UPDATED 2/22 REVIEW 13 USB DAC amp - Predator, Pico, 2/3MOVE, D10 D3 D2 Viper/Boa D1, Lyrix, MicroAmp, Vivid V1, Nuforce, XM5
Jan 27, 2009 at 1:56 AM Post #586 of 1,096
I really like the D10 with my APS V3 cabled RS-1, after only 3 hours of burn-in. Like the D3, it sounds great right out of the box. Burn-in started about 4PM, so not this weekend but the next weekend I should have my review done with over 300 hours on it.

It wasn't quite as good with the ESW10 yet, as those sound a little flat (but not lifeless) with the D10.
 
Jan 27, 2009 at 2:36 AM Post #587 of 1,096
Larry, when will you be op-amp rolling! Oh yeah, evil at its best.
wink.gif
 
Jan 27, 2009 at 6:39 AM Post #588 of 1,096
Well, add my woodied re-cabled D2000 as a good match for the iBasso D10. I am really enjoying this amp, and it has less than 8 hours of burn-in so far.

The USB DAC seems as good as the other iBassos, and the optical input is just a little more detailed and spacious like I found with the HR Micro DAC.

With 292 more hours of burn-in to go and several opamps to try, I suspect THIS is going to be the best DAC/amp iBasso has ever made.
 
Jan 29, 2009 at 4:43 AM Post #589 of 1,096
Hi Larry aka HeadphoneAddict,

Just got myself a iBasso D2 Viper after reading your very informative article. My choice of getting this D2 is the rolling of opamps. Since I've a pair of lousy audiophile ears (senior citizen group), which opamps should I go for? My kind of music is from the 50's right up to the 70's.

Also, which headphone should I upgrade from my Sennheiser R130 wireless?
 
Jan 29, 2009 at 6:06 AM Post #590 of 1,096
Quote:

Originally Posted by greenarrow /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Hi Larry aka HeadphoneAddict,

Just got myself a iBasso D2 Viper after reading your very informative article. My choice of getting this D2 is the rolling of opamps. Since I've a pair of lousy audiophile ears (senior citizen group), which opamps should I go for? My kind of music is from the 50's right up to the 70's.

Also, which headphone should I upgrade from my Sennheiser R130 wireless?



I answered this question a few minutes ago in the D3 review thread where you cross-posted it. I dug up my reply and post it in here for everyone else...

With LM4562 in the main socket and LM6172 in the ground it sounds similar to the D3 and Pico. Battery life is the best at 17 hours with this. This was good with full size cans and IEM. Very clear and transparent, open and spacious, and balanced.

With LTC6241HV in the main socket and LMH6655 (or was it the 6622) it sounds similar to the Predator. A little warmer and intimate, but not too forward. Oddly I was getting 7 hours out of the battery with this, which made no sense. Good with IEM and full size cans.

With LM6172 in the main socket and THS4032 in the ground it sounds between the 2MOVE and Predator. Warm sounding with loads of power with full size cans, great bass with IEM. Battery life was just under 14 hours with this. Swapping those two opamps to THS4032 in the main socket with LM6172 in the ground has a similar sound to the 1st setup I listed but not quite as good with full size phones as it is with IEM.

It also sounds good with an LMH6622 in the main or ground, but not both. It's too warm and forward with two LM6172 as well.

D2 Viper is an excellent amp and DAC, just not with the stock opamps.
 
Feb 6, 2009 at 6:01 PM Post #592 of 1,096
Headphoneaddict see if you can get a demo product of Lyrix's successor; The Arrow.
and review it!
biggrin.gif


I don't have any reviews, so I doubt I would have any luck if I tried to push my luck and request a demo sample.
 
Feb 6, 2009 at 6:44 PM Post #593 of 1,096
Quote:

Originally Posted by Infoseeker /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Headphoneaddict see if you can get a demo product of Lyrix's successor; The Arrow.
and review it!
biggrin.gif


I don't have any reviews, so I doubt I would have any luck if I tried to push my luck and request a demo sample.



It's still "in production", so I doubt that Robert will be able to send any demos right now
frown.gif
 
Feb 6, 2009 at 9:14 PM Post #594 of 1,096
I will ask him about it. I am enjoying the D10 very much, with about 250 hours on it I have to say it is a top tier amp, and probably their best so far. This weekend I will see if I have time to try more opamps and try to get to 300 hours by Monday to start my review.
 
Feb 9, 2009 at 11:43 AM Post #596 of 1,096
Hi , just to check with you guys :

when i connect the predator to my computer via USB , is the device charging via that USB cable as well ?

Thanks!
 
Feb 9, 2009 at 1:54 PM Post #597 of 1,096
Quote:

Originally Posted by xcluded /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Hi , just to check with you guys :

when i connect the predator to my computer via USB , is the device charging via that USB cable as well ?

Thanks!



no
 
Feb 11, 2009 at 7:05 PM Post #599 of 1,096
Quote:

Originally Posted by nocturnalsheet /img/forum/go_quote.gif
eagerly waiting for larry's review of the D10
biggrin.gif


will be the moment of truth if i should upgrade from my D3 to the D10...

my wallet is crying for help
very_evil_smiley.gif



I can already tell you the upgrade is worth it.

I have passed my 300 hour mark set for burn-in Monday Morning; and so far listened with RS-1, D2000 and HD600, but have only compared it to the Predator since reaching the required burn-in hours. Listening to the D10 and Predator Via USB, and going back and forth between them, I was unable to tell any real differences in the sound other than the D10 has more power to drive the HD600. It was the middle of the night and I was tired, so I have several more days of listening and comparing to do between many of the amps and with many of my headphones.

As you know, the amplifier ranking can actually be a bit different depending on the headphones being used at the time, so I have to do detailed comparisons of multiple amps using multiple headphones and it is taking longer and longer with the more amps and headphones I have. With the D10 included, I still have 10 of the 13 amps that have been (or will be review) reviewed here! (minus Lyrix, D2 Viper and D1). I just can't listen to 7 or 8 headphones on 10 amps in quick succession so I can remember the previous combination's sound, so I have to make some compromises.

I can narrow down the D10 comparisons to only vs the top tier amps where the D10 belongs, and I will be comparing it only to the top 4 DAC/amps that don't sound alike but were all the most enjoyable = Predator, Pico, 3MOVE and XM5. I can skip most of the others for a variety of reasons: I know where the D3 stands vs the Pico (almost the same but slightly less) and where the Micro DAC/Amp stands (pretty much the same as Pico). Although I probably will briefly compare the Micro DAC/Amp vs the D10 DAC/Amp with Optical input, but not with every headphone. I wont need to do a side by side with D2 Boa, Vivid V1 or Nuforce which are below the top tier for reasons mentioned in my reviews, although I may need to pull out the V1 with HD600 to see how the D10 rates, because the V1 is just so much fun with the HD600.

I'll use my RS-1, D2000, HD600, Edition 9 and ESW10 as my full size phones (maybe the AKG K240M 600 ohm just to test power). I'll use my Westone 3, Phonak Audeo, Livewires (and maybe C700/NE-7M) as my IEM for the review. Lastly, I'll try the DAC line out vs Pico with driving my Woo GES/Stax O2 Mk1 rig as well, since that is how I use the Pico 90% of the time (I still like Pico just a little better as a DAC/Pre-amp feeding a full size amp more than as a headphone amp, and think it is very close to the Stello DA100 and Apogee mini-DAC in that setting).

I am also going to try to TEASE APART ALL THE TIED AMPS IN 3RD PLACE if possible, and make my reasons known. In the most recent ranking I had restored the D2 Viper and 3MOVE back to their original 2nd and 3rd places, after hearing the Meier MOVE again and deciding that I was right the first time around (I had moved them due to fading audio memory). The only change that I made to the 1st - 3rd order was that I was enjoying the Pico and XM5 as much as the 3MOVE and brought them both up to 3RD place with the 3MOVE. While the Pico had a better DAC, the 3MOVE and XM5 with the PCM2702E(JAPAN) DAC have wonderful amplifier sections that make up for that in enjoyment).

So, this will be taking some time to get it done.
 
Feb 12, 2009 at 3:06 AM Post #600 of 1,096
Just a question about burning in of the USB DAC amp

when i burn in them via the usb cable , is the DAC section that is burning in or both the DAC and AMP are concurrently burning in?

thanks
smile.gif
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top