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Dirt Road Junglist
Oct 8, 2010

We will be cruel
And through our cruelty
They will know who we are

phongn posted:

Weirdest thing happened to me in real life:

I'm sick with yet another cold brought home from daycare. I go get soup for lunch, because soup makes things better. On a lark, I look at RME's crazy gear because the crazy guys on ASR measured them. (Worry not, I am not spending $1K on a DAC when my ODAC is just fine).

Some guy starts asking me about it and then claims it's "low-end gear", that tubes are better and if that RME stuff was really high end why it'd be priced like $200K audio jewelry.

WHILE I'M HAVING SOUP.

Excuse me sir, do you have a moment to hear the good word of our lord and savior, tube amps made of exotic hardwoods that add warmth and presence to your sound for tens of thousands of dollars?

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GonadTheBallbarian
Jul 23, 2007


Ashex posted:

No idea where to post this question so I'm trying here. I've got a FiiO E10 DAC that has served me faithfully over the years, recently the headphone jack has been failing on me with sound cutting out/dropping depending on how I jiggle the cable.
I'm assuming the jack needs to be replaced and this might be the right part but shipping to Germany is insane so I'm wondering if anyone would know where I can source that part for a better price.

Check out Mouser (EU), they should be able to get you the parts you need! You'll have to open it up and see where the contacts are so it'll fit, but these things tend to be pretty standard. Worst case scenario it doesn't fit and you're out .5euro

BobHoward
Feb 13, 2012

The only thing white people deserve is a bullet to their empty skull

Ashex posted:

No idea where to post this question so I'm trying here. I've got a FiiO E10 DAC that has served me faithfully over the years, recently the headphone jack has been failing on me with sound cutting out/dropping depending on how I jiggle the cable.
I'm assuming the jack needs to be replaced and this might be the right part but shipping to Germany is insane so I'm wondering if anyone would know where I can source that part for a better price.

The jack may not need to be replaced. With those symptoms, there’s a chance its solder joints have cracked and you can repair it just by reflowing them.

Olympic Mathlete
Feb 25, 2011

:h:

Neurophonic posted:

All jokes aside, this is made by a friend of mine and adds a wireless remote control option:

https://github.com/lasselukkari/SerialChiller

https://github.com/lasselukkari/DuinoDCX

Here’s a demo of the web interface:
http://duinodcx.herokuapp.com/

Those are pretty cool little additions to what is a pretty archaic device at this point in time.

Ashex
Jun 25, 2007

These pipes are cleeeean!!!

GonadTheBallbarian posted:

Check out Mouser (EU), they should be able to get you the parts you need! You'll have to open it up and see where the contacts are so it'll fit, but these things tend to be pretty standard. Worst case scenario it doesn't fit and you're out .5euro

Found the same part and despite being an EU site, the shipping is 20€ to Germany -_-

BobHoward posted:

The jack may not need to be replaced. With those symptoms, there’s a chance its solder joints have cracked and you can repair it just by reflowing them.



That's my suspicion, I opened it up and couldn't see any visible cracking in the joints. I'll need to desolder it anyway so I'll give this a shot before purchasing the part.

qirex
Feb 15, 2001

My friends, I bring wonderful news from Rocky Mountain Audio Fest!

I present: the Endow Audio FS301



It's not a tumor, it's a point array. Nice of David Cronenberg to do the design uncredited, though.

Only $44,000 [they were running a show special at $39k but sadly you missed it].

Olympic Mathlete
Feb 25, 2011

:h:

They're saying passive sound processing utilizing caps, inductors and resistors which is just what a passive crossover is made from anyway... (PATENT PENDING!)

GonadTheBallbarian
Jul 23, 2007


What the gently caress could that possibly achieve

XBenedict
May 23, 2006

YOUR LIPS SAY 0, BUT YOUR EYES SAY 1.

That looks like my loving fidget cube, but my cost like $10, so wtf.

grack
Jan 10, 2012

COACH TOTORO SAY REFEREE CAN BANISH WHISTLE TO LAND OF WIND AND GHOSTS!
Something is going to hatch out of that in the middle of the night and latch on to someone's face.

KozmoNaut
Apr 23, 2008

Happiness is a warm
Turbo Plasma Rifle


I want to hear it. I want to know just how much they hosed the sound, in their drive to be different.

bigman.50grand
Mar 31, 2007
no
They'd probably sound neat in a theater setting where you want omnidirectional environmental sounds, but any reasonably sized room you put those in for music is going to create all sorts of phasing issues. The inner side of each tweeter would literally be pointing at each other and you'd most likely never hear the outer tweeters due to psychoacoustic effects. (Other than whatever phasing bullshit they would introduce as mentioned above.)

qirex
Feb 15, 2001

KozmoNaut posted:

I want to hear it. I want to know just how much they hosed the sound, in their drive to be different.

The guy who took the pictures wasn't super impressed.

ColdPie
Jun 9, 2006

Deep marketing for a Day of the Tentacle sequel with a shift into the horror genre.

TheMadMilkman
Dec 10, 2007

KozmoNaut posted:

I want to hear it. I want to know just how much they hosed the sound, in their drive to be different.

I was there. I heard them. I went back to the room multiple times because they were so weird.

They were bad. I didn’t stay in the room long enough to really nail it down, but I suspect that their frequency response is all over the place. The transition between their tweeters and their hidden 8” midrange driver was bad. Bass response seemed okay. The ball thing looks like a deformed udder.

I never asked the price, and I’m glad I didn’t. I wouldn’t have been able to hide my disbelief.

Olympic Mathlete
Feb 25, 2011

:h:

Am I right in thinking the 8" fires into the weird multi-driver thing? The blurb is saying it actively loads them and the only way it could do that would be...

TheMadMilkman
Dec 10, 2007

Based on the brief rundown the guy in the room gave, you are exactly right. The 8” driver is directly behind the udder and fires into it.

KozmoNaut
Apr 23, 2008

Happiness is a warm
Turbo Plasma Rifle


TheMadMilkman posted:

Based on the brief rundown the guy in the room gave, you are exactly right. The 8” driver is directly behind the udder and fires into it.

:psyduck:

qirex
Feb 15, 2001

The thing about esoteric speaker designs is that there’s good modeling software for “normal” speaker cabinet and driver simulation [this is why many bookshelf speakers are becoming as deep as they are tall now] but if you want to do something weird none of that stuff works anymore so they tune it by ear which is not the best idea.

Zereth
Jul 9, 2003



qirex posted:

My friends, I bring wonderful news from Rocky Mountain Audio Fest!

I present: the Endow Audio FS301



It's not a tumor, it's a point array. Nice of David Cronenberg to do the design uncredited, though.

Only $44,000 [they were running a show special at $39k but sadly you missed it].
I'm pretty sure I threw that thing at enemies n Half-Life 2.

A Lone Girl Flier
Sep 29, 2009

This post is dedicated to all those who fell by the forums, for nothing is wasted, and every apparent failure is but a challenge to others.

*Dalek voice* INTERMODULATE! INTERMODULATE!

Wasabi the J
Jan 23, 2008

MOM WAS RIGHT

Zereth posted:

I'm pretty sure I threw that thing at enemies n Half-Life 2.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGcBwbuYjRk

Sorbus
Apr 1, 2010
I was at a hifi expo today, there was really nice setups but I can only remember this:

3D Megadoodoo
Nov 25, 2010

Sorbus posted:

I was at a hifi expo today, there was really nice setups but I can only remember this:



Didn't know Ben Garrison made door stops.

Disappointing Pie
Feb 7, 2006
Words cannot describe what a disaster the pie was.
I finally got a solid PC, a good monitor etc etc. Now I want to take the level up a notch from just plugging my 8 year old Creative Lab 2.1 speakers into my mobo's 3.5 output.

I know nothing about higher end audio gear but have been doing some research and I know I probably need a DAC and possibly an AMP and I'd like 2 speakers (or monitors?) and a good pair of headphones. There's not a lot of beginner guides out there. I'm mainly going to be gaming, watching Youtube, listening to music of which mostly consists of late 90's early 2000's alternative rock and classic rock songs and sometimes watching a movie or netflix while gaming on another screen. I'm willing to spend up to $500-700 on this stuff. The good news is, I'm assuming it's not quite like a GPU where it'll be outdated in a couple years so I'm willing to pay more for an investment.

GonadTheBallbarian
Jul 23, 2007


If you're okay with us ridiculing you at the same time we give advice, this is a hit or miss thread. Otherwise, you're looking for the quick audio questions thread.

GonadTheBallbarian fucked around with this message at 23:32 on Sep 14, 2019

taqueso
Mar 8, 2004


:911:
:wookie: :thermidor: :wookie:
:dehumanize:

:pirate::hf::tinfoil:
Whatever you do, make sure your cables are cryo-treated, that way you can chill when you listen.

KillHour
Oct 28, 2007


Disappointing Pie posted:

I probably need a DAC and possibly an AMP and I'd like 2 speakers (or monitors?) and a good pair of headphones.

Yeah.... no.

Let's start with some basic terminology here:

DAC (Digital to Analog Converter): This is the thing that turns digital signals into signals that can drive speakers. There are two kinds of DAC: ones that work flawlessly and ones that are broken. Unless you have noticeable buzzing, hissing or popping that goes away when you unplug the cable from your motherboard, you do not need an external DAC. A good example of this is on a really old motherboard I had, I could hear when I moved the mouse because it would add a noticeable hum when it was happening. This is probably the last thing you should think about getting.

Amp: Short for amplifier. This is the piece of equipment that boosts the audio signals to be powerful enough to drive speakers. The amp you get (if any) is going to be determined by the speakers you choose.

Preamp: Short for preamplifier. In its simplest form, this either boosts or attenuates the signal going into your amplifier, allowing you to control the volume or hook up sources that don't put out a full line-level signal (usually only record players). Expensive ones can include audio processing capabilities, such as equalizers, room correction, or a crossover (see Subwoofer below). Nearly all amplifiers for desktop or home use are going to have a preamp built in. I only covered it here because some pro audio equipment does not, including most studio monitors.

Receiver: This is an amplifier and preamplifier combo with multiple inputs that you can switch between. Most people think of these in a home-theater context, but they absolutely exist for stereo as well. Many have built-in DACs for digital inputs.

Speakers: The thing that makes the sound. There are two types - active and passive. Active speakers have an amplifier (but usually not a preamp) built in. Passive speakers need an external amp/preamp.

Subwoofer: Special speakers for hitting those deeper bass notes. Tend to be large. Almost always active. You need some way to split the signal between high and low frequencies to use these. The equipment to do this is called a crossover - most receivers include one, but many stereo receivers do not. A few monitors have a crossover with a preamp output for a sub, but most don't.

Monitors: These are speakers made specifically for near-field listening (sitting close to them, such as at a desk). They are almost always active, and usually designed for professionals, although many are good choices for computer audio because they can make a very compact system.

In general, if you want to use passive speakers, you'll almost always use a receiver to power them. This is a very simple, yet flexible setup and the way 99% of home audio systems are done. The other common option is to use monitors so you don't need to take up desk space with a receiver. If you want to control volume with your computer's volume controls, you can hook this directly to the computer. If you want to control it with a knob, you need either a preamp or an attenuator (kind of like a preamp, but can only make things quieter, not louder). If you want a subwoofer, things start to get more complicated.

Tell us what kind of things you listen to on your computer, what audio outputs you have on your motherboard, and how much space you have.

GonadTheBallbarian posted:

If you're okay with us ridiculing you at the same time we give advice, this is a hit or miss thread. Otherwise, you're looking for the quick audio questions thread.

poo poo, sorry. I forgot the ridicule part. Uh... how about some magic crystals for your speakers, moron? I forgot which thread this was

GonadTheBallbarian
Jul 23, 2007


Also just use coat hangers for cables you loving twit

3D Megadoodoo
Nov 25, 2010

I use Pop Tarts as interconnects.

3D Megadoodoo
Nov 25, 2010

Oh sorry I meant poop torts?

Wasabi the J
Jan 23, 2008

MOM WAS RIGHT
I don't PC anymore but I was very happy with my Scarlett 2i2 and Mackie MR5 setup.

Balanced audio and a big chunky volume knob.

GonadTheBallbarian
Jul 23, 2007


Honestly the Mackie cr5bt and the miniDSP 2x4 has been aces for me. A little expensive, but DSP is magic

Wasabi the J
Jan 23, 2008

MOM WAS RIGHT

GonadTheBallbarian posted:

Honestly the Mackie cr5bt and the miniDSP 2x4 has been aces for me. A little expensive, but DSP is magic

Yeah some DSP would've been great! Though the volume knob was my must have and the Scarlett one is on the dac so you don't have to worry about software wonkiness.

GonadTheBallbarian
Jul 23, 2007


Moral of the story is Mackie, Scarlett good

Dirt Road Junglist
Oct 8, 2010

We will be cruel
And through our cruelty
They will know who we are

GonadTheBallbarian posted:

Moral of the story is Mackie, Scarlett good

This.

Also loving my MOTU 16a. But that's overkill as hell for this situation.

evobatman
Jul 30, 2006

it means nothing, but says everything!
Pillbug

Disappointing Pie posted:

I finally got a solid PC, a good monitor etc etc. Now I want to take the level up a notch from just plugging my 8 year old Creative Lab 2.1 speakers into my mobo's 3.5 output.

I know nothing about higher end audio gear but have been doing some research and I know I probably need a DAC and possibly an AMP and I'd like 2 speakers (or monitors?) and a good pair of headphones. There's not a lot of beginner guides out there. I'm mainly going to be gaming, watching Youtube, listening to music of which mostly consists of late 90's early 2000's alternative rock and classic rock songs and sometimes watching a movie or netflix while gaming on another screen. I'm willing to spend up to $500-700 on this stuff. The good news is, I'm assuming it's not quite like a GPU where it'll be outdated in a couple years so I'm willing to pay more for an investment.

You'll want the Asus Xonar U7. We have our own headphones thread and PC speaker threads too. Most likely you'll want a couple of JBL 305 monitors, and Sennheiser HD650 or Beyerdynamic DT770 depending on whether you want open or closed headphones.

A Lone Girl Flier
Sep 29, 2009

This post is dedicated to all those who fell by the forums, for nothing is wasted, and every apparent failure is but a challenge to others.

evobatman posted:

You'll want the Asus Xonar U7. We have our own headphones thread and PC speaker threads too. Most likely you'll want a couple of JBL 305 monitors, and Sennheiser HD650 or Beyerdynamic DT770 depending on whether you want open or closed headphones.

I've got a u7 and it does the job really well.

Elentor
Dec 14, 2004

by Jeffrey of YOSPOS
Is there any difference between the U7 and U7 Mkii? I have to ask because looking at the site it's hard to say.

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Neurophonic
May 2, 2009
If you’re going to game on the machine, you can do a lot worse than the Audeze Mobius for headphones, and kill two birds with one stone. Plus they have portability for when you go out. Three birds.

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