simultaneously outputting the sum of the GND output with L on the L output and GND+R on the Right.  This accomplishes many things at once, particularly in producing a net voltage and current of zero in the cables leading to the headphones regardless of the audio signal apparent to the drivers.  The effect reduces the electric and magnetic fields produced while driving the audio signal—which would otherwise distort the signal as the amp is forced to supply the energy to produce them rather than drive the drivers.
 
This makes perfect sense from an Electrical Enginnering and Physics point of view.  The proof is in the pudding—and the StepDance is very good pudding indeed.
 
There is nothing to imply that this technique would not work with a tube amp.

 

[qusp]

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[size=small]I guess i'll check it out at a meet sometime as the concept sounds intriguing. I dont buy amps anymore, stepped off the conveyer belt [/size]
 
[size=small]my point was, tubes are mostly push pull ie balanced by nature, I dont know why you would use this psuedo balanced technique on something that is already balanced in actuality. the advantage I see here is people getting much of the benefit without having to recable their headphones. other than that it sounds like it uses just about as many components as truly balanced amps and just as much power used, but without the CMRR or. double output swing although perhaps some other effect i'm not aware of. very inventive I must say. like I said in the other thread, I do think Jan knows what hes doing, moreso than me thats for sure, but for someone such as myself already using DIY balanced everything for portable as it is, it will remain a fascinating concept[/size]
 
[size=small]so its pseudo differential silence plus audio haha,  inverting opamp loops FTW!![/size]
 
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[size=small]@ skylab: no wonder you have so many posts mate, you have to answer so many redundant questions, or fend off people pestering you to make yet another comparison that only tells them how it sounds with gear X before they buy something. the stepdance sounds interesting, no wonder it chews battery going by the description of the circuit, using a good amount of energy to create a pseudo differential nothing for the signal to be rendered against. [/size]
 
[size=small]but hey since when does that matter if the result is great as it seems to be. I take back my initial skepticism after reading up a bit, I understand that 'balanced ground' might be a good way to explain to those with less electronics knowledge, but IMO it is something else entirely, though i'm not sure exactly what you would call it. ground to me suggests something that is without voltage gain, but this type of circuit can indeed/must have gain. i'm always this skeptical of thngs that involve buzzwords, it should not be taken as attack[/size]
 
[size=small]pfft FiQ not portable,....my camera bag disagrees [/size]
 
[size=small]the above should not be taken as a personal slag against the protagonists here, but guys, some of these questions are a bit unreasonable to ask of the man, he does a great service to the site, but should not be taken for granted[/size]
 
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[qusp]

combined above

 

[Theodore]

Hi.
Since I bought the Yuin PK1 earphones,and I wait for them,I think I have to go for a amp/DAC combo,either the pico amp/dac,or the i-Qube/dac .
I have only a W995 mobile and I have to go for a mp3/flac player,that can combine well,with the above amps,benefitting from their presence,especially from their 24/96 capability,(usb port).
Can you suggest such a player?

 

[daveDerek]

Quote:

I ordered a Stepdance recently and expect to receive it in the mail soon.
[snip]
A word about the active ground—this is probably (more than any other single feature) responsible for the dramatic advantage in SQ the Stepdance has.  

incredible! you wrote this without actually possessing the amp then?!?  where are you coming up with 'the dramatic advantage in sq the stepdance has' ? certainly that is NOT what skylab said about it. true, he placed it at the top of his portable amp heap, but he also stated that the differences were subtle compared to his other favorites, and that it wasn't the best with every can he tested it with. thankfully head-fi does have more level headed commentators on board, though many have been driven away by having to deal with too much of this sort of hyperbole, especially when it appears that someone hasn't actually used the device before writing such brash things! enthusiasm is great, but such pronouncements are useless, or worse.

 

[Axcelon]

Cusp, thanks.  You know, you told me I didn't know what a buffer is on another thread and you were wrong there too.  At least you assumed I was wrong, because I haven't posted here a lot.
And daveDerek,obviously ordering an amp implies someone has never heard it--how correct!  Unless they have?
 
But at least you guys attack someone with a low post count who is enthusiastic--you're like little ambassadors to all the newcomers, welcoming us with benevolent words of wisdom.
 
Maybe I should pretend I can't read and have no technical knowledge and haven't heard anything.  Then can we be friends?  At least until my post count is 1000+?

 

[daveDerek]

Axcelon, it's not about post count. there are some very knowledgeable people who have low post counts and there are others that rack up thousands of posts in a few months who just enjoy posting but demonstrate little actual listening experience. unfortunately the latter drive up the signal to noise ratio and make it harder to find useful information. they're also often misleading. we're getting a much larger membership here, many of whom are young, inexperienced and impressionable. hyperbole can hurt rather than help.
 
nowhere did you mention anything about critically listening to this amp, nor anything about comparing it to other units. you mentioned that you had ordered the amp and that you would use it with several cans, and that you would compare it to several amps. did you audition the amp prior to ordering it?  you seemed amped up (

) about dr meier's prowess with circuitry design and its technical merits (which i respect, btw).  i did enjoy your explanation about his design, which adds to the discussion here. but you also stated that it had 'a dramatic advantage in sq', without mentioning anything about listening experiences. that kind of statement seems at odds with skylab's experience (and he sure seems to have a lot of experience with portable amps!). if you've found something different please share it with us in some more detail.
either way we can be friends

,  but those kinds of over the top posts invite skeptical responses.

 

[estreeter]

Hi Rob,
 
      After a long absence from Head-Fi, I returned a couple of weeks ago and revisited this old thread. I also tried to find a similar thread Larry had been updating over a long period, but I cant seem to find it, nor am I seeing any recent posts from HPA. Apologies if I have missed something here - it may simply be that dementia is clouding my ability to sift through the massive number of posts in this forum.
 
Thanks,
 
estreeter

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Hi Rob,
 
      After a long absence from Head-Fi, I returned a couple of weeks ago and revisited this old thread. I also tried to find a similar thread Larry had been updating over a long period, but I cant seem to find it, nor am I seeing any recent posts from HPA. Apologies if I have missed something here - it may simply be that dementia is clouding my ability to sift through the massive number of posts in this forum.
 
Thanks,
 
estreeter

i'd like to trash the ratings and just put them in top tier, middle tier and bottom tier.  I had this to say at the end,
 
"I have several ties in rank, and as I use the amps more over time my preferences may change; but The 8 amps in 1st - 5th place are all on a similarly high level of performance, and are very close to a tie for 1st. There is NOT a huge leap in sound moving from #5 to #1, but rather the rank is rather based on preference and which I prefer to use the most. I could almost make all the top 5 places tie for 1st, but I wont. 

Although some have better DACs than others, and some have better amp sections than others, it may average out in the final sound signature and performance. Choosing one can be based on features, price, synergy with the headphones tested, where I could be just as happy with any of them as my only portable DAC/amp if I were reduced to one."
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/306883/updated-2-22-review-13-usb-dac-amp-predator-pico-2-3move-d10-d3-d2-viper-boa-d1-lyrix-microamp-vivid-v1-nuforce-xm5
 
 

 

[estreeter]

Thanks so much Larry.

 

[MarkTwain]

I bought the Corda Stepdance to compare with my RSA Protector.

Maybe it's my ear problem, but the Protector (balanced mode) seems more detailed and deeper bass impact than my Stepdance. Stepdance sounds more laid back but soundstage and clarity seems to lose out to Protector.

I am using Hifiman HM-801 as source.

Sold the Stepdance the next day. Enjoying my protector again!