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Closed Can suggestion for iBasso D10?

post #1 of 21
12/27/09 at 12:06pm
Thread Starter 
I'm hoping that someone will be able to help.

I am a newbie to headphone listening. Most of time I listen at home but need to used closed phones to avoid disturbing family members.

Source: Macbook or Airport Express lossless.

Music: Classical, Acoustic/Vocal, Rock

Enjoy: Vocals (Diana Krall, Dido, Kate Voegele)

Amp: iBasso D10 (not burned in)

Cans: ATH A700

I really don't hear a difference between the Macbook out vs. the iBasso.

Wondering if anyone has (in their opinion) an optimal closed can to pair with the D10.

Ray
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post #2 of 21
12/27/09 at 12:28pm
Amps don't burn in.

the A700 won't improve that much with amping, the difference is in the fine detail. But you're getting things around the wrong way; choose a headphone first, amps don't change the sound of phones significantly, or make them better. You won't find a phone that will make the baso sound great, because that's not how it works.

Are you using the Bas via USB and therefore accessing the DAc, because if not, only the amp is in play, and therefore little difference with those phones.

If your music is highly compressed this may also account for not discerning a differnce, as laptop sound often sucks.
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post #3 of 21
12/27/09 at 2:46pm
Thread Starter 

More details..

I started with the A700s because they were closed and had decent reviews and not a large investment.

I found that I enjoyed them but would like the music to be more spacious rich and dynamic.

I thought that amping them might improve the sound over Macbook headphone out.

I am connecting with Macbook 13" to optical to ibasso D10 to headphones. I assumed that both the USB and the optical used the DAC. I chose optical because other posts said it was cleaner and better than USB. I chose the D10 because it had good reviews, decent price point, portability and optical input....I may use it with an Airport express to be more "portable" in the house.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Ray
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post #4 of 21
12/28/09 at 3:50am
For more spacious sound go for open phones.

I guess if you can't really hear a difference between a reasonable DAc/amp and onboard, you shouldn't spend too much on phones. But it depends on what you were expecting the DAc amp to do.

A good dac amp combo should produce clean, clear sound across all music genres. Whereas a soundcard can succumb to noise (distortion) at even regular listening levels with some types of music; that essentially, is the difference, DACs don't make a phone turn into a WoW device.
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post #5 of 21
12/28/09 at 6:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Drubbing View Post
Amps don't burn in.
They most certainly do but like with phones to varying degrees depending on the specific amp/dac/phone.

Quote:
Originally Posted by rayguy View Post
I started with the A700s because they were closed and had decent reviews and not a large investment.

I found that I enjoyed them but would like the music to be more spacious rich and dynamic.

I thought that amping them might improve the sound over Macbook headphone out.

I am connecting with Macbook 13" to optical to ibasso D10 to headphones. I assumed that both the USB and the optical used the DAC. I chose optical because other posts said it was cleaner and better than USB. I chose the D10 because it had good reviews, decent price point, portability and optical input....I may use it with an Airport express to be more "portable" in the house.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Ray
Going optical (or coax) is indeed the best way to connect to a D10 though the usb is not as far behind as it was on the D1. The D10 is a decent amp/dac combo but as Drubbing states the amp will not lift the source/phones to a completely new level, it is all about more control, finess and especially when the source is a pc less noise. I use the ATH ESW9 with my D10 and think that works great. Have never heard the A700.
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post #6 of 21
12/28/09 at 7:39am
Thread Starter 
NC,

I have read concerns about the ESW9 cables. I notice that your's are recabled. How/when/why did you choose to recable?

Ray
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post #7 of 21
12/28/09 at 5:45pm
I have almost always had my phones recabled as I believe it improves most phones (some of the recabling is caused by my balanced home amp). My ESW9 were already recabled by Germania when I bought them from her. Previously I had a pair that I had recabled by APureSound to tame some reverb in the cups. So I have never lived with the ESW9 stock cable so can't comment on it.
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post #8 of 21
12/28/09 at 8:26pm
Since the original post states they need to be "closed" as you listen mainly at home, and you are looking for phones that make your music sound "more spacious rich and dynamic"...I'm going to suggest the AKG k271 MKIIs. I purchased mine because I loved the detail that my k701s provided relative to my musical tastes (Roots Rock, Acoustics, Vocals, etc.) but I wanted another closed option that could be easily driven by my d10 and also not disturb nearby family members.

I considered the ESW9As and the k271s and in the end pulled the trigger on the AKGs. Great choice I think - really punchy bass but awesome details for strings, guitars and voices IMO. Very under-rated can!
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post #9 of 21
12/29/09 at 3:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by nc8000 View Post
They most certainly do but like with phones to varying degrees depending on the specific amp/dac/phone.
Oh... please. It's stuff like that that makes this place such a drag. While amps are far more subtle in the changes they can bring to a system, this is all about the user getting familiar with them, and nothing to do with internal physical changes - that don't exist.
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post #10 of 21
12/29/09 at 5:04am
It sounds pretty good with my SRH840, more then enough power to power it.
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post #11 of 21
12/29/09 at 2:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Drubbing View Post
Oh... please. It's stuff like that that makes this place such a drag. While amps are far more subtle in the changes they can bring to a system, this is all about the user getting familiar with them, and nothing to do with internal physical changes - that don't exist.
I think we will just have to agree to disagree but I will counter your statement every time I come across it as I believe you're position is misleading.
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post #12 of 21
12/30/09 at 4:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by nc8000 View Post
I think we will just have to agree to disagree but I will counter your statement every time I come across it as I believe you're position is misleading.
Oh, please.. again. Do you really want to go down the 'prove it' path? I haven't experienced it, I don't know of a single test that validates it, and any attempts to 'explain' it, only leads to the airy-fairy world of amateurs espousing their theories on electronics and physics.

I'm not misleading anyone, others can either trust their own ears/common sense, or do a bit of research if they're so inclined. I get tired of people totting out theories as if they were accepted and undisputed facts.
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post #13 of 21
12/30/09 at 8:34am
...are you KIDDING me? I mean, I'm all for you finding the right gear that provides good synergy... but you've got yourself an amp, and you're trying to find headphones to go with it? I ...err. I guess I just always thought that should go the other way around.

Just my two bits! Best of luck, I'll be back to see what you decide on.
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post #14 of 21
12/30/09 at 9:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Drubbing View Post
Oh, please.. again. Do you really want to go down the 'prove it' path? I haven't experienced it, I don't know of a single test that validates it, and any attempts to 'explain' it, only leads to the airy-fairy world of amateurs espousing their theories on electronics and physics.

I'm not misleading anyone, others can either trust their own ears/common sense, or do a bit of research if they're so inclined. I get tired of people totting out theories as if they were accepted and undisputed facts.
You obviously feel very strongly about this so yes in that case I would very much like to see your scientific proof that there is no such thing as burn in to an amp, just because you don't think you have experienced it does not mean it does not happen. I can't proove that there is such a thing and wont come up with any "scientific" theories about it as I have no technical knowledge but I and many others have experienced it many times. And until you can prove your point stop calling those of us who do believe deluded idiots (my words).
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post #15 of 21
12/30/09 at 9:14am
Since the op is asking about headphones, maybe let's still to that topic, gentlemen.
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