[edmonem]

If you have a lot of music on your memory cards, especially if you have 2, the ak100 needs to load them before you can have access.it only loads it when you turn it on, which takes a few seconds, then you don't need to load anything until you turn it off and have to load it again when you turn it back on. The interface doesn't lag much at all...well mines doesn't seem like it

 

[edmonem]

I also pulled the trigger on LX,i am also thinking to get either the ak100 or ak120.is the ak100 really have a sluggish UI?

If your only planning on pairing up the m8 with an iriver dap then might as well save you money and get the ak100 since the m8 bypasses the AK's dac.thats a few hundred dollars saved.unless your gonna use the ak120 on its own with another portable amp...

 

[MaJoMax]

If your only planning on pairing up the m8 with an iriver dap then might as well save you money and get the ak100 since the m8 bypasses the AK's dac.thats a few hundred dollars saved.unless your gonna use the ak120 on its own with another portable amp...

Wondering the sound difference between the dac on ak100/120 and m8's dac..Does anyone here have experience on both?

 

[edmonem]

I actually emailed Centrance and they said the m8's dac is superior to that in the ak100.

 

[MaJoMax]

I actually emailed Centrance and they said the m8's dac is superior to that in the ak100.

Thanks a lot, thats nice to know.

 

[musiclvr]

Hello All! I am weeks away from buying my first sub 1k headphone, the Grado PS500. Can anyone tell me if this HP pairs well with my Hifi M8 XL4(with the iem mod)? I currently own the AKG K702 Annies, B&O H6, Phiaton Bridge MS500, ML Mikros 90, and the V Moda M100. All of which I feel sound amazing and are driven well by the Hifi M8. I would like another open back hp and have never heard a Grado HP but being that I already have and like warm sounding headphones I feel that a Grado will be a nice addition/contrast unless it is too sibilant paired with the M8. Any info or impressions will be greatly appreciated. The M8 is my only amp/dac since selling my Jds Labs C5 my first amp ever so I'm not too experienced with headphone & amp pairing.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Hello All! I am weeks away from buying my first sub 1k headphone, the Grado PS500. Can anyone tell me if this HP pairs well with my Hifi M8 XL4(with the iem mod)? I currently own the AKG K702 Annies, B&O H6, Phiaton Bridge MS500, ML Mikros 90, and the V Moda M100. All of which I feel sound amazing and are driven well by the Hifi M8. I would like another open back hp and have never heard a Grado HP but being that I already have and like warm sounding headphones I feel that a Grado will be a nice addition/contrast unless it is too sibilant paired with the M8. Any info or impressions will be greatly appreciated. The M8 is my only amp/dac since selling my Jds Labs C5 my first amp ever so I'm not too experienced with headphone & amp pairing.

 
I can try my Grado HF-2 (#24) with my M8 soon, and report back. That might be the closest to the PS-500 which I haven't heard (I did hear and liked the PS-1000 but not enough to buy).  I also own the SR-60 and MS-1, and owned but sold the RS-2, RS-1, HF-1, and HP-1000, which were all very good. I'd think the only Grado that would not pair well with the M8 are the SR-325i and the GS-1000.  But the others "should" be fine.

 

[sluker]

I can confirm that my (Grado) Magnum builds sound good with the M8, if that is worth anything. In particular I like it with the v3.5 drivers because I can boost the bass. The biggest difference with other amp/dac combos (Hifiman 603 and the RSA shadow/ipod nano) is that the soundstage opens up a tad  and gets more depth. But in my experience the Grado's I have owned in the past (125 and HF-2) or the Magnums I have built (8 pairs) didn't really benefit too much from amplification. Not like planar headphones. So the M8 may be a bit overkill for them.

 

[musiclvr]

Headphone Addict - Your impressions concerning the Grado HF-2 will be much appreciated with the tone shaping implementation as well if it's not too much trouble. The M8 with my AKG K702 65th Annies, IMHO, can bring out some noticeable peaks in the treble region but sound very organic/well footed with the bass tone switch placed in the middle. I am also curious to see if a higher ohm impedance on the M8 can potentially smooth out a potentially bright or forward sounding Grado "house sound".

Sluker- Thanks for your impressions. Im sure the Grados benefit marginally from amplification too but with the M8 tone shaping and ohm shifting capabilities I feel like I would really enjoy the attributes of a Grado being amplified resulting in that little extra soundstage and depth as you described. After all we are all chasing that little extra we can get out of our gear and music right? Cheers

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

  I can confirm that my (Grado) Magnum builds sound good with the M8, if that is worth anything. In particular I like it with the v3.5 drivers because I can boost the bass. The biggest difference with other amp/dac combos (Hifiman 603 and the RSA shadow/ipod nano) is that the soundstage opens up a tad  and gets more depth. But in my experience the Grado's I have owned in the past (125 and HF-2) or the Magnums I have built (8 pairs) didn't really benefit too much from amplification. Not like planar headphones. So the M8 may be a bit overkill for them.

 
This is not just amping them, it's also a great source.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Headphone Addict - Your impressions concerning the Grado HF-2 will be much appreciated with the tone shaping implementation as well if it's not too much trouble. The M8 with my AKG K702 65th Annies, IMHO, can bring out some noticeable peaks in the treble region but sound very organic/well footed with the bass tone switch placed in the middle. I am also curious to see if a higher ohm impedance on the M8 can potentially smooth out a potentially bright or forward sounding Grado "house sound".

Sluker- Thanks for your impressions. Im sure the Grados benefit marginally from amplification too but with the M8 tone shaping and ohm shifting capabilities I feel like I would really enjoy the attributes of a Grado being amplified resulting in that little extra soundstage and depth as you described. After all we are all chasing that little extra we can get out of our gear and music right? Cheers

 
I dod some listening, and the M8 is excellent for use with the Grado HF-2 (#24). I love the pairing and synergy.

 

[jstachowski]

Hi---
 
   I don't have the IEM mod, but my PS500 phones work very well with the M8.  Like anything else with the M8, it drives you to want to play better source material.  I don't really use the tone shaping myself.
 
Hope this helps---
Jerry

 

[sluker]

I agree as far as sources go the M8 is probably the second best DAC I have owned and the best portable DAC (it's ahead of the original Cypher Labs Solo, the HM 603 as well as the Harmon Kardon HD990 CD player/DAC). And it's almost on par with my new Sony HAP-S1 (plus it's headphone amp is better than the Sony).
Playing around with the ohm settings on the Magnum's I notice a slight smoothing out when the setting is all the way to the left ( but we are talking very slight difference here). 

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

I also have the HF-2, and I enjoy the pairing.  Its nice to have a portable amp/dac that has a 1/4" input without having to mess with adapters.  I did find myself messing with some of the tone shaping settings for the first time. And I don't think I've come to a conclusion yet on which settings I like best.  But to be honest, you'll choose your own anyways...

 

[b0ssMax]

Lossless -- Ak120 -- generic optical cable -- m8 lx rsa -- hd650/re400.

Also used ipad and iphone through onkyo hf player and cck. Worked as expected. Got the m8 lx due to having ios and ak120.

To the good stuff...

All i can say is wow. The hd650 sounds very good with the m8. When i thought any amp would do with the hd650, this combination somewhat made me doubt that thinking. Also enjoying the hifiman re400. I'm looking at updating my cable to the sysconcept that folks have posted about but it'll take time...

Haven't tried the he500 yet as i've been very much enjoying the m8-hd650 and m8-re400 lately...

The CLAS RxMk3B+ has been seeing less time and i'm contemplating selling the stack