justin

It looks like it says Crado Reference Series must be the new chinese knock-off brand

I should mention that I'm taking name suggestions The name should be something that will work for either the amp or amp+dac version, and then something like "with DAC" or "+DAC" or "USB" will be added to the end of it

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=1F13F978&nplm=MB167LL/A I'm thinking of picking up this new Apple keyboard that just came out today. It doesn't ship for 3-5 weeks but there's already a positive review

if you're playing 44.1khz audio, which is just about everything, then you should set the output to 44.1khz if you have the ability to do so. it uses 100mA of current from the USB port so even the oldest computers with USB will be able to support it

both can do 44.1/48khz

What is a W11JPN? It sounds like a name for a wireless router

I believe he has said Head-Fi is owned by his company

They have low distortion but this is usually with loads of 600, 1k, 2k ohms, or higher. Very few op-amps are able to properly drive low or medium impedance headphones directly, and many of the ones that do have high output current capability have poor performance in all other areas.

This is really the problem, because the best use of the switch on the amp-only version would be a gain switch. To have a gain switch on the amp-only, but none on the DAC+Amp, would definitely bother a lot of people (and also make it more difficult by having 2 different front panel layouts).

There isnt any room for an internal jumper

The DAC runs on USB power, and is filtered and regulated extensively. The headphone amp always runs on battery power. The power draw from the USB is 100mA (0.5W)

Poll time... The toggle switch on the front of the amp could do 1 of 3 things. I'd like to find out what is the most desirable 1) Gain switch (this is the current use) 2) Change the analog input into a DAC line output 3) This one is unlikely to win, but could be done....a voltage switch, giving a shorter or longer battery life depending on position.

Computer/Meridian 500 CD Transport -> Benchmark DAC-1/my new USB DAC+Amp -> Any amp I build -> Stax Omega II/Stax 404/HD650/K701/Grado RS-1/Ety ER-4S

I prefer same as in the Arcam CD33 (one of the first and best high-end CDPs I owned, which led me to consider the WM8740), Rega Apollo/Saturn, and many other players. There were only about 3 or 4 DAC chips that were serious options, and of course there are various DIY projects that use all of them

PCM2707 performs USB to I2S conversion AD1896 is the upsampling WM8740 is the DAC OPA365 are for the analog filter TPS79333 and TPS73150 are the voltage regulators MAX1896 steps up the DC voltage on the analog side the headphone amp section isn't final yet

WM8740

Probably October/November, some of the parts have a 3 month lead time. The closest competition to it would probably be HeadRoom's upcoming Max Micro DAC (as far as quality of the DAC, with upsampling and a flagship DAC chip) but for USB input mine is probably the only one that avoids the extra conversion to SPDIF

I would have to assume he's cutting off all but 1 or 2 of the strands from the wire and soldering that, probably adding epoxy or glue so it doesnt fall apart

http://www.redwineaudio.com/iMod.html Reading over the iMod page, it sounds like they're just removing the opamp and its supporting components, which likely are a filter, from the output of the iPod's DAC. This is just going to result in a lot of high frequency noise being present and then being further amplified by your headphone amp. Not a good thing...these are exactly the kind of mods done by people who don't know what they're doing or just looking to make a lot of $$$

Yes, I'll bring it to the Boston meet if it happens Here are a couple of better pics, I've had a few questions about the size. Subway cards are the same size as credit cards Back has USB and DC jack, inbetween the boards are the li-ion battery and a capacitor

i liked denon d5000

It would have to be significantly larger to have a coax and/or optical input. This DAC/Amp is only 40% the size of the AE-2. Also, with a coax or optical input the DAC would have to run on battery power, and it consumes a lot of current compared to a headphone amp. This would drop the battery life to 4 hours or 8 hours with the extended battery. I don't think that is enough. A larger portable DAC/amp with a coax and optical input may come later, and would have a much larger battery. It would be about the size of the AE-2. My goals for this portable USB DAC/Amp were: - to make the best portable USB DAC/Amp available regardless of size - have features that aren't on anything else (lithium-ion battery, upsampling, 24-bit/192khz DAC chip, etc) - keep the size as small as the smallest Amp-Only portables

No, there will be a headphone output, and an analog input that becomes the input instead of the DAC when a cable is plugged in. There's no room anywhere to add an additional switch that would be required to have a DAC-only output. However, the headphone output can be used as a variable output of the DAC. Really just a marketing difference in calling it a headphone output vs. variable output which is seen on many DACs.

M-Audio Audiophile Firewire

Toshiba recently discontinued the 2SK389 and 2SJ109, the matched dual-FETs that I use on the Gilmore modules and will use on new discrete modules since there really aren't (or weren't) anything else like them. Linear Systems has come out with a 2SK389 replacement, and is expected to have a 2SJ109 replacement this year. The modules are going to be on hold until I can get these.