[hoichi]

Hey. I thought the AQDF 1.2 was supposed to be so much more relaxed and non-fatiguing than 1.0. Good thing I haven't pull my trigger on it yet.
 
Thank you for your review, Incognito73. Thank you guys. I like what you say about the bass, I like what you say about treble and I do hope the D3 pairs well with my GMP 8.35 that are kinda brightish and also have just brilliant bass that is well-controlled and goes pretty deep. Looking forward to seeing how deep 

 

[Torai]

Any updates on the D3 vs. DragonFly 1.2 ? I'm torn between those two. I originally ordered the DF 1.2 but then after reading you guys' opinions (which I trust more than the review on whathifi.com) I decided to cancel and get a D3 instead. Not sure if it is the right decision though. I own HD 650 without any amp and have a pair of Audioengine A2 coming soon.

 

[dizzyorange]

I've been enjoying a D3 for the past week.  Not going to try to describe it because I'm not good at that — I'll just say I give it two thumbs up because it's putting a big smile on my face

 

[hoichi]

I love my D3 and I love my music. The pairing with my German Maestros is brilliants, the music sounds very fun, spacious and natural and can listen to it all day long. Everything as advertised. Thank you, Head-Fi 

 

[Incognito73]

Thread resurrected!  

 
 
Yeah, my Audioengine D3 is not going anywhere anytime soon!  It's still my personal portable DAC choice and sometimes even it's plugged as my desktop DAC. As hoichi nicely mentioned, you just love your music and forget everything else ... and that's probably valued point. Device is not in a way.
 
There is a lot of mumbo-jumbo in the DAC world these days and marketing venues are not helping at all!  Over engineered, over the top, over the specs, over priced designs and ultimately end user is feeling the pinch. I would always suggest that investment priorities are headphones and/or speakers as that's where the magic happens. Good and transparent start-up DAC shouldn't cost much. In that respect, Audioengine D3 is stable, nicely design, clear & transparent DAC  (with surprising sonic weight for such device) capable to drive wide range of headphones and systems. You really need a good excuse to upgrade to something else!

 

[hoichi]

  Thread resurrected!  

 
 
Yeah, my Audioengine D3 is not going anywhere anytime soon!  It's still my personal portable DAC choice and sometimes even it's plugged as my desktop DAC. As hoichi nicely mentioned, you just love your music and forget everything else ... and that's probably valued point. Device is not in a way.
 
There is a lot of mumbo-jumbo in the DAC world these days and marketing venues are not helping at all!  Over engineered, over the top, over the specs, over priced designs and ultimately end user is feeling the pinch. I would always suggest that investment priorities are headphones and/or speakers as that's where the magic happens. Good and transparent start-up DAC shouldn't cost much. In that respect, Audioengine D3 is stable, nicely design, clear & transparent DAC  (with surprising sonic weight for such device) capable to drive wide range of headphones and systems. You really need a good excuse to upgrade to something else!

Well, I'll probably have a good excuse to upgrade to HiFi-M8 when (if) I ugprage to Alpha Dog, but before that I'm very happy with the D3.
 
BTW, I do get why they say the D3 has sounds analog. Even the old records with effects that sound pretty dated today (Led Zeppelin, for instance) sound like it wasn't such a bad idea back then. And some music is positively saved by the D3. Subsume by Cloudcicker sounded like busy fatiguing mess even on my Cowon D2. On D3 it sounds smooth, airy and musical.

 

[dizzyorange]

  Thread resurrected!  

 
 
Yeah, my Audioengine D3 is not going anywhere anytime soon!  It's still my personal portable DAC choice and sometimes even it's plugged as my desktop DAC. As hoichi nicely mentioned, you just love your music and forget everything else ... and that's probably valued point. Device is not in a way.
 
There is a lot of mumbo-jumbo in the DAC world these days and marketing venues are not helping at all!  Over engineered, over the top, over the specs, over priced designs and ultimately end user is feeling the pinch. I would always suggest that investment priorities are headphones and/or speakers as that's where the magic happens. Good and transparent start-up DAC shouldn't cost much. In that respect, Audioengine D3 is stable, nicely design, clear & transparent DAC  (with surprising sonic weight for such device) capable to drive wide range of headphones and systems. You really need a good excuse to upgrade to something else!

Yeah, that's what I'd say stands out about the D3, there's a nice gravity to the sound.  I think they'd be an especially good match for brighter speakers or headphones.  To be frank, I don't think they're a good match for the Audioengine A2 or A5, which tend to run warm to my ears.  They are stunning with my HD650s and something beyond that with my neighbor's KEF LS50 speakers.  Seriously the D3 / LS50 combo is just about the best setup I've heard.

 

[dizzyorange]

  How does this compare to the Dragonfly v1.2 DAC? They seem to be (unofficial) direct competitors, but no one seems to have compared the 1.2 version with this new D3. I'd like to know which has superior sound quality before ordering either one.

My impressions are:
 
Audioengine D3:
-warm
-wet
-heavy
-cohesive
-classy
-restraint
-full-bodied vocals
-can sound congested
 
 
Dragonfly 1.2:
-exciting
-bright
-electric
-dry
-fast
-amazing, jaw-dropping, feet-tapping PRAT
-sugar-coated
-false
-can be thin and sibilant on some vocals
-fatiguing

 

[WhiskeyJacks]

Do you believe the pairing of the DT 990s and Sound Magic HP100(both have brighter treble section) would be a good pairing with the audioengine d3? Because I am currently looking for a decent dac right now. I may just wait for the UD120 and see how that does when listened too. And considering past prices it will probably be a bit cheaper. I just wanted to know about this item and those headphones, being maybe someone has used the pair.

 

[Koolpep]

  Do you believe the pairing of the DT 990s and Sound Magic HP100(both have brighter treble section) would be a good pairing with the audioengine d3? Because I am currently looking for a decent dac right now. I may just wait for the UD120 and see how that does when listened too. And considering past prices it will probably be a bit cheaper. I just wanted to know about this item and those headphones, being maybe someone has used the pair.

 
I think it will be a good pairing, the Audioengine is a touch on the warmer side, so should do well with them. I like the D3 a lot, nice and punchy, very detailed without being excessive in the highs and a lovely lower end.
 
Cheers,
K

 

[surja]

Hi guys,
 
Can someone comment on how the D3 compare against JDS Labs C5D?
 
Also, I am planning to use it with my Beyerdynamic T90 - should be fine, right?

 

[WhiskeyJacks]

  Hi guys,
 
Can someone comment on how the D3 compare against JDS Labs C5D?
 
Also, I am planning to use it with my Beyerdynamic T90 - should be fine, right?

Well first of the D3 can be had new for 150 or 140 right now, and is suppose to have a nice warmer sound and be a decently detailed and very enjoyable dac/amp vcombo. You can grab one used for 130 which for a usb dac small device is great. the CD5  I hear is good also but not really worth the price tag compared to come others

 

[quimbo]

saw this on e-bay today
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/221506780183
 
i don't need one but half tempted to buy it.  I have a few of the Zu audio mission cables and they are nice cables.

 

[nqduy]

I got mine for $100 locally and it sounds amazing! I use it with both the SRH-840 and Custom One Pro and my headphones sound as if I'm plugging directly to the amp. 

 

[Ricanbandit]

I am glad I saw this thread. I had already purchased the D3 to use with my systems (mac/gaming pc/laptop) but I never thought I would be using it with my phone.  As I type this I am listening to this little thing transform my Note 4 and my SE535's into  a great sounding device. I mean, it sounded ok before this but now, just wow!. I was just jamming to 30 seconds to mars night of the hunter (Shannon Leto Remix) this track has some nice deep bass and this little D3 is driving the song hard.
 
BTW my Note 4 is not rooted, 100% stock and I am not using The UAPP app, it works natively.  Actually at this moment I am listening to Pink Floyd  - Pigs (three different ones) on Tidal.  Two things,
one - because the D3 draws power from the usb, the battery goes down faster, not insane, but noticeable.
Two the D3 (or the Note 4 not sure which) is finicky, sometimes I have to plug and unplug it in order to get it to play without it sounding all distorted and slow.
 
Overall really happy with my first DAC, so much I just ordered a JDS 02+ODAC for my gaming rig and will use the D3 exclusively with my phone and laptop. The JDS will drive a pair of 250ohm Beyerdinamic Dt-990 premiums.