UPDATED 2/22 REVIEW 13 USB DAC amp - Predator, Pico, 2/3MOVE, D10 D3 D2 Viper/Boa D1, Lyrix, MicroAmp, Vivid V1, Nuforce, XM5

[kostalex]

I used velcroes with no problem with Meier Move (silver), TTVJ Millett Portable, iBasso D2, Headamp Pico (bronze).

[djlemon]

Hey there HeadphoneAddict,

Firstly, i would like to thank you for the comprehensive reviews done not only in this thread but in Head-Fi itself, really appreciate it

Ok, i have a question, you knew this was coming right? haha

Anyways, i hope you could point me in a direction between the XM5 and the Nuforce Icon Mobile.

I understand that it is quite a leap from the Icon to the XM5 in terms of price. I am using a W3+UM56 with either an iPod Touch and 5.5G or with the Cowon D2. I used to own the Hornet but sold it off as i felt the bass was way too boomy for me to handle.

A few questions on my mind are:

1) Would the XM5 and Icon Mobile present a less boomy bass as compared to the Hornet?

2) If they do, would it be worth forking out the extra cash and waiting for the XM5? I am able to audition the Icon Mobile here and get it straight away but i just can't afford the extra buy. If i could, i would get the Icon to tide me through the wait for the XM5 if it were worth it.

3) I may at times utilize the DAC function with either the MS Pros or Denon D5k, any comments about that?

Sorry for the lengthy post..

I thank you for your opinions in advance!

[HeadphoneAddict]

Originally Posted by djlemon

Hey there HeadphoneAddict,

Firstly, i would like to thank you for the comprehensive reviews done not only in this thread but in Head-Fi itself, really appreciate it

Ok, i have a question, you knew this was coming right? haha

Anyways, i hope you could point me in a direction between the XM5 and the Nuforce Icon Mobile.

I understand that it is quite a leap from the Icon to the XM5 in terms of price. I am using a W3+UM56 with either an iPod Touch and 5.5G or with the Cowon D2. I used to own the Hornet but sold it off as i felt the bass was way too boomy for me to handle.

A few questions on my mind are:

1) Would the XM5 and Icon Mobile present a less boomy bass as compared to the Hornet?

2) If they do, would it be worth forking out the extra cash and waiting for the XM5? I am able to audition the Icon Mobile here and get it straight away but i just can't afford the extra buy. If i could, i would get the Icon to tide me through the wait for the XM5 if it were worth it.

3) I may at times utilize the DAC function with either the MS Pros or Denon D5k, any comments about that?

Sorry for the lengthy post..

I thank you for your opinions in advance!

The XM5 is the obvious choice for you here. Save up some more, and get a 1st aid kit for your wallet!

[djlemon]

Haha ok man, thanks!

*SHOUTS a loud sorry to my bank account*!

[elbuzzard]

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict

At the end of my rankings I mention all the amps are nice sounding. Basically if I was constrained by a budget, I'd be okay with having to use any of them, but some are better than others in the job of bringing a totally transparent performance to my ears.

For instance, I think the D10 driving headphones and IEM is very close to the $500 Apogee Duet that I am borrowing - with some phones one is better, and with other the other one is better (with Head-direct RE2 that I am burning in, the Duet sounds better with them, but with Westone ES3X or Westone 3 the D10 is everybit as good or slightly better). I haven't reviewed the Apogee as I consider it a desktop DAC/amp that wont run under it's own battery power like the others, but I put it among the top DAC/amps around. The only reason the Predator and 3MOVE (and often the XM5) rank as high as the amps with superior DAC's is that the quality and sound signature of their amps makes up for it, making you just want to listen more.

i was wondering how the duet stacked up against these others.

[Anouk]

Hello everyone,
Well, my ibasso d10 arrived yesterday afternoon. I will be pairing it with the ultrasone pro900 and my laptop or my iriver, which still has to arrive so its just my laptop for the time being. I must say the built quality is better then i expected although the ibasso is a bit longer then I expected it to be as well. I hope it works well with the pro900, i have to put my home amp in high gain for it to produce good volume, but the volume knob is only at a low setting. I will try the ibasso later today, i still have to figure out the buttons, i actually really like the volume/on-off combo, at least i am always certain now that the amp is turned off.
I really hope that this combo will be my final portable setup, or maybe the `10 with the westone 3 that arrived yesterday as well.
Greetings, Anouk,

[HeadphoneAddict]

Originally Posted by Anouk

Hello everyone,
Well, my ibasso d10 arrived yesterday afternoon. I will be pairing it with the ultrasone pro900 and my laptop or my iriver, which still has to arrive so its just my laptop for the time being. I must say the built quality is better then i expected although the ibasso is a bit longer then I expected it to be as well. I hope it works well with the pro900, i have to put my home amp in high gain for it to produce good volume, but the volume knob is only at a low setting. I will try the ibasso later today, i still have to figure out the buttons, i actually really like the volume/on-off combo, at least i am always certain now that the amp is turned off.
I really hope that this combo will be my final portable setup, or maybe the `10 with the westone 3 that arrived yesterday as well.
Greetings, Anouk,

If you need help picking opamps to tune the sound, if not perfect for your Pro 900 or W3, just let us know here or in the big D10 thread by jamato8 and we'll be happy to help.

[Anouk]

Hello, oops this is actually the wrong thread. I intended to post in 'the big' thread, must have been way too early for me. Thats what you get with insomnia! Will see you over in the other thread!
Greetings, Anouk,

[JPIndustrie]

I must say. I'm listening to the Westone 3's through the D10, through the digital optical out of my Macbook Pro and the sound is so clear. Amazing. I don't know if I could go back to analog headphone out.

The D10 is an amazing product, especially for the price - the slight noise issue just holds it back.

[HeadphoneAddict]

Originally Posted by JPIndustrie

I must say. I'm listening to the Westone 3's through the D10, through the digital optical out of my Macbook Pro and the sound is so clear. Amazing. I don't know if I could go back to analog headphone out.

The D10 is an amazing product, especially for the price - the slight noise issue just holds it back.

I tried going back tonight just for grins, and while the headphone out into ALO Amphora is nice, the D10 DAC is clearly superior in every way.

[bakhtiar]

Originally Posted by JPIndustrie

I must say. I'm listening to the Westone 3's through the D10, through the digital optical out of my Macbook Pro and the sound is so clear. Amazing. I don't know if I could go back to analog headphone out.

The D10 is an amazing product, especially for the price - the slight noise issue just holds it back.

Now, you are enjoying the D10 at the fullest potential. Congratulation.

[thechungster]

Ooh, a nice review on the Nuforce icon mobile

[qib]

Headphoneaddict- Would you by any chance have a voyager to compare with the ibasso d10? Thanks.

[HeadphoneAddict]

Originally Posted by qib

Headphoneaddict- Would you by any chance have a voyager to compare with the ibasso d10? Thanks.

Nope, sorry.

[bakhtiar]

I don't know where to put this post, but since I bought Icon Mobile and iBasso D10 based on this thread, here we go


How do we comparing our earphones or amps?

There are several ways for it.
1a) Source -> Earphones.
1b) Source -> Amp -> Earphones

Here, with one source, we need the remember the sound from earphones, before we replace it with others. It is bit tedious, and sometime we tend to miss a litte details.

2) Source -> Amp => Earphones(A) + Earphones(B)
Here, we can compare directly Earphones A and Earphones B, by inserting the same channel from both phones in our ears. The sound will be in monorual, but, because of the earphone's sound's signature, it may produce differend soundstage . There are amps with 2 headphones out, example Nuforce IM. But, the problem is both earphones have different sensitivity, and the volume level will be mismatch.

3) Different media.
Laptop -USB->DAC/AMP(A)->Earphones(A)&
Laptop -SPDIF->DAC/AMP(B)->Earphones(B)
But, sometime we cannot send the same audio output to different HW at the same time.

Now, here is my way to test 2 earphones and 2 USB-DAC-AMPs at the SAME time
4) Laptop -USB1-> DAC/AMP(A) -> Earphones(A)&
Laptop -USB2-> DAC/AMP(B) -> Earphones(B)&
Laptop -> Earphones(C) (optional)

2 USB-DAC-AMPs are connected to the PC/Laptop and with a sound driver configuration, in my case is ALSA on GNU/Linux OS, sound data can be send to BOTH USB-DAC-AMPs, or to ALL sound output, simultaneously . So I can control the volume level to match both earphones SPL.


Diana Krall : From This Moment On album : FLAC. No EQ. Volume level were matched at vocal.

LEFT : PFE + D10
RIGHT : NE-7M + IM

Left : Deeper bass. Detailed vocal texture. Strings and percussions were much clearer and cleaner.
Right : Humming bass. Vocal = Almost invisible, Louder 'sch'

The LEFT setup sound so musical , but the RIGHT side just humming, and 'invisible'. There were sound on the RIGHT, but difficult distinguish what was it.

Now, I swapped earphones and amps.

LEFT : NE-7M + D10
RIGHT : PFE + IM

Left : Vocal = Nice and smooth, More musical intruments can be heard. Treble = clear and clean.
Right : Bass=reccessed. Piano almost as good as LEFT. Vocal=Grainy. Trumpets were much clearer.

Aha... now the LEFT setup were sounded better.

Conclusion. AMP do make differences, BIG differences. Especially in micro details and seperations. Actually, it is quite difficult to test this way , but, the result is instantaneous and fun too


This picture was taken during my first attempt of the simultaneous earphones and amps comparison.


Thank you.