[xaddictionx]

Decent, I would say. I hate how the FiiO E12 is way too big for the DX50 though 

Ya I was appalled by its size. I thought it looked pretty small and decent from pictures. But when I saw the real deal I was thrown off by its sheer size. I was hopping it must have been packed with some power and stuffs to give it the size.

 

[olddude]

Look at us showing off our pictures.  Like proud papas showing off baby pics.  

 

[BucketInABucket]

Ya I was appalled by its size. I thought it looked pretty small and decent from pictures. But when I saw the real deal I was thrown off by its sheer size. I was hopping it must have been packed with some power and stuffs to give it the size.

I was shocked to find out that its footprint was as big as the Apex Glacier's - matching the X5 - and it's almost (I think) twice as thick too. Still, it's bass boost is monstrous 

 

  Look at us showing off our pictures.  Like proud papas showing off baby pics.  

Only reason why I don't have a picture of my rig yet is because my Nikon V2 is charging 

 

[olddude]

Nikons charge quickly.  

 
Never hear of the V2, took a look, cute.  
 
I'm using a D300 and a D70 for my post-photography-career shooting (was a commercial shooter for 30 years).  Still have my F3s and lenses.  Big fan of Nikons, I think I had two breakdowns on the job in all those years, starting with the old Nikon F.  
 
Now photography, that's an area with REALLY expensive toys.  Of course, I can't make any money listening to music.  

 

[BucketInABucket]

  Nikons charge quickly.  

 
Never hear of the V2, took a look, cute.  
 
I'm using a D300 and a D70 for my post-photography-career shooting (was a commercial shooter for 30 years).  Still have my F3s and lenses.  Big fan of Nikons, I think I had two breakdowns on the job in all those years, starting with the old Nikon F.  
 
Now photography, that's an area with REALLY expensive toys.  Of course, I can't make any money listening to music.  

Great 

 
It's a nice mirrorless camera with a nifty autofocus but I find it difficult to get it to focus when I'm trying to shoot close-ups of my gears. My dad's also a photographer as well as an audiophile but he's stopped pouring so much money into his photography and he's always been relatively stingy with audio gears.

 

[olddude]

If you are trying to shoot macro, this camera isn't going to do it.  The trick to macro (not bugs, but bigger "small" items) is to frame it nicely from a bit farther away (lots of edge space) and then crop it using Photoshop or other software.  I have a Nikon D60mm lens which is supposed to be somewhat macro, and I find that to the case with it as well.  I just frame from a bit more distance to lessen shallow depth of field and then crop in.  Modern cameras make such big files (mbs) that if you do it carefully you can get good results. Also make sure that your angle to the object is not going to cause focus fall off so that you have a sharp line and then lots of blur.  Half the fun of a camera is playing with it to make it do what you want, not what it wants.  

 

[KT66]

Graham Slee Voyager is also a perfect fit, I'll find some photos

 

[KT66]

 

 

[alpha421]

^Nice stack.  I use to own the Voyager.  Do you find the combo a little too warm?

 

[polyrhythm]

The secret is to bypass DX50's internal amp, take the signal directly from its dac and feed your own amp with better potential, then you have a good device. Unfortunately, the internal amplifier on DX50 is a little incompetent so we place it in a dark room with no windows, lock the door and throw away the key.

That's a little harsh. I think it depends on what you are running with it. There is no way the internal amp is going to effectively drive my HD600 but I am pretty happy with the results using the ER-4p with with er4s adapter (hi gain). Without the adapter there is audible hiss but none with er4s. With well recorded and mastered material in lossless format the results are accurate sounding and pleasing with great separation and depth, no external amp in sight. With material that is not so well recorded/mastered it's a little more unforgiving.

 

[BucketInABucket]

Posted this in the Portable Rigs thread already.

Spoiler: Electronics porn!

Yes, I did cut out part of the silicon case to make room for the dual-lock slim.

 

[headwhacker]

That's a little harsh. I think it depends on what you are running with it. There is no way the internal amp is going to effectively drive my HD600 but I am pretty happy with the results using the ER-4p with with er4s adapter (hi gain). Without the adapter there is audible hiss but none with er4s. With well recorded and mastered material in lossless format the results are accurate sounding and pleasing with great separation and depth, no external amp in sight. With material that is not so well recorded/mastered it's a little more unforgiving.

 
That's the thing you have to find the right iem which is few. Most of the flaw the HO has driving iems are fixed by amping. You said it yourself the ER-4P alone has audible hiss.

 

[H20Fidelity]

That's a little harsh. I think it depends on what you are running with it. There is no way the internal amp is going to effectively drive my HD600 but I am pretty happy with the results using the ER-4p with with er4s adapter (hi gain). Without the adapter there is audible hiss but none with er4s. With well recorded and mastered material in lossless format the results are accurate sounding and pleasing with great separation and depth, no external amp in sight. With material that is not so well recorded/mastered it's a little more unforgiving.

I've been quite a bit harsher on the internal amp section in other threads, I really hope you don't find any of those posts. 

Originally Posted by H20Fidelity /img/forum/go_quote.gif

 


I haven't owned or heard FiiO X3 sorry.

DX50 will drive 60ohm headphones without any issues directly from the internal amp, it should do this in low gain without difficulty. Whether or not an individual thinks it 'sounds right' is personal preference and much lies in DX50's sound signature. I don't believe FiiO E11 will offer improvements over DX50 HO because I'm not terribly fond of that amp or FiiO's house sound in general. Cmoys, or the $100 C&C BH I believe one can benefit from.

Taking advantage of DX50's line out is where improvements are, why almost every owner of DX50 on these boards who want to gain that extra potential strap an amp underneath, myself for example use Tralucent T1. I'd suggest rather than try FiiO X3 look into something like C&C BH (BH2) and a decent silver plated interconnect cable, which I have tried and many members rate highly with DX50. Check out the thread and be sure to read those members impressions below the review: http://www.head-fi.org/t/644363/c-c-bh-portable-headphone-amp-80-hours-from-a-single-charge-buyer-review

http://www.head-fi.org/t/679473/the-ibasso-dx50-thread-latest-firmware-1-2-8/13020#post_10516002


Personal preference my friend. If we can make DX50 perform on a higher level, as audio enthusiasts, that's what the majority will do.

 

[polyrhythm]

I'd suggest rather than try FiiO X3 look into something like C&C BH (BH2) and a decent silver plated interconnect cable

I agree the headphone amp internal could be better (DX-90 improvements). So the C&C BH will drive my HD600 O.K? I am now wondering if the ER4s would improve further also? With a tight seal they are already seem pretty accurate across the frequencies and with good soundstage.

I only want close to transparent sound and accuracy (flat), not interested in coloration produced by other components.

I've been quite a bit harsher on the internal amp section in other threads, I really hope you don't find any of those posts

Ah, ha not going to go looking, it might upset me but I have seen that a lot of people are using a portable amp.

 

[H20Fidelity]

I agree the headphone amp internal could be better (DX-90 improvements). So the C&C BH will drive my HD600 O.K? I am now wondering if the ER4s would improve further also? With a tight seal they are already seem pretty accurate across the frequencies and with good soundstage.

I only want close to transparent sound and accuracy (flat), not interested in coloration produced by other components.
Ah, ha not going to go looking, it might upset me but I have seen that a lot of people are using a portable amp.

Unfortunately, I never tried C&C BH with HD600, I can assume it would offer quite an expansive soundstage, a natural trait of BH amp, however from a power perspective I cannot say for certain, sound will definitely come out.

 and it may drive them fine on high gain. I do have HD600 here with me atm actually and they can be driven from something like JDS C5 or Tralucent's T1, those amps cost a little more than $100 with T1 coming in around $250.

I'm quite surprised at your soundstage comments with an ER4 and DX50 headphone out, if anything from my experience both are quite lacking in soundstage width, it is well known an ER4 (which I own) has hardly any staging, however again if you're finding it suitable why worry about an amp upgrade?

The problems with DX50 headphone out is it lacks soundstage width in comparison to many players I've heard and the instrument separation is weak, what this does is cause congestion and smearing in the mid-range, especially with faster or busy tracks. Next time you listen to your DX50 from headphone out, listen how easily you can pick out background samples or backup singers, (guitars, piano, vocalists etc) throughout the chorus for example of a busy track, you may think it's ok in the way of coherency though I promise you it can be much better. Now depending what you've heard you may not agree, but I can assure you players like Studio V 3rd Anv, Colorfly C3, Rocco BA express superiority in those technical areas without too much trouble, that's where my problem lies with DX50 HO.

Apart from those areas mentioned I don't really have an issue with headphone out, detail is there, resolution is fine, I simply cannot stand the congestion and narrow stereo imaging but again I'm comparing to other players I'm accustom too. To put it bluntly I have an IEM called RDB Mini, it has a wonderful wide soundstage, I know this because I've heard it with players like Studio V 3rd Anv, little Colorfly C3 though why when I put it with DX50 does it suffer and become narrow? To me that's subtracting from the IEM's potential. 

Therefore I add the T1 and try to improve those areas much as possible.