[ziplock]

I find myself listening to this combination more and more. There is something to it that just sounds good, at least to my ears anyway. I think there may be some kind of synergy present if you believe that sort of thing. My current listening setup is ASIO4ALL-->Foobar2000-->Xmod (headphone out)-->MDR-V6 (DT250 Pads). Listening to Rock, Metal, and Electronica is very pleasing. Audio formats included 192K MP3, 128K AAC, and FLAC. The crystallizer does add a nice touch to certain songs where others sound perfect without it. I have nothing pretty to say about the CMSS-3D effect, it's complete crap IMO, so we'll just leave that alone.

Here are several things I would like to point out about the Xmod. The first thing noticeable is the noise floor, or lack of. This thing is dead silent cranked all the way up, black. The built in headphone amp is of mediocre quality in terms of gain. So, using higher efficiency, low impedance cans such as the V6 seems to balance out this shortcoming. I am truly surprised at the clarity this little device produces. I examined the inner workings of the Xmod and the build quality and component placement is very good. Its using a pretty fancy DSP (TMS320DA255) which is found in some of creative's higher-end DAPs. I suspect this is why the price tag was so high upon release. I paid full price when it first introduced, but have noticed the prices are dropping everywhere since. It may be worth your while to pick one up for experimentation.

Edit: I highly recommend trying the Xmod with the Sony MDR-V6s. As stated before, I believe there is a synergy present.

 

[Sir Nobax]

Hmm, the Xmod never interested me, might be fun to listen to sometime though.
But is the Xmod a independent DAC+HPamp or does it need a soundcard?

 

[ziplock]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sir Nobax /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmm, the Xmod never interested me, might be fun to listen to sometime though. But is the Xmod a independent DAC+HPamp or does it need a soundcard?

It is a USB DAC+HPamp. Yes, it does have a HPamp. Albeit a weak one.

 

[Sir Nobax]

Maybe crazy to ask, but how does it compare to higher end DAC's? And its powered by USB right?

 

[n4k33n]

I have one of these too. It sounds about the same as an ipod as a source. It wasn't long before I replaced it with something else.

 

[Wilashort]

The Xmod is a very good external sound card or DSP/Dap (more of this than a soundcard. The noise is non-existent compared with the produced for my internal soundcard).
It add some good bass punch to my DT770pro Headphones and the highs are clear with the crystalizer on (in some songs. In others, i have to lesser the crystalizer effect because of the silibance that it can create with high bitrate songs (>192kbps) when connected the headphones to the Line out of the card. The bass speed increase and has more punch (more in the line out), but add some silibance to the sound (in high settings and is stronger with the amp..)
when the CMSS-3D effect is enable and the volume of the song is high.
Yeah, the built in amp in the headphone out is very weak, but when i connect the headphones to the line out, it drive well my headphones (the amplification is 1.5x stronger)

When you connected the headphones to the headphone out port; the sound is clearer, spacious and refined but weak and the sibilance is not existant.
The soundstage is very good (especially with my DT990 headphones) with the cmss 3D enable in medium-high to High setting (is nearly as a crossfeed in an amp (well i believe...)). The soundstage expansion depend of your headphones soundstage capabilities. It put the voices in the center (how if there is was a center channel), and the effects and instruments in the front left or front right.

In movies with multichannel audio, the voices are put in the center (in your face) and efects and music to be put in the front and rear channels and rear center. The emulation of a multispeaker system is great and exact.

This soundcard is compatible with any multichannel format (if the movie has it (Dolby Digital EX or DTS ES)), it adapt the channels to his correct position in the soundstage.
You need and external amp if you connect a headphone higher than 100 ohms, but you can connect your headphones in the Line out if the impedance is lower than 80 ohms without amplification and get loud levels (if the headphones are below 40 ohms in impedance).
The only problem that i had (i don't believe that to be for this source) is when i use this headphones with a PA2V2 amp connected to the sound card.
It add distortion to the bass in semi and loud volume songs that have some and heavy bass. When i hear to my MP3 songs (192 to 320 kbps).
Well this is my impression with my Xmod card
Sorry if i had some errors in the spell, but the english is no my native languaje.

 

[Sir Nobax]

Wow, thanks for the mini-review Wilashort!

 

[Wilashort]

Ok, i glad to help to everyone. I had a more complete review of the external soundcard here, with the PA2V2 amp...
Quote:

Originally Posted by Sir Nobax /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow, thanks for the mini-review Wilashort!

 

[Noobiiee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziplock /img/forum/go_quote.gif I find myself listening to this combination more and more. There is something to it that just sounds good, at least to my ears anyway. I think there may be some kind of synergy present if you believe that sort of thing. My current listening setup is ASIO4ALL-->Foobar2000-->Xmod (headphone out)-->MDR-V6 (DT250 Pads). Listening to Rock, Metal, and Electronica is very pleasing. Audio formats included 192K MP3, 128K AAC, and FLAC. The crystallizer does add a nice touch to certain songs where others sound perfect without it. I have nothing pretty to say about the CMSS-3D effect, it's complete crap IMO, so we'll just leave that alone. Here are several things I would like to point out about the Xmod. The first thing noticeable is the noise floor, or lack of. This thing is dead silent cranked all the way up, black. The built in headphone amp is of mediocre quality in terms of gain. So, using higher efficiency, low impedance cans such as the V6 seems to balance out this shortcoming. I am truly surprised at the clarity this little device produces. I examined the inner workings of the Xmod and the build quality and component placement is very good. Its using a pretty fancy DSP (TMS320DA255) which is found in some of creative's higher-end DAPs. I suspect this is why the price tag was so high upon release. I paid full price when it first introduced, but have noticed the prices are dropping everywhere since. It may be worth your while to pick one up for experimentation. Edit: I highly recommend trying the Xmod with the Sony MDR-V6s. As stated before, I believe there is a synergy present.

I guess because the V6 response really well to changes in the source so, exactly as you said, the xmod would go well with V6 if it can enhance clarity and definition of the sound without amplifying the signal out too much. So glad to see another fellow with the V6+DT250 mod

Just ordered 1 from play.com UK for 32GBP. I hope this is a good price :S