[ButtUglyJeff]

The title really says it all.  The DAC portion of the Intruder isn't what concerns me.  I just want to know Head-Fiers opinions on which portable amp is the better sounding choice.  I know "better" might be subjective, but I hope everyone that has an opinion shares it here.
 
I think I want to pair one of these with a CLAS -db, but can't afford to A/B these myself.
 
Thanks

 

[leg-ranger]

I haven't listened to the 71 but I own the Intruder. I personally love the Intruder and find the dac to be very well suited for my needs. I've tried it with my JDS Labs Odac and I don't hear any differences. The power this little amp has is unbelievable. In balanced mode, it takes my Senn Hd 600's to another realm. It's truly worth every penny and Ray's customer service is second to none. If you need a dac, go with the Intruder. I think its an extra 50 bucks or so more than the 71.

 

[varyV]

Look up the Intruder thread. When the Intruder first came out, the amp section was a little better than the sr-71b. Ray then posted that the amps now have the same amp section in terms of quality and power. Depends if you need the dac section of the Intruder or not.
 
Personally, I think the Intruder is well worth the money. You can use it with a computer, and with the clas, it could make for a decently sized, powerful iPod stack. If you don't need the dac, the blackbird is one of the most powerful portable amps you can buy.

 

[kothganesh]

Quote:

The title really says it all.  The DAC portion of the Intruder isn't what concerns me.  I just want to know Head-Fiers opinions on which portable amp is the better sounding choice.  I know "better" might be subjective, but I hope everyone that has an opinion shares it here.
 
I think I want to pair one of these with a CLAS -db, but can't afford to A/B these myself.
 
Thanks

Wish I had seen this thread first but I asked the same question on the blackbird thread. I have the CLAS -dB paired with the SR 71B and was wondering about the effect of passing the music through 2 DACs if I paired the CLAS with the Intruder.

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

I doubt you'd want to do that.  I would think you would use the same balanced to balanced mini cable you are most likely using now...

 

[kothganesh]

Quote:

I doubt you'd want to do that.  I would think you would use the same balanced to balanced mini cable you are most likely using now...

I'm not quite sure what you mean. I am using balanced cables. My query had to do with potentially passing the music through 2 DACs before reaching the amp if I used the Intruder. However, as a fellow Head-fier pointed out, once the music leaves the CLAS, it has become analog and hence it would bypass the DAC section of the Intruder.

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

Quote:

I'm not quite sure what you mean. I am using balanced cables. My query had to do with potentially passing the music through 2 DACs before reaching the amp if I used the Intruder. However, as a fellow Head-fier pointed out, once the music leaves the CLAS, it has become analog and hence it would bypass the DAC section of the Intruder.

 
I don't think its possible to send the balanced output signal of the CLAS-db into the mini-usb input to use the dac section of the intruder.  And the co-axial output of the CLAS bypasses the internal dac.  Maybe I'm confused...

 

[varyV]

Quote:

 
I don't think its possible to send the balanced output signal of the CLAS-db into the mini-usb input to use the dac section of the intruder.  And the co-axial output of the CLAS bypasses the internal dac.  Maybe I'm confused...

 
It is. The Intruder has a balanced port, along with a SE one.
 
Quote: kothganesh

 
I'm not quite sure what you mean. I am using balanced cables. My query had to do with potentially passing the music through 2 DACs before reaching the amp if I used the Intruder. However, as a fellow Head-fier pointed out, once the music leaves the CLAS, it has become analog and hence it would bypass the DAC section of the Intruder.

 
It does seem that way...if it is an analog signal, it should not be picked up by the dac. I assume in that case, the Intruder would work like a blackbird.

 

[kothganesh]

Quote:

 
It is. The Intruder has a balanced port, along with a SE one.
 
 
It does seem that way...if it is an analog signal, it should not be picked up by the dac. I assume in that case, the Intruder would work like a blackbird.

Thanks for the confirm. Now the real question becomes, is the Intruder that much better than the blackbird ?

 

[varyV]

Quote:

Thanks for the confirm. Now the real question becomes, is the Intruder that much better than the blackbird ?

 
I can say for certain that there is not much of a difference between the blackbird and the Intruder. There is a confirmation by Ray himself in the Intruder thread towards the end (it was within the last few months that he elucidated on the situation).
 
If you already have a DAC, you could be assured that the SR-71b is a very powerful amp....the SQ and power is comparable to that of the Intruder

 

[Makiah S]

   
I can say for certain that there is not much of a difference between the blackbird and the Intruder. There is a confirmation by Ray himself in the Intruder thread towards the end (it was within the last few months that he elucidated on the situation).
 
If you already have a DAC, you could be assured that the SR-71b is a very powerful amp....the SQ and power is comparable to that of the Intruder

I'll tell you what I like about all of Rays amps... THE GAIN SWTICH IS EASY TO GET TO... I was going to buy a Pb2 but OH HEY wanan swtich gain... IT's INSIDE THE AMP [I have an he 400 dt 880 and w1000x ALL of which run at different gain -.-]
 
so that said, I am VERY much looking forward to getting an sr71B asap... thena fter that I need to balance my w1000x to be used balanced out of the sr71b :3 

 

[Canadian411]

Is it worth to buy

1. CLAS -db with ALO balanced interconnect ($599 + $129)
or
2. Intruder ($700)

I already have SR71b but if Intruder DAC is as good as CLAS then I can ditch SR71b.

Many thanks,

 

[Mooses9]

  I'll tell you what I like about all of Rays amps... THE GAIN SWTICH IS EASY TO GET TO... I was going to buy a Pb2 but OH HEY wanan swtich gain... IT's INSIDE THE AMP [I have an he 400 dt 880 and w1000x ALL of which run at different gain -.-]
 
so that said, I am VERY much looking forward to getting an sr71B asap... thena fter that I need to balance my w1000x to be used balanced out of the sr71b :3 

i have both the ibasso pb2 and the sr-71b and they both have their points i agree with the gains, it sucks having to go inside to swap out the jumpers to adjust gain.
 
but with the pb2 you can change the opamps and buffers, this gives you alot of options for how the amplifier sounds the pb2 is extremely powerful also. just like the 71b.
 

Is it worth to buy

1. CLAS -db with ALO balanced interconnect ($599 + $129)
or
2. Intruder ($700)

I already have SR71b but if Intruder DAC is as good as CLAS then I can ditch SR71b.

Many thanks,

like i said many times, i dont think that the intruder is as good as the sr71b. mearly from a prospect of the fact that the intruder is 700.00 and the 71b is 650.00 i just cant see the amp section being as good as the 71b and then incorperate a dac for 50.00 more?
 
in my opinion the dac portion isnt as good as the clas esp the -db
 
the new 71b's come with the same gains as the intruder, and the older 71b's can be upgraded to have the same gains as the intruder also.
 
are you thinking of the new clas or older clas? i prefer the older clas because of the wolfson chip, the newer ones come with the akm chip much like the hpp1 not the same but still that AKM sound

 

[Canadian411]

i have both the ibasso pb2 and the sr-71b and they both have their points i agree with the gains, it sucks having to go inside to swap out the jumpers to adjust gain.
 
but with the pb2 you can change the opamps and buffers, this gives you alot of options for how the amplifier sounds the pb2 is extremely powerful also. just like the 71b.
 
like i said many times, i dont think that the intruder is as good as the sr71b. mearly from a prospect of the fact that the intruder is 700.00 and the 71b is 650.00 i just cant see the amp section being as good as the 71b and then incorperate a dac for 50.00 more?
 
in my opinion the dac portion isnt as good as the clas esp the -db
 
the new 71b's come with the same gains as the intruder, and the older 71b's can be upgraded to have the same gains as the intruder also.
 
are you thinking of the new clas or older clas? i prefer the older clas because of the wolfson chip, the newer ones come with the akm chip much like the hpp1 not the same but still that AKM sound

 


Oh.. I didn't know the old ones uses Wolfson chip, is there any portable DAC that uses SABRE chips ?

 

[Mooses9]

 

  i have both the ibasso pb2 and the sr-71b and they both have their points i agree with the gains, it sucks having to go inside to swap out the jumpers to adjust gain.
 
but with the pb2 you can change the opamps and buffers, this gives you alot of options for how the amplifier sounds the pb2 is extremely powerful also. just like the 71b.
 
like i said many times, i dont think that the intruder is as good as the sr71b. mearly from a prospect of the fact that the intruder is 700.00 and the 71b is 650.00 i just cant see the amp section being as good as the 71b and then incorperate a dac for 50.00 more?
 
in my opinion the dac portion isnt as good as the clas esp the -db
 
the new 71b's come with the same gains as the intruder, and the older 71b's can be upgraded to have the same gains as the intruder also.
 
are you thinking of the new clas or older clas? i prefer the older clas because of the wolfson chip, the newer ones come with the akm chip much like the hpp1 not the same but still that AKM sound

 


Oh.. I didn't know the old ones uses Wolfson chip, is there any portable DAC that uses SABRE chips ?

http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2011/11/calyx-coffee-dac-head-amp-ess-sabre-9023/
 
thats one that comes to mind, but imo the features are a far cry from either the intruder,71b OR the CLAS.
 
yes the older ones use the wolfson chipset, noone really knows what one it is, theres speculation but they wiped off all markings so no way to know which one it is for certain.
i owned the wolfson chipset dac and i found it to be really good. but it lacks alot of features, and then when they came out with a balanced dac it had the AKM chip which im just not fond of. so that wasnt for me.  the older one is said to be a wolfsen reference chipset