New Portable Amp/Dac: iBasso D1 **with updates on the first page**

[mrarroyo]

I agree with dw6928, my PROline 2500 are the best sounding cans out of the D1 (as compared with Sennheiser HD600 or HD580). Another can that sounds good out of it is the Sennheiser PX100 and to some extent the AKG K501 (this needs more listening too).

Today I swapped the 8616 with an 8656 (DAC section amp). I also swapped the AD823 for a 2111, the soundstage is wider and it is easier to detect the instruments. Not night and day but better.

BTW dw6928 I hope you can hear the difference this two changes make.

 

[dw6928]

I will spend the time and alternate between my 3 very different headphones to see if I can discern the difference. Sounds like great fun!

 

[HiFlight]

As I do not wish to make this a commercial venture and risk being accused of advertising for mounting and soldering services, I would kindly ask those interested to direct any inquiries relating to this topic to my home email, rather than discussing it on the forum or by PM.

It is not my intention to make this a money-making venture, but rather to provide assistance to those who for whatever reason do not feel comfortable soldering small objects.

I will continue to post my personal opinions regarding the characteristics of various opamps combinations and/or other mods to the D1, but they are my opinions and preferences only. YMMV!!!

I enjoy the Head-Fi forums and do not want to risk censure or banning due to inappropriate advertising or solicitation of services.

Any questions regarding topics inappropriate for Forum posting can be directed to:

HiFlight@hotmail.com

Thanks for your understanding.

 

[mrarroyo]

[size=x-large]STOP THE PRESSES![/size]

I just changed the NE5532 buffers (2) with the LM4562 chip in the amp section. This combined with earlier today replacing the AD823 with a 2111 has brought the amp section to a whole new height. In my earliest comparison when I had used my 4th Gen iModded iPod to drive the D1 and SR71 I stated that they were pretty much the same.

Well that is not longer the case. The D1 amp with the 2111 driving a pair of LM4562 is in the LaRocco PRII MkII territory. Man I wished we had done this test earlier today when I was with Vorlon1 and HiFlight.

Not only is the bass so tight and powerful w/o any bloat but the soundstage has opened even further with an almost holographic sound. 3D for your ears!

HiFlight/Jamato8 please try this combination and report back. Believe me, I want to be wrong. Otherwise a $250 amp plus $40 in chips will sound better than a $565 amp.

HiFlight, the amps puts out plenty of power. Yes I know what the spec sheet says but I only had to go up the equivalent of 1/2 hour to compensate over the stock NE5532. The change is mind boggling, the buffers have brought more of a change than the other two chips previously swapped.

 

[sum1]

Just wondering. What will happen if i have a 5.1 signal running into the optical/coax input of the D1? will it just chop off the rear channels? downsample it? or will it refuse to understand the signal?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

So, Jamato8 was using an AD8066 in the amp and two AD8397 in the buffers.

HiFlight was using an OPA2111 amp/AD8397x2 buffer and loved it more.

You did the OPA2111 amp/LM4562 opamp x2 in the buffers, instead of the AD8397 as the buffers.

We know the NE5532 buffers can be improved upon.

Therefore, you are asking for an opinion about which is better in the buffers, the AD839x27 which you haven't heard, or the LM4562x2 which HiFlight and Jamato8 haven't heard?

Maybe you need to send them a couple of LM4562 try try out

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Jamato,

It would be nice if you (the OP) would edit the first thread to add

(1) the opamps tried,
(2) where (amp, buffers, DAC),
(3) and how the swapper (you, HiFlight or mrarroyo and friends) felt about the swaps

I've got the above memorized, but already forgot about what chip the DAC swap did best with...

 

[HiFlight]

This evening I tried both the AD8397 and the LM4652 in the buffer sockets. The 4562 sounds better with the 2111, but I like the 8397 better with some of the other opamps. The 2111/4562 appears to be very synergistic! My personal preference, YMMV. Earlier today at the minimeet, Miguel had the 5532s as buffers and I had the 8397s in mine. We then compared a variety of other opamps in LR. Our preferences differed in our favorites for LR.

The AD8656 was the winner in the DAC socket.

It wasn't until after the meet that we tried the 4562 as a buffer. I was not sure it would work out, as the output power is MUCH less than the 8397, but I misjudged it, apparently.

What fun!!!!

 

[jamato8]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif Jamato, It would be nice if you (the OP) would edit the first thread to add (1) the opamps tried, (2) where (amp, buffers, DAC), (3) and how the swapper (you, HiFlight or mrarroyo and friends) felt about the swaps I've got the above memorized, but already forgot about what chip the DAC swap did best with...

I have added things to the first post, though not what you mention, and I still notice that people do not read the first post but look for answers in the newest posts. If the information is in one place on the above 3 questions you posed, I would be happy to add this to the first post.

 

[Capunk]

Guys, I have a question -
does opamp rolling on D1 requires soldering?
I'm interested but I don't have any past experience with any electronic engineering =)

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamato8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have added things to the first post, though not what you mention, and I still notice that people do not read the first post but look for answers in the newest posts. If the information is in one place on the above 3 questions you posed, I would be happy to add this to the first post.

Yes, the answers to my question are in My and Hiflight's most recent posts

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capunk /img/forum/go_quote.gif Guys, I have a question - does opamp rolling on D1 requires soldering? I'm interested but I don't have any past experience with any electronic engineering =)

They're just gonna tell you to "read the thread". However, it will be easier to search the thread for the key words "opamp" and "rolling".

Easiest for you is for me to say that "you will need to solder browndogs DIP adapters onto some of the opamps with SO8 pins, so that you can then plug them into the D1 main board."

The OPA2111 does not need soldering, but the AD8066, AD8397 do need to solder the adapter. I forget about the LM4562 but I think it doesn't (can't promise, and too hard to look it up while surfing with my motorola Q).

 

[Sieg9198]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HiFlight /img/forum/go_quote.gif This evening I tried both the AD8397 and the LM4652 in the buffer sockets. The 4562 sounds better with the 2111, but I like the 8397 better with some of the other opamps. The 2111/4562 appears to be very synergistic! My personal preference, YMMV. Earlier today at the minimeet, Miguel had the 5532s as buffers and I had the 8397s in mine. We then compared a variety of other opamps in LR. Our preferences differed in our favorites for LR. The AD8656 was the winner in the DAC socket. It wasn't until after the meet that we tried the 4562 as a buffer. I was not sure it would work out, as the output power is MUCH less than the 8397, but I misjudged it, apparently. What fun!!!!

What are the changes from 8397 to the 4562??

 

[TruckerJones]

HiFlight: Did you manage to try out the AD797 on the D1? I saw in an earlier post that you were waiting to try it out. Though I think it has to be mounted on a single to dual browndog adapter first?

How about the OPA627/OPA637? I'm really curious to know if these will work well with the D1. It also requires it to be mounted on the adapter too if I'm not mistaken?

jamato8: Will the single-to-dual browndog adapter fit? I took a look at the pictures and it seems like it will be a tight fit, but will probably fit.

 

[souperman]

So as of right now, what is the best opamp/buffer and DAC opamp combination for you guys? Just to summarize the past million pages for everyone

.