ljhodad
New Head-Fier
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- Oct 30, 2004
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Scott Nixon usbchibi
Reviewer: Andre Marte
Source: Old school DIY 3.4GHz Northwood P4 PC, 2GB RAM, 2 Seagate 80GB SATA RAID 0, Sony DVD RW DRU-500A, Samsung CDRW/DVD SM-352B, Foobar2000 V0.9.4.2 or WMP11. No ASIO since the change...
Loudspeaker system: MisterX opamp-modded Audigy2, Cambridge Soundworks THX 550
(Zu Pivot cable was formally used prior to DAC installation)
Headphone system: Scott Nixon USB Chibi DAC, 3-Ft. RadioShack Model: 15-242 Gold Series RCA A/V Cable, Amp: MisterX PPA with Glassman 2nd generation buffers, Senheisser HD600 with Cardas cable.
Power/conditioning: Belkin Gold Series SurgeMaster II, BPT C-12 Power Cord with Plug-Shields, Antek True 550 power supply
Review Component Retail: usbchibi DAC $250.00
In seeking to get that eternal last 10% from my computer audio setup, another component upgrade was in order. Ubiquitous budgetary constraints ensue…better loudspeakers to me, mean a change from the 5.1 offerings which have been disappointing in implementation to a 2.1 setup, currently considering the M-Audio LX4 2.1 System, or better yet ESI’s active nEar05 eXperience and SW-10K subwoofer (the M-Audio BX5a/BX10 combo a not-so-flattering copy of the ESI models btw). But I wanted to focus on headphone system first, since it gets more hours per day. Future upgrades could mean spending $350 on a fancier amp like an Eddie Current EC-01 to $1900 for a Zana (sorry about your wallet) Duex, depending on which way the Lotto fairy flies, or perhaps $1000 on some Grado GS-1000 cans. The Sound Blaster Audigy2 is good for gaming, but for music, a superior DAC was next on the list, and I wanted to explore the usb port for a connection. Higher end contenders such as the $500 mhdt Labs Paradisea, or $950 Aqvox USB 2 D/A MK II would be nice, but today’s budget was <$300.
Enter USB Chibi DAC
Even before 100 hours of burn-in, more gain was evident on the PPA where a 40% turn of the knob got me what used to take 50%. Details were more evident too from the solid state DAC, for example when I played selections such as Norah Jones’ Lonestar in which, for the first time I heard Tony Scherr’s fingers slide on the neck of his acoustic guitar. Also noticed was that the PPA’s Bass Boost is redundant on files above 160kbps, the Chibi’s bass was deeper, much tighter and more resolved than the amp’s optional circuitry. Soundstage was not much wider, though I’m sure much of that has to do with the amp, but more so probably the headphones. This points to consideration for the next component upgrade. Other reference songs such as the Corrs Little Wing-Unplugged, to Tool’s Schism and Sober, and the related A Perfect Circle’s Weak and Powerless, to Vince Gill’s When I Call Your Name, all confirmed that for the money, it was a good choice – but I can’t help thinking what the tube buffered solution would have brought to the table…much as rumatt conjectured back in October ‘06. Thanks to Scott for providing a good product and service. Recommended.
Reviewer: Andre Marte
Source: Old school DIY 3.4GHz Northwood P4 PC, 2GB RAM, 2 Seagate 80GB SATA RAID 0, Sony DVD RW DRU-500A, Samsung CDRW/DVD SM-352B, Foobar2000 V0.9.4.2 or WMP11. No ASIO since the change...
Loudspeaker system: MisterX opamp-modded Audigy2, Cambridge Soundworks THX 550
(Zu Pivot cable was formally used prior to DAC installation)
Headphone system: Scott Nixon USB Chibi DAC, 3-Ft. RadioShack Model: 15-242 Gold Series RCA A/V Cable, Amp: MisterX PPA with Glassman 2nd generation buffers, Senheisser HD600 with Cardas cable.
Power/conditioning: Belkin Gold Series SurgeMaster II, BPT C-12 Power Cord with Plug-Shields, Antek True 550 power supply
Review Component Retail: usbchibi DAC $250.00
In seeking to get that eternal last 10% from my computer audio setup, another component upgrade was in order. Ubiquitous budgetary constraints ensue…better loudspeakers to me, mean a change from the 5.1 offerings which have been disappointing in implementation to a 2.1 setup, currently considering the M-Audio LX4 2.1 System, or better yet ESI’s active nEar05 eXperience and SW-10K subwoofer (the M-Audio BX5a/BX10 combo a not-so-flattering copy of the ESI models btw). But I wanted to focus on headphone system first, since it gets more hours per day. Future upgrades could mean spending $350 on a fancier amp like an Eddie Current EC-01 to $1900 for a Zana (sorry about your wallet) Duex, depending on which way the Lotto fairy flies, or perhaps $1000 on some Grado GS-1000 cans. The Sound Blaster Audigy2 is good for gaming, but for music, a superior DAC was next on the list, and I wanted to explore the usb port for a connection. Higher end contenders such as the $500 mhdt Labs Paradisea, or $950 Aqvox USB 2 D/A MK II would be nice, but today’s budget was <$300.
Enter USB Chibi DAC
Even before 100 hours of burn-in, more gain was evident on the PPA where a 40% turn of the knob got me what used to take 50%. Details were more evident too from the solid state DAC, for example when I played selections such as Norah Jones’ Lonestar in which, for the first time I heard Tony Scherr’s fingers slide on the neck of his acoustic guitar. Also noticed was that the PPA’s Bass Boost is redundant on files above 160kbps, the Chibi’s bass was deeper, much tighter and more resolved than the amp’s optional circuitry. Soundstage was not much wider, though I’m sure much of that has to do with the amp, but more so probably the headphones. This points to consideration for the next component upgrade. Other reference songs such as the Corrs Little Wing-Unplugged, to Tool’s Schism and Sober, and the related A Perfect Circle’s Weak and Powerless, to Vince Gill’s When I Call Your Name, all confirmed that for the money, it was a good choice – but I can’t help thinking what the tube buffered solution would have brought to the table…much as rumatt conjectured back in October ‘06. Thanks to Scott for providing a good product and service. Recommended.
