Jump to content

Post Pictures Of Your Headphone Setup


Recommended Posts



Even dusted off the old mirrorless just for you @elisix_. Charged for 2 hours for 4% battery, think its shot :S Flash didn't feel like working either. White balance off too, seems a bit green. I am a few beers deep though, could just be me. Second shot is from the phone. Deadset phones are so good now. New phone vs 6 year old Sony mirrorless, though the Sony probably on its death bed.

 

Anyway. It's completed. Have no balanced mini XLR here to compared it to, so it'll be off to the experts to see how it fairs.

 

"But Ben, how did you squeeze two 18awg wires and some heatshrink through the back of the mini XLR" you ask. Well, just like @BlueOceanBoy alone on a Friday night, I applied a bit of man made heat, dab of lube and applied some pressure in a twisting motion.

 

4 x 18awg "Scorpion" wires from Toxic Cables in the UK. 7N OCC Cryo Treated copper. No filler by looks of it, all copper baby. Equates to about as much metal as two Moon Black Dragon cables. Furutech Rhodium XLR amp end. Furutech Mini XLR into the Cups. Viablue splitter. Cardas solder.

 

Given its a clear jacket copper and isn't litz enamel coated, it may develop a green tinge toward the connectors eventually depending on climate. SQ be unaffected thankfully, but an aesthetic thing.

 

Next stop is two 4x22awg cables, test a smaller guage. Then move onto some litz bad boys.

 

 

DSC06727.jpg

20210306_155148.jpg

Edited by Bengineer
  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites



2 hours ago, Bengineer said:

Even two RCA from the TV.

 

 

So an IPad worked without hum connected via RCA.

 

So the Matrix element x disagrees with it. Will have to try one of the ground loop devices I guess.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, you're closer to solving the problem :D

 

Now try the Matrix plugged into a different part of the house?

 

Did you see if XLR left channel was the problem?

 

Is it an issue when using SE output on the Amp?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Ray H said:

So an IPad worked without hum connected via RCA.

 

So the Matrix element x disagrees with it. Will have to try one of the ground loop devices I guess.

 

I think the ground loop rca thing would fix it for you.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, Ray H said:

So I moved the amp to a different power switch in a different room, with no audible difference. The source does not have  any controls that alter the output impedance or similar, BUT the analogue outputs (both XLR and RCA) do not have a fixed output state, ie the volume of the element X needs to be turned up (to full) to act like a fixed output. And interestingly the Hum is there regardless of the output volume of the element X.

 

The RCA connection has a slightly reduced level of hum, but still significant/loud.

 

Also I noticed that disconnecting the negative (L) rca stops the sound and hum, but if I touch the tip of the rca to the amp connection there is no hum, it’s not until the rca is pushed in and the body of the rca is connected that the hum begins.

 

I think the next option is to try a different source and then try the ground loop device mentioned by @bruc3.

 

I will say even with the hum, it sounds very very promising.

Hi Ray

 

I have a Element X also, I'm sure you can set it to "fixed out" in the settings menu. The reduced hum from the RCA's is probably caused by RCA's being 6db lower output over XLR.

I remember having a bad hum over my system a few years ago and it ended up being a crappy Rega wall wart.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites



3 minutes ago, Tarzan said:

@Ray HSounds like its time to upgrade to a HugoTT2 mate

 

Then your covered for solid state and tubes ?

Hahah I also have a TT2 and prefer it over the Matrix. Matrix X is still a very good versatile allrounder 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, Tony B said:

Hahah I also have a TT2 and prefer it over the Matrix. Matrix X is still a very good versatile allrounder 


I only have the Qutest and I'm very happy with the results.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

28 minutes ago, Tarzan said:

@Ray HSounds like its time to upgrade to a HugoTT2 mate

 

Then your covered for solid state and tubes ?

 
Haha ! One step at a time for this audio turtle..

 

So I managed to get a ground loop isolator as per @bruc3 ‘S advice and the hum is completely gone. Don’t want to think too much about what it does to the sound joining two expensive cables together like this but hey I got the ‘HI-END” one so it should be all good (tic).

 

0A30F8CC-2A39-4487-9FCD-63CD7B5707E4.jpeg

  • Love 2
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Ray H said:

 

 
the hum is completely gone. Don’t want to think too much about what it does to the sound joining two expensive cables together like this but hey I got the ‘HI-END” one so it should be all good (tic).

 

 

 

I told you so :P

 

I also wondered the exact same thing, like is the "isolator" affecting the sound or frequency response or is it simply just removing the noise and nothing else? Best not to think about it haha...

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites



13 minutes ago, Ray H said:

 

 
Haha ! One step at a time for this audio turtle..

 

So I managed to get a ground loop isolator as per @bruc3 ‘S advice and the hum is completely gone. Don’t want to think too much about what it does to the sound joining two expensive cables together like this but hey I got the ‘HI-END” one so it should be all good (tic).

 

0A30F8CC-2A39-4487-9FCD-63CD7B5707E4.jpeg

That was the reason I purchased an Ifi Groundhog instead

Edited by Niktech
Spelling
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Ray H great that you got a result! I’ll have to get one to try out.  Sorry been on the road so a delay but i’ve done up some notes if you ever want to explore a less interventionist approach.  

 

Definitely a system matching thing and tube amps are notorious for showing up any slight grounding issue. 

 

https://indiehifi.com.au/pages/fix-tube-amp-hum-buzz-and-hiss

 

As mentioned above the ifi grounghog+ is great and my general suggestion - as it fixes most issues and is non-interventionist. 

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 06/03/2021 at 1:09 PM, Ray H said:

So I moved the amp to a different power switch in a different room, with no audible difference. The source does not have  any controls that alter the output impedance or similar, BUT the analogue outputs (both XLR and RCA) do not have a fixed output state, ie the volume of the element X needs to be turned up (to full) to act like a fixed output. And interestingly the Hum is there regardless of the output volume of the element X.

 

The RCA connection has a slightly reduced level of hum, but still significant/loud.

 

I know you solved the issue but just curious , about when you had the hum at it's worst. 

 

Were both the tube amp and Element X connected to same powerboard? If so, what model?

 

Is it a fancy "filtering" audiophile one? Or simple powerboard?

 

Or to two separate wall outlets?

 

Sometimes the fancy audiophile one that has super filtering on each outlet can actually make things worse (increased impedance between outlets when you actually want the lowest possible impedance between outlets).

 

And what other gear is connected to the same powerboard?

 

If you only have Element X and tube amp on a simple powerboard, nothing else plugged in, same issue?

 

Edited by rand129678
Link to comment
Share on other sites



18 minutes ago, rand129678 said:

 

I know you solved the issue but just curious , about when you had the hum at it's worst. 

 

Were both the tube amp and Element X connected to same powerboard? If so, what model?

 

Is it a fancy "filtering" audiophile one? Or simple powerboard?

 

Or to two separate wall outlets?

 

Sometimes the fancy audiophile one that has super filtering on each outlet can actually make things worse (increased impedance between outlets when you actually want the lowest possible impedance between outlets).

 

And what other gear is connected to the same powerboard?

 

If you only have Element X and tube amp on a simple powerboard, nothing else plugged in, same issue?

 


Hi Rand;

 

initially both the element x and the Aurus were plugged into the same wall power point side by side.

 

They were tried at a different power point, with no difference.

 

They were then plugged into a seperate DcBlocker power board, which is made by the Aus Audio Note importer. I have one of these on my main system and have a smaller 3 outlet one for my head fi equipment. It made no difference at all to the hum.

 

The only thing I haven’t tried is plugging them into seperate wall power points. Which is not practical.

 

I am going to buy one of the ifi groundhogs as it does not break the connection between the amp and streamer.

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.




×
×
  • Create New...
To Top