[wirefriend]

Guys I'm sorry to do this, but I read the last five pages and couldn't really find an answer. I really want to try Amp8, but has anyone compared it to Amp3? I know we're talking 2.5mm and 4.4mm, but I'll use an adapter if it gets me increased sound quality. The Amp3 module sounds very natural and relaxed to me, but I'm looking for more attack and bite, for lack of better words. Is the Amp8 a departure from the laid back sound signature of the Amp3? If so, I'll give it a try.

On that note, what adapters are people using for Pentacon to 2.5mm TRRS?

Thank you for helping me out!

-Collin-

Did you read at least the last 2 pages?
Amp8 is very new.
A few people ordered it, I think 2 got tracking numbers and nobody received it yet.
No, there is no comparison of Amp3 vs Amp8 yet.

 

[Signal2Noise]

Guys I'm sorry to do this, but I read the last five pages and couldn't really find an answer. I really want to try Amp8, but has anyone compared it to Amp3?...

As soon as folk receive their AMP8 (& have AMP3) the comparison can be discussed. As of now I think only iBasso themselves can answer this.

 

[SeeSax]

Did you read at least the last 2 pages?
Amp8 is very new.
A few people ordered it, I think 2 got tracking numbers and nobody received it yet.
No, there is no comparison of Amp3 vs Amp8 yet.

Yes, read the last two pages. Sorry, didn't quite look at the dates and therefore incorrectly assumed that people had them in hand.

As soon as folk receive their AMP8 (& have AMP3) the comparison can be discussed. As of now I think only iBasso themselves can answer this.

Thanks.

So then am I right to assume that many individuals blindly ordered them without knowing what the sound quality will be like since there are no reviews? Or were these purchases more for the Pentacon connector? Obviously we love the products iBasso creates and there will be early adopters (probably me included), but I just thought I had missed details or a review somewhere. Sorry if I'm being an idiot here, but reading the information posted by iBasso, all I see are technical specs with no mention of how they actually sound. I also posed this question to iBasso and did not get a reply.

-Collin-

 

[wirefriend]

(...) So then am I right to assume that many individuals blindly ordered them without knowing what the sound quality will be like since there are no reviews? Or were these purchases more for the Pentacon connector? (...)

I think the blind orders are fair assessment. Pentacon is not the main driver as Amp4 and Amp4s are using Pentacon.
IMO the risk of serious dissapointment is low as iBasso presents a constant stream of improvements so far....

 

[Signal2Noise]

...
So then am I right to assume that many individuals blindly ordered them without knowing what the sound quality will be like since there are no reviews? ...

Correct. I did the same thing for the AMP3 when that was first released. I was surprised and pleased with the audio quality straight out of the box. I have no qualms ordering audio stuff that is "reasonably priced" untried/unreviewed. Curiosity always gets the best of me.

...Or were these purchases more for the Pentacon connector? ...

And also correct for my scenario. I prefer the more robust 4.4mm connector now that I have the ZX300 which implements it. Now that I'm starting to get balanced cables with this gauge I figured I may as well as get the AMP8 so I don't need to use a 2.5mm>4.4mm adapter adding more connect points in the audio path.

 

[Whitigir]

I don’t know what to say here. However, if you need impressions/review, you need to wait, period

 

[SeeSax]

@wirefriend @Signal2Noise Thanks, very good points. I totally agree that it's a pretty low chance of disappointment and for 200 bucks, I'll give it a shot and return it if there are any major issues. I jumped on the DX200 bandwagon pretty late, so I'm still observing the various amp releases and I think it's a really cool way to keep improving a product over its life cycle. I haven't seen anything else in the audio world with that kind of modularity and flexibility.

Now just allow me a moment of sorrow as I realize that the audio world is going toward 4.4mm and my 15+ cables are all terminated in 2.5mm......

-Collin-

 

[BlueWindNoise]

I think the blind orders are fair assessment. Pentacon is not the main driver as Amp4 and Amp4s are using Pentacon.
IMO the risk of serious dissapointment is low as iBasso presents a constant stream of improvements so far....

This.

Blind inasmuch as folks haven't actually heard them yet, but still purchased with a good deal of confidence based on prior experience.

 

[BlueWindNoise]

Now just allow me a moment of sorrow as I realize that the audio world is going toward 4.4mm and my 15+ cables are all terminated in 2.5mm......

I'm with you there. I'll probably re-terminate some of mine as I'm a fan of the 4.4mm connection on portable devices. In the meantime, I've been using the iBasso CA02 and the FiiO BL44. I really like the former, but I've found it a bit cumbersome for portable use.

 

[SeeSax]

I'm with you there. I'll probably re-terminate some of mine as I'm a fan of the 4.4mm connection on portable devices. In the meantime, I've been using the iBasso CA02 and the FiiO BL44. I really like the former, but I've found it a bit cumbersome for portable use.

Thanks for linking to that adapter, looks to be very high quality. I ordered the Amp8 + CA02, so count me in the "blind" purchases lol.

-Collin-

 

[natemact]

So then am I right to assume that many individuals blindly ordered them without knowing what the sound quality will be like since there are no reviews?

That's pretty much where Ibasso has us now....and you now

Possible last amps in a thoroughly long line for the DX150/200 platform?? You would think the someday successor to the DX200 might trim down.

This more applies to the dx200 than 150 based on amp/dap cost ratio: I find that these amps don't feel like a traditional $200 purchase in that they have the final say on whether this near $1K DAP punches well above it's weight or not. High hopes here mating a proven excellent dac with a discrete amp design.

How many early adopters thought there would've been 8, possibly more, of these suckers

 

[Whitigir]

Has anyone with tracking number moved beyond “information received” status ?

 

[Signal2Noise]

... I think it's a really cool way to keep improving a product over its life cycle. I haven't seen anything else in the audio world with that kind of modularity and flexibility.

*Ahem!*...FiiO X7/X7ii...but DX150/DX200 are much better

..
Now just allow me a moment of sorrow as I realize that the audio world is going toward 4.4mm and my 15+ cables are all terminated in 2.5mm...

Just get an 2.5/4.4 adapter for the cables and then choose a couple of favorite cables to reterminate. Or decide on a specific headphone or two that would deserve their own 4.4mm cable.

 

[AndoH]

Is there a significant sound difference between a re-terminated 4.4mm cable vs a cable using the CA02 adapter? Or is it just for convenience?

 

[artpiggo]

Is there a significant sound difference between a re-terminated 4.4mm cable vs a cable using the CA02 adapter? Or is it just for convenience?

Depend on individual ears. It has some sound differences for sure. You can feel less or more. But you may want to trick yourself there is scarce difference so that you can just use adapter with ease feeling and save money.