[MikeW]

Some people are satisfied with a cheap clock radio. You've made your point pretty clear, no need to keep beating a dead horse. Move along please..
 
Quote:

I have listened to Xonar Essence and it sounded the exact same as onboard.  Only difference was it could get my headphones ridiculously loud instead of just insanely loud.
 
Also, I know from blind testing that amping a HD580 with a powerful headphone amp (10V output) has little or no affect on the sound compared to my PC.  I remain skeptical that the O2 would do any better.  Most people here will dispute that, yet I am the only one to show actual test results.  What does that tell you?  Audio is alot more objective than we make it out to be here, but no one wants to admit that, especially the companies that make all this crap.  Maybe other headphones really do benefit, I don't know.  But I wager to bet that its grossly exaggerated based on what I have read and heard.

 

 

[stv014]

Quote:

Can anyone compare the O2 to their computers onboard sound?

 
Although this is not exactly what you asked, this thread has some files for blind testing, one of which has been recorded from onboard audio while it was driving headphones at the maximum output level. It is a rather old Realtek chip, though, so it should be easy to tell which one it is out of the 5 files for most, but if there is interest, I will do a similar test with newer "HD" Realtek audio that should perform better.
 

 

[Zsubbo]

Just finished mine, pretty satisfied with the sound coming out of my grados 

 
https://picasaweb.google.com/114049227892902856235/O2?authkey=Gv1sRgCNfli9jH-MX0Rw
^Pics of my build.

 

[Draygonn]

 The gain settings are a little more important than for some other amps because of the position of the volume control, so greater flexibility would have been nice.  I mean, two settings is enough for me, but it's less convenient for somebody without extra resistors or a soldering iron, or who don't know what's going on.

I would think 2 settings would be fine for most as along as they are the right two. MrSlim included extra resistors with my O2, not sure if the JDSLabs or Epiphany amps include them.

 

[Crazy*Carl]

Quote:

High-impedance headphones like HD 580 are easy loads and should generally do pretty well with anything that has enough volume for it.  I wouldn't be surprised at minimal differences with reasonably competent sources, maybe even differences below audibility.  It's different for lower-impedance headphones, depending.  It's especially true if you have impedance interaction issues and get a significantly different FR because one source has high output impedance.  Aside from that and some other cases, most everybody is probably exaggerating about differences, overemphasizing small details, or just hearing what they want to hear.
 
Personally, I can say that typical 1V sources are clearly not enough for 100 dB SPL / 1V headphones on classical music, so I got something more powerful.  Also there's less noise when using IEMs.  Aside from that, I wouldn't attest to anything more personally, particularly without first doing the comparisons blind.

Best thing I have read at head-fi in a while.
 
So you got your amp strictly for more volume?
 

 

[Twinster]

Yes I did this cable myself. It's a silver cable with silver RCA from Cardas.
 
Quote:

Did you diy those cables yourself? I am still trying to find a RCA-3.5mm cable. Not sure which to get. There are iChord, QED, Oyaide, etc.
 

 

 

[Twinster]

Hey Carl,
 
I have done a quick comparison a few months back (Not with the PC on board) between two Centrance products (DACport & DACmini) and one was USB powered only and with the HD-650 and I noticed better impact and control in the lower frequency with the more powerful DACmini. The dynamic was better for sure. I know it's not what you asked for but tough it might add some value. Cheer 

 
Quote:

I have listened to Xonar Essence and it sounded the exact same as onboard.  Only difference was it could get my headphones ridiculously loud instead of just insanely loud.
 
Also, I know from blind testing that amping a HD580 with a powerful headphone amp (10V output) has little or no affect on the sound compared to my PC.  I remain skeptical that the O2 would do any better.  Most people here will dispute that, yet I am the only one to show actual test results.  What does that tell you?  Audio is alot more objective than we make it out to be here, but no one wants to admit that, especially the companies that make all this crap.  Maybe other headphones really do benefit, I don't know.  But I wager to bet that its grossly exaggerated based on what I have read and heard.

 

 

[Digital-Pride]

Quote:

Just finished mine, pretty satisfied with the sound coming out of my grados 

 
https://picasaweb.google.com/114049227892902856235/O2?authkey=Gv1sRgCNfli9jH-MX0Rw
^Pics of my build.

Excellent work there.  How does the it sound with the Mini-i and how does its amp section compare to the Mini-i's?

 

[maverickronin]

Quote:

It's not just volume.  You can easily improve performance by double amping, particularly if the limiting factor is the amplifier and not the D/A behind it.  Here's a few shots from an RMAA run I did a long while back, using 32 ohm headphones at 1V output.  This isn't the first time I posted some of these.
 
    
IMD SMPTE (7 kHz and 60 Hz test tones), THD (1 kHz test tone), crosstalk
 
White lines are double amped (sound card to O2 to headphones/sound card).  Green is single amped (sound card to headphones/sound card).  Note that the measurements are very much limited by the A/D on the cheap sound card.  Still I imagine both the input and output are better than most onboard sound, since those tend to sit on noisy motherboards, not too far from a lot of I/O and CPU and maybe even GPU VRMs.
 
It's a whole lot easier for an amplifier to drive something like 10 kohms than something like 32 ohms, as you can see above.  

Awesome post.  I'm bookmarking this for every time I see someone bitching about "double amping".

 

[mikeaj]

Quote:

Best thing I have read at head-fi in a while.
 
So you got your amp strictly for more volume?

 
I wouldn't say it's the only reason, but the most important one.  Some other reasons are also listed below.
 
1.  More volume
2.  Better ability to support headphones or IEMs not yet owned, i.e. have enough power for them, not have background hiss, and not muck up the FR with output impedance interactions
3.  Better sound quality which I may or may not be able to hear--can't hurt, anyhow
4.  Support the idea of greater documentation and transparency for consumer audio products
5.  Getting into a better position for having these kinds of discussions
6.  An excuse to grab a soldering iron after not having used one in years

 

[Zsubbo]

Thanks, it sounds significantly better in my opinion, it's a lot more dynamic and it's more detailed, also a slightly less colored sound, witch goes nicely with the grados.

 

[Crazy*Carl]

Quote:

 
I wouldn't say it's the only reason, but the most important one.  Some other reasons are also listed below.
 
1.  More volume
2.  Better ability to support headphones or IEMs not yet owned, i.e. have enough power for them, not have background hiss, and not muck up the FR with output impedance interactions
3.  Better sound quality which I may or may not be able to hear--can't hurt, anyhow
4.  Support the idea of greater documentation and transparency for consumer audio products
5.  Getting into a better position for having these kinds of discussions
6.  An excuse to grab a soldering iron after not having used one in years

 
I like your reasons
 
 

 

[wje]

Quote:

Just finished mine, pretty satisfied with the sound coming out of my grados 

 
https://picasaweb.google.com/114049227892902856235/O2?authkey=Gv1sRgCNfli9jH-MX0Rw
^Pics of my build.

Very nice.  At first, that parts pile can seem daunting.  The finished product looks really good though - good solder points, etc.  I think you should contact Twinster for one of those fine, black manly-man aluminum knobs, though.  

   Then, you could call things "done" once you apply your face plate, too.
 

 

[Twinster]

Sorry but I do not have any Black Alu knobs available. I just promise the last available one to a friend 

.  The other is reserved for the ODA/ODAC.
 
Quote:

Very nice.  At first, that parts pile can seem daunting.  The finished product looks really good though - good solder points, etc.  I think you should contact Twinster for one of those fine, black manly-man aluminum knobs, though.  

   Then, you could call things "done" once you apply your face plate, too.
 

 

 

[Crazy*Carl]

Anybody have any guesses on the ODA ODAC time frame.  I am thinking summer, but its just a wild guess.