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UPDATED 2/22 REVIEW 13 USB DAC amp - Predator, Pico, 2/3MOVE, D10 D3 D2 Viper/Boa D1, Lyrix,... - Page 2

post #16 of 1097
3/15/08 at 11:21am
Good review
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post #17 of 1097
3/15/08 at 12:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by 909 View Post


that basically would be 50 days of straight burn in--absolutely amazing, i wonder if ray even knows its full potential. thank goodness, it only got better for you (funny we never hear negative burn-in attributes always positive). anyway, color me a big time skeptic, but more power to you.
About the burn-in I agree. I even find it strange about the non negative. In the first few hundred hours it went up and down some but then it just formed better and better, which is not my normal experience if an amp is still forming (cap). The length of time seems daunting and I still find it hard to believe but what can I say? It has been born out by a number of other ears. I am just glad it ages the way it does, it is kind of fun in a way as even at 800 hours it sounds very good.
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post #18 of 1097
3/15/08 at 12:49pm
Good stuff. I still may get me a Leckerton just to compare with the D2. If I do I'll let you borrow it for review
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post #19 of 1097
3/15/08 at 2:03pm
I'm wondering why it is that so many folks listen to both and are so sold on the Pico based on the upsampling DAC. A lot of what I've read in the other threads has the Pico as the "obvious winner" due to the clean and detailed sound of the DAC.

I know we all have our own preferences, and I don't regret my decision going with the Predator one bit... but I'm curious what HeadphoneAddict and others' opinions are on this. Does the amp in the Predator give it such a great sound sig that we forgive it for the DAC?

I was close to picking up a Pico to do my own comparison, but meh... don't think I'll go there (right now).

And great review, HeadphoneAddict. I enjoyed it!
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post #20 of 1097
3/15/08 at 4:10pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrarroyo View Post
Any chance you can compare them again when the D2 is at 500 hours and the Predator at 1200? Thanks.
I see no reason why not, but I am not sure how long I will do the continuous burn-in with the D2's stock opamps, as I was planning to roll in some new ones at about 250-300 hours.
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post #21 of 1097
3/15/08 at 4:19pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by thread View Post
I'm wondering why it is that so many folks listen to both and are so sold on the Pico based on the upsampling DAC. A lot of what I've read in the other threads has the Pico as the "obvious winner" due to the clean and detailed sound of the DAC.

I know we all have our own preferences, and I don't regret my decision going with the Predator one bit... but I'm curious what HeadphoneAddict and others' opinions are on this. Does the amp in the Predator give it such a great sound sig that we forgive it for the DAC?

I was close to picking up a Pico to do my own comparison, but meh... don't think I'll go there (right now).

And great review, HeadphoneAddict. I enjoyed it!
I think that I covered that in my review pretty well, no argument from me here. I tend to think of the Predator as a musical amp, and the Pico as a neutral source.
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post #22 of 1097
3/15/08 at 4:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by thread View Post
I'm wondering why it is that so many folks listen to both and are so sold on the Pico based on the upsampling DAC. A lot of what I've read in the other threads has the Pico as the "obvious winner" due to the clean and detailed sound of the DAC.

I know we all have our own preferences, and I don't regret my decision going with the Predator one bit... but I'm curious what HeadphoneAddict and others' opinions are on this. Does the amp in the Predator give it such a great sound sig that we forgive it for the DAC?

I was close to picking up a Pico to do my own comparison, but meh... don't think I'll go there (right now).

And great review, HeadphoneAddict. I enjoyed it!
I have not read that the Pico is an obvious winner and although the dacs are different I do not know that one is superior in sound to the other. Specs are one thing, implementation is another. I have not read that many accounts comparing the two and there are still not that many Predators out there with enough hours on them. AGain, what is there to forgive on the dac? Just questions but I don't see a position either way as supported by time born out comparisons as both are still fairly new.
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post #23 of 1097
3/15/08 at 4:20pm
Thread Starter 
It looks like after mrarroyo is done reviewing Skylab's 2MOVE that I will be doing so too. Should be interesting.
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post #24 of 1097
3/15/08 at 4:33pm
Great review. I was wondering how would Headroom Micro amp with DAC compares to the Predator and Pico. For sure, it is bigger than the other two but would it provide a sound closer to a home amp ??? Thanks..
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post #25 of 1097
3/15/08 at 6:08pm
Thread Starter 
I have the Micro Stack (2006) portable DAC and Amp, and I am burning in the amp right now. It sounds VERY good, but I haven't done a detailed evaluation of the Amp. So I don't want to comment about that section yet vs these.

In the limited time I've had it I do think the DAC's line out is more balanced and warm than the DAC line out from the iBasso D1, despite trying 4 different opamps in the iBasso DAC section. I bought this mainly for a better portable optical DAC, and I use it with the iRiver H140 and Predator, which all fits in a headroom Micro Bag. I could not fit the iRiver AND Micro Amp in the bag at the same time with the Micro DAC, and I can't really fit the D2 in there either (stretches the clear plastic and might rip it).

The 2007 Micro portable is now a 2 in 1, but they changed the DAC chip from the flagship Cirrus Logic to another chip, and several other changes were made which I don't know the effect on performance. I haven't seen reviews yet. It certainly is a bigger package, and I consider it more of a transportable, like the D1. The 20 hour re-chargable battery is a plus, over a FOUR 250 mah 9v re-chargables for the "stack" that need a separate charger.

I only bought the Micro Amp as an afterthought because of the $120 discount for the package deal, and already like it better than my HeadFive or Meier HA-1, which aren't portable. Then again, I've said the Predator is better than those two also.
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post #26 of 1097
3/15/08 at 7:45pm
Looking back at the review, I suppose you did make the direct comparison between the pico/predator sound sigs that I was asking for. My apologies for missing that. And it makes sense... Some people will prefer the neutral sig of the Pico, while some will enjoy the added flavor of the Predator.
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post #27 of 1097
3/16/08 at 12:31am
Thread Starter 
awfully quiet here.
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post #28 of 1097
3/16/08 at 1:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict View Post
awfully quiet here.
lol probably because the majority (like me) are out at some kind of party.

But ironically, I spend the time to check up on Head-Fi and post.

Thanks for the review...I'm just frustrated right now because I can't afford either the Predator right now...I had the funds, but I decided to blow it on a Little Dot MK IV SE instead.

Hopefully someday I'll buy an iMod dock, Predator, and UE triple.fi 10 Pro before I go to college.

Thanks again for making me salivate over audio equipment.
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post #29 of 1097
3/16/08 at 2:12am
Great review !

I just past 410 hours on my Predator and the bass is still improving,as seems to be the midrange as well.
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post #30 of 1097
3/16/08 at 1:52pm
Hey Manny,

How does the Predator sound with the ESW9s? I have heard the ESW9s are warm sounding and so is the Predator. Is it too much warmth.

Thanks
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Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Headphone Amps › UPDATED 2/22 REVIEW 13 USB DAC amp - Predator, Pico, 2/3MOVE, D10 D3 D2 Viper/Boa D1, Lyrix, MicroAmp, Vivid V1, Nuforce, XM5