[Currawong]

Quote:

The O2 is the significant evidence that high end hifi amps/dacs above $300 are arguably a waste of money for me. 

 
FTFY.

 

[lorriman]

FTFY.

Guffaw!!

I don't think so. If the O2 claims are true then logically it proves that above $300 is a waste for everyone.

 

[lorriman]

lorriman,

why cant we just be friends!!

let me be very, very blunt.....I am an O2 advocate, because it works and works very very well. period.

I believe regardless of the price that it doenst get any better than this....but the low cost even makes it better....

That's nice, but later it'll be back to "fantastic for the price" or "very very good" etc etc influencing our weaker brethren or casual visitor to pay more for something they think will be better still (the implication of those words).

I would like to be friends, but the problem is that it's impossible to know whether you are good or evil; the evidence isn't conclusive. Are you a Gandalf or a Saruman? Both have grey beards and white vestments.

But as the saying, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. However I'm not quite ready for a cuddle just yet.

Gee....subtle....I am so proud!!

Yes, but that's only if you are deliberately undermining the O2. In which case I am in admiration of a marvellously executed campaign.

 

[Currawong]

Quote:

Quote:

FTFY.

Guffaw!!

I don't think so. If the O2 claims are true then logically it proves that above $300 is a waste for everyone.

 
Enjoyment isn't logical. 

 

[MrEleventy]

Enjoyment isn't logical. 

+1 from me
-100 from my wallet. ;D

 

[HamilcarBarca]

Quote:

Quote:

FTFY.

Guffaw!!

I don't think so. If the O2 claims are true then logically it proves that above $300 is a waste for everyone.

 
Except in cases where a listener is seeking some particular feature (e.g., switchable inputs, different inputs, or a different case) or some particular form of distortion (e.g., the second-order harmonic distortion commonly associated with vacuum tubes) spending more gets the buyer nothing more than a more-expensive product. It's analogous to spending tens (or hundreds or thousands) of dollars per foot of copper(!) wire.

 

[lorriman]

Except in cases where a listener is seeking some particular feature (e.g., switchable inputs, different inputs, or a different case) or some particular form of distortion (e.g., the second-order harmonic distortion commonly associated with vacuum tubes) spending more gets the buyer nothing more than a more-expensive product. It's analogous to spending tens (or hundreds or thousands) of dollars per foot of copper(!) wire.

Well, yes, but I think that goes under the "all things being equal" clause.

 

[Poladise]

I'm thinking about running my Little Dot Mk iii into a O2, hoping it will have a good hybrid sound. I could raise the O2 volume pot and control the level with the LD, but does anyone know if bypassing the volume section and using the O2 like a power amp would be doable?
 

 

[JakeJack_2008]

Quote:

 
I think so -- as an analogy to optics. A transparent lens reduces or enlarges but doesn't distort the image.

Thanx.
 
Many times I've read that certain DAC chips  - obviously taking into account their implementations - sound warm, analog-like, analytical, cold, musical, clinical, sterile, etc.
Additionally, what I've read on this site and on the Internet, some  modern DACs have op-amps built-in and these can surely color the sound.
If I remember correctly, I've read that the HiFiMan Hm601 (or Hm 602, ...?) has a classic Philips DAC chip which sounds warm and analog-like!
 
Any comments how does this relate to the ODAC? To me, it sounds  very transparent, courtesy of the transparent O2. (I mean that the O2 amp does not 'spoil' the ODAC's trasparency.)
 
 
P.S.
It's a shame that Stereophile have never reviewed the O2/ODAC system.

 

[HamilcarBarca]

Quote:

I'm thinking about running my Little Dot Mk iii into a O2, hoping it will have a good hybrid sound. I could raise the O2 volume pot and control the level with the LD, but does anyone know if bypassing the volume section and using the O2 like a power amp would be doable?

 
The O2 is a (standard) amplifier which expects a line-level, up to 2V RMS. The MKIII web page says: "Pre-Amplifier Voltage: 10V RMS", so it's not a (standard) pre-amplifier. If you use it for a "pre-amp", you'll have to keep its volume quite low to avoid overloading the input stage of the O2.

 

[adamlr]

hmmmm. im enjoying the conversation going on here. im afraid i dont have enough technical knowledge or audiophile experience to contribute much, but i would like to add something nonetheless.
the creator of the O2 did say that the amp could compete with any amp under 500$. so, continuing the discussion on whether or not you can have a "better" amp for more money, going on the description of the creator, would you say that >500$ amps exist that do sound "more transparent"? excluding features, looks, build quality and things like that, just sound.

 

[adydula]

oh great now there are degrees of transparency.....
 
lorri - Buddy ole pal...
 
""That's nice, but later it'll be back to "fantastic for the price" or "very very good" etc etc influencing our weaker brethren or casual visitor to pay more for something they think will be better still (the implication of those words).""
 
But the O2 is fantastic for the price and its very very good etc....how the heck is that crapping on the O2?
 
Maybe I should say the O2 is very, very, very, very. very , good for the price...heck nope i think I will state that in my humble opinion
that (for currowang) the O2  is just well:
 
PERFECT!!
 
Convinced yet??
 
Alex
 
Can other amps be as good, yes...they can....but few if any at the cost of the O2.
Note: I do like LOTR as well!!

 

[DuckSoup]

Recently I found 1 small problem with my O2 (it is from Epiphany Acoustics). Sometimes when I turn the volume pot while something is playing I can hear some cracking in right channel, is not extremly loud, but easly audible. Strange thing for me is that it happens only sometimes. Anyone run into simililar issue? What's the most common cause of such behaviour (broken volume pot)?

Amp is ofc feed by ODAC. Any help is appriciated.

 

[RustA]

Quote:

Recently I found 1 small problem with my O2 (it is from Epiphany Acoustics). Sometimes when I turn the volume pot while something is playing I can hear some cracking in right channel, is not extremly loud, but easly audible. Strange thing for me is that it happens only sometimes. Anyone run into simililar issue? What's the most common cause of such behaviour (broken volume pot)?

Amp is ofc feed by ODAC. Any help is appriciated.

 
This can occur with other amplifiers as well, it's connected to the pot... You can have a look at it, or leave it as it is, it's not a problem at all unless you find that behavior annoying.
 
And yes, it usually occurs randomly... That's normal as well.

 

[Mahdi8]

I've got a jdslabs o2 for two weeks now. Since I plan to use it as a desktop amp fully I've removed the battery a couple days ago. Because of it I start to notice that the amp switch of when I move it because of there is movement in the power adaptor jack so i need to adjust the plug a bit. Is this normal? I always feel the power plug is as solid as the 3.5mm plug but never worry about it until now