Fiio D3

Hi!

 

I have purchased it, but didn't arrive yet. Once it does I will let you know.

 

Cheers,

K

 

I'd like to know if I can strap a usb battery to this and use it as a portable dac with my iriver h120

Ok, I can check how much mW it drains from USB, no problem (once I have it though).

 

Should work with the normal USB batteries though as long as they provide the 500mW. I doubt though the DAC needs that much.

Hi, I have the D3 now since today and put it on for just 15 minutes in comparison to my icon HDP. Both are connected to a Schiit Asgard and HD 598. Connected to MacBookPro via optical cable using Audirvana as player. .

Well, I must say the D3 did surprisingly well. I mean 25 bucks plus 5 shipping is what I paid... You simply can't go wrong with that.

Sound wise I had the feeling it has a tad less channel separation and a bit recessed mids compared to the HDP, however the difference was so small that I could have imagined it with the time passing for recabling. What I ddi not expect though is that the signal coming out of the D3 is so strong/loud already. Had to turn down the Asgard a notch.

In short and after only this very brief test, I can say this thing is a hit. <30 bucks with WM8805 chips and capable of taking up to 24bit/192khz, wow.

Now, when you combine the D3 with a Superlux Headphone HD681B for roughly the same price, you only need to find an amp for 30-35 dollars and you have incredible sound for $100 US. If you know an amp in this price range that is great, let me know...
Edited by Koolpep - 6/20/11 at 11:55am

So you're saying it's on par with the $450 HDP?! I can hear the pitter-patter of the JV Headfi E-Niners team en route...

 

*runs*

 

-Daniel

I told koolpep much the same thing in another thread, but he seems to be standing by his ealier statement, and you have to admire someone who is prepared to die for his convictions.  

 

I don't want to die! Yet. At least not over an headphone amp ;-)

 

I am not an audiophile, so my assessment is very amateurish. Anyhow, there is a difference but at least for ME and with my setup  it's very very minimal. The HDP sounds still "better" for sure, but is it worth 420 $ worth of "better"? That is the question. And if you use the icon purely as a DAC then I would say, that depends on YOUR ears. For some people the difference is too small to be noticed and for some it might be a whole different class of sounds quality. Honestly, I WANTED to hear a bigger difference. But it simply wasn't big.

 

I am surprised by it's overall quality for it's price. The D3 is pretty cool. Don't shoot.

lots of tvs and devices have optical out, my Lg TV only has optical out , my humax t2 has optical and analog out , my xbox360 slim only has optical out, but all modern receivers and 5.1 systems have opitcal in, the d3 would be useful if you wanted to connect 1 of these devices to a headphone amp or a 2channel stereo or 2.1 system with no digital inputs.

 

 

 

It's a solid state dac they all sound very much if there made and function properly, I doubt the D3 has recessed mids if you were to measure the frequence responce of them both i reckon they would both be flat 20hz - 20khz, there might be a difference between them in stereo crosstalk but at most it would be slightly audiable and not worth the $420 price difference.

 

 

I got one and took a peek inside (I have not listened it it yet :-)). I must say this is a steal at $30. The WM8805 is a top-end device for spdif receiver. Good engineering all throughout. Power is also very good with good filtering and a simple, yet low noise shunt zener regulator. http://hifiduino.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/inside-fiio-d3/