Also, and unrelated, regarding the text for the "Advanced Harmonic Adjustment"; do you think that this means that where they say "which makes odd and even harmonics adjustment possible", they are referring to independently, or together (at the same time)???Thank you for giving me too much credits, but for this we will have to tag @Paul - iBasso .
However, There are 2 ways that a DAC can gain. It is either by Digital scaling as you mentioned previously during the digital conversion within the DSP itself. Normally, everyone tries to keep it under fullscale where distortions and clipping can happen and preventing it. An example is when flicking on EQ features, Mango Player will attenuate the volume down to give headroom for scalling by EQ adjustments.
The next gain topology is where the gain would happen after the conversions of the digital phase. Once these signals became a 1 bit pulses, the voltage summing can run on either a lower rail voltage or a higher rail voltage. This in turn will affect the overall signals a bit further. It depends on the engineering implementations. It could gain in loudness or just amplitudes. The attached pictures showing loudness of a typical nominal values of +5db Max or +1dB with different voltage rails and resistors divider.
If the 340 is done with the analog stage then theoretically, it wouldnt affect digital fullscales hence prevent clipping. It would though, be having higher amplitude on a certain frequencies that dont neccessarily result in loudness either.
My guess is that it is there as a feature because Ibasso want it to be. When speaking of amplitude under this circumstances, it may also be hand in hand with the digital filter that Ibasso innovated, the Advanced Harmonic Adjustments. Perhaps, High gain may works better and sound better on some filter and low gain may on the others and so is the floor noises. I have not investigated and analyzing by listening comparison yet. But if one can not hear the differences, just dont let it annoys you and bothers you
***Updated: Actually, I believe that DAC gain is on the 1 bit stage. Because I do hear the filter H5 having warmer and thicker bass as the most obvious (listening with 12VDC). But we need Paul to confirm lol
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I was just curious, because my desktop rig has two positions (circuits) for tube mode; one is for even harmonics, and the other is for odd AND even harmonics (even though it is automatic, and not user adjustable). So, the notion of adjusting odd or even harmonics is nothing new for tube amps, but iBasso has bottled this innovation in the digital realm (it seems).
This reminds me of Neutron's DOP and/or Oversampling algorithms. While not innovative in and of itself, the implementation is very much so.
I can believe it. I have not listened to one single piece of iBasso tech that didn't sound better (to my ears) than any of the competitors; which is not to say that they are bad, I just think that iBasso manages to stay ahead of the curve where portable devices and sound quality go together.You must try the DX340! It is on an entire new level. You will likely fall in love like the rest of us who own it.
Having said that, you are tempting me, which isn't bad, but my wallet really hates you right now....
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