[brunk]

   
Throw a meter on your input and measure the input impedance with volume setting (just because I'm curious, and if you've nothing better to do ).  My LDR isn't quite stock configuration.  The beauty of DIY  I have a mod that should get me into the 50k ohm input range... Now, where did those parts go....  

Man, the linearity is a tricky beast on this thing. The max attenuation at input is at ~188.5k it drastically jumps down after the first few steps, seems more linear across the main range of listening, then it drops to a lowest of 450r a few steps before full blast, then finally stops to 5.8k full blast. The main thing is that my usable attenuation hovers around 150-57k. It quickly goes into the sub-30k range when i decide to rockout though.

 

[potterma]

Very interesting.  According to the last graph on that Tortuga Audio page linked earlier, there will be large changes in input impedance at both ends of the attenuation schedule, but the central region is pretty dang flat.  Looks like definitely worth the upgrade.

 

[brunk]

  Very interesting.  According to the last graph on that Tortuga Audio page linked earlier, there will be large changes in input impedance at both ends of the attenuation schedule, but the central region is pretty dang flat.  Looks like definitely worth the upgrade.

I also forgot to mention that my 'usual range' is with my horns. I hit sub-30k rather easily with my HE-6 rig. So I will definitely be doing the upgrade 

 

[potterma]

  I also forgot to mention that my 'usual range' is with my horns. I hit sub-30k rather easily with my HE-6 rig. So I will definitely be doing the upgrade 

Well, definitely let us know what you hear!

 

[brunk]

  Well, definitely let us know what you hear!

Yep will do, even if it brings no difference, atleast I know my DAC wont be sweating bullets. Yulong DA8 does have a very robust Plitron though!

 

[potterma]

  Yep will do, even if it brings no difference, atleast I know my DAC wont be sweating bullets. Yulong DA8 does have a very robust Plitron though!

Looking close at that Yulong DA8...  Hope Gary includes it in his DAC shoot-out this coming summer.
 
(hint, hint... Gary ......  hint hint.....  Gary you listening??????

 

[brunk]

  Looking close at that Yulong DA8...  Hope Gary includes it in his DAC shoot-out this coming summer.
 
(hint, hint... Gary ......  hint hint.....  Gary you listening??????

Hah! Really though, Gary should check it out. Instead of telling you how great it is (which it is), I'll give you my biggest gripes about it, which are admittedly small. First, the display is always lit, I would like to see it automatically disable after a minute or two. The ESS9018 has a 'sharp' filter that just has too much pre/post ringing on the impulse response in order to bring you a flat 20hz-20khz response, therefore It's pretty much on the 'slow' filter 99% of the time. That is a gripe on the chip itself, not the DA8. That's pretty much it lol besides a wishlist of customized filters (instead of standard built-in) and a remote. Can't have it all i suppose. I should post this in the DA8 thread too...

 

[Duckman]

  Duckman and Henrik:
  I meant to ask you both... other than the hum or buzz, how does the amp sound?

 
Gary,
 
I was dissapointed at first because the sound was a quite muddy, and even more laid back sounding than my Soloist, but after running for 36 hours, the mud has significantly cleared and the sound is very enjoyable. I'd say - without having them side by side - that it already surpasses the Soloist.
 
Because I have to use Jan's adapter box (to avoid the worst of the hum), I've ordered some (possibly) better speaker wire for the chain. So the tweaking has begun too.
 
My benchmark memory is the LAu, which brought my LCD3 to life unlike any other amp I've yet heard. The most obvious thing for me with the LAu was the centre fill and the dynamics. My LCD3 has traditionally had a distant centre image, which has made it quite a relaxed-sounding can, and has had me straining to hear the full detail of singers/snare drums, bass guitar etc. They all sound good mind you, but I want them closer! The LAu transformed my LCD3 and filled the centre image gloriously and triumphantly. On the LAu, I preferred my LCD3 in most ways over the Abyss (bass and soundstage goes to the Abyss though), which impressed me considering my initial preference for the Abyss on lesser amps (crazy calling the Taurus and Liquid Glass 'lesser', but I guess they are against the LAu).
 
So I'm hoping for that sort of thing with the Cyclops. I can already tell that the detail and realism is shaping up nicely, so we'll see how a few weeks of burnin changes things in terms of centre fill. I think it has already changed more in the first two days than any other component I've had, to my happy surprise.

 

[Gary in MD]

 

  Looking close at that Yulong DA8...  Hope Gary includes it in his DAC shoot-out this coming summer.
 
(hint, hint... Gary ......  hint hint.....  Gary you listening??????

 


I'm listening, I'm listening.  I'm likely to do this comparison in December, first to take advantage of any holiday sales, and second because I have a bunch of vacation days to use or lose. 
 
I've already been talking to Shenzen Audio (an Amazon source for Yulong) about their return policy.  The problem with the Chinese hardware is that I don't think I can return it easily or cheaply, and I really don't want to get hammered on resale of several DACs.  Shenzen will allow me to return stuff with no fee, but I have to pay return shipping to China, which is gonna be pricey.  Grant Fidelity charges 10% restocking fee, making the cost of sending it back, including return shipping, something like $150-200 for the Yulong DA-8.  That's a pretty pricey trial too. 
 
As a result, I'm currently looking at the Emotiva Stealth DC-1, the Benchmark DAC-2 and the Anedio D2 as likely contenders, since they all have free or low-cost return policies.  The Lynx Hilo is a possibility as well, though it has so many other functions that I wonder whether I can even figure out how to get it working properly.  I might also try either the Matrix X Sabre or the Yulong DA-8 if I decide that risking $150-200 is worth it.  The Bryston BDA-2 might be a consideration if the local stores allow reasonable auditions/returns.  Resonessence says they have a 30-day trial but I couldn't find any information about it on their website, so the Concero might be in the running if I don't have to pay too much out of pocket.  Schiit hardware is out of the running because they only allow one return per year, and I already sent back the MJ. 
 
If anybody has any other ideas about DACs I could bring in for little or no cost, or ways that I can get the Chinese DACs in here at low cost risk, I'm open to suggestions, but I've got to keep this reasonably priced.
 
Now, back to your regularly scheduled program...

 

[Gary in MD]

Duckman:
 
I would be surprised if the resistor box wasn't affecting the sound at least somewhat.  We need to get that hum eliminated so you can run straight from the amp to the HP. 

 

[brunk]

 

Spoiler: Gary's future DAC possibilities

 
 

I'm listening, I'm listening.  I'm likely to do this comparison in December, first to take advantage of any holiday sales, and second because I have a bunch of vacation days to use or lose. 
 
I've already been talking to Shenzen Audio (an Amazon source for Yulong) about their return policy.  The problem with the Chinese hardware is that I don't think I can return it easily or cheaply, and I really don't want to get hammered on resale of several DACs.  Shenzen will allow me to return stuff with no fee, but I have to pay return shipping to China, which is gonna be pricey.  Grant Fidelity charges 10% restocking fee, making the cost of sending it back, including return shipping, something like $150-200 for the Yulong DA-8.  That's a pretty pricey trial too. 
 
As a result, I'm currently looking at the Emotiva Stealth DC-1, the Benchmark DAC-2 and the Anedio D2 as likely contenders, since they all have free or low-cost return policies.  The Lynx Hilo is a possibility as well, though it has so many other functions that I wonder whether I can even figure out how to get it working properly.  I might also try either the Matrix X Sabre or the Yulong DA-8 if I decide that risking $150-200 is worth it.  The Bryston BDA-2 might be a consideration if the local stores allow reasonable auditions/returns.  Resonessence says they have a 30-day trial but I couldn't find any information about it on their website, so the Concero might be in the running if I don't have to pay too much out of pocket.  Schiit hardware is out of the running because they only allow one return per year, and I already sent back the MJ. 
 
If anybody has any other ideas about DACs I could bring in for little or no cost, or ways that I can get the Chinese DACs in here at low cost risk, I'm open to suggestions, but I've got to keep this reasonably priced.
 
Now, back to your regularly scheduled program...

 

Spoiler: My reply to Gary (don't want to de-rail thread)

That's a good question on the chinese-origin DACs. You could do the second-hand market here and most likely minimize your losses if you're careful with the purchase price. The problem is that your funds are not so easily liquidated if that's an issue for you. Of the ones you did mention, Anedio D2 seems like a good fit for you. You'll be paying for needless features with the Hilo. BDA-2 is overpriced IMO, and I feel confident it is equal or worse than the DA8.
 
DACs I would put on your list if it were me: DA8, X-Sabre, DC-1, upcoming Light Harmonics gear, BMC PureDAC, used Master-series Audio-GD (already stateside) and the Metrum Octave mkII (already stateside). Good luck!

 

[potterma]

 

Spoiler: My reply to Gary (don't want to de-rail thread)

That's a good question on the chinese-origin DACs. You could do the second-hand market here and most likely minimize your losses if you're careful with the purchase price. The problem is that your funds are not so easily liquidated if that's an issue for you. Of the ones you did mention, Anedio D2 seems like a good fit for you. You'll be paying for needless features with the Hilo. BDA-2 is overpriced IMO, and I feel confident it is equal or worse than the DA8.
 
DACs I would put on your list if it were me: DA8, X-Sabre, DC-1, upcoming Light Harmonics gear, BMC PureDAC, used Master-series Audio-GD (already stateside) and the Metrum Octave mkII (already stateside). Good luck!

Maybe we should start a thread over in "dedicated source components"?  Don't want this thread too de-railed...  Sponsership is an interesting possibility....

 

[Gary in MD]

I'll start a new thread tomorrow, but I've been looking at the PureDAC... Verrrry Interestink!  Gonna come down to how much it costs me to audition it...

 

[brunk]

  I'll start a new thread tomorrow, but I've been looking at the PureDAC... Verrrry Interestink!  Gonna come down to how much it costs me to audition it...

PM a link to your thread so i dont miss it

 

[preproman]

This December  - sounds great.  HC has a Hilo, maybe he wll be willing to let you try it.  Like you said, it has a lot of things going on with it.  Sounds great though, when I had it - I only wanted to set it and forget it.
 
If I still have it - I can send you the PWD MK2.  If you can get your hands on a Master 7, it would be a treat..
 
What's the price range on the DAC?
 
DAC comparisons was one of the hardest things to do (for me).