April Music Eximus DP-1
May 15, 2012 at 9:25 AM Post #331 of 803
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I've jumped on the DP1 bandwagon too. Looking forward to delivery today.

 
Congrats.  Hope you like it.
 
 
 
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It sounds boxy and veiled OOTB, so let it burn-in for a while before going head over heels ^^

 
Agree.  It took mine something like a week and a half of burn in to really relax and come together.  After that, more subtle improvement I guess..
 
 
 
so I'll finally have my isolated I2S transport

 
Yay, look forward to hearing how that pans out.  If I2S sounds good, it will free up the USB for another source, such as my Squeezebox touch (with Triode usb upgrade)..
 
May 17, 2012 at 6:57 PM Post #332 of 803
Yep, I will feed a clean PSU to the DI-V2 via an ADuM4160 dongle, cut a very short RJ45 cable, solder a mini-din5 connector to it and we'll be in isolated I2S business 
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A friend of mine just went crazy and ordered a very clear sounding monitoring grade DAC, I will post impressions about it later when the new toy syndrom will have worn out....anyway, A/B'ing it w/ the DP-1 is much like what 6moons said: the DP-1 has a "sweet" colored "hi-fi'ish" sound that embelishes everything. OTOH, my friend's DAC is merciless and the GIGO principle has never rung so true 
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The more I listen to high-end'ish DAC's, the more I realize that they're all colored....find a color you'll like and you'll be happy. I can hear why most audiophiles would keep a few different DAC's though, because there isn't a single "true hardcore transparent as if you were in the studio cabin while it was being mastered" DAC, as literally everything will color the sound.
 
And sometimes it's less fatiguing to listen to a DAC that focuses on the music more than on the defects(especially when most records have gone through thousands of cheapo opamps
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) but both are highly seductive either way. I guess it makes a lot of sense to keep a few different DAC's and switch between them once one bores you basically. That's what opamps rollers do to a lesser extent. Next on my list is a DAC-19, I wanna hear what R2R has to offer. It should deliver through the wire-with-gain headamp of the DP-1 
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May 17, 2012 at 7:33 PM Post #333 of 803
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because there isn't a single "true hardcore transparent as if you were in the studio cabin while it was being mastered" DAC, as literally everything will color the sound.
 

 
 
That's the dirty little secret in audio, and the "true hardcore transparency" you speak of, is currently one of the most valued marketable attributes in audio reviews.
 
May 17, 2012 at 9:37 PM Post #334 of 803
..especially when many(most?) records have gone through Sonic Solutions/ProTools hardware racks, that are using SMPS powered jellybean opamps. The pro-audio people consider that a voltage output DAC through a $0.2 dual opamp LPF oughta be enough for anybody. The same way they now release music specifically mastered for the iPod. Play those records through highly transparent gear and you'll be digging for noise and distortion IME/IMHO/YMMV 
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May 18, 2012 at 10:28 AM Post #336 of 803
As a second question: has anyone compared the Eximus with Ayre QB-9? I'd be really interested in the results.
I have just recently acquired my Eximus. I am loving its tonal intensity and delicacy, but I'd like to know how different it sounds compared to that other PCM1792 source.
 
May 19, 2012 at 2:04 PM Post #337 of 803
In the audiophool seemingly idiotic placebo-ridden tweak department, I present you this one: http://www.audioprism.com/quietline.html
 
I've just plugged one next to the DP-1, I couldn't hear any diff....but after 10 mins, I'd swear that the sound has become quite a bit clearer! blacker background, clearer SS, tighter transients,  blablabla 
 
I'll plug the four of them, let them burn-in for a while and report back. The DP-1 is using a toroidal transformer, and these only provide 60dB'ish galvanic isolation FWIR...so a less noisy AC could/would/will still be highly relevant indeed.
 
I'm still firmly decided on trying isolated I2S, but I might source some clean 3.3V PSU and go w/ that other XMOS board I mentioned earlier....its ASIO driver sounds great to my ears, and the Tenor chips only run one single 12MHz clock so 44.1kHz WILL suffer.
 
May 19, 2012 at 8:32 PM Post #338 of 803
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In the audiophool seemingly idiotic placebo-ridden tweak department, I present you this one

 
They look similar to the ones that Russ Andrews used to sell here in England, and probably still does.  I have one lying around somewhere and couldn't hear much of a difference last time I tried it   Might dig it out though..   
 
 
 
I'm still firmly decided on trying isolated I2S, but I might source some clean 3.3V PSU and go w/ that other XMOS board I mentioned earlier

 
Good to see that board is back in the running! 
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May 20, 2012 at 1:55 PM Post #339 of 803
Just thought I'd post some pictures in order to demonstrate how useful it is having two sets of outputs. This was a major reason I chose the DP-1.   
 
I tend to use the DP-1's headamp for ortho's and high impedance dynamics, and a Berning Micro Z tube amp for high sensitivity/ Low impedance cans, such as Grado's.   
 
The Berning has also been upgraded to run as a preamp, and is hooked up to an active monitor and sub set up, just out of the picture.  Sometimes I use the DP-1 as a preamp instead.
 
The DP1 runs a second amp and set of (passive) speakers via a long cable
 
I also regularly connect an FM tuner to the DP-1's front analogue input and plan to hook up a phono preamp/ record deck to the rear input one of these days.
 
A real 'rig' if there ever was one 
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, although the chopping board and third preamp below are only there temporarily.
 
 

 
 

 
May 20, 2012 at 2:03 PM Post #340 of 803
If anyone is interested, I can give a comparison between my Eximus DP-1 amp section and Burson HA-160DS' counterpart.
 
Cheers.
Tony
 
May 21, 2012 at 10:54 AM Post #343 of 803
I have been thinking about getting the april eximus for my hd800 headphones, but I'm not sure whether or not i should get the kingrex ud384 with the kingrex u power source...
Any suggestions?
 
May 21, 2012 at 12:50 PM Post #344 of 803
I found my HD800s sounding better with the Eximus than with my Violectric HPA200 headamp which I have sold. In the beginning I was critical about the filter which boosts the bass of the Eximus headamp but with som breaking in I am using this filter 90% of the time. Maybe Simon Lee had the HD800 in mind when he created the filter. 
 
Haven´t heard the Kingrex DAC but the Eximus outclassed my modded EE Minimax - especially after 300 hours of break in.
 

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