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Topic: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective? (Read 12884 times) previous topic - next topic
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Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #25
Rollin, thanks for your input. I can find the Pioneer for a lot less in Austria.

I had passed by the Violectric site before, but I missed that you can add DAC functionality, thanks for pointing this out!  I realise the powersupply limits choices, otherwise there would be things like the Denon DA300, the Oehlback Ultra DAC etc. But I have enough clutter on my desk already :)

Keeping the test in mind they did years ago on TomsHardware (not finding much difference except in features between $2 Realtek audio and $2000 Benchmark DAC) I'm not really interested in raising the budget either. :))

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #26
ROTFL. Looking for reviews of the v100 and V200, I found a comment on the German Hifi forum, stating he compared it to the Lehmann Black Cube Linear. He said they sounded almost the same but the sound stage was much wider on the V200. Next I see a review on Head-Fi claiming the exaxt opposite! Has anyone found a review of the V100/V200 with those RMAA measurements?

BTW, congrats to Lehmann! At least they state the headphone output impedance (5 Ohm)

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #27
He said they sounded almost the same but the sound stage was much wider on the V200. Next I see a review on Head-Fi claiming the exaxt opposite!
At the risk of saying it the 100th time: people hear what they want to hear. That's why proper listening tests are so important and why audiophiles hate them so much: then they could not hear what they wanted to anymore and would have to actually use their ears.

You can find contradicting reviews on pretty much any item audiophiles have laid their eyes and hands on.
"I hear it when I see it."

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #28
Has anyone found a review of the V100/V200 with those RMAA measurements?
You don't trust characteristics provided by manufacturer?  ;D

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #29
Nope :)) Need actual measurements from independant party please :)


Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #31
This ought to be worth a closer look also:

http://www.leckertonaudio.com/products/uha760/

Digital volume control! In this case, that's probably a good thing because analog controls don't always track very well at lower volumes.

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #32
The ifi is buspowered right? I always ignored those because a) not enough amplifier power and b) usually only usb input (and to ensure compatibility with Linux, having a Toslink or S/PDIF as an extra is nice to have).

However, this is the first I see that supports USB3.0 and thus should be able to draw more power. I'll look into it! Thanks for the tip!

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #33
The Leckerton is sold out for now, and only has 55mW at 32Ohm, that's even less (actually half) of the Teac. With gain it gets the same amount at 300Ohm. Are you sure this can power something like the Beyerdynamic T1 or T70/90 for instance?

Edit: this adjusting of the soundstage on the Leckerton, simulating "low-frequency sounds are able to diffract (or “bend”) around the head" - is that fact or snakeoil?

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #34
Two quick questions here, even though you guys haven't responded to my previous message yet, sorry.

I discovered another device, the PS Audio Sprout. Amazon.co.uk will ship to me, so this is an option. Is it any good, sofar I have not found any test with RMAA or similar, just talk.

Edit: strike this. While I haven't found any RMAA measurements, if even the snakeoil salespeople find glaring flaws with its headphone output, I don't have to look further.

And secondly, I have gotten an offer for a Denon PMA-50. I know, I discarded this from my list, because I can't find any RMAA results on it. But the offer is tempting: 300$. Full warranty. Just not sure I can return it if I don't like it :) So because this is a stock sale, it won't last, it's urgent etc. I'm asking if any of you have seen RMAA or reliable measurement results for this one. Even if it's $300 I can't afford to buy blind and not being able to return it. Thanks!

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #35
Ah well, strike the question on the Denon as well. The brick-and-mortar store that was closing was dumping their entire stock. Not enough customers, competition from the internet, the usual. But once the sale started it seems plenty of people turned up. They're out of Denon stuff already.

In the mean time I've found another way of investigating devices. I google for Name of Device + Problems :) Interesting what one turns up.

Oh, and the Leckerton is out. I simply cannot find a decent source, so the questions I asked no longer matter.

Still interested in the iFi though, but it's really hard to find decent reviews. Even the audiophiles seem to mostly ignore this one, maybe they think it's too cheap :))

So I'm down to the Pioneer, the iFi, the Violectric (although expensive, and only USB input), and the ... no wait, that's it (Emotiva: in case of defect, return to USA, damn). Time to end this and stop pestering you guys. I'll do a bit more research on these three. Any links you might have to measurements of the iFi and Violectric, please share! Comments still more than welcome of course! Thanks a bunch for putting up with me sofar and all your great input!

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #36
Or would a manufacturer actually add resistors or other components to increase impedance?

If you want to use it as an amplifier, then yes you will add a circuit, which will determine the output impedance. 

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #37
Thanks, I guess that means I don't know anything about the Pioneer's impedance other than that it's "very low" according to reviews :)

The Violectrics really tick almost all the right boxes. What I like is the clean layout and build quality, the fact they're not made in China. But for that price (and I put one in the cart and selected my country, the surprise was of the unpleasant kind) and just one digital input... Keeping Tom's statement "everything you buy for over $2 is just features" in mind... I tried getting the cheaper V90, and an external DAC800 (more inputs, same design, stackable, minimum extra cable clutter) but yikes, together twice the price of the Pioneer or any other one on my list. I wish I was rich, but I'm not :)) Violectric disqualified.

Currently reading up on the iFi. This one too has only one digital input, but it's half the price of the V100 with a DAC board. And it's much more compact. It's British though (ducks and runs) :)) Just kidding, we continentals really love you Brits, truely, honestly.

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #38
Currently reading up on the iFi. This one too has only one digital input, but it's half the price of the V100 with a DAC board. And it's much more compact. It's British though (ducks and runs) :)) Just kidding, we continentals really love you Brits, truely, honestly.


Don't worry. Check them out on Head-fi: you'll find plenty of animal-excrement marketing hype of the American kind ;)

(I had an interest, because I had bought one of their products, but the hype thread on some dsd micro or something absolutely put me off the company. Objectively, this may not be justified, but subjectively, that stuff absolutely turns me off.)
The most important audio cables are the ones in the brain

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #39
I don't care for the way PS Audio sells a lot of B.S. products, but I think "Sprout" is worth a closer look, and I see nothing in it's specifications to suggest that it's anything but transparent as a DAC and headphone amp.

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #40
Quote
"If anyone has other suitable alternatives in mind, price range around 500-700 USD or less, please let me know!"
Here's a really good one for slightly more than what you'd like to spend:
hxxp://www.amazon.com/Teac-HA-501-B-Monaural-Headphone-Amplifier/dp/B00AE991VG

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #41
Well, I googled for Sprout reviews and one of the first hits complained about hum and distortions on the headphone output and suggested to just use the device as a DAC, nothing else.

But now I have two people complaining about PS Audio. Should I stop looking into the iFi?

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #42
RoyM111, thanks but this one has no DAC, just an amp.

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #43
... Should I stop looking into the iFi?

You wanted something good looking: the ifi boxes are very cute indeed. I'm quite happy with my iCAN. All this DSD-to-the-power-of-eternity stuff may (or may not, but I think it is) be a nonsense, but I don't know how much it is adding to the cost. Bullshit sales people are everywhere: unless, like some of the cable companies. their entire company is based on a foundation of dung, their presence does not necessarily mean that all the products are bad.

 
The most important audio cables are the ones in the brain

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #44
You could always run a small USB DAC into a Schiit Asgard.

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #45
If you want to pay a serious premium, the Audeze Deckard is a nice-looking option as well.

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #46
No sh*t for me thanks. I remember politely asking them about the Magni and Modi combo (regarding their external powersupplies) and got a nasty reply. NwAvGuy also had a thing or two to say about them. Methinks they chose their name wisely  >:(

The Audeze I can find for around 675 EUR in Poland, so that's a possibility. I'll look into this one, thanks much for the tip!

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #47
No sh*t for me thanks. I remember politely asking them about the Magni and Modi combo (regarding their external powersupplies) and got a nasty reply. NwAvGuy also had a thing or two to say about them. Methinks they chose their name wisely  >:(

If you are going to discount Schiit on the basis of the NwAvGuy stuff, then do look at the actual history on both sides. I could be wrong, and I'm not going to visit to recheck, but I think that, after an initial spat, Schiit took on board the stuff that NwAvGuy drew to their attention.  You'd maybe have to look into the Head-Fi environment and ethos too. In fact... you could waste a heap of time on that alone!

But I didn't buy the Gungnir that I was absolutely determined to love and lavish my audiophile  cash on (Not to mention that its connectivity and feature list fitted my requirement perfectly), and could have had at a give-away 2nd-hand price. It's hydrogen audio, so I am unable to go into the reasons why. 
The most important audio cables are the ones in the brain

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #48
Meh, the Asgard 2 is a good desktop-sized preamp that meets the requirements of good looks and an integrated power supply.  They use an excellent RK27 volume pot.  Most of the devices mentioned in this thread have some kind of audiophile fluff.  I can't think of a rationalization for any of Schiit's converters, unless you really insist on another hunk of brushed aluminum on your desk.  Nick has been responsive and polite, in my experience.

Re: "Good looking" ODAC/Objective?

Reply #49
I looked into the Audeze, and according to a guy on Head-Fi, showing internel pictures of both, it was almost identical to the Matrix M-Stage HPA-3U (just an updated DAC section). So is the Audeze merely a rebranded Chinese import? Not that Chinese products can't be good, but I'd rather take the Chinese original than pay twice just for another brand label.

That said, your opinions on the Matrix M-Stage HPA-3U?