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

[jma790]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif Silly, I sold it to you!

It was just kidding Larry

I am loving it, and I still thank you so much for selling it to me

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jma790 /img/forum/go_quote.gif It was just kidding Larry I am loving it, and I still thank you so much for selling it to me

I know you were kidding. You didn't know that I was only kidding about your acting like I didn't know you were kidding.

I only sold it because you cried real tears that you wanted it so badly.

Besides, the sound was so close to my D3 Python with Rayovac Hybrid NiMH slow discharge batteries that I didn't need it for comparisons in this review any more. And, only 100 of the Viper were made so it's not like people are trying to decide on buying it as a current choice vs all the others.

I'm thinking about maybe selling the D2 Boa too (someone already has dibs on it so don't ask), but that one sounds sufficiently different that I might still need it to compare other amps to it. Right now I am reviewing the Nuforce Icon Mobile and the D2 Boa is helpful to have as a mid-level USB DAC amp to compare to.

 

[jma790]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif I know you were kidding. You didn't know that I was only kidding about your acting like I didn't know you were kidding.

Hah! You don't know that I was kidding by acting like you didn't knew that I was kidding when I acted like you didn't knew that I was only kidding about acting like you didn't knew that I was kidding

OMG, my brain...

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif I only sold it because you cried real tears that you wanted it so badly.

But those were my real tears!! (I sent you a pic and everything)

Don't be so mean with me Larry

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm thinking about maybe selling the D2 Boa too (someone already has dibs on it so don't ask), but that one sounds sufficiently different that I might still need it to compare other amps to it. Right now I am reviewing the Nuforce Icon Mobile and the D2 Boa is helpful to have as a mid-level USB DAC amp to compare to.

Don't worry, I don't want that Boa, I love this Viper

. Now I see why you love the Predator so much (using the Predator clone opamp combination). It sounds like if it were a really fine amp

Guess the real one sounds even better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif But I was really happy when I saw how happy you were with the amp

Yes!

Thank you so much for selling it to me Larry, you have made me really happy. My PC never sounded that good

 

[oldschool]

Any chance of doing a review of the Practical Devices XM5? It has an updated DAC and all..

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldschool /img/forum/go_quote.gif Any chance of doing a review of the Practical Devices XM5? It has an updated DAC and all..

Maybe, if they were to offer me one to review - otherwise I have no need for it. My latest addition will be the Nuforce Icon Mobile, which I have an interest in because I already own the Nuforce Icon integrated amp to drive my Stax transformer, and the NE-7M iPhone headset. The NE-7M iPhone headset will work as a telephony headset on the Mac or PC when used with the Icon Mobile USB DAC amp, so I can use it with Skyp and iChat to talk and listen. Gammers could also take advantage of that. The amp has almost 120 hours on it towards a 300 hour burn-in, and so far sounds pretty good.

 

[MaxAmplitude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldschool /img/forum/go_quote.gif Any chance of doing a review of the Practical Devices XM5? It has an updated DAC and all..

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif Maybe, if they were to offer me one to review

No problem... an XM5 will be in your hands this week.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaxAmplitude /img/forum/go_quote.gif No problem... an XM5 will be in your hands this week.

Okay, I'll check your PM soon, and work something out. I didn't see this until it was almost bedtime, as it has been a crazy crazy day today.

 

[jvlgato]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaxAmplitude /img/forum/go_quote.gif No problem... an XM5 will be in your hands this week.

Wow. Now that's having a rep, my friends!

'Make it so ... '

 

[mrarroyo]

Larry, you will have fun. I remeber when I first had the XM3 and then the XM4, very nice sounding units.

 

[dadozen]

Nice, one more DAC/AMP to be reviwed by HA, this thread is getting better and better!

Also, this will help me a lot, I'm trying to decide a new portable DAC/AMP combo for myself. I have plenty of time to decide before getting the money to buy one though.

Predator is my first choice as of now.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dadozen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Nice, one more DAC/AMP to be reviwed by HA, this thread is getting better and better! Also, this will help me a lot, I'm trying to decide a new portable DAC/AMP combo for myself. I have plenty of time to decide before getting the money to buy one though. Predator is my first choice as of now.

Two more amps actually - Nuforce Icon Mobile which I am burning in now, and XM5 after that.

So far the Nuforce is a real treat that gets more refined as it burns in - I listen to it only once a day every 24 hours since last Monday, so I don't get used to the sound signature, and I think it might have already passed up the D2 Boa a little bit.

 

[dadozen]

NICEEE!!!!!!!

I really trust your reviews Larry, and knowing that the Predator is the one which sounds the best to you really makes me want one. FWIR, you like the same sound signatures as I do.

 

[jma790]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jvlgato /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow. Now that's having a rep, my friends! 'Make it so ... '

Larry's so cool... I want to be like Larry when I grow up

 

[oldschool]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dadozen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also, this will help me a lot, I'm trying to decide a new portable DAC/AMP combo for myself. I have plenty of time to decide before getting the money to buy one though.

I am also on the search, but looking for something in the $200-300 range. The XM5 review will be very appreciated

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

With all these amps, if you have an iPhone I recommend you go buy the Quick Bridge Solutions - EM Shield for iPhone. I can put my phone within 6-9 inches of the amps without needing the quickbridge EM blocking card, except the D2 Boa needs 1-2 feet and the D3 Python needs 3-4 feet. But with the Quick Bridge card in my iPhone case I can stack the iPhone on most of the amps without the dreaded iPhone buzz, while the D3 and iPhone can be within close proximity but not stacked.

However, I pretty much still cannot use my D3 in my own home with anything but full size headphones because of the radio towers from NORAD in my back yard causing so much RFI at the bottom rangeof the volume knob that I can hear with IEM. I have to think about wrapping the amp with some extra EM blocking cards if I want NORAD to get out of my D3 when using it at home.

Note - the D3 DAC line out is not affected at all by my iPhone or NORAD so I can use the D3 as a DAC for my home amps with no RFI. I still use the Pico as a DAC for my Woo GES and Stax O2 instead of the D3, because the D3 line out is not high enough voltage for the low gain amp to be driven well. But the D3 is a good DAC for my EF1 in my living room rig, and I don't have to worry about charging it every 20-25 hours like with my Pico. So, for anyone without an iPhone in their pocket or Radio Towers in their back yard, the D3 is still a good bang for the buck - to me it sounds a bit better than the D2 Boa and is closer to the Pico and Predator in sound quality. (the D2 Boa still has a little bit of lower mid/upper bass hump that makes the rest of the mids seem a little recessed to me, but otherwise it is a fine DAC/amp and I've had no trouble with it)

Also, I'll throw in a teaser on the Nuforce Icon. I am still working on burn-in and review, but so far it sounds very nice if you need a less costly amp than $500, and it's resistance to iPhone interference is good to about 5-6 inches away, while going silent with the EM blocking card in the iPhone case. The mids are similar to the Predator or Meier amps and more forward than the iBasso amps or Pico, but the air and ambience doesn't make the venue sound a lot smaller despite being more forward (like Predator and not as forward as 2MOVE). It has about 180 hours of burn-in towards my goal of 300 for my review, and it sounded dull and bland the first 6 hours and much clearer and detailed by 24 hours later where it was enjoyable, and even more open and spacious by 120 hours. While the bass is maybe 2 db less than the Predator and Pico it is still very good bass. So far, with burn-in I am starting to like this amp a little more than the D2 Boa, which is a fine amp on it's own.