UPDATED 2/22 REVIEW 13 USB DAC amp - Predator, Pico, 2/3MOVE, D10 D3 D2 Viper/Boa D1, Lyrix, MicroAmp, Vivid V1, Nuforce, XM5

[Greeni]

Larry

Where did you get the Grahm Slee NOVO with Sigma 11 PSU ? I thought the Sigma 11 PSU has to be separately purchased and installed ?

I may be hijacking this thread, but do you have any idea how much better the Graham Slee Solo (which is near a "portable") is over the Novo ?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greeni /img/forum/go_quote.gif Larry Where did you get the Grahm Slee NOVO with Sigma 11 PSU ? I thought the Sigma 11 PSU has to be separately purchased and installed ? I may be hijacking this thread, but do you have any idea how much better the Graham Slee Solo (which is near a "portable") is over the Novo ?

Off topic questions can be asked through PM next time. I already owned the 24v Sigma 11 PSU, which I bought used here on head-fi for my Travagans Red or Super Pro DAC707. It just happened to run the NOVO well too. I know nothing about the Solo.

 

[Brighten]

Haha thanks Larry. This just seems too good to be true with the D3 being such a giant killer and all... but just give it up already and confess to us that your working undercover for the guys at iBasso...

Either that or they knew it was you and they exchanged the guts with a Pico or Predator...

Thank you for being so patient with all of us guys and our persistent questioning, you've really spoiled us!

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Nope, not working for iBasso - I've actually been wary about recommending them because of the shipping costs should something become defective, where the buyer has to eat the shipping to send it back to China.

But, I guess the money you save on the D3 vs the Pico and Predator can buy you about 10 trips to China, if iBasso pays to send it back to you. I only had to send my P2 back twice (each time within a week of it arriving), because of a faulty design that they corrected. But I never had a problem with the D2 Viper, or D2 Boa or the D3 (I did have to stretch a spring in the D3 battery compartment to make better contact).

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greeni /img/forum/go_quote.gif ... I may be hijacking this thread, but do you have any idea how much better the Graham Slee Solo (which is near a "portable") is over the Novo ?

Having owned both I can say the Solo is the better sounding unit, and it should be at the higher cost. Be advised that Graham has upgraded the unit and in its current version it is know as the Solo SRG. I am dying to get one but no money!

 

[kiljim]

This may be a little off topic,
I got the D2 Boa after some research and reading this review, but i'm just wondering if there is a better amp+dac similarly priced (below $200) for desktop usage instead?

 

[Brighten]

You should pm that to Larry

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

I didn't answer because there isn't a desktop DAC/amp for under $200 that sounds as good as most of these portable.

The desktop DAC/amp that does sound this good is the Travagans White but it is $290 and 50% over his budget, but it is better than the D2 Boa. I have not directly compared it to all the portables, but it is better than any of the lower cost DAC/amp portables and on at least the same SQ level as the 2MOVE. The $249 Nuforce Icon DAC/amp is a better speaker amp than it is a headphone amp, and the Nuforce headphone amp section is on about the level of the D2 Boa already.

 

[mrarroyo]

For a while Head Direct had the Octavart Amp/Dac on sale for $199 which IMO is a superb sounding unit and it sports an overall punchier sound. I have its predecessor the 01 Amp/Dac. However it has coaxial and optical input but no USB.

 

[Figlio Perduto]

i read your whole review tonight and it's exactly what i've been searching for on HeadFi. thanks HeadphoneAddict. im going to be getting the D2000 pretty soon, with a MacBook as a source. been wondering what to use as an amp, and i will now, pretty confidently be going for the D3 Boa.

 

[helmerkelps]

D2 with rolled opamps

Did you mod the D2 to get the new opamp configuration or is this a product upgrade by the manufacturer?

 

[dadozen]

I'm almost sure it's a mod made by himself, and not an upgrade made by the manufacturer. Not sure if the opamps came with the stock amp though.

 

[RAQemUP]

The Ibasso D2 Viper has opamp sockets for easy opamp rolling. It was only created in a limited amount. So it came mod-able by default. He just switched out opamps for different ones and therefore its now modded. I love my D2 Viper for the choices though I believe HeadphoneAddict sold his.

 

[jma790]

Yes, I think that he sold his iBasso D2 Viper...

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jma790 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, I think that he sold his iBasso D2 Viper...

Silly, I sold it to you!