Toucan and Boomslang (IBasso Audio) Balanced Review Thread

[paulybatz]

I just ordered the Toucan from Ibasso...I have been bothering them for months as soon as they intro'd the pics on their website in January...these are very exciting times...they are so friendly and prompt to respond to emails...they are as excited as all of us here about high quality audio and it shows in what they are doing there.  After ordering and not wishing to pay double shipping, I decided to have them hold the Toucan AMP until the Boomslang DAC is available...
 
Just received the set...man they are pretty!!!

 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/501028/toucan-and-boomslang-ibasso-audio-balanced-review-thread/150#post_6909784
 
 
Ok, after listening single ended while waiting for my retermed cable...I had a certain impression of the amp...now listening with my HD650 BALANCED...it is a profound difference, when I say profound, you hear everything in perfect balance, no pun intended.  Nothing is overdone, not too much bass, treble or mids...I honestly never thought I could hear music in this way.  The bass is tremendous, I mean the bass guitar is so perfectly presented that I can visually see the string vibrating and resonating, Im listening to a CD source feeding the TOUCAN John Scofiend "A Go Go" and feel like Im in the studio with these guys, not in the studio, but right in the center of the room with the band.  I also have to note how much I LOVE the HIROSE connectors, they are so easy and stress free to use...more detailed review and analysis to come after I've done some listening...but a little more the drums, the pop, snap of the snare...it drives the HD650s not only perfectly but effortlessly, meaning I have it on low gain setting and a nice listening level is slightly less than 10 o'clock...what is also nice about this amp is it is not only clear and analytical but it is not fatiguing to listen to...the music is so good that you want to just re-listen to all of your favorite artists to hear them like you never have before!!!!
 

 

[Young Spade]

Awesome; I've been thinking about ordering one as well. Keep us posted when you get it

 

[paulybatz]

I am very excited, I "know" already it is going to be great...it was very difficult to tell them to hold the amp until the DAC was ready but good things come to those who wait....I would just order it SPADE! Considering you can use it both balanced and single ended, at the price its a no brainer.

 

[Young Spade]

Well I have to sell my ALO Rx first as I'm in college and just can't blow money lol.... I've already spent <200 on books and it's just my freshman summer :/
 
Good thing there are scholarships

 

[clou91]

Paulybatz, did you get a chance to ask them how long it'll be till the dac is available? I'm very interested in getting the T/B set up and am anxiously awaiting impressions/reviews.

 

[kunalraiker]

Could not use the portable DAC with any practical DAPs. what is the point of the balanced DAC.

 

[wuwhere]

Quote:

Could not use the portable DAC with any practical DAPs. what is the point of the balanced DAC.

They won't sell many if it only has a balanced out that can only be paired with their balanced amp. I'm actually only interested in their DAC since I have a few amps.

 

[clou91]

Quote:

Could not use the portable DAC with any practical DAPs. what is the point of the balanced DAC.

 
For a netbook set up while I'm in the library between classes.

 

[Young Spade]

Quote:

 
For a netbook set up while I'm in the library between classes.

Which is exactly where I get a lot of music in. I'm gonna start bringing the K702s too and get some done that way. A lot more involving than the ER4Ss.....
Of course the volume's gotta stay low with those lol

 

[paulybatz]

Two weeks or so for the DAC (Boomslang)

 

[richbass]

Do you know the price of boomslang ?

 

[paulybatz]

No price yet...I pre-paid for the Toucan, to avoid a sell-out and will forward payment for the Boomslang when it comes available.
Pauly

 

[ElWappo]

Well, I've had a couple of hours with my Toucan, and I must say, although the benefits aren't very substantial they are there.
 
I'm using it in SE mode, with the built-in DACs in my iPhone 3GS and iPad. Like several of you, I'm waiting for iBasso to release their Westone/UE compatible Balanced cable and of course their matching Boomslang Balanced DAC.
 
Whilst A/B'ing this evening, the first time I really noticed anything 'substantially' different was with Radiohead's High and Dry.
 
Part of me wants to send it back to iBasso as the differences I've heard thus far are very minimal, although they are nice. But another part of me realizes that I've not burned it in at all yet, plus I'm not really taking advantage of it since I've no Balanced cable just yet. I know that from reading about the RSA Protector, there was a substantial improvement when using it in Balanced vs. SE.
 
Alas, by the time I get the balanced cable from iBasso (and the Boomslang), I'll be past the 14 day return policy for the amp. I may just be trying to talk myself into this, but I can't help but think listing to this in Balanced mode should result in another incremental value increase, and again with their Balanced DAC. So, those that are waiting to order everything at once may be on to something!
 
Here's a pic:

 

[logwed]

ElWappo, what kind of IEMs are those? They look to be impossibly deep, what kind of impressions did you have?

 

[ElWappo]

Quote:

ElWappo, what kind of IEMs are those? They look to be impossibly deep, what kind of impressions did you have?

They are EarSonics SM3's, customized by Fisher / InEarz. You're right, my ear canals are long, but not impossibly so!