DENON DA-10 DSD - New portable DAC/Headphone AMP
Nov 9, 2014 at 6:27 PM Post #166 of 353
  I wonder if any of you could get your hands on a DA300USB and do a direct comparison, AFAIK the DA-10 is basically a portable version  of DA300USB with higher gain.

Can't help with a comparison unfortunately
With the DA10 rolling out to worldwide dealer networks you should be able to audition one locally soon
 
Nov 9, 2014 at 6:53 PM Post #167 of 353
Session 6
Alessandro MS2i
 
Ipod Classic - DA10
 
Presentation is a little bright on this one
 
Bass has good quality but is a little distant , mid as always out of the DA10 is excellent , treble is clear and well defined but stronger than I like
Stage is good with clear separation  
Volume range is good with around 50% available on low gain
 
For the first time I don't like the synergy with this pair it's just too hot . When I increase the volume to bring the bass dynamic up the treble smothers everything . Out of my Woo WA7 I find the MS2i very enjoyable , the treble is strong but controlled . I think it is a case of the DA10 and MS2i both sharing similar signatures tending towards bright . When either is paired with something with a darker character the result is neutral , together it is super nova
 
Over the 3 hour session my ears adjusted to the sound struggling to normalize but there is just too much treble energy so it's never going to work for me . Pity because they really look good together
 
Nov 10, 2014 at 5:42 PM Post #168 of 353
Session 7
HiFiMan HE500
 
Ipod Classic - DA10
 
Presentation neutral at moderate volume tending to bright as volume increases
 
Bass is a problem it lacks punch and definition I know the HE500 can produce better , mid range is super smooth and full of AL32 character , treble is clean and clear no sign of harshness or sibilance even when pushed hard
Stage is wide and stable separation is poor in the bass better in the higher frequencies
Volume range available 50% on high gain 90% on low
 
Not expecting great things out of this pair I was a little surprised as to how good it was . The character of the AL32 processor is very strong here with a unique very old school sound reminiscent of vinyl , almost like an early gramophone with a wooden horn . Mid range and treble are super smooth , full and rich . Clearly the DA10 lacks the power to drive the HE500 fully and the bass presentation suffers for it . With moderate volume the bass is passable but as the volume rises it is left behind becoming muddy and weak . High volume is achievable however with no sign of clipping so I think the bass could be lifted with some eq although the quality would likely be poor . 
 
Overlooking the bass deficiencies which I have probably made seem worse than they are , this is a good pair . Much like the HD800 the DA10 can drive this headphone but when compared to desk top systems it is found lacking
 
Nov 11, 2014 at 3:29 PM Post #169 of 353
for gods sake how can we fix the uncontrolled bass i am tired of using eq in onkyo hf player, and when i try it gets worse
 
 
 
I keep suffering from shouty highs and uncontrolled poor bass and by far this da-10 is on the top which is causing such thing,
 
i am starting really to question if all is just an illusion unless someone can point which which dac/amp should one buy as i am tired of spending so much money on gear and getting disappointed
 
i bought the chord hugo which was amazing but felt the bass need more presence but at least it was controlled 
 
with the da-10 i feel the bass is not right something about the low end is not right, and i feel shouty mids and highs
 
now i really need to find an alternative
 
of course the da-10 did not drive the audeze lcd2 rev2 at all
 
as for the iem i am using the shure 846 and i am not liking the sound i am getting at all poor controlled bass and shouty highs and mids
 
something in the sound signature i am getting from da-10 is not right and its about everything from bass to highs
 
i need to sell this asap i swear i am enjoying the sound of my iPhone 6 plus with my shure 846 much more than the dam sound i get from the da-10
 
Nov 11, 2014 at 3:34 PM Post #170 of 353
Maybe the cause is your gears having poor synergy.

Try.getting the objective 2 amp, if you don't like what you hear out of it chances are you don't like the se846 and lcd2.

The only thing wrong with da-10 is that the bass is not as tight as I heard it from Hugo and maybe the volume knob could have been better implemented.
 
Nov 11, 2014 at 3:43 PM Post #171 of 353
i loveed the audeze lcd2 with chord and bi amped with fiio to give it more bass boost
 
now i am back to ground zero, i really need a great dac/amp with great bass impact that is controlled and lush and no shouty mids or highs
 
as for the shure 846 now i was thinking u might be right sometimes i love it and sometimes i hate it as it has good bass with the right gear but can sometimes get shouty, which iem is the best with no shouty highs or mids and greta big bass
 
as for headphones, i have been struggling which other headphone to buy as many blamed my criticism when i used the chord with audeze to the audeze but when i bi-amped it with the if to bass boost it it was just great so I thought i like the audeze but i needed a better amp with bass boost to get more bass from the audeze
 
these days i plan to buy a headphone but i read first good thinks then bad things follow in reviews, I was considering th900, as its a great closed can but i read also bad reviews about it, i just wish for a headphone that has the audeze lcd2 sound sig with better bass impact as the highs and mids are so great.
 
so any advise on closed headphones, and the bad thing i can't try things before i buy as here where i live stores don't carry most of what is recommended here and you can't try anyway  
 
Nov 11, 2014 at 6:45 PM Post #172 of 353
Session 8
Etymotic ER4s
 
Ipod Classic - Da10
 
Presentation neutral all the way top to bottom 
 
Bass clear , crisp and full of detail although perhaps not as prominent as some may like , mid-range again very detailed , smooth and clear , treble detail again and oh so clean
Stage is intimate a little compressed but the clarity and detail gives good separation
Volume range is fair at around 40% low gain
 
In-case you didn't get it I think there is good detail in this pair , actually spectacular detail . If not for the brain probe ergonomics of the ER4s this would be the best match I have tried with the DA10 . Sound quality is without flaw regardless of volume , no noise or distortion anywhere . One thing that stands out in particular this time is the nature of the background , it is black but not cold and empty like some dac/amps it has a strange warm embracing presence . Unique in my experience to the DA10 there seems to be something where there is nothing , its like an extra sense 
 
I like this pair very much the accuracy of the ER4s allows the DA10 to really show off 
 
Nov 14, 2014 at 5:08 PM Post #174 of 353
  u guys have idea when the DA-10 is coming to amazon in the states?

I thought I saw a schedule for world roll-out in November somewhere however one of the reviewers in Japan received a unit with a dry solder joint on one of the caps and there have been issues with volume pot imbalance being inconsistent . So they may be reviewing QC issues before the big roll-out
To answer you're question . I have no idea
 
Nov 16, 2014 at 12:28 PM Post #175 of 353
did any of you consider comparing this to ifi idsd micro, if anyone can tell me what is the differences are in sound signature
 
Nov 22, 2014 at 6:05 PM Post #176 of 353
Ive listened to the DA-10 now for 48 hours with wav files ripped from cd in itunes and itunes own aac files on the latest ipod touch 64 gb with B&W P7 and seenheizer momentum. I also played with ipod classic 120 gb but it was awfull compared to the touch and i would guess any iphone 5 or better. I have EQ turned on as the sound is very aggresive from the DA-10 on its own and EQ works wonders in almost any mode, ive landed on latin ??But its really great with eq on and high gain you can play soo loud as you only experience at concerts and it still sounds sweet. its one crazy gadget, the little wonder amp.
 
Nov 22, 2014 at 6:13 PM Post #177 of 353
  Ive listened to the DA-10 now for 48 hours with wav files ripped from cd in itunes and itunes own aac files on the latest ipod touch 64 gb with B&W P7 and seenheizer momentum. I also played with ipod classic 120 gb but it was awfull compared to the touch and i would guess any iphone 5 or better. I have EQ turned on as the sound is very aggresive from the DA-10 on its own and EQ works wonders in almost any mode, ive landed on latin ??But its really great with eq on and high gain you can play soo loud as you only experience at concerts and it still sounds sweet. its one crazy gadget, the little wonder amp.


Welcome to HeadFi Bo Bo and "Sorry about you're wallet"
Are you using the usb input or the aux with the Ipods
 
Nov 22, 2014 at 6:30 PM Post #178 of 353
Thank you and yes it hurts but i think by now its worth the money easily. I mean im really jaw dropping, open mouth like, all the time and i fear for my ears really.maybe you can get something better but not for what the DA-10 costs but i think its only for the newest apple tech and yes i use the data line no aux.
 
Nov 24, 2014 at 5:41 AM Post #179 of 353
just a heads up, the DA-10 is now on amazon (3rd party selling) for $370.
 
http://www.amazon.com/DA10SPEM-Portable-headphone-amplifier-correspondence/dp/B00N2NM2D0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416825614&sr=8-1&keywords=denon+DA-10
 
Nov 26, 2014 at 11:23 AM Post #180 of 353
i don't know why when i wanna use my iPod with cck and micro usb cable to the denon da10 i get many times an error message that says this accessory uses too much power, the reason why i like to use my iPod that way because i like to listen 192/24 files without being down sampled, but this error is annoying the heck out of me
 

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