O2 AMP + ODAC - Page 70

Sorry for spamming today, guys, but I feel this could be a great purchase for someone interested in full experience with the great O2/ODAC:

 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/653996/fs-unique-o2-odac-combo-w-upgrades-read-inside

They reason I recommend clipping the 6.5x if you need a unity gain setting is simple.  If you're using a portable music player/smartphone as a source you're likely out of the home and are using a more portable headphone.  2.5x gain should be enough for most transportable setups.  If home and have a standard dac output, 2.5x gain will be enough for most everything, and unity will cover any sensitive and iem you may use.  6.5x gain is really only necessary if you're using a phone/ipod as a source and have a high Z headphone that needs the higher voltage swing.

Hi people! new around this side of the forum. Got some concern not sure if you guys can help me out on this.

 

I have my Epiphany O2 for about a month now. Under normal use it sounded great! well.. neutral.

 

However, when I was playing around with it, when I put the volume on as low as I could and still audible, I notice that my left channel sounds normal, but my right channel is pretty much completely gone. Remember I'm talking about when the volume is VERY low, a level that I wouldn't use it normally.

 

First I can assure you all there's nothing to do with my ear. I did a test with my IEM, when I get the volume down very low to the point that I can still hear a little on left channel, and NOTHING on the right channel, I switch my left side of IEM to my right ear then I could audit it, while the left channel of the IEM is still pretty much dead silence.

 

 

My concern is that if this is normal? and if it is something that I should be concern about for future sakes.

 

That's normal, most pots have poor tracking at low volume levels, so one side is usually slightly louder than the other. 

hehe thank you very much XD

as mentioned, this is normal, and this is i think the bigest fault of the O2. this is also a good example for why one might want to use unity gain and "clip" the 6.5x gain, to allow for low level listening - but still keeping the volume pot on a relatively high position and avoid the channel imbalance area. when i get my m-100s (sensitive headphones), i imagine ill have to "clip" my O2 aswell.

This may be true for quiet listeners who never use a portable source with their home phones, but for the rest (and I reckon the majority) losing the 6.5x option is liable to be a problem one day.

Even using the ODAC can be an issue. I used bass adjustment (sound driver setting) for 6db more bass and needed to use 6.5x. And that's not 600ohm headphones but 32ohm. 6.5x isn't as much as one might think.

In any case, many are going to be using their portables as home sources. Apart from the tiniest bit of noise with sensitive iems, the clip+/Fuze is a hifi source. Ipods are a problem in their own right since they can output so little voltage and have distortion issues at their max volume.

 

I strongly advise to use 1x gain... I have two different O2/ODAC units and both without any problems with low-level listening, scratching sound or low-level hissing. With ODAC included (with 2v output), you get enough power to amplify most of the headphones even on 1x gain. 1x gain also gives the cleanest possible signal.

yea well at the moment im using 250 ohm beyers and i eq rather heavily, so i need the headroom. im using 2.5x gain, and an odac as my source and its rather optimal tbh. but in a month or so when i have the m-100 i imagine i will have to adjust the gain settings.

I bought the  standalone ODAC and  standalone O2  from JDS Labs last week.

After experimenting a little I am using only the 1x gain. The volume is at 9 o'clock and it's quite loud for me.

I don't need to use the higher gain with the DT 880 250 Ohm at all. - The O2 is a very powerful headphone amp.

Besides, the higher gain does not seem to sound as clean as the 1x gain.

 

 

Here's my setup:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By the way, following the the JDS Labs instructions, I set the volume to max level on my Windows 7 laptop.

Also, I don't use any foobar, etc as of yet.

I am running the O2 either off batteries or an AC adapter (from JDS Labs).

 

 

The ODAC with the O2 sound fantastic to my ears: the resolution, soundstage, airness, cleanness ... of the sound.

 

I am very happy with the ODAC and O2.

 

 

 

 

P.S.

There's no hiss, whining, scratching, buzzing, any distortion of any kind, etc.

Edited by JakeJack_2008 - 3/6/13 at 11:11am

Hey guys! I've been trying to sell off a standalone O2 + ODAC combo in the for sale forums, but haven't had any luck in over a month and over 800 page views. Maybe one of you guys will be interested? :)

 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/649212/objective2-o2-headphone-amp-odac#post_9163849

 

 

No, I am not buying the combo. Last week I bought the ODAC and O2 as two separates from the well known

and with excellent reputation JDS Labs. 

There's no feedback about your selling efforts on this site and that's why you're having hard times to sell the combo.

 

Good luck.

^ lol wut? I don't think he was directing the sale to you, I just think it was just in general

 

Someone has to be first in order to make any feedback happen.

 

Btw, I personally have nothing against JDS Labs but they should offer much more info about what gain is suitable with and without ODAC (and stop offer 6.5x configuration when you order an amp with ODAC installed inside), offer more than 1x/2.5x/6.5x settings to choose from, they should also offer WAU16-400 or 16-1000 instead of not completely ideal WAU 12-200 and I would also prefer to have more options to choose from in terms of appearance, pricing is also quite high... Plenty things to improve.

 

The first thing on the for sale thread is the album link and then a link to my eBay feedback. But then again, I could ask you a few questions also:

Did I ask about JDSLab's reputation? Why would you bring up trader feedback when you don't have any yourself?

 

I'm okay with feedback, but I don't see the need for you to put down my listing.