ciamara

Hello! I'm glad you found setup easy. The complexity of audio can sometimes be daunting, and it's even more daunting when we're trying to imagine how things work (or won't work) ... The best advice I can offer is to tinker, and play and have fun experimenting. I'm often up, like a mad scientist, trying new things. Sometimes I surprise myself by how quickly the time passes! Other times I surprise myself by new discoveries. Regarding the question about digital inputs, it's a little tough to answer that question, and I don't want to issue a blanket statement. There are many variables in a high end audio system, so there is no one "right" answer. If you find a significant difference with one vs. the other, please let us know and we'll try to get to the bottom of it. Thanks!

Thank you so much for the kind review and shout-out! I'm happy to hear that things went so smoothly .... I was expecting to set up a video call with you to go through setup and optimization, but Bricasti has clearly made it easy. Special thanks to Brian at Bricasti too for delivering a quality offering. We aim to please, and we're here if we can help in any way .... All the best!

Thank you Chris for taking the time to thoroughly test this out. We really appreciate it!

We have requested more information regarding the control app. As soon as we know more, we will post it here. Not sure I understand the comment regarding the switching power supply. Is that a blanket statement, or is there a specific reason for this comment? I can't get into the weeds here, but there is more than one way to skin a cat. What's important is the implementation and end result. I wouldn't judge a book by its cover, if you will. Thank you!

Chris, Thank you for the kind words! We spent a great deal of time developing the Ciamara HP1. The HP1 is a fully solid state design, which we believe achieves a level of performance that has never been achieved before. We rigorously tested a variety of amplification topologies, power transformers and attenuators to develop the HP1. Anyone who opens the unit will see the quality of parts employed is first-rate. Solid state design? The vast majority of people use vacuum tube-based amplifiers for electrostatic headphones. Some examples are the Woo Audio WES and the Blue Hawaii. Which is better? Simply put, there is no "right" answer. and I would like to avoid that debate here. Both approaches are valid, and both are wonderful in their own right. Some folks prefer tubes. Others prefer solid state. From a technical standpoint, tubes produce harmonics. These are perceived as "fatness" throughout the frequency spectrum. These harmonics are not present on the original recording, but some listeners like this "creamier" sound. Tubes also have variations in the mechanical aspect of assembly, so they are not perfectly phase accurate between two channels. This is perceived as a wider image. Those who desire these effects will like the accuracy of solid state, and visa versa. MOSFETs? Currently we use SANKENs, which test to flawless accuracy, and are dead quiet. This may not appeal to those used to tubes. For tube-lovers, we also offer a MOSFET design. MOSFETs achieve a "tube-like" warmth, without the maintenance and heat of tubes. The "Commercial". We designed the Ciamara HP1 to provide a level of sonic performance that has never been achieved in the solid state domain. This is not a "rival" to the tube designs, but rather another flavor. We are glad you liked it, Chris, and if anyone would like to hear one, we will gladly send you one for a 30-day in-home trial. Thanks for reading! Sanjay Patel | Founder | Ciamara Corporation

Oh boy … had no idea you were using remote access! Sorry for the extra step and work. But glad you are up and running.

All, There are two things to try to help resolve this situation: CABLE As alluded to earlier, it is entirely possible that one or more of the USB cables used here is causing some problems -- if not consistently, perhaps intermittently. Class 2 USB audio links always run at 480Mbps, no matter what the audio sample rate is. Therefore only certified USB 2.0 cables should be used. Although we like and use various audiophile-grade USB cables, only ones that are certified to the USB 2.0 spec should be used, as they will consistently work with 480Mbps performance. A USB connection will default to the lower v1.1 rate of 12 Mbps if the link cannot sustain 480 Mbps. If a cable doesn't claim 2.0 certification and display the 2.0 "hi-speed" logo, it probably isn't. So when troubleshooting, use one or more $5 cheapo USB cables with a 2.0 certification to be certain the cable is not to blame. As an aside, some audiophile USB cables do not perform consistently to the USB 2.0 standard, which means they can actually worsen performance. This may be manifested in degraded waveforms, or worse, jitter. Specifications matter, so please pay attention to these. OPERATING SYSTEM From what we can tell, John's CAPS music server is behaving erratically. Our recommendation is to completely re-install Windows 8 and get a clean start. Then install the latest EMM drivers, and then install J River. John, I know this is a big undertaking, but if you wouldn't mind giving it a shot, we feel this is likely to help. We can then get into the specific settings. If others have experience with this, please share your thoughts/comments. Happy listening!

Ted - thanks, but as of December 4 when that email was written, 1.6.1 was the latest driver. There has been an update since to 1.6.3.

Whoops - sorry about the link, and thank you for posting the correct one! The article doesn't specifically say that we can hear beyond 20kHz, but that is my interpretation. The theory behind 16bit/44kHz is that we can only hear and resolve frequencies between 20Hz and 20kHz. The article -- which I agree is controversial -- indicates that our hearing is 10x better at resolving detail than previously thought. This would imply that very fast transients and other micro-detail, which could easily be lost or mangled in a 16/44 recording, are noticed by trained ears, and perhaps by a lot of people. I always notice that "badly done" digital sound fatiguing, or dull or thin, whereas "well done" digital sound rich and full and amazing. Obviously production engineering, filters, mixing, mastering etc. play a huge role here as well.

Hi all, This article is making its way around engineering circles (and others): http://m.phys.org/news/2013-02-human...principle.html Finally some empirical evidence that we are not all crazy and we can actually hear beyond 20kHz. I have always said that while it is difficult to hear audio outside the 20Hz to 20kHz range, we can perceive it. Production and engineering are by far the most important when it comes to perceived sound quality, but it is clear that redbook (16bit/44kHz) just doesn't cut it. Long live high resolution digital audio!

Ciamara has purchased a license. We are looking forward to test driving this software!

The MAN301 works well with the DAC202. But the version with the on-board DAC section is a step forward from the DAC202. Having integrated volume control in the iPad app (regardless of whether the on board DAC is used or not) is a nice plus. The integrated CD ripping drive is also a great advantage, not to mention the ability to use unlimited storage via a NAS.

Hi, and thanks for stopping by our room at the NYAV show. The bottom component was a balanced power system from Equitech. (The 2RQ to be precise). The entire system, with the exception of the power amplifier, was run through the 2RQ. I think your comments on the Bricasti M1 are interesting. We find this DAC to be very transparent and detailed. It can sound bright on certain recordings, but also keep in mind there are several different filter options. We find the minimum filters can soften the "brightness" on lesser recordings. The linear filters are more revealing, and therefore sound very good on better recordings. Hope that helps.

That is correct. There is no S30. The current model is the S10, and it is likely to remain current for the foreseeable future.

We look forward to your contributions!