# Review: CEntrance DACport Slim DAC/Amp Combo



## moedawg140

*Review: CEntrance DACport Slim DAC/Amp Combo*​  ​  ​  ​ 
  
  
 I would like to thank Massdrop for the CEntance DACport Slim DAC/amp combo in exchange for my opinion.  Here’s the link to the drop page on Massdrop:  https://www.massdrop.com/buy/centrance-dacport-slim-amp-dac-combo?mode=guest_open.
  
  
 Here is the list of audio equipment used in the review:
  
*DAC/amp*
  
CEntrance DACport Slim: $99 shipped in United States
  
*Sources*
  
Surface Pro 2 64GB: $899.99
 Custom Windows 7 Ultimate PC:  > $2,000
  
*Headphone*
  
HIFIMAN HE1000: $2.999
  
*IEM*
  
Shure SE846: $1,000
Sensaphonics Custom Sleeves: $150 (used with Shure SE846)
  
*Software applications used*
  
TIDAL HiFi – Lossless
Sound Level Analyzer: $4.99
  
*Mentioned products*
  
Master & Dynamic MH30: $349
Master & Dynamic MH40: $399
Questyle Audio QP1R: $899
  
  
*Challenge – accepted! *
  
 Is the CEntrance DACport Slim worthy of excelling with regards to triple duties: powering moderately difficult to drive headphones, powering very sensitive IEMs, and sound wonderfully superb as well?  Let’s take a look and find out…
  
 Here are a few features of the DACport Slim:
  
*Basic features:* 
  

24 bit/192 khz
Low and high gain for maximum 450 mw power (should handle everything from the Shure SE846 to full size headphone)
Cap-free signal path (well-regarded Cavalli designs use similar implementation)
Async USB done via XMOS controller
The HIGH GAIN setting is also appropriate when using the output as a line level output.  Turn the volume knob to the max and leave the gain switch at HIGH.  This will configure the 3.5mm output for line level.
Aluminum housing
Tactile volume control scroll wheel (upper-right corner is a volume control wheel) 
Compatible with larger android devices (tablets generally, some phones, needs power and small or old devices generally can't deliver enough)
  
  
*Power in a small package*
  
_DACport Slim next to a quarter_

  
 Authenticity and versatility are two words that come to mind when I think about my experience with the DACport Slim.  Furthermore, the DACport Slim conveys a slight hint of comforting warmth.  There is ample power to drive most headphones to very loud levels.  Also, no clipping at higher volumes was observed.  A triple threat and more, for sure!
  
  
*Compatibility*
  
_Left view - headphone port_

  
 The product is listed as being compatible with PC/OSX/Linux.  You can also try to test the DACport Slim with higher-powered Android devices via micro USB to micro USB cable (it was tested with a Samsung Galaxy S5), but you mileage may vary, since the DACport Slim is designed to be compatible with computer products.  I purchased a CCK lightning cable for my iPhone 6 and micro USB charge and sync cable for the Questyle Audio QP1R just to test if the DACport Slim would run, but to no avail.
  
 So I've been listening to the DACport Silm with easier to drive headphones such as the Master & Dynamic MH30, MH40, and HE1000, and the amp is seriously pretty dang good!  I feel that using the DACport Slim with easy on up to harder to drive headphones there isn’t necessarily a need for a more expensive amp unless you want a more colored sound, or pay a lot more for a slightly increase in higher auditory fidelity in my opinion.  
  
  
*Can it drive difficult to synergize IEMs well?*
  
_DACport Slim and SE846 + Sensaphonics Custom Sleeves_

  
 I wanted to find out if the difficult to synergize SE846 would be a sufficient match for the DACport Silm, and I am relieved to say that it was driven splendidly.  The presentation was smooth, warm, but detailed as well.
  
  
*Can it power moderately difficult to drive headphones well?*
  
_DACport Slim and HE1000_

  
_Top view - Low and High gain settings_

  
 I was eager to try the miniscule DAC/amp to find out if it could drive my headphones.  The sensitive MH30 and MH40 was a breeze to power with a great deal of headroom, but I seriously thought that the HE1000 would be a test for the DACport Slim.  No, not at all.  The DACport Slim passed the amplification portion of the test (and DAC portion as well) with supreme flying colors.  I am listening to the HE1000, DACport Slim and Tidal HiFi – Lossless right now as I type this, and I have not wanted to press "next" to any track because everything, even songs that I normally wouldn’t want to listen to – sound very detailed, with defined bass, a robust midrange, and a sublime treble that makes me want to be lost in the music, or dance, depending on what is playing.  The results are a thoroughly engaging presentation from this combination.
  
 On my Surface Pro 2 and Custom PC, the DACport Silm handled everything I threw at it regarding a diverse media format playback.  DSD, WAV, FLAC, MP3 and other file formats were handled seamlessly.  The DACport Slim has a beautiful sound with sufficient overall tone and timbre.
  
_Max volume of the DACport Slim and HE1000 using Sound Level Analyzer (Z weighting) and -3 dBFS 192 kHz pink noise track_

  
  
*Volume control*
  
_Right view - volume and USB connection_

  
 The physical volume control is wonderfully implemented.  Simple to access when it is near you, and can be easily accessed via left thumb or right index finger.  The tactile volume control feels satisfying to turn, as it is not too loose-feeling, and not too firm-feeling – rather, it feels _just right_. I like having both abilities because on my Custom PC’s Bluetooth keyboard I typically use the keyboard's volume buttons (I have a custom program that delegates the Page Up and Page Down buttons as volume up and volume down), so I only use the physical volume to turn down the unit completely if I'm changing headphones and/or earphones.  Choice is always lovely.
  
  
*Effortless connection*
  
 The DACport Slim is designed to strictly run off of whatever the device is plugged into via micro USB cable – no external power cables or adapters necessary.
  
  
*Installation*
  
 Install the DACport website’s software and restart. Make sure the DACport Slim is plugged into a USB 2.0 port, because when I plugged into the USB 3.0 port of my Custom PC, the computer did not recognize it.  Windows 10 or MAC OSX may function correctly, but to make sure the DACport Slim will work correctly, plug it into the USB 2.0 port.
  
 When you have the DACport Slim plugged in, the audio should automatically change from whatever is plugged into the PC (or other devices) to the DACport Slim’s audio port.  If you do not hear volume, make sure the source volume is turned up and DACport Slim’s volume is turned up as well.
  
  
*CEntrance software options*
  
 The software offers streamlined and minimal options.  The options in the CEntrance USB Audio settings are:
  
 Latency: 1.0 ms to 20.0 ms.  I keep the latency setting on the default setting of 10.0 ms.

  
 Sample Rate: Choices – 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, and 192000 Hz.  I keep the sample rate setting on the default of 192000 Hz.

  
 ASIA Hosts can change: “checked” or “unchecked”.  I keep the ASIO Hosts option on the “checked” default.
  
  
*No stones unturned*
  
_Easy way to change Low to High gain and vice-versa_

  
 With regards to the versatility of the DACport Slim, you can use your favorite EQ applications, streaming services, and play virtually anything the computer would normally play natively.  The Low gain setting is best for C/IEMs, and the much more powerful High gain setting is best for most headphones.
  
  
*Feel the cool warmth*
  
 The DACport Slim gets a little warm, but does not reach very hot temperatures.  The “little engine that does”, contains a solid aluminum constructed housing and feels substantial when held, even though it only weighs 2.5 ounces.
  
_Hover view - housing_

  
_Top view - housing_

  
_Back view - housing_

  
  
*A smart purchase*
  
 I have listened to a lot of slim-type of amps, and larger, more power hungry desktop amps, and this little device packs a lot of power relative to its size.  The sound that the DACport Slim is able to produce is simply magnificent.  For the money, it is one of the smartest buys one can purchase if they are looking to add highly sufficient amplification to most headphones, and sound liquid, warm, and detailed doing so.  An instant favorite, and for the price, you _almost_ cannot go wrong, aside from humming to yourself for free!
  
  
*Final thoughts and summary*
  
 The DACport Silm DAC/amp is something that punches much above its weight regarding price and actual weight!  This is one DAC/amp that may be all you need for sufficient power and great sound for your headphone, and also take care of most wants with regards to the fidelity an amp is able to produce.  The answer to the challenge at the beginning of the review has been accepted and ultimately conquered by delivering sweet-sounding music to the ears.  Happy listening, everyone!
  
  
*CEntrance DACport Slim Specifications*
  

  





*D/A Converter *
  
 Sample Rate: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192kHz
 Resolution: 24-bit (Also supports 16-bit)
 Connection: Asynchronous USB
 Local clock: Lowest jitter clock, no PLL used
 Compatibility: Mac, Linux, PC (driver available)
 Frquency Response 20Hz to 40kHz
 Dynamic Range: 109 dB
 THD+N: 0.003%
  
*Headphone Amplifier*
  
 Audio Output 3.5 mm jack, headphone or line out
 Headphone Amp: Direct Class-A, no caps signal path
 Max Output Level: 2.9 V rms
 Max Output Power: 450 mW, drives 600 Ohm headphones
 Output Impedance: 1 Ohm   
 Gain switch: min gain is 20 dB below max gain
 Dimensions (LxWxH): 3” (7.6. cm), 1.1” (2.9 cm), 0.4” (1.1 cm)
 Weight: 2.5 ounces (72 grams)
  
*Firmware update*
  
_For those who own an earlier batch of the DACport Slim, please update your firmware via this website:_ http://www.centrance.com/products/dacport/ (then click on the "Firmware" tab).
  
  
*From the CEntrance Website:*
  

*Firmware update -- DACport Slim only*
  
 If you own a DACport Slim from the earlier batches (purchased in mid- to late 2015), you may benefit from a firmware upgrade. This update will resolve compatibility issues with some USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports and offer fully stable performance with Macs and PCs. Note that DACport HD does not require an update, so if you have a DACport HD, you don't need to perform this firmware upgrade.This is only for DACport Slim.

 We have created two ways of updating the firmware. If you use a Mac, click here. If you have a Windows machine, click here.
  
 The process of upgrading is simple and should take about 30 seconds once you have downloaded and unzipped the file to your desktop.

 We designed the Mac and Windows updaters do the same thing for your convenience. For best results, use a working USB port that has a reliable connection to DACport Slim for performing this update. After the firmware update, all USB ports should work equally well.

 When you run the Mac or PC updater, it will check your connected DACport Slim and automatically upgrade it to the latest firmware, if necessary. If your DACport Slim already has the latest firmware, the updater will tell you that the firmware is up to date. It's not dangerous to run the updater more than once. It is smart. If you have any questions, contact us and we will help.
  
*Update - connectivity*
  
 I was able to get the iPhone 6 to work with the DACport Slim:
  
_The contenders (I chose the lower left device - Gear Head 4 port USB hub)_:

  
_iPhone 6, Apple CCK, at least 3 port USB hub, USB to USB cable (male to male) to Anker External Battery (or power from outlet), USB cable to Centrance, earphone/headphone of choice_:

  
_Setup with HE1000_


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## hola

Two quick questions:
  
 1. Is it going to be $99? I was hoping $79...
  
 2. I know you said it does fine with SE846 -- which is a good choice for review because it's hiss-prone and it's FR fluctuation with high-OI source. So my question is: Do you detect any hiss / background noise? 
  
 Thanks!


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## macabong

How does it sound compare to Dragonfly 1.2? Thanks. Considering getting either one.


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## sling5s

How does it compare with geek out?


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## istirsin

I'm also interested in comparisons to the Dragonfly, Geek Out and also Augioengine D3 if you've tried any of them.


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## badmojo

its on massdrop now for 99 
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/centrance-dacport-slim-amp-dac-combo?referer=HYW6UW&mode=guest_open&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Audiophile%20A%20Product%20Announcement%202015-08-27&utm_term=Community%20-%20Audiophile%20-%20MAU%20%28Active%29


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## sling5s

Ordered on the first day.  Couldn't resist the price. I doubt it's going to surpass the geek out, especially considering the price, but again, great price. 
  
 On massdrop, the price is $99 with the MSRP as $150. But on their website it says current price is $199. On the other hand, on John Darko's review of the Dacport Slim, it says $249. Finally, on their Facebook, it's says it's now $149 but will be $249.
  
 Lot of discrepancy on price.


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## badmojo

sling5s said:


> Ordered on the first day.  Couldn't resist the price. I doubt it's going to surpass the geek out, especially considering the price, but again, great price.
> 
> On massdrop, the price is $99 with the MSRP as $150. But on their website it says current price is $199. On the other hand, on John Darko's review of the Dacport Slim, it says $249. Finally, on their Facebook, it's says it's now $149 but will be $249.
> 
> Lot of discrepancy on price.


 
 i agree, their website is actually a little confusing, it had me thinking there were 2 diff products, slim and hd. smh.


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## sling5s

DACport Slim is $99.99 (only available at Massdrop) with MSRP of $150
  
 DACport HD is $199.99 (available everywhere else) with MSRP of $250


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## badmojo

sling5s said:


> DACport Slim is $99.99 (only available at Massdrop) with MSRP of $150
> 
> DACport HD is $199.99 (available everywhere else) with MSRP of $250


 
 so there were 2 diff ones, dammit. I cant decide now till I read impressions for both.


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## sling5s

No comparison to Dacport original? Hard to get an idea how it compares...


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## sling5s

Here's a reply I got:
  
 "DACport had not been updated in over 6 years. Technology moved on  and offers better performance today, of course."
  
 Michael Goodman
 Managing Director, 
 Chief Product Architect
 CEntrance, Inc.


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## istirsin

As if by black magic, the headphone out on my atrocious sounding MacBook Pro stopped working. Guess I'll be picking one of these up as well.


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## badmojo

sling5s said:


> Here's a reply I got:
> 
> "DACport had not been updated in over 6 years. Technology moved on  and offers better performance today, of course."
> 
> ...


 
 what is that suppose to mean? sigh. is a meaningful explanation too much for these companies?


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## moedawg140

Sorry for not getting to everyone sooner, I have been working with the awesome CanJam staff and volunteers.  It's pretty early in the morning here (3:20 am), and have to get up in a couple of hours (after this post and fall asleep) to help Warren and Ethan get everything ready for an exciting day!  As such, I apologize in advance for the possibly somewhat frank responses.

   

  
  
 Quote:


hola said:


> Two quick questions:
> 
> 1. Is it going to be $99? I was hoping $79...
> 
> ...


 
  
 1.  The DACport Slim is $99 as reviewed.
  
 2.  I did not detect any hiss or background noise when using the DACport and SE846 combination.
  
  


sling5s said:


> How does it compare with geek out? ​


 
  
 Geek Out vs. DACport Slim (listened/compared this morning) - The Geek Out has a more distant sounding signature.  Slightly more tinny than the DACport Slim.  There is not nearly as much attack as the DACport Slim.  There is less heft, bite, and the notes do not attack with authority compared to the DACport Slim.  The DACport Slim embodies a more full sound, where you _feel _the music (literally and figuratively) more than the Geek Out.  The DACport Slim sounds more clear and emits a more open and spacious sound, presenting spatial cues and conveys plankton/micro-detail with ease.
  
 I listened to the Geek Pulse X and Geek LPS stack throughout the day and as I type.  I listened with a re-balanced Fostex TH-900 and balanced HIFIMAN HE1000 to compare headphones on the stack, and using the HE1000, SE 3.5 mm to 1/4 inch with the stack and SE 3.5 mm with the DACport Slim, comparing the two DAC/amps.  Amazing synergy, immense soundstage and highly resolute complete sound signature.  Why do I mention this stack?  Well, I a/b-ed with the HE1000 with multiple songs and genres, and even though the Geek stack is an amazing sounding piece of equipment, the stack does not completely leave the DACport Slim in the dust.  The DACport slim is less resolute, but is respectable in its own right.  The DAPport Slim has a signature that is natural, with a slight bass tilt, and as a result, detected a more palpable and invigorating bass and overall attack than the Geek stack.  Amazing results for a device that small and cost-effective, no doubt in my mind - in my opinion.
  

  

  


macabong said:


> How does it sound compare to Dragonfly 1.2? Thanks. Considering getting either one.


 
  
 I will listen to the most up to date Dragonfly later today or tomorrow if I can.
  
  


sling5s said:


> Ordered on the first day.  Couldn't resist the price. I doubt it's going to surpass the geek out, especially considering the price, but again, great price.
> 
> On massdrop, the price is $99 with the MSRP as $150. But on their website it says current price is $199. On the other hand, on John Darko's review of the Dacport Slim, it says $249. Finally, on their Facebook, it's says it's now $149 but will be $249.
> 
> Lot of discrepancy on price.


 
  
 Regarding doubting the DACport Slim won't surpass the Geek Out (in my opinion) - check above (first reply to you).
  
  


badmojo said:


> i agree, their website is actually a little confusing, it had me thinking there were 2 diff products, slim and hd. smh.


 
  
 The drop is regarding only the Massdrop edition of the DACport Slim, as reviewed.
  


sling5s said:


> DACport Slim is $99.99 (only available at Massdrop) with MSRP of $150
> 
> DACport HD is $199.99 (available everywhere else) with MSRP of $250


 
  
 Correct, thanks for the info.
  


badmojo said:


> so there were 2 diff ones, dammit. I cant decide now till I read impressions for both.


 
  
 I will attempt to listen to them both later today or tomorrow if I have time.
  
  


sling5s said:


> No comparison to Dacport original? Hard to get an idea how it compares...


 
  
 I did not listen to the DACport original with the DACport Slim, so it would be difficult to impossible to compare the two in a meaningful manner.  With that said, I spoke to a friend I met here, and he said my DACport Slim sounds better than the DACport original.  That's confirmation enough for me! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  


istirsin said:


> As if by black magic, the headphone out on my atrocious sounding MacBook Pro stopped working. Guess I'll be picking one of these up as well.


 
  
 Congrats in advance (to purchasing and using the DACport Slim)!
  
  
 Off to sleep for about a little over an hour.  I apologize in advance again if it takes time for me to reply.


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## sling5s

moedawg140 said:


> 1.  The DACport Slim is $99 as reviewed.
> 
> 2.  I did not detect any hiss or background noise when using the DACport and SE846 combination.
> 
> ...




Thanks for all your replies. Sounds very promising.


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## istirsin

The responses were worth the wait, thank you. Last question is, how much of a noticeable difference Is there between using the Dacport Slim out vs say an iPhone 6?


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## Submariner2

@sling5s , very many thanks for the review


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## Riisalat

Can this be used just as a dac ?


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## guerillaw

Yes. Similar to the original Dacport and the Dragonfly, just set volume to max and use the proper cable. The difference is the Slim should be set to "low" gain when you do this.


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## Riisalat

How good is the DAC on this compared to the FIIO E10k or the MODI 1/ MODI 2 ?


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## sling5s

moedawg140 said:


> Geek Out vs. DACport Slim (listened/compared this morning) - The Geek Out has a more distant sounding signature.  Slightly more tinny than the DACport Slim.  There is not nearly as much attack as the DACport Slim.  There is less heft, bite, and the notes do not attack with authority compared to the DACport Slim.  The DACport Slim embodies a more full sound, where you _feel _the music (literally and figuratively) more than the Geek Out.  The DACport Slim sounds more clear and emits a more open and spacious sound, presenting spatial cues and conveys plankton/micro-detail with ease.
> 
> Regarding doubting the DACport Slim won't surpass the Geek Out (in my opinion) - check above (first reply to you).


 
 Was this the Geek Out Version1 or the current?latest Version 2? Seems the Version 2 is significantly improved over the first version. 
 I never took to the first version. Very detailed and transparent but lacked didn't sound engaging or musical to me. Lacked fullness and warmth. 
 So I may really prefer the Dacport Slim. But as for "heft and bite"...what do you mean? When you say fullness it sounds like full mids but when you say heft and bite, sounds like V-shape--bass boost and treble brightness.


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## avitron142

. Edit: double post.


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## avitron142

Thanks for the review! I wanted to do one myself, but it seems that CEntrance aren't answering my emails at the moment 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 In regard to harder to drive headphones, are you sure that the HE1000 is a good test of that? I mean, after all, the HE1000 only has a 35 ohm rating, which is closer to portable than anything. Sure, it benefits from power, but it sounds good out of an iPhone 6 as well...
  
 Do you have a K7XX, HD600/650, or a Beyer T90 to pair it up with? That would really test if it was meant for harder to drive headphones, IMO.


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## TheVortex

I would love to see how it performs when driving hard to drive headphones like Beyerdynamic 770,880 and 990 600 ohms versions.


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## Submariner2

Good question , I agree with you ...!


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## tommo21

I'm looking for dac/amp to use at work, but we're not allowed to install external drivers on our computers. Would this still work at 24/96 without installing the drivers, other than those that automtically installs when you connect it to a windows computer?


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## fishyee

badmojo said:


> i agree, their website is actually a little confusing, it had me thinking there were 2 diff products, slim and hd. smh.


 
  
 The difference between the Slim and HD ...  what the extra $100 buys you.  Hope this helps someone.
  
http://centrance.com/products/dacport/
  

 Digital Specs
  Max Sample Rate (Slim)192kHz (Also: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4kHz)



Max Sample Rate (HD)384kHz (Also: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192, 352kHz), DSD Max Resolution (Slim)24-bit (Also supports 16-bit)



Max Resolution (HD)32-bit (Also supports 16 and 24-bit) ConnectionUSB 2.0, asynchronous Local clockMil-spec clock, 10 ppm precision, 1 ps jitter CompatibilityAny computer running Mac, PC, Linux. Driver is available for Windows.   Analog Specs
  Frequency Response20Hz...40kHz +/-0.2dB Dynamic Range (Slim)109 dB, re +11.5dBu, max gain Dynamic Range (HD)112 dB, re +14.5dBu, max gain THD+N (Slim)0.003% (FS, 1kHz) THD+N (HD)0.002% (FS, 1kHz) Noise Floor7 µV RMS (A-weight), max gain Audio OutputStereo 3.5mm (1/8") jack, headphone or line output   Headphone Amplifier
  Output Impedance1 Ohm Amplifier TtypeDirect Class-A, no caps in the signal path Max Level (Slim)2.9 V rms / +11.5 dBu Max Level (HD)4.1 V rms / +14.5 dBu Output Power (Slim)450mW (total), drives 600 Ohm headphones Output Power (HD)775mW (total), drives 600 Ohm headphones   General Specs
  Input powerUSB bus (no external power supply needed) Gain Switch20dB range Internal power supplies±9V, dual, super-clean analog rails Unit Dimensions:3" (7.6cm) L, 1.1" (2.9cm) W, 0.4" (1.1cm) H Weight:2.5 ounces (72 grams)


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## TheVortex

Seems to be a great amp/dac for the price. Especially for £71 at current rate here in U.K. I will compare it with my fiio E10K when it arrives from Massdrop.


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## badmojo

fishyee said:


> The difference between the Slim and HD ...  what the extra $100 buys you.  Hope this helps someone.
> 
> http://centrance.com/products/dacport/
> 
> ...


 
 thanks.


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## tommo21

Centrance confirms there's no support for UAC1, so that's a bummer. No Slim for me then


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## mistaneat

moedawg140 said:


> I will listen to the most up to date Dragonfly later today or tomorrow if I can.


 
  
 Did you ever get a chance to compare to the Dragonfly 1.2? Having a hard time deciding on a DAC/AMP with so many options out there.


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## peter123

Any word on how it pairs with Android devices?


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## avitron142

Why aren't there more reviews on this product? C'mon already... the drop ends in 3 days, ya know.


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## IvanQ

Does anybody know what DSD rate is supported by DAC port HD?


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## FLguy

Thank you for the interesting impressions. Have you had a chance to listen to the HD version? If so, how does it compare to the Slim, and to the other DAC/AMPs mentioned?


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## moedawg140

istirsin said:


> The responses were worth the wait, thank you. Last question is, how much of a noticeable difference Is there between using the Dacport Slim out vs say an iPhone 6?​


 
  
 This depends on various factors, but the differences aren't as broad with IEMs as it is with headphones as the DACport Slim is more powerful than the comparatively less powerful iPhone 6.
  


sling5s said:


> Was this the Geek Out Version1 or the current?latest Version 2? Seems the Version 2 is significantly improved over the first version.
> I never took to the first version. Very detailed and transparent but lacked didn't sound engaging or musical to me. Lacked fullness and warmth.
> So I may really prefer the Dacport Slim. But as for "heft and bite"...what do you mean? When you say fullness it sounds like full mids but when you say heft and bite, sounds like V-shape--bass boost and treble brightness.


 
  
 This was the Version 1.​  The DACPort Slim did not sound particularly V-shaped to me, more like a balanced, with slight bass gradient sound signature.
  
  


avitron142 said:


> Thanks for the review! I wanted to do one myself, but it seems that CEntrance aren't answering my emails at the moment
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I used harder to drive headphones such as the HD650, DT 770 600 ohm version and HE1000 with the Questyle QP1R, and the DACport Slim powered the HE1000 to louder volume levels, which means I would presume the DACport Slim should power harder to drive headphones to at least normal listening levels.  With that said, every headphone and listener is different, so it may be best to try your specific preferred combination (headphone, source, etc.) and choose what sounds the most optimal to you.
  


mistaneat said:


> Did you ever get a chance to compare to the Dragonfly 1.2? Having a hard time deciding on a DAC/AMP with so many options out there.


 
  
 Not yet.  I will update the thread once I have the chance to.
  


peter123 said:


> Any word on how it pairs with Android devices?


 
  
 Please check the *Compatibility *section of the review.
  


flguy said:


> Thank you for the interesting impressions. Have you had a chance to listen to the HD version? If so, how does it compare to the Slim, and to the other DAC/AMPs mentioned?


 
  
 I haven't had a chance to listen to the HD version yet.


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## IvanQ

I asked Centrance about DSD rate & it seems to be *64xDSD only*, inasmuch as I've got such a shaggy answer. I'm really not ready to take a risk of purchase without knowing it.


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## doublea71

I backed the HD on indiegogo. This makes me think it will be money very well spent. Excellent review, Moedawg - very concise. This could be a bang for the buck legend before long.


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## SV_huMMer

Am I missing it here, or it was not mentioned - what exactly DAC chip is used in the Slim? The same Verita, as in HD? Or a different chip?


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## Riisalat

sv_hummer said:


> Am I missing it here, or it was not mentioned - what exactly DAC chip is used in the Slim? The same Verita, as in HD? Or a different chip?


they are identical chips, the ak4490 but i guess limited performances for marketing purposes


----------



## SV_huMMer

Thanks, that's what I thought, just could not find any confirmation.


----------



## peter123

Oops, just joined the drop 
  
 If it can outperform the Geek Out 720 I'll be pleasently surprised, if not it will have to live in my office......


----------



## mistaneat

I decided to join this drop. Hope I'm not disappointed as this will be my first external dac/amp


----------



## avitron142

mistaneat said:


> I decided to join this drop. Hope I'm not disappointed as this will be my first external dac/amp


 
 It better. If it doesn't, I have half a mind to write them a review that will rip up their hype for years.


----------



## moedawg140

avitron142 said:


> It better. If it doesn't, I have half a mind to write them a review that will rip up their hype for years.


 
  
 What specifically would disappoint you regarding the DACport Slim enough to "write them a review that will rip up their hype for years"?


----------



## avitron142

moedawg140 said:


> What specifically would disappoint you regarding the DACport Slim enough to "write them a review that will rip up their hype for years"?


 
 Too much bass, perhaps, or a general lack of resolution. On the Massdrop discussion, they made this sound like the next bread and butter, and said things like "you owe it to yourself to get the Slim at this price range, or you'll be sorry later". Just the overall hype from them hinted not so subtly that this is better than the Sony PHA-1, Objective2, nd a host of other DAC/amps.
  
 They refused to give any other review samples, instead insisting that we trust them. I hope we made the right choice.


----------



## Riisalat

avitron142 said:


> Too much bass, perhaps, or a general lack of resolution. On the Massdrop discussion, they made this sound like the next bread and butter, and said things like "you owe it to yourself to get the Slim at this price range, or you'll be sorry later". Just the overall hype from them hinted not so subtly that this is better than the Sony PHA-1, Objective2, nd a host of other DAC/amps.
> 
> They refused to give any other review samples, instead insisting that we trust them. I hope we made the right choice.


same here. I joined the drop though. They have made some great products and the components used seens promising


----------



## moedawg140

avitron142 said:


> Too much bass, perhaps, or a general lack of resolution. On the Massdrop discussion, they made this sound like the next bread and butter, and said things like "you owe it to yourself to get the Slim at this price range, or you'll be sorry later". Just the overall hype from them hinted not so subtly that this is better than the Sony PHA-1, Objective2, nd a host of other DAC/amps.
> 
> They refused to give any other review samples, instead insisting that we trust them. I hope we made the right choice.


 

 I am not sure what would constitute as "too much bass" for you, but I personally didn't experience that, even when pairing copious quality bass world contenders SE846 and Legend Omega. Would it have more bass than say the Geek Pulse Infinity? At least when going back to back with my HE1000, yes, but good clean bass was emitting from the HE1000 and Tidal HiFi - Lossless, simply lovely. "Lack of resolution"? Not sure what would specifically constitute that either, but for a $99 slim/small-in-stature USB DAC/amp, I didn't experience a lack of resolution or deterioration of the overall sound.

 I'm listening to Tidal as I type, and the MH40 sounds resolute, with punchy bass (more than say the PM-3), and takes care of what I want, which is the ability to drive headphones well (High gain) and drive easy to drive headphones and sensitive IEMs without noticeable hiss (Low gain). My fiancée approves of the DACport Slim/MH40 combination, as she listened to Pentatonix's "Can't Sleep Love", saying that the presentation sounded "balanced".  
  
 Disclaimers: Your mileage may vary, caveat emptor, admonition, etcetera.


----------



## doublea71

avitron142 said:


> It better. If it doesn't, I have half a mind to write them a review that will rip up their hype for years.


 

 It's what, $149? If gear at this price is getting your knickers in a bunch, this isn't the hobby for you.


----------



## sling5s

doublea71 said:


> It's what, $149? If gear at this price is getting your knickers in a bunch, this isn't the hobby for you.


 

 2X.
 It's $99 and if surpasses their original Dacport in anyway...it's worth more than the price.  Heck, the Schiit Fulla is $79 and it's no where near the sound and performance of the original dacport.


----------



## avitron142

doublea71 said:


> It's what, $149? If gear at this price is getting your knickers in a bunch, this isn't the hobby for you.


 
 I managed to get this far in the hobby as a broke college student; but moreover, it's not the money but the refusal for impressions that's been bothering me. They want to say it's the best in its price range, fine, but why not give out any loaners? Cheap or not, this is a mystery product, and after all the hype CEntrance generated pretty much trashing other DAC/amps, I sure hope it lives up to it. I needed an all-in-one solution, and CEntrance assured us it will be one. So I guess we'll have to wait a few more weeks to find out, eh?
  
@moedawg140 Not saying you don't count, by any means, but you are the only person that's actually listened to it. Plus your fiancée, that makes two people


----------



## moedawg140

avitron142 said:


> I managed to get this far in the hobby as a broke college student; but moreover, it's not the money but the refusal for impressions that's been bothering me. They want to say it's the best in its price range, fine, but why not give out any loaners? Cheap or not, this is a mystery product, and after all the hype CEntrance generated pretty much trashing other DAC/amps, I sure hope it lives up to it. I needed an all-in-one solution, and CEntrance assured us it will be one. So I guess we'll have to wait a few more weeks to find out, eh?
> 
> @moedawg140
> Not saying you don't count, by any means, but you are the only person that's actually listened to it. Plus your fiancée, that makes two people




With regards to your "Not saying you don't count" statement, nowhere did I specify that only my fiancée and I were the only ones to listen to the DACport Slim. More listened to my DACport Slim while I was in London for CanJam.


----------



## doublea71

avitron142 said:


> I managed to get this far in the hobby as a broke college student; but moreover, it's not the money but the refusal for impressions that's been bothering me. They want to say it's the best in its price range, fine, but why not give out any loaners? Cheap or not, this is a mystery product, and after all the hype CEntrance generated pretty much trashing other DAC/amps, I sure hope it lives up to it. I needed an all-in-one solution, and CEntrance assured us it will be one. So I guess we'll have to wait a few more weeks to find out, eh?
> 
> @moedawg140 Not saying you don't count, by any means, but you are the only person that's actually listened to it. Plus your fiancée, that makes two people


 

 It's Centrance's prerogative to go about its release however they see fit. If you have a problem with that, don't back their product.....You make it sound like you had no choice in the matter. Next time, have some patience - just wait until it's been out for awhile so you have more impressions to help you decide.


----------



## doublea71

moedawg140 said:


> With regards to your "Not saying you don't count" statement, nowhere did I specify that only my fiancée and I where the only ones to listen to the DACport Slim. More listened to my DACport Slim while I was in London for CanJam.


 

 He's chock full of assumptions.


----------



## avitron142

@moedawg140 Then why is nobody else posting impressions? That's where I got this assumption from... Usually, when there's a "game changer", people aren't quiet about it. @doublea71
  
@doublea71 Well yes, there is no other choice - at this price, they declined to answer questions about whether the Slim will ever drop again on Massdrop. I'm just not so happy about their whole process here on the Slim; usually companies like to give reviews before the product comes out, not afterwards.
  
 Of course it is their prerogative... but if that turns out to bite them in the back, it is just as expected for there to be bad reviews


----------



## moedawg140

avitron142 said:


> @moedawg140
> Then why is nobody else posting impressions? That's where I got this assumption from...




Just because people listened to my DACport Slim does not mean that they have to post any impressions.


----------



## avitron142

"have to" is a strong phrase. I just meant that they usually do so on a new product. I didn't expect people to listen and then be quiet. After all, this is head-fi


----------



## moedawg140

avitron142 said:


> "have to" is a strong phrase. I just meant that they usually do so on a new product. I didn't expect people to listen and then be quiet. After all, this is head-fi




In this case and any case, no one is obligated to post impressions, regardless of any product being new or not.


----------



## avitron142

I never said otherwise.


----------



## moedawg140

avitron142 said:


> I never said otherwise.




You said "I didn't expect people to listen and be quiet. After all, this is head-fi", so at least in this specific case, your expectations are not valid.


----------



## avitron142

moedawg140 said:


> You said "I didn't expect people to listen and be quiet. After all, this is head-fi", so at least in this specific case, your expectations are not valid.


 
 I beg to differ. Most of the time, head-fi'ers post impressions they had of new products. While we both agree that they don't have to, most of the time, at least in my experience, they do anyway, to help out the community.
  
 Thus, if they are usually so kind, it's not a far stretch to expect people to want to help out the community in this case as well.
  
 If they don't, that's fine. Again, I was just explaining where my assumption came from.


----------



## moedawg140

avitron142 said:


> I beg to differ. Most of the time, head-fi'ers post impressions they had of new products. While we both agree that they don't have to, most of the time, at least in my experience, they do anyway, to help out the community.
> 
> Thus, if they are usually so kind, it's not a far stretch to expect people to want to help out the community in this case as well.




In this case, your expectations are not valid.


----------



## avitron142

moedawg140 said:


> In this case, your expectations are not valid.


 
 My expectations turned out not to be true in this case. That's not the same as saying they are not valid expectations.


----------



## tagosaku

Thanks for the great review and wonder how long it will take for MassDrop to reach required requests !?
 (was 57 of 200 a moment ago)


----------



## moedawg140

avitron142 said:


> My expectations turned out not to be true in this case. That's not the same as saying they are not valid expectations.




Your expectations are not valid since nothing that you have stated at least regarding your assumptions and expectations has come to fruition, yet. 




tagosaku said:


> Thanks for the great review and wonder how long it will take for MassDrop to reach required requests !?
> (was 57 of 200 a moment ago)




Thanks, appreciate the kind words.


----------



## avitron142

Expectations are theoretical, and don't need hard data to be valid - just reasonable assumptions. If you would like to argue this further, please pm me. I don't feel comfortable cluttering up the thread with this kind of wordplay debate.


----------



## tagosaku

moedawg140 said:


> Thanks, appreciate the kind words.


 
  
 well, review like yours is the main reason I follow head-fi. And why my wallet hates head-fi


----------



## moedawg140

avitron142 said:


> Expectations are theoretical, and don't need hard data to be valid - just reasonable assumptions. If you would like to argue this further, please pm me. I don't feel comfortable cluttering up the thread with this kind of wordplay debate.


 
  
 Whatever the word choices, theoretical expectations, reasonable assumptions, etc., the fact is that your original qualms with CEntrance, impatiently requesting for more reviews, assuming that only two people heard the DACport Slim, "expected for there to be bad reviews" if it "bites them in the back" and threatening to "write a review that will rip up their hype for years", are completely unfounded, and juvenile at best.  I would appreciate it if you do not post on the review thread if you only want to post unfounded, unsupported, unverified, unsubstantiated and to some (at least to me) demeaning posts.  Thank you in advance.
  


tagosaku said:


> well, review like yours is the main reason I follow head-fi. And why my wallet hates head-fi


 
  
 My wallet won't ever be the same, but an immense auditory experience is priceless!


----------



## doublea71

moedawg140 said:


> Whatever the word choices, theoretical expectations, reasonable assumptions, etc., the fact is that your original qualms with CEntrance, impatiently requesting for more reviews, assuming that only two people heard the DACport Slim, "expected for there to be bad reviews" if it "bites them in the back" and threatening to "write a review that will rip up their hype for years", are completely unfounded, and juvenile at best.  I would appreciate it if you do not post on the review thread if you only want to post unfounded, unsupported, unverified, unsubstantiated and to some (at least to me) demeaning posts.  Thank you in advance.
> 
> 
> My wallet won't ever be the same, but an immense auditory experience is priceless!


 

 I think this is a case of sour grapes because they wouldn't acquiesce to a request for a review unit. In light of his response, they most definitely made the right decision.


----------



## NiMo7

Thanks for the review. 
Do you think there is a better dac (without an amp, just dac) for desktop use for this price?


----------



## moedawg140

nimo7 said:


> Thanks for the review.
> Do you think there is a better dac (without an amp, just dac) for desktop use for this price?


 
  
 Thanks for the comment.
  
 No sure, since I haven't listened to a DAC-only product at this price (~ $100).  I will say that I am a portable person, not wanting to carry around additional DAC/amps, so if I can have one device that performs well in both DAC and amp departments and is as slim as can be, then all the more reason to stick with an all-in-one-very-small device.  My apologies that I couldn't be of additional assistance.


----------



## avitron142

doublea71 said:


> I think this is a case of sour grapes because they wouldn't acquiesce to a request for a review unit. In light of his response, they most definitely made the right decision.


 
 I'd like to note that I only asked for a loaner unit, and after they declined, asked for someone *else* more qualified than me to review this product. Assumptions, eh?


----------



## moedawg140

avitron142 said:


> I'd like to note that I only asked for a loaner unit, and after they declined, asked for someone *else* more qualified than me to review this product. Assumptions, eh?


 
  
 Who is this "someone *else*"?


----------



## avitron142

nimo7 said:


> Thanks for the review.
> Do you think there is a better dac (without an amp, just dac) for desktop use for this price?


 
 For desktop use, 3 DAC's that come to mind are the Schiit Modi ($80, clearance and old stock), Schiit Modi 2 ($99), and Objective2 DAC (DIY should cost you around $100 as well). Desktop usually sound better than portable as a rule of thumb, so look around! I saw someone selling the original Modi/Magni stack for $140 on the classifieds here just a day or two ago, and another selling the Modi for $75 by itself, so you can usually squeeze a little more value for the price


----------



## avitron142

moedawg140 said:


> Who is this "someone *else*"?


 
 Anyone and everyone else who they feel can review the product better than me. I asked that if I wasn't qualified enough, by all means please choose someone else; I just wanted another review on this product, hoping to include pairings with the K7XX, T90, and HD600/650.


----------



## moedawg140

avitron142 said:


> Anyone and everyone else who they feel can review the product better than me. I asked that if I wasn't qualified enough, by all means please choose someone else; I just wanted another review on this product, hoping to include pairings with the K7XX, T90, and HD600/650.


 
  
 Again, your assumptions regarding your last posts are completely unfounded and baseless.


----------



## Riisalat

avitron142 said:


> For desktop use, 3 DAC's that come to mine are the Schiit Modi ($80, clearance and old stock), Schiit Modi 2 ($99), and Objective2 DAC (DIY should cost you around $100 as well). Desktop usually sound better than portable as a rule of thumb, so look around! I saw someone selling the original Modi/Magni stack for $140 on the classifieds here just a day or two ago, and another selling the Modi for $75 by itself, so you can usually squeeze a little more value for the price


 
  
 curious about the modi/modi 2 vs the centrance. The modi/modi 2 uses a inferior version of the AKM used in the centrance and cheaper USB recievers as well. I was edging towards getting the modi but for some reason changed my mind into getting the centrance. 

 the modi is on amazon for 80 dollars ! i wanted to get it to pair with my vali but ended up joining the drop. All the complications aside, this device does seem promising. I wont have a modi to compare it against but i really hope this is better. Atleast in theory it is.


----------



## Riisalat

Moe ! what do you think of the centrance against the modi !?
 desktop vs portable !


----------



## moedawg140

riisalat said:


> curious about the modi/modi 2 vs the centrance. The modi/modi 2 uses a inferior version of the AKM used in the centrance and cheaper USB recievers as well. I was edging towards getting the modi but for some reason changed my mind into getting the centrance.
> 
> the modi is on amazon for 80 dollars ! i wanted to get it to pair with my vali but ended up joining the drop. All the complications aside, this device does seem promising. I wont have a modi to compare it against but i really hope this is better. Atleast in theory it is.


 
  
 All I can say is the DACport Slim sounds great, especially for its size and price point.


----------



## Riisalat

moedawg140 said:


> All I can say is the DACport Slim sounds great, especially for its size and price point.


 
  Size and price aside, How does it sound as a piece of audio gear ?


----------



## doublea71

avitron142 said:


> I'd like to note that I only asked for a loaner unit, and after they declined, asked for someone *else* more qualified than me to review this product. Assumptions, eh?


 

 Here's what you wrote: "It better. If it doesn't, I have half a mind to write them a review that will rip up their hype for years."
  
 Making a threat like that (which you're obviously incapable of fulfilling) sure sounds like a big ole case of sour grapes to me. Here's a suggestion: Have some patience and chill out. The world does not revolve around you, so don't get upset when a review doesn't magically appear when you request one. It's a new product and I'm not even sure that it is shipping yet, so of course there aren't any reviews other than Moedawg's. That is all.


----------



## moedawg140

riisalat said:


> Size and price aside, How does it sound as a piece of audio gear ?


 
  
 Pretty darn good since it powers my HE1000 and very sensitive IEMs well.  It doesn't add much coloration to the presentation (slight bass tilt), but thoroughly engaging, nonetheless.


----------



## avitron142

moedawg140 said:


> Again, your assumptions regarding your last posts are completely unfounded and baseless.


 
 I am not going back to the original posts 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Doublea is the one who made the assumption. And if I did, I'm sorry.
  


doublea71 said:


> Here's what you wrote: "It better. If it doesn't, I have half a mind to write them a review that will rip up their hype for years."
> 
> Making a threat like that (which you're obviously incapable of fulfilling) sure sounds like a big ole case of sour grapes to me. Here's a suggestion: Have some patience and chill out. The world does not revolve around you, so don't get upset when a review doesn't magically appear when you request one. It's a new product and I'm not even sure that it is shipping yet, so of course there aren't any reviews other than Moedawg's. That is all.


 
  
@doublea71 Basically, my attitude sucks. I get that, and I appreciate you trying to limit head-fi to only positive feedback. I'll lay back for now, and see how it sounds when it comes. Considering Moedawg is happy with it, chances are it will sound very, very good. If you bought one, they already have the products assembled and ready to go, just waiting for the covers. I was just angry that they insisted 400 buyers trust them on a new product, instead of giving at least one or two loaners; this is Massdrop, not indiegogo  It is what it is though, and there is no "rule" about this, so I guess we'll have to wait and see. This whole conversation will be null'ed if they turn out to be good anyway


----------



## moedawg140

avitron142 said:


> I am not going back to the original posts
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 I'm not currently talking about original posts, I'm talking about this one:
  


avitron142 said:


> I'd like to note that I only asked for a loaner unit, and after they declined, asked for someone *else* more qualified than me to review this product. Assumptions, eh?


 
  
 Completely and utterly wrong, unfounded, unsubstantiated and baseless.  
  
 Regarding your quote "This whole conversation will be null'ed if they turn out to be good", the product is good - even great.  It doesn't mean that you or anyone else may love it.  For the price, miniscule size-factor and ease of use, it's a great product no matter what.


----------



## tagosaku

moedawg140 said:


> My wallet won't ever be the same, but an immense auditory experience is priceless!


 
  
 So true. In my case, I have been happily stuck with SinglePower MPX3/AKG K501 combo for the past 10 years. 
 So it's the source and portables that, hm, hurts my wallet 
  
 (and it might be just me but while a CD player can last 10+ years, my Mac does not....)


----------



## Riisalat

Still waiting for my centrance but guys, honest reviews ? And what is with all the driver issues


----------



## moedawg140

riisalat said:


> Still waiting for my centrance but guys, honest reviews ? And what is with all the driver issues


 
  
 I am not certain what your post means, my apologies.  Please elaborate.


----------



## mkhan0104

I just received this and was wondering what type of micro usb cable you used with Samsung Galaxy S5? I tried using it on a Nexus 6 with the USB otg cable and it doesn't pick it up.


----------



## moedawg140

mkhan0104 said:


> I just received this and was wondering what type of micro usb cable you used with Samsung Galaxy S5? I tried using it on a Nexus 6 with the USB otg cable and it doesn't pick it up.


 
  
 Welcome to Head-Fi, mkhan0104!
  
 I did not use it with the Samsung Galaxy S5.  Try other cables if you can, such as a USB charge and sync cable and whatever adapter you may need, and if it doesn't pick up, then it probably doesn't work with your Nexus 6.  The DACport Slim is listed to be used with computers (PC/OSX/Linux), but has been found to work with some high-powered Android devices and the S5 via micro USB to micro USB cable.


----------



## doublea71

On the Dacport HD side of things, all units have shipped per Michael Goodman, so initial impressions should be coming in hot and heavy next week.


----------



## mkhan0104

moedawg140 said:


> Welcome to Head-Fi, mkhan0104!
> 
> I did not use it with the Samsung Galaxy S5.  Try other cables if you can, such as a USB charge and sync cable and whatever adapter you may need, and if it doesn't pick up, then it probably doesn't work with your Nexus 6.  The DACport Slim is listed to be used with computers (PC/OSX/Linux), but has been found to work with some high-powered Android devices and the S5 via micro USB to micro USB cable.


 
 Thanks for the quick response, I will try it with a few other cables and maybe look into getting a mirco usb to micro usb cable.


----------



## moedawg140

doublea71 said:


> On the Dacport HD side of things, all units have shipped per Michael Goodman, so initial impressions should be coming in hot and heavy next week.


 
  
 Thanks for the info!
  


mkhan0104 said:


> Thanks for the quick response, I will try it with a few other cables and maybe look into getting a mirco usb to micro usb cable.


 
  
 No worries at all.  Good luck!


----------



## mkhan0104

Doesn't seem to be working on the Nexus 6 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 but it works on a the Nexus 7 tablet so I guess the Nexus 6 doesn't have juice to support it.


----------



## moedawg140

mkhan0104 said:


> Doesn't seem to be working on the Nexus 6
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 It may not.  Glad you got it working on the Nexus 7 tablet, though.


----------



## Riisalat

moedawg140 said:


> I am not certain what your post means, my apologies.  Please elaborate.


just asking for impressions. And also a lot of people are complaining about driver issues on massdrops discussion, asking about that as well !


----------



## moedawg140

riisalat said:


> just asking for impressions. And also a lot of people are complaining about driver issues on massdrops discussion, asking about that as well !




You specifically said "honest reviews", not "impressions". Again, I am not sure what you are trying to implicate. With regards to impressions of the DACport Slim, keep looking out on the Internet for them, they are bound to show up. 

With regards to driver issues, that's something CEntrance looks like they are addressing and users with issues should contact them. I personally didn't run into any driver issues, but I did troubleshoot that the USB 2.0 ports would pick up and my USB 3.0 ports wouldn't. This may not be the case at all for other users though, since my hardware setup (mainboard, case, USB 3.0 card ports) and software setup (Windows 7 Ultimate and Windows 10 with various installed applications and settings) is different from everyone else's, so YMMV.


----------



## Riisalat

moedawg140 said:


> You specifically said "honest reviews", not "impressions". Again, I am not sure what you are trying to implicate. With regards to impressions of the DACport Slim, keep looking out on the Internet for them, they are bound to show up.
> 
> With regards to driver issues, that's something CEntrance looks like they are addressing and users with issues should contact them. I personally didn't run into any driver issues, but I did troubleshoot that the USB 2.0 ports would pick up and my USB 3.0 ports wouldn't. This may not be the case at all for other users though, since my hardware setup (mainboard, case, USB 3.0 card ports) and software setup (Windows 7 Ultimate and Windows 10 with various installed applications and settings) is different from everyone else's, so YMMV.


 
 i think "honest reviews" is a common term used quite often.I joined in on the drop from your review, i don't know why you have the idea(if you do) that i'm being offensive or doubt your opinion. i know you did not run into any issues but a lot of other people did. I am waiting to receive my product and with all the driver issues just wondering if this was a good decision. I have all USB 3.0 ports as well and the issues aren't exactly clear. I'm just looking for input from more people that's it.


----------



## myphone

My DACport slim works with Sony Z ultra (android) only with additional battery connected to a y-cable. I believe is power issue. I too have problems having slim recognized on laptops (window 7 and 10)


----------



## mkhan0104

myphone said:


> My DACport slim works with Sony Z ultra (android) only with additional battery connected to a y-cable. I believe is power issue. I too have problems having slim recognized on laptops (window 7 and 10)


 
 Yeah i figured that. Going get some Y-cables.
  
 Also I didn't have any driver issues on windows 10 on my macbook pro retina (bootcamp) connected using USB 3.0 port.


----------



## moedawg140

riisalat said:


> i think "honest reviews" is a common term used quite often.I joined in on the drop from your review, i don't know why you have the idea(if you do) that i'm being offensive or doubt your opinion. i know you did not run into any issues but a lot of other people did. I am waiting to receive my product and with all the driver issues just wondering if this was a good decision. I have all USB 3.0 ports as well and the issues aren't exactly clear. I'm just looking for input from more people that's it.




I can not tell via text and a few unexplained words what your implications are, as your original post did not look at all positive or neutral in my eyes. Thank you for clarifying your original post. 

I am not sure that you knew that I didn't have issues without being here to see me with my DACport Slim, or the whole process that I went through regarding the DACport Slim. As for wanting input from more people, keep checking on the Internet and you are bound to find some impressions and possibly reviews in time. 

Cheers




mkhan0104 said:


> Yeah i figured that. Going get some Y-cables.
> 
> Also I didn't have any driver issues on windows 10 on my macbook pro retina (bootcamp) connected using USB 3.0 port.




Nice. I didn't run into issues as well with my Surface Pro 2 running Windows 10.


----------



## Riisalat

moedawg140 said:


> I can not tell via text and a few unexplained words what your implications are, as your original post did not look at all positive or neutral in my eyes. Thank you for clarifying your original post.
> 
> I am not sure that you knew that I didn't have issues without being here to see me with my DACport Slim, or the whole process that I went through regarding the DACport Slim. As for wanting input from more people, keep checking on the Internet and you are bound to find some impressions and possibly reviews in time.
> 
> ...


 at best my guess would be that you would have mentioned the issues if you did run into them as a reviewer. Yes, looking for the issues on the internet. What is the best source on the internet for audiophile products? I'm guessing here.


----------



## moedawg140

riisalat said:


> at best my guess would be that you would have mentioned the issues if you did run into them as a reviewer. Yes, looking for the issues on the internet. What is the best source on the internet for audiophile products? I'm guessing here.




I can assure you at least in my experience not 100 percent of everything is disclosed in a review for a multitude of reasons. As for a "best source on the internet...", there is no "best", as that can be debated until the end of time. A great bet would be to use a search website such as Google, Yahoo, etcetera, that can quickly locate impressions and/or reviews of various products from most any website on the planet. 

Cheers


----------



## sling5s

Mine just arrived. 

I know the Dacport slim (mass drop) shipped without a usb but I had several mini usb and to my disappointment, my Mac/itunes and Amara also does not recognize the Dacport slim in my system. I tried systems preference and it does not show. Is it a special mini usb? Or is there a firmware I need to download?

thanks


----------



## Riisalat

moedawg140 said:


> I can assure you at least in my experience not 100 percent of everything is disclosed in a review for a multitude of reasons. As for a "best source on the internet...", there is no "best", as that can be debated until the end of time. A great bet would be to use a search website such as Google, Yahoo, etcetera, that can quickly locate impressions and/or reviews of various products from most any website on the planet.
> 
> Cheers


so nothing helpful about the dacport but a lot of comments about my words used ? Gee thank you. 

I really was hoping reaponses from other users.


----------



## Riisalat

sling5s said:


> Mine just arrived.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


im just plain worried about mine now. All these reports of it not workinf with systmes gaah. I really hope its resolved by the time it does arrive. Centrance has been really helpful abd reaponsive through massdrop at adressing these issues ! Maybe it will all be resolved soon !


----------



## moedawg140

riisalat said:


> so nothing helpful about the dacport but a lot of comments about my words used ? Gee thank you.
> 
> I really was hoping reaponses from other users.




If I need clarification regarding your or any other's comments I will ask. 

Take care. 




riisalat said:


> im just plain worried about mine now. All these reports of it not workinf with systmes gaah. I really hope its resolved by the time it does arrive. Centrance has been really helpful abd reaponsive through massdrop at adressing these issues ! Maybe it will all be resolved soon !




Glad that CEntrance is taking care of responding to customers and helping them out with their specific issues and/or needs.


----------



## Dsnuts

Got mine yesterday. Just loaded windows drivers and heard my first tune on it. Using my MSR7. Sounds absolutely superb. This has to be the best bang for dollar dac out on the market.


----------



## TheVortex

Did yours include the usb cable?


----------



## moedawg140

dsnuts said:


> Got mine yesterday. Just loaded windows drivers and heard my first tune on it. Using my MSR7. Sounds absolutely superb. This has to be the best bang for dollar dac out on the market.




Thanks for your input, and I agree with your thoughts.


----------



## Dsnuts

thevortex said:


> Did yours include the usb cable?


 
 I don't think anyone got a USB cable. I know Massdrop sent me one though. Everyone will get a separate usb cable in the mail. Or they should.
  


moedawg140 said:


> Thanks for your input, and I agree with your thoughts.


 
 Thanks to you for the initial report on these. I wasn't really looking for a dac but this caught my attention.
  
 Had a good feeling about these. So far so good got them playing music all day.. I can't possibly see how anyone can do one better than this for the price. My Encore M dac and Nuforce U Dac 3. Really don't come close to how these sound.
  
 I would say this is more in line of my Meridian Explorer level.. That dac was $300 when I bought it.


----------



## sling5s

The Dacport Slim instructions/manual says any micro usb (ones used for Android phones) will work.  I've tried with no avail. My Macbook pro and iMac both will not recognize the Dacport.  Massdrop does not take returns so I guess I'll have to deal with CEntrance directly.


----------



## Dsnuts

That sucks. You try some different cables? I would also try it on a PC if you have one. .
  
 @ moedawg140  Have you noticed any changes in sonics after using it for a while?  I am a firm believer in all things need a good run before they sound straight.


----------



## moedawg140

dsnuts said:


> I don't think anyone got a USB cable. I know Massdrop sent me one though. Everyone will get a separate usb cable in the mail. Or they should.
> 
> Thanks to you for the initial report on these. I wasn't really looking for a dac but this caught my attention.
> 
> ...




Happy to share what I can. I didn't know this thread would be so (for lack of better words) lively! Regardless of the haters, the seemingly entitled and the negativity, but also the supporters, the DACport Slim is a fantastic device, especially for the price it commands. 




sling5s said:


> The Dacport Slim instructions/manual says any micro usb (ones used for Android phones) will work.  I've tried with no avail. My Macbook pro and iMac both will not recognize the Dacport.  Massdrop does not take returns so I guess I'll have to deal with CEntrance directly.




Possibly listing what OS version and specific Mac model is used may help with finding out more of a consensus with regards to overall compatibility with the DACport Slim. Without an Apple computer at my vicinity to test, I would just suggest making sure you are using a charge and sync cable, as some cables are only charge only and there is no real way to differentiate between the two unless the product(s) state(s) it is a charge and sync cable and testing it out to make sure that it can also charge and sync as well. Try to upgrade to OSX and then install the DACport Slim if your Apple computers are not updated to OSX. Also, as dsnuts mentioned, try the DACport Slim on a PC using the latest drivers. I have confirmed it to work with Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. 




dsnuts said:


> That sucks. You try some different cables? I would also try it on a PC if you have one. .
> 
> @ moedawg140  Have you noticed any changes in sonics after using it for a while?  I am a firm believer in all things need a good run before they sound straight.




I am not sure with regards to noticing changes regarding run/burn in, mainly because while I was using the DACport Slim, I was concurrently burning in new headphones and IEMs. The DACport Slim is versatile, pretty darn powerful compared to the already powerful Questyle QP1R and other DAPs/DAC/amps and is smooth and controlled in its sonic presentation. It also negates my want and need for much higher priced DAC/amps in the market today.


----------



## sling5s

The manual also says any Android phone cable should work. Since these cables both charge and transfer data.
 I have tried on both Macbook Pro. which uses the latest El Capitan OS X operating system and iMac which is still on Mountain Lion. So it's not the operating system nor cable far as I can understand.


----------



## moedawg140

sling5s said:


> The manual also says any Android phone cable should work. Since these cables both charge and transfer data.
> I have tried on both Macbook Pro. which uses the latest El Capitan OS X operating system and iMac which is still on Mountain Lion. So it's not the operating system nor cable far as I can understand.




The issue may be the USB ports theirselves. Also, try the DACport Slim with a PC if you can. It may be a driver issue if you still can't get it to function and using a different version if you can may very well rectify the issue. Let us know how everything goes!


----------



## sling5s

I tried on my wife's PC/windows with download driver from centrance.  Didn't work. Funny thing is, when I plug it in on Mac and PC, I hear the click sound and the CEntrance will begin to heat up. So it is connected but just no sound. Michael Goodman said he would help once the office opens on Monday.  Hope he has some solutions.


----------



## moedawg140

sling5s said:


> I tried on my wife's PC/windows with download driver from centrance.  Didn't work. Funny thing is, when I plug it in on Mac and PC, I hear the click sound and the CEntrance will begin to heat up. So it is connected but just no sound. Michael Goodman said he would help once the office opens on Monday.  Hope he has some solutions.




The same thing has happened to me. What OS version is your wife's PC? What version USB ports are being used? Try it on all USB ports. Try that and let me know how that goes.


----------



## mkhan0104

sling5s said:


> I tried on my wife's PC/windows with download driver from centrance.  Didn't work. Funny thing is, when I plug it in on Mac and PC, I hear the click sound and the CEntrance will begin to heat up. So it is connected but just no sound. Michael Goodman said he would help once the office opens on Monday.  Hope he has some solutions.


 
 I just tried it on my Macbook Yosemite (haven't upgraded to El Capital yet) and it works fine, but you do need to go into System Preferences > Sound > Output and select CEntrance as an output device. You may need to do the same in Windows in the sounds settings and make sure its outputting the sound to the CEntrance. Also I know this goes without saying but make sure that the volume is turned on the CEntrance itself.


----------



## sling5s

moedawg140
  
 LOL. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 Thanks man. Feel like an idiot. You were so right. I found a third pair of micro usb cable and this time it worked. I guess the other two were charge only like you said.


----------



## moedawg140

mkhan0104 said:


> I just tried it on my Macbook Yosemite (haven't upgraded to El Capital yet) and it works fine, but you do need to go into System Preferences > Sound > Output and select CEntrance as an output device. You may need to do the same in Windows in the sounds settings and make sure its outputting the sound to the CEntrance. Also I know this goes without saying but make sure that the volume is turned on the CEntrance itself.




Hopefully your suggestions will work for him! If not, he may need to try another CEntrance driver. Good looking out on the volume suggestion as well. Definitely the system/computer/device volume, application/music playback application volume and the DACport Slim volumes theirselves should all be checked.


----------



## moedawg140

sling5s said:


> moedawg140
> 
> LOL.  Thanks man. Feel like an idiot. You were so right. I found a third pair of micro usb caleb and this time it worked. I guess the other two were charge only like you said.




So happy it worked for you! Whew! 

Please enjoy and have a great day/night!


----------



## oneofthem

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


----------



## morinu

I just got my DACport Slim from Massdrop and I am really impressed. To my hears the sound is very detailed and pleasant and way better than what I was using before. I got this for work to use with my PC360 after the side volume control started to fail. I think I am ready to change them for some better headphones and an external mic. It worked for me on a PC and a Mac without issues. It worked even with the crappy USB power of my PC motherboard while my Schiit Fulla didn't. Too bad I didn't get the HD version since I was kind of skeptic after the Fulla experience and I didn't want to spend the money.


----------



## moedawg140

morinu said:


> I just got my DACport Slim from Massdrop and I am really impressed. To my hears the sound is very detailed and pleasant and way better than what I was using before. I got this for work to use with my PC360 after the side volume control started to fail. I think I am ready to change them for some better headphones and an external mic. It worked for me on a PC and a Mac without issues. It worked even with the crappy USB power of my PC motherboard while my Schiit Fulla didn't. Too bad I didn't get the HD version since I was kind of skeptic after the Fulla experience and I didn't want to spend the money.


 
  
 Welcome to Head-Fi, morinu, and glad you are impressed with the DACport Slim!  You really can't go wrong with this device, especially for the price.


----------



## sling5s

I got the Dacport Slim on impulse and was going to sell it off.  But this things is really good. It's both technically competent and very musical.
 I had the Geek Out v.1 and while it was technically excellent, it just didn't sound very musical.  
 I also had the Dragon Fly version 2, Merdian Explorer, and Schiit Fulla (which was just bad to my ears) and of course had the Dacport (original version long ago which I really enjoyed) but this one is to my ears is the best. It's like the Original Dacport but more fuller with better imaging and detail. 
  
 For $99, you really can't beat it or find anything better.
  
 PS: I have not heard the Geek Out V2, which I hear again is technically great for the price, but I just don't like their house sound (kind of on the dry and sterile side).


----------



## moedawg140

sling5s said:


> I got the Dacport Slim on impulse and was going to sell it off.  But this things is really good. It's both technically competent and very musical.
> I had the Geek Out v.1 and while it was technically excellent, it just didn't sound very musical.
> I also had the Dragon Fly version 2, Merdian Explorer, and Schiit Fulla (which was just bad to my ears) and of course had the Dacport (original version long ago which I really enjoyed) but this one is to my ears is the best. It's like the Original Dacport but more fuller with better imaging and detail.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks for your impressions!  I've listened to a lot of USB DAC/amps and larger desktop-type DAC/amps as well, and for the price, the DACport Slim is a technical wonder on paper (low THD, etc.) but more importantly, just plain sounds great.  I agree it sounds full with exemplary detail as well.  The size, weight and power relative to sound output is still what gets me to this day - smiles ear to ear.


----------



## sling5s

BTW, I am able to also use it with iPhone and iPad with Dr. Bott T3Hub (which is a passive hub) hooked to a portable usb power supply.


----------



## neuromancer

Great to hear? Which version of IOS on the Ipad are you using? Any idea if it could also be fed from android phone?


----------



## moedawg140

sling5s said:


> BTW, I am able to also use it with iPhone and iPad with Dr. Bott T3Hub (which is a passive hub) hooked to a portable usb power supply.


 
  
 Very nice!  Could you please upload pictures of the specific set-up?  Thank you in advance.


----------



## morinu

> Welcome to Head-Fi, morinu, and glad you are impressed with the DACport Slim!  You really can't go wrong with this device, especially for the price.


 
  
 Thank you moedawg140!


----------



## moedawg140

morinu said:


> Thank you moedawg140!


 
  
 Anytime!  Savor the essence of the DACport Slim!


----------



## Riisalat

Now i cant wait to recieve mine  to people who got it working can you tell me what were your OS and process to get it going ?

Im guessing my impulse buy wasnt a bad decision afterall ^.^


----------



## sling5s

IOS 9.1
  
 Lightning apple adaptor
 T3 Dr. Bott (passive) USB Hub
 Griffin Portable Charger
 Male USB to Male USB cable


----------



## moedawg140

Beautiful, thanks for the pics and description! This setup may allow a lot of smartphone-type devices and quite possibly even DAPs to run.


----------



## chairs

running it with no problems from a late 2012 macbook pro retina (which is to be expected, i guess, since the two usb ports on my laptop are both usb 3.0).
  
 i have to say, though, that i'm noticing a negative change in sound sig switching from a generic mini-usb cord i had lying around (bought it a few months ago for like $5 at best buy as a replacement phone charging cord) to the included mini-usb cord - and i've always been a non-believer when it comes to cables and cords. i really don't like the included mini-usb cord because, for some reason, i'm perceiving that it adds a little hardness and sibilance to the sound - just enough to grate on me. i'm rather sensitive to sibilance, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. regardless, the included mini-usb cord has now become my charging cord and my old charging cord has become my dedicated dacport slim cord.


----------



## sheldaze

I am unfamiliar with the MassDrop deal and the included USB cable. The DACport HD did not include a cable. Perhaps your BestBuy cable is better than the MassDrop provided cable, if in fact CEntrance did not provide the cable?


----------



## yavormoskov

Yes, it is fantastic. It worked on my PC ultrabook even without installing the driver, yes this is correct. But on the desktop PC it started only after I installed it. Both have Win 8.1. Very weird. Also, it works with all my usb ports 2.0 and 3.0 and even plugged in usb hubs. It drives my Denon AH-MM400, Philips Fidelio L2 and German Maestro phones better than any other super portable DAC, a lot better than geek 750 anyway. I watched a whole IL Divo concert in HD from London with this bad boy plugged in and could not believe what I hear.


----------



## moedawg140

yavormoskov said:


> Yes, it is fantastic. It worked on my PC ultrabook even without installing the driver, yes this is correct. But on the desktop PC it started only after I installed it. Both have Win 8.1. Very weird. Also, it works with all my usb ports 2.0 and 3.0 and even plugged in usb hubs. It drives my Denon AH-MM400, Philips Fidelio L2 and German Maestro phones better than any other super portable DAC, a lot better than geek 750 anyway. I watched a whole IL Divo concert in HD from London with this bad boy plugged in and could not believe what I hear.


 

 Glad you're liking it.  I agree, it does a great job with driving headphones!  Enjoy!


----------



## morinu

I am listening Jazz on my DACport Slim (it sounds so good) while reading about the new Bifrost and the new Delta-Sigma version uses the K4490 chip... the same one in the DACport.


----------



## Hi-Fi EDU

chairs said:


> ...i have to say, though, that i'm noticing a negative change in sound sig switching from a generic mini-usb cord i had lying around ... i really don't like the included mini-usb cord because, for some reason, i'm perceiving that it adds a little hardness and sibilance to the sound - just enough to grate on me. i'm rather sensitive to sibilance, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.


 
  
 Completely agree on the micro-usb cable MassDrop sent out late. I thought it was just me but compared to the cable from my ol' Nokia phone, I also perceive that subtle hardness/sibilance when using the cable MD sent. It may be below average for this function unfortunately. No surprises which cable I stuck with.
  
 Otherwise, I've been enjoying DACport Slim quite a bit. Installation on USB 3.0 in Win 7 was mostly smooth for me. Compared to my notebook's onboard: separation is cleaner, details are more accentuated and soundstage has more air/width. I'm glad I took the chance on this impressive little device.


----------



## TheVortex

Had to pay custom charges of £20.77 to release mine 
  
 Anyways, mine wouldn't work on the USB2 ports as it kept doing that connecting/disconnecting noise. Works perfect on USB3 first attempt. Using it with a factory PS4 controller charge cable.
  
 Sounds great with AKG K712Pro, will do further testing and report back. Tested with Windows 7 Pro 64bit


----------



## Hi-Fi EDU

thevortex said:


> Sounds great with AKG K712Pro, will do further testing and report back. Tested with Windows 7 Pro 64bit


 
  
 Nice. Out of curiosity, what gain setting and how far on the volume wheel are you going to get comfortable listening levels for you? I'm interested in those headphones and I'd like to know how the Slim pairs with them. I'm also looking forward to your impressions in general after your testing.


----------



## Neotribal

I ran into a ton of trouble getting the DACport Slim set up on my office PC, but finally got it functional after a few days(!). Dave was really eager to help on the Massdrop discussion page and via email, but I mostly sorted it out on my own (Driver issues).

 I'll copypasta my responses from the MassDrop page here, in case it can be of help to anyone:
  


> _"Possible fix to help some Windows 7 users: Took me a few days, but finally got this working on my PC after resolving 2 separate issues:_
> 
> _1.) My Windows 7 64 bit machine would not install the driver at all, it would fail installation with an "error 15: Access Denied". Ended up being a Windows permissions issue... I was a member of the Administrators Security Group not the standard Users Security Group. The folder where the driver is stored explicitly required membership to that group (seems like this may have been a weird issue in how I created my account on the PC, this PC is part of an Active Directory domain)_
> 
> ...


 
  

  
 ...and...

  
   
 Quote:


> _"Regarding the USB cables and why some might not be able to get it working... cables can significantly impact mobile device charging speed because of their capacity to transmit electricity (they have a data side and a charging side). I imagine that this directly relates to how much power is being provided to the DACport slim by the USB port... Most crappy USB cables are 28/28 (the number = cable thickness measured in "gauge" or "ga". the lower the number the thicker). 28ga usb cables handle roughly 500 milliamps of power, a 24ga (over 50% thicker) cable can handle about 2 amps..." *<SNIP>*_


 

 They stated in a comment that the DACport Slim draws less than 500mw and the cable I got from MD was 23/30, which should be fine for powering the unit. They stated that they believe some of the connectivity issues actually a software issue and that the patch should be out "soon"

 ANYWAYS, it sounds awesome and is much less conspicuous than the FiiO E17 I used to keep on my desk at work.


----------



## TheVortex

I am using low gain, maybe around 65% on the volume is a comfortable listening volume for me. I also own the following headphones/earphones when I get time to test them : AKG K7xx, Sennheiser HD 558, Hyper X cloud gaming headset also Macaw GT100s, Soundmagic e10 and AKG K323 xs.
  
 Note: Dacport slim gets really warm to the touch and works amazing for binaural recordings that I tested it with on youtube.


----------



## Riisalat

Can anyone try the centrance as A DAC only and post a comparison? Im wondering if should use this or get a modi 2 for my desktop rig.


----------



## Neotribal

riisalat said:


> Can anyone try the centrance as A DAC only and post a comparison? Im wondering if should use this or get a modi 2 for my desktop rig.




I can test it out with a FiiO e12 , but won't have access to the gear again until next week. Hopefully I'll remember and post back


----------



## peter123




----------



## Dsnuts

How you liking that sound Peter?


----------



## peter123

dsnuts said:


> How you liking that sound Peter?




So far so good 

It's still very early but there's no doubt that this is an excellent sounding unit. I won't be able to do any proper ab with the GO720 and Lancea until next weekend due to an upcoming job trip but the impression now is that the Slim is more entertaining than both.

The CKR9LTD's sound crazy good with it.

I absolutely love the volume control as well.

It came to $150 delivered after tax here in Norway and it's definitely worth every cent imo.

Edit: although it gets quite hot the GO720 is definitely worse in this aspect so I see no need to worry about it.


----------



## peter123

Today I found some time to compare the Slim with the Geek Out 720 and SHOZY Lancea and these are my foundings:

The Slim has a volume control the others don't.

The Lances is smoother in presentation which also means that it's less distinct (slightly overly smooth actually). The bass on the Lancea is also boomier in comparison. The Lancea lacks volume control.

The GO720 actually feels dull in comparison (never thought I'd say this since I really like it). The GO720 is closer to the presentation of the Slim but still loses out on some things. The GO720 lacks volume control (it was actually REMOVED!)

This is what I find the Slim to be better than both the others on:

Bass is better defined and reach deeper. Separation and soundstage is also better. Most importantly I find the Slim to have a better timbre to the notes (man do I love timbre ) giving it an overall more enjoyable signature. 

Although these are all solid performers the Slim is clearly a step up from the other two for me. It's simply more musical and entertaining. Did I also mentioned that it has a volume control 

I've been listening to all three with a split box and matched the volume with a simple app on my phone. Listing was done through the Fidelio X2 and VE Duke.


----------



## jandr272

So will this work with iOS devices with A CKK (lightning to passive USB) connector?


----------



## moedawg140

jandr272 said:


> So will this work with iOS devices with A CKK (lightning to passive USB) connector?


 
  
 The linked post is currently what works with at least the iPad:
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/778966/review-centrance-dacport-slim-dac-amp-combo/135#post_11950264.
  
 Welcome to Head-Fi!


----------



## jandr272

moedawg140 said:


> The linked post is currently what works with at least the iPad:
> 
> Welcome to Head-Fi!




I should've phrased my question better. I'm wondering if the reason it works is if that specific Lightning-USB adapter is passive? 

Thank you! I was here a few years ago but lost my login email/password. I'd abandoned the site after getting my ES5 to try and avoid upgrade-itis!


----------



## moedawg140

jandr272 said:


> I should've phrased my question better. I'm wondering if the reason it works is if that specific Lightning-USB adapter is passive?
> 
> Thank you! I was here a few years ago but lost my login email/password. I'd abandoned the site after getting my ES5 to try and avoid upgrade-itis!


 
  
 More than likely, however I am not 100 percent sure, without speculating.  As long as a particular method works, that's all I need to know! 
  
 While I was working in IT, we would seldom know exactly the reason why specific actions or non-actions took place.  Nevertheless, we did know the process(es) how to get specific actions to work for what we wanted/needed.


----------



## leasedeb

any idea when it will be back on massdrop ?


----------



## sheldaze

leasedeb said:


> any idea when it will be back on massdrop ?


 


mgoodman said:


> Hey -- Not sharing information of commercial nature, but rather of product life-cycle nature.
> 
> The current Massdrop sale on DACport may in fact be the last one. Ever.
> 
> I'm simply informing. I'm not selling anything or encouraging any action on anyone's part.


 
 The second quote is from another thread. You can purchase the DACport HD, which has more power and DSD capability.


----------



## leasedeb

okay thank you i wanted this one because it's cheaper and maybe works with otg androdi because it's 450mw compared to 1000mw dacport HD that would need a powered hub.. and more costly,
 i'm just looking for a portable dac/amp that could drive easily high impedance headphone incase i buy one in the feature and at moment i need a bit more power to drive my headphones..
 so if anyone want to sell one i'm in, i'm from france.


----------



## Hi-Fi EDU

sheldaze said:


> The second quote is from another thread. You can purchase the DACport HD, which has more power and DSD capability.




Judging by the date and context of his post, I think mgoodman was referring to the DACport (aka the "classic") and not the DACport Slim. The Slim may appear on MassDrop again, however I don't know when or how soon. I doubt anyone but CEntrance and MassDrop know that. Give it some time as they smooth over any issues from the first drop.


----------



## leasedeb

"As far as bringing the product back, this is up to Massdrop. We spoke to them and told them that we wanted to first make sure all issues are fixed so that we only have happy customers. That would make the second drop go much smoother." from Centrance on massdrop.com
 so there is hope it will have another drop.


----------



## chairs

from today's drop status update:
  


> Due to an error at our vendor's warehouse, the USB cables we received and shipped back out are charge only and without data transfer capabilities. Our vendor is currently preparing the replacement cables for shipment, and they will be shipped express to our warehouse. Our warehouse team should be receiving the cables by Wednesday, and we will immediately start shipping them back out upon arrival. Apologies for the delays in getting you all your USB cables.


 
  
 so it's official - the usb cables they sent us were not so great


----------



## DatGuy

for those still having problems with your PC, I got a reply from Centrance about the issues people have been having
  


> I suspect your Slim needs an update to fix an issue seen with some USB controllers, which will be ready late this week.  If you have access to a Mac, an update will be ready as early as tomorrow.


 
  
 So just a short wait longer and hopefully that'll solve our issues


----------



## tas236

Any HiFi-M8 owners here? I'd like to know how the Slim or HD compare to it if someone has both!


----------



## sheldaze

tas236 said:


> Any HiFi-M8 owners here? I'd like to know how the Slim or HD compare to it if someone has both!


 

 +1
  
 I have the same question.
 Is the sound significantly different than these, or different due to power limitations, or quite similar?


----------



## MilhouseV

sheldaze said:


> +1
> 
> I have the same question.
> Is the sound significantly different than these, or different due to power limitations, or quite similar?


 

 I had a chance to audition HiFi-M8 a while back, and as far as amplifier section goes, it's in a very different category, so direct comparisons are not particularly fair to DACport HD.  On the other hand, M8 is based on a much older DAC chip, not quite as resolving (or bright) as AK4490 in HD.  Then again, I don't think there's a definitive answer on the type of chip in DACport Slim, it might just be the same older AKM chip.


----------



## Hi-Fi EDU

milhousev said:


> I had a chance to audition HiFi-M8 a while back, and as far as amplifier section goes, it's in a very different category, so direct comparisons are not particularly fair to DACport HD.  On the other hand, M8 is based on a much older DAC chip, not quite as resolving (or bright) as AK4490 in HD.  Then again, I don't think there's a definitive answer on the type of chip in DACport Slim, it might just be the same older AKM chip.




The Slim and the HD both use the AK4490 DAC chip.


----------



## MilhouseV

hi-fi edu said:


> The Slim and the HD both use the AK4490 DAC chip.


 
 It's highly doubtful, considering different supported capabilities of these devices and a relatively high cost of AK4490 chip.  Slim is most likely based on AK4396 - but only Michael Goodman or someone esle from Centrance could answer this definitively.


----------



## Hi-Fi EDU

Quote:


milhousev said:


> It's highly doubtful, considering different supported capabilities of these devices and a relatively high cost of AK4490 chip.  Slim is most likely based on AK4396 - but only Michael Goodman or someone esle from Centrance could answer this definitively.


 
  
 I didn't pull it out of thin air. He already confirmed as much during the Slim's drop on MassDrop (under alias "CEntrance"):
  
 "DACport Slim and DACport HD. They are built on the same platform and share the amazing AK4490 DAC from AKM, and our award-winning Class-A headphone amp with no-caps signal path. Both have the rotary volume control with perfect tracking. The differences are as follows:
  
 - DACport Slim is more affordable, but still boasts 192kHz resolution and impressive 450mW of total output power.
 - DACport HD features 384 kHz resolution and DSD, as well as extra power (775mW total).
  
 We feel that the majority of people will be very happy with DACport Slim, so it's offered here on Massdrop by an exclusive arrangement. You simply cannot get this kind of price/performance anywhere else."
  
 "The DAC used is the AK4490 -- newest and best."
  
 Even the MassDrop description page and the CEntrance product page say as much. There's a reason M. Goodman & CEntrance were very happy to provide the Slim at the MassDrop exclusive price they did ($99). At first I thought it was the typical promotional fare but now I don't think that was the case. The Slim offers quite impressive performance for its price. As does the HD even if it has a $200 MSRP. As such I doubt they'll offer the Slim through any other vendor. As to the differences in capabilities, based on the above it sounds like they purposely and precisely neutered the Slim a little to keep it at that price without encroaching on sale of the HD. Makes sense to me.
  
 Great device. Hmm...I might write a review for it, to the best of my ability.


----------



## MilhouseV

hi-fi edu said:


> Quote:
> 
> I didn't pull it out of thin air. He already confirmed as much during the Slim's drop on MassDrop (under alias "CEntrance")...


 
 It's possible - after all, it was a limited, one-time release.  The two definitely share the board, and at one point a prototype of the device was demonstrated under the name "Slim", but with DSD/DXD in the spec, and at the time was said to have 450mW power.  It was even referred to as "Slim" in some of the descriptions of the IndieGoGo campaign - even though the title read "HD" by that time.  But at the same time, if the differences are only in firmware - then this also opens a possibility of getting DSD/DXD support on Slim as well


----------



## Hi-Fi EDU

Quote:


milhousev said:


> But at the same time, if the differences are only in firmware - then this also opens a possibility of getting DSD/DXD support on Slim as well


 
  
 Yes, Goodman alluded to that prototype in his drop comments. He said that shortly after its demonstration they finalized the specs of the Slim and the HD to have what we have now. Even if I'm no where near needing DSD/DXD spec (I might never), I'm totally with you on a possible firmware unlock. I remember someone asking as much during the drop but I don't remember him offering a reply 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 .


----------



## peter123

With UAPP and external battery the Slim seem to work will all android devices with otg support :


----------



## MilhouseV

DACport Slim is back on Massdrop - so this wasn't just a one-time batch of "crippled" products.


----------



## gevorg

Anyone know which of the built-in AKM digital filters used by DACport Slim? Not sure if something like this is a design secret.

 (taken from here)


----------



## MilhouseV

gevorg said:


> Anyone know which of the built-in AKM digital filters used by DACport Slim? Not sure if something like this is a design secret.


 
 Short Delay Sharp Roll-off is the default configuration, which is used on most AK4490-based devices.  Based on the sound signature of my DACport HD, that appears to be the case here as well.


----------



## gevorg

^^ Thanks!


----------



## Bananiq

peter123 said:


> With UAPP and external battery the Slim seem to work will all android devices with otg support :


 
  
 Interesting, wondering if the same can work with iPhone CCK config.
  
 Any word on Lancea vs Dacport Slim? EDIT: nevermind I found your post. I also have GO720 so probably Slim would be better for me too )


----------



## Bananiq

I joined the drop


----------



## peter123

bananiq said:


> I joined the drop




Nice! Hopefully you'll enjoy your's as much as I enjoy mine


----------



## adg4

Can anyone tell me what the volume dial is like? Does it have substantial tension to it, or does it feel kind of cheap? It's hard to guess the quality just from looking at the Massdrop pictures.
  
 Thanks!


----------



## MilhouseV

adg4 said:


> Can anyone tell me what the volume dial is like? Does it have substantial tension to it, or does it feel kind of cheap? It's hard to guess the quality just from looking at the Massdrop pictures.
> 
> Thanks!


 

 It's definitely on the "kind of cheap" side.  But it's hard to expect something different in such a small, low cost device.


----------



## adg4

Got it. That makes sense.


----------



## doublea71

Feels sturdy enough to me, and I don't think it's plastic. I have the HD version. Has anybody noticed any sort of burn-in? Mine is a bit bright-sounding, and I'm hoping it smooths out a bit.


----------



## Neotribal

doublea71 said:


> Feels sturdy enough to me, and I don't think it's plastic. I have the HD version. Has anybody noticed any sort of burn-in? Mine is a bit bright-sounding, and I'm hoping it smooths out a bit.




Feels light and plasticky to me, but not fragile, if that makes sense.


----------



## moedawg140

adg4 said:


> Can anyone tell me what the volume dial is like? Does it have substantial tension to it, or does it feel kind of cheap? It's hard to guess the quality just from looking at the Massdrop pictures.
> 
> Thanks!




Please check out "Volume control" in the review (first post of this thread). To answer your question, it doesn't feel cheap to me, especially for the price they are commanding. Someone's standards may be different and may feel the volume dial isn't satisfactory, so, your mileage may vary. Personally I feel that the volume dial and the housing are created very well and have a quality look and feel to them.


----------



## MilhouseV

doublea71 said:


> I have the HD version. Has anybody noticed any sort of burn-in? Mine is a bit bright-sounding, and I'm hoping it smooths out a bit.


 
 I have not seen any significant change yet.  The brightness is definitely there, but overall response becomes a bit more balanced when it is connected through a powered USB source (Wyrd in my case).


----------



## peter123

The volume control works as it should and its quality feels in line with the rest of the device (which is very solid).


----------



## moedawg140

milhousev said:


> I have not seen any significant change yet.  The brightness is definitely there, but overall response becomes a bit more balanced when it is connected through a powered USB source (Wyrd in my case).




Balanced or very slight bass tilt, I would agree with, but too bright or bright would not be my thoughts when describing the overall sound of the DACport Slim.


----------



## peter123

moedawg140 said:


> Balanced or very slight bass tilt, I would agree with, but too bright or bright would not be my thoughts when describing the overall sound of the DACport Slim.




I agree, reading the post from @MilhouseV makes me wonder what he's used to since he finds the Slim bright.


----------



## MilhouseV

I own a DACport HD, perhaps Slim is different


----------



## Bananiq

Does anybody know how Dacport Slim compares to iBasso D14?


----------



## TPSRA

Any LG user have tried if it works? thx


----------



## Bananiq

bananiq said:


> Does anybody know how Dacport Slim compares to iBasso D14?


 

 or Dacport Slim / HD vs Any iBasso products?


----------



## bilditup1

Thanks for the detailed and straightforward review.
  
 Quote:


mistaneat said:


> Did you ever get a chance to compare to the Dragonfly 1.2? Having a hard time deciding on a DAC/AMP with so many options out there.


 
  


moedawg140 said:


> Not yet.  I will update the thread once I have the chance to.


 
  
 I suppose this never happened? Just searched for 'dragonfly' in this thread and this quote was the last time it was mentioned.


----------



## Rei87

moedawg140 said:


> Balanced or very slight bass tilt, I would agree with, but too bright or bright would not be my thoughts when describing the overall sound of the DACport Slim.


 


 Hi. Do you find this amp too strong for highly sensitive IEMs, for example the earwerkz Legend R?


----------



## moedawg140

rei87 said:


> Hi. Do you find this amp too strong for highly sensitive IEMs, for example the earwerkz Legend R?




Hi Rei87,

The DACport Slim is not too strong for highly sensitive IEMs since you can use the Low gain setting. The volume does not get crazy loud with the Low gain setting when using IEMs, but can get exceedingly loud with the High gain setting. It sounds great with IEMs as well as sounding great with (and at least powers) most all headphones.


----------



## cody355

Has anyone tested the Centrance DacportSlim  with the AKG 7XX?  Will this drive them well or do the 7XX require more powerful amp?  Thinking about getting both as they are both available on Massdrop today.  Thx


----------



## moedawg140

cody355 said:


> Has anyone tested the Centrance DacportSlim  with the AKG 7XX?  Will this drive them well or do the 7XX require more powerful amp?  Thinking about getting both as they are both available on Massdrop today.  Thx




The K7XX was not a particularly difficult headphone to drive (when I listened to it on my iPhone 6), so the K7XX should not have any issues with the DACport Slim.


----------



## TheVortex

I own both the AKG K712 Pro and the K7xx and it drives them easily without even using high gain.


----------



## cody355

Great.  How do you like the sound signature of the combo of 7XX and DacPortSlim?  Thanks!


----------



## TheVortex

cody355 said:


> Great.  How do you like the sound signature of the combo of 7XX and DacPortSlim?  Thanks!


 
  
 I like the sound signature of the Dacport Slim, to my ears it has a neutral signature. The K7xx seem to have a better bass and slightly less harsh on the treble compared to my K712 pro. They seem to be a great pairing.
  
 To my ears, the Dacport Slim doesn't sound much of an improvement over the Fiio E10k I also own but the Slim is more powerful and can drive 600 ohm headphones were as the E10k is only suppossed to drive up to 150 ohms. Hope this helps 
  
 Note: My K7xx has only been used for around 15 hours and the Dacport Slim maybe around 5-7 hours.


----------



## moedawg140

_For those who own an earlier batch of the DACport Slim, please update your firmware via this website: _http://www.centrance.com/products/dacport/ (then click on the "Firmware" tab) - or you can click the download links below.
  
 From the CEntrance Website:
  

*Firmware update -- DACport Slim only*
  
_If you own a DACport Slim from the earlier batches (purchased in mid- to late 2015), you may benefit from a firmware upgrade. This update will resolve compatibility issues with some USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports and offer fully stable performance with Macs and PCs. Note that DACport HD does not require an update, so if you have a DACport HD, you don't need to perform this firmware upgrade.This is only for DACport Slim._

_We have created two ways of updating the firmware. If you use a Mac, click here. If you have a Windows machine, click here._
_ 
 The process of upgrading is simple and should take about 30 seconds once you have downloaded and unzipped the file to your desktop._

_We designed the Mac and Windows updaters do the same thing for your convenience. For best results, use a working USB port that has a reliable connection to DACport Slim for performing this update. After the firmware update, all USB ports should work equally well._

_When you run the Mac or PC updater, it will check your connected DACport Slim and automatically upgrade it to the latest firmware, if necessary. If your DACport Slim already has the latest firmware, the updater will tell you that the firmware is up to date. It's not dangerous to run the updater more than once. It is smart. If you have any questions, contact us and we will help._
  
  
 Updated review with the above information.


----------



## maxedfx

Awesome update! Have no issues in any USB ports! Working flawlessly!!!


----------



## moedawg140

Quote:


maxedfx said:


> Awesome update! Have no issues in any USB ports! Working flawlessly!!!


 
  
 The update was great for me because I had one laptop that was using internal USB hubs instead of direct to the mainboard USB ports (which meant I wasn't able to connect), but the firmware update made it so I could connect to them and get the DACport Slim working on the particular laptop!
  
  
 I was able to get the DACport Slim to work with my iPhone 6!  I'll post some photos when I get home today or tonight (watching a Blur concert at the Hollywood Bowl today).


----------



## waynes world

moedawg140 said:


> Quote:
> 
> The update was great for me because I had one laptop that was using internal USB hubs instead of direct to the mainboard USB ports (which meant I wasn't able to connect), but the firmware update made it so I could connect to them and get the DACport Slim working on the particular laptop!


 
  
 Right now I'm using the HifimeDIY U2 sabre dac + Cayin C5 as my desktop rig. I probably should get a better desktop rig such as the Audio-gd nfb-15 or something. But the DACport slim is enticing me as well, although I'm not sure how much of an upgrade (if any) it would be over the HifimeDIY U2 + Cayin C5 combo.
  
 Anyway, too many options and too many ways to spend money in this hobby lol!
  
 Btw, I appreciate reading your impressions in various threads - very good stuff.


----------



## maxedfx

moedawg140 said:


> Quote:
> 
> The update was great for me because I had one laptop that was using internal USB hubs instead of direct to the mainboard USB ports (which meant I wasn't able to connect), but the firmware update made it so I could connect to them and get the DACport Slim working on the particular laptop!
> 
> ...



Similar thing for me too..
Didn't work in any of the USB ports in my office rig! And now, wowza, I have an awesome sounding rig in my office!!!


----------



## moedawg140

waynes world said:


> Right now I'm using the HifimeDIY U2 sabre dac + Cayin C5 as my desktop rig. I probably should get a better desktop rig such as the Audio-gd nfb-15 or something. But the DACport slim is enticing me as well, although I'm not sure how much of an upgrade (if any) it would be over the HifimeDIY U2 + Cayin C5 combo.
> 
> Anyway, too many options and too many ways to spend money in this hobby lol!
> 
> Btw, I appreciate reading your impressions in various threads - very good stuff.




Really appreciate the comment, thanks!

There may be something in the near future that I'll be reviewing that will be yet another option to spend your money. This, in my opinion, will be money well spent.


----------



## moedawg140

maxedfx said:


> Similar thing for me too..
> Didn't work in any of the USB ports in my office rig! And now, wowza, I have an awesome sounding rig in my office!!!




Glad it worked out for you as well!


----------



## maxedfx

Teaser much moedawg140???
ETA??


----------



## grokit

I'm in on the drop but in the interest of research , I also have a AT-HA30USB coming to compare it with which I don't see here on Head-fi. I have two pairs of AT headphones (ADW1000X, ESW11LTD), and a couple of pairs of CK-10s so it will be synergy vs. the extra features of this (volume control, gain switch). I'm sure the Slim has more power and is more versatile as well, but I'm not sure that I want or need these features. I also have some hard to drive cans lying round, so this should be an interesting comparison.


----------



## leasedeb

Anyone know if the dacport slim workout directly with LG G3? Or it Needs external power ?


----------



## peter123

leasedeb said:


> Anyone know if the dacport slim workout directly with LG G3? Or it Needs external power ?




Even if it should work battery drain is heavy enough for it not to be realistic without external power anyway (in my experience ).

Given the powerful output on the Slim this is quite natural. If you're looking for a solution that doesn't need external power I'd suggest to look at something with less output power.


----------



## leasedeb

peter123 said:


> Even if it should work battery drain is heavy enough for it not to be realistic without external power anyway (in my experience ).
> 
> Given the powerful output on the Slim this is quite natural. If you're looking for a solution that doesn't need external power I'd suggest to look at something with less output power.



I have 2 spare batterie is it fine ?


----------



## peter123

leasedeb said:


> I have 2 spare batterie is it fine ?




Aha, its been so long since I've got a phone with replaceable battery that the thought didn't cross my mind 

That would of course br sufficient.


----------



## MilhouseV

In general, Class A amps and portable use are not a good match. DACport gets very warm, regardless of the amount of power actually required by the headphones - so you will be using your phone's battery to heat the space around you.


----------



## MilhouseV

I have a DACport HD, and even when used with a laptop (Surface Pro) extra load on the battery is quite noticeable.


----------



## leasedeb

Thank you, well I've already dropped one it will be arriving soon, I'll try, worst case, I'll use it at home/other use.


----------



## moedawg140

I was able to get the iPhone 6 to work with the DACport Slim:
  
_The contenders (I chose the lower left device - Gear Head 4 port USB hub)_:

  
_iPhone 6, Apple CCK, at least 3 port USB hub, USB to USB cable (male to male) to Anker External Battery (or power from outlet), USB cable to Centrance, earphone/headphone of choice_:

  
_Setup with HE1000_


----------



## moedawg140

Also updated above post at the end of the main review: *Update - connectivity*


----------



## leasedeb

moedawg140 said:


> I was able to get the iPhone 6 to work with the DACport Slim:
> 
> _The contenders (I chose the lower left device - Gear Head 4 port USB hub)_:
> 
> ...


 wow that's just too much stuff, you can't even describe it in words..


----------



## maxedfx

moedawg140 said:


> I was able to get the iPhone 6 to work with the DACport Slim:
> 
> _The contenders (I chose the lower left device - Gear Head 4 port USB hub)_:
> 
> ...



It might work in a pinch, but looks very unwieldy and far from portable!

Bit good job on finding a solution!


----------



## moedawg140

maxedfx said:


> It might work in a pinch, but looks very unwieldy and far from portable!
> 
> Bit good job on finding a solution!


 
  
 This was just for demonstration purposes - to see if it could be done.  For true amp portability you can use a much shorter USB to USB male cable, smaller capacity (and therefore smaller) external battery charger, use a strap/wristband with the iPhone, hub, DAC/port Slim, and wear smaller headphones or listen to earphones.  
  
 When out and about, admittedly I want the utmost in portability, so I use the QP1R as the portable high-fidelity solution.


----------



## maxedfx

moedawg140 said:


> This was just for demonstration purposes - to see if it could be done.  For true amp portability you can use a much shorter USB to USB male cable, smaller capacity (and therefore smaller) external battery charger, use a strap/wristband with the iPhone, hub, DAC/port Slim, and wear smaller headphones or listen to earphones.
> 
> When out and about, admittedly I want the utmost in portability, so I use the QP1R as the portable high-fidelity solution.




OT, how is qp1r?? Have you used the ak120ii or 100ii?? How does it compare to them??


----------



## moedawg140

maxedfx said:


> OT, how is qp1r?? Have you used the ak120ii or 100ii?? How does it compare to them??


 
  
 Yes, this is OT, but you can post over here if you'd like: http://www.head-fi.org/t/778877/review-questyle-audio-qp1r-with-multiple-headphone-and-iem-pairings.


----------



## leasedeb

I don't know much about DAC but can the slim used with a speaker ?


----------



## maxedfx

leasedeb said:


> I don't know much about DAC but can the slim used with a speaker ?



I guess, probably with powered speakers though!


----------



## TheVortex

leasedeb said:


> I don't know much about DAC but can the slim used with a speaker ?


 
  
 The DACport slim has a lineout facility when you set the gain setting to low. If your speakers have a linein 3.5mm should be ok


----------



## vurtomatic

Tempted to join this on Massdrop and wondering if it will match a Beyer DT 990 Pro 250 Ohm well? I'm coming from an old Go-Vibe Petite attached to a Retina Macbook Pro.


----------



## RadishPower

Any comparison sound-wise vs more desktop oriented amp/dacs like the o2+odac and magni+modi?


----------



## waynes world

moedawg140 said:


> Really appreciate the comment, thanks!
> 
> *There may be something in the near future that I'll be reviewing that will be yet another option to spend your money. *This, in my opinion, will be money well spent.


 
  
 Is this perhaps what you are referring to?
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/t/785553/grace-design-x-massdrop-m9xx-dac-amp-review-first-impressions#post_12017956


----------



## moedawg140

waynes world said:


> Is this perhaps what you are referring to?
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/785553/grace-design-x-massdrop-m9xx-dac-amp-review-first-impressions#post_12017956




http://www.head-fi.org/products/grace-design-m9xx-compact-usb-dac-with-integrated-headphone-amp/reviews/14346


----------



## waynes world

moedawg140 said:


> http://www.head-fi.org/products/grace-design-m9xx-compact-usb-dac-with-integrated-headphone-amp/reviews/14346


----------



## moedawg140

waynes world said:


>


----------



## HiFiGuy528

Just got the Slim. I love the form factor! The specs are impressive for this little guy.


----------



## DaveLT

leasedeb said:


> I don't know much about DAC but can the slim used with a speaker ?


 
 That's not happening. You'd need a really sensitive speaker that doesn't exist or be prepared to hear mice from the speakers.


----------



## Bananiq

^ great first post! Welcome to Head-Fi


----------



## DaveLT

bananiq said:


> ^ great first post! Welcome to Head-Fi


 
 I tried not to be slightly sarcastic but I failed. I come from the world of Electronics Engineering.


----------



## Rodmunch

Is anyone having issues with Windows 7 not recognizing their DACport Slim after a reboot?


----------



## peter123

The LG G3 (using UAPP) works with the Slim without external power.

Power drain is severe though (3%) during one song.


----------



## moedawg140

rodmunch said:


> Is anyone having issues with Windows 7 not recognizing their DACport Slim after a reboot?




I am not, but in case you need to have the Windows (7) recognize the DACport Slim, you can set it as default, as shown here: https://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/articles/203731345-How-To-Set-The-Windows-Default-Playback-Recording-Audio-Device


----------



## morinu

rodmunch said:


> Is anyone having issues with Windows 7 not recognizing their DACport Slim after a reboot?


 
  
 I use Windows 7 and I don't have any issues after rebooting. Not sure why will that happen to you.


----------



## BobMonkhouse

Great timing. I joined the drop. I needed a dac/amp for my new Surface 3 and wanted a simple USB powered DAC/amp for it. I hope it fulfills its purpose to substitute my HIfime USB DAC + Fiio a12A and Cyin C5 which I use with my Fiio X1 as well. I also considered the newer Hifime 9018D DAC but didn't want brighter signature. I'm going to use Fidelio X2, Denon ATH-MM400 and Focal Spirit Classic with it.


----------



## organ_donor

Will this work on Nexus 6? Thanks!


----------



## grokit

The slim is plug 'n play with my galaxy tab s, it works great and has lots of power for my ad1k's


----------



## Ancient.Dream

Finally got my DACport HD yesterday 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
  
 Some shots (please forgive the horrendous overuse of the default flash):
  


Spoiler: ++





  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  


  
 It will take me some time to form proper sound impressions, but at the very least I can say that it:

Sounds good to my ears - clean and detailed.
Seems a *tiny* bit less analytical and warmer than the Microstreamer.
  
 A few things of note:

The unit runs hot, even on low gain, unless seated on something that extends the shell's heat dispersion capabilities (like my PC's chassis).
The gain switch is unreachable with just my fingers and requires something akin to a toothpick to operate (see last shot).
Like many others, I didn't receive a usb cable with my unit - luckily, I have 2 that are compatible.
The unit works like a charm with my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 with USB Audio Player PRO.
Win10 x64 UD driver observations on my PC (I hope these issues are fixed soon):
DirectSound doesn't work. Apparently, at all.
ASIO exclusive mode is lacking - while playing in ASIO, sound is still fed to the unit when other applications try to play sounds, causing crackles and interference with the ASIO thread.
The unit works properly as a windows playback device only when both the unit and the windows playback settings point specifically to 384Khz and 32bit.

  
 That's all for now.
 M.


----------



## moedawg140

organ_donor said:


> Will this work on Nexus 6? Thanks!


 
  
 If the Nexus 6 isn't plug and play, it should be able to work with the DACport Slim via USB hub, such the Cute USB Mini 2-port Hub.  Pictures of the Cute hub (and the connection) are in my m9XX review (in my profile).  Instead of plugging into the power USB port of the m9XX with a power source (external battery charger or outlet power), I plug the second USB (power source) into the second Cute hub port.
  


ancient.dream said:


> Finally got my DACport HD yesterday
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks for the DACport HD post.  Just like the DACport Slim (review is on the first page), you can use the tip of the micro USB cable (no toothpick/pin necessary) to select the gain from "LOW" to "HIGH" and vice-versa.


----------



## leasedeb

peter123 said:


> The LG G3 (using UAPP) works with the Slim without external power.
> 
> Power drain is severe though (3%) during one song.



Thank you for that, I have a LG G3 and was wondering for a little while if it could power the dacport slim without external power,
About your 3% drain for one song, could you tell me if its really as you say? Like10 song, you go from 80% to ~~50%? Did you use a hard to drive headphones?
Did you have some apps running in the background ?
Thank you


----------



## peter123

leasedeb said:


> Thank you for that, I have a LG G3 and was wondering for a little while if it could power the dacport slim without external power,
> About your 3% drain for one song, could you tell me if its really as you say? Like10 song, you go from 80% to ~~50%? Did you use a hard to drive headphones?
> Did you have some apps running in the background ?
> Thank you




I used very easy to drive IEM's.

After some further testing I'd say it's even 3-5%. The Slim is quite powerful (450mW) and that's not really possible without using a lot of (in phone terms) power in as well. I wouldn't say it's realistic to use it this way. It works great with an external battery as well but it's a rather bulky set up best intended for home use.


----------



## MilhouseV

peter123 said:


> I used very easy to drive IEM's.
> 
> After some further testing I'd say it's even 3-5%. The Slim is quite powerful (450mW) and that's not really possible without using a lot of (in phone terms) power in as well. I wouldn't say it's realistic to use it this way. It works great with an external battery as well but it's a rather bulky set up best intended for home use.


 
 Since both Slim and HD are Class A amplifiers, power consumption will be constant, regardless of the actual load of the headphones.  So expect 450mW + DAC (about 170-190mW) for Slim, and 775mW + DAC (almost 1W total) for the HD version.
  
 Requirements for AK4490 DAC might be lower or a bit higher, I'm just too lazy to look up the spec. )))


----------



## eli0001

For anyone interested in setting this up to use with an android phone, here is my take so far. HTC One M8 will NOT power it natively, it just clicks, there's not eough power on usb otg. I have it wired up with a Y cable and a portable charger, and it works great, HOWEVER, it is still draining the battery of the phone at about 650 mA, or almost a percent a minute. I have a mini hub coming like moedawg140 says he used, and hopefully that will get me a good setup that will last through a flight or so.
  
 This is my first high-end source, it sounds very slightly cleaner than the headphone output of the HTC One M8, I am using it with Nad Viso HP50 mostly, also Sennheiser IE80 (slight hiss), Senn Amperior, HD558, and Havi B3 Pro1. Most of these are run on low gain at or near max volume, the Havi B3's need high gain. On high gain, I can hear a slight hiss on all headphones, so I keep it on low.


----------



## niron

Does it (the DACport Slim) work directly with the Fiio X1 DAP?
  
 Is there an easy way to connect between the two and listen to my music directly from the Slim?
  
 Thanks!


----------



## peter123

niron said:


> Does it (the DACport Slim) work directly with the Fiio X1 DAP?
> 
> Is there an easy way to connect between the two and listen to my music directly from the Slim?
> 
> Thanks!




I'm 99% sure that the X1 doesn't support usb audio out so the answer to your question is no, it's not possible to connect the two.


----------



## niron

peter123 said:


> I'm 99% sure that the X1 doesn't support usb audio out so the answer to your question is no, it's not possible to connect the two.


 
  
 Thanks! Thinking about it, I guess you are right.
  
 What about a 3.5mm audio Y splitter, do you think it can work? 
  
 Something like this one: http://amzn.to/1kBpbXU


----------



## eeagle

The 3.5mm Audio Y Splitter Cable for Headphones would allow 2 sets of headphones to be used with the DACport, but would not help it connect to a phone or DAP.


----------



## niron

eeagle said:


> The 3.5mm Audio Y Splitter Cable for Headphones would allow 2 sets of headphones to be used with the DACport, but would not help it connect to a phone or DAP.


 
  
 Bummer. Thanks!


----------



## leasedeb

using dacport slim with LG g3 :
20 minutes and 5 songs with wifi tidal lossless, screen off: 
Gone from 37% to 31%.
Seems fine to me .


----------



## Wubalubadubdub

Is slim plug n play with Galaxy s5 and otg?


----------



## peter123

leasedeb said:


> using dacport slim with LG g3 :
> 20 minutes and 5 songs with wifi tidal lossless, screen off:
> Gone from 37% to 31%.
> Seems fine to me .




That's close to 20% per hour which to me is pretty heavy. I'd guess it depends on what you use your phone for through the rest of the day.......


----------



## Sonido

wubalubadubdub said:


> Is slim plug n play with Galaxy s5 and otg?


 

 20% of the time it is. Other 80% the sound comes through distorted. Just unplug and replug to try again until you get it working.


----------



## niron

Got it from Massdrop... and looking forward to upgrade my experience with Spotify in my office.


----------



## BobMonkhouse

I'm also waiting for mine to arrive from the recent drop. I'm curious to compare it to my current combo - HiFimeDIY DAC + Cayin C5 or Fiio F12A. I just hope more stable drivers are released sooner rather than later.


----------



## Wubalubadubdub

sonido said:


> 20% of the time it is. Other 80% the sound comes through distorted. Just unplug and replug to try again until you get it working.




How long does it last when you get it to work?


----------



## earfonia

moedawg140 said:


> *Review: CEntrance DACport Slim DAC/Amp Combo*​  ​  ​ ........
> 
> *Firmware update -- DACport Slim only*
> 
> ...


 
  
 Thanks a lot for the review! Especially the firmware upgrade link!
 Honestly CEntrance website is not very user friendly for getting support when we have problem.
  
 I had issue with USB compatibility on my HP 2560p EliteBook. None of the USB ports were compatible with the DACport Slim. Spent hours to troubleshoot until I read about that firmware upgrade that eventually solved the USB compatibility issue. I ordered the DACport Slim recently in October from Massdrop, but seems that I got the older batch with old firmware.
  
 I have another problem with DACport Slim and Foobar2000 v1.3.3.
 Most of the time I use foobar WASAPI driver with all my DACs, and so far all my DACs are compatible with the WASAPI driver, and automatically switch the sampling rate accordingly when I switch from one sampling rate to other sampling rate. *The problem is, DACport Slim is not compatible with the WASAPI driver*. So, when switching sampling rate, or if we have a compilation of different tracks with different sampling rates, for example moving from 24/96 files to 24/44 files, I got error:
  
 "Unrecoverable playback error: Unsupported stream format: 44100 Hz / 24-bit / 2 channels"
  
 Then I have to go to CEntrace control panel and switch the sampling rate manually in order to play the file. Very very annoying!
 The option of 'ASIO host can change' the sampling rate never worked so far.
  

  
  
 Does anyone have the solution how to make CEntrace DACport Slim compatible with WASAPI driver?
  
 Thank you!


----------



## earfonia

Problem solved. Suddenly there is this option appear on foobar:
  

  
 Using the CEntrance ASIO driver solved the sampling rate selection problem.


----------



## Sonido

wubalubadubdub said:


> How long does it last when you get it to work?



Until you unplug it or the power runs out or someone calls your phone


----------



## Wubalubadubdub

Thanks dude


----------



## leasedeb

Anyone tried the dacport slim with 250ohm impedance headphone? How is it ? 
Thank you


----------



## Neotribal

I use it with my HD600 (300ohm) and it works great. Plenty of volume available (high gain mode)


----------



## Bananiq

Today I received Dacport Slim,
 good present for my brithday 
  
 does anyone know where can I get - Micro USB -> Micro USB (male to male) cable?


----------



## Bananiq

my current favorite things 

First impression dacport is more polite than go720


----------



## MilhouseV

bananiq said:


> Today I received Dacport Slim,
> good present for my brithday
> 
> does anyone know where can I get - Micro USB -> Micro USB (male to male) cable?


 
 ​
 Are you looking for microUSB OTG cable to connect it to a smartphone? then this could work for you, assuming your phone provides enough power over USB


----------



## Bananiq

Thank you, kind Sir. This is what I wanted, but does not ship to Europe. Maybe something on Aliexpress? I hadnt luck finding.


----------



## peter123

bananiq said:


> Thank you, kind Sir. This is what I wanted, but does not ship to Europe. Maybe something on Aliexpress? I hadnt luck finding.




I've bought mine of eBay so might be worth checking there.

Let me know if you don't find it and I'll send you the link where I bought from but I won't be home to do it until Sunday night.


----------



## niron

bananiq said:


> Thank you, kind Sir. This is what I wanted, but does not ship to Europe. Maybe something on Aliexpress? I hadnt luck finding.


 
  
  
 Take a look at this one http://ebay.eu/1N0dRQe


----------



## peter123

niron said:


> Take a look at this one http://ebay.eu/1N0dRQe




That's the one I've got, thanks!


----------



## peter123

Hey guys, my take on the Slim:
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/products/centrance-dacport-slim/reviews/14592


----------



## Bananiq

peter123 said:


> Hey guys, my take on the Slim:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/products/centrance-dacport-slim/reviews/14592


 

 Great review! thank you


----------



## Bananiq

So I had few days to play with Dacport Slim, and must say on out of the box listen I was not impressed. Sound was too polite and lacked authority.
 But that impression faded quickly after some hours of burn in. Now this is my favorite device. I never heard what of potential R2PRO and R2A have until I got Dacport Slim. I thought GO720 is great  device to pair with Flares but this is even better. Flares R2 shine best on high gain.
  
  first Go720 vs Dacport Slim impressions: I noticed that these two units output almost same volume level (Dacport Slim on high gain), on my Flares. GeekOut seems more punchy and energetic, little brighter in tone. However it has blacker background and lower noise ( I suppose better USB filtering?).
 Dacport Slim has much deeper soundstage and better timbre. However I find that there are some EMI noises when I put my iPhone next to Dacport Slim. Also few times my Iphone blocked the volume control on my Dacport Slim ! it just didnt work and the volume stayed the same regardless of movement but the music kept playing. Did this happen to anybody? I needed to replug Dacport Slim to volume knob work again. I thought the volume knob is analog part not digital.
 Also I like build quality of GO more, the Dacport Slim volume knob is amazing indeed but I find it easily to be accidentally adjusted. It should be covered more.
  
 Anyways DacportSlim is amazing value at 130 Euros TAX + shipping included. Great sounding little device.


----------



## moedawg140

Glad to read you enjoy the sound the DACport Slim, @Bananiq!


----------



## leasedeb

is this the only "true" review of the dacport slim ?


----------



## Hi-Fi EDU

I'm not sure what you mean by "true" but there's also this one:
  
 http://www.head-fi.org/products/centrance-dacport-slim/reviews/14592


----------



## mrflarp

I got one of these a few months back (early September, so maybe 1st or 2nd drop?). There was a bit of a hiccup getting going on my Windows desktop (would only work when plugged into the USB 2.0 ports), but that really didn't matter to me, as my intended use was with my Macbook as a portable DAC/Amp. For that, it has worked great (no drivers needed, and no USB issues - actual plug & play). This is a pretty versatile little DAC/Amp. It works well with the IEMs I've tried (Westone 3, Brainwavz S5) (on low gain). Full-size headphones get a bit trickier. For easier to drive sets (K553 and M-100 are what I use primarily at the office), it does very well on low or high gain. It drives the K7XX very well (which I understand was one of the design goals). On my DT 990 250 ohm, on low gain, output wasn't especially high, but certainly listenable. On high gain, can start getting to uncomfortable volumes, but it also starts to sound a bit strained.
  
 I primarily use the DACport Slim with IEMs and closed headphones (since I mainly use it at work), and the ones I've tried have all paired very nicely with it. For what they're dropping, it really is a great deal.


----------



## dabotsonline

fishyee said:


> The difference between the Slim and HD ...  what the extra $100 buys you.  Hope this helps someone.
> 
> http://centrance.com/products/dacport/
> 
> ...


 
  
 Big thanks for this comparison.
  
 In comparison to their portable peers in a similar price bracket, it's a shame that, unlike the Cozoy Aegis and presumably forthcoming Shozy / Cozoy device that Amos Barnett / @Currawong tested, the Slim and HD do not forgo the need for Camera Connection Kit (on 30-Pin Apple), Lightning to USB Camera Adapter (on newer Apple) or USB OTG adapter (on microUSB Android). Incidentally, has anyone tried the Slim or HD on a Nexus 5X or 6P when simply using a USB Type-A to Type-C adapter?
  
 It is also unfortunate that, unlike the Meridian Explorer 1, the Slim and HD do not include an optical output at up to 192kHz / 24-bit and 384kHz / 32-bit respectively - although, unlike the Explorer 1, it would be far better to integrate this into the standard 3.5mm earphone port, as on Apple devices and the Chromecast Audio, rather than including a second 3.5mm port.
  
 It would also be nice if a 2016 revision introduced MQA decoding like the Explorer 2, although I'm not sure what DAC chip Meridian use. Perhaps they will explain more in a few days at CES when the partnership with TIDAL is announced in greater detail.


----------



## IvanQ

What is the rate of DSD (2.8, 5.6)??? I can't get an answer on this question since this product was announced.


----------



## sheldaze

ivanq said:


> What is the rate of DSD (2.8, 5.6)??? I can't get an answer on this question since this product was announced.


 
 5.6


----------



## Fungus

I have a centrance dacport lx with is supposably a dacport (dac/amp) but without the dac section. 
 However after doing some research, the dacport lx does actually contain the same amp inside but is buffered. 
 So from my laptop windows 7 or my android lg g3 phone with my headphones directly plug without an amp, the buffered amp section of the dacport lx is automatically on max and so with the absence of a volume control, is adjusted via the digital control on the laptop /android device.
 Howeve with the dacport lx connected to a headphones amp, the same digital control is present that effects the volume the same way.
 So how do I know for sure that the amp connected to the dacport lx is not just double amping the buffered amp section of the dacport lx instead of completely bypassing the amp section.
 I am using the usb audio player pro because my lg g3 doesn't support usb otg native.


----------



## sheldaze

fungus said:


> I have a centrance dacport lx with is supposably a dacport (dac/amp) but without the dac section.
> However after doing some research, the dacport lx does actually contain the same amp inside but is buffered.
> So from my laptop windows 7 or my android lg g3 phone with my headphones directly plug without an amp, the buffered amp section of the dacport lx is automatically on max and so with the absence of a volume control, is adjusted via the digital control on the laptop /android device.
> Howeve with the dacport lx connected to a headphones amp, the same digital control is present that effects the volume the same way.
> ...


 
 FYI, the DACport LX is a completely different generation of product. The current generation, and the topic of this thread, are the DACport Slim and the quite similar DACport HD, released in 2015.
  
 You may still find some responses here, but your product was released 2010-2011.


----------



## Fungus

sheldaze said:


> FYI, the DACport LX is a completely different generation of product. The current generation, and the topic of this thread, are the DACport Slim and the quite similar DACport HD, released in 2015.
> 
> You may still find some responses here, but your product was released 2010-2011.


 
 yes I know but since this is a newer thread I thought I would get more response.
 So can anybody shed some light on this?


----------



## KraftD1

Dacport LX is the older version without the amp, it is a usb DAC only, so just hook it up to an amp and you are good to go. In terms of system volume control, no sure.


----------



## Fungus

kraftd1 said:


> Dacport LX is the older version without the amp, it is a usb DAC only, so just hook it up to an amp and you are good to go. In terms of system volume control, no sure.




No the lx does have an amp. It just doesn't have volume control.


----------



## KraftD1

fungus said:


> No the lx does have an amp. It just doesn't have volume control.


 

 Making it a DAC essentially, which is what it was marketed as.  Turn volume to max on your computer and control with the amp you hook up is the usual advice.


----------



## Fungus

kraftd1 said:


> Making it a DAC essentially, which is what it was marketed as.  Turn volume to max on your computer and control with the amp you hook up is the usual advice.


 
 Actually it's false marketing by Centrace stating the lx to be a dac when it is essentially a dacport with the same amp but locked at line-level and the only only difference between the dacport and lx is the dacport uses a volume potentiometer and lx using fixed-resistor divider. 
 So in a nutshell, anyone looking to plug in an external amp to the lx will just be double amping the fixed max volume of the interanal amp. 
 This is why if I directly plug in headphones to the lx without an attached amp, the amp is still in use. 
 You don't hear other companies companies releasing stand alone dac but with an amp section not publicly advertised. The lx is obviously marketed towards people who are looking to connect with an external amp so if the public knew about the truth, I doubt the product would sell.


----------



## peter123

fungus said:


> Actually it's false marketing by Centrace stating the lx to be a dac when it is essentially a dacport with the same amp but locked at line-level and the only only difference between the dacport and lx is the dacport uses a volume potentiometer and lx using fixed-resistor divider.
> 
> 
> So in a nutshell, anyone looking to plug in an external amp to the lx will just be double amping the fixed max volume of the interanal amp.
> ...




I really don't understand what you're trying to say but it's normal for a DAC only device to have just a line out and not a volume control. If this is not what you're complaining about then I'm sorry if I've misunderstood.


----------



## DaveLT

fungus said:


> Actually it's false marketing by Centrace stating the lx to be a dac when it is essentially a dacport with the same amp but locked at line-level and the only only difference between the dacport and lx is the dacport uses a volume potentiometer and lx using fixed-resistor divider.
> So in a nutshell, anyone looking to plug in an external amp to the lx will just be double amping the fixed max volume of the interanal amp.
> This is why if I directly plug in headphones to the lx without an attached amp, the amp is still in use.
> You don't hear other companies companies releasing stand alone dac but with an amp section not publicly advertised. The lx is obviously marketed towards people who are looking to connect with an external amp so if the public knew about the truth, I doubt the product would sell.


 
 Do you know that all DACs usually need a opamp?


----------



## Fungus

peter123 said:


> I really don't understand what you're trying to say but it's normal for a DAC only device to have just a line out and not a volume control. If this is not what you're complaining about then I'm sorry if I've misunderstood.


 
 no I perfectly understand it's normal for a DAC only unit to not have volume control, it's the fact the lx claims to be a digital to analog converter when it actually consists of a amp that is not publicly advertised.


----------



## Fungus

davelt said:


> Do you know that all DACs usually need a opamp?


 
 .


----------



## Armaegis

Double-amping is not the evil that some people make it out to be.
  
 Virtually all dac chips require some sort of buffer on the outputs. In many cases, there is also an I/V conversion stage before that. Sometimes the converter also provides the buffering necessary.
  
 If your buffer can provide enough current and is stable driving a reactive load while maintaining your desired specifications, then the difference compared to an amp is largely semantic.


----------



## waxdoctor

this is what I found at mass drop - replied by CEntrance:
  
 "...due to special mode filtering we employ in the AK4490 (our secret sauce), there is more clarity in the midrange and a punchier bass. "


milhousev said:


> Short Delay Sharp Roll-off is the default configuration, which is used on most AK4490-based devices.  Based on the sound signature of my DACport HD, that appears to be the case here as well.


----------



## ikit

a new Dacportable is out at Indiegogo : https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dacportable-listen-to-music-everywhere--4/x/13480819#/


----------



## flac4me

I just received my DACPort Slim from the last MassDrop. Does anyone know what is the burn-in period for this dac?


----------



## Riisalat

flac4me said:


> I just received my DACPort Slim from the last MassDrop. Does anyone know what is the burn-in period for this dac?



I dont think dacs have/need a burn in period.


----------



## flac4me

riisalat said:


> I dont think dacs have/need a burn in period.


 
 Completed a 50 hour burn in. I did notice a sonic difference after 3 hours. The sound was smoother and more musical. Did not notice any further changes at 24 hours or at 50 hours.
  
 Also noted that the DAC is running a lot cooler after 24 hours.


----------



## RockStar2005

Moedawg,

Awesome review!

So at higher volumes, you noticed NO graininess occurring while listening on headphones? 

Also, how is this vs. the Cozoy Astrapi (if you've tried that out)? One reviewer on here said the Astrapi got grainy at higher volumes. I didn't notice that, but still. Also, which one gets louder if you know?

Thanks.


----------



## justvinh

Hey guys anyone here find white noise when pairing with IEMs, some people on MD have reported they find ground noise when pairing the dacport with sensitive IEMs. Since moedawg claimed he does not find hiss or noise with SE846 its pretty confusing...


----------



## khanhnhatle

justvinh said:


> Hey guys anyone here find white noise when pairing with IEMs, some people on MD have reported they find ground noise when pairing the dacport with sensitive IEMs. Since moedawg claimed he does not find hiss or noise with SE846 its pretty confusing...


 
 I tried to pair the Dunu DN-2000 with it and at low gain, the noise was very audible.


----------



## Riisalat

It might be due to a poor usb audio supply, you guys should try the new jitterbug from audioquest for 50 dollars. I had ground loop static but it seemed to absent when i was using the laptop from battery.


----------



## justvinh

I think the ground noise have more to do with the gain level, when the power output itself is too high sensitive IEMs are prone to ground noise


----------



## Riisalat

that can be plausible. I dont think the background was exactly black either but i didnt use very sensitive iems !


----------



## justvinh

riisalat said:


> that can be plausible. I dont think the background was exactly black either but i didnt use very sensitive iems !



This is actually a bummer, i guess i would be staying with my Fulla and getting a desk stack unit instead


----------



## justvinh

khanhnhatle said:


> I tried to pair the Dunu DN-2000 with it and at low gain, the noise was very audible.


 
As in my schiit fulla I also find ground noise when the volume knob exceed normal listenning volume, but if i set the volume knob at normal listenning level it is perfectly fine, I dont get a clear background but really no audible noise at all. The dacport on the other hand remain the constant noise even when the volume is turned all the way down... Im not sure if it is because of the digital volume control.


----------



## Riisalat

N





justvinh said:


> This is actually a bummer, i guess i would be staying with my Fulla and getting a desk stack unit instead


trust me this is a crazy good unit. Its black, the background is perfectly fine unless you want to b3 completely anal ! I have been using the unit with everything and have also used it with a vali and a k7xx it was absolute perfection. The noise floor is great but if you want i can compare it to my fiio X1, E10K after i get home from work.


----------



## khanhnhatle

justvinh said:


> As in my schiit fulla I also find ground noise when the volume knob exceed normal listenning volume, but if i set the volume knob at normal listenning level it is perfectly fine, I dont get a clear background but really no audible noise at all. The dacport on the other hand remain the constant noise even when the volume is turned all the way down... Im not sure if it is because of the digital volume control.


 
 It also depends on your phone. The Dacport Slim can drive full size headphones really well - and I believe that this is probably what it was designed for. I even drove my planar Alpha Dog to satisfying volume level. No noise on this one, of course.
 As for the Dunu DN-2000, it was a very sensitive IEM. And with it I definitely hear constant noise, either with volume up or down. When you play music, it might drown out some of that, but still, one could find it a bit annoying.
 What phone do you use? The Dacport Slim is quite good, but I believe you should buy something that suit your need. If you use sensitive IEMs, it is a better idea to look for something with a lower noise floor.


----------



## justvinh

I own the JVC fx850 which I think is quite sensitive, and the AKG K553 which is also easy to drive. Maybe I should stick to the Schiit Fulla and save up for a Schiit stack.


----------



## Riisalat

justvinh said:


> I own the JVC fx850 which I think is quite sensitive, and the AKG K553 which is also easy to drive. Maybe I should stick to the Schiit Fulla and save up for a Schiit stack.


if you own the schiit fulla its better if you save up for desktop setup although i wouldn't recommend the entry level schiit stack. I think the centrance would be on the same level as the entry stack. The centrance has the AKM 4490 DAC chip which is the upgrade for the schiit bifrost so thats the schiit bifrost plus the upgrade. Which stack are you looking at though?


----------



## justvinh

Magni/modi 2, but Im quite sure the DAC chip alone wil not decide the audio quality... The Schiit stack get AC power and have proper shielding so I guess I dont have to deal with the noise.


----------



## punkmanmatthew

This massdrop addition one works great with my Note 5.


----------



## Riisalat

Works with my old note 3 as well


----------



## U-3C

Considering getting a cheap external dac/amp combo, and I was seriously debating between the E17 and the Schiit Fulla, and now I am introduced to the CEntrance DACport Slim on Massdrop. Since the Massdrop is over in a few days, is it okay for somebody to kindly share their opinions on each, or link comparisons by others? I just started my research, so I'm not sure if I can really find enough info and make a good decision in less than 3 days on my own.
  
 Thanks in advance!


----------



## nickthehero

So, I just bought my own CEntrance DAC/amp, (and Sennheiser HD600s, oh yeah) and I really want to connect it to my Ipod nano, which is the newest generation (7th gen). I see people on here doing it with their iPhones and iPads, but I was wondering if anyone knew if that would work with my Nano. And how would I do it?


----------



## moedawg140

nickthehero said:


> So, I just bought my own CEntrance DAC/amp, (and Sennheiser HD600s, oh yeah) and I really want to connect it to my Ipod nano, which is the newest generation (7th gen). I see people on here doing it with their iPhones and iPads, but I was wondering if anyone knew if that would work with my Nano. And how would I do it?


 
  
 Welcome to Head-Fi!  The newest generation is the 8th Gen (I own it because of a recall on my 1st gen).  You can connect to the DACport Slim the same way that I connect to my iPhone 6 (first post/my review in this thread).
  
 Good luck and let us know how it goes!


----------



## nickthehero

Oh, I didn't know that the 8th gen came out, lol. But yeah, thanks so much, and I'll definitely let you know if it goes well.


----------



## moedawg140

nickthehero said:


> Oh, I didn't know that the 8th gen came out, lol. But yeah, thanks so much, and I'll definitely let you know if it goes well.


 
  
 Yes, it's out. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 No worries at all, and take care.


----------



## AndySPb

Hi, moedawg140
  
 I saw you also posted th-x00 review, can you be so kind to comment on comparison of these headphones with dacport slim and with grace m9xx. I really don't wish to spend 5 times more money for grace, but as I understand m9xx output resistance is 0.08ohm and dacport slim have 1ohm which make it worse synergy with th-x00.. But is it really much worse details/noise/soundstage? Really need your suggestion. Thanks in advance.


----------



## niron

CEntrance has officially released their latest firmware update (Rev. 7.9.5) which is supposed to run flawlessly on Windows 10 http://www.centrance.com/downloads/ud/


----------



## moedawg140

andyspb said:


> Hi, moedawg140
> 
> I saw you also posted th-x00 review, can you be so kind to comment on comparison of these headphones with dacport slim and with grace m9xx. I really don't wish to spend 5 times more money for grace, but as I understand m9xx output resistance is 0.08ohm and dacport slim have 1ohm which make it worse synergy with th-x00.. But is it really much worse details/noise/soundstage? Really need your suggestion. Thanks in advance.


 
  
 Sorry for the delay - during the time you sent this, I was dealing with a troll, and didn't get to answer.  Make sure to add an "@", like this: @moedawg140, so I can know for sure you mentioned me.  Thanks in advance.
  
 To answer your question and not go into too much detail:
  
 The DACport Slim and the m9XX are exemplary for their respective prices.
  
 If you don't mind a little bass lift with the DACport Slim compared to the m9XX and less clarity, the DACport Slim is a great choice.
  
 The m9XX is more detailed, coherent and resolute than the DACport Slim, but is more reference/balanced in sound than the DACport Slim - so the m9XX can be a great choice as well.
  
 With regard to the resistance figures, I wouldn't worry about those too much, as listening to both with your setup and coming up with your own favorite DAC/amp is what really matters.  I do understand that you may not be able to listen to both before you purchase, but I wouldn't worry about paper measurements (especially these specific resistance measurements) too much.  It's all about overall synergy of the entire setup and how it individually sounds to you, in my opinion. 
  
 If you only have $100 to spend, the DACport Slim is great.  If you can, or want to spend more for an auditory upgrade in my opinion, then the m9XX is great for its price.
  
 Hope this helps.
  
  


niron said:


> CEntrance has officially released their latest firmware update (Rev. 7.9.5) which is supposed to run flawlessly on Windows 10 http://www.centrance.com/downloads/ud/


 
  
 Thanks for the post!  I didn't have an issue with Windows 10 before the update, and 7.9.5 works great with the DACport Slim and Windows 10.  Thanks again!


----------



## AndySPb

moedawg140 said:


> Hope this helps.




That really helps! Thanks a lot for your advise.


----------



## demi9od1

I received my DACport Slim about a week ago with the intent to use it at work.  Tested it at home first and it worked flawlessly.  Unfortunately my laptop at work has issues with music playback when stressing the CPU with other tasks.  I'd hoped the USB rather than onboard DAC would alleviate the issues, but it did not.  Audio was still skipping when closing large Chrome tabs down and booting virtual machines.
  
 Next alternative was to use my HTC M8 with the DACport.  Though it worked, the audio had very brief interruptions every 10-15 seconds.  I now blame this on my Lollipop 5.0 ROM but didn't want to go through the hassle of upgrading to Marshmallow.  Final alternative was blowing the dust off my Nexus 7 2013 tablet (Android 6.0) and using that with the DACport.  Total success.  No chopping, loud clear audio, and with a Y-cable off Amazon the DACport is being powered and the Nexus 7 is being charged via external power.


----------



## sludgeogre

demi9od1 said:


> I received my DACport Slim about a week ago with the intent to use it at work.  Tested it at home first and it worked flawlessly.  Unfortunately my laptop at work has issues with music playback when stressing the CPU with other tasks.  I'd hoped the USB rather than onboard DAC would alleviate the issues, but it did not.  Audio was still skipping when closing large Chrome tabs down and booting virtual machines.
> 
> Next alternative was to use my HTC M8 with the DACport.  Though it worked, the audio had very brief interruptions every 10-15 seconds.  I now blame this on my Lollipop 5.0 ROM but didn't want to go through the hassle of upgrading to Marshmallow.  Final alternative was blowing the dust off my Nexus 7 2013 tablet (Android 6.0) and using that with the DACport.  Total success.  No chopping, loud clear audio, and with a Y-cable off Amazon the DACport is being powered and the Nexus 7 is being charged via external power.


 
  
 I had a lot of issues on my work laptop with skipping on different DACs. I finally fixed it by using Foobar 2000 and setting the buffer length to something farily high (at least 6000 ms). Stuttering was almost completely gone after that, only happens extremely rarely when I'm doing a ton of stuff at once.


----------



## demi9od1

sludgeogre said:


> I had a lot of issues on my work laptop with skipping on different DACs. I finally fixed it by using Foobar 2000 and setting the buffer length to something farily high (at least 6000 ms). Stuttering was almost completely gone after that, only happens extremely rarely when I'm doing a ton of stuff at once.


 
  
 This is sacrilege I know, but I do most of my playback via Google Music. Good tip though, I'll try it for local albums.


----------



## sludgeogre

demi9od1 said:


> This is sacrilege I know, but I do most of my playback via Google Music. Good tip though, I'll try it for local albums.


 
 I'd be using Tidal or Spotify or something, but the internet at my work is so bad I can't even do that.
  
 Anyway, back to topic, I bought this DAC for my brother for his birthday, and I bought him Beyerdynamic DTX 910 headphones for Christmas, so he has a halfway decent setup now and he's totally in love with it. Really happy with how it turned out.


----------



## mayorblurps

Picked up the DacPort Slim on the last drop because of all the amazing reviews and I was looking for a USB type amp/dac combo. Just got around to opening it up today. Before I plugged into my PC I decided to give it a go on my Nexus 6p to see if it would work. Well I'm happy to report that this tiny piece of kit + the Fostex TH-X00 mahogany sound absolutely amazing out of my phone. I didn't think anything could really improve the sound of music from my phone (beyond viper4android, decent headphones, dedicated portable amp/dac and high quality lossy or lossless files) but the Slim makes even Google Music sound better. I'm not a pure audiophile by any means, but I know when something produces much better sound and quality of sound. 

Quite impressed with the Slim, especially for the price and size. And being able to use with phone/tablet and PC? Icing on the cake. Definitely worth the price of admission so far.


----------



## asak

This thing is seriously good. The excuse of the gain is too high so your IEM's will hiss is dismissed. You can turn high gain on and it won't hiss. No treble glare, maybe a little bass boost, and a lot of detail. Sounds good with low quality source material and even better with high. No weird glitches. 
  
 In my opinion, this should be a reference piece. Jitter seems minimal, plenty of power, picks up minimal EMI, is plenty neutral. 
  
 Using with UERM, JH13, JH5, 1964 U6, Cardas A8, PSB M4U 4. The people that made this know what they're doing.


----------



## terlingua

niron said:


> CEntrance has officially released their latest firmware update (Rev. 7.9.5) which is supposed to run flawlessly on Windows 10 http://www.centrance.com/downloads/ud/


 
 Thank you, I didn't check Centrance web lately. Last time when I used my Dacport Slim I had issue with W10. Going to install/update firmware tonight .


----------



## Venture Guy

There is a pristine, pre-owned Slim available here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/807606/centrance-dacport-slim-better-than-new


----------



## SleepingLesson

This is back on Massdrop for $99.


----------



## Floss99

punkmanmatthew said:


> This massdrop addition one works great with my Note 5.




Does it work off streaming services like spotify or only though uapp? Also do you need an external powerbank to be connected at the same time due to battery draw over usb? Thanks!


----------



## TheReds

mayorblurps said:


> Before I plugged into my PC I decided to give it a go on my Nexus 6p to see if it would work. Well I'm happy to report that this tiny piece of kit + the Fostex TH-X00 mahogany sound absolutely amazing out of my phone.


 
  
 Hey @mayorblurps, I have a Nexus 5X, and just joined the drop. Mainly using the Slim with my laptop setup at work, but curious if I'd be able to get away with powering it straight from the phone without any type of splitter/hub/powerbank business? In your review, were you powering straight from the 6P (usb c <-> usb micro cable)? If so, was the battery drain pretty significant? 
  
 I know others have posted about direct phone usage, and either not working unless using a supplemental power bank, or battery drain when directly connected too much. Didn't know if there would be any difference for the newer Nexus phones with type c though, hence the question. Any help appreciated, thanks!


----------



## Earbones

Can anyone who's sensitive to hiss confirm the OP's experience of zero hiss with the SE846?
  
 From my experience with that IEM, the Slim's 1Ohm impedance rating shouldn't jive with a hiss-free experience... I've found the SE846 (with stock cable) usually requires an impedance of around .7 and below to be inky black...


----------



## moedawg140

earbones said:


> Can anyone who's sensitive to hiss confirm the OP's experience of zero hiss with the SE846?
> 
> From my experience with that IEM, the Slim's 1Ohm impedance rating shouldn't jive with a hiss-free experience... I've found the SE846 (with stock cable) usually requires an impedance of around .7 and below to be inky black...




Please read the hiss/background noise section in my QP1R review if you haven't already.


----------



## Earbones

moedawg140 said:


> Please read the hiss/background noise section in my QP1R review if you haven't already.


 

 Yup, I'm familiar with the individual/physiological/hardware factors that contribute to one hearing hiss, and I'm assuming you're not someone who's overly sensitive to hiss in the first place?
  
 Folks who are and own the SE846 know what I'm referring to, concerning a device's impedance and those IEMs... Generally you want .7 or below. But there are exceptions...
  
 Question stands: any hiss-sensitive heads listened to the Slim with some SE846?


----------



## moedawg140

earbones said:


> Yup, I'm familiar with the individual/physiological/hardware factors that contribute to one hearing hiss, and I'm assuming you're not someone who's overly sensitive to hiss in the first place?
> 
> Folks who are and own the SE846 know what I'm referring to, concerning a device's impedance and those IEMs... Generally you want .7 or below. But there are exceptions...
> 
> Question stands: any hiss-sensitive heads listened to the Slim with some SE846?


 
  
 I tried again, with the most up to date driver and I heard no discernible hiss.  You will want/need to use Low Gain with the SE846 since having the DACport Slim on High Gain and just a little bit of volume is way too much for the sensitive SE846.  This said, no matter what other's experience with the SE846 and the DACport Slim will mean that your experience will be the same.  It's good to get a lot of points of data from "hiss-sensitive" and non-sensitive heads (what really specifically constitutes that? [rhetorical question]), but again, you may or may not hear hiss, for many reasons that you have read.
  
 Best thing to do is to listen to the specific combination yourself for you to come to your own individual conclusion with regards to if there is background noise/hiss to your ears.
  
 Take care.


----------



## Jimmy101

Subbed


----------



## MrBenvolent

earbones said:


> Can anyone who's sensitive to hiss confirm the OP's experience of zero hiss with the SE846?
> 
> From my experience with that IEM, the Slim's 1Ohm impedance rating shouldn't jive with a hiss-free experience... I've found the SE846 (with stock cable) usually requires an impedance of around .7 and below to be inky black...


 

 Mine has a noticeable level of background hiss using both my Shure SE530 and my Pandora Sonorous VI, even on low gain.
  
 The sound is good, but the hiss between tracks or even on very, very quiet sections of music is noticeable and slightly disappointing. I have no such issues with my old, original DACPort (the tubular one)
  
 I even emailed DacPort and was told "it was normal with very sensitive earphones, especially those with balanced armature drivers" - which both the above have.
  
 If noise floor bothers you and you are sensitive to it, you may want to try before you buy - I have gone back to using my original DacPort!


----------



## zombywoof

Late to the party here, but seriously considering this from the current Massdrop offering.  I am planning to use this on both my home laptop and work laptop running Windows Vista (yeah, I know, but the damn thing is still working great) and Windows 7, respectively.  Has anyone had any experience using the DACport Slim with Vista?


----------



## froxmor

How does it compare vs. E10K Olympus 2?


----------



## Riisalat

froxmor said:


> How does it compare vs. E10K Olympus 2?


 


 this is on a whole different league. i own both of them, the E10k is more entry level.


----------



## froxmor

riisalat said:


> this is on a whole different league. i own both of them, the E10k is more entry level.


 
 I expected as much, can the difference be heard on <$100 earbuds or IEMs?


----------



## octiceps

froxmor said:


> I expected as much, can the difference be heard on <$100 earbuds or IEMs?




Don't be fooled, they are both entry level. I want some of whatever that person is smoking.


----------



## U-3C

Lol same.
  
 I don't really hear much of a difference between my onboard audio and my DacPort Slim.
  
 Not to say that it is a poor product by any means, and I definitely don't have golden ears. It's just that the difference shouldn't be extremely big with easy to drive headphones, unless the dac/amp you are comparing the Slim with is significantly coloured/distorted (the case with my onboard audio before I hacked the **** out of it).


----------



## niron

u-3c said:


> Lol same.
> 
> I don't really hear much of a difference between my onboard audio and my DacPort Slim.
> 
> Not to say that it is a poor product by any means, and I definitely don't have golden ears. It's just that the difference shouldn't be extremely big with easy to drive headphones, unless the dac/amp you are comparing the Slim with is significantly coloured/distorted (the case with my onboard audio before I hacked the **** out of it).


 
  
 My opinion is obviously different. The Dacport Slim is a top-quality product in a great looking form factor. There's NO WAY in the world that your desktop can output the same amount of power like the Dacport Slim et al. To call this jewel a "poor product by any means" just makes one wonder if you ever even tried this thing before. But of course you're entitled to express your own opinion, only that it makes me question the point of it.


----------



## U-3C

niron said:


> My opinion is obviously different. The Dacport Slim is a top-quality product in a great looking form factor. There's NO WAY in the world that your desktop can output the same amount of power like the Dacport Slim et al. To call this jewel a "poor product by any means" just makes one wonder if you ever even tried this thing before. But of course you're entitled to express your own opinion, only that it makes me question the point of it.




I apologize if my post sounded negative (That's the reason I wrote "not a poor product by any means." It wasn't to degrade it. It's just to clarify that I'm not trying to bash on the DacPort because I was scared that people might read it as so. It seems that it only gave the opposite effect.  ).

Indeed, the amount of power it can output is amazing, which is why I was referring to easy to drive headphones. Pushing dac/amps to the extreme is where good products differ from the poor ones, but when you are using them to drive headphones/iems that do not benefit from an amp, and your source is neutral like the DacPort, you should not hear a difference. I wasn't really trying to imply the DacPort Slim is not an amazing product. I simply wanted to say that depending on what your are using, you might not see any real benefit from any dacs/amps. Since one person mentioned that the DacPort Slim is on a whole different league compared to the Fiio while another one said that they are both in the same category of entry level products, I wanted to stress that easy to drive iems, like those in the sub 100 dollar category, will not always see much of a benefit.

Again, I'm sorry I sounded negative. I should have worded my last post better.


----------



## rikk009

Hey guys... Centrance is selling only 25 units of their upcoming Dacportable for $199 till 1st July. MRP is $350
  
 https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dacportable-listen-to-music-everywhere--4?secret_perk_token=23e7ed32#/


----------



## moedawg140

rikk009 said:


> Hey guys... Centrance is selling only 25 units of their upcoming Dacportable for $199 till 1st July. MRP is $350
> 
> https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dacportable-listen-to-music-everywhere--4?secret_perk_token=23e7ed32#/




Thanks for the link!

I listened to their demo model of the DACportable at T.H.E. Show Newport recently, and the options alone seemed like it would be a great DAC/Amp - Bass and Treble boost worked as advertised and was nice to see options like that in such a small package.


----------



## niron

u-3c said:


> Indeed, the amount of power it can output is amazing, which is why I was referring to easy to drive headphones. Pushing dac/amps to the extreme is where good products differ from the poor ones, but *when you are using them to drive headphones/iems that do not benefit from an amp, and your source is neutral like the DacPort, you should not hear a difference*. I wasn't really trying to imply the DacPort Slim is not an amazing product. I simply wanted to say that depending on what your are using, you might not see any real benefit from any dacs/amps. Since one person mentioned that the DacPort Slim is on a whole different league compared to the Fiio while another one said that they are both in the same category of entry level products, I wanted to stress that easy to drive iems, like those in the sub 100 dollar category, will not always see much of a benefit.
> 
> Again, I'm sorry I sounded negative. I should have worded my last post better.


 
  
 No worries. Thanks for the clarification. You actually have a point there, where simple gear will not necessarily benefit from high-end dap/dac/amp equipment.


----------



## U-3C

> Originally Posted by *rikk009* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> Hey guys... Centrance is selling only 25 units of their upcoming Dacportable for $199 till 1st July. MRP is $350
> 
> https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/dacportable-listen-to-music-everywhere--4?secret_perk_token=23e7ed32#/


 
 Honestly, I really wish they gave that out earlier! 
  
 But since I got an OTG cable and a battery pack for my tablet, it will do.


----------



## Riisalat

Well, even for easy to drive iems, you can hear more details and a better overall body with the centrance, or atleast in my opinion. The difference between them becomes very prominent when using hard to drives, like the k7xx, ra zen 2.0s etc. You can also hear the difference when just using the dac stages of the e10k and centrance being fed into my vali or the runabout 

The centrance is by no means is playing in the same league and atleast in my opinion.

And yes, with simple gear the notice would not be noticeable


----------



## justvinh

riisalat said:


> Well, even for easy to drive iems, you can hear more details and a better overall body with the centrance, or atleast in my opinion. The difference between them becomes very prominent when using hard to drives, like the k7xx, ra zen 2.0s etc. You can also hear the difference when just using the dac stages of the e10k and centrance being fed into my vali or the runabout
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 Hey, so how well does the dacport slim perform as a dac? Does it compete with some entry level dac say the Modi 2?


----------



## Riisalat

justvinh said:


> Hey, so how well does the dacport slim perform as a dac? Does it compete with some entry level dac say the Modi 2?


 i have compared the dac against the e10k and it beats it. 

The centrance has the akm 4490 dac which is the dac in the bifrost upgrade


----------



## U-3C

Well, the DacPort Slim works natively with the Samsung S3 with an OTG cable. Of course, it drains the battery quite fast.
  
 You will need external power for the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1". I heard that the 8" Tab 3 also supports USB OTG, but the 7" version does not. Keep that in mind if you plan to pair a Tab 3 with the DacPort Slim.


----------



## rikk009

For those who don't want to give CEntrance your email and phone number. Here is the latest Universal driver from their site http://downloads.ziddu.com/download/25433682/ceudusb_7.9.6.zip.html
  
 Hope it helps those like me who were looking for it.


----------



## rikk009

I finally got my CEntrance slim from Massdrop. I was naturally delighted. The packaging was huge compared to the little DAC that it is. It was well protected inside with air packets. I unpacked it found the DAC with minimal accessory--just a micro-usb cable. 
 You are first required to download the drivers from Centrance website in order to make it work on Windows. Which again requires you to register on their website. Anyway, after installing the drivers I opened the Centrace software to make the optimal changes but there was nothing to change except 'latency'. Which I noticed changed on it's own, so I guess I don't need to tinker with it either. I opened the sound settings on my Windows 7 64bit laptop and selected the newly installed drivers. Then opened Jriver and selected the same drivers on output option(for some reason Wasapi ones fail to play on my system so it's always ASIO). Fired up the first song and the DAC came to life. One by one I listened to all my cans and was impressed by the sound. The bass was tight and controlled, highs are good and detailed not sibilant at all, mids are crystal clear. 
 First I plugged it in my RS220 via analog-IN and noticed more bass, details and imaging instantly. A few instrumental tracks from 'Mystical Scent' like 'Son of destiny' which has just flute unveiled some gruesome details, yes I say gruesome because I could hear the artist breathing behind the flute. Another track from the same album 'Journey' is high on bass from different kind of drums and has a very nice 3D imaging. Centrance played it very well. The bass is fast and instrument separations are again impressive. I went on to play some more tracks both instrumental and vocal and Centrance played them all with elegance. I then took turns to play the tracks on HD598,FOstex T50 Mk2, M50, and CAL. Centrance+CAL made some goood bass together, I tried some EDM because that is why I have them in the first place. The low rumbling bass and lively highs made CAL shine with EDM. Pairing with Fostex brought some dark side of the cans which I would explore further later 
 Now, the things that I found to pick upon. First, given that it's a little unit that just fits in the center of your palm but I expected the Amp to be louder than my laptop output atleast. I had to switch to high gain to drive the HD598 for some good volume. I could not listen to the cans on low gain and had to push the volume to the extreme side yet not sufficient. Same with RS220 and Fostex. Second, it gets little hot but nothing worrying. Like uncomfortable hot if it's in contact with your skin but not too hot to touch. The class A circuit inside explains that. I plugged the otg cable with my rooted LG FLEX 2 with Android 5.1 and it detected the DAC without any problem. Played a few songs and noticed the power draw was big. One Mp3 left the phone with 3% less of the charge. Again Class A explains that. So, if you plan to use it as a portable unit bring along a power bank. Tried it on an old Samsung Tab with Kitkat but it didn't work, as expected. But it didn't work with another non-rooted Chinese phone with android 5.1 either. So it does have some attitude of it's own.  Overall, I feel there's nothing that beats this unit at the price point. If you have harder to drive cans go for the bigger brother Centrance Dacport HD or upcoming Dacportable. The Dacportable on indiegogo right now is for a discounted price of $199 which also has a battery so another good value offering from Centrance.
  
 Edit: THe problem with less loudness with the  DAC had something to do with my crappy laptop's USB2.0 port. Switched to USB3.0 port and it plays loud even at low gain.


----------



## rikk009

earfonia said:


> Thanks a lot for the review! Especially the firmware upgrade link!
> Honestly CEntrance website is not very user friendly for getting support when we have problem.
> 
> I had issue with USB compatibility on my HP 2560p EliteBook. None of the USB ports were compatible with the DACport Slim. Spent hours to troubleshoot until I read about that firmware upgrade that eventually solved the USB compatibility issue. I ordered the DACport Slim recently in October from Massdrop, but seems that I got the older batch with old firmware.
> ...


 
 How are you getting option to choose output rate and frequency? AlI I see is latency on mine, using latest version.


----------



## earfonia

rikk009 said:


> How are you getting option to choose output rate and frequency? AlI I see is latency on mine, using latest version.


 
  
 Really? The Cetrance driver that I installed has the option to select sampling rate.
 Anyway, so far the solution that works for me is by using the Centrance ASIO driver in foobar as shown below. The sampling rate will automatically follow the source.


----------



## TheReds

Just to confirm, these are drivers you guys are talking about not firmware correct? I'm on Linux, so a driver isn't needed, however if we're talking about firmware updates that CEntrance is releasing for bug fixes, improvements, etc to the SlimHD itself then I need to stay on top of it more!


----------



## rikk009

No. It's the windows software. Btw, CEntrance confirmed that the new drivers don't need to be changed everytime for bit rate.


----------



## rikk009

@moedawg140
 I found a small discrepancy in your review where you say 

Full volume, low gain setting configured as straight line out
 But the Centrance manual says "Full volume, high gain setting configured as straight line out"


----------



## moedawg140

rikk009 said:


> @moedawg140
> 
> I found a small discrepancy in your review where you say
> 
> ...




Yes, I am aware - I need to verify that with CEntrance since the manual was updated since I received my DACport Slim originally. 

Thank you, and when I get around to updating the review (I'm driving to Las Vegas for the 4th this morning), I will mention it as an update in the review thread (as a new post in this thread) as well. 

Thanks again!


----------



## moedawg140

CEntrance responded to my Gain inquiry, and everything is good to go (here is the up-to-date information):
  
_"The HIGH GAIN setting is also appropriate when using the output as a line level output. Turn the volume knob to the max and leave the gain switch at HIGH. This will configure the 3.5mm output for line level."_
  
 This above stated is also reflected in the review (first post of thread) under *Basic features:*.


----------



## U-3C

moedawg140 said:


> CEntrance responded to my Gain inquiry, and everything is good to go (here is the up-to-date information):
> 
> _"The HIGH GAIN setting is also appropriate when using the output as a line level output. Turn the volume knob to the max and leave the gain switch at HIGH. This will configure the 3.5mm output for line level."_
> 
> This above stated is also reflected in the review (first post of thread) under *Basic features:*.




Yes, CEntrance confirmed that they made a mistake in the Massdrop discussion section and have updated their manual accordingly. I hope more people spread word about this small update.


----------



## moedawg140

u-3c said:


> Yes, CEntrance confirmed that they made a mistake in the Massdrop discussion section and have updated their manual accordingly. I hope more people spread word about this small update.


 
  
 No worries.  As long as people read my review, people will have the most up-to-date details!


----------



## ongsta

Very tempted to pick up this unit. Has anyone compared this to the Dragonfly Black or Red?


----------



## U-3C

Here's some more info on the DacPort Slim, from CEntrance on the Massdrop discussion section:



> Output power (preliminary):
> 16Ω: 250mW max, per channel
> 32Ω: 225mW max, per channel
> 300Ω: 52mW, max, per channel
> Jitter: Below 1ps.




I can't believe I didn't see this before even though I was looking for it for quite some time. It was right there on the first few pages of the discussion.:blink:


----------



## froxmor

Just got mine. Very nice indeed. I was somewhat surprised that it couldn't drive well 64ohm earbuds without the gain switch to high (the highest volume does not appeal when not adjusted to night hearing) - at which point I imagine it can drive anything.
 Using the Cygnus earbuds I am fairly certain it is superior to the Dragonfly, if nothing else I can confirm that I can hear more happening in the background (Karajan 1963,2014 Beethoven Symphonies).
  
 It is certainly superior to the E10K.
  
 Edit: It does run pretty hot, well within tolerance in contact with the skin though. And it doesn't matter which gain you use. Not really a complaint, just something to note.


----------



## U-3C

froxmor said:


> Just got mine. Very nice indeed. I was somewhat surprised that it couldn't drive well 64ohm earbuds without the gain switch to high - at which point I imagine it can drive anything.
> Using the Cygnus earbuds I am fairly certain it is superior to the Dragonfly, if nothing else I can confirm that I can hear more happening in the background (Karajan 1963,2014 Beethoven Symphonies).
> 
> It is certainly superior to the E10K.


 
  
 Out of curiosity, what are those 64 ohm earbuds?


----------



## froxmor

u-3c said:


> Out of curiosity, what are those 64 ohm earbuds?


 
 Newer version of the Monk.


----------



## U-3C

froxmor said:


> Newer version of the Monk.


 
  
 Hmmm. I wonder why...


----------



## justvinh

I also use the Cygnus with the Dacport in low gain and it power the cygnus just fine, even the monk+ or my Fostex X-00. Had anyone here try to use the dacport as just a DAC and feed the signal out to other amp? I'm eyeing up the Magni 2 Uber for the pre amp and possible better amp section.


----------



## U-3C

justvinh said:


> I also use the Cygnus with the Dacport in low gain and it power the cygnus just fine, even the monk+ or my Fostex X-00. Had anyone here try to use the dacport as just a DAC and feed the signal out to other amp? I'm eyeing up the Magni 2 Uber for the pre amp and possible better amp section.




No experience with that. However, I have heard that the DacPort Slim's line out configuration is slightly too hot. The DacPort HD's line out configuration is quite a bit too hot.


----------



## froxmor

Since it runs hot, if there any danger for having it plugged into a 24/7 computer? Seems like perhaps something is going to degrade.


----------



## U-3C

Nobody can tell as this is a new product.
  
 All I can say is that some have claimed to have plugged the original DACport in their computer for over half a decade and is still doing fine. This isn't the original DACport though. It just shares a name so no guarantees.
  
 If you are worried, either unplug it or place it on a cheap aluminum heatsink. The latter is what people did with the original DACport and it seems to have worked out well.


----------



## rikk009

froxmor said:


> Just got mine. Very nice indeed. I was somewhat surprised that it couldn't drive well 64ohm earbuds without the gain switch to high (the highest volume does not appeal when not adjusted to night hearing) - at which point I imagine it can drive anything.
> Using the Cygnus earbuds I am fairly certain it is superior to the Dragonfly, if nothing else I can confirm that I can hear more happening in the background (Karajan 1963,2014 Beethoven Symphonies).
> 
> It is certainly superior to the E10K.
> ...


 
 Read my first impression above. I was wondering the same. Some very easily driven cans like Hd598 needed couldn't produce high enough volume with Centrance slim.


----------



## rikk009

justvinh said:


> I also use the Cygnus with the Dacport in low gain and it power the cygnus just fine, even the monk+ or my Fostex X-00. Had anyone here try to use the dacport as just a DAC and feed the signal out to other amp? I'm eyeing up the Magni 2 Uber for the pre amp and possible better amp section.


 
 I did it with a Meier Audio amp. Works fine.


----------



## Ngoliath

I just got this from a Massdrop event. I must say that I do like this with every headphone I have tried this with. I would also say that it sounds very authentic. I compare it to the Dragonfly Red and the Mojo. Maybe my ears are not that well trained, but for $99, this is hard to beat for some semi-serious listening sessions. The mojo is amazing for what it does in such a small form factor, but it is also 5x more expensive. The DFR seems to pick and choose which phones it likes. I used the LCD-XC, Ether C, SE846, VE Duke, Zen 2.0, and the 7XX for comparisons. This seems to be one of those no-brainer decisions, especially if your wallet is getting beat up with this hobby.


----------



## froxmor

This thing is not supposed to be able to play DSD but unless I'm very much mistaken it handles DSD just fine. Weird.


----------



## niron

froxmor said:


> This thing is not supposed to be able to play DSD but unless I'm very much mistaken it handles DSD just fine. Weird.


 
  
 Indeed, because the AKM 4490 chip inside can handle DSD.


----------



## U-3C

niron said:


> Indeed, because the AKM 4490 chip inside can handle DSD.




The Slim is not suppose to naively handle dsd though. It is intentionally crippled by design.


----------



## niron

u-3c said:


> The Slim is not suppose to naively handle dsd though. It is intentionally crippled by design.


 
  
 I know, but the fact is that it does let the audio go through rather than getting a File not supported error.


----------



## U-3C

niron said:


> I know, but the fact is that it does let the audio go through rather than getting a File not supported error.


 

 Maybe check to see if your music player is switched to playback for pcm dacs?
  
 For me in Foobar, if I select dsd output, I get no sound. If I select pcm output for a dsd file, I get sound.
  
 If it's not the case for you, then congrats! Somehow, you unlocked your DACport slim and now have native DSD support!


----------



## niron

I'm using Foobar2000, Jriver and the latest version of AIMP. Can you please tell me where do I see those settings? I don't have this option in the preference -> output section.


----------



## U-3C

Not sure about anything other than Foobar2K.
  
 Here's how I set mine to DSD output mode.
  
 Of course, I could be wrong and you actually somehow unlocked your DACport Slim.


----------



## niron

Alright, so I have tested some DSD files with Foobar 2000 and it works quite well when I set the output on PCM. However when I set it for the DSD option it will play the file but I can't really hear anything in the background.
  
 As for JRiver, the same files sound SO MUCH BETTER than foobar 2000 even with the same settings. When I set the output to DSD in DoP format they sound very good. However when I set to DSD the audio files still work and I can hear the music playing in the background but in a very bad quality and a lot of pesky noise.
  
 With AIMP the DSD files work quite well but it's probably playing as DSD in DoP format.


----------



## U-3C

niron said:


> Alright, so I have tested some DSD files with Foobar 2000 and it works quite well when I set the output on PCM. However when I set it for the DSD option it will play the file but I can't really hear anything in the background.
> 
> As for JRiver, the same files sound SO MUCH BETTER than foobar 2000 even with the same settings. When I set the output to DSD in DoP format they sound very good. However when I set to DSD the audio files still work and I can hear the music playing in the background but in a very bad quality and a lot of pesky noise.
> 
> With AIMP the DSD files work quite well but it's probably playing as DSD in DoP format.




I guess your programs are converting the dsd files for pcm dac playback, and each handles it differently. You can look up the issues with converting from dsd to pcm to get a better idea.

I guess the unlocked dacport slim isn't possible...yet. ; )


----------



## niron

Yeah, probably!
  
 I bet it'd be possible to unlock the slim, but I'm not qualified for that job )


----------



## U-3C

niron said:


> Yeah, probably!
> 
> I bet it'd be possible to unlock the slim, but I'm not qualified for that job )




Well, out of respect towards CEntrance, I don't think anyone should.

: )


----------



## froxmor

u-3c said:


> Well, out of respect towards CEntrance, I don't think anyone should.
> 
> : )


 
 Does the slim actually have the exact same hardware as HD? Because if it does, then unlocking it would be trivial.
 By cracking the firmware patcher to install HD firmware on the slim, if however the hardware differs this will likely cause issues and won't be worth the hassle.


----------



## U-3C

froxmor said:


> Does the slim actually have the exact same hardware as HD? Because if it does, then unlocking it would be trivial.
> By cracking the firmware patcher to install HD firmware on the slim, if however the hardware differs this will likely cause issues and won't be worth the hassle.




CEntrance said that aside from software limitations, the DACport Slim also is limited in hardware. Who knows.


----------



## rikk009

niron said:


> Alright, so I have tested some DSD files with Foobar 2000 and it works quite well when I set the output on PCM. However when I set it for the DSD option it will play the file but I can't really hear anything in the background.
> 
> As for JRiver, the same files sound SO MUCH BETTER than foobar 2000 even with the same settings. When I set the output to DSD in DoP format they sound very good. However when I set to DSD the audio files still work and I can hear the music playing in the background but in a very bad quality and a lot of pesky noise.
> 
> With AIMP the DSD files work quite well but it's probably playing as DSD in DoP format.


 
 I had the same revelation with Jriver coming from Foobar but then last night I downloaded every so called audiophile players out there and tested them all. Bughead player is one to look out for. While with Jriver I felt it darkened every song with Bughead I felt airy treble. Lillith is good too but the software is in Japanese. I am going to test HQplayer and HySolid tonight.


----------



## niron

rikk009 said:


> I had the same revelation with Jriver coming from Foobar but then last night I downloaded every so called audiophile players out there and tested them all. Bughead player is one to look out for. While with Jriver I felt it darkened every song with Bughead I felt airy treble. Lillith is good too but the software is in Japanese. I am going to test HQplayer and HySolid tonight.


 
  
 Cheers! gonna try this Bughead  player right away.
  
 Please report back with some further conclusions.


----------



## rikk009

niron said:


> Cheers! gonna try this Bughead  player right away.
> 
> Please report back with some further conclusions.


 
 MQN Player/HQ Player/JPlay all failed to play on my system. I am sticking with Jriver and Bughead.


----------



## niron

rikk009 said:


> HQN Player/HQ Player/JPlay all failed to play on my system. I am sticking with Jriver and Bughead.


 
  
 Bughead doesn't work with my Windows 10 64bit system. I'd love to test it with the Slim. Sending you PM.


----------



## rikk009

Has anyone heard this DAc/amp and compared to Centrance slim?
http://www.stoneracoustics.com/ud125

At US$85 it's cheaper than Centrance and uses the same chip and offers digital filters.


----------



## niron

Interesting device. The Stoner 120 was actually a very good dac. Mind you, the UD125 is USB powered so no internal battery under the hood.
 It'd be interesting to see a comparison between the Slim and the UD125. Also, I wonder if the later supports a native DSD playback.


----------



## U-3C

That UD125 looks interesting. 

*drools*


----------



## DcPlusOne

rikk009 said:


> Has anyone heard this DAc/amp and compared to Centrance slim?
> http://www.stoneracoustics.com/ud125
> 
> At US$85 it's cheaper than Centrance and uses the same chip and offers digital filters.




I would also love for that question to be answered...


----------



## rikk009

So, Centrance's new driver is out but I need to register again to download it!
  
 Someone, please do me a favour and link me to another mirror.


----------



## froxmor

rikk009 said:


> So, Centrance's new driver is out but I need to register again to download it!
> 
> Someone, please do me a favour and link me to another mirror.


 
 Just fill it with random trash and just your email, it takes seconds. They asked for it.
  
 Edit: Looks like this driver fixed a small bug where input would have some milliseconds cut from it, like when you rapidly click on the windows sound thing while no other audio was running you used to hear a lot of cut off sound. Seems to no longer be the case.


----------



## U-3C

froxmor said:


> Just fill it with random trash and just your email, it takes seconds. They asked for it.
> 
> Edit: Looks like this driver fixed a small bug where input would have some milliseconds cut from it, like when you rapidly click on the windows sound thing while no other audio was running you used to hear a lot of cut off sound. Seems to no longer be the case.




Nice! The cuts have been bugging me for some time. 

Let's just hope the Windows 10 anniversary update doesn't screw everything up again...

QAQ


----------



## froxmor

u-3c said:


> Nice! The cuts have been bugging me for some time.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 The problem returned as soon as I changed default 16/44 to 24/192. Even after changing back the bug did not go away.
 Obviously it's something wrong with their software, somewhat sad they don't bother fixing bugs.


----------



## U-3C

froxmor said:


> The problem returned as soon as I changed default 16/44 to 24/192. Even after changing back the bug did not go away.
> Obviously it's something wrong with their software, somewhat sad they don't bother fixing bugs.




I see. Thanks for the feedback.

I never really bothered with anything above 44 kHz, but I still get that issue at times. :/


----------



## justvinh

froxmor said:


> The problem returned as soon as I changed default 16/44 to 24/192. Even after changing back the bug did not go away.
> Obviously it's something wrong with their software, somewhat sad they don't bother fixing bugs.


 
 I've had problem with sound drop out as well but this is due to the DPC Latency issue with Windows 10. I'm not sure if we are talking about the same thing but yeah, maybe you can use the program Latency Mon to monitor the DPC latency on your PC.


----------



## U-3C

justvinh said:


> I've had problem with sound drop out as well but this is due to the DPC Latency issue with Windows 10. I'm not sure if we are talking about the same thing but yeah, maybe you can use the program Latency Mon to monitor the DPC latency on your PC.


Thanks for the info!


----------



## alota

i bought, today, from massdrop one dacport slim.
 i have possibility, on ebay, to buy one geek out v1(450 or 700) for 100€.
 you think that i´ll buy also the geek out or i don´t will have big improvements compared to the dacslim?
 thank you


----------



## eeagle

alota said:


> i bought, today, from massdrop one dacport slim.
> i have possibility, on ebay, to buy one geek out v1(450 or 700) for 100€.
> you think that i´ll buy also the geek out or i don´t will have big improvements compared to the dacslim?
> thank you


 
 Do a search in this thread for Geek Out several have provided so insight that have heard them both.
  
 I have not heard the Geek Out products, but am very satisfied with with my DACport.


----------



## Rodmunch

alota said:


> i bought, today, from massdrop one dacport slim.
> i have possibility, on ebay, to buy one geek out v1(450 or 700) for 100€.
> you think that i´ll buy also the geek out or i don´t will have big improvements compared to the dacslim?
> thank you


 

 I had the GO450 and wasn't too happy with it.  I prefer the Slim for it's warmer sound.  The GO450 sounded a bit cold and etched to me, especially in the treble.  This is from memory so please take it with a grain of salt.
  
 I don't think one is necessarily better or worse than the other, they just portray music differently IMO.  Also, the GO doesn't have physical volume control with the newer firmwares, but does have selectable digital filters.  The Slim has a physical volume knob and gain switch.


----------



## alota

rodmunch said:


> I had the GO450 and wasn't too happy with it.  I prefer the Slim for it's warmer sound.  The GO450 sounded a bit cold and etched to me, especially in the treble.  This is from memory so please take it with a grain of salt.
> 
> I don't think one is necessarily better or worse than the other, they just portray music differently IMO.  Also, the GO doesn't have physical volume control with the newer firmwares, but does have selectable digital filters.  The Slim has a physical volume knob and gain switch.


 
 thank you for your feedback.
 my headphone is oppo pm-3, so, considering what you said, probably the geek out isn´t the most suitable


----------



## foreverzer0

Has anyone compared this to the new Dragonfly series?


----------



## Rodmunch

> Originally Posted by *alota*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
 I used the Slim briefly with my PM3's and enjoyed the sound.


----------



## alota

rodmunch said:


> I used the Slim briefly with my PM3's and enjoyed the sound.



Good. Better impossible. Thanks again


----------



## iemmustiane

How will the sound with the dacport slim compare to the e10k when it comes to driving the K7XX's?


----------



## MrBenvolent

foreverzer0 said:


> Has anyone compared this to the new Dragonfly series?


 
  
 Yeah definately keen to get the skinny on this. If it has a lower noise floor and comparable quality, I am in!


----------



## iemmustiane

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/4p4cks/centrance_dacport_slimhd/
  
 Cany anyone comment on this. Thread says that the dacport slim has audible noise floor with lower impeadence headphones


----------



## U-3C

iemmustiane said:


> https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones/comments/4p4cks/centrance_dacport_slimhd/
> 
> Cany anyone comment on this. Thread says that the dacport slim has audible noise floor with lower impeadence headphones




That has been a known issue for some time and is the biggest flaw with the DACport Slim in my opinion.

They claim to have fixed it with the DACportable, but indeed, the DACport Slim has a high noise floor so it isn't the best for sensitive headphones/IEMs.


----------



## iemmustiane

Know any good alternatives? Is the monoprice desktop amp any good?


----------



## rikk009

Have any of you faced this? It got so hot that melted the adapter. :-/
  

  
  
 This was supposed to be good quality one from sennheiser.


----------



## U-3C

rikk009 said:


> Have any of you faced this? It got so hot that melted the adapter. :-/
> 
> 
> 
> ...




:eek:


----------



## rikk009

It led to permanent damage to the DA too. No sound via left channel, the headphone jack is broken inside.


----------



## U-3C

Have you contacted CEntrance? They offer one year warranty and have very decent customer service.


----------



## rikk009

u-3c said:


> Have you contacted CEntrance? They offer one year warranty and have very decent customer service.


 
 Yes, but living outside US sending to them and back the is biggest nightmare.


----------



## iemmustiane

1 day left on the drop , have a hard time deciding between the dacport slim and the micca Origen+

Can't find comparing them in terms of sound quality. Only thing that worries me about the dacport is the hissing some people have reported. I'm running 32ohm Fidelio x2's


----------



## U-3C

iemmustiane said:


> 1 day left on the drop , have a hard time deciding between the dacport slim and the micca Origen+
> 
> Can't find comparing them in terms of sound quality. Only thing that worries me about the dacport is the hissing some people have reported. I'm running 32ohm Fidelio x2's




Both are great devices. If size isn't an issue, I'll go with the Micca Origen+. About the same power, more features. It's a compact desktop dac/amp.

As for the Slim, it's small. For someone like me who moved around with my laptop once every day or two, something small that I can fit into my pocket is invaluable. 

The noise floor is very subtle. I only notice it if I listen to it on my 32 ohm iems, however, your x2's are a bit more sensitive (only by 2 dB at 1mW though).

I really couldn't care less for the noise floor, and I'm surprised that others do. However, people with the same setup as me have reported to be unsatisfied as the noise bothers them, so that is really going into subjective territory. You will have to look at how sensitive you are to a slight hiss.


----------



## U-3C

Due to the recent talk about the noise floor, CEntrance is considering the option of offering mods like on their higher end models and they are looking for opinions.

The idea is to send the DACport Slim in at 99 USD + shipping, and CEntrance will adjust the hardware to lower the noise. They are also considering adding in features to make the Slim into something like a DACport HD. 



Anybody wanna join the discussion over there and give some feedback?


----------



## U-3C

rikk009 said:


> Yes, but living outside US sending to them and back the is biggest nightmare.




I can relate...


----------



## jmills8

u-3c said:


> Both are great devices. If size isn't an issue, I'll go with the Micca Origen+. About the same power, more features. It's a compact desktop dac/amp.
> 
> As for the Slim, it's small. For someone like me who moved around with my laptop once every day or two, something small that I can fit into my pocket is invaluable.
> 
> ...


 One is portable (pocket) the other is transportable.


----------



## niron

u-3c said:


> Due to the recent talk about the noise floor, CEntrance is considering the option of offering mods like on their higher end models and they are looking for opinions.
> 
> The idea is to send the DACport Slim in at 99 USD + shipping, and CEntrance will adjust the hardware to lower the noise. They are also considering adding in features to make the Slim into something like a DACport HD.
> 
> ...


 
  
 Since they already offered the Dacport HD for $149, adding another $99 to the original price will turn this into a deal breaker.


----------



## iemmustiane

u-3c said:


> Both are great devices. If size isn't an issue, I'll go with the Micca Origen+. About the same power, more features. It's a compact desktop dac/amp.
> 
> As for the Slim, it's small. For someone like me who moved around with my laptop once every day or two, something small that I can fit into my pocket is invaluable.
> 
> ...


 
  
  


jmills8 said:


> One is portable (pocket) the other is transportable.


 
  
 So the origen won't sound too different from the dacport? I hear that the dacport has a better dac chip and head amp on paper. The AK4490 chip which is used in higher ends DACs?


----------



## U-3C

jmills8 said:


> One is portable (pocket) the other is transportable.




Thanks for the correction!

I was wondering how I could face worded it better.


----------



## U-3C

niron said:


> Since they already offered the Dacport HD for $149, adding another $99 to the original price will turn this into a deal breaker.




The price for the HD is 199 USD though. :/


----------



## U-3C

iemmustiane said:


> So the origen won't sound too different from the dacport? I hear that the dacport has a better dac chip and head amp on paper. The AK4490 chip which is used in higher ends DACs?




Having a different dac wouldn't necessarily make one better or worse. The DACport Slim has a better chip than the original DACport, and some people prefer the original DACport for its lower noise. You might like one sound, but others might like a different tuning.

Personally, I don't really care about the dac part as it makes so little different at this point. The sound is clean and neutral, so others trying to reach the same goal will sound about the same. I would rather care about other aspects that can easily affect the quality/user experience much more, such as different inputs/outputs, driver stability, size, distortion of amp, usb noise/interference isolation, etc.


----------



## alota

u-3c said:


> Having a different dac wouldn't necessarily make one better or worse. The DACport Slim has a better chip than the original DACport, and some people prefer the original DACport for its lower noise. You might like one sound, and others might like a different tuning.
> 
> Personally, I don't really care about the dac part as it makes so little different at this point. The sound is clean and neutral, so others trying to reach the same goal will sound about the same. I would rather care about other aspects that can easily affect the quality/user experience much more, such as different inputs/outputs, driver stability, size, distortion of amp, usb noise/interference isolation, etc.


 
 good point.the dac alone is nothing. which kind of op is installed?


----------



## U-3C

alota said:


> good point.the dac alone is nothing. which kind of op is installed?


 
  
 No idea. All we get is "Direct Class-A, no caps in the signal path."​  
​  
Seems to be a pretty neutral signal.​


----------



## niron

u-3c said:


> The price for the HD is 199 USD though. :/


 
  
 It was $149 on their latest campaign at Indiegogo.


----------



## MrBenvolent

u-3c said:


> Due to the recent talk about the noise floor, CEntrance is considering the option of offering mods like on their higher end models and they are looking for opinions.
> 
> The idea is to send the DACport Slim in at 99 USD + shipping, and CEntrance will adjust the hardware to lower the noise. They are also considering adding in features to make the Slim into something like a DACport HD.
> 
> ...


 

 I have done/am doing...
  
 Will consider taking them up on the offer - I know you expressed surprised re: noise floor bothering folks, but it does bother me!


----------



## MrBenvolent

Actually, what I really want to do is say "sod it" and buy a Chord Mojo, but I just don't have the green for it at the moment..!


----------



## U-3C

niron said:


> It was $149 on their latest campaign at Indiegogo.




Yep. But that's only for those crowdfunding backers on Indogogo. The time has passed and we must all pay the full price of a late bird... I guess I should have said that it _now_ costs 199 USD. 

From a different view, it can be a decent option. Say I got a DACport Slim and I like it, and one day feel like upgrading. Instead of paying full price for a new DACport HD, which is about the price of a Schiit stack, you can pay 99 dollars to upgrade it into a DACport HD. Again, it's better to have this option. If you think they can try something else, or they should simply not offer this and focus their efforts elsewhere, consider telling them. They originally only considered lowering the noise floor for 99 USD plus shipping.


----------



## U-3C

mrbenvolent said:


> I have done/am doing...
> 
> Will consider taking them up on the offer - I know you expressed surprised re: noise floor bothering folks, but it does bother me!




The DACport HD was advised as having a lower noise floor, only people didn't care at first so CEntrance stopped talking about it. For more power, dsd, 384khz and lower noise, the HD was recommended. Only recently people have started talking about it again. I find it quite cool though. Think about the possible upgrade this way: If you are committed, get the HD. If you are not sure and/or are on a budget, get the Slim at half the price. If you are happy, keep it. If you want more in the future or if you were not sure at first about the HD but now decided that you like the device, send it in to get the full experience. 

In the end, whether you will upgrade or not, it's nice to at least have an option.



mrbenvolent said:


> Actually, what I really want to do is say "sod it" and buy a Chord Mojo, but I just don't have the green for it at the moment..!




Haha, so true! Got to listen to the Mojo once and I liked it!

 It's just expensive... ;-;

On a side note, I listened to the Dragonfly Red on the same day and I didn't like it. I don't hate it, as nothing was wrong. I just don't like it as it doesn't provide me with anything I want but do not have via the cheaper DACport Slim. No way I'm giving up the Slim volume knob for it, even though it looks and feels so gooooood...and it's expensive... ;-; Better to save up for the Mojo.


----------



## MrBenvolent

u-3c said:


> The DACport HD was advised as having a lower noise floor, only people didn't care at first so CEntrance stopped talking about it. For more power, dsd, 384khz and lower noise, the HD was recommended. Only recently people have started talking about it again. I find it quite cool though. Think about the possible upgrade this way: If you are committed, get the HD. If you are not sure and/or are on a budget, get the Slim at half the price. If you are happy, keep it. If you want more in the future or if you were not sure at first about the HD but now decided that you like the device, send it in to get the full experience.
> 
> In the end, whether you will upgrade or not, it's nice to at least have an option.
> Haha, so true! Got to listen to the Mojo once and I liked it!
> ...


 
  
 Already got the Slim, so will be looking for the upgrade (we have already conversed on Massdrop on the thread - Hi!)
  
 Think I am Ok with the extra $99 to get what I want out of the Slim...I think.
  
 Good feedback re: Dragonfly as that was the other option for me over upgrading the Slim...and yes, like you I can't get away from not having a real volume control! Saving pennies for the Mojo it is then.


----------



## Ngoliath

I have both the Mojo and the Dragonfly Red and almost always grab the DFR when heading out on a trip. I like the way it sounds and it's form factor much better. The DFR paired with the VE Zen 2 is an amazing combo.


----------



## niron

ngoliath said:


> I have both the Mojo and the Dragonfly Red and almost always grab the DFR when heading out on a trip. I like the way it sounds and it's form factor much better. The DFR paired with the VE Zen 2 is an amazing combo.


 
  
 And the Dacport Slim?


----------



## Ngoliath

I have that one too. To my ears, it's very clean and almost a bit sterile. For the price, it does what it says it's going to do. I use it at home, but it's not the first portable I grab when I have to jump on a plane.


----------



## iemmustiane

Any mac users? Is it normal not to have the keyboard volume controls working? Do you guys find this annoying to always use the actual dial on the dacport?


----------



## sludgeogre

iemmustiane said:


> Any mac users? Is it normal not to have the keyboard volume controls working? Do you guys find this annoying to always use the actual dial on the dacport?


 
 Most people on this forum never use the computer volume as that will cause a loss of fidelity by controlling volume in the digital domain. For the best sound quality, you always want your computer volume set at 100% and control volume through the volume pot on your device, which operates in the analog domain.


----------



## moedawg140

sludgeogre said:


> Most people on this forum never use the computer volume as that will cause a loss of fidelity by controlling volume in the digital domain. For the best sound quality, you always want your computer volume set at 100% and control volume through the volume pot on your device, which operates in the analog domain.


 
  
 Great post, that's what's up.


----------



## iemmustiane

Ahh I see, what if the device doesn't have a physical adjustment?
  
 Also is the headphone jack supposed to be a little loose? It's no where as tight as my macbook pro's.


----------



## U-3C

sludgeogre said:


> Most people on this forum never use the computer volume as that will cause a loss of fidelity by controlling volume in the digital domain. For the best sound quality, you always want your computer volume set at 100% and control volume through the volume pot on your device, which operates in the analog domain.




The control on the DACport Slim is digital as well though. That's the reason why the noise floor does not decrease when you adjust the volume. 

Digital is nice. I prefer it over analogue as cheaper dac/amps with analogue controls really show all the issues with that type of volume adjuster.


----------



## gevorg

http://www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/Intro/SQ/VolumeControl.htm

If your music playback software can be set for zero-padding to 24-bit, you can get 48db of "bitperfect" digital volume control when playing 16-bit redbook content. That is, only the zero padded bits would be affected by volume control, while the actual music samples will remain as-is. Foobar and JRiver do this. Windows build-in volume won't (it will re-sample and give nasty artifacts). Not sure about Macs. You can get even bigger volume control range by padding to 32-bit. Maybe this is how DACport works inside? Anyway, when done properly, digital volume control can be flawless.


----------



## moedawg140

If anyone is in the market for an upgrade in audio clarity/fidelity and want to stay in the CEntrance family, check out the DACport HD and the DACportable.  Both sound amazing to my ears!  I'll have thoughts on both in an upcoming CanJam London 2016 post!


----------



## sludgeogre

u-3c said:


> The control on the DACport Slim is digital as well though. That's the reason why the noise floor does not decrease when you adjust the volume.
> 
> Digital is nice. I prefer it over analogue as cheaper dac/amps with analogue controls really show all the issues with that type of volume adjuster.


 
 Ah, I had no idea. I know there are many tricks to do it correctly, but just doing it through windows sounds terrible. I'm not sure about Macs, honestly, but had heard that it wasn't ideal there either. Either way, it's still best to use the adjustment on the device as it was optimized for that.
  
 Thank you for the clarification.


----------



## U-3C

sludgeogre said:


> Ah, I had no idea. I know there are many tricks to do it correctly, but just doing it through windows sounds terrible. I'm not sure about Macs, honestly, but had heard that it wasn't ideal there either. Either way, it's still best to use the adjustment on the device as it was optimized for that.
> 
> Thank you for the clarification.




Yeah, though windows has gotten a lot better in terms of audio so I personally don't care that much. The physical is much or convenient compared to controlling it via the OS, but I can see why people might want to control the audio that way instead of just via the dac. 

Never used a Mac so I also can't say much about that. I can control the audio via my cellphones volume control when I plug the dac in so I'm sure there must be some way to do that via a Mac. Maybe contact CEntrance and see if they have a solution? It might just be a setup issue.


----------



## moedawg140

With the DACportable and my iPhone 6, you have no choice but to change the volume on the DAC/amp itself - which I have no problem with at all.


----------



## MrBenvolent

iemmustiane said:


> Any mac users? Is it normal not to have the keyboard volume controls working? Do you guys find this annoying to always use the actual dial on the dacport?


 

 Always use the physical volume wheel - accurate and easy and means I can adjust even when the laptop is locked/dimmed!


----------



## MrBenvolent

So here is a strange thing on the noise-floor/hiss issue:
  
 I recently changed the pads on my Sonorous VIs to the "Type C"
  
 I then used the Slim for the first time in a while for a long listening session...and the hiss has gone from being very prevalent to almost non-existant!
  
 I am not sure if:
  

Pads have made a difference (surprising as the fit is tighter and my ears are closer to the drivers)
Something has changed on the DAC? (It is the longest I have used it, but I can't image burn-in being a factor for this device nor leading to reduced noise floor if it was)
My hearing is suddenly getting worse!
  
 I know the obvious thing to do is to try the other pads, but the old ones are a bit worse for wear and I don't want to keep putting them on and then off at the moment if I can help it, less I rip the seams...
  
 Weird.


----------



## iemmustiane

iemmustiane said:


> Ahh I see, what if the device doesn't have a physical adjustment?
> 
> Also is the headphone jack supposed to be a little loose? It's no where as tight as my macbook pro's.


 
 bump


----------



## MrBenvolent

iemmustiane said:


> bump


 
  
 Mine isn't "tight", nor is it falling out. Don't have any issues with it


----------



## GCTD

Centrance's website has been 404 for a while now, anyone know what the hell is up?


----------



## eeagle

gctd said:


> Centrance's website has been 404 for a while now, anyone know what the hell is up?


 
 Working fine here


----------



## U-3C

gctd said:


> Centrance's website has been 404 for a while now, anyone know what the hell is up?




Make sure it starts with HTTP and not HTTPS.


----------



## GSFoote

Hello All-
  
 I am considering purchasing a CEntrance DACport slim to use directly out of my iPhone 6s.  Kinda like a shozy cozoy but with a volume knob.  Anyone have success doing that and what cable is needed (Apple Lightning connect?)?  Any insight would be appreciated or if this isn't going to work please let me know?
  
 Thanks
  
 -Greg


----------



## gevorg

gsfoote said:


> Hello All-
> 
> I am considering purchasing a CEntrance DACport slim to use directly out of my iPhone 6s.  Kinda like a shozy cozoy but with a volume knob.  Anyone have success doing that and what cable is needed (Apple Lightning connect?)?  Any insight would be appreciated or if this isn't going to work please let me know?
> 
> ...




It won't work because Apple does not supported USB powered devices on lighting port (you'll get a message like "your device uses too much power"). It might work with a USB regen type device that will provide independent power, not from iPhone, but the regen device I have from Uptone Audio is not supported by Centrance.


----------



## GSFoote

Thank you so much for the quick reply!  I was worried it would be something like that.  Any other thoughts of a cost effective way to kick up the sound of my iPhone 6s?  Perhaps a sozy cozoy but I am not sure if those are being made anymore.
  
 -Greg


----------



## gevorg

Something has to provide power for the DAC/amp device, so the other option is the $350 Centrance DACportable, which is battery-powered:

http://www.centrance.com/products/dacportable/

EDIT: iPhone 6S already has decent sound quality (relatively to other portable devices), so it takes some Benjamins to upgrade from it. What headphones do you use? Maybe its more cost effective to just upgrade to better and more efficient headphones.


----------



## iemmustiane

gsfoote said:


> Thank you so much for the quick reply!  I was worried it would be something like that.  Any other thoughts of a cost effective way to kick up the sound of my iPhone 6s?  Perhaps a sozy cozoy but I am not sure if those are being made anymore.
> 
> -Greg







gevorg said:


> Something has to provide power for the DAC/amp device, so the other option is the $350 Centrance DACportable, which is battery-powered:
> 
> http://www.centrance.com/products/dacportable/
> 
> EDIT: iPhone 6S already has decent sound quality (relatively to other portable devices), so it takes some Benjamins to upgrade from it. What headphones do you use? Maybe its more cost effective to just upgrade to better and more efficient headphones.




It will work if you get the usb 3 lightning camera kit cable, it allows you to provide power via lightning


----------



## U-3C

gevorg said:


> Something has to provide power for the DAC/amp device, so the other option is the $350 Centrance DACportable, which is battery-powered:
> 
> http://www.centrance.com/products/dacportable/
> 
> EDIT: iPhone 6S already has decent sound quality (relatively to other portable devices), so it takes some Benjamins to upgrade from it. What headphones do you use? Maybe its more cost effective to just upgrade to better and more efficient headphones.




I agree with this. Apple products, specifically, have an extremely neutral sound signature, which is the same with the DACport. You really won't hear much of a difference. If it doesn't get loud enough, there are much more convenient ways to amplifying the audio without having to deal with the cable clutter/paying for cables and usb hubs.


----------



## trellus

iemmustiane said:


> It will work if you get the usb 3 lightning camera kit cable, it allows you to provide power via lightning


 

 +1
  
 I actually have tested it and it works using the new USB 3 CCK, but of course, as you say, it also requires power it, so it becomes a heftier deal -- you either need a wall or a portable battery as well.


----------



## trellus

u-3c said:


> I agree with this. Apple products, specifically, have an extremely neutral sound signature, which is the same with the DACport. You really won't hear much of a difference. If it doesn't get loud enough, there are much more convenient ways to amplifying the audio without having to deal with the cable clutter/paying for cables and usb hubs.


 

 Indeed, yeah, I use a simple FiiO E6 amp from headphone out on my 6s Plus (and I'd bet the successor, the A1, works equally as good) when I need more power than the headphone out alone can deal, such as when I use my Fostex T50RP MK3.


----------



## GSFoote

Thanks for the posts.  I'm currently using Orivetti Primacy headphones directly from my iphone 6s.  I love the Orivetti's sound but was hoping to tweak it up a notch at the DAC/amplification end.  Sounds like I am back to considering a DAP or a more high end DAC/amp.  I was just hoping to keep the costs fairly low but based on the posts probably unlikely to hear significant gains without spending some more significant cash.
 My main issue with the phone as the player is the limited storage on the device.  The ideal for me would be a DAP with a very polished software interface like the iphone.  Not sure if that exists though.
  
 -Greg


----------



## U-3C

Well, I have been using my noisy old S3 as my main DAP with this:
  
 http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=68473076#post68473076
  
 Works like a charm, just very very noisy with sensitive, low impedance IEMs.
  
 Sometimes I just feel like plugging in the DACport if I want to control the volume a bit better, other times, I don't.
  
 -------------------------------
_(Just parroting what CEntrance is saying in the Massdrop discussion page...)_
  
 CEntrance is offering the mod for upgrading the Slim to the HD. If any of you bought the Slim and liked it but want a bit more, you can unlock the features of the HD on the Slim instead of picking up a new HD. The total price (not including shipping) of the Slim plus the upgrade should be the same as buying an HD.
  
 I don't think I will plan to upgrade in the near future, but it's nice to have an extra option and flexibility. The Slim is a very good entry level dac/amp for many to test the waters. For those that might want to climb up the ladder a bit, yay! No need to buy a brand new HD at full price.
  
 ----------------------------
  _(Continuing to parrot what CEntrance is sharing...)_
  
 New review of the HD:
  
 
  
  
  
 Written version, if you find reading it easier:

 http://thehbproject.com/en/reviews/200/0/CEntrance-DACport-HD-DAC


----------



## Letmebefrank

Just wanted to chime in to say the DacPort slim works like a charm with galaxy s7 edge with USB audio player pro.


----------



## doggiemom

gevorg said:


> Something has to provide power for the DAC/amp device, so the other option is the $350 Centrance DACportable, which is battery-powered:
> 
> http://www.centrance.com/products/dacportable/
> 
> EDIT: iPhone 6S already has decent sound quality (relatively to other portable devices), so it takes some Benjamins to upgrade from it. What headphones do you use? Maybe its more cost effective to just upgrade to better and more efficient headphones.


 

 I am currently using the CEntrance DACportable with an iPhone 6S though an Apple Lightning to USB Camera adapter:
 http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MD821AM/A/lightning-to-usb-camera-adapter
 and am very please with this setup.  The downside is that the DACportable is bulkier and heavier than the slim or HD.  Combined with the extra cabling, this is not a very good rig for walking around with (which I do a lot at work). 
  
 I thought about the Skyn very seriously, but work changes my phone every couple of years, so I couldn't justify the price.


----------



## killeraxemannic

Got a question for all of you.... I have the Dacport Slim for work. I have to have closed cans for work and I have decided on the Beyrdynamic DT770's. I just can't decide if I should get the 80 ohm version or the 250. Anyone have a suggestion?


----------



## Letmebefrank

killeraxemannic said:


> Got a question for all of you.... I have the Dacport Slim for work. I have to have closed cans for work and I have decided on the Beyrdynamic DT770's. I just can't decide if I should get the 80 ohm version or the 250. Anyone have a suggestion?




I would say go for the 250. It has no problem driving my 300ohm senns.


----------



## jasonb

Will this work with a Chromebook or do drivers have to be installed?


----------



## U-3C

jasonb said:


> Will this work with a Chromebook or do drivers have to be installed?




Sadly, custom drivers are required with XMOS, and the drivers have been quite a pain, especially with Windows 10. On Windows 7, it's okay. I just need to replug it every time my computer wakes from sleep.


----------



## moedawg140

u-3c said:


> Sadly, custom drivers are required with XMOS, and the drivers have been quite a pain, especially with Windows 10. On Windows 7, it's okay. I just need to replug it every time my computer wakes from sleep.




I don't have any issue with the DACport Slim and my Windows 10 computers/devices - not sure if this may help, but check your USB settings and make sure suspend mode/sleep is disabled. If it helps, great, if not, it was worth a shot!

Good luck!


----------



## U-3C

moedawg140 said:


> I don't have any issue with the DACport Slim and my Windows 10 computers/devices - not sure if this may help, but check your USB settings and make sure suspend mode/sleep is disabled. If it helps, great, if not, it was worth a shot!
> 
> Good luck!




Thanks for the feedback! 

Before, CEntrance was very confident with a new driver they were testing. Unfortunately, they say issues showed up after the Windows 10 Anniversary update. I don't know what issues they have, but since they decided to delay the promised release, I'll assume it's for a good reason. This seems to be the case with multiple dacs from different brands so I won't blame them. However, it just makes me want to avoid the update on my Windows 10 PCs even more.


----------



## moedawg140

u-3c said:


> Thanks for the feedback!
> 
> Before, CEntrance was very confident with a new driver they were testing. Unfortunately, they say issues showed up after the Windows 10 Anniversary update. I don't know what issues they have, but since they decided to delay the promised release, I'll assume it's for a good reason. This seems to be the case with multiple dacs from different brands so I won't blame them. However, it just makes me want to avoid the update on my Windows 10 PCs even more.


 
  
 No worries, and good luck.


----------



## killeraxemannic

killeraxemannic said:


> Got a question for all of you.... I have the Dacport Slim for work. I have to have closed cans for work and I have decided on the Beyrdynamic DT770's. I just can't decide if I should get the 80 ohm version or the 250. Anyone have a suggestion?


 
  
  
 Ok guys I am going to answer my own question..... I have a friend that had a set of the DT770 250 Ohm that let me borrow them. The Dacport Slim does run them but as far as how well I am not sure. You really have to roll the dial deep to get decent listening levels. I would say a good standard listening volume is about 85% on the Dacport... They are even bearable to listen to with the dacport wide open it's just a little loud. I would assume the dacport HD would be much better suited for running them. Compared to my HD650's they are not nearly as loud so even though they are 50 ohms less than the 650's they seem like they require more power. If I was going to get some DT770's to run off of the slim it would definitely be the 80 ohm version. I am not really sold on the DT770 250's anyways. They are clean and detailed but sound really really thin in the mids and have very little bass. I have heard the 80 ohm DT770's have a bit more bass... Might be a better all around headphone to get if you don't have at the very minimum a Schiit stack to run them.


----------



## gvl2016

Anyone experienced mushy bass on the Slim? I got mine recently and as much as I like mids and highs presentation bass-heavy tracks left me wondering if this is a device limitation/signature or perhaps my USB port isn't up to snuff. I'm using it with NAD VISO HP50s, at times it feels there is too much bass which could be a good thing if it was well defined and punchy but it is not. Should I invest in a powered USB hub?


----------



## Rodmunch

gvl2016 said:


> Anyone experienced mushy bass on the Slim? I got mine recently and as much as I like mids and highs presentation bass-heavy tracks left me wondering if this is a device limitation/signature or perhaps my USB port isn't up to snuff. I'm using it with NAD VISO HP50s, at times it feels there is too much bass which could be a good thing if it was well defined and punchy but it is not. Should I invest in a powered USB hub?


 
  
 I never experienced that with any of the headphones I used.  Maybe that's just how the HP50s sound.


----------



## gvl2016

rodmunch said:


> I never experienced that with any of the headphones I used.  Maybe that's just how the HP50s sound.


 
  
 Somehow I can no longer reproduce this effect at least to the extent I thought I experienced it, could be related to the fact Centrance driver isn't working very well under Windows XP running on circa 2002 hardware (yes, I know...) or perhaps it was just late at night and my ears were not taking it. The real bummer is that I wanted to use it at work but our corporate antivirus blocks the driver installer.


----------



## gvl2016

Spent more time with the Slim, including placing it upstream of my O2 and I actually like the sound better when the O2 drives the headphones, the highs feel less edgy and overall the sound is noticeably smoother. Playing Spotify 320kbps, W7 laptop this time. It is interesting that I previously came to a similar conclusion when comparing the O2 and a DACMini CX, maybe I just like the O2 signature, or the lack thereof, better. Oh well, the Slim is still awesome for what it is.


----------



## rikk009

gvl2016 said:


> Anyone experienced mushy bass on the Slim? I got mine recently and as much as I like mids and highs presentation bass-heavy tracks left me wondering if this is a device limitation/signature or perhaps my USB port isn't up to snuff. I'm using it with NAD VISO HP50s, at times it feels there is too much bass which could be a good thing if it was well defined and punchy but it is not. Should I invest in a powered USB hub?


 
 Maybe it's the pairing. But, Centrance doesn't have that defined sub-bass as I get from PCM chips. Sometimes I do crave that bass.


----------



## sheldaze

jasonb said:


> Will this work with a Chromebook or do drivers have to be installed?


 
 Yes. This should work using the regular USB Audio 2.0 specification.
  
 I have only encountered issues with Windows. The other OSes, Chrome, Linux and MacOS, just work.


----------



## gvl2016

After a couple of days can't get to love the highs now. I don't know how to describe it but they sometimes feel over emphasized and thin at certain frequencies, and the "s" in vocals is more pronounced than I'd prefer. Will give it a bit more time to "burn in" and maybe for my ears to get used to the sound, but so far I'm slightly disappointed.


----------



## gvl2016

It seems I can get some improvement by manually matching sample rate to that of the source material which is 44.1 kHz for Spotify premium in my case, by default it was 192. I understand the latest drivers match sample rate automatically, but I'm stuck with the old driver for now. Still a tad too bright to my taste but sounds cleaner than before. I wonder if this is just a general limitation of USB powered amps on a chip. Just bought a Emotiva Little Ego on the bay, it will be interesting to compare both when I get it.


----------



## Level

Alright, beat me.....
  
 Where are the pages to tell me whether I should bother using this with an Xduoo X3 DAP?
 Thx.


----------



## gvl2016

Had some time to play with the Emotiva Little Ego. This is my kind of sound, sweet and analog-like. The Slim goes to its next owner.


----------



## SomeTechNoob

Is there really that much difference between two similarly priced dac/amps?


----------



## gvl2016

Admittedly not much, but Dacport is noticeably brighter and I find the way the highs are rendered a bit unrealistic, and it is bothering me, which could be just my subjective perception.


----------



## rikk009

level said:


> Alright, beat me.....
> 
> Where are the pages to tell me whether I should bother using this with an Xduoo X3 DAP?
> Thx.


 
 No


----------



## Level

rikk009 said:


> No


 

 Does that infer typically computer source rather than DAP.......for the most part?


----------



## gvl2016

level said:


> Does that infer typically computer source rather than DAP.......for the most part?


 

 Any source which lacks in the DAC department and/or headphone amp, and it supports USB audio, the DAP is neither of those.


----------



## Level

Other than being the unit I won't need, I don't quite get it. Still so much to learn about audiophile gear.
 I'm looking for a small amp to run with the X3, maybe also use it with my N5.
 I appreciate your help.


----------



## gvl2016

You can use it with with a computer or perhaps a phone over USB to get better sound quality.


----------



## Level

Gotcha, time to keep looking.


----------



## rikk009

level said:


> Other than being the unit I won't need, I don't quite get it. Still so much to learn about audiophile gear.
> I'm looking for a small amp to run with the X3, maybe also use it with my N5.
> I appreciate your help.


 
 What cans/IEMs are you using?


----------



## killeraxemannic

Does the fact that the Dacport uses a AISO driver make it bypass the windows sound mixer by default? With my Schiit Modi (on win 10 no AISO support) if I run Tidal in exclusive mode it sounds noticeably better than if I set it at system default. The Dacport sounds the same no matter what I do. Not necessarily a bad thing I was just wondering.


----------



## Level

rikk009 said:


> What cans/IEMs are you using?


 

 ATHM50X and Havi B3.


----------



## SomeTechNoob

I don't think so.  Both my Slim and HD will go through the Windows sound control panel by default.  I don't have Tidal anymore, but ASIO via foobar2k will adjust the Slim's bitrate playback based on the song playing.  That doesn't happen anywhere else for me.
  
 I think ASIO might sound a tiny bit better than simply upsampling through windows, but I haven't done any blind a/b testing so I have no clue.


----------



## justvinh

Anyone got the newest beta driver download link? CEntrance have not replied to my email yet, just want to try it out..


----------



## SomeTechNoob

I'm running UD v7.9.9.1 and Firmware 29 on my Slim.  CEntrance hasn't sent me anything new since then.  Shoot me a PM if you want any of these, I guess.


----------



## rikk009

level said:


> ATHM50X and Havi B3.


 
 Don't think you will need an amp for either of them unless Havi is too sensitive to hiss.


----------



## U-3C

Keep in mind the DACport has quite a bit of hiss if you use sensitive IEMs.


----------



## peter123

The Havi B3 Pro1 is pretty hard to drive (easily the most demanding among the IEM's in my collection) but the Slim has enough power and I'm not able to detect any hiss with them....


----------



## Level

rikk009 said:


> Don't think you will need an amp for either of them unless Havi is too sensitive to hiss.


 

 I will post my experience after playing with it for a few days, should be here in a week or two.
 Cheers.


----------



## DntMessWitRohan

I ordered the DACport Slim from the last drop on MassDrop and was wondering if I have to do anything on my computer besides installing the latest CEntrance driver? I've read about things like ASIO, etc. and was wondering if that was necessary or if it would just cause more problems?


----------



## rikk009

dntmesswitrohan said:


> I ordered the DACport Slim from the last drop on MassDrop and was wondering if I have to do anything on my computer besides installing the latest CEntrance driver? I've read about things like ASIO, etc. and was wondering if that was necessary or if it would just cause more problems?


 
 ASIO is the driver. You just need to install the CEntrace driver.


----------



## novice

Joining the club. So far, worth every penny. Will have permanent spot in my bag.


----------



## U-3C

Looking forward to comparing this with the new Schiit Fulla.

Also curious about the new Objective line.


----------



## Brent Pittman

Massdrop is incredable.


----------



## SomeTechNoob

So apparently early reports report no audible noise floor with the Fulla 2.  My recent arrival of the KZ ED9 really brought out the noise floor on both the Slim and the HD for me, which was a little bit disappointing.
  
 My DACports might be on their way out once I gather the funds.


----------



## U-3C

sometechnoob said:


> So apparently early reports report no audible noise floor with the Fulla 2.  My recent arrival of the KZ ED9 really brought out the noise floor on both the Slim and the HD for me, which was a little bit disappointing.
> 
> My DACports might be on their way out once I gather the funds.


 
  
 Well, CEntrance is kinda known for misleading marketing and focusing on things that the stereotypical audiophile tends to ramble about and nails those aspects (even though whether or not it's even audible is still under heavy debate), while leaving out things that the stereotypical audiophile does not fuss over (even if they are clearly audible when done wrong, no debate from anyone). 
  
 If what they achieve is what you want, then it is undoubtedly one of, if no the best products out there for your needs. If not...then there's a lot of ambiguity. I have no doubt that the team is capable of creating great products. However, I cannot say I have built any trust towards them during my past interactions, and I will never give them the benefit of doubt.
  
 Also, about early reviews of the Fulla 2. Keep in mind that early reviews of the DACport Slim also claims that it is the creation of God Himself, with no flaws, and not even the slightest of noise in its ink black background, so much that sensitive multiple-BA driver IEMs like the notorious SE846 cannot pick up anything at all.
  
 I would recommend just not getting anything new at all, or at least wait a year or two after people no longer feel (as) pressured to only talk positively about a product without being attacked. I still can't hear much of a difference between my iPhone and my DACport, neither can my friends. Still curious about this "night and day" thing people keep talking about.


----------



## SomeTechNoob

u-3c said:


> Keep in mind that early reviews of the DACport Slim also claims that it is the creation of God Himself, with no flaws, and not even the slightest of noise in its ink black background, so much that sensitive multiple-BA driver IEMs like the notorious SE846 cannot pick up anything at all.


 
 Haha, yeah definitely.  It's going to be some time before I make any purchases though, since the HD 6XX has gouged out my wallet pretty hard already.  I was browsing /r/headphones and a couple of Schiit Fulla 2 posts came up.  Someone, who I know has previously tried the DACport HD/Slim, put his ATH-IM02 on the Fulla 2 and said:
  


> As requested below, with the IEMs I tested – including the ATH-IM02 which is my most sensitive to noise IEM – no noise floor issues even being powered by the computer.
> ...
> Just tried it with my IM02 (which I've used with the DACport HD), no noise floor issue, even running just through the laptop's USB power. May need to be careful with the volume, though!


 
  


> Originally Posted by *U-3C* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> I still can't hear much of a difference between my iPhone and my DACport, neither can my friends. Still curious about this "night and day" thing people keep talking about.


 
  
 The Slim is great as a dongle DAC/AMP, and slips into the case I bring around very easily.  I too, can't usually tell the difference except when comparing it to my XPS 13(which has one terrible, noisy headphone output).  However, at my desktop I think having the Fulla 2 with it's more desktop-oriented form factor would be better.  A physical volume knob is super handy, and with my HD 6XX's imminent arrival I think there will actually be a benefit of having an amp.
  
 I do feel a little bit bad selling my DACports though since CEntrance has given me a lot of support for them and sent me the HD since the Slim simply was continuously buggy with my desktop.  Unfortunately most of my stuff is efficient and that_noise_floor leaves a little to be desired.
  
 Waiting for more reviews on the Fulla 2, anyways.  Maybe I'll get around to purchasing one when ZReviews(yeah, I follow that dude, fite me) does a bit more of an in depth look.  Do some comparisons with my DACports.  Then something's getting sold because I don't need 3 dac/amps.


----------



## U-3C

sometechnoob said:


> Haha, yeah definitely.  It's going to be some time before I make any purchases though, since the HD 6XX has gouged out my wallet pretty hard already.  I was browsing /r/headphones and a couple of Schiit Fulla 2 posts came up.  Someone, who I know has previously tried the DACport HD/Slim, put his ATH-IM02 on the Fulla 2 and said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  
  
 Looking forward for your feedback!
  
 I originally wanted to build my own O2. Not because I need it, but because I just wanted to have some fun. Now everybody is spilling out new products, even distributors  of the O2 themselves. 
  
 This will be one fun winter walking with a not-so-heavy wallet......


----------



## bladefd

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

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


----------



## SomeTechNoob

bladefd said:


> Hello, I bought a dacport hd and I have it setup with Windows 7 64bit. I have it set on high gain and the headphones are Beyerdynamic DT880 600ohms. The issue is I can't get music running in winamp or vlc player or amazon music program no matter what I do. Then I noticed it works through Windows Media Player. I have same issues with sound in most games, which simply has no sound. I don't understand as it is perfectly fine with my DT880 connected directly to pc..
> 
> The default sound device in Windows is set as dacport hd so I'm not sure what the issue is. I have the latest stable update centrance 7.4.19 installed and restarted my computer multiple times since. Is it a compatibility issue with dacport and Windows applications? If so, I will have to return it for refund. These same applications work fine when I plug the headphones to my pc directly rather than through dacport hd. Driving me insane!!


 
 This should probably go in the DACport HD thread.  But nevertheless, what are your sound settings?  I found setting the sound to 384khz in windows breaks a lot of compatibility with programs.  Set it down to 32/192kHz and everything should work great.  384kHz is completely overkill anyway.


----------



## bladefd

sometechnoob said:


> This should probably go in the DACport HD thread.  But nevertheless, what are your sound settings?  I found setting the sound to 384khz in windows breaks a lot of compatibility with programs.  Set it down to 32/192kHz and everything should work great.  384kHz is completely overkill anyway.




You are right! That fixed it! One question: What difference would 192kHz vs 384kHz even make as far as sound quality is concerned? Humans don't have that powerful ears to pick it up, no? Is it just for marketing purposes?

I realized I posted in wrong thread right after I posted here so I put it there afterwards. I should have deleted it from here but ah well


----------



## SomeTechNoob

Some people might say something about the "sonic frequencies outside our hearing range which affect the texture of music when going >96kHz", but imho anything higher than 24/96 is pretty much marketing talk.  Can't hear any difference.  And most of my stuff is 44.1kHz anyway, so it's just upsampling.


----------



## bladefd

sometechnoob said:


> Some people might say something about the "sonic frequencies outside our hearing range which affect the texture of music when going >96kHz", but imho anything higher than 24/96 is pretty much marketing talk.  Can't hear any difference.  And most of my stuff is 44.1kHz anyway, so it's just upsampling.




I tried 192kHz then 96kHz then 48kHz with my DT880 and same 3 songs, and I cannot distinguish a difference in quality. I truly can't tell, and I don't have old overused ears (I have no hearing issues - in my mid 20s)

-Beethoven's Fur Elise bagatelle 
-Clarity by Zedd
-Dream On by Aerosmith


----------



## bladefd

I tried 16bit vs 32bit with song Clarity, which covers bass, mids, treble on voices/instrumentals fairly well across the spectrum at 96kHz.. I can't pick up difference between the 2 bits. I raised the volume and tried to notice something minute being different but my ears hear no difference. I don't think our ears can differentiate past 16bit and 48kHz...


----------



## U-3C

bladefd said:


> You are right! That fixed it! One question: What difference would 192kHz vs 384kHz even make as far as sound quality is concerned? Humans don't have that powerful ears to pick it up, no? Is it just for marketing purposes?
> 
> I realized I posted in wrong thread right after I posted here so I put it there afterwards. I should have deleted it from here but ah well




Marketing. After mixing and mastering, it doesn't really make much of a difference.


----------



## gvl2016

gvl2016 said:


> Had some time to play with the Emotiva Little Ego. This is my kind of sound, sweet and analog-like. The Slim goes to its next owner.


 
  
 Well, after all I decided to keep the Dacport. I still think the high frequencies are a bit glassy but the low-end is tight/punchy and there is something very satisfying in the construction/form factor. Plus it doubles as a hand warmer in the office where AC is blasting cold air


----------



## rikk009

gvl2016 said:


> Well, after all I decided to keep the Dacport. I still think the high frequencies are a bit glassy but the low-end is tight/punchy and there is something very satisfying in the construction/form factor. Plus it doubles as a hand warmer in the office where AC is blasting cold air


 
 Someone who owned both said that he couldn't differentiate between the two.


----------



## gvl2016

rikk009 said:


> Someone who owned both said that he couldn't differentiate between the two.


 
  
 Well, I own both as well and I definitely can with neutral sounding headphones, less so with bright sounding cans, at least in a A/B type of test. I guess there are several variables such as headphones, variance between instances of the same device, music content, and ears, so not at all surprising opinions differ. Granted the differences are minor but I find the Dacport sounding more in your face across all spectrum, or you can say it is more revealing, the Little Ego is more relaxed with very clean and natural mid-high frequencies but somehow the low end is not as well defined as in the Dacport.


----------



## snip3r77

Does it gel well with the iphone ?
How is the power consumption as compared to dragonfly black ?


----------



## U-3C

snip3r77 said:


> Does it gel well with the iphone ?
> How is the power consumption as compared to dragonfly black ?




If you are referring to the DACport vs the Dragonfly, the Dragonfly takes up significantly less power.


----------



## SomeTechNoob

Solving the noise floor issue and adding a 1/4" jack while I'm at it.
  
 Parts arrived today.  Soldered up and testing.  This is a simple 3.5mm version.  The first pot I soldered died for some reason.  Oh well.
  

  
 DACports get set on high gain and maximum volume.  Analogue pot controls volume.  Similar to that $5 el cheapo in-line volume control, but should be a lot neater in the end.  Also, the volume knob and quality in general on that cheap in-line cable is pretty bad so I put it aside.  No more hiss when the pot is set to listening levels and nothing is playing in the background.
  
 Current pot I'm testing seems to still let in a small sliver of audio in at the lower end.  Maybe if I ever end up making more of these I'll pick up some ALPS RK09 pots - the one schiit uses.  Sound quality is perfectly fine to my ears though, both on my KZ ZS3(18ohm) and HD 6XX.
  
 Barring any mistakes, the model drawings are now done as well.  Here are some renders.
  

  

  
 It's a bit taller than I'd like, but I guess you can blame that bulky 1/4" adapter for that.
  
 Gonna be printing parts relatively soon.


----------



## U-3C

sometechnoob said:


> Solving the noise floor issue and adding a 1/4" jack while I'm at it.
> 
> Parts arrived today.  Soldered up and testing.  This is a simple 3.5mm version.  The first pot I soldered died for some reason.  Oh well.
> 
> ...




Awesome!


----------



## gvl2016

sometechnoob said:


> Solving the noise floor issue and adding a 1/4" jack while I'm at it.


 
  
 What is the resistance of the pot? Do you realize you're effectively changing output impedance of the amp by adding it before headphones?


----------



## SomeTechNoob

It's a 50k pot.  Did a bit of googling and it's what was usually recommended.  Yeah I do know that adding the pot changed the output impedance, but a slight change in sound(err, to be honest, can't hear a difference lol) is a worthy tradeoff for removing the background noise on the DACport Slim/HD.
  
 My DACports usually just sit at my desk so having a slightly larger, more desktop-like form factor would be nice for me as well.


----------



## gvl2016

sometechnoob said:


> It's a 50k pot.  Did a bit of googling and it's what was usually recommended.  Yeah I do know that adding the pot changed the output impedance, but a slight change in sound(err, to be honest, can't hear a difference lol) is a worthy tradeoff for removing the background noise on the DACport Slim/HD.
> 
> My DACports usually just sit at my desk so having a slightly larger, more desktop-like form factor would be nice for me as well.


 
  
 I suspect you may find it sounds different later. How much different depends on the headphones, could be not much. At 50% volume assuming linear pot and pot-schematic (vs. rheostat) your output impedance goes from 1Ohm to 25kOhm, ouch.


----------



## SomeTechNoob

Yeah I've only been testing for a couple hours so far.  Definitely need a bit more eartime through the pot.
  
 Did a bit of googling and came across this tidbit:
  


> The output impedance is easier. It's zero at both 100% rotation and 0% rotation. Well, at 100% rotation it's whatever the source impedance is, at least. The pot contributes little to it. As you rotate the pot away from 100% and 0%, the impedance rises, and it hits a maximum at 50% resistance rotation of the top and bottom resistances in parallel. That is, the top resistor and bottom resistance are both Rp/2, and in parallel, that's Rp/4. And that's where the 1/4 of the pot resistance you heard comes from. That's actually a maximum.


 
 So I would assume at 50% volume it'd be 50k/4.  Which is still a lot.  Ah, oh well.


----------



## gvl2016

1/4 rings a bell and I think it is correct but I have to think about it a bit more. Regardless, it would seem that you'd want to use a pot with resistance similar to your headphones that combined with the headphones would still present a load to the amp that's within its specs. 50k is probably more for passive volume controls before amps that have high input impedance, impedance of headphones is relatively low and usually changes with frequency and voltage will drop across the pot on frequencies where impedance is the lowest effectively robbing you of them.


----------



## U-3C

sometechnoob said:


> Yeah I've only been testing for a couple hours so far.  Definitely need a bit more eartime through the pot.
> 
> Did a bit of googling and came across this tidbit:
> 
> So I would assume at 50% volume it'd be 50k/4.  Which is still a lot.  Ah, oh well.




Think of it this way: many people love to pair the HD6## with amps with high output impedance to"drive them properly" because it changes the sound and clearly that means it's driven properly! 

As long as it sounds good, it's good. Different people have different properties. Don't let other people enforce their preference on you.

Adding an impedance adapter is a very common way of getting rid of a high noise floor.


----------



## gvl2016

> As long as it sounds good, it's good.


 
  
 I've lost count of times when something that sounded good on first try didn't sound as good in the long run.


----------



## U-3C

gvl2016 said:


> I've lost count of times when something that sounded good on first try didn't sound as good in the long run.




So in the end, it doesn't sound good. 

In this case, it didn't sound good to begin with as the noise was so distracting. Best address the elephant in the room first, no? ^_^


----------



## gvl2016

u-3c said:


> Best address the elephant in the room first, no? ^_^


 
  
 Yes but with care, so you don't end up with another.


----------



## SomeTechNoob

Well as expected of my noob modeling skills the DACport's cutout was a wee bit too tight.  I ended up doing some tweaks on the model.  Better durability, vents, dimension tweaking, etc.
  

  
 There is a still a top panel.  Looks like it didn't render out the edge in this particular instance.  Oops.
  
 Also looking around the interwebs for new pots.  You can tell how inefficient the 50k pot is with low impedance IEMs.  Unfortunately the lowest dual-gang pot seems to be 1k.  Hrm.
  
 edit: measured the cheap in-line volume control cable extender and it appears to be a 1k pot.  Guess that will have to do.


----------



## froxmor

Anyone has random very low squeaky noise on HIGH gain? Happens at any volume and is not affected by it.


----------



## SomeTechNoob

Never had anything like that. Try another computer or USB port or cable. Also make sure no phones or whatever are nearby.


----------



## SomeTechNoob

Functioning prototype!!!  Yay!  The outer cover seems a bit misaligned.  Probably my fault since I had to tweak the base a lot.  I will probably fix and re-print overnight.
  
     
  
 Reeks of DIY on the inside lol.  Zip ties result in a very secure 1/4" jack and hot snot makes the pot stay in place.
  
     
  
     
  
 Surprisingly weighty.  I can turn the pot and the device stays in place.


----------



## gvl2016

Nice! As for 1k being the lowest pot, you could build a custom discrete attenuator with whatever resistor values you want, even a fixed single value will provide some improvement over stock. Or you could have several levels selectable by a switch. But if 1k pot works for your purposes so be it.


----------



## SomeTechNoob

I'll have a look at that.  I'm a computer science major so electronics, modeling, physics, and basically everything I'm doing right now is pretty much self-learned haha.
  
 The top cover actually had no issues besides some 3D printing tolerances.  I glued the pot at an angle on accident.  Here it is fully assembled with the knob.
  

  
 edit: I need new pots.  I should've figured generic ones off ebay were pretty bad LOL.  For some reason moving the solder pads sometimes makes the channel start at a super loud volume.  I've soldered a ton of R/C stuff before so I know it's not cold solder joints.
  
 edit 2: I can change the channel imbalance by pushing the pot sideways lmao.  Time to go pot shopping.


----------



## rikk009

sometechnoob said:


> I'll have a look at that.  I'm a computer science major so electronics, modeling, physics, and basically everything I'm doing right now is pretty much self-learned haha.
> 
> The top cover actually had no issues besides some 3D printing tolerances.  I glued the pot at an angle on accident.  Here it is fully assembled with the knob.
> 
> ...


 
 So you took and CEntrance Slim and made it into Schiit Fulla 2, better buy Fulla then 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
 JK... I love DIY and it's a wonderful attempt.


----------



## intance

Is it possible to use this device with Highscreen Boost 3 without extra power bank?


----------



## SomeTechNoob

So... the Schiit Fulla 2.  How does it _stack _up?

 It stacks pretty well.
  
 But seriously now, how does it compare to the DACport?

  
 Well I can tell you that there's a noise floor on the Fulla 2 when nothing is playing.  It is, however, slightly lower than the DACport Slim/HD's noise floor.  Maybe 1/3 less.  But it comes through without a doubt on my KZ ZS3.
  
 The lowest pot setting on the Fulla 2 also puts out a low volume of music through the headphone out.  You need to have really efficient cans or IEMs though to hear this.  I couldn't hear it with my T50RP or HD 6XX.
  
 The channel imbalance on my Fulla 2 is pretty bad.  By the time both channels were balanced on both my T50RP and HD 6XX(both considered power hungry cans!!), it was above my preferred listening level(8-8:30 on the Fulla 2).  My particular unit has the left channel increasing in volume a lot faster than the right channel.  Of course, put on my KZ ZS3(efficient @ 18ohms) and it's enhanced even more.  Very disappointing, getting a pot this bad.  It's so bad that I'm considering asking schiit for a replacement.
  
 Fulla 2's headphone out also seems to be susceptible to some sort of RF.  I had a kindle w/ Wifi on as well my phone in relatively close proximity to the Fulla 2 and there were some audible ticks.  Turned both off and it went away.
  
 Fulla 2 gets a little warm.  But if you've had the DACport Slim on a hot day, the Fulla 2 is nothing when it comes to heat output.
  
 Sound?  Well it's only been an hour or two at most so I need more time to form an opinion.  But I think the DACport Slim sounds a bit fuller.  The Fulla 2 seems every so slightly more thin.  Needs more testing.  Which I am not looking forward since the channel imbalance is a pita.
  
 Oh yeah, the DACports are also so much smaller.
  
 If you showed me a DACport Slim and a Fulla 2 as my only two options and told me to pick one, it would be the DACport Slim at the moment.


----------



## rikk009

Nice, I was wondering the same how both stack up. How would you compare Modi+magni to Centrances sonically?


----------



## SomeTechNoob

Well, Fulla 2 + Magni 2 for me.
  
 Compared to the DACport Slim the Magni 2 sounds a bit more "filled out" on my HD 6XX.  Subbass and other bass regions are either more apparent or sound tighter/less sloppy.  Soundstage seems a tad bit wider.
  
 Honestly, the DACport Slim sounds good.  The Fulla 2 + Magni 2 sound a little bit better and are great.  What I really like about the Fulla 2 + Magni 2 setup is that I no longer have an audible noise floor.


----------



## U-3C

sometechnoob said:


> Well, Fulla 2 + Magni 2 for me.
> 
> Compared to the DACport Slim the Magni 2 sounds a bit more "filled out" on my HD 6XX.  Subbass and other bass regions are either more apparent or sound tighter/less sloppy.  Soundstage seems a tad bit wider.
> 
> Honestly, the DACport Slim sounds good.  The Fulla 2 + Magni 2 sound a little bit better and are great.  What I really like about the Fulla 2 + Magni 2 setup is that I no longer have an audible noise floor.




I'm the future, whenever I need honest feedback on if there is an audible noise floor on something, I'll listen to you over anyone else lol.

XD


----------



## SomeTechNoob

u-3c said:


> I'm the future, whenever I need honest feedback on if there is an audible noise floor on something, I'll listen to you over anyone else lol.
> 
> XD


 
 I'm a picky perfectionist.  What can ya do.


----------



## rikk009

It's been a while...just logged in to say in $100-150 price range CE Slim has become my benchmark. If it had more defined and extended bass it would beat anything under $200. Not that it's a slouch but more balanced than fun. Even if I want  I don't want to sell it.


----------



## b4isaynoagain

I guess I must be losing it.... I ponied up for the drop @ $99. How could it be bad? Through my ER4Ps, HD650s and LCD3s I struggle to get ANY low end. The ER4P is known to be very neutral with extremely articulate bass, so I expected that but, compared to what I hear with any of those transducers coupled to my Burson HA160D, Grommes driven by a HiFi Berry Dac+, my HT503 amp hat or even just my PC, they are thin with no distinguishable low end and are, simply, not listenable. Even with EQ, which I never use, I could not get anything near close to something I could listen to for more than a few minutes. Anyone have any clues? I'm open to suggestions.
 Thanks!


----------



## letlive

I'm planning to use the slim with a Pioneer XDP-300R and a Galaxy S7. How is the battery consumption? Would the Shanling Up be better?


----------



## peter123

letlive said:


> I'm planning to use the slim with a Pioneer XDP-300R and a Galaxy S7. How is the battery consumption? Would the Shanling Up be better?




I've got no idea about the Up but the Slim drains the phone battery very quickly.


----------



## sludgeogre

letlive said:


> I'm planning to use the slim with a Pioneer XDP-300R and a Galaxy S7. How is the battery consumption? Would the Shanling Up be better?


 
  
  


peter123 said:


> I've got no idea about the Up but the Slim drains the phone battery very quickly.


 
 Since the slim is a Class A device I would imagine that it drains batteries with a vengeance. I used to use a Fiio E18 and it did not seem to effect battery life much at all since it has it's own internal battery and I really enjoyed the sound and the bass boost option, especially on flights since they seem to steal the bass from my PM-3's.


----------



## peter123

sludgeogre said:


> Since the slim is a Class A device I would imagine that it drains batteries with a vengeance. I used to use a Fiio E18 and it did not seem to effect battery life much at all since it has it's own internal battery and I really enjoyed the sound and the bass boost option, especially on flights since they seem to steal the bass from my PM-3's.




Yeah, for portable usage I'd also strongly recommend a device with internal battery.


----------



## cardeli22

Centrance makes two products with built-in batteries: The Dacportable (i have and it's great) and the DAC Blue. You can use the slim with a usb splitter and connected to a small battery charging both products.


----------



## rikk009

I was wondering whether an external DAC works or not if the phone doesn't have OTG functionality? Btw, the phone in question is Lenovo Z plus 2(incredibility bad sounding).


----------



## peter123

rikk009 said:


> I was wondering whether an external DAC works or not if the phone doesn't have OTG functionality? Btw, the phone in question is Lenovo Z plus 2(incredibility bad sounding).




No, unfortunately USB audio output needs OTG so it won't work.


----------



## rikk009

peter123 said:


> No, unfortunately USB audio output needs OTG so it won't work.


 
 Dang!


----------



## sheldaze

Try the USB Audio Player application before giving up hope. There's a thread on Head-Fi:
  
http://www.head-fi.org/t/704065/usb-audio-recorder-pro-uapp-24-and-32-bit-playback-ubiquitous-usb-audio-support-for-android


----------



## rikk009

sheldaze said:


> Try the USB Audio Player application before giving up hope. There's a thread on Head-Fi:
> 
> http://www.head-fi.org/t/704065/usb-audio-recorder-pro-uapp-24-and-32-bit-playback-ubiquitous-usb-audio-support-for-android


 
 Some reports said it work with OTG. But reading USB-C standards or lack of it on most cables and adaptors I am scared. Hopefully will get a USB-IF certified adaptor and try. Thanks.


----------



## peter123

rikk009 said:


> Some reports said it work with OTG. But reading USB-C standards or lack of it on most cables and adaptors I am scared. Hopefully will get a USB-IF certified adaptor and try. Thanks.




I'm sorry, I didn't realize that your phone had USB C. It's my understanding that USB C is always able to output audio. Please try to double check this first though sine I'm not 100% sure.


----------



## intance

Can I ask you for service manual? Windows can not find my Centrance Slim. 
The device is warm when i plug it to PC, i can still hear the sound from speakers like "push" when i try to connect to PC but the driver says that there is no device in system.


----------



## Letmebefrank

You have to go on the centrance website and request a driver, they will email you a link to download it.


----------



## cardeli22

The manual: https://www.centrance.com/products/dacport/DACport-HD-Slim-QSG-Rev-1.2.pdf
Like Letmebefrank said, You have to request the driver from Centrance. They will then email it to you.


----------



## U-3C (Jun 4, 2017)

Don't know if this has been posted before.

Fairly comprehensive breakdown of how the device works:

https://summivox.wordpress.com/2016...rance-dacport-slim-usb-dac-and-headphone-amp/

Pretty much sums up everything I like and dislike about this device.

----------------------

Never really could recommend the DACport to anyone for many reasons, but there are plenty of really good alternatives coming out that have very throughout reviews so people can judge for themselves if it is for them, such as this one:

http://archimago.blogspot.ca/2017/05/measurements-smsl-idea-usb-dac.html


----------



## SomeTechNoob

Cool, I saw the SMSL writeup but didnt know about the dacport one.

Not like it affects me much anymore since I went full schiit.


----------



## mib91

Does anyone has any clue about the power output (mW) Dacport Slim can serve at ~32ohm??


----------



## SomeTechNoob

mib91 said:


> Does anyone has any clue about the power output (mW) Dacport Slim can serve at ~32ohm??


225mw

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/r...im-dac-amp-combo.778966/page-25#post-12712590


----------



## U-3C

SomeTechNoob said:


> 225mw
> 
> https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/r...im-dac-amp-combo.778966/page-25#post-12712590



0.0;


----------



## peter123 (Sep 12, 2017)

Well, no matter what any NwAwguy fanboy comes to in his/her pre determined "breakdown" I'm still loving this device. Listening to the HD800S from it right now and it sounds absolutely fantastic. I still can't fault this sub $100 device when used with full size cans. Great sound, great power, small footprint and physical volume control. Although I've got loads of much more expensive equipment this little gem never disappoint me.....


----------



## rikk009

peter123 said:


> Well, no matter what any NwAwguy fanboy comes to in his/her pre determined "breakdown" I'm still loving this device. Listening to the HD800S from it right now and it sounds absolutely fantastic. I still can't fault this sub $100 device when used with full size cans. Great sound, great power, small footprint and physical volume control. Although I've got loads of much more expensive equipment this little gem never disappoint me.....


I am pairing it Matrix HPA amp to get better lower end, the combination makes it even better.


----------



## OneL0ve

Stupid question. Should this work with a Onkyo DP-X1A? I don't get the "Allow X app to access this USB device" popup and the DACport slim just makes a tapping noise.   
It works great with my Samsung phone.


----------



## Jimster480

Wondering what DAC chip this has in it?


----------



## OneL0ve

Jimster480 said:


> Wondering what DAC chip this has in it?



The CEntrance has AK4490 in it. 

Anyway, I solved my issue. I needed an OTG Y cable for it to work with the DPX1A and external power.


----------



## SomeTechNoob

OneL0ve said:


> The CEntrance has AK4490 in it.
> 
> Anyway, I solved my issue. I needed an OTG Y cable for it to work with the DPX1A and external power.



Told ya.


----------



## OneL0ve

SomeTechNoob said:


> Told ya.



Quit stalking me!


----------



## Jimster480

OneL0ve said:


> The CEntrance has AK4490 in it.
> 
> Anyway, I solved my issue. I needed an OTG Y cable for it to work with the DPX1A and external power.


Thanks for that!


----------



## Porkyan

Can these run the MrSpeakers Aeons?


----------



## Letmebefrank

I've been using this little guy in a small setup for listening in my recliner. I've got a raspberry pi 3 with a 2tb hdd feeding flac files to the CEntrance, then a couple adapters to my HD650s. Overall it's a good sound and it sounds so much better than trying to drive the sennheisers out of my phone.


----------



## Jimster480

Letmebefrank said:


> I've been using this little guy in a small setup for listening in my recliner. I've got a raspberry pi 3 with a 2tb hdd feeding flac files to the CEntrance, then a couple adapters to my HD650s. Overall it's a good sound and it sounds so much better than trying to drive the sennheisers out of my phone.




That is quite interesting, how do you change the songs/control your playlist?


----------



## Letmebefrank

Jimster480 said:


> That is quite interesting, how do you change the songs/control your playlist?



Using the app Yatse as a remote for it over wifi. You can browse your library and view the queue/now playing etc. I had to get it fully set up and configured to use the CEntrance instead for audio using the GUI via hdmi, then I could unplug from my tv and run it headless.


----------



## rikk009

Letmebefrank said:


> I've been using this little guy in a small setup for listening in my recliner. I've got a raspberry pi 3 with a 2tb hdd feeding flac files to the CEntrance, then a couple adapters to my HD650s. Overall it's a good sound and it sounds so much better than trying to drive the sennheisers out of my phone.


Offtopic: How has the leather pads changed the sound?


----------



## rikk009

Porkyan said:


> Can these run the MrSpeakers Aeons?


TBH, bass is not it's strong suit. Comparing to T50s on slim and a dedicated D/A bass feels more flat.


----------



## Letmebefrank

rikk009 said:


> Offtopic: How has the leather pads changed the sound?



Let me begin by saying I was not looking to change the sound but to stop the velour pads from squeaking on my glasses. These pads are much more comfortable than the stock pads. I love soft leather. To me, the sound changed for the better. A bit more bass and treble. I didn't do any a/b tests or comparison tests because I was willing to accept any sonic changes, good or bad, to eliminate the velour pad squeaking.


----------



## Porkyan

rikk009 said:


> TBH, bass is not it's strong suit. Comparing to T50s on slim and a dedicated D/A bass feels more flat.


So the centrance affects the bass?


----------



## liquidrats

I have a K7XX and a dacport slim. Do I really necessary need something like schiit magni to bring a  more "fuller sound" for it, or I should be fine where I am? I am on high gain and it's pretty loud. But I'm more concern if something like magni would able to bring up the frequencies band up so that is sounds more full..


----------



## OneL0ve

rikk009 said:


> TBH, bass is not it's strong suit. Comparing to T50s on slim and a dedicated D/A bass feels more flat.



I am a bass head and every device i have paired with my DACport slim has produced lots of bass. I use 64Audio U8s, so maybe that's why.  Tested with Note 5, Galaxy Tab S2 and Google Music streams and local files. Also DPX1A with flac and mp3. All on low gain.


----------



## peter123

liquidrats said:


> I have a K7XX and a dacport slim. Do I really necessary need something like schiit magni to bring a  more "fuller sound" for it, or I should be fine where I am? I am on high gain and it's pretty loud. But I'm more concern if something like magni would able to bring up the frequencies band up so that is sounds more full..



FWIW I just tried my Q701's (which may or may not be bass modded, I honestly don't remember if I reversed it or not) and it has strong bass with the Slim. Very nice pairing and I think that the warmer more organic Slim suits it better than the more cold and analytical Magni.


----------



## rikk009

liquidrats said:


> I have a K7XX and a dacport slim. Do I really necessary need something like schiit magni to bring a  more "fuller sound" for it, or I should be fine where I am? I am on high gain and it's pretty loud. But I'm more concern if something like magni would able to bring up the frequencies band up so that is sounds more full..





OneL0ve said:


> I am a bass head and every device i have paired with my DACport slim has produced lots of bass. I use 64Audio U8s, so maybe that's why.  Tested with Note 5, Galaxy Tab S2 and Google Music streams and local files. Also DPX1A with flac and mp3. All on low gain.


What else have you compared it with? 

I didn't it's lacking bass but I felt that's it's lesser in quantity when compared to other DACs I tried. Considering that the original question was in regard to Aeon which is a planar and requires ton of power to produce the bass it's capable of 'Slim' might not be able to do it justice.


----------



## stalepie

DACs and amps should sound the same. If they color the sound then they aren't transmitting the sound accurately. In my experience with cheaper dac-amp devices, they sound almost exactly the same. The issue comes more with things like, do they have a high noise floor, do they get loud enough for the headphones used, does the volume control work nicely, are the jacks snug or loose, does it work well with the PC or operating system (no driver issues, etc). But the sound itself is virtually the same across all of them. So far I've tried A200p ($300), HA-P50 ($200), HRT microStreamer ($189), Schiit Fulla 1 and 2 (<$100), a $15 PCM2704 board off eBay from Hong Kong, and this CEntrance product from Massdrop. They all sound almost identical. But people don't want to admit this or talk about it because they spend so much money in this area. Apparently you can even get in trouble on this forum for talking about blind-testing unless it's in the Sound Science section, and I already got warned by a mod for mentioning NwAvGuy.


----------



## peter123

stalepie said:


> DACs and amps should sound the same. If they color the sound then they aren't transmitting the sound accurately. In my experience with cheaper dac-amp devices, they sound almost exactly the same. The issue comes more with things like, do they have a high noise floor, do they get loud enough for the headphones used, does the volume control work nicely, are the jacks snug or loose, does it work well with the PC or operating system (no driver issues, etc). But the sound itself is virtually the same across all of them. So far I've tried A200p ($300), HA-P50 ($200), HRT microStreamer ($189), Schiit Fulla 1 and 2 (<$100), a $15 PCM2704 board off eBay from Hong Kong, and this CEntrance product from Massdrop. They all sound almost identical. But people don't want to admit this or talk about it because they spend so much money in this area. Apparently you can even get in trouble on this forum for talking about blind-testing unless it's in the Sound Science section, and I already got warned by a mod for mentioning NwAvGuy.



I don't think most people in here agree with your findings and I'm sure that I don't  

Like you obviously already know this subject should be discussed in another sub forum.


----------



## Jimster480

stalepie said:


> DACs and amps should sound the same. If they color the sound then they aren't transmitting the sound accurately. In my experience with cheaper dac-amp devices, they sound almost exactly the same. The issue comes more with things like, do they have a high noise floor, do they get loud enough for the headphones used, does the volume control work nicely, are the jacks snug or loose, does it work well with the PC or operating system (no driver issues, etc). But the sound itself is virtually the same across all of them. So far I've tried A200p ($300), HA-P50 ($200), HRT microStreamer ($189), Schiit Fulla 1 and 2 (<$100), a $15 PCM2704 board off eBay from Hong Kong, and this CEntrance product from Massdrop. They all sound almost identical. But people don't want to admit this or talk about it because they spend so much money in this area. Apparently you can even get in trouble on this forum for talking about blind-testing unless it's in the Sound Science section, and I already got warned by a mod for mentioning NwAvGuy.



Yes but no. Almost is not exactly and some units have more detail than others. 
It also really depends on what headphones you have, if you have cheaper or non revealing headphones then more devices will sound the same. 
If you have something like mrspeakers Aeon then you can tell the difference much quicker. 
But also these headphones can be driven from many different sources because of their low impedance.


----------



## gvl2016

stalepie said:


> DACs and amps should sound the same. If they color the sound then they aren't transmitting the sound accurately. In my experience with cheaper dac-amp devices, they sound almost exactly the same. The issue comes more with things like, do they have a high noise floor, do they get loud enough for the headphones used, does the volume control work nicely, are the jacks snug or loose, does it work well with the PC or operating system (no driver issues, etc). But the sound itself is virtually the same across all of them. So far I've tried A200p ($300), HA-P50 ($200), HRT microStreamer ($189), Schiit Fulla 1 and 2 (<$100), a $15 PCM2704 board off eBay from Hong Kong, and this CEntrance product from Massdrop. They all sound almost identical. But people don't want to admit this or talk about it because they spend so much money in this area. Apparently you can even get in trouble on this forum for talking about blind-testing unless it's in the Sound Science section, and I already got warned by a mod for mentioning NwAvGuy.



Have you been talking to Jimster480 lately? Lol.


----------



## cardeli22

stalepie said:


> DACs and amps should sound the same. If they color the sound then they aren't transmitting the sound accurately. In my experience with cheaper dac-amp devices, they sound almost exactly the same. The issue comes more with things like, do they have a high noise floor, do they get loud enough for the headphones used, does the volume control work nicely, are the jacks snug or loose, does it work well with the PC or operating system (no driver issues, etc). But the sound itself is virtually the same across all of them. So far I've tried A200p ($300), HA-P50 ($200), HRT microStreamer ($189), Schiit Fulla 1 and 2 (<$100), a $15 PCM2704 board off eBay from Hong Kong, and this CEntrance product from Massdrop. They all sound almost identical. But people don't want to admit this or talk about it because they spend so much money in this area. Apparently you can even get in trouble on this forum for talking about blind-testing unless it's in the Sound Science section, and I already got warned by a mod for mentioning NwAvGuy.


LOL was about to say the "name that cannot be mentioned".


----------



## Porkyan

stalepie said:


> DACs and amps should sound the same. If they color the sound then they aren't transmitting the sound accurately. In my experience with cheaper dac-amp devices, they sound almost exactly the same. The issue comes more with things like, do they have a high noise floor, do they get loud enough for the headphones used, does the volume control work nicely, are the jacks snug or loose, does it work well with the PC or operating system (no driver issues, etc). But the sound itself is virtually the same across all of them. So far I've tried A200p ($300), HA-P50 ($200), HRT microStreamer ($189), Schiit Fulla 1 and 2 (<$100), a $15 PCM2704 board off eBay from Hong Kong, and this CEntrance product from Massdrop. They all sound almost identical. But people don't want to admit this or talk about it because they spend so much money in this area. Apparently you can even get in trouble on this forum for talking about blind-testing unless it's in the Sound Science section, and I already got warned by a mod for mentioning NwAvGuy.



My only questions are whether it has clipping with headphones like mrspeakers aeon (since they're new and people wanna know what to pair them with)


----------



## Porkyan

gvl2016 said:


> Have you been talking to Jimster480 lately? Lol.


I suppose anyone who goes to r/headphone on reddit or even linustechtips(a very very neutral community) can tell that diminishing returns are diminishing returns and the less wealthy people just want a simple solution. I don't think it's an issue suggesting cheaper alternatives if it works.

I find no reason to spend thousands on an amp and dac when I can just build a soundproof room with amazing speakers for the same price


----------



## rikk009

There is no need to repeat the same on every DAC thread. Everyone has heard the statement atleast once and then 'actually' listened to equipments and with capability and sensibility of his/her own has decided what good for them. On a NOS DAC thread some random guy drops in to push his opinion that NOS is bad and those who hear and like it are fake people because some guy says so and then even on reddit there are folks with a religion of their own...'all DACs sound same'. Well good for them, they don't need to buy anything then since whatever outputs music has a DAC and an amp like laptop or phone. Why are you on an audiophile forum if you don't believe in audiophile products? 

Even I can't afford $1000 DAC but those who can would buy it and enjoy their music. I won't tell them what to do with their money since they decided to spend it on some ultra expensive piece of gear and they like it.


----------



## stalepie

Porkyan said:


> My only questions are whether it has clipping with headphones like mrspeakers aeon (since they're new and people wanna know what to pair them with)



Hans Beekhuyzen in his review on YouTube says it does not have a clipping problem like the DragonFly Red (about 3:30 in): 



He's reviewing the HD version but it's probably true of the Slim too.


----------



## Porkyan

rikk009 said:


> There is no need to repeat the same on every DAC thread. Everyone has heard the statement atleast once and then 'actually' listened to equipments and with capability and sensibility of his/her own has decided what good for them. On a NOS DAC thread some random guy drops in to push his opinion that NOS is bad and those who hear and like it are fake people because some guy says so and then even on reddit there are folks with a religion of their own...'all DACs sound same'. Well good for them, they don't need to buy anything then since whatever outputs music has a DAC and an amp like laptop or phone. Why are you on an audiophile forum if you don't believe in audiophile products?
> 
> Even I can't afford $1000 DAC but those who can would buy it and enjoy their music. I won't tell them what to do with their money since they decided to spend it on some ultra expensive piece of gear and they like it.



DACs pretty much do almost an equally good job in most price ranges in cleaning audio.

But frequency response is another thing.
Some add brightness,bass etc..


----------



## gvl2016

No one is saying the DACs sound radically different. But it is the nuances in how they render the music that help with long time enjoyment.


----------



## rikk009

Porkyan said:


> DACs pretty much do almost an equally good job in most price ranges in cleaning audio.
> 
> But frequency response is another thing.
> Some add brightness,bass etc..


Didn't tag you since don't want to indulge in this futile argument. It was a general comment since I see this on every DAC/amp thread. Not related to the thread and totally derails the topic. Avoiding it.


----------



## stalepie

One of the benefits of Class A in a device like this is that it functions as a nice handwarmer. However, that's not all! I came back today to find this little critter enjoying it as well...


----------



## rikk009

stalepie said:


> One of the benefits of Class A in a device like this is that it functions as a nice handwarmer. However, that's not all! I came back today to find this little critter enjoying it as well...


On the topic of Class A, I remember someone opening and the analysing the circuit and saying it's not class A. False advertising?


----------



## Fungus (Dec 2, 2017)

Considering the original dacport is equal if not more powerful than the slim and hd and was able to work with just a otg cable and no other power supply to my LG g3 android phone albeit not natively and only within USB audio player pro, I'm surprised nobody so far has gotten it working without an external power source with a y cable. Having so many cables limited the possibility of velcroing it to a phone as it'll most likely end up getting disconnected.


----------



## Letmebefrank

It works fine with just an otg cable out of my galaxy s7 edge and my old galaxy s5 with USB audio player pro.


----------



## Fungus

Works only within USB audio player pro?


----------



## Letmebefrank

Fungus said:


> Works only within USB audio player pro?



Yeah it doesn't work with rocket player pro, Google play music, or neutron player,but it works perfectly with USBAPP.


----------



## Fungus

Is the slim essentials the hd but without power? 
Is the dac chip identical? 
Does anyone know of a place to order a working y split otg to charge my phone simultaneously? 
I've purchased a few online but none work.


----------



## Letmebefrank

Your phone has to support charging while in otg mode, most phones do not, and it's really hard to find out without trying it.


----------



## cardeli22

Fungus said:


> Is the slim essentials the hd but without power?
> Is the dac chip identical?
> Does anyone know of a place to order a working y split otg to charge my phone simultaneously?
> I've purchased a few online but none work.


I have had success with this cable: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00V81L9M8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## rikk009

Works for me too with OTG cable. No external power. Don't remember what app I was using but it wasn't USBAPP.


----------



## Fungus

too bad it's not USB type c. 
Adding an adapter doesn't work that's way. 
I've encountered many strange results like for example with my LG g6 which has USB type c
adding a mini to type c adaptor doesn't work 
but 
adding a female 2.0 to type c works even with the adaptor plugged in itself with nothing else. An arrow icon pointing to the right shows up in the battery icon even


----------



## peter123

Fungus said:


> too bad it's not USB type c.
> Adding an adapter doesn't work that's way.
> I've encountered many strange results like for example with my LG g6 which has USB type c
> adding a mini to type c adaptor doesn't work
> ...



FWIW I've been using some Vention USB micro to USB C adapter with my Shanling M1 and several different USB DACs so in my experience it's as likely to work as an USB C to micro cable. Still a hit and miss though... 

To use with a phone I'd strongly suggest getting a amp/dac with internal battery though. Iirc the power consumption of the Slim (which by the way is powerful enough for most headphones) was like 5% per song when connected to a phone......


----------



## rikk009

There is a Dacportable that has inbuilt battery, supposedly has a lower floor noise and some extra tidbits too.


----------



## Fungus

The inbuilt battery just adds unnecessary thickness and cost.
I only need the phone to lasts an hour when driving to work.


----------



## cardeli22

rikk009 said:


> There is a Dacportable that has inbuilt battery, supposedly has a lower floor noise and some extra tidbits too.


I have the slim and the portable and really enjoy the dacportable. It also comes with a bass and treble recessed switches. To get a feel for the size vs the slim/hd look at my post (#75) pic from the dacportable thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/new-centrance-dacportable-dac-amp.800168/page-5#post-13251199


----------



## U-3C

cardeli22 said:


> I have the slim and the portable and really enjoy the dacportable. It also comes with a bass and treble recessed switches. To get a feel for the size vs the slim/hd look at my post (#75) pic from the dacportable thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/new-centrance-dacportable-dac-amp.800168/page-5#post-13251199




Actually, out of curiosity, is there any change to the noise floor in the end?


----------



## gvl2016 (Dec 3, 2017)

Fungus said:


> The inbuilt battery just adds unnecessary thickness and cost.
> I only need the phone to lasts an hour when driving to work.



Get a compact USB powered hub, some even have micro USB for power connector if not there are USB to barrel connectors out there. Power the HUB from a 5V USB car charging adapter or a USB port if your car has it. Hub to the OTG cable, DAC to the hub. I keep the hub in the armrest storage my car has power outlet there so no clutter . Haven't tried with the dacport but works fine with Emotiva Little Ego, which refuses to work when connected directly to the OTG cable. If only I could make Android not to upsample everything it would be perfect.


----------



## cardeli22

U-3C said:


> Actually, out of curiosity, is there any change to the noise floor in the end?


I have been using the AKG K7xx and Beyerdynamic dt 1990 indoors with the Slim, Dacportable and ifi idsd BL. Both headphones are not sensitive iems and with my untrained ear I don't really hear the noise floor. I use the Master & Dynamic MH40 ( 32ohm headphones) with the Dacportable while walking to work but outside city noise would make it hard to detect noise floor. I remember Michael Goodman (Founder of Centrance) commenting on the Massdrop comments section for the Slim that the HD and Dacportable have a lower noise floor. He did say that if you write to Centrance they can make arrangements for anyone who wants to mail back their Slim and they would upgrade their Slim to an HD for the price difference between the two and shipping. The way he may it seem was not a swap out but adding on to your slim whatever components it is missing to upgrade it to an HD.


----------



## SomeTechNoob

HD and Slim has basically the same noise floor from my experience.


----------



## cardeli22 (Dec 3, 2017)

U-3C said:


> Actually, out of curiosity, is there any change to the noise floor in the end?


Here is Michael Goodman's explanation on the noise floor: https://www.massdrop.com/buy/centrance-dacport-slim-amp-dac-combo/talk/1875825


----------



## SomeTechNoob

U-3C and I have both had the Slim.  There's noise floor no matter the combination of volume settings.  The volume wheel doesn't affect the noise floor.  Neither does setting PC volume levels.  The only thing that will change the level of the noise floor is switching between high and low gain.  You can still hear the noise floor quite audibly on 32Ohm cans as well as basically every IEM on low gain though.  It bothered me enough that I sold both units of mine and jumped over to schiit(which has its fair share of problems as well).


----------



## Fungus

I've had othing but issues with my dacport slim. I'm starting to wonder if mine is a lemon.
Can't get it to work with my windows 10 computer nor my lg g6 via otg. My original cigar shaped dacport worked on both Windows 10 and Android phone without installing any drivers)
Other issues 
-no click of the volume wheel when in off position.
-no led to indicator off/on.
What???


----------



## rikk009

Fungus said:


> I've had othing but issues with my dacport slim. I'm starting to wonder if mine is a lemon.
> Can't get it to work with my windows 10 computer nor my lg g6 via otg. My original cigar shaped dacport worked on both Windows 10 and Android phone without installing any drivers)
> Other issues
> -no click of the volume wheel when in off position.
> ...


They were about to release a new driver for Win 10. Check MD discussion for latest update. For OTG, USB C has compatibility issues with some types of otg adapters.


----------



## SomeTechNoob

Fungus said:


> -no click of the volume wheel when in off position.
> -no led to indicator off/on.
> What???



Volume wheel does not click.

No LED was advertised.


----------



## U-3C

SomeTechNoob said:


> Volume wheel does not click.
> 
> No LED was advertised.


 True dat.


----------



## Fungus

Where can I find most updated windows 10 driver.
It doesn't help that www.dacport.com site is down. I just send them my details and followed these recommended steps before downloading the linked driver file. No success though.
I also went to setting- recovery- reset the system and hold F6 to reset driver upon start up but still no luck.

Un-installing the old driver(s)
1) Save your work and close all audio apps, including browser
2) Right-click UD icon in system tray and select 'quit'
3) Plug in your CEntrance device into the computer
4) Open Device Manager
5) Expand Sound, video and game controllers
6) Right click on CEntrance USB Audio and select "Uninstall"

7) You will now get the option "Delete the driver software for this device". Check it if you have only one CEntrance device, or it is the last CEntrance device you installed
8) Click ok, and wait for the uninstaller to finish
9) Disconnect USB from your CEntrance Device
10) Repeat steps 3-9 for each CEntrance device you have*. Use the USB port you normally use for your CEntrance device.
11) Close Device Manager
Note: If you have more than one HiFi-M8 or Mini-M8, you will need to repeat step 10 for each of them.

Installing the new driver
1) Run the New UD installer. This will automatically finish uninstalling the previous version.
2) Wait for install to finish
3) Plug in your CEntrance device and wait for install to finish
4) Done! Universal Driver is now installed.

Has anyone had any luck getting it to work with usb audio player pro? 
The otg cable I used worked with my other thumb sized dac that's also originally designed for laptop use so it's not the cables fault.


----------



## cardeli22

Fungus said:


> Where can I find most updated windows 10 driver.
> It doesn't help that www.dacport.com site is down. I just send them my details and followed these recommended steps before downloading the linked driver file. No success though.
> I also went to setting- recovery- reset the system and hold F6 to reset driver upon start up but still no luck.
> 
> ...


The website is not dacport.com but https://centrance.com/products/dacport/
Might be your dacportslim. I have no issues with either my desktop (win10pro) or my SurfacePro3 ( win10pro windows insider program slow ring) using the Dacportslim or the Dacportable.


----------



## Fungus

Well, I've downloaded the universal driver and the latest BETA Rev. 7.9.8 for Windows 10 Playback but still no luck.


----------



## gvl2016

Try another USB port maybe? There was a firmware update, perhaps try that as well


----------



## Fungus

firmware update?


----------



## gvl2016

Fungus said:


> firmware update?



Yup, I definitely remember loading it on mine. There is a link on teh firmware tab here at the bottom of the page: https://centrance.com/products/dacport/ 

However if you have a more recently manufactured device it likely already has the latest.


----------



## Fungus

although the centrance icon is displayed in the bottom right menu, I still get the yellow exclamation mark next to the drive in device manager.


----------



## Fungus (Dec 12, 2017)

I don't understand why dacs this day and age still require drivers to get it woring. It should be just plug and play.
Sound just comes out of my laptop speakers with the dacport slm plugged in


----------



## gvl2016 (Dec 12, 2017)

When the device is working properly double-clicking that Centrance icon should open a window showing the picture and name of the detected device.


----------



## Fungus




----------



## Fungus

Mine is the slim though.


----------



## Fungus (Dec 12, 2017)

why the slim doesn't offer otg support within usb audio player pro when the old cigar dacport did is beyond me. 
It obvious Micheal skipped out on quality to make it a low budget device with things like having a loose headphone jack and no clickable volume wheel.


----------



## gvl2016

Fungus said:


> Mine is the slim though.



Same, you should have a picture of the Slim and name, I just don't have mine connected at the moment.


----------



## gvl2016

Fungus said:


> why the slim doesn't offer otg support within usb audio player pro when the old cigar dacport did is beyond me



The slim is power hungry, your phone likely refuses to supply that much current.


----------



## gvl2016 (Dec 12, 2017)

Try the firmware. It was definitely a PITA to load it on mine, I went through a couple of computers until I wound a USB port I could use for that. If yours has the latest it will say so and do no harm.


----------



## Fungus

My impressions so far;
original dacport: 9.5/10
slim: 1/11 
Yep Michael Goodwin, keep up the good work!


----------



## Fungus (Dec 12, 2017)

Which firmware though?
See the problem. We shouldn't need to test it on multi-computer and USB ports to get it working.
The latest firmware for Windows 10 is still beta?
Really, how many years has windows 10 been out?


----------



## Fungus (Dec 12, 2017)

I might just get it work with Android and skip window 10 despite it being designed for a computer.
Has anyone got it to work within usb audio player pro with otg without installing additional drivers ?
Driver: version 7.9.8 (07/05/2016)


----------



## gvl2016

Some reported success with certain phones but with battery draining quickly. A powered USB hub should help.


----------



## gvl2016

Fungus said:


> Which firmware though?



There is only a single firmware updater link on the firmware tab, can't go wrong..


----------



## Fungus

My Driver: version 7.9.8 (07/05/2016)


----------



## cardeli22

Fungus said:


> My impressions so far;
> original dacport: 9.5/10
> slim: 1/11
> Yep Michael Goodwin, keep up the good work!


Lol YMMV. Sorry to hear that. I have installed my two dacports (slim and Dacportable) on three computers (my son's Surface Pro 2017 as well) and I have had no issues with all three. You are right about the microusb slot. I used a nokia microusb cable (which works with every other microusb product I have ever had) was apparently too big because when I went back to the provided microusb cable that came with the slim, it was now too loose a connection to stay in place.


----------



## cardeli22

gvl2016 said:


> Some reported success with certain phones but with battery draining quickly. A powered USB hub should help.


The slim works with my Lumia 950xl no problem. It does drain the battery pretty fast, though.


----------



## gvl2016

Fungus said:


> My Driver: version 7.9.8 (07/05/2016)



That's the driver. The firmware is a separate download from the product page.


----------



## cardeli22

gvl2016 said:


> That's the driver. The firmware is a separate download from the product page.


I believe the firmware was for products purchased in 2015.


----------



## SomeTechNoob (Dec 12, 2017)

Alright, here's my blurb on the DACport Slim.

This is meant for computer use.  Not for smartphone use.  YES, some smartphones will work with the DACport Slim at the cost of battery life.  Some will need external power via a Y connector.  Some will not work at all.  For example, even my old Galaxy S3 would work with the DACport Slim with a simple male to male microUSB cable using the default music app.  My HTC One M9 needed external power for the DACport to work properly, but once it did I had no problems using the default music app to play music.  Otherwise, it would create a ticking noise when plugged in.  I tested other cheapo chinese phones I had laying around which did not work with the Slim as well despite these phones running android.  It's very hit or miss and the DACport Slim, being Class A, draws a lot of power.  DO NOT BUY THIS DEVICE FOR SMARPHONE USAGE.  It's small, but that's literally the only thing people see and they assume it's a direct dragonfly drop in replacement.  If you still insist on doing so, ensure that your cable is an OTG cable.  There is a distinct electrical difference between OTG and regular cables.  I know for micro USB that there are 5 pins: data+, data-, 5v, OTG, and ground pins.  OTG must be wired up to ground to enable OTG mode.  If the cable you are using doesn't have the OTG pin hooked up, your android device will only act as a peripheral and not enter a host mode, therefore rendering the device at the other end useless.  I've worked on thermal camera peripherals for android phones and have come across this issue plenty of times.

Firmware was only an issue on the very early batches of DACport Slim devices.  If you bought a used device, then there might be an issue with the device being properly recognized by a Windows computer.  I could not use my device on my desktop, but managed to find a laptop where it would connect.  I then flashed the firmware there, which allowed my Slim to work on my desktop again.  If you bought it new from Massdrop, there shouldn't be an issue with the firmware.

Now computer usage.  Depends on the OS.  Mac OS and Linux should generally be plug and play since they have had USB Audio Class(UAC) 2.0 drivers for a very long time.  If you are running Windows 10, the story is VERY different.
Windows 10 only supported UAC 1.0(24/96) up until last year's Fall Creators update.  This update brought default UAC 2.0, which should be able to support all the way up to 32/384.  So theoretically if you are running at least last year's Windows 10 creator's update, you do not need the CEntrance driver and can output sound natively through the windows driver stack, since the slim is 24/192.  If you are running older versions of Windows 10, then you will need the CEntrance driver.

Regarding the CEntrance driver:
If you are on a computer previously upgraded from Windows 7/8/8.1 to Windows 10, Microsoft does not enforce signed driver restrictions, allowing you to install and run the CEntrance driver with no issue.  However, if you have reinstalled Windows 10 or had Windows 10 already installed on your computer, CEntrance's driver will install but fail activation since it is not signed by Microsoft.  You will have to figure out how to disable driver signature enforcement and will also probably have to disable secure boot in your BIOS for the driver to work properly.

An updated driver has been promised for a LOOONG time.  As it stands, CEntrance basically recommends that everyone updates to the very latest version of Windows 10 to ensure plug and play operability.  As you can see, I no longer have either my DACport Slim or HD and sold them before last year's Fall Creator's Update rolled out and was unable to test it.  However, a few folks on massdrop have confirmed plug and play operation, so it should work just fine.

I've gone ahead and cut out names, but this was my last e-mail with CEntrance.  The support they gave was always attentive, but I was basically a beta tester for a full year and was getting tired of reoccuring and new issues popping up on my particular system.  As far as I can tell, it has been over a year with no driver update or release.  He does say ballpark, but we are a year past that ballpark estimate with no end in sight.  Just false promises.







Sound-wise, the DACport Slim is awesome at $100 as long as you are using high impedance headphones >50Ohms or so.  However, the firmware/software issues(especially the failed wake from sleep for me), high noise floor, and dongle form factor were just too annoying for me.  As you can see in my signature, I've swapped over to some Schiit.  To be fair, Schiit has their own fair share of problems(e.g. channel imbalance, scratchy pots), but "downgrading" to 24/96 to ensure easy plug and play compatibility and the crazy amount of features of the Fulla 2 works much better for my desktop use case scenario.  I ended up buying a Magni 2 since the sound out of the Fulla 2 wasn't quite up to the DACport Slim/HD's level, and have been quite happy ever since.


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## Fungus (Dec 12, 2017)

ggg


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## gvl2016

cardeli22 said:


> I believe the firmware was for products purchased in 2015.



True, I'm sure you can still buy them used running older firmware, hence the suggestion to double-check.


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## Fungus (Dec 12, 2017)

the slim isn't even listed int he product page
plus I can't see the firmware download option in the product page


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## gvl2016

Fungus said:


> the slim isn't even listed int he product page



Under DACPort HD, scroll down and to the firmware tab.  http://www.centrance.com/products/dacport/


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## cardeli22

Fungus said:


> the slim isn't even listed int he product page
> plus I can't see the firmware download option in the product page


The slim is mentioned a few times (where differences exist) on the HD product page and specs section.


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## Fungus (Dec 12, 2017)

Nope still not working even with 
verison 1.3 bilt apr 7 2016

Failed to verifyt current firmware (uplaod failed, eeror code  -102 please contact supprot
press entre to close this window
*SIGH*


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## SomeTechNoob (Dec 12, 2017)

I think either you have a lemon or old firmware.
The issue with getting firmware updated is that you have to find a computer that recognizes the dacport, which is obviously not the one you are using.

Give this firmware updater a try if you want.
You can also try this beta driver if you want.

Don't think the driver will work unless you get firmware or Windows 10 setup fixed though.


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## Fungus (Dec 12, 2017)

nah also no luck SomeTechNoob.
detecting devices....no supported device is currently connected, or driver is not installed
press enter to close this window

Just to get confirm, the drive is the link that was emailed by centrance when I put in my detial and email address right - f rom the downlaod page

The dacport slim is getting warm, though


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## gvl2016

Fungus said:


> nah also no luck SomeTechNoob.
> detecting devices....no supported device is currently connected, or driver is not installed
> press enter to close this window
> 
> ...



Did it ever work?


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## SomeTechNoob (Dec 12, 2017)

Fungus said:


> Just to get confirm, the drive is the link that was emailed by centrance when I put in my detial and email address right - f rom the downlaod page


The driver I posted is v7.9.9.1, an unreleased beta test version.  The firmware is also an unreleased beta test version.  Both are a bit over a year old.  I didn't notice any particular issues when I was using them.



Fungus said:


> The dacport slim is getting warm, though


It does run warm.  So it's getting power.  Just looks like firmware or driver issues.  I think you'll need to find another computer and try updating the firmware there.


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## cardeli22

gvl2016 said:


> Did it ever work?


I was wondering the same thing.


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## Fungus

Well I got it used and the buyer claimed it worked with his windows 10 computer and galaxy s3


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## cardeli22

Fungus said:


> Well I got it used and the buyer claimed it worked with his windows 10 computer and galaxy s3


Has it worked for you, ever? IT kind of sounds like no. You want to see if you have any warranty options.


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## SomeTechNoob

I've helped in pretty much every I can.  If it's used, it looks like you need to find a new computer where the Slim is recognized and try flashing firmware.  That's my main suspicion.


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## peter123 (Dec 13, 2017)

As I suspect that the Slim itself is not the issue I just tried to get my Slim working with my W10 work laptop that I haven't been able to use it with before by following the instructions from OneTechNoob above.

By connecting the Slim to a W7 computer and then first installing the Beta driver posted above I was able to install the Beta fw (also from above). After doing so I installed the same Beta driver on the W10 laptop and connecting the Slim to it I'm now enjoying great sound from it.

I'd like to add that I've yet to come across a Android device that, in combination with UAPP, the Slim doesn't work with. That being said with some of them I'd had to use external power to get it to work. The Slim draw a lot of power so it wouldn't be my recommendation for this usage though.

The Slim is probably still the best value source I've ever come across in this hobby so please don't let the (well known) issue both W10 and Android adds due to their extremely poor audio focus (maybe in combination with user error) take anything away from the excellent performance this little device offers.

I'd personally rate it 9,5/10 given its modest price.


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## Fungus

I manage to get it working after getting a large windows update, however it still get the "no compatible devices connected" message when I double click on the centrace icon.


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## peter123

Fungus said:


> I manage to get it working after getting a large windows update, however it still get the "no compatible devices connected" message when I double click on the centrace icon.



Glad to hear you got it working. Try changing to a better quality usb cable, that solved it for me (you could also try another USB port and see if it's enough).


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## rikk009

As I suspected the culprit is Windows 10. I am glad to stick with Win 7. Just too much PITA for a simple task.


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## Fungus

Still it's a shame it won't work on my lg g6 especially when the old dacport did. Maybe it's the otg cable since I'm using a adaptor attached to a normal usb data cable.


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## Fungus

Still it's a shame it won't work on my lg g6 when the old dacport did. Maybe it's the otg cable since I'm using a adaptor attached to a normal usb data cable.


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## rikk009

As I told you before, since many folks with other dacs have reported that USB C is complicated and not all adapters work for all devices the same. I have ordered these https://www.ebay.com/itm/90-Right-A...male-Cable-Adapter-sync-charging/311367898848 let's hope it works with the slim.


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## CyberGhost

So, which one is better? This or Dragonfly Red?

I want to get one to use with Grado 225.


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## Sybase

CyberGhost said:


> So, which one is better? This or Dragonfly Red?
> 
> I want to get one to use with Grado 225.



See here: https://www.massdrop.com/talk/2421/dragonfly-red-vs-c-entrance-da-cport-slim?mode=guest_open


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## Sybase

Anybody know how the AKM AK4490 DAC in this compares to the same DAC in something like the Cayin i5 or the Astell & Kern KANN, which are 5x and 10x more expensive? Purely talking about the DAC, not the AMP or the fact that those are DAPs. How come those guys can play DSD but the Dacport Slim can't, isn't it the same DAC?


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## syazwaned

Has anyone review or tested the Dacport Pro yet? Been meaning to get one because I want a volume knob and a led VU, but can not find any review online.


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## vurtomatic

Has anyone used the DACport Slim with a USB hub? It works fine when plugged directly into the laptop. When plugged in via a USB hub, it shows up but no sound.

I'm wondering if I need a powered USB hub.


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## Fungus

vurtomatic said:


> Has anyone used the DACport Slim with a USB hub? It works fine when plugged directly into the laptop. When plugged in via a USB hub, it shows up but no sound.
> 
> I'm wondering if I need a powered USB hub.


Yes you need more power


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## vurtomatic

Fungus said:


> Yes you need more power


Thank you! I wanted to confirm before I purchase a powered hub.


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## CyberGhost (Jan 24, 2022)

vurtomatic said:


> Has anyone used the DACport Slim with a USB hub? It works fine when plugged directly into the laptop. When plugged in via a USB hub, it shows up but no sound.
> 
> I'm wondering if I need a powered USB hub.



Mine works fine being powered by USB.

I use it with this hub:


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## vurtomatic (Jan 24, 2022)

Fungus said:


> Yes you need more power





CyberGhost said:


> Mine works fine being powered by USB.
> 
> I use it with this hub:



Odd, unfortunately mine still isn't working with a powered USB hub.

I wonder what's up with it.

Mine's the OG DACport Slim from Drop.


[EDIT: Suspect it might need a firmware update but I can't find it online.]


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## cardeli22

vurtomatic said:


> Odd, unfortunately mine still isn't working with a powered USB hub.
> 
> I wonder what's up with it.
> 
> ...


I think you can email the company and they will send you a link to download it.


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## vurtomatic

cardeli22 said:


> I think you can email the company and they will send you a link to download it.


I know this is a late reply but I just got off the phone with them and they told me to check out their Dacport HD instead, kinda disappointed.


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