[qusp]

me too even though i've seen the pic, also wondering about the choice to install 1 x BG for the rails, seems impossible with the current D10 layout

I think it must be altered and why would this change be made?? surely 2 x BG of lower value would be superior??

BTW I tell you what texas instruments has really got it going on!! I ordered my parts from them not even 48 hrs ago, they were packed and shipped within an hour of making the order and they arrived this morning!! that has got to be the most efficient order I have ever made and by a long shot. so just soldering in the OPA1612 now to try it out; I still need to go pick up some SMD or small metal film resistors for the class A mod of OPA1611 qand OPA211. time to start searching for a suitable low power dac design to adapt for portable use, utilizing the PCM1794A (1 per channel)

 

[jonathanjong]

More annoyingly naive questions about connecting D10 to stuff:

Can I plug a PCDP via optical (assuming it has an optical out, like many of the Sonys do) to the D10, then connect the D10 to a receiver via coaxial? Like, I can get a 2-RCA-to-1-RCA cable, and plug the 2 into the receiver's CD ports and the 1 into the D10, right? Or...no?

 

[wuwhere]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonathanjong /img/forum/go_quote.gif More annoyingly naive questions about connecting D10 to stuff: Can I plug a PCDP via optical (assuming it has an optical out, like many of the Sonys do) to the D10, then connect the D10 to a receiver via coaxial? Like, I can get a 2-RCA-to-1-RCA cable, and plug the 2 into the receiver's CD ports and the 1 into the D10, right? Or...no?

The D10's coax is an input. The only way to connect the D10 to a receiver is through its line out.

I think you meant a mini-cable at one end that you connect to the D10's aux out that Y's to an RCA left-right? Then yes, that will work.

 

[jonathanjong]

Ah, yes. Well, that's not what I meant because I'm an idiot, but that achieves what I want. I think. So, the chain goes:

PCDP --optical to optical--> iBasso --AUX IN/OUT to 2 RCA--> Receiver --headphone out--> Headphones.

i.e., I can't use the D10s coaxial port. Yea?

 

[rhw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonathanjong /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ah, yes. Well, that's not what I meant because I'm an idiot, but that achieves what I want. I think. So, the chain goes: PCDP --optical to optical--> iBasso --AUX IN/OUT to 2 RCA--> Receiver --headphone out--> Headphones. i.e., I can't use the D10s coaxial port. Yea?

That will be a possible chain.
Will the receiver headphone out be better than the D10 headphone out?

The coax of the iBasso is a digital in. You can connect i.e. a digital out (when it is coax) of a cd/dvd player there.

 

[jonathanjong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhw /img/forum/go_quote.gif Will the receiver headphone out be better than the D10 headphone out?

That's what I'd like to know. But there's also the matter of convenience, since I won't have to use a 6.35mm-to-3.5mm adaptor if I use the receiver headphone in.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhw /img/forum/go_quote.gif The coax of the iBasso is a digital in. You can connect i.e. a digital out (when it is coax) of a cd/dvd player there.

Ah, so instead of an optical cable between the PCDP and iBasso, I can use coax (assuming that the PCDP allows this).

 

[qusp]

^^ correct, both coax digital and optical digital input are SPDIF connections, with the coax input/implementation being slightly superior IMO, so if your PCDP has coaxial digital output (perhaps it may be on mono minijack) you can connect the resulting signal to the D10 and the D10 AUX/Line out to your receiver. seems like a lot of effort to me though

 

[freeride1685]

I recently purchased a D10 about a week and a half ago. Over the course of that time I have had it playing on a brand new install of Foobar to track the progress. I have logged just about 5 days, which is around 120 hours or so.

I originally started playing it with the AD8656 and dummy buffers. I know I should have left it stock at first but I was looking for a wide, spacious soundstage and heard reports that this combo was great for that.

As time has gone by, the highs have become much more mellow, smooth, less fatiguing. They seem to be more like the high frequency noises emanating from the objects that are producing the lower notes, suggesting that the sound is more congruent and matches up better throughout the entire frequency spectrum. This is very nice, as the bass has also strengthened and become much more punchy (read: instantaneous) and clean.

I got bored and decided to switch back the stock op-amp and put the two AD8656 in the buffer slots. I am thrilled that this new combination delivers much more air and space and also seems to have a more focused soundstage, bettering my ability to place everything.

I told my friends about this and let one listen through it on my Audio Technica ATH-M50's and he was as impressed as me. I continually turn around in my local coffee shop because it seems as though there is someone right behind or next to me! I also keep taking off my phones to check external volume levels because it seems almost impossible that I could be blasting concert level music through my head without anyone hearing a thing! This setup is incredible and only cost me about $400 altogether.


Note to USB users:

you may want to invest in better quality USB and ASIO drivers for your computer in order to get the best sound out of this device. I bought some drivers from AQVOX (expensive, at 99 Euro) but they definitely brought the sound of the USB DAC on par with optical. This is great news, as my laptop does not have an spdif out, but sounds just about as good as my home rig.

 

[qusp]

well i'm using a double shielded pure silver USB (SCSCAg) with asio on my mac and it still falls short of coax and optical IMO. moreso when playing hirez source material of course. D10 still sounds great via USB though, dont get me wrong.

 

[bakhtiar]

I just using a standard/cheap USB cable with ferrite core, and it is just good enough for me. As I mentioned earlier, my UM3Xs can pick-up the noise floor (no data, max vol), when the D10's start charging.

I also using GNU/Linux's ALSA USB sound driver and bypassing the default dmix module, and I got exact sampling frequency (fs), as the original source. By default, dmix enabled, it the fs is fixed to 48kHz.

But the sound via SPDIF is the BEST.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by freeride1685 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...I got bored and decided to switch back the stock op-amp and put the two AD8656 in the buffer slots. I am thrilled that this new combination delivers much more air and space and also seems to have a more focused soundstage, bettering my ability to place everything...

I tried this for a while but my friend thought it sounded rougher or edgier through his Westone ES3X than I did.

Quote:

Originally Posted by freeride1685 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...Note to USB users: you may want to invest in better quality USB and ASIO drivers for your computer in order to get the best sound out of this device. I bought some drivers from AQVOX (expensive, at 99 Euro) but they definitely brought the sound of the USB DAC on par with optical. This is great news, as my laptop does not have an spdif out, but sounds just about as good as my home rig.

On the Mac I haven't found a big change with a cryo'd $180 USB cable from Guitar Player or Whiplash Audio, I forget which supplied it with a review DAC.

Qusp, I don't know anything about ASIO drivers for the Mac though, isn't that just for PC?

 

[freeride1685]

i am still using my stock USB cable as well, but did notice an improvement in clarity and soundstage placement when switching drivers. perhaps this can be contributed to placebo effect but either way i am pretty thrilled.

i have considered upgrading to a kimber USB cable, and for only about $50 i don't think there is a huge loss if it doesn't provide a huge improvement. i will at least be confident that things will not get any worse and if i upgrade my phones in the future, perhaps there will be some more to be gained.

 

[freeride1685]

deleted

 

[jamato8]

I am using the new TopKit and WOW. For those who want detail And space, this gets down to the nitty gritty. The sound is very live and resolving. The D10 really opens up and these opamps just go to show the ability of the D10 and the good choice they are with this amp.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamato8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am using the new TopKit and WOW. For those who want detail And space, this gets down to the nitty gritty. The sound is very live and resolving. The D10 really opens up and these opamps just go to show the ability of the D10 and the good choice they are with this amp.

I think it sounds about as good as it's ever gonna be now.