Gradius
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 9, 2011
- Posts
- 159
- Likes
- 18
So the drivers are back from 12/22/2017 (XMOS-Stereo-USB-Audio-Class2-Driver-3095_v4.13.0.exe).
Are they that bad?
Are they that bad?
Are we sure about the splitting of those two dual opamps?
Ren
Thanks a lot for the great graphs.Frequency response, based on the filter setting chosen:
Frequency response, based on the filter setting chosen:
MP FAST - Emphasis ON vs. MS FAST - Emphasis OFF
LP FAST vs. LP SLOW
BRICKWALL vs. CMFR
RESERVED vs. AP FAST
MP SLOW
The above measurements were done on PLAYMATE EVEREST (SS V6 Classics in I/V stage and SS V6 Vivid in LPF & Voltage-Gain) and are intended to help everyone of us to better choose the correct filter setting.
LP-FAST vs. LP-SLOW
MP-FAST vs. MP-SLOW
AP-FAST vs. RESERVED
CMFR vs. BRICKWALL
Please notice that the default PLAYMATE setting for EMPHASIS is ON and, at least in my case, this means trebles roll-off, so not quite a flat frequencies response, but probably a good pair with bright headphones (in my case Grado SR60i, but not only this one). Given that most people expects to get an out of the box DAC that measures flat and sounds neutral, I will contact manufacturer to change the default EMPHASIS to OFF instead of ON, for those of us that don't want to ever touch the rotary knob controller (if any). Personally I recommend this setting to stay OFF.
Also, when choosing the correct digital filter setting, bear in mind that pre-ringing does not exists out there in the nature, but post-ringing does. Of course, choosing the perfect digital filter setting, based on pre/post ringing and frequency response is a per individual setting and may not be debated here, but I found the MP-FAST as having a better freq. response with less pre-ringing and MP-SLOW as having no pre-ringing, but not perfectly flat response, so for my music I'll probably work with these two settings mostly.
P.S.: RESERVED seems pretty similar with the MP-FAST to me, just freq. response is somehow different, so quite similar digital filter setting after all.
Can somebody who has both the Playmate and the Play, try to power on the Play with the Playmate's power supply? I've tried but strangely the Play doesn't react at all.
I've noticed on the Playmate the sound is quieter at similar volume numbers as Play. Before when I'd use the play with my akg 712 pro I would go no higher than 40 on the volume display but on the Playmate 60-65 sounds about the same. I emailed Burson about this and they said they are using a new volume control program which climbs slower than the Play. The uptake is that this was expected but the overall output of the Playmate should be higher.
Thank you for this. This helps a lot.Below pics represent PLAY V2.2, PLAYMATE and Conductor Virtuoso 2+ (CV2+) and their corresponding volume levels while listening to "Animal Trainer - Wunderland" song at the same output volume; lot of bass in there, average listening level of about 90 dBFS with peaks a bit over 95 dBFS, a very compressed track, but worth trying these kind of tracks when testing low frequencies response for the amplifiers, transients too. Headphones used were Hifiman HE-560, the above volume was pretty high, so not recommended for hours of listening! All the three "contenders" are having about equal output sound pressure, just volume knobs are in different position, so internal gains are probably different (PLAY seems to have the highest gain). However, on CV2+, after 75% the volume is somehow logarithmic, so displays values will not show us their max. output power.
Worth mentioning that with my very sensitive Superlux HD381f IEMs (16 Ohms, 103dB/mW, 120dB/V) PLAYMATE has about 90% of the PLAY's background noise (no music playing, volume knob position makes no difference here) and CV2+ has a higher noise than both (has a higher internal gain anyway and it's not meant to drive IEM's). This test was done around 0 o'clock in the night, without noises around me, and with NE5523/NE5534 inside PLAY vs. LME49720/JRC5532DD inside PLAYMATE. During daytime it's kinda impossible for me to get any audible background noise from my IEMs.
When switching to SS V6 opamps, the above test shows an increase in background noise for PLAY to about double (I know, it's subjective) and for PLAYMATE for about 25%; seems that V6 opamps are more prone to EMI/RFI noise inside PLAY than inside PLAYMATE.
Also, placing Vivids in IV was not a good combination for me, as volume decreased a lot, so I do recommend instead the Classics in IV and Vivids in LPF/Headphones voltage-gain. This combination will increase the stage a little bit and provide a fuller sound, but I must admit that the Basic ver. of PLAYMATE has the best price/performance ratio or sure, so a strongly recommended combo!
There is also the ability of playing 32-bit files, in my case up to 192KHz, but there should be workarounds to get over this sampling rate, for sure. I did played DSD512 with Thesycon driver that I already had installed on my laptop.
L.E.: Sound is very similar between the three "contenders", which was expected actually, given the identical output stage of all these three DAC/amplifiers. They are indeed sharing identical output powerful transistors, this why this trio can easily drive all kind of headphones.
Default ones from 2018's HE-560 model...I guess are Alpha pads (very comfy, perhaps a bit more relaxed bass, but totally relaxing).Thank you for this. This helps a lot.