[Dsnuts]

Yes there will be a few more impressions on these I would say in a week or two. It took a bit over 2 weeks to get to me from Hong Kong so keep tabs on this thread. 

 

[DarSevn]

Quote:

Yes there will be a few more impressions on these I would say in a week or two. It took a bit over 2 weeks to get to me from Hong Kong so keep tabs on this thread. 

I am sitting here in Taiwan right now, and this is one of the only desktop DACs I have been able to find in my area.  I have HIGHLY tempted to pick this up, or the DAC-05 model.
 
And then I saw the Little Dot and the HA Info U2.  Ahhh the choices.

 

[Dsnuts]

A little update. I just got my SMSL USB to Optical coax out box.

 
Not a huge difference in sound but I can tell the sound is as clean as it will get. It is 100% music and nothing else. I love it. The cable I bought on ebay for $8.40. Solid optical cable. This little combo and I am good! Nothing else needed..The main difference from going optical vs usb. The upper registers are cleaner the sound is a bit tighter. I noticed I have to turn the volume down a bit too as it is much louder using the optical. The sound is even cleaner than it was using the USB which was clean to begin with. lol.  The cleanest sound I have ever heard. Considering the purchase price. I am very happy. Thanks again Kiteki.

 

[Disharmonic]

You think it's possible to feed a separate amp from the RCA outs?

 

[149700]

Does anyone know how this compares to Fiio E17? I am trying to decide between the two.
 
Or a comparison to the E10 would fine too.

 
Thanks so much.

 

[Dsnuts]

Quote:

You think it's possible to feed a separate amp from the RCA outs?

Yes you can.
Quote:

Does anyone know how this compares to Fiio E17? I am trying to decide between the two.
 
Or a comparison to the E10 would fine too.

 
Thanks so much.

Sorry don't have either. I was looking at a E17 myself before this thread. Unless you need a Dac for portable use I am completely happy with the fire phoenix. 

 

[hipster2010]

You've got me curious about another audio product Dsnuts. This will not be good for my wallet.
 
I've got the ODAC/O2 combo right now, so I'm really curious to see how this compares.

 

[Dsnuts]

Cheap no name manufacturer using a high end chip that sound like a million bucks? I am getting detail out of my music I have never heard before from this set up. Am I happy about this?.. Absolutely. Considering how much I spent on this set up I am ecstatic actually.  I am using an equally cheap headphone with this combo that punches way above their price in the JVC HA-S500. If you guys don't know about this headphone. I strongly suggest you all look at the HA-S500 thread. Or better yet get a pair. Lets just say this DAC/AMP with my HA-S500.. IT is hard to describe just how good a $90 DAC and $55 headphone can sound together. This must sound like a cheap mans version of X DAC and X phone  you say?.. Nope it sounds stupid high end to my ears. So high end I can hear Eric Claptons fingers gripping his guitar frets when he changes cords. Detail I have never heard in the same tunes I have heard over 100s of times. Just crazy is all I can say.

 

[jazzman92]

Anyone know how these compare to higher end DAC/amp combos?

 

[rickdohc]

Dave... i am a Noob on these Dacwhatever things.
 
So, my quesion is
 
With these DACthing, it wouldnt matter what Pc or laptop i am using? the sound will always be same if i am using my laptop or desktop because the Dacthing is doing the job?  will it matter what media player i am using? 
 
thanks
 

 

[Dsnuts]

The Fire Phoenix is an external high end sound card. You can play all your music files through your computers but with the Fire Phoenix connected via usb or optical on your mother board. It is simple as choosing the dac on your hardware and sound option on your computer.  Add  your headphones or speakers connected to the Fire Phoenix. The sound processing is all handled through the DAC. There for you get a much nicer higher end sound. This unit has a built in amp as well capable of driving cans up to 300 ohms so powerful as well..It does need its own power source but in the end you will appreciate the raw power of this unit. I am 100% happy with it. Never did I ever think I would get this type of sound from something this inexpensive.

 

[rickdohc]

So i can add speakers? Ok, i am sold.

 

[otherlives]

Excuse my ignorance here, but...
 
When you utilize the SMSL USB to Optical box, you are still using the Fire Phoenix DAC?  All the SMSL does is convert the input USB to optical, and the actual coversion is still being done by the DAC in the Fire Phoenix?  Or is the SMSL box also a DAC?  They refer to it as such, but it doesnt seem like one to me.  I am confused, and did some googling and read some threads and still dont really get it.  
 
 
Thanks.

 

[potatoos]

Quote:

Excuse my ignorance here, but...
 
When you utilize the SMSL USB to Optical box, you are still using the Fire Phoenix DAC?  All the SMSL does is convert the input USB to optical, and the actual coversion is still being done by the DAC in the Fire Phoenix?  Or is the SMSL box also a DAC?  They refer to it as such, but it doesnt seem like one to me.  I am confused, and did some googling and read some threads and still dont really get it.  
 
 
Thanks.

DACs convert digital signals (how sound is stored and transfered) to analog signals (the signal that headphones can actually use). You can get the digital signal to the DAC in many ways. The most common is via usb, but optical seems to be the prefered passage for high end audio. That said, the only real benefit that I see with using a udb to optical converter before sending it to the DAC would be if the DAC converts optical signals better than usb ones for some reason. Honestly, I am of the mindset that you don't want to be doing any more converting, and signal movement than necessary. It just opens doors to a new weakest link, but is Dsnuts notes an improvement, I will have to say that it is a real improvement (I trust his word). If you get the Fire Pheonix, preferably use the optical out on your motherboard, if you have one.

 

[Dsnuts]

Well said. That converter box upsamples the sound from 16 bit to 24 bit audio. There are stand alone dacs that does this all in one but the Fire Phoenix through usb is limited to 16 bit audio. If you just use optical or Coax it will be 24 bit audio. The upsampled audio through optical is a very pure and clean sound.
 
I let a friend of mine hear this DAC with one of my headphones and he was blown away. The clarity and detail he was hearing left him slack jawed. Lol. Compared to my Titanium HD in my desktop computer. The SQ difference is significant. The Titanium HD is no joke with audio but this Fire Phoenix is easily at another level in sound.