[cryoparts]

Hello everyone,

I thought I would post this for you guys to take a look at.  I can't wait to get one!



Link to info:

http://www.little-tube.com/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=257&posts=14&start=1

Lee

[ecramer]

Now That's a killer looking piece Never had the opertunity to try balenced head phones but i heard they are killer   

[randytsuch]

In a thread from the beginning of the year, they had a march release, and a preliminary price of $700
http://www.little-tube.com/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=175&posts=6&highlight=balance&highlightmode=1#M838

Schedule slipped to July, but I wonder if price is same.

I have been thinking about trying a Little Dot amp, but have been waiting for this since I saw the soup can prototype.

Randy

[cryoparts]

Last time I traded e-mails with the Little Dot guys, they were shooting for July release.  As far as I know, the price is still $699.  I e-mail David at LD to see if that is still current.

Balanced Senn 600 or 650's are fantastic sounding, IMHO.

Disclaimer--I offer Senn 600's for sale.  I don't have any ties to Little Dot, except being a satisfied customer.

Lee

In a thread from the beginning of the year, they had a march release, and a preliminary price of $700
http://www.little-tube.com/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=175&posts=6&highlight=balance&highlightmode=1#M838

Schedule slipped to July, but I wonder if price is same.

I have been thinking about trying a Little Dot amp, but have been waiting for this since I saw the soup can prototype.

Randy

[Greggo]

So would this amp be only used by folks with headphones custom cabled for balanced connection?  Anyone have any comments about the jump to balanced headphones and if it was worth it for them?

Sorry for all the newb questions... I currently listen to Senn 555 off my outlaw audio reciever and they sound great but I am hankering for a serious system to drive lossless itunes from my windows laptop directly to a usb/dac/amp/headphone and searching for good options.  Head-fi is a great source of info but mostly overload at my young stage in the game.

Any comments on how to improve the following scenario are welcome:

1) Start with iTunes on Windows VISTA laptop driving Senn 555
2) Upgarde to Benchmark DAC1-USB between laptop and Senn 555
3) Upgrade to Senn 650
4) Upgrade to Senn 650 with custom balanced cable job and insert Little Dot mkVI balanced amp between DAC1-USB and new balanced Senn 650

Any other USB DAC's out there that would give the Benchmark a run for it's money at the same or lower price point and then still be able to connect directly to either a stand head amp or a balanced head amp?  Is my assumption correct in that the Benchmark is one of the few that offers a balanced output from the DAC that could then mate up with the blananced input of a head amp... or do most balanced head amps take either standard RCA line in or balanced line in and then offer a balanced headphone output?

Still learning, thanks in advance for anyone offering some thoughts...

Regards,

Greggo
Asheville, NC

[cryoparts]

So would this amp be only used by folks with headphones custom cabled for balanced connection?  Anyone have any comments about the jump to balanced headphones and if it was worth it for them?

Yes, only for cans that are balanced.  This amp appears to use a 4 pin XLR for the balanced connection to the cans, whereas the popular US trend is to use two 3 pin XLR's.  So an adapter, or a cable specifically made with the 4 pin XLR will be needed.

IMHO, on the Senn's at least, balanced is a worthy endeavor.

Sorry for all the newb questions... I currently listen to Senn 555 off my outlaw audio reciever and they sound great but I am hankering for a serious system to drive lossless itunes from my windows laptop directly to a usb/dac/amp/headphone and searching for good options.  Head-fi is a great source of info but mostly overload at my young stage in the game.

Any comments on how to improve the following scenario are welcome:

1) Start with iTunes on Windows VISTA laptop driving Senn 555
2) Upgarde to Benchmark DAC1-USB between laptop and Senn 555
3) Upgrade to Senn 650
4) Upgrade to Senn 650 with custom balanced cable job and insert Little Dot mkVI balanced amp between DAC1-USB and new balanced Senn 650

Make sure to rip your music using "Apple Lossless". 

I've listened to the DAC-1 quite a bit, I like it.  Very open and detailed.  Dan should comment here, he used to have a DAC-1 before he upgraded to a Northstar (I think...).

Your above plan sounds good to me.  Talk to David at Little Dot about the amp, he is really helpful.

Any other USB DAC's out there that would give the Benchmark a run for it's money at the same or lower price point and then still be able to connect directly to either a stand head amp or a balanced head amp?  Is my assumption correct in that the Benchmark is one of the few that offers a balanced output from the DAC that could then mate up with the blananced input of a head amp... or do most balanced head amps take either standard RCA line in or balanced line in and then offer a balanced headphone output?

Does Steve at Empirical make one?  If so, I bet it's good.  I have a great deal of respect for his work.

Lee

[Greggo]

Thanks for the reply Lee.

I keep looking for a USB DAC that is equal or better than the benchmark for the same price or less but keep coming back to the benchmark as my goal (going to make a purchase in the next month or so...)since it gets such consistently good reviews, seems to be a very stable and well supported product, and gets high marks for its built in head amp as well.  Strikes me as a pretty good value when you can enjoy the performance of the DAC for a good run while one continues to assess what improvements, if any, are wrought by a dedicated headamp and the additional interconnect cables.

Also, I read your jump start thread and hope that things are going OK for your wife.  May this note find you and your family well.  Thoughts and prayers from me and mine.

Regards,

Greggo
Asheville, NC

[santacore]

This balanced amp looks very promising. Finally a reasonably priced balanced amp that the average guy can afford. I look forward to when it becomes available.

Greggo,

You might want to also look into the Stello DA220 MKII or DA100 signature edition. Both are USB dacs that offer excellent sound quality at good prices. I personally own the DA220 MKII and think it sounds fantastic. Although I haven't done a direct comparison, my guess is that it will equal or beat the Benchmark for sound quality.

Another reasonable option would be the Apogee Mini-DAC w/USB or their more current offering the Duet. The sound quality of these might not be as good as the Stello or Benchmark but they can be had much cheaper.

[cryoparts]

Thanks for the reply Lee.

Absolutely!   

I keep looking for a USB DAC that is equal or better than the benchmark for the same price or less but keep coming back to the benchmark as my goal (going to make a purchase in the next month or so...)since it gets such consistently good reviews, seems to be a very stable and well supported product, and gets high marks for its built in head amp as well.  Strikes me as a pretty good value when you can enjoy the performance of the DAC for a good run while one continues to assess what improvements, if any, are wrought by a dedicated headamp and the additional interconnect cables.

FYI--Jeff at Tone Audio just put a review up of the new Benchmark:

http://tonepublications.com/REVPDF/Benchmark_DAC1_Pre.pdf

Also, I read your jump start thread and hope that things are going OK for your wife.  May this note find you and your family well.  Thoughts and prayers from me and mine.

Thank you very much.  I've been spending much more time around here than I usually do as it's a nice "escape" from reality for a few minutes at a time.   

Peace,

Lee

[cryoparts]

Good folks at Stello, I highly recommend them!

Lee

You might want to also look into the Stello DA220 MKII or DA100 signature edition. Both are USB dacs that offer excellent sound quality at good prices. I personally own the DA220 MKII and think it sounds fantastic. Although I haven't done a direct comparison, my guess is that it will equal or beat the Benchmark for sound quality.

[dorokusai]

Aside from the gold rings around the tube sockets, I like the design. I'm a sucker for old school VU style meters.

Mark

[Burlaptocashmer]

I have been tied up at work that last few days and have not had time to send this requested response. Lee, I know today is a big day for you and your family. I am praying for your wife that all goes well on the surgery. Hang in there buddy. PLEASE CALL ME!

I've listened to the DAC-1 quite a bit, I like it.  Very open and detailed.  Dan should comment here, he used to have a DAC-1 before he upgraded to a Northstar

Well, I bought my HR Home Amp with the internal MAX Dac and the Benchmark Dac1 at the same time. Why? To preserve any resale value on the HR amp down the road... Anyway, out of the box the MAX (for my ears) was blown away by the Dac1. BUT with burn in, it became very difficult to tell which sound I liked more. The MAX had a slightly warmer fluid sound... less etched as they say. The Benchmark had a bit more detail but sounded a tad too brittle especially when I was listening to piano's. I found this fatiguing. In the end I listened to the Max the most-this is a fantastic one box combo! Then I read about tube buffers. I bought a Zbox from Decware to see if I could "warm" up the Benchmark a bit. With it's lone 12au7 it did not have the impact I desired. By the way, my cans at the time were 650's recabled with Black Dragons from Moon Audio at the time.  

Then I went to a local Head-fi event and met the Ultrasone Edition 9's,ha. I came back and did a complete equipment shift to build some gear around the UE9's. I sold the DAC1 and Zbox as well as my 650's. I bought the UE9's and had the cable replaced with a RAL paradise silver 5(N). At the time everyone on Head-fi told me I was crazy for messing with the sound of these cans. Of course now many have recabled their UE9's. I find this combo just gave me MORE of all that I loved about these headphones. Bass extension increased, mids also took a step up, cymbals just sizzle...amazing,really. I then upgraded my Dac to the M192. I love this dac!!! It combines everything I liked about the Max (warmth) and the Dac 1 (detail) plus adds huge bass extension and airy instrumental separation.

[cryoparts]

I have been tied up at work that last few days and have not had time to send this requested response. Lee, I know today is a big day for you and your family. I am praying for your wife that all goes well on the surgery. Hang in there buddy. PLEASE CALL ME!

Thank you!

It's Hard to make a call here in the waiting room, it's loud so I have my Denon 2000's on and plugged into the iPod to drown out all the talking around me.  I'll give you a buzz when I go downstairs for lunch. 

At the time everyone on Head-fi told me I was crazy for messing with the sound of these cans. Of course now many have recabled their UE9's.

Trailblazer!   

Lee

[ecramer]

I have been tied up at work that last few days and have not had time to send this requested response. Lee, I know today is a big day for you and your family. I am praying for your wife that all goes well on the surgery. Hang in there buddy. PLEASE CALL ME!

I've listened to the DAC-1 quite a bit, I like it.  Very open and detailed.  Dan should comment here, he used to have a DAC-1 before he upgraded to a Northstar

Well, I bought my HR Home Amp with the internal MAX Dac and the Benchmark Dac1 at the same time. Why? To preserve any resale value on the HR amp down the road... Anyway, out of the box the MAX (for my ears) was blown away by the Dac1. BUT with burn in, it became very difficult to tell which sound I liked more. The MAX had a slightly warmer fluid sound... less etched as they say. The Benchmark had a bit more detail but sounded a tad too brittle especially when I was listening to piano's. I found this fatiguing. In the end I listened to the Max the most-this is a fantastic one box combo! Then I read about tube buffers. I bought a Zbox from Decware to see if I could "warm" up the Benchmark a bit. With it's lone 12au7 it did not have the impact I desired. By the way, my cans at the time were 650's recabled with Black Dragons from Moon Audio at the time.   

Then I went to a local Head-fi event and met the Ultrasone Edition 9's,ha. I came back and did a complete equipment shift to build some gear around the UE9's. I sold the DAC1 and Zbox as well as my 650's. I bought the UE9's and had the cable replaced with a RAL paradise silver 5(N). At the time everyone on Head-fi told me I was crazy for messing with the sound of these cans. Of course now many have recabled their UE9's. I find this combo just gave me MORE of all that I loved about these headphones. Bass extension increased, mids also took a step up, cymbals just sizzle...amazing,really. I then upgraded my Dac to the M192. I love this dac!!! It combines everything I liked about the Max (warmth) and the Dac 1 (detail) plus adds huge bass extension and airy instrumental separation.

I only have 20 hours on my M192 DAC but Burlaptocashmer hit it right on the head in describing the dac. i still want to send it to emperical audio for the Turbo Mods when i get the money around.

[Burlaptocashmer]

I only have 20 hours on my M192 DAC but Burlaptocashmer hit it right on the head in describing the dac. i still want to send it to emperical audio for the Turbo Mods when i get the money around.

Good idea! I have been thinking of this too! I have talked with Steve at Emperical Audio several times and really wonder what the Turbo Mod would sound like on the M192-of course he says it is awesome? With the i2S connection, his Pace-Car could be very cool as well. I also have my eye on PS Audio's new Digital Lens II that is going to be released later this year for around 1K. It is based on their old Genesis Digital Len's but totally updated and it will have i2S as well. From what they are saying, it will be the end all for Jitter busting using FIFO. I think both of these companies make fine products. Please let us know if you Mod your Northstar?  Ah, this hobby never ends...

http://www.empiricalaudio.com/
http://boards.psaudio.com/showthread.php?t=3870

Dan

[PurplePanties]

This is one of the nicest and affordable tube HP amp I have seen. It's just a shame that it's balanced output only Do you know if there are after-market adaptor available for 4 pin Balance to 1/4 single ended?

Will using one of these cable degrade the SQ? 

[ecramer]

This is one of the nicest and affordable tube HP amp I have seen. It's just a shame that it's balanced output only Do you know if there are after-market adaptor available for 4 pin Balance to 1/4 single ended?

Will using one of these cable degrade the SQ? 

don't know about adapters heres there 1/4 single ended amp

http://www.little-tube.com/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=91&posts=1&start=1

[cryoparts]

Sorry, double post.

[cryoparts]

This is one of the nicest and affordable tube HP amp I have seen. It's just a shame that it's balanced output only Do you know if there are after-market adaptor available for 4 pin Balance to 1/4 single ended?

Will using one of these cable degrade the SQ? 

Hmmm.  It shouldn't be hard to make.  I would imagine it would degrade the sound a little, but not a great amount.

However, the real advantages of using a balanced amp are only realized if using balanced cans. 

don't know about adapters heres there 1/4 single ended amp

http://www.little-tube.com/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=91&posts=1&start=1

I can vouch for the MKIVSE as I have one.  Very nice for the price!

Peace,

Lee

[PurplePanties]

Thanks for the link guys, I already use a WA6 It's just that with LD releasing a balanced tube amp at a pretty reasonable price, I though it may be worth thinking about as an upgrade