[kskwerl]

So I got a Fiio D3 a while ago and never got around to hooking it up until now. My chain is Foobar WASAPI (event) -> optical ->Fiio D3 -> RCA to 3.5 -> ALO The International.
 
After all the time spent here and all the posts I still don't know too much but is it possible for the D3 to sound better than the DAC on the ALO The International?
 
I feel like it's a big increase in SQ, is this due to the optical or am I finally losing it?
 

 

[Koolpep]

If it sounds better for you that's all it needs to do.
 
I have the D3 as well and must say, it's avery capable DAC for the price. I used it in the office with a Schiit Valhalla and Ultrasones and Beyerdynamic headphones. So yes, it might be that the D3 sounds better to your ears and that's all that matters. It maybe it does sound better objectively as well. I used the optical out and was more than happy with the sound quality. I found it a bit birghter than the other DACs I had used.
 
Cheers,
K

 

[kskwerl]

Quote:

If it sounds better for you that's all it needs to do.
 
I have the D3 as well and must say, it's avery capable DAC for the price. I used it in the office with a Schiit Valhalla and Ultrasones and Beyerdynamic headphones. So yes, it might be that the D3 sounds better to your ears and that's all that matters. It maybe it does sound better objectively as well. I used the optical out and was more than happy with the sound quality. I found it a bit birghter than the other DACs I had used.
 
Cheers,
K

Yea it's a pretty sweet dac for the price, I find it brighter as well compared to the dac on the ALO

 

[kskwerl]

Has anyone else had an experience like this? Is the DAC inside the International highly regarded compared to the D3?

 

[Koolpep]

Quote:

Has anyone else had an experience like this? Is the DAC inside the International highly regarded compared to the D3?

Well, I guess you have one of the first D3's like me and they have these components below.
 
I copied that from the announcement from JamesFiio. Apple uses Cirrus Logic for all their audio components and quite a few other manufacturers as well. I think the newer D03K have a different digital receiver as the Wolfson chip was discontinued.
 
The newer D03K uses a CS8416 as digital receiver.
 
source: http://hifiduino.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/inside-fiio-d3/
 
 
D3 is used WM8805 as digital receiver. it is come from Wolfson and with very low jitter. 
 
"Advanced jitter attenuating PLL with low intrinsic period jitter of 50 ps RMS."  
 
http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/products/spdif_transceivers/WM8805/
 
and used CS4344 as DAC, it is come from CIRRUS LOGIC.
 
http://www.cirrus.com/en/products/cs4344-45-46-48.html

 

[kskwerl]

Quote:

Well, I guess you have one of the first D3's like me and they have these components below.
 
I copied that from the announcement from JamesFiio. Apple uses Cirrus Logic for all their audio components and quite a few other manufacturers as well. I think the newer D03K have a different digital receiver as the Wolfson chip was discontinued.
 
The newer D03K uses a CS8416 as digital receiver.
 
source: http://hifiduino.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/inside-fiio-d3/
 
 
D3 is used WM8805 as digital receiver. it is come from Wolfson and with very low jitter. 
 
"Advanced jitter attenuating PLL with low intrinsic period jitter of 50 ps RMS."  
 
http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/products/spdif_transceivers/WM8805/
 
and used CS4344 as DAC, it is come from CIRRUS LOGIC.
 
http://www.cirrus.com/en/products/cs4344-45-46-48.html

hmm this may explain it! thanks, I had no idea!

 

[kskwerl]

Quote:

hmm this may explain it! thanks, I had no idea!

is there anyway to know for sure which one I have?

 

[Koolpep]

Yes.
 
If you have "Taishan" on the back then you have the new version (this is V3).
 
If you have the D3 without Taishan printed on it and you have golden RCA connectors, then you have the "in-between" version (V2) with WM8055 chip but slightly different internal layout.
 
With no Taishan on it and silver RCA connectors, you have V1
 
Let us know which version you have. I have the V1 D3.
 
Cheers,
K

 

[kskwerl]

Looks like I have the V3, thanks

 

[Koolpep]

That's good, the only version to "avoid" is apparently the V2.
 
Cheers,
K

 

[kskwerl]

Quote:

That's good, the only version to "avoid" is apparently the V2.
 
Cheers,
K

thanks again for all the help Koolpep!

 

[Koolpep]

Welcome...

Always fun to unearth value gear.