mrarroyo
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Post by mrarroyo on Aug 31, 2011 0:08:57 GMT
On Saturday I placed an order for the new iBasso D-Zero, $109 plus S&H ($22) and it arrived today. You can read more about the amp specifics at: www.ibasso.com/en/products/show.asp?ID=73The unit is currently burning in and firs impression are very positive. I will try to hold off until it has 100 hours of burn-in before I post any real impressions. Meanwhile I live with a link to some pictures I took, a couple of the pictures compare the iBasso D-Zero with the Leckerton UHA4. More to come! picasaweb.google.com/109437154048011247077/IBassoDZero
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Post by marcusd on Aug 31, 2011 3:40:09 GMT
Ah that is great to hear - congrats! I have one incoming also this week so hoping to hear your thoughts on what should be a great competitor to the FiiO E7. Question - do you believe in burn in for this? I am on the fence for SS equipment (solid state). Maybe take a quick sound check every so often and let me know if it does indeed open up
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mrarroyo
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Post by mrarroyo on Aug 31, 2011 10:17:05 GMT
At one time I bought two of the same and burnt in one of the units then compared with the other one and heard differences. However it could have been to differences caused in the fabrication/parts. Now I just burn it in just for ...
The case is aluminum and the whole amp is very light.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2011 14:16:26 GMT
Miguel, it looks nice. I like the Ibasso stuff very much. I'd like to try some of their higher priced gear actually.
I can't see it too well on the phone, but I presume it works with a standard line in as well as digital?
I keep meaning to ask you - have you ever tried Ray Samuel's amps. Those are another I'd like to get my Mits on!!
The little cigarette Ibasso I reviewed a while back was a great little amp - so nice, I bought one afterwards with a digital volume control.
We don't have that many Ibasso sellers in UK. With the Samuels stuff, it's quite expensive and is even worse when you have to pay duty on it.
I wish we could buy these things overseas minus their own tax so it's not so bad shoving UK taxes on top.
One day, an amp maker will make a fortune selling amps with their local tax taken off so that foreigners only pay tax once. (like duty free)
Ian
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Post by marcusd on Aug 31, 2011 14:22:40 GMT
Ian I have the Ibasso Pb2 and Db2 and it is one heck of a powerful setup when using the optical input (my old iriver h12). I would judge the sq of the Ibasso (boomslang and Toucans combined) to be quite neutral and revealing and not dark like some other amps I have tried. I tried the D12 with the iRiver H120 also and found the digital input to be pure heaven to be honest and this might be a more cost effective starting point since you only have to buy it once to get both a PB2 and Db2 functionality. I went the dual route to get the balanced system setup for the HE6 since it is the only amp rated (32 vswing, 2.5w output) to handle the hulking ortho. I am due in the UK hopefully next May (confirming Feb 2012) and I can get this stuff tax free to me in the Phils from China - don't ask how, just smile and nod
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2011 15:15:33 GMT
Crikey Marcus- you still have the Iriver H120? I had one and my wife used one for her work. The drive failed so I gave her mine. Good old workhorse, they were. Of course the optical out would work a treat!
So I presume that there's no line in on the one Miguel has?
The little cigarette lighter I have is a powerful little thing. Lots of options as well with gain. I have such a poor memory that I can't remember it's name!!
I'm a mug for these little portable amps. I love to be away from AC with no electrical noises.
Once batteries can start to last forever and give lots of power, amps could be freed up from hum and give the same dynamics. Bliss.
Ibassos are very nice. What surprised me about the one I had was how powerful it seemed with big headphones.
Ian
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Post by marcusd on Aug 31, 2011 15:53:41 GMT
Yup, the H120 - new battery and new HD and a clean of the innards and it is still going - even have the remote add on. The H340 I have sadly needs a 20 pin IC chip That is hard to find. I am afraid I also am a complete sucker for portaboxes... you should try and get this one if you can: as for the Zero, I am kind of expecting great things, maybe even too much! Your lighter might be a t series ibasso
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2011 16:59:51 GMT
Just looked it up Marcus. T3? Beautiful little amp.
Ian
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mrarroyo
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Post by mrarroyo on Aug 31, 2011 22:42:29 GMT
The D-Zero's USB DAC has a real line out via 1/8" in the front. The same 1/8" also doubles as a line in should you want to use it as a portable amp with a DAP.
Currently I also have the iBasso D4 a portable amp/dac (USB), a PB1 Toucan balanced headphone amp that can swing 25 volts of output via balance mode, and a DB1 Boomslang Balanced DAC that can be fed via USB/Optical/Coaxial.
I use either an iRiver H120 or H140 to feed the iBasso DB1/PB1 balance combo using an small optical IC built by Sys Concepts. BTW, you can replace the damaged HD in the iRiver H120 with either an 80 GB HD or a CF card (32 GB or 64 GB).
As far as amps by Ray YES I have owned and tried a bunch like: SR71 (the original), The Tomahawk, The Hornet, P51, and the SR71A. My favorite were the SR71 (original) or the P51.
I should have pictures of most of the above so if you need one let me know. Cheers.
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joethearachnid
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Post by joethearachnid on Aug 31, 2011 23:41:08 GMT
Does the line input/output socket switch depending on whether it's plugged into USB or not? I can't see a physical switch to change it. I do like the look of it, though.
-JoetheArachnid
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Post by marcusd on Sept 1, 2011 3:58:25 GMT
Just looked it up Marcus. T3? Beautiful little amp. Ian Sounds like a T3 to me and yup they are very nice looking indeed. We had a few of those floating around at our last local meet on Tuesday. Miguel you have the H series also - congrats Keepers haha, and that sys concepts optical ($65?) is the perfect partner and I seriously need to get it. Working with a 0.5m rolled optical right now and it is seriously not mobile!
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mrarroyo
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Post by mrarroyo on Sept 1, 2011 10:22:18 GMT
Does the line input/output socket switch depending on whether it's plugged into USB or not? I can't see a physical switch to change it. I do like the look of it, though. -JoetheArachnid Correct, the center 1/8" plug in the front facia works as a line out or a line input depending on what is connected to it. Love the H120 and H140, looking into replacing the 40 GB HD with a 128 GB SSD but the prices are still too high.
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mrarroyo
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Post by mrarroyo on Sept 2, 2011 22:56:04 GMT
Well the D-Zero has about 67 hours of burn-in and by Sunday it will be over the 100 hour threshold I set before truly listening to them critically. I have probably spent about 8 hours out of the 67 listening to he D-Zero and ...
I can say that I do not miss the cross feed in the UHA4, I also cannot see myself using the line out much so although at one time I valued such a feature I no longer do. The volume pot in the UHA4 is a dream and I wish other amp makers used it or an equivalent since with each click you can lower or raise the volume by 2 dB. Furthermore it has a mute feature by depressing it, very convenient.
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funk1969
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Some things are so easily overlooked...
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Post by funk1969 on Sept 3, 2011 11:18:46 GMT
Interesting. I am considering a decent portable amplifier that only needs a charge now and then.
My K181 becomes more dynamic with more current.
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Post by marcusd on Sept 3, 2011 13:21:38 GMT
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funk1969
250+
Some things are so easily overlooked...
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Post by funk1969 on Sept 4, 2011 1:33:28 GMT
That looks very portable...
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mrarroyo
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Post by mrarroyo on Sept 4, 2011 12:04:28 GMT
I realized I had not tried to burn-in the D-Zero purely as DAC. SO about 1/2 an hour ago I started using the 1/8" out to feed another amp which in turn is being used with the Head Direct HiFiMAN HE300. Nina Simone's "I Get Along Without You Very Well" is sounding very nice.
Now that the D-Zero has reached 100 hours here are some initial thoughts:
1. It has a lot more power than I expected. Even in low gain I can not go past the half point of the volume pot. Do remember I listen at low volumes (64 dB to 68 dB). 2. I do not hear any harshness in top end. 3. The presentation is very even, that is no frequency is presented higher or lower than another. 4. Very musical and engaging.
More to come when I have a chance to compare with portable amps.
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Post by marcusd on Sept 5, 2011 5:58:21 GMT
I realized I had not tried to burn-in the D-Zero purely as DAC. SO about 1/2 an hour ago I started using the 1/8" out to feed another amp which in turn is being used with the Head Direct HiFiMAN HE300. Nina Simone's "I Get Along Without You Very Well" is sounding very nice. Now that the D-Zero has reached 100 hours here are some initial thoughts: 1. It has a lot more power than I expected. Even in low gain I can not go past the half point of the volume pot. Do remember I listen at low volumes (64 dB to 68 dB). 2. I do not hear any harshness in top end. 3. The presentation is very even, that is no frequency is presented higher or lower than another. 4. Very musical and engaging. More to come when I have a chance to compare with portable amps. I compared it with the E7 quite heavily yesterday and found the d zero to be brighter than the e7 with more top end sparkle but as you say not harsh. Nicely balanced also in FQ and the bass punched when it needed to be punched.
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Post by PinkFloyd on Sept 5, 2011 7:00:03 GMT
Just looked it up Marcus. T3? Beautiful little amp. Ian Yeh man, T3 rocks.... I have one of those nano things velcroed onto mine.... that reminds me, must contact ibasso with a view to buying a replacement battery.
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Post by marcusd on Sept 5, 2011 11:59:44 GMT
The T3 is even smaller than the zero - it truly is a gem of an amp and strapped with a nano makes the whole thing practically invisible lol.
All you need are some customs and you have an ultra discreet setup haha.
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Post by PinkFloyd on Sept 5, 2011 13:08:17 GMT
Velcro Marcus A lot more user friendly than the rubber band type thing....
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Post by marcusd on Sept 5, 2011 13:30:23 GMT
Velcro Marcus A lot more user friendly than the rubber band type thing.... yeah another popular choice hehe. I often thought of doing Velcro but I always think the worst - like falling and expecting your team mate to catch you haha.
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mrarroyo
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Post by mrarroyo on Sept 5, 2011 16:37:24 GMT
I have been using the D-Zero as an external USB DAC feeding a Solo SRGII w/ PSU1. Although the D-Zero is only 16/44.1 it does a very nice job as an external USB DAC. The sound is punchy, articulate, detailed, and overall a very nice presentation.
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Post by marcusd on Sept 5, 2011 16:38:32 GMT
I have been using the D-Zero as an external USB DAC feeding a Solo SRGII w/ PSU1. Although the D-Zero is only 16/44.1 it does a very nice job as an external USB DAC. The sound is punchy, articulate, detailed, and overall a very nice presentation. Yup Miguel this is how I thought also - articulation is superb. The tonality is brighter though than the E7 but somehow more alive and engaging.
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Post by PinkFloyd on Sept 5, 2011 22:01:43 GMT
All pretty much TOYS compared to a decent rig though aren't they?
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