[jamato8]

I like the combination that comes with the D10 and the 8616 and AD743 combo when using the ESW10 or most other phones. You have solid bass with a clean open soundfield.

 

[HK_sends]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamato8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I like the combination that comes with the D10 and the 8616 and AD743 combo when using the ESW10 or most other phones. You have solid bass with a clean open soundfield.

That's just what I am trying to achieve. I just sent a PM to HiFlight

-HK sends

 

[LevA]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamato8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I like the combination that comes with the D10 and the 8616 and AD743 combo when using the ESW10 or most other phones. You have solid bass with a clean open soundfield.

thanks jamato8.
I may have to look into the topkit to hear the 8616 and AD743 combo..

btw, is that the combo thats been mentioned about pico dac - mustang amp sound?? I remember reading it somewhere, I guess I should go back a few pages to and read the posts again..

btw, my macbook pro just crapped out on me

just when the d10 is about to arrive I need to send my macbook to apple!! seems like its gona take a about a week. all because of the Flawed Nvidia GPUs.....anyone else had this problem??? apparently its common and apple now admits its faulty and will fix it even after warranty expires.
gotta love the customer service and all but why oh why did it have to be right now!!!!

 

[hvu]

I would like to officially say I have am finally done running through all 145 pages of this thread and I would like to thank all the people that have post their opinion in this thread about their D10 as I have recently join the D10 club. I would like to put a special thanks out to Jamato8, Hi Flight and HeadphoneAddict for their time, reviews and opinions of the different combination of opamps and buffers.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvu /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would like to officially say I have am finally done running through all 145 pages of this thread and I would like to thank all the people that have post their opinion in this thread about their D10 as I have recently join the D10 club. I would like to put a special thanks out to Jamato8, Hi Flight and HeadphoneAddict for their time, reviews and opinions of the different combination of opamps and buffers.

Thanks, and welcome to the club!

 

[hvu]

I have just tried the AD8656 opamp and bypassed buffers and it sound amazing with my HD650. I have just recently got to compare my HD650 with my cousin HD580 with my D10/stock opamp and buffers with a little more than 20hrs on it. From my impression his HD580 were a nice pair with a very natural sound to it but lacking in a tightness that I presume would be present in the HD600. While at the same my HD650 had a tighter and dark tone to it, I felt that it wasn't as bright the HD580. Then I tried the AD8656 with bypassed buffers the difference was jaw dropping. The bass was as tight and dark as always but had this warm feeling to them as Jamato8 and HeadphoneAddict had reported. The most surprising was the highs had this bright sweet tone that matched the HD580 or slight better. I would also like report the acoustic and vocals just sing something that I thought never get to experience outside of my car.

 

[hvu]

I was wondering has anybody tried the D10 with the ATH-M50 combo?

 

[HeadDoc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvu /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have just tried the AD8656 opamp and bypassed buffers and it sound amazing with my HD650. I have just recently got to compare my HD650 with my cousin HD580 with my D10/stock opamp and buffers with a little more than 20hrs on it. From my impression his HD580 were a nice pair with a very natural sound to it but lacking in a tightness that I presume would be present in the HD600. While at the same my HD650 had a tighter and dark tone to it, I felt that it wasn't as bright the HD580. Then I tried the AD8656 with bypassed buffers the difference was jaw dropping. The bass was as tight and dark as always but had this warm feeling to them as Jamato8 and HeadphoneAddict had reported. The most surprising was the highs had this bright sweet tone that matched the HD580 or slight better. I would also like report the acoustic and vocals just sing something that I thought never get to experience outside of my car.

Thanks for the info. I am running the AD8656 Opamp and stock buffers. I was told that without the buffer I would get less power/volume. Have you had any trouble achieving your desired volume? Did you try the HD650s with the stock opamp too? Ant any rate, I'm going to pull the buffers now and find out what it is like on my HD650s!

edit: bypassed buffers with the AD8656 is working well, lots of volume. First impression is that it has everything the stock buffers with AD8656 had, except maybe a touch more soundstage. I'll let it work in for a few days and see what I think, plus I have the Westone 3 to try out when I am at school.

 

[kayser]

I'm thinking of a Sys Concept Toslink-to-Toslikn cable with two 90deg. angled adapters for my iRiver iHP-140/iBasso D10.
Has anyone tried their tiny V-shaped cable (the last picture)?
What is the shortest length for such cables? How long are the cables that you use?
P.S. Posted an e-mail to Joseph, he said a 2.3cm Center-to-Center "U"-shape cable will work.

 

[sbulack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nc8000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif By sending a pm to hiflight and asking for the D10 Topkit. Say Joe sent you

I installed the Topkit (after using the D10 stock for a few days). I've been listening using D10 with the Topkit in place for about 8-10 hours at this point, and here are my impressions of the differences the Topkit makes over stock:

Here's my listening rig:
USB port from my desktop -> USB cable that came with the D10 -> D10 -> Yuin PK1 (my workplace/portable phone of choice).

1) More balanced acoustic spectrum - even, with albums with tipped spectral balance, when a particular region of the spectrum causes me to turn the volume down, the remainder of the spectrum is sufficiently present to provide an ear-satisfying listen. One aspect of this that I especially appreciate is that the region of the mids where most female vocals are found is very nicely more present than with the stock D10.
2) Wider dynamic range - from a deeper reach "down into the grass" to hear those wonderful subtle events and variations up through the ability to reach higher crescendos without spectral or timbral distortion.
3) Larger, more open spatial presentation of sound - without the sound taking on any "spread too thin" quality. It's a relaxingly natural spatial presentation.
4) I won't say that the sound with the Topkit is "tubey". I will say that, even with the PK1, that ambient bass sounds like the heat lines rising from a warm road look - clear, with a slow undulation to it, as though it were an intoxicating fragrance or vapor. I remember hearing this effect with particular bass lines as an early distinguishing feature of the presentation of sound by tubes. Another area in which the D10 with Topkit reminds me of tubes is its portrayal of highs. Even when the highs may be more prominent than desired, they are less likely to reach a harsh or strident tone - presented, rather, with a bit of rounding in tone when they reach higher levels. At lower levels, however, the highs sound, to me, as if they are left alone. Again, this graceful treatment of high levels of sounds reminds me of how tubes perform. But, overall, I would not say that the D10 with Topkit sounds "tubey". I'd say that it sounds more natural or lifelike (and satisfying or engaging) than stock. An early sign of this was when I wanted a "quick listen" just after installing the Topkit to ensure that I hadn't messed up anything in the installation. It wasn't until the end of the 2nd 6-7 minute track that I even came back up for air to realize that I'd been sitting there engrossed in listening. Right from the start, it has been that inviting and engaging to my ear.
5) There's lots of lovely detail in the sound throughout the acoustic spectrum, AND an open, relaxing, credible naturalness to the sound overall.

From my experience opamp rolling with AD chips, it's taken the chips (and/or my ears) from 8 - 30 hours of use before I would say that I've fully heard what they can do. So far, the changes have all been of the kind of showing more clearly what has been there from the start. So, at this point, I'm expecting more improvements along the lines of what I've already heard.

And here we have it: a report from another Head-Fier that the Topkit, for me, is well worth having gotten and installed it. Many thanks to HiFlight for his willingness, even more than that, his alacrity, in making it available to those of us who have not tooled and skilled up so as to be able to provide these chips properly mounted onto adapters for ourselves. BTW, I was enjoying the stock D10 more than I thought I would, after reading all of the well-expressed and positive reviews and impressions of it. The Topkit makes it that much better. I originally bought the D10 as a DAC for my SR-71A. It will be functioning in that capacity on a regular basis. The D10, with the Topkit installed, will also be used as my DAC/Amp on a regular basis as well, when its particular presentation of sound better suits my mood-for-the-day.

It'll be interesting when I get around to feeding an Optical Digital signal into the D10 with Topkit.

 

[hvu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadDoc /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for the info. I am running the AD8656 Opamp and stock buffers. I was told that without the buffer I would get less power/volume. Have you had any trouble achieving your desired volume? Did you try the HD650s with the stock opamp too? Ant any rate, I'm going to pull the buffers now and find out what it is like on my HD650s! edit: bypassed buffers with the AD8656 is working well, lots of volume. First impression is that it has everything the stock buffers with AD8656 had, except maybe a touch more soundstage. I'll let it work in for a few days and see what I think, plus I have the Westone 3 to try out when I am at school.

I have not tried the AD8656 with stock buffers but I will give that a try once I get a day or two of listening to my current setup.

For me I don't listen to music to loud since I already kill my ears with my car stereo but the stock opamp and buffer(AD4841-2/AD8532) did feel like it was lacking in power at times with certain songs.
You may want to look into how much power each opamp supplies because from what I got from Hi Flight is the stock opamp and buffers (AD4841-2/AD8532) only supply 120ma while the AD8656 with out buffers supplies 220ma or 250ma I believe so there is your power difference.

Another setup a senior member suggested was the stock opamp (AD4841-2) with the AD8656 as buffers.

 

[HK_sends]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbulack /img/forum/go_quote.gif I installed the Topkit (after using the D10 stock for a few days). I've been listening using D10 with the Topkit in place for about 8-10 hours at this point, and here are my impressions of the differences the Topkit makes over stock: ...4) I won't say that the sound with the Topkit is "tubey". I will say that, even with the PK1, that ambient bass sounds like the heat lines rising from a warm road look - clear, with a slow undulation to it, as though it were an intoxiating fragrance or vapor...

The only fragrance or vapor I get from the heatlines rising from a warm road is the smell of roadkill

Seriously, excellent impression. It makes me look forward to getting my topkit!

Cheers!

-HK sends

 

[HeadDoc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvu /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have not tried the AD8656 with stock buffers but I will give that a try once I get a day or two of listening to my current setup. For me I don't listen to music to loud since I already kill my ears with my car stereo but the stock opamp and buffer(AD4841-2/AD8532) did feel like it was lacking in power at times with certain songs. You may want to look into how much power each opamp supplies because from what I got from Hi Flight is the stock opamp and buffers (AD4841-2/AD8532) only supply 120ma while the AD8656 with out buffers supplies 220ma or 250ma I believe so there is your power difference. Another setup a senior member suggested was the stock opamp (AD4841-2) with the AD8656 as buffers.

I did try the Stock Opamp with AD8656 buffers and though that the bass was muddy. So much so that I swapped it out within hours and was much more pleased with AD8656 Opamp and stock buffers.

 

[hvu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadDoc /img/forum/go_quote.gif I did try the Stock Opamp with AD8656 buffers and though that the bass was muddy. So much so that I swapped it out within hours and was much more pleased with AD8656 Opamp and stock buffers.

Hmm that sounds interesting I post my thoughts once I get to that setup.

On a separate matter is there a proper amount of time for a opamp and buffers to burn-in or does the time vary between each setup?

 

[HiFlight]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvu /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hmm that sounds interesting I post my thoughts once I get to that setup. On a separate matter is there a proper amount of time for a opamp and buffers to burn-in or does the time vary between each setup?

I have noticed little, if any, difference in sound that I could attribute to opamp/buffer "burn-in".