[moneypit]

I've read through this thread multiple times at this point.

My work computer (the one my company gives me to use) will be connected via RCA. My better computer that is actually not hot garbage (M2 Max Mac Studio) is running through my AresII and connected via XLR. When I have to take a phone/video call, I'll be listening through the balanced output from RCA input but I don't really care about sound quality in that scenario.

However...

I currently use DT770 Pros (250ohm) when video editing for my mediocre YT channel on my Mac. That has a non-detachable SE cable. Both this thread and Singxer recommend not to use SE out if balanced in. How bad is it really? I suppose I could always buy the 770 Pro X and get a balanced cable for it or some other closed-back headphone with a detachable cable if its really that bad. Alternatively, I could just use my Focals but I prefer closed-back for working in Resolve. I'm sure I can judge for myself once it arrives but I'd like to start window-shopping alternatives if balanced in-SE out is really terrible.

 

[Hypops]

I've read through this thread multiple times at this point.

My work computer (the one my company gives me to use) will be connected via RCA. My better computer that is actually not hot garbage (M2 Max Mac Studio) is running through my AresII and connected via XLR. When I have to take a phone/video call, I'll be listening through the balanced output from RCA input but I don't really care about sound quality in that scenario.

However...

I currently use DT770 Pros (250ohm) when video editing for my mediocre YT channel on my Mac. That has a non-detachable SE cable. Both this thread and Singxer recommend not to use SE out if balanced in. How bad is it really? I suppose I could always buy the 770 Pro X and get a balanced cable for it or some other closed-back headphone with a detachable cable if its really that bad. Alternatively, I could just use my Focals but I prefer closed-back for working in Resolve. I'm sure I can judge for myself once it arrives but I'd like to start window-shopping alternatives if balanced in-SE out is really terrible.

I honestly wouldn't worry much about "crossing streams" between SE and balanced. I used to run balanced in (and then use both SE and balanced out), but now I run SE in (and still swap between SE and balanced out). I probably pick up some distortion, but it's negligible enough that I've never noticed any difference. Said otherwise, you've likely got other sound-quality bottlenecks bigger than that small bit of distortion. But more importantly it's nearly impossible to do a straight A/B comparison between the various input/output combinations since you'd have to start factoring in things like cable differences, connector quality differences, etc., etc.

I haven't seen any measurements/specs showing what effect (if any) it has on performance to switch between SE and balanced. I would imagine it has a lot to do with whatever technique the amp uses to switch. If you just look at the complex gain structure (relayed somewhere earlier in this thread), the process of moving between SE and balanced doesn't seem straightforward. But the amp shows very little performance hit to using SE (in and out), and it also shows very little performance hit in switching from low to high gain. That suggests to me that the amp was designed throughout to perform in all modes and combinations of modes to the same performance standard. I expect switching from SE input to balanced output (or vice versa) is no different. It really is an impressive little amp.

 

[Khark]

I've read through this thread multiple times at this point.

My work computer (the one my company gives me to use) will be connected via RCA. My better computer that is actually not hot garbage (M2 Max Mac Studio) is running through my AresII and connected via XLR. When I have to take a phone/video call, I'll be listening through the balanced output from RCA input but I don't really care about sound quality in that scenario.

However...

I currently use DT770 Pros (250ohm) when video editing for my mediocre YT channel on my Mac. That has a non-detachable SE cable. Both this thread and Singxer recommend not to use SE out if balanced in. How bad is it really? I suppose I could always buy the 770 Pro X and get a balanced cable for it or some other closed-back headphone with a detachable cable if its really that bad. Alternatively, I could just use my Focals but I prefer closed-back for working in Resolve. I'm sure I can judge for myself once it arrives but I'd like to start window-shopping alternatives if balanced in-SE out is really terrible.

I've actually preferred the SE out over the balanced outs for headphones (balanced in) when i used the Singxer for a small period of time, faster more enjoyable sound.

But overall, i wasn't thrilled with this amp much, too tame and polite for my taste.

 

[Riverflow]

I've read through this thread multiple times at this point.

My work computer (the one my company gives me to use) will be connected via RCA. My better computer that is actually not hot garbage (M2 Max Mac Studio) is running through my AresII and connected via XLR. When I have to take a phone/video call, I'll be listening through the balanced output from RCA input but I don't really care about sound quality in that scenario.

However...

I currently use DT770 Pros (250ohm) when video editing for my mediocre YT channel on my Mac. That has a non-detachable SE cable. Both this thread and Singxer recommend not to use SE out if balanced in. How bad is it really? I suppose I could always buy the 770 Pro X and get a balanced cable for it or some other closed-back headphone with a detachable cable if its really that bad. Alternatively, I could just use my Focals but I prefer closed-back for working in Resolve. I'm sure I can judge for myself once it arrives but I'd like to start window-shopping alternatives if balanced in-SE out is really terrible.

I personal think there is very little difference if any on SE or balanced in on the singxer but all my headphones are balanced so I listen balanced out.I can not tell any major difference between my Oppo 203 SE out to the singxer and my loxjie D50 balanced dac.I bought the D50 after reading all the balanced in argument and it looks nice and gives me a bluetooth connection but it was another waste of money(at first I was convinced I could hear the difference but now think it was a case of the emperors cloths).
The amp is good and value for money in my opinion but to be honest it comes second to my Liquid Platinum amp for my personal choice but that can change with the values used.
The problem with amp in this range is there is quiet a few out there and a lot of people who for one reason or another get quiet excited about the amp they have spent there hard earned money on. They will never be happy until they have got the best of the best and good luck to them if they have the money to chase this dream.
The amp like all amp I listened to at this range are similar but I do find the Headphone you listen make a bigger difference than cables fuses balanced or SE.

 

[Hypops]

Said another way, back when I had a DAC with both balanced and SE outputs, I compared my budget XLR cables ($50) to a higher-quality set of RCA cables ($200) using the same DAC into the Singxer. I used the balanced output to my headphones for both. In that informal A/B test, the RCA cables handily outperformed the XLR cables. In other words, whatever hit I might have taken by switching between SE and balanced was less than the performance difference between those two sets of cables.

In my experience, it's an amp that is very transparent to upstream gear and cables. When I see folks describing this amp as "polite" or "inoffensive," I assume that's most likely the result of their upstream gear. It's an amp that gives you back whatever you put into it. It doesn't have much flavor of its own.

 

[equalspeace]

I didn't realize until this week Singxer came out w a version 2 of the SA1. I found the original underpowered and too soft for my tastes. Is the new version doing better?

 

[Shane D]

I didn't realize until this week Singxer came out w a version 2 of the SA1. I found the original underpowered and too soft for my tastes. Is the new version doing better?

On two sites that I found last night, selling the V2 of this amp, I asked the question "What does the V2 version add?"
Waiting for replies

 

[equalspeace]

On two sites that I found last night, selling the V2 of this amp, I asked the question "What does the V2 version add?"
Waiting for replies

Thanks dude

 

[moneypit]

If you look at photos of the PCB from v1.3 and 2.0, there are differences. I don't know that it makes a difference in sound, though.

 

[Etx1]

Have had mine now for a couple of weeks, used but was unopened as sticker was intact.
Could not resist the mod so I tried it, personally it sounded better with the mod however after an hour of listening started to get panicky thinking my 109's might go bang so went back to no mod. Might try it again in the future when I am feeling brave.

 

[Khark]

In my experience, it's an amp that is very transparent to upstream gear and cables. When I see folks describing this amp as "polite" or "inoffensive," I assume that's most likely the result of their upstream gear. It's an amp that gives you back whatever you put into it. It doesn't have much flavor of its own.

Yes, it is. You can easily hear upstream changes with this amp. But it doesn't change the fact that it has a character of its own -like most amps- and can add or detract from the chain. Personally i felt it smoothened and reined in things a bit too much. Btw, my initial thoughts were exactly the same as yours, that it was a transparent mostly colourless amp relying on the upstream setup.

 

[moneypit]

I'll find out soon enough. Mine is sitting at DHL in Hong Kong waiting to travel across the Pacific. I don't see how it will get to my door by EOD tomorrow as DHL predicts.

I don't anticipate it being the greatest amp ever made. Taking inflation into account, the price is barely more than I paid for my Headroom Total Bithead in 2004 and significantly less than the amp I am currently using from 2008. I'm pretty excited to hear what a sub-$500 (on sale) amp sounds like in 2024. If my current amp had balanced out, I wouldn't have purchased it. That's the theory, anyway.

 

[DeckHiFi]

I've actually preferred the SE out over the balanced outs for headphones (balanced in) when i used the Singxer for a small period of time, faster more enjoyable sound.

But overall, i wasn't thrilled with this amp much, too tame and polite for my taste.

Thanks for sharing. Finally tried SE out for first time in awhile with my concept of turning up low gain pretty high and really loving this with fast filter (needed for voices to have their full sound) on my dac. Balanced out also sounds great of course but this sounds less stretched out (SE) and is very easy to listen to. Soundstage doesn’t sound like it’s trying to do anything impressive, almost like it just lets your headphones do what they do.

 

[rjacko01]

I don't think you will be disappointed with your purchase, do think some would want more power driving the HE 6SE, do use it more as as pre, driving the AE1 actives.

 

[Hypops]

I don't think you will be disappointed with your purchase, do think some would want more power driving the HE 6SE, do use it more as as pre, driving the AE1 actives.

Driving the HE6se v2 with the Singxer is all about taking advantage of the Singxer's weird gain structure and its high input sensitivity. For example, you get the most gain by using SE input and balanced output (17dB gain in high-gain mode) rather than by using balanced input to balanced output (11dB gain in high-gain mode). Combine that with a high line-level SE voltage input (Mojo 2 outputs 4V), and I've got plenty of headroom to drive the HE6se v2 with the Singxer.