[dallan]

Yep, I put an $800. clock in a $600. dac, plus an additional lower end 300 clock for the usb input with a separate power supply for it that was a couple hundred....ouch, even worse i then eventually skipped over that second clock with a usb->coax converter that was a grand.  It sure adds up, ended up not even buying the next pair of headphones for almost two years after that.

 

[Gwarmi]

 It is crazy when you think of the pinnacle of current clocking technology out there - case in point, the
 relatively new Esoteric-TEAC (yes TEAC own these nutty guys in Japan) - G-0RB
 
 Price? Hold on to your pants - $17,800USD + shipping
 
 Only folks with $150,000+ systems need apply.
 
 

 

[spkrs01]

Quote:

I find it a bit hard to believe that such an ambitious product as the V800 would output such significant diferences in sound, varying on which input you choose. Is it the Hiface that is so superior compared to a normal S/PDIF that makes such an impact? Or is the USB just that bad?
 

 
Unfortunately, I feel the USB input is just "that bad"...........It seems as though it was put on the V800 for convenience purposes. 
 
Using the USB input of the V800 made me regret buying it, full stop! The Bladelius USB DAC which I also have, was all over it at half the price. I was even getting a better sound using the line out of a DX100 sourcing the V200!
 
It wasn't until buying the HiFace Two and using the coax input that the V800 showed itself as a quality DAC. In concert with the V200 and providing you have matched the cables well, it truly is a wonderful set up at it's price point. I am really loving it at the moment, with all my head phones and IEMs.
 
IEMs on the V200 sounds awesome, I have W4, 535ltd, 2 pairs of Hybrid DD with 2BA and a monster 20 BA,10 BA per side IEM. No hiss, just black backgrounds...................simply fantastic sonics.
 
With Cans, the V200/V800 combo is just as impressive. With lots of matching of cables, i/c and power, I have managed to get a stunning sound out of the LCD-2 and the HE-500, both on silver/gold hybrid cables.

 

[WNBC]

Are you using a powered USB hub with the Hiface 2?  Not many reviews out there on the new Hiface so I'm curious.
 
Quote:

 
Unfortunately, I feel the USB input is just "that bad"...........It seems as though it was put on the V800 for convenience purposes. 
 
Using the USB input of the V800 made me regret buying it, full stop! The Bladelius USB DAC which I also have, was all over it at half the price. I was even getting a better sound using the line out of a DX100 sourcing the V200!
 
It wasn't until buying the HiFace Two and using the coax input that the V800 showed itself as a quality DAC. In concert with the V200 and providing you have matched the cables well, it truly is a wonderful set up at it's price point. I am really loving it at the moment, with all my head phones and IEMs.
 
IEMs on the V200 sounds awesome, I have W4, 535ltd, 2 pairs of Hybrid DD with 2BA and a monster 20 BA,10 BA per side IEM. No hiss, just black backgrounds...................simply fantastic sonics.
 
With Cans, the V200/V800 combo is just as impressive. With lots of matching of cables, i/c and power, I have managed to get a stunning sound out of the LCD-2 and the HE-500, both on silver/gold hybrid cables.

 

[Zombie_X]

Hi,
 
I think the USB input on the V800 doesn't sound all that different from optical or coax input. Even then it doesn't sound bad at all. I think it's one of the better USB inputs I've heard on a DAC, even much better than the Benchmark DAC1.
 
Using the Audio-GD DI the sounds becomes slightly more focused but it doesn't change much. The sound gets warmer and fuller but slightly. That's about it.
 
Back to the V200:
 
The V200 mates well with both the DT880 and DT990. It really tames the treble and gives them the midrange warmth they sorely need. It also improves the bass on both. You loose some soundstage on either can but the warmer signature is really well worth it IMO.
 
Quote:

 
Unfortunately, I feel the USB input is just "that bad"...........It seems as though it was put on the V800 for convenience purposes. 
 
Using the USB input of the V800 made me regret buying it, full stop! The Bladelius USB DAC which I also have, was all over it at half the price. I was even getting a better sound using the line out of a DX100 sourcing the V200!
 
It wasn't until buying the HiFace Two and using the coax input that the V800 showed itself as a quality DAC. In concert with the V200 and providing you have matched the cables well, it truly is a wonderful set up at it's price point. I am really loving it at the moment, with all my head phones and IEMs.

 

[project86]

I have to agree - the USB input seems fine to me. No disrespect to those who are hearing big differences.... but I just can't come up with any good explanation, from a technical perspective, as to why it would sound vastly inferior. It's passing through the same reclocking scheme as the SPDIF inputs. If Violectric is such a good company then how did they do such a poor job on the USB input? 
 
I know it is easy to beat up on the Tenor 7022 chip because it has been used in lots of lower end designs. But it's still a capable performer, chosen by NwAvGuy for his ODAC project for example, and was used in the Esoteric D-07. The implementation is way more important than the chip itself.
 
I just got a nice USB to SPDIF converter (XMOS chipset) so I'll try some direct comparisons compared to the V800 USB in. 

 

[Jodet]

I bought Franks V200 because I was using my big tube amp in another room to run my Quads. 
 
Yesterday my new Quad amp showed up (and it's fabulous) so I may put the V200's on the 4sale board in a day or two. 
 
I'm tempted to keep it for when I want to listen to rock (the dynamics and bass on this amp are great on 'Black Sabbath') but I'm not really a 'own more than one amp' kinda guy.  
 
We'll see.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

but I just can't come up with any good explanation, from a technical perspective, as to why it would sound vastly inferior. 

 
 
Is the USB port 2.0 / asynchronous or is the USB 1.1??  and synchronous.
 
The answer to this question will give you the answer to the above statement. 

 

[project86]

Quote:

 
 
Is the USB port 2.0 / asynchronous or is the USB 1.1??  and synchronous.
 
The answer to this question will give you the answer to the above statement. 

 
Sorry, but I completely disagree. It's simply not as black and white as that statement would make it. If we modify that and say asynchronous operation has more potential to sound great, well that's a statement I can get behind.
 
My views on this go along with that of Vincent Kars from The Well-Tempered Computer:
 

[size=medium] "24 bit adaptive mode USB Class One Audio DACs[/size]

[size=small] These DACs use the adaptive mode and are USB Audio class 1 compliant.[/size]
[size=small] The audiophile community thinks asynchronous is the way to go.
So all of a sudden these DAC’s look obsolete.
However, as usual in technology, the implementation is very important.
A good adaptive mode implementation can beat a mediocre asynchronous implementation.
Some say that the difference between async and adaptive is simply marketing talk.
As faith would have it, prominent spokesman of these view are the ones making a living by selling adaptive mode implementations. Surprise…."[/size]
[size=small]  [/size]
[size=small] That is to say - well done adaptive USB can be very good indeed, and well done async can be even better. But both can also be very bad. [/size]

 

[Gwarmi]

 Anyone using one of these? Got my eye on one for the eventual PC build - just dropped the very same pic in another thread. It appears to be used by a
 lot of custom media/audio server companies who sell their finished server wares in the $2000-ish bracket. Can't be all bad.
 
 SOtm-x USB
 
 

 

[preproman]

Quote:

 
Sorry, but I completely disagree. It's simply not as black and white as that statement would make it. If we modify that and say asynchronous operation has more potential to sound great, well that's a statement I can get behind.
 
My views on this go along with that of Vincent Kars from The Well-Tempered Computer:
 

[size=medium] "24 bit adaptive mode USB Class One Audio DACs[/size]

[size=small] These DACs use the adaptive mode and are USB Audio class 1 compliant.[/size]
[size=small] The audiophile community thinks asynchronous is the way to go.
So all of a sudden these DAC’s look obsolete.
However, as usual in technology, the implementation is very important.
A good adaptive mode implementation can beat a mediocre asynchronous implementation.
Some say that the difference between async and adaptive is simply marketing talk.
As faith would have it, prominent spokesman of these view are the ones making a living by selling adaptive mode implementations. Surprise…."[/size]
[size=small]  [/size]
[size=small] That is to say - well done adaptive USB can be very good indeed, and well done async can be even better. But both can also be very bad. [/size]

 
 
 
 
I can see how it might seem like it was a black or white answer.  However,  read the last sentence of your post.  The devil is in the details.   The point was that Maybe - and I said maybe the V800 fits in the very bad pot.  Where a well done async can be even better.
 
Adaptive Mode USB Audio. This means the computer controls the audio transfer rate, and the USB device has to follow along updating the Master Clock (MCLK) every one millisecond.
 
Asynchronous Mode USB Audio. This means the computer is controlled by the USB DAC. No longer is the tail wagging the dog. Instead, an ultra-low-jitter audio master clock located in the DAC controls the audio transfer rate from the computer. Jitter is reduced by a factor of greater than 100 times! 

 

[preproman]

Quote:

 Anyone using one of these? Got my eye on one for the eventual PC build - just dropped the very same pic in another thread. It appears to be used by a
 lot of custom media/audio server companies who sell their finished server wares in the $2000-ish bracket. Can't be all bad.
 
 SOtm-x USB
 
 

Look Here:
 
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/405-computer-audiophile-pocket-server-caps-v20/

 

[brunk]

Quote:

 
Sorry, but I completely disagree. It's simply not as black and white as that statement would make it. If we modify that and say asynchronous operation has more potential to sound great, well that's a statement I can get behind.
 
My views on this go along with that of Vincent Kars from The Well-Tempered Computer:
 

[size=medium] "24 bit adaptive mode USB Class One Audio DACs[/size]

[size=small] These DACs use the adaptive mode and are USB Audio class 1 compliant.[/size]
[size=small] The audiophile community thinks asynchronous is the way to go.
So all of a sudden these DAC’s look obsolete.
However, as usual in technology, the implementation is very important.
A good adaptive mode implementation can beat a mediocre asynchronous implementation.
Some say that the difference between async and adaptive is simply marketing talk.
As faith would have it, prominent spokesman of these view are the ones making a living by selling adaptive mode implementations. Surprise…."[/size]
[size=small]  [/size]
[size=small] That is to say - well done adaptive USB can be very good indeed, and well done async can be even better. But both can also be very bad. [/size]

In addition to that, galvanic isolation (found in some USB/SPDIF converters and USB implementations) may be the fix for the people having issues that others aren't.

 

[spkrs01]

I think I have pretty much hit the sweet spot with the V200/V800 combo after having the pair together for over 6 weeks. 
 

 
I am loving the V200, it is hardly mentioned but the V200 is such a revealing and resolving amplifier. Every cable change is apparent and after many weeks of experimenting with different combinations, I am now running 15k+ of cables out of the V200/V800. I have a silver/gold cable from the HiFace Two to the V800 coax/RCA. Using a high purity silver RCA between the V800 and V200, this cable was the game changer for me. The V800 has a high purity copper power cord while the V200 has a silver/gold one. Both the LCD-2 and HE500 are on identical 1K silver/gold cables.
 
My V200/V800 combination sounds detailed, balanced, cohesive and with amazing soundstaging. Dynamics are first rate. Well recorded music just flows from the combination. The combo is not genre specific, everything sounds very good from it. The grip and control that the V200 exudes on headphones is something that must be congratulated. It has been reported many times that the V200 is on the warm side of neutral, but isn't live unamped music presented this way? I have never listened to a live jazz quartet, chamber music or a full orchestra that is cold sounding.
 
All in all, I love the rich full character of the V200/V800. I had found it a touch slow with high resolution lacking somewhat, but that has resolved with the recent addition of the silver RCA cable. I am still waiting on my HD800.
 
I am liking the LCD-2 over the HE500, it is probably the balance and dynamics plus the realism that the LCD-2 exudes. The soundstage on both headphones are very similar, with perhaps the slight edge going to the HE500. Having said that, the HE500 is just not as clean and clear sounding as the LCD-2. I have never found the V200 to be muddled sounding.  For me one of the highlights is the rock solid placements of images within the soundstage. 
 
This is my 3rd month into headphones, buying my first pair the DT1350 at the Easter weekend and the HD650 the week after. I must say I am loving the fun and enjoying every minute from Cans. I will probably buy a few more headphones, before probably building another desktop system based on the Harmony Design EAR 909

  

 

[spkrs01]

Quote:

Are you using a powered USB hub with the Hiface 2?  Not many reviews out there on the new Hiface so I'm curious.
 

 
Hi,
 
No, I am not. I use a usb extension cable from my Sony Vaio laptop, to lessen the stress on the usb socket on the laptop. However, I am lucky as my Viao has a combined eSATA/usb2 connector. away from the two usb3 connectors and it is extremely quiet! 
 
I have tried using the usb3 connectors and it is just so contaminated with processing noise, non-stop clicks, pop and static.
 
The HiFace two is a wonderful device and I still stand by the fact that it is hugely superior to using stock usb port on the V800.