[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fr0ferr1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hello Larry, finally I decided for the iBasso D10. Where should I buy it now. Via iBasso from Hong Kong? Really nobody wants to sell it to me from Europe (second hand is ok)? Thanks a lot, Paolo

You order direct from iBasso or buy a used one from someone with a for sale ad.

 

[fr0ferr1]

Hello again,

reading deeply some more threads, I just realised that I was making an architectural error in my summer time set up....

I was previously mentioning that as "summer time" replacement of my duet I was going to use my portable pc > HP usb amp > Grado (HF1-2

) or PX100.

In reality, I just realised that my summer time source will indeed better be my ipod touch. Yeees, I just discovered about the quality of the Ipod line out.

So my question is: does it change something concerning the suggested amp
ibasso D10? Should I still go for it or maybe the fact that I do not need anymore a DAC would bring me some more alternatives on good (and not so pricely) ipod amp?

Thanks, Merci, Grazie.

Paolo

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fr0ferr1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hello again, reading deeply some more threads, I just realised that I was making an architectural error in my summer time set up.... I was previously mentioning that as "summer time" replacement of my duet I was going to use my portable pc > HP usb amp > Grado (HF1-2 ) or PX100. In reality, I just realised that my summer time source will indeed better be my ipod touch. Yeees, I just discovered about the quality of the Ipod line out. So my question is: does it change something concerning the suggested amp ibasso D10? Should I still go for it or maybe the fact that I do not need anymore a DAC would bring me some more alternatives on good (and not so pricely) ipod amp? Thanks, Merci, Grazie. Paolo

If you don't need the DAC, you'd still pay more for a slightly better sounding amp (like P-51 Mustang), but the P-51 would also be smaller. However if you are using the touch the size difference between D10 and P-51 wont matter. If you add the best opamps to the D10 it will still be cheaper than the P-51, and sound just about as good at that point. HiFlight sells opamp upgrades that take the D10 to the next level (AD744 output-bypassed class-A biased with EL8201 buffers for about $65).

 

[fr0ferr1]

Thaaaaanks Larry.

So you made me discover how nice are those Emmeline small things...
Very nice and made in USA I see.

I'll check the opamp part later on.

But I agree with you about the financial and musical reasons to stay with the D10.

Have a nice day you all.

Paolo

 

[KurtW]

I hope people don't mind if I return this thread back to the original topic, but I would like to add my comments about the Apogee Duet.

I had been debating getting the Duet for some time, but after reading the beginning of this thread and my purchase of a MacBook Pro led me to pull the trigger on a used one. I have been very happy I did. I will break out my experiences by the different uses I have for it:

As an A/D converter, I am very happy with it. As a test I copied a good sounding CD and then compared the copy and the original. Both through the duet and through my Birdland Audio Odeon-Ag using a Sugden Headmaster for a headphone amp, I was hard pressed to tell any difference. Doing the same test with my M-Audio Firewire that I had been using, I detected a slight congestion with the copy. I also copied a recent LP with excellent results. One of my projects is to digitize some reel-to-reel tapes that I have so I can get rid of them, as well as archive some LPs, and I feel the duet will do the job extremely well. It is also very easy and convenient to use. I like the large volume knob and the LED indicators.

As a D/A converter, I compared it to the Birdland DAC (Birdland Audio - Odeon DAC / pre-amplifier) which costs over twice as much and doesn't do A/D. I preferred the Birdland, but not by a wide margin. The duet was slightly softer and less focused but still extremely musical. The Birdland is fairly compact but requires AC and either optical or coaxial inputs. I use it with the optical output of my iMac and with a OPPO player. Of course comparing the duet to the built in DAC in the MacBook or iMac, the duet was substantially better.

As a Headphone amp, I had read that the duet was quite good but was surprised at just how good it was. I thought I could always have the duet feed my Mini3 (a version without output resistors which sounds very close to the Hornet M that I used to have) if I wanted a little better sound, but I actually much prefer the duet's output, at least with low impedance headphones. The duet sounded much more spacious, and had a surprising amount of bass slam (something that the Mini3 is pretty good at) that I thought might be missing. It wasn't quite as good as the Sugden Headmaster which was also very spacious (maybe a bit more so) and the Sugden had a little better detail. But again the Sugden is not portable and costs much more. I tried the duet with AT A900 and L3000, Grado SR80, and Yuin PK1 all with great success. I also tried it with the higher impedance Senn. HD580, AKG 240 and the 600 ohm Beyer DT 990, and in each case the output level was too limited, which isn't too surprising since the duet is powered from the Firewire port so will have limited voltage swings.

Bottom line: I agree, the Apogee Duet ROCKS!

 

[LFC_SL]

I am exploring optical and firewire DACs (want to keep my usb ports free on my iMac as they are like gold dust

)... for around £320 which is what the Duet retails for, am I right in thinking I should look somewhere else as somebody with zero interest in recording or playing music instruments

Moving aside my reservations about a breakout cable rather than the Duet being say a little bit bigger to accommodate the connections inside

Thanks

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f46/1x...-input-434677/

 

[Aimless1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KurtW /img/forum/go_quote.gif I hope people don't mind if I return this thread back to the original topic, but I would like to add my comments about the Apogee Duet. I had been debating getting the Duet for some time, but after reading the beginning of this thread and my purchase of a MacBook Pro led me to pull the trigger on a used one. I have been very happy I did. I will break out my experiences by the different uses I have for it: As an A/D converter, I am very happy with it. As a test I copied a good sounding CD and then compared the copy and the original. Both through the duet and through my Birdland Audio Odeon-Ag using a Sugden Headmaster for a headphone amp, I was hard pressed to tell any difference. Doing the same test with my M-Audio Firewire that I had been using, I detected a slight congestion with the copy. I also copied a recent LP with excellent results. One of my projects is to digitize some reel-to-reel tapes that I have so I can get rid of them, as well as archive some LPs, and I feel the duet will do the job extremely well. It is also very easy and convenient to use. I like the large volume knob and the LED indicators. As a D/A converter, I compared it to the Birdland DAC (Birdland Audio - Odeon DAC / pre-amplifier) which costs over twice as much and doesn't do A/D. I preferred the Birdland, but not by a wide margin. The duet was slightly softer and less focused but still extremely musical. The Birdland is fairly compact but requires AC and either optical or coaxial inputs. I use it with the optical output of my iMac and with a OPPO player. Of course comparing the duet to the built in DAC in the MacBook or iMac, the duet was substantially better. As a Headphone amp, I had read that the duet was quite good but was surprised at just how good it was. I thought I could always have the duet feed my Mini3 (a version without output resistors which sounds very close to the Hornet M that I used to have) if I wanted a little better sound, but I actually much prefer the duet's output, at least with low impedance headphones. The duet sounded much more spacious, and had a surprising amount of bass slam (something that the Mini3 is pretty good at) that I thought might be missing. It wasn't quite as good as the Sugden Headmaster which was also very spacious (maybe a bit more so) and the Sugden had a little better detail. But again the Sugden is not portable and costs much more. I tried the duet with AT A900 and L3000, Grado SR80, and Yuin PK1 all with great success. I also tried it with the higher impedance Senn. HD580, AKG 240 and the 600 ohm Beyer DT 990, and in each case the output level was too limited, which isn't too surprising since the duet is powered from the Firewire port so will have limited voltage swings. Bottom line: I agree, the Apogee Duet ROCKS!

Nice write up and especially timely and useful for me. I have always read the Duet is great at D/A Conversion and that it rivals DACs that are priced much higher. But I've always had a hard time getting a handle on the Duet as a headamp. Your post was most useful and appreciated.

 

[grawk]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LFC_SL /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am exploring optical and firewire DACs (want to keep my usb ports free on my iMac as they are like gold dust )... for around £320 which is what the Duet retails for, am I right in thinking I should look somewhere else as somebody with zero interest in recording or playing music instruments Moving aside my reservations about a breakout cable rather than the Duet being say a little bit bigger to accommodate the connections inside Thanks http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f46/1x...-input-434677/

If you find a firewire DA that even comes close in that price range, let me know

 

[LFC_SL]

Nice succinct answer

Its purely because after this flirtation with the Edirol, I told myself the next one I buy would be a dedicated DAC and I would not be paying for recording functions I will never ever use. Well unless I meet a girl into music. But my luck is not that good

 

[KurtW]

Aimless1, I am glad my post was useful to you.

LFC_SL: The breakout cable can be replaced with a less bulky cable that only connects to your headphone amp or preamp. Apogee uses a standard connector and gives out the pinout, and many people have made custom cables for this. Of course if you use it as a headphone amp there is no need for additional cables.

I agree that it seems a shame to buy something with many features that you don't need, but every now and then a product comes along with enough value for one feature that the others seem like they come for free. The reality is that the additional features probably didn't cost that much more, so I wouldn't worry about it. They add to the resale value, and who knows...maybe you will find a use for them someday. But I believe that you will find that the duet is very competitively priced for it's quality to other firewire DAC only products.

 

[LFC_SL]

Thanks

I've been reading through the thread (I always research thoroughly because my bank account hates this forum, as do I)
Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaska /img/forum/go_quote.gif This is good advice. Before my Duet arrived, I didn't take this comment too seriously (I interpreted this as more of a strong dislike for the SR-71 in particular). However, I really would suggest that anyone buying the Duet give the built-in headphone amplifier a fair chance before investing in special cables or adapters and amplifiers--especially if these aren't already owned--as I'm finding that the Duet performs very well as a stand-alone piece. I think one would really have to have a strong bias for the sound signature of a particular headphone amplifier in order to realize much of real difference in sound quality.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaska /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wouldn't worry about the neutrality of the amp in the Duet. It certainly doesn't sound "sterile" to me. Headphones all have their own idiosyncrasies and I think it's better overall to leave the matters of personal sonic preferences up to headphones rather than amps. Once you find a good, neutral amp, you can experiment with headphones all you like and find the combinations you like the most. I think it would be quite a bad thing to have to compensate for colorations in an amp's sonic presentation, and if you were lucky, maybe you'd find one particular headphone that would sound "right" with such an amp. I've not owned a good DAC before, and am now more convinced than ever that having a truly great source will make more of an improvement to the listening experience than any minor variations in headphone amps. There is no waiting list for the Duet, and you could probably order one from a flexible merchant with a good return/exchange policy and have it in your hands within a couple of days to try it out. If you don't like it, you could return it and order the Pico. My guess is that a couple of days would not make much of an impact on the status of your order on the Pico waiting list, but I could be wrong...

Some questions/musings

1. I read the Duet comes included with RCA adaptors. Where people order custom breakout cables, is it because it is "better" than an adaptor, or purely because they just want to keep things neat and tidy at the back with only what they need? Notwithstanding you all say the build quality and construction of the included breakout cable leaves something to be desired

******


2. I have read through other threads and some have used a Graham Slee Solo with the Duet. I am going to digress - I had the Solo on loan for 2 weeks, fully burned in and thought it very underwhelming. Perhaps a testament to the Tomahawk. As a pre-amp into the Tomahawk it was actually quite good. But for the money as an amp only, meh. Main points for me was that the sound stage was narrower than expected and it was a shade bright
As a pre-amp everything gained a lift and details were eked out. Disclaimer: source was the Edirol

I would prefer saving up to buy a dedicated headphone amp/pre-amp later down the line. Is the Duet's headphone out lasting me into 2010? Acid test for me is female vocals. If the Duet does not stop me in my tracks, make everything around me disappear then well it is not a worthwhile purchase

Whilst I am at it, how is the Duet with The Prodigy? I like to throw in "busy" tracks too

******


3. I have read some comments along the lines of warmth and not being sterile. Which is good as I like a warm and involving sound (for the female vocals) yet at the same time not overly done because I like my music to have room to breathe.

Some of you guys have the HD600 and ESW9. How is the synergy?

Thanks

 

[KurtW]

The duet does not come with RCA adapters, only a breakout cable with1/4" mono phone jacks for outputs, so you have to use two 1/4" to RCA cables which don't come with it. That's why people make or have someone else make a custom cable that simply plugs into the duet and gives you RCA plugs for outputs. You could also make one that gives you a stereo 1/8" plug if you wanted to use a portable amp that had this for an input.

I mentioned before that the duet has limited voltage output and will not be the best match for many higher impedance phones, but listening again to my HD580 (an older pair that sounded almost identical to my HD600 so I sold the HD600), the volume seemed to be more than adequate and they sounded quite good. But it's always best if you can listen to it yourself to make sure you like what you hear.

 

[elbuzzard]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KurtW /img/forum/go_quote.gif I mentioned before that the duet has limited voltage output and will not be the best match for many higher impedance phones, but listening again to my HD580 (an older pair that sounded almost identical to my HD600 so I sold the HD600), the volume seemed to be more than adequate and they sounded quite good. But it's always best if you can listen to it yourself to make sure you like what you hear.

Not quite enough juice for my HD 580s. I guess I like it loud? Still, it sounds much better than an ipod or my dennon CD changer as far as gain.

 

[woolnerc]

well received my duet today. very happy. iv paired my 325is with it for now.
also have a pair of hd 25. the source is a new MBP 17. is was thinking of getting another pair of headphones.

was looking to a pair that go around the ear not on the ear like the others, for abit more comfort. i also want the to compliment my set up and other headphones.

so i think iv got a few ideas but worried if the apogee can drive them well enough. i want it not to drive then, BUT DRIVE THEM WELL.
they are the DT 880 (250 ohm) and the K701/702. maybe the hd 650/600.
going to try them is a problem so im looking to those to give me a hand.

 

[mr.khali]

I have the Duet and have tried it with the K701 and DT 880 but the problem in my evaluation is I have never heard a more powerful desktop amp as yet so my experience is limited. From what I have read around these parts, the Duet does a better job than portable amps but a good desktop amp will do these headphones greater justice.