pompon

Any compared the W4S with high end dac like Naim, dCS, Esoteric ?

I have 3 unit in my home. SRC2496 stock SRC2496 modded with Lundhals LL1690 transformer DEQ2496 stock SRC2496 and DEQ2496 are pretty same. I think I prefer the DEQ because it's smooter but the SRC2496 stock have zero burn-in ... so they are probably very very close. EQ's can be convenient but you can do same with foobar ... I tend to never use digital processing because it's hurt the SQ. BTW, don't be too excited about those stock DAC stock ... My Auzentech X-Merdian 7.1 with LM4562 opamp or Asus Xonar STX beat both behringer easily. The headphone out the SRC2496 is inferior to my X-Meridian soundcard with headphone directly on it. If you want to hear something serious out the SRC2496 or DEQ2496 .. you need to mod them ... It's basicly the same mod as the other Chinese DAC ... put output transformer or output tube (lampizator). My unit have Lundhals LL1690 output transformer (no more opamp in the signal path), 5 caps replaced with better one, and 1 cap replaced with a blackgate. The clock have been damped too and we add a BNC input in parallel with the RCA s/pdif. With that ... it's a spectacular DAC ... no fear about PS Audio With cullen mod, or 2000-3000$ dac. It's easily beat my ARC CD3mk2 cd player (5000$). The next mod I will do will be replace the AK4393 for a AK4396. Like that, the sound is more laidback with incredible details and MUCH MUCH better soundstage than the stock.

I tried 5 different COAX (bulk rca audio, belden 75ohms, DIY unknow, VD and Stereovox. They all gave a significant difference in the sound. ...but I do not know if all the cables were under the standard 75 ohms. Anyway, it is necessary that the DAC circuit itself is calibrated in 75 ohms and the same thing for transport. The perceived subjective differences were similar than analog cable.

Was using adaptors. But when using the soundcard on PC, was using the same patch everytime and when I tested my coax agains't DIY coax ... was doing the same path again. Just the PC 2 MAC test was not the same path (using 2 adaptors on the PC and 0 for the MAC).

Why I hear a CLEAR difference between X-Meridian 7.1 and M-Audio 192 using the same PC, the same coax cable and the same DAC and the same software ? (BTW, M-Audio was a clear winner in details, better imaging) Why I hear a CLEAR difference between my Virtual Dynamic David 2.0 coax cable and the Stereovox XV2 ? (StereoVox was more laidback ... it's better because the VD put in your face the music and the back details was very difficult to hear compared to the stereovox). Why I hear a CLEAR difference between my best setup PC against MiniMac (modded with a coax BNC) ? (Mac was a clear winner ... more laidback, back details better exposed, more depth of the soundstage ...) I was not a beliver before have occasion to test myself ... If you have occasion ... test yourself. It's not a good news for me because I don't want take the MAC route ... I look for a reclocking devise less expansive than a MacMini + Stereovox ... to be able to keep my Foobar + PC! 8-)

This one took near front of a coliseum near Roma And this one at Monaco Took with 5D + 24-105L

Probably not very expansive to duplicate one.

Where are the shematic ? BTW, 2 MPX3 to sell on head-fi actually. I think the MPX3 SE is a better amp than a simple extreme.

Buy a used one ... often to sell ...

I don't know if he have good ears or not ... but I need more than 1 guy to hit BUY button. If SS amp come very hot ... it's a problem because I will leave SS amp almost all time on. They need to use large heat sink to dissipate the heat.

I heard them at the FSi show at Montreal. Audition them for a good 20 min with my music and compared them with my familiar HD650 Equinox's recabled. Have audition at the same time the combo HE90 with the Orpheus tube amp. 8-) Was a bit noisy to doing a carefull listening session but I know HE90 are very very good. I recognize the house Sennheiser sound and the music is light, fast and detailed. I know my preferences are toward that. Confort, the HE90 win over the HD800 (I find them big on my head). But HD800 are light, no pressure on head, fit good. I can probably wear them for a long time and forget them. With HD650 ... I know I wear headphone. The source was a generic Onkyo amp with a low cost cd player (but was enough to do HD650 vs HD800). The big and distant drivers give something different. Less studio sound and more open and natural. In fact, I like studio sound .. it's warmer, more tamed, more envelopping bass. The enclosure is smaller ... But the HD800 soundstage is very wide and tall, natural, very detailled, no veil. Sounds not forming inside my head ... all is around me. Enclosure is bigger. It's fun to hear as much space in the layers. I am sure they will fit better on tube amp (tube amp add mid/bass to add body, soft a bit the highs, bring more substance in the mid-range). On the Onkyo was too dry for my tastes and the bass was a bit light and the highs was metallic. The cord is very flexible and I don't want for sure have a brighter cord ... the HD800 are bright enough. Third party cord will have to take care for that. Too detailled can be too bright. You need bring details without add brightness, it's the difficulty. I have no reason to cancel my order. I will need time to adapt myself to the new sound and after I will be capable to tell if I prefer HD650, HD800, Stax O2 ... ;-) It's one of the top headphones ... but not the only player ... You the only judge to tell witch one you prefer and money can be a consideration too .

I got them from Studios Economik in Montreal. They A LOT cheaper than the price you got ...

I got a pair of hd800 with a canadian dealers. They cheeper too ... With our dollars, it's not to our advantage to buy from USA dealer.

Good news for me finally ... I will have my own HD800 from a Canadian dealers ... ETA 3 weeks from now. Considering the money conversion, shipping and duty fees ... I got a better price.

headroom did. TTJV have posted the same thing on the forum. I am not the alone in this situation I guess. A good alternative will be ship to USA resident (let him listen a couple of day for his trouble ... ;-) ) and after he reship me ... but I don't know if this can work if I still the one who pay the bill.