The effect of DI20HE:
Interesting test today on a fully custom made server, network switch, fmc. Whole system besides DAC/AMP/Speakers is custom made. No DIY
The setup is complicated to explain the whole chain, but it was a lot of effort and thought behind it.
All of us 3 preferred the R1N/DI20HE over the R8H2/DI20HE.
We were also debating about the need for DI20HE in the system, but the room did not have the perfect treatment, however DI20HE did add its separations between notes.
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But that was just a speaker test. On headphones it is completely different game. You can have the R8H2 with a good source without the DI20HE, but for headphones, especially HE400SE it shows its ability of moving the sound a little out of the head and gives this speaker feeling. With a more technical headphone like Susvara other positive things comes out.
The improvement it does to R1N makes me realize how much it might "bottlenecks" the R8H2, which does sound amazing without DI20HE, however the 3D effect and instrument placement, becomes more concentrated and dense with the DI20HE, because it adds more warmth/analog texture. R8H2 already has good analog warmth/weight. I hope the DI24HE does not add the same analog warmth the DI20HE adds....when it comes to speakers. For headphones I love the DI20HE still for for the R8H2
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(Speakers.)
Even though we liked the R1N/DI20HE better we continued and experimented with the R8H2. This DAC is not a simple plug and play DAC. If DI24HE can improve the R8H2 like the DI20HE does to R1N....because we were heading to the same assumption that the REG PSU in the R8H2, was dominating/locking the sonics, even though DI20HE still added some sweetness, it was not the same degree of improvement vs R1N.
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More DI24HE impressions here on the thread is appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Hopefully I can get one soon...