[NehPets]

8 elements of Pulse Width Modulation arrays. Because the D16 seems to be using 4X Oversampling which puts it at 128X DSD quality or Twice SACD standard. We now have a total of 32 elements here. Yet, we have balanced 2 channels. That makes it a total of 128 elements

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[easylive]

RU7 has true LO, right?
Actually you should think about pairing RU7 with PB5 as imho PB5 will matter more even with IEMs
Edit: I am sure D16 will be technically better than RU7 Dongle (won't be so sure vs N7).
For a truly portable setup I'd found that experiment with true LO Dongle into PB5 very interesting.
Still D16 might again raise the bar higher but won't be an as portable friendly solution

Yeah, RU7 has true LO, so the pairing with PB5 is also good idea, thats a qustion, what is better, RU7+PB5 or D16 alone.. I know the best solution is D16+PB5, but the price is too high for me now...

 

[jamato8]

Listening for the first time to the D16 and PB5 with the Sony MDR-10. Wonderful, huge, excellent tuneful bass. Lots of fun. About 10 o'clock on the volume. Tons of headroom and totally enveloped in the music.

 

[Loftprojection]

Listening for the first time to the D16 and PB5 with the Sony MDR-10. Wonderful, huge, excellent tuneful bass. Lots of fun. About 10 o'clock on the volume. Tons of headroom and totally enveloped in the music.

This D16-PB5 stack seems to be quite something. If I can ask, which gear were you using before this marvellous combo?

 

[Z_Showmaster]

I have heard from a friend who has Mola Mola Tambaqui to state that D16 sounds similar with different signature

It's funny you should specifically mention that DAC because I know iBasso were at least partially inspired by it when creating D16

The Tambaqui is a creation of Bruno Putzeys. Perhaps it takes someone originally sceptical of DSD to turn it into a technology that he becomes approving of.

 

[Z_Showmaster]

Listening for the first time to the D16 and PB5 with the Sony MDR-10. Wonderful, huge, excellent tuneful bass. Lots of fun. About 10 o'clock on the volume. Tons of headroom and totally enveloped in the music.

I think you'll have lots of fun using the Focals through the stack too

 

[jamato8]

I think you'll have lots of fun using the Focals through the stack too

Yes, I haven't used the Utopia yet.

 

[Whitigir]

I am loving the stack with both of my phones Z1R and 800s

 

[jamato8]

I am loving the stack with both of my phones Z1R and 800s

What is interesting, is how much you hear in the difference of headphones compared to other systems. I hear a difference in my other systems but this is more profound and seems to really let the headphone be all that it can be!

 

[FooFighter]

Yeah, RU7 has true LO, so the pairing with PB5 is also good idea, thats a qustion, what is better, RU7+PB5 or D16 alone.. I know the best solution is D16+PB5, but the price is too high for me now...

Wasn't there a price off initiative of 40% for PB5 if you have either DX320 Max or D16?
Regarding what is better option I think Noone can tell you who's not doing A-B side by side.
One thing I got aware of yesterday is the fact that in any case you'll need a source like a DAP or a mobile phone.
So for on the go the dongle is always the most portable solution, followed by D16 as it's more lightweight than PB5, then followed by Dongle into PB5.

And lastly, considering weight/footprint to performance and portability ratio the available tube DAP options are still relevant.
So e.g. DX320 Amp14 for example will be lighter and consume less space than mobile phone plus Dongle plus Pb5, let alone with D16 in between
Also other brands have options like Cayin N8II or N30LE but these are comparibly very expensive, maybe a used N8II is more competitive price wise

 

[easylive]

Wasn't there a price off initiative of 40% for PB5 if you have either DX320 Max or D16?
Regarding what is better option I think Noone can tell you who's not doing A-B side by side.
One thing I got aware of yesterday is the fact that in any case you'll need a source like a DAP or a mobile phone.
So for on the go the dongle is always the most portable solution, followed by D16 as it's more lightweight than PB5, then followed by Dongle into PB5.

And lastly, considering weight/footprint to performance and portability ratio the available tube DAP options are still relevant.
So e.g. DX320 Amp14 for example will be lighter and consume less space than mobile phone plus Dongle plus Pb5, let alone with D16 in between
Also other brands have options like Cayin N8II or N30LE but these are comparibly very expensive, maybe a used N8II is more competitive price wise

Many thanks for the tips, yeah there are many aspects... probably the d16 alone will be the winner.. using it in bedroom before sleeping and sometimes on the go.. ru7 only on the go.. and in future adding the pb5 for home use..

 

[Loftprojection]

Many thanks for the tips, yeah there are many aspects... probably the d16 alone will be the winner.. using it in bedroom before sleeping and sometimes on the go.. ru7 only on the go.. and in future adding the pb5 for home use..

I'm also with you, D16 seems to be the winner if you can't afford both. However the next few weeks/months will be very interesting when more folks buy it and start doing head to head compare against high end DAPs. For example if you feed D16 with your phone does it rival a DAP like Cayin N7, Hiby R8ii, RS6, and a few others in the not too high price bracket. I guess D16-PB5 will have to be put head to head against the top DAPs like RS8, N8ii... The big question for myself is how the D16 performs when is fed by a phone versus these DAPs. I'm very interested by the D16, even PB5, but on the premise that fed by a phone it is equivalent or better then DAPs in a similar price range. If you need a DAP as source to feed it then I'd prefer buying a single DAP and be done with. I don't like using a DAP, whichever one, so I'm really hoping that a phone can feed D16 with great results versus DAPs.

 

[easylive]

I'm also with you, D16 seems to be the winner if you can't afford both. However the next few weeks/months will be very interesting when more folks buy it and start doing head to head compare against high end DAPs. For example if you feed D16 with your phone does it rival a DAP like Cayin N7, Hiby R8ii, RS6, and a few others in the not too high price bracket. I guess D16-PB5 will have to be put head to head against the top DAPs like RS8, N8ii... The big question for myself is how the D16 performs when is fed by a phone versus these DAPs. I'm very interested by the D16, even PB5, but on the premise that fed by a phone it is equivalent or better then DAPs in a similar price range. If you need a DAP as source to feed it then I'd prefer buying a single DAP and be done with. I don't like using a DAP, whichever one, so I'm really hoping that a phone can feed D16 with great results versus DAPs.

Exactly, I 100% agree with everything,you said.. there is also Xduoo xd05 pro for half price.. probably cannot compete with the d16, but if the r2r dac for it will be available, it can be also interesting cheapper alternative..

 

[Loftprojection]

Exactly, I 100% agree with everything,you said.. there is also Xduoo xd05 pro for half price.. probably cannot compete with the d16, but if the r2r dac for it will be available, it can be also interesting cheapper alternative..

To me if the DAC of D16 fed by a phone/computer is nicer sounding than the coming XD05 R2R DAC as well as able to rival top high end DAPs then I'll certainly be willing to pay more to get D16 instead of XD05 . I was originally quite positive about XD05 because of it's flexibility but I don't have any appetite for a ESS or AKM DAC, all I'd want from it is the future R2R.

I already have an incredible transportable tube amp, Woo WA8 so I've been waiting for some time to complement it with a top DAC that sounds very analog and D16 seems to be the one. My requirement though is that it has to rival DAPs while being fed by a phone/computer, not a DAP. I know this puts the D16 at a disadvantage but at the end of the day, if I have to buy a DAP as source for the D16 then I'll simply by the top high end DAP and that's it. For me the value of a transportable device is that you can plug it in your phone or computer and have almost desktop quality sound. As soon as you need to feed it with a DAP then to me it looses its main purpose, better go for the simplicity of a high end DAP. Anyway, that's only my needs, maybe I'm a one of a kind and most buyers are happy to use a DAP to feed transportable devices.

 

[KaiFi]

Is the benefit of R2/R that it sounds more "analog"? I've never used an R2/R DAC before, so I really don't know what to expect. I'm certainly a fan of analog sound, being a vinyl collector, but I also can't really see paying $1500 just for the DAC. But I've always been clear that I'm intending to use it as a DAC/amp and the amp section will be important to me and I will certainly cover it in my review. Just waiting until I can order it!