Brief Odac impressions - Page 9

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raines 

must have one:D:D:D
 

It's only a short click away at JDS labs ;) hahaha...I was debating about getting it at first, but have no regrets whatsoever about getting it...

which one of these headphone will work best with odac/amp comb ? for the genre i listening ?

listening mainly to cpop, jpop, kpop, ballad, female voice.

using my laptop.

headphones: hd650, hd598 and K601

i want the best sound for the genre and out of my odac.

if i understand i well the back is the usb to my laptop. so i just need to set the headphones in output ?

what are input for ? mp3 player ?

and can i use dac or amp seperatly ? so i can combinat other dac or amps ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by oopeteroo 

which one of these headphone will work best with odac/amp comb ? for the genre i listening ?

 

listening mainly to cpop, jpop, kpop, ballad, female voice.

using my laptop.

 

headphones: hd650, hd598 and K601

 

i want the best sound for the genre and out of my odac.

 

if i understand i well the back is the usb to my laptop. so i just need to set the headphones in output ?

what are input for ? mp3 player ?

 

and can i use dac or amp seperatly ? so i can combinat other dac or amps ?

Don't know much what to suggest for the headphones, they can be so personal, mostly read around and see what you might like, buy them and if you don't like them, sell them and get something else...I am on my third pair at the moment trying to figure out the one for me.

The ODAC will only work with an AMP, it will not power headphones on it's own and it needs to be paired with an amp. If you order the standalone DAC, you can use it with whatever amplifier you want, I would recommend the O2/ODAC combo myself, but that's because it's what I have and like.

The DAC has USB input only (usually from a PC via mini USB cable), if it is in combination with the O2, you use the headphone out on the O2 amp for listening, there is also a 1/8" input on the O2 that when used (with something such as an ipod, or possibly another external DAC if you really wanted) it allows you to use the AMP portion of the O2/ODAC combo. The DAC only works when plugged in via USB

Quote:

Originally Posted by oopeteroo 

which one of these headphone will work best with odac/amp comb ? for the genre i listening ?

 

listening mainly to cpop, jpop, kpop, ballad, female voice.

using my laptop.

 

headphones: hd650, hd598 and K601

 

i want the best sound for the genre and out of my odac.

 

if i understand i well the back is the usb to my laptop. so i just need to set the headphones in output ?

what are input for ? mp3 player ?

 

and can i use dac or amp seperatly ? so i can combinat other dac or amps ?

Not that it has much to do with the DAC or amp but I'd take the HD650 for female vocals over the K601.  The K601 has a little more neutral frequency response but the HD650 is close enough and doesn't have other problems the K601 has like driver ringing and higher levels of harmonic distortion. I haven't heard the HD598.

What combination of O2 and ODAC are you getting?  If you get them in the same enclosure you can't run the O2 from batteries.  The O2 will play from the DAC by default and normal 3.5mm input will mute the DAC when plugged in.  You can get the ODAC in a separate enclosure too.  That way you can run the O2 from batteries and use the ODAC with other amps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by maverickronin 

 

Not that it has much to do with the DAC or amp but I'd take the HD650 for female vocals over the K601.  The K601 has a little more neutral frequency response but the HD650 is close enough and doesn't have other problems the K601 has like driver ringing and higher levels of harmonic distortion. I haven't heard the HD598.

 

What combination of O2 and ODAC are you getting?  If you get them in the same enclosure you can't run the O2 from batteries.  The O2 will play from the DAC by default and normal 3.5mm input will mute the DAC when plugged in.  You can get the ODAC in a separate enclosure too.  That way you can run the O2 from batteries and use the ODAC with other amps.

i got the odac and o2 in the same box.

hmm gonna test it with hd650 :P

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dixter 

Yesterday I put together two of the O2/ODAC setups together... 

  

My biggest complaint?   Going to HDTracks and spending $$$ money on FLAC songs so I can hear this sweet thing in all its glory...   :-) 

 

The next complaint...  can't take the phones off and loosing too much sleep  :-)   and I can't seem to get the smile off my face...

 

I installed Foobar2000 with the WASAPI component ( bypasses the windows stackup ) and got it all dial'd in...   those FLAC songs are to die for...

 

The O2/ODAC setup is great....   absolutely great...   I'm surprised at how much output the O2 has with the ODAC installed.. it runs my Beyer 880/600 phones much better now.. ( stock gains )

 

Also noticed the bass being much better on my HD800 phones too...   

 

this setup is hard to beat for the price... and it sounds so great

 

I also wired the O2 so the front input switches between the front input or the ODAC...   that way I can use it for the laptop/desktop computer or the Iphone/Ipad/Ipod

I'm surprised the O2/ODAC combo can power your HD800s as i've heard their very picky with amp/dac

AudioPoutine Odac in the mail. Thanks Joe 

Quote:

Originally Posted by jono454 

Awesome...it'd be great if you could post some impressions and which one you think is better.

So got it in.  I had high hopes and it meets them, fantastic sound.  With my newer build Thunderpants I'm getting solid dynamics, extension, detail, clarity.  The E17 is what I'd call a bit euphonic in the mids and I needed to put a +2 or +4 on the bass on certain songs, don't feel the need for it with this which was my biggest worry.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by rnconync 

I am very interested in hearing how you think the Centrance DACport compares to the ODAC once you get yours. I have always heard about how good the Centrance products were, I jsut couldn't bring myself to spend that kind of money.

You would need to hear it w/ the DACPort LX.  The amp section in the DACPort gimps it noticeably, I had both.  Thought the LX was great for the size/performance, not so much for the price.  Sold the LX to keep my UHA6S.  Even though the DAC wasn't as good, the amp section was killer especially with the LX.  The DAC was 'good enough' but I'm really missing the sound of a better DAC on the go w/ my phones.  I presume the ODAC will give me that even though it's not self powered which is not ideal for me.  I do expect to like it more than the equivalent amplifier.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jono454 

I'm surprised the O2/ODAC combo can power your HD800s as i've heard their very picky with amp/dac

It's more picky about synergies, not so much power.  The HD600/650/T1 all use more juice.

I preordered it a while back, it arrived a few days ago.

i immediatly noticed a difference, although it didnt seem as large at first as described (just speaking about DAC's in general, this being my first). however, after adjusting to it, and particularly A/Bing , between DAC and no DAC, the difference is ENORMOUS . 

im so happy with it, and the cost as well.. thats it for me, squared away.

a cool thing i noticed was that listening to that virtual haircut track on my IEM's (westone 3) was always quite terrible, the sound stage was sort of just.. well.. inside and poking out of the head sometimes, a bit of a small, ugly mongoloid sort of thing. playing it through the ODAC made it perfectly 3d, just like playing through open headphones, the difference was night and day and it made me really aware of how much of a difference it makes.

The mailman delivered my order from JDS Labs yesterday....  

I'd like to mention that JDS has an option for mounting the ODAC in their C421 Amp housing....  so of course they match each other...  I'm happy to report that the combination of the stand alone ODAC and the C421 Amp work great together..  easy to apply bands for a nice portable, small package.  And you can band an Ipod to the setup so you can use the setup on the go with your ipod or with your computer...  and it also has built in battery...   a pretty nice package if you want more portability... 

On the subject of the O2/ODAC not being so portable due to it not having a battery like the standard O2...   The O2/ODAC combination still has the battery terminals inside the case... there just isn't any room to mount the batteries because that is where the ODAC is now mounted...   so having said this, it would be a super easy mod to just take two 9V rechargable batteries, shrink wrap them into a nice package with connecting wires and you just put a small hole in the case and connect the battery pack to the battery terminals...    when you plug in the wall wart, it will charge the battery pack just like the standard O2...    its an option...
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dixter 

 

On the subject of the O2/ODAC not being so portable due to it not having a battery like the standard O2...   The O2/ODAC combination still has the battery terminals inside the case... there just isn't any room to mount the batteries because that is where the ODAC is now mounted...   so having said this, it would be a super easy mod to just take two 9V rechargable batteries, shrink wrap them into a nice package with connecting wires and you just put a small hole in the case and connect the battery pack to the battery terminals...    when you plug in the wall wart, it will charge the battery pack just like the standard O2...    its an option...

Without a doubt, I think someone showed a custom case where they had the batteries inside the whole combo.  

Personally, I would prefer a slightly larger case with batteries as an option.  I have a feeling there will be one down the road and when there is I'll probably retrofit, as long as the batteries can power the unit a good 8+ hours.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobeau 

Without a doubt, I think someone showed a custom case where they had the batteries inside the whole combo.  

 

Personally, I would prefer a slightly larger case with batteries as an option.  I have a feeling there will be one down the road and when there is I'll probably retrofit, as long as the batteries can power the unit a good 8+ hours.

The enclosure that's commonly used and was originally recommended is the Box Enclosures B2-080.  The PCB slips right in and is of the correct length and width.  The B3-080 has the same length and width but greater height, so that can easily fit the ODAC module and batteries.

http://www.boxenclosures.com/category/product_details.html?product__id=213465

http://www.boxenclosures.com/category/product_details.html?product__id=213471

You're on your own with regards to front and back panels though.  The current sellers have a lot of panels made for the B2-080, so it may be inconvenient (and not have enough customers to make it worthwhile) to also offer it for the taller chassis, unfortunately.  Well, you (somebody) can always make your own though.