[barbes]

To Larry: Yes, we are actively researching the combo 3.5mm jack. We found several sources and a number of parts. Most come from suppliers in China and not all of those suppliers are well known (read: we don't know their reputation for quality and delivery). We need to get through these issues. Some parts are substandard per our exacting criteria (optical transmission speed being too low, for example), others are so wide physically that we can't fit them in the space available. Others yet are looking promising. We need to finalize this soon and make the right holes in the side panels. Once we choose the final part I'll make the announcement. Hopefully next week.

This would be great. I've got a preorder in and this would really suit me as well. Thanks for all the effort.

 

[dookie182]

hi guys and michael,
 
I sent an email about preorder yesterday but no reply until now. Do you think it's a "week end delayed reply" or are the pre-order already over? That would be a good idear to annonce it officially anyway, either ways.
Not sure to have read if the ipod based hifi--m8 will be as great sounding as their kick ass usb input (I'm a happy early dacmini owner and would like to drop computer based playback, as the screen always distract me from just lying back and enjoying) Hoping , finger crossed, that I'll get some hints.
best regards  

 

[eron]

Quote:

hi guys and michael,
 
I sent an email about preorder yesterday but no reply until now. Do you think it's a "week end delayed reply" or are the pre-order already over? 

Patience my friend. They deserve a rest day or two a week.

 

[customNuts]

Quote:

>  In the 3 pin version two 1/4" headphones can be plugged into the combo jacks, in the 4 pin version will the 1/4" be muted when there's a balanced headphone connected?
All jacks will operate all the time.
 
I'm done with the digital PCB, made all the changes and it's now in review. We will make a couple of these to check and make sure all changes have been implemented correctly. I'm switching over to the the analog board meanime and working on the analog line out and SPDIF line out. Let's see if can find a jack that has the needed performance...
 
http://centrance.com/products/new/blog/2012/10/25/power-supply-magic/

Awesome. I'll jump on this if it has a spdif coax out. Would be great with my JH3a (& PP6 owners).

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

To Larry: Yes, we are actively researching the combo 3.5mm jack. We found several sources and a number of parts. Most come from suppliers in China and not all of those suppliers are well known (read: we don't know their reputation for quality and delivery). We need to get through these issues. Some parts are substandard per our exacting criteria (optical transmission speed being too low, for example), others are so wide physically that we can't fit them in the space available. Others yet are looking promising. We need to finalize this soon and make the right holes in the side panels. Once we choose the final part I'll make the announcement. Hopefully next week.

 
I'd be just as happy with a coax digital output, and this should be easier to implement if you can find a spot anywhere for an extra RCA jack or 3.5mm for coax digital.  
 
I know Jude likes optical to isolate against a ground loop, but I forgot that the JH Audio 3A portable IEM digital amp with IEM only takes coax input.  I was wondering, can anyone out there count on one hand how many devices out there take optical input but not coax, vs how many take coax input but not optical?  (Ignoring all the DACs that are USB only)
 
So far I can only think of the JH3A as coax input only.

 

[MorbidToaster]

Most NOS DACs take only Coax. That's one reason I said optical was a strange choice earlier in the thread. 
 
Someone made a comment about not having optical would limit people use of it as a transport because some DACs don't have USB. I said Coax was more useful if that's your reasoning. 
 
Either way it's a good feature to have as long as it doesn't get in the way. I think the 3.5mm combo jack is the only way for it to not get in the way.

 

[mgoodman]

> I sent an email about preorder yesterday but no reply until now. 
You should get a reply on Monday. I work weekends, but envy those who have a life
 
> Not sure to have read if the ipod based hifi--m8 will be as great sounding as their kick ass usb...
We are working on that!

 

[dookie182]

Thanks for the hint micheal,
You have all my support for your hard work and busy weeks
kindest regards

 

[Yuceka]

Quote:

Most NOS DACs take only Coax. That's one reason I said optical was a strange choice earlier in the thread. 
 
Someone made a comment about not having optical would limit people use of it as a transport because some DACs don't have USB. I said Coax was more useful if that's your reasoning. 
 
Either way it's a good feature to have as long as it doesn't get in the way. I think the 3.5mm combo jack is the only way for it to not get in the way.

Coax out is a good feature now? Earlier when I asked for it, almost everyone had their stones in their hands about to stone me for saying that. Everyone agreed that I was asking too much, or that this would be a swiss army knife if Centrance put a digital out. 
 
This is really amusing. 

 

[MorbidToaster]

Coax out is a good feature now? Earlier when I asked for it, almost everyone had their stones in their hands about to stone me for saying that. Everyone agreed that I was asking too much, or that this would be a swiss army knife if Centrance put a digital out. 

This is really amusing. 

I've always been behind a Coax out, just not an optical one. If people are really worried about DACs without USB, Coax is the better option. But I understand that it's harder to squeeze in than Optical.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

My only objection to the original optical-out drawing was that the arrangement of the jacks on the front panel looked cluttered.  I do think digital out would be important in order to use this as an iPod digital dock in a high end rig.  
 
For me all my DAC's have optical and coax, so I'd go with whichever one Michael can fit in so that it looks good.  However, I may get a JH Audio JH3A someday so coax out is starting to make more sense if that's also the only input on many older NOS DACs (non-oversampling, not new old stock).  Also, if I recall correctly many optical DACs don't accept more than 24/96 input, while almost all recent coax DACs do accept 24/192.  Since this will do 24/192 via USB or iPod (when Apple supports that high), coax might be better.  
 
For me, my uDAC and uDAC-2 SE both have a USB to coax function, and I could put that between the Macbook and JH3A, but I don't have an optical to coax converter if the HiFi-M8 has optical out and JH3A is coax input.
 
There is the issue of possible reflections in a coax digital cable, impedance mismatches with connectors and plugs, and ground loops with coax which aren't an issue with optical.  Other than optical [size=small]diode speed issues, does optical have other pitfalls?[/size]

 

[jacal01]

Well, being one of the owners of an older NOS DAC in my home headphone setup, an optical digital out would be basically a non-starter for me.
 
It'd be a shame if the coax digital out ends up being lost among the analog line out combo hubris.   

 

[elnero]

Sounds like the SPDIF output could become a reality. From the development blog:
 
Quote:

Just wanted to say that we are getting closer to having a solution on SPDIF output. Have picked out a 16 MHz part that has a 20% speed (data rate) margin. Should be enough. Will be triple checking mechanicals tomorrow.

 

[jamato8]

You actually end up with reflections on the coax when the cable is too short. The better length for this is much longer than what most portable solutions would prefer. There are optical/coax all in one connectors out there that work well. It is the receiver that matters here.

 

[ExpatinJapan]

It just gets more exciting. Having a pre-order is like watching grass grow, or a window pane slowly melting with age, barely alike to a wine aging.
 
Hrumph, whilst I agree with the tortoise, I hope the hare wins the race this time.
 
Following the progress with interest, should be one hell of a product (hopefully), ceasing my flag waving transmission.