I prefer R50 over B2, sound as well as comfort.

I just checked and my iBasso D4 uses AD8616 as DAC output opamp. It works single supply 2.7V to 5V and is a CMOS rail-to-rail opamp, just like the AD8692. AD8066 is a FET opamp. iBasso D4 has dual DACs though. You should be carefull since clipping can occur at the DAC output when you swap the...

Changing the AD8397 should have more influence than changing DAC output opamp (AD8692) I would think.    You could ask James at Fiio, he responds quite fast to questions.

I have Yamaha EPH-100, Rockit R-50 and JVC FXT90. I have not heard Shure SE215.   Most detail: R-50>FXT90>EPH-100 Most bass: FXT90 or EPH-100 Smoothest: EPH-100. To my eras FXT90 can be more sibilant than R-50.   All 3 are excellent. FXT90 is the hardest to wear over-the ear. EPH-100 has...

I have used a Corda XXS and I still have Corda MOVE, both share the same amp-section, It's a great amp. I also have a Stepdance, that's another level and excellent stuff. I have the first generation with OPA1611, one of my favorite opamps, I also have the dual version in my iBasso D4 and a...

Very strange. I can clearly hear a difference between X3 and Clip+. But I have changed the opamp, so I cannot compare stock X3 to Clip+. I also have RE262, SM3 (and Brainwavz B2 instead of DBA-02). The soundstage from the Clip+ is not as deep and resolution is lacking. Have you tried intense...

Now you are using the iPod's DAC and you send the "line-out" signal to the PICO amp. You could bypass the iPod's DAC with a compatible iDevice USB DAC. For some iDevices you can also use the camera connection kit usb adapter and use other USB DACs but I have no experience with that and do not...

There are many options to get portable amps to Europe. I have a Meier Stepdance, had a Meieder Corda MOVE and XXS, I have a iBasso D4 and T5, had a T4. I sometimes use my friend's Fiio E12, I have a Fiio X3, I imported a Soundmagic A10, ...   To answer your question. I have not heard either C5...

Many USB DAC devices just work on USB power and also power the amp section of the device. Fiio E7 for example.

You will probably get most out of a USB DAC/AMP combo.

  Yes, with the "to be released" firmware. It's an excellent DAP (and USB DAC). The beta testers reported few issues so I expect the fw to be available soon.

F80X doesn't push the bass forward. But I care more for forward mids. F80X sounds very good to my ears with more analytical IEMs by bringing the mids forward and making the presentation more intimate but more 3D-like as well.

Same here.   Replaygain gives the possibility to play all songs on equal average volume. Now I am manually amplifying each track depending on replaygain (track) value. When I rescan the song, the replaygain scanner reports 0.00dB.  When you have a song that is average silent, then...

Some ideas:   iBasso D4 or D42 JDS O2+ODAC combo Fiio E18 or X3 with future fw Meier Quickstep ...   I have Fiio X3, iBasso D4 and ODAC (with Stepdance amp as current setup) and O2. I also had Meir Corda Move as amp/dac.   Best from what I have heard is ODAC with Stepdance, then iBasso...

I am using my F805 with detailed IEMs without amp. Synergy with RE0 and R50 is excellent.

A full discharge-charge cycle is worse than several 30-80% charges. For portable devices with battery life above 5h this is also mostly the case in practice but the shorter the lifespan and the more frequently the device is used, it's the other way around. For example, a laptop these days often...

I'm European and I bought almost all my IEMs in the For Sale/Trade forum here. I just recommended a few IEMs I own myself around 100 USD new. Meelec A161p is in the same price range but is the least neutral of the bunch I have summed up.   Sony MH1C I own as well and they are excellent value...

JVC FXT90, Rockit R-50, Yamaha EPH-100 are just some of the best price/performance IEMs around 100 USD.

I first tried the opamps in the iBasso D4 and auditioned every opamp. I also tried the AD8397 in the D4 to hear if the opamp sounded similar in the iBasso D4 as it did in the X3. Since it did sound very similar I concluded the other way around would also apply. So I suggest you to try the opamps...

What might be less of a highlight here on head-fi is the fact that F805 is not only a very high quality DAP but is a real multi media device.

I can't answer that, perhaps someone who has listened to both sees this.  For me the F805 is not lacking bass and I haven't had a player or amp that really lacked bass. For example the AD8066 opamp in the D4 had better bass than OPA1612 that I use now, and stock X3 had more prominent bass than...

I have also read that DX50 is a better choice for headphones. We are lucky we have so much good options!

I have not heard Westone 4R so can't comment on that. I haven't really listened a lot to the stock X3, because I had T5 and now swapped opamps and therefore my comments and observations were comparing my desktop/laptop setup against F805 and the X3 with T5 which came close.   Todat my...

The stock X3 has a bigger, wider soundstage but compared to my laptop-setup it's still not that big. With the OPA1602 in place X3 sounds very close to my iBasso D4 and is almost at the same level, to my ears, as ODAC to Corda MOVE or iBasso D4 (AMP+DAC). It's the same level as stock X3 LO to T5...

I am using deadbeef on my F805. I don't believe there will be a difference in SQ between applications but I have not tested it.