[801evan]

Why does DCA not provide any useful spec on the website. I have a hard time finding the real specs of there headphone. Like sensitivity etc.

I mean if a headphone have a hard time play of diablo Im not ever going to buy them. My susvara plays easy on them even normal mode.

I hear problems everywhere with DCA on diablo

Yes the amp outputs more power out of 4.4mm but in doing so requires more power of the batteries that already can’t supply enough current for the SE requirements.

You can see Balanced gives more current than SE on ifi's HP chart. If we input Stealth's specs on another HP power calculator, it'll show it'll clip at 98dB on SE and 101.5dB on balanced. This is despite total power about being 16mw and 36mw respectively. So the low impedance of the Stealth makes the Diablo tap out early due to lack of current. Not lack of total power, but this isn't a strike on the Diablo really as the Stealth is on the low impedance side.

With that said, 98dB and 101dB is plenty loud for bass peaks as it is. THX certification is 104dB for a large room for a subwoofer with 6dB gain. Do a simple google search and people find this ridiculousy loud already. Smaller room are targeted at much lower SPL levels. So take the clipping as a safety feature for your ears...just coz your ears can tolerate 105dB sub bass doesn't mean one should listen at that range.

@OCC7N hope this clears stuff up since there's a lot of confusion and misinformation out there recently. If you happen to listen over 100dB, then you need an amp with a larger current output. And that info is not easy to come by from manufacturer specs.

 

[BS5711]

I tried just now and got it to shut down at full volume at the medium gain setting as you described.

I was in the middle of editing the post. I was continuing the discussion of an issue from the Expanse thread where the amp is clipping way below the stated power output. It might be related to the shutdown issue.

Sorry for the confusion.

Thanks for looking into this situation further.

Not that I am any kind of authority but Diablo seems to be geared more towards performance with higher impedance loads and thus suffers badly with the rather low impedance and relatively low sensitivity of most of the DCA range.

Comparing the behaviour of Aeon and HD600 driven off Diablo and a Schiit Asgard 3 the Asgard wipes the floor with the Diablo driving Aeons. There is audible distortion with Diablo/Aeon at high volume but on the Asgard 3 there is no distortion even at scary loud levels.

The relative specs suggest that should be the case as the Diablo isn’t hugely powerful into 16 ohms let alone 13 ohm while the Asgard 3 puts its maximum of 5 watts into only 16 ohms.

With HD600 the Diablo on Turbo actually bests the Asgard 3 on high gain. On paper Asgard 3 has 600mw into 300 ohms while Diablo specs indicate a nat over 600mw into 600 ohm.

 

[BS5711]

You can see Balanced gives more current than SE on ifi's HP chart. If we input Stealth's specs on another HP power calculator, it'll show it'll clip at 98dB on SE and 101.5dB on balanced. This is despite total power about being 16mw and 36mw respectively. So the low impedance of the Stealth makes the Diablo tap out early due to lack of current. Not lack of total power, but this isn't a strike on the Diablo really as the Stealth is on the low impedance side.

With that said, 98dB and 101dB is plenty loud for bass peaks as it is. THX certification is 104dB for a large room for a subwoofer with 6dB gain. Do a simple google search and people find this ridiculousy loud already. Smaller room are targeted at much lower SPL levels. So take the clipping as a safety feature for your ears...just coz your ears can tolerate 105dB sub bass doesn't mean one should listen at that range.

@OCC7N hope this clears stuff up since there's a lot of confusion and misinformation out there recently. If you happen to listen over 100dB, then you need an amp with a larger current output. And that info is not easy to come by from manufacturer specs.

I assume the answer to my question was no you don’t have personal experience with this issue you are theorising ?? That’s fine, not criticising.

I get what you are saying but I think we are talking about different things.

I will try again but I am probably not explaining what I am trying to get across very well.

In general yes balanced will put out more current, no argument.

But ….. into the very low impedance of Aeons at 13 ohm the Diablo battery can’t actually supply the amp sufficiently to achieve the spec output into single ended without the thing shutting down so paper numbers about the theoretical higher balanced output are meaningless, the battery simply can’t get it to that level, in fact the battery limitations seem to limit both to something that seems like about the same output judging by how both 1/4 inch and 4.4mm drive the Aeon,

Into HD600 at 300 ohm, absolutely balanced 4.4mm is very noticeably more powerful than single ended just as specs indicate, in that case the battery is not limiting the Diablo like it does at very low impedance.

 

[OCC7N]

Hi guys
My Diablo unit is "bricked" - the charging LED is not working - the LED is not working AT ALL - and the light does not show flashing red when charge is ongoing and no indication of whether the unit is getting charged or fully charged, because there are no lights, flashing or otherwise; also, the unit is NOT powering on. I left it on charge for about 5 hours, but the situation persists - no LED and unit is not powering on. I tried charging with the iPower charger that comes with and another normal smartphone charger - the unit is not responding at all. It gets warm/ hot when on charging mode but no LED lights at all. The unit is only a month old and purchased new from the authorized retailer in my country. I have used it with care - no rough/ outdoor use. Only indoor usage. Really frustrating.
PS - I have NOT attempted to update from the default firmware the Diablo comes with. So the issue is not related to firmware updation et cetera. It was working normally till a few days ago with the addition of the iPurifier3 in the chain with both units working as expected. Dunno what happened suddenly. Any suggestions??

Can you please provide all specs on the chargers you have been using for the diablo.

Please take a clear picture the label on them

 

[Dionietzscheus]

Can you please provide all specs on the chargers you have been using for the diablo.

Please take a clear picture the label on them

I can confirm that this charger is successfully charging my smartphone, so no issues here. The other generic 5V charger I have used briefly has the same values and is also working normally as it should. It's the Diablo.

 

[801evan]

I assume the answer to my question was no you don’t have personal experience with this issue you are theorising ?? That’s fine, not criticising.

I get what you are saying but I think we are talking about different things.

I will try again but I am probably not explaining what I am trying to get across very well.

In general yes balanced will put out more current, no argument.

But ….. into the very low impedance of Aeons at 13 ohm the Diablo battery can’t actually supply the amp sufficiently to achieve the spec output into single ended without the thing shutting down so paper numbers about the theoretical higher balanced output are meaningless, the battery simply can’t get it to that level, in fact the battery limitations seem to limit both to something that seems like about the same output judging by how both 1/4 inch and 4.4mm drive the Aeon,

Into HD600 at 300 ohm, absolutely balanced 4.4mm is very noticeably more powerful than single ended just as specs indicate, in that case the battery is not limiting the Diablo like it does at very low impedance.

I own the Diablo and have the Stealth and I try the Diablo with numerous HPs at my dealer. Here's the specs on the Aeon 2 since the IFI calculator didn't take into account the limited current per device into the math.

So Diablo will cut off at 101dB SE and 104dB balanced. That's loud enough for even the larger dynamic range music. With Diablo shutting down 9mw and 19mw, it'll make you think it doesn't have the power it advertises. Regardless the 101.5dB is a good safety for one's hearing anyways.

paper numbers about the theoretical higher balanced output are meaningless,

Very very helpful in this case actually.

 

[BS5711]

I own the Diablo and have the Stealth and I try the Diablo with numerous HPs at my dealer. Here's the specs on the Aeon 2 since the IFI calculator didn't take into account the limited current per device into the math.

So Diablo will cut off at 101dB SE and 104dB balanced. That's loud enough for even the larger dynamic range music. With Diablo shutting down 9mw and 19mw, it'll make you think it doesn't have the power it advertises. Regardless the 101.5dB is a good safety for one's hearing anyways.


Very very helpful in this case actually.

So that doesn’t actually explain how using the balanced output instead of the SE is the answer to the cutting out and hiccup issue that the Expanse user posted about as you suggested it was.

You state above, if you can even determine that from simply the maths, that it will cut out 3db higher on balanced than SE ……. that isn’t really the solution that you said it was now is it.

I don’t care if it is “loud enough” before it cuts out on battery or hiccups on and off on a PSU, I’m saying that there is an issue here and explaining my understanding of what that issue is caused by.

Clearly I am not the only one who has experienced this, the video on the previous page shows the problem, Currawong got his Diablo to shut down an DCA headphones and I have seen numerous references to the issue and you have seen at least one in your argument on the other thread.

I saw your comment on the other thread that on Eco mode with Stealth the volume is sufficient for you, great, good for you, but that doesn’t alter the fact that this issue exists and the battery limitations is the cause which is all I am talking about.

Like I said …… I don’t care if it is “loud enough” before it cuts out, I just interested that it does cut out and why it does that.

And in respect to our specific conversation I am just telling the chap that posted the hiccuping video that buying a balanced cable WILL MOST CERTAINLY NOT FIX THE PROBLEM as you said it would !

In summation, I know what happens with mine, I am interested to understand why, I am interested in trying others that experience the problem to understand why, I am not interested in whether you experience the problem or not and whether you think the volume is high enough before the problem occurs for others.

I am also not interested in is discussing this any further with you.

 

[BS5711]

Hi guys
My Diablo unit is "bricked" - the charging LED is not working - the LED is not working AT ALL - and the light does not show flashing red when charge is ongoing and no indication of whether the unit is getting charged or fully charged, because there are no lights, flashing or otherwise; also, the unit is NOT powering on. I left it on charge for about 5 hours, but the situation persists - no LED and unit is not powering on. I tried charging with the iPower charger that comes with and another normal smartphone charger - the unit is not responding at all. It gets warm/ hot when on charging mode but no LED lights at all. The unit is only a month old and purchased new from the authorized retailer in my country. I have used it with care - no rough/ outdoor use. Only indoor usage. Really frustrating.
PS - I have NOT attempted to update from the default firmware the Diablo comes with. So the issue is not related to firmware updation et cetera. It was working normally till a few days ago with the addition of the iPurifier3 in the chain with both units working as expected. Dunno what happened suddenly. Any suggestions??

The chargers you are using are fine ….. take the Diablo back to where you bought it !

 

[801evan]

Like I said …… I don’t care if it is “loud enough” before it cuts out, I just interested that it does cut out and why it does that.

Bro, it's a battery operated device. Even the ahb2 shuts down by design as protection and lack of power.

 

[BS5711]

Bro, it's a battery operated device. Even the ahb2 shuts down by design as protection and lack of power.

Sure ….. but a balanced headphone cable isn’t the fix then is it, that is what you and I talked about ….. Bro !

 

[801evan]

Sure ….. but a balanced headphone cable isn’t the fix then is it, that is what you and I talked about ….. Bro !

As shown, it buys you just about 3dB which is a lot when we get to 100dB range

 

[BS5711]

As shown, it buys you just about 3dB which is a lot when we get to 100dB range

But is it the “solution” to the problem as you indicated it was ?

 

[801evan]

But is it the “solution” to the problem as you indicated it was ?

Like I said, the user was on SE and it was cutting out coz the SE output has less power. Being on balanced buys you close to 3dB more power. That's solution vs the assumption of unlimited power all the way to max pot on turbo on a low impedance HP. If you want a different solution, get a higher impedance HP.

 

[BS5711]

Like I said, the user was on SE and it was cutting out coz the SE output has less power. Being on balanced buys you close to 3dB more power. That's solution vs the assumption of unlimited power all the way to max pot on turbo on a low impedance HP. If you want a different solution, get a higher impedance HP.

No its not a solution it’s a band aid …. a 3db band aid for the cost of a new cable.

The solution is, as best I can tell from my experimentation, to use a suitably powerful PSU, works on Aeon.

I can see why the guys on the other thread ….. no I won’t go there.

I’m out.

 

[801evan]

No its not a solution it’s a band aid …. a 3db band aid for the cost of a new cable.

The solution is, as best I can tell from my experimentation, to use a suitably powerful PSU, works on Aeon.

I can see why the guys on the other thread ….. no I won’t go there.

I’m out.

I don't cover 100dB< torture tests just to claim a device isn't what it's advertised for. So you are right. I only deal with proper safe listening playback levels.