LCSeminole
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Post by LCSeminole on Jul 18, 2015 14:23:26 GMT -5
Hey nick don't forget to add all the metric weights and measurements too for all the other products.  Remember the rest of the world including Canada is all metric... I have actually held both DAC's and they are rather smaller than you might think. And I think there is an even smaller one on the cards. Here you go!!!  www.inches-to-cm.com/ |
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klinemj
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Post by klinemj on Jul 18, 2015 14:58:39 GMT -5
So..how do they sound???
Mark
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LCSeminole
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Res firma mitescere nescit.
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Post by LCSeminole on Jul 18, 2015 15:01:54 GMT -5
So..how do they sound??? Mark You'll find that out when they are in the hands of those that bought them! |
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klinemj
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Post by klinemj on Jul 18, 2015 22:09:37 GMT -5
I refuse to be that patient...they can make something up!!!
Mark
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Post by lesliew on Jul 19, 2015 8:01:24 GMT -5
Nick
Any chance of posting a picture showing a side by side comparison of both devices.
Measurements are good but a visual comparison would be even better.
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LCSeminole
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Res firma mitescere nescit.
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Post by LCSeminole on Jul 19, 2015 8:59:57 GMT -5
Until a side by side comparison of the Ego is done, maybe the measurements for the XMC-1 & ERC-1 remotes can give you a perspective.
XMC-1 Remote: Dimensions: 9.00" x 2.50" x .625"
ERC-1 Remote: Dimensions: 7.00" x 2.50" x .625"
Big Ego: Dimensions: 5.32" x 2.00" x .625"
Little Ego: Dimensions: 4.75" x 1.75" x .5"
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Post by rikkedi on Jul 19, 2015 11:19:58 GMT -5
I refuse to be that patient...they can make something up!!! Mark As I just ordered one the other day, I feel in a position to authoritatively state that it sounds like a unicorn doing laps in a swimming pool filled with good beer. |
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klinemj
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Post by klinemj on Jul 19, 2015 13:26:55 GMT -5
Awesome! They should sell like hotcakes!
Mark
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Post by macromicroman on Jul 19, 2015 16:24:29 GMT -5
I noticed that it says the Windows Drivers are available under the Resources Tab, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Will the drivers under the Resource Tab for the XDA-2 work?
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Post by Hair Nick on Jul 20, 2015 9:12:59 GMT -5
Nick Any chance of posting a picture showing a side by side comparison of both devices. Measurements are good but a visual comparison would be even better. Working to add more photos soon so get a better scale of size. |
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Post by macromicroman on Jul 20, 2015 13:12:46 GMT -5
I see that the drivers have now been added on the web site.
Thanks
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KeithL
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Post by KeithL on Jul 20, 2015 15:29:32 GMT -5
The DAC chip used in a DAC is really a very small part of what determines how it sounds. If you use one of the few current DAC chips that's really bad, then no amount of good design can help. However, most modern DAC chips are actually capable of sounding very good, and it's the overall design of the supporting circuitry and choice of external components that has the greatest effect on what your final product will sound like. You really have to hear the Ego DACs to believe how good they sound. However, if you're really curious... The Little Ego uses a Texas Instruments / Burr Brown PCM5141 DAC chip, and the Big Ego uses a Texas Instruments / Burr Brown PCM5142 DAC chip . The headphone amp in both is a Texas Instruments TPA6130A2 . To answer your question - it depends on what you mean by "power hungry"... The Egos they will drive virtually all "normal" headphones very cleanly. However, they aren't going to drive low-efficiency planars that need multiple watts to drive them very well. The Egos will also drive high-impedance phones very cleanly, but the overall output level will be limited by the maximum output voltage of the Egos, which is 1.8 VRMS. This will be plenty to drive high-efficiency high-impedance phones to quite loud levels, but will be a limiting factor for phones that are high-impedance and also not very efficient. I would really like to read some professional reviews or some owners' impressions of the big Ego. I am not only interested in the DAC, but also in the headphone amp section of the unit. I want to know whether the amp is capable of driving power-hungry headphones effectively. I also can't seem to find the name of the type of DAC that is used in the unit. Does anybody know what type it is? |
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Post by jcam2881 on Jul 20, 2015 17:23:43 GMT -5
The DAC chip used in a DAC is really a very small part of what determines how it sounds. If you use one of the few current DAC chips that's really bad, then no amount of good design can help. However, most modern DAC chips are actually capable of sounding very good, and it's the overall design of the supporting circuitry and choice of external components that has the greatest effect on what your final product will sound like. You really have to hear the Ego DACs to believe how good they sound. However, if you're really curious... The Little Ego uses a Texas Instruments / Burr Brown PCM5141 DAC chip, and the Big Ego uses a Texas Instruments / Burr Brown PCM5142 DAC chip . The headphone amp in both is a Texas Instruments TPA6130A2 . To answer your question - it depends on what you mean by "power hungry"... The Egos they will drive virtually all "normal" headphones very cleanly. However, they aren't going to drive low-efficiency planars that need multiple watts to drive them very well. The Egos will also drive high-impedance phones very cleanly, but the overall output level will be limited by the maximum output voltage of the Egos, which is 1.8 VRMS. This will be plenty to drive high-efficiency high-impedance phones to quite loud levels, but will be a limiting factor for phones that are high-impedance and also not very efficient. I would really like to read some professional reviews or some owners' impressions of the big Ego. I am not only interested in the DAC, but also in the headphone amp section of the unit. I want to know whether the amp is capable of driving power-hungry headphones effectively. I also can't seem to find the name of the type of DAC that is used in the unit. Does anybody know what type it is? Keith- thinking of ordering the big ego - I use bit perfect on my iTunes and send it via hdmi to marantz etc.. Could I forgo the bit perfect and use the big ego out via optical into marantz? (Bit perfect - is not so perfect/works 40pc time - I get conflicts w AirPlay and wireless app remotes) |
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Post by sahmen on Jul 20, 2015 23:47:47 GMT -5
The DAC chip used in a DAC is really a very small part of what determines how it sounds. If you use one of the few current DAC chips that's really bad, then no amount of good design can help. However, most modern DAC chips are actually capable of sounding very good, and it's the overall design of the supporting circuitry and choice of external components that has the greatest effect on what your final product will sound like. You really have to hear the Ego DACs to believe how good they sound. However, if you're really curious... The Little Ego uses a Texas Instruments / Burr Brown PCM5141 DAC chip, and the Big Ego uses a Texas Instruments / Burr Brown PCM5142 DAC chip . The headphone amp in both is a Texas Instruments TPA6130A2 . To answer your question - it depends on what you mean by "power hungry"... The Egos they will drive virtually all "normal" headphones very cleanly. However, they aren't going to drive low-efficiency planars that need multiple watts to drive them very well. The Egos will also drive high-impedance phones very cleanly, but the overall output level will be limited by the maximum output voltage of the Egos, which is 1.8 VRMS. This will be plenty to drive high-efficiency high-impedance phones to quite loud levels, but will be a limiting factor for phones that are high-impedance and also not very efficient. I would really like to read some professional reviews or some owners' impressions of the big Ego. I am not only interested in the DAC, but also in the headphone amp section of the unit. I want to know whether the amp is capable of driving power-hungry headphones effectively. I also can't seem to find the name of the type of DAC that is used in the unit. Does anybody know what type it is? I have had the big Ego on my wish list ever since the Egos were announced, so I appreciate the detailed description of its features and capabilities. I was also interested in the potential limitations it might have when powering low efficiency planars, but I do not see those you describe as a deal breaker as long as I can feed the signal from the EGO's analog line out to an external speaker amp, such as the fusion flex or the mini-x A-100. I'm assuming, in other words, that I can get the Ego to play nice with a high-current speaker amp when needed, and I hope I am not wrong about that. Thanks again. |
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Post by Gary Cook on Jul 21, 2015 1:48:22 GMT -5
The Big Ego line output is 2.1 volts which is the same as most pre amps, so absolutely no issue supplying any Emotiva power amp or any other power amp for that matter. The Little Ego doesn't have a line output, but the 1.8 volts from the headphone outlet is plenty.
Cheers
Gary
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KeithL
Administrator
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Post by KeithL on Jul 21, 2015 13:41:41 GMT -5
Jul 20, 2015 23:47:47 GMT -5 sahmen said: I have had the big Ego on my wish list ever since the Egos were announced, so I appreciate the detailed description of its features and capabilities. I was also interested in the potential limitations it might have when powering low efficiency planars, but I do not see those you describe as a deal breaker as long as I can feed the signal from the EGO's analog line out to an external speaker amp, such as the fusion flex or the mini-x A-100. I'm assuming, in other words, that I can get the Ego to play nice with a high-current speaker amp when needed, and I hope I am not wrong about that. Thanks again. Absolutely correct. You can use the Big Ego with any regular amp, including something like the Fusion Flex or the Mini-X.  |
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Post by novisnick on Jul 21, 2015 13:55:22 GMT -5
Jul 20, 2015 23:47:47 GMT -5 sahmen said: I have had the big Ego on my wish list ever since the Egos were announced, so I appreciate the detailed description of its features and capabilities. I was also interested in the potential limitations it might have when powering low efficiency planars, but I do not see those you describe as a deal breaker as long as I can feed the signal from the EGO's analog line out to an external speaker amp, such as the fusion flex or the mini-x A-100. I'm assuming, in other words, that I can get the Ego to play nice with a high-current speaker amp when needed, and I hope I am not wrong about that. Thanks again. Absolutely correct. You can use the Big Ego with any regular amp, including something like the Fusion Flex or the Mini-X. But don't run out and sell your DC-1!!!!!  |
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Post by sahmen on Jul 21, 2015 15:24:43 GMT -5
But don't run out and sell your DC-1!!!!! Not to worry, Nick. Mr DC-1 isn't going anywhere... Madame XSP-1 would be too disappointed and furious with me, if I were to allow that to happen. I like to keep things happy and peaceful in the homestead The Big Ego will mostly service my music needs at the office. |
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Post by brubacca on Jul 22, 2015 16:20:40 GMT -5
The DAC chip used in a DAC is really a very small part of what determines how it sounds. If you use one of the few current DAC chips that's really bad, then no amount of good design can help. However, most modern DAC chips are actually capable of sounding very good, and it's the overall design of the supporting circuitry and choice of external components that has the greatest effect on what your final product will sound like. You really have to hear the Ego DACs to believe how good they sound. However, if you're really curious... The Little Ego uses a Texas Instruments / Burr Brown PCM5141 DAC chip, and the Big Ego uses a Texas Instruments / Burr Brown PCM5142 DAC chip . The headphone amp in both is a Texas Instruments TPA6130A2 . To answer your question - it depends on what you mean by "power hungry"... The Egos they will drive virtually all "normal" headphones very cleanly. However, they aren't going to drive low-efficiency planars that need multiple watts to drive them very well. The Egos will also drive high-impedance phones very cleanly, but the overall output level will be limited by the maximum output voltage of the Egos, which is 1.8 VRMS. This will be plenty to drive high-efficiency high-impedance phones to quite loud levels, but will be a limiting factor for phones that are high-impedance and also not very efficient. I would really like to read some professional reviews or some owners' impressions of the big Ego. I am not only interested in the DAC, but also in the headphone amp section of the unit. I want to know whether the amp is capable of driving power-hungry headphones effectively. I also can't seem to find the name of the type of DAC that is used in the unit. Does anybody know what type it is? Keith, I agree that most modern DACs have the capability for sounding good, but i also find that I tend to like the sound of certain DAC chips. Maybe it isn't the chip, but i tend to like products with Wolfson and Burr Brown chips. Is it really the chips I like or the brand implementation? Don't know, don't care. Also on several occasions people including you and possibly Lonnie say that they don't like the Sabre sound. (If my failing memory serves me right). So different DAC chips can have their own sonic signature. |
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Post by Gary Cook on Jul 22, 2015 18:13:10 GMT -5
I find it to be the implementation (circuitry) around the DAC chip rather than just the DAC chip itself. The ability to switch digital filters on the Big Ego should show how the same DAC chip can sound different depending on what's around it.
Cheers
Gary
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