heady

Whether tube amps are for you or not, only your ears will tell you. But if you like clarity which it sounds like you do, maybe a solid state amp is more your taste. DACs convert digital data into analog signals which are then amplified by the amp and then converted into sound by your headphones. Sources for DAC will be a CD player or a media player which have a digital out port. Types of digital out port can be RCA, optical and others. Most common is RCA and optical. Another type of DACs incorporate a USB port which allows you to connect them to a computer which can then be used as players. I doubt you can use DAC with your Creative X-Fi.

Morgan, you are crossing the line to advertising your wares in a forum where ads are not allowed. Please edit your post or we will do it for you. Thanks.

I don't think your Creative is able to drive the AT phones properly. Most MP3 players are designed for ear-buds and IEMs. For headphones, you will need a headphone amp to drive the headphones. In your case, unless you are in noisy environments, turn off the noise cancelling as it does affect the sound quality too. Why not go to Stereo Electronics in Causeway Point or Jaben in Adelphi and try out the extensive range of amps available for demo and see if you will be happy with an amp? No harm, except potentially to your wallet!

I understand some people believe the signal should travel to the transducer (driver) via silver and the return signal should be over copper. Me? I am cable agnostic. Give me a nice copper cable and I am happy. After all, in a circuit board, the traces are so thin and they are copper. The wires in the headphone drivers are copper. Using anything else just changes the sound. I stick to copper and select the other components, ie. headphones and amps, to fit my taste. Sorry for spoiling the talk of cables.

Hi Morgan Wu, Thanks for the post. Just want to point out your pics are of a LOD to a 3.5mm stereo mini-phono plug. It is not an interconnect per se. Regards.

Seems Sony pouches are just right for the D2 as I am using one too. A friend gave it to me.

rabid

mad

http://singapore.rs-online.com/web/search/...oduct&R=0284220 Register with the site and if I am not wrong, delivery is free in Singapore.

One very good DIY portable amp which is available in SG is the Mini3. For about S$130 I think, the quality is fantastic. Do a search on the Classifieds subforum to find the person selling it. The most important thing about building this amp, is for the tests, you need to follow the instructions exactly or you will kill the opamp.

Thanks for the self-moderation.

Thanks Stereo and tbln.

Hi all, For all those who are using the D2, would you please share what you use to protect this precious thing? Just got one and want to protect it from scratches and broken screen etc. Thanks.

Friend, I already told you in the other thread that LM386 is not an opamp. If you plug an opamp in, you may kill the opamp or even your amp. The pin outs are different.

C'mon man, don't despair. It's worth it. I am not so convinced re: the Blackgates. You can always try Polypropylenes capacitors. I think you may have to order from overseas, if you want the Blackgates.

Good DIY project? Depends on level of your soldering skill. The SOHA with JISBO buffers, Bijou tube amp, CKIII2K are all good moderate cost amps. But these are not beginner's projects. If you want a good portable amp then the Mini3 is very good. You can even buy a kit for it. Check out the Classifieds for an advert for it. For phones, you will get a better response in the other subforums, eg portable or home. This is the DIY subforum.

http://www.stereo.com.sg/store/index.php

The LM386 has a different pin-out from opamps and so you can't just do op-amp rolling. So you are probably out of luck here. Regards.

Can buy from Sim Lim Tower. Got lots of choice. The difference soldering electronic circuit and pipes is that you cannot hold soldering iron to electronic parts for too long, they will get damaged, maybe even melt. Regards

This thread is closed as monsterlim is now an audio dealer. Audio dealers post in their own sub-forum, ie "Announcements / Offers" and not in "The Classifieds" which are meant for pre-owned items for sale by members.. Please see the other sub-forum for offers by monsterlim. Thanks. heady.

I have heard of modding the foam pads, changing the clips to those which come with SportsPro. Just google, like everyone else.

I can't compare to the other ICs since I have heard only these I built with the BD137/BD138. I can say compared to the opamp I used (OPA2134), it's like a different amp altogether. Very clear and yet not shrill. So must be neutral lah. In fact with some recordings I crave for a little more treble but I know that's due to the recording and not the amp. The bass is scary. It's not the huge quantity of bass that scares me, it's the extension. Can almost feel rather than hear it. Which I thought not possible with headphones. I read that the best tube for the SOHA is the RCA "clear top" but that is NOS tubes, a bit too ex for me. We can compare tubes when your SOHA's built.

Using the BD137/BD138. Order from RS Components, free shipping in SG. Having trouble with my protection pcb e12 from Amb. During testing got a very soft pfft! And it's dead. No time to troubleshoot yet. Just have to remember to unplug headphones before switch off, and plug in only after switch on. BTW - which tube you are using for the SOHA? I started with a EH but now running in a JJ. I prefer the JJ, I feel it is more neutral. But difficult to AB because after switching tubes must adjust the 40V trimpot again.

Wow adn6244. You must do a build log. Looking forward to it. I am running in my SOHA with JISBO buffers now. (Am listening to a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta recorded in 1958. Never realised how fantastic the early recording is, very dynamic and clean.) Have to case this amp before moving on to the next one.

Peace bros. Went through this whole argument 20 years ago when TT was the only credible source. Till today still arguing which is right. And so when like this, it usually means both sides has some good points. So we just let the ears decide. Agree?