[MaxAmplitude]

Greetings all... due to popular demand, we've changed the USB DAC in the XM5. The new DAC is BurrBrown/TI's PCM2702E, which is the best USB dac they offer. We view this as a substantial improvement.

We've also swapped the two 1/8" jacks (also due to popular demand!) so it'll better accommodate oversize headphone plugs.

I think it is still fair to say the XM5 holds the record for "most features ever squeezed into a portable". If you haven't seen pictures of the inside, it's worth taking a peek at the photo gallery (link is below).

Thanks to all the Head-fi folks who suggested the changes!


Key Features:

1. USB DAC
2. Buffered Output
3. Monoblock channel configuration
4. Four sockets (gold-plated), for rolling amps and buffers
5. Switches for: Bass, Treble, +10dB Gain Boost, CrossFeed, 75Ω output impedence, and USB/Line-In select
6. Active and adjustable crossfeed
7. Auto power-off
8. Robust, all-aluminum construction, fits under a credit card
9. +103dB SNR
10. .001% THD
11. Low-battery indicator
12. Lithium-Ion FastCharge 1-hour no-hassle universal charger
13. Intelligent Microprocessor control
14. Looks, feels, and sounds spectacular. No other portable has all this in one package.

Details and Specs: Practical Devices Corporation
Photo Gallery: Practical Devices Corporation - XM5 Picture Gallery
PDF User's Manual: Practical Devices Corporation

 

[Budrow]

Yes, just got mine guys and love it!!!
As I posted in a earlier post what would be my next upgrade as far as the buffers and opamps?

Wish that DAC had a better feature set in OS X.

 

[amicus]

if you like the laid-back Burr-Brown sound, you can't go wrong with an OPA627 for the opamps and BUF634 for the buffers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Budrow /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, just got mine guys and love it!!! As I posted in a earlier post what would be my next upgrade as far as the buffers and opamps? Wish that DAC had a better feature set in OS X.

 

[trickywombat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Budrow /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, just got mine guys and love it!!! Wish that DAC had a better feature set in OS X.

What features are missing with OS X?

 

[Budrow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trickywombat /img/forum/go_quote.gif What features are missing with OS X?

I guess I should have said "better driver control". I just would like to "tweak" it's settings a little more. Device works fine.

 

[Budrow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by amicus /img/forum/go_quote.gif if you like the laid-back Burr-Brown sound, you can't go wrong with an OPA627 for the opamps and BUF634 for the buffers.

Mine has the BB PCM2702 DAC, OPA134PA opamps, and BUF634P buffers. So keep the buffers and upgrade the opamps? I mean it sounds awesome now but can't blame a guy that constantly likes to upgrade huh?

 

[Keppel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaxAmplitude /img/forum/go_quote.gif Four sockets (gold-plated), for rolling amps and buffers

That means you can swap out the stock amp chips and buffers with your own!

How awesome is that?

 

[trickywombat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Budrow /img/forum/go_quote.gif I guess I should have said "better driver control". I just would like to "tweak" it's settings a little more. Device works fine.

Audio devices are tweakable in Mac OS X.

If the device is amenable to tweaking (e.g. if it allows you to set bitrate, etc), you can do so from the Mac OS X Audio MIDI Setup Utility.

From Finder, Go -> Utilities -> Audio MIDI Setup

 

[Fastnbulbous]

The site currently lists the DAC as Texas Instruments PCM2704. Was it upgraded a second time? Is it a significant change? Are there different model #s to tell the difference?

 

[Fastnbulbous]

Practical Devices wrote me back and said TI discontinued the 2702E, and replaced it with the 2704.