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Author Topic: Help with a decent balanced headphone & DAC system  (Read 1069 times)

Wolvebain

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Re: Help with a decent balanced headphone & DAC system
« Reply #30 on: January 07, 2012, 12:17:30 am »
Thanks for info kamikazi & Hi-Phibian; greatly appreciated!  I'll put them on my list of contenders :)
I'm still keen on the Asus Xonar Essence One tho; if the price is more sane than R.10k, and it can drive the Sennheiser HD 650's via the balanced XLR out's, then it gives me more do$h to spend on proper cables.


Anyhowz...

I was in a hurry to get the headphones, so I arranged with the reseller [DJMix] to allow me to collect today... and so I did :)

The Sennheiser HD 650's are AwEsOmE!!! Even tho it's running from my PC's onboard analogue audio out to the Samson Audio CQUE8 Headphone Amplifier, without any special cables [some random male-to-male 3.5mm stereo jack cable into an another random 3.5mm to 1.4 stereo jack adapter]

Thinking about getting a better cable over the weekend, tho I doubt I'd get much benefit with that using the PC's onboard analogue audio out.

Been listening to a variety of songs, from Crosby, Stills & Nash to just Neil Young, to Buckethead, to The Flower Duet [Lakme], to Audioslave, to Pearl Jam, to RATM, to Metallica, to Led Zeppelin, to Van Morrison, to Dream Theater, to Charlie Parker, to Charlie Hunter, to Joe Satriani, to Albert King, to Robert Johnson, to.. to... too many others :P 
And I'm stocked!!  Wonder how more amazing it would sound with a proper DAC/AMP...



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Wolvebain

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Re: Help with a decent balanced headphone & DAC system
« Reply #31 on: January 10, 2012, 01:10:26 am »
What do you guys think of the HLLY SMK-III Balanced DAC Headphone Amplifier or the Matrix mini-i 24Bit 192KHz Balanced DAC + Headphone Amp?

Was thinking of getting one of them via eBay:
HLLY SMK-III Balanced DAC Headphone Amplifier


Matrix mini-i 24Bit 192KHz Balanced DAC + Headphone Amp


Along with a Cardas Upgrade XLR Balanced Cable



I
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Hi-Phibian

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Re: Help with a decent balanced headphone & DAC system
« Reply #32 on: January 10, 2012, 12:59:19 pm »
IMO you are not going to get user or listening experiences on these 2 on this forum. I think you have had replies from the can camp with what they have actual listening experience with.
Comment on anything else is merely folk comparing summaries of googled  on line opinions and advertising copy writing gumph.

I have listend to the MDAC equivalent CDP with digital inputs and a friend has a Centrance. I have a Meier Audio myself as well as the C5e Bel Canto. While modding them I have had two of the "current" dacmagic units with me for an extended time. Same for a Slee Solo though less time then the DACmagics.

I use several headphones but mostly HD600/Cardas, Soundmagic PL30, Ultrasone iCan and Sennie HD40.

I would be shy of buying "less known" product unheard unless a bargain. At east with a Cambridge/MF/Bel Canto/Burson/Slee you would have a reasonable chance to sell it on to a wider audience if it is horrible.
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Wolvebain

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Re: Help with a decent balanced headphone & DAC system
« Reply #33 on: January 11, 2012, 08:59:01 am »
@Hi-Phibian: Thanks for the feedback/perspective bud; much appreciated.  I suppose I was asking more from a component & feature perspective more than anything else.  I'm keen on the HLLY, but am looking more at the HLLY HIGH END SMK-III Balanced DAC MOD Version one.. But not sure if the replaced components & actual components are good.  Saw a few good reviews on the HLLY SMK-III, but they are the older ones, which may have different components.

Also looked at the Audio Gd NFB-10, but looks like it would need a custom/DIY job for the balanced headphone cable.
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Hi-Phibian

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Re: Help with a decent balanced headphone & DAC system
« Reply #34 on: January 11, 2012, 09:56:19 am »
Cardas make most of the cables I import specifically to my order. They can terminate in just about any audio connector as long as I advise them pin outs.
4 pin xlr would be a doddle and I am fairly sure I could mod your existing lead as well.
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Hi-Phibian

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Re: Help with a decent balanced headphone & DAC system
« Reply #35 on: January 11, 2012, 10:45:30 am »
Quote from: Wolvebain on January 10, 2012, 01:10:26 am
Along with a Cardas Upgrade XLR Balanced Cable




Not to sure of authenticity of the wire in the pic.
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Wolvebain

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Re: Help with a decent balanced headphone & DAC system
« Reply #36 on: January 11, 2012, 04:28:18 pm »
@Hi-Phibian: Pic is from this eBay item: Cardas Upgrade XLR Balanced Cable 8Ft 2.45M Sennheiser HD650 HD600 HD580

Can you give me a ballpark ETA & pricing on custom HD 650 cables for either the Audio Gd NFB-10SE or Audio Gd NFB-10WM, as well as the balanced XLR versions [used by the HLLY SMK-III] please?

Not in a real hurry, as I'd want to make a well thought out choice & my temp solution is working great; but would want to know the lead-time, so I can correlate the purchases.


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Hi-Phibian

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Re: Help with a decent balanced headphone & DAC system
« Reply #37 on: January 11, 2012, 04:47:53 pm »
About 2 to 3 weeks from confirmed order. Just brought in the first "clear" headphone cables custom jobs. Ordered 28th, del to client yesterday.
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