[Dsnuts]

It is the same thing minus the nice all aluminum box it is housed in. I don't know about you but I would pay a few extra bucks just to have nothing exposed..I can throw the Ele dac in my packed and not think about it. That bare bones one I would worry about.

 

[nihontoman]

Finally settled on the eq settings for the xb90ex everything is pretty simple though - 3 db less bass and 3db more treble that's all for it. it sounds amazing

 

[waynes world]

 So for all you guys that are cheapos. Need something that sounds WAY better than your onboard sound card? Aha let me put it this way. This thing cost $19 shipped to you..LOL. This thing is stupid. This can't sound this good for this little cash..Get one of these. Packing my AUNE T1.

Most of my listening is with the S500 and xba3. The sound coming out of my Thinkpad x220 laptop (Windows 7, Conexant 20672 SmartAudio HD soundcard) seems to be about the same as the sound out of my Samsung Galaxy S2 and my clip zip. Which is to say, it sounds pretty good to me.

I gather though that this ELE gizmo will make the sound out of my laptop better. So, I am interested in getting the ELE gizmo (I don't really feel like researching other, more expensive, dac's at the moment).

Yup it would bypass your sound portion of you computer.. Try one out. 

So, you just plug this thing into a USB port, and the sound magically starts coming through it? No setting changes required in the laptop?

This DAC comes with just the box and no usb. And I know we argued a bit about USB cords and such. If you do plan on getting this. Get yourself a nicer cheaper audio USB cable like I did..

I suppose if you really want to go cheapo. Yes as long as it is a high speed 2.0 USB cable. yes you can hook up your printer cable to this ELE dac. But like I said. Getting a cheaper Audio usb is always a good idea for audio imo. At the bare minimum. Go to your local walmart and get a decent Belkin USB cable for $10.

With that info, I should be able to find the cable.

Ya you will have less of a reason for upgradetitus once you hear this dac and your HA-S500. I look forward to read how you hear your tunes once you get this DAC. You thought your HA-S500 sound good now. I am willing to bet you. You will hear them in a new level once you hear it with this DAC. The HA-S500 does sound better with better sounding hardware. Sound unbelievably great on my Fire Phoenix. And on my Bravo amp. I haven't tried it yet with the ELE dac but there is no possible way it won't sound right with it. I will post a little turkey thanksgiving post on the HA-S500 thread tomorrow..

Reduce the "upgradetitus" - I like that lol!

 

[soundstige]

Just looked at the seller selling the ele dac. They are also selling this
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MINI-PCM2704-HI-FI-USB-DAC-SOUND-CARD-BOARD-hi-fi-ELNA-Capacitance-for-it-/260994381452?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cc47a368c
is it the same as the board inside the ele dac?

Yes.

 

[kwerdenker]

Quick question for all the XB90EX owners: do you or did you have any problems with piercing highs? Mine are quite badly in this regard, especially on high-hats or 's'/' sh' sounds. I think the correct term for this is sibliance?

I'm just wondering because I can't remember reading anything like this about them and it's ruining my enjoyment of their otherwise great sound

 

[Dsnuts]

Sibilance? for the XB90? I don't think so. I never heard any type ever. Try one size bigger tip..Preferably something with wider nozzle than the stock hybrids.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Quote:

Quick question for all the XB90EX owners: do you or did you have any problems with piercing highs? Mine are quite badly in this regard, especially on high-hats or 's'/' sh' sounds. I think the correct term for this is sibliance?

I'm just wondering because I can't remember reading anything like this about them and it's ruining my enjoyment of their otherwise great sound

 
Are you getting a good seal?

 

[lilboozy]

Those somic headpones look nice

 

[daveyostrow]

has anyone tried the ud100, easily the smallest of the bunch. though cost a good $50.

 

[Zelda]

ok,ppl look at this
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Audio-Technica-dynamic-return-type-PREMIUM-COMPACT-ATH-CKN50-BL-earreceiver-/121027639673?pt=US_Headphones&hash=item1c2dcf3979

 

[Dsnuts]

Sorry Zelda I completely forgot to test out the SHE3580 for you on the ELE dac. I will do that first thing in the morning. Will report back. I knew I forgot to do something today.  Those new ATs look interesting. Might have to try out a pair. It is ATs counter to JVCs FXD earphones. I bet they sound great too..Competition is a great thing.

 

[Zelda]

Quote:

Sorry Zelda I completely forgot to test out the SHE3580 for you on the ELE dac. I will do that first thing in the morning. Will report back. I knew I forgot to do something today.  Those new ATs look interesting. Might have to try out a pair. It is ATs counter to JVCs FXD earphones. I bet they sound great too..Competition is a great thing.

thanks!
 
i hope  the AT will be cheaper soon, as it was with the ckm500

 

[nihontoman]

Quote:

Quick question for all the XB90EX owners: do you or did you have any problems with piercing highs? Mine are quite badly in this regard, especially on high-hats or 's'/' sh' sounds. I think the correct term for this is sibliance?
I'm just wondering because I can't remember reading anything like this about them and it's ruining my enjoyment of their otherwise great sound

no, no such problem what so ever :| I even cranked up highs by 3 db to get some more sparkle but no sibilance. there could be three reasons for that: recording is sibilant, source has some problems, or as already mentioned - there is poor seal going on. these iems are quite laid back, with rolled of highs, so the fact that you hear sibilance is strange. maybe you are too sensitive to high frequencies? how old are you?

 

[kiteki]

So,  question here.

i got my FP DAc,  once its plugged on my laptop, its like using  that soundcard, so everything is thrown and proccesed by my FP. once i play a mp3, the DAC and amp of my FP makes all the work, right?

  But, i dont get how these Ele Dac works with a portable device, how does it works?  for exampe if i use it with a Blackberry that has a very bad dac+,  garbage comes out of the BB and goes in the DAC, the Ele wont transform the mp3 i am using so whats the point?

Sorry,  can som1 explain me how it works? i dont get it. 

Even simpler, any DAC creates a new analogue stream from digital information. Hence "DAC". It bypasses any DAC in your Blackberry etc. It goes MP3/FLAC -> DAC -> headphones, not MP3/FLAC -> Blackberry -> DAC -> headphones.

 
Yes, the Ele DAC overrides the internal DAC and associated circuitry (PC or Blackberry) in both cases.  The question is is he using it with a Blackberry?  Several smartphones support USB OTG (on the go, I think) and you can effectively connect an external DAC (sometimes you'll need a special cable for this, like mini to mini USB, which don't seem to err, exist very much).
 
However, the battery power required from a smartphone to run an external DAC puts the entire rig in question, lol.  I was thinking of buying the iBasso D12 Anaconda, with all the associated complications to try with my smartphone, then I thought, what is the point?  It's just a novelty, I can buy a Colorfly CK4 instead.
 
 

has anyone tried the ud100, easily the smallest of the bunch. though cost a good $50.

 
The Hifimediy is also $50.  I've seen one Japanese guy, using smartphone -> UD100 -> amplifier -> FitEar To Go MH334.  Holy hotcakes!!
 
 

ok,ppl look at this
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Audio-Technica-dynamic-return-type-PREMIUM-COMPACT-ATH-CKN50-BL-earreceiver-/121027639673?pt=US_Headphones&hash=item1c2dcf3979

 
I like the space-station look.
 
I will see if I can demo them in Japan.

 

[Zelda]

Quote:

 
I like the space-station look.
 
I will see if I can demo them in Japan.

pls, do so! i´d like to hear your opinion.