[immtbiker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamato8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have listened now to the D10 dac section with several amps.

John, are you still experiencing the problem with the amp "not sounding as good as it used to with more hours on them", or has it started to trend in a more positive direction?

 

[vkvedam]

And how much is the Go-Vibe Vulcan?

 

[jamato8]

Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker /img/forum/go_quote.gif John, are you still experiencing the problem with the amp "not sounding as good as it used to with more hours on them", or has it started to trend in a more positive direction?

I have the stock configuration back in and like the dynamics and openness much more than just the 8656 with bypassed buffers. I think I will try the 8656's as buffers and something else in the opamp section just for fun.

 

[EFN]

Hey. Can someone compare the sonic performance of the optical DAC of D10 Vs. HeadRoom MicroDAC 2006? I'd love to know.

 

[mrarroyo]

John, I have continued to burn in the D10, currently at about 170 hours and all w/ the stock op-amp set it left the factory with. With the stock op-amps I find the bass w/ certain full size cans to be a bit lean. However the extension, soundstage, depth, and air in between the notes is like that of home amps in the $400 to $600 range. This when using the DAC section of the D10 to drive the amp section.

I am very impressed by the micro detail and the level of musicality the D10 exhibits. At under $300 it sure is a great deal.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EFN /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hey. Can someone compare the sonic performance of the optical DAC of D10 Vs. HeadRoom MicroDAC 2006? I'd love to know.

It's gonna take me a couple of weeks to get that far...

 

[EFN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's gonna take me a couple of weeks to get that far...

Take your time buddy.....

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Jamato8, I'm wondering, have you compared your Monica to any desktop DAC and which ones does it beat, and which beat it? It seems amazing to me how good you make it out to be.

 

[jamato8]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif Jamato8, I'm wondering, have you compared your Monica to any desktop DAC and which ones does it beat, and which beat it? It seems amazing to me how good you make it out to be.

The main dac I compared it to was/is my Johnny's Incredible Dac. Yes, it seems audacious to name is after myself but I built it.

The JID is a dac based on an Audio Note dac board but from there it has little remains. The 2 positive and 1 negative power section of the dac board is battery. There is a silver interstage transformer between that board and the analogue board I built. There is a silver input transformer to the digital board for the dig signal. The output are two double C core nickel output transformers specially wound at Audio Note. The caps used for the power supply of the analogue section are ASC oil and poly. There is no ripple and the reserve power is huge. The dac is the most transparent and open thing I have ever heard and better than turntables I have heard, with well recorded music.

In comparison to this dac, no, Monica does not scale this high. But when listened to on her own in the same system, the sound is very pleasing with good depth and placement of instruments with a near 3D presentation (not the 3D of JID). So I have compared it to others but also to the best I know of.

Now the Monica II dac I have was made for just coax input but I converted it to optical and it was to be used as a home dac but I changed it to use 6 AA batteries. I put all this in an Altoid tin (the dac not the batteries). The Monica II I listen to here runs from not the 6 AA's that I would use on the go but a larger very nice battery supply and I run it at 12 volts to get an extra kick. I also have Black Gates in Super E configuration for the power supply inside the Altoid tin Monica II. She is built well beyond the original design.

 

[mirh]

I have iBasso D3 and I like its sound but D3 is very sensitive to source for instance when connected to SqueezeBox Classic I can't hear that more than at half volume causes distortions (I've tried different headphones)
As a DAC when connected to PC its sounds really nice with his amp, but its DAC is useless for my SquuezeBox which has only coax/optical out.
So I'm thinking of changing my D3 for D10 and have a few question:

1. Is D10 also RF sensitive?
2. Can you hear any distortions when amp volume is almost at the end?

And the last one: I'm now looking for a good amp and DAC (both rather stationary) for my squeezebox and by the time I found something I need some temporary solution for listening from my Squuezebox via my Westone UM2.
I will also need a good portable amp for my iPod (now I use D3) so changing D3 for D10 is probably quite good idea isn't it?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mirh /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have iBasso D3 and I like its sound but D3 is very sensitive to source for instance when connected to SqueezeBox Classic I can't hear that more than at half volume causes distortions (I've tried different headphones) As a DAC when connected to PC its sounds really nice with his amp, but its DAC is useless for my SquuezeBox which has only coax/optical out. So I'm thinking of changing my D3 for D10 and have a few question: 1. Is D10 also RF sensitive? 2. Can you hear any distortions when amp volume is almost at the end? And the last one: I'm now looking for a good amp and DAC (both rather stationary) for my squeezebox and by the time I found something I need some temporary solution for listening from my Squuezebox via my Westone UM2. I will also need a good portable amp for my iPod (now I use D3) so changing D3 for D10 is probably quite good idea isn't it?

The D10 does not pick up radio stations like my D3

, and the RFI from iPhone is less and more like with my D2 Boa than as severe as the D3. It is less sensitive to RFI with nothing plugged into the USB. I haven't finished all my testing because I don't start my review till about 300 hours of burn-in and mine just got here Monday.

 

[jamato8]

Ok, with a little over a week on the D10 now, 7.5 X24, I am hearing some changes. The sound is more open again and better spatial presentation. I hear, or perceive, more air between singers, instruments and just better staging. The transparency has increased and there is more reverb from walls, which gives the impression of a larger venue or feeling of space. Very nice. The dynamics have also improved as noted in speed and impact.

Yes at around 170 hours or a little more I am hearing a return of some of the initial sound I heard from the D10 that faded. It improved after going back to the original opamps but I am now hearing an increase in sound quality over what I have been hearing for the past 4 days or so. It is working very well with the ESW10JPN.

 

[immtbiker]

...and the bass?

 

[jamato8]

Quote:

Originally Posted by immtbiker /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...and the bass?

The bass isn't the deepest I have heard. I will compare to some good bass music and get back.

Well, I am back. I am listening to some Leonard Cohen, and he uses a lot of bass in the music and I like it. Impact but what is very good, it doesn't smear and is tight and what I call, tuneful bass. Not thumpy or lumpy but really there and you can feel it. Hummm. . . . I will listen to other music as well.

I am also noticing a big change in what I will call micro dynamics. The leading edge of notes that may be accented be it an instrument or voice, really come across in a well defined and detailed manner.

 

[mrarroyo]

The bass out of the D10 w/ 190 hours of burn in is very tight, deep, and clear. I has no bloat nor any smear. What bass it has is excellent, although not as much as say a Portaphile V2^2 Maxxed or the original Non M Hornet. But not many portable amps can compare with them.

But I do not miss the extra bass because the mids are so liquid and clear and have a level of detail and clarity of a home amp. The highs have further developed with a crystal clear presentation.

I know I will wait for at least 250 hours of burn-in for a comparison but man this is sounding very sweet indeed.