[chews89]

Hey MetalGeek,

How does the D2 Viper compare to your KECES as a DAC? Is there a significant difference?

I'm asking because I'm considering getting a dedicated DAC, but wasn't sure if it is worth getting a full-sized one compared to a portable one. Right now I'm running my LDI+ straight out of my laptop headphone jack and it can get quite noisy sometimes..

I'm tossing up between an Alien DAC or something like a FUBAR II DAC. Do you think it would be Ok if I just went with an Alien DAC?

Can anyone else besides MetalGeek help me with this question?

Cheers

EDIT: Ohyeah I have a basic question: When you plug in a USB DAC into a laptop, no sound shoud come out of the laptop speakers right?

 

[TheMarchingMule]

To answer the basic question, Windows should automatically use the DAC as your default sound provider as soon as you plug it in.

 

[MetalGeek]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chews89 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hey MetalGeek, How does the D2 Viper compare to your KECES as a DAC? Is there a significant difference? I'm asking because I'm considering getting a dedicated DAC, but wasn't sure if it is worth getting a full-sized one compared to a portable one. Right now I'm running my LDI+ straight out of my laptop headphone jack and it can get quite noisy sometimes.. I'm tossing up between an Alien DAC or something like a FUBAR II DAC. Do you think it would be Ok if I just went with an Alien DAC? Can anyone else besides MetalGeek help me with this question? Cheers EDIT: Ohyeah I have a basic question: When you plug in a USB DAC into a laptop, no sound shoud come out of the laptop speakers right?

It's difficult to directly compare the DAC from the Viper to the KECES because I can't bypass the amp in the Viper, so whatever I hear is a combination of the two. That said, my immediate impression is that the KECES is more neutral, whereas the Viper is a bit darker. I wouldn't be surprised, though, if that could be attributed more to the Viper's amp than its DAC. For now, I'm going to continue listening to the KECES until I get more accustomed to the sound, and then I'll switch it back to the Viper to listen for the differences. I've always found that it's easier to detect what a component lacks than it is to detect what a component does better. When it does something better, it's basically doing everything I expect it to, but when it's deficient in some way, it sticks out more.

I'll report back once I get a better comparison of the two.

I had trouble deciding between the KECES and the Fubar II, but in the end I decided that I might as well just go with my gut...the reviews I've read about the KECES were too spectacular to pass up. From what I hear you really can't go wrong with the Fubar II, either. I don't know anything about the Alien DAC.

As far as what you should expect to happen when you plug in the DAC...it really depends on your computer's operating system. I'm not familiar with how it works with Windows, but in Linux you need to specify which audio device you'd like to use. Both the Viper and the KECES show up immediately when I plug them in. Generally (again, in Linux) you can choose specific programs to only use the DAC, or you can just re-route all of the sound through it.

 

[MetalGeek]

Just because curiosity got the better of me, I did a quick comparison of the two, focusing on a brief, drum-heavy song intro. I used the DACs with my LDI+ and SR325is. I switched back and forth between the two DACs 3 times.

The Viper does appear to have a bit more bass, but it's slower and muddier than the bass in the KECES, which may make it a bit misleading. That's not to say that the bass in the Viper is muddy...it's just muddier than what the KECES provides. The KECES also seems to have a bit quicker decay...the drum hits separate themselves better. I also noticed that the D2 is grainier than the KECES.

All in all, though, the Viper actually impressed me in this comparison since it cost just a little more than half of what I paid for the KECES, but isn't too far behind it in sound quality.

I still don't regret my purchase of the KECES, though!

 

[Zephead]

Just got my LDI+ today. Had a listen stock for a few tracks then swapped the stock OpAmp for a Burr Brown OPA2107AP. What a difference, much tighter bass than stock.
 
Still on the stock 6J1 tubes for now but should a have a pair of Mullard M8083 CV5377's arriving soon (hopefully tomorrow).
 
I'm feeding it from the line out of a Fiio E10K and it's a definite improvement on the headphone amp of that. I don't have the words really but there's more sound stage and a little more instrument separation I think. Also seems tighter and cleaner. The E10K has a little harshness in the upper vocal range on some tracks, that's gone on the LDI+.
 
Forgot to mention, currently using it with AKG K612 Pro. Going to try to K550's at the weekend.
 
So far, one very happy customer.