M2Tech HiFace - using it? Like it?

John - thanks for joining in. (Pete B here) Cdm - I'm with you. That extra 5% isn't worth all the trouble. You must have kept your original HiFace and had John do a mod on another one. Smart move actually. I've had the same thought. If both are working well I would use the original HiFace for my headset amp. I'm confident that John will make it right for you.

The new version offered by HiFace has a lot of options that have no benefit for me. I'll be happy with the original mod if it performs like you experienced.

About the 5V supply - I too think that there is a lot of effort for a 5% improvement but so many people asked me for this that I provided this option via the modified USB cable. Some people also get fixated by this 5% & forget about the bigger picture but there you go. I think your pragmatic approach is the way to go, Pete.

The 5V can/could be addressed at a later stage if desired.

I should correct my statement above to "ask Marco what he thinks MIGHT be the best sounding"

Here's the follow-up I got from John Kenny after he received my faulty hiFace mod:

“I just this morning received your Hiface & immediately opened it up to test it. Rather than it being a burnt out switch, I found a bad solder joint on the switch to one of the batteries. This prevented this battery from being re-charged. So the battery (that goes under the Hiface) now measures 2.7V The battery is the one that is connected to the LED & this explains how it dimmed after 10 mins (something I couldn't explain at the time) - the depleted battery will recover a small amount of its charge when left to sit & when reconnected this charge is enough to light the low current LED but at too low a voltage for the Hiface. I have put a new test procedure in place to prevent this problem in the future. Sorry you had to be the one that uncovered this & that you were an international postage away."

John's a completely trustworthy guy and the SQ of his hiFace mod is superb.

Thanks for the follow-up Cdm. I have the same feeling about John Kenny. Here in Mexico one cannot send insured mail (believe it or not), so I have given my HiFace to a friend headed back to the States. She will be mailing it to John from there. As you did, I will provide a follow-up. Most likely the whole process of sending and receiving back the Hiface will take a month depending on the mail and John's backlog.

Again, Thanks!

In reading the thread, there seems to be an audible improvement in using the BNC rather than the RCA termination. Also an improvement in going with an external power supply.

Not sure if anyone tried it, but would there be a difference in where the device is located. Standard is to put it on the computer and then use a longer length of coax cable to the DAC. You could also locate it at the DAC and use a longer length of USB cable back to the computer. I was thinking that to locate the cable before the reclocking might be better.

Has anyone tried it?

Paul