YULONG D200 Impression : ES9016 Balanced DAC + Class A Single End Headphone Amp + Balanced Pre-amp

[daerron]

Yeah, I think that too much choice, just makes it more difficult for people to pick stuff which can end up frustrating. I spend hours trying to narrow my shortlist and usually get stuck between 3 solid choices all with subtle trade offs and then I'm unable to pick one!

 It would be easier if one could easily audition gear for yourself and I think folks in the US are lucky with the generous return policies on offer from most manufacturers. Its a bit tougher overseas, especially since our markets are so much smaller.

 

[kosq83]

Heh if You have no chance to listen your choices before buy do what I did : put three pieces of paper in front of you, put three names, shuffle well, close eyes and choose one and the rest two throw away.  Order and feel regrets until you receive your new DAC (or else), turn it on, be amazed and forget instantly about the other choices.  Good luck hehe  
.. I know, it's not not very smart way.. 

 

[GioF71]

Hello
After long time spent seeing this and other threads, I finally decided to buy a new shiny Yulong D200.
It arrived yesterday and I am listening to it through the Westone W40 IEMs, I'm fascinated.

The first test was made with a pair of Yamaha Orthodynamic HP3, modified by a head-fi user from Italy (where I live), and that listening was awesome too, a lot better than the previous setups, which was:
 
Interface - Yulong U18 / M2Tech HiFace2
DAC - SMSL Sanskrit (Coax) / Peachtree DACIt (Coax)
Amp - Epiphany Acoustics O2 / SMSL SapIII
 
Now it looks like I have to buy some new, higher-end full size headphones, but I'd liked them to be easily modifiable to balanced, because I also have the Yulong A28 on my radar (in a few months...).
 
 
I was thinking about Sennheiser Hd650/700, any different advice?
 
Thanks to all the people who wrote on this thread and thanks to head-fi in general!
 
 

 
Edit: blank and line feeds removed! - Grammar

 

[kosq83]

Hi Mate! 
If you've read all about it, You know that You can go balanced right from D200, interconnector needed and that's all.  Of course more demanding cans will need external amp (read A28 or such),  but it is possible without it. 
 
Sennheiser 650 or 700 - does it mean you're after open cans?  My choice would be in between He 400 , He 400i  (used and new).  If that could be a closed cans than I would consider Alpha Dog,  there you can buy two cables, for 4 pin xlr and Jack, but I would go for xlr and buy interconnector. 
 
Please keen in mind what sound do You hear now,  burn in about 100 hours (and more)  and write your impressions after that time.  In my case when I first swapped from Xonar STX I was quite disappointed, thinking what did I pay fofor so much cash, but just after about 20 hours burn in I never ever went back to STX and a smile never gone from my face till today  
 
I bought PRO 900 Balanced, about a month ago, but I am very unlucky with these cans, still waiting for RMA, weren't working right.  I will be happy to write my impressions about balanced mode of the D200, but it takes time...  And The same as You,  A28 is planned. 

 

[Andykong]

Hello
After long time spent seeing this and other threads, I finally decided to buy a new shiny Yulong D200.
It arrived yesterday and I am listening to it through the Westone W40 IEMs, I'm fascinated.
The first test was made with a pair of Yamaha Orthodynamic HP3, modified by a head-fi user from Italy (where I live), and that listening was awesome too, a lot better than the previous setups, which were

Interface - Yulong U18 / M2Tech HiFace2
DAC - SMSL Sanskrit (Coax) / Peachtree DACIt (Coax)
Amp - Epiphany Acoustics O2 / SMSL SapIII

Now it looks like I have to buy some new, higher-end full size headphones, but I'd liked them to be easily modifiable to balanced, because I also have the Yulong A28 on my ra

dar (in a few months...).


I was thinking about Sennheiser Hd650/700, any different advice?

Thanks to all the people who wrote on this thread and thanks to head-fi in general!

Great to hear that.

If you like the sound signature of D200, then go for HD700, because HD700 is along that line when compare to HD650: sunny day, wide open, young and energetic. HD650 is laid back, darker, and thicker,

D200 can handle both alright, and I have a lot of good hours with HD700 when I was a D200 user.

Well, when I was a D200 user, ..... I sold my my D200 to fund my DAC upgrade recently, and this is what I got instead:





A Yulong D8, with factory fitted Cardas XLR sockets. This is my call for upgrade, so you can tell I am a happy Yulong customer to the level that I'll buy from them again.

I still have the note of D200 with several headphone (Alpha Dog and D7000), lets see if I have spare time to write that up in near future.

 

[GioF71]

Hello kosq83, yes I have read the balanced headphones can be connected to the balanced output... I'll give a try when I have the appropriate headphones, but what scares me is the possibility to throw full power output to the headphones if I inadvertantly leave the dac in "amplifier off" mode.
Also, having the cables connected on the back of the unit isn't the most convenient solution.
Still, it is good to have the chance to try balanced headphone before buying the A28.
 
I also have the Asus Xonar Essence STX too... was a nice step forward when I first bought it, but later, I noticed the headphone out is not very good as advertised. For the money I think it is still a good bargain.
Unfortunately mine broke recently, I am still waiting for the replacement in RMA.
I think the D200, with only three to four hours of playback, beats my Xonar Essence STX hands down already.
 
About the open headphones: yes I'm looking for home headphones now... I alrealy have a pair of Denon AH1001 for office listening and a pair of Sennheiser Momentum On Ear I sometimes bring to the office. Good enough, at the moment for that environment.
I'd really prefer closed at home too, to avoid annoyance to family members, but I hear you generally miss something with closed cans. Am I right?
 
Thanks kosq83 for sharing your opinions!

 

[GioF71]

@Andikong
 
Awesome...
Do you also have the matching headphone amplifier?

 

[kosq83]

Not at all, if it is any help to You or anybody here I will write what I think or hear.  Pleasure! 
 
My STX had some good opamps on a board and I was always using RCA out instead of the headphone out - reason aalready stated by You above. It was a significant upgrade toupgraded the stock sound, maybe that was the reason why I wasn't blown off the first hours of D200. 
 
Open or closed headphones - I personally think there is no win anywhere.  Both have pros and cons.  But among them are the pearls (for opened would be for example LCD-2, for closed Alpha Dogs)  which will make a cross between open and closed sound.  First will have a closed cans base aad even beyond,  the second ones will hhave a decent soundstage. And I think there is no solution, just a personal preference.  Or the matter of need of isolation or not. 
 
Andy i will much much aprecieate if You could find some time and describe Your impressions with D200 and Alpha Dogs.  And congratulations new D8! 

 

[Andykong]

@Andikong

Awesome...
Do you also have the matching headphone amplifier?

I didn't, I have a tube headphone amp. already, Little Dot Mk6, didn't intend to buy my second headphone amp. until next year. I have a few shortlist in mind but A8 is not rated very high on my list.

Not at all, if it is any help to You or anybody here I will write what I think or hear.  Pleasure! 

My STX had some good opamps on a board and I was always using RCA out instead of the headphone out - reason aalready stated by You above. It was a significant upgrade toupgraded the stock sound, maybe that was the reason why I wasn't blown off the first hours of D200. 

Open or closed headphones - I personally think there is no win anywhere.  Both have pros and cons.  But among them are the pearls (for opened would be for example LCD-2, for closed Alpha Dogs)  which will make a cross between open and closed sound.  First will have a closed cans base aad even beyond,  the second ones will hhave a decent soundstage. And I think there is no solution, just a personal preference.  Or the matter of need of isolation or not. 

Andy i will much much aprecieate if You could find some time and describe Your impressions with D200 and Alpha Dogs.  And congratulations new D8! 

OK, will try to do that, can't promise a day but I'll make sure I'll get onto it some day soon.

 

[GioF71]

I took my dac to the office today and made a quick listening to a friend's Sennheiser HD650.
Very pleasant experience, though I really had too little time for a serious evaluation.
Anyway I am increasingly happy with my d200!

 

[kosq83]

Fantastic! Just go on as the time will go on the clock to let it burn in correctly. I am as far as now finding D200 to be a best friend with DT770 PRO 250Ohm. They seem to understand each other the best from the cans have. All roughly the same shelf and background.
I've sent PRO 900 balanced to the shop, should have a replacement till Thursday, but most likely they'll be a new, so again more burn in in the game. Finally I will bath my ears with D200 balanced.

 

[GioF71]

Excellent...will be waiting for your impressions with balanced headphones! :cool

 

[GioF71]

Andykong, what amp is on the top of your list?

I like little amp products, but never heard any unfortunately.
I did not consider mk vi because of the fans... I would really like a mk viii to have a place on my desk but heat, space, and danger for my kid are pulling me away from tube amps.
But they really fascinate me... so maybe some time I will end up buy some gear with tubes

 

[Andykong]

Andykong, what amp is on the top of your list?

I like little amp products, but never heard any unfortunately.
I did not consider mk vi because of the fans... I would really like a mk viii to have a place on my desk but heat, space, and danger for my kid are pulling me away from tube amps.
But they really fascinate me... so maybe some time I will end up buy some gear with tubes

My next target is Hifiman HE6, so I am considering Schiit Ragnork and Auralic Taurus mkii
If I give up on HE6, the small footprint Goldenwave GA09II will be my choice, but this is not available outside China.

I placed my headfi gears on a wall mount rack, which make it unlikely that anyone else will get their hands on the gears, the draw back is that I can only use the main rack in bedroom, have to resort to portable gear when I am in sitting room, the Auralic Taurus and GA09II are sitting room friendly, so they might find their way there in the long run.

 

[GioF71]

wow that rack looks awesome. Can you enumerate the elements? I spotted the Yulong D8 and the Little Dot VI only...