[jamato8]

The D3 has the USB option, which is very good. The amp section is very, very good. Open and dynamic with good transparency. I love the quality feel of the unit. I have had it on for over 3 days, maybe more, with no change in the batteries. I actually like being able to change the batteries and try different types as I like the eneloop the best.

The P3 sounds very good also and has the option of using an external power supply. Oh the options and choices. :^) Portables have come a loooong ways.

 

[ZzBOG]

Can you tell the battery life of P3?
Approximate?

 

[mrarroyo]

A lot will depend on the gain setting and how loud you play it. With alkalines plan on about 100-120 hours of use.

 

[jamato8]

On the P3 a lot will depend upon the opamps and or buffers used. There are opamps out there that, if the buffers are bypassed, would allow the amp for run for quite a long time. No I don't have a figure. Hiflight would have a good idea as he plays with the opamps much more than I do.

Hey Ron??

 

[HiFlight]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamato8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif On the P3 a lot will depend upon the opamps and or buffers used. There are opamps out there that, if the buffers are bypassed, would allow the amp for run for quite a long time. No I don't have a figure. Hiflight would have a good idea as he plays with the opamps much more than I do. Hey Ron??

iBasso states that the P3 should provide about 55 hours of play time with alkaline cells. This is with the NE5534s LR and ground opamp but bypassed buffers.

I have been concentrating on the D3 at the present time, and have not tried a battery life test on the Heron yet.

I would assume that with the ADA4841-2 in both LR and 3/4 and bypassed buffers, one would get about the same, if not more, playtime as the D3.

With high-draws in LR and 3/4 as well as the buffer sockets filled, I would guess that you could get down to somewhere in the 20+ hour range.

 

[jamato8]

I am listening to the Python right now and the dac section from my PowerBook is very fine. It would seem they have a real winner here.

 

[decur]

i wonder how the d3 would sound going from:
macbook>d3(dac section only)>ray samuels sr-71a ??

 

[dakid]

for anybody with both the d3 python and p2 boa which one sounds better?

 

[jamato8]

To my ears, the Python is more open and dynamic. It is very clean sounding. The Boa is smaller in physical size so a little easier to carry around.

 

[ZzBOG]

And can you compare Python and Heron??

These are struggling for my wallet now.

 

[jamato8]

They all need to burn in to know the outcome and the Heron will change as you change opamps so it is a moving target but a very, very good one.

 

[jamato8]

I just discovered that the line out on the Python works by using the input to output as a dac only to another amp. I am using it with the Woo 6 and I have to say, what a fine sounding dac! Wow.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamato8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just discovered that the line out on the Python works by using the input to output as a dac only to another amp. I am using it with the Woo 6 and I have to say, what a fine sounding dac! Wow.

That would be the biggest reason to get the D3, turn off the amp or pull out the batteries and the DAC keeps running - outputting through the front panel analog input (like the D1 line-out did), but totally powered by the USB and not from batteries.

Still not sure it will do as well as the Pico as a DAC - the more I use it that way, the more I like it.

 

[Fort_Worth_Keith]

The D3 DAC is superb. It sounds better than that in my D2. It likely can be considered very similar to the D1 DAC which has always been highly regarded. I can hear no audible difference between it and my HR Ultra Micro DAC ($600)!

Thanks to HiFlight's great review I impulsively ordered a Python D3 on Friday. What pushed me over the edge was his observation that the DAC sounded as good as Headroom's MicroDac. That in conjunction with the lineout made the purchase a no-brainer to complement my Zenhead. I am thinking I am eventually going to purchase the AudioEngine A5 self-amplified speakers.

Thanks again HiFlight for a great review.

 

[jamato8]

I have never been very impressed with the USB section of the D1 so in my opinion the D3 is better in this regard.