[Likeimthere]

Question to those who use CIEM with your DX200. What volume levels are you listening on with your music? What's a safe listening volume...? The nerd in me is wondering...

 

[headwhacker]

Just

Question to those who use CIEM with your DX200. What volume levels are you listening on with your music? What's a safe listening volume...? The nerd in me is wondering...

The nerd in you should know that a lot of things contributes to what volume level safe or not. Not all CIEMs have the same sensitivity. The balance output is twice as loud as the SE out, (you should also consider the gain. Then it depends on how the music was mastered.

The short answer is the safe level varies. Just plug your ciem and you should know if you are listening too loud when your ears hurt after a minute or so.

 

[gannjunior]

To those asking. Please do not use the AMP3 balanced out to a single ended input. You will burn up the buffers and will have to have the AMP3 repaired at your cost. You can not run a balanced output of an amplifier or line out to a singled ended input. Balanced to balanced is what you have to do. Use the AMP1 with the line out for single ended inputs.

Hi Paul,
speaking about AMP3 vs AMP1, focusing about balanced mode. (since AMP3 is only balanced).

AMP1 has 2.5mm output called "BAL".
AMP3 has 1 x 2,5mm output called LO (line output) and 1 x 2,5mm output called HO (headphone output) and larger frequency response (from 20hz-20Khz to 10-45).

Twister6 told me AMP1 2,5mm output has to be used as HO. While if I want to use a balanced LO I need AMP3 since if I use AMP1 2.5 output as LO I will get a double amp.
Is it true?
Because in my mind I understood AMP1 balanced output, since it was called simply "BAL" ( physically on the dx200 and with no specification on the paper), could be used both as LO and HO.
And this is what I did to test my dx200+AMP1, comparing single ended LO vs LO using the "BAL" output.

I want to go deep about this aspect since I'd like to use dx200 with my external amp ALO Audio RX Mk3-B+ (maybe you know this jewel) that has of course both SE and BAL input (and output too).

My test, using dx200+AMP1 2,5mm output BAL into balanced line in of the ALO, showed me all the benefit expected from a balanced mode, improving substantially the quality of the sound of the dx200 comparing it to dx200+AMP1 single ended output into single ended line in of the ALO. (I got +channel separation,+soundstage,+transparency, +credibility of the sounds in particular the bass). And no feeling about double amp at my ears (rather I have to increase the volume of little few points to match the equivalent single ended combination).

Hope to have been clear.
That said, my question is: will I have some benefits (for my purpose that is dx200+external amp ALO in balanced mode) buying AMP3 ? That could be gaining a - supposed - 2,5mm output "dedicated" (I don't know how to say it in other words) for the LO and, on the paper, wider freq. response vs AMP1. (I perfectly know which is the limit of human ears. In my opinion devices with larger freq. response could improve the final quality because there is more margin to minimize the impact of noise and this could impact positively in "middle" frequency listened by our ears...).

Thanks in advance.

Ciao

 

[Dobrescu George]

To those asking. Please do not use the AMP3 balanced out to a single ended input. You will burn up the buffers and will have to have the AMP3 repaired at your cost. You can not run a balanced output of an amplifier or line out to a singled ended input. Balanced to balanced is what you have to do. Use the AMP1 with the line out for single ended inputs.

Thank you for clarifying this for us!

I wanted to ask this, and didn't know where to ask, I know that DX200 can act like an ideal USB DAC, but where do we get the driver? I must have missed it when I was browsing thje official page

 

[HiFiChris]

Thank you for clarifying this for us!

I wanted to ask this, and didn't know where to ask, I know that DX200 can act like an ideal USB DAC, but where do we get the driver? I must have missed it when I was browsing thje official page

 

[Dobrescu George]

Thanks a lot!

I rushed through the page, and didn't really notice it!

Time to explore the sound and abilities of DX200 used as a USB DAC!

 

[HiFiChris]

Thanks a lot!

I rushed through the page, and didn't really notice it!

Time to explore the sound and abilities of DX200 used as a USB DAC!

You're welcome!

It is indeed rather easy to overlook the drivers on the download page.

You should be able to pleasantly notice that the (great) sound will remind the same, without any added noise, hiss or any other interference.

 

[Whitigir]

Prolly cuz of DX200.
When I listen to LCD 3 on the DX200, the soundstage collapses. With CMA600i, soundstage is almost double than on DX200.
You should really consider properly amping the Utopia

I know a good amping mean, but I meant Utopia soundstage is not as large as others such as stax009 or HD800....I can't never say utopia soundstage is like listening to speakers, but I will say dynamics is very speaker like...less the thumbing feeling

To those asking. Please do not use the AMP3 balanced out to a single ended input. You will burn up the buffers and will have to have the AMP3 repaired at your cost. You can not run a balanced output of an amplifier or line out to a singled ended input. Balanced to balanced is what you have to do. Use the AMP1 with the line out for single ended inputs.

And I kept on telling everyone this simple rule of thumb...Balanced to Balanced and SE to SE, or single ended output into Balanced input....but never Balanced out to single ended in

 

[Lurker0]

Balanced to balanced is what you have to do.

I have a pre-pro with XLR per channel inputs, and active monitors with XLR and TRS (mono balanced!) inputs. What is the correct wiring from AMP3 LO to two (left/right) XLRs or TRSes?

 

[Paul - iBasso]

Hi Paul,
speaking about AMP3 vs AMP1, focusing about balanced mode. (since AMP3 is only balanced).

AMP1 has 2.5mm output called "BAL".
AMP3 has 1 x 2,5mm output called LO (line output) and 1 x 2,5mm output called HO (headphone output) and larger frequency response (from 20hz-20Khz to 10-45).

Twister6 told me AMP1 2,5mm output has to be used as HO. While if I want to use a balanced LO I need AMP3 since if I use AMP1 2.5 output as LO I will get a double amp.
Is it true?
Because in my mind I understood AMP1 balanced output, since it was called simply "BAL" ( physically on the dx200 and with no specification on the paper), could be used both as LO and HO.
And this is what I did to test my dx200+AMP1, comparing single ended LO vs LO using the "BAL" output.

I want to go deep about this aspect since I'd like to use dx200 with my external amp ALO Audio RX Mk3-B+ (maybe you know this jewel) that has of course both SE and BAL input (and output too).

My test, using dx200+AMP1 2,5mm output BAL into balanced line in of the ALO, showed me all the benefit expected from a balanced mode, improving substantially the quality of the sound of the dx200 comparing it to dx200+AMP1 single ended output into single ended line in of the ALO. (I got +channel separation,+soundstage,+transparency, +credibility of the sounds in particular the bass). And no feeling about double amp at my ears (rather I have to increase the volume of little few points to match the equivalent single ended combination).

Hope to have been clear.
That said, my question is: will I have some benefits (for my purpose that is dx200+external amp ALO in balanced mode) buying AMP3 ? That could be gaining a - supposed - 2,5mm output "dedicated" (I don't know how to say it in other words) for the LO and, on the paper, wider freq. response vs AMP1. (I perfectly know which is the limit of human ears. In my opinion devices with larger freq. response could improve the final quality because there is more margin to minimize the impact of noise and this could impact positively in "middle" frequency listened by our ears...).

Thanks in advance.

Ciao

If you use the headphone out to another amp you are using the amplifier of the amp and going into another amplifier. If using the LO then you are not using an amplifier and would normally have a cleaner signal into your amp. The choice is yours. You can use what sounds good to you.

 

[Whitigir]

I have a pre-pro with XLR per channel inputs, and active monitors with XLR and TRS (mono balanced!) inputs. What is the correct wiring from AMP3 LO to two (left/right) XLRs or TRSes?

AK Balanced 2.5mm terminations

 

[Lurker0]

AK Balanced 2.5mm terminations

Such cables that I've found have a 3.5mm jack plug to take common ground. AMP3 does not have a corresponding socket. That's why I ask Paul for the officially proposed wiring.

 

[Whitigir]

Such cables that I've found have a 3.5mm jack plug to take common ground. AMP3 does not have a corresponding socket. That's why I ask Paul for the officially proposed wiring.

It doesn't matter if you use the ground on the 3.5mm or not. In fact, you should not use it at all. You want to deflect noises toward your main AC, which is your desktop amplifier chassis. Another rule of thumb is never.....ever....deflect or introduce potential noises into your sources chassis, and always drain it to main AC ground....I don't even know why A&K did that, probably for a more Stablized socket and plug connection to prevent potential damages as 2.5mm is very flimsy by technical stand point

 

[ctaxxxx]

Are there are any EQ apps that work with Spotify? Every one I've tried so far just distorts the audio horribly...

Really hope iBasso make the Mango EQ universal like FiiO in a future firmware update, so I can EQ music through streaming apps.

 

[mrmoto050]

Question to those who use CIEM with your DX200. What volume levels are you listening on with your music? What's a safe listening volume...? The nerd in me is wondering...

I am listening @ VL 48 with the AMP3, I can't believe how clean,clear and musical it sounds. Low level listening without having to blast your ears to hear all the nuances in the music is a sign of good engineering design and quality.