# CEntrance DACport HD



## sheldaze

Any thoughts on this one?

 It has 384/DSD and costs only $149 from a well-known company. What do you guys think?
 They have it posted on their Facebook site:
  
https://www.facebook.com/CEntrance


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## toxicdrift

Indiegogo campaign is on
  
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dacport-hd-high-res-music-finally-affordable/x/9109633#/story


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## sheldaze

I guess we'll know a much more about the sonics when the CEntrance other Indie GoGo project, the HiFi-Skÿn, comes to market. This little box has the same guts. And from the video, Michael Goodman seems to have full confidence in the simplicity of the DACport HD, relative to the complexities he encountered while putting those parts into the mobile Skÿn.
  
 No worries too on getting this project funded - it was close to 50% funding in only 2 days!


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## doublea71

I just went in on it - they have a good track record and they expect to ship in September. I almost got a Dragonfly 1.2, but decided to go with an unknown commodity. I've heard the original Dacport (I think it was the original, anyways), and it wasn't bad, just outdated. Hopefully this is going to be a kickarse dongle dac/amp.


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## sheldaze

Excellent! I hope you and I enjoy it when it comes out!
  
 My take on the DragonFly is it was a very important product to come to market - a key step in making HiFi more approachable. It was low cost, high quality, easy to use - just plug it in, no drivers required. I personally did all my initial computer audio playback experiments using it. I listened to iTunes, quickly found out my Apple computer was "confused", and reset my Apple back to the native bit-rate of the music. Then I started using Amarra and Audirvana+, and moved onto high resolution music.
  
 However I also feel that the DragonFly is just slightly dated. _Everything_ I've heard since has been a little better - a little smoother, a little less grain, and more musical in interesting ways. I think the original DACport had a singular mission, which was to feed power-hungry headphones. But I have the sense that with everything CEntrance has done and learned from since, and with chipset and USB implementation advances, this will be the first true opportunity we'll have to hear an inexpensive CEntrance product with modern technology.
  
 I have high hopes!


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## racer11

me too. these directly compete with the firefly and meridian explorer


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## kdejonge

Does anyone see a reason this wouldn't work with iPhone, using a powered hub?


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## sheldaze

kdejonge said:


> Does anyone see a reason this wouldn't work with iPhone, using a powered hub?


 
 I posed this question directly to Michael Goodman through the Indie GoGo project - you will have no problems!
 Using a powered hub, you are good to go!
  
 I'm getting the impression that the folks at CEntrance are really good people 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 I just wonder if they ever sleep


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## kdejonge

awesome!


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## sheldaze

For anyone reading this, there are only 2 weeks left for the deal


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## loudspl

"Output power into a 32Ω load: over 500mW"
  
 ....Is this per channel or total output power?


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## sheldaze

loudspl said:


> "Output power into a 32Ω load: over 500mW"
> 
> ....Is this per channel or total output power?


 
 Sorry, I don't know. I looked at their old power specs, and couldn't guess from those either 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I can offer that there have been comparisons made between it and the Apogee Groove. The Groove definitely has lots of power, so a comparison says to me it must be adequate. @HarmonyAnneHicks and @MikeMercer have been writing short little tweets for weeks. Would be nice to make the goal (10 people in the next 2 days), at least to make a statement


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## alpha421

Glad to have backed this project. Looks like it'll meet it's goal by tomorrow.


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## sheldaze

7 hours left! The suspense! The drama! The 3.5 people who still need to buy this thing 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
 In all seriousness though, it seems to be the makings of a fantastic product. I've no clue why there aren't more people backing it at the introductory cost of $149


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## doublea71

They don't need to meet the crowdfunding goal to make this thing - they said awhile back that they've received enough interest from retailers to go forward even if the target wasn't reached.


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## sheldaze

doublea71 said:


> They don't need to meet the crowdfunding goal to make this thing - they said awhile back that they've received enough interest from retailers to go forward even if the target wasn't reached.


 
 Understood, but still nice


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## doublea71

I'm surprised there isn't more excitement over this. Nice design, good features, a company with a proven track record, a clear vision, no delays, regular updates.....by comparison, Light Harmonic has been an exercise in extreme masochism.


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## riverlethe

sheldaze said:


> 7 hours left! The suspense! The drama! The 3.5 people who still need to buy this thing
> In all seriousness though, it seems to be the makings of a fantastic product. I've no clue why there aren't more people backing it at the introductory cost of $149




Might be the lack of published specs, or the fact that they're targeting the pro market, where most people should be smart enough to know that DSD and >96kHz PCM is worthless.


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## sheldaze

riverlethe said:


> Might be the lack of published specs, or the fact that they're targeting the pro market, where most people should be smart enough to know that DSD and >96kHz PCM is worthless.


 

 Probably the first part. Everyone is quoting DSD and 32/384 these days...Geek Out! Ahem...excuse me. Something got stuck in my throat 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I will have to get one, not because I want or need one, but more because so many people use it as a reference for a particular quality level of sound.


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## riverlethe

sheldaze said:


> Probably the first part. Everyone is quoting DSD and 32/384 these days...Geek Out! Ahem...excuse me. Something got stuck in my throat
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I have... ummm... serious trust issues with a company that sells $1000 USB cables.  I'm curious about their "3d Awesomifier," but I've already got a Meier amp with crossfeed and a few DSP plugins in various programs.


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## riverlethe

I also think Centrance is over-promising with their claim to support all full-sized headphones.  The original Dacport at 4.4V peak output is enough for 300ohm Sennheisers, but I'd be surprised if they matched the O2's 7Vrms, for example.


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## sheldaze

riverlethe said:


> I also think Centrance is over-promising with their claim to support all full-sized headphones.  The original Dacport at 4.4V peak output is enough for 300ohm Sennheisers, but I'd be surprised if they matched the O2's 7Vrms, for example.


 
 I agree there are definite constraints to having USB as your power source. I thought I read this somewhere - relative to their Skyn project, they did expect there to be a limitation.
  
 Of course it's all speculation until we get to hear it. I had hoped to have this in time for a headphone meet, to let other people test it against their headphones. What do you plan on driving with it? Perhaps someone at the meet will have a headphone similar to your cans and could provide their feedback.


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## riverlethe

sheldaze said:


> I agree there are definite constraints to having USB as your power source. I thought I read this somewhere - relative to their Skyn project, they did expect there to be a limitation.
> 
> Of course it's all speculation until we get to hear it. I had hoped to have this in time for a headphone meet, to let other people test it against their headphones. What do you plan on driving with it? Perhaps someone at the meet will have a headphone similar to your cans and could provide their feedback.


 

 Output voltage doesn't require hearing to determine.   I'm using HD800's, and the original Dacport is quite good.​


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## sheldaze

riverlethe said:


> Output voltage doesn't require hearing to determine.   I'm using HD800's, and the original Dacport is quite good.​


 
 So it is that most companies do not quote voltage because they don't want the embarrassment 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I went to a couple of web pages just now to look up specs for a couple of desktop headphone amplifiers - one I'm very happy with and the other I am soon planning to sell. Ahem - the one I am happy with was proud to quote 140mW (9.4VRMS) @ 600 ohms. The other company simply quoted 130mW @ 600 ohms. Perhaps this is getting off-topic, but if there's a science thread, I'd sure appreciate the link


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## riverlethe

I'm not too clear on the math myself, but I know the difference between 130mW and 140mW is imperceptible.  You have to double the wattage to gain 3dB!  You can get into another situation, eg., with an OTL tube amp, where you have plenty of voltage but may not have enough current for a low-impedance load, like the Hifiman HE-6.  I found a calculator here:

 http://www.digizoid.com/headphones-power.html
  
 Edit: You can see the 300 ohm Sennheisers are right in the sweet spot for the original Dacport.  I believe it was designed with them in mind.


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## Bananiq

So who pledged for the campaign? Damn it looks that I am always late to the party. This thing looks like exactly what I need. And looks like it would sound better than GO1000 ?
  
 on Centrance page I see listed Dacport HD at $175 - is it worth?


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## doublea71

bananiq said:


> So who pledged for the campaign? Damn it looks that I am always late to the party. This thing looks like exactly what I need. And looks like it would sound better than GO1000 ?
> 
> on Centrance page I see listed Dacport HD at $175 - is it worth?


 

 I don't know if it will be better than the GO1000, but they sure as hell run a tighter ship than LH.


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## sheldaze

bananiq said:


> So who pledged for the campaign? Damn it looks that I am always late to the party. This thing looks like exactly what I need. And looks like it would sound better than GO1000 ?
> 
> on Centrance page I see listed Dacport HD at $175 - is it worth?


 


doublea71 said:


> I don't know if it will be better than the GO1000, but they sure as hell run a tighter ship than LH.


 
  
 I think it is pretty close to being ready to ship (web page says in stock, but I think they're still building them). I agree - CEntrance should have much faster turn around than what I've read on the LH Labs threads. And here's the thing - the LH Labs newest product costs $299. This product from CEntrance, according to the updates on the Indiegogo page, will ultimately sell for $249. If it is currently listed at $174.99, it's still a bargain by my reckoning.


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## Bananiq

sheldaze said:


> I think it is pretty close to being ready to ship (web page says in stock, but I think they're still building them). I agree - CEntrance should have much faster turn around than what I've read on the LH Labs threads. And here's the thing - the LH Labs newest product costs $299. This product from CEntrance, according to the updates on the Indiegogo page, will ultimately sell for $249. If it is currently listed at $174.99, it's still a bargain by my reckoning.


 
  
 Thanks,
  
 unfortunately, for me as EU citizen the shipping is $104 which is bummer. 
 I see Dacport HD supports Android OTG, does it work also with iOS and camera kit?


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## Bananiq

at the price $175 with the $104 shipping I get almost to the mint HA-2 level or new Cozoy Aegis -- need good justification for this beauty


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## canyondust

Not entirely useless. I routinely record or upconvert material at/to 192khz for pitch and time manipulation, as the results are better (then down convert back to 48khz)
 I'm seriously considering this little box for my laptop editing rig!


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## doublea71

Shouldn't be long now...some time next month, right?


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## sheldaze

doublea71 said:


> Shouldn't be long now...some time next month, right?


 
 Seems like very early next month 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I had hoped to have these for a headphone meet at the end of this month, but there are so many other ways to spend one's money in this hobby


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## sheldaze

Did anyone opt for the early shipping option, next week? I am itching to receive this, but opted to wait for the sleeve - a couple more weeks.
 Of course when I look up sleeve on Wikipedia, I get a picture of Mabel Love and her bicycle:

 I hope the sleeve looks a little better than Mabel's


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## doublea71

I opted for the commercial packaging, too. I'll be on vacation on the 15th, so there's no point in having it shipped early. I'm really stoked to get this thing.


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## MilhouseV

Same here, opted to wait for final packaging - won't have time until late September to enjoy it anyhow.  What's a couple more weeks after three months.


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## doublea71

milhousev said:


> Same here, opted to wait for final packaging - won't have time until late September to enjoy it anyhow.  What's a couple more weeks after three months.


 

 A tale of two crowdfunding campaigns: Geek Wave and Centrance DACport HD. Centrance ran theirs to perfection, but there was no crowd designing involved. Still feels pretty good.


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## sheldaze

I'm still holding onto my very high hopes for this. I've heard the Geek Out V2, and it's a good balanced implementation of the Sabre DAC. It also has great volume control, with the two gain settings. I've also heard in the Apogee Groove. When it works, it does well. But on my low impedance headphones, the sound turns to mush. And the DAC is clearly not as detailed as the Geek Out or a couple of the other USB DAC/AMP that I've heard.
  
 There is definitely a market for the CEntrance if it can tick all the boxes.


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## trtrtr607

how this usb powered amp provide enough power to drive higher end full size headphones, still in doubt


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## doublea71

I don't know how they do it, either, but I'm sure they are not lying about this. Centrance is a reputable company with a great reputation


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## MilhouseV

Most USB ports can support current of 500mA, that's about 2.5W of power, much more than most headphones require.  That does not necessarily mean that USB is a good power source, so the challenge is usually around filtering it to the point where current and voltage fluctuations and other PC component interference does not impact the sound of the device.
 Apple's Lightning host mode power specification is much more restrictive, I wonder if this new DACport HD will be able to conform to Apple CCK requirements, or if it will require a "buffer" USB hub, like most of its competitors.


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## sheldaze

doublea71 said:


> I don't know how they do it, either, but I'm sure they are not lying about this. Centrance is a reputable company with a great reputation


 


milhousev said:


> Most USB ports can support current of 500mA, that's about 2.5W of power, much more than most headphones require.  That does not necessarily mean that USB is a good power source, so the challenge is usually around filtering it to the point where current and voltage fluctuations and other PC component interference does not impact the sound of the device.
> Apple's Lightning host mode power specification is much more restrictive, I wonder if this new DACport HD will be able to conform to Apple CCK requirements, or if it will require a "buffer" USB hub, like most of its competitors.


 
 I agree 100%.
  
 I'm still relatively new. Yes, I did start listening to headphones about 10 years ago, but I did not like much of what I heard then. I only jumped back in last year, and I've been to 1.5 shows and 1.5 meets (the third was a show/meet 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




). I am keeping only one of my original pair of headphones (who knew Sennheiser HD650 was okay 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




), and recently sold all the rest. These days there is such a diverse set of products! There's a lot to be excited about, and many great things to hear.
  
 But there are also many bad products still - either overpriced or simply not good. It takes the concerted efforts of the community to review, report, etc. We need to keep the companies in check! And I appreciate a little doubt. But I also think the technology is amply available these days, and I also believe implementation is the key.
  
 Last, I've come to make certain assumptions about a few companies. I have not yet heard, for myself, a CEntrance product. However, I have read many good things about their history of products. I have watched the videos and email exchanges from the campaigns, felt as if I were a part of the trials and efforts of Mr. Goodman. I believe he genuinely believes in his products, works very hard on the implementation, and would not release something before it was ready and sounded like something special.
  
 I am looking forward to the CEntrance DACportHD.


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## doublea71

I heard the original Dacport (the thing that is cylindrical in shape) and I thought it sounded pretty good, a bit more analytical than my E17. The HD has a different and newer DAC chip, so it should be interesting.


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## alpha421

Won't be too long for those waiting on the retail versions.
  
 My two cents: It's one thing about a fly-in-the-night product/company looking to make a splash or test out the waters, but CEntrance has been around while and their target market is still the professional/amateur musician crowd.  Us audio enthusiast just happens to benefit from it all. I've owned three CEntrance products and have never been disappointed with them or the service.


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## MilhouseV

The last announcement on campaign page about shipping rates is not particularly amusing.  $15 for conUS, $45 elsewhere for such a small item...
 Massdrop's Slim version included free shipping for just $99.99 - yet the folks who funded the product get slammed with these excessive shipping charges.


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## alpha421

I too am a little upset with the shipping fee, but not surprised. I do feel that the Massdrop project seems to has higher priority over us backers. Unless I'm doing something wrong, I can't pay for shipping.


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## sheldaze

I was online, and got the email at 5pm EST. I did not see a shipping option then. I still do not see a shipping option. The mail said to pick the domestic perk, but all I see are links to the original perks.
  
 And yes, I feel the same. I did not know there would be a rather expensive shipping attached to the end of the campaign - prefer to just pay it up front and have it done. And personally I use USPS, not regular mail but one of their faster options with tracking, and have no problems getting items shipped to my eBay customers. I know the guy behind the counter at the USPS store where I drop off, and I know my mailman when I'm receiving items from eBay. Unfortunately, my closest FedEx (if I miss the package, which I always do because the FedEx truck always shows up in the middle of the day, in a residential neighborhood, which makes no sense) store is 25 miles south. And I need to drive the route before or after rush hour. When I buy my Schiit DACs and AMPs, I always plan ahead to make the drive. Though I will get a tracking notice, I've no clue when - if I'll be on vacation, work travel, etc.
  
 Anyways, to say the least, I too am unhappy to pay $15 to FedEx when I'd rather pay $5-$8 to my local USPS man. Flame off, and I feel a little better


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## aoiziptw

For people that joint the perk at much later date, the shipping was $8 which included in the perk.  i am too wondering do we have to pay the extra $7 to make up the total $15..


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## roguepp88

Its only $15 for USA, but its $45 for those of us overseas, and that is outrageous.
 Is it legal for them to charge us like this after we have paid and purchased?


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## sheldaze

I assume almost everyone here (thus far) is part of the campaign. I still feel it is important to quote:
  


> We are also working to clarify the shipping situation. Some people have paid for shipping, others have not. Now that we are getting ready to ship, we need to clean this up. *We have heard your feedback. We are collecting the most reasonable quotes for different regions* and will post the perks soon, so that you can make the shipping contribution and we can ship your unit.


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## doublea71

At least he's responding to these complaints. 45 does seem a bit steep.


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## hoth

Has anyone received this yet?


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## alpha421

Still waiting. Looks like the Slim has been shipping as one member was selling it in the FS forum.


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## doublea71

hoth said:


> Has anyone received this yet?


 
 No, but it should be real soon, like next week soon. The campaign only has 152 backers, so they may have all units out in a day or two. Best campaign ever!


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## doublea71

doublea71 said:


> No, but it should be real soon, like next week soon. The campaign only has 152 backers, so they may have all units out in a day or two. Best campaign ever!


 

 Just received a campaign update: ALL units have shipped. Not some, but all of them. Kudos to Centrance for running pretty much a flawless campaign. Can't wait!!!


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## sheldaze

doublea71 said:


> Just received a campaign update: ALL units have shipped. Not some, but all of them. Kudos to Centrance for running pretty much a flawless campaign. Can't wait!!!


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## oneofthem

greetings
  
 any chance will work with android (s6 with battery case)
  
 not sure how input/output works with power/usb...
  
 thank you in advance


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## oneofthem

p.s.
  
 z3 compact has nice charging case ( magnetic) and maybe still possible to draw power from smartphone. maybe software?


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## sheldaze

oneofthem said:


> greetings
> 
> any chance will work with android (s6 with battery case)
> 
> ...


 


oneofthem said:


> p.s.
> 
> z3 compact has nice charging case ( magnetic) and maybe still possible to draw power from smartphone. maybe software?


 
 I will definitely be trying from Android and from Android with a secondary USB-power source in the middle. Of course Android phones and tablets vary - I have both a Nexus phone and tablet. But I'll let you know! I'm just excited to soon hear this thing.


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## oneofthem

just dreaming about supper portable device....Z3C/BatCase with dacport HD
  
 saw one battery case for it and its via magnetic charge, via usb no avail cases as of my research...of course this dream is so bRoken  
  
 maYbe Z5C (when battery case comes out will work? also they dropped magnetic with Z5)
  
 maYbe some android soft that tells phone there is enough juice to output or some kinda usb hack/boost
  
 and just simple micro to micro cable with no extra devices cable etc
  
 hope


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## MilhouseV

Just got mine in the mail.  It came in priority Mail flat rate box - so I'm not sure what the talk was about lack of tracking with USPS option.  Will be trying it out shortly.
  
  
 I guess we are expected to come up with our own microUSB cable...
  
 Needs a hub to connect via CCK to an iDevice - "too much power" message otherwise.


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## sheldaze

milhousev said:


> Just got mine in the mail.  It came in priority Mail flat rate box - so I'm not sure what the talk was about lack of tracking with USPS option.  Will be trying it out shortly.
> 
> I guess we are expected to come up with our own microUSB cable...


 
 Glad you had no issues with the USPS. That's the option I chose, and hope to find it when I return from travel.
  
 I am following the DACport Slim thread. What I read there seemed to conclude it also did not ship with a cable, but any Android phone cable capable of charging and data sync should work. I'll be trying my AmazonBasics cable.
  
 Any impressions? I'm quite eager to hear what you think.


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## MilhouseV

Can't seem to get it to output DSD just yet (Foobar throws error about being unable to set output rate of 44k - go figure - I'm using the same settings as with my TEAC 301, which works).
  
 PCM playback works, though.  So far - DAC is quite neutral, and in line with other AKM-based units.  Amp seems to struggle a bit with T5p, but then it's not an easy load by any mean.  Will have to try a few others - T5p would not be my pairing choice for a USB-powered device anyhow.


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## MilhouseV

OK, low gain seems to be a factor here.  XBA-H3 on low gain was a muddy mess, switching to high gain cleared it out completely, but obviously at the expense of ability to control volume.  T5p is doing much better on high gain as well.  On the other hand, MDR-V6 sounded incredibly clear and resolving on low gain.  Need to experiment more.
  
 BTW, this thing gets quite warm.


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## alpha421

Got it today as well.  Using it with my Win7-64bit laptop with JRiver and it appears the CEntrance drivers don't jive when using WASAPI.  Had to use ASIO to get anything to play.  Initial impressions - sounds pretty darn good from Redbook to 24/192. Right now, using it with the Rockets and it could use a little more volume swing in low gain; where as in high gain it is just too much.  Can't wait to test out HG with the VE Zen.
  
 Line out configuration to my powered desktop speakers is quite impressive.  Not as smooth as the Meridian Explorer 2 I had, but a bit more detailed and just as musical.


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## sheldaze

milhousev said:


> OK, low gain seems to be a factor here.  XBA-H3 on low gain was a muddy mess, switching to high gain cleared it out completely, but obviously at the expense of ability to control volume.  T5p is doing much better on high gain as well.  On the other hand, MDR-V6 sounded incredibly clear and resolving on low gain.  Need to experiment more.
> 
> BTW, this thing gets quite warm.


 
 Sounds interesting. I may have to borrow (again) a Sony MDR-V6. I would have thought it would do well on high gain because it paired well with an Apogee Groove - the current drive gave it real guts and balanced highs. I'll certainly have to play with the gain on the DACport with a few ortho and dynamic driven headphones.
  
 I think warm is good. What's the room's ambient temperature? I've read with other USB products that the room temperature can make an enormous difference.


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## MilhouseV

Same issues with WASAPI - foobar just complains about lack of support for 44100 - something is off.  The driver appears to be installed correctly, shows version 6.00.00.3530.  So far ASIO and ASIO via dsd proxy work fine, but neither will decode DSD stream.


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## sheldaze

alpha421 said:


> Got it today as well.  Using it with my Win7-64bit laptop with JRiver and it appears the CEntrance drivers don't jive when using WASAPI.  Had to use ASIO to get anything to play.  Initial impressions - sounds pretty darn good from Redbook to 24/192. Right now, using it with the Rockets and it could use a little more volume swing in low gain; where as in high gain it is just too much.  Can't wait to test out HG with the VE Zen.
> 
> Line out configuration to my powered desktop speakers is quite impressive.  Not as smooth as the Meridian Explorer 2 I had, but a bit more detailed and just as musical.


 
 I definitely liked the line-out on the Explorer2. But my guess is the impedance on the line-out from the Explorer2 was very high. Line-out impedance tends to be high to reduce interaction with the receiving device, while a headphone output is more likely to have low output impedance. Good to hear though that the sound is impressive, if not quite as smooth. I think the Meridian processing may also be cause for its smoother sound. Would you consider the CEntrance sound to be harsh, or simply not as smooth in relation to the Meridian sound? I occasionally thought the Meridian sound was too smooth for certain recordings. And I am wondering if this is simply more accurate to the source material?


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## sheldaze

milhousev said:


> Same issues with WASAPI - foobar just complains about lack of support for 44100 - something is off.  The driver appears to be installed correctly, shows version 6.00.00.3530.  So far ASIO and ASIO via dsd proxy work fine, but neither will decode DSD stream.


 
 If you haven't subscribed to the other thread, you may want to do so:
  
http://www.head-fi.org/t/778966/review-centrance-dacport-slim-dac-amp-combo
  
 I believe the drivers are identical, and was reading there about driver issues. I am primarily a Mac user. I will test this on a Windows 10 laptop in the near future, but there seems to be more eyeballs in the other thread. That, and they have received their Slim a little ahead of us.
  
 EDIT: Wasn't thinking - DSD is specific to this device


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## MilhouseV

sheldaze said:


> Sounds interesting. I may have to borrow (again) a Sony MDR-V6. I would have thought it would do well on high gain because it paired well with an Apogee Groove - the current drive gave it real guts and balanced highs. I'll certainly have to play with the gain on the DACport with a few ortho and dynamic driven headphones.
> 
> I think warm is good. What's the room's ambient temperature? I've read with other USB products that the room temperature can make an enormous difference.


 

 My V6 sample might be a bit... unique - it's almost 25 years old.  It does sound quite well on high gain as well - but with a bit of harshness, kind of highlighting this model's biggest drawback.
  
 The room temperature is 76 now - and the DAC is 100+.  We'll see what it does it our over-cooled office tomorrow.


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## MilhouseV

I think you might be right on the smooth - harsh - accurate. 
 I have a Director in the same set-up, and it's definitely warmer-softer, and Explorer has a very similar signature Meridian sound.  DACport, on the other hand, seems to be in the "accurate" category, which feels harsh by comparison - but might just be a more conventional, accurate, detailed presentation.


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## MilhouseV

Using it as output device into a headphone amp, the levels with low gain appear to be quite low; at high gain the levels are comparable to that of Meridian Explorer (1st generation).
  
 Still no luck with DSD... interestingly, the readme makes no reference to DSD decoding.  Will have to dig further.


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## AlterSack

Received my DacPort HD today, installed Driver on my PC (WIN 7)  - but no Sound from VLC (PC-> DacPort-> audeo PF121) .
 I cannot install other Software as this is my work PC (Driver installation was an exception) so will have to try on my MacBook Pro later.
  
 Funny Thing is when checking on the System preferences the DacPort is being shown as a loudspeaker. ??
  
 When configuring the "loudspeaker" the checksound can be clearly heard.


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## AlterSack

I do not know what to make out of this  - I unplugged the USB Cable, started the song again and it started to Play through the PC Sound Card. Then  I plugged the USB cable again into several USB Ports - and suddenly it works and I am getting Sound out of it.
  
 BUT - next song - and the same procedure has to be applied - otherwise there is no sound.
 Additionally I am getting dropouts. 
 That is a real strange behaviour - Will check how the DacPort is doing with the Mac.


----------



## MilhouseV

altersack said:


> Received my DacPort HD today, installed Driver on my PC (WIN 7)  - but no Sound from VLC (PC-> DacPort-> audeo PF121) .
> I cannot install other Software as this is my work PC (Driver installation was an exception) so will have to try on my MacBook Pro later.
> 
> Funny Thing is when checking on the System preferences the DacPort is being shown as a loudspeaker. ??
> ...


 

 Did you set DACport to be your default device?  Installation does not make changes to default device assignment, so the sound would still be routed to your original sound card, until you make this change.


----------



## AlterSack

milhousev said:


> Did you set DACport to be your default device?  Installation does not make changes to default device assignment, so the sound would still be routed to your original sound card, until you make this change.


 
 Yes - it has been set as Default device. But also see my other post. I have to unplug the cable, let the sound come through the PC Soundcard and plug the cable in again - then voila - it works for the current song (ONLY the current song).


----------



## MilhouseV

altersack said:


> Yes - it has been set as Default device. But also see my other post. I have to unplug the cable, let the sound come through the PC Soundcard and plug the cable in again - then voila - it works for the current song (ONLY the current song).


 
 This could be attributed to the way VLC captures Windows audio devices.  Did you try any other application, Windows Media player? Do you see similar behavior there?


----------



## AlterSack

milhousev said:


> This could be attributed to the way VLC captures Windows audio devices.  Did you try any other application, Windows Media player? Do you see similar behavior there?


 
 Yes - just tried Windows Media Player again. 
 It hadn't worked before, but does so now  and seems to Play all songs that  were picked. I don't have to do the plug/unplug thing. 
 I also have constant dropouts with WMP.


----------



## doublea71

Are you guys happy with the sound so far? Hopefully any driver issues will be taken care of quickly. Mine should arrive tomorrow or Thursday.


----------



## MilhouseV

altersack said:


> I also have constant dropouts with WMP.


 
 The dropouts might be an indication of either a heavily taxed / underperforming system, or of another process or application interfering / attempting to grab control of audio / USB device.  In a corporate environment there can be a few security tool which have such aggressive behavior.
 You might be better off using your personal Mac.
 I also tried DACport on a Chromebook, and it works perfectly.


----------



## MilhouseV

doublea71 said:


> Are you guys happy with the sound so far? Hopefully any driver issues will be taken care of quickly. Mine should arrive tomorrow or Thursday.


 
 At high gain level, sound quality is quite alright, but it's difficult to control volume, as it needs to be at the lowest steps (and there appears to be some "shakiness" of volume in the low range).  At low gain with some of my headphones the device sounds muffled and muddy.  No issues when using line out (high gain + max volume) - sound is detailed, clear, good scene.


----------



## AlterSack

milhousev said:


> At high gain level, sound quality is quite alright, but it's difficult to control volume, as it needs to be at the lowest steps (and there appears to be some "shakiness" of volume in the low range).  At low gain with some of my headphones the device sounds muffled and muddy.  No issues when using line out (high gain + max volume) - sound is detailed, clear, good scene.


 
 Are You using Line Out on High gain?  The instructions say that "low gain" should be  used for Line out functionality. Do/did You encounter any  Sound Quality differences when using high / low gain for this?
  
@doublea71 
 On your question as to the Sound - I am not using the Audeo PF-121 much as a headphone apart from using it to speak on the Blackberry. Therefore I can't really say anything yet.
 I will have to check with my home System.
 From what I could listen to till now I am not overly impressed, but that may change.


----------



## MilhouseV

altersack said:


> Are You using Line Out on High gain?  The instructions say that "low gain" should be  used for Line out functionality. Do/did You encounter any  Sound Quality differences when using high / low gain for this?


 
 Signal level on low gain with max volume is quite a bit lower than what I was getting from line out of Meridian Explorer into the same headphone amp; at high gain it is directly comparable.
 As far as sound quality differences between low gain and high gain when used as line out, those are definitely less significant compared to being used as a headphone amp.


----------



## AlterSack

I just tried the DacPort HD with my Standard Home Setup:
 MacBook Pro -> Audirvana Plus (1.0) -> DacPort / GeekOut V1 450  -> HE 1000
  
 No problems of the kind I described above whatsoever - seems to have been an issue of my work PC.   I connected the DacPort with a standard USB cable to the USB slot and it was recognized instantly.  I am on Yosemite 10.10.5. Audirvana  recognized it instantly as well. In Audirvana I chose to regulate the volume level both on the DAC and on the Software. I turned the volume fully up on DacPort and use -15dB  to - 18db on Audirvana on high gain with the HE 1000. This gives way enough volume (and sometimes is even  too loud for my taste)
 When comparing to the GO450 (using the left - higher ohm - exit) I had to turn the volume up to - 9dB to -6dB  to get (subjectively) equal volume. 
  
 I must say the DacPort sounds very pleasurable to my ears. I am just listening to Cassandra Wilson's "Love is Blindness" (FLAC, 16/44). There is definitely enough bass there - I cannot really hear  a difference in the bass to the GO450. Where I believe they differ most is that the GO450 brings the mids a little mot to the front. In this song for example the guitar picking in the middle of the song becomes a little more bright and prominent.
 When listening to "So What" from Candy Dulfer (FLAC, 16/44) I feel a little difference in the punch of the drums - Here the GO450 feels to have just a tiny bit more, the drum beats are just a tad bit shorter and more pointed (At least that's what I hear) - but the difference is really subtle. 
 The DacPort also recognized HiRes (24/96 and 24/192) files with no problem. I do not have
 DSD Files at the moment  - so I couldn't check that.
  
 So - without doing a real A/B demo for which I am not really the right guy I would say that soundwise there is not really much difference between both DACs. Considering the Price Point I daresay that the DacPort is definitely a very good option if you are in the market for a small portable DAC/amp (especially if You could get it on Indiegogo).


----------



## sheldaze

I'm starting my listening with the easiest setup I could think of, plug-and-play and on an easy load while in low gain:
  
 MacBook > Audirvana+ > AmazonBasics USB > CEntrance DACport HD > Denon AH-D2000
  
 You guys are going to have to bear with me, as I am now realizing I need to listen to this first setup for a few days before I can grasp the sound characteristics. This thing has its own distinctive sound, and at the same time it shares much of its sonic nature with each of the USB DAC/AMP I currently own. In short, this is the first CEntrance that I've heard - so I'm first needing to adjust to the "house" sound before I can continue to comment on its character.


----------



## MilhouseV

sheldaze said:


> You guys are going to have to bear with me, as I am now realizing I need to listen to this first setup for a few days before I can grasp the sound characteristics. This thing has its own distinctive sound, and at the same time it shares much of its sonic nature with each of the USB DAC/AMP I currently own. In short, this is the first CEntrance that I've heard - so I'm first needing to adjust to the "house" sound before I can continue to comment on its character.



 

That's the right way to do this. Unfortunately for me, I won't be able to stay on the same set up for an extended period of time - and because of this haphazard way of testing, please take my comments with a grain of salt.


----------



## sheldaze

milhousev said:


> That's the right way to do this. Unfortunately for me, I won't be able to stay on the same set up for an extended period of time - and because of this haphazard way of testing, please take my comments with a grain of salt.


 
 Trust me - I feel ya! In fact, after a long listen, I may just start jumping through headphones when I get a chance to listen today. There's something very different about the sound, and I'm having trouble placing my finger on it. Strong bass, and lots-o-detail without fatigue, which is a plus. The placement of instruments is etched in stone. But somehow, I seem to still be listening to the music on a cognitive level and I am trying to get down into the emotional, physical, body level of listening.


----------



## riverlethe

sheldaze said:


> Trust me - I feel ya! In fact, after a long listen, I may just start jumping through headphones when I get a chance to listen today. There's something very different about the sound, and I'm having trouble placing my finger on it. Strong bass, and lots-o-detail without fatigue, which is a plus. The placement of instruments is etched in stone. But somehow, I seem to still be listening to the music on a cognitive level and I am trying to get down into the emotional, physical, body level of listening.




Have you tried speakers with a subwoofer?


----------



## sheldaze

riverlethe said:


> Have you tried speakers with a subwoofer?


 
 I'm going to draw a line in the sand on that regard - for me this is strictly for headphone use. The most I might do is connect it to an external headphone amplifier and use it as a DAC-only.
  
 As much as I tout the capability of these small DAC/AMP, there does come a point when you simply need precision that only a wall power source can provide. If you read my posts in other threads, I'll tell anyone how enamored I am with the Meridian Explorer2 as just a DAC. But I did try it once in my stereo speaker system, and it sounded "thin" like paper, with not enough detail and resolution for me to get excited about it in the stereo speaker realm. I did fall in love with the sound of the Meridian Director for a while too, and used it as the DAC in my speaker system. It was lush but had a nice balance of detail. Now it too sounds like paper. I mean it no disrespect, but I know, now that I have heard a higher end DAC, I can appreciate their value. Specifically in my listening experience, the Schiit Bifrost Uber and Arcam irDAC are no longer above the cut line. They're both on the way out, pending a personal review of the sound of the Bifrost with R2R upgrades. If I am unhappy with the upgraded Bifrost sound, I'd probably sell them both and get an Audio-GD DAC-19. Based upon reviews I have read, my guess is I may still be excited to hear a Chord 2Qute or Hugo. But those DAC cost around $2,000, so I'm not interested due to cost.
  
 Sorry for getting off topic 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I'll keep tooting the horn with regards to small DAC/AMP options, if I find I like them with headphones. I think people need to try these before stepping up to the larger DAC and separate headphone AMP boxes, or simply leave it as-is, a simple way to enjoy fantastic sound. A USB-powered DAC/AMP could be end game to some. But once you enter my speaker world, it unfortunately gets a little costly


----------



## MilhouseV

Just received a reply regarding DSD support:
  

```
[color=rgb(68, 68, 68)] Windows support of DSD is not available in UD v7.4.17, but an updated  version will be available within the next day or two, if not later today. Note: In the UD Control Panel, with HD plugged in, you will need to set  the bit depth to 32-bit in order to get DSD to work.[/color]
```


----------



## sheldaze

I forgot to check DSD. Uh-oh…I like this 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 I say uh-oh because everything I own, other than these 3 sample songs I just downloaded, is in PCM format. I hope I don't become a DSD advocate because that would mean I need to buy more stuff 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 NOTE: I did have to force Audirvana+ to recognize the DAC as capable of DSD64. Because I don't have many DSD-capable of DAC, I have no clue how common an issues that is. I should also note I'm running OS X release 10.7.5, which is a very old release.


----------



## openears

I'm a total newbie (this is my first-ever post), but I just got mine in the mail today, and my first impression is very positive. As previously stated on this thread, there's lots of detail, but it's not fatiguing. I'm using a ZMF Master Model V1, and it sounds terrific. High gain is perfect for them. I've also given it a quick try as a line out to my stereo system (low gain with the volume at max), and that sounded very crisp and detailed. 
  
 If anyone's wondering about use with iOS devices, I tried Hifiguy528's trick that he used for the Apogee Groove and it worked right away with both my iPhone 5s and my iPad Mini 2. More details on that can be found here at the 3:20 mark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdDFE2LkjJ4
  
 That may seem unwieldy for a mobile setup, but you get used to it pretty quickly, especially if you use that tiny little hub. The Dacport instructions recommend against using a USB hub, but oh well...
  
 So far so good!


----------



## sheldaze

openears said:


> I'm a total newbie (this is my first-ever post), but I just got mine in the mail today, and my first impression is very positive. As previously stated on this thread, there's lots of detail, but it's not fatiguing. I'm using a ZMF Master Model V1, and it sounds terrific. High gain is perfect for them. I've also given it a quick try as a line out to my stereo system (low gain with the volume at max), and that sounded very crisp and detailed.
> 
> If anyone's wondering about use with iOS devices, I tried Hifiguy528's trick that he used for the Apogee Groove and it worked right away with both my iPhone 5s and my iPad Mini 2. More details on that can be found here at the 3:20 mark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdDFE2LkjJ4
> 
> ...


 
 Welcome!
  
 Glad you like the sound! I certainly wish I had something like the CEntrance for my entry into the HiFi headphone world. My entry into the headphone world started 10 years ago with the purchase of a Sennheiser HD650. But I did not hear anything good until just last year, when I plugged those headphones into my first USB DAC/AMP, and my eyes just about popped out.
  
 Per the USB hub, I have it on good authority directly from Mr. Goodman that is how he recommends usage from an iDevice - through a powered hub. I wonder why the manual recommends against it?


----------



## MilhouseV

sheldaze said:


> Per the USB hub, I have it on good authority directly from Mr. Goodman that is how he recommends usage from an iDevice - through a powered hub. I wonder why the manual recommends against it?


 
 The statement in the manual is more of a generic USB hub disclaimer, certainly appropriate for PC or Mac use, but there just isn't any other way to connect DACport HD to an iDevice except by using Apple CCK and a powered (or an incorrectly reporting passive) hub.


----------



## Emilien

Hi all,
 I just received yesterday my Dacport HD ... and I don't get it to work on my win7 desktop (I've tried the unit on a friend's Mac, works great).
 As I can see it's a driver's digital signature problem ... anyone help me !


----------



## MilhouseV

emilien said:


> Hi all,
> I just received yesterday my Dacport HD ... and I don't get it to work on my win7 desktop (I've tried the unit on a friend's Mac, works great).
> As I can see it's a driver's digital signature problem ... anyone help me !


 
 There is a setting in Windows which controls driver installation behavior, it can be changed as long as your computer is not under control of a corporate policy.  There is more information available at Microsoft: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc775492(v=ws.10).aspx or https://thecustomizewindows.com/2010/12/install-an-unsigned-driver-in-windows-7/.


----------



## AlterSack

emilien said:


> Hi all,
> I just received yesterday my Dacport HD ... and I don't get it to work on my win7 desktop (I've tried the unit on a friend's Mac, works great).
> As I can see it's a driver's digital signature problem ... anyone help me !


 
  
 Michael Goodman has sent an email that there will be a new version of the Universal Driver published on their homepage today. You should also try this new Driver.


----------



## Emilien

Thanks guys, I'll try this.
  
 Milhouse, I cannot find the way of doing it in the security settings


----------



## AlterSack

emilien said:


> Thanks guys, I'll try this.
> 
> Milhouse, I cannot find the way of doing it in the security settings


 
 You need to have Administrator rights if You want to install the driver.  That is the frist Thing You should check.
 After the Installation process You shold see the Dacport in System preferences / hardware and Sound / manage Audio. There You can set it as "Default"  ( Ihope I use the correct terms as I have a german Windows Version)
  
 Also - if You cannot get it to work, You could contact Michael Goodman from Centrance (for example via Indiegogo)


----------



## MilhouseV

emilien said:


> I cannot find the way of doing it in the security settings


 
 Try this:
 Press Windows key + R
 In the Run prompt, type "gpedit.msc"
 Once Group Policy Editor opens, navigate to User Configuration - Administrative Templates - System - Driver Installation.
 Choose "Code signing for device drivers"
 Make sure it is set to "Warn" ("Ignore" is not a good idea, "Block" will prevent you from installation).
  
 You will need to restart the computer after this change.
  
 Upcoming driver update will not solve this, as it is unlikely to be WHQL-signed.


----------



## Emilien

I've tried this but it seems that those changes are for 
 "Windows Server 2003, Windows XP and Windows 2000 only"
  
 Anyway, it didn't solve my problem even after reboot.
  
 Mr Goodman just sent me an email saying that I need to update my OS with the latest microsoft updates in order to get the WHQL signature, I'll do this tonight.
  
 Thanks for your help, I'll keep you informed


----------



## MilhouseV

emilien said:


> I've tried this but it seems that those changes are for
> "Windows Server 2003, Windows XP and Windows 2000 only"
> 
> Anyway, it didn't solve my problem even after reboot.


 
 The other option is to edit boot environment to allow unsigned drivers:
  
 From administrator command prompt:
  
 bcdedit -set loadoptions DDISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS
 bcdedit -set TESTSIGNING ON
  
 Also requires a reboot to take effect.
  
 But running through all the updates first is a good idea anyhow


----------



## hoth

When I open the UD control panel I see no ability to change bit depth. Also, if I change the rate to anything under 384,000 and I change the sound frequency in the regular control panel, I never get sound but only errors that the rate isn't supported. Is anyone else having these problems?  I'm also hearing what appears to be amlight hashing in the background of some more dynamic passages. Anyone else?


----------



## MilhouseV

hoth said:


> When I open the UD control panel I see no ability to change bit depth. Also, if I change the rate to anything under 384,000 and I change the sound frequency in the regular control panel, I never get sound but only errors that the rate isn't supported. Is anyone else having these problems?  I'm also hearing what appears to be amlight hashing in the background of some more dynamic passages. Anyone else?



 

I believe the drivers by default assign 384k to Windows native sound device, and the expectation is that only ASIO applications will manipulate bitrate (as long as that checkbox is available). In my case, I could only set the bitrate in the UD control panel, and in Windows sound device, the option to change bitrate was greyed out. That was on a Windows 7 Pro 64-bit. Perhaps on other OS versions the behavior is different - but I'm waiting for the updated drivers (with DSD support) before installing them on my other computers.


----------



## sheldaze

Does it matter that I would be testing this functionality on Windows 10 devices? I no longer have any Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 devices, which have all been updated to Windows 10.


----------



## MilhouseV

sheldaze said:


> Does it matter that I would be testing this functionality on Windows 10 devices? I no longer have any Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 devices, which have all been updated to Windows 10.


 
 Operating system version should not reflect on the sound or performance, there's just some chance for functional differences between versions and editions.  I plan to try it on 7, 8.1 and 10 - between work, home and portable devices, I have all of those covered.


----------



## doublea71

So I just got mine, but I can't open the universal driver - it says I don't have the appropriate permissions. I tried the pgedit.bsc in the command prompt, and that didn't work either. I'm using Windows 8.1. Help!


----------



## doublea71

Nevermind - just had to add an exclusion to my anti-virus software.


----------



## doublea71

Just a thought - do I really have to change the sample rate and bit depth in the Centrance UD control panel EVERYTIME it changes? Please say it isn't so. I'm using Foobar 2000, and this is the case so far. Edit: Foobar doesn't use Asio it seems, or I'll have to add that functionality. Asio can change between different bit depths and sample rates, not Wasapi.


----------



## alpha421

No.  The bit depth will automatically update/change to the native bit rate/depth of the source file playback within the CEntrance UD control.


----------



## doublea71

alpha421 said:


> No.  The bit depth will automatically update/change to the native bit rate/depth of the source file playback (being played) within the CEntrance UD control.


 

 I just added the ASIO output support file to Foobar and it works fine now.


----------



## doublea71

Sounds quite good so far - not sure about any burn-in period, but I like what I hear. Using Rockets at the moment.


----------



## alpha421

Great combo.


----------



## vtkc

Hi All,
  
 I just received my DACPort HD. Tried it with my Samsung S6 with Onkyo and it sounds awesome!!! Maybe because this is my 1st DAC used. But however, after installing the Universal Driver by Centrance, I am unable to play any songs with my Foobar2000 software. It gives this error when trying to play a track:
  
 Unrecoverable playback error: The parameter is incorrect.   (0x80070057)
  
 Anyone have any idea how to resolve this issue?


----------



## doublea71

vtkc said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I just received my DACPort HD. Tried it with my Samsung S6 with Onkyo and it sounds awesome!!! Maybe because this is my 1st DAC used. But however, after installing the Universal Driver by Centrance, I am unable to play any songs with my Foobar2000 software. It gives this error when trying to play a track:
> 
> ...


 

 You need to add ASIO support to Foobar.
  
http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_out_asio


----------



## vtkc

doublea71 said:


> You need to add ASIO support to Foobar.
> 
> http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_out_asio


 
  
 Thanks for the solution. THE SOUND IS JUST SO GREAT!!! Even my MP3 sounds good.


----------



## vtkc

i notice that the DACPort HD runs hotter when it is decoding DSD and cooler when normal FLAC.


----------



## doublea71

I haven't tried DSD yet. I haven't A/Bd it yet with my Fiio E17, but my early impression is that it doesn't sound much better. It can handle a wider range of bit rate/depths, but sonically it seems to be in the same ballpark. I downloaded a couple of free DSD sample tracks, which I'll try later just to see what the fuss is about. I'll also try full-size cans, too - haven't gone there yet. I've used my Aurisonic Rockets and UM Miracles so far. I'm quite satisfied with the sound for its price point, but I'm not blown away. I have to get myself a mini-usb to mini-usb to see if it will work with my S5 - that could be fun. Anyways, I'm glad it arrived and works as advertised. I look forward to everybody else's impressions in the near future.


----------



## vtkc

doublea71 said:


> I haven't tried DSD yet. I haven't A/Bd it yet with my Fiio E17, but my early impression is that it doesn't sound much better. It can handle a wider range of bit rate/depths, but sonically it seems to be in the same ballpark. I downloaded a couple of free DSD sample tracks, which I'll try later just to see what the fuss is about. I'll also try full-size cans, too - haven't gone there yet. I've used my Aurisonic Rockets and UM Miracles so far. I'm quite satisfied with the sound for its price point, but I'm not blown away. I have to get myself a mini-usb to mini-usb to see if it will work with my S5 - that could be fun. Anyways, I'm glad it arrived and works as advertised. I look forward to everybody else's impressions in the near future.




I do not think you need a usb hub for S5. I believe your phone is enough to power it as my S6 can handle it well directly.

I do not have any DSD files but I used the Onkyo upsampling to DSD and it plays well. I have not heard any good players or DAC or even good iem or full sized cans. My only iem and cans is Westone UM Pto 10 and Harmon/kardon CL. My dap is fiio x3ii.


----------



## doublea71

I don't think you can upsample to DSD - sounds fishy to me. It's fairly cheap, very pocketable, and plays a slew of formats reasonably well, so it's a good product even though it doesn't blow me away. I've yet to try it with full-size cans, so that may change.


----------



## MilhouseV

With an updated Windows driver, there is a new option to set bit depth via the control panel - I believe that's what does the trick for DSD playback.
  
 Foobar2000 now plays native DSD via ASIO proxy, with Centrance ASIO driver forced to DoP (DSD over PCM) mode.  Not the most elegant solution, but it works.  It does result in some clicks at the start of the stream and when the stream is terminated.
  
 The DAC in this device definitely sounds quite well for this price category.  To me there is a tendency towards neutral-bright signature, somewhere south of Sabre, but north of BurrBrown/TI devices.  The jury is still out on the amp capabilities.
  
 Would be interesting to see official specs or measurements from the device when it is utilized in the recommended "line out" mode - e.g. into very high impedance load (levels, distortions, noise etc.).  I don't believe it swings up to typical 2V at 0dB.


----------



## MilhouseV

doublea71 said:


> I don't think you can upsample to DSD - sounds fishy to me.


 
 It is possible with some of the software players - such as Onkyo HF - but it eats through the device's battery much faster.  As far as the benefits of doing so - it really depends on the DAC and its PCM vs DSD capabilities / signature.  Technically, any PCM to DSD conversion is lossy.


----------



## sheldaze

doublea71 said:


> I haven't tried DSD yet. I haven't A/Bd it yet with my Fiio E17, but my early impression is that it doesn't sound much better. *It can handle a wider range of bit rate/depths, but sonically it seems to be in the same ballpark.* I downloaded a couple of free DSD sample tracks, which I'll try later just to see what the fuss is about. I'll also try full-size cans, too - haven't gone there yet. I've used my Aurisonic Rockets and UM Miracles so far. I'm quite satisfied with the sound for its price point, but I'm not blown away. I have to get myself a mini-usb to mini-usb to see if it will work with my S5 - that could be fun. Anyways, I'm glad it arrived and works as advertised. I look forward to everybody else's impressions in the near future.


 
 I agree! I like that regardless of if I'm playing 16-bit/44.1kHz or something higher resolution or DSD, the quality of the sound remains quite good. I've not yet tried MP3, but based on other people's impressions, seems it does well there too. I'll need to try watching YouTube and Podcasts through this to tell.
  


doublea71 said:


> I don't think you can upsample to DSD - sounds fishy to me. It's fairly cheap, very pocketable, and plays a slew of formats reasonably well, so it's a good product even though it doesn't blow me away. I've yet to try it with full-size cans, so that may change.


 
 You actually can. I've read about it with regards to using something like a Schiit Loki to do everything. But I've also read that is takes a lot of computing power. Seems the same is true of going in reverse, converting from DSD back to PCM. My old Mac laptop could not keep up, at which point I realized I was not natively playing the DSD. I was able to switch in the Audirvana+ playback to DSD natively.
  


milhousev said:


> With an updated Windows driver, there is a new option to set bit depth via the control panel - I believe that's what does the trick for DSD playback.
> 
> Foobar2000 now plays native DSD via ASIO proxy, with Centrance ASIO driver forced to DoP (DSD over PCM) mode.  Not the most elegant solution, but it works.  It does result in some clicks at the start of the stream and when the stream is terminated.
> 
> ...


 
 Agree with this too. I still find the Sabre too bright. The only implementation that I like of the Sabre is in my Pono player, but it does some things a little differently. So I think it is a unique case.


----------



## sheldaze

vtkc said:


> Thanks for the solution. THE SOUND IS JUST SO GREAT!!! Even my MP3 sounds good.


 
 Glad you like the sound!
  


vtkc said:


> i notice that the DACPort HD runs hotter when it is decoding DSD and cooler when normal FLAC.


 
 I suppose I'll have to buy some DSD and give this a shot. I have only a few free samples. What store do you use?


----------



## vtkc

I was just using Onkyo Player on Android with DSD upscaling feature to try out the DSD. I do not have any DSD files to try out.


----------



## MilhouseV

vtkc said:


> I was just using Onkyo Player on Android with DSD upscaling feature to try out the DSD. I do not have any DSD files to try out.


 

 You can pick up a few samples here: http://bluecoastmusic.com/free-downloads
 They also offer quite a number of albums for sale.


----------



## sheldaze

milhousev said:


> You can pick up a few samples here: http://bluecoastmusic.com/free-downloads
> They also offer quite a number of albums for sale.


 

 Thanks


----------



## vtkc

milhousev said:


> You can pick up a few samples here: http://bluecoastmusic.com/free-downloads
> They also offer quite a number of albums for sale.


 
 Thanks for the free samples.


----------



## MilhouseV

Really itching to plug this in behind Wyrd. Most USB-powered devices seem to benefit from it, this one should not be an exception - particularly considering the current this little thing draws from USB. Definitely will try that tonight.


----------



## sheldaze

milhousev said:


> Really itching to plug this in behind Wyrd. Most USB-powered devices seem to benefit from it, this one should not be an exception - particularly considering the current this little thing draws from USB. Definitely will try that tonight.


 

 Let us know! The headphone I have with the highest impedance is the Sennheiser HD650. It does not draw a lot of current, but it definitely benefits from good voltage swing. I have been happiest thus far on the Schiit Fulla (was the first thing I used with it) and Apogee Groove. Neither of these has an excelled DAC, which is why I would be interested to see what you think! I have not tried it as yet on the CEntrance.
  
 And the Schiit Wyrd is _exactly_ what I'm planning to bring to my next local headphone meet. I'll have my assortment of USB DAC/AMP, the Wyrd for power, and both iDevice and mini-USB versions of a CCK cable. So people can plug in with their own phone (or iPod/iPad) and play directly into the various DAC/AMP boxes. Let them hear for themselves the differences. I think it'll be fun


----------



## MilhouseV

sheldaze said:


> Let us know! The headphone I have with the highest impedance is the Sennheiser HD650. It does not draw a lot of current, but it definitely benefits from good voltage swing. I have been happiest thus far on the Schiit Fulla (was the first thing I used with it) and Apogee Groove. Neither of these has an excelled DAC, which is why I would be interested to see what you think! I have not tried it as yet on the CEntrance.
> 
> And the Schiit Wyrd is _exactly_ what I'm planning to bring to my next local headphone meet. I'll have my assortment of USB DAC/AMP, the Wyrd for power, and both iDevice and mini-USB versions of a CCK cable. So people can plug in with their own phone (or iPod/iPad) and play directly into the various DAC/AMP boxes. Let them hear for themselves the differences. I think it'll be fun


 

 I own Senn's HD600, a very similar load to HD650's, just not as...  (ok, better keep that description to myself).  I think that the old Sennheiser flagships will be a good match for this little unit - they are not particularly demanding.  I do have every intention of trying out beyer T1 with CEntrance, for a 600-ohm unit they are extremely sensitive, but with inadequate drive tend to become sibilant, so my expectations for that pairing are quite low.
  
 Wyrd + CCK combo is a great way to plug in just about any DAC to an iDevice with very predictable results - much easier than dealing with ASIO and custom drivers.  Now, if only Androids had as consistent USB audio interface as iDevices, that would have been perfect.


----------



## MilhouseV

Interesting, Schiit just announced a new revision of Bitfrost, which will now be based on the same DAC as DACport HD, AK4490.  The new TEAC UD-503 is also based on AK4490 - this DAC is becoming very popular in the industry.


----------



## sheldaze

milhousev said:


> Interesting, Schiit just announced a new revision of Bitfrost, which will now be based on the same DAC as DACport HD, AK4490.  The new TEAC UD-503 is also based on AK4490 - this DAC is becoming very popular in the industry.


 

 I'm #4 in the queue for Multibit 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 But yes! It is a fantastic offering for the price. What used to be $230 of upgrades (selectable by the user) is now discounted to a standard $100 upgrade, plus the new DAC processor!


----------



## hoth

I have had some more time with the DPHD to give some impressions.  I have only tried it only through my Oppo's which are good all around headphones and not as power hungry as other planars.  I have not listened to any of my DSDs yet.  I do agree that the sound is about in the ballpark of the FIIO offerings with a tendency towards brightness and good detail.  I have a/b'ed against a Ressonessence Herus and FIIO E18.  The Herus does win handily in most areas, however it is double the price.  For some reason there are some driver issues with the DPHD (such as hash noise when used as a system device unless using Jriver output directly to the DPHD, having to reboot my computer if I switch the audio output from the DPHD and try to switch it back, general instability with the DPHD as a system device) which is unfortunate but I hope it is rectified in the future with the new drivers.  I can still hear the DPHD struggling through the PM2's in bassier passages but for the $150 Massdrop price tag I think it's a very worthwhile unit and easy to travel with.


----------



## MilhouseV

sheldaze said:


> I'm #4 in the queue for Multibit
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 The guys at Schiit are making it harder to hold off on upgrades... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I envy you...


----------



## MilhouseV

hoth said:


> ... I can still hear the DPHD struggling through the PM2's in bassier passages ...


 
 I also noticed something during passages with complex texture in the bass region, which resulted in loss of clarity in the entire range.  Not sure if this is due to some power constraints - I was using it as "line out" device, so with very little load on the amplifier itself.


----------



## aoiziptw

Hi Guys,
  
 Some initial impression after 20 hours of burning the device, with setup “MBP -> DACportHD -> Fitear TG334(001 cable)” and I will be comparing with my current some what portable setup “MBP -> ODAC -> RSA protector -> TG334(001 SE cable and 000 balanced)”
  
 So far from what I can hear is there is a bit more mid bass and vocal is more forward, the high roll off very slightly(violin).
  
 The sound stage is narrower, the instrument does have separation but feels more packed together like they are playing next to each other.
  
 The sound quality is great, it does contains a lot of details but the delivery of the music is quite fast pace for me(great if you listen to rock / pop / metal often).
  
 Overall, I still prefer the ODAC -> RSA protector -> running TG334 balanced, mainly due to a bit less bass(but more controlled) and vocal is not as forward with wider sound stage. It is much easier for my own listening for longer period of time. 
  
 After all the comparing, I am still going to keep the DACportHD mainly it is much smaller and portable on the go. 
  
 Artist / track I used for comparing.
  
 Adel
 -          Rolling in the deep
  
 Linkin Park
 -          What I’ve done
 -          Victimized(Recharged)
  
 Ayako Ishikawa
 -          Never ending story
 -          *千本**桜*
  
 Aimer
 -          Cold sun –live version –
 -          Dawn album
 -          After dark album
  
 Yoyo Ma
 -          Bach cello suites
  
 The Dark Night rises album.


----------



## sheldaze

aoiziptw said:


> Spoiler: Click to view original post...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks for your inputs! I'd hardly heard of RSA until recently. The RSA Protector looks like an outstanding box. I agree with you, bass was the first thing I heard from the Denon headphones through the DPHD. I never felt it crossed the line of too much bass, but I definitely preferred the sound from my less-bassy HiFiMan headphones. In comparison with my JDS Labs Element, I agree I lost some of the size of the soundstage too. But the sound is still tidy and detailed, though on the smaller stage.
  
 Your soundtrack list looks interesting too. I'm going to have to look up some of those songs - thanks!


----------



## sheldaze

I'm starting to try using the line out option, but neither position (gain on low or high, with volume knob set to maximum) seems quite right to me. Per the instructions, using the low gain with maximum volume, seems too low. And the other gain option seems too high. I'll stick with what the instructions recommend, but I do need to change the volume significantly when switching between my headphone amplifier's internal DAC and the CEntrance, or simply switching to a different DAC for comparison.
  
 EDIT: I'm also noting an improved sound through my external amplifier, specific to certain headphones. There's clarity without perceived stress on my ears. I'll take note of these headphones and use for later amplifier comparison.


----------



## doublea71

I used it for awhile with my Mad Dog 3.2s and it was a little bright for my tastes, a bit sibilant. I've never heard these headphones sound that way, so I'm hoping there is some level of burn-in for the HD.


----------



## sheldaze

doublea71 said:


> I used it for awhile with my Mad Dog 3.2s and it was a little bright for my tastes, a bit sibilant. I've never heard these headphones sound that way, so I'm hoping there is some level of burn-in for the HD.


 
 Well, I've not had my Audeze EL-8 headphones for long, so I'm just getting used to the sound signature (and deciding if these are to keep). But key is they've been bright on the CEntrance, and immediately calmed back down on the external amplifier.
  
 I heard the Mad Dog Alphas at a recent meet - I did not think anything from Mr. Speakers was considered bright.


----------



## doublea71

sheldaze said:


> Well, I've not had my Audeze EL-8 headphones for long, so I'm just getting used to the sound signature (and deciding if these are to keep). But key is they've been bright on the CEntrance, and immediately calmed back down on the external amplifier.
> 
> I heard the Mad Dog Alphas at a recent meet - I did not think anything from Mr. Speakers was considered bright.


 

 Yeah, it made me think about upgrading from the Mad Dogs for the first time, but it is probably the HD that would need to go. Maybe I'll just use it for IEMs - no problems there so far.


----------



## Klonatans

sheldaze said:


> Well, I've not had my Audeze EL-8 headphones for long, so I'm just getting used to the sound signature (and deciding if these are to keep). But key is they've been bright on the CEntrance, and immediately calmed back down on the external amplifier.
> 
> I heard the Mad Dog Alphas at a recent meet - I did not think anything from Mr. Speakers was considered bright.




I have both DACPort HD and Alpha Primes and didn't observe any sibilance/brightness issues. Besides I believe there is nothing in DAC that can be burned in.


----------



## sheldaze

klonatans said:


> I have both DACPort HD and Alpha Primes and didn't observe any sibilance/brightness issues. Besides I believe there is nothing in DAC that can be burned in.


 
 I'll tackle each sentence separately 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I heard the Alpha Prime and the Audeze EL-8 at a recent meet. I was fortunate to be able to listen both on my amp and DAC, and really did not find any issues with either in my setup. The Audeze was brighter, but was also a pleasure - thus I bought it for use on travel. Today, I found the EL-8 to sound much sweeter at home when I plugged into the same amplifier as I used at the meet. However when using the amplifier in the CEntrance DACport HD, it sounded bright to my ears. So I was comparing the brightness I heard with the brightness @doublea71 heard through his Mad Dogs.
  
 Burn-in is a very personal thing, so I'm not going to doubt what people have or have not heard. With some of the recent R2R DAC, I've heard burn-in. With a recent Delta-Sigma DAC I purchased, I am not so sure what I heard was burn-in as much as it may have simply been getting the DAC up to room temperature. Again with reference to the comments from @doublea71
 I would never advise someone against at least giving burn-in a try 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 ---
  
 So I think I agree with you, for the most part, because I heard no sibilance on most of my headphones - except my EL-8. And I will need to focus more closely on the treble and compare it with other playback options. Perhaps the EL-8 is simply close to being too bright, and the CEntrance takes it over the edge for my ears? I do not think it is a DAC issue, but more of an amplifier difference between my desktop amplifier and the USB-powered amplifier in the CEntrance. I could also try to run in through my Wyrd to see if it is not getting sufficient power from my laptop. Last, I'll definitely compare it using many more headphones. I'm nowhere near a conclusion, other than the treble is too sharp for my ears when run from the CEntrance straight into the EL-8.


----------



## nonverbal

Hi,first time been at this thread 
 I bought Dacport HD too,and compare it with my current setup(FIIO E17/Chord Toucan Blue,both as USB DAC and amp)
 Compare with this ytwo(Especially with E17),sonic resolution and image I found is slightly better with my DT990 PRO,but a little brighter than E17 too(When DT990 PRO paired with the other two,I never found any sibilance problem with my ear)

 And compare to Dragonfly 2.0,I think Dacport HD is better.
  
 I use these USB DAC through Jriver Media Center,and under CEtrance ASIO Driver I cant play red book (44.1khz)tracks,so I choose to use Wasapi and it works.
 Use my Xperia Z with USB OTG Function,no problem so far.
  
  
 English is not my native language(Actually,I live in Taiwan),and I plan to do more comparision with other setup with those main stream setup(such as schiiit stacks....etc...)
 Hope this helps.


----------



## sheldaze

nonverbal said:


> Hi,first time been at this thread
> I bought Dacport HD too,and compare it with my current setup(FIIO E17/Chord Toucan Blue,both as USB DAC and amp)
> Compare with this ytwo(Especially with E17),sonic resolution and image I found is slightly better with my DT990 PRO,but a little brighter than E17 too(When DT990 PRO paired with the other two,I never found any sibilance problem with my ear)
> 
> ...


 
 Thanks for posting! If you have a 3.5mm TRS to RCA cable, you could connect the DACport HD straight into your Schiit amplifier. It would be interesting to hear how the amp in your Schiit stack compares with the amp in the DACport HD.
  
 I think there are a number of people who started their listening with the DragonFly, and why not? It's a great baseline. But I had to eventually sell mine - it just did not sound as smooth to my ears as anything else I had, including the much cheaper Schiit Fulla. What I'm currently trying to find is a good balance between a smooth and accurate DAC (i.e. Meridian Explorer2 or HRT microStreamer) and a strong amplifier (i.e. Apogee Groove or LH Labs Geek Out V2).


----------



## AlterSack

hoth said:


> I have had some more time with the DPHD to give some impressions.  I have only tried it only through my Oppo's which are good all around headphones and not as power hungry as other planars.  I have not listened to any of my DSDs yet.  I do agree that the sound is about in the ballpark of the FIIO offerings with a tendency towards brightness and good detail.  I have a/b'ed against a Ressonessence Herus and FIIO E18.  The Herus does win handily in most areas, however it is double the price.  For some reason there are some driver issues with the DPHD (such as hash noise when used as a system device unless using Jriver output directly to the DPHD, having to reboot my computer if I switch the audio output from the DPHD and try to switch it back, general instability with the DPHD as a system device) which is unfortunate but I hope it is rectified in the future with the new drivers.  I can still hear the DPHD struggling through the PM2's in bassier passages but for the $150 Massdrop price tag I think it's a very worthwhile unit and easy to travel with.


 

 I am not sure if You really have the HD - I believe Michael Goodman wrote on Indiegogo that You could get the HD only at Indiegogo and buying it over massdrop would get You the DacPort Slim (which is technically identical but has a weaker amp or so. ( I need to look it up to be sure)


----------



## hoth

altersack said:


> I am not sure if You really have the HD - I believe Michael Goodman wrote on Indiegogo that You could get the HD only at Indiegogo and buying it over massdrop would get You the DacPort Slim (which is technically identical but has a weaker amp or so. ( I need to look it up to be sure)



I got mine directly from Centrance. The box says Dacport HD and on the Dacport it also says HD.


----------



## AlterSack

hoth said:


> I got mine directly from Centrance. The box says Dacport HD and on the Dacport it also says HD.


 

 Ah - ok.  That is different then, on massdrop You couldn't get the HD.


----------



## nonverbal

sheldaze said:


> Thanks for posting! If you have a 3.5mm TRS to RCA cable, you could connect the DACport HD straight into your Schiit amplifier. It would be interesting to hear how the amp in your Schiit stack compares with the amp in the DACport HD.
> 
> I think there are a number of people who started their listening with the DragonFly, and why not? It's a great baseline. But I had to eventually sell mine - it just did not sound as smooth to my ears as anything else I had, including the much cheaper Schiit Fulla. What I'm currently trying to find is a good balance between a smooth and accurate DAC (i.e. Meridian Explorer2 or HRT microStreamer) and a strong amplifier (i.e. Apogee Groove or LH Labs Geek Out V2).


 
 Yes, I have AudioQuest 3.5mmTRS to RCA adaptor,and if I have leisure time I'm going to give it a try.I think Schiit amps has better value,compare to their DACs,so it'll become interesting ,to do some direct compare.

 Dragonfly surely is a good starting point,but portable DACs become popular and getting improved time by time,so Dragonfly isnt as popular as before.
 And,if you dont insist on using one-piece-gear,I think you can use combo such as Dacport HD(as DAC)+FIIO E12.
 These gears you mentioned above cant really suit your demand at this pricepoint,though.


----------



## MilhouseV

I was finally able to spend a bit more time with DACport HD and various set-ups.  First of all, there is a marked improvement in quality of amplification when the device is connected via Schiit Wyrd - but that only means that my source's USB power isn't up to snuff, so individual results may vary.  Low frequencies become more articulated, and highs are a little more balanced.  With that said, it is still no match for a full-size dedicated amp - but for a lighter-sized device, it is quite an achievement.  Not sure if there will be much improvement between the amp in FiiO E12 and a properly powered DACportHD - and their specs are quite comparable - but E12 is much better suited for on-the-go use due to built-in battery.
  
 Brightness appears to start with a more detailed DAC presentation of AK4490, and gets exacerbated by difficult to drive headphones which have tendencies for sibilance.  At the same time, better power source helps - so Wyrd helped reign in high frequency spikes of Beyerdynamic T1, which at 600ohm had no trouble whatsoever being driven by the  DACport HD.  About half of the volume on max gain was sufficient - so there is quite a bit of power reserve in this little unit.  Beyerdynamic T5p also faired better when connected to a Wyrd-DACportHD chain - except for these it was mostly improvements in the low frequency region, where T5p lacks significantly under weak amplification.
  
 So far, my main concern is the line-out use case, with the device's output level significantly below standard 2V peak.
  
 It is definitely a great starter device, easily displacing Dragonfly on my list of recommendations for someone who just enters high-end audio world, and is looking for DSD / DXD capable unit.


----------



## nonverbal

milhousev said:


> I was finally able to spend a bit more time with DACport HD and various set-ups.  First of all, there is a marked improvement in quality of amplification when the device is connected via Schiit Wyrd - but that only means that my source's USB power isn't up to snuff, so individual results may vary.  Low frequencies become more articulated, and highs are a little more balanced.  With that said, it is still no match for a full-size dedicated amp - but for a lighter-sized device, it is quite an achievement.  Not sure if there will be much improvement between the amp in FiiO E12 and a properly powered DACportHD - and their specs are quite comparable - but E12 is much better suited for on-the-go use due to built-in battery.
> 
> Brightness appears to start with a more detailed DAC presentation of AK4490, and gets exacerbated by difficult to drive headphones which have tendencies for sibilance.  At the same time, better power source helps - so Wyrd helped reign in high frequency spikes of Beyerdynamic T1, which at 600ohm had no trouble whatsoever being driven by the  DACport HD.  About half of the volume on max gain was sufficient - so there is quite a bit of power reserve in this little unit.  Beyerdynamic T5p also faired better when connected to a Wyrd-DACportHD chain - except for these it was mostly improvements in the low frequency region, where T5p lacks significantly under weak amplification.
> 
> ...


 
 Yes,the spec of E12 indiacte that Dacport HD can be comparable to it,so it'll be interesting to do direct compare.
 And...I dont have E12 by my side,but can borrow one from my friend  Cant wait to do some direct comparation.

 Actually I use my Dacport HD through usb hubs,but I just read manual of Dacport HD,and it says that Centrance doesnt recommend use HD on usb hubs...Ooooooops,my bad.
  
 I use it on my notebook's usb port, no problem so far.
 And I can use Dacport HD with my Xperia Z by On-The-Go function!
 Consider the price,I highly recommend Dacport HD.


----------



## Klonatans

Just received and paid a Customs invoice (39 EUR) from FEDEX. Taking into account also the pretty high price of delivery it doesn't seem that affordable anymore.


----------



## nonverbal

Today I do some comparison between Dacport HD and HIFI-M8(sorry not with Schiit stacks,my schiit modi has some problem),
 use Sennheiser HD650 for auditioning.

 HD650 is......yes,relatively dark headphone when underpowered.
 It performs well under these two,with Dacport HD the sound stage is smaller,detail retrieval(Dac section)is close to HIFI-M8(but line output into other amplifer is significantly below 2V),but amplifer section....I dont think Dacport HD can really compare with HIFI-M8;there's a gap between these two(Consider the price gap,it's reasonable,though.)

 Now I really want to compare Dacport HD with Apogee Groove and Geekout V2,anyone has experience with them?


----------



## sheldaze

nonverbal said:


> Now I really want to compare *DACport HD* with *Apogee Groove* and *GeekOut V2*, anyone has experience with them?


 
 I have all three. I definitely plan to do an extensive write-up. However I'm still trying to find my personal preferred sound - makes it easier to do the write-up by stating things like more forward, relaxed, etc. relative to a sound.
  
 I have not listened to all three with the HD650, but here's my brief comparison:
  
*Apogee Groove* is a current amplifier. It feeds its power into headphones quite differently from the other two AMP/DAC. I find with heavy loads, such as the HD650, it truly shines. If you think the HD650 is veiled, try it again on the Groove. It may change your mind. However if your headphone is already easy to drive, you may its sound to be peculiar. It tends to solve impedance issues, but it also tends to break things where there was no issue to be solved. In terms of the DAC, it is the least resolving of the three. That is not to say there is plenty of detail - there is! It's just a nice, relaxed sound, easy to listen to for many hours on end.
  
*DACport HD* in many ways sits between the other two AMP/DAC. It is certainly not as much detail as the GeekOut V2, but I personally think it is the right amount of detail. Everything is "available" but not pressed against your face, kind of detail. The amp works perfectly well with all kinds of headphones. Like the GeekOut V2, it has a gain setting. I feel there is a slight upper treble push, and have yet to isolate this to the DAC or the AMP. That is, if your headphones already have a lot of treble energy, this may not make for the best pairing. The bass is quite strong too, but I found no issues on even my strongest bass headphones. The fault that I would point out, if any, is a slightly constricted sense of soundstage. The details are there and plentiful, but they don't seem to stretch out particularly far.
  
*GeekOut V2* is a popular AMP/DAC, for good reason. It has a great amplifier and a fantastic Sabre 9018 DAC. The detail and soundstage are plentiful. However I have a very personal opinion with regards to the DAC chip, which is my ears quickly grow tired. I have this same DAC chip in an Oppo BDP-105, and my ears grow quickly tired of it too. Most people love it, and I think the implementation here at the price point is just fantastic. Definitely give the GeekOut V2 a listen for yourself. If you love it, you'll really love it!
  
 I will re-visit your question using the HD650. I have only listened to the Groove connected to my HD650.
  
 EDIT: My view points do not change based on my listening session using the HD650 on all three, however having a headphone in mind does allow for a personal ranking. To my ears, the DACport HD is third place. Its smaller soundstage and increased bass do not help my ears to punch through to the strength of HD650 sound. Switching to the GeekOut V2, I so much _want_ to like it - perhaps you will. I still hear those high frequency digital artifacts. The Groove would be my choice for the HD650. It has an amplifier that in many ways compensates for the lack of digital detail, taking complete hold over the HD650. It has a good soundstage. And its sound is relaxed, such that I just want to immerse myself into it. Listening to Baker Baker by Tori Amos as I write this. She sounds the most present and real to me when listening to her on the Groove.


----------



## nonverbal

sheldaze said:


> I have all three. I definitely plan to do an extensive write-up. However I'm still trying to find my personal preferred sound - makes it easier to do the write-up by stating things like more forward, relaxed, etc. relative to a sound.
> 
> I have not listened to all three with the HD650, but here's my brief comparison:
> 
> ...


 
 Great!Actually I've heard Apogee Groove with planars(quite good,but I'm really unfamiliar with LCDs and Hifimans)but not with HD650,and it's not easy to heard those Geeks here.
 I think I'm gonna to give Apogee Groove a try.

 And my view with Dacport HD is just the same with yours-On high-gain setting it'll become too bright with my taste,and slightly condensed soundstage.

 Looking forward to your thought on HD650s with Dacport HD!


----------



## sheldaze

I truly want to write many, many reviews. Only I have no point of reference. Your suggestion to use the HD650 certainly helps 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 But then everything sounds different on my Denon AH-D2000, and different on my Audeze EL-8, and different on my HiFiMan HE-1000. So I'm still working towards a good desktop rig, for comparison to these mobile units. Then perhaps I can get down to pen and paper 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
  
 To my ears, the Groove knocks it out of the park on the HD650 headphones.


----------



## aerosuffly

So do this have native DSD support for real? If so, up to what resolution? DSD64? DSD128? I could not find any information on their website or this forum.
  
 I have Audioengine D3 and is looking for an upgrade.


----------



## MilhouseV

aerosuffly said:


> So do this have native DSD support for real? If so, up to what resolution? DSD64? DSD128? I could not find any information on their website or this forum.
> 
> I have Audioengine D3 and is looking for an upgrade.


 

  Yes, this device supports direct decoding of DSD stream up to DSD128.  The DAC chip itself does support even higher rate, and has a direct bypass capability for DSD stream - however, the current limit of DSD128 may be due to maximum bitrate of 384k / 32 bit in PCM mode, which is used to deliver encapsulated DSD (DoP, aka DSD over PCM).​


----------



## sheldaze

milhousev said:


> Yes, this device supports direct decoding of DSD stream up to DSD128.  The DAC chip itself does support even higher rate, and has a direct bypass capability for DSD stream - however, the current limit of DSD128 may be due to maximum bitrate of 384k / 32 bit in PCM mode, which is used to deliver encapsulated DSD (DoP, aka DSD over PCM).​


 
 What is the DAC chip? I've forgotten and was in the middle of looking that up. I also was not certain it did DSD128. I know it does at least DSD64, but was trying to find the DAC chip specs.


----------



## MilhouseV

sheldaze said:


> What is the DAC chip? I've forgotten and was in the middle of looking that up. I also was not certain it did DSD128. I know it does at least DSD64, but was trying to find the DAC chip specs.


 
 The chip in DACport HD is Asahi Kasei AK4490.  The same DAC chip is utilized on the new Schiit Bitfrost, recently released TEAC UD-503 and Astell & Kern AK380 - among many others.
  
 I was able to play back DSD 5.6 files with no conversion (except DoP encapsulation) from PC - but that appears to be the limit of DACport HD.  TEAC UD-503 does support DSD 11.2 (DSD256) - but that's a different animal, which is also capable of upconverting all of incoming PCM to DSD 11.2


----------



## petrovsky13

Hey guys,
  
 does anyone know line out settings for this tiny dac? I assume it is low gain full volume, any ideas?


----------



## Hi-Fi EDU

Yes, turning the volume knob to max volume at low-gain configures it for line-out function.


----------



## sheldaze

Has anyone tried this with one of the USB-cleanup products? I am starting to suspect much of my initial assessment was flawed by a crappy USB source. And I've still yet to come across a good laptop recommendation, before I purchase my next computer.
  
 Back to topic - I hear none of the high frequency glare or aggressiveness I heard initially, now that I am playing through a clean USB pathway.


----------



## MilhouseV

I tried mine through Wyrd and iFi iUSB, with either device DACportHD shows an improvement.  However, it is more pronounced with Wyrd, which seems to indicate that either my USB source quality is not up to par (which is likely, as I am using a rather dated laptop), or this DAC's USB chipset is quite sensitive to source.  In any case, extra power in my case definitely improves bass quality and addresses some of the harshness in the high frequency region.


----------



## sheldaze

My laptop is also old - approaching 8 years. I own a Wyrd, but did not use it for the DACport HD. I just recently bought a REGEN, which has transformed the sound tremendously to my ears. But as you said (and I paraphrase):
  
 It depends.
  
 Not all my USB DAC/AMP are improved by the REGEN. So obviously, there is a little more sensitivity to having a good source for the DACport HD.
  
 Thanks for your reply!


----------



## nonverbal

It depends on the headphones you use with Dacport HD,with HD6x0s I didnt feel naughty with the treble,with DT990s(including Premium ver. and PRO ver.) there are some.Paired it with Schiit Wyrd and become much better on treble and contrllable bass.

 Haven't try USB regen though.I condsider buying a set and AOC optical USB cable with it.


----------



## sheldaze

I'm using AKG K7XX at the moment - I do switch. But because I started listening to a few other USB DAC/AMP with the AKG, I think I'll try to stick to it for now.


----------



## fishyee

I found the Dacport HD to be quite neutral. The detail is there but not in your face. The treble behaves nicely when the HD is paired with my Philips X2.

My laptop setup: Dell XT3 (Separate USB Hub) - Foobar2000 (ASIO) - Anker Powerline USB - Dacport HD - Philips X2.

This link may help you with your USB problems if you are on Windows.
https://www.native-instruments.com/en/support/knowledge-base/show/3671/windows-78-tuning-tips-for-audio-processing/


----------



## nonverbal

Actually,I have tuned my Windows accoring to that article...uh,yes it did work
 I think the slightly treble-boost on my Dacport HD is totally another thing,especially after I use it with Wyrd...
 I guess  the problem is due to my laptop(Lenovo Thinkpad X201i)usb-powered bus is not stable,maybe I'll replace my power supply.
 During this time,I wont remove Wyrd from my laptop setup 

 I mainly use Dacport HD on my blue-tooth and active speaker setup now...and it's quite amazing,better performance than my previous NOS DAC(build with TDA1541),more dynamics and detail,ad totally not bright with speakers.


----------



## JerseyD

I'm surprised by the lack of love for the DACport HD here on Head-Fi. Been doing head to head dongle-dac battles and have found the DACport HD beats the Dragonfly 1.2 and the AudioEngine D3, both in clarity and sheer power to drive difficult headphones. Is it that CEntrance is just a smaller under-the-radar company? Thoughts?


----------



## vtkc

jerseyd said:


> I'm surprised by the lack of love for the DACport HD here on Head-Fi. Been doing head to head dongle-dac battles and have found the DACport HD beats the Dragonfly 1.2 and the AudioEngine D3, both in clarity and sheer power to drive difficult headphones. Is it that CEntrance is just a smaller under-the-radar company? Thoughts?




I agree with you that the DACPort HD is not getting enough love as it should have. I still use it to listen some of my music even though I use primarily my Onkyo DP-X1 dap. Although it have a smaller soundstage stage as compared to dp-x1, it is still a good DAC for its price and function.


----------



## stimy

jerseyd said:


> I'm surprised by the lack of love for the DACport HD here on Head-Fi. Been doing head to head dongle-dac battles and have found the DACport HD beats the Dragonfly 1.2 and the AudioEngine D3, both in clarity and sheer power to drive difficult headphones. Is it that CEntrance is just a smaller under-the-radar company? Thoughts?


 
 I completely agree also.... I love my HD paired with my Noble K10s. I purchased the dragonfly I wound up sending it back, just didn't live up to the hype. I try something the other night it was pretty crazy I put my HD in high gain and attach my DT 880 600ohm headphones to it. I was amazed at the output they sounded incredible coming from this little device. Of course it instantly became a hand warmer. I have recently set up a new portable rig with an old Samsung galaxy S5 with the DACport HD attached to it, and I love it!! I purchased an extended battery for the phone so I can get all day use out of it. I love playing Tidal and having a nice interface to mess with. Yo check it below.....
  
 Sterling


----------



## francoamerican

sheldaze said:


> I'm starting to try using the line out option, but neither position (gain on low or high, with volume knob set to maximum) seems quite right to me. Per the instructions, using the low gain with maximum volume, seems too low. And the other gain option seems too high.




I agree in my system - low gain is too low for line level. If i understand correctly, dbu 14.5 / 4.1 vrms ( what the dacport hd is on high gain) is 8 db greater than a 2 vrms standard cd output (so a bit hot) 

If low gain is 20 db less does that mean its outputting only .411 vrms? 

My creek amp has a minimum sensitivity 410 mv and max of 5.4 vrms and the high gain is much better i think. 

The dacport slim is probably better a bit at 2.9v for use in a typical speaker system i think. But its still 3.25 db hot 

The thing is theres so little noise its still sounds great. 

I could be wrong about all this.


----------



## sheldaze

francoamerican said:


> I agree in my system - low gain is too low for line level. If i understand correctly, dbu 14.5 / 4.1 vrms ( what the dacport hd is on high gain) is 8 db greater than a 2 vrms standard cd output (so a bit hot)
> 
> If low gain is 20 db less does that mean its outputting only .411 vrms?
> 
> ...


 
 Brooko has some really good threads on reviews and measurements and such. I'd probably head there, and will do myself when I have some more time.
  
 All I know today is the CEntrance DACport and Skyn products are really good 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 I have USB computer issues, which were stopping me from hearing the full potential of the DACport HD.
  
 And regarding the line-level volume, on the Skyn it has a third volume level. So on DACport HD, it only has high and low. Using basically the same hardware in the Skyn, they add a third medium level for line-out, which when set to maximum produces the correct voltage for line-level.


----------



## francoamerican

I got this to work with my nexus 5x with just a usb c to usb micro cable!
  
 Very nice


----------



## innaterebel

Is a reboot definitely necessary after driver installation on Windows, or is it conditional?


----------



## Geraffe

stimy said:


> jerseyd said:
> 
> 
> > I'm surprised by the lack of love for the DACport HD here on Head-Fi. Been doing head to head dongle-dac battles and have found the DACport HD beats the Dragonfly 1.2 and the AudioEngine D3, both in clarity and sheer power to drive difficult headphones. Is it that CEntrance is just a smaller under-the-radar company? Thoughts?
> ...


 
 Nice setup. Would you mind sharing where you got that small OTG cable? i have been searching for it everywhere. Would like to try it with my Galaxy S4, with the new 5800MaH battery.


----------



## wondroushippo

I gotta say, the DACport HD works pretty well on iOS once you get the USB 3 Camera Adapter. What once was unwieldy to use on the go (I used a portable hub with a USB y-cable into a portable battery to get it working with the CCK) is now a lot easier, for sure. 

BTW, does anyone use this as a DAC with an external amp? The output level is way too low for me on low level cranked to max. I try to use it with my O2 at home configured to 1x/3.3x gain, I believe, and I have to turn my volume up higher with IEMs, and my Q701 run out of headroom on max gain. I emailed CEntrance and they said I'd be fine at high gain maxed out if my amp doesn't overload, or finding a good volume level, but is this not bypassing the headphone amp like I presume it is on low gain max volume?


----------



## sheldaze

wondroushippo said:


> I gotta say, the DACport HD works pretty well on iOS once you get the USB 3 Camera Adapter. What once was unwieldy to use on the go (I used a portable hub with a USB y-cable into a portable battery to get it working with the CCK) is now a lot easier, for sure.
> 
> BTW, does anyone use this as a DAC with an external amp? The output level is way too low for me on low level cranked to max. I try to use it with my O2 at home configured to 1x/3.3x gain, I believe, and I have to turn my volume up higher with IEMs, and my Q701 run out of headroom on max gain. I emailed CEntrance and they said I'd be fine at high gain maxed out if my amp doesn't overload, or finding a good volume level, but is this not bypassing the headphone amp like I presume it is on low gain max volume?


 
 The USB 3 Camera Adapter is a recent, pleasant find for me too! I heard sonic anomalies when plugged directly into my computer, so I was using a REGEN - also a bit cumbersome. The DAC and AMP are good, but they really benefit from a clean source. And I too am finding the new adapter from Apple to be plenty clean to my ears!
  
 I was a little bummed regarding the line-level output. It seems that the lower power DACport Slim measures correctly, per the instructions of how to obtain line-level. I tried following the instructions on both low and high level on the DACport HD, and could not get a line-level output. In their Skÿn project, which I believe uses the same AMP technology as the DACport HD, there is a high, low, and _medium_ level of output. It is the medium level that is used for line-level output.
  
 Sorry - not posting a solution. I'm just agreeing with you with regards to line-level


----------



## AndySPb

Anyone tried dacport hd with fostex x massdrop th-x00 headphones? Can you post dope comments on synergy?


----------



## sheldaze

andyspb said:


> Anyone tried dacport hd with fostex x massdrop th-x00 headphones? Can you post dope comments on synergy?


 
 I saw your post in the other thread. Unfortunately I don't remember it 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




 And definitely TH-X00 on m9XX was just incredible - really good pairing there 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 However, I'm attending a mini-meet this upcoming weekend. I'll be sure to bring my DACport and listen to the TH-X00 there.


----------



## AndySPb

sheldaze said:


> I saw your post in the other thread. Unfortunately I don't remember it :blink:
> And definitely TH-X00 on m9XX was just incredible - really good pairing there
> 
> However, I'm attending a mini-meet this upcoming weekend. I'll be sure to bring my DACport and listen to the TH-X00 there.



Thanks a lot, can't wait for your comments =)


----------



## wondroushippo

sheldaze said:


> The USB 3 Camera Adapter is a recent, pleasant find for me too! I heard sonic anomalies when plugged directly into my computer, so I was using a REGEN - also a bit cumbersome. The DAC and AMP are good, but they really benefit from a clean source. And I too am finding the new adapter from Apple to be plenty clean to my ears!
> 
> I was a little bummed regarding the line-level output. It seems that the lower power DACport Slim measures correctly, per the instructions of how to obtain line-level. I tried following the instructions on both low and high level on the DACport HD, and could not get a line-level output. In their Skÿn project, which I believe uses the same AMP technology as the DACport HD, there is a high, low, and _medium_ level of output. It is the medium level that is used for line-level output.
> 
> Sorry - not posting a solution. I'm just agreeing with you with regards to line-level


 
 Well, at least knowing I'm not crazy here helps out a lot. I'm a bit disappointed as having that line level flexibility was part of why I bought it. Admittedly, got it for $130 used, and I bet I could offload it for minimal loss, but still not bad. I'm just impatient for the Dragonfly Red, really.
  
 And while I need to test at home in a quiet environment, I notice constant noise in my Etymotic ER4PT from my laptop, and I don't think I heard it when I go through a USB battery and the new camera adapter but I was at a busy Starbucks at the time so it might not have been heard anyway.


----------



## sheldaze

andyspb said:


> Thanks a lot, can't wait for your comments =)


 
 Good mini-meet was had - plenty of time to get around to all the things we each wanted to hear.
  
 TH-X00 were simply sitting waiting for me to have a listen. In short, I am looking forward to the return of TH-X00 in the form of the new Purpleheart. The TH-X00 at the meet sounded quite good on the DACport HD. I would almost say they sounded better than on the HiFi-Skyn, but that's probably just form factor - more to do with the easy to control volume on the DACport and the digital volume control on the Skyn.


----------



## Geraffe

I can`t get it to work with OTG. I have tried with two phones and two cables. I only hear a clicking noise.
  
 Anyone?


----------



## sheldaze

geraffe said:


> I can`t get it to work with OTG. I have tried with two phones and two cables. I only hear a clicking noise.
> 
> Anyone?


 
 Needs sufficient power. At the event today, it would still not function without power from USB power brick into lightning to USB cable.
  
 If you're running Android, you may also need to use third party software, like UAPP.
  
 When I asked the folks at CEntrance, many moths ago, they said it should work. But they also said it would likely require a powered USB hub. So you might try a USB hub first, if you're unsure that the basic connection and phone software is correctly setup.


----------



## Geraffe

sheldaze said:


> geraffe said:
> 
> 
> > I can`t get it to work with OTG. I have tried with two phones and two cables. I only hear a clicking noise.
> ...


 
 Thanks sheldaze. Yes, i`m running Android. One of my OTG cables has a connection for external power. I`ll see if i can find a cable to connect it with a power brick or a power bank.
  
  
 Edit update: Tried to connect the external power lead to a 5V 1.5A charger, and still no go. 
  
 OTG works great with my Pro-Ject Headbox S USB, so i wonder what i am doing wrong???


----------



## eeagle

I was away from the home music server I use for my flac files with my Centrance DACportHD.

I decided to stream some music from the Amazon Music app I have on my Windows 10 Laptop, and found the music tries to start playing, but immediately stops. 

Amazon Music streaming works fine w/HPs plugged into HP out Laptop jack, or using another USB DAC/Amp I have (Roland Mobile UA).

Did try playing the audio from some other sources like YouTube and DACport streaming works fine.

Any ideas on how to make the DACportHD work with Amazon Music?

I am using the Latest driver BETA , Rev. 7.9.6 Posted: 2016-Apr-07 for Windows 10 from the Centronics site, installed using the suggested Centronics procedure.


----------



## fishyee

eeagle said:


> I was away from the home music server I use for my flac files with my Centrance DACportHD.
> 
> I decided to stream some music from the Amazon Music app I have on my Windows 10 Laptop, and found the music tries to start playing, but immediately stops.
> 
> ...


 
  
 I'm using a Dacport HD (Driver 7.9.6) with Amazon Music without problems.  Windows 10 Pro.  It works fine on foobar too.
  
 The beta has specific uninstall / install instructions.  Basically, you have to uninstall the driver from the Windows Device Manager.  Give it a try.


----------



## eeagle

Thanks I must have incorrectly installed the new driver.
  
 Did another uninstall and new install according to the Centrance instructions.
  
 Interestingly when it finished this time the README said it was VERSION 8.0 2016-04-12  ...  but the ABOUT on the icon shows Driver: version 7.9.6 (04/12/2016)
  
 The good news is that all my audio sources are now working properly 
  
 I have several Big Box Classical pieces on Amazon Music that sound amazingly well using the DACport HD ... I will still stick with my HiRes Flac collection for serious listening


----------



## fishyee

Glad you go it to work!  The Dacport HD is a little gem, for sure.


----------



## freakyfriday

Hey Sheldaze, any long-term testing notes on the pairing of the dacport HD and the AKG K7XX? I just picked up these cans and would like to get a portable DAC for my Microsoft Surface 3.
  
 Thanks!


----------



## doublea71

I can't speak to that pairing, but I really like this thing. I've never had a problem with it and finally tried some DSD recordings with it, and they sound great - a combination of supreme resolution, fullness of sound and a lack of any harshness. It may be due to the way things were recorded, so I don't actually know where to attribute what I'm hearing.


----------



## sheldaze

freakyfriday said:


> Hey Sheldaze, any long-term testing notes on the pairing of the dacport HD and the AKG K7XX? I just picked up these cans and would like to get a portable DAC for my Microsoft Surface 3.
> 
> Thanks!


 
 I also cannot speak to the pairing - my favorite of the AKG headphones was the one I still own, the K702. I could certainly give it a spin on my DACportable, which is basically just the HD with a battery and bass/treble controls. The battery frees you to use any source of your choosing, such as a smart phone, which might not provide enough power into the DACport HD.
  
 In generally, the CEntrance products are balanced! I don't mean XLR and such - just balanced sound. They produce plenty of bass, but without any loss of high frequency details. They are a hair warmer than GeekOut, but that product did not do well for me. It seemed to be trying too hard to replace a true desktop system, but did not have the easy power characteristics of a true desktop system. The CEntrance products, and the HRT microStreamer, to me sounded more balanced - never trying to replace a desktop system, and producing a more balanced, listanble sound at the limits.


----------



## eeagle

freakyfriday said:


> Hey Sheldaze, any long-term testing notes on the pairing of the dacport HD and the AKG K7XX? I just picked up these cans and would like to get a portable DAC for my Microsoft Surface 3.
> 
> Thanks!


 
 I've used the DACport HD with my K7xx.  You can't go to far wrong with a Asahi Kasei AK4490 DAC chip (the same DAC chip is utilized on the new Schiit Bitfrost, recently released TEAC UD-503, Grace m9XX, and Astell & Kern AK380 - among many others)..  The DACport HD handles pretty much everything I have thrown at it and handles them well.
  
 Bear in mind that the Amp in the HD is Direct Class-A (no caps in the signal path) so it runs hot and requires a lot of energy even at idle, so not the best for a battery powered device.  I use it when listening to music, and unplug when not.
  
 I have also used a Meridian Explorer with my K7xx and it too does an excellent job and runs a lot cooler.  It also has LEDs that show the bit rate of files being played.


----------



## U-3C

Has anyone used this with sensitive IEMs?

Any noticeable hiss? A complaint people had a while ago with the DACport Slim is that it has a high noise floor.

Also, anyone using the DACport HD as a line out device?

Thanks in advance.


----------



## sheldaze

u-3c said:


> Has anyone used this with sensitive IEMs?
> 
> Any noticeable hiss? A complaint people had a while ago with the DACport Slim is that it has a high noise floor.
> 
> ...


 
 One of the issues with line out on the DACport HD is the instructions were made for the DACport Slim. The amplifier in the HD is stronger (higher volume) than the Slim. Thus I was never able to get accurate line out level at either high or low gain, per the instruction to set the volume as maximum. Though the sound was clean.
  
 I do not have IEM. I read, during the development, that an upgraded amplifier was utilized in the HD. I may be recalling incorrectly, but I think it had both lower noise floor and higher volume output. But you'd best read an impression from someone who has listened to it with IEM. Perhaps you can ask in this thread, where the Slim and HD were compared:
  
http://www.head-fi.org/t/819477/canjam-london-2016-experience-and-multi-product-reviews


----------



## Klonatans

u-3c said:


> Has anyone used this with sensitive IEMs?
> 
> Any noticeable hiss? A complaint people had a while ago with the DACport Slim is that it has a high noise floor.
> 
> ...


 

 I just tried my Centrance DACPort HD with DUNU 2000J that are very sensitive IEMs and I can confirm that the hiss is noticeable on high gain.


----------



## U-3C

klonatans said:


> I just tried my Centrance DACPort HD with DUNU 2000J that are very sensitive IEMs and I can confirm that the hiss is noticeable on high gain.




I see. Thanks!


----------



## makmeksam

How does DACport HD/Slim sound compared to Schiit Fulla? Especially in terms of soundstage and neutrality (I saw some said DACport HD/Slim is bit bright in previous posts)?


----------



## U-3C

samiyuru said:


> How does DACport HD/Slim sound compared to Schiit Fulla? Especially in terms of soundstage and neutrality (I saw some said DACport HD/Slim is bit bright in previous posts)?




The DACport should be CEntrance's signature sound: dead neutral... 

I've seen posts talking about it being bright, and I've seen equal amounts (maybe even a bit more?) of posts saying its warm... 

It's literally as neutral as it can get. 

0.0


----------



## makmeksam

u-3c said:


> I've seen posts talking about it being bright, and I've seen equal amounts (maybe even a bit more?) of posts saying its warm...
> 
> It's literally as neutral as it can get.


 
  
 And the other thing I noticed is many in the thread mentioned that DACport Slim/HD has a smaller sound stage. Any idea about that? When I was reading the Schiit Fulla thread many said Fulla has a large sound stage and many other pluses.


----------



## apaar123

what is the maximum impedance for which it can give good power?


----------



## U-3C

samiyuru said:


> And the other thing I noticed is many in the thread mentioned that DACport Slim/HD has a smaller sound stage. Any idea about that? When I was reading the Schiit Fulla thread many said Fulla has a large sound stage and many other pluses.


 
  
 I've never heard the Fulla so I won't speculate. Sorry.  I know the Fulla has a few issues, but it's better for you to look it up yourself and decide. I'll basically be parroting things I don't actually know about and perhaps even colour the feedback by others.
  


apaar123 said:


> what is the maximum impedance for which it can give good power?


 
  
 The DACport Slim has these power measurements according to CEntrance:

 Output power (preliminary):
 16Ω: 250mW max, per channel
 32Ω: 225mW max, per channel
 300Ω: 52mW, max, per channel
 Jitter: Below 1ps.
  
 They posted this on the first few pages of the Massdrop discussion. Kind of hard to find due to Massdrop's terrible new layout.
  
 If so and the device is able to maintain the same voltage (I have not read anything that confirms or refutes this so I'll give it the benefit of doubt), at 600 ohms, you should get a little under 30mW.
  
 This is based on the Slim's 450mW power output. The DACport HD has a total power output of 775mW, but we don't have the full specs. Assuming that it follows the Slim (hard to say it will, but hard to say it won't either. You need confirmation from CEntrance), take the headphones of your choice and see how loud the Slim will drive it. Add a little less than 3db and that will probably be the DACport HD's loudness. Due to the digital volume control, noise stays the same and everything stays very clean all the way up.
  
 For almost all the popular headphones that I know of, this should be enough.


----------



## apaar123

which dac chipset is present in it?


----------



## U-3C

apaar123 said:


> which dac chipset is present in it?




AK4490. Doesn't really matter much, but it's in there.

Just a neutral sound signature.


----------



## apaar123

u-3c said:


> AK4490. Doesn't really matter much, but it's in there.
> 
> Just a neutral sound signature.


why doesn't it matter?


----------



## U-3C

apaar123 said:


> why doesn't it matter?




Mainly because you can find the same chip in very high end dacs, as well as cheaper dacs with questionable design that can easily mess with the sound. 

The implementation is the key, and knowing how it sounds and how it amplifies the signal should be given much greater priority over the dac chip used. 

That's not too say it's not important. Newer dacs can have amazing features, but again, it's up to the implementation. There are cheaper and more expensive dac/amp combos that take advantage of these features, such as the digital filters the chip offers. The DACport does not even though it has the same chip. However, but you might want to sacrifice those features for the sound. Or you might find the features better for your taste. All in all, what you get is not up to the chip to decide, but the guys who made it. 

Again, if you are interested and want to look into it more, the chip is the AK4490. I trust CEntrance did it justice with the DACport Slim/HD, and their amp doesn't color the sound at all, so it's a very transparent signature.

Cheers! ^_^


----------



## makmeksam

Any idea about DACport Slim/HD sound stage in comparison to other DAC/AMPs?


----------



## daijobudes

Hey Guys! Recently got his thing, i own HD650's along with other things (but 650's are pickiest of all i have), i also have Chord Mojo, and honestly this thing outperforms Mojo with ease when driving HD650's. It seems to me that SS is more musical to my ear, compared to mojo. If you have any questions feel free to ask)


----------



## SomeTechNoob

I think your comment just confirmed my purchase of the HD 6XX tomorrow.  I have both the HD and Slim so it will be neat to check out if there are any audible differences.
  
 First post as well, but I've been lurking for awhile.


----------



## daijobudes

I ,myself, was amazed by its driving power! I have tried it with iPhone 6 Plus, Samsung tab pro (10 inch) and MacBook Pro, so far very happy with its performance! 
Ps it plays very nice with BA as well.


----------



## harpo1

This is $109 right now after adding to cart on Buydig.com is it worth it?  Does it do true line out?


----------



## daijobudes

Great device for a 100$ brand new!! Grab it) you'd love it. It improves SQ with a more high end USB cables. And good HP of course. Are you planning on using it with Speakers or smth like that?


----------



## sheldaze

harpo1 said:


> This is $109 right now after adding to cart on Buydig.com is it worth it?  Does it do true line out?


 
 I have not heard it, but you may want to compare features against the Schiit Fulla 2 - it does have a true line output.


----------



## daijobudes

I don't have Schiit equipment unfortunately. So I can't compare. But overall for 100 it's a very good device. If you want to have TRUE quality and Good sound without ADs etc.


----------



## harpo1

sheldaze said:


> I have not heard it, but you may want to compare features against the Schiit Fulla 2 - it does have a true line output.


 
 I have the Fulla 2, mojo, roland UA-10 plus several desktop solutions.  Mainly just curious about this device and if anyone has figured out a true line out setting for this.  My Roland does dsd and has a line out plus balanced headphone out but doesn't work with portable devices.
  
 I'm basically just looking for something different to test/compare.


----------



## bladefd

Is there a better amp+dac for under $150-200 than the dacport HD? Thinking of getting this while it is on sale for $110.. I have DT880 600ohms and only use it through pc. Portability is not relevant to me.


----------



## U-3C

bladefd said:


> Is there a better amp+dac for under $150-200 than the dacport HD? Thinking of getting this while it is on sale for $110.. I have DT880 600ohms and only use it through pc. Portability is not relevant to me.




There's the new Fulla 2. Awaiting comparisons.


----------



## bladefd

Hello, I bought a dacport hd and I have it setup with Windows 7 64bit. I have it set on high gain and the headphones are Beyerdynamic DT880 600ohms. The issue is I can't get music running in winamp or vlc player or amazon music program no matter what I do. Then I noticed it works through Windows Media Player. I have same issues with sound in most games, which simply has no sound. I don't understand as it is perfectly fine with my DT880 connected directly to pc..

The default sound device in Windows is set as dacport hd so I'm not sure what the issue is. I have the latest stable update centrance 7.4.19 installed and restarted my computer multiple times since. Is it a compatibility issue with dacport and Windows applications? If so, I will have to return it for refund. These same applications work fine when I plug the headphones to my pc directly rather than through dacport hd. Driving me insane!! Any ideas??

*I posted this at http://www.head-fi.org/t/778966/review-centrance-dacport-slim-dac-amp-combo/510#post_13131876 as well so sorry if you see this twice but 2 different threads*


----------



## iguanajm

bladefd said:


> Hello, I bought a dacport hd and I have it setup with Windows 7 64bit. I have it set on high gain and the headphones are Beyerdynamic DT880 600ohms. The issue is I can't get music running in winamp or vlc player or amazon music program no matter what I do. Then I noticed it works through Windows Media Player. I have same issues with sound in most games, which simply has no sound. I don't understand as it is perfectly fine with my DT880 connected directly to pc..
> 
> The default sound device in Windows is set as dacport hd so I'm not sure what the issue is. I have the latest stable update centrance 7.4.19 installed and restarted my computer multiple times since. Is it a compatibility issue with dacport and Windows applications? If so, I will have to return it for refund. These same applications work fine when I plug the headphones to my pc directly rather than through dacport hd. Driving me insane!! Any ideas??
> 
> *I posted this at http://www.head-fi.org/t/778966/review-centrance-dacport-slim-dac-amp-combo/510#post_13131876 as well so sorry if you see this twice but 2 different threads*


 
 Did you uninstall the old drivers first?  I'm just running off memory and I think I read something about uninstall, reboot, update drivers, (not sure if it needs a 2nd reboot).  I have not hooked this up to my win10 machine yet, but it works perfect with my macbook and iDevices.


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## iguanajm

$109 deal is back.  I jumped on this the first time and it didn't last too long....
 http://www.buydig.com/shop/product/CENDACPORTHD/Centrance-DACPort-HD-Portable-Reference-DAC-Amp-with-DSD?sdtid=9642692&omid=200&ref=cj&utm_source=CJ&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_content=4485850


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## harpo1

iguanajm said:


> $109 deal is back.  I jumped on this the first time and it didn't last too long....
> http://www.buydig.com/shop/product/CENDACPORTHD/Centrance-DACPort-HD-Portable-Reference-DAC-Amp-with-DSD?sdtid=9642692&omid=200&ref=cj&utm_source=CJ&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_content=4485850


 
 I picked it up last time.  it's a great little device that works flawlessly on windows 10.


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## iguanajm

harpo1 said:


> I picked it up last time.  it's a great little device that works flawlessly on windows 10.


 
 Yep, an awesome deal @ $109.  I've had it for about a week now.  Great form factor for portability.  Did you need to do any special driver uninstall/install on win10?


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## harpo1

iguanajm said:


> Yep, an awesome deal @ $109.  I've had it for about a week now.  Great form factor for portability.  Did you need to do any special driver uninstall/install on win10?


 
 I installed the driver from their site.  
  
 Here's the link.  http://www.centrance.com/downloads/
  
 Click on the universal driver and you'll fill out a form.  They'll email you a link to the driver.


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## bladefd

iguanajm said:


> Did you uninstall the old drivers first?  I'm just running off memory and I think I read something about uninstall, reboot, update drivers, (not sure if it needs a 2nd reboot).  I have not hooked this up to my win10 machine yet, but it works perfect with my macbook and iDevices.




I figured it out. You must run at 192kHz and 32bit or lower. 384kHz has issues with Windows programs. 192kHz is way more than enough though - 48kHz should be sufficient for everything tbh..


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## doublea71

It's a very underrated device, and the price that it can be found for these days makes it a steal.


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## SomeTechNoob

$109 seems like a steal for the HD.  Only $10 more than it's little brother the slim.
  
 On the other hand, rip resale value haha.  I was thinking of switching to a schiity desktop setup since I only use my DACport at my desk anyway.


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## doublea71

sometechnoob said:


> $109 seems like a steal for the HD.  Only $10 more than it's little brother the slim.
> 
> On the other hand, rip resale value haha.  I was thinking of switching to a schiity desktop setup since I only use my DACport at my desk anyway.


 

 Why sell it? It's tiny, well-made, and works flawlessly (for me, at least). It's a good back-up even if it doesn't keep up with future tech advances.


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## SomeTechNoob

doublea71 said:


> Why sell it? It's tiny, well-made, and works flawlessly (for me, at least). It's a good back-up even if it doesn't keep up with future tech advances.


 
 I am pretty much only using mine at my desktop, so the dongle form factor(while useable, obviously) isn't much of a benefit to me.  For me, the main issue with the HD and the Slim are the rather high noise floors.  Plugging in sensitive IEMs like the KZ ED9 or even something like the Piston 3 results in a noticeable hiss.  Otherwise the device is quite excellent - I have no issues powering my HD 6XX or my T50RP MK3.


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## harpo1

Need some help with my HD.  Trying to run Tidal in exclusive mode and it won't allow it. I get this message when I select CEntrance HD with exclusive mode enabled in Tidal.   
 "TIDAL requires you to set your system sound settings in Control Panel to "16bit, 44100 Hz (CD Quality)" in order to play tracks correctly."
  
 Problem is I have it set to 16 bit 44100 Hz in the windows sound setting.  This is trying the new MQA playback on tidal which sends everything 24bit 96Khz PCM when the dac doesn't support MQA.
  
 When I go to windows sound settings for the HD I noticed there isn't an option for 24bit audio only 16 and 32.  Does the HD support 24bit?  If so should I see 24bit as a choice?


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## harpo1

No one uses the HD with Tidal?  I'm almost 100% sure that the HD doesn't support 24 bit-depth files.  Even in Foobar2000 it plays everything in 32-bit.  I know the specs say supports 24 bit files but I don't believe this is the case because there's no option in Windows sound settings for 24 bit playback.  Can someone confirm this?


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## iguanajm

harpo1 said:


> No one uses the HD with Tidal?  I'm almost 100% sure that the HD doesn't support 24 bit-depth files.  Even in Foobar2000 it plays everything in 32-bit.  I know the specs say supports 24 bit files but I don't believe this is the case because there's no option in Windows sound settings for 24 bit playback.  Can someone confirm this?


 
 Here is a side question - are you sure that tidal is 24 bit?  According to this their FLACs are 16bit
 https://support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/articles/201594722-How-good-is-the-sound-quality-on-TIDAL-
 nm- i see you are trying MQA.  I don't even have that as an option??  I pay for HiFi.
  
 Now that said, I use a mac and here is what it is giving me:

  

 Should you always max them out?  Or is that similar to upconversion?  I'd rather hear it native.


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## harpo1

iguanajm said:


> Here is a side question - are you sure that tidal is 24 bit?  According to this their FLACs are 16bit
> https://support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/articles/201594722-How-good-is-the-sound-quality-on-TIDAL-
> nm- i see you are trying MQA.  I don't even have that as an option??  I pay for HiFi.
> 
> ...


 
 To be honest I know nothing about Mac's so I can't answer your question.  However I did notice you don't have an option for 24 bit integer.  Weird because the specs for the HD state it supports 24 bit.  I'm almost positive this is my problem with the way Tidal handles DACs that don't support MQA.  
  
 I don't believe Tidal has deployed MQA for the Mac yet.


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## iguanajm

more interesting screenshots...this is my built in speakers on mac!!!  What

 well technically its the built in dac right.  so what gives with the centrance??  whats the dif between 32bit integer (hd) and float (mac)?  i wonder if this is some sort of driver issue.  do you have any other dac?  Here is my fiio q1


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## harpo1

iguanajm said:


> more interesting screenshots...this is my built in speakers on mac!!!  What
> 
> well technically its the built in dac right.  so what gives with the centrance??  whats the dif between 32bit integer (hd) and float (mac)?  i wonder if this is some sort of driver issue.  do you have any other dac?  Here is my fiio q1


 
 Yes I have quite a few others that work perfectly fine.  Funny thing is the Schiit Fulla 2 uses the same dac chip and works fine with MQA.  However it doesn't require drivers and supports 24bit/96Khz.  
  
 Normal Hifi in Tidal is 16bit 44100hz.


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## iguanajm

harpo1 said:


> To be honest I know nothing about Mac's so I can't answer your question.  However I did notice you don't have an option for 24 bit integer.  Weird because the specs for the HD state it supports 24 bit.  I'm almost positive this is my problem with the way Tidal handles DACs that don't support MQA.
> 
> I don't believe Tidal has deployed MQA for the Mac yet.


 
 I just downloaded the app and it looks like MQA is available for me.  Did you set passthru up?  I bet this is why you're having an issue.  I am guessing it needs to be unchecked.  I will do some testing later this evening....


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## harpo1

iguanajm said:


> I just downloaded the app and it looks like MQA is available for me.  Did you set passthru up?  I bet this is why you're having an issue.  I am guessing it needs to be unchecked.  I will do some testing later this evening....


 
 No you don't select passthrough.


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## iguanajm

harpo1 said:


> No you don't select passthrough.


 
 Not sure if the mac is upsampling or downsampling, but i can select any of those options and the HD will play.  No error messages.


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## harpo1

iguanajm said:


> Not sure if the mac is upsampling or downsampling, but i can select any of those options and the HD will play.  No error messages.


 
 Yeah I'm not sure about macs.  Hopefully someone using a PC will chime in.


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## harpo1

iguanajm said:


> Not sure if the mac is upsampling or downsampling, but i can select any of those options and the HD will play.  No error messages.


 
 Just realized Macs don't require a driver so that's probably why you don't have this issue.  No one using windows with the HD have a Tidal subscription and tried the Master streaming setting?  If anyone has were you successful?
  
 CEntrance wasn't any help when I emailed them.  They told me to select 24/96 with the system sound settings.  The only problem is 16 and 32 bit are the only options.


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## bladefd

harpo1 said:


> Just realized Macs don't require a driver so that's probably why you don't have this issue.  No one using windows with the HD have a Tidal subscription and tried the Master streaming setting?  If anyone has were you successful?
> 
> CEntrance wasn't any help when I emailed them.  They told me to select 24/96 with the system sound settings.  The only problem is 16 and 32 bit are the only options.




Did you try 32bit and 96 khz? I use that on my pc and no issues yet


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## harpo1

bladefd said:


> Did you try 32bit and 96 khz? I use that on my pc and no issues yet


 
 I did.  Are you using Tidal Master quality streaming?


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## bladefd

harpo1 said:


> I did.  Are you using Tidal Master quality streaming?




Oh no, I don't have tidal. I'm guessing you are having issues with tidal? I use Amazon music and winamp on my pc.. Can't say anything about tidal though :/


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## harpo1

bladefd said:


> Oh no, I don't have tidal. I'm guessing you are having issues with tidal? I use Amazon music and winamp on my pc.. Can't say anything about tidal though :/


 
 Yeah I don't have issues with foobar2000 or anything else just Tidal and was wondering if anyone else is experiencing the same issue.


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## cooldude1015

I'm also experiencing the same Tidal error. Even when setting to 16/44, the app isn't happy.
  
 Since the DACport HD doesn't do MQA, I have Exclusive Mode and Force Volume checked. With software processing MQA, should get 24/96 so I set my DACport to 32/96 for now.
  
 I started seeing the error after selecting Exclusive mode. Tidal settings for "Sound Output" also doesn't persist w/ exclusive mode. It'll change from "CEntrance USB Audio" to "System Default" no matter what I do. I think this is the cause of the 16/44 error.
  
 Regarding the DACport settings, looked at the back of the DACport HD box. On there it says:
  
 Sample Rate: up to 384 kHz, DSD128
 Resolution: 32-bit (Also supports 16-bit)
  
 Looks like there may have been a specifications change at some point. Potentially 24-bit is not a option with the DACport HD.


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## harpo1

cooldude1015 said:


> I'm also experiencing the same Tidal error. Even when setting to 16/44, the app isn't happy.
> 
> Since the DACport HD doesn't do MQA, I have Exclusive Mode and Force Volume checked. With software processing MQA, should get 24/96 so I set my DACport to 32/96 for now.
> 
> ...


 
 CEntrance told me it's a Tidal issue and it's being worked on.  I sent my unit back because of this and my micro usb port was soldered at a angle so I had issues plugging in some of my usb cables.


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## nealh

One of the reviews I read states it does not add much to the low end and helps more with mid and higher range frequencies?


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## U-3C

nealh said:


> One of the reviews I read states it does not add much to the low end and helps more with mid and higher range frequencies?




It doesn't. 

Not does it add mids. Not does it add highs. 

It's a reference dac after all. It's not suppose to add anything. ^_^


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## nealh

u-3c said:


> It doesn't.
> 
> Not does it add mids. Not does it add highs.
> 
> It's a reference dac after all. It's not suppose to add anything. ^_^




 OK, I'm not real knowledgeable on these kind of things so I apologize for my ignorance.
What I'm really looking for is for it to add I guess amplification so that the various frequencies are enhanced, more clear and spacious. Does that make sense?


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## SomeTechNoob

Every headphone is different and reacts to amplification differently. Some benefit greatly from amping, some don't.


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## Bananiq

Can you recommend some good USB cable for Dacport with shipping in Europe?


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## SomeTechNoob

It's a USB cable lol. It doesn't really matter. USB has error correction and is a digital signal. Just make sure it's a data + power since some really cheap cables only provide power.


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## Bananiq

lol u must be new here


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## U-3C

sometechnoob said:


> It's a USB cable lol. It doesn't really matter. USB has error correction and is a digital signal. Just make sure it's a data + power since some really cheap cables only provide power.




Yep. A properly designed ferrite core USB cable is pretty much all you need. 

Monoprice cables are shipped with quite a few high tier dacs.


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## MrMan

Can this dac/amp really power 600ohm headphones ?


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## SomeTechNoob

Just naming an impedance amount doesn't say a whole lot.  Look at sensitivity as well.
  
 I would not be surprised if this could though, I had way more volume power for my HD 6XX than I'd ever need.


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## MrMan

sometechnoob said:


> Just naming an impedance amount doesn't say a whole lot.  Look at sensitivity as well.
> 
> I would not be surprised if this could though, I had way more volume power for my HD 6XX than I'd ever need.


 
  
 That awesome. I owned the m8 and absolutely loved it. The only issue was I used is solely on a PC and after 3 hours no matter what you did the battery died and you had to wait 2 hours for to recharge. I hope the dacport can be close to that. Ideally I'd love to use a pair of hd650 and maybe 800's on it.


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## harpo1

mrman said:


> That awesome. I owned the m8 and absolutely loved it. The only issue was I used is solely on a PC and after 3 hours no matter what you did the battery died and you had to wait 2 hours for to recharge. I hope the dacport can be close to that. Ideally I'd love to use a pair of hd650 and maybe 800's on it.


 
 This doesn't have a battery.  It gets its power from the micro USB port.


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## MrMan

There has to be a reason for this. On my previous 2 devices I use 24/192 and 32/192. And I honestly couldn't tell the difference between them and like 24/96. Under 96 I could blind test tell the difference.  On the dacport 32/192 to 32/384 I can consistently tell a difference. Also it seems to take more power to run 32/384 vs 32/192.  Any thoughts ?


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## Rammoshe

Hi!
Is this good for desktop use?


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## soal

Did anyone try DACPort HD with Hifiman HE-560? Is it has enough power for those phones?


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## CyberGhost

How does this compare to Dragonfly Red?


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## slim2000

Has anyone compared Dacport HD with dacportable and the new wifi one?


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## eeagle

soal said:


> Did anyone try DACPort HD with Hifiman HE-560? Is it has enough power for those phones?


Yes with ease.  The DACport HD Direct Class-A, no caps in the signal path 775mW, 4.1V rms will easily drive 600 ohm and inefficient planar's like the HE560 which I am using right now.  One will need to select high gain, and of course a 3.5mm adapter for the stock HE560 cable.


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## Rozzko

HI, please tell me, does DACPORT HD will work with TIDAL(hi res) ?? 
Please tell


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## blackdragon87

Hopefully they drop this again soon on md, was considering purchasing one when they had it but didn't get around to it

I like Centrance products alot, been using my dacport lx by them for a long time now


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## Rozzko

Can someone advise me some good (Not extremelyy expensive) USB cable? I thinking that stock cable not so good, and  i want new cable


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## eeagle

Rozzko said:


> Can someone advise me some good (Not extremelyy expensive) USB cable? I thinking that stock cable not so good, and  i want new cable





Rozzko said:


> Can someone advise me some good (Not extremelyy expensive) USB cable? I thinking that stock cable not so good, and  i want new cable


I've had no problem with the stock cable.  I have never heard a difference in sound quality from more expensive cables (especially digital) only ergonomic improvements such as flexibility, tangle resistance, and plug reinforcement.  Anymore I usually buy Amazon basics or Monoprice cables for interconnects.


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## Live with Sound

Are there really no other portable form factor, usb only, 4v dac/amps similar to this released since 2017? That's intense.


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## Dobrescu George

Hello everyone!

I made an in-depth video review about the DAC Port HD!

I think it is a bit outdated when it comes to the usb port, but the power of the headphone amlifier stage, along with the DAC quality is really good, so it may still make sense even in 2020 and 2021 

This video is also part of my new experimental series, with background music and even more effects, so please let me know if you like it!


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## sebek

Can anyone make a comparison on the SQ with more modern portable devices like FiiO BTR5, E1DA, Lotoo Paw S1, IFi Hip Dac?


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## Dobrescu George

sebek said:


> Can anyone make a comparison on the SQ with more modern portable devices like FiiO BTR5, E1DA, Lotoo Paw S1, IFi Hip Dac?



I will do that in my full written review


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## Dobrescu George

I reviewed the DACportHD right, and wanted to share it is quite aweomse! Tons of driving power, a nice body / ergonomic, and it is hotttt!?  

https://www.audiophile-heaven.com/2021/01/class-a-in-a-nutshell-centrance-dacport-hd.html


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## ops V

CEntrance DACport HD + Sennheiser IE 800S


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## OCC7N

This dac seems interesting. I need a companion for my newly purchased Sony 1AM2. Its specific for me that it does not have a battery, so this seems to be the one maybe

1. Natural sound
2. No battery
3. Great power.

Well since it does not support ios I might order an Android as a cheap DAP solution


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