[reiserFS]

   
+1, and add the HP-A8 into the mix.

Tempted to just go for the Marantz because it looks so classy. The Pioneer has balanced outputs though, which is also nice.

 

[AppleheadMay]

Difference in Dac though. I'll leave the discussion between ESS Sabre and others to someone else.
In my experience Pioneer receivers have a very decent phones output. Marantz sources are even more to my liking, they have the typical slightly warmer Marantz sound.
 
I'm not talking about these two devices in particular though, haven't heard them yet. Maybe tomorrow the Marantz if the dealer has it already but I'm not counting on it yet. 3 weeks ago the distributor here didn't have it yet, they probably consider it on request only for the whole country. Headfi is non-existant here.

 

[reiserFS]

  Difference in Dac though. I'll leave the discussion between ESS Sabre and others to someone else.
In my experience Pioneer receivers have a very decent phones output. Marantz sources are even more to my liking, they have the typical slightly warmer Marantz sound.

Yeah, can't really comment on the ESS topic as well since I've yet to hear a ESS DAC. The warmer house sound of Marantz should be to my liking though.
 

 I'm not talking about these two devices in particular though, haven't heard them yet. Maybe tomorrow the Marantz if the dealer has it already but I'm not counting on it yet. 3 weeks ago the distributor here didn't have it yet, they probably consider it on request only for the whole country. Headfi is non-existant here.

Some huge electronics chain over here usually stores a lot of Pioneer products. I'll try to take a look tomorrow to see if they have one 

 

 

[GourouLubrik]

  Tempted to just go for the Marantz because it looks so classy. The Pioneer has balanced outputs though, which is also nice.

I would find the Marantz appealing ... if it was real wood. I prefer aluminium to plastic...
 
Next generation of TOTL Pioneer AV (SC-LX88) receiver comes with the same dual ES9016 that this Pioneer U-05 and comes with USB input... don't know they're the same quality but that might interest some

 

[Nisbeth]

  Tempted to just go for the Marantz because it looks so classy tacky.

Fixed this for you
 
/U.

 

[GourouLubrik]

Finally recabled my Fostex TH-900 (8 braid wire of Forza Audioworks FAW MK2 + Neutrik NC4-MXX-B) to use balanced output of the Pioneer U-05.
It sounds quite effortless and natural. When I had to confront Pioneer balanced headamp out VS Pioneer balanced dac out + Violectric HPA-V200... It has been a very very very destabilizing experience. I used HPA-V100 and HPA-V200 for a year with my TH900. I also had a Yulong A18, and tried other amps, but hasn't been prepared for this.
The Violectric sounded so close, so much in front of you that it seemed sometimes to blur the line between front and back. But the soundstage is very large at the same time.
The Pioneer U-05 was less large, but added depth, in front of the auditor.
The Yulong was also laid back and even distant, but something in the blending left and right channel in the front soundstage just didn't work for me, this and ultimate impact in the bass region made me kept the HPA-V200.
 
Warning: this is just my opinion, and is closely tied to the Fostex TH-900 - cannot state what can happen with other pairs of cans.
The quite precise and big soundstage of the TH900 make it quite sensitive to variations... but I'm not talking of a subtle change that only golden ears would remark, I'm talking of a HUGE difference in soundstage, so huge that each time I change the amp, my brain crash and launch a new WTF_Exception() and needs a recalibration of its perception to what's the left/right/center/back in the music stage.
Short story, on many accoustic musics, the Violectric HPA-V200 artificial front and forward soundstage became unlistenable compared to what my brain thought that was more natural on the Pioneer. Electronica is another story, because it much more prone to any interpretation, there is no brain veto there.
 
I will have to confront it again, but it ain't that easy to compare them in other areas, because this outshine anything else...
 
I will probably compare it to my DIY Wire BAL-BAL during holidays... If it's still working.

 

[GourouLubrik]

Little update.
One good news: Still very satisfied of the sound with a balanced TH900 - quite punchy, neutral, and most importantly, magnify the soundstage and sense of air out there. Quite the best DAC/Amp not multi-thousand-$ I tested so far for th900 (balanced mode only).
 
Two bad news:
- The same balanced section sucks at driving orthos, tried a LCD3F and a ZMF (Fostex drivers). It lacked dynamics, the results were much worse than my V200 (that I do not praise as much as lots of people here for orthos)... Don't buy the U-05 as a main headphone amp for your orthodynamics cans... But still consider it as a great dac/preamp.
 
- When doing meeting, protect it well, the brushed aluminium is so to scratch and stain -

 

[Foolwolf]

I just got my unit and I have to admit that I'm so far impressed with it.The build qulaity seems tight,the soiund is like most have described it. I really find it to my liking and my HiFimann 400i have got some new life.
 
Now to listen and enjoy

 

[HiFiGuy528]

  I just got my unit and I have to admit that I'm so far impressed with it.The build qulaity seems tight,the soiund is like most have described it. I really find it to my liking and my HiFimann 400i have got some new life.
 
Now to listen and enjoy

 
Is there a way to change the voltage to U.S. from JP?

 

[stevepow]

New FM and novice here.
Need advice or recommendation to enhance my sound system output.
Currently hooking up my FiiO x3 to AE05 active speaker with Polk Audio subwoofer.
Listening to classic rock and country music most of the time.
Didn't want to go for the usual full hi-fi system, need to simplify thing up.
 
Anyway to enhance the system by adding a DAC to the set up.
 
thanks

 

[GourouLubrik]

This question is quite off topic... but I will try to answser.
 
First: I cannot find your active speaker reference.
 
The Pioneer U-05-S is quite resolving, and it only makes "sense" as a good Price/Performance ratio if your speakers are also high quality.
It can also come handy to use the pioneer as a preamp (variable output) into your speakers if they lack remote.
 
Adding a dac to a FiiO X3 isn't simplifiying very much. and if you want to get rid of the FiiO in your setup, you still need a source.

 

[buldogge]

   
Is there a way to change the voltage to U.S. from JP?

No experience with it...but there are lots, like this, out there:
 
http://www.amazon.com/VCT-VT-500J-Japanese-Transformer-Converts/dp/B000PC4JL4
 
-Mark in St. Louis

 

[Foolwolf]

   
Is there a way to change the voltage to U.S. from JP?

Can't say - I'm in Europe, but you have a small adapter for the main European connectors. Is that answer enough? If not please try to specify and I can have a closer check when I get back home.
Cheers!

 

[Gradius]

Europe page:
http://www.pioneer.eu/eur/products/42/2255/46312/U-05-S/page.html

 

[TominJapan]

HI,
just baught this DAC and the sound is very impressive, open , detailled and warm .
The headphone amp is not a gadget , drives my Sebbheiser HD600 and Hifilan HE500 without problem.
But i have an issue with DSD files , when i try to play one i have no sound , just chug and the display show PCM 176;4 instead of DSD .
I tried with a Teac UD 501 and no problem at all , i can play DSD files;
I use  Daphile on a Toshiba Laptop .Also tried with Win 8;1 (with pioneer drivers installed) and jplay mini , same problem.
Any idea ?
Thanks in advance.

Did you check DoP in the daphile preferences? maybe the pioneer is not DoP compatible or lacks Linux support for DSD ?
anyone knows?