Toucan and Boomslang (IBasso Audio) Balanced Review Thread - Page 16

I am using the PK1s with my S:Flo2 right now, which sounds a lot better than the computer. I know the computer HP jack is terrible, I just use it for casual stuff. I may get the Toucan soon if I can sell these speakers and a receiver I bought but do not use. 

Has anybody tried this amp with the Ultrasone Pro 900s? I would be interested in all variations- stock, Kees modded and balanced. 

Thanks for the info! I am trying to get the Pro 900s from a guy on Craigslist, and they are kind of my dream headphone. He has not modded them, so if I get them, I get the fun of that.

Ultrasones are easy to drive. I have the Ultrasone Ed. 9 and balanced them. They sound great SE or balanced from the Toucan and Boomsland. The Pro 750's also sound good but they are SE only but easily driven. 

Can anyone who has had both the PB1 & Protector tell me how much bigger the PB1 is in comparison out of curiosity as i can not find the dimensions for the Protector to compare or even any pics of them side by side. 

Sitting on fence currently as i had got my TWag overmolded cable terminated with the Protector plug as at time i was going to get that but circumstances meant i did not get the Protector as soon as first thought and now the PB1 has arrived since into our lives with a comparable SQ to the Protector for a lot less bucks. 

So with been in UK want to be sure before i send the Twag all the way back to Craig in NY to reterminate to a Hirose connector.

p.s. Is there anyone out there out there by any chance (one in a million) that has got a HP Envy laptop with the Beats sound system built in as the headphone out sounds pretty good now by laptop standards with the Beats system and am now wandering if it would be worth buying the Boomslang with the PB1 for use with the laptop as i probably would not use the Dac with any other source if i purchased it.

You could always pick up a soldering iron and reterminate it yourself if shipping and actual retermination fees are an issue. the Hirose plug isn't that tricky IMO.

Quote:

Originally Posted by hifimiami 

Toucan PB1 impressions:

 

I'm very dissatisfied with my PB1, I burned the unit for 200 hrs (Isotek) and evaluated using the line out from an ALO/Sony D25s using Shure SRH840 and Sennheiser HD595 in a SE configuration. The gain switch at factory setting (max) the overall SQ is very metallic and has an exaggerated treble, narrow sound stage and poor instrument separation.

 

Using the same cables, sources and music I compared it to my other portable the Neco Soundlabs V.2 and the difference in SQ is remarkable. With the NecoV.2 the sound quality is neutral, bass is very deep and the sound stage wide open with pinpoint instrument separation.

 

Perhaps the PB1 was designed primarily for balanced operation.

 

I now own a $229 Chinese paper weight, it is unfortunate that most of us are unable to audition the majority of the components on Headfi.org and have to rely on evaluations and impressions from others.

PB1 = Portable Balanced, so you are indeed correct.

IMO I have no issues whatsoever with SE, it adds some weight to the low end of my Grados, while I don't find them as fatiguing compared to ampless. I know this post is almost a month old, but you guys should experiment with the gain switch. I find that no gain works well with most of my headphones (32-60ohms ...excluding the HE-5)

He has already retracted the majority of his negative comments stating that his amp being set to high gain (which is definitely overkill for the SRH840 and HD595) was the cause of the weird metallic sound.

Also be careful re-terminating twag cables if you choose to do it yourself... whatever material coats the silver has a relatively low melting temperature so solder quickly.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FortisFlyer75 

Can anyone who has had both the PB1 & Protector tell me how much bigger the PB1 is in comparison out of curiosity as i can not find the dimensions for the Protector to compare or even any pics of them side by side. 

 

Sitting on fence currently as i had got my TWag overmolded cable terminated with the Protector plug as at time i was going to get that but circumstances meant i did not get the Protector as soon as first thought and now the PB1 has arrived since into our lives with a comparable SQ to the Protector for a lot less bucks. 

 

So with been in UK want to be sure before i send the Twag all the way back to Craig in NY to reterminate to a Hirose connector.

 

p.s. Is there anyone out there out there by any chance (one in a million) that has got a HP Envy laptop with the Beats sound system built in as the headphone out sounds pretty good now by laptop standards with the Beats system and am now wandering if it would be worth buying the Boomslang with the PB1 for use with the laptop as i probably would not use the Dac with any other source if i purchased it.

 

I hope this helps

Have been listening to my recently received Toucan/Boomslang combination. Unfortunately, I have not reterminated any headphones to balanced yet, so all listening was done single ended with a set of HF-2's.

Smaller than I thought, I wonder if I can fit the DB-1/PB-1/H160 in a portable case in lieu of using a D12/H160 rig. The tough part is the interconnect and optical cables that jut out on opposite sides. It will take some clever case combinations to make it work....

Overall the Toucan sounds very good, reminiscient of my stock D10 with a nice open sound. As compared to the D12, it is slightly thin sounding and does not have the little extra bass punch and fullness that the D12 offers. With that said, the difference between the Toucan and D12 is not great, which is a compliment to the SE performance of the Toucan.

While both ibasso units sound good, a switch to my SR71 fed by an ibasso DAC makes both the ibassos sound like they have a smidge of glare to their sound. The SR71 still has that smooth organic sound that the ibasso units are not quite hitting. This quality difference is relatively small and only noticed (by me) when you take the time to go back and forth between amps. I was wondering if the new ibassos (D12/PB-1) would push me to selling my beloved SR71, but I don't see that yet. Too many different applications and components that never perfectly match to create the ultimate portable rig....resulting in me owning more stuff than I want (aargh!).

Looking forward to some balanced RS-1 action...and hoping it lives up to and exceeds the Protector/RS-1 balanced combo I've already heard.

How much burn-in did you do so far on the iBasso rig?  The glare you refer to effectively disappeared at around 150 hours of break-in time.  Although the PB1 sounds nice S/E, it is really designed for balanced operation as others have pointed out.  I do not own, nor have I auditioned the original SR71, so I cannot comment on that comparison.

Quote:

Originally Posted by warp08 

How much burn-in did you do so far on the iBasso rig?  The glare you refer to effectively disappeared at around 150 hours of break-in time.  Although the PB1 sounds nice S/E, it is really designed for balanced operation as others have pointed out.  I do not own, nor have I auditioned the original SR71, so I cannot comment on that comparison.

The Toucan is green, and I agree that burn-in may help.

I bought the Toucan/Boomslang exclusively to dabble in balanced...but it's hard to watch it sit there unused as I wait to reterminate headphones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by warp08 

How much burn-in did you do so far on the iBasso rig?  The glare you refer to effectively disappeared at around 150 hours of break-in time.  Although the PB1 sounds nice S/E, it is really designed for balanced operation as others have pointed out.  I do not own, nor have I auditioned the original SR71, so I cannot comment on that comparison.

I found the same to be true...Initially, I thought the highs were a bit overly bright, but now after about 100 hours, the SQ is very nicely balanced from lows to highs while retaining excellent detail and tonality.  I am primarily using my Toucan with my balanced phones.