[FlySweep]

My re-terminated HE-500 cable & ICs came in today.. so I'm finally able to hear how the Millenia plays with the HE-500.  Boy, this combo surely doesn't disappoint!  Smooth, detailed, open, transparent, and effortless.  The HE-500's famed midrange has such a wonderfully pure tonal reproduction.. it's simply beguiling.  I'm using the resistor box which Jan tuned for my (now departed) HD800.. and I can confirm I get nearly the same level of play w/ the pot for the HE-500.. and low volume listening (w/o channel imbalance) is exceedingly easy.  I'l hook the HE-500 directly to the Millenia's speaker posts and report back on the results.

 

[brunk]

  My re-terminated HE-500 cable & ICs came in today.. so I'm finally able to hear how the Millenia plays with the HE-500.  Boy, this combo surely doesn't disappoint!  Smooth, detailed, open, transparent, and effortless.  The HE-500's famed midrange has such a wonderfully pure tonal reproduction.. it's simply beguiling.  I'm using the resistor box which Jan tuned for my (now departed) HD800.. and I can confirm I get nearly the same level of play w/ the pot for the HE-500.. and low volume listening (w/o channel imbalance) is exceedingly easy.  I'l hook the HE-500 directly to the Millenia's speaker posts and report back on the results.

Who did the custom job? Take some pics while you're at it!

 

[FlySweep]

 

  Who did the custom job? Take some pics while you're at it!

 
Chris Lacour (Charleston Cable Co.) has done all the cable work for my HD600/HD800/HE-500.. as well as my ICs.  He's a great guy... customer service is top notch.. and the quality of his work is excellent.  I can't recommend him enough.  Speaking of ICs, I asked if he could re-terminate all the XLRs to mini-XLRs.. but oddly enough, it seemed every reliable supplier was out of stock/backordered on (male) mini-XLR plugs recently!  He sourced these instead, and made a really discrete mini-XLR connection that's practically invisible:
 

 

 

 
BTW.. I hooked the HE-500 up directly to the Millenia's binding posts.. there was a considerable amount of (everpresent) hiss (even when the pot was fully closed).. and I had very little play on the pot before it got too loud, so using a resistor box w/ the HE-500 is definitely the way to go.
 
I know our good friend Mike/zilch0md has an (incurable) fetish for portability.. so here you go, man:
 

 
That little, yellow stick is the Stoner Acoustics UD110 USB DAC.  It's at the tail end of an iPhone/iPad CCK and (unpowered) hub.. which allows an iPhone/iPad running iOS7 to output USB digital audio.

 

[nk77]

   
Chris Lacour (Charleston Cable Co.) has done all the cable work for my HD600/HD800/HE-500.. as well as my ICs.  He's a great guy... customer service is top notch.. and the quality of his work is excellent.  I can't recommend him enough.  Speaking of ICs, I asked if he could re-terminate all the XLRs to mini-XLRs.. but oddly enough, it seemed every reliable supplier was out of stock/backordered on (male) mini-XLR plugs recently!  He sourced these instead, and made a really discrete mini-XLR connection that's practically invisible:
 
 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 

 

 
BTW.. I hooked the HE-500 up directly to the Millenia's binding posts.. there was a considerable amount of (everpresent) hiss (even when the pot was fully closed).. and I had very little play on the pot before it got too loud, so using a resistor box w/ the HE-500 is definitely the way to go.
 
I know our good friend Mike/zilch0md has an (incurable) fetish for portability.. so here you go, man:
 

 
That little, yellow stick is the Stoner Acoustics UD110 USB DAC.  It's at the tail end of an iPhone/iPad CCK and (unpowered) hub.. which allows an iPhone/iPad running iOS7 to output USB digital audio.

 

 
Now that is what I call 'Stealth' cable. Brilliant

 

[zilch0md]

+1

I'm liking ALL of that FlySweep! Thanks for tormenting teasing me with that!

I once had the Stoner Acoustics UD100 - it's about the tiniest ESS9023 you can get. What's powering the MG3? AAs inside?

I like the Mini-XLR idea! I have adopted the Hirose connectors for cable adapter connections (for keeping them small):

I'm especially tickled with this Hirose-to-6.3mm-TRS-plug I commissioned:







Mike

 

[brunk]

+1

I'm liking ALL of that FlySweep! Thanks for tormenting teasing me with that!

I once had the Stoner Acoustics UD100 - it's about the tiniest ESS9023 you can get. What's powering the MG3? AAs inside?

I like the Mini-XLR idea! I have adopted the Hirose connectors for cable adapter connections (for keeping them small):

I'm especially tickled with this Hirose-to-6.3mm-TRS-plug I commissioned:

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Mike

Awesome creation Mike! I like the heatshrink on the second pic, what kind is it?I'll have to keep this in the back of my mind to try out some day 

 

[zilch0md]

Brunk,

I don't know... It was all made for me by Frank Donghi (Toxic Cables), but he's readily forthcoming about the materials he uses.



Mi,e

 

[brunk]

Brunk,

I don't know... It was all made for me by Frank Donghi (Toxic Cables), but he's readily forthcoming about the materials he uses.



Mi,e

OK, thanks Mike.

 

[brunk]

  OK, thanks Mike.

Hey Mike, here's something you might like since it could run off some LiPo goodness. 

 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/687851/geek-pulse-geek-desktop-dac-amp-by-light-harmonics#post_9929611

 

[zilch0md]

Interesting! I hope that's a typo in their specs - that the Analog Line Out is 4V rms fixed. That's too strong, in my opinion...



Speaking of voltages, James Zhong of FiiO just revealed today, that the gain stage of the forthcoming FiiO X5 DAP will have a swing of 12V (+/- 6V) using 2x OPA1612 duals for each channel, but the 1612 data sheet says they can handle supply voltages up to +/- 18V, with THD+noise being lowest at +/- 15V.

Thus, I'm disappointed in the X5's amp, already - except for IEMs and very efficient headphones. But it does have a Line Out from its PCM1792A DAC. Meanwhile, I still prefer the Sony PCM-M10 as my portable source for the MG3. Nothing else I'v tried can compete.

The Resonessence Concero is so nice, however, as a desktop USB DAC, I'm thinking of using it portably, powering it with an Anker Astro3 5V LiPo pack, via a split USB cable, while getting only data from an iPad Mini, via a CCK cable and an app that play FLACs.

But the upcoming $1000 Sony PCM-D100 recorder would be so much easier to work with...



Mike

 

[brunk]

Interesting! I hope that's a typo in their specs - that the Analog Line Out is 4V rms fixed. That's too strong, in my opinion...



Speaking of voltages, James Zhong of FiiO just revealed today, that the gain stage of the forthcoming FiiO X5 DAP will have a swing of 12V (+/- 6V) using 2x OPA1612 duals for each channel, but the 1612 data sheet says they can handle supply voltages up to +/- 18V, with THD+noise being lowest at +/- 15V.

Thus, I'm disappointed in the X5's amp, already - except for IEMs and very efficient headphones. But it does have a Line Out from its PCM1792A DAC. Meanwhile, I still prefer the Sony PCM-M10 as my portable source for the MG3. Nothing else I'v tried can compete.

The Resonessence Concero is so nice, however, as a desktop USB DAC, I'm thinking of using it portably, powering it with an Anker Astro3 5V LiPo pack, via a split USB cable, while getting only data from an iPad Mini, via a CCK cable and an app that play FLACs.

But the upcoming $1000 Sony PCM-D100 recorder would be so much easier to work with...



Mike

We are in some exciting times for audio, nice gear is finally becoming affordable to the masses. Now only if we can get some TOTL portable players to come down price, there will be fun had by all.

 

[zilch0md]

Regarding the PCM-D100, which will be available "in early 2014" at a list price of $999, here's some official specifications (it has finally been announced here in the States):
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/679589/leak-sonys-new-portable-linear-pcm-recorder-pcm-d100-upgrade-of-the-famous-d50s/30#post_9932805
 
I'm thinking, who needs a laptop or PC with USB or optical out to a desktop DAC, much less any of the current crop of buggy, boutique DAPs that sell for more than $999, when you can get your hands on one of these?  
 
Sound quality on playback is TBD, but I'm hoping this will become my one and only, all-purpose source - for portable, transportable, and desktop use.  It even comes with a wireless remote control that works for playback, not just for recording.
 

 
 
Mike

 

[brunk]

^ looks like it packs some serious tech. I'm content with my HM-901 and incoming dock. I hope it's everything you hope for Mike!

 

[zilch0md]

Thanks Brunk!
 
Back on topic...  Now that my 6-cell, 25.2-Volt, 3600 mAh LiPo battery has been put through about five discharge cycles, I'm getting about 40 hours per charge, powering the MG3 for both portable and desktop use, into eeither the 50-Ohm LCD-2, via impedance match, or directly into Definitive Technology SM45 8-Ohm monitors. 
 
Given how much power the MG3 delivers in terms of Watts rms, it certainly is thrifty with power consumption from the battery.
 

 
(I use the Resonessence Concero for desktop play from a Windows 7 laptop.)
 
FlySweep's affection for his current MG3 setup has me waiting for HD600's to go on sale.  
 
Joy!
 
Mike

 

[brunk]

^^ Very nice Mike, I yearn for a listen to that wonderful setup! What speaker wire is that? Looks mighty thick! If you had to do anything over again, or had a fresh start, what would you change if anything at all?