Fiio D3

[roker]

has anyone purchased this yet?  
 
I've been curious for a while now on what to expect from a 30 dollar optical DAC.
 
They're being sold on MICCA right now (not sure if they are a sponsor, so google them)
 
Anyone willing to bite the bullet?  My NHT M-00s need love.

 

[Koolpep]

Hi!
 
I have purchased it, but didn't arrive yet. Once it does I will let you know.
 
Cheers,
K
 

 

[Nagasaki_Kid]

I'd like to know if I can strap a usb battery to this and use it as a portable dac with my iriver h120

 

[Koolpep]

Ok, I can check how much mW it drains from USB, no problem (once I have it though).
 
Should work with the normal USB batteries though as long as they provide the 500mW. I doubt though the DAC needs that much.

 

[Koolpep]

Hi, I have the D3 now since today and put it on for just 15 minutes in comparison to my icon HDP. Both are connected to a Schiit Asgard and HD 598. Connected to MacBookPro via optical cable using Audirvana as player. .

Well, I must say the D3 did surprisingly well. I mean 25 bucks plus 5 shipping is what I paid... You simply can't go wrong with that.

Sound wise I had the feeling it has a tad less channel separation and a bit recessed mids compared to the HDP, however the difference was so small that I could have imagined it with the time passing for recabling. What I ddi not expect though is that the signal coming out of the D3 is so strong/loud already. Had to turn down the Asgard a notch.

In short and after only this very brief test, I can say this thing is a hit. <30 bucks with WM8805 chips and capable of taking up to 24bit/192khz, wow.

Now, when you combine the D3 with a Superlux Headphone HD681B for roughly the same price, you only need to find an amp for 30-35 dollars and you have incredible sound for $100 US. If you know an amp in this price range that is great, let me know...

 

[BournePerfect]

So you're saying it's on par with the $450 HDP?! I can hear the pitter-patter of the JV Headfi E-Niners team en route...
 
*runs*
 
-Daniel

 

[roker]

I'm not sure what to expect from a 30 dollar dac, but I ordered it.
 
It'll be nice to have a good digital line out now from my television as I was doing the analogs out (I guess the built in TV dac for that) this whole time.

 

[estreeter]

Quote:

So you're saying it's on par with the $450 HDP?! I can hear the pitter-patter of the JV Headfi E-Niners team en route...
 
*runs*
 
-Daniel

I told koolpep much the same thing in another thread, but he seems to be standing by his ealier statement, and you have to admire someone who is prepared to die for his convictions.  

 

 

[JamesFiiO]

Quote:

I'm not sure what to expect from a 30 dollar dac, but I ordered it.
 
It'll be nice to have a good digital line out now from my television as I was doing the analogs out (I guess the built in TV dac for that) this whole time.

Will you mind tell me the model , brand of your TV. depend on our research, there are  quite some TV support digital out. 
 
The advantage of digital transfer will help you avoid the distort and noise when you using a long analog cable to transfer the music signal

 

[Koolpep]

I don't want to die! Yet. At least not over an headphone amp
 
I am not an audiophile, so my assessment is very amateurish. Anyhow, there is a difference but at least for ME and with my setup  it's very very minimal. The HDP sounds still "better" for sure, but is it worth 420 $ worth of "better"? That is the question. And if you use the icon purely as a DAC then I would say, that depends on YOUR ears. For some people the difference is too small to be noticed and for some it might be a whole different class of sounds quality. Honestly, I WANTED to hear a bigger difference. But it simply wasn't big.
 
I am surprised by it's overall quality for it's price. The D3 is pretty cool. Don't shoot.

 

[JRG1990]

Quote:

Will you mind tell me the model , brand of your TV. depend on our research, there are  quite some TV support digital out. 
 
The advantage of digital transfer will help you avoid the distort and noise when you using a long analog cable to transfer the music signal

lots of tvs and devices have optical out, my Lg TV only has optical out , my humax t2 has optical and analog out , my xbox360 slim only has optical out, but all modern receivers and 5.1 systems have opitcal in, the d3 would be useful if you wanted to connect 1 of these devices to a headphone amp or a 2channel stereo or 2.1 system with no digital inputs.

 
 


Quote:

I don't want to die! Yet. At least not over an headphone amp
 
I am not an audiophile, so my assessment is very amateurish. Anyhow, there is a difference but at least for ME and with my setup  it's very very minimal. The HDP sounds still "better" for sure, but is it worth 420 $ worth of "better"? That is the question. And if you use the icon purely as a DAC then I would say, that depends on YOUR ears. For some people the difference is too small to be noticed and for some it might be a whole different class of sounds quality. Honestly, I WANTED to hear a bigger difference. But it simply wasn't big.
 
I am surprised by it's overall quality for it's price. The D3 is pretty cool. Don't shoot.

 
It's a solid state dac they all sound very much if there made and function properly, I doubt the D3 has recessed mids if you were to measure the frequence responce of them both i reckon they would both be flat 20hz - 20khz, there might be a difference between them in stereo crosstalk but at most it would be slightly audiable and not worth the $420 price difference.
 
 

 

[JamesFiiO]

Yes, I heard about that some LCD TV only have digital out. And almost all slim LCD/PDP TV have very poor sound quality. so you can use the digital out and connect to your old audio system or just a 2.1 speakers to improve the SQ.
 
Of course, if you already have a home audio system with digital in , you don't need to buy D3.
 
 
All our products have flat frequency response. 

 

[roker]

Quote:

Yes, I heard about that some LCD TV only have digital out. And almost all slim LCD/PDP TV have very poor sound quality. so you can use the digital out and connect to your old audio system or just a 2.1 speakers to improve the SQ.
 
Of course, if you already have a home audio system with digital in , you don't need to buy D3.
 
 
All our products have flat frequency response. 

 
I have a very compact setup and use a mini-mini receiver to get sound called a MASS preamp from Firestone.
 
It's a simple 2.0 setup that goes to my NHT M-00s.  I was fortunate enough to own a SONY LCD tv that has analog out audio directly from the TV set.  So that's been tiding me over.  But if I can spend 30 bucks and get a bit more sound, then I'm game.  I'll post my review when I get it.  I might not be an expert but I've had some experience with good audio.
 
All I know is that I've run those speakers on all the DACs I've owned in the past and if I had to assign a percentage, I'd say they're only 50% of their previous potential.  I'll do a random test using my iPod, Mobile Icon Dac/amp, Keces 151, analog out from my tv, then the D3.
 
We'll see where this baby stands admist all those (nothing I've ever owned has topped the Keces ... even the overhyped DacMagic.)

 

[JamesFiiO]

Thanks for your help and the support to FiiO!

 

[glt]

I got one and took a peek inside (I have not listened it it yet ). I must say this is a steal at $30. The WM8805 is a top-end device for spdif receiver. Good engineering all throughout. Power is also very good with good filtering and a simple, yet low noise shunt zener regulator. http://hifiduino.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/inside-fiio-d3/