[AudioPhewl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by B00MERS00NER /img/forum/go_quote.gif Anyone use the usb input of the compass - how does it compare with the other input options? For now plan on pairing the compass with my laptop.

It compares very well. I can't find any difference between USB and the optical-out on my AV710... I prefer both to coaxial though, but that's not limited to just the Compass.

~Phewl.

 

[insyte]

Kingwa replied : $15 for a 1M pair

 

[Currawong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by insyte /img/forum/go_quote.gif BTW why is the PCM1704UK a good dac chip?

In the one DAC I heard it used in, instruments truly sounded natural. Every other DAC, including my Northstar, sounds at least slightly digital to me. Unfortunately the chip isn't produced any longer. I don't know why. I imagine there must be considerable stocks of it that it's still used.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drosera /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ah, the β22-killer from Audio-gd. Wow, and we don't even have to wait very long for that one. Does Kingwa ever take a rest? He must be designing in his sleep.

I doubt it will be a Beta 22 killer. The Beta 22 has been described as "straight wire with gain". All Audio-gd gear that I've used so far is slightly colored, more towards the direction of being musical though. If the C2C didn't have the bass boost though, it'd be pretty close to that description IMO though as it sounded detail-transparent to me.

Kingwa kindly offered to upgrade my C2C to the new box. It's turned into a full-blown order though with the better RCA jacks and a new or different output circuit without the bass boost. I'm hoping it will be stellar with the HD-800s.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbd2884 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I disagree. The Reference 3/C2C combo is definitely not Mid-Fi The current 335 dollar tag on the C2C is promotional, I expect it to be around 600-700 USD as a final price, considering the CAST technology it totes. No Mid-Fi product I've seen uses dual mono, CAST, current technology.

That's interesting, I hadn't noticed that. $330 was the original price.

Quote:

The Reference 3 also CAST current technology with two of what's considered the best D/A in the industry, with a Digital Processor, DSP, are you nuts? How is that Mid-Fi? Both the amp and DAC employs technology on par with $30,000 KRELL units! Course not as insane, but for the $700 he plans to sell that, it seems like knocking Kingwa over and stealing. May I ask do you know ANYONE else that provides KRELL CAST current transmission technology coupled with a DSP for a Mid-Fi headphone rig? I consider a $1,300 - $1,500 DAC/Amp combo as Audiophile/Hi-Fi, especially when Audio-gd sells for far less than the actual value of their products.

There are many DAC chips, I don't think the PCM1704UK is considered "the best in the industry". Not to mention, there's much more to a DAC than just the DA chip, as we have learned from the Zero and Compass. I do agree that Kingwa's products are phenomenally good value. To make a sound judgement on that though (ha!) I'll have to wait until I can pit the Ref 3 and Ref 1 against other gear.

 

[sandchak]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drosera /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, you're a speaker guy first, so to you spending that much on a headamp may be a big step. But if your main listening is with headphones... To me, it does kinda look like a steal actually. For that quoted price I'm expecting a big box (well, two) full of Audio-gd goodness. As far as SS amps go, there's really not that much competition at that particular price point and with that kind of build and design quality. I can't wait to see what it will look like.

I agree with you Drosera, me being a speaker guy first that amount of money for an HP amp does sound much to me, and it would be a huge step forward if I do decide in the future to take that step. But what I meant is just saying its a steal because of the technology or the number of boxes it comes with is a little premature if it doesn't live up to its expectations, for that matter even Compass wouldn't have been a steal at USD258 + ship, with all its goodies and technology if it didn't sound good as it does - That is what I meant.
Btw, even Kingwa believes this because in China itself, there are many manufacturers that make some gears with better parts than Kingwa does and it somehow doesn't click in the market, and to be very honest he is only on the design stage himself to know how much it will cost (thats why the figure between USD800-1300) and how it will finally sound, because if it doesn't come out to be the way he expected, he might as well scrap the whole idea..

To put this shortly - kinda look like a steal like you say - I agree , but is a steal - to me sounds a little to premature.

 

[Joeoboe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pricklely Peete /img/forum/go_quote.gif I asked Kingwa if the new "bright mode" would change the voicing of the Neutral mode and his reply was not in the slightest. So no worries about a voicing change for those that like the way the test unit sounds now in "Neutral" mode. One aspect of the upcoming "bright" mode that should give further options for customization is the combination this setting may have with the voicing of the Moon module. The additional bright edge combining with the wider sound stage of the Moon module may be a another great option beyond the current Earth/Neutral favorite. Versatility has been enhanced with the addition of the bright setting, no doubt. Peete.

I am not as worried about the voicing ( I figured he would get that right) but am more concerned the affect the additional components will have on the transparency and soundstaging. I know you are more aware than most people the affect that capacitors can have in a circuit path. I am a big fan of having the fewest caps possible in a circuit... less potential sq problems. I don't really care at all about resistors as they seem benign and non-reactive.
I am hoping that one of the "18" will either get one of the new ones or at least have access to one, to see how they compare.

 

[mbd2884]

What? The DAC-19SE uses Dual PCM1704UK with CAST?

Boogers, by the time I save, I'll bet the C2C will push a DAC-19SE/C2C combo to about over $900. Frick, frick, frick!

Compass needs a hug, I won't be abandoning you for a long time. /pat

 

[D.C.]

mbd you killed me with this one. LOL

 

[D.C.]

Curra can't wait for your impressions of the Reference 1. Just interested to see how it compares to the Nakamichi DAC, which you spoke so highly of.

 

[Pricklely Peete]

Hi Curra...drosera was talking about the forthcoming balanced head amp using the CAST inputs (from the Ref 1

) as being a possible Beta 22 Killer. Personally I think that's aiming a little low....go up the ladder another order of magnitude is my guess.

Anyone know which version of Holst-The Planets is considered the best one (or one of)...I'm looking at at least 9 different versions right now....damn it the classical mine field o tittles needs a hand book to sort the crap from the good stuff (recording and performance wise) Right next to Synergy for Dummies....

on the bookstore shelf.

I'll be one of the guys here waiting for that impression of the HD800's Curra....I'll have to live vicariously through your ears for a while since the 800's and I won't be seeing each other anytime soon....unless the street price drops to 1.1K or so in the next 12 months.

Enough of my bitching about cost...I'm sure they are worth every penny.....Kingwa you know anything about making headphones ? Just kidding...

mbd I just ripped the AIC second album from the CD to FLAC and went to tag the cover art from the net and saw the cover is just a blank page with AIC on it....what happened to the original (the 3 legged dog on the front cover ) Do you know the story behind that ?

What's the setting in media monkey to get gap less playback ...It's cutting off the last couple of seconds from each track and is annoying as hell. I have gap less enabled in the ASIO dll properties but....must be something else which I overlooked.

Peete.

 

[godluvsxs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbd2884 /img/forum/go_quote.gif What? The DAC-19SE uses Dual PCM1704UK with CAST? Boogers, by the time I save, I'll bet the C2C will push a DAC-19SE/C2C combo to about over $900. Frick, frick, frick! Compass needs a hug, I won't be abandoning you for a long time. /pat

Emmm .... seriously I would advice to top up getting the Reference 3, these are kingwa's comment on DSP 1:

"数据得到同步，尤如没有Jitter的状态，理论上，无论连接不同档次的CD转盘，也能达到最好而没差异 的音质。实际我们虽然感受到不同档次的CD转盘也存在音质差别（音响就是这样不能单纯理论化），但结果使用 低档的CD转盘或DVD机，音质比使用固件数字滤波器的提升更大。"

"Theoretically when using the DSP1, date will be running parallel, achieving near zero jitter state, no matter what level of CD transport attached, be it hypermarket grade or hi-end level, you could still getting the best and same sound quality! Practically, through some experiment, although we could sense the sound quality difference between different price level CD transport (that's audiophile, you just cant do pure theory, you must excise the practical side too), but final result shows that using entry level CD transport or hypermarket grade DVD player, the improvement of sound quality is HUGE compare to typical digital receiver chip"

I guess the extra money spent on DSP1 would be VERY bang for the bucks!

 

[mbd2884]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pricklely Peete /img/forum/go_quote.gif mbd I just ripped the AIC second album from the CD to FLAC and went to tag the cover art from the net and saw the cover is just a blank page with AIC on it....what happened to the original (the 3 legged dog on the front cover ) Do you know the story behind that ? What's the setting in media monkey to get gap less playback ...It's cutting off the last couple of seconds from each track and is annoying as hell. I have gap less enabled in the ASIO dll properties but....must be something else which I overlooked. Peete.

Not sure about the CD Cover. I borrowed my friend, my concert buddy's CD to rip. His still has the 3 legged dog on it, but then he bought it the year it was released, he just loves AIC!

Umm, for Media Monkey, if you go to options to configure output with Otachi's ASIO plugin, should be an option for gapless playback.

I've actually reverted back to Foobar2000, but I use Media Monkey still, it's easier to edit the tags for the files with Media Monkey, lol. I still use Monkey at work as its easier to change ASIO source on the fly, with Foobar, too lazy to go through options and remap the channels. Also they really do somehow sound slightly different, so it's just fun to switch between the two. MAD decoder got something going, maybe dithering, who knows.

Sidenote = Charlie Brown cartoon has by far the best soundtrack IMO ever. Charlie Brown and his All Stars, good song.

 

[Drosera]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pricklely Peete /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi Curra...drosera was talking about the forthcoming balanced head amp using the CAST inputs (from the Ref 1 ) as being a possible Beta 22 Killer. Personally I think that's aiming a little low....go up the ladder another order of magnitude is my guess.

Still not quite sure what exactly will be balanced on this amp, input or output or both. Oh well, let's wait and see, the thing only exists in Kingwa's head at the moment.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pricklely Peete /img/forum/go_quote.gif Anyone know which version of Holst-The Planets is considered the best one (or one of)...I'm looking at at least 9 different versions right now....damn it the classical mine field o tittles needs a hand book to sort the crap from the good stuff (recording and performance wise) Right next to Synergy for Dummies.... on the bookstore shelf.

Fortunately, it's very hard to do The Planets very wrong, so there are plenty of good performances to choose from.
My personal favourites performance-wise are

-Philadelphia Orchestra/Eugene Ormandy (RCA, 1975)
-Berliner Philharmoniker/Herbert von Karajan (Deutsche Grammophon, 1981)

Unfortunately neither of them really cuts it in the recording department. The Ormandy is horribly bright (apparently American engineers thought that was what the public wanted at that time, because it's a very common thing for American recordings from that period). The Karajan suffers from being 1981 digital, although it's certainly not as bad as some other recordings I've heard from this period. Hard to beat these two performance-wise, IMO. (Alternatively, if an older recording is not a problem you could get Karajan's earlier 1961 Vienna Philharmonic version on Decca. The recording should be pretty good.)

A good compromise of performance and recordings might be Gardiners recent version:
-Philharmonia Orchestra/John Eliot Gardiner (Deutsche Grammophon)
The performance should be good, the recording might be a little multimiked, but high in detail. (Haven't heard this one myself. Is still on the to-buy list.)

If recording really comes first, you might try this one. Especially if you have a SACD player.


Actually there are plenty of guides to classical recordings, such as the Penguin Guide to Compact Discs and the Gramophone Good CD Guide. Although the reviewers are usually better at judging performances, than they are at judging recording quality. Alternatively, you could check sites like Classics Today or the review archive at the Gramophone website.

 

[Currawong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pricklely Peete /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi Curra...drosera was talking about the forthcoming balanced head amp using the CAST inputs (from the Ref 1 ) as being a possible Beta 22 Killer. Personally I think that's aiming a little low....go up the ladder another order of magnitude is my guess.

I don't, as the Beta 22 is considered the best solid state headphone amp available when made with a separate Sigma 11 PSU and the best parts available. Maybe the old Headroom Max series might be on par. The design has been around years as well. If his balanced amp could best a Beta 22, it would be epic in the most serious way. However, it'd have to best it in ability to drive headphones while remaining completely transparent. Not everyone wants that though, as proven by the Luxman P-1, which is different in being more musical than absolutely transparent.

Quote:

Originally Posted by D.C. /img/forum/go_quote.gif Curra can't wait for your impressions of the Reference 1. Just interested to see how it compares to the Nakamichi DAC, which you spoke so highly of.

Unfortunately the Nakamichi has gone off to its new owner. It'll go up against the Northstar and Benchmark.

 

[sandchak]

I think this is the upgraded Compass HP amp Board...

and the new Power Supply board ..

 

[Drosera]

Very interesting two compare the two boards side by side, quite a few things have changed. I wonder what the new "connectors" in the upper right hand corner are for? Just for the gain changes?