Ibasso 1 bit Discrete portable DAC with Resistors Array D16

Feb 6, 2025 at 2:51 AM Post #1,426 of 1,678
Yes, the DAC volume/gain on the D16, though maybe not a 1st time there’s ever been a piece of audio electronics designed this way, it is very interesting….and useful. The DAC volume/gain on the D16 controls the amp’s Line Out voltage, so it acts like a preamp when you want to feed a LO signal to an external amp.
Ah that would explain it, I hadn’t even considered playing with that dial in line out, I’ll give that a play aswel.
Is there a power graph showing the line out power adjusting the dac volume in line out?
Not DAC volume, just the Gain function. High gain is like more bass and Low is more neutral
sorry, misinterpreted what you said, I’ll fiddle with the gain

The D16 and the HP8 make an excellent pairing, the analogous D16 sound with tubey warmth is like a brain hug.

So good
 
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Feb 6, 2025 at 1:32 PM Post #1,427 of 1,678
Ah that would explain it, I hadn’t even considered playing with that dial in line out, I’ll give that a play aswel.
Is there a power graph showing the line out power adjusting the dac volume in line out?
The following voltage outputs are not actual measured voltages. I used a formula to compute D16 Line Out voltages (for 4.4 mm Bal Output) with the following known parameters:
1. Each step of the DAC Vol adjustment is about 0.5 dB.
2. D16 Max LO Voltages for 4.4mm Bal Out:
DAC Low Gain = 3.3 Vrms
DAC High Gain = 4 Vrms

I will only compute the initial 10 Volume steps (from 100 to 90) on the 4.4 mm Bal Line Out for DAC (HIGH/LOW gains). This is a bit overkill, but I already had the values computed a couple months back after purchasing my D16 and PB5. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t exceeding the max input requirements of the PB5 (2.5 Vrms) when I stacked my D16 and PB5.

Vol 4.4 mm Line Out (DAC LOW Gain)
———————————————-
100 -> 3.3 Vrms
99 -> 3.12
98 -> 2.94
97 -> 2.78
96 -> 2.62
95 -> 2.47
94 -> 2.34
93 -> 2.21
92 -> 2.08
91 -> 1.97
90 -> 1.86

Vol 4.4 mm Line Out (DAC HIGH Gain)
——————————————————
100 -> 4 Vrms
99 -> 3.78
98 -> 3.57
97 -> 3.37
96 -> 3.18
95 -> 3
94 -> 2.83
93 -> 2.67
92 -> 2.52
91 -> 2.38
90 -> 2.25
 
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Feb 6, 2025 at 1:54 PM Post #1,429 of 1,678
The following voltage outputs are not actual measured voltages. I used a formula to compute D16 Line Out voltages (for 4.4 mm Bal Output) with the following known parameters:
1. Each step of the DAC Vol adjustment is about 0.5 dB.
2. D16 Max LO Voltages for 4.4mm Bal Out:
DAC Low Gain = 3.3 Vrms
DAC High Gain = 4 Vrms

I will only compute the initial 10 Volume steps (from 100 to 90) on the 4.4 mm Bal Line Out for DAC (HIGH/LOW gains). This is a bit overkill, but I already had the values computed a couple months back after purchasing my D16 and PB5. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t exceeding the max input requirements of the PB5 (2.5 Vrms) when I stacked my D16 and PB5.

Vol 4.4 mm Line Out (DAC LOW Gain)
———————————————-
100 -> 3.3 Vrms
99 -> 3.12
98 -> 2.94
97 -> 2.78
96 -> 2.62
95 -> 2.47
94 -> 2.34
93 -> 2.21
92 -> 2.08
91 -> 1.97
90 -> 1.86

Vol 4.4 mm Line Out (DAC HIGH Gain)
——————————————————
100 -> 4 Vrms
99 -> 3.78
98 -> 3.57
97 -> 3.37
96 -> 3.18
95 -> 3
94 -> 2.83
93 -> 2.67
92 -> 2.52
91 -> 2.38
90 -> 2.25
PB5 max import 2.5vrms? I didn’t expect that. Thought it would have been higher. Good to know though, keep the D16 dialed down a tad. Although the D16 is SE to HP8 so I don’t need to worry about that for now.
 
Feb 6, 2025 at 2:08 PM Post #1,430 of 1,678
PB5 max import 2.5vrms? I didn’t expect that. Thought it would have been higher. Good to know though, keep the D16 dialed down a tad. Although the D16 is SE to HP8 so I don’t need to worry about that for now.
I think Ibasso blown that out of porpotion. Never had problems here with PB5 input and voltage from other sources
 
Feb 6, 2025 at 2:18 PM Post #1,431 of 1,678
I think Ibasso blown that out of porpotion. Never had problems here with PB5 input and voltage from other sources
Maybe, but I find it interesting that they put a whole sheet up on their website explaining this limitation of the PB5….It doesn’t seem like they wanted to hide this limitation in any way…I’m certain they measured/tested the PB5 with higher input voltages and measured some clipping on the PB5 output.
 

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Feb 9, 2025 at 7:01 AM Post #1,432 of 1,678
Sadly, I have to part with my Taipan, its on the Classfields now. Need the funds elsewhere. Its been a great journey with you guys.
 
Feb 9, 2025 at 12:54 PM Post #1,433 of 1,678
Sadly, I have to part with my Taipan, its on the Classfields now. Need the funds elsewhere. Its been a great journey with you guys.
I’m still on my Taipan journey, but I may be parting with my PB5 in the near future after my latest purchase: an L&P EA4. Then again, I may just hang onto it if I want a more portable nutube solution. With the EA4, all I truly need is a top tier transportable/portable DAC, and the D16 in LO mode is my current top pick.
 
Feb 13, 2025 at 1:32 PM Post #1,436 of 1,678
Has anyone experienced a difference in audio quality with or without different power supplies attached to the D16 (power bank / wall wart, etc)?
Or is the power supply in the D16 good enough to filter everything out? I like to use my battery powered power supply with a linear regulator inside for charging while listening. But it is just because I have it around and *think* it is the best I can do. No A-B comparison done yet.
 
Feb 13, 2025 at 1:34 PM Post #1,437 of 1,678
Has anyone experienced a difference in audio quality with or without different power supplies attached to the D16 (power bank / wall wart, etc)?
Or is the power supply in the D16 good enough to filter everything out? I like to use my battery powered power supply with a linear regulator inside for charging while listening. But it is just because I have it around and *think* it is the best I can do. No A-B comparison done yet.
D16 and PB5 power directly by the internal batteries. The charging actions by external elements will not contribute to any sound degradations or improvements technically
 
Feb 13, 2025 at 1:38 PM Post #1,438 of 1,678
Are you sure about that? If you induce extreme noise, the batteries will flatten it out a bit, but not all? There is no galvanic isolation, so it might get through?
I have no idea how good the charging circuits are.
 
Feb 13, 2025 at 2:06 PM Post #1,439 of 1,678
There is no such thing as the batteries flatten out the noises from voltage errors. The battery chemicals may be affected in case of extreme like NiCD batteries which forms memories and degrade the capacity. But it will still be a battery which hold charge and discharging power (this actions alone already isolating all errors). In reality, non of these extreme cases of noises were to apply toward modern devices.

All chargers and batteries managements are made to standards. Now, if you change the batteries packs then it would affect the sound. Not the chargers

However, I am in the camp of hearings is believing. If you are curious enough, you can give it a try, and if you hear it, tell us about it. After all, people hear differences from firmware and playback apps etc...

Once it is there, then we will go finding out a reason why it may be so. But for me personally, I wont want to worry about it
 
Feb 13, 2025 at 2:18 PM Post #1,440 of 1,678
I have listened to audio out of my D16 with/without the wall charger and have never been able to hear any audible differences either way. If my AC was real noisy (it’s not), would that noise bleed into the audio stream? Not certain. I do get noise when my PB5 is too close to my WiFi router/extender (within 4 ft).
 

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