[HeadphoneAddict]

Yeah, most people wont be plugging in HD600, cranking the volume to 100% and sticking them under a pillow. Most of the time, 15 hours with a nice IEM at normal volumes is enough to fly to Hawaii and back on one charge.

 

[jaykay]

I went ahead and ordered an Icon Mobile. I'll see how it compares with my lyrix after a day of burn in when it comes then I'll let it burn in over the holidays. Thanks again for the great indepth review Larry. Your dedicated reviews are really invaluable for the head-fi community

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaykay /img/forum/go_quote.gif I went ahead and ordered an Icon Mobile. I'll see how it compares with my lyrix after a day of burn in when it comes then I'll let it burn in over the holidays. Thanks again for the great indepth review Larry. Your dedicated reviews are really invaluable for the head-fi community

The Icon needs about 180-200 hours to compare to the Lyrix, and the main advantage will be the Icon's DAC has more micro-detail and the amp section will sound more forward than the Lyrix. The Lyrix on the other hand will have more power, but doesn't mate as well with headphones with recessed mids like the Denon D2000, Proline 2500, Darth Beyer - where the Nuforce will sound a little more like the Meier Headsix and fill in the mids nicely. And, the Lyrix bass can be a little too much with the Denon D2000 and over power the D2000 slight recessed mids, while the Nuforce is just right with the D2000 (even woodied recabled ones like mine) and the bass and mids are better matched to each other. With the D2000 the Nuforce comes very close to matching the power of the Lyrix, where with HD600 a bigger difference in power is noticed.

 

[jaykay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Icon needs about 180-200 hours to compare to the Lyrix, and the main advantage will be the Icon's DAC has more micro-detail and the amp section will sound more forward than the Lyrix. The Lyrix on the other hand will have more power, but doesn't mate as well with headphones with recessed mids like the Denon D2000, Proline 2500, Darth Beyer - where the Nuforce will sound a little more like the Meier Headsix and fill in the mids nicely. And, the Lyrix bass can be a little too much with the Denon D2000 and over power the D2000 slight recessed mids, while the Nuforce is just right with the D2000 (even woodied recabled ones like mine) and the bass and mids are better matched to each other. With the D2000 the Nuforce comes very close to matching the power of the Lyrix, where with HD600 a bigger difference in power is noticed.

That's great information because over the past week or so I've been considering purchasing a pair of d2000 at the end of next semester.

Oh and I'll definitely let the Nuforce burn in for the 200 hour mark. The only thing that I feel is lacking from my lyrix is the dac as you mentioned in your review. Once the Nuforce gets settled in I'll likely enjoy it more than the lyrix due to the more foward sounding dac.

 

[dwong]

After about a month of searching for something to go with my D2000's, I think I'm going to purchase this as both my first DAC and amp. Going to wait on the order until Friday to get the new casing. It seems like this $100 investment will provide everything I have been looking for: cheap, good, USB rechargeable, includes dac, synergy with D2000

Thanks again Larry!

 

[jvlgato]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaykay /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's great information because over the past week or so I've been considering purchasing a pair of d2000 at the end of next semester. Oh and I'll definitely let the Nuforce burn in for the 200 hour mark. The only thing that I feel is lacking from my lyrix is the dac as you mentioned in your review. Once the Nuforce gets settled in I'll likely enjoy it more than the lyrix due to the more foward sounding dac.

jaykay,

I'm very interested in your impressions since I am considering buying one of these two, as well as possibly an ibasso Boa. I look forward to hearing what you think!

 

[jaykay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jvlgato /img/forum/go_quote.gif jaykay, I'm very interested in your impressions since I am considering buying one of these two, as well as possibly an ibasso Boa. I look forward to hearing what you think!

Sure thing! It'll take about a week after I receive the amp before I start to listen to it more critically though. I want to give it a chance to open up first. I'll be sure to give you my impressions of them compared to my lyrix.

 

[chinesekiwi]

Epic review to say the least.

Anyway, why hasn't a big website signed Larry's ass already?
He really should get paid to do this stuff tbh.

 

[KiwiChristchurch]

Hi I have been a lurker here in headfi, have been following HeadphoneAddict's impressions and review of the Icon Mobile.
I have not too long ago purchased an HD650 and I have been looking for an amp in my budget ever-since. This leads me to my question, will the Nulforce Icon Moblie properly drive the HD650? I am aware that most if not all portable headphone amps will not drive the HD650 to it's fullest potential, as many people here say, but all I would want is better sound than that of the sound coming straight from my cowon d2.
Excuse me for my ignorance and thanks in advance for answering a rookie's question.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KiwiChristchurch /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hi I have been a lurker here in headfi, have been following HeadphoneAddict's impressions and review of the Icon Mobile. I have not too long ago purchased an HD650 and I have been looking for an amp in my budget ever-since. This leads me to my question, will the Nulforce Icon Moblie properly drive the HD650? I am aware that most if not all portable headphone amps will not drive the HD650 to it's fullest potential, as many people here say, but all I would want is better sound than that of the sound coming straight from my cowon d2. Excuse me for my ignorance and thanks in advance for answering a rookie's question.

If you read the review you'd see the tonality is good at medium volumes with 300 ohm Sennheiser, but power with them is lacking. The Pico, V1, or D3 would be better suited for HD600/650.

 

[bostitch]

Is there any negative effect to the battery life (if any) when connecting any of these amp/usb dac with built-in rechargeable battery all the time to a computer through usb cable? If so, how difficult or easy is it to change the built-in rechargeable battery?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bostitch /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is there any negative effect to the battery life (if any) when connecting any of these amp/usb dac with built-in rechargeable battery all the time to a computer through usb cable? If so, how difficult or easy is it to change the built-in rechargeable battery?

I have no idea. Sorry.

 

[Z4N5H1N]

From the review, it looks like the Lyrix is pretty solid if used purely as an analog amp. So long as the DAC is not used, it's quite a nice sounding amp?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z4N5H1N /img/forum/go_quote.gif From the review, it looks like the Lyrix is pretty solid if used purely as an analog amp. So long as the DAC is not used, it's quite a nice sounding amp?

Yes. With some headphones like Proline 2500 and Denon D2000 or Darth Beyers the mids are still a little bit recessed, which is the fault of the headphones, but with Grado and Sennheiser and Ultrasone the mids are just fine. The DAC is decent, just not the best, it doesn't hurt the sound as much as it doesn't allow the full experience.

 

[Z4N5H1N]

Sounds like it should be a good match for my SR-80s, then, yeah?