Well, it runs on electricity doesn't it, which means it has to be turned on, and keeping it on burns it in. Or does it run on ozone or something?

I don't know about the Bryston but my Sennheiser amp definitely sounds richer after about a 4 or 5 hour warmup.  Most electronics offer improved performance after burn in. Some just require more burn in time than others.  Don't confuse burn-in with warm-up: burn in is initial time on after never...

I prefer to hook up via RCA SPDIF whenever possible.  I think it supports all formats and speeds.

What is different? Same size driver.  Same specs.  Seems they just added some extra black paint, another cable and only raised the official list price by $200.   Amazon dumping at $1000 tells me something is up.   Bill

​As far as the HD800 S goes, I think it is just a regular HD800 with an extra balanced XLR4 cable added and some spiffier packaging. The specs are the same.  Amazon is unloading HD800 for just under $1000.  Senn us probably dumping HD800 and will in future only offer HD800S, black trim.  Same...

​I cannot absolutely answer about the HDVA 600 as I have the HDVD800, but since they are supposed to have the same amp, I suppose what is true for one will be true of the other.  I run my Oppo 95 >HDVD800 balanced, XLR3 and > out XLR4 to HD800.  I imagine the balancing occurs in the amp itself. ...

I don't know anything about iPhones or lightning connectors so I can't help you.  Just use whatever sounds best.   Good luck   Bill

USB 2 is the original USB type, before the USB 3 you said you didn't feel comfortable using with your iPhone.  Is your iPhone USB 3 only? USB 2 is the usual way to connect digital music devices other than SPDIF or Optical.   Bill

I think practically anything would be a better source than a cellphone.  But if you want to use your iPhone as a source Apple Lossless (ALAC) is fine as a file format, same idea as FLAC, and I would recommend USB 2connection.  Any HD would be better for home as long as you have some music...

Sorry, don't know about iPhones or any cellphones.  I don't even have one.  Cellphones are all MP3 aren't they?  Will an IPhone hold higher rez music files, like FLAC or WAV.  I know iTunes will handle ALAC but not FLAC.  Can an iPhone handle ALAC? I thought that was just for iPods.   All my...

One version of HDVD800.  HDVA600 is same amp without the DAC.   As far as I know, only one color, silver.   The DAC in the 800 is only OK.  You might want the 600 with some better DAC, The DAC chip I believe is a Burr Brown 179_something. They don't say in the manual. I had a Denon DVD3930...

I don't know about the HD800 S but since it carries the same model number with the S after it I assume it is a slight tweak on the original and not fundamentally different.  The 800S should work fine with the HDVD800 or HDVD600 if you want to get a better DAC. I got a Benchmark DAC2 HGC but...

Thanks again. I got the ripping formula down pat now. Last one only took a couple of minutes.   As to the SACD that wouldn't rip the second disc, it was a hybrid disc and it was a "Mahler symphony #2 by M T Thomas and the San Francisco symphony.  I also tried another 2 disc set, Mahler #9 by...

Thanks loads.  I didn't see encoding before.  I selected and now I see a flac after ripping.   On the 2 CD issue, I can't get that one to rip disc 2.  It is a SACD, maybe that's why.  I'll try another 2CD SACD set and see what that does. A regular 2CD symphony tried ripped OK.    Does it...

So I got this Onkyo portable player and I though I would load a bunch of music onto 200GB micro SD cards in FLAC format.  I downloaded Jriver and started ripping CDs. I set the output type to FLAC and ripped and when I looked when it was done the file is labeled as an ape file. What gives? ...

Basically, if you are satisfied with the Cavalli, let things alone and be happy.  Seeing that you are too restless to be happy, see if you can audition the HDVD800 somewhere first.  I own both HD800 & HDVD800 and am totally happy with the combination.  I don't know anything about the Cavalli so...

Just wondering if there is any qualitative difference between FLAC and ALAC files.  The are both the same concept.   Will my ALAC files sound any different from a FLAC file?   Thanks for any comment.   Bill

Is there any qualitative difference between FLAC AND ALAC?  They are both the same concept. Does an Apple lossless file sound the same as a FlAC file?   Just wondering if my ALAC files for my iPod will sound the same if I use them through something else.   Thanks,   Bill

Do your comparisons SE.  After you decide, if what you wind up with has XLR cabling option go further by adding that.  I made my comparisons using SE only with HD600, so I didn't have to recable my HD800/HDVD connection.  The SE HD600 connection, after volume matching, was satisfactory for the...

Now that you have an amp you like, why look for a DAC with a built-in amp?  Perhaps for the same money you can get a better DAC.  I think the things are usually either one or the other.  Either its a DAC with an amp thrown in (better DAC than amp) or its am amp with a DAC thrown in (just a so so...

Both burned in yes.  Also both warmed up for about 4 hour before comparison.  The HDVD 800 seems to improve measurably after 4 or 5 hours warm up, so should your 600.  I have no experience with DAC1.  I should be happy with what I have.  This is what I learned with buying the Benchmark.  It...

I just compared the amps in the HDVD800 and Benchmark DAC2, using HD600 and analog out of the Marantz SA8005 using its DAC and bypassing the DACs in both Senn and Benchmark.  After several minutes it became apparent the HDVD800 amp was superior.  Better detail, definition and a greater...

I also have a Denon DVD-3930 and consider it to be equal in quality and voicing to the Marantz SA8005.  My Oppo BDP95 is more detailed but a bit bass-shy on some recordings.    I think it may be that for all practical purposes, I have about as good as it gets, materially speaking.  Any...

I just acquired a Benchmark DAC2 HGC and am wondering if I made a good choice.  The DAC sections of both my disc players, Oppo BDP 95 and Marantz SA 8005 seem to outperform the Benchmark. Is there a well recognized axiom that the output from decent DACs from different manufacturers have...

Balanced.  XLR out from source to HDVD800 and XLR4 to HD800.  I'm not sure it makes a difference, but it can't hurt to try for all you can theoretically get.