Pico - USB DAC/Amplifier From HeadAmp

[donunus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asr /img/forum/go_quote.gif NO COMMENT Patience is a virtue and details will come to those who wait... I'll just add though that comparing the AE-2 in my CD-based system against the Pico w/ laptop (FLAC over ASIO) is actually kinda fun. I've also saved notes of the AE-2 with my former Arcam FMJ CD33 because that CDP used the same DAC as the Pico (though the AD797 and OPA2134 were in its analog output stage, crap!).

I'll be patient. Just want to know when and where i can read your review

 

[ueyteuor]

so is this suppose to be the best portable amp out there currently?? that can be compared to even home amps?

 

[fkclo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ueyteuor /img/forum/go_quote.gif so is this suppose to be the best portable amp out there currently?? that can be compared to even home amps?

For me, there are a few others that I prefer more if we compare the amp section only.

The key strength of the Pico with DAC is convenience, in my opinion, not sonic excellence. Traveling with a notebook computer, the Pico provides the convenience nothing can beat.

We can always compare any portable against a home amp, but I don't think Pico hold its own before the bigger brothers.

F. Lo

 

[Asr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew_WOT /img/forum/go_quote.gif Can you please try running laptop off batteries?

AC or battery power on my laptop makes no difference, I hear the ultra-low hiss either way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ueyteuor /img/forum/go_quote.gif so is this suppose to be the best portable amp out there currently?? that can be compared to even home amps?

Where are you getting this idea from? I for one haven't heard any portables that can possibly compare to a good AC-powered home amp.

 

[GreatDane]

I've not heard any hiss with my Pico using the DAC with my laptop(using the Pico amp), this is using AC power for the laptop. If I use the Pico as DAC sending the analog to my tube amp there is terrible noise with laptop running on AC but that noise completely disappears if I run on laptop battery.

I haven't tried using the laptop power supply with my Tripp-Lite isolation transform yet, as is, it's plugged into a Tripp-Lite Isobar 4 Ultra.

 

[number1sixerfan]

Anyone out there using them with IEM's? It is true that it can get too loud with a slight movement of the knob?

 

[ueyteuor]

im confused about the "clear" color option... anyone have a pic of a clear pico?

 

[MrSlacker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ueyteuor /img/forum/go_quote.gif im confused about the "clear" color option... anyone have a pic of a clear pico?

clear = silver

 

[GreatDane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by number1sixerfan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Anyone out there using them with IEM's? It is true that it can get too loud with a slight movement of the knob?

That shouldn't be a concern. I've used my Pico with ER4P with low gain and there is good volume range available. The volume knob has a slight tightness and won't easily turn causing

 

[wolfen68]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreatDane /img/forum/go_quote.gif That shouldn't be a concern. I've used my Pico with ER4P with low gain and there is good volume range available. The volume knob has a slight tightness and won't easily turn causing

...and I had trouble with UE5c's. It would work, but it was touchy without much volume adjust range. It is true that the volume knob seems suffuciently tight to help prevent ear blasting mishaps.

 

[WindowsX]

People, don't get too hyped. It's just small battery-powered amplifier.....

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreatDane /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've not heard any hiss with my Pico using the DAC with my laptop(using the Pico amp), this is using AC power for the laptop. If I use the Pico as DAC sending the analog to my tube amp there is terrible noise with laptop running on AC but that noise completely disappears if I run on laptop battery. I haven't tried using the laptop power supply with my Tripp-Lite isolation transform yet, as is, it's plugged into a Tripp-Lite Isobar 4 Ultra.

X2, the only faint hiss I heard is at max volume in high gain with sensitive iems (X3 in my case). But that is not USB related and I guess inevitable, even in Predator.
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f15/predator-hiss-289595/
Wondering if this is what Asr hears, as USB noise is very distinguishable from floor noise.
I have had what seemed like USB incurred noise, turned out a ground loop when I had two USB DACs connected to GS-1 in parallel.

 

[jamato8]

It is the source in both cases. Who cares if there is hiss at max volume anyway? There is no practical reason, sonically or otherwise that it really matters when at max volume.

 

[Asr]

Just thought I'd share that I finished my exhaustive comparative listening between the Pico and the AE-2 last night. More than 64 total hours listening in all (not continuous of course, spread across since the time I initially received the Pico in Dec '07 and up until last night) and about 3 pages of notes were saved.

Multiple scenarios were documented:
- Pico DAC vs Arcam FMJ CD33 DAC section (trying to compensate for the effect of the CDP's analog stage along with the AE-2's clearly-different sounding amp section)
- Pico amp vs AE-2 on Arcam FMJ CD33
- Pico amp vs AE-2 on Accuphase DP-500
- Pico vs HeadRoom 2006 Total Bithead (DAC vs DAC) for lossless music
- Pico vs HeadRoom 2006 Total Bithead (DAC vs DAC) for DVD movies

No comparative listening was done with the RSA Predator that I owned. Well ok I did compare them for maybe 30 minutes but I won't write about what I heard either here or privately or on any other site, due to RSA's claim of this product needing at least 500 hours of burn-in, so I would appreciate if no one asked me about it. No offense to RSA intended but I don't have time to run burn-in cycles anymore and I find it prohibitive to reviewing. I plan to no longer write reviews of equipment with manufacturer claims of burn-in exceeding 300 hours on solid-state electronics, or 500 hours on headphones. I can concede to manufacturer-claimed burn-in of up to 300 hours on electronics but I fail to understand any reason or motivation for burn-in beyond that point. While my background is in CS and not EE, I do have enough technical knowledge of electronics to not believe that burn-in can make a significant difference for any equipment other than headphones, past an approximate 2-week period, as that seems to be the norm in the audio industry.

I've decided to write a full-length review of the AE-2 first, which will be followed by my Pico review. Both will be published on StereoMojo.com.

 

[tha_dude]

Hi, if this has been asked before, I'd appreciate it if you guys could please point me to the relevant thread/posts:

To use the Pico's USB DAC, right now I'm using ASIO4ALL through foobar. Do I have to set anything else in foobar besides choosing the DAC as the output device?