whitedragem
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2010
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iFi (and many forum contributors) have stated “do not do this”. There MAY BE SOME ADAPTERS that will null any potential ‘short’.. but, why do this?Question for those using the Diablo to feed another amp. The Diablo kit comes with a 4.4mm Pentaconn to dual 3-pin XLR cable. For connecting to a SE-input tube amp, I can use XLR-to-RCA adapter cables?
Whilst it is a little messier, you can feed a standard 3.5mm to 2xphono/rca plugs and use standard amplifier inputs… I have done this quite a few times.
I did place a photo up on the official Diablo thread that gave the measure points for each mode (ECO -NORMAL-TURBO) that would equate to a standard 2Volt line level signal. My measurements weren’t perfect- in that I simply used some kit with an overload circuit @2.1V, and played back a well mastered album that would peak correctly - and just took note of where the volume dial was.
If I find the original photo again I will repost here.. (the last one was compressed for uploading and the quality reduction nearly removed my ‘hand drawn arrows’ that indicated where on the dial each mode would peak a normal line level signal.. (we want to get this right, so as not to go to ’high’ and clip the sound, or ‘too low’ and reduce dynamic range, effectively compress the output range..)
I find running the Diablo into other amps a great way to boost its’ sound quality.I own both combinations mentioned above. The diablo as portable and the d1se + a90....and I prefer the desktop setup . Better separation/imaging/detail retrieval, overall significantly more refined sound to my ears. Diablo does sound fuller, but I don't touch it when at home. I like the diablo power - which allows me to take planar headphones on vacation, but d1se is underrated as a DAC and sounds great even with the very neutral A90 - don't judge it based on same chipset as for example d90se, they sound very different and that would probably be a bit of dead pairing.
The Diablo is a better DAC than it is an amp. That is saying something because as a portable amp it ain’t shabby in the slightest.. but the amp part can easily be beaten (generally requiring good coin though). I consider it a great DAC, and a good amp.- actually, no- it is an excellent DAC, and a great amplifier.
I would state that a Denafrips Ares is a better DAC, sure.. but without using a world better than excellent (‘outstanding’ perhaps), the Denafrips isn’t apples to apples in the slightest. (cost vs features, home hifi that uses wall power etc).
Diablos’ GTO mode is useful AND the part hooks straight up to consoles….
That being said, feeding a FiiO M11+ into an Ares, and using ‘on the fly DSD’; that was a pretty incredible experience.
Of course, the M11+ feeds the Diablo so well (both GTO or DSD ’filters’ available to choose between), and to be fair, GTO mode quelled most of my want to get the R2R DAC.. (it is on the radar, but upgrading the transport that feeds the Diablo netted such a sound upgrade (a true testimony to the Diablos ‘reference’ capability and scalability depending on parts paired with); I have lost most interest in ‘sidegrading’ parts, for awhile…
The firmware updates that the Diablo gets has added a lot of value to it in the time I have been using it.
If my original review score was to be a 9.5 (it was going to be a 9.5); then the firmware improvements put it in the ‘10‘ review score category.
This isn’t to say that if the Denafrips Ares II was rated 9.5 it would be worse- it is a different ‘tier’ of kit.
I feel the Diablo has proven itself a relative bargain.
Listening right now, M11+ feeding the Diablo using COAX cable, and simply giving 16bit 44khz (no DSD, no GTO) and the sound is incredible.
I’d buy again, right now, even a year later. Wouldn’t even be a consideration. (the Gryphon is cool, but the Diablo would have the sound edge in terms of best sound available in this price tier)