[AlliumPorrum]

Hello from a new member!
 
I have googled for days to find some sort a comparisons of middle class (~300 - 600 €/$) portacle DACs that can be connected to an iPhone, without any luck. There are lots of individual tests and reviews, and pretty much all are just praising how "great sound this tiny little DAC does deliver" ;=)
 
My DAC should have a battery with USB charging, and it should be small enough to fit a jacket's pocket.
 
I have currently found following options:

- ADL X1
- V-Moda Vamp Verza
- Cypher Labs AlgoRhythm Solo -R
- Sony PHA-1 / PHA-2
- Denon DA-10
 
When reading all the tests and reviews, they all look pretty much the same for me. About the same size, same looks, same connections, and they all have "good sound".
 
So my questions are;
 
- Does anyone here have any experience on at least the two of the previous DAC's, or any others that fits the requirements? How would you describe the differences on sound quality or characteristics?
- Which one might offer the best possible sound quality with JH Audio JH5 IEM's?
- Is there anything else that I should take into account, when making the choice?
 
Thank you already!

 

[AlliumPorrum]

One more thing; since JH's are quite sensitive after all, do you thing that ANY of these would be a clear upgrade compared to the iPhone 5s's own internal DAC & amplifier?

 

[DrSheep]

Anyone of them will do, but if it is for your iP5, then you should seriously consider either the new VentureCraft Vantam or the SounDroid Typhoon plus their BB5 case.

 

[AlliumPorrum]

Thanks Dr Sheep!
 
But could you please tell a bit more; why do you prefer those over previously mentioned models? Do you think that they offer better sound quality..?

 

[DrSheep]

Sound wise they all bring about a decent improvement over stock.  However, function wise both the Vantam and Typhoon are hard to beat at their price range.  The Vantam is the improved model over the Typhoon, but without the iPhone 5/5S integration of the BB5 case.  Compare to the Typhoon, the Vantam can digitally upscan from your iPhone to 32/384 (Typhoon only goes up to 32/192), and it can play DSD64, 128, AND 256 (Typhoon only does DSD64).  In addition, both have S/PDIF in and out for other sources, and you can change out their OpAmp chip to Muses01/02/etc which is a huge plus, as none of the other DAC/AMP listed can do this.  Note that the VERZA is actually a highly custom version of the VC's Go-DAP X, and because of this, the BB5 case will work on it too.

 

[DrSheep]

Forgot to mention their new Go-DAP BXD also.

 

[AlliumPorrum]

Thanks again DrSheep, but I did not understand a word of this: "Compare to the Typhoon, the Vantam can digitally upscan from your iPhone to 32/384 (Typhoon only goes up to 32/192), and it can play DSD64, 128, AND 256 (Typhoon only does DSD64)" ;=)  So, could you explain a bit more, thank you..?
 
I'm going to play just MP3's and Spotify from my iPhone, and all I need is iPhone input and 3.5mm output for headphones, and that's it. And I'm surely not going to change any opamps either.
 
In other words; all I care is a best possible sound quality with JH Audio's. And regarding that, my preferences are more on a "musical" and "warm" side, I just can't stand clean and analytical sound and I'm extremely allergic for too bright or harsh higher sounds.

 

[DrSheep]

  Thanks again DrSheep, but I did not understand a word of this: "Compare to the Typhoon, the Vantam can digitally upscan from your iPhone to 32/384 (Typhoon only goes up to 32/192), and it can play DSD64, 128, AND 256 (Typhoon only does DSD64)" ;=)  So, could you explain a bit more, thank you..?
 
I'm going to play just MP3's and Spotify from my iPhone, and all I need is iPhone input and 3.5mm output for headphones, and that's it. And I'm surely not going to change any opamps either.
 
In other words; all I care is a best possible sound quality with JH Audio's. And regarding that, my preferences are more on a "musical" and "warm" side, I just can't stand clean and analytical sound and I'm extremely allergic for too bright or harsh higher sounds.

Spotify will never do justice to your JH5, and I hope your MP3's are at least 256 khz.  Here is a good article on the topic:
 
http://tweakheadz.com/16-bit-vs-24-bit-audio/
 
With that said.  Apple limits the bit rate of iDevices to 16/44, which is fine for CD quality, but not compare to DSD or FLAC.  So in order to improve SQ, both the Typhoon and the Vantan can upscan the stock bit rate to high res level, just like how can you watch a 480p DVD to a 1080p HDTV.  This is not perfect, but definitely better than stock rate.
 
DSD is a very high res format short of PCM (aka DXD), which came primary from master records or SACDs.  If you want to try some of these high res format without spending a lot, then there is a pretty good $10 app called the Onkyo HF Player from iTunes App Store that let's you play FLAC and DSD from an iDevice.
 
In addition, the SQ of an AMP is highly dependent on the OpAMP, since you like warm sounds, an DAC/AMP with option to change the OpAMP is great.  However, since you like warm, I recommend the VC's Go-DAP TT instead:
 
http://www.salehifi.com/TT%20ECG
 
And here is a chart on how the various tubes affect the sound:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/609906/venturecraft-go-dap-dac-amp-series-go-dap-x-13th-may-2012-and-go-dap-tt-21st-may-2013/480#post_9684632
 
Hope this help.

 

[AlliumPorrum]

  Spotify will never do justice to your JH5, and I hope your MP3's are at least 256 khz. 

Well I'm using only extreme quality that is 320bps, and I think it is actually quite good. Of course not as good as FLAC from CD, but close enough for my travelling purposes.
 
I have ripped my ~1000 CD's as a FLACs on my computer, but since I don't have any hires material, I don't a need for higher bitrate DAC's. On my home setup with planars I actually prefer NOS tube DAC ;=)

 

[DrSheep]

  Well I'm using only extreme quality that is 320bps, and I think it is actually quite good. Of course not as good as FLAC from CD, but close enough for my travelling purposes.
 
I have ripped my ~1000 CD's as a FLACs on my computer, but since I don't have any hires material, I don't a need for higher bitrate DAC's. On my home setup with planars I actually prefer NOS tube DAC ;=)

320bps MP3's are fine, and with the Onkyo HF Player, you can load those FLACs into your iPhone 5 too.  Since you already liked tubes, then the TT is definitely your thing.

 

[AlliumPorrum]

I just wonder that how the tubes are going to keep in condition in a portable device, that surely will take some hit every now and then..? Doesn't sound like a good idea, on my mind.

 

[DrSheep]

Well I can't be sure, they seems to be decently reliable these days.  I have heard too many complains from TT users here.

 

[AlliumPorrum]

Ok, thanks! But is it a very new model, or a rare one for some reason, because I can't find pretty much any reviews about it from the net? I really would like to read a few head to head comparison against other possible options.
 
I have heard quite a few tube amps and DACs, and while I really like the best ones, unfortunately many of them are designed badly and pretty much sum the cons of transistors and tubes. The warmth I like should NOT be done with the cost of accuracy and details, but in addition of it. For example balanced MHDT Havana or Audio Note's models are good examples of DAC's I do like. Good transistor DAC can surely be way better than a bad tube one.

 

[DrSheep]

http://www.head-fi.org/products/venturecraft-go-dap-tt/reviews/9226
 
It is not exactly new, and most of the discussions about the TT got buried inside the Typhoon thread.
 
Also, there is another one from Foxtex (HP-V1), but it is more or less a copy of the TT with less functions.
 
http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/products/HP-V1.shtml

 

[AlliumPorrum]

Great, I will read everything I can find out about these tube DACs!
 
But did anyone have any comments on sound quality of those transistor devices? At least Sony PHA's have been getting good reviews everywhere, and since JH's are quite sensitive, their great noise levels is a big plus...