# New iBasso Portable Amp/DAC: iBasso D14 "Bushmaster"



## Cotnijoe

iBasso has been a huge player in the past couple of years in the DAP market with their DX50 and DX90 players, but seems they're finally back in the portable amp game! I'm not sure if there has been posts elsewhere yet, but they announced their new portable Amp/DAC device on facebook yesterday. I've personally been a fan of some of iBasso's portable devices in the past, and I'm a big big fan of their players. The new D14 "Bushmaster" seems competitively priced and I'm quite excited to see how they sound. Thought I'd start a thread to see if anyone else is also interested in this device and hopefully will get some impressions on them once they're released!
  
 Info and pictures from Facebook:
  
The iBasso D14. As a dac used with your computer, combined with a great internal amplifier many of your musical needs are met! There is no lag time if you listen to movies and with the OTG function, it works with any phone that has a proper functioning OTG output.

iBasso D14

The D14 is our new generation AMP and DAC combo that combines the advantages of and advances on our design of the D12 and D62. It utilizes the Sabre32 ES9018K2M DAC chip and with the XMOS USB receiver and the D14 is able to take up to a 32bit/384kHz PCM signal and native DSD up to 256x from computers. It also can work as a DAC for Android smart phones via a USB OTG. Other than the USB input, the D14 can take up to 24bit/192kHz optical input, coaxial input and analogue line in. On the Amplification section, we have an OPAMP based high output headphone amplifier, which can output up to 400mW into a 32ohm load. The sound quality from this little all-in-one AMP+DAC is better than any of our previous AMP+DAC products and achieves this from a combination of advanced technologies and superior implementation of components.

 D14 Specifications:

 Power Source: Built-in 4.2V Li-polymer Batteries or
 external power supply.
 Frequency Response: 17Hz~20 KHz +/-1dB (DAC)
 17Hz~100 KHz +/-0.2dB (AMP).
 Signal to Noise Ratio：115dB (DAC), 116dB (Amp).
 Crosstalk: 106dB (DAC).
 Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.0018%@1kHz/-10dBF (DAC)
 0.0012%@1kHz/max volume (AMP).
 Output power: Up to 400mW+400mW into 32ohm.
 Gain: +3dB and +9dB (AMP).
 Battery Life: 13 hours AMP+DAC or 25 hours if amp only.
 Battery Charge Time: 5 hours.
 External Power supply: 5V DC.
 Recommended Headphone Impedance: 8~300.
 Output impedance: 0.1ohm.

 Retail Price: $229.00 release date the beginning of June, 2015.


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## Cotnijoe

Useful Information:
D14 Review - Cotnijoe
D14 Review - lin003
Initial Impressions - HiFlight
Brief Comparison to DX90 - HiFlight
Brief Comparison to DX90 - Cotnijoe
Pics of What's Inside


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## CJG888

Will this work with an iPad via CCK?


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## Cotnijoe

I honestly have no clue. I havent gotten my hands on a unit yet. Might be a good question to ask iBasso rep about!


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## CJG888

A few more interesting questions (as it effectively replaces the D12) might be:

Is it op-amp rollable?
Does it have one or two DACs?


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## h1f1add1cted

Great device, is there any nice accessories in the package like speical cables included for the coaxial or optical input? I guess both in a combo input 3,5mm jack? Would be great to use this with an DX50 or DX90 over coaxial input, instead of analog input.


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## Cotnijoe

h1f1add1cted said:


> Great device, is there any nice accessories in the package like speical cables included for the coaxial or optical input?
> I guess both in a combo input 3,5mm jack? Would be great to use this with an DX50 or DX90 over coaxial input, instead of analog input.




I will hopefully be getting a review unit in the coming month or so which will shed some light. Im honestly not sure what inputs it has for its dac section. 

Ill also be trying it out with a DX90


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## h1f1add1cted

Hello,
 any update on release date yet? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 It would be great to know the dimensions of this device. Is it additional possible to use this device as DAC with line out, like volume knob to maximum to bypass to a other portable amp (for i.e. STAX SRM-002)?
  
 Is there a short USB OTG like for the D-Zero MK2 as accessories in the package, that we don't need for Android any bulky USB cable + USB OTG cable combo to go for it?


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## Cotnijoe

Unfortunately, last time i talked with iBasso, they seem to have been pretty busy. But theyre supposedly on the final steps of assembly. I'll probably email them in a week or two if I still haven't heard from them.
  
 Based on the design of the D14, it doesnt look like it was designed to be as pocketable as the D-Zero, which makes me guess its main function is for use as a USB dac from your computer. I have no idea though. We'll find out once they're officially out!


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## clasam

Just got an email saying it would be available to order "after a few hours"...take that for what it's worth


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## clasam

It is now on their website


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## Cotnijoe

Awesome to see! I was notified that i will be sent one tomorrow


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## Cotnijoe

cjg888 said:


> Will this work with an iPad via CCK?




Their website says it works with CCK. In fact this thing seems to be incredibly versatile


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## clasam

cotnijoe said:


> Awesome to see! I was notified that i will be sent one tomorrow


 

 Let us know what you think!


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## HiFlight

My D14 should be arriving in a couple of days. Looking forward to getting it on the bench! Based on the specs, it should be a significant upgrade from the D12.


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## clasam

Perhaps I am an anomaly, but I had to send my D10 back in for repairs several times b/c of issues with the usb connector.  I hope they have a more robust design/build.


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## Cotnijoe

hiflight said:


> My D14 should be arriving in a couple of days. Looking forward to getting it on the bench! Based on the specs, it should be a significant upgrade from the D12.


 
  
 Hopefully mine is sent to me soon as well! The specs definitely look really nice. Its awesome to see how technology has progressed in just a few years with an amp that is cheaper than its predecessor while having better specs to go with it!


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## HiFlight

The D14 has landed! My initial impressions are that the workmanship both inside and out is very refined. The casework is beautifully crafted and the overall size is thinner and shorter than the D12 as the coax input on the rear is flush rather than the RCA type that was used on the D12. 

Unlike the D12, there is no provision for rolling opamps as the interior space is very densely populated with both devices and capacitors which with the smaller case thickness does not allow for adapter space. That said, even though iBasso said that the D14 needs "burn-in" time for the caps to fully form, I can say that at first listen, the D14 sounds superb..well balanced tonally with excellent microdetail retrieval. Bass is clean and tight and, to my ears, accurately portrays what is on the recording. The soundstage and imaging are excellent, portraying an impressive sense of realism. 

I tried some redbook Wav and m4a recordings as well as some 24/96 Wav rips and all sounded just fine from both my Sony F1 open circumaural phones and from my Noble K10U IEM's. The coax input worked flawlessly as did the USB input from my Google Chromebook and LG G2 phone using the included OTG cable. (My Chromebook did not require an OTG cable)

The D14 gives every indications of being the ''Swiss Army Knife" of DAC/Amps, given it's impressive list of features and specifications. Pricewise, given the obvious quality, it is a steal. I suspect that this is going to be a runaway best-seller for iBasso!


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## Cotnijoe

Awesome first impressions! Excited to get a hold my my unit. It seems its still in Hong kong though... The waiting game can be hard


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## Anwer

hiflight said:


> The D14 has landed! My initial impressions are that the workmanship both inside and out is very refined. The casework is beautifully crafted and the overall size is thinner and shorter than the D12 as the coax input on the rear is flush rather than the RCA type that was used on the D12.
> 
> Unlike the D12, there is no provision for rolling opamps as the interior space is very densely populated with both devices and capacitors which with the smaller case thickness does not allow for adapter space. That said, even though iBasso said that the D14 needs "burn-in" time for the caps to fully form, I can say that at first listen, the D14 sounds superb..well balanced tonally with excellent microdetail retrieval. Bass is clean and tight and, to my ears, accurately portrays what is on the recording. The soundstage and imaging are excellent, portraying an impressive sense of realism.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thank you for sharing your first impressions about the D14  I hope you can provide us with a comparison of the D14 and the DX90.


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## HiFlight

anwer said:


> Thank you for sharing your first impressions about the D14  I hope you can provide us with a comparison of the D14 and the DX90.




Actually I was using my DX90 coax output as a source for the D14. I can make some better SQ comparisons after I get some hours accumulated on the D14. I can say that out of the box, it doesn't need to be ashamed of its performance when compared to the DX90. I think ultimately, it will be pretty close to the v.2.2 SQ. With all of the input and output options, it is a more flexible device than is the DX90. With the silicone cover on my 90, they are nearly the same size when placed together.


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## Cotnijoe

hiflight said:


> Actually I was using my DX90 coax output as a source for the D14. I can make some better SQ comparisons after I get some hours accumulated on the D14. I can say that out of the box, it doesn't need to be ashamed of its performance when compared to the DX90. I think ultimately, it will be pretty close to the v.2.2 SQ. With all of the input and output options, it is a more flexible device than is the DX90. With the silicone cover on my 90, they are nearly the same size when placed together.


 
  
 Sounds like one isnt necessarily an upgrade over the other? 
  
 I'll be getting my review unit tomorrow and will likely post some pics, and in time, do some comparisons between it and the DX90 and Cayin C5 DAC


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## Cotnijoe

Theyre bigger than i expected!


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## HiFlight

Several observations...

No start-up thump but click is present on shutdown. 
Black background
Best rendition of brushes I have heard
Expansive headstage
Precise imaging and sense of space
Excellent dynamics
Scales up VERY well


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## Cotnijoe

hiflight said:


> Several observations...
> 
> No start-up thump but click is present on shutdown.
> Black background
> ...


 
  
 Awesome observations. I think i agree with all of them actually. I'm a bit disappointed with the click when it shuts down... as its actually pretty loud.
  
 Some observations of my own:
 Compared to DX90's amp section, DX90 is warmer and thicker sounding, while the D14 amp has larger soundstage and tighter and more dynamic impact. Liking the D14 a lot so far.
  
 However, I find that its not the best match with more sensitive IEMs. Using Coaxial out into the D14 as well as USB out to the D14, I have to crank up the volume to a higher than I like listening level in order get past the part of the volume knob where there is some channel imbalance. Below 9 oclock there is some channel imbalance issue, which isnt uncommon but nonetheless exists. The D14 also isnt as hiss free as the DX90.


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## lin0003

Looks really cool!
  
 I'll be getting one soon and I'll post my impressions and a review.


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## WayneWoondirts

does anyone know if the D14 works under Linux?
 I'm looking for a new USB DAC and the bushmaster comes very close to what I am looking for.


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## Cotnijoe

waynewoondirts said:


> does anyone know if the D14 works under Linux?
> I'm looking for a new USB DAC and the bushmaster comes very close to what I am looking for.


 
  
 I believe for Linux and Mac OS with the DX90, you can just plug in and it will work as USB DAC. I would hope that is the same case for the D14. Unfortunately I dont have Linux to test that theory, but Paul, the iBasso rep here is pretty responsive so I would maybe send him a PM and find out


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## WayneWoondirts

cotnijoe said:


> I believe for Linux and Mac OS with the DX90, you can just plug in and it will work as USB DAC. I would hope that is the same case for the D14. Unfortunately I dont have Linux to test that theory, but Paul, the iBasso rep here is pretty responsive so I would maybe send him a PM and find out


 

 I've read that the DX50/90 works under Linux, so I was hoping the same thing for the D14. But it wasn't confirmed anywhere.
 Thanks for the info, didn't know who to contact. I'll give him a shout.


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## HiFlight

waynewoondirts said:


> does anyone know if the D14 works under Linux?
> I'm looking for a new USB DAC and the bushmaster comes very close to what I am looking for.




I use a Linux OS (Xubuntu 14.04) on my desktop computer and my D14 works perfectly with it. The sound opens up very nicely after about 20 hours.


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## Cotnijoe

So a few interesting things I discovered.
  
 First off, the D14 started off hissing quite a bit, which was strange to me since it was suppose to have a very low output impedance... of like 0.8 or so? Less than 1 for sure. After using it for some time though, the hiss disappeared. Its now almost as quiet as a DX90. Which is awesomely low, and basically means it wont hiss with ANYTHING except earwerkz IEMs.
  
 Second thing which is nice is there is an "iBasso Control Panel" that gets downloaded along with the driver firmware. It allows you to what I'm assuming is the output of the DAC to the amp as well as change the balance of each channel. Nice feature since some IEMs are too sensitive to use with the D14. Being able to lower the volume with the control panel helped a lot.
  
 Also, the D14 tends to get quite warm sometime while im using it... then 15 minutes later it's cooled off. Interesting o.o


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## Cotnijoe

Hey @HiFlight , I seem to have encounter some sort of glitch with the D14, and I was wondering if youve come across this at all. When im using the D14 as a USB device, sometime it would just stop outputting sound. The device would still be recognized, but no sound comes out. I would restart my computer but it doesnt get fixed. Then randomly it'll start working again...


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## WayneWoondirts

hiflight said:


> I use a Linux OS (Xubuntu 14.04) on my desktop computer and my D14 works perfectly with it. The sound opens up very nicely after about 20 hours.


 
 Thank you!
 now there's only two left, the D14 and the Q5 from FiiO, which isn't even out yet, but has three different amp modules...


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## PChoon

After considering my options... i'm thinking to get this to make my DX50 into a transport... and using D14 lineout into my ALO The National amp...
 do you guys think it will make a difference in sound? as i was thinking now instead of a Wolfson dac in DX50 i'm gonna use D14's sabre DAC... and D14 can serve up as my mobile dac when i watch movies on my phone...


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## Cotnijoe

pchoon said:


> After considering my options... i'm thinking to get this to make my DX50 into a transport... and using D14 lineout into my ALO The National amp...
> do you guys think it will make a difference in sound? as i was thinking now instead of a Wolfson dac in DX50 i'm gonna use D14's sabre DAC... and D14 can serve up as my mobile dac when i watch movies on my phone...




Yes itll improve sound... But thats one massive stack you got there...


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## PChoon

cotnijoe said:


> Yes itll improve sound... But thats one massive stack you got there...




Hahaha... Well I wanted higher resolution with my existing rig... But I do not want to spend AK series type of money and owning a dx50 I dun wanna buy a dx90... So just nice D14 step in...


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## Cotnijoe

I would just spend the money on a single dac/amp combo. The D14 is honestly a great dac/amp at its price. Unless you want better or to go balanced?


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## PChoon

cotnijoe said:


> I would just spend the money on a single dac/amp combo. The D14 is honestly a great dac/amp at its price. Unless you want better or to go balanced?


 
  
 I was looking for a single dac and amp combo... but none caught my eyes... after the D14... i'm aiming for iBasso's P5 Falcon...


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## T.R.A.N.C.E.

pcb pics please


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## Cotnijoe

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:


> pcb pics please


 
  
 For some reason... none of my torx screwdrivers fit the D14's screws... so I can't actually open mine.
  
 Knowing that HiFlight has a lot of experience with iBasso amps... I'm hoping he'll post a pic of it as well


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## HiFlight

cotnijoe said:


> For some reason... none of my torx screwdrivers fit the D14's screws... so I can't actually open mine.
> 
> Knowing that HiFlight has a lot of experience with iBasso amps... I'm hoping he'll post a pic of it as well




The D14 screws require a T-5 Torx bit. The circuit board is very heavily populated and has some nice shielding for control of RF. I will post a photo when I have a chance to disassemble it again. The opamps used in the amplifier section have the lettering removed, so iBasso wishes them to be kept confidential.

EDIT: 

Below are photos of the top and bottom of the D14 circuit board. As one can see, it is very densely populated on both sides. A very nicely designed double-sided board!


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## all thumbs

Can it be used while charging? I'm contemplating an affordable rig that will have a budget high rez portable DAC/AMP and a discreet desktop amp like a Magni 2 uber or Asgard 2. I'd like the DAC to charge while in use.


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## Cotnijoe

all thumbs said:


> Can it be used while charging? I'm contemplating an affordable rig that will have a budget high rez portable DAC/AMP and a discreet desktop amp like a Magni 2 uber or Asgard 2. I'd like the DAC to charge while in use.


 
  
 It can indeed be used while charging!


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## HiFlight

I have put a lot of time on my D14 using both my K10 IEM's and Oppo PM-1 circumaurals and am amazed at the sound quality I am now hearing! Imaging is very accurate and the timbre and tonal balance is superb. I am amazed at how low the price is on such an impressive instrument!


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## Anwer

hiflight said:


> I have put a lot of time on my D14 using both my K10 IEM's and Oppo PM-1 circumaurals and am amazed at the sound quality I am now hearing! Imaging is very accurate and the timbre and tonal balance is superb. I am amazed at how low the price is on such an impressive instrument!


 
 I hope you can give us a comparison with the DX90


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## T.R.A.N.C.E.

pcb looks nice, good value for money from ibasso as usual.


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## HiFlight

cotnijoe said:


> Hey @HiFlight
> , I seem to have encounter some sort of glitch with the D14, and I was wondering if youve come across this at all. When im using the D14 as a USB device, sometime it would just stop outputting sound. The device would still be recognized, but no sound comes out. I would restart my computer but it doesnt get fixed. Then randomly it'll start working again...




Sorry that I missed this post! I have encountered no glitches of any kind regardless of the input used or source device. Have you tried a different cable? It sounds like that might be a starting point to track down the intermittent output.


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## Cotnijoe

Thanks for the response. Ive been communicating with iBasso and it seems its just my unit. Unfortunately i dont have any other cable so i dont know for sure.

I think it might be my computer too... Ill try to find out

Edit: I'm an idiot. This "glitch" occurs when the D14 runs out of battery. turns out my computer doesnt charge the D14 when its in sleep mode... so all the nights that I left the D14 charging... well... that wasnt the case


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## HiFlight

anwer said:


> I hope you can give us a comparison with the DX90




It is somewhat difficult to place one device over the other. With the SQ changes reported by firmware updates, the sound of the DX90 is sort of a moving target. After having reviewed the various updates several times, I have been using v.2.1.5. as my default as the overall tonal balance and imaging seems to be more to my tastes using the phones in my collection. In general, I find the D14 to deliver a more open and spacious sound with very accurate vocal and instrumental timbre. As I most often listen to classical and acoustic recordings, to my ears, the D14 delivers a more believably realistic presentation. The D14 does especially well with complex musical passages with lots of dynamics while the DX90 seems better suited to more intimate musical selections. 

The D14 does offer me a lot of options over only the DX90 or other DAP's. Given the bargain price of the D14, it makes a very worthwhile addition for those looking for a very flexible DAC/Amp offering performance equal to far more expensive choices.


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## Anwer

Thank you for your detailed opinion, I hope @Cotnijoe can give us his thoughts on this matter as well.
  
 Frankly I really enjoy the DX90 sound, but since I watch a lot of videos, I want a lag free DAC/AMP for a reasonable price with an SQ close to the DX90.


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## Cotnijoe

anwer said:


> Thank you for your detailed opinion, I hope @Cotnijoe can give us his thoughts on this matter as well.
> 
> Frankly I really enjoy the DX90 sound, but since I watch a lot of videos, I want a lag free DAC/AMP for a reasonable price with an SQ close to the DX90.


 
  
 I will be finishing up my review of the D14 sometime later this week. I will include a detailed comparison with the DX90 in it. So far though I think HiFlight is pretty much right on the money. The D14 sounds more expansive and has a more balanced sound. The bass in particular has a little more control. Very good sounding amp indeed!


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## Gilgamesh King

Anybody does the comparison with the IBasso D-Zero MK2 ? I'm looking for a good DAC/AMP for my Smartphone ( not MP3 files ahah) and both are interesting. Moreover they are not too expensive for me. But i would like to ask if the difference between both justifies the price difference. Moreover i prefer warmer sound and i fear that the D14 is too neutral for me ( more than the MK2 i think ) Thanks for your help. (Forgive my English, I'm French  )


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## HiFlight

gilgamesh king said:


> Anybody does the comparison with the IBasso D-Zero MK2 ? I'm looking for a good DAC/AMP for my Smartphone ( not MP3 files ahah) and both are interesting. Moreover they are not too expensive for me. But i would like to ask if the difference between both justifies the price difference. Moreover i prefer warmer sound and i fear that the D14 is too neutral for me ( more than the MK2 i think ) Thanks for your help. (Forgive my English, I'm French  )




The D-Zero MkII is the warmer sounding and smaller of the 2, but the SQ of the D14 is worth the extra cost, IMO. I don't know how something can be "too" neutral, but the D14 faithfully outputs what it hears from any of its input options. It is not thin sounding or lacking in body. I guess rather than calling it neutral, realistic might be a better word.


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## Gilgamesh King

Yeah it's true that realistic sound is a better word. I research the most realistic sound but sometimes it sound a little too bland.
 But i think i will order the D14 cause i prefer a better hardware to achieve the best of my music. 
  
 Thanks for your reply, it's very helpfull


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## lin0003

gilgamesh king said:


> Anybody does the comparison with the IBasso D-Zero MK2 ? I'm looking for a good DAC/AMP for my Smartphone ( not MP3 files ahah) and both are interesting. Moreover they are not too expensive for me. But i would like to ask if the difference between both justifies the price difference. Moreover i prefer warmer sound and i fear that the D14 is too neutral for me ( more than the MK2 i think ) Thanks for your help. (Forgive my English, I'm French  )


 
 I've just got the D14 and played a few songs and first impressions are that it is a solid step up from the D-Zero MK2, from memory around the same level as the DX90. 
  
 Detail on this thing is awesome. Both are not really warm at all, but yeah, the D14 is ever so slightly colder than the Zero. 
  
 If you are getting it for OTG use, then I would say go with the D-Zero because it is a lot smaller, but if you are planning on using it at home and the cost is not an issue, the D14 is much better sounding.


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## HiFlight

I would suggest allowing an appropriate time for the many internal caps to fully form. I have noticed an improvement in smoothness and less of a "digital" sound after about 20 hours of use. 
While I don't believe in opamp "burn-in", I do feel that capacitors require a period of use in order to optimize circuit design performance criteria.


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## lin0003

hiflight said:


> I would suggest allowing an appropriate time for the many internal caps to fully form. I have noticed an improvement in smoothness and less of a "digital" sound after about 20 hours of use.
> While I don't believe in opamp "burn-in", I do feel that capacitors require a period of use in order to optimize circuit design performance criteria.


 
 I'll burn it in for around 50 hours before I review it, already 10 or so on the clock. Can't say I have noticed any change so far. 
  
 Just found a use for my old SGS3. I think an S2 could work quite well as well, the dimensions are quite similar. 
  
@HiFlight what are you using as a source?


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## HiFlight

lin0003 said:


> I'll burn it in for around 50 hours before I review it, already 10 or so on the clock. Can't say I have noticed any change so far.
> 
> Just found a use for my old SGS3. I think an S2 could work quite well as well, the dimensions are quite similar.
> 
> ...




I am mostly using my LG G2 phone to stream Tidal via the USB output. For my ripped files, I am using my DX90 as a transport via the Coax output to the D14. 
When I am at my computer (Linux), I use VLC media player via USB out to the D14.


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## Cotnijoe

It's finally done! Review of the D14 for those interested!
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/products/ibasso-audio-d14-bushmaster/reviews/13544
  
 Also a question for those that know more about EE or stuff like that than I do. I like the DAC section of the D14 better than the DX90, so I would like to connect the D14 and DX90 via SPDIF, so I can use the DAC of the D14, rather than use the line out of the DX90 and use just the amp of the D14. The SPDIF cable that iBasso provides is bulky as hell. The connectors are the same size as your average 3.5mm jack, except theyre TS rather than TRS. If you use TRS and connect the two via SPDIF, it works and fits, but is there any sort of problems that might occur?


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## h1f1add1cted

Can you please provide a picture of this coaxial TRS to TRS coaxial cable? I own a custom coaxial cable to connect my DX50 with my micro iDSD and the DIY guy from which I got this cable, used an TRS plug instead of the TS plug which is used by default from iBasso. I have zero issues with this TRS plug on the coaxial connection since months.
  

  

  
 And big thanks for your great review!


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## Cotnijoe

Its not a special cable. Its literally your normal everyday 3.5mm to 3.5mm IC. If you look at your ibasso cable, the rught side is a TS 3.5mm jack. The one iBasso offers is a cable with two TS.

Theyre same size is the reason why they fit. Im just not sure if itll short anything... Which i dont think it will


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## HiFlight

cotnijoe said:


> It's finally done! Review of the D14 for those interested!
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/products/ibasso-audio-d14-bushmaster/reviews/13544
> 
> Also a question for those that know more about EE or stuff like that than I do. I like the DAC section of the D14 better than the DX90, so I would like to connect the D14 and DX90 via SPDIF, so I can use the DAC of the D14, rather than use the line out of the DX90 and use just the amp of the D14. The SPDIF cable that iBasso provides is bulky as hell. The connectors are the same size as your average 3.5mm jack, except theyre TS rather than TRS. If you use TRS and connect the two via SPDIF, it works and fits, but is there any sort of problems that might occur?




Very accurate review! Nicely done.


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## Cotnijoe

h1f1add1cted said:


> Can you please provide a picture of this coaxial TRS to TRS coaxial cable? I own a custom coaxial cable to connect my DX50 with my micro iDSD and the DIY guy from which I got this cable, used an TRS plug instead of the TS plug which is used by default from iBasso. I have zero issues with this TRS plug on the coaxial connection since months.
> 
> And big thanks for your great review!



 
 


hiflight said:


> Very accurate review! Nicely done.



 
Thanks for the support on the review guys!
 
Also, here's a pic of what im talking about. The iBasso one is TS, the small profile IC is TRS


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## lin0003

Stacks quite well with the S3.


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## h1f1add1cted

cotnijoe said:


> Its not a special cable. Its literally your normal everyday 3.5mm to 3.5mm IC. If you look at your ibasso cable, the rught side is a TS 3.5mm jack. The one iBasso offers is a cable with two TS.
> 
> Theyre same size is the reason why they fit. Im just not sure if itll short anything... Which i dont think it will





>


 
 Hi,
  
 thanks fo the reply, a coaxial cable has always an impedance of 75 ohms. My custom coaxial cable has also special coaxial 75 ohms impedance plugs, that it support to transport the digital signal.

  
 The short 3.5mm to 3.5mm is only an analogue cable, normally this analogue 3.5m IC you got doesn't work if you connect this cable to the DX90 and the D14 on both coaxial outputs. It would really wonder about that if that would work, because it's no coaxial cable with 75 ohms impedance. My DIY cable guy did a deep research that I got this kind of very short coaxial cable. So currently you need to use that bulky TS to TS iBasso cable if you want to use the DAC from the D14, but I'm pretty sure like my custom coaxial cable you can get a short flexible coaxial cable, like my example but only with two TRS plugs instead of one TRS and one RCA.


----------



## Cotnijoe

Ya i was reading up and did see that theyre generally 75ohms. However the normal IC works with no problem and i dont hear any difference in sound. Which is why the only thing im not sure of is if im shorting or overloading anything unknowingly lol.

Im using it to connect coaxial out of DX90 with spdif in of D14


----------



## HeatFan12

cotnijoe said:


> Ya i was reading up and did see that theyre generally 75ohms. However the normal IC works with no problem and i dont hear any difference in sound. Which is why the only thing im not sure of is if im shorting or overloading anything unknowingly lol.
> 
> Im using it to connect coaxial out of DX90 with spdif in of D14


 
  
  
 Yes, coax digital cables are 75ohm and better shielded.  You will only run into problems with long distances in reference to dropouts using an analog cable in spdif applications.  Have you tried both cables (the ibasso one (coax) and the jds labs IC (analog)?  Any sound differences or dropouts?


----------



## Cotnijoe

heatfan12 said:


> Yes, coax digital cables are 75ohm and better shielded.  You will only run into problems with long distances in reference to dropouts using an analog cable in spdif applications.  Have you tried both cables (the ibasso one (coax) and the jds labs IC (analog)?  Any sound differences or dropouts?




Seems it should be ok then. No drop outs or difference in sound that i can detect


----------



## HeatFan12

cotnijoe said:


> Seems it should be ok then. No drop outs or difference in sound that i can detect


 
  
 You're good then.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  For long runs especially in the video realm dropouts and lags occur.  That short distance in an audio application it's all good.
  
 I recently caught this thread and am really curious in pairing this with my DX50 via coax.


----------



## CJG888

Ditto.

Now that I have given up on gapless ever being supported by my HM-650, I may sell it and return to my old DX50 (with the new FW and a D14).


----------



## CJG888

BTW, true gapless is not exclusive to Apple devices!

My Shinrico digital transport has perfect gapless support (and has never been anywhere near Cupertino).


----------



## h1f1add1cted

Gapless works on DX50/DX90 with Rockbox with all formats perfect. I don't go back to Mango FW.


----------



## CJG888

Yes, but I would like to be able to play HD files...


----------



## maricius

How well do you think the D14 will fare with harder to drive headphones such as the MrSpeakers Alpha Dog?‘


----------



## Cotnijoe

heatfan12 said:


> You're good then.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 The sound of the D14 is a pretty big step up from the DX50. I think you'd be happy with the results you get!
  


maricius said:


> How well do you think the D14 will fare with harder to drive headphones such as the MrSpeakers Alpha Dog?‘


 
  
 I dont havent anything super hard to drive, the HE560 being the most difficult, and the D14 did fine with that. Hope that helps


----------



## HeatFan12

Thanks Cotnijoe,
  
 Would you be able to post a pic of the D14 and DX90 stack with the short IC?
  
 I can't find good pics of the rear of the D14.
  
 Thanks


----------



## Cotnijoe

​

As requested 

sorry my DX90 is so dirty >.<' ... the pocket lint haha


----------



## HeatFan12

Nice!!!   Thanks very much!!


----------



## Dany1

@Cotnijoe,Can you tell how the soundstage depth of D14 compared to Dx90 ?
   
 From what i've read,Dx90 is said to have a distant sound and there is good amount of depth.What can you say about the D14 in this regard ? Does it excel the Dx90 in this department too ?


----------



## Cotnijoe

dany1 said:


> @Cotnijoe,Can you tell how the soundstage depth of D14 compared to Dx90 ?
> 
> From what i've read,Dx90 is said to have a distant sound and there is good amount of depth.What can you say about the D14 in this regard ? Does it excel the Dx90 in this department too ?


 
  
 In the recent firmwares from the DX90, I feel that the sound has actually become more forward with DX90, which was a good thing to me as I felt that the vocals were more distant because its slightly more recessed, not because the DX90 has amazing sense of depth. 
  
 Comparing the two, the DX90 sound more in your head, while the D14 presents the sound as being slightly more in front of you than the DX90. So I would say the D14 has a better sense of depth as well in terms of soundstage.
  
 Honestly, if you A/B the two, you can tell the difference between the two, and that the D14 sounds a bit cleaner and better. But when you really spend time with one, then switch to the other, it becomes really apparent that the D14's sound is quite a bit more expansive, has a much more natural sound with better separation as well.
  
 Hope this helps! I don't want to undermine the DX90 as I love the DX90 and use it when I need something truly portable, but its been almost two years, and iBasso has gotten better at what they do!


----------



## Dany1

cotnijoe said:


> In the recent firmwares from the DX90, I feel that the sound has actually become more forward with DX90, which was a good thing to me as I felt that the vocals were more distant because its slightly more recessed, not because the DX90 has amazing sense of depth.
> 
> Comparing the two, the DX90 sound more in your head, while the D14 presents the sound as being slightly more in front of you than the DX90. So I would say the D14 has a better sense of depth as well in terms of soundstage.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks mate ! really helpful in making my decision. Seems like ibasso D14 is exactly what i'm looking for.Now i just hope i can find a good seller to buy this.When i try to enter my shipping address on the order page i can't see my country name listed when i try to choose the country.I'm going to contact ibasso about this now.


----------



## lin0003

maricius said:


> How well do you think the D14 will fare with harder to drive headphones such as the MrSpeakers Alpha Dog?‘


 
 The D14 did OK with the K7XX and even the HD800. Obviously it didn't sound fantastic, but it does the job.


----------



## svetlyo

@paul-ibasso - do you have any information when the D14 will be available through the official iBasso distributor for Spain - http://headphoniaks.com/gb/22_ibasso ?


----------



## lin0003

svetlyo said:


> @paul-ibasso - do you have any information when the D14 will be available through the official iBasso distributor for Spain - http://headphoniaks.com/gb/22_ibasso ?


 
 You didn't link him properly. 
  
 Just shoot iBasso an email, they will probably get back to you quicker there.


----------



## svetlyo

lin0003 said:


> You didn't link him properly.
> 
> Just shoot iBasso an email, they will probably get back to you quicker there.


 
 Thanks for the hint, I did. Anyone know where D14 can be ordered in Europe?


----------



## lofgents

svetlyo said:


> Thanks for the hint, I did. Anyone know where D14 can be ordered in Europe?


 
 Ibasso D14 can be ordered here:-
  
 http://www.son-video.com/Rayons/DAC-audio-ampli-casque-portable/iBasso-D14-Bushmaster.html
  
 I did not place an order from them as they did not respond to a question I asked them via e-mail its something I always do in case I have a problem afterwards and need some support, if they can not reply to a simple question I do not buy. Maybe you will have more luck.


----------



## Cotnijoe

Another D14 review for those interested.

http://www.wheninmanila.com/ibasso-d14-bushmaster-portable-dacamp-synergy-is-the-key/


----------



## TheAwesomesauceShow

Has any of you bushmasterers(lol) able to use this to an android phone? I have an Asus Zenfone 2 and have been contemplating between this and the FiiO E18 Kunlun.


----------



## Cotnijoe

theawesomesauceshow said:


> Has any of you bushmasterers(lol) able to use this to an android phone? I have an Asus Zenfone 2 and have been contemplating between this and the FiiO E18 Kunlun.




I am a master of the bush and have used the D14 with my htc. It works easily and the D14 comes with a nice low profile cable. Sound is fantastic and highly recommended. But the D14 is a little thick and stacking it with an android means you should be prepared to look pretty dumb with a giant bulge in your pants. I put my stack on the side of my backpack thats designed to hold a waterbottle. Works great


----------



## TheAwesomesauceShow

cotnijoe said:


> I am a master of the bush and have used the D14 with my htc. It works easily and the D14 comes with a nice low profile cable. Sound is fantastic and highly recommended. But the D14 is a little thick and stacking it with an android means you should be prepared to look pretty dumb with a giant bulge in your pants. I put my stack on the side of my backpack thats designed to hold a waterbottle. Works great


 
 Thanks. Is your HTC Android 4.4 lollipop or higher?


----------



## Cotnijoe

Mine is 5.0.2


----------



## HiFlight

I am using LG G2 with v.5.0.2 with my D14 and it works perfectly.


----------



## TheAwesomesauceShow

cotnijoe said:


> Mine is 5.0.2


 
  
  


hiflight said:


> I am using LG G2 with v.5.0.2 with my D14 and it works perfectly.


 
 thanks for confirming.


----------



## lofgents

Would the D14 improve the overall listening experience when used with a DX50 coax out to D14. I want to be able to use as a portable with iem 32 ohm and occassionaly with a set of 250 ohm full size cans. Overall frequency response is important without any particular bias and I do like an expansive wide soundstage.
  
 Difficult to see anything at this price to compare it with
  
 Thanks for any information.


----------



## HiFlight

lofgents said:


> Would the D14 improve the overall listening experience when used with a DX50 coax out to D14. I want to be able to use as a portable with iem 32 ohm and occassionaly with a set of 250 ohm full size cans. Overall frequency response is important without any particular bias and I do like an expansive wide soundstage.
> 
> Difficult to see anything at this price to compare it with
> 
> Thanks for any information.




The D14 performs far above its price and will provide a significant improvement over the stock D50. It does make a tidy package, as it is about the same size as the D50. Given a compact coax cable, they will strap together very neatly.


----------



## lofgents

hiflight said:


> The D14 performs far above its price and will provide a significant improvement over the stock D50. It does make a tidy package, as it is about the same size as the D50. Given a compact coax cable, they will strap together very neatly.


 

 Thank you very much for the quick response and the info on improvement with the DX50, I will be placing an order with ibasso fairly soon.
  
 Thanks again


----------



## Zelo-Balance

it looks the same as D12 outside


----------



## Cotnijoe

zelo-balance said:


> it looks the same as D12 outside


 
  
 Yea basically. iBasso has kept the form factor basically the same for all of their D series DAC/Amps


----------



## TheAwesomesauceShow

Another question. Can the d14 + OTG cable bypass Android phone's dac?


----------



## h1f1add1cted

Yes, all usb dacs bypass the dac of the phone, which is only used if you use the phone heaphone output. But if you don't use apps like UAPP or HibyMusic, you don't bypass the Android sound framework, which is a different story.


----------



## TheAwesomesauceShow

h1f1add1cted said:


> Yes, all usb dacs bypass the dac of the phone, which is only used if you use the phone heaphone output. But if you don't use apps like UAPP or HibyMusic, you don't bypass the Android sound framework, which is a different story.


 
 Thanks will buy the UAPP app. Hiby music seems to lose your playlist/favorites if you turn off your phone.


----------



## kamoteFX

Who has the dx90/d14 stack? How was it?


----------



## Cotnijoe

kamotefx said:


> Who has the dx90/d14 stack? How was it?


 
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/766310/new-ibasso-portable-amp-dac-ibasso-d14-bushmaster/75#post_11757147
  
 They stack really well as theyre essentially the same size. The DX90 with the Dignis case is very slightly wider while the D14 is very slightly longer. They work well together!


----------



## Anwer

@Cotnijoe How many hours of Burning in did your D14 get before you posted your review ?


----------



## Cotnijoe

About 100 hours. I did notice some aubtle differences early on but past maybe 40 or 50 hours i thought it was pretty consistent. 

Just a rough estimate as i didnt keep a hard tally od the hours


----------



## Anwer

Thank you, and did you notice any lag with videos or games on your PC when using the D14 as a USB DAC?


----------



## Cotnijoe

anwer said:


> Thank you, and did you notice any lag with videos or games on your PC when using the D14 as a USB DAC?


 
  
 Nope! No issue like the DX90 does


----------



## youkeum

anyone connect with ipod?


----------



## speedsiren

has anybody compared this and Oppo HA2?

Thanks


----------



## HiFlight

speedsiren said:


> has anybody compared this and Oppo HA2?
> 
> Thanks




I had both the HA-2 and the D14. I returned the HA-2 and kept the D14.


----------



## privilege15

Ordered one today to check out the sound of ES9018K2M.
  
 I want to try it as DAC in the following chain: Fiio X5 (source) -> D14 (DAC) -> PB2 (Balanced Amp) -> balanced headphones.
  
 The price is all right to give it a shot and if I don't hear any difference then my wife will be happy to have a decent DAC+Amp for her phone)


----------



## lofgents

Received mine and its on charge will give it some burn in time and pair it with my DX50 source and coax out to D14. Looking  forward to some good listening. I have Havi b3 original iem and Audio Technica im70 for portable use and some Denon cans (250 ohm).


----------



## lin0003

Review is up:
 http://www.head-fi.org/products/ibasso-audio-d14-bushmaster/reviews/13653


----------



## Cotnijoe

lin0003 said:


> Review is up:
> http://www.head-fi.org/products/ibasso-audio-d14-bushmaster/reviews/13653


 
  
 YEA! Great Review


----------



## lin0003

Thanks!


----------



## Ken57

Hi,
  Thanks for the review! I'm thinking to get the D14 to use with my Note 4. But, its for an HD 600 headphone. Would you recommend another one with more power than the 400 mW @32 ohms of the D14? Also, how would you compare it to the Oppo HA-2 in terms of sound quality? (I believe that has even lower power, around 220 mW). Thanks.


----------



## lin0003

ken57 said:


> Hi,
> Thanks for the review! I'm thinking to get the D14 to use with my Note 4. But, its for an HD 600 headphone. Would you recommend another one with more power than the 400 mW @32 ohms of the D14? Also, how would you compare it to the Oppo HA-2 in terms of sound quality? (I believe that has even lower power, around 220 mW). Thanks.


 
 It drives the HD600 sufficiently well, but I haven't heard the HA-2, sorry.


----------



## kawaivpc1

So, how does this unit sound?? iBasso's D55 is already amazing...
 Does this unit sound better than R10?
 Spec-wise, it's already better than anything they have manufactured so far. 100kHz frequency range, DSD 256, DXD, OTG, low price make D14 the best in this price range.


----------



## kawaivpc1

h1f1add1cted said:


> Gapless works on DX50/DX90 with Rockbox with all formats perfect. I don't go back to Mango FW.


 
 Does it beat DX100 in sound quality?
 I hope it does. iBasso's best sound can be found in DX100 which has their worst firmware and UI.
 If D14 has better or equal sound, this can be the product of year.


----------



## h1f1add1cted

kawaivpc1 said:


> Does it beat DX100 in sound quality?
> I hope it does. iBasso's best sound can be found in DX100 which has their worst firmware and UI.
> If D14 has better or equal sound, this can be the product of year.


 

 I never heard a DX100, but I use my rockboxed' DX50 via coaxial out to my iFi mirco iDSD to use the dual TI DSD1793 dac with bit-perfect filter setting, instead of the Wolfson dac from the iBasso which beats all DAPs incl. AK240 I heard up to now.


----------



## kawaivpc1

h1f1add1cted said:


> I never heard a DX100, but I use my rockboxed' DX50 via coaxial out to my iFi mirco iDSD to use the dual TI DSD1793 dac with bit-perfect filter setting, instead of the Wolfson dac from the iBasso which beats all DAPs incl. AK240 I heard up to now.


 
  
 Does DX50 with iFi micro beat AK240? I've never heard about that.
 But anyways, let's go back to D14 Bushmaster. 
 This unit is particularly amazing because it looks like a successor of their amazing D55. I already own D55. It sounds amazing... it rivals Geek Out 1000. 
 While D55 is a 24bit 192kHz and non-DSD capable unit, this D14 Bushmaster is DXD and DSD256 unit. 
  
 I wonder if this can match the sound of their old DX100 (2012). DX100 has good sound quality but overall technology of 2012 didn't allow them to use the very best touchscreen, firmware, etc.


----------



## HeatFan12

As of now for the US, the only option is buy direct from iBasso?  No Amazon yet?  lol
  
 Thanks!


----------



## kawaivpc1

how would you rank:
  
 R10 vs D14 vs DX90 vs AK120?


----------



## maricius

kawaivpc1 said:


> how would you rank:
> 
> R10 vs D14 vs DX90 vs AK120?


 

 I personally like the DX90 over the AK120 and the reviews so far indicate that the D14 is noticeably better than the DX90. I can't speak for the R10 nor the DX100.


----------



## Cotnijoe

Ya. I cant imagine anyone thinking the DX90 is better. The D14 retains much of the DX90s sound while improving on it


----------



## BongCK

anyone test d14 with speaker ?


----------



## HiFlight

bongck said:


> anyone test d14 with speaker ?




??? The D14 is a headphone amplifier with 1/8" headphone jack....no speaker terminals. Unless you mean using powered speakers such as AudioEngine which I imagine would work OK.


----------



## privilege15

My desktop trial setup:
  
 Fiio X5 -> D14 -> PB2
  

  
 No comments on SQ just yet.


----------



## kawaivpc1

That's too many to carry around....


----------



## privilege15

kawaivpc1 said:


> That's too many to carry around....


 
 It is  that is why I called it my "desktop" setup. I'm not going to carry all that as I'm not strong enough yet)))


----------



## lofgents

DX50 coax out to D14 spdif and the quality of sound is a big improvement only ran for about 10 hours so far so looking forward to the suggested burn in period to observe any changes. Top piece of kit for the money.
  
 Will have to change the supplied ts cable as its a bit cumbersome for portable use and it looks to be putting a slight strain on the sockets. I have some parts on order to make a new cable as I could not find a ready made one anywhere. If anyone has found a suitable cable please could you let me know where.
  
   Thanks


----------



## HiFlight

lofgents said:


> DX50 coax out to D14 spdif and the quality of sound is a big improvement only ran for about 10 hours so far so looking forward to the suggested burn in period to observe any changes. Top piece of kit for the money.
> 
> Will have to change the supplied ts cable as its a bit cumbersome for portable use and it looks to be putting a slight strain on the sockets. I have some parts on order to make a new cable as I could not find a ready made one anywhere. If anyone has found a suitable cable please could you let me know where.
> 
> Thanks




Any short 1/8" cable will work, no need for a custom or expensive cable. Either mono or stereo is OK. As it is all digital data, even run-of-the-mill connectors work just fine. I have a couple of short cables with 90 degree connectors which make a very tidy carry bundle.


----------



## Cotnijoe

hiflight said:


> lofgents said:
> 
> 
> > DX50 coax out to D14 spdif and the quality of sound is a big improvement only ran for about 10 hours so far so looking forward to the suggested burn in period to observe any changes. Top piece of kit for the money.
> ...


 
  
 The ultra short cable from JDS labs works amazing with it. Its small profile and short length fits a DX50 D14 stack basically pefectly
  
 https://www.jdslabs.com/products/146/ultra-short-3-5mm-interconnect-cable/


----------



## lofgents

hiflight said:


> Any short 1/8" cable will work, no need for a custom or expensive cable. Either mono or stereo is OK. As it is all digital data, even run-of-the-mill connectors work just fine. I have a couple of short cables with 90 degree connectors which make a very tidy carry bundle.


 
  
  


cotnijoe said:


> The ultra short cable from JDS labs works amazing with it. Its small profile and short length fits a DX50 D14 stack basically pefectly
> 
> https://www.jdslabs.com/products/146/ultra-short-3-5mm-interconnect-cable/


 

 Thanks for the replies I do have a short 3.5mm stereo connector which I did try but the quality of audio is not as good as the supplied mono connector from ibasso, I have some other cables which I will dig out and try today, will report back later with the results.
  
 Thank you again.


----------



## RedJohn456

Is it possible to use this as a transportable set up with my laptop? I want to keep it connected to my mac and occasionally use it with my cellphone. Is there a way to run it off of USB power without overcharging the battery?


----------



## Cotnijoe

redjohn456 said:


> Is it possible to use this as a transportable set up with my laptop? I want to keep it connected to my mac and occasionally use it with my cellphone. Is there a way to run it off of USB power without overcharging the battery?




Absolutely! The D14 works great as a usb soundcard.

The battery already has overcharge protection so you dont need to worry about frying the battery. You can alsp charge the D14 via both your laptop and smartphone so you should be set!


----------



## RedJohn456

cotnijoe said:


> Absolutely! The D14 works great as a usb soundcard.
> 
> The battery already has overcharge protection so you dont need to worry about frying the battery. You can alsp charge the D14 via both your laptop and smartphone so you should be set!


 

 I initially wasn't interested in the D14 but some people urged me to take a second look and I am glad I did. Thanks for the confirmation! Any chance you might be able to compare to the Oppo HA2?


----------



## Cotnijoe

redjohn456 said:


> I initially wasn't interested in the D14 but some people urged me to take a second look and I am glad I did. Thanks for the confirmation! Any chance you might be able to compare to the Oppo HA2?




That would he a question for HiFlight. He has both D14 and HA2. He did say earlier on in the thread that he kept the D14 over the HA2. I dont know his direct comparison though


----------



## privilege15

During the last two days I've been testing the following two same tier DAC chips:
  

*Burr-Brown PCM1792A* implemented in Fiio X5
*Sabre32 ES9018K2M* implemented in iBasso D14
  
 I used a standalone balanced amplifier iBasso PB2 modded with MUSES01 opamps and LT1028ACN buffers in both cases to receive and amplify the sound to balanced headphones Beyerdynamic DT-150.
  
 For listening sessions I used various music genres: DSBM, Black, Death, Doom, Heavy Metal and Hard Rock, Classic Old School Rock including Art Rock and Progressive Rock, Acoustic, Instrumental and Orchestral music.
  
 I did not expect it to be that hard so I had to invite my wife to participate in the process as I found the differences between the two so tiny so I was not really sure. I had certain conclusions but wanted somebody else to speak about them first before I voiced my point of view. At the end we shared the same opinion.
  
 Both of the DACs are great and there's definitely NO winner - no one is better than the other. They are on par from the SQ perspective but different in sound signature and would be best suited for different music genres.
  
*Burr-Brown PCM1792A* for example gives spacious atmospheric and natural sound which would suit more for Classic Old School Rock, Art Rock and Progressive Rock, Acoustic, Instrumental, Orchestral music and so on.
  
*Sabre32 ES9018K2M* gives more punchy forward controlled sound with tighter beats which I considered to be more suitable for something heavier like Heavy Metal and Hard Rock and other extreme Metal genres.
  
 Can anyone share my observations or have a different point of view?


----------



## Cotnijoe

I'm sending my D14 off to @nmatheis for a bit for him to have a listen. He's got quite a few new portable devices with him currently so I thought it would be good to get some comparisons from him!


----------



## RedJohn456

cotnijoe said:


> I'm sending my D14 off to @nmatheis for a bit for him to have a listen. He's got quite a few new portable devices with him currently so I thought it would be good to get some comparisons from him!


 

 i managed to find a local iBasso dealer but they don't have the D14 yet. I wish iBasso would have a loaner program for auditioning and such


----------



## Cotnijoe

I actually initially asked them for a tour. It seems ibasso r a bit concerned with the inconsistency in the reviewers when its a tour where people just sign up, and felt that sending just a few units to a couple reviewers was a better option


----------



## RedJohn456

cotnijoe said:


> I actually initially asked them for a tour. It seems ibasso r a bit concerned with the inconsistency in the reviewers when its a tour where people just sign up, and felt that sending just a few units to a couple reviewers was a better option


 

 I don't blame them to be honest. Its just that it would be much easier to commit to a purchase if I have an idea of how it sounds after hearing it. The reviews have been very helpful but nothing beats trying it out for yourself


----------



## privilege15

redjohn456 said:


> I don't blame them to be honest. Its just that it would be much easier to commit to a purchase if I have an idea of how it sounds after hearing it. The reviews have been very helpful but nothing beats trying it out for yourself


 
  
 I always thought that you can buy it and then if you don't like it you could return it, is it not?


----------



## newtophones07

How long does it take for one of these to arrive in the US from china? I want one, but I don't want to wait three weeks


----------



## privilege15

newtophones07 said:


> How long does it take for one of these to arrive in the US from china? I want one, but I don't want to wait three weeks




You can opt for DHL service when ordering from ibasso.com. This would take about 3 days.


----------



## jared basshead

Can anyone compare this to dacamp one? Would love to get some details
Thanks


----------



## HiFlight

jared basshead said:


> Can anyone compare this to dacamp one? Would love to get some details
> Thanks




If you are referring to the Tralucent, DAC/Amp One, the D14 has a coax input, the Tralucent has an optical input. Both have USB inputs. The Tralucent resolves 96 kbps vs full DSD for the D14. The Dac/Amp is a bit warmer overall whereas the D14 has more detail and more precise imaging. It is also about half the price as the DacAmp One.


----------



## jared basshead

hiflight said:


> If you are referring to the Tralucent, DAC/Amp One, the D14 has a coax input, the Tralucent has an optical input. Both have USB inputs. The Tralucent resolves 96 kbps vs full DSD for the D14. The Dac/Amp is a bit warmer overall whereas the D14 has more detail and more precise imaging. It is also about half the price as the DacAmp One.




Thanks for your time hiflight. 
Hmm, I'll have to think. 
I do have to say though tralucent products are in their own league, t1, 1+2, ref1, they make few products and each leaves it's own mark, they're nobility, well kind of.


----------



## HiFlight

jared basshead said:


> Thanks for your time hiflight.
> Hmm, I'll have to think.
> I do have to say though tralucent products are in their own league, t1, 1+2, ref1, they make few products and each leaves it's own mark, they're nobility, well kind of.




I feel the same as you, having owned the T1, Ref 1 and the DAC/Amp.


----------



## jared basshead

hiflight said:


> I feel the same as you, having owned the T1, Ref 1 and the DAC/Amp.


----------



## Walderstorn

I need a new dac/amp combo, after having the e17 and having my main rig as a MF v90 dac+ gustard h10 i need something for my workplace, and to use with iems, i dont have many so im wondering if this is worth the price comparing to cheaper combos, as IEM's i have the following:
  
 JVC fxt200ltd (my fav)
 MEE a151P
 RHA 750i
 Brainwavz 0
 Piston 2
 Piston 3
 Dunu Titan (cant use these at work, every1 will listen what i hear )
  
 Thinking of giving fidue a73 ot altone 200 a shot in a couple of months the 2000j will have to wait longer.
  
  
 If you guys think these kind of cheaper iems wont take a great advantage from this combo then i will go for a cheaper alternative, at work i use a laptop thats always plugged in when im there.


----------



## Anwer

I wonder how the D14 fares against the modded DX90


----------



## ceemsc

anwer said:


> I wonder how the D14 fares against the modded DX90 :confused_face_2:




Sorry can you specify how the DX90 has been modded?


----------



## Anwer

ceemsc said:


> Sorry can you specify how the DX90 has been modded?


 
 The DX90 can be modded by one of our Head-fi members, sanmigel. You can get more details in the DX90 topics.


----------



## privilege15

ceemsc said:


> Sorry can you specify how the DX90 has been modded?


 
  
 Out of curiosity I checked out his posts in DX90 thread and came with the following quote from that guy:
  
 "The affected parts are: Common power supply. DAC power supply. Current-to-voltage converters. Output buffers. Removed redundant decoupling capacitors."
  


anwer said:


> I wonder how the D14 fares against the modded DX90


 
  
 It's hard to understand how is it possible to compare both devices as they are totally different in their purpose where
  
 DX90:
 1. Source+DAC+Amp
 2. Source only
 3. Source+DAC only
  
 D14:
 1. DAC+Amp
 2. DAC only
 3. Amp only
  
 I think you will hear the difference if you use D14 in Amp only mode to drive your headphones coupled with DX90 in Source+DAC mode. Although I don't think the difference will be huge.
  
 Also I don't see the reason using D14 in DAC+Amp mode with DX90 being the Source only because they have the same DAC chips.


----------



## Cotnijoe

They have the same chip but different design. The D14 only has one chip, but is still superior to the DX90 DAC


----------



## privilege15

cotnijoe said:


> They have the same chip but different design. The D14 only has one chip, but is still superior to the DX90 DAC


 
 I may sound skeptic but I don't believe one will hear any difference in any same type DAC implementations especially between same brand devices.
  
 How did you test DACs anyway in both D14 and DX90. Did you do a clean DAC only test by avoiding Amp circuits in D14 and DX90 by using an external independent amplifier?


----------



## Cotnijoe

Exactly. I ran D14 DAC > D14 amp then DX90 DAC > D14 amp. The difference is obvious. Not just detail or whatever, but even something as basic as signature. D14 is a little brighter up top


----------



## ceemsc

cotnijoe said:


> Exactly. I ran D14 DAC > D14 amp then DX90 DAC > D14 amp. The difference is obvious. Not just detail or whatever, but even something as basic as signature. D14 is a little brighter up top




[scientist-hat-on]
Wouldn't it be fairer if the amp used was truly independent from the test like a different brand?

By using the D14 amp you would automatically be biased for the D14 DAC setup as it would be designed to work in that pairing - (shorter path circuits, no doubt iBasso tested & developed the D14 DAC to pair with the D14 Amp etc.)
[/scientist-hat-on]


----------



## newtophones07

Just received mine, I need some help though.

1) I run Windows 8.1 x64, and when connecting as a USB dac, the ibasso is not showing up as a playback device in the audio options. Windows shows the driver ibasso setup upon connection to the pc. I missing a driver, is this device not compatible as a plug and play device with my version of windows? 

2) my dx90 is pretty silent in the background hiss department with my various IEMS, but with the d14 the hiss is very noticeable using the high gain setting..anyone else having this issue?

3) mine has a very disagreeable turn off pop with the IEMS or closed back headphones. Do I have a broken unit, or is this just a common turn off for powerful portable headphone amps? I have to take my headphones/IEMS out before turning it off.

Thanks for the help


----------



## HiFlight

newtophones07 said:


> Just received mine, I need some help though.
> 
> 1) I run Windows 8.1 x64, and when connecting as a USB dac, the ibasso is not showing up as a playback device in the audio options. Windows shows the driver ibasso setup upon connection to the pc. I missing a driver, is this device not compatible as a plug and play device with my version of windows?
> 
> ...




I believe you need to download and install a driver from the iBasso website for use with Windoze. Perhaps a Windoze user can give you some step-by-step help. 

With IEM's, using high gain is likely overkill. I have never used high gain for any of my phones, IEM or over-ear. 

The turn-off pop you hear is normal. They all do this.


----------



## privilege15

newtophones07 said:


> Just received mine, I need some help though.
> 
> 1) I run Windows 8.1 x64, and when connecting as a USB dac, the ibasso is not showing up as a playback device in the audio options. Windows shows the driver ibasso setup upon connection to the pc. I missing a driver, is this device not compatible as a plug and play device with my version of windows?
> 
> ...




1. I have Win8.1. Just dowload the driver from iBasso website and D14 will be recognized as a soundcard.

2. Set gain to low as HiFlight has said.

3. It's not broken. It's a turn on/off switch combined with volume control and you don't need to take your IEMs out every time you turn on/off the device.


----------



## newtophones07

Thanks guys/girls I'll try the recommendations. I looked at the driver from June and just assumed it was for an older device...silly me I guess


----------



## thesharkbite

Hi guys,

My iphone 5s displays a warning that the ibasso requires too much power, and it wouldn't play through it. I used the same CCK and cable on the ALO International side by side and no prob at all. It also works well with ny macbook pro, both thru USB and optical. The iphone obviously recognizes it but refuses to pair.

Anything wrong with what i'm doing? Or should i just send the ibasso back to the my friend who's selling it?

Thanks


----------



## Cotnijoe

Is your charge on? Turning off charging mite solve it


----------



## thesharkbite

Thanks for the quick reply!

Yeah at first the charge was on, but i flipped the switch to off, restarted everything, still same problem. Im thinking charging the d14 back to full? Other suggestions are welcome. I love its house sound, i suddenly miss my D4 with topkit


----------



## thesharkbite

Here's the warning.


----------



## Cotnijoe

I lent my D14 out to a friend. He's had similar issues...


----------



## thesharkbite

Thanks for your thoughts. What a bummer, and i bought the CCK just for it. I'm glad i was able to test the cck with an international to confirm it's working.

I'll spend some more time with it tonight hope to get back with something positive..


----------



## HiFlight

thesharkbite said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> My iphone 5s displays a warning that the ibasso requires too much power, and it wouldn't play through it. I used the same CCK and cable on the ALO International side by side and no prob at all. It also works well with ny macbook pro, both thru USB and optical. The iphone obviously recognizes it but refuses to pair.
> 
> ...




While I don't have an iPhone, my D14 pairs immediately with my Galaxy S4 using an OTG cable without showing an error message about excessive current draw. I first tried it with the battery charge switch turned off, then I turned it on and saw that my phone was charging the D14. No error message either way. Seems that there might be an issue with your D14. 

Maybe some other iPhone users can chime in on your issue.


----------



## Vesperia

Hi is there any special setting in getting the D14 to work with a S4, My S4 doesn't seem to want to work with the Ibasso. Tried turning on the "Dock sound" & "Audio output mode" = no luck.
  
 Anyone also having troubles with Samsung s4 using the OTG cable with this DAC?
  
 Edit: tried it with a Note 4 and worked flawlessly.


----------



## jared basshead

vesperia said:


> Hi is there any special setting in getting the D14 to work with a S4, My S4 doesn't seem to want to work with the Ibasso. Tried turning on the "Dock sound" & "Audio output mode" = no luck.
> 
> Anyone also having troubles with Samsung s4 with this DAC?


 are you running on custom os or custom kernel on your s4 or are you on stock rom? 
I'm still waiting on my d14 so really don't know much about "dock sound or audio output mode".


----------



## HiFlight

vesperia said:


> Hi is there any special setting in getting the D14 to work with a S4, My S4 doesn't seem to want to work with the Ibasso. Tried turning on the "Dock sound" & "Audio output mode" = no luck.
> 
> Anyone also having troubles with Samsung s4 using the OTG cable with this DAC?
> 
> Edit: tried it with a Note 4 and worked flawlessly.




My stock S4 (Lollipop 5) works flawlessly with my D14 via USB OTG.


----------



## thesharkbite

Fo idevice users, ibasso quickly replied to my email.

"Have you installed the D14 driver on your Windows OS? The firmware has to be reloaded. A windows OS PC is required.

Sincerely
iBasso Audio"

I already updated and the d14 works with our windows laptop. But no dice on the iphone with CCK, same too much power consumption issue.

Hope to get more ideas from ibasso soon..


----------



## thesharkbite

Hi guys, iBasso asked me to return the item to the owner. Apparently this is a pre production unit and the new production amps have no more issues working with an iphone. I think they want the owner himself to do the update.

Oh well bummer i really wanted to try this out first before placing an order. But tbh im leaning towards another amp already so i think i won't get this shipped back to me after returning it. 

If your D14 is having problems pairing with iThingies just contact iBasso for upgrade insturctions. Hope this helps!


----------



## Vesperia

No, I just re-flashed my phone and in running stock lollipop.


----------



## jared basshead

Received my d14 today, quite happy with the sound. 
And it works with my VIBE Z2 pro straight, just plug and play. 
Have to get some Velcro to make a good stack. Maybe a new phone too with small form factor as my go to setup. 
Thinking about Galaxy s3 or smaller. 
Anyway Yeah nice little dac 

Didn't expect it would be this small though, I ordered the silver one and a part of me says should have got the black, the silver ain't bad though


----------



## oldmate

jared basshead said:


> Received my d14 today, quite happy with the sound.
> And it works with my VIBE Z2 pro straight, just plug and play.
> Have to get some Velcro to make a good stack. Maybe a new phone too with small form factor as my go to setup.
> Thinking about Galaxy s3 or smaller.
> ...


 
 Galaxy S3 mini??


----------



## jared basshead

oldmate said:


> Galaxy S3 mini??
> 
> 
> [COLOR=FF4400]
> [/COLOR]




Mini is good enough going by size but does it work? No uarp and external battery mess? 
Say the word and make my day


----------



## oldmate

jared basshead said:


> Mini is good enough going by size but does it work? No uarp and external battery mess?
> Say the word and make my day


 
 I actually have no idea if it works. Sorry about that. It just seemed like a nice footprint for the HA-2.
  
 I know it does support USB OTG according to some posts on XDA but was unable to find out if it supports USB Audio. You might want to ask somebody on those forums. 
  
 http://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s3-mini
  
 That is, unless somebody here knows??


----------



## HiFlight

jared basshead said:


> Mini is good enough going by size but does it work? No uarp and external battery mess?
> Say the word and make my day




While the full-sized Galaxy S3 & S4 support OTG USB, the Mini's do not. I also own an S4 Mini and USB OTG is for sure not supported on it and I would also assume the same to be true for the S3 Mini. 

My stock S4 supports USB OTG to all my DAC/Amps, but it is best to use one that you can turn off the charging so as to preserve the battery life in your phone. Both my phones are Verizon and have the latest firmware: KitKat for S4 Mini, Lollipop for S4. Other than the USB incompatibility, the Mini is a great little phone, especially with an extended battery. An especially useful feature is the Adapt sound option.


----------



## ceemsc

I've ordered a D14 from AdvancedMP3Players as they have a site-wide 15% discount for Bank Holiday Weekend.

I am excited as a little boy who can't sleep before Disneyland & cannot wait for it to arrive.


----------



## robotz

ken57 said:


> Hi,
> Thanks for the review! I'm thinking to get the D14 to use with my Note 4. But, its for an HD 600 headphone. Would you recommend another one with more power than the 400 mW @32 ohms of the D14?


 
 Specs say 400 +400 mW, thus the D14 should be considered rated at 400 mW or 800 mW?
 What's the max output voltage?


----------



## jared basshead

robotz said:


> Specs say 400 +400 mW, thus the D14 should be considered rated at 400 mW or 800 mW?
> What's the max output voltage?



It's 400mW, 400 for left and 400 for right channel.


----------



## ceemsc

jared basshead said:


> It's 400mW, 400 for left and 400 for right channel.




Hmm... I thought it was 400mW for normal operation + another 400 for High Gain?


----------



## jared basshead

This little sweet thing came as a revelation. The more I hear it the more I like it. 

Out of the box I had bit trouble using it with my phone. The sound out of the box was still good enough as a upgrade to Fiio x3 first gen, E7, e17k second gen and then Fiio E11 if we are talking about amp section. It betters the Wolfson dac on my K900 and all the smartphones on my signature as well as iphone 6th. 

I think this thing is to stay in house for a looong time. Thanks everyone who gave their humble opinion and reviews and especially HiFlight if not of his opinion I would be with different source/Amp today. 

Cheers


----------



## nmatheis

cotnijoe said:


> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Hey y'all! I'm late to this party 

A generous headfi'er loaned me his D14, and I wanted to echo these thoughts from Cotnijoe earlier in the thread. The D14 is an absolute beast. I've been trying out several DAC/Amps recently: Calyx PaT, Cayin C5DAC, Cozoy Aegis & Astrapi, and Shanling H3 - and now the D14. They all have their pros & cons. 

Right now, I was listening to the same music with Fiio X5, Fiio X5 Coax Out to D14, and DX90 with VE Zen. The X5 + D14 handily beats either standalone DAP in terms of bass texture and punch, vocals presence, and clarity. Sound is vibrant without sounding colored. Soundstage is a better than DX90 and much better than X5. 

I hate stacking, though! Hoping DX80 brings its A-game


----------



## Nachkebia

i am guessing this also has signature. razor sharp ibasso sound which does not match well with ath-im series which i love very much?


----------



## jared basshead

ceemsc said:


> Hmm... I thought it was 400mW for normal operation + another 400 for High Gain?



Pretty sure what I said is right. 

While about gain I'm not sure but +3db and +9db


----------



## ceemsc

jared basshead said:


> Pretty sure what I said is right.
> 
> While about gain I'm not sure but +3db and +9db




I think you are right; mine arrived today & according to the specs on the back of the box it is 400mW - if high gain doubled this it would have said.


----------



## JJacob

I'm a little new at this, but I have a question: Aren't you worried about accidently flicking the gain switch to "high" in your pocket while carrying it and listening to music? Is there some protection against this?


----------



## nmatheis

jjacob said:


> I'm a little new at this, but I have a question: Aren't you worried about accidently flicking the gain switch to "high" in your pocket while carrying it and listening to music? Is there some protection against this?




1. Stacking with this isn't pocket-friendly IMHO. More of a bag-friendly portable solution. Maybe you've got giant pockets?
2. The gain switch is pretty small and is stiff enough that you're not going to switch it accidentally. 
3. Unless you're already listening at high levels on low gain, it's not going to blow your ears out if you do accidentally switch it during playback. 

Hope that alleviates your concerns


----------



## nmatheis

What's your setup ceemsc?

Coax out from my Fiio X5 gives me 256GB of music, long battery life, and DX90++ sound. Too bad I have to send it back to papa this week


----------



## ceemsc

nmatheis said:


> What's your setup ceemsc?
> 
> Coax out from my Fiio X5 gives me 256GB of music, long battery life, and DX90++ sound. Too bad I have to send it back to papa this week




Still charging it up so I've no idea if this will work / how it will sound / how much tweaking is required but I plan to use it in the following chain :

ibasso DX50 Rockboxed DAP Transport -> Ibasso D14 DAC / Pre-amp-> FiiO E12 Main Amp -> Denon AH-D600 headphones.


----------



## nmatheis

ceemsc said:


> nmatheis said:
> 
> 
> > What's your setup ceemsc?
> ...




Whoa, brother... 

Why you wanna put to E12 in the chain? If suggest keeping it simpler and use the D14 as the DAC + Amp for a week or two and then add the E12 in and see what you prefer. 

Based on my time with the D14, I'm guessing you just might choose the D14 over E12


----------



## ceemsc

nmatheis said:


> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I'm doing swap & upgrade moves with my rig. Actually I'm using the ibasso D14 to upgrade from the Electric Avenues PA2V2 I've been using as a pre-amp & is my 1st dedicated external DAC. The E12 has always been my main amp & allows me to hook the rig up to the car audio.


----------



## nmatheis

ceemsc: Is there a reason you wouldn't want to just use D14 out to your car stereo?


----------



## ceemsc

nmatheis said:


> ceemsc: Is there a reason you wouldn't want to just use D14 out to your car stereo?




I need the extra gain... Even the E12 struggled to produce decent sound in the car unless I put it into +16db gain mode or I added a pre-amp into the chain. Actually the E12 acts more like an attenuator so it can drive my headphones while protecting my hearing if I want to crank the D14.

I know the arguments against double-amping but it's never been an issue for me. In fact when my source was a Rockboxed Sandisk Clip Zip, I was unintentionally triple amping.


----------



## nmatheis

ceemsc said:


> nmatheis said:
> 
> 
> > @ceemsc: Is there a reason you wouldn't want to just use D14 out to your car stereo?
> ...


 
  
 Well, you won't need to do any double amping, since D14 will go LO -> E12. So there's that...
  
 So it looks like E12 (880mW) is twice as powerful as D14 (440mW)? Bummer if 440mW isn't enough because, having heard both, I really think D14 is going to give you better Sound Quality than E12.


----------



## ceemsc

nmatheis said:


> Well, you won't need to do any double amping, since D14 will go LO -> E12. So there's that...
> 
> So it looks like E12 (880mW) is twice as powerful as D14 (440mW)? Bummer if 440mW isn't enough because, having heard both, I really think D14 is going to give you better Sound Quality than E12.




Cheers for the tips.

I had a little listen of Chesky's Demo Disks & it sounds cleaner than my previous setup.

The jury is still out on how my final setup will be; I'll have plenty of tweaking of both hardware & software configs to do.

Interestingly I can push the D14 volume to max on low gain without clipping whereas on the PA2v2 it would go only to the 2 O'clock before peaks would clip but it does mean I can't put the E12 more than the half nine position before getting too loud which risks channel imbalance; so I have some thinking & experimenting to do.


----------



## ph58

Hi , guys ,one question about the D14 can i let the switch charger on off , on ON permanently ? even when in use ? Thanks in advance .


----------



## JJacob

nmatheis said:


> 1. Stacking with this isn't pocket-friendly IMHO. More of a bag-friendly portable solution. Maybe you've got giant pockets?
> 2. The gain switch is pretty small and is stiff enough that you're not going to switch it accidentally.
> 3. Unless you're already listening at high levels on low gain, it's not going to blow your ears out if you do accidentally switch it during playback.
> 
> Hope that alleviates your concerns


 
 Yeah, I probably won't be stacking it but you never know!
  
 It is reassuring but I prefer Oppo's solution on the HA-2. If you change the gain setting to high while it's on, it turns off, then back on again while fading in the sound over 2-3 seconds (source: http://gadgetynews.com/oppo-ha-2-portable-dac-headphone-amp-review/). I don't know if other dac/amps does it.


----------



## jared basshead

Yeah, no problem, I'm sure there's a battery overcharge protection circuit


----------



## nmatheis

ph58 said:


> Hi , guys ,one question about the D14 can i let the switch charger on off , on ON permanently ? even when in use ? Thanks in advance .




I don't see what harm that would do unless you're using it via OTG connection. If the charging circuitry was "always on", the D14 would try and request a charge when hooked up to your smartphone. This might cause your smartphone to reject the connection.


----------



## nmatheis

jjacob said:


> Yeah, I probably won't be stacking it but you never know!
> 
> It is reassuring but I prefer Oppo's solution on the HA-2. If you change the gain setting to high while it's on, it turns off, then back on again while fading in the sound over 2-3 seconds (source: http://gadgetynews.com/oppo-ha-2-portable-dac-headphone-amp-review/). I don't know if other dac/amps does it.




Didn't know that and haven't encountered it with other Amps, DAC/Amps, or DAPs. That's a good feature to protect our hearing. Kudos to Oppo!


----------



## ph58

nmatheis said:


> I don't see what harm that would do unless you're using it via OTG connection. If the charging circuitry was "always on", the D14 would try and request a charge when hooked up to your smartphone. This might cause your smartphone to reject the connection.


 
 OK , thank you very much .


----------



## nmatheis

No problem ph58


----------



## KnightThe2nd

how does this beast compares with AK100 mk2 (not gen2)?? (sound wise only, D14 runs as DAC/AMP)
 which one on brighter side? black background? any hiss/hum when paired with hi sensitivity IEM?
  
 personally i like the sabre soundsign, but when i tried DX90, for me its wasn't too "engaging", too smooth for my taste, lack dynamic for fast paced songs


----------



## nmatheis

knightthe2nd said:


> how does this beast compares with AK100 mk2 (not gen2)?? (sound wise only, D14 runs as DAC/AMP)
> which one on brighter side? black background? any hiss/hum when paired with hi sensitivity IEM?
> 
> personally i like the sabre soundsign, but when i tried DX90, for me its wasn't too "engaging", too smooth for my taste, lack dynamic for fast paced songs




With DX90, it depends on FW. Some are more laid back, some more engaging. Maybe you heard one of the less engaging ones...

However, I certainly found D14 more engaging than DX90. Haven't heard AK DAPs yet, so I can't comment on those. 

I didn't hear any hiss, but you might. I've found in not as sensitive to it as some people are.


----------



## Cotnijoe

nmatheis said:


> knightthe2nd said:
> 
> 
> > how does this beast compares with AK100 mk2 (not gen2)?? (sound wise only, D14 runs as DAC/AMP)
> ...




Having gone thru basically all of the DX90 fws, i can say the D14 is more engaging. The D14 has a fantastically black background that gives each individual instrument a more life-like presentation. The D14 also has a more textured and present treble region than the DX90, so i would say you wont find the D14 to be as smooth sounding as the DX90

Its interesting. When i first got the D14, there was a substantial amount of hiss, so i actually complained to Paul about that since it doesnt make sense with the 0.1 ohm output impedance of the D14. after a few hours with it, the hiss is completely gone. Kinda shows that burn in certainly exists to me (how it affects sound i wont get into haha).


----------



## nmatheis

Thanks for chiming in @Cotnijoe. Glad to know the lack of hiss I experienced wasn't just my insensitivity to it but an absence. D14 is another fantastic iBasso product. I'm hoping they can capture that D14 magic and inject it straight into the DX80


----------



## KnightThe2nd

nmatheis said:


> With DX90, it depends on FW. Some are more laid back, some more engaging. Maybe you heard one of the less engaging ones...
> 
> However, I certainly found D14 more engaging than DX90. Haven't heard AK DAPs yet, so I can't comment on those.
> 
> I didn't hear any hiss, but you might. I've found in not as sensitive to it as some people are.


 
 well i tried the very first one DX90 (early firmware ofc) and the most recent one is about 3 weeks ago (latest firmware update 3 weeks ago) i do found that latest firmware do sounds different compared to the very first one i listened to, but still its too smooth for my taste
  
 about the hiss i believe there wont be any issue with headphone (even low impedance & portable one) but since im gonna pair it with IEM, FAD heaven s, Ortofon EQ7, Zero Audio Doppio, i need to make sure there wont be a hiss problem first hehehe
  


cotnijoe said:


> Having gone thru basically all of the DX90 fws, i can say the D14 is more engaging. The D14 has a fantastically black background that gives each individual instrument a more life-like presentation. The D14 also has a more textured and present treble region than the DX90, so i would say you wont find the D14 to be as smooth sounding as the DX90
> 
> Its interesting. When i first got the D14, there was a substantial amount of hiss, so i actually complained to Paul about that since it doesnt make sense with the 0.1 ohm output impedance of the D14. after a few hours with it, the hiss is completely gone. Kinda shows that burn in certainly exists to me (how it affects sound i wont get into haha).


 
 thx for your reply @Cotnijoe from your opinion i think its suit my taste better than DX90, have you ever listen to Astell & Kern AK10?  any idea how D14 compared to AK10? which one is on brighter side?
  
 about the burn-in i do believe in burn in, in this case caps burn-in in amp


----------



## Cotnijoe

knightthe2nd said:


> have you ever listen to Astell & Kern AK10?  any idea how D14 compared to AK10? which one is on brighter side?


 
  
 Unfortunately I cant help you there. All I can say is ive heard a lot of people complain about the AK100 mk2 saying that their sound isnt as good as the DX90. Now... that could be hightly inaccurate... or it could be true. So all I can give you is that the D14 is a pretty significant step up from the DX90, especially when you're looking at the price of the D14. Very very good price.


----------



## lin0003

I don't think any DAP in the same price point can compete with the D14 right now, you need to factor in the extra cost that goes into a DAP. 
  
 The AK100 MKII is not as good as the D14, it isn't quite as good as the DX90, and the D14 is better than the DX90, so the D14 is a pretty big step up from that. 
  
 I agree with cotnijoe, the D14 is excellent for the price it comes in at.


----------



## ph58

Hi , guys I want to know what is the best dap for the D14 . I have a Beyerdynamic T70p to go with . Thanks in advance .


----------



## chat7

Hi Guys,
  
 Does your D14 get hot when connects it as DAC/AMP with laptop/pc? Mine is quite hot.
  
 Should I set charging off when connecting to the laptop/pc?
  
 Thanks....


----------



## ceemsc

ph58 said:


> Hi , guys I want to know what is the best dap for the D14 . I have a Beyerdynamic T70p to go with . Thanks in advance .




Not sure if it is the best but I use a Rockboxed ibasso DX50 as it allows coax out to D14 & a flexible UI


----------



## ph58

ceemsc said:


> Not sure if it is the best but I use a Rockboxed ibasso DX50 as it allows coax out to D14 & a flexible UI


 
 Thanks for your reply , i have pull the trigger for a Hidiz AP100 , it has coaxial output too , hope it will be a good combo with the D14 . Cheers


----------



## jamato8

chat7 said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> Does your D14 get hot when connects it as DAC/AMP with laptop/pc? Mine is quite hot.
> 
> ...


 

 It shouldn't get very warm. Is it normal headphones that you are using?


----------



## Dark Helmet

How much break in does this amp/dac need?  I like the sound right out of the box but in comparison to my HP-P1 it sounds cluttered.  The detail is nice and at loud volume it doesn't blare, but the vocals sound smaller and more recessed in comparison to my HP-P1 where the vocals sound thick and a bit more out front.  Seems like there is more seperation with the HP-P1 as well, just not the top end that I would like.


----------



## Dark Helmet

Does anyone elses D14 rattle when it is shaken.


----------



## nmatheis

Hmm... Sounds cluttered, rattles when shaken... Methinks something's wrong here


----------



## Cotnijoe

Mine makes a little sound if you shake it sideways decently hard. I wouldnt call it a rattle though. It should feel and sound fairly sturdy


----------



## Dark Helmet

cotnijoe said:


> Mine makes a little sound if you shake it sideways decently hard. I wouldnt call it a rattle though. It should feel and sound fairly sturdy


 
 That's what mine does.  Think I'm going to stick with my HP-P though.  The D14 sounds very good but the HP-P1 sounds better.


----------



## Cotnijoe

dark helmet said:


> That's what mine does.  Think I'm going to stick with my HP-P though.  The D14 sounds very good but the HP-P1 sounds better.


 
  
 I assume you're running an iPod of some sort with the HPP1? How are you running the D14? Just curious


----------



## jamato8

dark helmet said:


> How much break in does this amp/dac need?  I like the sound right out of the box but in comparison to my HP-P1 it sounds cluttered.  The detail is nice and at loud volume it doesn't blare, but the vocals sound smaller and more recessed in comparison to my HP-P1 where the vocals sound thick and a bit more out front.  Seems like there is more seperation with the HP-P1 as well, just not the top end that I would like.


 

 A couple of hundred hours for the caps to form and everything to settle is what mine took and it opened up more and imaged the best.
  
 If you shake it hard the battery will move, which doesn't affect anything.


----------



## Dark Helmet

cotnijoe said:


> I assume you're running an iPod of some sort with the HPP1? How are you running the D14? Just curious


 
 Yes I am.  I have run Amarra out to an ifi usb power to my D14 and also through my Note 2 using USB Player Pro.


----------



## Dark Helmet

jamato8 said:


> A couple of hundred hours for the caps to form and everything to settle is what mine took and it opened up more and imaged the best.
> 
> If you shake it hare the battery will move, which doesn't affect anything.


 
 Thanks Jamato8.


----------



## 426563

I can't connect my Galaxy S4 with it. I tried to connect my S4 with the USB OTG Cable with the USB input from the D14 and put my Headphones on the Phone output from the D14 but it dosent work


----------



## HiFlight

drsteinein said:


> I can't connect my Galaxy S4 with it. I tried to connect my S4 with the USB OTG Cable with the USB input from the D14 and put my Headphones on the Phone output from the D14 but it dosent work




My Galaxy S4 connects flawlessly with my D14. You might try a different OTG cable. (My S4 is running Lollipop) You might also check to confirm that the charge switch is turned off.


----------



## ph58

Hi , I have return the Hidizs ,( technical problem ) and now I have questions for you guys . What is the best combo with the D14 , the DX50 or the DX90 ? Thanks in advance .


----------



## ceemsc

ph58 said:


> Hi , I have return the Hidizs ,( technical problem ) and now I have questions for you guys . What is the best combo with the D14 , the DX50 or the DX90 ? Thanks in advance .




I'm biased as I have the DX50 but assuming you intend to use all of the D14 features I would say go for the DX50 for the following reasons :-

- Lower cost.
- Makes more practical sense (bypassed DAC is the older Wolfson WM8740 chip as well as the older onboard DX50 AMP circuitry design as opposed to bypassing 2x Sabre DACs & newer OPAMP setup on the DX90)
- As you are using the D14, there should be no difference in Sound Quality between DX50 & DX90.
- DX50 is sunset technology due for discontinue; get it while you can for the price before iBasso replace it with a more costly DAP.
- From what I gather, the DX50 is more easily RockBoxable than the DX90 but others may know better.
- My guess is that the D14 was developed in mind to allow users to "upgrade" their DX50 to surpass the DX90.
- The only advantage for DX90 I can think of which I have no proof for is that you might get more battery life & faster CPU processing for UI & music files but others would have to comment.


----------



## ph58

OK , I have one more question combo DX50+ D14 and DX90 alone , for sound quality , which one is better ? Thanks


----------



## lin0003

ph58 said:


> OK , I have one more question combo DX50+ D14 and DX90 alone , for sound quality , which one is better ? Thanks


 
 DX50 + D14, the DAP makes no difference with digital output.


----------



## ph58

ceemsc said:


> I'm biased as I have the DX50 but assuming you intend to use all of the D14 features I would say go for the DX50 for the following reasons :-
> 
> - Lower cost.
> - Makes more practical sense (bypassed DAC is the older Wolfson WM8740 chip as well as the older onboard DX50 AMP circuitry design as opposed to bypassing 2x Sabre DACs & newer OPAMP setup on the DX90)
> ...


 
 OK , thank you


----------



## ph58

lin0003 said:


> DX50 + D14, the DAP makes no difference with digital output.


 

 That's all i want to know .  Thank you .


----------



## Terps Fan

I just purchased the D14 "Bushmaster"!  I'll post some iBasso porn later this week when it arrives.  I'm really excited, it will be used with the MrSpeakers Mad Dog headphones.


----------



## jared basshead

terps fan said:


> I just purchased the D14 "Bushmaster"!  I'll post some iBasso porn later this week when it arrives.  I'm really excited




I would wonder what kind of porn ibasso makes, excited too!!


----------



## ph58

Hi guys the D14 come with a carton warranty card , not the plastic card as usual , is it right? Thanks in advance .


----------



## jared basshead

ph58 said:


> Hi guys the D14 come with a carton warranty card , not the plastic card as usual , is it right? Thanks in advance .


----------



## ph58

OK , thank you .


----------



## jared basshead

You are welcome. 


So My unit makes small blip sound internally and not on monitors when turned on, nothing that worries me but just wanted to know if it's the same case with everyone or just me. 

I generally tend to remove monitor before switching the unit off but sometimes I forget and that static noise is really really irritating, once or twice I even jerked my monitors unnerved so hard that I thought that I just killed my quantum cable.

But all cries and biches apart the unit sounds excellaunt.


----------



## ph58

Mine , make a Plop when turning off .


----------



## jared basshead

No not that, most amps do that, I meant to ask when you turn on your unit there's a minute bip noise that you can hear coming from the unit not from the monitors. 

My gripe is i dont remember hearing this first two days after getting it, maybe I wasn't attentive to it then, I don't know


----------



## jamato8

jared basshead said:


> No not that, most amps do that, I meant to ask when you turn on your unit there's a minute bip noise that you can hear coming from the unit not from the monitors.
> 
> My gripe is i dont remember hearing this first two days after getting it, maybe I wasn't attentive to it then, I don't know


 

 That is a relay and I hear it also. Totally normal.


----------



## jared basshead

Thanks, jamato


----------



## jared basshead

Does anyone have s6 or any of samsung flagship, how would you compare your d14 with those? 

And would you say it would be worth it to carry d14 along with your smartphone to make the moments more enjoyable? 

While I don't have samsung flagships my thoughts are little confusing so it would be nice if anyone would share thier thoughts.


----------



## reihead

A bit of a noob question, what's the power output for 300ohm?


----------



## ceemsc

reihead said:


> A bit of a noob question, what's the power output for 300ohm?


----------



## reihead

^ Thanks
 Little wonderful page!


----------



## jared basshead

reihead said:


> A bit of a noob question, what's the power output for 300ohm?




About 40mw into 300 ohms


----------



## Terps Fan

I'm not able to get sound out of mine.  The driver is installed properly, I can hear the small knock when it turns on and off, but nothing when I play a song through foobar2000.


----------



## ceemsc

terps fan said:


> I'm not able to get sound out of mine.  The driver is installed properly, I can hear the small knock when it turns on and off, but nothing when I play a song through foobar2000.




Does the D14 register as a USB device & audio output set to use it as a soundcard? Are the volume levels set to max in the control panel?


----------



## Terps Fan

I'm an idiot.  I hadn't gone into Windows and set it as default.  We're rockin' now!


----------



## Terps Fan




----------



## paulcris62

i ordered a d14 last sept. 29 but no order conformation from ibasso and i send them a couple of emails about my order and still have no replies from them


----------



## Paul - iBasso

paulcris62 said:


> i ordered a d14 last sept. 29 but no order conformation from ibasso and i send them a couple of emails about my order and still have no replies from them


 

 We are closed for the holiday here. The holiday lasts until the 5th and then we will ship your order. I am sorry for the delay but you will get your D14.


----------



## ph58

Hi , anyone have used the D14 with the DX100 ? Thanks in advance ;


----------



## Bananiq

any comparison to JDS C5D? SQ wise


----------



## jared basshead

I'm trying to use the spdif in of d14 from my laptop but it's not working, d14 set to spdif and laptop output set to spdif, there's no link notification on D14. 
This is my first time fiddling around wit spdif ever, am I missing something? 
It should work I suppose?


----------



## ceemsc

jared basshead said:


> I'm trying to use the spdif in of d14 from my laptop but it's not working, d14 set to spdif and laptop output set to spdif, there's no link notification on D14.
> This is my first time fiddling around wit spdif ever, am I missing something?
> It should work I suppose?




I use the SPDIF from a DX50 but there is no link light. Music should play as normal so long as the volume is high enough.


----------



## jared basshead

ceemsc said:


> long as the volume is high enough.




You mean volume of laptop, that's set to full, or the volume of d14? 

I have razer surround software that helps me in fps games but it doesn't work with USB audio so I thought I should give a try to spdif and maybe the digital signal might pass through the surround software or equivalent


----------



## ceemsc

jared basshead said:


> You mean volume of laptop, that's set to full, or the volume of d14?
> 
> I have razer surround software that helps me in fps games but it doesn't work with USB audio so I thought I should give a try to spdif and maybe the digital signal might pass through the surround software or equivalent




You would want the D14 to at least the 10 O'clock position.

My instincts say that for some reason the laptop is still outputting on the analogue/headphone out port & not on SPDIF connection.

Items to independently check as working are :
Windows sound config & device setup.
Razer software & it is successfully outputting sound.
Laptop spdif port
Spdif cable
D14 setup & sound results in other deployments

Don't want to sound patronising but with a complex setup, it only takes a loose/wrong connection or switch setting to break the chain.


----------



## Paul - iBasso

jared basshead said:


> I'm trying to use the spdif in of d14 from my laptop but it's not working, d14 set to spdif and laptop output set to spdif, there's no link notification on D14.
> This is my first time fiddling around wit spdif ever, am I missing something?
> It should work I suppose?


 

 The suggestions above are very good. If a digital signal is being output then the D14 will work.


----------



## flashmp3

I have 





bananiq said:


> any comparison to JDS C5D? SQ wise




I have just made a quick test with my HTC m8 + vmoda m100. As a bass head i need something which minimum distortion (bass creates distortions easily as you know and requires much power). C5D is brighter D14 is more neutral. D14 could also drive my headphones better. I could put high volume without saturation whereas the C5D showed signs of saturation on high volume with lots of bass. Definitely better go for D14 which as bonus as also better battery life


----------



## jared basshead

Thanks everyone for your suggestions but I'm still not able to get sound out of spdif. I reinstalled realtek drivers just in case and d14 volume knob at full. I suppose it's probably my laptop headphone/spdif jack. 

The razer 7.1 headphones are actually good at games and maybe for movies if you're into it. Sad can't use the software with it. To be honest I just wanted to use the spdif jack so one of my USB port is left unoccupied for other accessories, oh well.


----------



## Paul - iBasso

jared basshead said:


> Thanks everyone for your suggestions but I'm still not able to get sound out of spdif. I reinstalled realtek drivers just in case and d14 volume knob at full. I suppose it's probably my laptop headphone/spdif jack.
> 
> The razer 7.1 headphones are actually good at games and maybe for movies if you're into it. Sad can't use the software with it. To be honest I just wanted to use the spdif jack so one of my USB port is left unoccupied for other accessories, oh well.


 

 Have you tried the D14 with another computer. It should be a quick and easy test. We haven't had any failures on the D14 but it is good to check everything possible.


----------



## jared basshead

I haven't tried yet. 
What kind of optical cable comes with d14 is it toslink or coaxial, what if my laptop output is toslink and how would I know? 

I googled toslink and coaxial jacks but none of them resemble the ibasso cable.


----------



## HiFlight

jared basshead said:


> I haven't tried yet.
> What kind of optical cable comes with d14 is it toslink or coaxial, what if my laptop output is toslink and how would I know?
> 
> I googled toslink and coaxial jacks but none of them resemble the ibasso cable.




The D14 does not ship with an optical cable. It is a coax cable. There are different types of coax cable terminations such as RCA, etc. One can even use a 3.5 stereo interconnect as a coax cable. You can always tell an optical cable by the small holes in the ends which transmit the optical signal. When hooked up to an active optical output, you can see the red light at the opposite end of the cable. Most sources allow one to turn the optical signal on or off via a menu setting.


----------



## jared basshead

hiflight said:


> The D14 does not ship with an optical cable. It is a coax cable. There are different types of coax cable terminations such as RCA, etc. One can even use a 3.5 stereo interconnect as a coax cable. You can always tell an optical cable by the small holes in the ends which transmit the optical signal. When hooked up to an active optical output, you can see the red light at the opposite end of the cable. Most sources allow one to turn the optical signal on or off via a menu setting.




Thanks HiFlight, ok I do have the cable that is optical with rca terminal but let me ask just to be sure that a 3.5 stereo interconnect is no different to a coaxial cable? 

I have asus N53Sv where the headphone jack acts as spdif and I would want to know whether the coax cable that came with d14 will work? 

Thanks


----------



## HiFlight

jared basshead said:


> Thanks HiFlight, ok I do have the cable that is optical with rca terminal but let me ask just to be sure that a 3.5 stereo interconnect is no different to a coaxial cable?
> 
> I have asus N53Sv where the headphone jack acts as spdif and I would want to know whether the coax cable that came with d14 will work? .
> 
> Thanks




If your headphone jack is a combo, it will probably be stereo + optical. If this is the case, you will need a 3.5 mm adapter tip for your optical cable. If you try to use the mono ibasso coax cable, it will very likely short the headphone jack. You can use a stereo adapter cable in a coax jack, but not the other way around as coax cables are terminated with mono connectors. 

Check and see if you can see a red light in the headphone jack when playing an audio source.


----------



## jared basshead

hiflight said:


> If your headphone jack is a combo, it will probably be stereo + optical. If this is the case, you will need a 3.5 mm adapter tip for your optical cable. If you try to use the mono ibasso coax cable, it will very likely short the headphone jack. You can use a stereo adapter cable in a coax jack, but not the other way around as coax cables are terminated with mono connectors.
> 
> Check and see if you can see a red light in the headphone jack when playing an audio source.




No I don't see any light while playing. 
So the supplied coax cable will not work, okay. 

Oh so the suoplied coax is mono and it can't be used with stereo ports, understood and now that I see the cable carefully there's only one ring on the
coax cable, should have known. 

Google isn't helping, would you happen to a cable that'll work with my laptops spdif and with d14? 

Thanks again


----------



## jared basshead

hiflight said:


> you will need a 3.5 mm adapter tip for your optical cable.




So one end should be 3.5 stereo male and the other end should be mono coax male, am I right?

Like this... 
http://www.infinitecables.com/pop/av_dig-35mm.htm

Sorry if posting link is against norms then please let me know


----------



## HiFlight

The spdif output on your Asus is optical. You will need a cable such as the one shown in the link below to interface with your D14, however you will need the toslink mini-adapter on BOTH ends. Forget about trying any coax cables! If you get no sound from this type of cable, you have a driver issue with your computer. I also feel certain that there is a menu setting in your control panel to enable or disable the optical output. 

http://tinyurl.com/oywxa6x


----------



## ronnel0918

Good day! I am pretty much interested in buying one after reading positive reviews over the web. Question to those who are using Windows 10, will the drivers be automatically downloaded after plugging it on the computer or should I download and manually install them at iBasso's website?
  
 Thanks!


----------



## Cotnijoe

ronnel0918 said:


> Good day! I am pretty much interested in buying one after reading positive reviews over the web. Question to those who are using Windows 10, will the drivers be automatically downloaded after plugging it on the computer or should I download and manually install them at iBasso's website?
> 
> Thanks!


 
  
 I think you're suppose to download the driver from the iBasso website. That's what I did when I was still running windows 8, but the driver still worked A-ok once i switched to windows 10


----------



## ronnel0918

cotnijoe said:


> I think you're suppose to download the driver from the iBasso website. That's what I did when I was still running windows 8, but the driver still worked A-ok once i switched to windows 10


 
 Got it. Thanks!


----------



## jared basshead

ronnel0918 said:


> Good day! I am pretty much interested in buying one after reading positive reviews over the web. Question to those who are using Windows 10, will the drivers be automatically downloaded after plugging it on the computer or should I download and manually install them at iBasso's website?
> 
> Thanks!




You'll have to download


----------



## jared basshead

hiflight said:


> The spdif output on your Asus is optical. You will need a cable such as the one shown in the link below to interface with your D14, however you will need the toslink mini-adapter on BOTH ends. Forget about trying any coax cables! If you get no sound from this type of cable, you have a driver issue with your computer. I also feel certain that there is a menu setting in your control panel to enable or disable the optical output.
> 
> http://tinyurl.com/oywxa6x




Hey HiFlight, thanks for your reply again. Understand, well the hassle doesn't worth it, haha. 

How do you see difference between a coax output port vs optical port? 

I feel they sort of look similar right?


----------



## HiFlight

jared basshead said:


> Hey HiFlight, thanks for your reply again. Understand, well the hassle doesn't worth it, haha.
> 
> How do you see difference between a coax output port vs optical port?
> 
> I feel they sort of look similar right?




I read the User Manual!


----------



## ronnel0918

Last question, since I plan to use the D14 straight from the PC, will it work on USB 3.0?


----------



## jamato8

ronnel0918 said:


> Last question, since I plan to use the D14 straight from the PC, will it work on USB 3.0?


 

 USB 3 is backward compatible. You will have to use the USB designed for the D14. I use it with my MacBook Pro and it is USB 3 (thankfully) and it works fine.


----------



## ronnel0918

jamato8 said:


> USB 3 is backward compatible. You will have to use the USB designed for the D14. I use it with my MacBook Pro and it is USB 3 (thankfully) and it works fine.


 
  
 Thanks @jamato8! I'm still contemplating if I'll just wait for the LG V10 to be available here in our country or just go straight with iBasso D14.
  
 The idea of LG V10 as a dedicated DAP with powerful chip is really tempting. Will just wait for the reviews.
  
 Hope I'll get to test them both so I can decide.


----------



## ph58

Hi , guys does the D14 run with Android 5 lollipop ? Thanks in advance .


----------



## flashmp3

ph58 said:


> Hi , guys does the D14 run with Android 5 lollipop ? Thanks in advance .


 
 Works well with my HTC M8 on lollipop
  
 But honestly this s*** is big.......and when you have sound optimisations like Dragon-Fi mod etc...it's hard to hear the difference between internal DAC and bushmaster. Surely the D14's DAC sounds better but i truely believe the most part of the job is achieved by the amp which is able to provide the headphone full power to allow it to give the best it can ! So if i had the choice for example between Geekout v2 and D14 i would have gone for Geekout V2. But this depends on your phone. HTC m8 is really good in terms of audio.


----------



## ph58

OK , thank you .


----------



## jared basshead

flashmp3 said:


> Works well with my HTC M8 on lollipop
> 
> But honestly this s*** is big.......and when you have sound optimisations like Dragon-Fi mod etc...it's hard to hear the difference between internal DAC and bushmaster. Surely the D14's DAC sounds better but i truely believe the most part of the job is achieved by the amp which is able to provide the headphone full power to allow it to give the best it can ! So if i had the choice for example between Geekout v2 and D14 i would have gone for Geekout V2. But this depends on your phone. HTC m8 is really good in terms of audio.




What's this Dragon fi mod you was talking about? Is it external hardware or app, if app then please do provide link 

Thanks


----------



## flashmp3

jared basshead said:


> What's this Dragon fi mod you was talking about? Is it external hardware or app, if app then please do provide link
> 
> Thanks


 
 http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2211163


----------



## Paul - iBasso

ph58 said:


> Hi , guys does the D14 run with Android 5 lollipop ? Thanks in advance .


 

 If you are using the OTG there should be no problem.


----------



## ph58

paul - ibasso said:


> If you are using the OTG there should be no problem.


. Thank you .


----------



## ceemsc

Hi, I'm using a DIY audio/visual setup where I'm projecting a YouTube video from a laptop via a VGA port -> projector screen for display & the laptop USB -> D14 -> Sound Desk & Speakers for audio. This works & sounds better than the cinema if I say so myself.
The problem is the laptop USB port is putting noise into the system. I know it is the laptop because when I unplug the laptop but leave the D14 with the usb cable plugged in, the background buzzing stops.

Any ideas on how I can reduce the USB port noise?


----------



## HiFlight

ceemsc said:


> Hi, I'm using a DIY audio/visual setup where I'm projecting a YouTube video from a laptop via a VGA port -> projector screen for display & the laptop USB -> D14 -> Sound Desk & Speakers for audio. This works & sounds better than the cinema if I say so myself.
> The problem is the laptop USB port is putting noise into the system. I know it is the laptop because when I unplug the laptop but leave the D14 with the usb cable plugged in, the background buzzing stops.
> 
> Any ideas on how I can reduce the USB port noise?




If your laptop has an optical output, you might give that a try. If your laptop lacks an optical output, maybe try the SPDIF output from the projector (optical or coax).


----------



## ceemsc

hiflight said:


> If your laptop has an optical output, you might give that a try. If your laptop lacks an optical output, maybe try the SPDIF output from the projector (optical or coax).




Thanks for the prompt reply, I can't see any optical output as it looks like this laptop is HDMI focussed; at least we know USB 3.0 works :


----------



## goldsmith83

Hi, I've got a couple of questions on this device:
 Will it play native DSD files through USB?
 and is it Android Walkman compatible?
 Thanks in advance.


----------



## Paul - iBasso

goldsmith83 said:


> Hi, I've got a couple of questions on this device:
> Will it play native DSD files through USB?
> and is it Android Walkman compatible?
> Thanks in advance.


 

 If your device outputs DSD via USB then it will work. The D14 works fine with the output from Android and Walkman as long as they are set up to output to an external device.


----------



## GanGreinke

Does anyone have experience using the D14 to drive the AKG K7XX?  How does the amp in the D14 compare to something like the Fiio e12a with the K7XX's?


----------



## flashmp3

Sometime when the volume is high with plenty of bass i have little pops out of my HTC M8 + D14 via usb otg. Does anyone have the same problem and know how to solve ? I don't have this trouble via the jack output neither via laptop connected to usb


----------



## ronnel0918

Anyone who got the chance to get the FiiO X7 audition unit? I want to know how the DAC/Amp of D14 fares against the X7. I understand they're different but I am very much interested how they sound.
  
 PC > iBasso D14 > Headphone/IEM
 FiiO X7 > Headphone/IEM


----------



## Dany1

ronnel0918 said:


> Anyone who got the chance to get the FiiO X7 audition unit? I want to know how the DAC/Amp of D14 fares against the X7. I understand they're different but I am very much interested how they sound.
> 
> PC > iBasso D14 > Headphone/IEM
> FiiO X7 > Headphone/IEM


 
 +1,i would like to know this too


----------



## F155mph

Anyone have driver issue Windows. My laptop antivirus think the D14 driver has a trojan. I downloaded the driver directly from iBasso website.


----------



## jared basshead

No driver issues windows 10/8.1 so far. 
Just add a exception and it will be fine


----------



## F155mph

jared basshead said:


> No driver issues windows 10/8.1 so far.
> Just add a exception and it will be fine


 
 Can't it is my work PC.  It keep flagging the driver as a Trojan.


----------



## noojas

Hi there, I'm currently looking for a DAC/headphone amp for my DT 770 80 Ohm that's portable but also has an analog input option for using it in my turntable setup. The iBasso D14 and D-Zero MkII seem to be pretty much the only options available in Germany and within my budget fitting these requirements.
 Now to my actual questions: Are my headphones good enough to make sufficient use of the improvements the D14 offers over the D-Zero, justifying the higher pricetag? Will the amp section of the D-Zero (or D14) be a noticable step up from my stereo receivers (entry level Denon PMA 500AE) phone output? And lastly are there any options besides the iBassos i have missed (up to 250€)?
 Any help would be highly appreciated


----------



## ceemsc

noojas said:


> Hi there, I'm currently looking for a DAC/headphone amp for my DT 770 80 Ohm that's portable but also has an analog input option for using it in my turntable setup. The iBasso D14 and D-Zero MkII seem to be pretty much the only options available in Germany and within my budget fitting these requirements.
> Now to my actual questions: Are my headphones good enough to make sufficient use of the improvements the D14 offers over the D-Zero, justifying the higher pricetag? Will the amp section of the D-Zero (or D14) be a noticable step up from my stereo receivers (entry level Denon PMA 500AE) phone output? And lastly are there any options besides the iBassos i have missed (up to 250€)?
> Any help would be highly appreciated




It might be worth testing your intended headphone & amp pairings on audiobot9000.com

For myself, I chose the D14 over the D-Zero II because I wanted the Sabre DAC so I cannot comment on the amp section.

Alternatives to iBasso which I have used & I am happy with are Electric Avenues PA2v2 or FiiO E12.


----------



## 329161

Can anyone provide a comparison between this and the Oppo ha1 desktop, and ha2 portable units?


----------



## Angular Mo

How does the amp section compare to the classic P4 Warbler ?
  
 Also in terms of power output, as I am unsure how to interpret P4's 600+600 at 32ohm.
  
 I prefer to use this amp at home, so power outputs is important for full-sized headphones.
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/products/ibasso-p4


----------



## strigon07

I seem to have a problem running the D14 with an LG G2. I've tried USB Audio Pro and HiBY music; both do not work. My phone detects that a USB device is connected but doesn't do anything beyond that. Any suggestions? Using the default OTG cable supplied. 

Edit: @hiflight I read that you've got your LG G2 working with the D14; are you using the stock cable? And which app are you using? I'm not running 5.0.2 though. 

Waiting on a Nexus, sure hope it works! I'll update about Nexus support when it comes...


----------



## jared basshead

It works fine with my friends lg g2.
Are you on stock or custom rom? The default cable works fine on my z2pro.

I'm not sure but check this go to settings then scroll down to developer option then scroll down and enable USB debugging. 

Now try your setup. I used to get some delay and freeze but issues went away with USB debugging enabled. 

Still doesn't work? 
Ok now in developer options scroll down and disable 'Disable audio routing' if it's enabled although I doubt its enabled unless somebody enabled it intentionally. 

Note - while using hibby app other apps that should work with USB dacs won't work as the d14 becomes slave to host hibby. Which is I never enable hibby to use dac by default as sometimes I watch videos with d14.

Let me know how it goes


----------



## strigon07

jared basshead said:


> It works fine with my friends lg g2.
> Are you on stock or custom rom? The default cable works fine on my z2pro.
> 
> I'm not sure but check this go to settings then scroll down to developer option then scroll down and enable USB debugging.
> ...




Thanks for your reply! Hmm I'll try it out. 

I might have a lemon though. My D14 now doesn't work with my MBP via USB. Problem started after a few hours of operation. The was a sudden appearance of static on the left channel and I'd lose audio there. 

Tried again after a few minutes and it was OK. Then it went out again. 

This happened a few times. On the last time, I couldn't even get it to work. And when I connected my IEM, I could actually feel it get warmer on the left. 

My IEM isn't the cause. I tested it with a different headphone too; also no audio when the issue occurs. And my IEM and Senn M2 both work fine with my other HP out jacks. 

I'm gonna send it back to the distributor; when I get it back I'll test it with my G2 again (or maybe Nexus).


----------



## BrutalLegend

Had a chance to test out the D14 with my ponoplayer + Ether C. Gotta say I was mightly impressed. I'm seriously considering purchasing this, though I have a few queries:
1) Has anyone experienced any change or degradation in its sq and/or response as the battery drops to lower levels?
2) Any issues with using the dac + amp with Windows 10?
3) What's the battery life if it ran with high gain on moderate listening levels (dial at 12/1 o'clock)? 

I'm hoping this will solve my laptop and ponoplayer problems.


----------



## flashmp3

brutallegend said:


> Had a chance to test out the D14 with my ponoplayer + Ether C. Gotta say I was mightly impressed. I'm seriously considering purchasing this, though I have a few queries:
> 1) Has anyone experienced any change or degradation in its sq and/or response as the battery drops to lower levels?
> 2) Any issues with using the dac + amp with Windows 10?
> 3) What's the battery life if it ran with high gain on moderate listening levels (dial at 12/1 o'clock)?
> ...


 
 1) mine works good without any change till the battery entirely empty
 2) sorry don't have win10
 3) It stick to what they announce
  
 Question to owners : Do people using D14 via usb on android phones have a kind of crackling in the right earphone (or right headphone) when they increase the volume ?


----------



## ceemsc

flashmp3 said:


> Question to owners : Do people using D14 via usb on android phones have a kind of crackling in the right earphone (or right headphone) when they increase the volume ?


 

Yes but this can happen in any configuration & in both ears.

I thought it was quite common in amps though it occasionally happens.


----------



## flashmp3

ceemsc said:


> Yes but this can happen in any configuration & in both ears.
> 
> I thought it was quite common in amps though it occasionally happens.


 
 mine always on the right and it's like my right has slightly more bass....maybe earing problem though....


----------



## ph0n6

How does it sounds compare to the JDS C5D? They are pretty much at the same price and both have nice review so it's kinda hard to choose.


----------



## flashmp3

ph0n6 said:


> How does it sounds compare to the JDS C5D? They are pretty much at the same price and both have nice review so it's kinda hard to choose.


 
 For having tried both, i left the shop with the D14. The C5D couldn't reach the same level of sound and bass without distortion. Regarding the D14, whatever the level of bass i could put in the source it was blowing my ears before thinking of distort..............The only advantage of the C5D would be the size. Maybe if you use IEMs which are less power demanding than my vmoda m100 or my JVC SZ2000 it can make it............However if i were you i would take the D14.........


----------



## ph0n6

flashmp3 said:


> For having tried both, i left the shop with the D14. The C5D couldn't reach the same level of sound and bass without distortion. Regarding the D14, whatever the level of bass i could put in the source it was blowing my ears before thinking of distort..............The only advantage of the C5D would be the size. Maybe if you use IEMs which are less power demanding than my vmoda m100 or my JVC SZ2000 it can make it............However if i were you i would take the D14.........




Size doesn't matter as I will be using it at the office and home anw. Also my Hp is very easy (too easy tbh) to drive (Final Pandora VI) so power doesn't matter either. A clean sounding Dac/amp would do wonders.


----------



## flashmp3

ph0n6 said:


> Size doesn't matter as I will be using it at the office and home anw. Also my Hp is very easy (too easy tbh) to drive (Final Pandora VI) so power doesn't matter either. A clean sounding Dac/amp would do wonders.




I preferred the sound of the ibasso as well plus if in the future you change headphones you ll have more ease to drive them as well


----------



## Paul - iBasso

flashmp3 said:


> I preferred the sound of the ibasso as well plus if in the future you change headphones you ll have more ease to drive them as well


 

 We work very hard to get you the best sound possible at an affordable price. Every single component is worked with and if it doesn't meet our demands we don't use it. If you aren't happy neither are we.   We do the best we can for sound because if we didn't we would be doing music a disservice.
  
 If you aren't happy neither are we. It is all about the music.


----------



## Dany1

paul - ibasso said:


> We work very hard to get you the best sound possible at an affordable price. Every single component is worked with and if it doesn't meet our demands we don't use it. If you aren't happy neither are we.   We do the best we can for sound because if we didn't we would be doing music a disservice.
> 
> If you aren't happy neither are we. It is all about the music.


 
 iBasso Rocks !!


----------



## ph0n6

Just tried the D14 at the store, in short I was blown away. The soundstage, the details do absolute justice for my hp, especially when the vocal doesn't sound boring despite their neutrality. That treble range extend really well and so crispy too. The bass hits hard when it need to with good impacts. Overall very impressed, especially for the price. This will be on my Christmas shopping list for sure


----------



## BrutalLegend

ph0n6 said:


> Just tried the D14 at the store, in short I was blown away. The soundstage, the details do absolute justice for my hp, especially when the vocal doesn't sound boring despite their neutrality. That treble range extend really well and so crispy too. The bass hits hard when it need to with good impacts. Overall very impressed, especially for the price. This will be on my Christmas shopping list for sure




Any thoughts on the D14 with rock/metal music? I'm planning on running my Ether C with it and not too sure about the synnergy. I need another demo session....


----------



## ph0n6

brutallegend said:


> Any thoughts on the D14 with rock/metal music? I'm planning on running my Ether C with it and not too sure about the synnergy. I need another demo session....




I don't listen to metal so I didn't test it. But overall with their really good clarity and neutral bass it might just do the tricks. But as always it's best to listen yourself if you have a chance


----------



## BrutalLegend

Has anyone managed to get the DAC working with Linux? I'm running Debian and was wondering about the required driver.


----------



## Paul - iBasso

brutallegend said:


> Has anyone managed to get the DAC working with Linux? I'm running Debian and was wondering about the required driver.


 

 It doesn't require a driver for Mac OS or Linux.


----------



## BrutalLegend

paul - ibasso said:


> It doesn't require a driver for Mac OS or Linux.




Great!


----------



## BrutalLegend

Just bought the D14 and doing some testing. Initial impressions are really good. Effortlessly powers the Ether C. So far its neutrality and clarity is impressive.

Wonder how much better they will sound after a good burn in. Anyone know how long a typical burn in would take?


----------



## flashmp3

I hope ibasso will manage to create a more portable powerful amp. I wish they had released a LH LABS Geek out V2+ killer..............i have owned ibasso T3 and it's too bad they stopped doing ultra portable products......Please focus on making a killer product ! Extreme power as well as extreme portability


----------



## ph0n6

flashmp3 said:


> I hope ibasso will manage to create a more portable powerful amp. I wish they had released a LH LABS Geek out V2+ killer..............i have owned ibasso T3 and it's too bad they stopped doing ultra portable products......Please focus on making a killer product ! Extreme power as well as extreme portability



Usually when on portable people rarely get anything that is hard to drive so I think that's their intention here. Remember ibasso can create some really beefy amp if they wanted to (PB-2, P5, DX100).


----------



## BrutalLegend

After running this for almost the whole day here's what I've experienced.
  
 As an dac + amp:
 I'm quite impressed with it. It not only has the power but the drive and detail to deliver an enjoyable slightly neutral experience but don't get me wrong, the bass is very present and so is the mid range.
  
 As an amp:
 As time passed, I became less impressed with the amp. In the beginning, it was great to sense a difference though the scale of difference is small compared to its dac + amp capabilities. This is probably due to the strength of the input signal. I suppose I will have to test it out with difference DAPs now and observe the differences.


----------



## ph0n6

brutallegend said:


> After running this for almost the whole day here's what I've experienced.
> 
> As an dac + amp:
> I'm quite impressed with it. It not only has the power but the drive and detail to deliver an enjoyable slightly neutral experience but don't get me wrong, the bass is very present and so is the mid range.
> ...


 
 Maybe need some burn in, 100-200 hours I think.


----------



## flashmp3

ph0n6 said:


> Usually when on portable people rarely get anything that is hard to drive so I think that's their intention here. Remember ibasso can create some really beefy amp if they wanted to (PB-2, P5, DX100).


 
 I understand in fact that most the people using something hard to drive are home..........except the bassheads.........a lot of us feel neglected by headphones and amps makers. When you want that subwoofer kind of bass you need massive power. My JVC SZ2000 can take 1500mw input for example. And i can assure you (you can just go to the basshead thread) we need powerful amps. The best results for example on that basshead thread is given by ifi idsd 8v/4000mw. But i'm aware not many people take a big headphone like this one to go outside. However the ibasso D14 could make my vmoda m100 (very portable) sound outstanding and give tremendous bass without any distortion. This couldn't be achieve with my ibasso T3 which was supposed to be able to drive my m100s easily. The thing is the values are different when it's about bass. Bass requires much power. So that is why i still hope ibasso will think about bassheads who need portable device. If for example they were releasing something powerful like Geek out V2+ (1000mw) with the tiny size i can easily say most of the people there would buy it instead of the bulky fiio e128v/4000mW8v/4000mW


----------



## flashmp3

brutallegend said:


> After running this for almost the whole day here's what I've experienced.
> 
> As an dac + amp:
> I'm quite impressed with it. It not only has the power but the drive and detail to deliver an enjoyable slightly neutral experience but don't get me wrong, the bass is very present and so is the mid range.
> ...


 
 Same observation...........i can also get higher volume using DAC and way less distortion


----------



## BrutalLegend

Facing a new problem when I link the D14 to my Debian Linux. When I switch the output for my sound to the D14 I receive no signal (as seen in the image below).
  
 I've charged the unit and checked the connections of the cable and port; it all seems fine. Also, it works great on my Windows 10. Anyone with a solution to my problem?


----------



## Aradea

Guys, can the D14 drive the HE560? Thanks before


----------



## ph0n6

aradea said:


> Guys, can the D14 drive the HE560? Thanks before




Probably not lol. Even desktops amp might have trouble with it, and I have seen people using speaker amp for that thing.


----------



## Aradea

ph0n6 said:


> Probably not lol. Even desktops amp might have trouble with it, and I have seen people using speaker amp for that thing.




Perhaps the bushmaster would have better luck with the HE400i haha


----------



## jamato8

ph0n6 said:


> Probably not lol. Even desktops amp might have trouble with it, and I have seen people using speaker amp for that thing.


 

 I don't find the HE560 hard to drive. The micro Zotl which puts out 1 watt does a fine job. The D14 also can power them but not to their full potential but then it is needs to be used within its range.


----------



## BrutalLegend

Solved my Linux problem but I discovered a new problem. After conducting a battery performance test for the dac + amp, turns out the battery only lasts 6 hours 30 minutes instead of the stated 13 hours. Gain was set to high and the volume/dial was at 10 o'clock. I've ran it twice from fully charge and found similar results. Could it be that my battery is defective or perhaps it requires a few more charge cycles? I've never experienced a device under perform so badly...


----------



## ph0n6

brutallegend said:


> Solved my Linux problem but I discovered a new problem. After conducting a battery performance test for the dac + amp, turns out the battery only lasts 6 hours 30 minutes instead of the stated 13 hours. Gain was set to high and the volume/dial was at 10 o'clock. I've ran it twice from fully charge and found similar results. Could it be that my battery is defective or perhaps it requires a few more charge cycles? I've never experienced a device under perform so badly...




Maybe that tested time was at low gain? Just tried and see how it goes.


----------



## tomclancy

Hi everyone 
I recently bought a D14 and got it yesterday. I've been playing with it on different operating systems but I always have the same problem, a noise/crackling sound that is always there on background.
I tried it on Windows 10 with the official drivers with both Spotify and Foobar. Then I tried on Android 5 with Spotify and Neutron. Then I tried on Ubuntu with Spotify again and Foobnix. Every time with MP3s a 320kbps and FLAC 24bit 96, 176 and 192khz.
Depending on the combination some operating systems and songs make the crackling more hearable but it's always there anyway.

Since I'm quite a newbie I was wondering if there's something wrong I'm doing and if you guys may have an idea or if it's just a defective product and I should send it back.

Any ideas? Thanks.


----------



## BrutalLegend

Could be a connection issue. Try checking the microusb-A connection at the back and check your headphone output jack at the front of your D14. 

Normally the noise is from the source music file though at times it can be the device itself. Perhaps you can test with familiar source files you know that don't have any or as much background noise?


----------



## tomclancy

brutallegend said:


> Could be a connection issue. Try checking the microusb-A connection at the back and check your headphone output jack at the front of your D14.
> 
> Normally the noise is from the source music file though at times it can be the device itself. Perhaps you can test with familiar source files you know that don't have any or as much background noise?


 
  
 Hi BrutalLegend. I tested it with lots of tracks I'm familiar with so it can't be the source file. I don't think it's the USB either because I tested the D14 with the long USB traditional cable on Windows 10 and Ubuntu and with the OTG USB cable on Android. Both are giving me this issue. If I use the D14 just as an amplifier and not as a DAC then there's no noise at all (so it can't be the headphones/jack either or the source file). I must assume there's something wrong with the DAC itself. I'm thinking of returning it as it could be defective I guess?


----------



## ph0n6

tomclancy said:


> Hi BrutalLegend. I tested it with lots of tracks I'm familiar with so it can't be the source file. I don't think it's the USB either because I tested the D14 with the long USB traditional cable on Windows 10 and Ubuntu and with the OTG USB cable on Android. Both are giving me this issue. If I use the D14 just as an amplifier and not as a DAC then there's no noise at all (so it can't be the headphones/jack either or the source file). I must assume there's something wrong with the DAC itself. I'm thinking of returning it as it could be defective I guess?




I just bought it a few hours ago, no trouble so far. Tough luck I guess. Hope you have yours replaced soon


----------



## BrutalLegend

tomclancy said:


> Hi BrutalLegend. I tested it with lots of tracks I'm familiar with so it can't be the source file. I don't think it's the USB either because I tested the D14 with the long USB traditional cable on Windows 10 and Ubuntu and with the OTG USB cable on Android. Both are giving me this issue. If I use the D14 just as an amplifier and not as a DAC then there's no noise at all (so it can't be the headphones/jack either or the source file). I must assume there's something wrong with the DAC itself. I'm thinking of returning it as it could be defective I guess?




If that's the case, return it man. Hope the next one works out fine


----------



## ph0n6

BTW does it uses battery when I plug into the Computer with the charge switch off?


----------



## Cotnijoe

ph0n6 said:


> BTW does it uses battery when I plug into the Computer with the charge switch off?


 
  
 yup


----------



## Paul - iBasso

tomclancy said:


> Hi everyone
> I recently bought a D14 and got it yesterday. I've been playing with it on different operating systems but I always have the same problem, a noise/crackling sound that is always there on background.
> I tried it on Windows 10 with the official drivers with both Spotify and Foobar. Then I tried on Android 5 with Spotify and Neutron. Then I tried on Ubuntu with Spotify again and Foobnix. Every time with MP3s a 320kbps and FLAC 24bit 96, 176 and 192khz.
> Depending on the combination some operating systems and songs make the crackling more hearable but it's always there anyway.
> ...


 

 I am sorry for the problems you are experienced. It sounds like you have tried a different USB and have ruled out all other variables. If this is the case I would suggest that you ask for a replacement. Can you do a download of the driver and try a reinstall from our website?


----------



## tomclancy

paul - ibasso said:


> I am sorry for the problems you are experienced. It sounds like you have tried a different USB and have ruled out all other variables. If this is the case I would suggest that you ask for a replacement. Can you do a download of the driver and try a reinstall from our website?


 
  
 Hi Paul, on your website there's only a driver for Windows. The problem would still persist on Android and Ubuntu I guess so I think I'm going to ask for a replacement after all. I really hope this will be sorted out and that the new one will work as expected.
  
 Thanks everyone for your help!


----------



## Paul - iBasso

tomclancy said:


> Hi Paul, on your website there's only a driver for Windows. The problem would still persist on Android and Ubuntu I guess so I think I'm going to ask for a replacement after all. I really hope this will be sorted out and that the new one will work as expected.
> 
> Thanks everyone for your help!


 

 Yes that is correct.


----------



## Paul - iBasso

brutallegend said:


> Solved my Linux problem but I discovered a new problem. After conducting a battery performance test for the dac + amp, turns out the battery only lasts 6 hours 30 minutes instead of the stated 13 hours. Gain was set to high and the volume/dial was at 10 o'clock. I've ran it twice from fully charge and found similar results. Could it be that my battery is defective or perhaps it requires a few more charge cycles? I've never experienced a device under perform so badly...


 

 If you use the coax or optical input the battery lasts around 13 hours. When you use the USB it uses another chip and the battery lasts around 7 hours depending upon what headphone you are using.


----------



## ceemsc

tomclancy said:


> Hi everyone
> I recently bought a D14 and got it yesterday. I've been playing with it on different operating systems but I always have the same problem, a noise/crackling sound that is always there on background.
> I tried it on Windows 10 with the official drivers with both Spotify and Foobar. Then I tried on Android 5 with Spotify and Neutron. Then I tried on Ubuntu with Spotify again and Foobnix. Every time with MP3s a 320kbps and FLAC 24bit 96, 176 and 192khz.
> Depending on the combination some operating systems and songs make the crackling more hearable but it's always there anyway.
> ...




If possible can you try the D14 -> USB -> Apple MAC e.g. Air?

My issue was the Windows laptop USB adding noise into the chain but I did not get this when using the Apple Mac USB out.

I experience the same thing with my FiiO E12; noise if I use a Windows laptop to charge while listening but I don't get noise if I use an external battery pack.


----------



## tomclancy

ceemsc said:


> If possible can you try the D14 -> USB -> Apple MAC e.g. Air?
> 
> My issue was the Windows laptop USB adding noise into the chain but I did not get this when using the Apple Mac USB out.
> 
> I experience the same thing with my FiiO E12; noise if I use a Windows laptop to charge while listening but I don't get noise if I use an external battery pack.


 
 Uhm... don't have an Apple MAC. Anyway, even if it works with an Apple I still have issues with Linux, Windows and Android which are the operating systems I use every day.
 By the way I just shipped it back to Amazon and ordered a new one so I can't run any more tests. I should get the new one tomorrow, I'll let you guys know if everything works fine


----------



## Chacobo

I've enjoyed the DT 880 pro 250Ohm + D4 topkit combo for the last 4-5 years and I've been so satisfied with it that I basically didn't touch head-fi since.
  
 Could anyone compare D4/ D42 (especially with topkit) to the D14? Is it a very noticeable upgrade?
  
 Also what're some of the comparable models from other brands that I could look into? I did a lot of searching but couldn't find any "vs" threads.
  
 Thanks in advance!


----------



## HiFlight

chacobo said:


> I've enjoyed the DT 880 pro 250Ohm + D4 topkit combo for the last 4-5 years and I've been so satisfied with it that I basically didn't touch head-fi since.
> 
> Could anyone compare D4/ D42 (especially with topkit) to the D14? Is it a very noticeable upgrade?
> 
> ...




IMO, your setup is still right up there with some of the best for portable listening. You can spend lots more money for an incremental improvement.


----------



## tomclancy

brutallegend said:


> If that's the case, return it man. Hope the next one works out fine


 
 The next one did work out fine indeed! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 
 I've been using it for three days and I'm really pleased with the sound and everything. Tested so far on Windows 10 64bit, Windows 7 64bit, Ubuntu 15.10 64bit and Android 5.1.1 (OnePlus One).
 Works great with FLAC files (24-bit 192KHz) and MP3s 320kbps as well. Nice toy really.


----------



## Aradea

brutallegend said:


> Just bought the D14 and doing some testing. Initial impressions are really good. Effortlessly powers the Ether C. So far its neutrality and clarity is impressive.
> 
> Wonder how much better they will sound after a good burn in. Anyone know how long a typical burn in would take?




I assume that the Ether C is not very hard to drive?


----------



## spdtdl

Is there a noticeable difference between the ES9018S & the ES9018K2M in this unit?
  
 Would this be able to drive 400i?
  
 Thank you


----------



## Aradea

@paul-ibasso how is the amp section of the D14 compared to the PB2? SQ/sound characteristics of course..


----------



## leggy

Looks an interesting device. However, have couple of questions:
- have anyone compared it to Teac HA-P50 or xDuoo XD-05 through USB connection?
- how the dac compared to Samsung Galaxy edge+, Note 5 or iPhone 6S/6S+? Is there noticeable sound quality difference?

I am currently running the Teac HA-P50 on my galaxy edge+ and find no sound quality difference, maybe very tiny which doesn't justify the investment


----------



## leggy

Ordered the iBasso D14 and should receive it today. Will compare it to my Teac HA-P50 and some burn in and post results back.
I am interested to know the difference against the xDuoo


----------



## Aradea

leggy said:


> Ordered the iBasso D14 and should receive it today. Will compare it to my Teac HA-P50 and some burn in and post results back.
> I am interested to know the difference against the xDuoo



Can't wait!


----------



## Klots

Hi!

 I am looking for Ibasso D14 and I found one here at good price http://www.audiophonics.fr/en/appareils-hifi-dac/ibasso-d14-bushmaster-headphone-amplifier-usb-dac-es9018k2m-32bit384khz-dsd-p-10204.html . Is silver version different from black? Or is it just a difference in colour?

 Edit: Didn't have time to wait, so I bought it anyway


----------



## Paul - iBasso

klots said:


> Hi!
> 
> I am looking for Ibasso D14 and I found one here at good price http://www.audiophonics.fr/en/appareils-hifi-dac/ibasso-d14-bushmaster-headphone-amplifier-usb-dac-es9018k2m-32bit384khz-dsd-p-10204.html . Is silver version different from black? Or is it just a difference in colour?
> 
> Edit: Didn't have time to wait, so I bought it anyway


 
 They are the same just a different case.


----------



## Cotnijoe

klots said:


> Hi!
> 
> I am looking for Ibasso D14 and I found one here at good price http://www.audiophonics.fr/en/appareils-hifi-dac/ibasso-d14-bushmaster-headphone-amplifier-usb-dac-es9018k2m-32bit384khz-dsd-p-10204.html . Is silver version different from black? Or is it just a difference in colour?
> 
> ...


 
  
 you made a rash, but very correct, decision my friend. haha!


----------



## ceemsc

SPDIF Cable sensitive to movement / EM fields?

My rig uses an iBasso DX50 SPDIF into D14 however sometimes when I move or reach for the rig, the music cuts out for a second before resuming. This also happens when an electrical change happens nearby such as someone flicks a light switch or a battery charger completes it's cycle. 

I know all digital cables are supposed to be the same, but is it worth swapping out the stock SPDIF cable for a shielded one?


----------



## Klots

cotnijoe said:


> you made a rash, but very correct, decision my friend. haha!




Yes, thanks!  I hope so too. It shoud arrive next week and my Custom Art Harmony 8 Pro CIEMs will be ready in the end of January, so it is going to be interesting


----------



## Paul - iBasso

aradea said:


> @paul-ibasso how is the amp section of the D14 compared to the PB2? SQ/sound characteristics of course..


 

 They are very different. The PB2 has much more power and is made for balanced so it can drive most any headphone. The D14 for most phones does an excellent job but with the PB2 you can change the op amps and buffers so the sound can be changed to your preference. It depends upon your needs. The D14 is a nice all on one solution for a portable dac and amp and the PB2 a portable single ended or balanced amplifier.


----------



## Aradea

paul - ibasso said:


> They are very different. The PB2 has much more power and is made for balanced so it can drive most any headphone. The D14 for most phones does an excellent job but with the PB2 you can change the op amps and buffers so the sound can be changed to your preference. It depends upon your needs. The D14 is a nice all on one solution for a portable dac and amp and the PB2 a portable single ended or balanced amplifier.



My need is a I would like DAC + Amp OR DAC and Amp under $600, for driving planar HPs and a power hungry IEM.
I think I can get a PB2 for cheaper than a D14 and then buy a separate DAC. If buying a PB2 for its amp qualities its worth it rather than buying an integrated amp+DAC like the D14


----------



## Aradea

Oh I forgot, I would use it 99% as a desktop system connected to my laptop


----------



## Lurk650

Bought this about a week ago. I mainly have been using this from my laptop since I have a FiiO E07K for portable with my 4th Gen iPod Touch. I use the L9 cable so it provides a Line Out from the iPod. I thought this would then be using the DAC portion (thought so with the E07K) but the D14 says AUX input only uses an amp. 

I guess the L9 just provides a Line Out but still uses the iPods DAC


----------



## Aradea

lurk650 said:


> Bought this about a week ago. I mainly have been using this from my laptop since I have a FiiO E07K for portable with my 4th Gen iPod Touch. I use the L9 cable so it provides a Line Out from the iPod. I thought this would then be using the DAC portion (thought so with the E07K) but the D14 says AUX input only uses an amp.
> 
> I guess the L9 just provides a Line Out but still uses the iPods DAC



Impressions please


----------



## Lurk650

aradea said:


> Impressions please




Not too good with this stuff but very clean and transparent sound. Great as a desktop setup, not terrible for portable use from what I can tell. Uses the ESS9018 DAC which is one of the best in the market, same one as my LG v10 but the D14 amp is of course more powerful than my phones. 

One thing to note, when it's completely dead it won't work for a a few minutes until it gets a bit of charge in it. Happened to me the other night and I thought it failed on me lol.


----------



## Aradea

lurk650 said:


> Not too good with this stuff but very clean and transparent sound. Great as a desktop setup, not terrible for portable use from what I can tell. Uses the ESS9018 DAC which is one of the best in the market, same one as my LG v10 but the D14 amp is of course more powerful than my phones.
> 
> One thing to note, when it's completely dead it won't work for a a few minutes until it gets a bit of charge in it. Happened to me the other night and I thought it failed on me lol.



Thanks! What is your headphone/IEM?


----------



## Lurk650

aradea said:


> Thanks! What is your headphone/IEM?




Purosound IEM500, i.Valux Bette 10mm, Zero Audio Carbo Tenore, VJJB K4, Sound Magic E80, DIY IE800


----------



## tantalus007

To all d14 owners, does the d14 have any indicator that the battery is low on charge?


----------



## ph0n6

tantalus007 said:


> To all d14 owners, does the d14 have any indicator that the battery is low on charge?




The light flashes when low on battery. Hope they include a battery indicator and replace with micro usb instead of mini in the next revision.


----------



## Aradea

I wonder if its strong enough to drive planars


----------



## Lurk650

Manual can be viewed and downloaded here. They don't include in box for some reason 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://ibasso.com/uploadfiles/20150624/201506242243143037.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwjsxr_41rPKAhUI3GMKHetcCAwQFgghMAI&usg=AFQjCNGdoyDtZv_dvbq1fo0F2A1NKLJ2Fg&sig2=zeOsYxywwm5v54zmDTUcUw


----------



## Aradea

I just auditioned a new D14 out of the box (most likely hasn't break in yet) and I quite pleased with it driving my Havi B3Pro1. 
However, when I tried it to drive HE-400i @ high gain, although reaching a good volume, I feel that it hasn't really make the 400i shines


----------



## jamato8

aradea said:


> I just auditioned a new D14 out of the box (most likely hasn't break in yet) and I quite pleased with it driving my Havi B3Pro1.
> However, when I tried it to drive HE-400i @ high gain, although reaching a good volume, I feel that it hasn't really make the 400i shines


 

 You won't hear the full potential of the D14 until you get some real time on the unit.


----------



## Lurk650

Do you guys usually use on Low or High Gain?
  
 I have about 15-20 hours on it so far


----------



## Aradea

jamato8 said:


> You won't hear the full potential of the D14 until you get some real time on the unit.



Most likely so.. Perhaps I should have bought it right away and take that chance haha!


----------



## Aradea

So yesterday I've tried it again in driving the HE-400i with a new D14 at an hi-fi shop, just like the last time.
Still can't drive the 400i properly, the sound stage was 2D with minimal depth AND the highs were peaky. Dont know whether because its a new unit or because its dont have sufficient power.

Its great though for my Havi B3pro1 and I decided to bought the D14! Yeay!
I guess I can always use it as a DAC only and buy a much more powerful amp in the future (if I'm still interested in the 400i). OR buy a more efficient headphone that will complement the D14 (I'm really considering the Oppo PM3, seems it will be a great synergy)


----------



## Lurk650

That doesn't make sense, they are only 35ohm and have an efficiency rating of 93db. They even say they can be driven via a mobile device. 

Did you try on high gain? 

Maybe the shops pair of 400i are faulty


----------



## Aradea

lurk650 said:


> That doesn't make sense, they are only 35ohm and have an efficiency rating of 93db. They even say they can be driven via a mobile device.
> 
> Did you try on high gain?
> 
> Maybe the shops pair of 400i are faulty



Yes I did try it on high gain and the pot was @ 2 o clock. Never tried it with low gain..
Now dont get me wrong, I can get a good volume using the D14, but it doesnt drive the 400i with authority or you can sense that it doesny show min. 50-60% of the 400i's real sound.
About the messed up imaging and tonality, I guess it was mostly because the D14 was new and need time to break in.

Low impedance planars with low sensitivity is a bit tricky to drive. I read that they love high currents rather than high power CMIIW.

On the other hand, this D14 drives my B3Pro1 beautifully straight out of the box! I love the synergy.
Cant image what it will sounds like when the D14 has fully broken in


----------



## Lurk650

aradea said:


> Yes I did try it on high gain and the pot was @ 2 o clock. Never tried it with low gain..
> Now dont get me wrong, I can get a good volume using the D14, but it doesnt drive the 400i with authority or you can sense that it doesny show min. 50-60% of the 400i's real sound.
> About the messed up imaging and tonality, I guess it was mostly because the D14 was new and need time to break in.
> 
> ...


 
 Ahh ok. I have really read about planars besides the Oppo PM3 (which I heard is great when paired with the Oppo HA-2)
  
 The D14 I have to have about the 1-2 position on Hi Gain when using my Puro IEM500, all my other ones (I.Valux Bette, ZA Tenore & SM E80) is usually 12 o'clock and lower


----------



## ph0n6

Don't be fooled by their efficiency, the planar can took quite a lot of power to sounds good, and power is not the strength of the D14. Of course using a dedicated amp helps, but that kinda defeat the whole purpose of portability I guess. Then again the D14 isn't that great for portable anw, transportable would be a better term.


----------



## Aradea

ph0n6 said:


> Don't be fooled by their efficiency, the planar can took quite a lot of power to sounds good, and power is not the strength of the D14. Of course using a dedicated amp helps, but that kinda defeat the whole purpose of portability I guess. Then again the D14 isn't that great for portable anw, transportable would be a better term.


 
  
 Thanks for the comment.
  
 Well I needed a DAC anyway to listen to music from my laptop


----------



## jamato8

ph0n6 said:


> Don't be fooled by their efficiency, the planar can took quite a lot of power to sounds good, and power is not the strength of the D14. Of course using a dedicated amp helps, but that kinda defeat the whole purpose of portability I guess. Then again the D14 isn't that great for portable anw, transportable would be a better term.


 

 What? the D14 is plenty portable and it powers most all my headphones very well, including the HE1000. Sure some headphones require more power but you can't blame a an amp for that. You have to match the tools to the job. I would say the D14 powers 90% of my headphones without a problem and sounds very good at the same time.


----------



## Lurk650

IDK if its my computer or the iBasso but when I go into the control panel for it and I changed the USB setting from Safe to Standard it froze up and I got no audio, I had to uninstalled the iBasso software and reinstall it just to get audio again. The driver was stuck in memory and not being recognized by the computer. Terrible.


----------



## jared basshead

What windows u on?


----------



## Lurk650

10


----------



## jared basshead

My friend I'm on 10 education edition and I tried switching from safe to standard to min lat and had no issues.


----------



## jared basshead

Do you have any other softwares installed? Like Razer or realtek or any 3rd party softs?


----------



## Lurk650

Yeah the stock Realtek HD. It's probably my laptop. It's had issues since 8.1 and not even Win 10 fixed it


----------



## Aradea

I'm also on Win 10 and I just installed the D14 driver from Ibasso's site. No sound/playback issue at all.. all smooth.


----------



## jared basshead

Lurk, 

Im not sure but try uninstalling both realtek and iBasso driver and reboot to install fresh iBasso driver. 

Don't think uninstalling realtek driver will disable the sound output unless you are on desktop. 

Also why would we change standard to safety?


----------



## Lurk650

I may try that. I was just messing around with settings to see if it did anything.


----------



## Aradea

Guys, how do I connect the D14 to another amp and use it as DAC only?


----------



## jared basshead

aradea said:


> Guys, how do I connect the D14 to another amp and use it as DAC only?




Use the supplied 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable, use the line out of d14 which is present on the right of headphone out that says aux out.


----------



## Aradea

jared basshead said:


> Use the supplied 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable, use the line out of d14 which is present on the right of headphone out that says aux out.



Thanks! But if the amp only has RCA in, then I have to use a 3.5mm to RCA cable right?


----------



## jared basshead

Yes you will have to use 3.5 to rca in that case


----------



## leggy

So how is everyone liking it so far? Anyone compared it with Oppo's HA-2?

Anyone tried to connect it to audio receiver, if so then what's the best way to do that? I have Onkyo audio receiver with 5.1 speaker setup and would like to connect my phone to the iBasso through usb then to the Onkyo


----------



## jared basshead

leggy said:


> So how is everyone liking it so far? Anyone compared it with Oppo's HA-2?
> 
> Anyone tried to connect it to audio receiver, if so then what's the best way to do that? I have Onkyo audio receiver with 5.1 speaker setup and would like to connect my phone to the iBasso through usb then to the Onkyo




Check out the first page with links to reviews of d14, there's a brief comparasions to oppo and the user preferred d14 for sq alone. 

As far the onkyo reciver is concerned you can only have aux out to the reciever that's all.


----------



## leggy

Thank you Jared. Nicely worked


----------



## thecrow

i had a listen to the d14 today on my focal spirit pro headphones and was quite impressed
  
 an upgrade from using my fiio x5 and iphone 6 - a nice bit more detail laid out very nicely. a nice increase in richness and clarity and a touch of warmth - the sound was pretty much we're i'm at at the moment.
  
  
 wondering how using the d14 as a dac/amp compares to the dx80 if members have here have heard both
  
 also wondering how that compares relative to the fiio x7 - i had a very quick listen to the x7 and found it lacking the warmth of the d14 - but that was a quick listen


----------



## leggy

Just ordered Asgard2 to amp the Q701 and Beyer DT990Pro 250ohm. Will compare it to my iBasso D14 and post back my findings


----------



## jared basshead

leggy said:


> Just ordered Asgard2 to amp the Q701 and Beyer DT990Pro 250ohm. Will compare it to my iBasso D14 and post back my findings




Please do, I have a 600 premium coming but I'm not sure if d14 will be able to power it.


----------



## leggy

If we are talking pure volume level, then there are songs that I need to turn the volume knob of the D14 up to 3 o'clock to get enough volume and some songs can't do it pass 12-1 o'clock, both on high gain with my DT990Pro 250ohm
There is this site, not sure how accurate or useful to you, that can tell what's the highest volume you can get pairing your can to your amp
http://www.audiobot9000.com/match/beyerdynamic/dt-990-edition-600-ohms/with/ibasso/d14-bushmaster


----------



## jared basshead

Thanks, volume can be achieved from a smartohone too so just wanted to hear some comparasions of d14amp and asgard2. I know not a fair comparasions but just wanted to know how tye d14 stacks up. 
I'll still be getting a tube amp anyway.


----------



## leggy

I will let you know Jared


----------



## leggy

Positive first impression for the Asgard 2 when compared to the iBasso D14
 The Asgard 2 adds body, the sound opened up a little bit, adds slight warmness, increases soundstage, tightens up the bass, clearer/smoother sound. Needless to say the very slight distortion I used to have with the D14 when upping the volume past 2-3 o’clock on high gain is gone now, which is expected given the spec difference between these amps. 
 Please note that all changes are slight, nothing extreme, but it’s there, for my ears, YMMV.
 Test performed on AKG Q701 and Beyer DT990Pro 250 ohm


----------



## jared basshead

leggy said:


> Positive first impression for the Asgard 2 when compared to the iBasso D14
> 
> 
> The Asgard 2 adds body, the sound opened up a little bit, adds slight warmness, increases soundstage, tightens up the bass, clearer/smoother sound. Needless to say the very slight distortion I used to have with the D14 when upping the volume past 2-3 o’clock on high gain is gone now, which is expected given the spec difference between these amps.
> ...



Thanks


----------



## palermo

Lucky me got 2nd hand in a good condition for less than $180 at local forum. A little doubt at first, bcos I never take an audition at store. Now D14 running smoothly to my phone through OTG. 
I can confirm D14 is a well done build as a solid dac/amp. Got no such issue with zte v5 pro (A711) running android 5.1.1. My initial impression it has a good clarity, open up slight a veilness on my IEM, a great pair with SD2s. I wont judge too far, the ex-owner told me that he used it rarely in 2 months. I thought it played under 50hr since he bought.


----------



## jamato8

palermo said:


> Lucky me got 2nd hand in a good condition for less than $180 at local forum. A little doubt at first, bcos I never take an audition at store. Now D14 running smoothly to my phone through OTG.
> I can confirm D14 is a well done build as a solid dac/amp. Got no such issue with zte v5 pro (A711) running android 5.1.1. My initial impression it has a good clarity, open up slight a veilness on my IEM, a great pair with SD2s. I wont judge too far, the ex-owner told me that he used it rarely in 2 months. I thought it played under 50hr since he bought.


 

 It is an excellent sounding amp/dac. Have fun.


----------



## flashmp3

The usb port of my D14 is too loose. The usb cable doesn't fit will in it so now it disconnects often while i'm listening


----------



## leggy

If someone is using only the dac function through line out, how much battery time you are getting?


----------



## Paul - iBasso

flashmp3 said:


> The usb port of my D14 is too loose. The usb cable doesn't fit will in it so now it disconnects often while i'm listening


 

 Is it the port or the USB cable?


----------



## leggy

Hi Paul - iBasso,

I think my battery is malfunctioning. I am using my D14 as a DAC only and getting around 6 hours from fully charged to complete empty.
Per the specifications, the battery life when used as dac/amp is 13 hours so I expect at least to get the same duration for DAC only if not longer.
I bought mine from Amazon a month ago.

What advise do you have?


----------



## Paul - iBasso

leggy said:


> Hi Paul - iBasso,
> 
> I think my battery is malfunctioning. I am using my D14 as a DAC only and getting around 6 hours from fully charged to complete empty.
> Per the specifications, the battery life when used as dac/amp is 13 hours so I expect at least to get the same duration for DAC only if not longer.
> ...


 

 When using the D14 as a DAC with the USB it lasts for 6 to 7 hours. This is because of the chip used for the USB, which draws more current.


----------



## leggy

paul - ibasso said:


> When using the D14 as a DAC with the USB it lasts for 6 to 7 hours. This is because of the chip used for the USB, which draws more current.



Thank you Paul.
Then how come the battery lasts 13 hours when used as dac/amp? 
I am wondering why operating the device as dac/cam lasts longer than dac only?

Edit: by the way, I didn't measure how many hours it will last as dac/amp or amp only but I am going by the spec


----------



## flashmp3

paul - ibasso said:


> Is it the port or the USB cable?


 
 Port


----------



## Lurk650

Only downside to the device is that when it completely dies it needs to charge a bit before audio will work again. I forgot I turned off the charging last night then right before I went to work I checked it and realized it was dead b/c of that and didn't have time to wait for it to charge enough to work again to continue burning in my Puros


----------



## leggy

lurk650 said:


> Only downside to the device is that when it completely dies it needs to charge a bit before audio will work again. I forgot I turned off the charging last night then right before I went to work I checked it and realized it was dead b/c of that and didn't have time to wait for it to charge enough to work again to continue burning in my Puros



Lurk,
Have you measured how many hours the battery last after full charge when you use it as dac/amp?


----------



## Lurk650

Will try and do the this weekend. I tend to always leave it charging


----------



## Paul - iBasso

leggy said:


> Thank you Paul.
> Then how come the battery lasts 13 hours when used as dac/amp?
> I am wondering why operating the device as dac/cam lasts longer than dac only?
> 
> Edit: by the way, I didn't measure how many hours it will last as dac/amp or amp only but I am going by the spec


 
 When the USB port is used it last around 6 to 7 hours. When the dac/amp with the coax or optical is used, it lasts about 13 hours.
  


flashmp3 said:


> Port


 
 If the port is loose and you have tried other USB cables then would need to have it serviced. The USB port would need to be replaced. You can contact the reseller you purchased it from for repair.


----------



## leggy

Thank you Paul.
It would be very helpful to include those numbers/facts within the specs so buyers don't get misled as I did.
As much as I like the D14 but I am very disappointed and will reconsider recommending it or any other iBasso products to others.


----------



## flashmp3

paul - ibasso said:


> When the USB port is used it last around 6 to 7 hours. When the dac/amp with the coax or optical is used, it lasts about 13 hours.
> 
> If the port is loose and you have tried other USB cables then would need to have it serviced. The USB port would need to be replaced. You can contact the reseller you purchased it from for repair.


 
 Ok i'll do that. The mini usb port are often too lose. It's a problem from the conception  itself


----------



## Paul - iBasso

leggy said:


> Thank you Paul.
> It would be very helpful to include those numbers/facts within the specs so buyers don't get misled as I did.
> As much as I like the D14 but I am very disappointed and will reconsider recommending it or any other iBasso products to others.


 

 I have asked that the manual be updated. With a computer as the USB is often used the D14 can also be charged. I apologize for the lack of information regarding the USB and battery life.


----------



## Lurk650

Wondering, why does it use Mini USB instead of Micro? My FiiO E07K is the same way. Micro is the common type now, kinda sucks having to Mini.


----------



## Paul - iBasso

lurk650 said:


> Wondering, why does it use Mini USB instead of Micro? My FiiO E07K is the same way. Micro is the common type now, kinda sucks having to Mini.


 

 Good question. In the past we found that the Mini held up better. I like the micro also.


----------



## ph0n6

The Mini definitely held up better micro, though micro way more convenient, it's the same with 3.5mm and 6.3mm jack I guess.


----------



## Aradea

So I've been putting 100+ hours to my D14 and this is not harsh/sibilant at all! very clear and but no harshness 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 That is when I test it using live recordings with many cymbal splashes
  
 Wished this thing got more power hehe


----------



## ceemsc

aradea said:


> Wished this thing got more power hehe




Which is why I set up a Fiio E12 after the D14 in the audio chain; needed the Bass Boost for the Sennheiser HD700.


----------



## palermo

aradea said:


> So I've been putting 100+ hours to my D14 and this is not harsh/sibilant at all! very clear and but no harshness
> 
> That is when I test it using live recordings with many cymbal splashes
> 
> Wished this thing got more power hehe




Mine has been running under 100hr, I thought it loose on bass, no speed for metal genre. I hope the bass get tightened up and reduce a bit while reach 100hr mark. Could you confirm about this ?


----------



## Aradea

palermo said:


> Mine has been running under 100hr, I thought it loose on bass, no speed for metal genre. I hope the bass get tightened up and reduce a bit while reach 100hr mark. Could you confirm about this ?


 
 I don't have metal songs but I do have classic rock and modern alternative rock. The speed is there and I do not experience any loose bass.
 I use the D14 with Havi B3 Pro 1 IEM and AT R70x headphone
  
 What's your can?


----------



## palermo

Ah, I switch to high gain sounds more tight. But overall sounds rather in dark side, compare to my old alo island.
Mainly I use fitear f111 for metal djent genre like animals as leaders, etc. Also use stagediver 2 for pop and country genre. 
Funny hiss is absent on high gain mode no matter how much I crank volume. Or my iem not that sensitive. It is different from alo island, easy detect some hiss at medium gain.


----------



## Aradea

I rarely uses Low Gain on the D14


----------



## ShreyasMax

Folks, I'm waiting to receive my unit that I bought from user 'jared basshead' a couple of days ago. 

My current setup is the FiiO X3 (1st gen)+ FiiO E12A to Fidelio X2. I noticed a significant improvement in detail and realism while listening directly through the HO of the FiiO X7 using the Fidelios. The Fidelio and X7 combo was very satisfying for my tastes. So I'm very keen on finding out how the D14 compares to the X7's sound (X7 was with AM1 amp module). Do chip in with your inputs, if any.

Thanks in advance, cheers


----------



## Aradea

palermo said:


> Ah, I switch to high gain sounds more tight. But overall sounds rather in dark side, compare to my old alo island.
> Mainly I use fitear f111 for metal djent genre like animals as leaders, etc. Also use stagediver 2 for pop and country genre.
> Funny hiss is absent on high gain mode no matter how much I crank volume. Or my iem not that sensitive. It is different from alo island, easy detect some hiss at medium gain.



Wow if you consider the D14 a bit dark, i dont want to hear your Alo Island hahaha!


----------



## palermo

Yes you should try it


----------



## zibra

D14 vs DX80, comparision please? Only SQ and tonal balance.


----------



## ShreyasMax

Folks,

I have a question. Is it possible to use a Windows 8.1 tablet with the D14 in DAC+amp mode using the supplied micro to mini usb interconnect? And secondly, would this provide the specified 13 hrs of battery life (approx.)?

Thanks in advance


----------



## leggy

If you are using the usb cable then the battery life for dac/amp or dac only is 6-6.5 hours which is half of the claimed battery life. Per iBasso's rep on her, the claimed timing is achievable if used through SPDIF. Go back few posts to read those info.
I can't answer the first portion of your question add I haven't used it on Windows tablet.


----------



## Aradea

leggy said:


> If you are using the usb cable then the battery life for dac/amp or dac only is 6-6.5 hours which is half of the claimed battery life. Per iBasso's rep on her, the claimed timing is achievable if used through SPDIF. Go back few posts to read those info.
> I can't answer the first portion of your question add I haven't used it on Windows tablet.



How do I connect my windows laptop using SPDIF to the D14? Any specific cable needed?


----------



## ShreyasMax

leggy said:


> If you are using the usb cable then the battery life for dac/amp or dac only is 6-6.5 hours which is half of the claimed battery life. Per iBasso's rep on her, the claimed timing is achievable if used through SPDIF. Go back few posts to read those info.
> I can't answer the first portion of your question add I haven't used it on Windows tablet.




Thanks for your response. Yes I have read through those posts above; my query was because of this same difference in battery life. So assuming I'm able to run my D14 in dac amp mode using the supplied short interconnect (not spdif), I wanted to know whether using the full size USB cable was necessary to use dac amp mode.

Thanks anyway, cheers


----------



## leggy

aradea said:


> How do I connect my windows laptop using SPDIF to the D14? Any specific cable needed?



Depends if your laptop provides it or not. Check your laptop specs. Sometimes the headphone output is also SPDIF output.
The supplied short 3.5mm cable should do it although I haven't tried it.


----------



## sledgeharvy

Just got mine in Today!! Super excited to put it against a couple of things.. But so far, from the few hours I've had with it, it's very smooth.



 I'll let you all know my finding soon, somethings I'll be pairing it with the Fiio X5ii, iPhone 6, Android Nexus 7 tablet.
 In addition, see what it sounds like compared to the Fiio Q1. The reason why, I personally feel like it has a VERY competent sound, especially for the price.


----------



## sledgeharvy

zibra said:


> D14 vs DX80, comparision please? Only SQ and tonal balance.




This is only initial impressions, but so far, the D14 is smoother (not as hot/the highs are not loud) This is not to say the D14 is Warm, I'd just say more organic and natural than the DX80. To my ears, the DX80 is great for my Warm to Dark IEMs, such as the RHA T10's and the RHA MA-600, not to mention the Sony XBA-A2's and the rest of the Sony line ups I own.. However, for those who own bright sounding IEMs or earphones in general such as Grados or Dunu's you might want to consider the D14. Since the D14 has a more laid back, it creates a very non-ear fatiguing sound signature. Which is beneficial for hours and hours of usage. 

Where the DX80 excels, in my opinion, is the analytical to lively signature is fantastic for hearing all the details we all care about. But since they are both iBasso products, they both have a similar feel in the sound. Yes, there are differences, but at the end of the day, it will vary greatly on the earphones you pair both products with. In addition, the D14's sound will vary depending on what device you pair it with. In the few hours it's been in my possession, I've quite enjoyed it paired with the iPhone 6 as an external DAC. Same goes for pairing it with the Fiio X5ii. And honestly, they both have a very similar sound. Power of course is the primary thing the D14 has going for it over both the DX80 and the X5ii. So if you need an all in one device that will pair with most devices, I'd say the D14 is the way to go. If you want a player to only carry one device around with you as you're on the go, I'd say go with the DX80.. Or just buy all three, and choose one as your mood changes.. Lol..


----------



## zibra

Thank you. I already listened DX80 and D14 but couldnt compare it head to head, even today  From memory D14 is a little bit darker but both share indeed similar signature. I dont perceive th​em as bright and cold but rather very energetic and lively. Maybe D14 had a little Sabre "glare" in sound in upper registers but thats why I want to compare them in same time. I will be using them only with Mee Pinnacle P1.
 today I listened DX80, X7, Mojo, Oppo h​a 2. Id consider only Mojo and Dx80 and of course D14 but for my personal taste and synergy with  P1 Id give slight edge for iBasso house sound. Mojo lacked a little energy and sounded sometimes too polite but it could be due its tonally more flat and neutral. Anyway its great, "big", mature, non fatigue sound with plenty of details. I could live with any of these units...   ​


----------



## sledgeharvy

zibra said:


> Thank you. I already listened DX80 and D14 but couldnt compare it head to head, even today  From memory D14 is a little bit darker but both share indeed similar signature. I dont perceive th​em as bright and cold but rather very energetic and lively. Maybe D14 had a little Sabre "glare" in sound in upper registers but thats why I want to compare them in same time. I will be using them only with Mee Pinnacle P1.
> today I listened DX80, X7, Mojo, Oppo h​a 2. Id consider only Mojo and Dx80 and of course D14 but for my personal taste and synergy with  P1 Id give slight edge for iBasso house sound. Mojo lacked a little energy and sounded sometimes too polite but it could be due its tonally more flat and neutral. Anyway its great, "big", mature, non fatigue sound with plenty of details. I could live with any of these units...   ​




Absolutely. My usage with the D14 has been very satisfying as well. I find myself turning off all EQ'ing. It's the first time that I've been completely satisfied with the default sound signature ANY product has to offer. In general I have to increase or lower something, but not with the D14. It's truly astounding especially for only $200. I even enjoy using it Lined out to my car. No hiss, just fantastic energetic sound. Even though I say energetic, please don't take that as recessed mids.. They are there in abundance. It truly brings a smile to my face just thinking about it..


----------



## Lurk650

zibra said:


> Thank you. I already listened DX80 and D14 but couldnt compare it head to head, even today  From memory D14 is a little bit darker but both share indeed similar signature. I dont perceive th​em as bright and cold but rather very energetic and lively. Maybe D14 had a little Sabre "glare" in sound in upper registers but thats why I want to compare them in same time. I will be using them only with Mee Pinnacle P1.
> today I listened DX80, X7, Mojo, Oppo h​a 2. Id consider only Mojo and Dx80 and of course D14 but for my personal taste and synergy with  P1 Id give slight edge for iBasso house sound. Mojo lacked a little energy and sounded sometimes too polite but it could be due its tonally more flat and neutral. Anyway its great, "big", mature, non fatigue sound with plenty of details. I could live with any of these units...   ​


 
 How did the HA2 stack up against the D14?


----------



## zibra

It was quite good. I would place its signature somewhere between DX80 ( so D14 as well - lively, energetic, detailed sound) and Mojo ( warmer, bigger, detailed sound). Anyway midrange wasnt as clear and articulate as in Mojo and iBasso DACs - was a little bit closer, warmer, softer in my opinion. It was stil;l great by my personal taste prefer muc more Mojo and iBasso midrange. I also h​ad problems with some cracks and pops when connected to S6 - increasing buffer size didnt do work for me.
 Ergonomically its great for S6 - almost same size and th​inner than D14. Also more features.​
 Both devices are great and nobody should regret getting any of these.   ​


----------



## Aradea

Anyone knows whether or not D14's op-amps are easily replacable/rollable?


----------



## serman005

aradea said:


> Anyone knows whether or not D14's op-amps are easily replacable/rollable?


 

 I have been wondering the same thing.


----------



## Paul - iBasso

aradea said:


> Anyone knows whether or not D14's op-amps are easily replacable/rollable?


 

 They are not in a socket they are soldered to the board. The P5 offer superb sound and the ability to roll opamp and buffers.


----------



## leggy

Has anyone tried to run 352/24 flac from Windows 7/Foobar2000 through usb? Is there popping/skipping/stuttering?
I am having those issues but not when I run it from my galaxy s6 edge+ phone through usb


----------



## Lurk650

Never even heard of 352, highest this can play is 192/32 according to its settings


----------



## leggy

Lurk, it's good to see you around. It can play 352/24 fearlessly when connected to my android phone.
I think the problem is Foobar2000 or Windows.


----------



## Lurk650

PM me a file like that, I'll test out since I use foobar too
  
 EDIT: Found the 352/24 section on HDTracks, I"ll test out a couple in a bit....also I am on Win 10


----------



## leggy

Awesome.
Keep in mind you need to install this to play 352/24. At least I had to install it
http://audinst.com/en/faqs/2441?ckattempt=1


----------



## Lurk650

OK, I'll need a test track then. Will do searching later


----------



## ShreyasMax

paul - ibasso said:


> The P5 offer superb sound and the ability to roll opamp and buffers.





Haha, do existing D14 owners get a P5 Upgrade Offer?


----------



## Aradea

Guys,
  
 When using the D14 as a DAC only, any suggestions on the optimum setting? (e.g. putting it in high/low gain, place volume pot @ 12 o'clock, etc)
  
 Thanks a lot!


----------



## Lurk650

leggy said:


> Awesome.
> Keep in mind you need to install this to play 352/24. At least I had to install it
> http://audinst.com/en/faqs/2441?ckattempt=1


 
 Alright, installed and played a track from the site you showed me. Confirmed in Fubar on the bottom its 352800. No crackling or popping. Everything sounds fine


----------



## leggy

Thank you so much Lurk. Could be Windows issue. I have 7 Pro and yours is 10.
O.T. are you going to CanJam of Southern California next weekend?


----------



## Lurk650

No, I wish I could but plane flight is too expensive for me right now from SF to LA. Would have been nice b/c I have family in Huntington Beach I could stay with


----------



## leggy

Next time maybe.


----------



## chat7

aradea said:


> Guys,
> 
> When using the D14 as a DAC only, any suggestions on the optimum setting? (e.g. putting it in high/low gain, place volume pot @ 12 o'clock, etc)
> 
> Thanks a lot!


 
 I don't think those setting will affect any to the SQ when use the D14 as DAC only.


----------



## Aradea

Duly noted


----------



## Lurk650

leggy said:


> Thank you so much Lurk. Could be Windows issue. I have 7 Pro and yours is 10.
> O.T. are you going to CanJam of Southern California next weekend?


 
 Downloaded another track from the site and finally listening to it now, no popping/clicking. Just wanted to be sure and turns out the track is pretty awesome sounding too. I'm gonna keep it lol


----------



## leggy

Cool


----------



## vadergr

Hello all.

I intend to use the d14 as a semi desktop dac
Can it be constantly on a wall smartphone like usb wall charger and work as a dac while usb powered?


----------



## Lurk650

vadergr said:


> Hello all.
> 
> I intend to use the d14 as a semi desktop dac
> Can it be constantly on a wall smartphone like usb wall charger and work as a dac while usb powered?


 
 Mine has been plugged into my computer via usb since I got it a few months ago, I leave the charge on bc if it dies you cant use it for a while til it gets some charge back.


----------



## choccoyote01

Giving away Amazon FBA customer return iBasso D14, it might not work, or in non-optimal condition. Domestic U.S. shipping only.


----------



## newtophones07

quick question. I have one of these, that I am trying to setup for my son and I am cable confused. Ibasso supplied a small cable for the AUX/OUT port, but I need a longer cable to send audio to a receiver.

options and clarification help needed for the AUX/OUTPUT port in the front of the D14.

1) do I need a cable with one end termibated with a stereo 3.5mm pin and the other end terminated to stereo RCA connectors (to connect from the AUX/OUPUT port to the RCA inputs on the receiver?

or do I need to find a 2)cable with a 3.5 mm stereo plug on one end and a single ended digital coaxial RCA on the other end? The receiver can accept RCA inputs, or single coaxial inputs of course.


also will the D14 accept a input signal from the rear mini USB b port and then output a stereo signal through the AUX/OUTPUT port in the front of the D14 (to the receiver), 

 or do I need to use a spdif connection INPUT---in the rear of the D14 (as the specified in the manual) to then send a stereo OUTPUT signal to a receiver?

and if so, has anyone found a longer spdif cable with the correct termination end that fits the d14 spdif rear input. The two small cables included are more for stacking mobile devices of course 

hope this is not too confusing


----------



## Paul - iBasso

newtophones07 said:


> quick question. I have one of these, that I am trying to setup for my son and I am cable confused. Ibasso supplied a small cable for the AUX/OUT port, but I need a longer cable to send audio to a receiver.
> 
> options and clarification help needed for the AUX/OUTPUT port in the front of the D14.
> 
> ...


 

 If you are using the D14 as a line out device you need the 3.5 mini to the RCA R&L for the reciever. You can output a digital signal into the D14 via the USB and it will output a stereo signal. You can also use a 3.5 mini coax input or mini optical input. Cables can be found on Amazon and a number of other after market suppliers.


----------



## PuterPro

Hi All!
 Newbie to the Forums, lurker for months...  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Finally gave in and bought an iBasso D14. LOVE it.
  
 Have had some teething pains though. My BMW 320i seems to have a flaky 3.5mm audio jack (I'm a tech and have dealt with bad audio connections for 47 years, cleaning doesn't help. BMW will have to replace it under Warranty).
 This drove me nuts since I bought it partly to help upgrade my car sound. {Sigh} Multiple cables all fail to give the right channel unless you hold it down _*hard *_in the socket. 
  
 BUT. That's not my current problem. I also wanted to use it in my AV system. I have a Denon SACD / DVD Audio player. I wanted to grab the optical out and run it through the D14.
 So I dug through my cables and found I had only *ONE  *mini TOSLINK cable, and it was mini TOSLINK on both ends. Of course the Denon uses the standard size. ... LOL.
  
 So, I ordered this: http://www.amazon.com/KabelDirekt-TOSLINK-Optical-Digital-Audio/dp/B00GZQWLF0?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
 which has one end mini, to regular.
  
 I also ordered these:
http://www.amazon.com/Conwork-2-Pack-Toslink-Connector-Adapter/dp/B016466XPO?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
 Toslink mini to regular adapters, for my box of cables. Handy to have.
  
 Neither work!!
  
 Denon outputs Optical fine (it's how I run to my Yamaha RX-A3020 normally). Both cables light up when connected to the Denon, but no combination gives me a light (or connection, obviously) from the iBasso! It appears to seat properly, but I see no light with or without the cable.
  
 Yes, I have the switch in SPDIF. Yes, I cycled power. Tried it in place during power on, power up and THEN switch, etc.; every combination of hooking and switching. No Joy.
  
 Now, without bragging, I troubleshoot Computers and electronics for a living. But we all can miss things. I'm hoping beyond hope that it's not defective. 
  
 The unit works fine hooked USB to two phones and my PC. (Sounds WONDERFUL!!) But for the life of me, I can't get the optical in to work. Am I mad? Did I fail to face east at midnight? Maybe those bats wings I burned were past their code date. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Any ideas??
  
 Thanks so much in advance,
 PuterPro


----------



## ph0n6

Maybe you could try coaxial instead? Coaxial works fine for me but I'm not even sure if the D14 have optical output.


----------



## PuterPro

@ph0n6 - 
  
 Thanks much for the thought, but this is for _input_ to the D14. Also - the Denon player has fiber (optical) out, but no provision for COAX. 
 Thanks for the try, tho! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 
  
 Cool Avatar!
  
 Cheers,
 PuterPro


----------



## ph0n6

Oh I meant Coaxial (and optical) input to the D14. Mine works fine (from the Massfidelity Relay DAC to D14 Lineout to Speaker). I'm guessing that the D14 doesn't have optical input then. Some of their old DAC actually got optical input, so this is a bummer I guess. Questionably though the Amazon product page does state that it has optical input though. I suggest PM Paul for this one, he's Ibasso representative here, and I could vouch for his enthusiasm


----------



## PuterPro

Well, the Owners manual shows one, and the device _*SAYS *_"SPDIF IN" next to the jack ...
  
 That Massfidelity Relay looks like a nice DAC. I'll have to check it out.
  
 My Wife is currently hogging my D14 running from my Samsung Note 4 (running Hiby Music Player) -> D14 -> Yamaha RX-A3020 -> Pinnacle Studio 100's and Cambridge Soundworks 15" Sub.
 Sounds great, too bad I'm in my office and it's just background. Damn thief. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Looks like I'll need a DAC just dedicated to my main AV system. {Sigh} More $$. Always more $$. Expensive hobby. LOL
  
 PuterPro


----------



## west0ne

D14 definitely has optical input as I've hooked mine up to the optical out of a Chromecast audio and it works fine. I haven't tried it with co-ax but presumably they are the same input.


----------



## PuterPro

Hey west0ne - Could you be so kind as to check yours - does the optical cable show a red light out the other end when you hook it to the D14's input and switch to SPDIF on the input switch?
  
 I get a light FROM the Denon (which works fine into my Yamaha) but even with the mini TOSLINK plugged fully into the optical input and the switch on SPDIF I get _*NO*_ light from the iBasso.
  
 I'd use COAX (I'd have to cobble up a cable, but that's a no biggie for me I have all the stuff) but there is no COAX out of the Denon SACD /DVD.
  
 Besides, I still would want to check the SPDIF, it should work.
  
 Thanks a bunch!
 PutePro


----------



## west0ne

@PuterPro - no red light from the iBasso port but I'm pretty sure that is to be expected as I'm sure it's optical-in only and not optical-out. I tend to only use it with my Android phone or Linux, there are no options within Alsamixer on Linux to establish an optical-out which would confirm that it isn't a feature. I've not used it with co-ax but assume that is also input only.
  
 From what I can see the only outputs from the iBasso are phones and line out.


----------



## ceemsc

puterpro said:


> ...
> 
> I get a light FROM the Denon (which works fine into my Yamaha) but even with the mini TOSLINK plugged fully into the optical input and the switch on SPDIF I get _*NO*_ light from the iBasso.
> 
> ...



Hi PutePro,

The D14 in SPDIF mode never has a light except for the blue power at the front. 

I use a Fiio L16 to connect from the COAX OUT of the iBasso DX50 into the SPDIF IN of the iBasso D14 because it is more shielded than the stock provided 3.5mm terminated SPDIF Cable. 

A coax to 3.5mm cable came with the DX50 ; maybe you might find one for the Denon DVD Player?


----------



## PuterPro

Thanks guys!
  
  Yeah, I forgot an optical *input *doesn't show a light. Duh. {Smacks head...}
  
 Everyone keeps trying to get me to go COAX, but I CAN'T.
 The Denon only supports optical. This is an SACD / DVD PLAYER, not a RECEIVER... I do have a converter, but I'd rather keep the jitter and complexity to a minimum.
 I could also route it through my Yamaha which will convert it to COAX, but same thing... Besides, the port _should_ work, if not the device is defective..
  
  I'd prefer COAX too,  although I'd have to make up a 3.5mm to RCA since I don't have one handy. I've got some silver solder and a special small 75 ohm cable that would be perfect.
 I'm make one up, Ill probably use it at some point.
  
 I'll try again today on the optical in with another source. Maybe it's something dumb like a setting in the Denon's menu, but I doubt it since I use the optical port regularly to my Yamaha receiver and it works fine.
  
 Thanks for the help! Any other ideas welcome!!
  
 BTW - Stupid thread hi-jack by the OP ... Anyone know why suddenly my right click (which I use regularly for spell check since I'm a horrible typist) suddenly _*only *_offers me PASTE in the Editor? Very odd
 Running Chrome, Win8.1. Think I'll restart the browser and OS ... Although the problem is only when I'm in the Editor, works fine elsewhere.
 Just wanted to ask, never saw that before. Weird.
  
 ~EDIT~ Never mind! Found it! Search is a wonderful thing... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Seems if you hit MORE on the right you get extra edit tools, but it screws up Right Click.
 Either just hit Less, or hold the CTRL key (PC) (Options on Mac??) while Right Clicking to access the normal functions!.
 Being a Tech I always feel like I'm running in mud, not matter how hard you try, you can't learn it all. Just like trying to swallow the ocean! LOL!
  
  
 PuterPro


----------



## PuterPro

EUREKA!
  
 What an idiot! (Me...) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 I *HATE *when I have to re-learn stuff. I want the mega-brain upgrade. Badly.
  
 Sadly, I'll have to make do with the defective one I have.
  
 My first mistake was posting in the wrong Forum. If I had posted in the one that discusses SACD they would have jumped my bones instantly.
  
 IT'S A DRM PROBLEM, not an iBasso D14 problem. It was the output of the Denon SACD player. SACD's have two layers, Hi-Rez and standard CD (44KHz).
 The lawyers got them to prevent SPDIF (either optical or COAX) output above 44KHz, to prevent bit perfect copies. It WILL output the CD layer optically.
  
 The only way it outputs SACD or DVD Audio is over the ANALOG 5.1 channel jacks, you can't DO optical above 44KHz!! {Smacks Face}
  
 Now, the optical input of my D14 does work. *BUT *it does *NOT *light the *Link LED* when connected Optical, so I got no indication even when it WAS working.
  
 Do you guys have that too?
  
 Thanks again all, if one of you could check their Link LED when Optical, I'd appreciate it.
  
 PuterPro


----------



## west0ne

The Link light only illuminates when connected to USB, doesn't come on with Line-In or Optical-In. Only way to know it's working is through headphones or line-out.
  
 DSD won't work over optical/coax due to DRM but I'm sure 24/192 hi-res works over optical/coax.


----------



## PuterPro

No doubt, but NOT from _this _Denon, I did the {~GASP~} unthinkable and RTFM! LOL
 Anything above 44K is down-sampled out the digital ports. Hi-Rez only out analog. Jerks.
  
 I've also got a more modern Panasonic Blu-Ray for the DVD audio, but it doesn't do SACD. That's fine, I really haven't got that many SACD's anyway, the important ones I'll just DL from a Hi-Rez site.
  
 Been trying to talk my Wife into an Oppo for some time, but she's reluctant. Always have to deal with "WAF".
 I've learned to pick my battles, and their timing. Probably have to wait until it's a 4K unit, and that will require upgrading my $4000 Projector and my Receiver as well.
  
 I never ends. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Thanks for the tip on the Link LED. The D14 manual is a touch sparse. Sounds like I've got a perfect unit so far. Still gotta check the COAX, but at least I'm gaining on it all!
  
 PuterPro


----------



## ceemsc

puterpro said:


> ....
> What an idiot! (Me...)
> 
> I *[COLOR=FF0000]HATE[/COLOR]* when I have to re-learn stuff. I want the mega-brain upgrade. Badly.
> ...




https://youtu.be/xo-pfT1P438


----------



## HiFlight

ph0n6 said:


> Maybe you could try coaxial instead? Coaxial works fine for me but I'm not even sure if the D14 have optical output.




The D14 does accept optical inputs via the spdif jack if "Optical" is selected with the switch. Always try a different cable "just in case"

EDIT: Sorry guys...I see the issue has already been solved!


----------



## PuterPro

ceemsc said:


> https://youtu.be/xo-pfT1P438


 
 Yeah, it's that OK!. THAT was funny!


hiflight said:


> The D14 does accept optical inputs via the spdif jack if "Optical" is selected with the switch. Always try a different cable "just in case"
> 
> EDIT: Sorry guys...I see the issue has already been solved!


 
 Now you sound like me - always late to the party. Particularly if it's my own! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 Thanks for the try, tho' +10 points for effort. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  
 PuterPro


----------



## amanojakumo

Would using the d14 as a dac for the schiit lyr 2 be an acceptable pairing until I could get a better dac?
  
 I plan on getting a lyr 2 as my first "expensive" amp, but I'll have to hold off on getting something like the bifrost as a dac.  I'd like to use the d14 as a temporary dac with the lyr until I can get a bifrost.  Do you guys think this is a good idea or is plugging a portable dac into a big expensive amp a newbie no-no?  Or should I be asking this in the lyr 2 thread?


----------



## ph0n6

Take it with a grain of salt but my friend told me the bifrost isn't that much better than the modi 2, which is about the same league of Odac and this D14. I tried the Modi 2 (from my friend) Odac (currently using) and D14 (planning to sell) and DAC wise I can say that they are not that different from each other, and if there's any it's not that noticeable.


----------



## west0ne

amanojakumo said:


> Would using the d14 as a dac for the schiit lyr 2 be an acceptable pairing until I could get a better dac?
> 
> I plan on getting a lyr 2 as my first "expensive" amp, but I'll have to hold off on getting something like the bifrost as a dac.  I'd like to use the d14 as a temporary dac with the lyr until I can get a bifrost.  Do you guys think this is a good idea or is plugging a portable dac into a big expensive amp a newbie no-no?  Or should I be asking this in the lyr 2 thread?




I've just picked up a Vali 2 and was thinking of buying a Modi 2 to go with it so tried one my friend has, I won't say it sounds the same as the iBasso D14 but I also couldn't say it sounded 'better' enough to warrant buying the Modi 2. What I suppose I'm saying is that feeding the Vali 2 from the D14 line out produced a pretty good result (to my ears in any case). A lot would of course depend on which DAC you were looking to get. 

I'm fairly new to all of this and really just like listening to music rather than buying equipment for the sake of it, I don't doubt that the better the DAC the better the end result from the amp but if you hook up the D14 and are happy with what it gives you why rush into buying. For now hook it up to the line-out and enjoy.


----------



## amanojakumo

Thanks guys.  Good info.


----------



## NickiRasgo

Hi!
  
 Newbie question. Just got the xDuoo X3 to replace my Sansa Clip Zip+ as my OTG DAP. Just want to ask if this iBasso Bushmaster D14 is good enough to be used as amp? Anyone using it? I'll be using if ever the iBasso Bushmaster D14 also for my laptop when I'm home.
  
 My IEM is RHA MA750i and planning to buy Philips Fidelio X2.
  
 Thanks in advance!


----------



## Lurk650

IMO it's a bit too big for portable use. The X3 should be good enough to not even need an amp. Could always look into a FiiO Q1 or E18, they are truly portable DAC and Amp


----------



## Aradea

nickirasgo said:


> Hi!
> 
> Newbie question. Just got the xDuoo X3 to replace my Sansa Clip Zip+ as my OTG DAP. Just want to ask if this iBasso Bushmaster D14 is good enough to be used as amp? Anyone using it? I'll be using if ever the iBasso Bushmaster D14 also for my laptop when I'm home.
> 
> ...




I had both the X3 and the d14. IMO the D14 is a very good amp for its price


----------



## ShreyasMax

nickirasgo said:


> Hi!
> 
> Newbie question. Just got the xDuoo X3 to replace my Sansa Clip Zip+ as my OTG DAP. Just want to ask if this iBasso Bushmaster D14 is good enough to be used as amp? Anyone using it? I'll be using if ever the iBasso Bushmaster D14 also for my laptop when I'm home.
> 
> ...




Hello,

I currently use Fidelio X2 and RHA T20 at home through the D14, connected through coaxial out of the FiiO X3. The sound is greatly improved when using it as dac amp, and clearly bests the X3 headphone out. 

And in my experience the D14 sounds best when used as dac/amp, as compared to an amp only. 

Also, the Xduoo X3 can easily drive both the Fidelio X2, and Ma750, so I suggest you give the D14 a trial before purchase if you can.

Cheers


----------



## NickiRasgo

lurk650 said:


> IMO it's a bit too big for portable use. The X3 should be good enough to not even need an amp. Could always look into a FiiO Q1 or E18, they are truly portable DAC and Amp


 
  
 Hi!
  
 Thanks but sadly won't even hear a difference compared to my Sandisk Sansa Clip Zip+ so I'll check this weekend how it compares with a portable amp.
 I won't be using the iBasso Bushmaster D14 for OTG but will be using it on my home.
  
 For portable amplifier, I'm looking between Fiio E12A, Cayin C5 or Aune B1.
 Please advise if I'm too off-topic.
  
 Quote:


aradea said:


> I had both the X3 and the d14. IMO the D14 is a very good amp for its price



  
 This is good to know, will be checking it as well this weekend and will be trying it with between Fiio E12A, Cayin C5 or Aune B1 as well.
  


shreyasmax said:


> Hello,
> 
> I currently use Fidelio X2 and RHA T20 at home through the D14, connected through coaxial out of the FiiO X3. The sound is greatly improved when using it as dac amp, and clearly bests the X3 headphone out.
> 
> ...


  
 Thanks also! Is it safe to say that we have a same sound preference?  Wide soundstage, bright, thick bass, etc.
 Will try this weekend hopefully there's an improvement on my ear.
 I'm really into this hobby but my ear is not cooperating. lol Which is good in a way but I have try it first together with the following portable amps between Fiio E12A, Cayin C5 or Aune B1.


----------



## NickiRasgo

Can I use a portable amp on iBasso Bushmaster D14?


----------



## ShreyasMax

nickirasgo said:


> Can I use a portable amp on iBasso Bushmaster D14?




Yes you can use any portable amp through the audio out port on the D14.


----------



## sledgeharvy

nickirasgo said:


> Can I use a portable amp on iBasso Bushmaster D14?




Sure, I actually find connecting my iPhone 6 to the D14 using the otg camera connector to USB connection , the Line out from the D-4 to the Fiio E12A sounds amazing.. Clean thick sound.. For me, it maintains all the details, soundstage and adds the creamy smoothness one expects from the E12a...


----------



## west0ne

nickirasgo said:


> Can I use a portable amp on iBasso Bushmaster D14?


 
 The D14 has a line-in so you can use it as an amp-only device it also has a line-out to send the DAC audio to an external amp. I think the amp section is good at this price level and certainly seems to have plenty of power for a battery powered portable DAC/Amp device. Your portable setup could get quite bulky if you have a transport, the D14 as a DAC and then an amp. I do however use my D14 with my Vali 2 amp and find it to be a good setup.


----------



## NickiRasgo

Thanks for the replies!
  
 Planning to get this one for my laptop (Asus N56VZ)/mobile devices (Sony Xperia Z2).
 Already tried this yesterday but can't hear a difference yet.  Will be getting a Phillips Fidelio X2 however saw a lot of comment while is it necessary to use an amp however could be needing one for it to maximize it's potential.
 The amp I'm planning to get in the future is Aune B1.
 But then, have to see if I really need those (iBasso Bushmaster D14 and Aune B1).
 My DAP (DAC/AMP) is xDuoo X3 as OTG, not planning to use iBasso Bushmaster D14 for OTG.
  
 Thanks for your insight!


----------



## ceemsc

west0ne said:


> ...
> Your portable setup could get quite bulky if you have a transport, the D14 as a DAC and then an amp....


----------



## tantalus007

nickirasgo said:


> Thanks for the replies!
> 
> Planning to get this one for my laptop (Asus N56VZ)/mobile devices (Sony Xperia Z2).
> Already tried this yesterday but can't hear a difference yet.  Will be getting a Phillips Fidelio X2 however saw a lot of comment while is it necessary to use an amp however could be needing one for it to maximize it's potential.
> ...


 
 You dont need an extra amp to power the fidelio x2 with the bushmaster. Even the bushmaster's baby brother the d-zero mk2 is powerful enough for the x2. The bushmaster has 4x the power of the z-zero mk2. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 Be sure to use the bushmaster as a dac/amp and not as an amp only when connected to your laptop or phone to achieve the best results.


----------



## ShreyasMax

tantalus007 said:


> You dont need an extra amp to power the fidelio x2 with the bushmaster. Even the bushmaster's baby brother the d-zero mk2 is powerful enough for the x2. The bushmaster has 4x the power of the z-zero mk2. :wink_face:
> 
> Be sure to use the bushmaster as a dac/amp and not as an amp only when connected to your laptop or phone to achieve the best results.




Totally agree.


----------



## Vesperia

1) When using the D14 with usb input, do you plug the headphone in the port named "Phone"?
 2) When connecting a headphone with mic input, do you get a tinny/weird sound? i.e not working properly 
 3) When using USB mode, is it normal you can adjust the volume via computer controls i.e. keyboard?
 and does that mean i'ts not bypassing the internal dac of my computer?
 4) same as above but with OTG, is it normal to adjust the volume via android phone?
  
 Plugging the headphone with mic compatibility works in the aux in/out works for me, however the volume knob doesn't do anything.
  
 5) ^ is this normal?
  
 Sorry if these questions been answered somewhere before.


----------



## Cotnijoe

vesperia said:


> 1) When using the D14 with usb input, do you plug the headphone in the port named "Phone"?
> 2) When connecting a headphone with mic input, do you get a tinny/weird sound? i.e not working properly
> 3) When using USB mode, is it normal you can adjust the volume via computer controls i.e. keyboard?
> and does that mean i'ts not bypassing the internal dac of my computer?
> ...


 
  
 1) Yes.
  
 2) I dont think I've ever had that issue.
  
 3) Yes. Most people just turn it to max or have it at a preset volume.
  
 4) I can't remember. Usually I think you can't?
  
 not sure about 5. I'm sure others can chime in.


----------



## ceemsc

vesperia said:


> 1) When using the D14 with usb input, do you plug the headphone in the port named "Phone"?
> 2) When connecting a headphone with mic input, do you get a tinny/weird sound? i.e not working properly
> 3) When using USB mode, is it normal you can adjust the volume via computer controls i.e. keyboard?
> and does that mean i'ts not bypassing the internal dac of my computer?
> ...




1. Yes this is a standard setup.

2. I've not tried this however :
a) You could be right & the mic input could be causing signal feedback.
b) This symptom sounds similar to what I had in a different setup but that was earphones with mic & buttons into an iPhone headphone socket. Holding down the buttons which did not control the iPhone stopped the tinny sound.
c) USB ports can be noisy.

3. Assuming Windows OS then yes the Computer System volume output to the DAC can still be controlled from the Desktop.

4. No experience with Android OTG but when using IPhone dock connection, the iPhone amp is bypassed so all signal comes out as 100% which cannot be adjusted on the phone. Are you adjusting the android volume in the phone system or a 3rd party app?

5. Using the AUX port means you are bypassing the D14 Amp so again here the volume cannot be adjusted.


----------



## Lurk650

AUX when you have it hooked up to another source with volume control. I have mine connected to my laptop. HP port for headphones and AUX port to my 2.1 Logitech system. The Logitech has a volume control so the D14 is basically like a Line Out


----------



## TYATYA

Who know amp of D14? 
I open the housing and see :
Dac Es9018k2m (okay fine)
Usb receiver Xmos (192khz, dsd)
Digital receiver interface Cirrus logic 6418 czz (192khz)

But opam !! Nothing. It was wipe away the code/name infos.
Why iBasso did it? Opam was not good to show off or they prevent fake/copy by others manufacturer? 


Btw any chance to mod opamp by a Muses 8920?


----------



## ceemsc

tyatya said:


> Who know amp of D14?
> I open the housing and see :
> Dac Es9018k2m (okay fine)
> Usb receiver Xmos (192khz, dsd)
> ...




I have asked Paul from IBasso a similar question & the response was that unless IBasso have officially released/listed this information then he cannot provide this information either. Headfonia Reviews also did state that IBasso have chosen not to disclose the OP-Amp section for the D14 for whatever reason.

I do believe it is to prevent reverse-engineering by rival manufacturers physically copying the setup to get quick information for which IBasso paid R&D costs incorporated into the D14. 
As a customer, I can only hope that this was done for business agreement, competitive advantage or legal reasons etc. and not to shorthand the buyer with cheap chip copies. Imagine how dissappointed you'd be if you bought a shiny new laptop PC only to find its CPU core was made by Cyrix instead of Intel or AMD. Even if it performed as specified, your perception of that brand would be dented.

I wouldn't try to replace the mystery OPAMP with a MUSES02 as the D14 was not designed to be OPAMP rollable. The circuit board, caps & other chip buffers were designed for that mystery chip & won't sound as good with a different OPAMP chip.


----------



## TYATYA

ceemsc said:


> I have asked Paul from IBasso a similar question & the response was that unless IBasso have officially released/listed this information then he cannot provide this information either. Headfonia Reviews also did state that IBasso have chosen not to disclose the OP-Amp section for the D14 for whatever reason.
> 
> I do believe it is to prevent reverse-engineering by rival manufacturers physically copying the setup to get quick information for which IBasso paid R&D costs incorporated into the D14.
> As a customer, I can only hope that this was done for business agreement, competitive advantage or legal reasons etc. and not to shorthand the buyer with cheap chip copies. Imagine how dissappointed you'd be if you bought a shiny new laptop PC only to find its CPU core was made by Cyrix instead of Intel or AMD. Even if it performed as specified, your perception of that brand would be dented.
> ...




Thank you for great reply


----------



## peter123

Here's my thoughts on this excellent device:
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/products/ibasso-audio-d14-bushmaster/reviews/16677


----------



## Lurk650

peter123 said:


> Here's my thoughts on this excellent device:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/products/ibasso-audio-d14-bushmaster/reviews/16677




Very good. I second that notion. I love mine. I may be selling though since I can always use my HA2. The AUX out is nice though for my Logitech 2.1


----------



## oldmate

cotnijoe said:


> ​
> 
> As requested
> 
> ...


 
  
 Sorry for dragging up an old post but that short IC has me intrigued - where does one buy one of those beauties??


----------



## west0ne

oldmate said:


> Sorry for dragging up an old post but that short IC has me intrigued - where does one buy one of those beauties??


 
 Pretty sure I got one of those with my D14; it was either that or the Fiio Q1.


----------



## oldmate

west0ne said:


> Pretty sure I got one of those with my D14; it was either that or the Fiio Q1.


 
 Yeah, Q1.
  

  
 Just checked the FIIO site - seems you cannot buy this cable - damn.


----------



## Lurk650

Yeah that cable does come with the D14. It's pretty nifty. Doesn't appear you can buy it though. Wish you could

EDIT: found one https://www.jdslabs.com/mobile/products/146/ultra-short-3-5mm-interconnect-cable/


----------



## mtbfan101

Awesome


----------



## Bananiq

I wonder if someone has compared this device with Centrance Dacportable / Dacport?


----------



## pranavtripathi

Hi,

I'm using a Fiio X1 with Fiio E11k as of now. I read that through the Line out functionality one can use both the DAC amd Amp of iBasso D14. Would it be possible with Fiio X1? I apologise if it's the wrong thread to be asking this question. 
Thank You.


----------



## ceemsc

pranavtripathi said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm using a Fiio X1 with Fiio E11k as of now. I read that through the Line out functionality one can use both the DAC amd Amp of iBasso D14. Would it be possible with Fiio X1? I apologise if it's the wrong thread to be asking this question.
> Thank You.




I've always been under the impression that th D14 line out bypasses the D14 Amp Section,


----------



## pranavtripathi

ceemsc said:


> I've always been under the impression that th D14 line out bypasses the D14 Amp Section,




I meant the line out of Fiio X1 and then the input to iBasso D14. Would I be using both the DAC and Amp of D14?


----------



## ceemsc

pranavtripathi said:


> I meant the line out of Fiio X1 and then the input to iBasso D14. Would I be using both the DAC and Amp of D14?




Is it possible for the FiiO X1 to perform as Transport Only & Output only Data? A line-out would imply the DAC in the X1 is being used & the Line-In+Amp only of the D14 is being used.


----------



## pranavtripathi

ceemsc said:


> Is it possible for the FiiO X1 to perform as Transport Only & Output only Data? A line-out would imply the DAC in the X1 is being used & the Line-In+Amp only of the D14 is being used.




That's something I'm not sure of actually and need someone to confirm it. Would a coaxial out cable help in this case?


----------



## ceemsc

pranavtripathi said:


> That's something I'm not sure of actually and need someone to confirm it. Would a coaxial out cable help in this case?




Based on the FiiO website, the X1 DAP does not have a digital audio output so any line out from the X1 will always be from the onboard DAC & a coax cable won't change that.


----------



## apaar123

How does it compare to xduoo xd 05?


----------



## apaar123

How does it compare to mojo?


----------



## west0ne

apaar123 said:


> How does it compare to mojo?


 
 If you can afford the Mojo then I would suggest that you get the Mojo; ite definitely sounds better but only you would be able to decide if it's worth just over twice the price of the iBasso or Oppo HA2 (which is similar to the iBasso but better looking).


----------



## apaar123

west0ne said:


> If you can afford the Mojo then I would suggest that you get the Mojo; ite definitely sounds better but only you would be able to decide if it's worth just over twice the price of the iBasso or Oppo HA2 (which is similar to the iBasso but better looking).


ohh cool thanks. I am getting ibasso d14 for 240$,oppo for 354$ and mojo for 500$. So ya it is double price than ibasso but I think I can afford it


----------



## Lurk650

apaar123 said:


> ohh cool thanks. I am getting ibasso d14 for 240$,oppo for 354$ and mojo for 500$. So ya it is double price than ibasso but I think I can afford it




I have the D14 for PC and HA2 for portable. The HA2 is better than the D14. Am actually looking to get rid of my D14.


----------



## hakuzen

got my d14 for <$200 in the local market. it's worth it only if you get a significant discount.
 mojo is quite better for sure (i miss an analogue line in, though, to be used with some daps which haven't got digital optical/coaxial output).
 i don't own the oppo.
  
 if you don't need higher power (because you only use iems, or easy to drive headphones), or already own a headphone amplifier, and are interested of Sabre ES9018KM DAC (common to d14 and ha-2), try to find HiFime 9018D DAC. much more inexpensive (around $100), same (or even better) performance, and the most portable. i don't own it, but hifiChris recommends it (check his review).


----------



## Lurk650

If anybody is interested 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/825162/ibasso-d14-dac-amp


----------



## Esco55

Does this amp pair well with the Zen 2.0?


----------



## pranavtripathi

esco55 said:


> Does this amp pair well with the Zen 2.0?




http://www.head-fi.org/products/ibasso-audio-d14-bushmaster/reviews/16677
This is one of the reviews where the reviewer has used Zen 2.0 with the D14. He didn't like the pairing and has given the reasons for them as well. 
Hope this helps


----------



## shuto77

Just picked one of these up - a very nice portable dac/amp. My Windows 7 PC won't recognize the drivers, however. Is this a known issue?


----------



## Lurk650

shuto77 said:


> Just picked one of these up - a very nice portable dac/amp. My Windows 7 PC won't recognize the drivers, however. Is this a known issue?




You have to manually download the drivers from ibasso website


----------



## shuto77

lurk650 said:


> You have to manually download the drivers from ibasso website




I'm familiar with the process - I used to own the Chord Mojo and Oppo HA-2. 

My computer won't recognize the driver software, however. 

I guess I'll hit up ibasso customer service.


----------



## Lurk650

shuto77 said:


> I'm familiar with the process - I used to own the Chord Mojo and Oppo HA-2.
> 
> My computer won't recognize the driver software, however.
> 
> I guess I'll hit up ibasso customer service.




Strange


----------



## west0ne

shuto77 said:


> Just picked one of these up - a very nice portable dac/amp. My Windows 7 PC won't recognize the drivers, however. Is this a known issue?


 


> You may want to try finding the iBasso in the Device Manager and see if you can force the drivers to install by uninstalling the device and starting over.





>





> I've seen issues with Windows 8 & 10 where it was necessary to disable 'driver signature verification' so it could be something similar.


----------



## drofeel71

So, my D14 arrived yesterday, I've been looking for a DAC to pair with my AK100, as I've never been that happy with the stock sound of it's Wolfson DAC. Well what can I say, thoroughly blown away by what I'm hearing through my AKG K550s, I know it's cliched, but I'm hearing details in tracks I know extremely well that I've never heard before, can't wait to hear how it sounds after it has burnt in some. So pleased with this amazing DAC!


----------



## phthora

What do I specifically need to buy to make the D14 work with an iPhone 6?
  
 I am not an Apple guy.


----------



## west0ne

phthora said:


> What do I specifically need to buy to make the D14 work with an iPhone 6?
> 
> I am not an Apple guy and the friend for whom this is a problem is not a tech guy.


 
 Apple Camera Connection Kit should provide the USB port you will need to attach the D14.
  
 I suggest the CCK USB3 version.


----------



## phthora

Many thanks!


----------



## matchbox

Hello-
  I am looking into portable DAC/amps for use mostly with a Fiio X5ii & MacBookPro laptop using iTunes. Does the D14 still have the channel imbalance that is mentioned earlier in this thread? Can anyone describe it? I am using modded Grado & Grado style cans, no IEMs. Also, are there any suggestions if the D14 is not ideal for the X5 & Mac?


----------



## ceemsc

matchbox said:


> Does the D14 still have the channel imbalance that is mentioned earlier in this thread? Can anyone describe it?




2 potential answers to this query... You can judge for yourselves whether they are valid :-

1) Typically all amp potentiometers will have channel imbalance below a certain low volume... This is by a technical reality of amplifiers not unique to the D14 amp. So you would need to listen past the 9 O' clock position to get past this.

2) Actually I am getting a channel imbalance when using the D14 amp. This only occurs when using the Amp/Headphone port not the lineout/AUX port. However I'm using the D14 in an unorthodox implementation rather what it was mainly intended. I'm using the D14 as a DAC/Pre-Amp before the audio chain goes into a line-in of a FiiO A5. This also means the volume of the D14 is run constantly at 80%+ As a result, the 2000mAh battery does not last very long. This also results in a 3% channel bias to the left. I've compensated for this by adjusting my RockBox DAP settings & hooked another USB battery into my rig.
This does not occur if the D14 amp is used to directly drive the intended headphones; I've tested this on an Allen & Heath Sound-Desk. IBasso can therefore easily say that there is not a problem with D14 as it was designed to drive headphones directly not drive another amp. Besides anyone listening at 80%+ constantly would risk serious hearing damage...

So if you intend to use Source MAC/X5 -> D14 -> Grados... You should be fine as the D14's strengths is its versatility ... You would need to audition to see whether the D14 sound signature works with the Grados particularly in the treble & any potential fatigue.


----------



## wondroushippo

Anyone else using the AudioQuest Nighthawk with this? I feel like it's a great pairing – the spaciousness and sound characteristics of the D14 add a lot to the Nighthawk.


----------



## matchbox

ceemsc said:


> 2 potential answers to this query... You can judge for yourselves whether they are valid :-
> 
> 1) Typically all amp potentiometers will have channel imbalance below a certain low volume... This is by a technical reality of amplifiers not unique to the D14 amp. So you would need to listen past the 9 O' clock position to get past this.
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks ceemsc. I was not aware that a channel imbalance is common among all portable amps. Unfortunately, It would be difficult for me to get to listen to any amp before ordering one. I'll have to do some research, but it seems like the D14 is the right choice, considering my tastes.


----------



## wigglepuff

Hi I'm currently eyeing this dac to use on the 400i, whats the sound sig/tonality of this dac? and will this work while being plugged in the pc and charging?


----------



## west0ne

wigglepuff said:


> Hi I'm currently eyeing this dac to use on the 400i, whats the sound sig/tonality of this dac? and will this work while being plugged in the pc and charging?


 
 I've commented elsewhere on the sound sig, but yes you can charge from USB whilst using it in DAC/Amp mode. There is a switch on the back that turns the charging circuit on and off. For mobile use you would turn the charge circuit off and run on battery only.
  
 Also note that the quoted run times on battery don't give the full picture as they are based on the SPDIF input, when you use it with USB you only get about 7 hours of run time.


----------



## wigglepuff

can you remove the battery and just use it usb/ac powered?
  
 you can also use this to line out on other amp right? its has no issues with this? btw how did it go with the software for the dac on windows 7? is it usable?


----------



## west0ne

wigglepuff said:


> can you remove the battery and just use it usb/ac powered?
> 
> you can also use this to line out on other amp right? its has no issues with this? btw how did it go with the software for the dac on windows 7? is it usable?




The battery is not user serviceable but the charging circuit appears to shut off when it is plugged in but fully charged. You can switch the charging circuit on and off but I don't think it runs from USB power as that mode is designed for mobile phone use.

No issues with line out although it is only 3.5mm and not dual phono. I use it with my Vali 2 amp all the time.

It comes with ASIO drivers that also give you full resolution support. Installation was easy and it works fine on Windows 7,8 and 10.


----------



## phthora

wigglepuff said:


> Hi I'm currently eyeing this dac to use on the 400i, whats the sound sig/tonality of this dac? and will this work while being plugged in the pc and charging?


 
  
 The D14 is a little on the bright side and the 400i can have sharp highs. I personally do not like this pairing, as I think it sounds rather thin and lacks much bass oomph, which just accentuates a the sound signature of the headphones a bit too much. In the past, I've wondered if the 400i were even fully powered by the D14. I've since discovered that, mathematically speaking, they are, but they sure _sound_ under-driven given the synergy of components. If you are looking for a cost-effective amp to go with them, I have demoed the 400i paired with the Fiio A5 and enjoyed that combination a lot better (especially with the bass boost).


----------



## ceemsc

phthora said:


> Spoiler
> 
> 
> 
> The D14 is a little on the bright side and the 400i can have sharp highs. I personally do not like this pairing, as I think it sounds rather thin and lacks much bass oomph, which just accentuates a the sound signature of the headphones a bit too much. In the past, I've wondered if the 400i were even fully powered by the D14. I've since discovered that, mathematically speaking, they are, but they sure _sound_ under-driven given the synergy of components. If you are looking for a cost-effective amp to go with them, I have demoed the 400i paired with the Fiio A5 and enjoyed that combination a lot better (especially with the bass boost).




How about this then ? :-


----------



## phthora

ceemsc said:


> How about this then ? :-


 
  
 That is a combo that will take you far in life. Probably the best value DAC/amp and amp out there.


----------



## wigglepuff

phthora said:


> The D14 is a little on the bright side and the 400i can have sharp highs. I personally do not like this pairing, as I think it sounds rather thin and lacks much bass oomph, which just accentuates a the sound signature of the headphones a bit too much. In the past, I've wondered if the 400i were even fully powered by the D14. I've since discovered that, mathematically speaking, they are, but they sure _sound_ under-driven given the synergy of components. If you are looking for a cost-effective amp to go with them, I have demoed the 400i paired with the Fiio A5 and enjoyed that combination a lot better (especially with the bass boost).


 
 oh thanks for this info, yeah im looking for a better pair on the 400i and I already have the A5. I was more interested on the sabre 9018 dac but.. I will probably just hold on this, and wait if fiio decides to release a new desktop dac or something.


----------



## hausera

Hello, I'm new to digital and need some aid here.  I have a D14 and want to use it as a DAC + desktop amp.  I am planning on getting a chromecast and the D14 will connect to audioengine a2 speakers.  What exact digital cable can I use between the chromecast and the d14?  and is the 3.5 to rca the only way to the speakers?  Could someone provide a link to the specific cable types on amazon?  Many thanks!


----------



## west0ne

hausera said:


> Hello, I'm new to digital and need some aid here.  I have a D14 and want to use it as a DAC + desktop amp.  I am planning on getting a chromecast and the D14 will connect to audioengine a2 speakers.  What exact digital cable can I use between the chromecast and the d14?  and is the 3.5 to rca the only way to the speakers?  Could someone provide a link to the specific cable types on amazon?  Many thanks!



To connect the Chromecast Audio to the D14 you need a mini-Toslink to mini-Toslink cable, (https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Audi...493609720&sr=8-12&keywords=mini+toslink+cable). You plug this into the digital input of the D14.

For the speakers you need a 3.5mm to RCA cable (https://www.amazon.com/Cable-iXCC-S...9854&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=3.5mm+to+rca&psc=1). You plug this into the line out of the D14.


----------



## Paul Oorbeek

Anyone have experience with an Ibasso D14 with an Oppo PM3?

Preferable with an smartphone connected to the Ibasso?

Or is an Ifi Nano IDSD an better solution?


----------



## phthora

Paul Oorbeek said:


> Anyone have experience with an Ibasso D14 with an Oppo PM3?
> 
> Preferable with an smartphone connected to the Ibasso?
> 
> Or is an Ifi Nano IDSD an better solution?



I had the D14 up until I recently sold it and upgraded to the iFi Micro iDSD Black Label (similar to the Nano?). I loved the D14, but I never thought it sounded great with the PM-3. To me, it seemed to aggravate a resonance in the 1-2k region that I find particularly glaring (other people are much less bothered by it). EQ helped, but never rid me of the problem. In fact, it ended up making the headphones sound dull. I don't think it was an issue of being insufficiently powered by the D14, just a bad synergy.

For awhile, I used the D14 as a DAC and ran it to the iBasso P5 amp and the difference was huge. Less shouty in the mids, better extension at the top, and more control on the low-end. The P5 is still my favorite amp to drive the PM-3. Rich, tight low-end, detailed mids, and it minimizes the resonance. These days, I use a Sabre-based DAP and my P5 most frequently for these headphones.

The Black Label is an improvement in nearly every regard over the D14, as both DAC or amp. I enjoy pairing that with the PM-3's quite a bit. The headphones are efficient, but they do noticeably improve with a better amp. Unfortunately, I haven't heard the Nano and I don't know how close it sounds to the Black Label.


----------



## Paul Oorbeek

Thanks for the clear explanation. My issue is that i want an easy to go solution so Smartphone and dap or amp. Anyone know if there is a big difference between Ifi Nano IDSD or Micro IDSD BL?


----------



## Chimera405

I'm currently considering between D14 and the Dragonfly Red, what would you prefer ?? I'm open for more suggestions. My setup are ATH M50x and SoundMagic E50s, main sources are my laptop Asus ROG GL552vx and S6 Active.


----------



## phthora

Chimera405 said:


> I'm currently considering between D14 and the Dragonfly Red, what would you prefer ?? I'm open for more suggestions. My setup are ATH M50x and SoundMagic E50s, main sources are my laptop Asus ROG GL552vx and S6 Active.



I cannot weigh in on the Dragonfly, since I've never heard one, but I'll give you a little information about the D14 that may help you decide.

I ultimately sold my D14 because of the battery. The sound quality and power were fantastic. Lots of detail and clarity from the DAC without that Sabre glare that sometimes happens. The amp ran just about everything I owned at the time acceptably. I found the 400i about the most difficult to drive can that the D14 could do well. The headphones you mentioned should be fine.

But, there's the battery. I frequently found myself going from full charge to empty while at work. 6 hours was my realistic maximum. Driving something more demanding would lower that sometimes to less than 4 hours. That would be fine if the charging was fast or I could charge it while listening to music. Unfortunately, neither of those was true. I found myself constantly concerned about charging and battery status. Eventually I bought an external amp to alleviate the problem a bit, but then the issue became that the D14 has a very vague charge indicator and I was still charging it every night, just in case.

In other words, depending on your use and your tolerance of such things, the battery can be a real pain on the D14. Something to consider before buying.


----------



## Paul - iBasso

phthora said:


> I cannot weigh in on the Dragonfly, since I've never heard one, but I'll give you a little information about the D14 that may help you decide.
> 
> I ultimately sold my D14 because of the battery. The sound quality and power were fantastic. Lots of detail and clarity from the DAC without that Sabre glare that sometimes happens. The amp ran just about everything I owned at the time acceptably. I found the 400i about the most difficult to drive can that the D14 could do well. The headphones you mentioned should be fine.
> 
> ...


You should be able to use and charge the D14 at the same time.


----------



## phthora

Paul - iBasso said:


> You should be able to use and charge the D14 at the same time.



  What have I done!? 

Would that have worked from a phone? Or just from the computer?


----------



## west0ne

phthora said:


> What have I done!?
> 
> Would that have worked from a phone? Or just from the computer?



Not sure about iPhone but with Android you can draw charge from the phone, although this may vary from device to device. Obviously this will place an extra drain on the phone battery. Some phones may just refuse to charge as the current draw may be too high.


----------



## west0ne

Chimera405 said:


> I'm currently considering between D14 and the Dragonfly Red, what would you prefer ?? I'm open for more suggestions. My setup are ATH M50x and SoundMagic E50s, main sources are my laptop Asus ROG GL552vx and S6 Active.



Of the two I would say that the D14 sounds better, has more power and is the more fully featured device, however it is quite 'chunky' which means it may not be that suitable for fully portable use with the S6 (it won't be fitting in your pocket stacked), it is also a battery powered device and when using as DAC/Amp it will only give you around 7 hours of use on a single charge. The Dragonfly is a very portable device and you won't have to remember to charge it.

Have you considered the Oppo HA2 as it probably provides a more pocketable solution when stacked with the S6 and will also work with the laptop.


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## Chimera405

west0ne said:


> Of the two I would say that the D14 sounds better, has more power and is the more fully featured device, however it is quite 'chunky' which means it may not be that suitable for fully portable use with the S6 (it won't be fitting in your pocket stacked), it is also a battery powered device and when using as DAC/Amp it will only give you around 7 hours of use on a single charge. The Dragonfly is a very portable device and you won't have to remember to charge it.
> 
> Have you considered the Oppo HA2 as it probably provides a more pocketable solution when stacked with the S6 and will also work with the laptop.



I had considered the Oppo HA2 before, but it is out of my budget. What would you think about the upcoming Shanling M3s, does it worth the wait ?


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## FredrikR

I have a question, and yes, I am technologically challenged...

I bought the D14 a couple of weeks ago and I mainly use it with my Samsung Galaxy S7 when I travel to and from work.
I'm starting to hear a very annoying "cell phone noise" buzz.
 The noise is becoming more frequent and it gets louder if I touch the volume knob.

If I unplug the USB the noise is still there.
I've never heard it when I connect the headphones directly to the phone.
I've never heard it when I use it at home (which I don't do a lot).
So, probably some outside interference that affects the D14?

Is there something wrong with mine and should I get it replaced?
If no, how do I get rid of the noise?

Thankful for any help...


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## ceemsc

Not so new now....I see from the Ibasso Website that the D14 Bushmaster has officially been discontinued!! 

Although the P5 is the current non-module Ibasso separate headphone amplifier, was hoping for a D16 - ASP which would be a DAC/AMP version of the DX200 DAP + selectable AMP1->3->5 output settings along with similar high quality materials & looks.


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## kkl10

Does anyone know how the sound of this compares to the Teac HA-P50?


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## Dorokun

How does this compare to the oppo ha-2? As both of them have lean sound signature and similiar price point.


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## fritz1234 (Apr 20, 2018)

FredrikR said:


> I'm starting to hear a very annoying "cell phone noise" buzz.
> The noise is becoming more frequent and it gets louder if I touch the volume knob.
> 
> If I unplug the USB the noise is still there.
> ...




Broken. I have 5 iBasso headphone amps, including the D14; zero noise. Some of the best portables made.

Should be no noise with any IEM, or headphone. So, short of something unknown to me, it is malfunctioning, which I know seems unlikely (I would be very skeptical, but it happens). Email iBasso for possible repairs, etc.


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## blackberriesandthinkpads

Can anyone comment on the treble brightness and burn in?

One reviewer stated the treble significantly tones itself down after a 50 hour burn in, is this true?


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## peter123

blackberriesandthinkpads said:


> Can anyone comment on the treble brightness and burn in?
> 
> One reviewer stated the treble significantly tones itself down after a 50 hour burn in, is this true?



Fwiw I've never experienced burn in on any electronic devices, the D14 included. That being said I also don't find the treble on it bothersome in any way.....


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## openbaffle9978

This looks like it has plenty of power to drive a pair of HD650s. Might be a good alternative to some of the other small Dac/Amps available.


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## eclein

Hey guys, old head here trying to use my D14 as USB DAC for my Macbook Pro....can someone point me too the USB driver needed for MAC OS latest version?
I pluggged usb out of MBPro to USB in on D14 (selected USB input) then connected line out to my little SMSL BT amp (with REMOTE!!!!!) and tried in settings to change sound output selection but there is nothing to select except default one playing.

Im 60, retired drummer trying to make this work what am I missing????
Thanks..Ed


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