The All Purpose Advice Thread - Part 2

Are there any Bluetooth receivers that will output (in order of preference) USB, AES/EBU, or coax SPDIF? I would like to have an easy Bluetooth connection for people to feed my DAC but I am already using the I2S from my Holo Red and optical from my TV. Most Bluetooth devices output optical and I would like to not disconnect my TV if possible.

The only thing that seems to be available is the Eversolo DMP-A6 but that's a lot of power just to make a Bluetooth tx into my DAC. The IFI streaming offerings look great but they do not seem to have Bluetooth.

 

The iFi ZEN Blue V2 takes in Bluetooth and outputs SPDIF via coax/rca.

Please note that the new V3 does not have digital outputs. So don't order it by mistake!

 

The Shanling ET3 has Bluetooth capability, on top of being a CD transport and a few other tricks. I haven't heard one, but it's been well received in this thread, and is priced somewhere between the Eversolo DMP-A6 and the Zen Blue.

 

I ordered what may be the last Shanling ET3 on Amazon. Hopefully it gets here fast like they say it will. I've been wanting a CD transport for awhile so hopefully this thing works well. Other sources are showing a 1 month preorder with no ability to cancel which is frustrating.

 

I am currently testing a Wiim Pro as a streamer and I can confirm it will take BT input and output via spdif coax. However, it is basic BT, nothing like LDAC or even aptx-HD.

I know that FiiO has a BTA30Pro that can do LDAC in and out and has spdif out as well, but I'm not 100% sure it can be just a straight converter. I used one for a while as a usb DAC to BT transmitter and it worked well for that.

Edit: Just saw you bought the Shanling, so this is more for reference for others. Looks like FiiO has a BR13 that can do LDAC in and spdif out. 1Mii also has a 3 or 4 options that do the same. I have some 1Mii BT adapters for airplane flights and a cheap LDAC capable speaker amp and they all are great for the prices, but no idea how they would hold up in an audiophile system.

 

So I just got a set of headphone cables re-terminated with connectors (Furutech FT-H800(R)) to be able to use with an HD8xx headphone. My only experience with Furutech connectors are the 4-pin XLRs that are smooth like butter when plugging into an amp. I guess I was expecting the headphone connectors to give me a similar experience. What I got was about 5-10 minutes just trying to get the connectors into the headphone, and another 10-15 minutes wrestling and struggling to pull them out.

When I asked about this, the person/company who did the re-termination said they tested this in their hd800s and it went smoothly, that further, this is common of aftermarket plugs (slight misalignment), and solution is to keep it in for a couple of weeks.

Has anyone had similar experience, and will simply keeping them in for a long length of time help with this issue? I'm almost afraid to try using this cable again for fear of breaking the headphone cups, the cable, or both with the way I struggled. Yeah I know I'm not swole, but I am currently using a nice chi-fi cable whose regular generic connectors easily connect on and and off, easy peasy.

 

Oh, I definitely had the same issue. Luckily the vendor I bought the connectors from was willing to let me return them and they mentioned that they had similar complaints from other customers about the Furu HD800 connectors. Everything else I’ve used from furutech has been great, otherwise. Also, the witness marks and measurements with some calipers on my connectors indicate an issue with tolerance stacking and not misalignment.

 

Hi friends/pyrates, what do you think about this upgrade path?

current headphone rig: Bifrost 2 OG -> Jotunheim 2 -> Focal Clear Mg

upgrade path: Bifrost 2/64 -> Mjolnir 3 -> Focal Clear Mg

Some background info: I sold my Utopia OG because of upper mids/treble and prefer the Clear Mg; cannot/don't want to afford Utopia 2022 and I am basically hooked on Focal because of (their) dynamic driver's bass thump and heft.

Many thanks for any considerations

 

I think the MJ3 is the obvious step up from the Jot 2. But I would listen to the BF2/OG first with the MJ3 before upgrading to the 2/64 if you value the note weight / heft aspect. The 2/64 trades that in for more resolution and clarity. I'd definitely try to compare both dacs against the MJ3/Focal Clear combo and see how they sound before making a decision that way.

 

Aren't there rumours of a new gungnir coming soon(ish-maybe)?

 

I live very happily with my Bifrost 2 OG/Mjolnir 3 combo, so I agree, I'd start there and not rush to get a different DAC.

 

Beyond rumor — Jason has been posting updates on Head-Fi. In a post today, he called it Gunnr. A multibit version is coming very soon (already started production). Another version with Schiit's own implementation of delta sigma on FPGA is coming next year.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...most-improbable-start-up.701900/post-18214921
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sch...most-improbable-start-up.701900/post-18251935

 

Cool cool, in which case I would recommend to @econaut to hold off and get the matching (size) dac for the MJ3

 

Yes, perfect news indeed and exactly my thoughts! I will skip the Bifrost 2 / 64 upgrade then completely and hope the new Gungnir will combine the best of Bifrost 2 and 2 / 64 with a Gungnir A1 tonality

So I just ordered the MJ3. You have to order in Europe when Schiit stuff is in stock, which has always been a hassle over the last years.

 

Anyone had a chance to listen to xDuoo OTL amps like the TA-84 or TA-66? Is it more like xDooDoo or rather like XDuoLaLa? Any other OTL amps to pair with HD 600 for around 500 smackeroos (Crack and old Valhalla need not apply)?

 

Question to anyone who has heard the Raal CA-1a headphone. Are there any other similar headphones that are similar (in sound profile) to the CA-1a, especially with the bass presentation? I really liked these and just wanted to know if there is anything else I should be considering. Thanks!

 

It's hard to answer this, given the different flavors from the two sets of pads. With the fully enclosed pads, the CA-1a reminded me vaguely of the original Utopia, although the CA-1a, I think, might have deeper sub-bass extension and impact - but I didn't hear the two together, and it's been a long time since I've heard either.

The speed/tightness of the bass reminded me vaguely of the Abyss 1266, but the rest of the CA-1a's presentation, using the pads with the holes in them, is different, especially in the mids, which are less recessed and fuller. Both headphones have that slightly leaner sound from less weight in the lower mids, I suspect. Again - caveat for poor auditory memory. I think I posted more of a comparison the impressions I shared in the CA-1a thread a few months ago.

I've currently got one of rhythmdevils's modded LCD-4z headphones, the RD-4z, and it shares some similarities with the CA-1a, e.g. when it comes to snappy transients and clarity, although the CA-1a has more treble sparkle/edge, to my ears. You might want to ask @rhythmdevils for his opinion as he's heard the CA-1a, too.

 

I can vouch for a Eufonika, if that doesn’t cross your Crack lines. The ones with Miflex KPCUs - which you want - should be slightly north of 500, and by far exceed their price point.

 

Does anyone know of a good reshell service for the UERMs? It seems like my body has changed enough over time that I can no longer get a seal and they sound like crap now, so I'd like to get them redone.

Of course, it may be better to simply buy a set of universals since it seems like the IEM market has absolutely exploded in the decade or so since I got the UERMs.

 

Has anybody tried ultrasonic discouragement on bats?

I don't want to hurt them, just want them to try bug restaurants other than my front porch (where they seem to think it's acceptable to shit all over the floor).