The Monkey

Happy Birthday, Tyll!

ok you gotdam enabler shills. I have been avoiding this thread like the plague, but here I am. I have a UE10 pro and a UE 5c. I want the following information, and I want it now: 1) How does the JH13 compare, with specificity, to the UE10 pro (NOT the 11)? SQ, comfort, build quality, etc. 2) For those of you who have owned custom IEMs in the past, especially UE, are the JH13s more comfortable? If so, in what ways, and is it because JH has made some sort of manufacturing change? 3) My customs tend to induce a pressurized feeling in my ears due to the seal (and I am very familiar with the fit tweaks). Do you folks find the same deal with the JH13? 4) How does the JH13 compare directly to the HD800 (and save the "big can" v. "IEM" caveats)?

Go for the KGSS and sell the rest of the stat rig except the O2. Use that cash toward other cool stuff (like a new source, for example).

Vicki--always stealing my thunder.

According to the Forum software, the most users ever online was 2,308 on 06-29-2009 at 01:48 AM. Is that correct? Was that an attack?

I like the GES, but it just isn't enough for the O2. And in some ways I think it's more frustrating than the 007tii, because the GES gives hints of greatness, but it just can't bring it home. I suggest trying the better amp before ditching the O2.

I'm still upset that it's over. My favorite TV show of all time. By far.

Wait, what? You can't?

How does it sound with teh JH13?! Lovely pic, btw.

Is it meant to pair with the 404 LTD?

"Daddy! She looks like a fish lady!!!" -Jack, West Broadway, Top of Lungs

deepak, in my quick survey today, it appeared that 2V was common, but not the rule for unbalanced output. I saw numbers all over the place from 2.0 - 2.5, with most falling 2.0 - 2.3, but a bunch outside that range. My methodology was far from rigorous, but is 2.0V still industry standard? Also, it seemed that balanced DAC manufacturers often omit the output of the balanced outs. Weird. I was thinking, "pshaw, Al made a funny." Then I realized that Al pretty much stated a fact.

That balanced switchbox is tempting. You guys know how I feel about switchboxes. On that note, I traded emails with EveAnna Manley (who seems super cool) and the balanced SkipJack does not seem to be in the near future, but it is something she'd like to do someday.

Good to know. I did experience problems of that nature when comparing the ECD-1, and it appears that the output supports that. It's important to remember that the Dodson WAS more expensive than the Bryston. Recall that the DA217 mkII-D is an older DAC (I think it came out in Fall 2000). Accordingly, as of right now, the Dodson appears to be very close in price to the BDA-1, and probably lower in most cases. However, if the DACs were currently trading at their original MSRPs, then no I don't think I would say that the upgrade would be worth the 2.5x price difference. At a couple hundred bucks, it's a different story. However, one also needs to take into account the fact that Dodson is now defunct, though still supported, and the gear is getting old. While built well, it ain't gonna last forever. As for diminishing returns, it seems to me that you can get a very, very good DAC for $1500 or less (much less in some cases) on the used market. After that, it seems to me (without much support for the following conclusion) that the next "rung" probably starts at $2500, but that's speculative at best. Is this due to using inversion to achieve the balanced signal out? (Did I say that right?)

Well, according to the specs I can find, the Dodson is also 2.3 V RMS out (unbalanced). And based on some of the other specs I saw on teh interwebs, it seems that 2.3V is not inordinately high. However, I defer to the DAC experts on this one. Regardless, I did not find the need to volume match and the specs seem to provide support for the reason why. As an aside, I note that the DacMagic's output is 2.1V. Is a difference of .2V a significant amount in these applications? Random notes: Output Levels BDA-1: 2.3V unbalanced; 4.6V balanced ECD-1: 1.6V unbalanced; 3.2V balanced DacMagic: 2.1V unbalanced; 4.2V balanced DA217: 2.3V unbalanced; (can't find specs for balanced) Is it reasonable to assume that all balanced output will be 2x unbalanced output? Something tells me it's not that simple.

Those Goldpoint boxes look good. How's the build quality?

Just walked by this place this weekend: CTL Electronics, Inc. Professional video equipment and services. CTL Electronics, Inc. Serving video professionals for 40 years --- System Problem Solver --- NEW, USED, AND VINTAGE EQUIPMENT - AV EQUIPMENT SERVICE ELECTRONIC ARTS REPAIR - STUDIO - EDITING - DUPLICATION TRANSFER VINTAGE TAPES - SYSTEM INTEGRATION CUSTOM MODIFICATION Not necessarily "audiophile," but they look like they could be a good resource. It was closed on Sunday. I'll try to poke my head in soon.

Are these things shipping with the scary pads?

In some cases it does affect the sound significantly. I found that with crappy recordings or low bitrate files (of which I have more than a few), turning off the upsampling seems to make the DAC more forgiving. Whether this is real or placebo is anyone's guess. It's a nice option. I would have thought this to be obvious. From DACs 101: moar litez = cool. On a more serious note, the multitude of inputs on the BDA-1 is an appealing feature. I think the Benchmark is a capable device. I liked my stock unit, but I think the DACs I have been using lately surpass it pretty easily. Still, I like the form factor, build quality, and swiss-army type capabilities of the DAC1.

Not much for the timely warnings are they? News flash: be prepared for diarrhea last week!

The kid, and it's an easy walk. He never stops moving, so we need to fill every weekend with activities. The Seaport was a fascinating experiment to me when it was first developed--and so disappointing. These days, it is supposedly "reinventing" itself, and there are a lot of kid-centric activities. But it's basically as I remember it: touristy, boring, and kinda sad. There's a lot more to do in our neighborhood, which is why I'm never venturing outside of it ever again.

I continue to like the Dodson more. And tonight, Mrs. Monkey listened "blind." For direct comparison purposes, I have the DACs going through the SkipJack single ended, then into the amps. I didn't tell my woman which DAC was which and let her toggle back and forth with the SkipJack. She was listening to the O2 through the KGSS DX. She spent about 30 minutes listening to various tunes. She preferred the Dodson by a wide margin. Like the ECD-1, she found the BDA-1 "muted." But she also thought the Dodson sounded "brighter," which she preferred. Mrs. Monkey is pretty good at this stuff. I think her comments are right on the money. And while I don't think the Dodson is bright in the negative connotation that we often ascribe to it, I do think it provides more musical insight than the BDA-1, which seems reserved to me. A bit smoother perhaps, but almost artificially so. I think the BDA-1 is very good, but I'm beginning to think that I like DACs with a little bit of edge to them. The BDA-1 would be a very good choice for someone who wants a very smooth, refined sound. There's no glare, and no splash. But based on my time with the Dodson, I think the BDA-1 does have just a bit of haze. That's not always bad. And I think the BDA-1 does a nice job of just getting out of the way. But I'm pretty sure I'll be sticking with the Dodson. Of course, the BDA-1 smokes the Dodson in terms of features, though, which makes the decision a bit tougher. I like the defeatable upsampling a lot more than I thought I would.

Went to the South Street Seaport. Still depressing.

Light saber in my pocket I do not keep; something green you feel.

Yeah, there is much to despise about the iPhone. And also the awful combination of the iPhone + AT&T. It is with great pleasure that I read the news that DOJ will be investigating exclusivity arrangements such as that between AT&Fail and the iPhone. Of course, I'll still be first in line to buy one of those iTabletFails...