[LDfan13]

  I've never been big on reviewing products but have to make an exception today.
 
Michael and Stacie were kind enough to have my Hifi-M8 with Combo jacks delivered to me at RMAF today. I immediately connected it to my iPhone 5 with an ADL Ligtning cable from Moon Audio. The iPhone has  somewhere between 45 and 50 GB's of 192/24 files on it -  Stan Getz, Fun, Metallica, Stone Sour, Dusty Springfield, The Eagles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Eminem, The Righteous Brothers, Sam Cooke and whatever else.
 
Well, my personal verdict is in. This thing is fantastic! I used it with the Fostex 900, all of the Audeze including the two (2) new ones, The Beyerdynamic T1, Mr. Speakers and so on. The M8 can drive any of them to earsplitting levels and has none of the upper end grain when playing FLAC files - quite unlike like so many of the other devices to which I compared the M8 using the same iPhone as source.
 
I tried the new closed Audeze using their new DSP/DAC/Amp and was so unimpressed. Then, I plugged them into the Centrance and the headphones were great!
 
I did try the HD-800 with the M8 and really didn't care for them, but I've always found them to be sterile anyway. I can live with balanced Fostex 900's, the T1 or the closed Audeze with the M8.
 
At this moment, I've got my HE-500's on listening to Dusty Springfield. Normally, I prefer the HE-500's with the Schiit Lyr and Bifrost combo. The Centrance as a desktop amp / DAC is working just as well.
 
I apologize for not being able to write the kind of reviews which so many of you do, but I'm just a music collector and don't understand electronics as most of you. So, I just have to say, I have some 50,000 digital songs and videos (obviously I love music) and I love the way the M8 allows me to enjoy my music.

 
   Nice Review!  Slightly off topic, how well do you like your ADL lightning cable?  I've been looking for a quality audio LOD for my IPhone 5.

 

[thegrobe]

Any update from CEntrance on how the pre-order queue is going? Last news from the blog:

"Very good news: if your unit was paid-for by May 1, your HiFi-M8 will be shipping by October 11"

October 11th has passed. I really was hoping for a shipping notification last week. I paid either the very end of January or first few days of February, off the top of my head.

Please don't take this as complaining or whining, it's just uncontrollable excitement about receiving my unit. If there is yet another adjustment to the shipping schedule, please post an update.

 

[Trogdor]

"Our own Stacie, the undisputed leader in shipping efficiency has an update for the Jan 1- May 1 preorder people:

She telegraphed in this morning:

“We need to let the people know that their units are ready today, but due to lack of cables, we will not be able to ship until Wednesday the 16th”

New cables are coming in shortly and shipping will re-commence."

Looks like next week!

 

[Dopaminer]

You have both raised good points and need some more clarification from Michael or someone.

The Hifi-M8 has balanced output jack, but also has a single out. Are these separate within the Hifi-m8 or connected?

Michael (or someone) please help with more information.

+1 on this query.  Is this `true` balanced, or does the M8 just allow xlr/rsa connectivity for those with balanced termination ?  

 

[thegrobe]

"Our own Stacie, the undisputed leader in shipping efficiency has an update for the Jan 1- May 1 preorder people:

She telegraphed in this morning:

“We need to let the people know that their units are ready today, but due to lack of cables, we will not be able to ship until Wednesday the 16th”

New cables are coming in shortly and shipping will re-commence."

Looks like next week!

Cool...Thanks for posting this!

 

[jexby]

  +1 on this query.  Is this `true` balanced, or does the M8 just allow xlr/rsa connectivity for those with balanced termination ?  

 
I tried to summarize this question for Michael at the CEntrance table at RMAF, but perhaps confused the issue as Michael started to reply that "it's a USB digital stream so it's not balanced (separated?) there so it makes sense to balance it at the last stage of the ...."   
didn't quite follow the answer from there related to the internal components of the M8.
 
Michael admitted he was a bit behind on the forums but would try to catch up soon and answer this topic.

 

[Dopaminer]

   
I tried to summarize this question for Michael at the CEntrance table at RMAF, but perhaps confused the issue as Michael started to reply that "it's a USB digital stream so it's not balanced (separated?) there so it makes sense to balance it at the last stage of the ...."   
didn't quite follow the answer from there related to the internal components of the M8.
 
Michael admitted he was a bit behind on the forums but would try to catch up soon and answer this topic.

Thanks.  I am sure this question will be clarified soon by the more knowledgable than me.  I know the ongoing debate about whether there is even a relevant, humanly noticeable difference anyway, but still I am curious.  Michael told me via email that the distributor in Japan will have stock soon, so I am hoping I can jump that amazingly long mail-order que and buy one direct, here in Japan.  Though I`m sure the price will be obnoxious . . .   

 

[ExpatinJapan]

From Kenny at Centrance
Via email, it should be ok to repost here as its straightforward answer.
Michael can go further into detail later after the busy October trade shows have finished.
(I asked about the 4pin XLR version).

---------------------------------------

The unit does only have one amplifier, which means that all outputs are controlled equally with the gain and volume control.

There is a separated circuit board that balances the signal right before the the 4-pin XLR output.

The unit provides enough clean power to allow all three headphone outputs to be used simultaneously without any loss or degradation to the signal.

______________________________________________________________________________


Michael from Centrance replies
With all due respect for his effort, Kenny is not an engineer. He works in production, so we should forgive him for not knowing how the circuit operates. HiFi-M8 features a balanced output. The balanced nature of the ouput reduces interference, improves signal to noise ratio and minimizes cross talk between the channels. The amplifier is more sophisticated than what Kenny described. He and I will sit down for a lesson in analog electronics wink.gif

 

[rpaul]

For people using this with a Samsung GS3/4, are you able to use a music player app such as Poweramp, or do you have to use USB Audio Recorder Pro?
 
When connected to the HRT microStreamer (via USB OTG) I am able to use Poweramp so I'm hoping that would be the same case if using the M8.

 

[FraGGleR]

For people using this with a Samsung GS3/4, are you able to use a music player app such as Poweramp, or do you have to use USB Audio Recorder Pro?

When connected to the HRT microStreamer (via USB OTG) I am able to use Poweramp so I'm hoping that would be the same case if using the M8.

The USB audio implementation across most modern Galaxies are the same and the M8 unfortunately does not work without UARP. I also had a Microstreamer that worked natively on my Note II.

 

[Trogdor]

From Kenny at Centrance
Via email, it should be ok to repost here as its straightforward answer.
Michael can go further into detail later after the busy October trade shows have finished.
(I asked about the 4pin XLR version).

---------------------------------------

The unit does only have one amplifier, which means that all outputs are controlled equally with the gain and volume control.

There is a separated circuit board that balances the signal right before the the 4-pin XLR output.

The unit provides enough clean power to allow all three headphone outputs to be used simultaneously without any loss or degradation to the signal.

As I said, its balanced in output only.

Btw, this isn't really a criticism, just an observation.

My main point is re-termination of cables to XLR for the M8 is not cost effective IMO. YMMV.

 

[hotfever]

sound quality wise,how does this unit vs dx100/r10 ,anyone experienced both?

 

[jb001e9634]

In advance of impending M8 delivery where can i get the correct (short length) cable to connect my HTC One to the device. Need a UK supplier pleasr.

 

[jexby]

with M8 in hand, went to the REI store and sized up some protective, padded transport cases.
 
Ended up with
Pelican 1050
 
which holds the M8 like a glove width wise, with an extra 1" in length.
the 1050 case has a bit of extra "height" to hold small IEM case and extra USB cable on top of M8, but top lid of case still closes nicely.
 
the Pelican 1040
also held the M8 very snug and firm.  but due to less height, probably only holds a single USB dongle cable inside.

YMMV.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

   
That should be good.  I've been using this
 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DHOSJ6S/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
which is rated at the same power, and it's been fine.

 
 

   
 
Been curious on the same subject. @barbes, are you using just to charge?  Or actually, I think the M8 runs off battery, even when plugged in, and the charger just charges the battery?  Trying to get my arms around the CEntrance supplied 19V charger vs. these 12V chargers.  If they charge the battery, even more slowly, they would be ideal for travel, though maybe not as good for a quick recharge on layover between flights.  Has anyone found a 19V charger that is more compact, or does the voltage of the charger really matter?

 
Michael told me that it will charge and run on a 12-14.4v charger from a car adapter, but I didn't ask him about smaller AC chargers because I thought the one that comes with it is already pretty small.