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Post by tunkejazz on Feb 28, 2016 13:27:02 GMT
solderdude, for comparison, could you post a picture of the Kameleon-2 standing next to the Polaris (if you have it at hand). I would like to check how the dimensions compare.
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solderdude
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Post by solderdude on Feb 28, 2016 16:16:12 GMT
 Ember, Kameleon DT+ power supply, Kameleon Port, Polaris |
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Post by solderdude on Feb 28, 2016 16:17:20 GMT
The portable is the same size as an O2.
I always thought it would not fit in a trousers pocket but it actually does.
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Post by tunkejazz on Feb 28, 2016 16:32:28 GMT
Nice!
Do you think for the HE400i it would suffice with the portable version? In the manual you mention that low impedance phones will draw larger currents and therefore the desktop version may be needed.
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Post by solderdude on Feb 28, 2016 16:37:06 GMT
I listened to the HE400i here using the portable version only.
The efficiency is rather high so don't think much power is drawn.
More of an issue with HP's like the HE-6
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Post by tunkejazz on Feb 28, 2016 19:04:45 GMT
Thanks for the info.
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juke
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Post by juke on Mar 1, 2016 23:21:27 GMT
I checked the sliders on the ifi today Ian. When used as a pre-amp, as I do, the ie match doesn't work, certainly does when the 'phones are plugged in directly.
The 3D feature works but I couldn't detect a difference with the bass boost, maybe would with other 'phones. The red power button works noticably on the Eco mode but I couldn't hear much if any diference between normal and turbo.
Syd
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Post by Rabbit on Mar 2, 2016 6:55:22 GMT
What a pain!! So ie Match only works via headphone out? On headphones, 'turbo' is mostly way too loud. It looks as though the gain needs to be reduced on what you're going into then. That's really annoying. I haven,t got a set of instructions here. Presumabely, you have the output switched to pre amp? I'll take a look at mine.
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Post by juke on Mar 2, 2016 10:21:56 GMT
I have been using the pre-amp setting. I must have started using it at some point for the simplicity of the volume knob but having refreshed my thoughts I have moved back to 'direct' and using the volume slider on my iPhone that controls my Squeezebox Touch. The ifi direct is 2v as far as I can see so I just need to be careful to set the slider well down on starting up!
Syd
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Post by solderdude on Mar 6, 2016 16:53:58 GMT
I made some recordings of 2 excerpts.
FiiO X3 line out (44kHz WAV) -> EMU0204 -> PC recording at 96/16 WAV -> MP3 320 48kHz.
I made a reference recording (flat module) which is how the whole playback/recording chain sounds like.
This can be compared with a number of modules:
AKG K701 (cannot be used with other AKG models)
Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro (250)
Beyerdynamic DT990 Pro (250)
Sennheiser HD650 (silver/white with new pads)
Sennheiser HD800
Fostex T50RP (modified with SRH940 pads)
Hifiman HE400i
crossfeed.
The crossfeed and 'reference' can be compared directly on each headphone and you can hear the effect the crossfeed brings.
For any of the headphones mentioned above you can compare the 'reference' (which is how the headphone normally sounds like) to how it will play the 2 excerpts when you were having a Kameleon in the chain.
At least you can hear how the tonal balanced is 'changed'.
You should ONLY listen to any of the modules on THAT particular headphone and the 'reference' (and perhaps the Crossfeed).
The files are too big to be hosted so I can only e-mail the files.
Just PM me your e-mail address and I will mail the files of your choice.
This is a chance to hear your own headphones (if it is listed above) on a Kameleon without owning one (yet)
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Post by varzyl on Mar 8, 2016 0:07:28 GMT
Thank you Frans! I just finished testing those samples  My thoughts: 1) I think the samples have a quite different volume matching which makes it hard to evaluate the differences on. I used the foobar ABX plugin with the replaygain setting on to counter that. 2) probably due to the choice of music used, the HD650 sample is very subtle. I can hear some minor increase in presence for the trumpets, but there is no sub bass involved (which for what I understood is the most audible correction). I think I like it and I'm going to build one with the HD650 filter (+ a flat module, and maybe a HD650 bass boosted module(+3 or +4 db, as I'm liking those settings with the Sonarworks plugin trial, and i read on Head Fi that Ian made a similar filter. I'll ask for the specs when it's time  ) 3) I'm not the most fond lover of crossfeed. I'm trying to get used to it and so far I'm using foobar BS2B plugin set on Meier, or Meier set on 4. I like it subtle, and I find Fran's Crossfeed a little stronger than I'm used to. Some little reverb too (or am I dreaming?). I don't think I'm gonna build a module for it, mostly because I'ts not usable in combination with an EQ module. Well done overall, I'm really impressed and happy you give such a nice contribution with your expertise to the community. Bravo. |
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Post by Rabbit on Mar 8, 2016 8:35:41 GMT
Hi Varzyl. Frans made my filter.
I had no crossfeed, but the Senn one to my ears was the best of the bunch. It made sub bass really appear, but only when it was actually on the recording. I tend to use the same recording to check for low stuff like that. Not all recordings seem to have it unfortunately. You should have noticed a 'cleaner' mid bass rather than anything in the treble, I think. Having the mid bass lowered just lets the top end through easier.
I'm not that fussed about crossfeeds. They also tend to introduce noise. I got on with the Jan Meier unit because it was adjustable and included a bass lift when it was switched in. There is a crossfeed on my Ifi amps which seems really well implemented but their analogue amps aren't their best feature imo. The Ifi Nano is only really any use with difficult headphones. It's too noisy with easier drives and is just too powerful. Unfortunately, the noise doesn't alter with low power, making it a bit noisy for low impedance headphones. It's good with the Fostex T50 though, although the gain can be a bit 'sudden' once you pass the imbalance of the vol pot. The Idsd is a lot better though in that respect.
I wouldn't personally 'try' to get used to crossfeed. It's normally not that well done in any case. If you need to 'tune in' to it, then it probably doesn't suit you.
Funny you mention a raised bass. I also find the currently recognised 'flat' just a bit low in bass quantity. My feeling is that our conception of headphone flat may well alter in a few years and the compensation curves might take another tweak. It's a healthy thing though, since we are getting closer all of the time with headphones; certainly a long way from the closed Senn buckets we used in the 70's or the old hd414.
For me, the Senn filter was the best.
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Post by solderdude on Mar 8, 2016 16:31:29 GMT
Yes, there is no volume matching as all modules have a different frequency response.
I wanted to max out the 16 bits so peak levels were monitored and recorded between -0.2 and -1dB
This means the differences in overall amplitude differ.
Its all about the tonal balance.
I use the old (soft pads) and in that case the differnce with or without a filter is substantial.
For the newer pads the differences are very small, the HD650 is almost flat by itself.
The recordings don't have 'sphongle' subbass.
Maybe I should have included some of that as well.
Too much work to redo the recordings.
The subbass really kicks in with the filter but only when it is present in the recording.
The crossfeed works 'better' with pop recordings though.
The effect is a less 'fatiguing' sound.
The crossfeed is indeed strong, as strong as real life would throw at you.
Not everyone likes X'feed.
I like it with some recordings but mostly prefer without.
Crossfeed is just mixing L and R, no other processing is done.
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Post by tunkejazz on Mar 8, 2016 22:54:24 GMT
I am not sure I could spot clearly "the magic" of the crossfeed with my headphones. It sounded different, but it was not really changing the balance of the phones in the same way as the EQ module. The EQed file for the HE400i was quite nice to listen to, the bass lines in the beginning of the recording are brought forward in my slightly rolled 400i and the treeble extends better, while loosing the very slight bite that it can have at ~8kHz.
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Post by Rabbit on Mar 13, 2016 9:33:17 GMT
Crossfeed can work. I have one on the IFi amps that I have and they seem to actually expand the width which is strange actually, because many report that they contract the width. I'm not sure what any differences are with the IFi's but crossfeed is done well on them.
Frans, I meant to ask ages ago. Is there much difference between an hd659 filter and an hd600?
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My thoughts: 
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