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Best AMP to drive the Westone ES3X? - Page 3

post #31 of 39
3/11/09 at 9:18am
Power is not really as much a concern for driving IEM's. Noise floor is.

I can really only use my ES3X with my HeadAmp Pico, as it has the lowest noise floor of all my amps. Everything else, I can very clearly hear hissing noise even with the volume turned all the way down.

-Ed
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post #32 of 39
3/11/09 at 9:19pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Edwood View Post
Power is not really as much a concern for driving IEM's. Noise floor is.

I can really only use my ES3X with my HeadAmp Pico, as it has the lowest noise floor of all my amps. Everything else, I can very clearly hear hissing noise even with the volume turned all the way down.

-Ed
Do the P-51 Mustang's hiss?
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post #33 of 39
3/12/09 at 12:20am
My P51 does not hiss when paired with Shure SE530 or ER-4P (with our without 4S adapter), except when I turn the volume all the way up to 2/3 of max volume.
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post #34 of 39
3/16/09 at 3:13am
I enjoy many of my top of the line portable amps with the ES3X - including the iBasso D10, Predator, Pico, 3MOVE and XM5. The D10 and Pico stand out more because of their DACs, while the 3MOVE is harder to use because I need it to stay in high output mode for HD600 and so it is difficult to adjust volume on IEM this sensitive. I will have a P-51 here in a couple of days to try out too.

The sound signature of the D10 is like the Predator and Pico combined, with all the detail and bigger soundstage of the Pico's DAC, so I tend to use it the most with the ES3X.
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post #35 of 39
3/17/09 at 8:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict View Post
I enjoy many of my top of the line portable amps with the ES3X - including the iBasso D10, Predator, Pico, 3MOVE and XM5. The D10 and Pico stand out more because of their DACs, while the 3MOVE is harder to use because I need it to stay in high output mode for HD600 and so it is difficult to adjust volume on IEM this sensitive. I will have a P-51 here in a couple of days to try out too.

The sound signature of the D10 is like the Predator and Pico combined, with all the detail and bigger soundstage of the Pico's DAC, so I tend to use it the most with the ES3X.
so you actually prefer the D10 to pico with ES3X?? or does the amp section of the pico win slightly? because you are making it VERY hard for me to avoid buying one of these with this statement. I will see how I feel once I have finished my gamma1 build with modded output stage, wait for burn-in to settle down and then consider this dac. would be better if they release the DAC only version... for me anyway
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post #36 of 39
3/17/09 at 2:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by qusp View Post
so you actually prefer the D10 to pico with ES3X?? or does the amp section of the pico win slightly? because you are making it VERY hard for me to avoid buying one of these with this statement. I will see how I feel once I have finished my gamma1 build with modded output stage, wait for burn-in to settle down and then consider this dac. would be better if they release the DAC only version... for me anyway
Yes, the Pico is good too with ES3X but there is something about the D10 that keeps me coming back to it. Now that's I've been spoiled by the D10 DAC, I don't really use the 3MOVE, Predator or XM5 DAC any more, but feed the D10 optical into them if I want to mess around with other amps. Of those, only the 3MOVE is difficult with the ES3X because I am leaving it in high gain mode for my HD600.
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post #37 of 39
3/18/09 at 3:49am
Larry,

Do you prefer the D10 over those amps because it has a superior DAC, but somewhat falls short of the others in its amp section?

The Headsix and the D10 are high on my list (along with P3). I might be willing to pay extra for the DAC that I don't use, bear the extra bulk/heft and have a shorter battery life if the amp section of D10 is worth it.

Thanks.
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post #38 of 39
3/18/09 at 1:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Navyblue View Post
Larry,

Do you prefer the D10 over those amps because it has a superior DAC, but somewhat falls short of the others in its amp section?

The Headsix and the D10 are high on my list (along with P3). I might be willing to pay extra for the DAC that I don't use, bear the extra bulk/heft and have a shorter battery life if the amp section of D10 is worth it.

Thanks.
I like the D10 DAC as much as the Pico, but I like the D10 amp section slightly more, as it has the richness and engagement of a 2000 hour Predator except with the bigger soundstage of the Pico. I find the Pico amp slightly drier than the D10 or Predator, regardless of whether they are driven by their own DAC or another source. For a while I was using the Pico as a DAC/preamp for both my Woo GES and my Predator on laptop, now the D10 has replaced both.

I find that Pico has a little more power for HD600 and AKG K240M 600 ohm, but the frequency response of the D10 is very good and is just right even if it wont play as loud with those two phones. With everything else the D10 has more than enough power.

Once you've spent time with the micro-detail, ambience, air and space of the D10 DAC or Pico DAC you don't want to go back. I do like the Pico DAC enough that I am on the pre-order list for the DAC-only version, since I wont have to keep it charged like I do the D10 or Pico DAC/amp.
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post #39 of 39
3/18/09 at 2:29pm
Thanks Larry.

I have the feeling that we might have the similar taste. I am primarily looking for rich and full-bodied midrange while not having to sacrifice on detail and frequency extension. Amp like Headsix does it for me, but not iQube and the like.
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