[GravityEyelids]

Hello all,

I had the luck that my brother gave me his P20 for free - and I can honestly say that i like the sound the amplifier produces very much, though I have to admit that my experience with amps is very limited.

Because I would like to try the P20 in balanced mode I am looking for a "cheap" DAC. After a little search I found the iBasso DC01. According to iBasso it is a "Hi-Res Balanced DAC" - so the dongle should do the job???

Sorry for my - maybe stupide - questione, but I am a totally noob .

Abyss

Just get a Raspberry Pi 3 and a Hifiberry DAC+ XLR. Cheapest balanced source/DAC you're going to find. And now you have a dedicated headless media computer/streamer and something that can play your local library of FLAC or whatever else. https://www.hifiberry.com/shop/boards/hifiberry-dac-pro-xlr/

Or just "fake it" and buy a 3.5mm to dual 3 pin XLR cable and run the output balanced.

 

[Jimmyblues1959]

Hello all,

I had the luck that my brother gave me his P20 for free - and I can honestly say that i like the sound the amplifier produces very much, though I have to admit that my experience with amps is very limited.

Because I would like to try the P20 in balanced mode I am looking for a "cheap" DAC. After a little search I found the iBasso DC01. According to iBasso it is a "Hi-Res Balanced DAC" - so the dongle should do the job???

Sorry for my - maybe stupide - questione, but I am a totally noob .

Abyss

You may want to try this new entry which looks promising and retails for $199. It is balanced.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.phpthreads/soncoz-la-qxd1-balanced-dac-review.13459/

 

[DesignTaylor]

If anyone is considering the Loxjie or the Xduoo I made a quick video comparing these two affordable balanced tube amps.

 

[Researcher]

Hello,

I have got second times P20. I had purchased P20 off Amazon.uk. It was a red return product. I liked a lot its amazing wet, huge sound stage and warm sound signature. I somehow did not like red colour, and returned it one year ago. The last one came from AliExpress- China warehouse. I have been listening the new one over a week. It sounds in a completely different way like a solid state amp. I have 789 as well. Both has interestingly the same dry sound, narrow soundstage. I use the same dac and headphone.

I suspect they fixed high impedance issue. I think that the reason why the first P20 has wet, huge sound stage and warm sound signature could be output impedance. BTW, I enjoy Ether C Flow with 24 ohm of impedance. Another reason might be related to stock tubes.

Briefly, they behave like two different products. I am wondering your thoughts why they are so.

 

[lantian]

If you have a DAC with a 4.4mm output, it should have a GND connection.
But, most devices that have a 4.4mm jack, are designed to drive headphones.
.

No. Most devices will have it not connected at all. No headphones will ever have ground so why shouls it be connected to the plug.. Having it not connected improves the sound quality in portatable players more than it could ever degrade it. So far have never had any issues qith any balanced hear going to amp. Never have i had ground noise or any noise between them. The same as with 2.5mm balanced it by definition has no ground.
As for double amping. It is only a problem if your output impedence is high. Otherwise youe fine aswell

 

[igorpadrao]

No. Most devices will have it not connected at all. No headphones will ever have ground so why shouls it be connected to the plug.. Having it not connected improves the sound quality in portatable players more than it could ever degrade it. So far have never had any issues qith any balanced hear going to amp. Never have i had ground noise or any noise between them. The same as with 2.5mm balanced it by definition has no ground.
As for double amping. It is only a problem if your output impedence is high. Otherwise youe fine aswell

So portable DAC/Amps are ok? If so, I believe these cheap DACs can be very in hand with a 2.5mm to XLR cable.

PowerDAC v2 E1DA Headphone Amp PEQ DSP BLE DAC
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000078625548.html

E1DA 9038S Gen 3 USB DAC Headphone Amp
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000090081514.html

Measurements of 9038S model:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ents-of-e1da-9038s-bal-portable-dac-amp.8424/

 

[monousa]

How would you describe the Stellia sound? I am thinking my Grado's would likely sound very good out of the Loxjie.

Shane D

Hi Shane
I am running an iPad to a HidizS8 to the rca inputs of the Loxjie PD20. I listen with Grado Sr125, Sr 325, Gw100 (wired) , and Ms 1 Alessandro. The setup sings. Each Grado model has slightly different colors of sound. I use a balance to to 3.5 mm female. And an adapter from the Grado models that have 1/8 plugs. I will be testing two other dacs. The Modi 2 Uber and an Audioquest dragonfly soon. Grado headphones are perfect for the Loxjie in my opinion. I listen to Beatles, Zep, Floyd, etc. as well as bluegrass, Eric Church etc. and if you can believe it, classical.

 

[Shane D]

Hi Shane
I am running an iPad to a HidizS8 to the rca inputs of the Loxjie PD20. I listen with Grado Sr125, Sr 325, Gw100 (wired) , and Ms 1 Alessandro. The setup sings. Each Grado model has slightly different colors of sound. I use a balance to to 3.5 mm female. And an adapter from the Grado models that have 1/8 plugs. I will be testing two other dacs. The Modi 2 Uber and an Audioquest dragonfly soon. Grado headphones are perfect for the Loxjie in my opinion. I listen to Beatles, Zep, Floyd, etc. as well as bluegrass, Eric Church etc. and if you can believe it, classical.

Wow, you really reached back for that one!
But thank you very much for the reply. I actually ended up buying my Grado's their own tube amp a few months ago from Mapletree Audio Design.

 

[monousa]

Wow, you really reached back for that one!
But thank you very much for the reply. I actually ended up buying my Grado's their own tube amp a few months ago from Mapletree Audio Design.

Wowza! Nice! How does it play with the Grado's? Love that guitar amp volume knob.

 

[Shane D]

Wowza! Nice! How does it play with the Grado's? Love that guitar amp volume knob.

It is a very nice combo! The guy who makes them (each one is hand made in a small shop in Ontario, Canada) is also a Grado fan and that is what sealed it for me.

I have to admit that I looked very hard at the Tuba amp by Hagerman Audio. Another small shop, but this one in Hawaii.

 

[monousa]

It is a very nice combo! The guy who makes them (each one is hand made in a small shop in Ontario, Canada) is also a Grado fan and that is what sealed it for me.

I have to admit that I looked very hard at the Tuba amp by Hagerman Audio. Another small shop, but this one in Hawaii.

Interesting. Is the Maple Tree a true power amp? Or solid state power?

 

[Shane D]

Interesting. Is the Maple Tree a true power amp? Or solid state power?

It is a pure tube amp. I had tried several hybrid amps with no satisfaction. I was looking for a low impedance tube amp, which are harder to find. Narrowed it down to this.

 

[Skullophile]

Any HD800 owners in here? Does this amp pair well with them?

 

[Researcher]

I was looking for a low impedance tube amp, which are harder to find. Narrowed it down to this.

I believe you are on a wrong way.

 

[sufjennheiser]

I

So portable DAC/Amps are ok? If so, I believe these cheap DACs can be very in hand with a 2.5mm to XLR cable.

PowerDAC v2 E1DA Headphone Amp PEQ DSP BLE DAC
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000078625548.html

E1DA 9038S Gen 3 USB DAC Headphone Amp
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000090081514.html

Measurements of 9038S model:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ents-of-e1da-9038s-bal-portable-dac-amp.8424/

Did try this a couple of days back using a 2.5mm to a 2 x XLR cable. Easy enough to solder if you know what to do (the options on Ali were too expensive for me haha)

But yes, the clarity of E1DA is unmatched. The setup is very powerful, but a bit too clinical for me. I have a Nobsound TDA1387 which in comparison is nowhere near in either clarity or dynamics, but very musical.

Why is the balanced supposed to sound better btw? I noticed that when using e1da -> balanced in p20 -> balanced out Amiron home, a volume of -30 is pretty much loud enough. But using the same headphones in balanced out with a nobsound, can take the volume till -15 on some tracks.

Is it due to the higher voltage of line level in the balanced case? Nobsound has a measly 1.5V, which I believe is short of even the standard single ended.