[Subhakar]

Mine DP-X1 shipped. Hail PriceJapan.

 

[Sonic Defender]

  Mine DP-X1 shipped. Hail PriceJapan.

Good to hear, I had pre-paid in October, but cancelled my order as there seemed no realistic ship date. Now I'm more confident as I assume the backlog is being eliminated and I might actually be able to buy and receive in a reasonable period of time. Had I stayed in the queue I would likely have received mine last week sometime. Oh well, have to live with my decisions right?

 

[Whitigir]

So is pricejapan the only real game in town currently, or are there other places I could order from? I'm back in as I am sick of carting a phone around with an amp and all the damn cables! Man does that clutter annoy me.

Lol....! People is doing it just fine . I agree though, that is why my zx2 is everywhere with me...heck I even forgot my phone at home, but not zx2....can't be zx2

 

[InsanityOne]

  So is pricejapan the only real game in town currently, or are there other places I could order from? I'm back in as I am sick of carting a phone around with an amp and all the damn cables! Man does that clutter annoy me.

PriceJapan is the by far the easiest way to get a DP-X1 / Screen Protector / Case / etc. The only other way to get it would be to use a forwarding service like Tenso, then you could just order it from Amazon.jpn or any other Japanese retailer that Tenso approves. I think that most people just like to use PriceJapan because a forwarding service is not required.
 
- InsanityOne 

 

[Sonic Defender]

^^ I almost bit again and bought a used ZX2, but I can't bring myself to pay more than $550 for it. As good as it sounds, it is just not offering enough for the price people ask. I feel bad for all the ZX2 owners that will want to sell used (and I know many will want to keep the ZX2) as there is no way people will pay anywhere near the retail for a ZX2 with the X7 and DP-X1 now available, plus others soon to come I'm sure. I know I would love the ZX2, but the power issue would be a problem for sure.

 

[TheOneInYellow]

I CAN'T SLEEP ANYMORE!

I KEEP DREAMING OF ONKYO DP-X1 I CAN'T WAIT ANY LONGER NEED IT NOW NEED MORE REAL WORLD INFO FROM HEAD-FI BRO'S & GAL'S ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH!

(It's like Dark Souls, DSII, and Bloodborne all over again ).

 

[mikeral]

I CAN'T SLEEP ANYMORE!

I KEEP DREAMING OF ONKYO DP-X1 I CAN'T WAIT ANY LONGER NEED IT NOW NEED MORE REAL WORLD INFO FROM HEAD-FI BRO'S & GAL'S ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH!

(It's like Dark Souls, DSII, and Bloodborne all over again

).

That is dangerous. might turn into chronic condition, watch out -

 

[TheOneInYellow]

That is dangerous. might turn into chronic condition, watch out -

I know. I bought the Onkyo DP-X1 with screen protector and leather case from PriceJapan.com (posted a few pages back).

I love how true the motto of this forum is. My wallet doesn't, it's giving me the eye's...

 

[TheOneInYellow]

Hi guys, a quick question.

First, a premise:
My aim is if I want to use the Onkyo DP-X1 DAC in balanced mode but use an external balanced amp for home, and possibly portable, use, then I want to output a balanced signal into an amp that can receive a balanced analogue input (not digital or OTG).

So far the only DAC/amp that I have found that can either receive a digital OTG signal to it's own DAC, OR receive a balanced LINE IN just to utilise it's balanced amp circuitry, is the ALO Continental Dual Mono (CDM).

Now why that's significant is this: if I want to use the balanced dual DAC's of the Onkyo DP-X1 but use a more powerful balanced amp, then outputting the DP-X1 signal via balanced 2.5 mm output into CDM 2.5 mm input will achieve this.
If for some reason I want to use the DP-X1 as a transport only (bypassing a computer, which is for me the ONLY reason I would do this) then I can use an OTG cable and bypass the DP-X1 DAC and amp and use the ALO CDM's DAC/amp (or Chord Hugo/Mojo, Sony PHA3, name you're own amp or DAC/amp combo).

Unfortunately I cannot afford the ALO CDM.

My question is this:
Is there an amp that is portable that has BOTH 2.5 mm TRRS balanced inputs and outputs that is not the ALO CDM and cheaper?

 

[Sonic Defender]

I believe the balanced headphone input on the DP-X1 is 2.5mm is this correct? Thanks.

 

[TheOneInYellow]

I believe the balanced headphone input on the DP-X1 is 2.5mm is this correct? Thanks.

No, it's not.

There is no 'input', digital or analogue, on the DP-X1.

However, it does support 3.5 mm unbalanced (TRS) and 2.5 mm balanced (TRRS) outputs, as well as OTG digital output (bypass all internal DAC/amp circuitry).

 

[Whitigir]

^^ I almost bit again and bought a used ZX2, but I can't bring myself to pay more than $550 for it. As good as it sounds, it is just not offering enough for the price people ask. I feel bad for all the ZX2 owners that will want to sell used (and I know many will want to keep the ZX2) as there is no way people will pay anywhere near the retail for a ZX2 with the X7 and DP-X1 now available, plus others soon to come I'm sure. I know I would love the ZX2, but the power issue would be a problem for sure.

That is just your opinion . I am as a zx2 owner is proud and a happy camper. You can wish for X7 to sound better than zx2. Japan zx2 can drive Z7 and th900 full size headphones just fine, and I am not the only one saying it. But if you are not happy, then why buy it ? I am more than happy to trade in the power for more battery and audio quality, just as long as I can find my headphones that work with it, and so far....I had

 

[InsanityOne]

Hi guys, a quick question.

First, a premise:
My aim is if I want to use the Onkyo DP-X1 DAC in balanced mode but use an external balanced amp for home, and possibly portable, use, then I want to output a balanced signal into an amp that can receive a balanced analogue input (not digital or OTG).

So far the only DAC/amp that I have found that can either receive a digital OTG signal to it's own DAC, OR receive a balanced LINE IN just to utilise it's balanced amp circuitry, is the ALO Continental Dual Mono (CDM).

Now why that's significant is this: if I want to use the balanced dual DAC's of the Onkyo DP-X1 but use a more powerful balanced amp, then outputting the DP-X1 signal via balanced 2.5 mm output into CDM 2.5 mm input will achieve this.
If for some reason I want to use the DP-X1 as a transport only (bypassing a computer, which is for me the ONLY reason I would do this) then I can use an OTG cable and bypass the DP-X1 DAC and amp and use the ALO CDM's DAC/amp (or Chord Hugo/Mojo, Sony PHA3, name you're own amp or DAC/amp combo).

Unfortunately I cannot afford the ALO CDM.

My question is this:
Is there an amp that is portable that has BOTH 2.5 mm TRRS balanced inputs and outputs that is not the ALO CDM and cheaper?

2.5mm TRRS balanced is less common than 4-pin RSA/ALO balanced connectors. If you are willing to sacrifice the smaller form factor of the 2.5mm balanced and go for the slightly larger RSA/ALO connectors there are numerous portable amps that have an RSA/ALO input and an RSA/ALO output that are fully balanced through and through and never convert to SE. A few I would recommend looking at are:
 
1.) Ray Samuels Audio SR-71B
2.) ALO Rx Mk3 B+
3.) Cypher Labs AlgoRhythem Duet
 
Each of these three amps can be found (especially in the Head-Fi classifieds) for much less than the ALO CDM and they all perform quite well. The only thing you would need to connect to the DP-X1 to it would be a 2.5mm to RSA/ALO cable which can be made / bought from several locations. Also, if you are interested in fully balanced DAC / Amp combos that accept USB input there are too many options to list as they are much easier to find than stand-alone portable amps.
 
- InsanityOne 

 

[Sonic Defender]

No, it's not.

There is no 'input', digital or analogue, on the DP-X1.

However, it does support 3.5 mm unbalanced (TRS) and 2.5 mm balanced (TRRS) outputs, as well as OTG digital output (bypass all internal DAC/amp circuitry).

Thank you, output is what I meant (although technically the plug is an input hence why I mistakenly used the term input). Cheers.

 

[TheOneInYellow]

2.5mm TRRS balanced is less common than 4-pin RSA/ALO balanced connectors. If you are willing to sacrifice the smaller form factor of the 2.5mm balanced and go for the slightly larger RSA/ALO connectors there are numerous portable amps that have an RSA/ALO input and an RSA/ALO output that are fully balanced through and through and never convert to SE. A few I would recommend looking at are:

1.) Ray Samuels Audio SR-71B
2.) ALO Rx Mk3 B+
3.) Cypher Labs AlgoRhythem Duet

Each of these three amps can be found (especially in the Head-Fi classifieds) for much less than the ALO CDM and they all perform quite well. The only thing you would need to connect to the DP-X1 to it would be a 2.5mm to RSA/ALO cable which can be made / bought from several locations. Also, if you are interested in fully balanced DAC / Amp combos that accept USB input there are too many options to list as they are much easier to find than stand-alone portable amps.

- InsanityOne 

Thank you InsanityOne. BROFIST!

I am well aware of the Kubicon (RSA/ALO) type balanced amps, especially the ones you've listed, and all are well lauded (I should add that I think the ALO Rx M3 B+ is discontinued). I also know of similar amps elsewhere too.

However with such amps I would need to increase my budget and get a 2.5 mm TRRS to Kubicon interconnect, and then either re-terminate my Audeze EL8 closed back DHC Zync Elite Molecule into Kubicon, or 2.5 mm with a Kubicon (and 3.5 mm TRS) adapter.
Furthermore, though the Kubicon connector has been in the game the longest, both 2.5 mm TRRS and dual 3.5 mm balanced options are the way forward (as is mini-XLR, but that is not exactly ergonomic).
My main issue with Kubicon is that I see it as a legacy connector with performance issues (breakages, though not all products) and future uses; if I invest into Kubicon will there be further use with new equipment? I personally believe that Kubicon is deliberately on the way out, and I am ok with that.
I only wish that companies create an update on such amps that currently use Kubicon and use 2.5 mm TRRS input and either the same for output or dual 3.5 mm.

Now, as I own the CEntrance HiFi-M8, and as I no longer have my own laptop (I borrow one intermittently), my Onkyo DP-X1 will be my primary frontend. When I require extra power I'll use an OTG cable (Micro-B to Type-B) and connect the DP-X1 to the venerable HiFi-M8. Unfortunately that will bypass all the DP-X1 circuitry. My aim is to only bypass the amp circuitry for greater power.

So, again I thank you InsanityOne but those amps won't fit my use (in terms of invest cable wise); I'm trying to seek a solution that doesn't bypass the DP-X1 DAC circuitry; just the amp section so that I can use a fully balanced external portable amp having 2.5 mm TRRS input with and 2.5 mm (or 2x 3.5 mm) balanced output.
As the ALO CDM is the only amp I have seen that can do this I had wishfully hoped there were other amps out there that did the same.

I hope amp manufacturers are reading this!

Or, I ignore a balanced portable amplifier and invest in a proper balanced desktop amp. Then I can get a 2.5 mm TRRS and whatever the balanced input is of such an amp (dual 3-Pin XLR, for example).
This sounds like a smart idea actually...might just do that.

Yet if anyone does know of a fully balanced portable amp that utilisies a 2.5 mm TRRS input (at least) please let me know (obviously not the ALO CDM).

[Edit: Just refined my above post above ].

Thank you, output is what I meant (although technically the plug is an input hence why I mistakenly used the term input). Cheers.

No problem dude! ^^