[AmadisDeGaula]

Please take my take with a bucket of salt, Last time when I was trying around headphone for an suppose upgrade which I ending up getting speaker Audiovectors QR1 , from Ananda OG to 1k USD. 3 Headphones that caught my attention which were Audeze LCD-X , Arya Organic and Audeze MM-500, I didnt like arya stealth due to its treble spicyness but I did demo it along side 3 headphone I mention previously and yes all of those headphone were demoed with AGD R-28 2022 Ver which I own, AGD R2R11 MK2 Which I also own and AGD R-27 2021 which I dont own (shops demo unit).

As for the arya stealth with the R-28, I find the R-28 is a very fun, engaging, resolving and "in your face soundstage" but Its not push away from your ears nor too close to your face with near organic timber , However the R-28 is not as resolving as the R-27 and the 27 IMO is on the same level as the Chord Hugo TT2 (Preference between those 2)

For bass it kicks and slams with a lot of impact and most importantly its not boomy or bloated, soundstage wise again the R-28 is a very engaging, fun sounding and resolving DAC if you want a more neutral, open/wider soundstage and even better resolving capabilities sound Id rec R-27 2021 (if you have the means to get a DDC for R-27), For dynamics idk how to explain it but its very dynamic sound (I seriously don't know how to explain this hahaha). For arya stealth treble fatigue on the r-28 its a bit tiny present more unlike using r2r11mk2 with the warm filter on.

And yes most of AGD products tend to be a bit on the warmer side, unless you're trying out their AGD flagship like R-7HE Mk2, Master 9P and etc. I personally find AGD top end or flagships to be near flat neutral with that R2R goodness, but its not dead flat or as flat as chords offering.

Thanks for theses informations indeed Arya has a bit of spice but it's nothing crazy to my ears, also I use dekoni's perforated leather that gives them the roll off treble they need and a little + in the mids, but I lost some soundstage and separation. Though I am curious, even in NOS mode you could still feel the spice of the the arya? Also wanted to ask, how many gain stage is there? Thanks

 

[MrLeeroy]

Thanks for theses informations indeed Arya has a bit of spice but it's nothing crazy to my ears, also I use dekoni's perforated leather that gives them the roll off treble they need and a little + in the mids, but I lost some soundstage and separation. Though I am curious, even in NOS mode you could still feel the spice of the the arya? Also wanted to ask, how many gain stage is there? Thanks

I personally find hifiman to sound best at their stock pads despite they dont last long and cost quite a bit, I personally never tried dekoni but I heard nothing but good things from them, I personally prefer organic over stealth but I take MM-500 or LCD-X anytime of the day, hopefully sometime later ill be able to snatch them.

Im a sucker for NOS and I only run NOS on all of my gear, tried OS mode on my R-28 and I find OS8 is the best sounding on the 28, I have yet to spend time hqplayer with the r-28 (its currently at AGD for warranty), and yes just a tiny bit more comparing to r2r11 mk2, if you can handle or like the treble spice, The Stealth + R-28 will not be an issue, besides you can enable simulate vinyl mode on the R-28 which the tuning to my ears are the same as r2r11 mk2 on warm filter but with the added benefit/strength of the R-28.

For gain stage theres only 2 mode with is L and H just like any agd products, as stated in AGD manual for the R-28, L mode is 100 Steps and 12db while the H mode 100 Steps and 22DB

 

[Daniel4IEM]

Try a DDC, such as Di24He or Di20He (used) which connects between your source and the R28. One of the best connection methods between the above mentioned DDC & AudioGD DAC is using a short IIS (hdmi) cable.

I not too long ago tried DI-20HE and DI-24HE with the R28, and tldr the R-28 doesnt really need a ddc, you're just getting a different presentation on sound, DI-20HE has a open presentation and a tiny touch of lean, while the DI-24HE its less warm and a tiny touch on sterile and lean. IMO if @Daniel4IEM wants to upgrade he should consider R-27 2021 or the latest R-27Mk2,RE or HE. The R-27 benefits a lot with a DDC while the R-28 Is completely fine without one, you're just getting a different presentation.

I have yet to try Holo audio cyan 2 or Denafrips offering so there's that but Im very happy with my R-28 and I have no plans to upgrade DAC in a very long time, Unless I can demo R-27HE and get it for a steal

Not really, it is “just” an opinion. Useless for you.

“just” a different presentation can mean a world of a difference to some.

—-

The DI20 and DI20HE does not give a good presentation on poor source. Source needs to be real good

My impression of the changes is likely limited by my systems' bottlenecks and may not be yours. However, for a general change, you may want to read the topic on Di20 and get a general idea of how others who has the unit expressed their opinions and their comparisons to other DDCs.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/audio-gd-di-20.918123/

Thanks for all the feedback! I’ll keep researching DDC and if I get a chance will listen/ demo one. Perhaps it’s for me, or it may be I should just save up and upgrade to version of R27.

Also wonder if I should be looking into power conditioners. I definitely notice sounds is waayyyy better at night. Thoughts?

 

[Patswalker]

Thanks for all the feedback! I’ll keep researching DDC and if I get a chance will listen/ demo one. Perhaps it’s for me, or it may be I should just save up and upgrade to version of R27.

Also wonder if I should be looking into power conditioners. I definitely notice sounds is waayyyy better at night. Thoughts?

I HIGHLY recommend a good power conditioner. Any area I listen to music in uses them. It's the foundation of every listening area I have.

 

[Daniel4IEM]

I HIGHLY recommend a good power conditioner. Any area I listen to music in uses them. It's the foundation of every listening area I have.

Got any recommendations?

 

[Patswalker]

I use Core Power ones and have found they do good work. Especially the Deep Core 1800. They can go on sale for huge discounts and you can find them used for good much cheaper than new.

https://www.underwoodhifi.com/products/core-power-technologies-av

I just found Pine Tree Audio and have some custom devices being made from them including a high end power conditioner and it's much less than a lot of super high end ones. They also have a less expensive power conditioner that is somewhere around $250ish for a 6 outlet one and I have heard people like it a lot. I am also going to order one of the $250 ones for a small area soon.

https://sites.google.com/view/pine-tree-audio/devices?authuser=0

To be clear, it's not going to totally change a device. The R28NOS is great regardless. The overwhelming majority of devices are designed to sound great without conditioning but sound batter power conditioning. So you will hear lovely music no matter what you plug it into. Will a power conditioner help, some say yes some say no. I say in my system where I live in LA I hear a difference.

One of the big upgrades from the R28NOS to the R27RE or HE is the internal power supply. AudioGD products that have the RE and HE power supplies by nature are very quiet because of the internal power filtering. So if you are looking to get the R27RE or HE you might want to first do that then use it a bit and see what you think then if you want you can get a power conditioner. Totally up to you.

Another good upgrade to all my music sources that I use with USB is this

https://www.underwoodhifi.com/products/core-power-usbe-perfect

I go Mac Mini with that USB perfect and a high quality shielded usb cable into Matrix SPDIF3 then that goes out to my R28NOS, Hugo TT2, Geshelli J2S, and Schiit Yggi OG. That's what is so great about the devices like the SPDIF3 and DI-24HE and DI-24, it can clean up signal as well as connect super clean digital signal to multiple sources.

 

[OCC7N]

Thanks for all the feedback! I’ll keep researching DDC and if I get a chance will listen/ demo one. Perhaps it’s for me, or it may be I should just save up and upgrade to version of R27.

Also wonder if I should be looking into power conditioners. I definitely notice sounds is waayyyy better at night. Thoughts?

What source/streamer are you using?

 

[MrLeeroy]

Thanks for all the feedback! I’ll keep researching DDC and if I get a chance will listen/ demo one. Perhaps it’s for me, or it may be I should just save up and upgrade to version of R27.

Also wonder if I should be looking into power conditioners. I definitely notice sounds is waayyyy better at night. Thoughts?

If you can manage to find a used R-27 2021 for a steal, youre gonna have a good time again to me at least the 27 is on the same level as the Chord TT2 without DDC and with DDC its on the same level as the TT2 and MSCALLER the difference is so little its more on your preference and I personally find myself hard to justifying spending 5 figures USD on Chord gear despite they sound absolutely fantastic.

Hopefully in the near future my local hifi store will bring R-27HE demo unit as thats something that I really want to try especially after watching currawong review which to my knowledge the only review on youtube for the R-27HE.

 

[Daniel4IEM]

What source/streamer are you using?

Stream from Apple Music/Spotify/ maybe Tidal in future on 2019 Macbook Pro

 

[Daniel4IEM]

If you can manage to find a used R-27 2021 for a steal, youre gonna have a good time again to me at least the 27 is on the same level as the Chord TT2 without DDC and with DDC its on the same level as the TT2 and MSCALLER the difference is so little its more on your preference and I personally find myself hard to justifying spending 5 figures USD on Chord gear despite they sound absolutely fantastic.

Hopefully in the near future my local hifi store will bring R-27HE demo unit as thats something that I really want to try especially after watching currawong review which to my knowledge the only review on youtube for the R-27HE.

Love this perspective. On separate thread I asked this question

 

[MrLeeroy]

Love this perspective. On separate thread I asked this question

If you want basically 0 compromises yes I agree with currawong you should get separate dac and amp, if you want the best of the best on what AGD can offer id Rec R-7HE Mk3, HE-9MK3 and DI-24HE and ACSS cable, but thats imo is something you would buy if you have the susvara, the R-27HE its basically "End-Game" for everyone, or if youre going that route you can also consider Holo Audio offering, Because Im very aware the Bliss is capable driving the susvara and so does the Master-9P but on the M9 you will be driving susvara run off speaker out.

Just like currawong said unless you have the money and space you can consider R8 stack like you've mention or if you're a straight up baller go all out with R-7HE route, but for me personally since I tested my speakers Audiovector Qr1 with R-7HE MK2, R-27 2021 and Master 10MK2 amp, It made my speaker sound like studio monitoring which yes its insanely resolving but I find it boring. Hence I decided to get R-28 despite loss is resolution and soundstage but boy the R-28 the tunning is too die for. One of the most fun sounding and engaging yet resolving dac I have tested so far.

The R-27 2021 on headphones however, I really really liked it on headphones and thats something Id probally buy when I make more money along side hopefully TOTL headphones.

And I think all of us can agree here once you start going into r27 and above this is purely point of diminishing return and all we care about is chasing the absolute last bit of sound performance.

Imo you should be asking either you want to spend that much to get a small performance increase/perfection or you just want to be done, because coming off from R-27 2021 + DI-20HE combo, for me at least on head-fi thats "end game", the only thing that I would upgrade is the amp for Susvara, The 27 2021 dont have the juice to drive susvara.
That deff will change once I get to try R-27HE, Holo Audio May, Denafrips Terminator and MSB. But for the general people unless youre an idk an oiler the R-27HE itself is overkill.

 

[AmadisDeGaula]

If you want basically 0 compromises yes I agree with currawong you should get separate dac and amp, if you want the best of the best on what AGD can offer id Rec R-7HE Mk3, HE-9MK3 and DI-24HE and ACSS cable, but thats imo is something you would buy if you have the susvara, the R-27HE its basically "End-Game" for everyone, or if youre going that route you can also consider Holo Audio offering, Because Im very aware the Bliss is capable driving the susvara and so does the Master-9P but on the M9 you will be driving susvara run off speaker out.

Just like currawong said unless you have the money and space you can consider R8 stack like you've mention or if you're a straight up baller go all out with R-7HE route, but for me personally since I tested my speakers Audiovector Qr1 with R-7HE MK2, R-27 2021 and Master 10MK2 amp, It made my speaker sound like studio monitoring which yes its insanely resolving but I find it boring. Hence I decided to get R-28 despite loss is resolution and soundstage but boy the R-28 the tunning is too die for. One of the most fun sounding and engaging yet resolving dac I have tested so far.

The R-27 2021 on headphones however, I really really liked it on headphones and thats something Id probally buy when I make more money along side hopefully TOTL headphones.

And I think all of us can agree here once you start going into r27 and above this is purely point of diminishing return and all we care about is chasing the absolute last bit of sound performance.

Imo you should be asking either you want to spend that much to get a small performance increase/perfection or you just want to be done, because coming off from R-27 2021 + DI-20HE combo, for me at least on head-fi thats "end game", the only thing that I would upgrade is the amp for Susvara, The 27 2021 dont have the juice to drive susvara.
That deff will change once I get to try R-27HE, Holo Audio May, Denafrips Terminator and MSB. But for the general people unless youre an idk an oiler the R-27HE itself is overkill.

would you have any other product with bigger soundstage and soft treble around that price ? Btw when I was speaking of r28 for me its gonna be the R28 NOS, i believe you tried the R28 2022 if I am not mistaking?

 

[MrLeeroy]

would you have any other product with bigger soundstage and soft treble around that price ? Btw when I was speaking of r28 for me its gonna be the R28 NOS, i believe you tried the R28 2022 if I am not mistaking?

Yes I own R-28 2022, and no I have not tried R-28 NOS

And for dac that has bigger soundstage ans soft treble around the prices hmmm, The first thing that pop into my mind are RME ADI-2, Its has an airy and open sound DAC while resolving and neutral yet not sterile or too clinical sound, and for other I think you can try look at Matrix audio, eversolo or even chord offering but I cant comment on matrix and eversolo that much is due to I havent really spend that much time/demo those DACS, Im all about that R2R sound.

I also heard that people said DCS are very soft and wide sounding DAC, but again they cost a LOT more and I personally have never tried it.
If I recall the Hifiman EF600 is more on the neutral and more open sounding then the R-28 or if you want a more refined sound the Chord Qutest is also a great option with the caveat that you listen to closed room chello music/orchestra Its a refine sounding dac, Highly rec watch Goldensound review on the Quetest because my opions on Quetest is basically the same as goldensound.

But personally I would get R-28 or RME ADI-2 or Eversolo, Matrix audio but again Im all about that R2R sound and I dont really enjoy Delta sigma dacs except the ones I mention (RME, Eversolo, Matrix and Chord)

 

[Patswalker]

I feel like I owe the group an apology. A few weeks ago I posted a sale for my R28NOS. @OCC7N replied with some helpful ideas and I met them with rudeness general nastiness. He didn't deserve that at all. I was, and in a lot of ways still am, going through some really terrible family issues that are out of my control at this point but that day was super close to the day that I got the information about what's happening. Without meaning to, I lathered my fear and anger that is tied into my personal drama all over this message board in my replies to @OCC7N and that was not okay. That was rude of me and inappropriate to this group and especially so toward @OCC7N. I'm super sorry and wanted to let everyone know that. Sometimes life comes and kicks one where they don't want to be kicked and that comes out in ways like that and the most important thing I can do next to reach out to @OCC7N personally, which I did before this post, and to acknowledge to the group that I acted inappropriately, I feel bad about it, and that I am very sorry for doing so.

This group has been nothing less than wonderful, warm, and tremendously helpful in my, and I'm assuming all of our, audiophile journeys and I never want to taint that with how I acted. You all are wonderful and awesome and I'm eternally grateful to be part of this community.

 

[Daniel4IEM]

To any folks interested, my R-28 NOS is up for sale so I can upgrade to R27