Klein DAC owners thread

[~Spyne~]

Depends what your budget is. Sure, the Curious Cable gets near unanimous praise, but at (around) $400, some might just not see the worth. Similarly, the Darkside and Elijah Audio cables. I'd love to try all three, or even just own one, but at the moment it's not on the cards.

A cheaper alternative I have seen mentioned several times here and elsewhere, is the Chord 'Silver Plus' usb cable, around $100 for 1.5m.

Edited January 15, 2017 by ~Spyne~

[pete_mac]

6 hours ago, zypr said:

One thing I was curious about, what exactly do the filter switches do on the back? Currently got them both up... not too sure on what the difference really is.

 

I have mine configured with the left/A switch UP and the right/B switch DOWN.

 

 

 

                                                         Left / A Switch         Right / B Switch

Short Delay, Slow Roll Off                       Up                          Up

Slow Roll Off                                         Down                        Up

Short Delay, Sharp Roll Off                    Up                        Down

Sharp Roll Off                                       Down                     Down

Edited January 15, 2017 by pete_mac

[Steven Hinchliffe]

Another vote for the curious cable; but yes it isn't cheap!!!

[Guest scumbag]

Supposedly it uses a solid silver cord so you could think of it as cheap jewellery that happens to sound good.

[zypr]

8 hours ago, JohnL said:

You could check the first few pages of this Thread as there is discussion there regarding the switches and preferred positions.

Apparently they act as filters with 4 different settings.

 

For more info contact the maker..... Clay.... here.......http://gieseler.com.au/ProductsPage/index.html

 

WRT a good USB cable...........A few members here..... including me..... are very impressed with the Curious cable.

 

See here........http://www.curiouscables.com/

Thank you, I'll take a look around.

[Guest scumbag]

2 hours ago, pete_mac said:

 

I have mine configured with the left/A switch UP and the right/B switch DOWN.

 

 

 

                                                         Left / A Switch         Right / B Switch

Short Delay, Slow Roll Off                       Up                          Up

Slow Roll Off                                         Down                        Up

Short Delay, Sharp Roll Off                    Up                        Down

Sharp Roll Off                                       Down                     Down

Ah the eternal "which filter do I choose" conundrum. I always went both switches up myself but I realise this is far and away not the way most people preferred them. 

[bhobba]

4 hours ago, ~Spyne~ said:

Depends what your budget is. Sure, the Curious Cable gets near unanimous praise, but at (around) $400, some might just not see the worth. Similarly, the Darkside and Elijah Audio cables. I'd love to try all three, or even just own one, but at the moment it's not on the cards.

A cheaper alternative I have seen mentioned several times here and elsewhere, is the Chord 'Silver Plus' usb cable, around $100 for 1.5m.

 

I have both the Darkside and Curios.  I prefer the Curios but the Darkside is supposed  to have gotten better since then.  

 

The other option is to go to SPDIF and use Keith Eichman's 3D cable - but it isn't cheap.  It's what I use and drive it from my Oppo, but since getting the klein have changed to the MUCH more expensive direct stream.  Lent the Klein out but must get it back soon and put it up for sale.

 

It is an unfortunate fact that cables make a BIG difference and aren't cheap - so use an ordinary able and save up for a better one - it will be worth it.

 

Thanks

Bill

Edited January 16, 2017 by bhobba

[Guest scumbag]

Not to say that there aren't other USB cables out there that sound good. I guess after going through the cycle of buying and trying and then finding something you like and then lots of other people have the same experience, it is a good way of potentially saving time/ money / aggro.

 

Mark

[rocky500]

These guys have pure silver wire USB cables at good prices. Seems they are well liked on the net.

LINK

Edited January 16, 2017 by rocky500

[Guest scumbag]

Just now, rocky500 said:

These guys have solid silver wire USB cables at good prices. Seems they are well liked on the net.

LINK

Interesting. On the face of it, they look like a stupid bargain. Have you heard one at all???

 

Mark

[rocky500]

I have used this one with a iFi USB power device to good effect. A lot cheaper then the iFi split cable.

LINK

Plus have one of there XLR cables but just installed it with a new amp, so never compared it with another.

Edited January 16, 2017 by rocky500

[Guest scumbag]

Rob,

 

I'll look into that. Ive got an IFI IUSB3 myself. I do have a split cable but it's not a super-duper one. This may be worth a try just for the sake of it.

I'm genuinely mind boggled as to how I haven't come across these guys before. I've done lots of searches on Ebay for this sort of stuff!

 

Mark

 

[rocky500]

6 minutes ago, scumbag said:

Rob,

 

I'll look into that. Ive got an IFI IUSB3 myself. I do have a split cable but it's not a super-duper one. This may be worth a try just for the sake of it.

I'm genuinely mind boggled as to how I haven't come across these guys before. I've done lots of searches on Ebay for this sort of stuff!

 

Mark

 

I am sure the iFi cables are great too but was a bit out of my price range.

Freight prices to Australia seem excellent on their products.

I am pretty sure Agent kith put me onto them.

Edited January 16, 2017 by rocky500

[JohnL]

7 hours ago, ~Spyne~ said:

Depends what your budget is. Sure, the Curious Cable gets near unanimous praise, but at (around) $400, some might just not see the worth. Similarly, the Darkside and Elijah Audio cables. I'd love to try all three, or even just own one, but at the moment it's not on the cards.

A cheaper alternative I have seen mentioned several times here and elsewhere, is the Chord 'Silver Plus' usb cable, around $100 for 1.5m.

 

Whoa!!......that's a little pricey isn't it!!!!

 

My curious cable is the 280mm "Hugo Link" model..............only cost me around $200.

Edited January 16, 2017 by JohnL

[~Spyne~]

3 hours ago, JohnL said:

 

Whoa!!......that's a little pricey isn't it!!!!

 

My curious cable is the 280mm "Hugo Link" model..............only cost me around $200.

Yep, the 'Hugo Link' is different to the 'normal' Curious USB cable (I'm not sure what the difference is, other than being significantly shorter).

0.8m (shortest) Curious cable is $374. The 1.5m is $528.

[Guest scumbag]

 

The Hugo link is $160 US off the CC website: http://www.curiouscables.com/buy.html

And you can get the Regen link for less here - http://magentaaudio.com.au/product/curious-cables-usb-cable/

 

[Guest scumbag]

On 16/01/2017 at 1:59 PM, rocky500 said:

I have used this one with a iFi USB power device to good effect. A lot cheaper then the iFi split cable.

LINK

Plus have one of there XLR cables but just installed it with a new amp, so never compared it with another.

I just got myself an Actung Audio split power-data cable (twin USB inputs) to try with my IFI IUSB3. I'm going to head to head it against my curious cable.

Let the battle commence (in 2 weeks when I get it).

Edited January 18, 2017 by scumbag

[pete_mac]

Of interest (but possibly off-topic), I've got a DIY USB cable (solid silver signal wires solid copper ground wire, no +5V wire) and  between my SBT and Uptone Regen, and a Curious Regen Link between the Regen and Klein DAC.

 

The Curious Regen Link came with the Regen, and I geared myself up to sell it to recoup the cost of the Regen.

 

Before listing the Regen Link for sale, I decided to compare the Regen Link with the short hard-connector that comes with the Regen, and another generic USB cable (from audio-gd... supposedly the best of the cheapies based upon their experimentation). 

 

I didn't end up listing the Regen Link for sale. I don't know how such a short piece of USB cable can do what it does. It's not earth-shattering, but it's a good thing. When you go back to a standard cable, or the 1" long hard-connector supplied with the Regen, it's an audible backwards step. 

 

I can only imagine that the longer Curious would also be a good thing

 

[Guest scumbag]

I've found the same thing when using the Curious Cable sending data from a variety of USB filtering devices and also when feeding from my Auralic Aries Mini directly to my DAC. I use a lower quality USB cable to feed the filtering device and then the Curious on the final leg.

It shouldn't make any difference should it? But then you listen. The thing is, some devices alter the sound by smoothing or brightening the sound which on first listen, sounds attractive but after 18 months of listening I am not hearing any smoothing over or exaggeration from the Curious. Things are just more relaxed. So I guess the name is fitting.

Anyway, we'll see how the Actung Cable goes. I'm not going to allow any expectations to prejudice me - but it will be good to do a comparison all the same.

[pete_mac]

Yep, agreed 100% 

[Guest scumbag]

I have my Actung Cable (love that name), ran it for a bit with the volume down on the amplifier (so I don't run-in my ears). Interesting doing some side by side with the Curious.

This is not double blind or single blind testing and I don't know if I could pick between the two under those circumstances. It might be an interesting experiment though.

My initial thoughts. Better / worse? No - just different. I am hearing a tad more upper midrange ATM from the Actung. The Curious is definitely smoother. This might characterise the Curious as more musical and the Actung as more analytical. Both have gobs of detail, great bass and charming midrange though. These are only initial impressions, I need more time to get a handle on it. And of course this would be very system dependent. A Devialet is going to reveal a lot more in terms of upper midrange brightness because it is already bordering on analytical. In another system, the added brightness (which may fade with use) might be very welcome.

 

More listening to do. What a drag 

[frednork]

2 hours ago, scumbag said:

I have my Actung Cable (love that name), ran it for a bit with the volume down on the amplifier (so I don't run-in my ears). Interesting doing some side by side with the Curious.

 

Interested in the Achtung, which one did you get and was there a rationale?

[Guest scumbag]

Actung are only on Ebay. Surprisingly there was a rationale at the time (that's a rarity for me sometmes). I needed a cable that was able to provide power from 2 USB  ports. I had a very average cable that I really wanted to upgrade. Plus I wanted to see how 2X silver cables segregated into power and data compared to a single cable with copper and silver for each part of the transmission (can't remember if the Curious uses silver for the data but I would assume that to be true). Having said all that, I in no way assume that performance of a cable is entirely down to it's materials - there is also implementation / construction at play.

 

[frednork]

Ok, interested in either the curious, achtung, or ? as I understand it the curious is silver for data, as I'm using the Klein DAC II, I guess power line is irrelevant? very interested in your findings 

[betocool]

Question to @Gieseler Audio

 

I'm building a power distribution box, low voltage, with some AC and some DC outputs, because I've had it with AC/AC or AC/DC converters which can never be turned off completely. I'd like to drive the Klein DAC with it.

 

The wallwart power supply that came with the DAC is 10VAC, 2.4A. Is it possible to use, say, 9VAC with similar current rating or a 12VAC without damaging the DAC?

 

Cheers,

 

Alberto