[HeadphoneAddict]

HiFlight likes to play with opamps in various amps, and find the best combo possible and then call it his "topkit" for that amp. And usually his picks are spot on. Going from memory, with the iBasso D2 Viper it was the LTC6241HV with LMH6655 in the ground channel and it sounded as good as a fully burned-in Predator. With the Head-direct EF1 it was the AD743 on a 2:1 adapter with a JJ tube. With the iBasso D1 it was the AD743 on a 2:1 with the LMH6655 in the buffers. And he always manages to find several opamp combos that work very well in addition to that.

I just installed the D10 "topkit" with AD743 and AD8616 as buffers a couple of days ago and I have been listening and trying to compare to my P-51 Mustang, and I can say the Topkit brings the D10 closer to the P-51 than I had ever hoped for. I may actually slightly prefer the D10 now, with the limited phones I have tried so far. It is very good with Senn IE8, and also with my HD600 and D2000, Phonak Audeo and ES3X. I am still testing it out with more phones, but wanted to share this now.

My IE8 are picky about the amp I use and I like it with the IE8 a little more than the OPA2228/AD8656 that I had in the D10 previously. And as an added bonus this new opamp combo works well with my ES3X and HD600 too. Some opamp combos that are great with the IE8 are too thin with my other IEM and headphones (AD8599/AD8656), which is more of an issue I have with the IE8 than the amp. But with the right opamps the IE8 definitely sing, and this is one of those instances, where it brings the D10 close to the level of the ALO Amphora with the IE8. There is minimal hiss with the 16 ohm IE8, but with the ES3X there is a bit of hiss at about the level of the Macbook Pro headphone out or the ALO Amphora. This is easily fixed with a Shure volume attenuator and the volume control rolled about 2 - 3 mm quieter. The sound is good enough that I was going to leave it with these opamps forever, and stop trying others.

I like the sound of the "topkit" (AD743/AD8616) so much I wasn't looking forward to trying out some other opamp combos that I promised to try, but tonight I moved to the OPA2350 with the AD8616 as buffers. With my ES3X this one is totally free of hiss and absolutely beautiful, with good strong bass and excellent transparency. I am listening to Patricia Barber "Cafe Blue" and "Companion" right now and it's like I am right there in the night club. I prefer both of these setups a little over the OPA2228 with AD8656 buffers. It is not quite as good with the HD600 as the others, but still at least as good as stock I think. I still have to try the OPA2350 with the IE8, Phonak, RS-1 and D2000.

I will report back later. And I also have a TLC2202 and a LMH6321 here, but didn't get the EL8201 I was going to test.

EDIT - Okay, the OPA2350/AD8616 works very well with the IE8 as well as my ES3X, although it does have more bass than the AD743 which can be almost too much with the IE8 now (but not crossing that line).

EDIT - I put the AD743 back in and they are still better than the OPA2350 or OPA2228, although the OPA are close. The AD743 is just a little more transparent, and still has great bass.

EDIT - I put in the TLC2202 and it too sounds very good with the IE8, and very much like the OPA opamps did. I must be getting fatigued, because they all sound good to me with very small differences. It also has more bass with the IE8, like the OPA opamps. I still prefer the AD743.

 

[jamato8]

Yes the AD743's sound great. The soundstage is wide and deeper and yet everything is still focussed. On some of my Dead live recordings the audience has a spooky quality it is so real and well placed.

 

[HK_sends]

Gents,

The AD743 and AD8616 topkit interests me. Where can I pick these up? From HiFlight?

Thanks in advance,
-HK sends

 

[rhw]

John and Larry,
great review of the D10 and opamp rolling - as always.
It is really fun to read it - but I had to order a D10 afterwards

-

It is a fine sounding amp, especially with optical in from a MacBook....

What is about your experience with the AD743 - Hiflight`s TopKit and the Grado RS1?

many thanks for your efforts!!!!!

 

[qusp]

well I'm interested if OPA2111 can be beat. IMO its better than any other I have tried in the D10. with AD8656 buffers. the bass control is AWESOME and soundstage is amazing. of course my D10 is pretty well burnt in now too, so this probably has something to do with it. I havent felt the need to try any other opamps for almost a week. it brings the SE530 to a whole new level in fact I might even say that I prefer the SE530 with D10 and the 4g photo DIYMOD (just finished it and with new tricks, using 2 twisted pairs of silver in cotton, so quiet and really great sounding) to SE530 with my main rig. W3 still sound better with main rig though with iriver and lisa with D10 as dac only. cant wait to get my UM3X; ordered the other day and by the sounds of it, I think they will go really great together while I wait for my ES3X

 

[smallcaps]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif But with the right opamps the IE8 definitely sing, and this is one of those instances, where it brings the D10 close to the level of the ALO Amphora with the IE8.

w00t! thanks for the measured and knowledgeable feedback regarding HiFlight's topkit for the D10. this really sounds like 'the one' and its nice to hear that it makes the ie8's more 'compatible' with the rest of your system. i have a pair of hd580 and was worried that i would have to opamp roll my d10 every time i wanted good synergy between the two. looking forward to any thing else you can share that comes up in your experiences with the topkit

 

[qusp]

^^ just buy it already will ya

 

[smallcaps]

Quote:

Originally Posted by qusp /img/forum/go_quote.gif ^^ just buy it already will ya

actually i bought it a week ago! the kits that have gone out have been for testing and i am waiting for the final production kit.

 

[qusp]

aha; I got it already too, yeah from what Ron says he doesnt foresee any problems occurring to halt the start of shipping tomorrow. I tried to suggest that he just send it to me immediately (im an impatient type of guy) but he wanted to test it more thoroughly with the scope. plus I suppose with me being in OZ, if there was a problem its a way away to ship it back. cant wait; my collection will be just about complete then and I can stop fiddling (actually pretty unlikely, but thats what I keep telling myself) i'll be all ready for my new westones.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhw /img/forum/go_quote.gif What is about your experience with the AD743 - Hifilight`s TopKit and the Grado RS1?

I'll try to get to the RS-1 later today.

Quote:

Originally Posted by qusp /img/forum/go_quote.gif well I'm interested if OPA2111 can be beat. IMO its better than any other I have tried in the D10. with AD8656 buffers. the bass control is AWESOME and soundstage is amazing. of course my D10 is pretty well burnt in now too, so this probably has something to do with it. I havent felt the need to try any other opamps for almost a week. it brings the SE530 to a whole new level in fact I might even say that I prefer the SE530 with D10 and the 4g photo DIYMOD (just finished it and with new tricks, using 2 twisted pairs of silver in cotton, so quiet and really great sounding) to SE530 with my main rig. W3 still sound better with main rig though with iriver and lisa with D10 as dac only. cant wait to get my UM3X; ordered the other day and by the sounds of it, I think they will go really great together while I wait for my ES3X

I know with the iBasso D1 and with one other amp (trying to recall if that was the Travagans Red) that the AD743 have beat the OPA2111 every time. I don't have an OPA2111 because I sold it with my D1, so I can't compare in the D10, but I suspect the results will be the same as before.

 

[jamato8]

The D10 will be out of stock until the middle of May due to some high grade caps that are used being in short supply.

 

[qusp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'll try to get to the RS-1 later today. I know with the iBasso D1 and with one other amp (trying to recall if that was the Travagans Red) that the AD743 have beat the OPA2111 every time. I don't have an OPA2111 because I sold it with my D1, so I can't compare in the D10, but I suspect the results will be the same as before.

like I said; interested to see

I've already ordered it (top kit) last week when it was hinted at. I am finding OPA2111 superior in every way to my ears than 2228

 

[wolfen68]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'll try to get to the RS-1 later today.

I would be interested in that as well.

 

[HiFlight]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'll try to get to the RS-1 later today. I know with the iBasso D1 and with one other amp (trying to recall if that was the Travagans Red) that the AD743 have beat the OPA2111 every time. I don't have an OPA2111 because I sold it with my D1, so I can't compare in the D10, but I suspect the results will be the same as before.

IMHO, the AD743 betters the OPA2111 by quite a margin in tonal accuracy and a sense of realism although the soundstage of the OPA2111 is slightly wider.

Unrelated to the above, while scope-testing the AD743/8616 combo, I checked the D10 gain. While I can't specify what low and high gain actually are, I did measure exactly 3db difference between the low and high gain settings.

 

[qusp]

^^ yeah well its really the soundstage and bass that has me hooked as i'm using IEMs with it usually and since any improvement in soundstage with IEMs is appreciated; i'm very happy with it. also IEMs will exibit width more than depth in soundstage; another plus