[Charente]

This one looks promising

That's not a 'dongle' ... is it ?

 

[helloh3adfi]

The DC Elite looks very cool. Not so excited about the ROHM DAC though.

Out of the 3 flagships on the market right now - AK4499EX, ES9039Pro and ROHM BD34301EKV, ROHM to “me” sounds the most dull and lifeless. Yes I own the Dx320 as well as other DAPs and DACs. Before anyone says implementation matters, this comparison comes from interchanging DACs with everything else identical.

I hope there’ll be an anniversary product with the ES9039Pro too. This DAC is amazing !

Thanks now I will probably not buy the DC Elite. L&P W4 would be the better choice?

 

[Polky74]

This one looks promising

...practically a C9 in iBasso style...

 

[Polky74]

Thanks now I will probably not buy the DC Elite. L&P W4 would be the better choice?

I have the W4 and for me the M15 is superior to it...

 

[nioh]

Thanks now I will probably not buy the DC Elite. L&P W4 would be the better choice?

Don't get me wrong though, the DC Elite still features a flagship DAC in such a small size. I'm sure it will hold up on it's own against similar priced portable DACs like the W4, RU7, Go Bar etc. I'm not even sure you could fit in an AK4499EX or an ES9039Pro in such a small size. From the various threads with devices equipped with the ROHM DAC what I have gathered is that it is quite suitable for certain genres of music like Pop/Jazz. In the end, implementation and personal sound preference matters. I myself like a more musical sounding, a bit warm DAC/AMP.

I don't own the W4. Reading the reviews on the W4 thread, there are mixed opinions. It seems like it has a neutral, reference like sound if that's what you are after.

 

[nioh]

Heard someone say that the DC Elite will have warm, musical sound like the RU7.
This peaks my interest. I wish it had Bluetooth. A dongle without Bluetooth is even more hassle than having a phone + DAP.

 

[Polky74]

Heard someone say that the DC Elite will have warm, musical sound like the RU7.
This peaks my interest. I wish it had Bluetooth. A dongle without Bluetooth is even more hassle than having a phone + DAP.

If you like the sound of the RU7 you should also consider the new iBasso D16 Taipan... the first iBasso with 1bit dac just like the RU7 and N7

 

[nioh]

If you like the sound of the RU7 you should also consider the new iBasso D16 Taipan... the first iBasso with 1bit dac just like the RU7 and N7

I’ve seen the announcement, yes. That one also has my interest, definitely !

 

[BlankName]

If you like the sound of the RU7 you should also consider the new iBasso D16 Taipan... the first iBasso with 1bit dac just like the RU7 and N7

D16 is 1 bit pwm vs ru7/n7 1 bit pdm so the sound should be a bit different (depending on implementation).
Here's one impression: https://x.com/usage_a/status/1716040627832648137?s=20

 

[Ferdinando1968]

D16 is 1 bit pwm vs ru7/n7 1 bit pdm so the sound should be a bit different (depending on implementation).
Here's one impression: https://x.com/usage_a/status/1716040627832648137?s=20

I don't know about 1 bit PWM technology, only PDM technology (based on sigma-delta modulation).

Could you give me some information or links to learn more?

 

[BlankName]

I don't know about 1 bit PWM technology, only PDM technology (based on sigma-delta modulation).

Could you give me some information or links to learn more?

https://www.stereophile.com/content/pdm-pwm-delta-sigma-1-bit-dacs-peter-w-mitchell
Here's one

 

[Ferdinando1968]

https://www.stereophile.com/content/pdm-pwm-delta-sigma-1-bit-dacs-peter-w-mitchell
Here's one

Interesting.
Reading it, it occurred to me that in the early 1990s I had purchased a Sony CD player with a 1-bit DAC. I had completely put this fact out of my memory.

And are you sure that iBasso D16 uses that type of conversion technology?

 

[BlankName]

And are you sure that iBasso D16 uses that type of conversion technology?

If their -120db thdn claim can be corroborated then it probably is pwm (like ess) as it measures better than pdm.

 

[991 Carrera 4S]

Unfortunately, DC06 Pro only uses 4 year old ES9219.
https://www.esstech.com/essnews/ess...-audiophile-headphone-soc-for-mobile-devices/

And ES9219 does only support two different filters: linear phase fast roll-off, hybrid fast roll-off.
https://www.esstech.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/ES9219-Datasheet-v1.2.pdf
https://web.archive.org/web/2023051...ent/uploads/2022/09/ES9219-Datasheet-v1.2.pdf

 

[andnej]

MQA is dead already so why do they release this dongle?

not that dead, most of those in Tidal still in MQA format and probably Tidal still has a lot of users