NFC S4 #74

[vluft]

What are you desoldering the jack cable?

Nope, the pot on the fulla, to wire in the attenuator. In the past most of the stuff I've desoldered is just two or maybe 3 terminals and I can usually hit them all at once with the iron sufficiently to heat solder on all and then just yank the thing out, but this is 6 terminals + two big ones which I assume are just structural (I don't see any traces from the pads, anyway). Tried with a solder sucker & wick but my technique is probably pretty shitty, because I'm not removing enough solder to lose the connection. (Apparently I may also need some flux on the wick if it didn't come prefluxed? about which I have no idea. Guess I should buy some flux and try that too.)

 

[GreatestUnKnown]

I use the solder wick between the iron tip and the pin/pad being desoldered, wick heats up to point to absorb the solder and keeps the PCB and solder pad thermally isolated (I think)

 

[ricochet]

The more I am following this the more likely I will not be doing this mod!!! I am horrible with soldering. LOL. Though as I said before I may not really need an amp as my preferred cans now are only 30 ohms / 97 dB/mW... they're right on the borderline, sensitivity wise, for amping benefits.

BTW: What cans do you have?

 

[vluft]

I use the solder wick between the iron tip and the pin/pad being desoldered, wick heats up to point to absorb the solder and keeps the PCB and solder pad thermally isolated (I think)

Yeah, what I've been trying but I may just be doing it wrong. It's non-obvious to me how you'd do it wrong, but, y'know, I'm sure there's a way. Will try finding some pre-fluxed wick and see if that's not what I already have and if that works better.

BTW: What cans do you have?

Have some Beyer DT880s (250Ω, mostly used for classical/jazz) and the Massdrop/Fostex collab (TH-X00, 25Ω, most other music) in purpleheart, AudioTechnica M50X (travel), and AKG K545 (headset for conference calls &c).

 

[GreatestUnKnown]

Will try finding some pre-fluxed wick and see if that's not what I already have and if that works better.

I don't think it is necessary to use flux on the wick but I don't think it would hurt anything. I suggested the NTC wick only because it is the widest strip for most of my needs but I believe they make them in wider sizes which may help if your current wick is not sufficient.

Have some Beyer DT880s (250Ω, mostly used for classical/jazz) and the Massdrop/Fostex collab (TH-X00, 25Ω, most other music) in purpleheart, AudioTechnica M50X (travel), and AKG K545 (headset for conference calls &c).

Quite an impressive headphone can collection with a wide sound signature as well. Looking forward to see this project progress.

 

[ricochet]

Have some Beyer DT880s (250Ω, mostly used for classical/jazz) and the Massdrop/Fostex collab (TH-X00, 25Ω, most other music) in purpleheart, AudioTechnica M50X (travel), and AKG K545 (headset for conference calls &c).

Concur, very nice collection!

I had a pair of the DT880s as well but the 32 ohms variant instead... or was it 30? I can't remember now, but man were they super comfortable (would you believe that I am finding these B&O H6s as comfortable if not more so than the Beyers!?) I ended up giving my DT880s to my Afghani terp in Helmand who had been incessantly coveting and drooling over them! I had my pair of HD600s then and had preferred their sound over the DT880s though they definitely weren't as comfortable.

I abandoned open back over-ears for IEMs for awhile due to high travel and poor work conditions... Shures and Sennheisers mostly. Ended up with Shure 535 LTD-Js (Japanese limited edition), Yamaha EPH100s, and JVC FX-750 Woods. Then last year I let my buddy borrow my Shures and my daughter stole my JVC Woodies from me so I was stuck with my old HD600s and Yamaha 100s... which pissed me off for some reason so on a whim I went out and bought a pair of overpriced Audeze LCD-2s. I really like the LCD-2s and haven't missed the IEMs at all and gave my HD600s to a young family member who is a cellist... however, the LCDs like the HD600s aren't very portable and don't travel well so I bought these Closed Back B&O H6s and now have accidentally fallen in love with 'em... so comfortable to wear and listen to and their timbre and imaging is insane!

Now I need to get my headphone amp back from my friend so I can test the H6s while amped... if these H6s sound any better amped, as crazy as it may sound, I will surely give him my LCD-2s and he'll probably faint when I do!

 

[vluft]

I had a pair of the DT880s as well but the 32 ohms variant instead... or was it 30? I can't remember now, but man were they super comfortable (would you believe that I am finding these B&O H6s as comfortable if not more so than the Beyers!?)

Yeah, the DT880s are ridiculously comfortable, by far the most comfortable headphones I've ever tried. If the B&0 H6s are as good, man, I might have to try a pair. Have heard great things about the sound as well. From a downsizing perspective, if I like the sound enough and can get an inline mic cord for them, I could get rid of all my other pairs except the Fostex...

I abandoned open back over-ears for IEMs for awhile due to high travel and poor work conditions...

Yup, DT880s were my original favorite but I got the ATH-M50x to basically not be obnoxious when traveling, heh. I've tried IEMs a few times but I just... I can't get used to in-ear, personally. Just doesn't work for me.

...a pair of overpriced Audeze LCD-2s.

Yeah, I listend to a pair of those once and they're great but, man, I can't justify the price for my hearing. And the occasionally slightly-rough-on-headphones that I am. I have a backup pair of DT880s actually, that I got for stupid cheap (well, relatively ) on sale, and then the ATH & AKGs live in cases when not in use, and the TH-X00s are always sitting on my desk.

 

[ricochet]

How did the flux work? Any better? Super excited to see the final pics of the Fulla 2 installed in your case! Really hope it turns out nicely for you.

I hear you brother regarding hi-end audio... I am extremely leery of, even hesitant about, hi-end audio as it is hard to justify spending anything over USD 1000 for any part of a hi-fi system (now thinking more and more that number should be more like USD 500!). What really woke me up was when my wife dragged me to Bangkok two years ago to audition and buy a A&K 120ii DAP that I had been dreaming about... what a grand disappointment that was as I so did want to have one but upon demoing it and a few other A&K models I truthfully could not ascertain any difference, except for volume/loudness, when comparing with my iPhone 5 using my Shure SE535LTD-Js. I was shocked; even the UI was not what I expected of such a high-end item. I simply could not justify spending the money for just a beautifully finished/looking component. Later, I demoed (for three days) a pair of late 2014 model Shure SE846s... they were uncomfortable to wear due to their slightly larger casing design and shape (I have small ears) and I could not hear/detect any discernible difference or improved sound over my Shure SE535LTD-Js which again really surprised me as they are twice the price and especially after all the hype over 'em. Then when I went to buy a pair of JVC HA-FX1200 Wood IEMs (again due to rave reviews) to only find myself not liking them at all and I ended up buying a pair of the lower model FX750s instead at more than half the price! Now, I have a pair of Audeze LCD-2s gathering dust because I am using and preferring a much more comfortable and sounding pair of closed-backs at one third the price!!!

Speaking of which I may have to buy myself another small desktop headphone amp and wondering if I should just keep it under USD 200 as my past experience has proven that the lower priced gear is just as good if not better! Thinking on another O2 or C5D or maybe the Schiit Magni, decisions, decisions!

 

[vluft]

How did the flux work? Any better? Super excited to see the final pics of the Fulla 2 installed in your case! Really hope it turns out nicely for you.

Still need to grab some. Going out of town for a few days so I'll probably end up getting some this coming weekend and having another go.

I hear you brother regarding hi-end audio... I am extremely leery of, even hesitant about, hi-end audio as it is hard to justify spending anything over USD 1000 for any part of a hi-fi system (now thinking more and more that number should be more like USD 500!). What really woke me up was when my wife dragged me to Bangkok two years ago to audition and buy a A&K 120ii DAP that I had been dreaming about... what a grand disappointment that was as I so did want to have one but upon demoing it and a few other A&K models I truthfully could not ascertain any difference, except for volume/loudness, when comparing with my iPhone 5 using my Shure SE535LTD-Js. I was shocked; even the UI was not what I expected of such a high-end item. I simply could not justify spending the money for just a beautifully finished/looking component. Later, I demoed (for three days) a pair of late 2014 model Shure SE846s... they were uncomfortable to wear due to their slightly larger casing design and shape (I have small ears) and I could not hear/detect any discernible difference or improved sound over my Shure SE535LTD-Js which again really surprised me as they are twice the price and especially after all the hype over 'em. Then when I went to buy a pair of JVC HA-FX1200 Wood IEMs (again due to rave reviews) to only find myself not liking them at all and I ended up buying a pair of the lower model FX750s instead at more than half the price! Now, I have a pair of Audeze LCD-2s gathering dust because I am using and preferring a much more comfortable and sounding pair of closed-backs at one third the price!!!

Yup. I'm not gonna say nobody benefits from buying at the high end of a scale, but I've pretty conclusively determined that I don't, in my testing. Luckily headphones:speakers::motorcycles:cars, where you can get something that's as good-as-makes-no-difference top of the line for a small fraction of the price. Where I am, well, I can hear the difference between my various headphones, and I've tried a few of the relatively pretty expensive ones and can hear some difference, but not in a way that I could absolutely say is better for sure. I've also tried some much more expensive dacs and can't perceive difference vs. the one built into my phone, say, and beyond the "can reasonably drive my cans at sufficient volume" can't hear much difference between one amp and the next (well I can hear difference between tubes & solid state but that's again not necessarily better, just different). Headphone audio in general, also, tends to be much (depending on who you talk to) less infected with the insane people in HIFI in general, with their $1000 directional cables and special wood blocks to hold them off the floor and so forth and so on. Wouldn't be opposed to picking up say a set of Paradigms and something suitable to drive them at some point, if I move out of apartment and can make some noise, but don't feel any pressing need to and definitely don't see myself ever spending more than say $2500, say, on an audio system.

Speaking of which I may have to buy myself another small desktop headphone amp and wondering if I should just keep it under USD 200 as my past experience has proven that the lower priced gear is just as good if not better! Thinking on another O2 or C5D or maybe the Schiit Magni, decisions, decisions!

Yeah, I think I'm completely set on amps for now. I have a Magni 2, which is probably gonna move to turntable (phono stage is a mani), and if I ever put together the little music player box I want to do at some point, Magni 2 will move to that and I'll either switch inputs with that & Mani or get a Vali 2 for the turntable so's to have all my analog BS in one place . On the go I'm unlikely to ever need an amp. If I needed another solid state for some reason I'd just grab another Fulla and not rip it apart.

 

[ricochet]

Wouldn't be opposed to picking up say a set of Paradigms and something suitable to drive them at some point, if I move out of apartment and can make some noise, but don't feel any pressing need to and definitely don't see myself ever spending more than say $2500, say, on an audio system.

Loved my Paradigm Atoms back way when, what a nice little monitor speaker!

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

Auuuu diiiiii ooooo. Haven't the whole thread yet, will take my time.

Having a DAC + headphone amp inside a chassis is something I've been thinking about for quite a few years.

Did you look at XMOS based DAC ? They offer great performance for there price and are very small. With proper shielding there should be no issue, ideally mu-metal if you can source some.

 

[ricochet]

Auuuu diiiiii ooooo. Haven't the whole thread yet, will take my time.

Do! Definitely an interesting/inspirational read on what he is doing.

Having a DAC + headphone amp inside a chassis is something I've been thinking about for quite a few years.

Did you look at XMOS based DAC ? They offer great performance for there price and are very small. With proper shielding there should be no issue, ideally mu-metal if you can source some.

I completely forgot about XMOS!

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

I completely forgot about XMOS!

Those really are great piece of hardware and support high resolution audio like DSD64. Shouldn't be too hard to plug them to an USB header of the motherboard. Just be careful, like all audio hardware, with the quality of your power-supply.

Most XMOS are only USB --> I2S/SP-DIF though, so you'll still need an I2S/SP-DIF DAC. I'd advocate for I2S .

 

[vluft]

Did you look at XMOS based DAC ? They offer great performance for there price and are very small. With proper shielding there should be no issue, ideally mu-metal if you can source some.

I did not. My thought process was basically "huh I have some extra space in here, y'know what would be cool? if I built in an amp to drive greedier cans" followed shortly by (after stalling while looking at a few amps) "oh hey Schiit just released the Fulla 2 I bet that'd fit in there nicely". My modding philosophy is best described as "minimum effort".

 

[ricochet]

My modding philosophy is best described as "minimum effort".

I wouldn't call your current mod "minimum" to any degree!

 

[GuilleAcoustic]

We do not all share the same definition of "minimum".

 

[vluft]

I wouldn't call your current mod "minimum" to any degree!

Well, to clarify, minimum as in "I want x; what's the easiest way to do x with a quality level I'm happy with?"

This is why the Fulla rip instead of e.g. building an amp/dac - can use USB header to power it, know it sounds good, less soldering &c. From there it's "I want a front panel volume knob and jack", and the minimum effort for those things.

 

[ricochet]

Well understood; just don't sell yourself short for coming up with an ingenious idea and putting it to reality... the desoldering/soldering of the old and new pot alone is a daunting task all in itself on top of figuring out how to cleanly mount the bloody thing in a SFF case!

 

[vluft]

update: christ I hate desoldering. Tried more with flux + solder wick, got the (I'm hoping structural, 'cause I fucked up one of the pads and I don't know what else they would be) big terminals out, inadvertently disassembled/destroyed the pot, then broke off the small terminals from in in the hope that the individual bits left would be easier to remove. Which... may still be true, but no success so far. Also, stabbed myself in the thumb with a hot iron which smarts a bit. So really, things are going great! Will probably get back to trying to rip out the short terminals in a bit and if I can manage that, then will solder in some wires and test the attenuator.

I'm sure somebody who's used a soldering iron much at all would not have an issue with this, but it ain't me, it ain't me, I ain't no competent one. All I've done soldering-wise is fuck around with arduinos and build a few keyboards, which, y'know, pretty trivial.

(As a side note that may amuse people who know electronics at all, I spent about 45 minutes trying to find a datasheet for the existing pot that actually listed what the ground/in/out terminals are so I would know what to wire things to. Then I had the BRAINWAVE that maybe that shit is standardized, and lo and behold, turns out 'tis. [And then I briefly wondered how to figure out which channel was which on the existing so I could wire the same before the incredible pointlessness of that concern came to me.])

 

[EdZ]

I'm sure somebody who's used a soldering iron much at all would not have an issue with this

Desoldering is easy.... when using a purpose-built desoldering tool with a high-power hollow tip and active suction controlled via foot-pedal. Otherwise, everyone hates desoldering by hand, especially with lead-free solder.