ibasso D3 Review!
Dec 7, 2008 at 8:56 PM Post #76 of 200
I gotta say you guys are confusing the hell out of me with these last few posts, heh. But I do have one question and I read a lot and try to find an answer before i ask, so, now its time to ask.

Just wondering....the five AAA alkaline batteries get 100 or more hours on this this but i'm planning on using it as pretty much as my dedicated desktop amp/dac, using eneloops. How many hours have you guys using rechargeables been getting on average? Just wondering if it would be better to get the D2 based on that fact alone, or if constant battery switching is worth it with the D3. (I listen about 8 hours a day)

Thanks
 
Dec 7, 2008 at 10:29 PM Post #77 of 200
The amp section of the D3 is better than the D2...Ive listened off and on since I got it and have not had to change the batteries...I should have documented the hours...but FYI the batteries are brand new out of the package as well.

Eneloops rule.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Figlio Perduto /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I gotta say you guys are confusing the hell out of me with these last few posts, heh. But I do have one question and I read a lot and try to find an answer before i ask, so, now its time to ask.

Just wondering....the five AAA alkaline batteries get 100 or more hours on this this but i'm planning on using it as pretty much as my dedicated desktop amp/dac, using eneloops. How many hours have you guys using rechargeables been getting on average? Just wondering if it would be better to get the D2 based on that fact alone, or if constant battery switching is worth it with the D3. (I listen about 8 hours a day)

Thanks



 
Dec 8, 2008 at 12:16 AM Post #78 of 200
applogies for the noob question but i wanted to know if the dac and amp can be used togther - at the same time. for example i have a iriver h120 with an optical out can i plug this into the ibasso and get an extenral dac and amp - or do i have to use a seperate componant for each?
 
Dec 8, 2008 at 1:27 AM Post #79 of 200
I posted it in my review but I don't want to dig up the numbers - I believe I got 123 hours with Alkaline and between 96-100 with my Rayovac Hybrid NiMH rechargables.

Also, you can plug the line out of the H120 into the D3 and it sounds pretty good because iRiver knew how to make good sounding gear. You could not plug the optical into the D3, but you could plug the optical into a Headroom Micro DAC and then run that into the D3 and get some further improvement. I use an H140/Dony D-EJ2000 with Headroom Micro DAC in my bedside rig, and feed it into a small desktop amp like Travagans Red with upgraded opamps.
 
Dec 8, 2008 at 5:18 AM Post #80 of 200
iBasso D3 come with USB instead of optical digital interface. Thus there is no way to connect D3 to your Iriver H120 player though digital interface directly. In fact most DACs of portable headphone amplifiers are designed with USB interface to be used with computer. Wait for iBasso D10 as it will be released soon though it is a desktop version with optical/coaxial digital interfaces just like the discontinued iBasso D1 portable DAC/amp. A second-hand original/rolled D1 might be your choice though it is much bigger and heavier and amplifier section is not as good as D3. In view of the fact that iBasso amplifier has always been improving over previous generations (D10 > D3 > D2 > D1, P3 > P2, T4 > T2), I will wait for D10 (probably launched before Christmas) if portability is not required.

The USB DAC and amplifier section of iBasso D3 can be used together when connected to computer through USB interface. Just connect USB port of D3 to computer and your headphone to front output terminal of D3. Note in this configuration, front input terminal become line-out of DAC which can be used to feed any devices with built-in power amplifier such as active speaker. DAC section is powered by USB 5V power line whereas amplifier section is powered by five AAA battries in battery bay of D3. Power supplies for both sections are completely independent, thus no battery is required when only DAC section is in use with computer (as an excellent external sound card).

Quote:

Originally Posted by beeman /img/forum/go_quote.gif
applogies for the noob question but i wanted to know if the dac and amp can be used togther - at the same time. for example i have a iriver h120 with an optical out can i plug this into the ibasso and get an extenral dac and amp - or do i have to use a seperate componant for each?


Quote:

Originally Posted by Figlio Perduto /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I gotta say you guys are confusing the hell out of me with these last few posts, heh. But I do have one question and I read a lot and try to find an answer before i ask, so, now its time to ask.

Just wondering....the five AAA alkaline batteries get 100 or more hours on this this but i'm planning on using it as pretty much as my dedicated desktop amp/dac, using eneloops. How many hours have you guys using rechargeables been getting on average? Just wondering if it would be better to get the D2 based on that fact alone, or if constant battery switching is worth it with the D3. (I listen about 8 hours a day)

Thanks



 
Dec 8, 2008 at 7:57 PM Post #82 of 200
First thing to remember is its only as good as the source files...used my 750s and DAC/Amp as I didnt want to wake the baby


Like the hip hop at Noon

Meant to be listened to loud, in a residential neighborhood"

Kanye West "Love Lockdown"

hear all the echoes...panning very nice...bass is solid and distinct


Rihanna "Rehab"

Love her voice...solid...high production hip hop sounds so very nice!!!

Rihanna ft TI "Live your life"

Catchy tune

Lil Wayne "Lollipop"

Bass booms in my head like a subwoofer...drives these phones perfectly

he is a funny guy

Sugarhill Gang "Rappers Delight"

hand claps are so crisp

Classic stuff here, I feel Im in the recording booth with wonder mike if I close my eyes...I can iimagine the reel to reel rolling!

I dont think anyone would be unhappy with this amp DAC combo for any style of music.
 
Dec 8, 2008 at 11:10 PM Post #83 of 200
Quote:

Originally Posted by littletree76 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
iBasso D3 come with USB instead of optical digital interface. Thus there is no way to connect D3 to your Iriver H120 player though digital interface directly. In fact most DACs of portable headphone amplifiers are designed with USB interface to be used with computer. Wait for iBasso D10 as it will be released soon though it is a desktop version with optical/coaxial digital interfaces just like the discontinued iBasso D1 portable DAC/amp. A second-hand original/rolled D1 might be your choice though it is much bigger and heavier and amplifier section is not as good as D3. In view of the fact that iBasso amplifier has always been improving over previous generations (D10 > D3 > D2 > D1, P3 > P2, T4 > T2), I will wait for D10 (probably launched before Christmas) if portability is not required.


Thanks for the response - sad to hear that theonly prtable dac/amp combination with a optical in has stopped being made. Theres some irony there for us h120 owners who have yet use an external dac. But found this on ebay: its called a carat ruby dac/amp and it looks like it has an optical in. has anyone used this before?
 
Dec 9, 2008 at 12:44 AM Post #84 of 200
Quote:

Originally Posted by beeman /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Thanks for the response - sad to hear that theonly prtable dac/amp combination with a optical in has stopped being made. Theres some irony there for us h120 owners who have yet use an external dac. But found this on ebay: its called a carat ruby dac/amp and it looks like it has an optical in. has anyone used this before?


Do not despair beeman. According to iBasso the D10 should be out in the next month or so. The D10 is the replacement of the D1 and it will accept optical in.
icon10.gif
 
Dec 9, 2008 at 9:47 AM Post #85 of 200
When USB port of D3 is connected to your MBP, the front input become DAC line-out which is not amplified and can only supply line level voltage/current to high impedance input of any power amplifier (such as line-in of your MBP).

At the same time, analog output of the DAC is fed to amplifier section of D3 and amplified output signal with sufficient voltage/current and low impedance present at front output to drive headphone load (with volume control).

So the whole issue is impedance matching (a big subject in signal transmission) and difference in driving capability between DAC line-out and amplified output. You can't plug any IEM/headphone to front input and hoping DAC line-out is able to drive them well (though IEM fare much better than headphone because of high sensitivity). DAC line-out is not meant to drive heavy load but high impedance and low current inputs of power amplifiers. In fact when the load impedance become too low, there is risk of overloading DAC line-out (when there is no built-in over-current protection). So if you are using any IEM/headphone with D3 operate in DAC mode, make sure D3 power is switched on (so that amplifier section received power from batteries) and plug IEM/headphone into front output but never front input. In this mode, the front input can only be used to drive active speaker or input of power amplifier. Trying to drive Volvo limousine with Mini engine will likely to fail.

I don't believe Apple ever built amplifier into notebook computer better than the one in D3 for cost and marketing considerations. I have owned and sold 13 personal Macs and the built-in amplifier has always been bypassed with optical audio interface and desktop DAC. The same hold true for most built-in amplifiers of portable players such as iPod. That is the whole point of replacing built-in amplifier with much better/costly external amplifier such as iBasso D3.

Quote:

Originally Posted by headnoob /img/forum/go_quote.gif
jamato,

heh, thanks for the clarification.


So that got me intrigued, how could the sound from input get any better when it's so muffed when I heard it. So I did this,

MBP -> D3 via USB -> D3 input -> MBP line in -> LineIn -> MBP line out with TF10.
(funky, I know)

I used an app called "LineIn" to pass whatever MBP received on line in to line out. And what do you know, it IS a much better sound. I am guessing MBP does something to the sound then. How interesting...I have much to learn around here.



 
Dec 9, 2008 at 1:59 PM Post #87 of 200
Quote:

Originally Posted by nocturnalsheet /img/forum/go_quote.gif
is the D3 able to drive cans like the HD600 and HD650?


It can drive them do decent loudness, but D3 can't pull them to the full potentials. IMO, D3 can bring about 60%~70% of each of them, which is good for a portable, but not best.
And if compared with decent desktop amp, well..... that's no match.
 
Dec 9, 2008 at 10:41 PM Post #88 of 200
Can the D3 be able to drive PK1 in full potential?
 
Dec 9, 2008 at 10:54 PM Post #89 of 200
Quote:

Originally Posted by faichiu /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Can the D3 be able to drive PK1 in full potential?


Yes it can, my D2 Viper drives my OK1 great. It adds a fullness to the sound for me that isn't there just using a DAP alone. And I read a D3 is equal to or better then a rolled opamp D2 Viper.
 
Dec 11, 2008 at 3:20 AM Post #90 of 200
Quote:

Originally Posted by paulybatz /img/forum/go_quote.gif
The amp section of the D3 is better than the D2...Ive listened off and on since I got it and have not had to change the batteries...I should have documented the hours...but FYI the batteries are brand new out of the package as well.

Eneloops rule.



Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I posted it in my review but I don't want to dig up the numbers - I believe I got 123 hours with Alkaline and between 96-100 with my Rayovac Hybrid NiMH rechargables.


Thanks, that's what i was hoping for, 90-100 hours, that's very reasonable and won't be much of a headache at all. Awesome. *wonders how much the D10 will be.

Edit: also, this Full Potential business, i got one too, how about the D2000? full potentialness there from the D3?
 

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