Toucan and Boomslang (IBasso Audio) Balanced Review Thread

[RIDE]

Hmmm...this Toucan is really tempting.  Was pretty set on the P-51....now all the buzz around this little amp has me rethinking.
 
RIDE

 

[HiFlight]

Quote:

I think I've missed this so far....can the PB1 also take in SE and output balanced like the Protector? 
 
Also, can the boomslang output SE?  If not, would an adapter cable return the boomslang's output balanced signal to SE if needed for other SE equipment?  I'm just wondering if it can act as a SE DAC and possibly replace the DAC function of the D10 for folks who have not jumped completely into balanced yet. 

 
Although the Boomslang DAC only has a balanced output, it can provide a SE output by simply making up an output cable using the Hirose balanced connector on the DAC end with a standard TRS plug that ties both grounds together with R+ going to ring and L+ going to tip on the amp end of the pigtail.  
 
This will enable the Boomslang to serve as an "all-purpose"  DAC for desktop as well as portable use and for both SE and balanced applications. 
 

 

[Young Spade]

It really needs to come out though. My wallet isn't getting any heavier

 

[debitsohn]

haha i hope it doesnt come out this month, my wwallet is literally unstitching itself.

 

[wuwhere]

 
Quote:

 
Although the Boomslang DAC only has a balanced output, it can provide a SE output by simply making up an output cable using the Hirose balanced connector on the DAC end with a standard TRG plug that ties both grounds together with R+ going to ring and L- going to tip on the amp end of the pigtail.  
 
This will enable the Boomslang to serve as an "all-purpose"  DAC for desktop as well as portable use and for both SE and balanced applications. 
 

Do you know which DAC chip it uses and how many?

 

[BebopMcJiggy]

Wouldn't it be L+ (pin 5) to tip R+ (pin 2) to ring and  L-,R-,Ground(s) all to shield for a TRS plug?  Well Possibly just grounds to ground (pins 1 + 4) but I am not sure why I thought you bridged - and Ground ->unbalanced ground for balanced Mics -> SE plugs anyhow.  Regardless I just want to be sure I am not confused about your L- to tip.
 
Also not really important but wouldn't your wallet not getting heavier imply your income is stagnant/you want to spend money you aren't making sooner.  Also your wallet busting apart at the seams would seem to indicate to me you are rolling in the dough!   Too much for your wallet.  Just saying...

 

[AVU]

Probably a dumb question but I'm going to ask it anyway.  How would the Toucan, running into balanced JH13s, fare against a small desktop unit like the Matrix Mini-i also running balanced?  Or an audio-gd Fun/Sparrow running single ended.  Anyone have this or comparable setup or like to hazard some educated predictions?

 

[BebopMcJiggy]

I mean those are all DAC/amp combos?  I can't really speculate too much now as the boomslang(the ibasso balanced DAC) is not yet released.

 

[AVU]

you're right 

 my bad.  I guess I was just asking about the AMP portion.  I'm assuming the DAC will probably be pretty similar.  I'm just trying to decide whether it's worth it to get a desktop setup or whether the high power of the Toucan + its balanced setup would be able to compete (and add portability!)
 
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I mean those are all DAC/amp combos?  I can't really speculate too much now as the boomslang(the ibasso balanced DAC) is not yet released.

 

[HiFlight]

Quote:

Wouldn't it be L+ (pin 5) to tip R+ (pin 2) to ring and  L-,R-,Ground(s) all to shield for a TRS plug?  Well Possibly just grounds to ground (pins 1 + 4) but I am not sure why I thought you bridged - and Ground ->unbalanced ground for balanced Mics -> SE plugs anyhow.  Regardless I just want to be sure I am not confused about your L- to tip.
 
Also not really important but wouldn't your wallet not getting heavier imply your income is stagnant/you want to spend money you aren't making sooner.  Also your wallet busting apart at the seams would seem to indicate to me you are rolling in the dough!   Too much for your wallet.  Just saying...

Good catch!!!  That was a typo on my part that I have since edited.  Yes, it is both L&R grounds connected to the ground lug on the plug.  I did not use the shield at all on any of my adapters and have gotten no RF or any other artifacts.  As the leads are very short, trying to add the shield to ground at both ends makes for a rather challenging solder job in a 1/8" TRS and is, IMO, unnecessary. 

 

[BebopMcJiggy]

Err I meant all to sleeve not shield.

 

[HiFlight]

 
Quote:

 

Do you know which DAC chip it uses and how many?

The Boomslang uses one DAC chip.  Chips are WM8740 and PCM 2906B.   Delivery is behind schedule due to additional shipping delays by TI. 
iBasso should receive the chips from TI next week after 2 shipping delays. 
 
I am anticipating that the combination of the Toucan and Boomslang will make a very high-quality desktop package as well as being portable if the performance of my Toucan is any indication.   iBasso stated to me that R&D on the Toucan took over a year. 

 

[TortoiseGTS]

A word of caution:  Be gentle with the gain switches on the back of the Toucan.  I would avoid using them at all, if possible.  I switched them only a couple times before the two on the right broke off.  iBasso told me that they have not seen this problem before and that I was probably using something too hard to switch them.  The only thing I could fit in that tiny space, though, was a paper clip.  I was a little worried to begin with because they looked fragile, but they felt solid enough the first time I moved them.  Hopefully others won't have the same problem, but I feel this design could be improved.  I don't see the need for four tiny switches over one larger, sturdier one.  Who is going to change the gain on the + and - or left and right individually?
 

 

[HiFlight]

Quote:

A word of caution:  Be gentle with the gain switches on the back of the Toucan.  I would avoid using them at all, if possible.  I switched them only a couple times before the two on the right broke off.  iBasso told me that they have not seen this problem before and that I was probably using something too hard to switch them.  The only thing I could fit in that tiny space, though, was a paper clip.  I was a little worried to begin with because they looked fragile, but they felt solid enough the first time I moved them.  Hopefully others won't have the same problem, but I feel this design could be improved.  I don't see the need for four tiny switches over one larger, sturdier one.  Who is going to change the gain on the + and - or left and right individually?
 

Although it is doubtful that anyone would want or need to change the gain between L & R separately, I can see the need for 4 isolated switches as there are 4 amplifier circuits,  plus and minus phase amplifiers for L, and plus and minus phase amplifiers for R. 
 
It was probably not possible to source a 4-gang switch of a size that would fit onto the circuit board. 
 
I use a small flat-blade jewelers screwdriver to change the gain switches, although I have found that low gain is suitable for all of my phones, including my K340 and HE-5LE, hence I rarely change the setting from +6 anymore. 

 

[debitsohn]

ouch! sorry to see your injured PB1! are they going to repalce it?