The All Purpose Advice Thread

Discussion in 'Advice Threads' started by purr1n, Sep 26, 2015.

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  1. EagleWings

    EagleWings Friend

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    Hey guys. I just picked up an iPhone XR. I thought I could manage without a headphone jack, but I was clearly wrong. The simplest solution is to pick up a lightning-to-3.5mm dongle. But when I had a chance to compare the dongle vs my iPhone 6’s HO, the dongle sounded inferior. Any decent sounding alternatives out there, that you would recommend?
     
  2. E_Schaaf

    E_Schaaf MOT: E.T.A Headphones

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    Shanling M0 via Bluetooth LDAC. I use this with my Essential Phone (also no 3.5mm jack) and it sounds great.
     
  3. fraggler

    fraggler A Happy & Busy Life

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    I don't use Apple stuff, but Fiio makes the i1 dongle that could be better for not too much money.

    Unfortunately, Apple doesn't have LDAC or some of the better bluetooth devices like the M0 recommended above or the Earstudio ES100 could be used.
     
  4. Metro

    Metro Friend

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    You can use a Radsone ES100 as a wired USB DAC/amp:
    https://www.head-fi.org/threads/radsone-earstudio.867366/page-247#post-14697689
    The Shanling M0 may also be able to work this way.
     
  5. Astroreflux

    Astroreflux New

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    pc > Modi 3 > project sunrise > smsl something > elac ub5. Can someone explain to me why i get more bass and less punch in the mids when i use optical instead of usb to the modi? its only really noticeable with speakers and not headphones - probably the sub allowing the 'additional' bass. i imagine its something to do with the schiit drivers that are used for usb vs realtek drivers for the optical output? the effect is super clear when using certain tubes like the electro harmonix 6h30p, which sounds much nicer through optical. when using a 6sn7 the difference is much less noticeable. why does this happen and which would be the theoretically better option?
     
    Last edited: May 4, 2019
  6. SmashBruh

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    Hey guys! I'm building a new "euphonically warmish neutral" rig for my coming Auteurs since I want to move my current home rig (MCTH+LPS+Tung-Sol 6C8G+Modi3) to the office with my Atticus. I'm replacing the MTCH with a Bottlehead mainline and that leaves me needing a new DAC to pair it with. I have a Dragonfly Red to tide me over while I search but I find that it makes the MTCH a little bright and I want to keep that set up as warm as possible. Not to mention that I find it has a pretty narrow soundstage in comparison to the Modi.

    I was thinking of replacing the Modi with a Bifrost Multibit, but from what I understand that's not that much of a step up and I'm looking for something that'll give me as noticeable an improvement as possible while spending as little as possible. I was thinking maybe a Gungnir Multibit or a Metrum Amethyst might be good? Are they worth the asking price? What do you guys think? Any input or insight you guys may have would be appreciated! :)
     
    Last edited: May 4, 2019
  7. Overkill Red

    Overkill Red Friend

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    Tube specific question: Anyone have any experience gluing loose tube bases back?
    I've read up on the EML guide, and it seems sort of daunting tbh.
     
  8. Audiosalsa

    Audiosalsa New

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    Hey there SBAF!

    I’m in the process of collecting vintage gear just to try out the headphone amps included on either Integrated‘s or maybe receivers that may rival dedicated desktop amps. Does anyone here have experience trying this out or know of someone else who is going down this road and discovered some good options from the Vintage market? I have a dedicated Magni/ Modi stack that I’ve used for about a year and I’ve tested out reference stuff from Benchmark and Mytek.
     
  9. RedFuneral

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    I used vintage receivers exclusively for a couple years, most of my listening was with STAX through a transformer box but I can pass on some advice regarding headphone out as well. In short I used to believe vintage amps were competitive up to the 4 figure mark but the budget HP amps have caught up. They're still unbeatable if you want a sound with a lot of power behind it with good perceived detail which may caused by distorting aged capacitors. Pick something less than $50 and enjoy comparing it with your Magni.


    There are three 'gotchas' with these old amps: Amps prior to say 1972 may have the channels reversed on the HP out, sensitive headphones(SPL rating not Ohms) will pick up noise(varies by unit, usually mains hum & buzzing,) and the final problem is that unrestored gear makes it impossible to know what you're going to get. The first problem is easy if you're only using the amp for headphones, swap your input cables. Second is fully gear dependent. Third can be ignored or solved through restoration(changing caps and deoxidizing knobs/switches.)

    I took the lazy way out on all counts running 'as is' gear of which nothing stripped more than $100 from my pocket. I'd advise going with the cheap stuff as used pricing is based solely on model recognition, I've owned the Pioneer SX-780 and found it worse than stuff I picked for $20. Focus on model lines over brand names, I own Sherwoods produced two years apart where one is syrupy and gooey & the later forward and bright.

    My general impression of vintage amps are that they're highly dynamic sometimes with good speed/separation with mediocre noise floor and smoothness. They have varying degrees of grit & warmth which I never saw as positives. I found vintage a step-up over the Burson 160DS I used to own, cleaner bass-lines & more legible vocals. Last week I took delivery of a JDS Atom, modern & cheap has caught up. I would have recommended vintage two weeks ago for anyone who feels like gambling with its variability but the JDS is dependable, clean, ... and boring.
     
  10. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    On vintage receivers, keep this in mind on how the headphone jack is hooked up internally:

    Vintage receiver speaker out -> big resistors (560-ohm would be typical) -> headphone jack.

    That's gonna be sky high output impedance. Have fun with dynamic cans! Orthos can sound surprisingly good.

    I'd say stay away. I mean, I'll dig up rare vintage finds like the Pioneer M-22 Class A power amp and talk them up, but do you see me actually using one? Nope. This stuff is ancient, fix one thing, recap another thing, and then something else breaks or acts funny. Now I am using 80s vintage JBL speakers, but this is stuff I feel comfortable with. I know where to get the replacement diaphragms, where to get the drivers re-coned, how to build a crossover network from scratch, etc.

    I'm with @RedFuneral: if you want to go cheap, get JDS, Schiit Magni, Project Horizon, or even Topping or Loxjie. The vintage receiver dude was cool in the last decade. The vintage receiver dude now is a goober, unless you really know and are willing to the spend time to fix them.
     
  11. neogeosnk

    neogeosnk Friend

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    I'm using the Smsl Idea, which when burned in, sounds better than any dongle I've tried (including audioquest). But you still have to use the camera adapter so it's a bit longer than the default dongle.
     
  12. zonto

    zonto Friend

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    Context
    My system is in my living room. Our listening position is on a couch that's maybe an inch off the wall (drywall). We don't have anything on the wall behind the couch right now. Obviously not ideal for acoustics. For years I've been trying to find an aesthetically pleasing option for absorption that my wife and I both like. Regular absorption panels are not an option; we both think they look atrocious. GiK Acoustics offers Art Panels (link), which seemed promising. We looked at the repository GiK partnered with for stock images, but we didn't find anything we liked enough to make a permanent part of our room.

    Last week, we finally found a painting for our living room we both love (!). I was hoping to acquire a high resolution image of it to send to GiK to print on Art Panels. After reaching out to iCanvas (the store at which we found the painting) and the original artist, I'm at a dead end as far as acquiring a high res image myself or paying either party to send the image directly to GiK for a one-time print job. iCanvas doesn't have the rights to sell or subcontract to a third-party printer, and the artist doesn't sell his high-res images. I haven't heard back to inquiries about whether there are other companies with rights to the images that could sell a copy or send to GiK.

    For now, I've ordered the painting from iCanvas. It will be split into three pieces, each 20" wide x 40" tall, with the printed canvas stapled to pine frames that stick out 1.5" from the wall. If I'm unsuccessful in obtaining an image to use for Art Panels, my next thought was that I could have cut some pieces of 1" Owens Corning 703 to mount behind the canvas to create a pseudo-absorption panel.

    To see if this would be worthwhile, I've Googled off and on recently re: the sound permeability of canvas and related topics and found only the following relevant resources:
    Conclusion
    I don't know if the type of canvas iCanvas prints on is like those tested by the researchers in the first source above, but my initial conclusion is that though not as ideal as a 2" Art Panel the backup plan would result in better sound absorption than the bare wall. Wanted to run the above by the group and get others' thoughts and see if I'm missing anything. Thanks in advance.
     
  13. fraggler

    fraggler A Happy & Busy Life

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    I have been looking through this thread, since I am looking specifically at doing movie posters. However, the materials, art, and vendors discussion could help you. Most are using a type of cotton so soundwaves can go through the surface and get absorbed instead of reflected off of a slicker or thicker canvas.
     
  14. mitochondrium

    mitochondrium Friend

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    Going for the 2” art panel will be your best option given the circumstances. Absorbers come clad in a acoustically transparent fabric. I do not think this is done for marketing reasons only. Using normal canvas will reduce the efficiency of the absorber. Can’t you get your preferred picture as a print on high quality paper? If yes you could photograph it yourself or have it photographed by a friend in order to get the image needed for GIK. If it is only for your personal use, I would not have any qualms about this.
     
  15. zonto

    zonto Friend

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    Thanks @fraggler and @mitochondrium. I'll take a spin through that AVS thread this week. iCanvas has a generous 60-day return policy so I have some time.

    So far the only options I've found are the various canvas options. No image purchases or non-canvas media (like paper) for printing. I considered buying the 60x40 version as a single print (not split into three) and having it photographed. Aside from the ethical considerations, the resolution required to do a 60x40 (or similar size print) @300 dpi would be over 200 megapixels... It seems like most artists have the original run through a super high resolution scanner before they farm out to the various art distributors like iCanvas, but I don't have access to anything like that, and consumer digital cameras don't seem up to the task.
     
  16. EagleWings

    EagleWings Friend

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    @E_Schaaf , @fraggler , @Metro and @neogeosnk , thank you for your help guys. I did some research on the devices you mentioned and have decided to go with the ES100.
     
  17. Vanheim

    Vanheim Acquaintance

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    Hi guys, I need some advice. I'm planning on making my big headphone purchase and am in a dilemma over the Abyss Diana, ZMF Verite. My set up is a zmf Atticus, Th-X00 purpleheart and modi multibit v1 used through usb and magni 2.

    I know I should upgrade my amp/dac first but I really want to make the headphone purchase.

    I love the forwardness of the mids on the Th-X00 so I was leaning more towards the Verite. I want a mid first headphone that slams and is forgiving. But idk what will sound better from an inferior set up. I seem to have a sweet spot for planners.

    Thanks in advance,
    Mir
    Thanks in advance
     
  18. SmashBruh

    SmashBruh New

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    Just curious- has anyone been able to listen to both the Mainline and the ZMF Pendant? From reviews it sounds like they sound similar to one another however I'm wondering if that's actually the case?
     
  19. ChaChaRealSmooth

    ChaChaRealSmooth SBAF's Mr. Bean

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    For those who have tube amps, is it worth keeping a backup set around of the same tubes? I currently am debating on whether I should roll entirely different tubes or just buy the same ones and keep them for backups.
     
  20. allegro

    allegro Friend

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    If you like a certain vintage tube sure, keep some spares around as you never know when the market might dry up. I have four spare matched pairs of Tung Sol 1626 for my Kenzie that I picked up before they became unobtanium.
     
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