[dkpaul]

I just bought D4 and I'm not happy with it. the sound through DAC is just not up to my expectation.
I wonder if anyone had a chance to listen to D4 and then either Pico or Predator through DAC. I'm thinking about selling D4 and moving to either amp.
can anyone shed some light/insight on these two amps vs D4?
 

 

[justin w.]

What headphones?

 

[dkpaul]

Oh.. I used my TF 10. 
I have a set of UE RM on the way. I wonder whether that would be a game changer....

 

[steve2151]

For some odd reason, my TF10 also responds incredibly poorly to amplification. I have a XM6 and out of of all my iems, the TF10 is the only one that sounds better out of my Clip+. It's almost as if the XM6 muddies up the bass and sucks all of the air out of the highs on the TF10. 
 

 

[dkpaul]

I guess no one explored both D4 and Pico/Predator?
Well, I will have to venture myself...

 

[Ern dog]

Well I'm not sure how helpful this is because I'm really new into headphone rigs.  I'm primarily focused on my 2 channel home stereo.  I bought my first set of cans about 6 months ago, Senn HD-600 and my first amp, RSA SR-71A.  I recently purchased the Pico amp/dac to compare the two amps.  My experience is limited to those two amps.  As a source I'm using my Macbook Pro, WAV files, using Bitperfect software.  I've never heard Ibasso amps.
 
I have to say that I'm very impressed with the Pico amp/dac.  Using the usb dac sounds 100 times better compared to listening through the mini input.  Using the dac, it sounds very open, neutral and revealing.  It's also smooth, with no digital etchiness.  
 
In some ways it is an unfair comparison to the SR-71A because the SR-71A doesn't have a dac, so it's using the cheapo dac inside my laptop.  To put them both in the same playing field and evaluate them both using the mini input, then the RSA is the easy choice.  RSA is a tad warmer and has great slam and authority.  It's very musical and hard not to like.
 
Now using the Pico dac vs the RSA- that is a very difficult decision.  I'm still contemplating which amp I like better and I haven't decided yet.
 
If you get the Pico or Predator, please post your impressions.

 

[dkpaul]

Thanks.
I'm going to burn in the D4 a little more. If I'm still not satisfied, I will move to Pico/Predator.
 

 

[justin w.]

 
Quote:

Well I'm not sure how helpful this is because I'm really new into headphone rigs.  I'm primarily focused on my 2 channel home stereo.  I bought my first set of cans about 6 months ago, Senn HD-600 and my first amp, RSA SR-71A.  I recently purchased the Pico amp/dac to compare the two amps.  My experience is limited to those two amps.  As a source I'm using my Macbook Pro, WAV files, using Bitperfect software.  I've never heard Ibasso amps.
 
I have to say that I'm very impressed with the Pico amp/dac.  Using the usb dac sounds 100 times better compared to listening through the mini input.  Using the dac, it sounds very open, neutral and revealing.  It's also smooth, with no digital etchiness.  
 
In some ways it is an unfair comparison to the SR-71A because the SR-71A doesn't have a dac, so it's using the cheapo dac inside my laptop.  To put them both in the same playing field and evaluate them both using the mini input, then the RSA is the easy choice.  RSA is a tad warmer and has great slam and authority.  It's very musical and hard not to like.
 
Now using the Pico dac vs the RSA- that is a very difficult decision.  I'm still contemplating which amp I like better and I haven't decided yet.
 
If you get the Pico or Predator, please post your impressions.

 
with the HD600, max output voltage is going to be a factor here or you'll run into clipping
 
SR-71A ~14-15V
Pico 8V
Predator 4V
 
There is also the Pico USB DAC which is standalone, no amp, USB power only, which could be paired with any amp.