albon101

Hello all, I'm hoping for some guidance on my setup and possibly purchasing a DAP. Here is my current setup: Macbook Pro JDS Labs Atom Amp JDS Labs Atom DAC Audirvana Software Sennheiser HD6xx 1 TB or so of FLAC files on an external SSD hard drive I love the sound of my current setup, but my issue is with portability. I don't have a dedicated listening room so I pretty much have to drag my laptop, amp, dac and headphones to wherever I can find a free room in my house. It's a hassle hauling all of it around and finding a power outlet to plug in the Amp and DAC. So I'm looking for something more portable that I can just plug my headphones into and listen to anywhere in the house. A DAP with 1 or 2TB of storage with a built-in DAC and amp feels like the perfect solution, but I don't want to sacrifice sound quality. My question is two part I guess. First, for anyone out there that has listened to a high-end DAP such as the Astell & Kern Kann Alpha or the Fiio M15, how does the sound compare to a setup like I currently have? Second, if a DAP will be a big downgrade in sound quality, are there any other options out there for me that you would recommend? Really appreciate any advice or insights. Thank you!

I was wondering if it's possible to add a powered subwoofer to my current setup. I have my Schiit Modi running to an ifi iTube. The iTube has 2 RCA outputs, left and right, that go to a pair of Adam F5 powered monitors. Is there any way to add a powered subwoofer into the mix? The Adam F5 speakers have no other inputs or outputs besides the single RCA input so I imagine I'd have to split the RCAs coming from the iTube? Or run a DSP? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I know this is an old thread, but I have a similar setup and was wondering how you hooked up the sub and the monitors to the Itube. Right now I have two RCA cables, one going to each system. This is probably a dumb question, but just curious.

Hey guys, I'm looking for a subwoofer to complete my near field setup. I have two Adam F5s running from a Schiit Modi DAC and Ifi Itube. Everything sounds great, but I just need some bass to really set it off. I've seen that Adam made the SubF, but it appears to be discontinued from what I can see. Does anyone have any suggestions for another sub that would pair well with my setup? I know Adam has the Sub7, but that seems to be a bit out of my range. My budget is around $300-400, but if there is a less expensive option that would perform similarly that would be great as well. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hey guys, There may be an answer to this already posted, but after some searching I couldn't find anything. When using Audirvana with Itunes, the visualizer does not work properly. It turns on, but it does not go past the baseline. It is as if it does not recognize the music. I imagine this is due to Audirvana playing the file and not Itunes. Is there a workaround to this that anyone knows of? Maybe a plugin? I don't use the visualizer all that often, but I was just curious if anyone else has encountered the same problem.

Ok so after burning in the iTube I think I have a pretty good assessment of it, at least in regards to my system. The Schiit Modi is definitely not a warm or analog DAC, in my opinion. The Modi, combined with my Adam F5s produced a very detailed sound, but it was also a cold, digital sound. To be perfectly honest, it was causing me a great deal of ear fatigue and I couldn't listen to music at a reasonably loud volume for more than 5-10 minutes without having to turn it down. It was for this reason, and the fact that I had no volume knob of course, that I purchased the iTube. I have the iTube hooked up as a preamp with 0 gain. After experimenting I found this to be the best setup for my system. After lots of listening, all I can say is that I am EXTREMELY happy with this purchase. I'm not saying it's a must buy for anyone, but for my particular setup it has been a godsend. My sound is warmer and more musical overall and much much more listenable. I can listen to music at any volume now for hours which would have literally been impossible to bear before I got the iTube. I'm not saying it made the sound more detailed, but it made it much more enjoyable and for me that is all that matters. The 3D stereo function is also great, it definitely widened the sound on my desktop setup a great deal and has also added to the upgrade in sound. The digital correction function is honestly hard to hear. I listen to only flac vinyl rips so maybe it's because my files don't really need it. I did try it on a 128 kbps mp3 and could hear a bit of a difference. It may help in making the music more listenable for longer durations, but other than that I can't really say. Overall, does the iTube add "tube magic" to your system. Yes, but not too much. Mostly it just took the great detail and clarity I had and made it so much better to listen to. Definitely recommended as a buffer between powered monitors and a DAC. Thanks again Kelly for the recommendation, I honestly would have never found this little gem without you.

I'll definitely post back. From what I've read it needs about 100 hours or so of burn in so I'm gonna let it run this week and then see how it sounds next weekend.

Thanks 4est. I definitely plan on upgrading the Modi one of these days, but for now it's doing a good enough job for my tastes. I grabbed an itube used for $200 on audiogon, after reading a ton of reviews I'm convinced enough to give it a try and see what it can do with my desktop system and when I upgrade my DAC it will still serve as a nice tube buffer.

Damn Kelly that ifi Itube looks sweet! The more I read about it the more I think this is exactly what I need. Do you think it will flow nicely with my Adams and Modi?

Thanks for that reply. Seriously appreciate the info pooger. The modi operates at 24 bits. When I've used AV to control the volume I've noticed quite a difference in quality so that's why I've started this quest for a better way to control the volume. I'm gonna do some more research about the Modi. Another idea I've had is to just sell the Modi and upgrade my DAC to one that has a volume control as well. Thanks!

Hi all, I currently run a Schiit Modi running through Audirvana connnectd to my Adam Audio F5s. I like the sound quite a bit, but I've found it pretty inconvenient to constantly have to manually adjust the volume on both speakers using the tiny knobs on the back. So I definitely need a component that will act as a volume control for my system. Since a good passie colume control is about the same price as a lot of quality vintage solid state pre-amplifiers, I'm wondering if it is a better idea to grab one of those as opposed to just a volume control. I'm thinking along the lines of a Kenwood C1 or a Yamaha C4. I don't mind a little coloration if it adds something to the sound, but I'm not sure about compatibility and all that. I've been reading post after post, but never really seem to get a solid answer. Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks.

Oh and I should mention my budget is about $100-200, but the less the better. Thank!

I have found some pretty good threads that get close to answering this question, but nothing that fully does. My basic question is this: What is the best way to connect a volume control between my Schiit Modi and my Adam Audio F5 speakers? Right now I'm running the Modi straight to the speakers and it sounds great, but it's a pain to have to adjust the volume on both speakers so I am looking for either a pre-amp or volume attenuator that will allow me to control the volume. Any help would be great!

No that wall is the same size. I think after looking at mounts that I'm going to just move my desk into the other room so there is more space to maneuver. Thanks for the advice!

Hi guys, So I hope this is the right forum for this question. So I am running my audio through my iMac using a Schiit Modi going directly into two Adam Audio F5 Speakers. The room where I have my computer in is very tiny and because I have a dual monitor setup, there is no room on my desk for the speakers. My question is this: What is my best option sound wise? Should I mount the speakers to the wall above the monitors and angle them down at my head or put them on 18" or so stands behind the monitors? My second option would be to move my desk out into my main studio and add an extra desk so that I can fit my monitors and the speakers. Which is the better idea? I included a few images so you can get the idea of the room. Thank you so much for any feedback.