cclragnarok

Bacon FTW!

The PS1000-like wood + metal construction sounds interesting, and the use of bowl/flat pads should make them decent summer headphones. I don't like Grados, I don't like Grados, I don't like Grados....

I don't like Grados, I don't like Grados, I don't like Grados....

It also decodes APE, which is nice even though it's pretty easy to convert APE files to FLAC. I have no use for a HiFi portable though.

Their MP filter white paper gives a more detailed explanation: http://www.ayre.com/PDF/Ayre_MP_White_Paper.pdf

Actually, I just tried searching for "Ayre usb dac" on google, and we came in first.

What do the other switches do?

Thanks for the info. He must really like his Burr-Brown DAC chips. I just looked at the specs for DSD1792 and DSD1796. The DSD1792 also has better dynamic range and THD+N measurements, but maybe the digital filter is what made the difference here.

There shouldn't be any bus noise because they use opto-isolators between the USB receiver and the rest of the circuitry. If there is a problem with the USB connection, it's probably dropouts caused by high DPC latency, etc. If you are using a notebook, try surfing the net with a wireless network connection as you listen to the DAC.

Please do give us some listening impressions. If possible, I would also like to see some pics of the internals. I want to know what DAC chips they decided to use.

I think that this is the ESP950 squeal/buzz everyone talks about. It's intermittent, so if you use the E/90 enough, you'll eventually hear it there as well.

Mine did 24/192 with no problems IIRC.

Emu 0404 USB does 24/192 over USB 2.0 IIRC.

Will the Noir Version make my Noir OST sound better?

It does sound like regular marketing BS from manufacturers, so I can see why Dreadhead took it that way, but Charles Hansen definitely would have mentioned the Async USB if he wrote that.

Actually, the Bel Canto DAC3 only takes 16/48 over USB, and the Lavry DA10 does not have an USB input at all. It's also not clear whether that statement is coming from Ayre, or just the writer of the article.

Other than the color change, the headband looks exactly the same to me.

I don't think the Lambdas are all that wacky either. What they need to see are the Sigmas, Floats, and the Surrounders.

What's so wacky about the Freepulse?

Happy Birthday!

Lobstersauce apparently bought one too: AudiogoN ForSale: Rudistor Coriolan 2 electrostatic stax

I think the cable would be even more awesome if you made the entire thing out of bacon.

IIRC they were around $450 on pricejapan around 2 years ago. Back then the exchange rate was around 133. It's around 100 now. I'm not interested in the AD2000, but I kinda regret not buying an SR-007 + SRM-717 combo back then.

Great news. I'm still waiting for a review of this DAC. I'm also wondering which DAC chip they decided to use.

Did you hit the quote button on DOTU's boothbabe post? If you did that and didn't see the link that would be weird.