[lizardos24]

I'm thinking of buying another power suppy for the Diablo. If I use it plugged, do you recommend the iPower X better than the iPower 2? (iPower Elite is out of my range) Is there any sound differences? I use efficient IEMs on ECO so I wouldn't buy it for the extra power.

 

[OCC7N]

I'm thinking of buying another power suppy for the Diablo. If I use it plugged, do you recommend the iPower X better than the iPower 2? (iPower Elite is out of my range) Is there any sound differences? I use efficient IEMs on ECO so I wouldn't buy it for the extra power.

iPower X is better than stock charger, gives a better seperation of the dark background, feels more deep/spacious

 

[BS5711]

What do you mean ifi streamer, where was that mentioned in this regard? I did recommend iFi over the Blue but it was another thread(DCA Stealth/Expanse)

My comment was nothing to do with what you or anybody else said on this thread. If I was referring to your comment I'd have replied to your comment not the comment from the chap that asked the question.

Anyway ..... by way of explanation ..... there are comments on various forums about different ifi products that can be used with different voltage power supplies that ifi make and the massive sonic benefit apparently achieved by using the higher voltage power supplies. I was suggesting that if the question about different voltage options was based on what the poster had read about other products then forget that, use 5V as that is what the Diablo is designed to use. It isn't a device with a voltage range option, well certainly not in the context of 5V versus 12V, 15V or 24V !!

 

[OCC7N]

My comment was nothing to do with what you or anybody else said on this thread. If I was referring to your comment I'd have replied to your comment not the comment from the chap that asked the question.

Anyway ..... by way of explanation ..... there are comments on various forums about different ifi products that can be used with different voltage power supplies that ifi make and the massive sonic benefit apparently achieved by using the higher voltage power supplies. I was suggesting that if the question about different voltage options was based on what the poster had read about other products then forget that, use 5V as that is what the Diablo is designed to use. It isn't a device with a voltage range option, well certainly not in the context of 5V versus 12V, 15V or 24V !!

True Voltage should be very specific! My RME ADi-2 also has a voltage range and I use the 12V Elite.

 

[BS5711]

iPower X is better than stock charger, gives a better seperation of the dark background, feels more deep/spacious

I haven't used an iPower Elite, I am tempted but TBH I have my doubts about the significance of any improvement. A chap on another forum tried his iPower Elite and Diablo combo and he indicated he heard no sonic change. He is a big power supply proponent and would have loved to say it sounded better but he heard nothing.

As an aside, for high current demands the standard supplied power brick is woeful. Long story short ..... DCA Aeon, low impedance and low sensitivity require high current, when pushed hard on Diablo it will shut down completely. Needs to be connected to a power supply to reset. This is a current limit protection.

Plug in a power supply and it will override the battery and instead of shutting down it will go into "hiccup protection" literally off/on/off/on/off/on ..... until the load is reduced by turning down the volume or the music becoming less bass intensive. The factory power supply that comes with Diablo is worse than battery power alone. A small iPhone charger, the tiny one, is better. A 25 Watt Samsung fast charger will allow Turbo mode with the Aeon to as high a volume setting as you like and the power supply will keep up.

 

[OCC7N]

I haven't used an iPower Elite, I am tempted but TBH I have my doubts about the significance of any improvement. A chap on another forum tried his iPower Elite and Diablo combo and he indicated he heard no sonic change. He is a big power supply proponent and would have loved to say it sounded better but he heard nothing.

As an aside, for high current demands the standard supplied power brick is woeful. Long story short ..... DCA Aeon, low impedance and low sensitivity require high current, when pushed hard on Diablo it will shut down completely. Needs to be connected to a power supply to reset. This is a current limit protection.

Plug in a power supply and it will override the battery and instead of shutting down it will go into "hiccup protection" literally off/on/off/on/off/on ..... until the load is reduced by turning down the volume or the music becoming less bass intensive. The factory power supply that comes with Diablo is worse than battery power alone. A small iPhone charger, the tiny one, is better. A 25 Watt Samsung fast charger will allow Turbo mode with the Aeon to as high a volume setting as you like and the power supply will keep up.

@marcus2704 before buying the Elite, there seems to be others that don´t hear difference. As said before I will try again later today and see, I remembered a obvious difference.

My experience is on Arya and (Susvara tonight). Maybe other headphones would not have same benefit, I don´t know

 

[marcus2704]

@marcus2704 before buying the Elite, there seems to be others that don´t hear difference. As said before I will try again later today and see, I remembered a obvious difference.

My experience is on Arya and (Susvara tonight). Maybe other headphones would not have same benefit, I don´t know

I had the Elite before with the Pro iDSD, I recall hearing a difference. I will order in a 5V one today and report back once it arrives.

 

[OCC7N]

I had the Elite before with the Pro iDSD, I recall hearing a difference. I will order in a 5V one today and report back once it arrives.

In January 2023, I will test all my hardware, and record them(audio) for A/B test. I just need them all to burnin, my elite/5V is also new. Maybe it needs some burnin too.

But tonight I will do the test as: PC -> Shielded USB 3.0 cable(Clicktronic) -> iPurifier3 -> Diablo( Stock vs Elite)

(I cant remember if I upgraded to the latest 7.4 firmware after the first impression, but I recall 7.4 sound nicer than previous firmware)

Between the X and Elite, I think I will be able to hear the difference. Before the Elite I had the iPower X runing, and I noticed the massive attack of the Elite, it felt like it poured the music into the headphones with a lot of "pressure", like a water hose where the waterpressure is too much.

 

[BS5711]

In January 2023, I will test all my hardware, and record them(audio) for A/B test. I just need them all to burnin, my elite/5V is also new. Maybe it needs some burnin too.

But tonight I will do the test as: PC -> Shielded USB 3.0 cable(Clicktronic) -> iPurifier3 -> Diablo( Stock vs Elite)

(I cant remember if I upgraded to the latest 7.4 firmware after the first impression, but I recall 7.4 sound nicer than previous firmware)

Between the X and Elite, I think I will be able to hear the difference. Before the Elite I had the iPower X runing, and I noticed the massive attack of the Elite, it felt like it poured the music into the headphones with a lot of "pressure", like a water hose where the waterpressure is too much.

Can you have someone help do a blind test ?

The fact that you already expect to hear a difference almost certainly means that you will even if no difference exists in reality.

Remember we ultimately hear with our brains not our ears so our eyes and thoughts/expectations are therefore also involved unless you cant see what you are listening to.

 

[OCC7N]

iFi Elite on Diablo/iPurifier3/Turbo/SE AryaV2. Volume 3 oclock(my max tolerance)

Already 2 minutes in I hear the lowest lows and the highest highs. Vocals, the sound from the throats of the artists….its present without effort.

The smallest things are so present it feels like there is something wrong with the AryaV2. Its a grainy/raw experience.(IMPORTANT! the distortion/saturation you will hear with this setup, in most tracks are intentional because todays music is digital and still tries to simulate/stimulate the analog/golden era, you will understand this if you have worked in producing music, and actually played with these plugins) The lowest lows are so present the smallest distortion/saturation is present.

(Elite is taking the Diablo and squeezing the last drop out of it, nothing is left behind!)

The stereo image has not changed from the balanced view, there are still some “missing” in the upper mids(recessed). Elite adds lowest low but the highest highs(after the recessed upmids) is very interesting, its from here you will notice how deep/bass it sounds.

It can feel like too much power, like a waterhose that is too tight for the pressure(soundstage) of the water, therefore not every song feels the same. Its has darker experience.

(iFi needs to perfect this DAC by 10-20% - more open soundstage - and design it around Elite and make a downsized PRO version DESKTOP!)

Overall I like the iPower X because Elite can lead to listening fatigue. iPower X is gentle and delightfull, it gives the “impression” of a better balanced image, the highest details(can be too harsh), and the lowest lows(the whole neck is covered with kicking drums and the deep bass)is not that present.

(If I was at a party and the Diablo was the source Elite would be the choise. Its soo exciting.
If I am chilling after work gaming and discord, iPower X)

The soundstage feels more compressed/tight on some tracks.

Be prepared for some listening fatigue, its impossible not to turn the volume up!
________________________________
EDIT: listening at low level volume 12 oclock is comfortable relaxed but the lows/highs still pronounced. Is sounds more stable compared to my max tolerance. The details are still effortless. Im as impressed at low volume.

Edit: As I listen more my prefered low level listening is normal mode around 1-2 oclock.

(I noticed the Diablo gets hotter with the elite charger)

 

[BS5711]

iFi Elite on Diablo/Turbo/SE AryaV2. Volume 3 oclock(my max tolerance)

Already 2 minutes in I hear the lowest lows and the highest highs. Vocals, the sound from the throats of the artists….its present without effort.

The smallest things are so present it feels like there is something wrong with the AryaV2. Its a grainy/raw experience.(IMPORTANT! the distortion/saturation you will hear with this setup, in most tracks are intentional because todays music is digital and still tries to simulate/stimulate the analog/golden era, you will understand this if you have worked in producing music, and actually played with these plugins) The lowest lows are so present the smallest distortion/saturation is present.

(Elite is taking the Diablo and squeezing the last drop out of it, nothing is left behind!)

The stereo image has not changed from the balanced view, there are still some “missing” in the upper mids(recessed). Elite adds lowest low but the highest highs(after the recessed upmids) is very interesting, its from here you will notice how deep/bass it sounds.

It can feel like too much power, like a waterhose that is too tight for the pressure(soundstage) of the water, therefore not every song feels the same. Its has darker experience.

(iFi needs to perfect this DAC by 10-20% - more open soundstage - and design it around Elite and make a downsized PRO version DESKTOP!)

Overall I like the iPower X because Elite can lead to listening fatigue. iPower X is gentle and delightfull, it gives the “impression” of a better balanced image, the highest details(can be too harsh), and the lowest lows(the whole neck is covered with kicking drums and the deep bass)is not that present.

(If I was at a party and the Diablo was the source Elite would be the choise. Its soo exciting.
If I am chilling after work gaming and discord, iPower X)

The soundstage feels more compressed/tight on some tracks.

Be prepared for some listening fatigue, its impossible not to turn the volume up!
________________________________
EDIT: listening at low level volume 12 oclock is comfortable relaxed but the lows/highs still pronounced. Is sounds more stable compared to my max tolerance. The details are still effortless. Im as impressed at low volume.

Edit: As I listen more my prefered low level listening is normal mode around 1-2 oclock.

(I noticed the Diablo gets hotter with the elite charger)

Single ended ?

Have you tried running them balanced ?

I wondered how Turbo 3pm was loud but listenable until I saw SE ….. Turbo 3pm would be very loud out of the 4.4mm even with the Arya which are similar spec to DCA Aeon.

You are very hooked on the subtleties and small details so you should try running them balanced to get the very most out of the set up ….. unless you have and prefer SE for some reason.

As a comparison - Gryphon into Shanling ME700 - I am sure the soundstage is more 3D out of the 4.4mm versus the 3.5mm.

I didn’t really expect to hear a difference but swapping over quickly with an adapter it seemed quite apparent the vocals had moved forward in my head and were coming from a more defined location rather than a blob of vocals from the 3.5mm. The music was just more open and …. well ….. 3D.

The extra 10- 20% more open soundstage you seek might be just your choice of connection ???

 

[OCC7N]

Single ended ?

Have you tried running them balanced ?

I wondered how Turbo 3pm was loud but listenable until I saw SE ….. Turbo 3pm would be very loud out of the 4.4mm even with the Arya which are similar spec to DCA Aeon.

You are very hooked on the subtleties and small details so you should try running them balanced to get the very most out of the set up ….. unless you have and prefer SE for some reason.

As a comparison - Gryphon into Shanling ME700 - I am sure the soundstage is more 3D out of the 4.4mm versus the 3.5mm.

I didn’t really expect to hear a difference but swapping over quickly with an adapter it seemed quite apparent the vocals had moved forward in my head and were coming from a more defined location rather than a blob of vocals from the 3.5mm. The music was just more open and …. well ….. 3D.

The extra 10- 20% more open soundstage you seek might be just your choice of connection ???

I will test 4.4 tommorow. I am thinking of upgrading the chain with optical and clock. Maybe Matrix Spdif 2.

Right now I am actually listening at lowlevel 12 o clock normal mode. Still beautiful, even more leveled. Single Ended. Also the Diablo feels colder to the touch.

It seems diablo was designed around comfortable listening level. If I reach my highest tolerance(turbo 1-2 oclock) the soundstage seems to tighten/compress.

I am amazed. I think the elite is staying with diablo. Gotta find a LPSU for the JCAT then.

 

[BS5711]

I will test 4.4 tommorow. I am thinking of upgrading the chain with optical and clock. Maybe Matrix Spdif 2.

Right now I am actually listening at lowlevel 12 o clock normal mode. Still beautiful, even more leveled. Single Ended. Also the Diablo feels colder to the touch.

It seems diablo was designed around comfortable listening level. If I reach my highest tolerance(turbo 1-2 oclock) the soundstage seems to tighten/compress.

I am amazed. I think the elite is staying with diablo. Gotta find a LPSU for the JCAT then.

I don’t want to sound critical here …. sorry.

Do you think what you might be hearing is how volume changes the perception of sound not that you are hearing the subtle performance changes of the amplifier as different loads are imposed on it ?

I am naturally a sceptic …….

Oddly …. about heat, when I ran my Diablo/Aeon combination off a simple 25 Watt Samsung charger the Diablo ran very noticeably cooler than with the same set up on battery alone. That was starting with a fully charged battery so that there was no charging and draining happening simultaneously. As I understand it, in that situation, full battery, the Diablo is running off the PSU only, battery is in the circuit but not providing current. That gels with my situation where Diablo with Aeon will go into current protection shut down on battery, into hiccup protection with a low powered PSU and will run without issue with a higher wattage (5 volt) PSU.

 

[OCC7N]

I don’t want to sound critical here …. sorry.

Do you think what you might be hearing is how volume changes the perception of sound not that you are hearing the subtle performance changes of the amplifier as different loads are imposed on it ?

I am naturally a sceptic …….

Oddly …. about heat, when I ran my Diablo/Aeon combination off a simple 25 Watt Samsung charger the Diablo ran very noticeably cooler than with the same set up on battery alone. That was starting with a fully charged battery so that there was no charging and draining happening simultaneously. As I understand it, in that situation, full battery, the Diablo is running off the PSU only, battery is in the circuit but not providing current. That gels with my situation where Diablo with Aeon will go into current protection shut down on battery, into hiccup protection with a low powered PSU and will run without issue with a higher wattage (5 volt) PSU.

No no…Im for real. Im talking about songs I have listened to 1000times. The way the micro details are present in the highs….

And on a comfortable lowlevel listening level I can easily say Im surprised and amazed. The soundstage is almost perfect for what it is( not ver big) but the element compliments the stage pronounced and body.

EDIT: Its also noticable on the instruments. Specially on bass: Stanley, Marcus and Victor Wooten.

 

[BS5711]

No no…Im for real. Im talking about songs I have listened to 1000times. The way the micro details are present in the highs….

And on a comfortable lowlevel listening level I can easily say Im surprised and amazed. The soundstage is almost perfect for what it is( not ver big) but the element compliments the stage pronounced and body.

OK.