[BunnyNamedCraig]

Determining that will help you make your next move... Best of luck!

 

[Gamergtx260]

Treble-aside, everything else about the sound is fantastic. I'm hearing new detail in tracks that I've listened to thousands of times.

What was the previous source you were using?
The Deckard is fantastic.. for the price but surely they are not very resolving because of the under performing DAC though the amp section is great. I keep the Deckard because I do not do any critical listening.

If you plan to keep only the Focals then the deckard may not be the right choice, also audition the Marantz HD DAC1. I have them and they sound quite analog.
If you plan to upgrade your headphones (preferrably a headphone with warm signature, like HD 600/650s or one of Audeze's LCD series ) then keep the Deckard.

 

[MarkC303]

Previous headphone source was a cheap (i.e. <£100) Focusrite audio interface. However, my HiFi setup is a Roksan Amp, Roksan CD player and a pair of Quad standmount speakers - I've had that system for 10 years and it still sounds absolutely stellar.

I left the Deckard again running in overnight and most of today. This evening I've tried the B&W P5 cans (borrowed from a colleague), and my ancient Sennheiser HD200 (bought for £40 in 2002...)

Both the B&W and the HD200s were less forward than the Focals (to be expected), but they were also generally awful in terms of...well everything. I switch back to the Focals and the high end seems more refined than before. Either I've gotten used to the extended top end, or the Deckard has calmed down due to the additional run in time?!

Anyway, it seems I'm keeping it, and probably saving up for some Audeze headphones in the future.

Thank you for your advice, much appreciated!

 

[jbsu30]

Hello,
Are the drivers compatible with windows 10 Creator Update ? No issue ?

 

[Ashah]

I have had the Deckard since last November 2016 , and a LCD 2.F I liked the amplifier section of the Deckard but not the internal DAC so I purchased a Schiit Multibit and used it for day to day listening Recently a friend offered to sell me his non multibit Schiit Gungnir(delta-sigma) which he had purchased in just march of 2017, for a very good price so I asked him to bring it in when we set it up with the Deckard and did some listening both of us were" blown away" by the Deckard/Gungnir combination the detail , the soundstage, air , Bass , Punchiness ! heard things that I never hear before be it tidal Hi-Fi, Sportify It looks like an end game for me for now unless I go for tube amp like a Woo audio WA 6SE, just debating wither I should upgrade it to multibit or not the price I paid for it makes it very cost effective for me to upgrade it .

 

[Gamergtx260]

I sold my Deckard recently, wasn't happy with the DAC section. Also sold my LCD collection and moved on to a Violectric V200/V800 stack with the HD800. Such a wonderful synergy that made the LCD X sound very grainy.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

I sold my Deckard recently, wasn't happy with the DAC section. Also sold my LCD collection and moved on to a Violectric V200/V800 stack with the HD800. Such a wonderful synergy that made the LCD X sound very grainy.

I mean, good for you, but I can't imagine any possible situation in which I would ever want an HD800 over the X.

 

[escknx]

I could not tell a real difference between the Deckard and the Sound Blaster X7 DACs. They shared the same signature and improvements to the Fulla 2.

How about AMP section of SB X7?

I have Deckard and really like the way it sounds with almost everything, but I'm considering X7 for gaming plus I like the way its designed w 2 simultaneous headphone outs.

Is AMP section really bad on x7?

 

[escknx]

What would be the AMPs with similar warm bassy audio signature to Deckard?
Shiits are pretty neutral, as far as I've read.

Love Deckard's sound but not utilizing its DAC part

 

[Pharmaboy]

What would be the AMPs with similar warm bassy audio signature to Deckard?
Shiits are pretty neutral, as far as I've read.

Love Deckard's sound but not utilizing its DAC part

3 amps spring to mind:

• Cavalli Liquid Carbon: has balanced + S.E. output; no balanced input. Has a very seductive warm-ish character but with terrific bass & dynamics. The Deckard has >2X the top power of the LC (4W vs 1.5W), but I've found this doesn't really matter in actual usage. The LC has more than enough juice to drive my power-hungry planar (ZMF Ori) to brain-blasting volume...and never exhibits any of the symptoms of any underpowered amp (parched bass or dynamics, changes in tonality at high volume, etc).
• Violectric V200: Single-ended only, quite powerful, acclaimed for its slightly warm, forgiving quality--yet a real asskicker of an amp that can drive just about anything. I don't own the V200, but I do have the endgame Violectric balanced design based on the V200 (the V281). Let's just say that Violectric amps are memorable in many ways, all good.
• Lake People G-109: Violectric and Lake People are the same company. This affordable, over-achieving amp was the first really serious, great-sounding amp I purchased (scored the "A," or anniversary edition of it for a bit under ~$450 incl. seasonal discount 2 yrs ago...current list is $550). I can't say enough good things about this terrific, fine-sounding amp. It has somewhat more max power than the LC (2.3W vs 1.5W) and is plenty powerful to drive any headphone I have to the point of deafness-inducing. More to the point, every headphone I've heard through it sounds really really good. A great, affordable amp...slightly warm, very dynamic & powerful.

 

[escknx]

3 amps spring to mind:

• Cavalli Liquid Carbon
• Violectric V200
• Lake People G-109

Thanks.

I don't need balanced out.

These 3 are pretty much more expensive that Deckard. Are they really sound significantly better, cause it doesnt look like a great idea to upgrade to them from Audeze.

I am actually looking for something that sounds as good as Deckard but without DAC, just pure warm bassy amp w analog in that costs less that Deckard, otherwise whats the reason to change it.

The only thing that I dislike in Deckard, except I dont use its DAC, is that its a big heat sink, it generates so much heat that I have to run AC few degrees lower just to keep room cool.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Thanks.

I don't need balanced out.

These 3 are pretty much more expensive that Deckard. Are they really sound significantly better, cause it doesnt look like a great idea to upgrade to them from Audeze.

I am actually looking for something that sounds as good as Deckard but without DAC, just pure warm bassy amp w analog in that costs less that Deckard, otherwise whats the reason to change it.

The only thing that I dislike in Deckard, except I dont use its DAC, is that its a big heat sink, it generates so much heat that I have to run AC few degrees lower just to keep room cool.

Bassy warm amp without the DAC? Elemental Watson, no questions. Tube goodness, only like $200, and it's powerful enough to run pretty much anything.

 

[escknx]

Bassy warm amp without the DAC? Elemental Watson, no questions. Tube goodness, only like $200, and it's powerful enough to run pretty much anything.

Yes I use Burr-Brown PCM1794 DAC.

I've recently listened to amp that looked pretty similar to Watson, Bravo V3 hybrid tube w passive eq implemented and I found its sound too flat compared to Audeze amp. Not bad, but Audeze sounds much more 'musical' w HD700, 800, 558, TH-X00.

Maybe its not a issue with Watson, since its ~150usd more expensive, may want to try, sad thing they don't sell in in big retailers.

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

Yes I use Burr-Brown PCM1794 DAC.

I've recently listened to amp that looked pretty similar to Watson, Bravo V3 hybrid tube w passive eq implemented and I found its sound too flat compared to Audeze amp. Not bad, but Audeze sounds much more 'musical' w HD700, 800, 558, TH-X00.

Maybe its not a issue with Watson, since its ~150usd more expensive, may want to try, sad thing they don't sell in in big retailers.

Sad thing you don't live closer to us... Anyways the Watson is not a really tubey sound (with stock tube that is, I have never rolled any to compare). I think with that said It will have warmth but it shouldn't be a smothered sound with your DAC.

We encourage people to bring in their gear if they want, that way they can hear how the EW sounds to them. Your ears may be different then mine in this regard!

 

[Pharmaboy]

Thanks.

I don't need balanced out.

These 3 are pretty much more expensive that Deckard. Are they really sound significantly better, cause it doesnt look like a great idea to upgrade to them from Audeze.

I am actually looking for something that sounds as good as Deckard but without DAC, just pure warm bassy amp w analog in that costs less that Deckard, otherwise whats the reason to change it.

The only thing that I dislike in Deckard, except I dont use its DAC, is that its a big heat sink, it generates so much heat that I have to run AC few degrees lower just to keep room cool.

1 of these 3 is not much more expensive than the Deckard--the Lake People G109. You can get a new one for ~$500 ($549 list less 10% discount). Or you could get one used for ~$400.

I just listened to the E-Mu Teaks on my G109 this morning (the amp hasn't gotten much action lately...I forgot how great it is). The G109 made the best sound out I ever heard out of these headphones. Excellent bass, slam, soundstaging. Like many Violectrics, this amp isn't overtly "warm," but it also isn't bright in the least--and has such a full/impactful lower register, along w/a full, organic midrange, that the overall sound is the opposite of thin, overly detailed, "accurate," etc. The G109 gives the body of the instruments, not just the treble transients...