Khronos
100+ Head-Fier
Yes, that might be an inherent problem with the PowerDAC given that volume control is done by regulating the power supply. I won't comment further on that given that it is still in the prototype stage.
E1DA already has the former on the works for headphones through his proprietary POWERDAC. Active speakers using digital crossovers and dedicated amplifiers may be the final do-all for digital audiophoolery. Problem is, implementation is often mediocre- and when well-implemented, they often cost prices that make you triple check to see if your eyes aren't fooling you and it is indeed a five-figure tag (such as the Kii).
One of the virtues of Power drive is that the optimal output impedance should be infinite. This limits its use with typical speakers given their heavily reactive load- though it is near-optimal for single drivers. It has been proven time and time again that powerdrive is capable of directly driving ribbons without the need for specialized amplifiers (hmm, might be interesting with the Raal headphones) Again, pairing them with afullranger and a line-level/digital crossover should seal the deal. Not great for mainstream, excellent for DIYing audiophools and mad scientists. Efficient drivers seldom need more than half a watt, even in peaks. Many examples from Lowther and Lii are rated for above 97db/m/2.83V. So unless you are of the sort that blasts their ears every night it should not be particularly noticeable. Again, very much out of mainstream, though possible. Some people are happy with the 600mw they get off a Darling-type circuit. But let's change the topic. The loading of the transistors might come to be a problem. Hmm. I should perhaps do more reading on that. Still, thanks for the information. I found your post to be quite an interesting read.
