[guitargeek]

FWIW, after receiving my Toucan, I sold my Protector and haven't looked back.  

so the toucan itself beats the protector? ok got it! thanks for the enlightenment! save me quite an amount too!

 

[jamato8]

I have listening now to the Toucan for the first time in SE. I am amazed how good it sounds. This with with the Boomslang up stream and while the sound is a little different and possibly a little closer, I would have to say I like both the balanced and single ended just about as much. This is with the Ultrasone Ed. 9. 

 

[AVU]

Quote:

The gain is zero with single ended but when balanced is used it goes to 6db. I find I can use 15db of gain with the JH13's fine. 

Jamato8, can you tell me whether there's any channel imbalance at the bottom?  I'm sorry, it's just that I've only had amps with gains of +0 or +3, and even with those, I rarely get over 9 o'clock with my music very loud, so I'm having trouble understanding how I'd even be able to control the volume at +6 or +15db.  Wouldn't it go from off to EAR BLASTINGLY LOUD without anything in between?  
 
Maybe I don't understand how gain is related to volume and someone else can help me understand.  

 

[cooperpwc]

Quote:

Jamato8, can you tell me whether there's any channel imbalance at the bottom?  I'm sorry, it's just that I've only had amps with gains of +0 or +3, and even with those, I rarely get over 9 o'clock with my music very loud, so I'm having trouble understanding how I'd even be able to control the volume at +6 or +15db.  Wouldn't it go from off to EAR BLASTINGLY LOUD without anything in between?  
 
Maybe I don't understand how gain is related to volume and someone else can help me understand.  

The gain figure represents the maximum gain amplification. The issue then is how much useful swing downwards does an amp have before the SQ deteriorates because of the issue you referenced with analogue pots.
 
In other words, two different amps with the same stated gain factor may have very different useful minimum gains.
 

 

[wolfen68]

Quote:

I have listening now to the Toucan for the first time in SE. I am amazed how good it sounds. This with with the Boomslang up stream and while the sound is a little different and possibly a little closer, I would have to say I like both the balanced and single ended just about as much. This is with the Ultrasone Ed. 9. 

Comments like these make me wonder how the PB1's performance compares to other quality portables when used in SE mode.

 

[HiFlight]

 
Quote:

Jamato8, can you tell me whether there's any channel imbalance at the bottom?  I'm sorry, it's just that I've only had amps with gains of +0 or +3, and even with those, I rarely get over 9 o'clock with my music very loud, so I'm having trouble understanding how I'd even be able to control the volume at +6 or +15db.  Wouldn't it go from off to EAR BLASTINGLY LOUD without anything in between?  
 
Maybe I don't understand how gain is related to volume and someone else can help me understand.  

With the gain set to +6 and using my ES3X IEMs, I am working near the bottom of the volume pots range, but I have noticed no imbalance at all on mine.  I understand that channel imbalance is something that iBasso wanted to address when designing the Toucan. 
 

 

[BebopMcJiggy]

I too am unable to notice an imbalance, but I can't guarantee that there isn't one.  While it may rise in volume quite quickly it does not jump from off to extremely loud in one step for me at all at +15db.  That said, for a lot of my headphones I wouldn't ever take it above 8 or 9 o'clock in +15.  I do think jamato is a little crazy on the jh13s but hey, my friend was cranking it way up with some jh16s as well and his ear drums still seem to be intact.  I had my headphones plugged into the SE output at the time and I have no idea how he can still hear anything at all.

 

[jamato8]

I don't find any imbalance at all. I know that iBasso ordered the pots special and that the ones they requested aren't available unless custom ordered in large volumes but even with that they rejected over 50 percent. Such is the nature of the beast. 
 
I like to preserve my hearing so seldom listen at high volumes. I still retain my high frequency range but I read of teenagers who have already lost it due to the high volumes with the ear buds. 
 
edit: I listened at the lowest possible volume, for me, and thought the right was slightly louder but realized the music was louder on that side (lol). As I slowly increased the volume, everything stayed in place form right to left so no imbalance on mine at all, very impressive and not easy on analog volume controls, especially one for a balanced system. 

 

[rhw]

I can not recognize any imbalance on the Toucan (neither on the D10) in the range from zero to 9 o'clock......

 

[warp08]

No imbalance here either.  Got my combo yesterday and burning it in using my iPad and TWagged JH13s in S/E mode for now, but initial impressions are truly amazing.  According to iBasso, there should be a big improvement in balanced mode, but I haven't received my 6-pin terminated custom TWag cable yet.  
 
Will write up a review later, when things settled down a bit.

 

[AVU]

 
This is a question I had, and maybe no one here can answer, as you all seem to have either super nice desktop rigs, or all portables, but here goes:

 

Can anyone compare (or guess, but I'd like a real detailed A to B comparison) of the Toucan/Boomslang combo against a home amp + dac unit (either together or separates) of similar price?  (Balanced or not)  

 

Just wondering how this would stack up to something like the Audio-Gd Sparrow or Fun, to the Matrix-mini-i (balanced), the Audinst HUD-mx, Yulong D100, NuForce HDP, and so forth, all of which are the same price or cheaper, though obviously not as portable.  

 

Most all of the comparisons on this site are home to home or portable to portable, which makes sense, since most people agree that home equipment is better but, duh, not portable, and many people want both.  But with a portable so exceptionally well made, not to mention powerful, as the Boomslang/Toucan, I would imagine it would now be OUTperforming some of the lower priced desktop Dac/Amp combinations, despite their ability to draw current from the wall.  

 

 

Does anyone happen to own any of these amps that could compare?

 

[BebopMcJiggy]

Quote:

i did a short a/b listening session with the HDP vs the ibasso combo.  both using the USB to single ended t50p.
HDP bought used. seems like low hours.
ibasso mine. low hours.
 
ibasso pros:
better bass impact
more dynamic, fun sounding
brighter
full sound
better clarity
option for balanced
 
ibasso cons:
two separate units
cant be considered neutral vs the HDP
slightly inferior build quality
 
it really depends on the headphones and the person's personal sound signature preference.  the ibasso fits my signature better. i dont havve any other headphoen at the moment besides the T1 and i dont have a single ended adapter yet. its in the mail. 
 
HDP: build quality feels absolutely awesome.  decent weight to it, looks great, and works well.  the sound is more neutral. bass is good but less impact than the ibasso. overall the sound sounds balanced. 
 
overall, i dont feel the HDP performs as an amp above its price point as others may think.  not that i have a ton of experience or anything but i think it was just decent. for 449$ new its a nice 2 in 1 option but its not the signature i want.  but if i was on a budget and couldnt afford the ibasso combo, this would probably be the unit i would go for. *disclaimer: i havent tried many of the dac/amp combos like the pico, d10, etc.
 
if i could keep one, id keep the ibasso hands down.  im building my full sized system so i have to consider selling the ibasso combo even tho i dont want to.
 
these are my humble opinions.

back a few pages... I have not heard the HDP myself.

 

[AVU]

Quote:

back a few pages... I have not heard the HDP myself.

 
Thanks for reposting this - I had missed it.  Anyone else?  I'm not trying to knock anyone's gear of choice, I'm just curious about the iBasso as a possible low-cost desktop replacement, since it would be easier to bring to and from work for me.
 

 

[BebopMcJiggy]

I have been comparing it to a friends Corda Arietta and a Protector... maybe I will post some comments later after work.  I need some more time with them.

 

[jamato8]

Images of the iRiver, which is taking a beating here in 95 to 100 percent humidity (the paint was in perfect conditon) and the connections used for the Toucan and Boomslang. 
 

 

 

 

 
The optical connector I made from a right angle toslink and a right angle mini. they were cut as can be seen and glued together. I have 2 or 3 of these I made. They are tank strong and very compact. No worries of the optical cable getting bent or ruined. Everything is velcroed together and the setup works great. Lossless or WAV files and plenty of good listening. 
 
As soon as I have time I am going to convert one of my iRivers to coax out for the digital. I look forward to comparing this to the optical out.