[oogabooga]

Looking for recommendations for my first DAC/Amp. To be used to listen to techno, rock, etc from my Macbook on triple.fi 10 Pro's. Portable would be nice but not a must. Crossfeed wanted. Don't want to spend too much (less than $250 is ideal).

 

[oogabooga]

Anyone? Please?

 

[oldschool]

Check this thread for comparison between many DAC+Amp combo devices. XM5 review is said to come next week.

 

[paulybatz]

Get an ibasso D3
241 incl shipping, best DAC amp combo for the $$$

 

[csroc]

Well you won't find me talking about things like burn in or about great differences in sound between amp chips or DAC chips however I chose to go with the XM5 simply because it offers the greatest wealth of useful features as a reasonable price. The adjustable crossfeed is great. The ability to adjust the impedance and the high and bass boost are all very useful. With many amps all you get is a bass boost.

I got the XM5 in black with the rechargeable battery and the buffers. It's quite small, quite capable and should really handle just about anything you throw at it. I use it most of the time as a USB DAC+AMP since the headphone outputs on most computers I use are pretty lousy (lots of noise).

 

[nocturnalsheet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldschool /img/forum/go_quote.gif Check this thread for comparison between many DAC+Amp combo devices. XM5 review is said to come next week.

headphoneaddict reviews is a must read for you. i was considering a amp+dac previously and his review lead me to get the D3.

loving it since.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by csroc /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well you won't find me talking about things like burn in or about great differences in sound between amp chips or DAC chips however I chose to go with the XM5 simply because it offers the greatest wealth of useful features as a reasonable price. The adjustable crossfeed is great. The ability to adjust the impedance and the high and bass boost are all very useful. With many amps all you get is a bass boost. I got the XM5 in black with the rechargeable battery and the buffers. It's quite small, quite capable and should really handle just about anything you throw at it. I use it most of the time as a USB DAC+AMP since the headphone outputs on most computers I use are pretty lousy (lots of noise).

I didn't find the D3 or the XM5 to need much burn-in - they sounded pretty impressive right out of the box. But other amps have really opened up and become more open and spacious with burn-in (Predator, Nuforce, D2 Boa, Lyrix), or attained better bass control (D2 Viper), etc..

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nocturnalsheet /img/forum/go_quote.gif headphoneaddict reviews is a must read for you. i was considering a amp+dac previously and his review lead me to get the D3. loving it since.

I would look at all the other reviews along with mine as a whole. What I like might not be what someone else likes, although with the D3 we also had HiFlight, mrarroyo and Jamato8 raving about the D3 which is what made me want to get one and review it. I am still very disappointed by the RFI problems I have from my neighborhood radio towers and with my iPhone.

 

[nocturnalsheet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would look at all the other reviews along with mine as a whole. What I like might not be what someone else likes, although with the D3 we also had HiFlight, mrarroyo and Jamato8 raving about the D3 which is what made me want to get one and review it. I am still very disappointed by the RFI problems I have from my neighborhood radio towers and with my iPhone.

Larry, i thought you got the EM shield from quick bridge solutions?

the shield still does not solve your RFI problem?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nocturnalsheet /img/forum/go_quote.gif Larry, i thought you got the EM shield from quick bridge solutions? the shield still does not solve your RFI problem?

The QuickBridgeSolutions.com EM blocking card solves the RFI problem with every other amp except the D3. RFI from the iphone still leaks through if the phone is within 5-6" of the D3. Also, the EM blocking card is in the iPhone case, so it doesn't do anything to stop the RFI from the NORAD radio towers in my back yard. I've mentioned that elsewhere and have to keep re-stating it in PM's, because I don't want people mad at me for recommending the D3 without full disclosure.

 

[nocturnalsheet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif The QuickBridgeSolutions.com EM blocking card solves the RFI problem with every other amp except the D3. RFI from the iphone still leaks through if the phone is within 5-6" of the D3. Also, the EM blocking card is in the iPhone case, so it doesn't do anything to stop the RFI from the NORAD radio towers in my back yard. I've mentioned that elsewhere and have to keep re-stating it in PM's, because I don't want people mad at me for recommending the D3 without full disclosure.

i see. for me, using the D3 at home is not a problem as long as my handphone is safely out of my room.

i been looking at ways to solve the RFI problem when i bring my D3 out. i am easily surrounded by 20-30 phones here in singapore.

looks like the EM blocking card is not the answer to my needs.

it used to be very bad when i had a unshielded LOD, changed my LOD and it was way better.

i also posted about the RFI problems for the D3 some time back also(a quick search will find my thread).