[lee730]

My Triad L3 also sounds noticeably better with the Firestone PSU opposed to a regular wall wart.
 

 

[zilch0md]

Quote:

My Triad L3 also sounds noticeably better with the Firestone PSU opposed to a regular wall wart.
 

 
What's the output voltage of the Firestone PSU?  I know the Triad LLP (optional battery pack made for the L3) can be set for 17V up to 30V, but leaves the factory set at 24V.  

 

[lee730]

Quote:

 
What's the output voltage of the Firestone PSU?  I know the Triad LLP (optional battery pack made for the L3) can be set for 17V up to 30V, but leaves the factory set at 24V.  

It's 24V.

 

[zilch0md]

Nice - I suspect Triad sets the LLP at 24V for a good reason (instead of at 30V), so the Firestone PSU is most likely "just right."

 

[namaiki]

Quote:

I'm curious to hear more about this "clean power" source and if indeed it does make a difference on the DACport. I did however notice a difference between USB powered vs using a dedicated power hub. The DACport LX on the power hub does sound better overall (cleaner sounding).
 

Mainly asking because after going from my ultraportable Sony Vaio Z (which has slowly failing graphics chip/SSD/motherboard/everything) back to my old laptop, it's like bass is tighter and alive and kicking! Soundstage seems to have cleared up a bit - not having that 'blurry' feeling and I'm definitely hearing things like I haven't heard before. Currently quite a bit more impressed than I have been in the past with my Fostex TH-900 + DACport setup where my first impressions were that everything sounded balanced, but relatively boring.
 
I'll give myself a week. It could just all be in my head, but I hope it isn't... I hope it isn't from sleep deprivation.
 
Maybe the power in my Sony laptop is bad and bad enough to corrupt an SSD at random and now I'm back to "normal" power quality levels.

 

[morpheusx]

about Centrance Universal driver
Does DACport lx sound better with default windows driver and wasapi than using Centrance Universal driver and asio?
because i feel the sound better with windows default driver and wasapi
music player using foobar
or It just me

 

[Avi]

I don't know, but I use the Centrance driver and ASIO attached to foobar, and use the SoX resampler mod1 to resample anything that isn't 44.1, 48, 88.2, or 96 so that the DACport LX can process it.

 

[lee730]

I think their driver is suppose to be the best for the DACport.
 

 

[zilch0md]

With my Toshiba L505 and 64-bit Windows 7I Home, I use Foobar2000 and can't hear a difference between the CEntrance Universal Driver and WASAPI.  I've reached that conclusion with both the DACport LX and the DACmini CX.  For the record, I uninstalled the CEntrance driver and went back to using WASAPI (in event mode)
 
Maybe my ears just aren't "golden" enough. 

 
Mike

 

[lee730]

Quote:

With my Toshiba L505 and 64-bit Windows 7I Home, I use Foobar2000 and can't hear a difference between the CEntrance Universal Driver and WASAPI.  I've reached that conclusion with both the DACport LX and the DACmini CX.  For the record, I uninstalled the CEntrance driver and went back to using WASAPI (in event mode)
 
Maybe my ears just aren't "golden" enough. 

 
Mike

Strange. I like Asio better than Wasapi. Wasapi appears to have more bass emphasis to my ears.

 

[zilch0md]

Quote:

Strange. I like Asio better than Wasapi. Wasapi appears to have more bass emphasis to my ears.

 
Given that CEntrance writes drivers for many clients, I have no problem believing your ears can hear something mine can't.  

 

[zilch0md]

Quote:

[snip]
 
Anyway, you might want to take the plunge and order one yourself, or wait for me to report Mike Mercer's findings, here (but he will probably be posting about it elsewhere, so I will provide a link when I hear back from him.)
 
http://ifi-audio.com/en/iUSB.html
 
http://www.ifi-audio.com/en/sales.html
 
http://www.audiostream.com/content/ifi-iusbpower-taking-audioquest-draginfly-dac-notch
 

 
Mike

 
Mike Mercer sent me a PM yesterday.  Paraphrasing, he says he couldn't hear a difference, using the iFi iUSBPower with the DACport LX, until he switched on the IsoEarth feature, at which point the noise floor he didn't think was there vanished.  To me, this is huge - because it allows you to hear all the low-level signals and micro-details that add so much to imaging and sound stage.  Indeed, he went on to say that the bass had better definition, too, and the stage "got wider and deeper."
 
Keep in mind that he didn't say anything about whether or not this was the case on multiple laptops or PCs, vs. just one, so YMMV, but I'm convinced that anyone using a USB-powered DAC, even the DACport or DACport LX, who ALSO wants to use it as a desktop DAC (when AC power is available), should at least consider experimenting with the iFi iUSBPower. You can't know if it's going to be beneficial in your environment until you try it. Your laptop or PC's USB port might be providing power that's dirty enough that you could hear remarkable improvements with this $199 external 5V power supply.
 
If I didn't already have an AC-powered desktop DAC solution (independent of my DACport LX - which I use exclusively for "transportable" use when I'm travelling, as I am now) - where everything has to fit in my travel case, and where I may not want to be dependent on AC outlets, I would take the plunge and buy an iFi iUSBPower.
 
It's 64-degrees, windy and overcast at Navarre Beach, Florida today.   I'm hanging out indoors while the girls are out "shopping."  During the day, the Pensacola Beach spring break crowd is no doubt wishing they had gone farther south - but the weather surely isn't dampening anyone's evening agendas.  

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
Mike

 

[deniall83]

I'm considering the DACPort with 1 ohm output mod. Would you guys say this is a fully transparent combo? Ideally i'm looking for something transparent but cheaper than a Benchmark DAC1 and better looking than an ODAC.

 

[lee730]

I'd say so although the DACport LX is slightly more transparent than the DACport.
 

 

[zilch0md]

Quote:

I'm considering the DACPort with 1 ohm output mod. Would you guys say this is a fully transparent combo? Ideally i'm looking for something transparent but cheaper than a Benchmark DAC1 and better looking than an ODAC.

 
I think you would find the DACport LX with 1-Ohm mod to be very neutral and transparent.  
 
Regarding "cheaper than a Benchmark DAC1..."  -  An Australian friend, who uses a Benchmark DAC 1 Pre with a Nelson Pass amp and Focal Utopia Be loudspeakers, recently told me his DACport LX sounds better than his Benchmark DAC 1 Pre when he powers the DACport LX with 5-Volts from an Energizer XP18000 battery pack, using this cable:
 
https://www.lindy.com.au/online/arrshop.exe?af=570&as=31779&az=1&ai=2652570
 

 
 

It features two USB Type A connectors: one for data and power, and one for power only. The cable terminates in a mini B connector for connecting to the device

 
I want a ready-to-use adapter cable that does this, instead: Two USB Type A connectors - one for power and one for data only.
 
The cable at the link above, does not protect your USB-powered DAC from noise coming from your laptop or PC power supply.  It only dilutes it with (hopefully) cleaner power from an external supply.
 
Even so, my friend thinks the world of his DACport LX - it has a lot of serious fans.
 
Mike