I've heard that the D90 in DAC mode + THX 887 will clip on the "3" gain setting on the 887. Any chance someone can confirm that? Does this combo give you enough control over super low-impedance IEMs/headphones in the "I" setting? About where would the volume dial end up?
I'm in need of a upgrade for a workstation and seriously debating between the D90+A90, D90+THX, and the RME ADI-2 FS. It's just crazy how much value there is in the market around $1K now compared to a couple years ago.
Any of those would be an awesome set up, I don't think you'll go wrong with any of them.
I picked the D90 MQA / A90 as the timing was right - I'd been waiting for the A90 for a while and the MQA version of the D90 release happened in between.
If you already have the AMP you can run the D90 in PRE mode and reduce the output - IDK how much it would take to stop clipping.
Perhaps too much output reduction trimmed on the D90 PRE mode could cut into the resolution or reduce the fidelity of the source material, but I'm at -15dB right now for the KZ AS16 on the D90 / A90 and switching back and forth between DAC and PRE modes for other IEM's / headphones to check the fidelity and I'm not hearing any loss of details or soundstage.
Possibly it was a dumb recommendation. It was a safe level to avoid clipping on the highest gain setting, and I wanted a set it and forget it level. If I was never going to use the highest gain setting then I think 0dB would be fine.
The D90 output is matched well across the L / M / H gain settings of the A90, but for a couple of sensitive IEM's - the KZ AS16 and DK2001 for example - there isn't much room at the bottom of the volume dial in L Gain with the D90 feeding the A90 in DAC mode - fixed output.
It only takes a few seconds to set the D90 into PRE mode and trim the output -5dB to -15dB depending on the IEM, problem solved without any audible difference between PRE / DAC modes from my listening.
I don't have any 600ohm headphones yet, still in the cart, but for those there might be a need to return to DAC mode from PRE +0.0dB mode - I'll report on that later.
For now I've left the D90 in PRE mode as I'm breaking in the AS16 / DK2001, right now at -15dB - depends on the source material audio heat which I could turn down there too - at the source.
I've jumped back and forth between DAC and PRE mode's and I don't hear any resolution loss, or soundstage loss, so whatever the D90 is doing it's using "spare bits" and not affecting the media data.
I bought the MQA version just to compare and argue about how bad the MQA sounds. :/
Exactly, we've got the choice - with or without MQA - if MQA keeps growing then we are covered, otherwise if we ever find a source where FLAC sounds better than MQA we've got something to complain about to the Mastering Studio responsible for the MQA release.
Please let us know when you find a MQA / FLAC pairing where you hear one as "better" than the other through the D90 MQA.