Going Digital!

[dshoaf]

I've gotten interested in a digital preamp of late myself. Tried some of the pro-sumer gear sold via Guitar Center - some of it not very interesting.

Would love to get a Benchmark dac/pre but they're outside the budget. The Steinberg UR22 works quite well for USB-only streaming so I just upgraded to the Steinberg UR-28M, a studio control console.

Now, I've got 3 separate, selectable power amp outputs so I can easily switch between them from the '28M. I've also got a single Analog input, which I've run from the back of my Citation 17 preamp. This allows me to use the input switching to that Analog input so I can operate use its phono preamp and other inputs as I need to. There's a couple of SPDIF inputs, too, when I get them going.

About $400 from the usual online sources.

More as I get comfy with it.

Cheers,

David

 

[stoutblock]

Last drink was 1989....whiskey to these lips....one sip and I'd pass out

It's been since last Friday for me. Two fingers of some very fine "water of life" every Friday evening just puts a nice cap on the week.

Hate any form of tobacco. Can't stand to be near the stuff...

 

[keithpgdrb]

ok, so here's something that pisses me off. I had to return my nano dsd because of some defect. Amazon gave me a refund instead of an exchange. so I go to repurchase it, and the price has gone up about $64. WTF?

so is this a permanent price increase? going to have to write someone.

 

[enginedr]

Found this on HEAD FI PAGE 176 OF THE IFI IDSD THREAD .
The iFi Micro iDSD USB charge this way:

When switched off and connected to power, it will charge

When in Eco Mode, the unit will play and charge at the same time.

Normal Mode, Unit stop charging and rely fully on USB power

Turbo Mode, the unit will not charge, uses power from USB and the battery itself.



*The above is only applicable if you turn on the unit AFTER you connect it to a source via USB*



If you turn on the unit BEFORE connecting, the unit will fully rely on its built in battery.
This info is not in the instruction manual .

 

[JP]

So you're all good now?

 

[enginedr]

Yes . Thank you .
it sounds good with the optical input as well .
Contact you soon .

 

[JP]

That's great news! I'm potentially taking an entirely different direction - still unfolding. More later.

 

[slippers-on]

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Eddie Higgins with Scott Hamilton. DSD 128 Venus Records. Tokyo, Japan.

Images like crazy! Back to front depth....tall and wide....The little iFI Micro and iPSU, Canton Vento 830.2 with Ceramic tweeters.

The Little Bamboo Board gifted to me by my friend Lee Harvey. Works great with the BDR Cones.

Oscar, that little mid range problem I told you about, it wasn't the Neutral Cable at all...it was the previous material I had under the iFI Micro. The board with the BDR Cones cleared all that up! As Lee Harvey suggested, I will get another Neutral Cable to replace the Purple one as it still has a few drop outs once a week.

 

[slippers-on]

Found this on HEAD FI PAGE 176 OF THE IFI IDSD THREAD .
The iFi Micro iDSD USB charge this way:

When switched off and connected to power, it will charge

When in Eco Mode, the unit will play and charge at the same time.

Normal Mode, Unit stop charging and rely fully on USB power

Turbo Mode, the unit will not charge, uses power from USB and the battery itself.



*The above is only applicable if you turn on the unit AFTER you connect it to a source via USB*



If you turn on the unit BEFORE connecting, the unit will fully rely on its built in battery.
This info is not in the instruction manual .

I did mention about turning on unit before hand...heres the post.

Post 545

enginedr wrote:
Originally Posted by enginedr View Post
I tried it every way . stock cable to my mac mini USB 3.0 . if you live it on it is dead in the morning . I shut it off and the blue charge light comes on .I thought this thing
runs on USB power if you turn it on after it is plugged in to the USB source .

slippers wrote: It states in the instructions, turn on Micro after PC is turned on and you run on iUSB Power. If you turn on Micro first, you run on battery. sound like you are leaving it on and then turning on computer? That's running off battery power. If you have an issue with it...go to the IFI web site and open ticket....I've used them and they are excellent with customer service/tech support.

any ways...just happy you got her up and running! Congrats!

 

[Sprags]

Decided to go digital in search of that vinyl sound? I guess I'd rather buy vinyl than an electronic box that makes digital sound like vinyl.

 

[slippers-on]

Decided to go digital in search of that vinyl sound? I guess I'd rather buy vinyl than an electronic box that makes digital sound like vinyl.

Cool!

I have both! You really cant beat vinyl, unless you have a TT rig that cant out do DSD playback. My DSD DAC setup has my Vinyl rig beat....until I upgrade my phone amp...then I'm about done buying gear.

But you remember how you wrote sometime ago that at times you like the convenience of a CD over Viny? Well its like that with the DSD DAC and my vinyl rig.....there are times when I want the convenience of the DSD DAC rather than vinyl, like a long hard day at the office. But mind you, even tho DSD 128 and above can sound like vinyl, its still not vinyl.

 

[enginedr]

I did mention about turning on unit before hand...heres the post.

Post 545





any ways...just happy you got her up and running! Congrats!

I did turn it on first . the problem was the other power usage instructions were not listed in the manual . I had it set to turbo to power my head phones
not knowing it was only running on battery power .

 

[chicks]

Loves me some Eddie Higgins!

My knees ache just looking at all those controls at floor level, tho.

 

[slippers-on]

Ahhh....piece of cake. Besides, each component on floor all have off/on button. Thats all. Everything on the Micro is set....preamps controls all defeated, and It has a remote for volume and component switching, so only thing I touch there is off/on button....so knees never touch floor. Great benefit in sound from having such components on floor.

 

[BenWaB3]

...then I'm about done buying gear.

Yeah, we all say that from time to time. Usually followed by a pause & then "....yeah, right!!".

 

[Lee Harvey]

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Eddie Higgins with Scott Hamilton. DSD 128 Venus Records. Tokyo, Japan.

Images like crazy! Back to front depth....tall and wide....The little iFI Micro and iPSU, Canton Vento 830.2 with Ceramic tweeters.

The Little Bamboo Board gifted to me by my friend Lee Harvey. Works great with the BDR Cones.

Oscar, that little mid range problem I told you about, it wasn't the Neutral Cable at all...it was the previous material I had under the iFI Micro. The board with the BDR Cones cleared all that up! As Lee Harvey suggested, I will get another Neutral Cable to replace the Purple one as it still has a few drop outs once a week.

Nice pictures Byron! The Canton's are beautiful looking. I am impressed by the balancing act you have going on with the only two BDR Cones under iDSD. Those bamboo boards work wonders under equipment. I just pulled the trigger on the UpTone USB Regen as you suggested. So hopefully it will show up sometime next month? I will have to test to see if it makes an improvement over the iUSB.

 

[slippers-on]

Yeah, we all say that from time to time. Usually followed by a pause & then "....yeah, right!!".

Hahahahahahaha! Affirmative!

 

[slippers-on]

Thanks man! Yeah, I like your bambo boards! The cables help balance the iFI. From all I read about the Regen it should be even better! It takes a month to get them? Must be back ordered?

 

[slippers-on]

Well folks.....Lee Harvey mentioned Denon headphones to me in a conversation one day, and seeing I was interested in setting myself up with a headphone rig, I decided to try the Denon brand after seriously considering a pair of Grado RS1e's. Both where around the same price new ($500) and I could score them for about $230
,,,,and all the Denon brand being discontinued last year, I had a hard time finding a new pair, but my dealer was able to track down the distributor who had one pair of AH-D600 left, so I snatched them. (I was also able to score a new pair of the Music Hall new headphones, the de-be which retails for $250 I was able to score for $125. These are for my daughter, and while a much different presentation than the Denon, these are great as well, which I really didnt expect...how in the heck does Roy Hall keep coming up with such nice budget gear?) But back to the Denon's, man these where a steal at the price I paid....these are nice cans, guys. They have a warm texture to them and are very clear and transparent. Out the box, bass was flabby among a few other nasty sounding things, but after a half hour, things started to sound better and after an hour, the bass was coming on point and started tightening up. Listening to these through the iFI Micro is amazing. I guess im going to have to break down and get another DAC and headphone amp. Oh yeah!.....fellas, if you have a chance at the Denon cans, dont past them up...they have a rather modern look and feel to them and are extremely comfortable. I love them!

 

[Kt77]

I am running TEAC 501 DAC for both PCM and DSD. It has 4 filter options for PCM, and 3 for DSD. Only $800.

For price reference - speakers which I use had MSRP over $12000.

Good reference points on both, it seems you've this area covered nicely then.

h