[IA64]

Quote:

I noticed a difference with the Grados (32 Ohms), and the amp gets painfully loud REALLY quick on those.  But I can drive the DT 880s all the way and bear it easily (though I wouldn't!)

 
What's your current setup ? how is the D100 connected ? 

 

[KidA81]

2011 iMac via USB (system volume set to max)
to
D100 mkii High Headphone Out
to
DT 880 600 Ohms

 

[IA64]

Quote:

2011 iMac via USB (system volume set to max)
to
D100 mkii High Headphone Out
to
DT 880 600 Ohms

 
Almost have the same setup but via SPDF 

 

[KidA81]

Yeah, I wondered if perhaps the different connections from iMac to D100 might output at higher/lower levels.
 
I know I've had surround receivers that have vastly different volumes using optical vs multiple mono vs HDMI.
 
Any specs on the D100 around to test this theory?  I looked on their website and in the manual that came with the unit, but didn't see anything specific to the different connections...

 

[IA64]

Quote:

Yeah, I wondered if perhaps the different connections from iMac to D100 might output at higher/lower levels.
 
I know I've had surround receivers that have vastly different volumes using optical vs multiple mono vs HDMI.
 
Any specs on the D100 around to test this theory?  I looked on their website and in the manual that came with the unit, but didn't see anything specific to the different connections...

 
My honest opinion is that both SPDF and USB perform identically on iMac. You can't go past 96KHz over SPDF. One advantage over USB is that you don't hear much noise from electrical interference.
 
When I connect the D100 through RCA to 3.5mm audio in on the iMac, I can hear a light buzzing sound when volume is fairly high. That's how noisy it is. 
 
I tried the USB vs SPDF and I can confirm that with SPDF the white noise is not there when nothing is playing, it's absolutely silent.
 
Connect it through USB and you can hear it on max volume ( high impedance output )
 
Another advantage is that you are limited to 4 USB ports on the iMac... Why wasting one of them when you can use optical out ?
 
An interesting fact is that under Bootcamp ( Windows 7 ) , you can still control the sound via F11 - F12 keys whereas under OS X the volume control is disabled.
 
With Win7 you can also define the sampling rate in shared mode ( which is the always the case unless you are using ASIO driver )
 
OS X has been a disappointment when facing Windows7. Even for video and audio editing, Windows is now leading....
 
It's pretty amazing how iMac bootcamp drivers offer much more options than OS X one. You can even change the sound output under Windows from SPDF to speaker without the need of disconnecting the OPT cable. That's simply not possible under Mac... Well, If I were to list all the pros of Win over OS X, I'd need hours of writing... let us not drift the discussion

 

[KidA81]

What S/PDIF cable do you use to connect from iMac to D100?  I'll have to pick one up and try it myself to see if there are any noticeable differences in volume.

 

[IA64]

Quote:

What S/PDIF cable do you use to connect from iMac to D100?  I'll have to pick one up and try it myself to see if there are any noticeable differences in volume.

 
 
I'm using a RadioShack Toslink to Mini Toslink Cable (6-Ft.) for $20
 

 

[vwinter]

How is the D100 MKII with low impedance IEMs, like some multi BA ones? I only really use IEM's.

I'm looking at a Dac/Amp upgrade and was leaning toward the iFi Audio iDac, but recent reviews seem to indicate that the gain is a bit high and won't allow for much play on the volume pot. I'd rather not run into any channel imbalance issues.

 

[IA64]

Quote:

How is the D100 MKII with low impedance IEMs, like some multi BA ones? I only really use IEM's.

I'm looking at a Dac/Amp upgrade and was leaning toward the iFi Audio iDac, but recent reviews seem to indicate that the gain is a bit high and won't allow for much play on the volume pot. I'd rather not run into any channel imbalance issues.

 
 
I posted my thoughts here couple of minutes before you ask the question 

 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/479434/jh-audio-jh16-pro-first-impressions/3465

 

[KidA81]

So I'm still enjoying myself, but worried that the D100 is not going to be powerful enough by itself to run my 600 ohm DT 880s.  I'm thinking about returning them for the 250 ohm version, but wanted to hear any feedback from people that have owned them, or just advice in general on what headphones are complemented well by the D100.
 
I realize I could/should just get a dedicated head amp, but in the meantime, I'd like the cans to be supported well by the integrated amp and I'm afraid the 600 ohms just need a bit more than the D100 can give...

 

[billerb1]

Quote:

So I'm still enjoying myself, but worried that the D100 is not going to be powerful enough by itself to run my 600 ohm DT 880s.  I'm thinking about returning them for the 250 ohm version, but wanted to hear any feedback from people that have owned them, or just advice in general on what headphones are complemented well by the D100.
 
I realize I could/should just get a dedicated head amp, but in the meantime, I'd like the cans to be supported well by the integrated amp and I'm afraid the 600 ohms just need a bit more than the D100 can give...

 
My situation wasn't the same as yours but this might be of some interest.  I bought the Yulong MKII back at Christmas to drive my Denon D5000's, only a 25 ohm set of cans.  Typically I was running them through my HP PC through USB with a Starlight USB cable and then went to a Blue Jean coaxial RCA connection.  The Yulong was an upgrade from just a Total Bithead dac/amp and I was very happy with the increased detail, soundstage, separation etc.  However I had occasion to preview some more power-hungry headphones on the Yulong (Sennheiser 650, 700 and 800, LCD2rev2 and Hifiman HE500) and even though I got decent volume on all of them it seemed apparent to me that the Yulong was not extracting all that those headphones could deliver.  Plus even on the volume side the Yulong would tap out on most of those at about 1 or 2 o'clock.  So in my mind you could get by with the Yully but you weren't gonna get the bang for the buck that you deserved from the hi-end headphones you'd just paid big bucks for.
But I was still happy with my Yulong driving my low impedance, high sensitivity Denons...until my son bought the Lyr/Bifrost combo to power his new LCD2rev2.  For fun I plugged my Denon's into that combo...even though everything I'd heard was that Denon's weren't good with tubes and even more to the point weren't good with that kind of high output impedance from an amp...and also that I could expect a lot of floor noise.
I'm sure that for some systems those things could be issues..,but for me it was like a night and day transformation.  No noise at all...and a huge upgrade across the board in performance.  More headroom, more detail, more holographic 3D-type imaging....more friggin everything.
The Yully in comparison sounded harsher and more one dimensional.  I couldn't go back after that.  Sold the Yully and bought the Lyr/Bifrost.  Couldn't be happier.
For what it's worth........

 

[KidA81]

Thanks for the perspective.  I'd considered doing the Schiit thing long before I found out about Yulong, but thought it might save some money and be just as good for my purposes for now as an all-in-one.  Wonder if it might be easier to just get a set of cans that might be easier to drive?
 
Trouble is I want something open and flat for mixing/mastering, and the DT 880 seems to be about as close as I can come under $500...
 
Next step up would be the HE-500s, but I fear the wrath of the wife

 

[vwinter]

Quote:

 
 
I posted my thoughts here couple of minutes before you ask the question 

 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/479434/jh-audio-jh16-pro-first-impressions/3465

 
Thanks! Interesting read.
 
How high are you getting on the volume dial using the low impedance output?
 
 
Quote:

So I'm still enjoying myself, but worried that the D100 is not going to be powerful enough by itself to run my 600 ohm DT 880s.  I'm thinking about returning them for the 250 ohm version, but wanted to hear any feedback from people that have owned them, or just advice in general on what headphones are complemented well by the D100.
 
I realize I could/should just get a dedicated head amp, but in the meantime, I'd like the cans to be supported well by the integrated amp and I'm afraid the 600 ohms just need a bit more than the D100 can give...

 
 
I was thinking about getting a pair of the DT880's eventually and was curious if the D100 could drive the 600ohm model well enough. Have you tried them on the D100 and just aren't sure if it's doing a good job?
 
 
I've just joined the club earlier than I expected thanks to an awesome head-fier parting with his. Can't wait to receive it.
 
 
Quote:

 
Next step up would be the HE-500s, but I fear the wrath of the wife

 

I bet if we put up a "What scares you most about this hobby?" poll, that would win by a good margin.

 

[IA64]

Quote:

 
Thanks! Interesting read.
 
How high are you getting on the volume dial using the low impedance output?
 
 
 

 
With my JH16 and iMac volume maxed, I can handle the volume knob at 12 o'clock, that's the maximum I can bear, most people can't ( glad I'm not deaf yet ) 
 
If I plug the IEM in high impedance output, I can't go past 10 o'clock.

 

[EraserXIV]

I don't have the DT880/600, but I'm pretty confident it will be driven fine out of the high impedance output of the D100. The D100 drove my HD650 surprisingly well, if I didn't have my Crack and needed an all-in-one solution, I would have been content with it. It was much better than the other solid-state amps I owned before (though to be fair, they weren't necessarily top of the line either).