Ibasso 1 bit Discrete portable DAC with Resistors Array D16

[Mungam]

Of course chargers are built to standards, but a switching power supply has more noise than a linear power supply.
But you are right. It all depends in what you hear, that is why I was asking if someone heard a difference between different power supplies.
So I assume you hear no difference with or without the power bank attached (which is a switched power supply). And that means, that the charging circuit is filtering good enough these days so that the audio quality is not affected.

 

[Daniel59]

Sooo, it’s been over a year since this thread was created on the iBasso D16. Is there any other portable (or transportable), battery powered DAC amp on the market that can rival the “house” sound signature of iBasso’s D16’s DAC? I could extend this question to all DAP owners too who have/had a D16 to compare.

 

[LWR999]

I'm about 2 days into my D16 ownership... is there anything more fun than 1/ buying some new gear, 2/ listening to some great music, while 3/ reading 97 pages of head-fi messages?

Really enjoying the D16. My favourite IEMs with it so far are my EE x A&K Odyssey. The Odyssey pulls hard on the D16, still headroom, but I wonder if a bit of extra from a PB5 and the increased sound stage make it my next purchase... we shall see. I tried my beloved Cayin C9 with the D16, but it seemed to flatten/narrow the soundstage a bit.

One of the things that made me hesitate about the D16 was that it wasn't Roon Ready. I have A&K SP2000T and SP3000 DAPs and I've been using them to good effect as digital transports and Roon endpoints for the D16 when away from my office desk. Works really well, to the point that I'm wondering why those who are looking at cheaper iBasso DAPs as digital transport for your D16/PB5 aren't looking at cheaper A&K DAPs to use as portable Roon streamers?

For my home office desk I have a Chord Hugo TT2 and MScaler ... I gotta say, the D16 gets more ear time - the Chord may have more resolution, but it doesn't seem to have the note weight and musicality of the D16.

 

[Whitigir]

I'm about 2 days into my D16 ownership... is there anything more fun than 1/ buying some new gear, 2/ listening to some great music, while 3/ reading 97 pages of head-fi messages?

Really enjoying the D16. My favourite IEMs with it so far are my EE x A&K Odyssey. The Odyssey pulls hard on the D16, still headroom, but I wonder if a bit of extra from a PB5 and the increased sound stage make it my next purchase... we shall see. I tried my beloved Cayin C9 with the D16, but it seemed to flatten/narrow the soundstage a bit.

One of the things that made me hesitate about the D16 was that it wasn't Roon Ready. I have A&K SP2000T and SP3000 DAPs and I've been using them to good effect as digital transports and Roon endpoints for the D16 when away from my office desk. Works really well, to the point that I'm wondering why those who are looking at cheaper iBasso DAPs as digital transport for your D16/PB5 aren't looking at cheaper A&K DAPs to use as portable Roon streamers?

For my home office desk I have a Chord Hugo TT2 and MScaler ... I gotta say, the D16 gets more ear time - the Chord may have more resolution, but it doesn't seem to have the note weight and musicality of the D16.

Since I witnessed the differences between COAX/SPDIF from USB performances, I could never look bacl to USB transport while D16 can use Coax/spdif. Is there any AK that has such feature?

 

[LWR999]

Since I witnessed the differences between COAX/SPDIF from USB performances, I could never look bacl to USB transport while D16 can use Coax/spdif. Is there any AK that has such feature?

Good point. Coax/SPDIF feels like the forbidden fruit to me. Once I taste (hear) it, feels like life will become so much better and worse all at once!
(There is no A&K DAP that does SPDIF va Coax)

 

[Daniel59]

but I wonder if a bit of extra from a PB5 and the increased sound stage make it my next purchase... we shall see.

I have a D16/PB5 stack. The D16/PB5 will be a definite upgrade to the D16. After a while of A/B’ing the output of the D16 on its own to the D16/PB5, I stopped listening to the D16 on its own. I could tell without question that I preferred the Line Out of the D16 fed into the PB5. Sure, that bit of extra power output helps, but the overall sound profile is clearly enhanced with the PB5 and its Nutube tech.

 

[LWR999]

I have a D16/PB5 stack. The D16/PB5 will be a definite upgrade to the D16. After a while of A/B’ing the output of the D16 on its own to the D16/PB5, I stopped listening to the D16 on its own. I could tell without question that I preferred the Line Out of the D16 fed into the PB5. Sure, that bit of extra power output helps, but the overall sound profile is clearly enhanced with the PB5.

Can I ask, was that with full size headphones you felt the PB5 helped, or with hybrid IEMs also?

 

[Daniel59]

Can I ask, was that with full size headphones you felt the PB5 helped, or with hybrid IEMs also?

Over 95% of my listening is with IEM’s. I do have a ZMF Bokeh on order (that should be easy to drive), and an HD800 I’ve had for years, but improvements/enhancements to fidelity I’ve witnessed were with both IEM’s and full headgear. Can it drive a higher impedance, less sensitive full sized headphone, such as the HD800? It can, but I think an amp with at least 500mW at 300 Ohm would be more ideal.

 

[LWR999]

Over 95% of my listening is with IEM’s. I do have a ZMF Bokeh on order (that should be easy to drive), and an HD800 I’ve had for years, but improvements/enhancements to fidelity I’ve witnessed were with both IEM’s and full headgear. Can it drive a higher impedance, less sensitive full sized headphone, such as the HD800? It can, but I think an amp with at least 500mW at 300 Ohm would be more ideal.

That's really unhelpful and helpful all at once. You've confirmed I need a PB5 in my listening life and you've made my bank account lighter

 

[Golyatx]

That's really unhelpful and helpful all at once. You've confirmed I need a PB5 in my listening life and you've made my bank account lighter

PB5 has a measurable +3db subbas boost starting around 100hz

if that helps

 

[Daniel59]

PB5 has a measurable +3db subbas boost starting around 100hz

Is that regardless of what gain you have set on the PB5? In Low Gain, the PB5 outputs +2dB, and in High gain, it outputs +11.5 dB. You’d think with those gain profiles, more than just the sub-bass would be boosted.

 

[Golyatx]

Is that regardless of what gain you have set on the PB5? In Low Gain, the PB5 outputs +2dB, and in High gain, it outputs +11.5 dB. You’d think with those gain profiles, more than just the sub-bass would be boosted.

regardless of gain, everything else is flat, just subbass is boosted by 3db above everything

 

[Daniel59]

regardless of gain, everything else is flat, just subbass is boosted by 3db above everything

Interesting! I wonder if this was intentional by iBasso. The D16 and most of their other products are fairly flat across the freq range.

 

[meomap]

D16 / PB5 Combo is good for all IEMs...
Good for Empy2, Liric, HE1000SE, Stellia, OG Utopia... These hp were using XLR to 4.4 mm adapter....

Have not try my HD800S yet.

No good for my LCD-5...This boy needs a lot of power to shine. Fits perfectly with my PL tube IA HP version with 8 glorious EL34 tubes. 11 watts with 6.3 SE connection. SOUNDS AMAZING....
Tried with ALO Studio-Six and ZMF Aegis tube hp amp. Just OK, not special....1 W and 2 W respectively....

If this help.....

 

[Whitigir]

I love my d16/pb5/800s. Those pictures I took were with 800SAnniversary