# D7 Sidewinder....Initial impressions



## HiFlight

Today I received my D7, a very welcome Christmas gift to myself! I was unsure of whether to place this post in the portable amp thread or the portable source thread. As the D7 does contain a headphone amplfier, I chose to place it here in the portable amp thread.

I must also preface my post by stating that I was not really sure where the D7 would fit into the extensive line of portable devices produced by iBasso; It seemed at first glance as though it might be in competition with the D6 or D12, but after examining it in detail and listening to it, my thinking has changed. 

Not only is it a very high-quality DAC, sounding as good, if not better, out of the box than my desktop DAC. It is also in its own right, a superb headphone amplifier. Size-wise, it is the same length as the D6 but about 1/8" thinner and very slightly wider. Because of the reduced thickness, it appears to be smaller than the actual dimensions. 

Packaging is similar to that of the other iBasso products. Included with the D7 were 2 USB cables of differing lengths, a leather carry case, rubber feet and an extra set of panel screws, although there is no necessity to ever open the case. 

The first challenge was to see if the D7 would be recognized by my Linux OS, as some previous DAC's by other manufacturers were not. I was pleased to find that the D7 was immediately recognized, showing as "XMOS Audio USB 2". 

There are several small LED indicator lights; a red that indicates "ON", a front panel white that indicates "Playback" and blinks until a USB signal is locked and a small amber LED on the rear above the USB input which indicates a live USB connection. This amber light extinguishes when the power is turned off, indicating that the D7 is drawing no input from the USB when switched off. 

The On/Off/Volume knob must be turned on to output a signal, either from the headphone jack or any of the 3 outputs. (RCA, Coax or Line Out). 

As the D7 is powered entirely by USB power, it cannot be used as a typical portable amplifier, it is primarily a DAC, requiring a USB connection for all functions, and I must admit, it is very reassuring to not have to be concerned about batteries, recharging, extra circuitry, etc. 

Soundwise, the Class A amplifier circuitry sounds superb, with a very well-balanced presentation that provides plenty of low-end punch as well as smooth and extended highs. I would say that this is a very neutral but accurate amplifier section with instrumental timbre being very portrayed in a very realistic manner. 

Despite the limited voltage supplied by the USB input, the D7 was able effortlessly drive my 600 ohm DT880's, in fact the output actually seems to exceed that of the D12 and D6 although I have not measured and compared the actual outputs of each. 

Soundstage and imaging are definitely two of the highlights of the D7. Instrument and vocal placement is precise and solid. The size of the soundstage always seems appropriate to the genre of the music and size of the venue. 

While the D7 does not allow for opamp rolling, iBasso has certainly not considered the headphone output of this DAC to be a "me too" amplifier as they have chosen excellent-sounding and expensive chips for this section of the D7. 

I can also understand why there is no opamp rolling capability for the D7, as the circuit board is very heavily populated with caps on the top side and many SMD devices on the bottom side. There is simply be no room for DIP sockets without having to make the entire device significantly larger. 

It will be interesting to see how the sound changes with additional play hours, considering the many caps that are used in the circuit. 

In summary, I feel that iBasso has accomplished their design goal of producing a small no-compromise DAC that can hold its own against many desktop DAC's costing considerably more than the D7. The quality of the headphone output is an added bonus, adding to a package that will certainly appeal to those desiring a high-quality DAC at a very modest price.


----------



## TiEx

Wonderful write-up aka mini review there *HiFlight*. Looking forward to a full review. And can you please post some hi-resolution pictures of D7 internals and circuitry.


----------



## Allforheather

could we have a dac comparison between the d7 and the d6 as well??
   
  thanks!!!


----------



## desertblues

Thanks, HiFlight. I'm very interested in this one even though I love my D6 (with Topkit of course) and I'm not looking to replace it. This could indeed be my next DAC.


----------



## HiFlight

tiex said:


> Wonderful write-up aka mini review there *HiFlight*. Looking forward to a full review. And can you please post some hi-resolution pictures of D7 internals and circuitry.




Will try to get a couple of pix of the internals and add them to the post.


----------



## HiFlight

allforheather said:


> could we have a dac comparison between the d7 and the d6 as well??
> 
> thanks!!!




This would be a rather unfair comparison, as the D6 has only an analog output from the DAC whereas the D7, being a dedicated DAC also has a Coax output which is typically of higher performance than analog.


----------



## TiEx

*HiFlight *thank you for pictures. Correct me if I'm wrong but it looks like D7 is using a proper USB to spdif conversion before feeding w8740 with digital stream. Something like integrated HiFace. I see there quality crystal clocks to handle the reclocking of signal.  A lot of Nichicon FW caps and even one Muse. ALPS volume pot. Also as far as I see there is a good power section from usb to clean up some dc ripple. I think D7 will improve the sound with at least 100 hours of burn-in. Must be a damn good dac\amp combo!
   
  P.S. Can't comment on the amp section of D7 but I trust 100% to *HiFlight* in this regard.


----------



## HiFlight

tiex said:


> *HiFlight *thank you for pictures. Correct me if I'm wrong but it looks like D7 is using a proper USB to spdif conversion before feeding w8740 with digital stream. Something like integrated HiFace. I see there quality crystal clocks to handle the reclocking of signal.  A lot of Nichicon FW caps and even one Muse. ALPS volume pot. Also as far as I see there is a good power section from usb to clean up some dc ripple. I think D7 will improve the sound with at least 100 hours of burn-in. Must be a damn good dac\amp combo!
> 
> P.S. Can't comment on the amp section of D7 but I trust 100% to *HiFlight* in this regard.




IMO, iBasso really did their homework on the D7. It is a first-rate desktop DAC in all respects except size with the added bonus of a headphone amplifier of comparable quality!


----------



## Terps Fan

I ordered mine last night to go along with the AKG k550 which should arrive any day now.  I'm really excited!  It will be my first nice headphone rig.


----------



## TiEx

Quote: 





terps fan said:


> I ordered mine last night to go along with the AKG k550 which should arrive any day now.  I'm really excited!  It will be my first nice headphone rig.


 


  Congratz! Looking forward to your impressions on this rig.


----------



## Foxjam

How are the preamp outs?  Any idea of the output on them?  Also wondering if the volume controls the level on the RCA outs.


----------



## HiFlight

foxjam said:


> How are the preamp outs?  Any idea of the output on them?  Also wondering if the volume controls the level on the RCA outs.




The volume control only affects the headphone output. Line Out, Coax and RCA outputs are at a fixed level. I haven't measured the output levels but they seem to be similar to those of my other DAC's.


----------



## Foxjam

Nice.  Thanks for the info.


----------



## Armaegis

Other than the D7 and Dacport, what other usb Class-A amps are there?


----------



## s0lar

How does it compare to iBasso D4. Is the D7 DAC better? Is the AMP section better, and compared to D4 with topkit?


----------



## e19650826

Thanks for the photos. That it a lot of caps for such small space.
   
  Also interested how it compares to D4.


----------



## Terps Fan

I'd like to say I'm enjoying my D7 which arrived this morning but the driver software won't install (error code 10).


----------



## HiFlight

terps fan said:


> I'd like to say I'm enjoying my D7 which arrived this morning but the driver software won't install (error code 10).




What driver software??? The D7 is plug and play, at least on my Windoze and Linux computers. No driver software was included in the box. The D7 was instantly recognized when plugged into a USB port.


----------



## Terps Fan

That's strange.  I needed it.  It's TUSBAudio Driver for XMOS kits by Thesycon.  The download is on ibasso's web site.  Anyhow, it sounds very nice.  I'll post some pics of it rockin' my k550s over the weekend.


----------



## sashaw

nice review. what's the white connector for? and pity, it doesn't come with 8741.


----------



## HiFlight

sashaw said:


> nice review. what's the white connector for? and pity, it doesn't come with 8741.




I believe that connector is used as a means of connecting circuit board traces to various onboard devices. It serves no user function. In fact there is no need at all to 
open the case unless curiosity becomes irresistable. 

The D7 has now replaced my D6 as my main computer soundcard replacement DAC/Amp. Yes, it sounds that good.


----------



## airs

Also interested in a comparison to the D4 with topkit


----------



## bowei006

What wouldyou say about E10?


----------



## rasmushorn

Hi HiFlight. Would you say that the D7 beats the D10 as a DAC-only and a a DAC+AMP sound wise.


----------



## amham

I'm a bit confused, what is the coax/digital out used for?  Seems unnecessary???


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





amham said:


> I'm a bit confused, what is the coax/digital out used for?  Seems unnecessary???


 


  for people that want  to use it as usb>s/pdif transport. as still quite alot dac that still use subpar usb implementation/ a dac that without usb.


----------



## HiFlight

rasmushorn said:


> Hi HiFlight. Would you say that the D7 beats the D10 as a DAC-only and a a DAC+AMP sound wise.




I have not compared them side by side, but my preliminary impression is that tonally they are similar but the D7 has superior soundstage and Imaging.


----------



## pekingduck

Hey HiFlight,
   
  Do you have an iPad or iPad2? I wonder if it works with the iPad + Camera Connection Kit.
   
  Thanks


----------



## Sorensiim

How well does the D7 pair with low-impedance IEMs? Any word on output impedance? Having just ordered UM Merlins (12ohm) and looking for a portable amp/dac combo, the D7 does look rather nice!


----------



## paulybatz

Just received the tracking number for my D7


----------



## paulybatz

Quote: 





terps fan said:


> I'd like to say I'm enjoying my D7 which arrived this morning but the driver software won't install (error code 10).


 


  Try a computer restart and or a different USB port


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





sorensiim said:


> How well does the D7 pair with low-impedance IEMs? Any word on output impedance? Having just ordered UM Merlins (12ohm) and looking for a portable amp/dac combo, the D7 does look rather nice!


 


  since d7 have no battery to power it, I wont say its portable. more like transportable.


----------



## Terps Fan

Quote: 





paulybatz said:


> Try a computer restart and or a different USB port


 


 Thanks pauly!  I downloaded it from iBasso!  I've been listening to my D7 and K550s for a few days now.  They did a great job with this DAC/Amp!


----------



## Sorensiim

Quote: 





indiescent said:


> since d7 have no battery to power it, I wont say its portable. more like transportable.


 


  Semantics aside, do we know anything about the output impedance?


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





sorensiim said:


> Semantics aside, do we know anything about the output impedance?


 


  wasnt trying to be semantic. just trying to forewarn you, in case you do planning to buy it for portable use.


----------



## estreeter

Ron, iBasso and your good self are really endangering my newfound fiscal restraint. Clearly, its a conspiracy. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  You may recall that I expressed interest in pairing the D12 with the P4, even after my original P4 had gone to the great amp retirement home in the sky, on the basis that I would have a 'very-good-DAC' with a 'very-good-amp' (IMO, the P4 is the best single-ended iBasso portable amp, but I haven't heard the D6). 
   
  From your impressions, it would appear that the D7 represents a cheaper route to similar audio nirvana, even if I have no immediate need for 24/192 capability beyond a few audiophile downloads that I rarely bother with. 
   
  However, I know that as soon as I get my debit Mastercard out I will uncork the genie which tells me that the only way to really to justice to such a combination  (D7+P4) would be with a set of IEMs in the Westone4 / GR10 bracket. All up, well over 800 AUD delivered. Ouch - this is the point where critics of portable audio begin to bray annoyingly in one's ear.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I know - _men, boys and the size of their toys_ - but right now I'm going to hold off and see where iBasso go with the DX100. Thanks for your detailed impressions on the D7 - incredibly tempting and I reserve the right to change (or lose) my mind between now and the March/April DX100 release. Sure, I'll end up spending that $800, and then some, but at least I can kid myself that I 'held out' for a few months. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  estreeter


----------



## HiFlight

estreeter said:


> Ron, iBasso and your good self are really endangering my newfound fiscal restraint. Clearly, its a conspiracy. :rolleyes:
> 
> You may recall that I expressed interest in pairing the D12 with the P4, even after my original P4 had gone to the great amp retirement home in the sky, on the basis that I would have a 'very-good-DAC' with a 'very-good-amp' (IMO, the P4 is the best single-ended iBasso portable amp, but I haven't heard the D6).
> 
> ...




Well, I would likely place myself right up near the head of the parade of those lack will-power and the self-discipline to say no to tempting new audio gadgets. I guess it is still cheaper than having a mistress!!


----------



## gl4mrock80

whether the D7 suitable pair with bright characteristics cans? especially with Rs1i and er4B, because ihave both...and still looking for replacement uDac2 i had...I am looking for a dac/amp with warm side for tamed high of both cans...i'm thingking of * (D7+ P4) for Rs1i & er4B...*do i not wrong way? sorry for noob question coz i havent amp before...thanks


----------



## paulybatz

Quote: 





gl4mrock80 said:


> whether the D7 suitable pair with bright characteristics cans? especially with Rs1i and er4B, because ihave both...and still looking for replacement uDac2 i had...I am looking for a dac/amp with warm side for tamed high of both cans...i'm thingking of * (D7+ P4) for Rs1i & er4B...*do i not wrong way? sorry for noob question coz i havent amp before...thanks


 


  I own the RS1i and received my D7 a couple days ago (arrived virtually overnight...I dont know how it ships here faster from China than domestic transit BUT it does!)
   
  It is very nice and compact...


----------



## gl4mrock80

Quote: 





paulybatz said:


> I own the RS1i and received my D7 a couple days ago (arrived virtually overnight...I dont know how it ships here faster from China than domestic transit BUT it does!)
> 
> It is very nice and compact...


 


  Thanks for the answer to the second time My friend, i appreciate it very much...
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




, ur answer will make me hard sleep tonight..lol
  can you give a little impression of sound generated directly from D7 to Rs1i...thanks before


----------



## paulybatz

Listening right now with the RS1i...YOU WILL LOVE THIS LITTLE AMP/DAC!
   
  streaming music and it sounds fantastic...listening to DANCE music and drives nice bass and full sound
   
  **What I have always liked about IBASSO stuff is they sound great right out of the gate (out of the box)
   
  ***and again this is right out of the BOX


----------



## paulybatz

It does not drive the LCD-2 as well as it does the RS1i (grados are notoriously easier to drive)
   
   
  I am now using it as a DAC to feed the P4 and LCD-2 OMG...a marriage made in HEAVEN (and my P4 is stock---cant imagine it getting better but will be upping the ante with HIFLIGHT)...AND MAY I add that the P4 and the RS1i is great too!
   
  *Christian McBride LIVE at TONIC (if you like Modern Jazz, this CD is the ISH...now if I could only find CD3)


----------



## gl4mrock80

@Paulybatz : ......*Stoppp*...i'll buy D7 first and P4 second.....and i'm now a loyal follower of u...LOL
   
  can u give some picture of _*marriage heaven*_ _*duets*_......


----------



## paulybatz

Haha...amp and phone porn is on the agenda...you got it!


----------



## paulybatz

Here you go...DIY silver mini2mini IC


----------



## K_19

I've just purchased this as a replacement for my current uDAC, which is once again giving me channel imbalance problems   (got a replacement unit once already for the same issue). Hoping that D7 is of much better quality. I like how the line level output is separated from the volume pot unlike the uDAC, and headphone output is supposedly decent too so I can use it as an output DAC for my computer speakers and use it to drive my DT770 Pro 80's when I need to use a closed headphone.
   
  Anyways, might do a mini review once it arrives


----------



## gl4mrock80

Quote: 





paulybatz said:


> Here you go...DIY silver mini2mini IC


 














....look at this picture, now i'm banging my had against the wall...especially the added silver colour as i would like....adding silver IC between them makes it look so prettyyy...i'm jealous My Lord...


----------



## paulybatz

THANKS for the compliments...I am blessed, THANKS to my buddies here at head-fi for all their advice over the last 3 years, I cannot believe how long it has been  JAMATO, HEADPHONE ADDICT, HIFLIGHT, CRAIG-WHIPLASH (he made the LCD-2 cable)


----------



## trentino

Nice pic Paulybatz  Love to see pics like that.
   
  Awesome portable amps aside - I H-A-T-E myself and my stupid ears for not being able to enjoy Grado phones. DAMNIT! Too bright..
  I just love the the looks of RS2i/RS1i. Beautiful.


----------



## Terps Fan

What I enjoy most about the D7, and maybe Pauly will agree with me, is that for $175 plus shipping you get more than just a starter piece of equipment.  Now, it's not like I'm going to be invited to have my own booth at the next Can-Jam simply because I have a nice pair of headphones and the D7, but it performs on a level which doesn't leave you feeling like....well, that's nice.... what else is there.


----------



## paulybatz

Quote: 





terps fan said:


> What I enjoy most about the D7, and maybe Pauly will agree with me, is that for $175 plus shipping you get more than just a starter piece of equipment.  Now, it's not like I'm going to be invited to have my own booth at the next Can-Jam simply because I have a nice pair of headphones and the D7, but it performs on a level which doesn't leave you feeling like....well, that's nice.... what else is there.


 

 EXACTLY...however, it IS perhaps the BEST DAC available both at its SIZE and PRICE...and the AMP section can drive even some very high performance phones quite nicely...Ultrasones and the RS1i are no problem, and if you are like me, this is perfect for my setup


----------



## paulybatz

Quote: 





trentino said:


> Nice pic Paulybatz  Love to see pics like that.
> 
> Awesome portable amps aside - I H-A-T-E myself and my stupid ears for not being able to enjoy Grado phones. DAMNIT! Too bright..
> I just love the the looks of RS2i/RS1i. Beautiful.


 


  Trent, just get a warm amp...or roll some warm opamps
   
  Im going to have one of my professional photog friends take pics of all my stuff


----------



## estreeter

Hopefully, not ALL your stuff - there are other sites for those kind of images, Pauly.


----------



## IndieScent

this thing smaller than i thought it would be >_>.
   
  on unrelated note does streaming and asio buffer have impact on sound quality?
  also is there best setting for both buffer? or this is differ from system to another?


----------



## trentino

estreeter said:


> Hopefully, not ALL your stuff - there are other sites for those kind of images, Pauly.




Haha, good stuff.


----------



## amham

OK, I succumbed and purchased given my good experience with the D10 and D6.  Ordered 1/5 and received today...ridiculous!
  Initial sense is very smooth via line-out and using my Asus netbook, absolutely rock-solid playing iTunes lossless compressed via J River media Center (WASAPI).  Listening via Grado 225 and Little Dot MkIV SE.  The key to smoothing out the Grados is, infact, a tube amp or warm op-amps.  Hiflight helped me greatly with op-amp selection and it made a world of difference for the D10/6.  I stick with Grados for the midrange and the up close sound stagging.  I recently sold LCD-2 Rev 2's becase of the recessed soundstage (compared to the Grado)  and the very heavy weight.   Of course, needed to install D7 driver (read in an earlier post this was unnecessart?????Comment?).  Will move on to other D7 options but enjoying Tony Bennett too much at the moment....


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





amham said:


> OK, I succumbed and purchased given my good experience with the D10 and D6.  Ordered 1/5 and received today...ridiculous!
> Initial sense is very smooth via line-out and using my Asus netbook, absolutely rock-solid playing iTunes lossless compressed via J River media Center (WASAPI).  Listening via Grado 225 and Little Dot MkIV SE.  The key to smoothing out the Grados is, infact, a tube amp or warm op-amps.  Hiflight helped me greatly with op-amp selection and it made a world of difference for the D10/6.  I stick with Grados for the midrange and the up close sound stagging.  I recently sold LCD-2 Rev 2's becase of the recessed soundstage (compared to the Grado)  and the very heavy weight.   Of course, needed to install D7 driver (read in an earlier post this was unnecessart?????Comment?).  Will move on to other D7 options but enjoying Tony Bennett too much at the moment....


 


  I think windows based sytem(ormaybe mac also?) need the driver. but i think installing the driver is better anyway since you got a true asio driver with them.


----------



## estreeter

I'm curious - of those who are concerned about the 'shrill' highs on some Grado phones, have you tried Bilavideos simple mods ? I completely agree with him in that one of the reasons many are 'ambushed' is because they listen way too loud - opening up my SR60i was the best thing I've ever done. Highly recommended.


----------



## paulybatz

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> I'm curious - of those who are concerned about the 'shrill' highs on some Grado phones, have you tried Bilavideos simple mods ? I completely agree with him in that one of the reasons many are 'ambushed' is because they listen way too loud - opening up my SR60i was the best thing I've ever done. Highly recommended.


 


  or some people are half deaf too!


----------



## trentino

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> I'm curious - of those who are concerned about the 'shrill' highs on some Grado phones, have you tried Bilavideos simple mods ? I completely agree with him in that one of the reasons many are 'ambushed' is because they listen way too loud - opening up my SR60i was the best thing I've ever done. Highly recommended.


 

 I did not try modding my gs1000 or the rs2i. I immedietly felt a big nono, with both of them. I know I probably could have gotten new amps and looked into modding but I felt silly sitting there with expensive hp's that hurt my ears. The gs1000 was so not my hp at all (metal and rock listener) but I sometimes regret selling the rs2i, I compared them to the hd650 and it was not fair. I should have tried to get used to the Grado sound, and maybe I should have looked into modding. 
  But, I may get rs1i, and really give them a chance.
  Sorry, this rambling about stuff not d7 related..


----------



## EddieE

One of the most interesting products I've seen for a while. Will monitor this one...


----------



## paulybatz

Quote: 





eddiee said:


> One of the most interesting products I've seen for a while. Will monitor this one...


 

 I honestly think this one is a no-brainer!


----------



## estreeter

No-brainer ? Sure, but it has also come along at a time when I'm trying hard to hold off until I see exactly what is going to be rolled out over the next month or two. As I've said before, I have no desire to end up with a drawer full to the brim with portable amps, and each new toy seems better than the one before it. Then there are real-world issues, but I wont drag this thread down into that mire - most of us are in the same leaky boat.


----------



## k1n0n3

I wonder how this would stack up as a transport vs the v-link/v-link II, being smaller and about the same price, and offering 192 in addition to being a dac and amp. I must say I am worried about the D7 needing drivers, plug and play is usually a better option. 
Lastly, if anyone has tried the Denon D7000 with this little beast please chime in with impressions. 
Thank you.


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





k1n0n3 said:


> I wonder how this would stack up as a transport vs the v-link/v-link II, being smaller and about the same price, and offering 192 in addition to being a dac and amp. I must say I am worried about the D7 needing drivers, plug and play is usually a better option.
> Lastly, if anyone has tried the Denon D7000 with this little beast please chime in with impressions.
> Thank you.


 


  i find it interesting that some prefer for plug and play, and not having asio. for me a true asio beats all the alternative thus a driver that gives asio is always a blessing in my book


----------



## estreeter

ASIO ? Dude, some of us don't even run *Windoze* ...... 
   
  (OK. for games and the net, but for the rest I know I can do better)


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> ASIO ? Dude, some of us don't even run *Windoze* ......
> 
> (OK. for games and the net, but for the rest I know I can do better)


 


  and some of us do? and i think for other than the so called windoze already no need for the driverand seemed PnP(as per Hiflight linux iirc).
   
  also please with all due respect don't 'dude' me.


----------



## amham

[size=10pt] [/size]
 [size=10pt]Driver is required for Windows and it is NOT for the Mac. Once downloaded .rar uncompress utility the install went perfectly for my Asus Windows 7 Netbook/Dell laptop. Plug into a MacBook and immediately recognized as XMOS USB Audio 2.0, no driver necessary.[/size]
  [size=10pt]Compared headamp sound quality to D10 using coax out of D7 into D10 via Macbook USB. Jumped back and forth using Grado 60i and 225i (yes, they may be a bit bright and I'm very sensitive to this but other SQ attributes outweigh this for me and can be ameliorated). The most immediate reaction is the bass is deeper with the D7 and slightly larger soundstage, but close, very close. The D10 was HiFlight modded for warmer op-amps and the D7 matched this very closely stock (nowhere as bright as standard/stock D10). For the price this is a steal and should be considered seriously by all interested. I will have other comments compared to D6/DacMagic/Benchmark/MF V-Dac/V-Link. [/size]

  [size=10pt][/size]


----------



## k1n0n3

Thank you. Awaiting further comparisons.


----------



## SowonAoD

Could anyone compare this D7 to the audinst hud mx1 since they are both sold at the same price?


----------



## scottie584

The MX1 is DAC only isn't it? This has an amp section as well. Also, if someone could compare this to an E17 when it releases that'd be wonderful


----------



## dannytang

The MX1 has is an amp as well as a DAC.


----------



## Terps Fan

Just checking in.  The D7 has been expertly reviewed here by our more experienced members, so I'm not going to ramble on.  However, for anyone curious, it does 24/192 just fine.  Get Your Ya-Ya's Out! downloaded from HDtracks sounds awesome!  Although I think I'm done there for a while, it's getting a little pricey.


----------



## K_19

I've just received my D7 and am very surprised about how light and well built the thing is. Been listening to my DT770 Pro 80's for the last half hour or so and it drives them without a sweat.. and overall seemingly much better than my former uDAC. More detail, better staging, less colour overall. And most importantly, no channel imbalance that I can hear as of yet even at low volumes.
   
  Still early so more impressions to come after I've spent more time with it


----------



## estreeter

K_19, thanks for your impressions, but I have a vice-like grip on my wallet atm. Vice-like, but steadily being loosened by this thread.....


----------



## K_19

After another 5 or so hours of listening, the main thing that sticks out to me about this Amp/DAC is just now NON sibilant and smooth it is. I have three headphones with me right now that, with poor sources and badly mastered recordings can be merciless in revealing sibilance... the HD800, DT770 Pro 80s, and the HD25-1 II's. All these headphones, straight out of the D7 itself, is extremely smooth and liquid in the sibilance range and not harsh at all. 
   
  So I wondered if this surprising smoothness in the upper mids is mostly attributed to the DAC or the Amp section... so I put the DAC section through another test. I hooked up the D7 to the Gilmore Lite with the Kimber PBJ interconnects, as I believe Gilmore Lite is an extremely transparent Amp that simply amplifies whatever the DAC feeds it, and the PBJ interconnects (for those that believe in interconnect differences, anyway...) is also known as a pretty transparent sounding interconnect (music was outputted in WASAPI mode through foobar). And even after being amplified though the GL, I've noticed that all the headphones mentioned above still exhibited little to no amounts of sibilance in most decent quality recordings! Yes, even the ruthless HD800's. So I believe the DAC implementation here is overall quite forgiving with sibilance (of course, in recordings that do have excess amount of sibilance, you'll still hear it). Due to this, I think that there may be possibility of some people who will find this DAC/amp to give the illusion of being a little warm, or rolled off in the highs, but I don't think the highs are rolled off at all. I quite enjoyed these with the HD650's as well and the highs details are still plentiful, so I don't think it's a case of intentional highs roll off... I believe it's simply the case of it being smooth sounding in the sibilance region. Nonetheless, if you want a ruthlessly clinical and revealing DAC, these probably ain't it... 
   
  Another thing I've noticed about the amp/DAC section is its soundstage, which is exceptional and IMO noticeably more 3D-like than my previous uDAC.
   
  Amp section is quite decent as well... I've mentioned already that it drives the DT770 Pro 80's without breaking a sweat, and it also does a fantastic job with both the HD25 and ESW10JPN. On high gain mode I find that it also does a surprisingly decent job with my HD650's... no match for my Hiface->DA100->WA6SE obviously, but still quite an enjoyable listen nonetheless. They sound too thin and lacking in body and tightness for amping both my HD800's and the LCD 2's, but obviously they're not the reason I got the D7 for anyway... I haven't tried the D7 -> WA6SE yet but I have a feeling both of those headphones will sound great out of that combo.
   
  It'll be interesting to see if any of this changes more with burn-in (which I personally never really believed in strongly), but I actually really like the sound as it is now and hope that it won't change.   It certainly blows away all the other standard USB implementation DACs that I've owned... so perhaps what I'm hearing here is due to the D7's asynchronous implementation of the USB input? Whatever it may be, this DAC really does sound very good to me thus far.


----------



## paulybatz

Quote: 





k_19 said:


> After another 5 or so hours of listening, the main thing that sticks out to me about this Amp/DAC is just now NON sibilant and smooth it is.  extremely smooth and liquid in the sibilance range and not harsh at all.
> 
> So I wondered if this surprising smoothness in the upper mids is mostly attributed to the DAC or the Amp section...  no amounts of sibilance in most decent quality recordings! Yes, even the ruthless HD800's.
> 
> ...


 

 GREAT REVIEW....I think it just cannot be beat, and the price is a BONUS..allows you to get a good interconnect and still have some left over for music


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





k_19 said:


> After another 5 or so hours of listening, the main thing that sticks out to me about this Amp/DAC is just now NON sibilant and smooth it is. I have three headphones with me right now that, with poor sources and badly mastered recordings can be merciless in revealing sibilance... the HD800, DT770 Pro 80s, and the HD25-1 II's. All these headphones, straight out of the D7 itself, is extremely smooth and liquid in the sibilance range and not harsh at all.
> 
> So I wondered if this surprising smoothness in the upper mids is mostly attributed to the DAC or the Amp section... so I put the DAC section through another test. I hooked up the D7 to the Gilmore Lite with the Kimber PBJ interconnects, as I believe Gilmore Lite is an extremely transparent Amp that simply amplifies whatever the DAC feeds it, and the PBJ interconnects (for those that believe in interconnect differences, anyway...) is also known as a pretty transparent sounding interconnect (music was outputted in WASAPI mode through foobar). And even after being amplified though the GL, I've noticed that all the headphones mentioned above still exhibited little to no amounts of sibilance in most decent quality recordings! Yes, even the ruthless HD800's. So I believe the DAC implementation here is overall quite forgiving with sibilance (of course, in recordings that do have excess amount of sibilance, you'll still hear it). Due to this, I think that there may be possibility of some people who will find this DAC/amp to give the illusion of being a little warm, or rolled off in the highs, but I don't think the highs are rolled off at all. I quite enjoyed these with the HD650's as well and the highs details are still plentiful, so I don't think it's a case of intentional highs roll off... I believe it's simply the case of it being smooth sounding in the sibilance region. Nonetheless, if you want a ruthlessly clinical and revealing DAC, these probably ain't it...
> 
> ...


 


  good impression K_19.
   
  I've been comparing the D7 as dac with my own NFB3. to me, so far D7 have more refined bass and more treble clarity than NFB3. that kinda suprised me to be honest.
   
  on side note. i am curious as why you are not using the asio?(assuming you are using windows)  do you feel wasapi give better quality out of foobar? as wasapi on my system didnt sound as good as asio.


----------



## K_19

Quote: 





indiescent said:


> good impression K_19.
> 
> I've been comparing the D7 as dac with my own NFB3. to me, so far D7 have more refined bass and more treble clarity than NFB3. that kinda suprised me to be honest.
> 
> on side note. i am curious as why you are not using the asio?(assuming you are using windows)  do you feel wasapi give better quality out of foobar? as wasapi on my system didnt sound as good as asio.


 

 Thanks. 
   
  Using WASAPI was pretty much out of habit, as that's what I've been using for the past few years, and previously when I was using the uDAC on my secondary desktop rig. Haven't really thought about ever using ASIO again, actually... I haven't used ASIO since got rid of my XP netbook quite a while ago, and I figured now that as long as they are bitperfect there shouldn't be any sound difference between the two. But perhaps I'll give ASIO a try sometime and see for myself if there are any differences.


----------



## uelover

Ordered on 11th Jan 2012 afternoon.
   
  Received on 13th Jan 2012 afternoon.
   
  Although there is no timezone differences between Singapore, China and Hong Kong, this is really fast! Even local purchases don't reach me that fast.


----------



## paulybatz

Quote: 





uelover said:


> Ordered on 11th Jan 2012 afternoon.
> 
> Received on 13th Jan 2012 afternoon.
> 
> Although there is no timezone differences between Singapore, China and Hong Kong, this is really fast! Even local purchases don't reach me that fast.


 
  Yes...I dont know how UPS and IBASSO do it, but its almost like magic!!!!


----------



## pekingduck

Anyone?
  
  Quote: 





pekingduck said:


> Hey HiFlight,
> 
> Do you have an iPad or iPad2? I wonder if it works with the iPad + Camera Connection Kit.
> 
> Thanks


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





paulybatz said:


> Yes...I dont know how UPS and IBASSO do it, but its almost like magic!!!!


 


  They don't use UPS to Singapore. It is some unknown shipping company. Lol.


----------



## xander90

Can anyone compare this to D-Zero?


----------



## rasmushorn

Quote: 





pekingduck said:


> Hey HiFlight,
> 
> Do you have an iPad or iPad2? I wonder if it works with the iPad + Camera Connection Kit.
> 
> Thanks


 


   
  If it works with cck I want a D7 now!


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





xander90 said:


> Can anyone compare this to D-Zero?


 


  I have briefly heard D-Zero 2 months ago and am having the D7 now. Between the two, the D7 has deeply impressed me.
   
  The D-Zero is slim, portable and has got inbuilt battery. It is filling a very different role from the D7.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





			
				pekingduck said:
			
		

> Hey HiFlight,
> 
> Do you have an iPad or iPad2? I wonder if it works with the iPad + Camera Connection Kit.
> 
> Thanks


 
   
  My friend has got an iPad 2 but I don't think he has got the CCK unless it is included in the original package. =(


----------



## xander90

Quote: 





uelover said:


> I have briefly heard D-Zero 2 months ago and am having the D7 now. Between the two, the D7 has deeply impressed me.
> 
> The D-Zero is slim, portable and has got inbuilt battery. It is filling a very different role from the D7.


 


  Thanks for the reply. I meant in term of sound quality, does D7 really win by a large margin? I'm thinking to upgrade my D-Zero, this might be my next upgrade


----------



## burgunder

Any more impressions before I push the order button?


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





burgunder said:


> Any more impressions before I push the order button?


 


  You will not regret clicking it


----------



## IndieScent

so I've been testing my D7 as digital transport to feed my NFB3 this last few days.
  well at start i was kinda skeptic that D7 would improve NFB3. but I think I heard more detail and more refined bass from my setup now.
  I just hope this is not a placebo of mine


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





indiescent said:


> so I've been testing my D7 as digital transport to feed my NFB3 this last few days.
> well at start i was kinda skeptic that D7 would improve NFB3. but I think I heard more detail and more refined bass from my setup now.
> I just hope this is not a placebo of mine


 


  The XMOS USB receiver in the D7 is very good. It is asynchronous, fully USB Class 2 compliant and supports 24bit/192khz data feed. I will not surprised if it improves the USB receiver of your NFB3.
   
  I am using the D7 as my DAC/Amp for my IEM and I really couldn't be happier. There aren't many out there that can touch the D7, especially given its price. Further, it acts also as a USB/SPDIF converter as well as a DAC for desktop speakers/amp/receivers.


----------



## pekingduck

Any hiss or channel imbalance? 
  
  Quote: 





uelover said:


> The XMOS USB receiver in the D7 is very good. It is asynchronous, fully USB Class 2 compliant and supports 24bit/192khz data feed. I will not surprised if it improves the USB receiver of your NFB3.
> 
> I am using the D7 as my DAC/Amp for my IEM and I really couldn't be happier. There aren't many out there that can touch the D7, especially given its price. Further, it acts also as a USB/SPDIF converter as well as a DAC for desktop speakers/amp/receivers.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





pekingduck said:


> Any hiss or channel imbalance?


 

 Can't hear any hiss on my ES5.
   
  Slight imbalance at the most minimum listening level with low gain. That volume is kind of too low for any listening anyway because I couldn't hear what the person is singing.


----------



## TiEx

Quote: 





uelover said:


> Can't hear any hiss on my ES5.
> 
> Slight imbalance at the most minimum listening level with low gain. That volume is kind of too low for any listening anyway because I couldn't hear what the person is singing.


 

 Do you experience small imbalance on D7 with your TF10 at normal listening volume?


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





tiex said:


> Do you experience small imbalance on D7 with your TF10 at normal listening volume?


 


  I don't have TF10. Going by the specs of TF10, if there are going to be any imbalance, it should be much lesser than my ES5.
   
  The imbalance is so slight. I never noticed it until pekingduck asked about it. It was then I tried to go to the lowest volume then I realized that sound first started from the left and then from both sides as the volume knot is increased.


----------



## IndieScent

I also never hear any hiss or channel imbalance with my GR07


----------



## oneway23

Anyone with Senn HD-600s that can speak on synergy w/ the D7?


----------



## estreeter

I admit to still being tempted by the low price of the D7, but the fiscal doom and gloom coming from the World Bank has me very, very nervous. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  To those of you with more fortitude, keep those impressions coming.


----------



## HiFlight

estreeter said:


> I admit to still being tempted by the low price of the D7, but the fiscal doom and gloom coming from the World Bank has me very, very nervous. :eek:
> 
> To those of you with more fortitude, keep those impressions coming.




Go for it! Then when the gloom and doom comes, you will already have a D7!


----------



## uelover

The D7 is one of the few rare products that I sing praises about. You know me. I don't even care about T51.


----------



## burgunder

Done!
  Quote: 





uelover said:


> You will not regret clicking it


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





burgunder said:


> Done!


 


  I guess the DX100 price makes the decision easier. Lol.


----------



## Migou67

Yes ! I'm at one click for ordering a D7 right now 
  
  Quote: 





uelover said:


> I guess the DX100 price makes the decision easier. Lol.


----------



## Migou67

I have buy it just now, impatient to listen on this DAC


----------



## G00dband

I will receice my D7 today  ... I'll my impressions later .... Can't wait


----------



## Migou67

I have not received a confirmation from iBasso, just from Paypal, I hope my order is going well  ?


----------



## Metalboy

Quote: 





migou67 said:


> I have not received a confirmation from iBasso, just from Paypal, I hope my order is going well  ?


 


  You will get an email when they ship it.


----------



## Migou67

Good to know, thanks.


----------



## paulybatz

They are extremely prompt....and this thing is my only DAC I use at present, may buy another for my office at work!


----------



## G00dband

Help, I have installed the driver plug my D7  reboot the system and the sound still come out od my laptop speaker ???


----------



## G00dband

Problem solve ... I begin my listenning session!


----------



## G00dband

Here is a qick review of the D7
   
  I have use the D7 for a good 8 to 10 hours now mostly with my Klipsh Image One and my M-Audio AV-40 and I can tell that the DAC perform very well and the sound quality is a large step up for any internal DaC I have listen too an can be favorably compare to ANY external DAC in it's price range. 
   
  I would say that If you only need a DAC, and that you are willing to send $100 more the DACport LX perform a little bit better.
   
  As for the Amp, It is quite good in my opinion, I found the soundstage to be a little bit narrow in a few occasions but the imaging is really realy good. (Note that I have easy to drive headphone)
   
  I am very please with my purchase and for $175 I would recommend it to anyone looking for a DAC or DAC/Amp combo.  Awesome performance for the price!


----------



## IndieScent

D7 is very versatile imo.
   
  dont have amp/dac? use it as one
  have new amp? use it as dac
  have new dac and have an amp? use it as digital transport
   
  considering how a digital transport usually priced about the same or higher I'd say D7 is really a steal.


----------



## TiEx

Quote: 





g00dband said:


> Here is a qick review of the D7
> 
> I have use the D7 for a good 8 to 10 hours now mostly with my Klipsh Image One and my M-Audio AV-40 and I can tell that the DAC perform very well and the sound quality is a large step up for any internal DaC I have listen too an can be favorably compare to ANY external DAC in it's price range.
> 
> ...


 

 Very helpful review. thanks


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





g00dband said:


> As for the Amp, It is quite good in my opinion, I found the soundstage to be a little bit narrow in a few occasions but the imaging is really realy good. (Note that I have easy to drive headphone)


 


  The soundstage will improve drastically after 60hours. Give it more time.
   
  Out of the box it sounds congested but that is expected from a device that has so many caps.


----------



## TiEx

Quote: 





uelover said:


> The soundstage will improve drastically after 60hours. Give it more time.
> 
> Out of the box it sounds congested but that is expected from a device that has so many caps.


 
  Agree here. Almost all iBasso portable amps improve with burn-in. Some can hear improvements even after 200 hours of play time. A lot of caps means a lot of burn-in.


----------



## G00dband

Let's make it an intensive  listening week-end then!


----------



## paulybatz

SEXY in the dark!!!!
   
  D7 feeding the P4---DIY silver IC....feeding LCD-2

 NIRVANA!!!
   
   
  THANK YOU IBASSO...JAMATO (suggesting the LCD-2) & HIFLIGHT!!!


----------



## aayler

Greetings,
   
  I'm curious to know if the D7 supports "integer mode" through playback via Audirvana, for instance? 
   
  Thanks for any information.
   
  Best,


----------



## G00dband

I have more then 15 hours of listenning throught my D7 and I have another obserbation to share.  My Klipsh Image One are already strong on Bass and the D7 seems to boost the bass a little bit so you loose definition in the lower mids wich affect some male voices.  I guess that the D7 would perform better with a "monitoring" type of headphone like the Audio Technica M-50.
   
  I still love my D7  and I was planning to get the M-50 anyway ... I just thought that it could be helpfull to share this observation.


----------



## Terps Fan

Pauly! This is not a porn site. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  Nice combo you have there.


----------



## paulybatz

Quote: 





terps fan said:


> Pauly! This is not a porn site.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  You know what IT IS...Im a fan of equipment pics man....just need to get my real camera...the wood on the LCD-2 is phenomenal!


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





aayler said:


> Greetings,
> 
> I'm curious to know if the D7 supports "integer mode" through playback via Audirvana, for instance?
> 
> ...


 

 Wow your first post on head-fi is such a question.
   
  Yes. Integer Mode is supported on Audirvana. The USB receiver chip used is XMOS.


----------



## aayler

uelover, thank you for the prompt response ... i will be looking hard at picking up the D7, once i figure out if it would be worthwhile to wait until June for the proposed iBasso DAC using the ESS Sabre ...
   
  thanks again!


----------



## thrand1

Hi everyone,
   
  I recently received the Shure SRH-940 headphones, and was planning on buying the D7 for use at home. I was wondering if anyone has been able to confirm (through software such as TheSycon USB program or as described in this thread ) that the USB implementation is asynchronous? I know the XMOS chip is supposed to support it, but it never hurts to check, right? 
   
  I also had another question since several people on here are owners of other iBasso products. I am looking for a portable headphone amplifier that I can use in the office (the D7 is going to be living at home). I was looking at maybe the T5, but there's no information available on the output impedance. Since the Shures are ~42 ohms, I want to make sure to get a headphone amp that brings out the best in it. My price range is around the $200 mark, so any recommendations are welcome.
   
  Thanks in advance everyone!


----------



## Migou67

Small is beautiful 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



 XMOS USB Audio Class 2 under Linux without driver, no need of equalizer with my HD650. No hiss at all and very small size. A good compagnion for my laptop and only one cable. Very nice sounding and useful device, very happy with the sound !


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





migou67 said:


> Small is beautiful
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Ahh so you have pulled the trigger =)


----------



## HiFlight

thrand1 said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I recently received the Shure SRH-940 headphones, and was planning on buying the D7 for use at home. I was wondering if anyone has been able to confirm (through software such as TheSycon USB program or as described in this thread ) that the USB implementation is asynchronous? I know the XMOS chip is supposed to support it, but it never hurts to check, right?
> 
> ...




I have a couple of very low impedance phones (less than 40 ohms) that I often use with my T5 and it performs very well. IIRC, the T5 has an output impedance less than 1.


----------



## blockhead

Was thinking of picking one of these up (or maybe a HRT Headstreamer) and I couldn't find the output impedance listed anywhere, anyone know or can test it?


----------



## Migou67

Yes  I tried some tracks at 24/96 last evening and the sound is amazing !
   
  Quote: 





uelover said:


> Ahh so you have pulled the trigger =)


----------



## Migou67

The XMOS chipset is the most used in audio class 2 compliant DAC's ! Also iBasso say under main features : *Asynchronous USB transfer*.
  
  Quote: 





thrand1 said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I recently received the Shure SRH-940 headphones, and was planning on buying the D7 for use at home. I was wondering if anyone has been able to confirm (through software such as TheSycon USB program or as described in this thread ) that the USB implementation is asynchronous? I know the XMOS chip is supposed to support it, but it never hurts to check, right?
> 
> Thanks in advance everyone!


----------



## paulybatz

I have never done as much listening as I have done with the D7 feeding the P4 to my LCD-2s
   
  Can you say:
   
[size=medium] _Ménage_ à trois[/size]


----------



## jamato8

The D7 performs way, way above its price. An excellent investment for musical enjoyment.


----------



## burgunder

I received my D7 this wednesday, and so far I like with my modded T50rp's.


----------



## rasmushorn

I wish someone could tell me if it works with an iPad camera connection kit?


----------



## Nick01

Please help me...it's not working with any of my laptops. I've already downloaded the driver from ibasso website, and rebooted twice. Still no good


----------



## Migou67

You have to select your new audio device in the control panel under audio section.
   
  After that your player will use it by default.
  
  Quote: 





nick01 said:


> Please help me...it's not working with any of my laptops. I've already downloaded the driver from ibasso website, and rebooted twice. Still no good


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





nick01 said:


> Please help me...it's not working with any of my laptops. I've already downloaded the driver from ibasso website, and rebooted twice. Still no good


 


  you need to give more info than just not working.
   
  do the computer recognize the device?


----------



## Nick01

Quote:


migou67 said:


> You have to select your new audio device in the control panel under audio section.
> 
> After that your player will use it by default.


 


  Got it. Thank you.


----------



## Nick01

Quote:


indiescent said:


> you need to give more info than just not working.
> 
> do the computer recognize the device?


 

 Yes, but sound still came out of the laptop. Anyway, it's fixed now. Thanks


----------



## Migou67

Have some one tried to play 24/192 FLAC files, I'm experiencing some short little sound, just a fast "tic" that occur several times at the begining of the song or in quieter transition. Is not constant but annoying. Maybe that my old PC, but the CPU load is very low. 24/96 files play just perfectly.


----------



## HiFlight

migou67 said:


> Have some one tried to play 24/192 FLAC files, I'm experiencing some short little sound, just a fast "tic" that occur several times at the begining of the song or in quieter transition. Is not constant but annoying. Maybe that my old PC, but the CPU load is very low. 24/96 files play just perfectly.




My D7 plays 24/192 Flac files just fine. I am using a Linux-based computer (Ubuntu 10.04 OS) I hear no artifacts such as you describe.


----------



## Migou67

I'm using a Fedora Core 15 KDE, I have try with Xine and GStreamer framework under Amarok with Phonon backend, VLC have the same problem. Maybe some thing wrong with the USB on this 4 years old laptop, I can not use my Maverick D1 on this PC, to many hiss with the USB, but with de D7 nada 

 I will check in the bios this evening and try another port and if the problem presist I will try in another PC.I think is time to change it, many thanks for your help.


----------



## Migou67

Problem solved, but I'm not sure of the source,  I have disable "USB Legacy" support and "USB Sleep & Power" in BIOS. Under Fedora 15 you have Alsa and Pulseaudio installed, Amarok is using Pulseaudio with a plugin to alsa (alsa-plugins-pulseaudio-1.0.24-2.fc15.i686). Now I'm use Audacious player because you can choice which architecture you want to use. The sound with ALSA is much better and no more problem in 24/192


----------



## TiEx

Migou67 how do you compare D7 to your desktop rig  Maverick Audio TubeMagic A1 AMP + D1 DAC ? Not in terms of sound flavor but in terms of overall SQ, sound stage, presentation, detail, etc. Of course I know that D1  - A1 combo costs 400$ but am curious about D7 in comparison. To me it seems that D7 hits far beyond its price point. Hope there is a good sense to start audiophile career with D7 for desktop part.


----------



## Migou67

I'm not an expert and my english is so so  but for me the D7 is much better than the D1 alone and much more functional, (he have to be compared with the D2) the DAC is better than the one in the D1, the amp also and you can select the gain. But I'm using the D7 with the A1 and the sound is more better than the D7 alone with my HD650. The D7 alone with my studio monitor (Beringher B2031A) directly connected is juste amazing ! Is better to start with the D7 without a doubt and with IEM it shine


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





tiex said:


> Migou67 how do you compare D7 to your desktop rig  Maverick Audio TubeMagic A1 AMP + D1 DAC ? Not in terms of sound flavor but in terms of overall SQ, sound stage, presentation, detail, etc. Of course I know that D1  - A1 combo costs 400$ but am curious about D7 in comparison. To me it seems that D7 hits far beyond its price point. Hope there is a good sense to start audiophile career with D7 for desktop part.


 


  The Maverick D1, when used solely as a DAC, is better (subjectively) than the D7. Regarding the headphone out of the D1, after opamp rolling (which costs less than USD10), it is able to drive difficult to drive cans with greater authority and great sound. However, it does not do well with IEMs due to noise.
   
  If you take out A1 out of the equation (which makes it Maverick D1 vs iBasso D7), both have their own strength and weakness. The ultimate choice will have to be the headphones you are using them with. For IEMs, I see no further than D7. For full size headphones, it has got to be a case by case basis.


----------



## mukulymn

Hi there, I am looking for a dac+amp for my sony ex1000 that will connect to my laptop. I already own fiio e7. Would D7 make a whole lot of difference with my IEM.
  As EX1000 is quite neutral and bright, would the pairing be good? I dont want them to sound sterile.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





mukulymn said:


> Hi there, I am looking for a dac+amp for my sony ex1000 that will connect to my laptop. I already own fiio e7. Would D7 make a whole lot of difference with my IEM.
> As EX1000 is quite neutral and bright, would the pairing be good? I dont want them to sound sterile.


 

 You won't be disappointed by the D7. It is not an analytical and sterile/cold sounding equipment.


----------



## cooperpwc

Quote: 





uelover said:


> For IEMs, I see no further than D7.


 

 You have me visiting the iBasso site too often with this. I still haven't pulled the trigger though...


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





cooperpwc said:


> You have me visiting the iBasso site too often with this. I still haven't pulled the trigger though...


 

 Wasn't it the DX100 that increased your trips to iBasso site?


----------



## cooperpwc

Well I'm just plain going there too often!


----------



## blockhead

Quote: 





sorensiim said:


> How well does the D7 pair with low-impedance IEMs? Any word on output impedance? Having just ordered UM Merlins (12ohm) and looking for a portable amp/dac combo, the D7 does look rather nice!


 


  I asked this question also, just got a response from iBasso "*...the D7's output impedance is less than 1ohm*".


----------



## Migou67

I started like you and finally bought the D7, be careful 
  
  Quote: 





cooperpwc said:


> Well I'm just plain going there too often!


----------



## Migou67

How sound can be subjectif  The D1 is more analytical and the D7 more musical to my hears, but the main problem with the D1 is the USB implementation, too much hiss ! The other think with the D1 is the impedance of the amp, you dont have a fine tuning of the volume.

 With the D7 you can play 24/192 tracks and this is not possible with the D1, for me is a better DAC, but like you say at the headphone amp I will use the D7 only with IEM and here the D1 is better and more if you do the opamp rolling.

 Finaly I use the D1 tube out as a DAC source for my living room Pionneer Amp. The D7 is totaly quiet and this for the studio monitor and the Maverick A1 is just perfect.
   
  Quote: 





uelover said:


> The Maverick D1, when used solely as a DAC, is better (subjectively) than the D7. Regarding the headphone out of the D1, after opamp rolling (which costs less than USD10), it is able to drive difficult to drive cans with greater authority and great sound. However, it does not do well with IEMs due to noise.
> 
> If you take out A1 out of the equation (which makes it Maverick D1 vs iBasso D7), both have their own strength and weakness. The ultimate choice will have to be the headphones you are using them with. For IEMs, I see no further than D7. For full size headphones, it has got to be a case by case basis.


----------



## uelover

I think it has got to do with the tube and the power cord. =)
   
  I was totally happy with my D1 when used with HD600 after I have changed my opamps. However, using low impedance iems or headphones on the D1/A1 will be a disaster.
   
  Adding another headlamp to the D7 may double the cost. If the objective is to drive big cans with a single box setup at around USD200, I will still think the D1 is a good buy while I will not doubt that the D7 will pair better with the A1 because the A1 has got very poor volume control (much poorer than the D1).
   
  I just love how the D7 is an excellent single box setup for iems. It has everything I would dream of at an excellent price. 
   
  The ability to play hi res files is not important to me since all of my favorite tracks are in the rebook format. I think that as of now, the most important thing is still SQ =)
  
   
  Edit: Migou67, the 2 lineouts from my D1 are quiet though. Do you mean that the HO out is hissing? Is you mean that then it is perfectly normal =)


----------



## Migou67

For me the hiss is from the USB, I can listen the mouse moving in applications trough the D1 ! This append only with my laptop, but the D7 on the same situation is totaly quiet. For the price is a very good unit and you have the tube out, also with high impedance headphones is better than the D7. At home I use the D7 with the A1/HD650 and on the move the D7 with the IE80, a very useful DAC


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





migou67 said:


> For me the hiss is from the USB, I can listen the mouse moving in applications trough the D1 !


----------



## Migou67

Yes  this only append with my old laptop, but the D7 is quiet in the same situation, that why I say before that the USB implementation in the D1 is lacking some thing. I have only used the orginal USB cable, because audiophile USB cable are at the price of the DAC and not sure that solved my issue ...


----------



## uelover

migou67 said:


> Yes  this only append with my old laptop, but the D7 is quiet in the same situation, that why I say before that the USB implementation in the D1 is lacking some thing. I have only used the orginal USB cable, because audiophile USB cable are at the price of the DAC and not sure that solved my issue ...




Audiophile USB cable won't help your situation.

The d7 uses the xmos USB receiver. Also, the stock USB cable that comes with the d7 has the ferrite rings which rejects noise. These explains why


----------



## Nick01

My D7 keeps disconnecting every few hours or so. Have to unplug and then it works fine again...for a few hours.


----------



## Migou67

You can check your USB settings in the bios, last evening I have disabled an option named USB Sleep & Power, it was in mode 1 for me, maybe you can find some thing relevent to your problem.


----------



## TiEx

Quote: 





migou67 said:


> Yes  this only append with my old laptop, but the D7 is quiet in the same situation, that why I say before that the USB implementation in the D1 is lacking some thing. I have only used the orginal USB cable, because audiophile USB cable are at the price of the DAC and not sure that solved my issue ...


 

 Even 1000$ USB cable won't help here. The best way to solve the problem is galvanic isolation of USB power line. Ferrite rings doesn't do anything, rather then make users think that with this ring the cable is EMI/RFI bulletproof. Just google "USB isolator" and you will see couple devices that can really help to solve this problem. http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/Acromag-USB-Isolator-simple-and-inexpensive-bus-powered-USB-isolation-ADuM4160 Here is a small discussion on USB isolator based on famous ADuM4160. Good luck.


----------



## shrisha

Hi guys,
  I was pulling between DACport LX, HRT MS2+ and now this one came along.  Which is makes choosing even harder. Is anyone had a chance compare this three?


----------



## Migou67

For people using recent Linux distro I have understand some concept with the Audio architecture. I'm using Fedora 15 (KDE).

 At the begining Pulseaudio was crackling the sound for me at 24/192, Pulse audio is a layer on the top of ALSA or OSS. Is used to normalise the acces to the differentes audio architecture under Linux. For example if you access directly ALSA another application can't play a sound a the same time. Pulseaudio will avoid this kind of problem. But for me is not important at all and I dont want to use Pulse Audio anymore 

 I have found a solution using another player than Amarok, Audacious 2 can be set to use directly ALSA. With that the problem was gone.

 But Amarok have a much better lnterface and a good library management, Amarok is playing through KDE Phonon, is where you can specifie the backend to use (gstreamer, Xine or VLC). But under KDE you can't set the gstreamer output to ALSA (dont know for Xine or VLC backend). The easy way is to remove Pulse Audio with the follwing command under root : *yum remove pulseaudio*

 With SUSE issue the command : setup-pulseaudio --disable
 With Ubuntu Gnome use the interface : gstreamer-properties

 Hope this help some one.


----------



## Migou67

I think the truth is somewhere between me and UElover !
   
  Seriously as I say I'm not an expert in audio, I have a very bad sound memory and this is just my feeling more than any analytical aproach.

 For me UElover is more credible than me 
  
  Quote: 





shrisha said:


> It's a quite a difference between this two feedbacks from Migou67 and uelover. So what is the actually better then?


----------



## TiEx

I think it depends more on taste. Just go with sound you like most!


----------



## uelover

tiex said:


> Even 1000$ USB cable won't help here. The best way to solve the problem is galvanic isolation of USB power line. Ferrite rings doesn't do anything, rather then make users think that with this ring the cable is EMI/RFI bulletproof. Just google "USB isolator" and you will see couple devices that can really help to solve this problem. http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/Acromag-USB-Isolator-simple-and-inexpensive-bus-powered-USB-isolation-ADuM4160 Here is a small discussion on USB isolator based on famous ADuM4160. Good luck.




All USB isolator at the moment are not fully compatible with the xmos USB receiver - you'll not be able to playback hi res files. If I remember correctly you'll be scaled back at 48kHz max.

It'll work well with the Maverick D1 nonetheless with great result but most likely won't improve anything on the D7.


----------



## TiEx

Quote: 





uelover said:


> All USB isolator at the moment are not fully compatible with the xmos USB receiver - you'll not be able to playback hi res files. If I remember correctly you'll be scaled back at 48kHz max.
> It'll work well with the Maverick D1 nonetheless with great result but most likely won't improve anything on the D7.


 

 I know about XMOS limitation with USB isolator. I was talking about D1. And also there are many other dacs that can benefit from isolator.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





tiex said:


> I know about XMOS limitation with USB isolator. I was talking about D1. And also there are many other dacs that can benefit from isolator.


 


  Yup but since we are on the D7 thread I just want to make it clear in case somebody missed it and went on to buy an USB isolator to use with the D7 =)
   
  If I am not wrong, USB isolators (which are all only USB 2.0 Full Speed) will not work well with USB audio devices that are of USB 2.0 High Speed configuration. (Correct me if I am wrong)
   
  Thus, USB isolators will only help on older specs DACs but not the ones that sports newer USB technology.


----------



## TiEx

To bad not so many people know that D7 is class 2 USB DAC thaks to XMOS chip. And if you look here http://thewelltemperedcomputer.com/HW/USB_DAC_Async.htm then you will actually find that xmos is implemented in some really expensive dacs up to 7000$! D7 is 179$ which is a no brainer with lots of nichicon gold Caps wm8740 Dac and +/-5V amp with good opamps used. At this point D7 presents an excellent value. Am thinking to buy D7 for home use.
   


uelover said:


> If I am not wrong, USB isolators (which are all only USB 2.0 Full Speed) will not work well with USB audio devices that are of USB 2.0 High Speed configuration. (Correct me if I am wrong)


 
  Don't know exactly. USB isolator should be compatible with XMOS just with limitation of full speed up to 24/96 music, because the signal line on some isolators is transparent. As far as I read full speed gives up to 24/96 compatibility. So there will be some limitation. I sure think near future will bring us USB isolation chips with high speed with no limitations. Just a matter of time I presume.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





tiex said:


> To bad not so many people know that D7 is class 2 USB DAC thaks to XMOS chip. And if you look here http://thewelltemperedcomputer.com/HW/USB_DAC_Async.htm then you will actually find that xmos is implemented in some really expensive dacs up to 7000$! D7 is 179$ which is a no brainer with lots of nichicon gold Caps wm8740 Dac and +/-5V amp with good opamps used. At this point D7 presents an excellent value. Am thinking to buy D7 for home use.


 


  I think iBasso killed this product by changing the DAC chip to Wolfson WM8740 from ESS Sabre (I forgot which model). There was much hype prior to the release of D7 but was despised upon after the news of WM8740 as a replacement for the ESS Sabre DAC chip broke out.
   
  I can't imagine what this device would be had it been using the ESS Sabre DAC chip. I know iBasso is saving it for their desktop DAC and the DX100. But... Sigh.
   
  Not that the WM8740 is bad.


----------



## uelover

Am listening to some of my favorite songs on my ES5 via the D7. I feel such great joy and happiness that I wanna stay up for the rest of the night just to listen to it.
   
  I am not sure how many equipments I have purchased in the past has given me such joy. Not even those that costs 10 times more. =DD


----------



## IndieScent

for me , I enjoy new joy from my NFB3 when D7 feed it .


----------



## TiEx

Quote: 





uelover said:


> I think iBasso killed this product by changing the DAC chip to Wolfson WM8740 from ESS Sabre (I forgot which model). There was much hype prior to the release of D7 but was despised upon after the news of WM8740 as a replacement for the ESS Sabre DAC chip broke out.
> 
> I can't imagine what this device would be had it been using the ESS Sabre DAC chip. I know iBasso is saving it for their desktop DAC and the DX100. But... Sigh.
> 
> Not that the WM8740 is bad.


 
   
  Quote: 





uelover said:


> Am listening to some of my favorite songs on my ES5 via the D7. I feel such great joy and happiness that I wanna stay up for the rest of the night just to listen to it.
> 
> I am not sure how many equipments I have purchased in the past has given me such joy. Not even those that costs 10 times more. =DD


 

 Thsere is a reason to go with a 8740 instead of es9018. The reason is that es9018 is very hard to implement to make it sound good. But good implementation will cost much more, just take a look at DX100. The other example is Anedio D1 and upcoming D2, it is a very good implementation of es9018, but price tags of 1270$ and 1470$ speak for themself. Not only the DAC chip price matters, but also surrounding circuitry and power supply. Also sigma-delta wm8740 can sound pretty good if implementation is on a good level. That is the case with iBasso D7. For a reference DAC I would go with Anedio D2 but that is a different price category. There is also a discontinued DAC/Amp from Audio-GD called NFB-11 which contains es9018 and has price 275$ but it has average implementation so the sound will be also average for such a good chip. Just read this thread http://www.head-fi.org/t/516886/audio-gd-nfb-11 and you will see how many different reactions of NFB-11 owners there is. Some hate it and some love it. iBasso assumed that wm8740 will be the way to go as its implementation is quite simple and there is a big fanbase of wolfson DAC sound. I think D7 is very good DAC/Amp combo and can't think of anything I would like to change in it.
   
  P.S. I think upcoming 4x es9018 DAC from iBasso will have a big price tag and a good implementation to uncover the full potential of es9018. Imagine only price of one es9018 chip of around 40-65$ depending on where you buy them.
   
  P.P.S. iBasso didn't killed D7 by switching to wm8740 but on the contrary gave it a life. IMHO es9018 is impossible to implement good in a device with 179$ price. Otherwise with es9018 the price of D7 would be much higher to make it sound good enough.


----------



## Migou67

I agree last nigth I sleep only 5 hours, loosing time to figure out how to remove Pulseaudio from my linux and listening also 
  Now I can play with Amarok -> Gstreamer -> Alsa and no more mixer from the OS, using the alsamixer directly.
   
  This DAC have a great sound.
  
  Quote: 





uelover said:


> Am listening to some of my favorite songs on my ES5 via the D7. I feel such great joy and happiness that I wanna stay up for the rest of the night just to listen to it.
> 
> I am not sure how many equipments I have purchased in the past has given me such joy. Not even those that costs 10 times more. =DD


----------



## jamato8

I keep the D7 with my MacBook Pro. It is excellent sounding with most any headphone and music and for the price, a no brainer.


----------



## JoeyRusso

Quote: 





jamato8 said:


> I keep the D7 with my MacBook Pro. It is excellent sounding with most any headphone and music and for the price, a no brainer.


 


 Hey jamato, are there any significant differences (soundwise) between the D7 (incoming) and my D4 (w/topkit)??  Thanks.


----------



## HiFlight

joeyrusso said:


> Hey jamato, are there any significant differences (soundwise) between the D7 (incoming) and my D4 (w/topkit)??  Thanks.




IMO, the edge would go to the D7 due to the better performing DAC. I also look forward to John's opinion.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





tiex said:


> Thsere is a reason to go with a 8740 instead of es9018. The reason is that es9018 is very hard to implement to make it sound good. But good implementation will cost much more.


 


  To the many people out there, they immediately struck off the D7 as just another-portable-dac-out-there once they heard that the plan for sabre chip has been shelved aside. This is what I mean that iBasso literally killed the product (by killing the market interest). 
   
  Everyone thought that iBasso could make a great sounding sabre chip based portable dac/amp at a great value. iBasso initially quoted ~USD200-300 which IMO is pretty decent. That price tag will in no way suggest poor implementation of a sabre dac.
   
  iBasso is a great little company of wonders. Given the specs of the D7, no one would have expected it to cost so little, don't we? Yet, its performance was not being compromised in anyway. 
   
  It could be that the WM8740 chip inside gives it a very easy and pleasant to listen to sound. But it would be cool to just have another of its siblings when we want to hear something different =)


----------



## JoeyRusso

Quote: 





hiflight said:


> IMO, the edge would go to the D7 due to the better performing DAC. I also look forward to John's opinion.


 


 Thanks Ron, I'm anxiously awaiting my delivery... You were on the money with the D4 and I value both of your opinions..


----------



## shrisha

Hi guys,
  I was pulling between DACport LX, HRT MS2+ and now this one came along.  Which is makes choosing even harder. Is anyone had a chance compare this three?


----------



## burgunder

Since the D7 is so new I doubt that anyone has tried all 3. 
   
  I like the form factor of the DACport LX best
  I think the D7, which I own is the most versatile, and I think it sounds better than the original µDAC, which was better USB dac in the Hifi-man EF2. The soundstage is really good, and detail is nice too, and it's not a coloured as the µDAC v.1. 
   
  But which one sounds best?
   
  Quote: 





shrisha said:


> Hi guys,
> I was pulling between DACport LX, HRT MS2+ and now this one came along.  Which is makes choosing even harder. Is anyone had a chance compare this three?


----------



## estreeter

@uelover, there has never been a better time for those looking for 'something different' in the sub-$200 market : spend wisely and you could be listening to a different DAC/amp combination every night of the week ....


----------



## Migou67

I have ordered a Little Dot MKIII for the D7, can't beleive what you can find today for 200$, I'm buying a new audio device every month !
   
  Quote:


estreeter said:


> @uelover, there has never been a better time for those looking for 'something different' in the sub-$200 market : spend wisely and you could be listening to a different DAC/amp combination every night of the week ....


----------



## trentino

I've had a few iBasso products and I know they are great stuff for the price. Now I'm looking into getting a dac with rca out to feed a vintage marantz amp and whatever future amps I may get. I've been looking at the MF V-Dac, good price and also the option of separate V-PSU. For all of you D7 owners, is it a good idea to get the D7 and would it be good enough to feed bigger amps like vintage marantz ones?
   
  Edit: Or - is it unnessecary to get another portable dac just for the RCA out when I have the DB2's unbalanced out? I've heard some negative stuff about the DB2's SE out, and only praise regarding the RCA output of the D7. Of course, the D7 is the latest thingie and this is head-fi


----------



## Migou67

I think so, my D7 RCA out is feeding my amplified monitors Truth B2031A without problem and sound is perfect, full of details and plaisant.


----------



## TiEx

Quote: 





migou67 said:


> I think so, my D7 RCA out is feeding my amplified monitors Truth B2031A without problem and sound is perfect, full of details and plaisant.


 
   
  Migou67 how do you control the volume of monitors? Do you use some kind of passive preamp?


----------



## Migou67

No i use the alsamixer under linux to set the output of the DAC and I control the volume with the player Amarok using the well mouse. Also in the monitors you have a potentiometer (input trim +/- 6db, I have set it at -6db. This result in a fine control and progressif volume.


----------



## Migou67

I have finally get today a quality cable to feed the monitors, through the Maverick A1 pre amp tube and now I can also control the volume with the A1.

 For me the sound is better than the RCA of the D7, but its me, I like tubes and the A1 is doing a nice job with the D7 on this monitors.
   
  Quote:


tiex said:


> Migou67 how do you control the volume of monitors? Do you use some kind of passive preamp?


----------



## xander90

Anyone compared this to D6 "Fer-de-Lance" yet?


----------



## jerry1130

Have you guys noticed this amp is highly susceptible to RF interference. I noticed this when I set my phone next to it.


----------



## JoeyRusso

Quote: 





jerry1130 said:


> Have you guys noticed this amp is highly susceptible to RF interference. I noticed this when I set my phone next to it.


 
   
  Which phone do you own?  I just sat my iPhone 4s on top of it, and I didn't detect anything...


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





jerry1130 said:


> Have you guys noticed this amp is highly susceptible to RF interference. I noticed this when I set my phone next to it.


 


  Hmm, change a iem/headphone and try again?


----------



## jerry1130

Galaxy Nexus on LTE or 3G. Interestingly it's fine on Wifi.


----------



## bluishgreen

I couldn't find mention of it in this or other D7 threads, so hopefully I didn't simply miss it, but does anyone else using a Mac and the D7 get this OSX warning every time you turn it on?
   
*Because a USB device was drawing too much power from your computer, one or more of your USB devices have been disabled.*
*To prevent damaging your computer, the USB device drawing too much power has been disabled. Other devices may have also been disabled. When you disconnect the device drawing too much power, your other USB devices will be enabled again.*
   
  --I get this on two different Macs (MBP & MBA) so it isn't just one system--both are running 10.7.2.
  --It happens on both USB ports on both Macs, and I don't have anything else externally connected to any USB port.
  --It happens with both cables that came with the D7 and a third cable--plus I tried these same cables with another DAC, and they all worked fine.
  --It happens regardless of gain setting, and rebooting doesn't change the behavior.
  --I've never had this with any other USB DACs I've used with these systems, and according to System Report, this and the other DACs have the same "Current Required".
   
  The D7 _does_ work--it shows-up as a device ~10 seconds after the warning each time.  I emailed support, and they said that this is normal behavior and is how it works with Macs, but I haven't seen anyone else mention this.
   
  I'll maybe dig-out an old PC laptop from the closet and throw Linux or something on it to see what happens there, but wanted to check if I'm the only one getting this or is this in fact normal?


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





bluishgreen said:


> I couldn't find mention of it in this or other D7 threads, so hopefully I didn't simply miss it, but does anyone else using a Mac and the D7 get this OSX warning every time you turn it on?
> 
> *Because a USB device was drawing too much power from your computer, one or more of your USB devices have been disabled.*
> *To prevent damaging your computer, the USB device drawing too much power has been disabled. Other devices may have also been disabled. When you disconnect the device drawing too much power, your other USB devices will be enabled again.*


 

  I get this too everytime I turn on the D7. At the moment, I connect the D7 via a USB hub instead of direct to my Mac and this warning message does not appear. The SQ fortunately does not take any hit just that at times I may experience some electrical noise (due to the externally powered USB hub that I was using)
   
  I am not sure if it is a limitation of Apple's laptop so I am curious to hear iMac/Mac Pro users on this one.


----------



## cooperpwc

I have never encountered a portable amp that was not susceptible to iPhone interference. I doubt that this is anything special to the D7.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





cooperpwc said:


> I have never encountered a portable amp that was not susceptible to iPhone interference. I doubt that this is anything special to the D7.


 

  Quote: 





joeyrusso said:


> I just sat my iPhone 4s on top of it, and I didn't detect anything...


----------



## cooperpwc

Quote:


joeyrusso said:


> Which phone do you own?  I just sat my iPhone 4s on top of it, and I didn't detect anything...


 

 It doesn't happen every moment. Hang around like that, I am guessing that an issue will arise. 
   
  I do not own the D7...


----------



## uelover

My iBasso P4 used to pick up interference from my Sony Xperia phone until I changed to a shielded cable for the line-in.
   
  But the D7 is a DAC so things are different. It doesn't pick up any interference from my Xperia phone though (I always leave my phone beside it)


----------



## scottie584

What Xperia did you have and how did you get a line-out through USB on Android?


----------



## bluishgreen

Quote: 





uelover said:


> I get this too everytime I turn on the D7. At the moment, I connect the D7 via a USB hub instead of direct to my Mac and this warning message does not appear. The SQ fortunately does not take any hit just that at times I may experience some electrical noise (due to the externally powered USB hub that I was using)
> 
> I am not sure if it is a limitation of Apple's laptop so I am curious to hear iMac/Mac Pro users on this one.


 

  
  OK--at least I know I'm not the only one.  I don't have a USB hub around to see if that changes things, but it isn't a big deal to OK the warning.  I just wanted to make sure the amp wasn't defective.  My systems are fairly recent ones too--the Mac Book Pro is the mid-2010 one (actually my work computer, not mine) and the Mac Book Air is the latest mid-2011 one.  
   
  Surprised it happens on the left-side USB port on the MBA, since that port's bus is pretty much unused.  Almost all the internal stuff on the MBA (camera, keyboard, trackpad, bluetooth) run off the right-side port's bus.  Only the card reader runs off the left-side port's bus, which is why I always use that one for DACs.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





scottie584 said:


> What Xperia did you have and how did you get a line-out through USB on Android?


 

 I guess you should have realized that the D7 does not have an internal battery. Mobile phones won't be able to power the D7.
   
  As for digital line out, the current Android version does not support it.

  
  Quote: 





bluishgreen said:


> Surprised it happens on the left-side USB port on the MBA, since that port's bus is pretty much unused.  Almost all the internal stuff on the MBA (camera, keyboard, trackpad, bluetooth) run off the right-side port's bus.  Only the card reader runs off the left-side port's bus, which is why I always use that one for DACs.


 

 It happens on my Macbook Pro even though I have absolutely nothing connected to it (other than the power cable).


----------



## scottie584

Quote: 





uelover said:


> I guess you should have realized that the D7 does not have an internal battery. Mobile phones won't be able to power the D7.
> 
> As for digital line out, the current Android version does not support it.


 


  Forgot about that, whoops 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 And I knew that, I was just wondering if there was a workaround that he could've been using.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





scottie584 said:


> Forgot about that, whoops
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  There could be a way but it would be extremely difficult and takes a lot of diy skills. The D-Zero/D6 would be more appropriate for use with a phone should android support USB audio line out in the Ice Cream.
   
  =)


----------



## bluishgreen

Quote: 





uelover said:


> It happens on my Macbook Pro even though I have absolutely nothing connected to it (other than the power cable).


 


  Interesting--I just updated to OSX 10.7.3, and the problem seems to be fixed, for the most part:

 If I turn it off-and-on relatively close together (like 10 seconds or so) it occurs every other time, rather than every time.
 If I wait a minute or so before turning it on again, then it doesn't seem to happen at all.
   
  OSX likely reserves and tallies the amount of required current on the bus, and it takes a minute or so to expire something disconnected.  This must have been broken before.  I only tested waiting over a minute--it could be less, but of course we aren't turning things off-and-on like that under normal use anyway, so I'd consider it fixed...


----------



## Sorensiim

Quote: 





blockhead said:


> I asked this question also, just got a response from iBasso "*...the D7's output impedance is less than 1ohm*".


 
   
  Quote: 





uelover said:


> For IEMs, I see no further than D7. For full size headphones


 
   
  That's it, I'm getting one! Thanks guys!


----------



## Sorensiim

Quote: 





migou67 said:


> I agree last nigth I sleep only 5 hours, loosing time to figure out how to remove Pulseaudio from my linux and listening also
> Now I can play with Amarok -> Gstreamer -> Alsa and no more mixer from the OS, using the alsamixer directly.
> 
> This DAC have a great sound.


 

  Just install Clementine player and set it up to use ALSA directly... First, find the Device ID of your D7. Start a terminal and run "alsamixer" - press F6 to bring up this:
   

   
  Make a note of the sound card number, then go to settings in Clementine:

   
  Notice output plugin and output device. Make sure you set the buffer duration between 20 and 50ms for asynchronous USB.


----------



## Migou67

I have try Clementine and is a nice player also, thanks


----------



## oneway23

How well does the D7 drive a pair of HD-600s?


----------



## jamato8

Quote: 





oneway23 said:


> How well does the D7 drive a pair of HD-600s?


 
  It drives my HD650's with no problem and provides plenty of bass control. They sound great with it.


----------



## xander90

Quote: 





jamato8 said:


> It drives my HD650's with no problem and provides plenty of bass control. They sound great with it.


 


  Can u do a brief comparison between this and D6? Does D6 win by a large-margin?


----------



## HiFlight

xander90 said:


> Can u do a brief comparison between this and D6? Does D6 win by a large-margin?




To slip in my opinion, I think that the choice between the D6 and D7 will depend on personal listening preferences, whether you want to roll opamps, and whether you need portability away from your computer. Both sound excellent.


----------



## havoc123

hi everyone,

 I'm having a small problem with my d7 and hoping someone can help. When initially trying to load the driver my computer would not recognize the D7. Eventually I was able to make it work by having the unit plugged in and on before installing the driver (thinkpad, windows 7 professional).

 The only issue I have now is every time I plug it in Windows will automatically "stop" the USB port with error code 43 (seen under device manager, USB controllers).

 Manually disabling and re-enabling the USB port fixes the issue - Windows recognizes the D7 and it works fine - _until the next time I plug it in_.

 I've tried different cables, USB ports, reinstalling drivers, etc.

 This really is no big deal, the D7 sounds so *incredible *and this is only a minor inconvenience - just wondering if anyone else has seen this or has any suggestions.
   
  Thanks


----------



## jamato8

Quote: 





xander90 said:


> Can u do a brief comparison between this and D6? Does D6 win by a large-margin?


 
  As HighFlight mentions, if you want portability with a battery the D6, otherwise, the D7 gives up nothing in the sound department, it is excellent.


----------



## djevoultion

Anyone know how the D7 compares with the E17?
   
  and what opamp is used in the D7? 
   
  Thanks


----------



## xander90

Quote: 





djevoultion said:


> *Anyone know how the D7 compares with the E17?*
> 
> and what opamp is used in the D7?
> 
> Thanks


 


  That's an interesting question. I would like to know too, someone please enlighten us.


----------



## kwlinca

I recently purchased a D7.  Although music through the D7 is promising, I am hearing electrical noise through my sensitive Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors at low volumes; it also exists at higher volumes, but is partially masked by the music.  I have tried 2 different laptops (using battery only) and 3 different USB cables.  The noise makes a fairly new and expensive ThinkPad X220 unusable as it is clearly audible in quiet passages of the music.  It is less of a problem on an older Acer laptop. I am sure that the noise is generated by the laptops; moving the mouse on the Thinkpad increases the intensity of the noise on the Thinkpad. There is no significant difference in noise between the different USB ports.  The D7 seems not to be galvanically isolated from the computer.  Do you have any suggestions to remove/reduce the electrical noise?  Will a USB hub help?  Is anyone else having this problem with sensitive IEMs? 
   
  Thanks!


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





kwlinca said:


> I recently purchased a D7.  Although music through the D7 is promising, I am hearing electrical noise through my sensitive Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors at low volumes; it also exists at higher volumes, but is partially masked by the music.  I have tried 2 different laptops (using battery only) and 3 different USB cables.  The noise makes a fairly new and expensive ThinkPad X220 unusable as it is clearly audible in quiet passages of the music.  It is less of a problem on an older Acer laptop. I am sure that the noise is generated by the laptops; moving the mouse on the Thinkpad increases the intensity of the noise on the Thinkpad. There is no significant difference in noise between the different USB ports.  The D7 seems not to be galvanically isolated from the computer.  Do you have any suggestions to remove/reduce the electrical noise?  Will a USB hub help?  Is anyone else having this problem with sensitive IEMs?
> 
> Thanks!


 

 My Westone ES5 is much more sensitive to the UERM. At low volume on my Macbook Pro, it is totally silent. I have a little bit of electrical noise if I connect via an USB hub but not when I connect direct to my Macbook Pro.
   
  Since the electrical noise on my Belkin USB hub is low, a better USB hub might solve the problem if it is your laptops that is giving you problem.


----------



## Riverwind

Quote: 





kwlinca said:


> I recently purchased a D7.  Although music through the D7 is promising, I am hearing electrical noise through my sensitive Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors at low volumes; it also exists at higher volumes, but is partially masked by the music.  I have tried 2 different laptops (using battery only) and 3 different USB cables.  The noise makes a fairly new and expensive ThinkPad X220 unusable as it is clearly audible in quiet passages of the music.  It is less of a problem on an older Acer laptop. I am sure that the noise is generated by the laptops; moving the mouse on the Thinkpad increases the intensity of the noise on the Thinkpad. There is no significant difference in noise between the different USB ports.  The D7 seems not to be galvanically isolated from the computer.  Do you have any suggestions to remove/reduce the electrical noise?  Will a USB hub help?  Is anyone else having this problem with sensitive IEMs?
> 
> Thanks!


 


  I actually received my D7 yesterday and noticed crackle's and popping during my time listening. I changed a few settings on my Windows 7 computer and it reduced the frequency of these abnormalities. I am wondering if this might help in your situation too. A pretty decent guide for Windows 7 optimization when it comes to audio can be found in this guide.  The only change I used from this guide is under the topic "Change Processor Scheduling". This adjustment changes how Windows allocates the processor resources to be optimized for "Background Services" which I am assuming allows more processing power to be available to the handling of the USB functions. Hope this helps in your particular situation as well.


----------



## djevoultion

just got a reply back from Ibasso, the D7 uses OPA1611


----------



## SLCanhead

Just sent payment for one of these Sidewinders...
   
  Funny thing, I was looking for a replacement/upgrade for my uDAC-2 to power my new PK1s (I love the fit and convenience of buds), sourced through my laptop. Not but a few minutes of searching and I found this thread. Everything seems to be right on the money for my needs, from what I am reading here. I hope the driver install/setup goes relatively smoothly. I am looking forward to hearing it soon! 
   
  Thanks HiFlight (as always) for taking the time to test, review and post your thoughts. I appreciate everyone's feedback and thoughts, so far - very helpful.
   
  SL


----------



## burgunder

That seems a very nice choise, as it is the same as the original stepdance and the mono version of the OPA1612 used in the DACport. 
   
  Quote: 





djevoultion said:


> just got a reply back from Ibasso, the D7 uses OPA1611


----------



## jchandler3

Just ordered mine last night. Impressions to follow!


----------



## TiEx

> That seems a very nice choise, as it is the same as the original stepdance and the mono version of the OPA1612 used in the DACport.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


 
   
  Not only. OPA1611 is also used in Anedio D1 (1270$) output stage. Here is a quote from review:
   


> _The line output stage is based on the Texas Instruments OPA1611 op amp, chosen for its superior sonic quality. The OPA1611 is one of a new generation of operational amplifiers fabricated using a SiGe bipolar process, which allows for a higher current gain and higher speed than a Si bipolar process._


 
  Also it shares with Anedio D2 (1470$) the same reciever XMOS chip.
   
  I see D7 is really a bang for buck.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





tiex said:


> Not only. OPA1611 is also used in Anedio D1 (1270$) output stage.
> Also it shares with Anedio D2 (1470$) the same reciever XMOS chip.
> 
> I see D7 is really a bang for buck.


 

 So why ain't you getting one?


----------



## TiEx

Quote: 





uelover said:


> So why ain't you getting one?


 

 Just a matter of time. I want to get one and most probably will.


----------



## paulybatz

This little thing is my go to feeder for my P4 at home....LOVES it to stream musix from the macbook to the P4 to the LCD2!


----------



## Tolu

Hi there,
   
  this is my first post.
   
  I've got my D7 today and installed it at my desktop PC with Vista. Everything works fine.
   
  Then I wanted to install the little device at my music PC that runs Win XP SP3. The setup of Thesycon stops at some point and asks to disconnect and reconnect and power-on the device. The setup runs some time and then it stops or better sleeps. I have to kill the task. After restarting the system the D7 is recognized on my PC but when I choose the TUSB ASIO driver in Foobar there is no sound out of it. The sound comes out of the old device via SPDIF.
   
  Has anyone some hints to get it working with XP?
   
  Thomas


----------



## KimLaroux

This unit is very interesting, I can't wait to see how it compares to other DAC / amp in it's price range. I'm thinking about popular units like the Audinst HUD, Matrix Rip, Matrix Cube and Yulong U100. If anyone can compare these with the D7, it would be nice.
   
  I believe it makes a serious competitor of the Audinst HUD as they have the same features and are exactly the same price. The only difference in features is that the D7 has coaxial digital out while the Audinst has optical digital out. They use the same DAC chip, namely the Wolfson WM8740. So as DACs, the difference in sounds comes down to the implementation, which should be quite a small difference... but as amps, this is where it gets interesting. The D7 has a better (is it?) OPAMP and a class A output stage, but the HUD runs off an external power supply, so the HUD should have more power. But that's all just on paper. In reality, it all comes down to the sound. So, anyone heard both?


----------



## Thraex

tolu said:


> Hi there,
> 
> this is my first post.
> 
> ...




I had similar problems with Xp sp3 and Thesycon drivers, I think you should look if the mainboard support USB 2.0, or install Vista or 7 to the same hardware to check if it's a hardware or software incompatibility.


----------



## Thraex

Is it possible to use iPad > Camera Connectin Kit > powered USB Hub > iBasso D7 ?
Can anyone confirm?
Thanks


----------



## Sorensiim

Quote: 





thraex said:


> Is it possible to use iPad > Camera Connectin Kit > powered USB Hub > iBasso D7 ?
> Can anyone confirm?
> Thanks


 
  Yep.


----------



## rasmushorn

Quote: 





sorensiim said:


> Yep.


 


   
  Is this confirmed?
  what about without powered usb-hub?


----------



## mukulymn

Still I cant see a full review about D7....waiting for a complete review from hiflight


----------



## Tolu

Did anyone get it to work with Windows XP?
  The drivers from the ibasso-website are really old! Dec 2010!


----------



## Foxjam

Just ordered a D7 today.  I'm hoping it will be a solid upgrade over my Fiio E7.  Pretty excited to get it.


----------



## mukulymn

Quote: 





foxjam said:


> Just ordered a D7 today.  I'm hoping it will be a solid upgrade over my Fiio E7.  Pretty excited to get it.


 


  I m looking forward to your review as I also has E7.


----------



## Foxjam

Not sure how much weight I'd give a review from me but I'll definitely be comparing them the best I can.


----------



## uelover

I don't know how to do a review anymore


----------



## bluishgreen

Quote: 





foxjam said:


> Just ordered a D7 today.  I'm hoping it will be a solid upgrade over my Fiio E7.  Pretty excited to get it.


 

  
  The D7 is definitely better than the Fiio E7, and to a lesser extent, is better than the Fiio E10.  I haven't used the E7 in quite awhile, since I never really liked its SQ and I let someone borrow it indefinitely--so I can't compare it directly.  But I definitely liked the Fiio E10 better than the Fiio E7--the E10 had much cleaner and tighter sound to me than the E7, better soundstage, plus it had a more powerful amplifier.  And now I find the iBasso D7 to be even tighter (more controlled/punchier bass) with a more natural soundstage than the E10.  Even though I found the E10's soundstage to be better than the E7's, the E10's soundstage still always seemed tinged with a small reverb-like quality in the mids, which thankfully doesn't exist on the D7.  The D7 is much more transparent than the E7, and doesn't "get in the way" like I found the Fiio E7 to do.
   
  Although, the D7's amp is definitely less powerful than the E10's--likely because the D7's DAC is more powerful, requiring a power trade-off.  The D7's SQ is definitely better than the E7/E10's SQ, but it doesn't drive my phones (DT880-250, DT990-250, K702) as easily as the E10.  I forget exactly how much, but the Fiio E7's amp was also weaker than the Fiio E10's amp, so the D7's amp may be similar in power to the E7's amp.  To give a comparison, the E10 on high gain at 40% volume seems roughly equivalent to the D7 on high gain at 70% volume.  However, the D7 still has enough power for all my phones, and I don't have to max it out with any of them--it is at least as powerful as the E7, and maybe slightly more powerful than it.  I don't think I've had to go past 80% volume, and the couple times I reached 80% were due to poorly recorded albums.


----------



## blockhead

Quote: 





bluishgreen said:


> Although, the D7's amp is definitely less powerful than the E10's--likely because the D7's DAC is more powerful, requiring a power trade-off.


 


   Don't they share the same DAC? I thought the E10 uses WM8740 + AD8397 and the D7 uses WM8740 + OPA1611.


----------



## uelover

D7 has a class A amp and has a much better USB receiver than the E10. The DAC chip is the same.
   
  I can see why the E10 could have more output power in its amp because the D7 could concurrently output via:
   
  1) Coaxial
  2) RCA
  3) Line Out
  4) Headphone Out


----------



## Foxjam

One feature I like about the E7 is the bass boost (especially with the ATH AD700).  I'm hopeful the D7 will have a enough quantity of bass.  I'm a bit of a basshead.  The quality of bass sounds like it'll be spot on with the D7.  Either way I feel pretty confident it will be worthy upgrade to the E7.


----------



## amham

Can someone post a step-by-step procedure, with needed equipment, to use the camera kit for digital out.  Is it ipad only or ipod/iphone also?
   
  Thanks


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





amham said:


> Can someone post a step-by-step procedure, with needed equipment, to use the camera kit for digital out.  Is it ipad only or ipod/iphone also?
> 
> Thanks


 


  Doesn't work for ipod and iphone.


----------



## Sorensiim

Quote: 





foxjam said:


> One feature I like about the E7 is the bass boost (especially with the ATH AD700).  I'm hopeful the D7 will have a enough quantity of bass.  I'm a bit of a basshead.  The quality of bass sounds like it'll be spot on with the D7.  Either way I feel pretty confident it will be worthy upgrade to the E7.


 

 Use a player with a decent EQ like Foobar (Windows) or Clementine (Linux). Remember to do subtractive EQ - lower the bands you don't wan't boosted and keep the bass at 0, that way it won't distort as you turn up the volume


----------



## bluishgreen

Quote: 





blockhead said:


> Don't they share the same DAC? I thought the E10 uses WM8740 + AD8397 and the D7 uses WM8740 + OPA1611.


 


  I just meant the DAC/USB side of things as a whole, not specifically the chip, although I was really just "thinking out loud" at the time, and was only speculating since the D7 handles up to 192kHz vs. the E10's only going to 96kHz.  I haven't actually researched it too much since the D7 is still more than loud enough for me--it was more a curiosity that the D7 was quieter than the E10, but not enough to be a problem.  It could also just be that, since the D7's amp quality is better, it requires more processing for the amp quality vs quantity (but that's just more speculation).


----------



## bluishgreen

Quote: 





uelover said:


> D7 has a class A amp and has a much better USB receiver than the E10. The DAC chip is the same.
> 
> I can see why the E10 could have more output power in its amp because the D7 could concurrently output via:
> 
> ...


 
   
   
  The multiple concurrent outputs is a good point that I hadn't thought of too.
   

  
  Quote: 





foxjam said:


> One feature I like about the E7 is the bass boost (especially with the ATH AD700).  I'm hopeful the D7 will have a enough quantity of bass.  I'm a bit of a basshead.  The quality of bass sounds like it'll be spot on with the D7.  Either way I feel pretty confident it will be worthy upgrade to the E7.


 

 I'm probably not the best person for this, since I'm not a basshead nor ever use bass boosts on amps, but I don't think the bass is really more than the E7 or E10 with their bass boosts turned off.  I would say that the D7's bass is definitely punchier and more precise/controlled than the E7's (and to a lesser degree, vs the E10's, but still noticeable) but I don't think the D7 is going to give you more "quantity" of bass, as in emphasis of lower tones vs mid/higher tones.  The D7 doesn't have a bass boost, so it isn't really targeting that market--its strength lies in its overall transparency, especially for a sub-US$200 DAC/amp unit.  You are really looking at an upgrade in quality here, not quantity.
   
  I like to describe the difference between bass philosophies as wanting to _feel_ the bass vs. wanting to _hear_ the bass.  I'm in the latter camp 90% of the time, but when listening to electronic music, I like to switch back-and-forth sometimes, which for me means switching to my DT990's that I jokingly refer to as my "bass boost" or "graphic equalizer".  For me, this aspect is better served by the headphone than the amp, since I don't want the amp to touch the sound, other than simply amplify it.


----------



## Foxjam

Quote: 





> Use a player with a decent EQ like Foobar (Windows) or Clementine (Linux). Remember to do subtractive EQ - lower the bands you don't wan't boosted and keep the bass at 0, that way it won't distort as you turn up the volume


 
  I tried Foobar for a while but wasn't really liking the interface that much and I don't think I have skills for a custom skin but maybe I should try and put some more time into it.  
   
   
   


> I like to describe the difference between bass philosophies as wanting to _feel_ the bass vs. wanting to _hear_ the bass.  I'm in the latter camp 90% of the time, but when listening to electronic music, I like to switch back-and-forth sometimes which for me means switching to my DT990's


 
  True.  For me it really depends on the genre.  I guess I'd say I'm sort of a bass head about 30% of the time and even then I'm really only looking for the real low notes.  On lower quality recordings the bass boost really seems to degrade the quality even more so I guess it isn't that important but a well implemented bass boost would be nice.  That said for the price and the quality I didn't really expect it on the D7.  The more I think about it the more of a non-issue it become.


----------



## Sorensiim

Quote: 





foxjam said:


> I tried Foobar for a while but wasn't really liking the interface that much and I don't think I have skills for a custom skin but maybe I should try and put some more time into it.


 

Clementine and JRMC have very nice interfaces as well as equalizers 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Clementine is free, but I still haven't found a way to make ASIO or WASAPI work for it.


----------



## jfrocke

Which of the following IEMs match up well sonically with the D7?  The JH16, ES5 or UERM?  I am currently using the UE TF10 with an HRT Headstreamer.
   
  I just purchased both of these within the past two weeks as my first experience with IEMs.  I wanted to get an idea of the sound and feel of IEM's before jumping in with both feet.  I listen to a wide variety of music - jazz, vocals and classic rock are my top go to choices.
   
  I've been a long time audiophile but never really went down the headphone path before.  I'm setting this up now on my general use home PC so I have something nice to listen to while I am at the computer.  I'll be playing FLAC files.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





jfrocke said:


> Which of the following IEMs match up well sonically with the D7?  The JH16, ES5 or UERM?


 


  I would say any of them.


----------



## TREACHER0US

iBasso D7 vs FiiO E17
   
  Using it with IEM ViSang R03 (Brainwavz M2) and my laptop.
   
  Currently using NuForce HDP with Beyerdynamic DT990 600ohm for my desktop.
   
  Mostly for gaming and movies.


----------



## Sorensiim

Quote: 





treacher0us said:


> iBasso D7 vs FiiO E17
> 
> Using it with IEM ViSang R03 (Brainwavz M2) and my laptop.
> 
> ...


 
  Are you announcing that you'll be doing a review or are you asking which would be the better match?


----------



## TREACHER0US

which is better?


----------



## rasmushorn

Quote: 





treacher0us said:


> which is better?


 


  Probably a review. Then you can decide which to buy after reading it


----------



## tomscy2000

Alright guys... I'm about the pull the trigger on one (I've listened to it already; it sounds great) but can't decide what color to get...
   
*BLACK?*
   
  or
   
*SILVER?*
   
  It's my 666th post!! Play the devil's advocate for me!


----------



## xander90

Quote: 





tomscy2000 said:


> Alright guys... I'm about the pull the trigger on one (I've listened to it already; it sounds great) but can't decide what color to get...
> 
> *BLACK?*
> 
> ...


 
  Silver looks nicer to me


----------



## uelover

Haha it really depends on your preference as well as the color of your other gears. Both colors look fantastic but I got the black one.


----------



## SLCanhead

.


----------



## SLCanhead

Quote: 





tomscy2000 said:


> Alright guys... I'm about the pull the trigger on one (I've listened to it already; it sounds great) but can't decide what color to get...
> 
> *BLACK?*
> 
> ...


 


   


  Quote: 





xander90 said:


> Silver looks nicer to me


 


   


  Quote: 





uelover said:


> Haha it really depends on your preference as well as the color of your other gears. Both colors look fantastic but I got the black one.


 


  
  To make your choice "easier", I ordered a black one. Tough call!


----------



## uelover

A red one will look cool though. Best suited for the 666 occasion.


----------



## SLCanhead

Quote: 





uelover said:


> A red one will look cool though. Best suited for the 666 occasion.


 


 I think we have a winner - ha!


----------



## TREACHER0US

Nevermind, I just went ahead and bought the ibasso d7.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





treacher0us said:


> Nevermind, I just went ahead and bought the ibasso d7.


----------



## IndieScent

I also went with black


----------



## Migou67

I take the black one also, recently I much enjoyed the D7 with a LD MKIII


----------



## Sorensiim

Anyone tried the D7 with the K701? I know it would be asking a LOT from such a small package but +/- 5v of voltage swing is pretty good...


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





xander90 said:


> Silver looks nicer to me


 
  Quote: 





uelover said:


> Haha it really depends on your preference as well as the color of your other gears. Both colors look fantastic but I got the black one.





uelover said:


> A red one will look cool though. Best suited for the 666 occasion.


 
  Quote: 





slcanhead said:


> To make your choice "easier", I ordered a black one. Tough call!


 
  Quote: 





slcanhead said:


> I think we have a winner - ha!


 
  Quote: 





indiescent said:


> I also went with black


 
  Quote: 





migou67 said:


> I take the black one also, recently I much enjoyed the D7 with a LD MKIII


 
    
  Thanks for the input guys! I agree, a *RED* one would be awesome. Maybe I'll re-paint it once it comes... I got the black one though.


----------



## paulybatz

Quote: 





tomscy2000 said:


> Thanks for the input guys! I agree, a *RED* one would be awesome. Maybe I'll re-paint it once it comes... I got the black one though.


 


  Red would be TIGHT!


----------



## Foxjam

I ordered one on Friday but now I can't remember what color I ordered.  I guess it'll be a nice suirprise.


----------



## jchandler3

You know what they say about going with black...
   
  You didn't go with silver.


----------



## SLCanhead

I just got a package in the mail this afternoon - black D7. It's built quite nicely. It does seem to have a bit brighter of a presentation than my uDac-2 - possibly more detail. It's really too early to tell. It didn't require the driver download (netbook with XP), so it may have somehow recognized it as my Centrance Axeport (not a computer expert.) It says "XMOS USB 2.0 Audio" at the bottom of the volume control window, but also says "Centrance Playback Mixer" at the top. Not sure if I should install the iBasso driver at this point...maybe I will install the iBasso driver on my Windows 7 machine to see what comes out of it.
   
  Sounds pretty good, but need time to acclimate...


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





slcanhead said:


> I just got a package in the mail this afternoon - black D7. It's built quite nicely. It does seem to have a bit brighter of a presentation than my uDac-2 - possibly more detail. It's really too early to tell. It didn't require the driver download (netbook with XP), so it may have somehow recognized it as my Centrance Axeport (not a computer expert.) It says "XMOS USB 2.0 Audio" at the bottom of the volume control window, but also says "Centrance Playback Mixer" at the top. Not sure if I should install the iBasso driver at this point...maybe I will install the iBasso driver on my Windows 7 machine to see what comes out of it.
> 
> Sounds pretty good, but need time to acclimate...


 


  Please give it time to burn in. There are just too many capacitors in the D7. The sound will become *much* better after 100hours (and more) of use. No brightness and the sound will become smoother and more open.


----------



## xxhaxx

Now what to do with my E10


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





jchandler3 said:


> You know what they say about going with black...
> 
> You didn't go with silver.


 

 I went with black for my previous DAC/amp... I guess that's why I couldn't go back to silver...


----------



## Starfire

Just popped for one too, wanted something to use with my Macbook Air, this will fit the bill perfectly.


----------



## SLCanhead

Quote: 





uelover said:


> Please give it time to burn in. There are just too many capacitors in the D7. The sound will become *much* better after 100hours (and more) of use. No brightness and the sound will become smoother and more open.


 


  I certainly will, thanks. I am looking forward to it (but will be patient!)
   
  Oh, and on an unrelated note I did get it working with my Windows 7 machine (installed the driver and all is well.)


  Quote: 





tomscy2000 said:


> I went with black for my previous DAC/amp... I guess that's why I couldn't go back to silver...


 


  
  The black one looks sweet "in person". I think you will be pleased!


----------



## SLCanhead

Quote: 





starfire said:


> Just popped for one too, wanted something to use with my Macbook Air, this will fit the bill perfectly.


 


   


  Quote: 





foxjam said:


> I ordered one on Friday but now I can't remember what color I ordered.  I guess it'll be a nice suirprise.


 


 Congrats, guys! Hopefully you will be burning yours in, too, in no time. They seem to ship fast to the majority, which is nice!
   
  Just got done with a late night listen...


----------



## xxhaxx

Can't wait till it arrives


----------



## jchandler3

Just got mine last night. Surprisingly light and the black finish is great. My old D3 Python was a shiny, glossy finish. This is a soft finish, almost feels like a wet suit or something haha.
   
  Build looks great and I love that they included rubber feet to stick on. Impressions to come—let me know if anyone wants pictures.


----------



## mukulymn

I want few


----------



## jchandler3

These are kinda crappy—I don't have any good cameras/ lighting at home right now.
   

   
  It's almost the exact footprint of an iPod classic. Very compact.
   
   

   
  Simple layout and controls, same as pretty much every other iBasso. Notice the finish—it's a very pebbly/ soft finish, almost like velvet. Notice near the Gain switch how it's marked up a bit, right out of the box. This finish will be _very _easy to mark up.
   
   

   
  Nothing to write about really.
   
  The D7 includes a warranty card, extra screws for the chassis, two USB cables in different lengths, a pleather case and rubber feet.
   
  I can't wait to really get listening to this. Impressions to come!


----------



## SLCanhead

Thanks for getting some pics up! I had some trouble doing so last night, so didn't get to it. The pics capture the "matte" finish which I like (as you mentioned.)
   
  I like the solid feel of the volume control.
   
  Congrats and happy listening! I have some Jam Band music kickin' off Pandora beside me while I work, right now...


----------



## jefierro

D7 on its way to be use at the office with my 535s and workstation, wondering if I use the built in amp or pair it with my D6, you guys think it matters in the IEM realm?


----------



## tomscy2000

Hey, sorry about the ignorance, but how long does iBasso normally ship its products? I put in the order just over a day ago, but I received nary a confirmation of order from iBasso, except for the payment receipt straight from PayPal. Is this typical? Don't merchants usually thank people for purchasing their products, send you a receipt, yada yada yada? I find this lack of correspondence alarming.


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





tomscy2000 said:


> Hey, sorry about the ignorance, but how long does iBasso normally ship its products? I put in the order just over a day ago, but I received nary a confirmation of order from iBasso, except for the payment receipt straight from PayPal. Is this typical? Don't merchants usually thank people for purchasing their products, send you a receipt, yada yada yada? I find this lack of correspondence alarming.


 


  it's normal. many received their product before the buying confirmation even showed up on their mail box.


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





indiescent said:


> it's normal. many received their product before the buying confirmation even showed up on their mail box.


 

_Weird_. So people get the tracking number after the package shows up at their doorstep? If iBasso is using EMS from China, it shouldn't take more than 2-3 days to get to where I live (Taiwan)... _hmmm_


----------



## jfrocke

That finish looks kind of like Nextel to me.  I've had Nextel finished audio gear in the past and it does show rubs pretty easily.  I prefer a traditional anodized finish personally. 
   
  Does anyone know if the silver finish is like this too or is it anodized?


----------



## JoeyRusso

Quote: 





sorensiim said:


> Anyone tried the D7 with the K701? I know it would be asking a LOT from such a small package but +/- 5v of voltage swing is pretty good...


 


 I'm powering a pair of Q701's with mine and they sound great.  No harshness, sweet mids and plenty of bass.  They don't sound underpowered to me.


----------



## Migou67

You will receive your first email with the tracking number, there is no purchase confirmation email.
  
  Quote: 





tomscy2000 said:


> _Weird_. So people get the tracking number after the package shows up at their doorstep? If iBasso is using EMS from China, it shouldn't take more than 2-3 days to get to where I live (Taiwan)... _hmmm_


----------



## Starfire

Quote: 





jfrocke said:


> That finish looks kind of like Nextel to me.  I've had Nextel finished audio gear in the past and it does show rubs pretty easily.  I prefer a traditional anodized finish personally.
> 
> Does anyone know if the silver finish is like this too or is it anodized?


 


  Not sure but I ordered a silver one so I'll post pics when I get it.


----------



## Terps Fan

I've posted this photo in another thread, but like Pauly has proven:  you can't have enough porn!


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





tomscy2000 said:


> Hey, sorry about the ignorance, but how long does iBasso normally ship its products? I put in the order just over a day ago, but I received nary a confirmation of order from iBasso, except for the payment receipt straight from PayPal. Is this typical? *Don't merchants usually thank people for purchasing their products, send you a receipt, yada yada yada?* I find this lack of correspondence alarming.


 

 Most of the 'thank you' message you usually receive for online purchases are computer generated. iBasso's website isn't that sophisticated. Their emails are all manually typed. I like that as it gives you a sense of personal attention. They are considered super fast in reply already and there is nothing much to worry about.
   
  I think that they have some of the best service reliability anywhere else in the world.


----------



## SLCanhead

Quote: 





terps fan said:


> I've posted this photo in another thread, but like Pauly has proven:  you can't have enough porn!


 


 Hey, where's the NSFW warning? 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Nice pic! How's it with the CMOY (vs the D7 headphone out?) If I missed something you already posted with this comparison, sorry in advance.


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





uelover said:


> Most of the 'thank you' message you usually receive for online purchases are computer generated. iBasso's website isn't that sophisticated. Their emails are all manually typed. I like that as it gives you a sense of personal attention. They are considered super fast in reply already and there is nothing much to worry about. I think that they have some of the best service reliability anywhere else in the world.


 

 Yeah, while I know those messages are automatically generated, it is still really odd to not see anything at all after paying. It threw me for a loop. So not receiving anything at all for two days just means that they're busy, or should I send them an e-mail to politely remind them that someone ordered something?


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





tomscy2000 said:


> Yeah, while I know those messages are automatically generated, it is still really odd to not see anything at all after paying. It threw me for a loop. So not receiving anything at all for two days just means that they're busy, or should I send them an e-mail to politely remind them that someone ordered something?


 

 They will know that you have placed an order. I haven't heard of any cases whether iBasso has actually missed an order, unless you are the first! XD
   
  I never receive any confirmation at all. The only email I received was the tracking number.


----------



## Foxjam

I'm pretty disappointed.  Got mine today.  The build quality is not very good.  If you gently shake it you can hear it rattling.  Pretty sure there shouldn't be any moving parts in there.  The tolerances between the various parts are also not very good.  The logo looks like it was screened on by someone with the shaky hand but I think maybe it's supposed to look like that for some reason.  To top it off Windows 7 hasn't been able to connect to it stating "This device cannot start. (Code 010)"
   
  Based on the build of it I don't think I would have purchased it had I known.  My E7 seems like a much better built product.  I can't comment on the sound since I can't listen to it.  If anyone has any ideas please let me know.  I really don't want to have to ship it back to China.
   
  I'm really bummed.  I was really looking forward to this.


----------



## jfrocke

Just received my D7 today.  Amazing shipping speed - I ordered it Saturday evening and it arrived here in New Jersey today!  Wish every mailorder purchase even here in the USA was so fast.
   
  I am a newbie with headphone listening in general (but have been an audiophile for 20+ years now).  I am currently using a pair of UE TF10's until I decide what high-end IEM's I want to purchase. In addition to the D7 I have been listening to the Headstreamer for a couple weeks.
   
  Not fair to compare with zero break-in on the D7 but there is definately more weight and dynamic punch with the D7.  However, the Headstreamer is totally dead quiet with no music playing while the D7 clearly has a bit of hiss/noise (that also changes over time - like it's picking up RF of something).  Has anyone else experienced this with their D7?


----------



## xxhaxx

Have you tried installing the driver for the D7?


----------



## uelover

foxjam said:


> I'm pretty disappointed.  Got mine today.  The build quality is not very good.  If you gently shake it you can hear it rattling.  Pretty sure there shouldn't be any moving parts in there.  The tolerances between the various parts are also not very good.  The logo looks like it was screened on by someone with the shaky hand but I think maybe it's supposed to look like that for some reason.  To top it off Windows 7 hasn't been able to connect to it stating "This device cannot start. (Code 010)"
> 
> Based on the build of it I don't think I would have purchased it had I known.  My E7 seems like a much better built product.  I can't comment on the sound since I can't listen to it.  If anyone has any ideas please let me know.  I really don't want to have to ship it back to China.
> 
> I'm really bummed.  I was really looking forward to this.




I think Murphy's law could be applicable. Lol.


----------



## Foxjam

Got it working after pulling some of my hair out.  Hopefully the sound will make up for the build quality.


----------



## oneway23

I'm using Windows 7 as well, and have been thinking about a D7, but I'm hearing more than a few reports of issues and it has me a bid concerned.
   
  How did you get the D7 working?  Are you using Windows 7 x32 or x64?


----------



## Foxjam

I'm using x64.  I just uninstalled an re-installed the drivers and it seemed to do the trick.  Seems to be fine now but it certainly was a hassle for about 20 minutes.  Probably me overreacting but it seems like these days everything should be plug-n-play.  Not sure if an async USB affects the ability to do that.  The sound does seem to be pretty stellar thus far but I've only been listening to it for a very short amount of time.


----------



## SLCanhead

Quote: 





foxjam said:


> I'm pretty disappointed.  Got mine today.  The build quality is not very good.  If you gently shake it you can hear it rattling.  Pretty sure there shouldn't be any moving parts in there.  The tolerances between the various parts are also not very good.  The logo looks like it was screened on by someone with the shaky hand but I think maybe it's supposed to look like that for some reason.  To top it off Windows 7 hasn't been able to connect to it stating "This device cannot start. (Code 010)"
> 
> Based on the build of it I don't think I would have purchased it had I known.  My E7 seems like a much better built product.  I can't comment on the sound since I can't listen to it.  If anyone has any ideas please let me know.  I really don't want to have to ship it back to China.
> 
> I'm really bummed.  I was really looking forward to this.


 
   
  Wow, that's basically the opposite from mine. I am sorry to hear about the quality. I am glad you got it working, though (as mentioned in your later post.) Hopefully, you can swap it out after getting a chance to hear it for a bit. I know it's frustrating but may be worth it in the long run.
   
  Quote:


jfrocke said:


> Just received my D7 today.  Amazing shipping speed - I ordered it Saturday evening and it arrived here in New Jersey today!  Wish every mailorder purchase even here in the USA was so fast.
> 
> I am a newbie with headphone listening in general (but have been an audiophile for 20+ years now).  I am currently using a pair of UE TF10's until I decide what high-end IEM's I want to purchase. In addition to the D7 I have been listening to the Headstreamer for a couple weeks.
> 
> Not fair to compare with zero break-in on the D7 but there is definately more weight and dynamic punch with the D7.  However, the Headstreamer is totally dead quiet with no music playing while the D7 clearly has a bit of hiss/noise (that also changes over time - like it's picking up RF of something).  Has anyone else experienced this with their D7?


 

 Mine is quiet, so far. I would try a diferent outlet/room or computer if possible to see if it remains. A step further might be to try a USB hub to see what happens. It seems that it could become more hassle than it's worth, though, as opposed to sending it back for replacement. I am sure there are others with more technical knowledge to provide better advice - that's just what I would initially think of.
   
  Sorry to hear about both of your situations. Hopefully the QC is generally good for most and iBasso stays vigilant.


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





oneway23 said:


> I'm using Windows 7 as well, and have been thinking about a D7, but I'm hearing more than a few reports of issues and it has me a bid concerned.
> 
> How did you get the D7 working?  Are you using Windows 7 x32 or x64?


 


  few report of issues? iirc this is the 1st one I see and most likely a user error problem.


  Quote: 





foxjam said:


> I'm using x64.  I just uninstalled an re-installed the drivers and it seemed to do the trick.  Seems to be fine now but it certainly was a hassle for about 20 minutes.  Probably me overreacting but it seems like these days everything should be plug-n-play.  Not sure if an async USB affects the ability to do that.  The sound does seem to be pretty stellar thus far but I've only been listening to it for a very short amount of time.


 


 you can blame win7 for not PnP because it doesnt support usb audio class 2, which basically what d7 is.


----------



## Foxjam

It's been a little buggy since I got it working.  Sometimes the sound just cuts out and if I turn it off and turn it back on it works again.  Been listening to it solid for the last 3 hours and it's cut out about 4 times.  I can say it sounds awesome and I hope the bugginess is behind me.


----------



## Starfire

Hmm I ordered Friday and never seen any email on shipping yet.


----------



## RodSmith

I've ordered one but got no confirm screen on their website after entering my details on paypal and no email with delivery details.
   
  Is this normal?


----------



## Migou67

Quote: 





foxjam said:


> I'm using x64.  I just uninstalled an re-installed the drivers and it seemed to do the trick.  Seems to be fine now but it certainly was a hassle for about 20 minutes.  *Probably me overreacting but it seems like these days everything should be plug-n-play.*  Not sure if an async USB affects the ability to do that.  The sound does seem to be pretty stellar thus far but I've only been listening to it for a very short amount of time.


 
   
  For Mac OSX and Linux, USB Audio Class 2 is plug and play, but with Windows no.


----------



## Migou67

Quote:


jfrocke said:


> Just received my D7 today.  Amazing shipping speed - I ordered it Saturday evening and it arrived here in New Jersey today!  Wish every mailorder purchase even here in the USA was so fast.
> 
> I am a newbie with headphone listening in general (but have been an audiophile for 20+ years now).  I am currently using a pair of UE TF10's until I decide what high-end IEM's I want to purchase. In addition to the D7 I have been listening to the Headstreamer for a couple weeks.
> 
> Not fair to compare with zero break-in on the D7 but there is definately more weight and dynamic punch with the D7.  However, the Headstreamer is totally dead quiet with no music playing *while the D7 clearly has a bit of hiss/noise* (that also changes over time - like it's picking up RF of something).  Has anyone else experienced this with their D7?


 
   
  Yes I confirm that, if I place it too close to the tubes of my LD MKIII I have a little noise. But if I move it a few inches to the rear is completely quiet. The important for me is that the hiss dont come through the USB !


----------



## Sorensiim

Quote: 





joeyrusso said:


> I'm powering a pair of Q701's with mine and they sound great.  No harshness, sweet mids and plenty of bass.  They don't sound underpowered to me.


 


  Awesome - That seals the deal, I'm getting one. Anybody need a HeadStreamer?


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





sorensiim said:


> Awesome - That seals the deal, I'm getting one. Anybody need a HeadStreamer?


 

 haha... Thanks for outlining your HeadStreamer woes for me in the other thread, BTW, helped point me toward the D7 a lot faster!


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





uelover said:


> They will know that you have placed an order. I haven't heard of any cases whether iBasso has actually missed an order, unless you are the first! XD
> 
> I never receive any confirmation at all. *The only email I received was the tracking number.*


 

 When did you receive the tracking number? It has been about two full days since I placed my order, and there have still not been any e-mails sent to me. Maybe I should e-mail them to confirm?


----------



## SLCanhead

I ordered mine on Wed eve and received a tracking # on Sunday morning.
   
  I only received additional correspondence prior to receiving a tracking #, because I asked to be sure they were sending me a black one as I had requested in the Paypal payment comments. They were prompt in responding to my email. Otherwise, I would have not received any additional correspondence beyond the the tracking information.
   
  If you feel inclined, I would shoot them an email to verify when they are planning to ship it.
   
   
  SL


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





slcanhead said:


> I ordered mine on Wed eve and received a tracking # on Sunday morning. I only received additional correspondence prior to receiving a tracking #, because I asked to be sure they were sending me a black one as I had requested in the Paypal payment comments. They were prompt in responding to my email. Otherwise, I would have not received any additional correspondence beyond the the tracking information. If you feel inclined, I would shoot them an email to verify when they are planning to ship it.


 
   
  Thanks a lot! I just sent them an e-mail asking when they were going to ship it.


----------



## paulybatz

They are as prompt shipping as humanly possible...I have always received the packages promptly...sometimes faster than domestic shipping here in the states, makes me wonder sometimes about inefficiency in shipping!


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





paulybatz said:


> They are as prompt shipping as humanly possible...I have always received the packages promptly...sometimes faster than domestic shipping here in the states, makes me wonder sometimes about inefficiency in shipping!


 

 I guess I'm just feeling a little antsy, and had increased expectations, since I'm located only a strait away from China, so shipping times should be significantly less than they are to the US.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





paulybatz said:


> They are as prompt shipping as humanly possible...I have always received the packages promptly...sometimes faster than domestic shipping here in the states, makes me wonder sometimes about inefficiency in shipping!


 

 We may feel that their EMS shipping in China is cheap. But to them it is not cheap at all when compare to the prices they spend on other goods. The price we pay for the EMS, for instance, USD20-30, could easily feed them 10 to 20 good meals in China, perhaps even more for less developed areas.
   
  So, if we were to spend roughly 10 meals equivalent of money for EMS shipping via UPS or Fedex, we will get approximately similar results =)


----------



## xxhaxx

tomscy2000 said:


> I guess I'm just feeling a little antsy, and had increased expectations, since I'm located only a strait away from China, so shipping times should be significantly less than they are to the US.




IM guessing that you should be getting your tracking number soon since I just mine


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





uelover said:


> We may feel that their EMS shipping in China is cheap. But to them it is not cheap at all when compare to the prices they spend on other goods. The price we pay for the EMS, for instance, USD20-30, could easily feed them 10 to 20 good meals in China, perhaps even more for less developed areas. So, if we were to spend roughly 10 meals equivalent of money for EMS shipping via UPS or Fedex, we will get approximately similar results =)


 
   
  Yup.
   
  Quote: 





xxhaxx said:


> IM guessing that you should be getting your tracking number soon since I just mine


 

 Yeah, they just e-mailed me back (they are prompt! ~1.5 hour reply time) and told me they'd be shipping it out tomorrow and letting me know the tracking number. When did you order yours?


----------



## xxhaxx

^ I ordered mine on sunday


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





xxhaxx said:


> ^ I ordered mine on sunday


 

 Oh, okay, that makes sense... a day before me (well, same day, if we count the time difference). I guess the anticipation really has made me a bit too jumpy.


----------



## RodSmith

I've just got an email from them too  saying that I'll get a tracking number tomorrow!


----------



## Stoin

Not plug and play in Windows. Shame. My plans to order it were progressing smoothly and after reading 22 pages I was thinking this would be a great solution for me. Unfortunately, I wanted it for work and our workstations are locked down so we can't install much - I run Foobar and Chrome from a pen drive, but did manage to get my HRT MSII working.
   
  Can anyone confirm which iBasso USB amp/dac devices work using the standard USB audio drivers built in to windows?


----------



## jchandler3

Anyone else getting this message on Mac? Plugged directly in—no hub. It works just fine but I'm puzzled as to why the message pops up.


----------



## bluishgreen

Quote: 





sorensiim said:


> Anyone tried the D7 with the K701? I know it would be asking a LOT from such a small package but +/- 5v of voltage swing is pretty good...


 


  I have the K702's, and it works really well with those.  It drives them slightly better than my DT880's--I probably have to put the volume a half-notch higher for the DT880's to match that of the K702's, but it drives both adequately on high gain.  I also like the SQ pairing with both the K702's and DT880's (as well as DT990's).


----------



## Solitary1

Quote: 





jchandler3 said:


> Anyone else getting this message on Mac? Plugged directly in—no hub. It works just fine but I'm puzzled as to why the message pops up.


 

 I did, on a MacBook Pro running on 10.6.8. Like you said, does not affect any way. I running iTunes (w/ BitPerfect 1.0.1), or Fidelia beta, or Decibel. Must say, I'm enjoying it. Main setup is MacBook Pro->Optical out->V-DAC->X-Can v8->HD650 and it is keeping up. 
  I'm using D7 as my portable system using some HD448 or NuForce NE-700m.


----------



## bluishgreen

Quote: 





jfrocke said:


> That finish looks kind of like Nextel to me.  I've had Nextel finished audio gear in the past and it does show rubs pretty easily.  I prefer a traditional anodized finish personally.
> 
> Does anyone know if the silver finish is like this too or is it anodized?


 


  Hmm...am I the only one who got the silver one?
   
  In any case, it appears to be anodized, although I'm no expert in that area.  I didn't go to the point of scraping it with a coin, but I did scrape it with my fingernail with a decent amount of pressure, and all marks easily disappeared after rubbing the marks with my finger.  At the very least, it's a decent quality finish that appears fairly durable and stays clean for me after handling it quite a bit.  For a comparison, the finish is slightly lighter and more dull than my Mac Book Air's silver/grey.


----------



## bluishgreen

Quote: 





jchandler3 said:


> Anyone else getting this message on Mac? Plugged directly in—no hub. It works just fine but I'm puzzled as to why the message pops up.


 

  
  I mentioned this and discussed it a bit with others starting on page 14 of this thread.  One follow-up is that I had said that the issue more or less went away after I updated my system to 10.7.3, which was true for about three days, but then started to come back again.  It isn't 100% of the time that I turn it on, like it was before I updated to 10.7.3, but it still occurs.  I had also emailed iBasso beforehand, and they said that the message is "normal" on Macs and is just a warning that you can ignore.


----------



## jchandler3

Quote: 





bluishgreen said:


> I mentioned this and discussed it a bit with others starting on page 14 of this thread.  One follow-up is that I had said that the issue more or less went away after I updated my system to 10.7.3, which was true for about three days, but then started to come back again.  It isn't 100% of the time that I turn it on, like it was before I updated to 10.7.3, but it still occurs.  I had also emailed iBasso beforehand, and they said that the message is "normal" on Macs and is just a warning that you can ignore.


 


  Thanks guys


----------



## jefierro

@jchandler3 are you on battery power when this happens?


----------



## uelover

The message is perfectly fine.
   
  It will appear be it you run your macbook off the wall power or from the battery.
   
  What I am curious to know is whether this error message affect those using iMac/Mac Mini/Mac Pro.


----------



## Foxjam

Is anybody else having the problem of it just stop working for no reason until you turn it off and then back on again?  Last night it did it 3 times within the first half hour of listening and then after about an hour it didn't do it for the rest of the night.  It did the same the first night I had it as well.  I've only put about 5 hours of listening on it.  Maybe it works itself out after more use?


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





foxjam said:


> Is anybody else having the problem of it just stop working for no reason until you turn it off and then back on again?  Last night it did it 3 times within the first half hour of listening and then after about an hour it didn't do it for the rest of the night.  It did the same the first night I had it as well.  I've only put about 5 hours of listening on it.  Maybe it works itself out after more use?


 

 that sounds like other application with higher priority using it and not giving the right back to your music app.
  you should try to activated exclusive mode on property>advanced. or use a music app that can use wasapi like foobar.


----------



## jchandler3

Quote: 





jefierro said:


> @jchandler3 are you on battery power when this happens?


 


  No, it's running into an iMac plugged into a surge protector/ UPS backup. Maybe the surge protector has something to do with it?


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





indiescent said:


> that sounds like other application with higher priority using it and not giving the right back to your music app.
> you should try to activated exclusive mode on property>advanced. or use a music app that can use wasapi like foobar.


 

 You need to know that Mac is different. =)
  The error message will appear even when there is nothing else plugged to all the other USB ports
  
  Quote: 





jchandler3 said:


> No, it's running into an iMac plugged into a surge protector/ UPS backup. Maybe the surge protector has something to do with it?


 
   
  No. Nothing to do with surge protector.


----------



## Starfire

Well got mine but having a lot of problems getting the driver installed on Win7 64-bit  Keep getting unknown device.


----------



## Starfire

Well I can get it recognized as XMOS XS1-L1 but says device cannot start


----------



## xxhaxx

Have you installed the driver? If you did try plugging it into a different port after you restarted your computer


----------



## SLCanhead

Foxjam seemed to have a similar issue (using Win 7 64bit) and mentioned that uninstalling/reinstalling the driver finally did the trick.


----------



## uelover

I had a lot of trouble with Audio-GD Digital Interface on Windows as well in the past.
   
  Most of the USB/SPDIF converters just don't play nice on Windows. You will either need to install drivers to get them recognized or to have the device turned on before booting up Windows.


----------



## Foxjam

> Well got mine but having a lot of problems getting the driver installed on Win7 64-bit  Keep getting unknown device.


 
  Make sure you're getting the driver from the iBasso website.  Windows won't find it on its own.  I also tried to disable and re-enable the USB ports.  Not sure what combination of things worked but it's working now.  
   
  Haven't had the problem of it stopping tonight but I also can't find how to set it as priority.


----------



## xxhaxx

Best way to install the driver is to plug it in then the new hardware pops up then install the driver thru  the window installer. But the easiest usb/spdif converter I've encountered was the fiio e10. Pretty much just plug n play


----------



## Starfire

Quote: 





xxhaxx said:


> Have you installed the driver? If you did try plugging it into a different port after you restarted your computer


 

 Yes I have, and tried different ports also, no luck
   


  Quote: 





slcanhead said:


> Foxjam seemed to have a similar issue (using Win 7 64bit) and mentioned that uninstalling/reinstalling the driver finally did the trick.


 

 Tried that also, no luck.


----------



## Starfire

I have no idea here, sometimes it will show up as unsupported device, then sometimes as XMOS XS1-L1 but will say device cannot start (Error 10)
   
  It's not the D7 because it works on my mac


----------



## Starfire

That's what I get


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





xxhaxx said:


> But the easiest usb/spdif converter I've encountered was the fiio e10. Pretty much just plug n play


 

 Fiio E10 is not a USB Class 2.0 Audio device.
   
   
  Starfire: Have you tried powering up the D7 and leave it on all the way before you even boot up your Windows? Windows seems to be able to work better with devices that is connected to it prior to booting.


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





uelover said:


> You need to know that Mac is different. =)
> The error message will appear even when there is nothing else plugged to all the other USB ports


 


  i was replying to foxjam, which I believe using windows.

  
  Quote: 





foxjam said:


> Make sure you're getting the driver from the iBasso website.  Windows won't find it on its own.  I also tried to disable and re-enable the USB ports.  Not sure what combination of things worked but it's working now.
> 
> Haven't had the problem of it stopping tonight but I also can't find how to set it as priority.


 

 may I ask what app you're using as music player?
   


  Quote: 





uelover said:


> Fiio E10 is not a USB Class 2.0 Audio device.
> 
> 
> Starfire: Have you tried powering up the D7 and leave it on all the way before you even boot up your Windows? Windows seems to be able to work better with devices that is connected to it prior to booting.


 
   
  IME installing hardware on windows usually install the driver 1st, before connecting the hardware. in D7 case install the driver, then connect the D7 when it ask you to connect it.


----------



## KimLaroux

What's the difference between the front Line Out and the rear Analog out?
  Which one of those is controlled by the volume?
  which one turns off when you plug an headphone in?


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> What's the difference between the front Line Out and the rear Analog out?
> Which one of those is controlled by the volume?
> which one turns off when you plug an headphone in?


 


  both line out are not controlled by volume. its line level


----------



## Foxjam

Quote: 





indiescent said:


> i was replying to foxjam, which I believe using windows.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I've only been using Spotify and iTunes thus far.  Mostly Spotify.  Haven't tried Windows Media Player.  Didn't really like Foobar.  Thinking about trying JRiver.


----------



## jfrocke

JRiver is a nice "full featured" player - I especially like the Theater View with a remote control and a 50" display.
   
  For a simpler player I like XMPLAY.  This is what I used on my PC when I am using the PC for other tasks while listening.


----------



## Starfire

Well I figured out my problem, it was the cable.  I have a nice gold plated thick USB cable I use for about everything, but I guess not the D7, as soon as I used the supplied cable it was recognized.  First time I've ever had that happen to me with USB.


----------



## SLCanhead

Quote: 





starfire said:


> Well I figured out my problem, it was the cable.  I have a nice gold plated thick USB cable I use for about everything, but I guess not the D7, as soon as I used the supplied cable it was recognized.  First time I've ever had that happen to me with USB.


 


   Glad to hear it's resolved! Time to enjoy the music...


----------



## Starfire

Quote: 





slcanhead said:


> Glad to hear it's resolved! Time to enjoy the music...


 


  Amen to that, sounds quite nice for no break in, also drives my HD650's pretty well by itself though most of the time it's through an amp.


----------



## Starfire

Some promised pictures of the silver.  Even though it looks like the text is faint, it's just the flash drowning them out.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





starfire said:


> Well I figured out my problem, it was the cable.  I have a nice gold plated thick USB cable I use for about everything, but I guess not the D7, as soon as I used the supplied cable it was recognized.  First time I've ever had that happen to me with USB.


 

 I think it just means that your USB cable is not as well constructed to meet the requirement of a USB class 2 compliant cable.
   
  But, nice to hear that your D7 is working fine now!


----------



## RodSmith

Got mine today. Downloaded and installed the drivers first. It then asks you to connect the device. I connected the device (and switched on) and all installed ok. I then went to the control panel , Hardware and sounds  (Windows 7 32 bit ultimate) then manage devices and set XMOS XS1-L1 as default.
   
  It all works fine at this end.


----------



## desertblues

I took the plunge and ordered the D7 this morning - can't wait to compare it to my D6! I'll be back...


----------



## xxhaxx

Quote: 





rodsmith said:


> Got mine today. Downloaded and installed the drivers first. It then asks you to connect the device. I connected the device (and switched on) and all installed ok. I then went to the control panel , Hardware and sounds  (Windows 7 32 bit ultimate) then manage devices and set XMOS XS1-L1 as default.
> 
> It all works fine at this end.


 
  Jealous 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





, UPS isn't shipping mine till tomorrow since it is  presidents day


----------



## RodSmith

Quote: 





xxhaxx said:


> Jealous
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Shouldn't take much longer...      Mine only took 5 days but worth the wait.


----------



## jchandler3

Pretty pleased with the performance of mine. Gives great dynamics. I would say slightly warm. 
   
  A few usability, convenience things:
   

 Plugging in headphones does _not _disable the line out. That's a disappointment to me (though certainly not a dealbreaker)
  
 I'm running a line out to powered speakers. OSX and my powered speakers _both_ have volume control, which I find a bit annoying. With my old D3, it disabled OSX's volume control. Also, it didn't need to be turned on for the line out to work. I have to turn the D7 on for my speakers to get a signal.
   
  Those are my only complaints and they're small ones. What do I expect? It's still a terrific bargain and it's not like it's meant to be some magical desktop media hub. It's a great little amp.


----------



## tomscy2000

Just got it an hour ago --- just over one week from when I pressed 'order now'. If you guys are wondering why I got it so quickly, it's that I live in Taiwan. Technically, it only takes one day to ship from Shenzhen to Taipei, but I had to wait out the weekend.
   
  How long does it take for the caps and stuff in the D7 to 'warm up' or 'burn-in' ? When I first turned it on, I heard some sibilance control issues that I didn't hear on another person's D7. It's a little better now.
   
  Yes, I would agree with the above that the tonality is very slightly warm, but not overly warm. The dynamics are quite good, especially for its size. It makes my DBA-02 (known for its crunched dynamics) sound more spacious.
   
  I'm running it with Foobar through WASAPI, buffer turned down to the lowest latency (50 ms) to minimize spectrogram lag. I had a few problems with Windows complaining about power output through the USB ports and shutting themselves down, but they're resolved now. I'm outputting it through the single USB 3.0 compliant port on my notebook (which by all likelihood runs off a separate bus than the other two USB 2.0 ports) and I'm having no problems. The single USB 2.0 port that shut itself down is still off, however. I'm going to have to figure out how to turn it back on.
   
  I'm also running SoX resampler in the DSP chain, resampling 44.1 to 192 kHz. 176.4 kHz doesn't work natively either (odd, considering that 88.2 works), so I'm also upsampling that. XMOS takes in the signal (no errors in Foobar) but no music comes out.
   
  However, I'd say that, on equal terms, straight from a USB output, the DACPort still has a blacker background and sounds slightly more refined. Perhaps the D7 will improve with time. For its price, however, the D7 is already no slouch --- quite the value.


----------



## uelover

Don't be too quick to post your impressions because it is really different from what it was out of the box.


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





uelover said:


> Don't be too quick to post your impressions because it is really different from what it was out of the box.


 

 Well, I trust that the D7 will indeed improve with time, as most things do. However, I don't think 176.4 will suddenly start working, or that the basal hiss levels will tone down (they're not bad at all, just detectable). I'm sure it's very, very good, and that's the reason why I bought it. I don't usually buy things just to sell them off weeks later.
   
  Might I ask what specific improvements you've noticed since getting them? I've read through some of your comments, but it's hard to collate through everything.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





tomscy2000 said:


> Well, I trust that the D7 will indeed improve with time, as most things do. However, I don't think 176.4 will suddenly start working, or that the basal hiss levels will tone down (they're not bad at all, just detectable). I'm sure it's very, very good, and that's the reason why I bought it. I don't usually buy things just to sell them off weeks later.
> 
> Might I ask what specific improvements you've noticed since getting them? I've read through some of your comments, but it's hard to collate through everything.


 

 I don't have DSD files to test if 176.4khz works on my Mac. I am not sure if it is a software or hardware limitation.
   
  As for hiss, I experience zero hiss. The background on my D7 is totally black. I would suspect that it is the USB port that is dirty. Are you using the stock USB cable that comes with the D7?
   
  Telling you the outcome after burn-in kills the fun. The discovery in itself is an enjoyment that I should not rob you of =)


----------



## SLCanhead

Quote: 





rodsmith said:


> Got mine today. Downloaded and installed the drivers first. It then asks you to connect the device. I connected the device (and switched on) and all installed ok. I then went to the control panel , Hardware and sounds  (Windows 7 32 bit ultimate) then manage devices and set XMOS XS1-L1 as default.
> 
> It all works fine at this end.


 

 Same here, with the exception that I right-clicked on the volume icon at the bottom right of my toolbar, selected "playback devices", and set the default there.


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





uelover said:


> I don't have DSD files to test if 176.4khz works on my Mac. I am not sure if it is a software or hardware limitation.
> 
> As for hiss, I experience zero hiss. The background on my D7 is totally black. I would suspect that it is the USB port that is dirty. Are you using the stock USB cable that comes with the D7?
> 
> Telling you the outcome after burn-in kills the fun. The discovery in itself is an enjoyment that I should not rob you of =)


 

 It could very well be a software limitation of Foobar; however, I refuse to use something like J-River just to test it out. I'm fine with resampling.
   
  I'm plugging it straight into the laptop, into the USB 3.0 port. It runs off a separate bus (I checked) than the other two ports, so on a theoretical level, it should be quieter. The hiss isn't a bother at all, and in fact it barely registers, but I can indeed hear it, at around 9 o'clock on the pot. I'm not too picky about hiss, so I don't care much. I'm sure even with more hiss-sensitive IEMs, I wouldn't be bothered with it.
   
  I am currently using the short stock cable, yes.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





tomscy2000 said:


> I'm plugging it straight into the laptop, into the USB 3.0 port. It runs off a separate bus (I checked) than the other two ports, so on a theoretical level, it should be quieter. The hiss isn't a bother at all, and in fact it barely registers, but I can indeed hear it, at around 9 o'clock on the pot. I'm not too picky about hiss, so I don't care much. I'm sure even with more hiss-sensitive IEMs, I wouldn't be bothered with it.


 


  I think someone else here mentioned that he heard hisses too until he changed to another computer. I have no idea how to achieve a quiet USB port but I am thankful that mine is quiet =)
   
  My D7 is quiet with my ES5 which has a sensitivity of 120db spl/mw. I don't think there are many iems are there at the moment that is more sensitive than that.


----------



## RodSmith

Quote: 





uelover said:


> I think someone else here mentioned that he heard hisses too until he changed to another computer. I have no idea how to achieve a quiet USB port but I am thankful that mine is quiet =)
> 
> My D7 is quiet with my ES5 which has a sensitivity of 120db spl/mw. I don't think there are many iems are there at the moment that is more sensitive than that.


 


  No hiss on my ancient Dell Vostro 1500's USB 2 ports. HD650 headphones


----------



## SLCanhead

No hiss with my laptop or netbook, either, which I am thankful for. I do have a bit with my uDAC-2, but nothing that makes it "grating".
   
  Hopefully those who have it can source/eliminate the issue.


----------



## jfrocke

My USB port is noisy with my D7 - I have a POWERED USB hub on order to try to eliminate it.  It was much quieter on my laptop.
   
  UPDATE - powered USB hub solved the problem.  D7 is quiet now.


----------



## Foxjam

I experience a very slight his that isn't noticeable until about 12 o'clock on the pot.  That's only with the music off so it's very rare that I hear it at all with the music playing.


----------



## tomscy2000

Has anyone tried listening to music through the line-out? Is that what +0 dB of amplification sounds like? If so, I like it... For me, it's completely hiss free, and even at 100% volume, it's still a volume I can listen at. To my ears, it's as close to being free of color as I can imagine something to be...


----------



## xxhaxx

My D7 just arrived and everything is up and running . Also I don't get any noticable hissing unless I am at 1-2 o'clock but still pretty faint.


----------



## SLCanhead

Quote: 





xxhaxx said:


> My D7 just arrived and everything is up and running . Also I don't get any noticable hissing unless I am at 1-2 o'clock but still pretty faint.


 


   Congrats and enjoy!


----------



## aayler

Greetings,
   
  I also recently received my D7 and noticed that, as several posters have mentioned, the sound improves significantly with "burn-in" - the instruments and voices become more substantial and there is more "air" between the musicians.
   
  Unfortunately, I am also experiencing the USB error message - which, while I understand does not affect usage - ultimately does not promote confidence (if ibasso is aware of this issue shouldn't it be resolved?). It gives the impression of oversight and an unfinished quality to the product.
   
  Lastly, and the main reason i am writing - I connected the d7 to my imac (2.66 ghz i5; 4gb; osx10.6.8) as well as my old macbook (similar specs) and tried to use the integer mode of audirvana to no avail. The red CPU usage alert would flash incessantly, resulting in distorted playback. the preference setting is selected to XMOS USB audio 2.0, hog mode, integer mode, max i/o buffer (and I even tried different combinations of these)
   
  I posted a query on this thread regarding integer mode and the d7 and the responses seemed to be favorable so I am wondering if there is an issue w/hardware or software that i am unaware of ...
   
  Any ideas or similar experiences? advice?
   
   
  thanks!
  aayler


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





aayler said:


> Unfortunately, I am also experiencing the USB error message - which, while I understand does not affect usage - ultimately does not promote confidence (if ibasso is aware of this issue shouldn't it be resolved?). It gives the impression of oversight and an unfinished quality to the product.
> 
> Lastly, and the main reason i am writing - I connected the d7 to my imac (2.66 ghz i5; 4gb; osx10.6.8) as well as my old macbook (similar specs) and tried to use the integer mode of audirvana to no avail. The red CPU usage alert would flash incessantly, resulting in distorted playback. the preference setting is selected to XMOS USB audio 2.0, hog mode, integer mode, max i/o buffer (and I even tried different combinations of these)


 

 This device has got so many things on it (Class A amp, XMOS USB receiver, Wolfson DAC) and yet is being powered by only a 5v USB power. It is already a magnificent feat. I am not sure why the error message appear on Mac but it doesn't affect anything.
   
  I could use integer mode on my Audirvana Plus. The Red CPU usage alert would be a result of *upsampling*. Integer mode will not consume CPU, it is a either 'Yes' or 'No'.


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





aayler said:


> Greetings,
> 
> I also recently received my D7 and noticed that, as several posters have mentioned, the sound improves significantly with "burn-in" - the instruments and voices become more substantial and there is more "air" between the musicians.
> 
> Unfortunately, I am also experiencing the USB error message - which, while I understand does not affect usage - ultimately does not promote confidence (if ibasso is aware of this issue shouldn't it be resolved?). It gives the impression of oversight and an unfinished quality to the product.


 

 this problem more likely on the iOS it self as windows and linux doesnt seem to have it. so unless apple patch it or if somehow Ibasso can make a driver for macs, most likely it will stay.
   
  though I would like to ask if all mac user experience this error? if not, it could be just a matter of setting the OS itself.


----------



## tomscy2000

I am really in love with the line out of the D7. My earphones are driven to a perfectly good volume, and the sound is possibly the cleanest I've ever heard in any sub-$500 product, with more details than I can ever hope for. Imaging is also absolutely stellar, as with bass control, since nothing is boosted. It also doesn't have that slight warm skew of the headphone output, nor does it pick up my computer noise. It is dead quiet. Yes, I can't adjust the volume, but I don't need to.


----------



## ringyring

Just out of curiosity, how well could the D7 drive an upper echelon headphone like the LCD-2 or the HE-500?


----------



## aayler

really bizarre - i just tried it again and am able to access integer mode ...
   
  thanks for the feedback,
  happy listening.


----------



## desertblues

Ibasso emailed tracking # this morning, won't be long now!


----------



## jfrocke

[size=x-small]I wanted to update those of you that may be having some background noise with your D7's.  I purchased an inexpensive Rosewill powered USB hub from NewEgg (link here) and it has completely cleaned up the background noise on my D7![/size]
   
  [size=x-small]All my noise problems are gone now.  This is definately a good suggestion for anyone with this problem.[/size]


----------



## Tolu

Anyone had success installing D7 drivers on Win XP system?
   
  I tried it with different Thesycon drivers (from Cambridge Audio, Ayre etc.) but the D7 gets no USB link.
   
  With Vista or Win 7 it runs perfect. Easiest connection was with Ubuntu. Plug and play at it's best!
   
  I had contact to Thesycon and they said that iBasso uses a very old driver version and that the driver isn't fitted to the device. It's the version from the XMOS evaluation package!
   
  I think iBasso is a 2-people firm with no software specialists. Just plug and pray!


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





tolu said:


> Anyone had success installing D7 drivers on Win XP system?
> 
> I tried it with different Thesycon drivers (from Cambridge Audio, Ayre etc.) but the D7 gets no USB link.
> 
> ...


 
   
  so did they(thesycon) have the new driver? considering the other maker driver also cant make d7 work on your xp, and i think the driver is only basic usb audio class 2 driver.


----------



## Misterrogers

I have no idea how big iBasso is, but the use of the stock XMOS driver is something that most designers using this chipset do. Companies also tend to ship with the driver they tested with - even if it's not the latest. If there is a newer one, it'll likely work just fine 
  
  Quote: 





tolu said:


> Anyone had success installing D7 drivers on Win XP system?
> 
> I tried it with different Thesycon drivers (from Cambridge Audio, Ayre etc.) but the D7 gets no USB link.
> 
> ...


----------



## jfrocke

I am using my D7 on Win XP (SP3) and it works fine.


----------



## Tolu

What drivers do you use?
  Any hints? Does it work without any problems?
  Do you use a usb hub?


----------



## jfrocke

I used the drivers that iBasso has available for download from their website.  There were no issues installing them and getting them to work with the D7.
   
  I was not using a USB hub when I installed the D7 but I did install one yesterday to clear up the backgroun noise level (which worked).


----------



## auflauf

*Absolute Quality?*
   
  If you (all) describe the SQ of the iBasso D7 in this thread, you refer to it as being "excellent for the price" or something similar.
   
  In absolute terms, how would you rate this box? Something like "as good as some middle of the road DAC for xxx$", "maybe as good as an average integrated CDP for xxx$", 
   
  I am looking for a DAC fed via USB by my Netbook running OSX (OS doesn't matter, but not having to use windows is a plus). I  prefer listening to JBL TI 3000 via Mission Cyrus III amp, but I  have Sennheiser HD 555 for the guitar amp .
  I want to exchange the speakers and implement room correction (like http://www.acourate.com/ ), and the DAC should reflect the quality of the chain, thus it should be "decent" - whatever that means... Posting here as here are most of googles hits for iBasso D7. I am intersted because it is one of the few DAC wit asynchronous USB.
   
  Thanks for any comments!
  [size=16px !important]   
   
[/size]


----------



## Sorensiim

Quote: 





auflauf said:


> *Absolute Quality?*
> 
> If you (all) describe the SQ of the iBasso D7 in this thread, you refer to it as being "excellent for the price" or something similar.
> 
> ...


 

 If you don't need the headphone amp in the D7, check out the HRT MusicStreamer lineup


----------



## auflauf

> if you don't need the headphone amp in the D7, check out the HRT MusicStreamer lineup


 
   
  Yes, they were my initial choice, but I read mixed comments on the music streamer, while I didn't find plain negative comments on the d7.
   
  However, comments like "needs time to burn in", "for the price", "if you need portability" in this thread are not entirely positive too.
   
  How would you compare them?
   
  Thanks


----------



## desertblues

This is amazing! I received the D7 today - I ordered Monday (I'm in AZ)! I am listening to it with my Q701 as I write this, excellent SQ. No problems installing on imac by the way (though I did get that usb message). Definite upgrade from D6 dac, more than I expected. Impressed so far by the D7. Later...


----------



## Tolu

OK, got it running on XP tonight! But only with my self-written audio player with ASIO at 44.1kHz. At higher frequencies I got an error.
  With Foobar I had no luck. I got an error that Foobar can't set the frequency at the ASIO device.
   
  @jfrocke: what audio player do you use?


----------



## burgunder

I think that the D7 is driving my modded Fostex T50rp just as fine as my much more powerfull Ming Da MC84 tube amp at the listening level, that I'm using, which might be somewhat low, as I find that other people have a tendency to up the volume, when they try my cans. If you look at the measurements at http://www.innerfidelity.com/headphone-data-sheet-downloads you will that the LCD-2 and the modded fostex are close in their demands of power and the load they represent to the amplifier, so I guess that the D7 will do fine, with the LCD-2 at least the HE-500 is more demanding. 
  Quote: 





ringyring said:


> Just out of curiosity, how well could the D7 drive an upper echelon headphone like the LCD-2 or the HE-500?


----------



## jfrocke

I primarily use XMPLAY, which works fine with the D7.  I have also used JRiver with it.


----------



## Tolu

Quote: 





jfrocke said:


> I primarily use XMPLAY, which works fine with the D7.  I have also used JRiver with it.


 


  Can you play 24/96-FLAC-files, too? In ASIO-mode?


----------



## konoyaro

I'm in a similar boat - I'm in the market for a DAC and am interested in something that is "reasonably priced" and which can do 24/192 over USB. I do my listening through a MacBook Pro + BitPerfect + Gilmore Lite + Grado 325is. I'd been considering the Bifrost but at less than half the price for 24/192 over Async USB, the D7 has my attention. Like auflauf, I'm interested to know where D7 owners rank it with similarly capable (namely 24/192 over Async USB) DACs.
  
  Quote: 





auflauf said:


> *Absolute Quality?*
> 
> If you (all) describe the SQ of the iBasso D7 in this thread, you refer to it as being "excellent for the price" or something similar.
> 
> ...


----------



## thrand1

Can someone do a check to make see if 88.2 and 176.4kHz sample rates work/play back properly? Here are a few links to free downloads:
   
  88.2kHz: http://www.eclassical.com/pages/24-bit-faq.html
  176.4kHz: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/Complimentary-241764-HRx-Downloads-Courtesy-Reference-Recordings
  192kHz (see "24bit 192kHz Free Lossless Audio Codec"): http://www.linnrecords.com/linn-downloads-testfiles.aspx
   
  I have a few files at 88.2 and 176.4kHz sampling rates, and would like to ensure they play back properly over USB. Some products I've considered (the DacMagic lines) do not support certain frequencies over USB, only over SPDIF. Any other issues with 96kHz files or other rates from anyone...? Seems that the supported rates can vary depending on the USB chip implemented as well!
   
  Thanks for your help!


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





thrand1 said:


> Can someone do a check to make see if 88.2 and 176.4kHz sample rates work/play back properly? Here are a few links to free downloads:


 


 I already tried. 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 192 are supported perfectly, while it doesn't support 176.4. I have to downsample 176.4 to 88.2. That's the only sample rate that it doesn't support, for some odd reason. This is in Foobar w/WASAPI.


----------



## jfrocke

I have already tested these when I received mine a week ago.  88.2KHz works but 176.4KHz does not.
   
  I emailed iBasso and they replied that they contacted XMOS who indicates that 176.4KHz is not supported.  I don't understand why myself but that is the response that iBasso sent.


----------



## Tolu

I uninstalled all Thesycon-drivers and installed the Centrance universal driver. It works perfect with my system!
  Tomorroy I will try 176kHz.


----------



## desertblues

Today I tried the D7 with my HD598, what a difference. It's all about the imaging and soundstage, they have never sounded this good with my other dac/amps!


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





desertblues said:


> Today I tried the D7 with my HD598, what a difference. It's all about the imaging and soundstage, they have never sounded this good with my other dac/amps!


 

 I have the same setup right now --- it's a revelation, isn't it?


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





desertblues said:


> Today I tried the D7 with my HD598, what a difference. It's all about the imaging and soundstage, they have never sounded this good with my other dac/amps!


 

 Could you share with us what those other dac/amps are? Please


----------



## desertblues

Sure: the NuForce Icon, Fiio E7/E9, iBasso D6 are the ones I've owned or still own. I've also listened to a friend's Dacport (but not extensively). The D7 seems to me a step up from those I've heard - I was most impressed with the Dacport and the D6. The 598's really sing with the D7.


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





desertblues said:


> Sure: the NuForce Icon, Fiio E7/E9, iBasso D6 are the ones I've owned or still own. I've also listened to a friend's Dacport (but not extensively). The D7 seems to me a step up from those I've heard - I was most impressed with the Dacport and the D6. The 598's really sing with the D7.


 

 To me, with other headphones, the DACPort is perhaps a little better. It's more impressive than the D7 on some fronts, though the D7 is almost invariably more resolving (even at equal sample rates and bit depths).
   
  The HD598 seems unusually at home with the D7, though. I tested it on my other amp (something most people don't know of, a DA&T U2) and it didn't sound nearly as good. I wish I didn't have to use the 3.5mm adapter though. I'm most likely going to get a re-cable and re-termination.


----------



## rasmushorn

I had a chance to listen to the D7 and I was very impressed. It sounded great with Beyerdynamic DT-1350 and Grado SR-325i. 

It was not a surprise but I finally confirmed that it does not work with iPad camera connection kit.


----------



## konoyaro

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the D7 with Grado SR-325i
   
   
  Quote:


rasmushorn said:


> I had a chance to listen to the D7 and I was very impressed. It sounded great with Beyerdynamic DT-1350 and Grado SR-325i.
> It was not a surprise but I finally confirmed that it does not work with iPad camera connection kit.


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





uelover said:


> As for hiss, I experience zero hiss. The background on my D7 is totally black. I would suspect that it is the USB port that is dirty. Are you using the stock USB cable that comes with the D7?
> 
> Telling you the outcome after burn-in kills the fun. The discovery in itself is an enjoyment that I should not rob you of =)


 

 I actually realized that the hiss I was hearing was due to the stock USB cable. I switched to an extra cable I had that contained ferrite donuts on both sides of the terminations, and the hiss is reduced to basically nothing. I also don't hear the EM interference from the HDD spooling up, or CPU usage changes anymore.


----------



## rasmushorn

Quote: 





konoyaro said:


> Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the D7 with Grado SR-325i


 

 You are welcome. I did not get enough time to tell you more details. But normally the first 10 seconds says a lot. I also remember my iBasso D10 being very good with my SR325i. I am considering getting either a D12 or the D7 again - or both since the D7 doesn't work with iPad CCK. 
   

  It's a beauty too.


----------



## desertblues

Quote: 





tomscy2000 said:


> To me, with other headphones, the DACPort is perhaps a little better. It's more impressive than the D7 on some fronts, though the D7 is almost invariably more resolving (even at equal sample rates and bit depths).
> 
> The HD598 seems unusually at home with the D7, though. I tested it on my other amp (something most people don't know of, a DA&T U2) and it didn't sound nearly as good. I wish I didn't have to use the 3.5mm adapter though. I'm most likely going to get a re-cable and re-termination.


 

 There is definitely a synergy with D7 & HD598! I don't care for the adapter either (or the cable FWIW) - where would you get it re-cabled or would it be DIY project?


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





desertblues said:


> There is definitely a synergy with D7 & HD598! I don't care for the adapter either (or the cable FWIW) - where would you get it re-cabled or would it be DIY project?


 

 Definitely something DIY. I'm not looking for ultra-decadent, pure silver cables or anything like that, just a respectable cable, with a quality termination. Anyways, we're getting a little off-topic.
   
  D7 + HD598 is a great combination, indeed.


----------



## jchandler3

*Updated Impressions:*
   
  I did some traveling this weekend and took my D7 with my Westone 4Rs. If you recall my comment about the power warning (in Mac OSX), it didn't pop up with my MacBook Pro as it does with my iMac. No performance difference there, just no annoying message.
   
  While the W4Rs don't demand much, the D7 powered them with authority and absolute clarity. A very noticeable difference between the MBP/D7 and just out of my iPod. I'm not even going to pick apart the frequency range—it sounded great.
   
  My only issue with the D7 thus far is a super-duper high pitch sound when it's receiving a signal (aka when the white light is on). It's almost completely covered up when music is playing, but it's still _barely_ noticeable when music is playing really quietly. 
   
  For about $200, I don't think the D7 can be beat. Terrific performance for any price point, but _given_ the price, what an _incredible_ value!


----------



## Sorensiim

I heard the same D7 as Rasmushorn this weekend and A/B tested it against my HRT HeadStreamer. I thought I was going to replace the HeadStreamer and get a D7 instead, but I'm keeping the HRT. The D7 sounds great, no doubt about it, but the HRT just has better clarity and a more open and spacious sound. I A/B'ed them using my Westone 3 and a set of AKG K701. They were both great with the W3 but none of them had the oomph to drive the powerhungry beast that is the K701 to it's full potential.
   
  I really do like the volume knob on the D7 and the fact that it has RCA out on the back, makes it way better for semi-permanent desktop duty.


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





sorensiim said:


> I heard the same D7 as Rasmushorn this weekend and A/B tested it against my HRT HeadStreamer. I thought I was going to replace the HeadStreamer and get a D7 instead, but I'm keeping the HRT. The D7 sounds great, no doubt about it, but the HRT just has better clarity and a more open and spacious sound. I A/B'ed them using my Westone 3 and a set of AKG K701. They were both great with the W3 but none of them had the oomph to drive the powerhungry beast that is the K701 to it's full potential.
> 
> I really do like the volume knob on the D7 and the fact that it has RCA out on the back, makes it way better for semi-permanent desktop duty.


 

 Ahh, don't make me regret my choice of getting the D7! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 J/K... I'm actually pretty happy with the D7, though I should definitely go try the HeadStreamer out when they finally get stock in here! I'll say that the D7 can be warm-skewed and that leads to a lesser perception of clarity, but it's definitely the most resolving DAC/amp I've heard, surpassing the DACPort, to my ears. The line-out actually ups the clarity a notch with IEMs, but lacks the bass control for cans. It's a good thing I have an HD598 and not a K701! My cans are driven very well with the D7.


----------



## Sorensiim

Quote: 





tomscy2000 said:


> Ahh, don't make me regret my choice of getting the D7!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  Don't get me wrong, they're both VERY good - but to my ears, with the Westone 3, I preferred the HeadStreamer for it's "spaciousness"


----------



## TREACHER0US

"spaciousness" as in soundstage is bigger/better than the d7?


----------



## Sorensiim

Quote: 





treacher0us said:


> "spaciousness" as in soundstage is bigger/better than the d7?


 


  The sound just seems much more open from the HeadStreamer, less confined. I didn't spend enough time A/B'ing them to say anything definitive about which has the best soundstage. Which one is best for you probably comes down to sonic preferences, they're both VERY capable units.


----------



## uelover

sorensiim said:


> The sound just seems much more open from the HeadStreamer, less confined. I didn't spend enough time A/B'ing them to say anything definitive about which has the best soundstage. Which one is best for you probably comes down to sonic preferences, they're both VERY capable units.




Has your d7 been fully burnt in?


----------



## Sorensiim

Quote: 





uelover said:


> Has your d7 been fully burnt in?


 


  It has been used extensively, but it's not mine - I did the A/B testing against the HeadStreamer at a local meet this saturday. Somebody really should take the plunge and order both so we can get a proper test


----------



## uelover

When I just got mine it sounded like I'm in a pigeon hole but after long hours of burn in the sound really opened up.

Haven't heard any portable amp that has a much larger soundstage than it though. 

You can order one to test


----------



## Migou67

I can confirm that the soundstage is awesome, better than the Maverick D1.


----------



## fud4ever

d7 good match for ultrasone pro 900s (40 ohm)? read somewhere ibasso sounds good with ultrasones. anyone confirm/deny? ty


----------



## jfrocke

I had the Headstreamer and the D7 side by side for about a week.  I agree with the comments above that the Headstreamer is a little clearer/open sounding. 
   
  However, I decided to keep the D7 for a few reasons.
  (1) I prefer the physical volume knob
  (2) 192K support with the D7 and not the Headstreamer
  (3) I actually liked the slightly warmer sound of the D7.  If I thought I would use both of them I would have kept both but I really only need one small/portable amp


----------



## Sorensiim

Quote: 





jfrocke said:


> I had the Headstreamer and the D7 side by side for about a week.  I agree with the comments above that the Headstreamer is a little clearer/open sounding.
> 
> However, I decided to keep the D7 for a few reasons.
> (1) I prefer the physical volume knob
> ...


 
   
  Excellent input!


----------



## Danthrax

I placed an order not sure what is going on with it, they sent me an email saying their order system has an error and they didn't see what I ordered. Did this happen to anyone else? Do they generally not give you much info in regards to your order? This has me kind of nervous, not that I have a legitimate reason to be.


----------



## Danthrax

Got a confirmation email today that they shipped, I think people would be more inclined to buy their merchandise if they partnered with Amazon and sold it through there.


----------



## Uchiya

D7/P4 Stack w/Topkit & IE80. D7 is fresh out of the box - bit harsh, edgy. Looking forward to burn in.


----------



## SLCanhead

Quote: 





uchiya said:


> D7/P4 Stack w/Topkit & IE80. D7 is fresh out of the box - bit harsh, edgy. Looking forward to burn in.


 


  
  I experienced similar results out of the box. I also experienced that it smooths out and opens up considerably (whether a result of equipment burn-in, personal "adjustment" to the sound, or some of both - I believe the latter.) I will note that this is through the HP out...


----------



## Uchiya

Definitely a different flavor from the Bifrost dac.  I am hearing more low end resolution, texture and control.  Perhaps better equipment matching.


----------



## xxhaxx

Quote: 





uchiya said:


> Definitely a different flavor from the Bifrost dac.  I am hearing more low end resolution, texture and control.  Perhaps better equipment matching.


 
   
  You should connect the coaxial out from the D7 to the bifrost and see how that sounds


----------



## jfrocke

Quote: 





uchiya said:


> Definitely a different flavor from the Bifrost dac.  I am hearing more low end resolution, texture and control.  Perhaps better equipment matching.


 


  I don't quite understand your comment above.  Are preferring the D7 or the Bitfrost?


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





xxhaxx said:


> You should connect the coaxial out from the D7 to the bifrost and see how that sounds


 

 What are you trying to test for? The USB receiver competency between the one in the Bifrost vs that on the D7 (XMOS)?


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





uelover said:


> What are you trying to test for? The USB receiver competency between the one in the Bifrost vs that on the D7 (XMOS)?


 


  since you mention it, I personally curious how X-mos L1 compared to CM6631


----------



## xxhaxx

Quote: 





uelover said:


> What are you trying to test for? The USB receiver competency between the one in the Bifrost vs that on the D7 (XMOS)?


 
  I was just wondering about the usb to spdif function


----------



## uelover

I had a chance to compare the XMOS implementation on the D7 vs that of my Stello U3, both connected using coaxial output, to my desktop DAC.
   
  The one on the D7, albeit good, paled in comparison to the one on my U3 - coaxial out from the D7 sounded dull and lacking dynamics and soundstage (both width and depth). I am speaking of them in relative terms, for D7 alone is already a bliss to listen to.
   
  My point is that, given the fact that different implementation of the same chip itself can lead to a large variance in result, it is not quite possible to compare the chipset (XMOS vs CM6331) used in the USB Receiver. It could give you a rough idea of their sound signature, but that might also lead one to develop an inaccurate belief about certain product or certain brand.
   
  It is, however, possible to compare which USB Receiver (the XMOS implementation on D7 VS CM6331 implementation on the Bifrost) as a whole is better given your very own specific setup =)


----------



## Foxjam

Just installed Windows 8 and it's not recognizing the D7 whatsoever.  Any ideas?  With Windows 7 I would at least get the error message but now nothing.


----------



## Foxjam

Update:  After applying some updates it now says there was a power surge on the USB port and that I have to reset the USB port.  After resetting the USB port I keep getting the same message.  It also says the device uses too much power. I'm using a laptop.  Maybe it would work on a desktop with Windows 8?
   
  Edit:  My Fiio E7 works fine with Windows 8.


----------



## Sorensiim

The fact that Windows 8 is a consumer preview, thus a rough beta to give you a hint of what the final OS will be like, _might_ have something to do with the D7 not being recognized correctly...


----------



## IndieScent

that just mean window 8 still dont have a native usb audio class 2 driver


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





indiescent said:


> that just mean window 8 still dont have a native usb audio class 2 driver


 

 Yup. A google on 'Windows 8 USB audio' may give you some clue.


----------



## Mauricio

The absence of variable RCA line-out is a dealbreaker for me.


----------



## Sorensiim

Quote: 





mauricio said:


> The absence of variable RCA line-out is a dealbreaker for me.


 

 Variable line-out - wouldn't that defeat the purpose of *line-level output*?


----------



## Foxjam

I do realize it's just the preview but I thought it was weird that it said it was drawing too much power when it didn't do that with Windows 7.  The power consumption is the same.  It sucks because the D7 sounds so much better than the E7.  Hopefully I can find a solution or it looks like it's time for a new DAC.  Windows 8 looks too nice to go back to Windows 7.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





foxjam said:


> I do realize it's just the preview but I thought it was weird that it said it was drawing too much power when it didn't do that with Windows 7.  The power consumption is the same.  It sucks because the D7 sounds so much better than the E7.  Hopefully I can find a solution or it looks like it's time for a new DAC.  Windows 8 looks too nice to go back to Windows 7.


 

 It says the same thing on Mac and it still function as per normal. All the Mac users get this warning.


----------



## K_19

I actually love how D7 has a straight non-variable line out output from the back. That's actually what sold it for me funny enough. Variable output frustrated the hell out of me with the uDAC and how it would distort at the max levels...


----------



## stuckonsound

I came across a nice review.
   
  http://yklee118.blogspot.com/2012/02/ibasso-d7-dac-review.html


----------



## Mauricio

Quote: 





sorensiim said:


> Variable line-out - wouldn't that defeat the purpose of *line-level output*?


 


  Variable line-level output is another way of controlling volume.  For example, my main setup is an universal CD/SACD/DVD-Audio player with variable line-out running straight to a pair of active monitors.  I control system volume on the player's remote control by varying the line-level output.  Can you think of a cleaner signal path, or a simpler, more elegant way of adjusting volume?


----------



## Mauricio

Quote: 





k_19 said:


> I actually love how D7 has a straight non-variable line out output from the back. That's actually what sold it for me funny enough. Variable output frustrated the hell out of me with the uDAC and how it would distort at the max levels...


 


  Well, it has to be properly implemented, of course.  In a properly designed product, variable line-out does not distort and can be defeated by the user.  This is one of the features that sold me on the Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus which can operate in DAC or in DAC||Preamp mode.


----------



## konoyaro

Are you saying you prefer the D7 to the Bifrost? It seems like you're saying "I am hearing more low end resolution, texture and control..._on the D7 compared to the Bifrost_". I just want to make sure I'm understanding your statement correctly 
  Quote: 





uchiya said:


> Definitely a different flavor from the Bifrost dac.  I am hearing more low end resolution, texture and control.  Perhaps better equipment matching.


----------



## vermellfort

I had the D12 + SRH840 wich I found a good pairing: bass on the Shure got tight due maybe to the relative brightness of the D12.
  To me, it seemed that both tonal balances compensated each other.
   
  Now that I have recovered the 840, I'm thinking again of getting an Ibasso. Anybody could compare D12 and D7 tonal balance wise?
  I'm reading that D7 has a touch of warmth that suits some Grados. Wondering if this would be good for the 840.


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





mauricio said:


> Variable line-level output is another way of controlling volume.  For example, my main setup is an universal CD/SACD/DVD-Audio player with variable line-out running straight to a pair of active monitors.  I control system volume on the player's remote control by varying the line-level output.  Can you think of a cleaner signal path, or a simpler, more elegant way of adjusting volume?


 


  what you looking for is a preamp with variable output, which the D7 is not. its a DAC with an extra amp that some like.


----------



## uelover

Costing merely USD179, the D7 gives you:
   
  1) USB Receiver (24bit/192khz) + DAC with fixed line RCA out to desktop headamp, pre-amp, active monitor (most active monitors have their own volume control)
  2) USB Receiver + DAC with fixed line 3.5mm out to portable amp (e.g, O2)
  3) USB Receiver with coaxial out to desktop DAC
  4) USB Receiver + DAC + Headamp for those using headphones
   
  I believe most of us here are glad that it doesn't have a preamp section in its RCA output because most preamps in DACs tend to degrade the sound (unless it is extremely well implemented which will bring up the cost) and we don't need it (having two preamps in the audio chain is just useless).
   
  Those looking for preamp should look elsewhere and not beat the D7 for what it is not designed for. The D7 is already able to satisfy 99% of the people out there


----------



## KimLaroux

Active monitors have one volume control on each speaker. Unless you have a "out to other speaker" on the monitor, then you have to adjust the volume on both speakers. This is just not fun, and in this case, having a pre-amp out on your DAC is a lot more handy. It's also useful when your monitors are out of reach while your DAC sits on your desk. Unless you are a die-hard audiophile, there's a point where functionality is more important than sound quality. Especially when the influence said feature has on sound is arguable.
   
  That said, the Audinst HUD is the same price as the D7 and has almost the same features. Main difference being that the Audinst has variable RCA out while the D7 has fixed out. And since nobody on a budget will buy both to see which sounds better, we will never know. Choosing between those two comes down to what one prefers, or what fits better in their chain.
   
  That is, until someone acquires both a proceed with a thorough comparison.


----------



## uelover

kimlaroux said:


> Unless you are a die-hard audiophile, there's a point where functionality is more important than sound quality.




If that is the case, why don't you just get the Audinst HUD since it suits your functional needs better? 

There is no point considering the D7 in your case unless you're willing to make do with the volume control on your computer.


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> Active monitors have one volume control on each speaker. Unless you have a "out to other speaker" on the monitor, then you have to adjust the volume on both speakers. This is just not fun, and in this case, having a pre-amp out on your DAC is a lot more handy. It's also useful when your monitors are out of reach while your DAC sits on your desk. Unless you are a die-hard audiophile, there's a point where functionality is more important than sound quality. Especially when the influence said feature has on sound is arguable.
> 
> That said, the Audinst HUD is the same price as the D7 and has almost the same features. Main difference being that the Audinst has variable RCA out while the D7 has fixed out. And since nobody on a budget will buy both to see which sounds better, we will never know. Choosing between those two comes down to what one prefers, or what fits better in their chain.
> 
> That is, until someone acquires both a proceed with a thorough comparison.


 

 does this mean mx-1 also async usb audio class 2?
   
  also that the good thing on having a various product, even if from different vendor. if you need variable line out go for mx-1 or if need line level go for D7.
  unless of course Ibasso decide to make a variable output version of D7. but by then I bet someone would complain on how Ibasso have too many product variation


----------



## SLCanhead

The one additional thing I can think of that is not quite similar between the two (beyond async USB and bit for bit 24/192 with the D7) would be overall size. The D7 seems to be more "portable" to me (for example, sitting at the airport or on a plane with a laptop) than the Audinst. Not that you can't take the Audinst with you (not oversized based on dimension), it's just doesn't look/seem quite as convenient to put in a backpack front pocket, set it next to you, etc.  I really appreciate the diminutive size of the D7, personally.
   
  Some powered speakers have one volume control for both (Audioengine A5 and M-Audio AV 40 based upon pics, for example), not that it negates the need to adjust the volume at the speaker or laptop when not having variable RCA line out. You may be specifically identifiying active studio monitors vs. powered speakers though.
   
  It's good to point out that the D7 doesn't have variable out for those that don't know. It does make a difference to some.
   
  All that being said, I am quite content with this device.
   
  D7 -> PK1 -> 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote:


kimlaroux said:


> Active monitors have one volume control on each speaker. Unless you have a "out to other speaker" on the monitor, then you have to adjust the volume on both speakers. This is just not fun, and in this case, having a pre-amp out on your DAC is a lot more handy. It's also useful when your monitors are out of reach while your DAC sits on your desk. Unless you are a die-hard audiophile, there's a point where functionality is more important than sound quality. Especially when the influence said feature has on sound is arguable.
> 
> That said, the Audinst HUD is the same price as the D7 and has almost the same features. Main difference being that the Audinst has variable RCA out while the D7 has fixed out. And since nobody on a budget will buy both to see which sounds better, we will never know. Choosing between those two comes down to what one prefers, or what fits better in their chain.
> 
> That is, until someone acquires both a proceed with a thorough comparison.


----------



## Uchiya

With regards to the pairing with the P4 amp and IE80, yes.  Better component matching for improved results.


konoyaro said:


> Are you saying you prefer the D7 to the Bifrost? It seems like you're saying "I am hearing more low end resolution, texture and control..._on the D7 compared to the Bifrost_". I just want to make sure I'm understanding your statement correctly


----------



## Mauricio

Quote: 





indiescent said:


> what you looking for is a preamp with variable output, which the D7 is not. its a DAC with an extra amp that some like.


 


  No, I am not looking for a preamp with variable output.  I am looking for a DAC with variable output, like a handful that exist out there.  Two examples:  Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus, ESI Dr. Dac Prime.  But you may be right in that it may not make a lot of sense in an USB-in only device whose volume can be controlled digitally at the source.
   
  If so, however, the same criticisms of variable line-out voiced here could be leveled against variable headphone-out.  That is,  if you are so convinced that analog variable level can so degrade signal quality and that it is a perilous (to signal quality) redundancy to have more than one volume control, particularly at this price point, why don't you control your headphone level digitally at the source and fault the D7 for corrupting your signal by providing for analog headphone volume?  What's good for the line-out goose is good for the headphone-out gander, right?
   
  One example of an USB DAC/headphone amp that has dispensed with variable headphone-out in an effort to avoid signal degradation--an approach praised by Headfonia--is the ESI Dr. Dac Nano ($99).  Another is the CEntrance Dacport LX ($299).  If we are to believe the claims and criticism advanced here, that analog variable output controls degrade the signal at this price point, variable headphone out would only make sense on an USB DAC if the DAC were limited to 16-bit depth (digital volume control is much less deleterious to signal quality at 24-bit depth).  Which the D7 is not.
   
  In summary, I am hoping that someone here can tell me why, at this price point, variable line-out risks significant signal degradation while variable headphone-out does not.


----------



## Mauricio

Quote: 





uelover said:


> ... (most active monitors have their own volume control)


 

 Thanks for the info.  Nevertheless, if you have ever run active monitors, you'll know that adjusting volume on the monitors itself is not a practical, every-day solution.  Variable line-out at the source is the way to go.
   
  My apologies to the fanboyz (and fangirlz) if I have found *your* product wanting for my needs.


----------



## Mauricio

...


----------



## SLCanhead

This "fanboy" (self labeled "appreciative user") is not offended...
   
  Gotta go with what works best for your setup, as should anyone else.
   
       Quote:


mauricio said:


> Thanks for the info.  Nevertheless, if you have ever run active monitors, you'll know that adjusting volume on the monitors itself is not a practical, every-day solution.  Variable line-out at the source is the way to go.
> 
> My apologies to the fanboyz (and fangirlz) if I have found *your* product wanting for my needs.


----------



## Mauricio

Quote: 





slcanhead said:


> This "fanboy" (self labeled "appreciative user") is not offended...
> 
> Gotta go with what works best for your setup, as should anyone else.
> 
> Quote:


 

 Right.  My original statement was that the dealbreaker for me was the absence of variable line-out.  The fanboyz (and fangirlz) took that as an attack on _their_ product.


----------



## Currawong

Back to impressions please.


----------



## konoyaro

Cool - thanks for clarifying. 
  Quote: 





uchiya said:


> With regards to the pairing with the P4 amp and IE80, yes.  Better component matching for improved results.


----------



## stuckonsound

I just ordered one these. I sold off the toys in my sig. a little while back, so I'll be using this as a dac/amp for my HFI-780. I also order a Fidelio L1, so I'll see how that pairs too.


----------



## the_dong146

Closely looking at this impressive package to match w/ my HD580s - for reference - were the comparisons to the iBasso D4 based on 9V or USB mode? And how's the power output on the D7 compare as a result?
   
  Finally - am I correct to assume the iBasso official website is the only place to order this - $22 shipping charge seems a little extreme...


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> That said, the Audinst HUD is the same price as the D7 and has almost the same features. Main difference being that the Audinst has variable RCA out while the D7 has fixed out. And since nobody on a budget will buy both to see which sounds better, we will never know. Choosing between those two comes down to what one prefers, or what fits better in their chain. That is, until someone acquires both a proceed with a thorough comparison.


 

 Well, while I don't have the MX1, I heard it in quick succession between it and the D7, as well as A/B'ed against the DACPort, and it's very clear that the DACPort and the D7 are more refined products than the MX1. I still think the MX1 is excellent for its price, but I think the D7 definitely trumps it, especially when run directly off USB power. With clean, dedicated DC wall power from something like a Kingrex UPower PSU, the MX1 might be able to match or surpass the other two, but with the power source being on equal terms, the MX1 is definitely not the D7's equal when it comes to SQ. I actually like the tonality of the Audinst more, as the D7 is very slightly warm for my tastes, but the D7 has superior sibilance and peak control.


----------



## vermellfort

Quote: 





vermellfort said:


> I had the D12 + SRH840 wich I found a good pairing: bass on the Shure got tight due maybe to the relative brightness of the D12.
> To me, it seemed that both tonal balances compensated each other.
> 
> Now that I have recovered the 840, I'm thinking again of getting an Ibasso. Anybody could compare D12 and D7 tonal balance wise?
> I'm reading that D7 has a touch of warmth that suits some Grados. Wondering if this would be good for the 840.


 

 Ladies... please.
  Anyone?


----------



## Terps Fan

I don't listen to my 840s since purchasing my AKG K550s, (comfort issues) but I have listened to them a few times with the D7.  Sounds great!  For me to go on and on concerning the pairing would only serve to re-state everything that's been said about the D7 so far.  But yes, the D7 can drive the 840s perfectly, you will be happy!


----------



## vermellfort

Quote: 





terps fan said:


> I don't listen to my 840s since purchasing my AKG K550s, (comfort issues) but I have listened to them a few times with the D7.  Sounds great!  For me to go on and on concerning the pairing would only serve to re-state everything that's been said about the D7 so far.  But yes, the D7 can drive the 840s perfectly, you will be happy!


 
   
  Thanks Terps: really appreciate it.
  Didn't know anything about the K550 but a fast reading showed me that looks _brighter _sounding compared to the 840.
  Anyhow, there's a point that bothers me about the D7: USB powered. Sometimes real evil voltage is coming out of laptops batteries. The D12 being battery self-feeded and through optical was nice clear sounding, without a single grain of distortion.


----------



## stuckonsound

I'm no expert, but I think the caps in the D7 should help clean up the power. You could throw in something like an Acromag usb isolator if there was still an issue.
  
  Quote: 





vermellfort said:


> Thanks Terps: really appreciate it.
> Didn't know anything about the K550 but a fast reading showed me that looks _brighter _sounding compared to the 840.
> Anyhow, there's a point that bothers me about the D7: USB powered. Sometimes real evil voltage is coming out of laptops batteries. The D12 being battery self-feeded and through optical was nice clear sounding, without a single grain of distortion.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





stuckonsound said:


> I'm no expert, but I think the caps in the D7 should help clean up the power. You could throw in something like an Acromag usb isolator if there was still an issue.


 

 All the current USB isolators out there are only supports USB 2.0 Full Speed. As a result of that, your bandwidth on the D7 will be restricted and you can only play up to 16bits 44.1khz.


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





tomscy2000 said:


> Well, while I don't have the MX1, I heard it in quick succession between it and the D7, as well as A/B'ed against the DACPort, and it's very clear that the DACPort and the D7 are more refined products than the MX1. I still think the MX1 is excellent for its price, but I think the D7 definitely trumps it, especially when run directly off USB power. With clean, dedicated DC wall power from something like a Kingrex UPower PSU, the MX1 might be able to match or surpass the other two, but with the power source being on equal terms, the MX1 is definitely not the D7's equal when it comes to SQ. I actually like the tonality of the Audinst more, as the D7 is very slightly warm for my tastes, but the D7 has superior sibilance and peak control.


 


  Thanks for the input.


----------



## SLCanhead

...


----------



## stuckonsound

@uelover
   
  Thanks for the insight.


----------



## Danthrax

Just got mine for use with q701s. It's pretty amazing compared to my Xonar DX. There is a lot more weight to the music and I am definitely hearing subtle things I didn't hear before, and a lot of recordings are a lot clearer. If you get a chance check out Control Denied - The Fragile Art of Existence it sounds amazing. I'm still in disbelief that this is so good.


----------



## stuckonsound

Waiting for mine to warm up (cold outside) 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 It shipped from China yesterday and got here the next day, that's awesome.


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





stuckonsound said:


> Waiting for mine to warm up (cold outside)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  I hope you didn't unpack it while it was cold... This is a known way to ruin electronics 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I know, I've seen many digital cameras scrapped because of this. Is it the type of cold that puts a fog on your glasses when you come back inside? This fog also happens on electronics, and it's worse when the case is made of metal, like the D7 is.


----------



## Foxjam

I'm thinking of buying a powered USB hub for this so it will actually work with Windows 8.  I believe I've read others using powered HUBs to clean up the noise but was wondering if anyone knows if this will make it usable again.  For any Mac users did a powered HUB get rid of the error message?  I'm dying to use my D7 again, it's so much better than the E7.  Any advice (other than going back to Windows 7) is appreciated.


----------



## xxhaxx

If you have usb port on your monitor try connecting your D7 to that


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





foxjam said:


> I'm thinking of buying a powered USB hub for this so it will actually work with Windows 8.  I believe I've read others using powered HUBs to clean up the noise but was wondering if anyone knows if this will make it usable again.  For any Mac users did a powered HUB get rid of the error message?  I'm dying to use my D7 again, it's so much better than the E7.  Any advice (other than going back to Windows 7) is appreciated.


 

 The powered USB hub got rid of the error message on my Mac. Didn't sound as clean and pristine as before (the drop is ever so marginal) but it is perfectly functional.


----------



## Posam

My USB ports are only 500mA each would it still work?


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





posam said:


> My USB ports are only 500mA each would it still work?


 


 Care to elaborate a little more?
   
  A powered USB hub should have no issue since the USB device's power will be supplied by the wall socket instead of your computer. The USB port on your computer is only used for data transfer.
   
  There was once I forgot to turn on the power switch for my USB hub and I suffered intermittent lost and distortion in the sound.


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





posam said:


> My USB ports are only 500mA each would it still work?


 


  All USB ports are 500mA. The USB standards demands it. Actually, some ports can't even supply 500mA, it was a problem a few years ago on most laptops. Today it's not really a problem though. Some laptops have one of their ports that has trouble supplying half an amp, but the other port usually has no trouble.
   
  As for USB hubs, it's not a clear fix. Some hubs come with a power supply that can't even power a single port at half an Amp. Sadly, most spec sheets don't tell you how many amps the default wall wart can supply. USB standards demand that every USB port must be able to supply half an amp. That means a 4 ports USB hub must have a power supply over 2 amps, and a 7 ports hub must be fed at least 3.5 amps. In practice though, it is rare that your usb hub need to supply the full half amp to everything connected to it. This is why most usb hub manufacturers don't give you a powerful enough wall wart. For example, the famous D-Link DUB-H7 comes with a 0.4 amp wall wart, which is not even enough to fully power a single usb item. The Rosewill RHUB-300, another 7 ports hub, comes with a 2 amps wall wart, which is barely enough to fully power 4 of it's ports. The GWC HU2G40 is a 4 ports hub that comes with a 2.5 amps adapter, which is perfect.
   
  But, if you plan on powering your D7 trough a hub anyways, you might as well replace the stock wall wart with a better power supply, regardless of how many amps the default is rated for. Astrodyne has a bunch of 5v PSU rated at 2amps and up, which should be a good replacement. If you want to go overkill, you could always buy/build a linear power supply.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> If you want to go overkill, you could always buy/build a linear power supply.


 


  This is the way to go.


----------



## Posam

I'm not using a hub, So what you guys are saying, is that this is fine? This is not one of those USB 3.0 devices and will suck the power out of my laptop causing it to implode (exaggeration)?


----------



## Foxjam

I think I'll give a powered HUD a shot although I hate to add another link in the chain and I really hate to have additional wires. It seems like it draws more power than it should considering that people are getting that error message. I guess all in all it'll be worth it (if it works) since I can't imagine something sounding better with these features in this price range.


----------



## uelover

It may be curious to question how a peripheral device could draw more power than the source could supply.
   
  The USB port could only supply up to 5v (or any other maximum value). So, when the error message says that the USB device is drawing too much power, does it mean that the D7 is drawing more than 5v from a USB port that could only supply up to 5v power?
   
  It would only be possible only if the D7 (or any USB device) has the ability to reach into the USB port on our computer and suck out (by an act of force) more power from other components and channel them into the USB port.
   
  A better way to make sense off the error message is that the 5V output from our USB port is insufficient to power the D7 fully which might require more than 5V power. Thus, the computer may disable other USB devices just to ensure that a stable 5V of full power is being supplied.
   
  But still, that doesn't make sense because all the other devices would still continue to work normally, including the D7.


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





uelover said:


> It may be curious to question how a peripheral device could draw more power than the source could supply.
> 
> The USB port could only supply up to 5v (or any other maximum value). So, when the error message says that the USB device is drawing too much power, does it mean that the D7 is drawing more than 5v from a USB port that could only supply up to 5v power?
> 
> ...


 

 Actually it has nothing to do with voltage. It is the current that matters. In electricity, power is the product of voltage and current and is given in watts. If the D7 draws 0.5A at 5v, then it uses 2.5 watts. The USB device cannot change the voltage that is supplied to it, but it can pull as much power as it wants. Unless the USB hubs can actively limit the current they transport.
   
  USB divides power as "unit load", each having 100mA in USB 2.0. For example, if the D7 draws 500mA, then it uses 5 "unit load". The problem is, any USB device, when originally connected, is given only 1 unit load, or 100mA. It can then ask the root hub for more units and the root hub will allow it more if it can.
   
  It's not easy to build a USB device than can manage this properly. To work with only 100mA, the D7 would have to shut down it's amp and as much features as possible. Class A amps are not known for their power efficiency. I don't know if a root usb HUB can actually limit the current it supplies to any given USB device, and I would be very surprised if it did. That said, if the D7 doesn't care about the unit load system and the rule that at start-up, any USB device must draw no more than 100mA, then it might explain why the OS complains that the D7 draws too much power. It shouldn't be a problem, as long as the D7 stays under 0.5 amps.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> USB divides power as "unit load", each having 100mA in USB 2.0. For example, if the D7 draws 500mA, then it uses 5 "unit load". The problem is, any USB device, when originally connected, is given only 1 unit load, or 100mA. It can then ask the root hub for more units and the root hub will allow it more if it can.
> 
> It's not easy to build a USB device than can manage this properly. To work with only 100mA, the D7 would have to shut down it's amp and as much features as possible. Class A amps are not known for their power efficiency. I don't know if a root usb HUB can actually limit the current it supplies to any given USB device, and I would be very surprised if it did. That said, if the D7 doesn't care about the unit load system and the rule that at start-up, any USB device must draw no more than 100mA, then it might explain why the OS complains that the D7 draws too much power. It shouldn't be a problem, as long as the D7 stays under 0.5 amps.


 

 So, is there an assigned upper limit cap at how much current our USB port could output? In order words, will the D7 be able to be so demanding as to instruct the computer to give him more current than what the computer could, thus sucking up current from places other than the USB. If not, then there is no worry about the concern posted by Posam below.
   
  This is the gist of what I was trying to ask in my previous post but pardon me for my lack of electronic knowledge. Swap the 'voltage' for 'current' and there's it! =)
   
  Quote: 





posam said:


> This is not one of those USB 3.0 devices and will suck the power out of my laptop causing it to implode (exaggeration)?


----------



## bluishgreen

Quote: 





uelover said:


> A better way to make sense off the error message is that the 5V output from our USB port is insufficient to power the D7 fully which might require more than 5V power. Thus, the computer may disable other USB devices just to ensure that a stable 5V of full power is being supplied.
> 
> But still, that doesn't make sense because all the other devices would still continue to work normally, including the D7.


 

  
  Although for me, it does affect the usage of the D7.  I'd say now that when I turn it on and I get the warning, there's a 50/50 chance that it will appear as a usable device.  It always shows-up in the OSX System Information device tree, but half the time it never shows-up as an audio device (for instance, if I Option-click on the volume icon of the Menu Bar, it is never an option, etc).  In all, I'd say roughly 50% of the time it just works without any warning at all, about 25% of the time I get the warning but it still works, and about 25% of the time I get the warning and it never works until I reboot--regardless of whether I turn it off-and-on several times or try a different USB port on a different USB bus (which makes me think more that it's an overall USB system/driver issue, rather than a specific power/bus issue).  It always works after a reboot, though, which at least is fast on a MBA.
   
  My ongoing theory is, rather than actual power fluctuations, the OSX USB driver, or its interaction with the XMOS functionality, is simply not properly keeping track of power use and I suspect that sometimes when I turn it off (which is almost always before I close the lid and it goes into sleep mode) it isn't "releasing" that power from its ongoing bookkeeping total for the bus, which is likely done via manual function call rather than an actual power reading.  Kind of like the power equivalent to a memory leak.  I try to wait a minute or so after shutting-off the D7 before closing the lid, but it doesn't seem to make a difference--I think sleep mode in general may mess-up the USB driver sometimes.  The only other device on the bus I normally use is the internal card reader, which for all I know could be disabled when I use the D7--but since I don't have any cards, I never use that reader to know either way, and the System Information utility doesn't seem to indicate whether anything is truly disabled.


----------



## Danthrax

Just to add a bit more to this discussion of mA a port can supply more mA than is dictated by the standard, it is the device's job to regulate how much it draws. Just like you can use a 12v 5amp charger on a 12v 1amp device. Going the other way causes problems since the device won't get enough power. I'm glad my gigabyte board has "3x power" usb ports, although the d7 has worked in more than just this pc flawlessly.


----------



## Posam

So is this only an issue with people using the D7 with macbooks? No Windows 7 laptop issues?


----------



## xxhaxx

^ I have no issue with my window 7 laptop


----------



## Clayton72

Thank you everyone who has posted good information about this device.  I ordered one earlier this week and it reached my home in Seattle, WA in 2 days.  I am really impressed by that shipping speed (why did DVD's from Blockbuster take longer?).
   
  It came with 2 usb cables (1 shorty and a long one), a soft bag for transporting the unit in, a warranty card that looks like a credit card and is filled in with information on the back in neat handwritting, and a small bag of screws that appear to be the same as those that secure the front and back plates on the unit.  I can't imagine why those came with it.  Anyone know?
   
  Right out of the box it sounded very sharp and clear.  I've been using a Hifiman EF2A, so some of the difference may be tube sound versus solid state, but the Sidewinder just flat out seems to have more detail.  It sounds more...  real.  I am very pleased with it.  It's sounding better the more I listen to it.  I've tried my Grado SR-225's, ThinkSound ts-2's, and some AblePlanet active noise canceling headphones (surprisingly good for the price, but just a fill in until Amazon sends me the Philips Uptowns I've had on order for awhile).  It drove all of them quite well.  It doesn't seem to have as much power as the Hifiman, but it has more than enough.  I'd be concerned about using this for more difficult to drive headphones, but I don't have any to test with, nor have I seen anyone mention trying it with anything like 600 ohm planar magnetics.  I doubt it would have any difficulty with the vast majority of headphones out there.
   
  The DAC is simply the best I've heard, in headphones anyway.  This weekend I'm hoping to do some A/B testing with the Sidewinder vs my hometheater pre-amp, the Integra DHC-80.1 vs Oppo BDP-83 through my home theater setup, not headphones.  I'll try hooking the Sidewinder up to the Integra via it's digital output and RCA stereo jacks.  I'll reply back to this thread with my results.  Please forgive me if I don't get around to it though, family comes before hobby.  I'm hoping my sharing the plan stimulates others to try similar comparisons.
   
  Integra DAC specs (found here):
  Burr-Brown (x6) - 192K / 32-Bit Audio DAC
  Vector Linear Shaping Circuitry (VLSC)
  32-Bit DSP Chip for Advanced Processing - TI Aureas (x3)
  Ultra-Low-Jitter Circuitry to Improve Audio - PLL


----------



## djevoultion

Quote: 





clayton72 said:


> Thank you everyone who has posted good information about this device.  I ordered one earlier this week and it reached my home in Seattle, WA in 2 days.  I am really impressed by that shipping speed (why did DVD's from Blockbuster take longer?).
> 
> It came with 2 usb cables (1 shorty and a long one), a soft bag for transporting the unit in, a warranty card that looks like a credit card and is filled in with information on the back in neat handwritting, and a small bag of screws that appear to be the same as those that secure the front and back plates on the unit.  I can't imagine why those came with it.  Anyone know?
> 
> ...


 


  Thanks for posting your impressions
   
  So in your opinion it's a step up from the EF2?


----------



## Clayton72

Quote: 





djevoultion said:


> Thanks for posting your impressions
> 
> So in your opinion it's a step up from the EF2?


 


 The EF2A is only capable of 16-bit sound and I've been ripping my vinyl records at 24-bit / 96kHz in the last couple months.  So yes, it is definately an upgrade.  I'd still recommend the EF2A though, it's a very high-quality device and offers a warm tube sound and may be more capable of handling high ohm / "hard to drive" headphones.  I tried running the line out from the sidewinder through the EF2A's amp and love the softening / warming effect of the tubes, but the sound is more clear when the headphones are driven from the amp in the sidewinder.  All that said, I'll be selling the EF2A and just using the sidewinder from now on.  The crystalline clarity of the sidewinder is more pleasing to my ear than the tube warmth that shaves off the details.


----------



## Posam

Quote: 





clayton72 said:


> The EF2A is only capable of 16-bit sound and I've been ripping my vinyl records at 24-bit / 96kHz in the last couple months.  So yes, it is definately an upgrade.  I'd still recommend the EF2A though, it's a very high-quality device and offers a warm tube sound and may be more capable of handling high ohm / "hard to drive" headphones.  I tried running the line out from the sidewinder through the EF2A's amp and love the softening / warming effect of the tubes, but the sound is more clear when the headphones are driven from the amp in the sidewinder.  All that said, I'll be selling the EF2A and just using the sidewinder from now on.  The crystalline clarity of the sidewinder is more pleasing to my ear than the tube warmth that shaves off the details.


 

 I'm Guessing you can't use the EF2A as an amp only or there's not much benefit to combining the two in that way?


----------



## Foxjam

I had a little bit of hassle getting it up and running on Windows 7 but after a some messing around it worked fine.  Now that I have Windows 8 it does not work and I get an error message that says the device is drawing too much power from the USB port.  I'm hoping to fix this with a powered USB hub.


----------



## IndieScent

@the power problem on macs. did anyone tried to measure if the mac's usb indeed giving  power as per standard usb specifications?
  
  Quote: 





posam said:


> So is this only an issue with people using the D7 with macbooks? No Windows 7 laptop issues?


 

 so far never see a problem with Win7 or even XP.
   


  Quote: 





clayton72 said:


> It came with 2 usb cables (1 shorty and a long one), a soft bag for transporting the unit in, a warranty card that looks like a credit card and is filled in with information on the back in neat handwritting, and a small bag of screws that appear to be the same as those that secure the front and back plates on the unit.  I can't imagine why those came with it.  Anyone know?


 

 iirc, those screws is there because some the product before D7 have interchangeable opamp or batteries. thus people often lose or break their screws when they opening an closing the case and complain to ibasso. and now most of the product come with spare screws I think.


----------



## oneway23

I want to apologize in advance if this issue has been clarified at some earlier point in this thread, but at 35 pages, I'm frankly just going to hope someone answers.
   
  Ordered the D7 on a Thursday in NY, got it on Monday, so major kudos to iBasso.  Anyone wavering over the $22 shipping fee, please don't, it's worth it.
   
  Right, driver downloaded off of iBasso's site, promptly installed, no issue.
   
  I listen to a few tracks at various bitrates to break this suave little bugger in; 24/88, 24/96, no problem.  Great!
   
  Off I go to HDtracks to celebrate the entry of my new toy into the home.  I buy The Rolling Stones Hot Rocks at 24-bit/176kHz, fire it up, aaaaaaand...no sound.
   
  NO SOUND?!?! *#*#!!*%! 
   
  Why, oh why??
   
  Mediamonkey set to WASAPI Output, Windows 7 x64 set to output at maximum 24/192kHz, so the system recognizes the DAC's capability.


----------



## Misterrogers

D7 Doesn't support 176 sample rate on OS X either. When I enquired of iBasso, they said:
   
   
 [size=medium] Hi,[/size]
 [size=medium] I think this only can be answer by the driver supplier, Thesycon.[/size]
 [size=medium] We dont know the reason as well. Sorry about this.[/size]
 [size=medium]  [/size]
 [size=medium] Sincerely[/size]
 [size=medium] iBasso Audio[/size]

  Quote: 





oneway23 said:


> I want to apologize in advance if this issue has been clarified at some earlier point in this thread, but at 35 pages, I'm frankly just going to hope someone answers.
> 
> Ordered the D7 on a Thursday in NY, got it on Monday, so major kudos to iBasso.  Anyone wavering over the $22 shipping fee, please don't, it's worth it.
> 
> ...


----------



## oneway23

Thanks for the prompt reply...Man, that really does stink.
   
  I don't understand the issue at all.  I mean, both the operating system and the media player display 24/176 as a viable option, and the D7 itself lights up to indicate signal reception.


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





oneway23 said:


> Thanks for the prompt reply...Man, that really does stink. *I don't understand the issue at all*.  I mean, both the operating system and the media player display 24/176 as a viable option, and the D7 itself lights up to indicate signal reception.


 

 Yeah, me neither. It looks like the XMOS chip is accepting the signal, but just not sending it over to the DAC chip. I have an odd feeling that the driver programmers just forgot to put in a single line of code or something silly like that...


----------



## oneway23

That makes all the sense in the world, actually.
   
  Let's hope it is indeed nothing more than wonky code...wouldn't that be fortunate!
   
  How odd..I'm not buying the Stones again in 24/88, however.
  I'll just hope they release an updated driver at some point.
   
  Do you happen to know if 24/192 works ok?


----------



## oneway23

Double post...sorry!


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





oneway23 said:


> Do you happen to know if 24/192 works ok?


 

 Yeah, 24/192 works fine. While subjectively, I feel that 24/192 tracks, when compared to identical 24/96 tracks carry more 'air' to them, objectively, most DAC chips measure worse at 24/192 than they do at 24/96, so I'd save some bucks and just go with a lower bitrate.


----------



## oneway23

Would you care to elaborate when you say "measure worse"?  
  I apologize if I sound like a little kid with the number of questions I tend to ask...just my natural curiosity at work, I guess.
  This is my idea of great Saturday night conversation, and since you're here as well, I'll just presume you share that notion!
   
  Feel free to respond at your leisure...


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





oneway23 said:


> Would you care to elaborate when you say "measure worse"?


 

 Well, this topic has somewhat been well-discussed but is still a matter of debate. I can't really speak on the nature of the D7's internal implementation (XMOS -?-> WM8740), but there are many DACs that don't perform as well at 24/192 (THD, noise floor, etc.).
   
  Many DACs also don't have good effective bit depth (working at 16.x-bits even in 24-bit mode). Almost all good 24-bit DACs can't even perform at the full 24-bit depth (don't know about the newest DACs, or the 32/384 DACs) --- 20-bits is about the maximum.
   
  Here are a few links (you can also search on head-fi for more discussions):
  http://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=115:is-2496-good-enough&catid=62&Itemid=3
  http://www.soundstagehifi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=126:96khz-vs-192khz&catid=57:reader-feedback&Itemid=24
   
  Of course these discussions were made a couple years ago, before a spate of newer technology hit the shelves, including 32/384 implementations from the ESS Sabre chip (that the D7 was supposed to have used before iBasso re-assessed costs, and probably performance benefits as well)
   
  Of course, there is always the issue of subjectivity and future-proofing.
   
  I downloaded a few tracks from 2L Nordic Sound at both 24/96 and 24/192 and A/B'ed them: http://www.2l.no/hires/index.html
   
  In all cases, to me 24/192 sounds better than 24/96 out of the D7, but it could very well be a psychological thing. I haven't tried a blind test, nor do I intend on doing one. I also figure that I might as well keep the 24/192 file, since I don't mind the extra space, and I might as well keep it for the future, when DACs actually perform to their full potential.
   
  However, I'm also acutely aware that my hearing will only recede over time, and I don't know whether it's worth it to download files whose sonic benefits I can't possibly perceive, even at this stage in life. I'd ask my toy poodle to A/B the various tracks for me and give me feedback, but sadly I don't speak canine.


----------



## oneway23

Quote: 





tomscy2000 said:


> sadly I don't speak canine.


 

  
  Although your dog may, unbeknownst to us all, speak a fair bit of English.  The A/B test may, in fact, be an opportunity he's awaited his entire existence.
   
  Thanks for the knowledge.


----------



## burgunder

Try the DACPort drivers.


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





burgunder said:


> Try the DACPort drivers.


 


  it is no use, the chip plainly just cant do 176. the only thing that could work is if thesycon/chipset maker releasing new firmwire to support it.


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





indiescent said:


> it is no use, the chip plainly just cant do 176. the only thing that could work is if thesycon/chipset maker releasing new firmwire to support it.


 

 +2 Yup. Already tried it.


----------



## oneway23

When burgunder posted the idea of the dacport driver, I really wasn't comfortable registering w/ the CEntrance site to get it.
   
  I'm disappointed that it doesn't work, yet glad others have tried it.


----------



## bluishgreen

Quote: 





oneway23 said:


> That makes all the sense in the world, actually.
> 
> Let's hope it is indeed nothing more than wonky code...wouldn't that be fortunate!
> 
> ...


 
   
  24/192kHz works for me.

 Also--there's no need to re-buy.  You can always use a player that up/downsamples to whatever level the player supports--I don't know which ones on Windows, but on the Mac, I use "Decibel".  I haven't tried, but perhaps the newer VLC 2.0 does it?  Or, if you don't have a player that does it, you can always create re-sampled copies to something better-supported, obviously keeping your original copies, so it's just a copy and not a replacement.  Again, I don't know which ones on Windows, but I use the free tool "XLD" on the Mac.  Since I don't notice much of a difference on my semi-portable, mid-fi MacBook Air setup, and since my local disk space is more limited on an SSD, I archive my original 24/96 and above stuff to other systems, and create downsampled 24/48 versions of everything for use on my MBA.  It saves space since the files are half the size of 24/96 and a quarter that of 24/192.
   
  Another reason I started doing this is because I finally gave-up on keeping separate hierarchies of hi-rez content vs my iTunes content and gave-in to Apple (especially when I signed-up for iTunes Match) and started converting FLAC stuff to ALAC in order to have everything on that system under one hierarchy and automatically available to my iPhone.  Kind of a bummer, since I've always been a hardcore FLAC & Vorbis guy (even bought a Sansa Clip Zip recently, specifically to play Vorbis...) but Apple is obviously never going to support either.  In any case--when doing so, I discovered an annoying, undocumented aspect of iTunes Match when all of my ALAC files above 24/48 wouldn't upload and were marked as "Ineligible".  I did some trial-and-error, and found that I had to downsample things to 24/48 to work with iTunes Match.  I didn't see this anywhere in the documentation or googling (at least months ago when I first discovered it) and Apple's docs claimed to simply support ALAC without any qualifications in the docs back then.  In any case, you can always create re-sampled copies to make annoying things like this work, even if it isn't 100% ideal.


----------



## TiEx

Majority of music is still in redbook 44 format, rare audiophile 96 and even more rare 88. Not so much music can be found in 192 format and 176. Don't see problems here. If you have something like 176 just convert it to 88 and live happy. I think to convert is a better way, because software up/down samplers may degrade SQ.


----------



## Roller

Quote: 





tiex said:


> Majority of music is still in redbook 44 format, rare audiophile 96 and even more rare 88. Not so much music can be found in 192 format and 176. Don't see problems here. If you have something like 176 just convert it to 88 and live happy. I think to convert is a better way, because software up/down samplers may degrade SQ.


 


  Converting is an irreversible process, while on the fly resampling maintains the original file untouched, structure wise. Converting is only recommended for people who have lossless archives and wants to use them on a PMP that either doesn't support lossless, is space limited or the environments where music is listened to don't allow for quiet listening sessions, which is where the lossy formats enter into play.


----------



## TiEx

I am 99.99999% sure that in a blind test you wouldn't have any chances to distinguish a difference between 176 and 88 even on a very good gear! There are some articles who state that 96 is plenty good enough and 192 can be even worse sometimes if implementation is not on a good level. No offence man, lets keep it cool. I just want to say that D7 is a bang for buck and lack of 176 support is a very minor issue (if it is an issue at all). 176 is a rare format to start with. 
   
  And about conversion. Where did find that recommendation only for PMP use? First time hear such a thing. On the contrary resampling "on the fly" with software may give a bad result. Lack of 176 is not a deal breaker for me. I am still considering D7 in future.
   
  Cheers.
  Quote: 





roller said:


> Converting is an irreversible process, while on the fly resampling maintains the original file untouched, structure wise. Converting is only recommended for people who have lossless archives and wants to use them on a PMP that either doesn't support lossless, is space limited or the environments where music is listened to don't allow for quiet listening sessions, which is where the lossy formats enter into play.


----------



## Uchiya

Wanted to note, Sennheiser OMX-980's with my D7/P4 stack is producing a sweet, sweet sound.  Definitely the Sennheiser "house" sound in a smaller package.  Bass Rolloff at about 45hz but good to 35hz.  Coherent imaging and soundstage.


----------



## Roller

Quote: 





tiex said:


> I am 99.99999% sure that in a blind test you wouldn't have any chances to distinguish a difference between 176 and 88 even on a very good gear! There are some articles who state that 96 is plenty good enough and 192 can be even worse sometimes if implementation is not on a good level. No offence man, lets keep it cool. I just want to say that D7 is a bang for buck and lack of 176 support is a very minor issue (if it is an issue at all). 176 is a rare format to start with.
> 
> And about conversion. Where did find that recommendation only for PMP use? First time hear such a thing. On the contrary resampling "on the fly" with software may give a bad result. Lack of 176 is not a deal breaker for me. I am still considering D7 in future.
> 
> Cheers.


 


  You have your ears and I have mine, so don't make assumptions on what others can or cannot hear.
   
  The ideal sampling rate is well below 96KHz, a matter discussed by several knowledgeable audio engineers.
   
  Conversion is a bad idea unless the destination format is meant to be used on (low-fi) portable gear, so I'm talking about usage scenarios, being a common sense recommendation, not a rule written in stone. For everything else, the original format should be maintained, that according to purists' philosophy. And a quality resampler doesn't do half as much damage as an irreversible conversion does.


----------



## Uchiya

I would caution anyone looking to purchase that the D7 is a tad drier than what I've experienced from Ibasso, sometimes harsh.  Should pair with a warm amp and softer treble to save your hearing if you are sensitive and even then, darker headphones.


----------



## tomscy2000

Hey, just a heads up, guys... Grace Designs has a Thesycon V1.26 driver for their m903 available for download on their product page; the version on iBasso's website is 1.22, IIRC... I'll try it out to see if it works...
   
  EDIT: Hmm, the installer seems to be product-specific for the m903; but all the files are there, so I wonder if there's a workaround...


----------



## shrisha

_I just uploaded modified 1.26 drivers for everybody. Who like to try are very welcome to do that._
_It's here: _http://www.box.com/s/6d72763fca8c23f42ec1
   
  EDIT: No, there is more then this have to be done. It's installing no problem but something wrong with timing on playback...
  May be it's just me. Please report.
  EDIT: Yes it's just me  Reinstalled works perfectly.


----------



## shrisha

Just got mine by the way. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 First impression is very positive, I'm gonna wait till 300 hours of burn in at list before say anything.


----------



## bluishgreen

Quote: 





shrisha said:


> Just got mine by the way.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  300 hours may not be too out of the question too--I had well over 100 (maybe close to 200) when I still felt it sounded a touch too warm when using my DT880's.  But now it doesn't feel too warm with them anymore.  I don't think it was my ears changing, since as a baseline, I frequently A/B-tested it against my Fiio E10, and it always sounded the same level of warmth as the E10 (to my slight disappointment) but now sounds a bit less warm than the E10.


----------



## bluishgreen

Quote: 





uchiya said:


> I would caution anyone looking to purchase that the D7 is a tad drier than what I've experienced from Ibasso, sometimes harsh.  Should pair with a warm amp and softer treble to save your hearing if you are sensitive and even then, darker headphones.


 


  That's the opposite of what I've experienced, although I don't use IEMs (not sure what type of phones you're using) so I can only speak for larger phones--maybe it does have harsher highs with more sensitive IEMs?  For me with larger phones like the DT880's, the D7 amp was actually a bit warm for my liking, although as I previously posted, some of the warmth seemed to dissipate somewhat after 200-300 hours of use.  I've always had hyper-sensitive hearing (and had a hearing check-up about a year ago still confirming it) so I generally notice harsher highs immediately--it's one of the reasons why I couldn't use my DT990's for some albums regardless of amp used, which is notorious for occasional harsh highs/treble screeches (although that dissipated a bit too after many, many hours of use--probably over a year).
   
  EDIT:  Although now that I remember it, I will say that I remember its sounding a bit harsh out of the box--the first 20 hours or so sounded both a bit muddled and harsh, but that mostly went away after an initial burn-in.  The initial harshness went away very quickly after initial use, and the muddled aspect quickly settled into a slight warmth that persisted until a couple hundred hours later.


----------



## shrisha

Beauty


----------



## amham

From my experience with the D6 and D10 the D7 is by far the warmest sounding iBasso device I've heard.  No need for a HiFlight mod and it sounds terrific right out of the box.  YMMV.


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





shrisha said:


> _I just uploaded modified 1.26 drivers for everybody. Who like to try are very welcome to do that._
> _It's here: _http://www.box.com/s/6d72763fca8c23f42ec1
> 
> EDIT: No, there is more then this have to be done. It's installing no problem but something wrong with timing on playback...
> ...


 

 Confirmed. Working excellently on mine as well! Thanks!
   
  For those wondering -- 176 kHz still doesn't work with updated drivers. It has to be a firmware issue, and we can't deal with that on our own.


----------



## jfrocke

Does anyone know what is different with the updated drivers?  Any improvements or fixes?


----------



## Foxjam

I was hoping the updated driver would work with Windows 8.  After some troubleshooting it appears the driver is the culprit for my issues.  Hindsight tells me I should have checked before installing Windows 8 but I thought that everything that worked with Window 7 was supposed to work with Windows 8.  Now I have a powered USB hub that I don't need and a D7 that I can't use.  Anybody wanna buy a D7 with about 50 hours of use on it?


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





shrisha said:


> Beauty


 

  
  Damn, another audio gear with I-Shall-Blind-Thee-Onto-Submission LEDs. Don't they get fatiguing on the eyes after a while?
   
  I bet these LEDs are the reason why Windows and OSX whine about the unit pulling too much current!


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> Damn, another audio gear with I-Shall-Blind-Thee-Onto-Submission LEDs. Don't they get fatiguing on the eyes after a while?
> I bet these LEDs are the reason why Windows and OSX whine about the unit pulling too much current!


 

 That's just camera tricks. It's not actually as bright as what it looks like in the picture. Also, I don't believe LED brightness depends on current draw.


----------



## jchandler3

*Attention thread newcomers:*
   
  This thread is really muddied up with problems, troubleshooting, driver rewrites, etc., and that's okay. They're all real experiences. But I just want to say that mine works plug-and-play, no problems, it sounds great, runs nicely at 192/24 and makes my Westone 4Rs sound great at work. Such a great value—and that doesn't mean mediocre performance at a nice price. It means great performance at an amazing price. 
   
  Just my two cents, thrown in again


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





jchandler3 said:


> *Attention thread newcomers:*
> 
> This thread is really muddied up with problems, troubleshooting, driver rewrites, etc., and that's okay. They're all real experiences. But I just want to say that mine works plug-and-play, no problems, it sounds great, runs nicely at 192/24 and makes my Westone 4Rs sound great at work. Such a great value—and that doesn't mean mediocre performance at a nice price. It means great performance at an amazing price.
> 
> Just my two cents, thrown in again


 

 Nice to hear that it has worked well for you. Most, if not all, the problems are with Windows.
   
  Did you experience the USB Warning Message on your iMac?


----------



## JoeyRusso

Quote: 





jchandler3 said:


> *Attention thread newcomers:*
> 
> This thread is really muddied up with problems, troubleshooting, driver rewrites, etc., and that's okay. They're all real experiences. But I just want to say that mine works plug-and-play, no problems, it sounds great, runs nicely at 192/24 and makes my Westone 4Rs sound great at work. Such a great value—and that doesn't mean mediocre performance at a nice price. It means great performance at an amazing price.
> 
> Just my two cents, thrown in again


 

 Agreed.. Windows 7 here and it has worked perfectly from day one.


----------



## jchandler3

Quote: 





uelover said:


> Did you experience the USB Warning Message on your iMac?


 

 Funny you should ask—I actually brought that up in this thread many pages back. I get the power warning when I first turn it on, but there's no performance issues whatsoever.
   
  Oddly enough, I don't get the message on my MacBook Pro. No matter what I do on the iMac (hub/no hub/nothing else plugged in) the message pops up. Certainly doesn't bother me.


----------



## SLCanhead

Quote: 





joeyrusso said:


> Agreed.. Windows 7 here and it has worked perfectly from day one.


 


   


  Quote: 





jchandler3 said:


> *Attention thread newcomers:*
> 
> This thread is really muddied up with problems, troubleshooting, driver rewrites, etc., and that's okay. They're all real experiences. But I just want to say that mine works plug-and-play, no problems, it sounds great, runs nicely at 192/24 and makes my Westone 4Rs sound great at work. Such a great value—and that doesn't mean mediocre performance at a nice price. It means great performance at an amazing price.
> 
> Just my two cents, thrown in again


 


 I third that motion. The D7 goes with my PK1s like peanut butter and jelly...


----------



## uelover

slcanhead said:


> I third that motion. The D7 goes with my PK1s like peanut butter and jelly...




Peanut butter and jelly don't go well together. Do they? Lol.


----------



## jchandler3

Quote: 





uelover said:


> Peanut butter and jelly don't go well together. Do they? Lol.


 

 Really? It's only the most popular school lunch for kids in America


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





jchandler3 said:


> Really? It's only the most popular school lunch for kids in America


 






   
  That might explain it =)


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





jchandler3 said:


> Really? It's only the most popular school lunch for kids in America


 

 I wouldn't say that it's the consensus opinion. Growing up I liked peanut butter OR jelly sandwiches. Never both. PB&J has never been my thing.


----------



## konoyaro

I put my order in last week and am eagerly awaiting my D7 to arrive. I got notice from iBasso that the unit had been shipped and the EMS tracking page shows the 15th as the day they processed it .
  What is the expected turnaround from Hong Kong to California? Previously when I've had shipping via EMS from Japan, it's typically only taken 2 - 3 days for a package to be delivered once EMS has begun processing.
   
  UPDATE:
  No sooner did I post this than it showed up - strange about the EMS page not posting any updates. Oh well - it's here now. Time to get it set up


----------



## SLCanhead

Quote:


jchandler3 said:


> Really? It's only the most popular school lunch for kids in America


 


   


  Quote: 





tomscy2000 said:


> I wouldn't say that it's the consensus opinion. Growing up I liked peanut butter OR jelly sandwiches. Never both. PB&J has never been my thing.


 

  
  I think jchandler may be referring to the most commonly served school lunch in America (when saying "popular".) Although, I guess he could mean popular, as I wouldn't be surprised if a poll taken at some point suggested that this is the case. I am sure there are plenty of kids who eat it because it's what their parents packed for them, but there are many who like it, too.
   
  Fun peanut butter & jelly sandwich related factoid (credit to Wikipedia): A 2002 survey showed the average American will have eaten 1,500 of these sandwiches before graduating from high school.
   
  I should remember that this forum is worldwide in audience!
   
  In any event, I will correct my statement - the D7 and PK1s go together like (insert 2 favorite ingredients that you like to combine)...


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





slcanhead said:


> I think jchandler may be referring to the most commonly served school lunch in America (when saying "popular".) Although, I guess he could mean popular, as I wouldn't be surprised if a poll taken at some point suggested that this is the case. I am sure there are plenty of kids who eat it because it's what their parents packed for them, but there are many who like it, too.
> 
> Fun peanut butter & jelly sandwich related factoid (credit to Wikipedia): A 2002 survey showed the average American will have eaten 1,500 of these sandwiches before graduating from high school.
> 
> ...


 

 Peas and Carrots! (Forrest Gump saves the day...)
   
  Interesting survey -- I was never served PB&J growing up in school. I don't remember what caterer my school district used, but it wasn't one of the big ones IIRC.


----------



## stuckonsound

Same here, I get the pop up (on a MacBook Pro though), but it functions perfectly. Doesn't really bother me at all.
  Quote: 





jchandler3 said:


> Funny you should ask—I actually brought that up in this thread many pages back. I get the power warning when I first turn it on, but there's no performance issues whatsoever.
> 
> Oddly enough, I don't get the message on my MacBook Pro. No matter what I do on the iMac (hub/no hub/nothing else plugged in) the message pops up. Certainly doesn't bother me.


----------



## shrisha

Have no issues on windows . Tried on Mac, works perfectly. No pop ups. Just plug and play.


----------



## Migou67

I have ordered a second one for a friend, after he listen on mine


----------



## mattgreenrocks

Been enjoying my D7 quite a bit on my Hackintosh. I went from an ALC889a to this for a small, but noticeable improvement on my Klipsch ProMedia's. I have zero issues with it. I love that I don't need a driver for it. This is the perfect little device for someone wading into audiophile waters. I can add an amp later if I wish, or just use the DAC + amp combo.
   
  I've yet to try headphones. One of these days, I'll give it a shot.


----------



## thrand1

Hi everyone,
   
  Was wondering if you could make an additional recommendation for me of sorts. I am thinking of getting the D7 for use at home only with my PC, but would also like an "on the go" solution from iBasso as well. I have a pair of Shure SRH-940s- fairly sensitive, not too hard of a load to drive.
   
  I was thinking of maybe getting a solution to upgrade my iPod sound at work. Does anyone on this thread have experience with the Pure iPod dock plus maybe the D12 Anaconda unit? I am wondering how much of a potential there is for upgraded sound from that.
   
  OR
   
  Should I just get something like the T5 plus a line-out cable for use with the iPod? I know there is a significant difference in cost between the two, but I didn't want to necessarily spend the money if using the Wolfson in the D12 wouldn't make much difference over the stock iPod DAC.
   
  Any other suggestions? Thoughts on the above combinations with my 940s? Thanks so much 
   
  -Tyler


----------



## burgunder

Has there been any info on what the gain is in the two settings, that you can choose from on the D7?


----------



## Migou67

If is the same as the D6 you can expect : +3/10dB


----------



## paulybatz

Yep, found listening nirvana finally LCD-2 rev1...P4 fed by the D7 DAC
   
  THANK YOU HEAD-FI


----------



## Terps Fan

Quote: 





paulybatz said:


> Yep, found listening nirvana finally LCD-2 rev1...P4 fed by the D7 DAC
> 
> THANK YOU HEAD-FI


 


 pauly,
   
   
  Can I get some headphone pron showing that set-up?  Thanks!
   
   
  (I bet that sounds kick ass)


----------



## paulybatz

post #45
   
  Here's the link TF...happy listening!!!
  Quote: 





terps fan said:


> pauly,
> 
> 
> Can I get some headphone pron showing that set-up?  Thanks!
> ...


----------



## burgunder

Do you find a big difference between the internal amp of the D7 and the P4?
  Quote: 





paulybatz said:


> Yep, found listening nirvana finally LCD-2 rev1...P4 fed by the D7 DAC
> 
> THANK YOU HEAD-FI


----------



## nullstring

Finding it very hard to decide between this DAC and it's competitors.
  No one seems to dislike their choice and finding comparisons seem to be very rare.
   
  If anyone has heard other similar DACs, please chime in! Thanks


----------



## Photogeo180

Any opinion about DACport compared to D7?
  Is it worth paying the double or the difference in the price is mainly because of more expensive production (made in USA vs made in China) and brand name?
  Anybody who had/has both?
  Thank you!


----------



## Photogeo180

The question was for *uelover*...it seems that I have to learn more about navigating and posting in various threads...sorry for that
   
  Just a newbie and wondering if  I can use the D7 with my Audioengine 2 powered speakers. (they do have RCA connectors and volume control).
  However the main use would be to replace my FiiO E10 and play with my Beyerdynamic DT880/250 and Sennheiser HD650.
  I have also posted a question about the D7 compared to the DACport.
  Your opinion and time are much appreciated.


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





photogeo180 said:


> The question was for *uelover*...it seems that I have to learn more about navigating and posting in various threads...sorry for that
> 
> Just a newbie and wondering if  I can use the D7 with my Audioengine 2 powered speakers. (they do have RCA connectors and volume control).
> However the main use would be to replace my FiiO E10 and play with my Beyerdynamic DT880/250 and Sennheiser HD650.
> ...


 

 Suddenly I saw my nick in blue. You mean 'is'? =)
   
  Yes you can use the D7 with your AE2 with a RCA cable. The RCA output on the D7 is not controlled by the volume knot on the D7 so you will only control the volume on your AE2.
   
  I didn't try the DACPort before so I can't comment on it but you will need to find a 1/4" connector to RCA cable which is not so common. I don't think anyone will be disappointed with choosing the D7 =)


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





photogeo180 said:


> Any opinion about DACport compared to D7? Is it worth paying the double or the difference in the price is mainly because of more expensive production (made in USA vs made in China) and brand name? Anybody who had/has both? Thank you!


 

 I'll chime in. I don't own the DACPort, but I have had a good deal of experience with it, and A/B'ed it against my D7. I do believe the DACPort has a blacker background, and a more neutral, less warm tonality. Personally, I prefer its sound to the D7's, but guess what, I have the D7 and not the DACPort! Why? For the following reasons: (1) the sound is close enough that I don't feel paying extra for a DACPort is worth it for me, personally, when I can just get an amp like the O2 and hook it up to the line-out of the D7 (kudos for its extra connectivity), (2) the D7 has <1 ohm output impedance, while the DACPort has to be factory-modded (for extra $$) to 1 ohm output, and with mostly IEMs and an easy-to-drive HD598 in my collection, it's easy for me to choose the D7, and (3) the lack of connectivity for the DACPort is a little bothersome.


----------



## nullstring

Quote: 





tomscy2000 said:


> I'll chime in. I don't own the DACPort, but I have had a good deal of experience with it, and A/B'ed it against my D7. I do believe the DACPort has a blacker background, and a more neutral, less warm tonality. Personally, I prefer its sound to the D7's, but guess what, I have the D7 and not the DACPort! Why? For the following reasons: (1) the sound is close enough that I don't feel paying extra for a DACPort is worth it for me, personally, when I can just get an amp like the O2 and hook it up to the line-out of the D7 (kudos for its extra connectivity), (2) the D7 has <1 ohm output impedance, while the DACPort has to be factory-modded (for extra $$) to 1 ohm output, and with mostly IEMs and an easy-to-drive HD598 in my collection, it's easy for me to choose the D7, and (3) the lack of connectivity for the DACPort is a little bothersome.


 

 Can you compare it to anything else? (The D7 that is)


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote: 





nullstring said:


> Can you compare it to anything else? (The D7 that is)


 

 In the same class of devices? The HUD-mx1, which isn't nearly as refined and is prone to sibilance (might change if you switch out to another opamp), and the TE7022L USB receiver has been well documented to lose bits (well, even the best can only get about 20 bits effective performance, but TE7022-based devices get a maximum of 16.X bits even in 24-bit mode, and this phenomenon has been well-documented). I haven't had experience with the HeadStreamer (though I really want to hear it) nor the Audioengine D1. I'd love to get something like a Grace Design m903, but that's not so portable, is it? I look forward to the ODAC, though.


----------



## tink97

Well my D7 has been shipped and now is within US customs...lol
   
  Tink97


----------



## Photogeo180

Thank you so much for your replies guys, newbie in headphones and forums (fora!) in general but it is more than clear that we have a very beautiful community here!


----------



## bluishgreen

Quote: 





photogeo180 said:


> However the main use would be to replace my FiiO E10 and play with my Beyerdynamic DT880/250 and Sennheiser HD650.


 

 I have the D7, E10 and DT880/250.  The D7 goes really well with the DT880, although the built-in amp of the D7 is somewhat quieter than that of the E10.  I don't really listen to music loudly, so it isn't an actual issue for me, but it could be more noticeable for someone who really likes loud music with the DT880 (but generally only for albums recorded/mixed poorly).  Of course, if you're using an external amp, then it doesn't matter--I sometimes use the JDSLabs C421 with the D7, which I really like a lot as a combo.  The D7 is a noticeable upgrade to the E10, although I wouldn't call it a huge difference.  The initial thing I noticed is the soundstage--not as much whether it is deeper or wider, but more that the D7 simply sounds more natural.  The E10 is really impressive for the money, although the soundstage sometimes sounded a bit artificial, with an almost reverb-like effect sometimes.  In contrast, the D7's soundstage just sounded more natural overall, and it also had slightly cleaner highs.  The D7's built-in amp is a tad warm--not a lot, but is noticeable since the DT880 is also a tad warm, so the two together add-up to a small yet detectable amount of warmth.


----------



## Photogeo180

Quote: 





uelover said:


> I didn't try the DACPort before so I can't comment on it but you will need to find a 1/4" connector to RCA cable which is not so common. I don't think anyone will be disappointed with choosing the D7 =)


 


 Just FYI...
  Probably they know it's hard to find so they made one that sells for $75.
  However (DACport with RCA cable)  vs  (D7) = $475 vs $200 (aprox)!
   
http://centrance.com/products/reserveseries/


----------



## kenji458

The information I received from iBasso of the D7's output power is as follows:
   
  165mW into 32ohm & 17.5mW into 300ohm
  Output impedence <1 ohm
   
  I'm new to amping but this figures basically means it's more suited to driving iems and hd25 amperior and the like, correct?
   
  Nevertheless, I've ordered the D7 mainly for functioning as my laptop's DAC and driving my SE535 LE and EX1000..


----------



## kafyan

I read somewhere that D7 does great with sensitive IEMs, so I bought one after selling my E7. Plugged into my IBM T420 the first time today, the noise was BAD!! Then, I tried with my MBP. A power warning popped up, but it still functions. It is definitely quieter than plugged into my PC, but there's still a noticeable hight pitch noise when the playback like is on. Does this happen to everyone with IEMs? Does it go away as it burns in?
   
  Thanks everyone! I'm so new to this...


----------



## BustyBloke

Quote: 





kafyan said:


> I read somewhere that D7 does great with sensitive IEMs, so I bought one after selling my E7. Plugged into my IBM T420 the first time today, the noise was BAD!! Then, I tried with my MBP. A power warning popped up, but it still functions. It is definitely quieter than plugged into my PC, but there's still a noticeable hight pitch noise when the playback like is on. Does this happen to everyone with IEMs? Does it go away as it burns in?
> 
> Thanks everyone! I'm so new to this...


 
   
  Yes, I get a terrible squeal too with most of my "sensitive" IEMs on the D7, but the Ety ER4S (insensitive IEM) is dead quiet as usual. I have tried it on 2 different laptops and 2 different desktops - same result.
   
  It is definitely in the amp section because I can go *Computer *--USB--> *D7* --Coaxial--> *FiiO E17 *--Headphone Out--> *SE535/SE425/W4/UM2* etc and there will be no squeal.
   
  I have been running my D7 for over a month straight now (I don't turn off my PC). The squeal is still there, so I doubt it will go away with burn in.


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





bustybloke said:


> Yes, I get a terrible squeal too with most of my "sensitive" IEMs on the D7, but the Ety ER4S (insensitive IEM) is dead quiet as usual. I have tried it on 2 different laptops and 2 different desktops - same result.
> 
> It is definitely in the amp section because I can go *Computer *--USB--> *D7* --Coaxial--> *FiiO E17 *--Headphone Out--> *SE535/SE425/W4/UM2* etc and there will be no squeal.
> 
> I have been running my D7 for over a month straight now (I don't turn off my PC). The squeal is still there, so I doubt it will go away with burn in.


 
   
  You're using the digital out of the D7, so you're bypassing the DAC too. You can't say it's only the amplifier then. It could be the DAC. It could be the analog power rails being dirty.
   
  To make sure it's really the amplifier, you'd have to isolate it from the rest of the circuit. Try that : Computer --USB--> D7 --_Line Out_--> FiiO E17 --Headphone Out--> Headphones
   
  That way, you will be using the DAC of the D7, but the amplifier of the E17. If you get the same noise, then the noise is not from the amplifier, but from the DAC. Heck, you could even plug your headphones directly into the Line Out jack at the front of the D7 to test that.
   
  My bet is the noise is from the analog power rails, so you will get the noise either ways.


----------



## kafyan

> Yes, I get a terrible squeal too with most of my "sensitive" IEMs on the D7, but the Ety ER4S (insensitive IEM) is dead quiet as usual. I have tried it on 2 different laptops and 2 different desktops - same result.


 
  Hmmm. It might be a deal-breaker for me. Sometimes the noise bugs the crap out of me. And the D7 screams when I plugged it into my T420.
   
   
   


> You're using the digital out of the D7, so you're bypassing the DAC too. You can't say it's only the amplifier then.


 
  Am I correct that signal goes to Xmos receiver chip --> DAC --> Amp then my headphones? I'm not really sure what all the jacks are on my D7 and which one bypass what. Help...


----------



## BustyBloke

Quote: 





kimlaroux said:


> You're using the digital out of the D7, so you're bypassing the DAC too. You can't say it's only the amplifier then. It could be the DAC. It could be the analog power rails being dirty.
> 
> To make sure it's really the amplifier, you'd have to isolate it from the rest of the circuit. Try that : Computer --USB--> D7 --_Line Out_--> FiiO E17 --Headphone Out--> Headphones
> 
> ...


 
   
  Thanks for the correction. Tried it through the D7 line out, no squeal. So that means it is not the DAC?
   
  On a related note, how good is the amp section in the D7 anyway?


----------



## kenji458

Ordered the D7 on Fri, shipped on Monday and received it on Tuesday..
   
  Just a minor issue, does any of the D7 users experience the music getting interrupted/"hiccups" for a few milliseconds, then resumes playing normally?
   
  Is it due to the usb cable or usb port?


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





kenji458 said:


> Ordered the D7 on Fri, shipped on Monday and received it on Tuesday..
> 
> Just a minor issue, does any of the D7 users experience the music getting interrupted/"hiccups" for a few milliseconds, then resumes playing normally?
> 
> Is it due to the usb cable or usb port?


 
   
  It should be due to your computer lagging.


----------



## Migou67

If you are under windows try to use foobar and change the output to ASIO, normaly this protocol is installed with the USB driver for the D7
  Please give also more information about your computer, OS and player used ...


----------



## kenji458

Using windows 7 64 bit & foobar.. didnt download the aiso component though..
  laptop using Q9100 cpu with 4 gb ram..
  yup think most prob it's due to my com lagging..


----------



## Migou67

Quote: 





kenji458 said:


> Using windows 7 64 bit & foobar.. didnt download the aiso component though..
> laptop using Q9100 cpu with 4 gb ram..
> yup think most prob it's due to my com lagging..


 
   
  I have only used it under Winxp, but you have a 4 core processor CPU at more than 2 Ghz, this is largely enough to support a USB 2.0 troughput of 5 Mb/s for you audio card. ( FLAC files are usually at ~ 1Mb/s)

 Try to install Asio4all : http://www.asio4all.com/

 Windows 7 is supported : Combined 32/64 bit version, supports Win 98SE/ME/2k/XP/MCE/2003/XP64 and Vista/Windows 7 x86/x64

 Do you have installed the Ibasso driver ? : http://www.ibasso.com/en/download/index.asp

 Under Foobar change the output to ASIO4ALL, in the property panel of ASIO4all activate/select your XMOS USB Audio card , hope this will help.


----------



## KimLaroux

Quote: 





bustybloke said:


> Thanks for the correction. Tried it through the D7 line out, no squeal. So that means it is not the DAC?
> 
> On a related note, how good is the amp section in the D7 anyway?


 
   
  Yeah I would say this means the squeal comes from the amplifier itself. That's good news actually. At least the problem is not on the power rails. You can still use the D7 as a DAC without issues.


----------



## kenji458

I've got another newbie question, as it's my first time getting an external DAC..
  After connecting the iem to the dac, is it normal to hear a 'pop' sound when switching on/off the DAC? Would it damage the iem?
   
  If no, what is the correct procedure?


----------



## HiFlight

kenji458 said:


> I've got another newbie question, as it's my first time getting an external DAC..
> After connecting the iem to the dac, is it normal to hear a 'pop' sound when switching on/off the DAC? Would it damage the iem?
> 
> If no, what is the correct procedure?




That is normal. It happens with many amps to a greater or lesser degree. It will not damage your IEM's, but if it is uncomfortable, you can just plug them in after turning on your D7.


----------



## Posam

Quote: 





hiflight said:


> That is normal. It happens with many amps to a greater or lesser degree. It will not damage your IEM's, but if it is uncomfortable, you can just plug them in after turning on your D7.


 
   
  Or just not put them in until after you turn it on.


----------



## Solitary1

Quote: 





stuckonsound said:


> I came across a nice review.
> 
> http://yklee118.blogspot.com/2012/02/ibasso-d7-dac-review.html


 
  Great review!


----------



## Chuke

I just got my D7 yesterday and had the same driver issues a lot of people experienced (Code 10 error..hardware not installed properly).  I'm running XP Pro (SP3) on my work laptop and I couldn't get the iBasso driver to load.  There is an updated driver on iBasso's website dated 4/25/12, but it's a .raf file and I couldn't get it to run either.  Based on a couple suggestions in this thread, I downloaded CEntrance's driver and got my D7 to work this morning.  Their driver is a self-executing file and it loaded itself without issues. 
   
  I only listened to the D7 for about a minute but it seemed to drive my HD600s pretty well on the low gain setting.  I only had the volume at 1 o'clock and was getting good spl with full, controlled bass. 
   
  Looking forward to more listening...
   
  Thanks to everyone for their help with the driver issues.  All seems to be working well with CEntrance's universal driver.


----------



## 3MaJ

I've just discovered a strange issue with my D7. Tried to search if anyone experienced something similar, but couldn't find anything...
   
  The thing is that I've been using it for 2 months with my Senn 650, and its background noise is completely inaudible.
  However, when I attach the line-out to my newly built Bottlehead Crack, the noise (most probably gathered from the PC through USB power) is quite noticable (even moving a mouse on a PC results in quiet but still audible "beeep"). I've tried with a self-powered USB hub, but the situation remained the same. And the problem is not on the Crack's side - when I short both channels with the ground on Crack - I can't hear a thing.
   
  Now I assume I should build a USB isolator to fix this, but I'm *really *puzzled - how come that I don't hear such noise when using it as a DAC+AMP, but I can hear it very well when using it as a DAC only?
   
  Any help is more than welcome!


----------



## KimLaroux

What if you plug headphones directly to the line out of the D7? Can you still get some noise then? You'd have to use some sensitive headphones for this test to be relevant though.


----------



## Migou67

I'm using the D7 connected directly to my laptop and the line out is feeding a LD MKIII with the HD-650 plugged in and no hiss for me. Very quiet.
   
  The background noise can come from lots of different source that is not easy to find. Tries to place the DAC differently, as far from the Crack, the PC. You should also use good audio cables (it does not mean very expensive). I think that tubes are also sensitive or they emit more electromagnetic field. I'm not sure in what sense.


----------



## 3MaJ

Yes, I can hear the same noise by plugging-in my earbuds into the line-out.
  And if I connect D7 to a laptop, there is no line-out noise, probably since the laptop's USB port is battery powered.
  D7 on a self-powered USB hub, without my HTPC connected as a host - no noise. As soon as I connect the host to the USB hub, the noise is back.
   
  All this regardless if Crack is connected or not, if RCA cables are connected or not, etc.
   
  So it's probably due to poor power supply unit of my HTPC, or interference  
   
  Anyway, I'll order the USB isolator kit and try to fix the problem that way.


----------



## Foxjam

With the new driver I can now use the D7 with Windows 8!  Glad I didn't sell it (although I tried)!


----------



## uelover

Quote: 





foxjam said:


> With the new driver I can now use the D7 with Windows 8!  Glad I didn't sell it *(although I tried)*!


----------



## musedesign

Quote: 





bluishgreen said:


> Interesting--I just updated to OSX 10.7.3, and the problem seems to be fixed, for the most part:
> 
> If I turn it off-and-on relatively close together (like 10 seconds or so) it occurs every other time, rather than every time.
> If I wait a minute or so before turning it on again, then it doesn't seem to happen at all.
> ...


 
   
  Hi All, Just got the D7, first time I plugged into my MacBook Pro, got "the" error message.  Is the only fix to upgrade to 10.7?  
  Thanks !


----------



## vigotone

Just want to bump this thread to say I just ordered one and am very excited.  I've been loving my new Ultimate Ears Custom Reference Monitors, but the NuForce iDac2 I used them with feels like it's lacking.  Too much sibilance, which it sounds like the D7 will improve upon.  Can't wait!


----------



## bluishgreen

Quote: 





musedesign said:


> Hi All, Just got the D7, first time I plugged into my MacBook Pro, got "the" error message.  Is the only fix to upgrade to 10.7?
> Thanks !


 
   
  The update I did was only from 10.7.2 to 10.7.3, so it had nothing to do with upgrading to 10.7 in general.  In any case, the issue came-back just a couple days later, so the update didn't really do anything in the end, and it was apparently just a coincidence that it didn't occur for a day or so.


----------



## Foxjam

Every once in a while my D7 goes crazy and the sound gets all garbled and distorted.  The also sounds like it is actually slowed down as well.  This has happened when using the line out to my stereo and with my headphones.  This happens with Spotify and with iTunes.  Any ideas?  When I turn it off and turn it back on it usually works but this can be very annoying.


----------



## darinf

I ordered a D7 on June 21st. It should arrive tomorrow. 6 days from China to California, not bad, but I thought it would have arrived faster. It sat in Shenzhen, China for 3 days...
   
  Is there a difference between the analog output RCA connectors on the back and the line out output on the front? I assume they are both fixed line level outputs?
   
  I want to connect it to an amp and speakers. I assume I can use something like this:
SM Pro Audio Nano Patch + Passive Volume Attenuator
  
  as a passive preamp.
   
  I can't wait to see what a difference the D7 makes over using the headphone output on my laptop...
   
  Are there any issues with getting the D7 to work on Windows 7 64-bit? Do I just install the 1.48.0 version driver from the iBasso website?


----------



## Tolu

Has anyone an idea why the playback LED doesn't shine?


----------



## darinf

Quote: 





foxjam said:


> Every once in a while my D7 goes crazy and the sound gets all garbled and distorted.  The also sounds like it is actually slowed down as well.  This has happened when using the line out to my stereo and with my headphones.  This happens with Spotify and with iTunes.  Any ideas?  When I turn it off and turn it back on it usually works but this can be very annoying.


 

 I just got mine today and the same thing happens with mine. But I am using Foobar2000 on Windows 7 64-bit. For me, this is happening fairly regularly. I don't have to turn it off though. Once I switch to another playlist in Foobar, the playback LED turns off and then on again and the sound is back to normal.
   
  The bummer is that this will happen as much as every 5 to 15 minutes.
   
  I also noticed that during playback, the sound will have a "glitch" or brief drop out of the sound but resume. It only lasts a fraction of a second, but it's very noticeable. I can hear a glitch about every 30 to 60 seconds.
   
  I tried using the ASIO4All output as well as the DS:Speaker (XMOS) setting. Both do the same thing. This happens regardless of the bitrate of the source material. It happens with 44.1/16bit all the way up to 192/24 files.
   
  Any ideas on what could be causing these issues?


----------



## darinf

Quote: 





darinf said:


> I also noticed that during playback, the sound will have a "glitch" or brief drop out of the sound but resume. It only lasts a fraction of a second, but it's very noticeable. I can hear a glitch about every 30 to 60 seconds.


 
   
  I installed Foobar and the D7 drivers on a different PC (a desktop instead of my laptop) running Windows 7 64-bit and everything is working much better. So far, no garbled sound.
   
  The "glitches" or drop outs are much reduced. However, I can tell that the playback seems to be very sensitive to other tasks or activity running on the same PC. If I am copying files in the background, that will cause glitches in the playback. It seems to be more sensitive when playing back higher bitrate files such as 192k/24bit files.
   
  I also notice more glitches if I am playing back files from my NAS server even though I am on a gigabit network. I would have thought even 192/24 files would be no problem over the network. I can play 1080p movies no problem from the same NAS on the same network...
   
  So it looks like there's nothing wrong with my D7, I just have to make sure nothing else is running on the computer that is playing the music.
   
  Does anyone else have the same problem with background activity?


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





tolu said:


> Has anyone an idea why the playback LED doesn't shine?


 
   
  it doesnt lit even when audio is playing?
   
  Quote: 





darinf said:


> I installed Foobar and the D7 drivers on a different PC (a desktop instead of my laptop) running Windows 7 64-bit and everything is working much better. So far, no garbled sound.
> 
> The "glitches" or drop outs are much reduced. However, I can tell that the playback seems to be very sensitive to other tasks or activity running on the same PC. If I am copying files in the background, that will cause glitches in the playback. It seems to be more sensitive when playing back higher bitrate files such as 192k/24bit files.
> 
> ...


 
   
  have you tried WASAPI or the ASIO that came with the driver with high process priority option?


----------



## darinf

Quote: 





indiescent said:


> have you tried WASAPI or the ASIO that came with the driver with high process priority option?


 
   
  I already had it set to ASIO4All with high process priority on both my laptop and my desktop. Same problem. (Same behavior when I wasn't using ASIO.)
   
  I just tried WASAPI on my desktop and it actually seemed worse. What "output data format" do I use for WASAPI? 24-bit?
   
  (BTW, my playback LED lights up when music is playing.)


----------



## RodSmith

Quote: 





darinf said:


> I already had it set to ASIO4All with high process priority on both my laptop and my desktop. Same problem. (Same behavior when I wasn't using ASIO.)
> 
> I just tried WASAPI on my desktop and it actually seemed worse. What "output data format" do I use for WASAPI? 24-bit?
> 
> (BTW, my playback LED lights up when music is playing.)


 
   


 Darinf, what spec is the laptop? What cpu/ram does it have? How many apps are you running? Remember if you exceed the total available ram your app's will be swapped to disk and this extra disk activity will impede the playback of your music files.
   
  I'm using a c2d 2.4ghz, 4GB, windows 7 32bit and I haven't had any of the issue you have raised even with 24/192 files.
   
  Forgot to add: I'm using VLC for playback.


----------



## darinf

Quote: 





rodsmith said:


> Darinf, what spec is the laptop? What cpu/ram does it have? How many apps are you running? Remember if you exceed the total available ram your app's will be swapped to disk and this extra disk activity will impede the playback of your music files.
> 
> I'm using a c2d 2.4ghz, 4GB, windows 7 32bit and I haven't had any of the issue you have raised even with 24/192 files.


 

 I am using an HP laptop:
  C2D T7800 2.6GHz with 4GB or RAM (5.9 Windows Experience Index)
  Windows 7 64-bit
   
  Part of the problem was definitely my NAS. I also realized that my laptop was recording TV shows in Windows Media Center in the background. I have not tested it yet after disabling the TV recording.
  I should upgrade to more RAM. But even with the TV recording running, I have 2034MB of RAM available.
   
  Also, when playing the same audio files over the network in Foobar using the built-in audio output, I don't get any drop-outs or glitches.
   
  On my desktop:
  i5 3.2GHz with 4GB of RAM
  Windows 7 64-bit
   
  On the desktop, as long as the files are on a local hard drive, everything plays back smoothly even if I am copying files, etc. Once I try to play files over the network, then I get some drop outs.


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





darinf said:


> I am using an HP laptop:
> C2D T7800 2.6GHz with 4GB or RAM (5.9 Windows Experience Index)
> Windows 7 64-bit
> 
> ...


 
   
  if that the case please try this on foobar.
  go to preference setup> advanced>playback
  try put 500000 on full file buffering, restart foobar and see if issue still persist.


----------



## RodSmith

Quote: 





darinf said:


> I am using an HP laptop:
> C2D T7800 2.6GHz with 4GB or RAM (5.9 Windows Experience Index)
> Windows 7 64-bit
> 
> ...


 
   
  Quote: 





indiescent said:


> it doesnt lit even when audio is playing?
> 
> 
> have you tried WASAPI or the ASIO that came with the driver with high process priority option?


 
   
  If the buffering doesn't cure it you could always try vlc. I play files stored on my HP microserver (gigabit network) which has vpn/utorrent/jdownloader doing their thang and I haven't had any of the issues you are suffering.


----------



## darinf

Quote: 





rodsmith said:


> If the buffering doesn't cure it you could always try vlc. I play files stored on my HP microserver (gigabit network) which has vpn/utorrent/jdownloader doing their thang and I haven't had any of the issues you are suffering.


 
   
  Quote: 





indiescent said:


> if that the case please try this on foobar.
> go to preference setup> advanced>playback
> try put 500000 on full file buffering, restart foobar and see if issue still persist.


 
   
   
  File buffering didn't help on my laptop, but on my desktop, it works much better. Now I can stream over the network without any issues.
   
  I will still have to figure out what's going on on the laptop.
   
  Does VLC playback the audio the same as Foobar? I use VLC all the time to watch video.
  (I tried VLC on the laptop. Same problem with the FLAC files. However, I can watch a 1080p mkv movie over the network in VLC with much fewer audio problems on the D7.)
   
  Thanks for all the help!


----------



## RodSmith

Quote: 





darinf said:


> Does VLC playback the audio the same as Foobar?


 
   
  I've not used foobar. In vlc when playing a song if you go the tools codec information it will tell you the format its using. If that answers your question.


----------



## Foxjam

For me the sound went crazy when only the audio was playing and no other apps or programs.  Quite annoying when listening with high volume through me stereo.  Also sounds like it's going to hurt my speakers.  This didn't happen for me when I had the previous firmware version but only the new firmware version works on Windows 8.  For some reason it seems to happen less often when I'm using my headphones.  Just something I have to live with I guess.


----------



## darinf

Quote: 





foxjam said:


> For me the sound went crazy when only the audio was playing and no other apps or programs.  Quite annoying when listening with high volume through me stereo.  Also sounds like it's going to hurt my speakers.  This didn't happen for me when I had the previous firmware version but only the new firmware version works on Windows 8.  For some reason it seems to happen less often when I'm using my headphones.  Just something I have to live with I guess.


 

 Mine was going distorted on my laptop very often. So often, that I could rarely get through a 4 minute song! Totally unacceptable. However, this has not happened on my desktop computer. So for now, I can just use my desktop. Ultimately when I have more time, I will have to troubleshoot the laptop.
   
  I have been using the most recent driver since I thought I had to use that version if I am running Windows 7 64-bit. Maybe I should try the older driver instead.
   
  I have my headphones and an amplifier connected the whole time at the same time.


----------



## darinf

Quote: 





darinf said:


> Mine was going distorted on my laptop very often. So often, that I could rarely get through a 4 minute song! Totally unacceptable. However, this has not happened on my desktop computer. So for now, I can just use my desktop. Ultimately when I have more time, I will have to troubleshoot the laptop.
> 
> I have been using the most recent driver since I thought I had to use that version if I am running Windows 7 64-bit. Maybe I should try the older driver instead.


 
  I decided to try uninstalling the 1.48 driver and installing the 1.22 driver.
   
  The 1.22 driver works much better on my laptop. I will see how long it lasts, but for now, I have been playing 192/24 FLAC files over my network without any problems. With the 1.48 driver, the sound would have gone distorted or had drop outs many times by now.


----------



## IndieScent

Quote: 





darinf said:


> I decided to try uninstalling the 1.48 driver and installing the 1.22 driver.
> 
> The 1.22 driver works much better on my laptop. I will see how long it lasts, but for now, I have been playing 192/24 FLAC files over my network without any problems. With the 1.48 driver, the sound would have gone distorted or had drop outs many times by now.


 

 i forgot to ask this before, but did you tried to increase the buffer size on the driver?


----------



## RodSmith

*darinf* , I should of said that I'm using the old driver as the new one failed when I tried to install it.


----------



## Migou67

Under Linux I have no problems at all and my friend under XP SP3 with the latest driver play well also in ASIO with Foobar. Both are old computers with a Core 2 Duo CPU.

 No hiss, no drop and no distortion, both D7 are connected on studio monitors.


----------



## Foxjam

I just put the Windows 8 Release Preview on my laptop so I had to reinstall the new driver and it seems better now.  The last listening session I had was about an hour and a half and it only went crazy on me once.  Still an annoyance but it's worth it to me.  I think I'll try increasing the buffer as well.  Haven't tried that yet.


----------



## sbattalio

Hello all! I've been digging around all over the place and found some information regarding my issue in this thread but was hoping I could get a bit more information.  Sorry if this information is already available.
   
  I recently got the D7 and am really excited to start using it, but I'm running into some issues.  I have a 2011 macbook air and every time I plug in/power on thae d7, i get an error message.  It is my understanding form this thread that this isnt an issue and I can ignore the error message.  My problem is that I cannot get (either in my sound preferences or Audio MIDI setup) the D7 driver recognized, and so I have no idea how to play music from this thing.  I tried downloading the driver from the ibasso website only to find .exe files.  I'm wondering if there is anything I'm missing.  
   
  As a side note, I'm wondering if I will be able to (once I have the driver set up and recognized on my computer) play music through spotify premium > dac > etc?
   
  Thanks guys! Again I apologize because I'm pretty new to all this stuff


----------



## palm101

First time posting.
   
  Tested one at the shops. The one at the shop caused an "drawing too much power" error on an "early 2011 MacBook Pro". XMOS USB Audio 2.0 appeared in System Preference after about 10 seconds. No problems with actual usage.
   
  The one I bought didn't exhibit this problem. Perhaps a new firmware or new revision.
   
  Just my 2 cents worth.


----------



## Migou67

Try to use it with a powered USB hub, may be not enough power with the Macbook Air, no drivers required for OSX and Linux.
  Quote: 





sbattalio said:


> Hello all! I've been digging around all over the place and found some information regarding my issue in this thread but was hoping I could get a bit more information.  Sorry if this information is already available.
> 
> I recently got the D7 and am really excited to start using it, but I'm running into some issues.  I have a 2011 macbook air and every time I plug in/power on thae d7, i get an error message.  It is my understanding form this thread that this isnt an issue and I can ignore the error message.  My problem is that I cannot get (either in my sound preferences or Audio MIDI setup) the D7 driver recognized, and so I have no idea how to play music from this thing.  I tried downloading the driver from the ibasso website only to find .exe files.  I'm wondering if there is anything I'm missing.
> 
> ...


----------



## sbattalio

Thanks for the answers! I was considering a USB hub, but I'd like to avoid it if possible, just because it would be pretty inconvenient while traveling.  Not the end of the world I guess.  It seems strange that the macbook air wouldn't be able to power it, considering it has 3.0 usbs. Granted I'm not sure how much that has to do with anything lol. But you guys are saying that even with the error message, the d7 should be recognized by system preferences after about 10 seconds?


----------



## sbattalio

So I just tried plugging it into my imac which is pretty new, has updated software and should have usb's powerful enough to drive this thing.  Still, I get the same result.  I plug it in, turn it on, get an error message about power, and the thing isn't recognized by system preferences > sound or Audio MIDI.  I also have a powered USB hub I found and it isn't working either.  No error message, the D7 light still turns on so it is being fed power, but it is not being recognized by either the iMac or the air.  Am I missing some sort of step?  I'm simply plugging it in and turning it on, but maybe I've skipped something?


----------



## sbattalio

for some reason it is now working, but only now that I've tried the longer usb interconnect.  could it be that the short one was defective?


----------



## Migou67

Yes its looks like it's defective, it does not matter, enjoy your new DAC


----------



## desertblues

Quote: 





sbattalio said:


> for some reason it is now working, but only now that I've tried the longer usb interconnect.  could it be that the short one was defective?


 
   
  I have had no problems using my D7 with my imac since switching to the longer usb interconnect, and the error message shows up once in a while but has no effect on anything. I have the D7 connected to a Bellari HA540 tube amp via the rca outs and the synergy is simply amazing! For less than $500 I have a dac/tube amp combo that is world-class (we have done some side by side comparisons with much more expensive rigs). FWIW I think the D7 is an excellent and versatile dac, and the amp section is quite capable as well. Have fun with the D7!


----------



## sbattalio

I'm really very impressed with the DAC portion of the D7 so far, although I haven't really listened to the amp at all.   D7 >  RSA p-51 Mustang > ultrasone pro 900s sounds amazing.  The most noticeable changes since adding the D7 have been a reduction of sibilance, slight tightening of the bass, and the recessed mids becoming slightly more forward.  Without the D7, I found the sibilance to be so bad it was almost painful at times, especially on certain recordings.  It really has done a great job at smoothing them out, while leaving all the great detail i was accustomed to.  Bass also seems to have become slightly more controlled, and the mids seem slightly less recessed (maybe just that the highs and lows are less out of control).  It seems like all of the weaknesses of the 900s have been minimized by the DAC.  Not to mention there is a definite improvement in soundstage and imaging.  I've also listened to my M-audio AV40s through the DAC and it was a very nice change.  Soundstage become much deeper and wider, and imaging so was MUCH better.  Where before  the av40s gave me a good idea of the general area where each member of a band was positioned or something along those lines.  With the D7 implemented everything has fallen into place.  Now I can distinguish that the singer is more up front, drummer farther back, things of that nature.  
   
  I should  note though that I have been listening to mainly 320kbps through spotify premium, and so I haven't taken full advantage of the 24bit/192khz capabilities.  Can any of you guys recommend a good quality flac recording for me to listen to?
   
  I'm also curious as I have been reading up on this thing and I have't found much information on burn in of the DAC alone, AMP section not included.  I've had my DAC burning in for probably close to 30 hours now and I'm wondering if I should see any more drastic changes?  Is there a DAC burn in time?
   
  The D7 is my first DAC, before I'd been relying on my laptop and iPhone DAC's.  I didn't know what to expect with adding one but I've very pleasantly surprised by how large a difference it has made.  I would highly highly recommend this thing to anyone who wants an affordable and portable DAC.  Can't really speak for the amp though.


----------



## schuetz

Works without any issue on a GoFlex hacked with Archlinux ARM + mpd music server + samba server or NFS server.
  Here is the output of alsa-info.sh script: http://www.alsa-project.org/db/?f=aecfbafb8a702769a429d8d3f4cf568e01dfd16a


----------



## kwatch

Can anyone compare D7 Sidewinder to Audioengine D1?


----------



## clone1008

Nice write up!


----------



## Leobrioschi

Hey guys, sorry to bump it up, but i was thinking about getting the D7 as my first dac.

 But i've been reading the posts, and it seems some notebooks have some problems with it, mainly with delivering enough power through USB. I don't have a desktop anymore, so i'm kinda worried it won't work at all.. I also don't have any USB 3.0 on my notebook(which usually are able to drive more power...) 

 any thoughts/ideas?


----------



## Migou67

Normaly you can use a powered usb hub to avoid this problem, maybe be you dont have this issue, for what I remember some persons just receive a warning and can use the DAC normally. I don't have this problem on my "old" laptop.


----------



## Leobrioschi

Quote: 





migou67 said:


> Normaly you can use a powered usb hub to avoid this problem, maybe be you dont have this issue, for what I remember some persons just receive a warning and can use the DAC normally. I don't have this problem on my "old" laptop.


 
  Thanks! I deff need a usb hub anyway... (my notebook has an eSata port, so they only put 2 usb ports...)


----------



## sbattalio

Quote: 





fud4ever said:


> d7 good match for ultrasone pro 900s (40 ohm)? read somewhere ibasso sounds good with ultrasones. anyone confirm/deny? ty


 
  YES! The D7's amp section is on the warmer side, and it totally mellows out some of the sibilance and piercing quality the highs can have.  Mids sound great, clear, totally enjoyable (and I also have a p-51 mustang, which is known for its mids, and its totally competitive in this regard).  I find the D7 actually makes the pro 900s not fatiguing at all, which definitely wasn't the case before. 
   
  For the first  few hours of play, the bass was so uncontrolled and overpowering that the headphones were shaking on my head. To hear any definition I had to HOLD them steady lol, and even then it was boomy.  But after a few hours it calmed down and the bass sounds fantastic.  The soundstage also sounds amazing after burn in as well, really really impressive.


----------



## stuckonsound

Quote: 





leobrioschi said:


> Hey guys, sorry to bump it up, but i was thinking about getting the D7 as my first dac.
> 
> But i've been reading the posts, and it seems some notebooks have some problems with it, mainly with delivering enough power through USB. I don't have a desktop anymore, so i'm kinda worried it won't work at all.. I also don't have any USB 3.0 on my notebook(which usually are able to drive more power...)
> 
> any thoughts/ideas?


 
  On the macbooks it gives a message when you first turn on the D7, but it doesn't interfere with the units performance. Actually I've used my D7 on one port, while charging and using my iphone as a mobile hotspot on the other. No problems. I think it creates a temporary current surge when you first turn it on. Maybe it's charging the capacitors?


----------



## Leobrioschi

Quote: 





stuckonsound said:


> On the macbooks it gives a message when you first turn on the D7, but it doesn't interfere with the units performance. Actually I've used my D7 on one port, while charging and using my iphone as a mobile hotspot on the other. No problems. I think it creates a temporary current surge when you first turn it on. Maybe it's charging the capacitors?


 
  Yeah i read that, but i don't have a mac, and "win" laptops are built in variety of ways, different motherboards, powersupplies/battery and i'm a bit worried it won't play well with my laptop (an old Dell Studio 14) anyway i'm almost set with it, just waiting a bit to optmize my finance... 

 Good thing about macs is that their hardware is pretty much "standarized" so if it works with someone, it must work in someone's else if it was released in the same year (even if they are different models, they still are much alike)


----------



## uelover

If I am not wrong, the error message only appears on Mac and not on Windows. Mac will pop up a warning whenever a USB device draws more than 500mah current but its USB port is able to supply more than 2000mah when required.


----------



## nehcrow

Crap, I broke my volume knob... now I've only got a stick lol


----------



## stuckonsound

Quote: 





nehcrow said:


> Crap, I broke my volume knob... now I've only got a stick lol


 
  Do you mean the knob came off, or did it actually break? If it just came off there is allen screw that just needs to be tightened.


----------



## nehcrow

Quote: 





stuckonsound said:


> Do you mean the knob came off, or did it actually break? If it just came off there is allen screw that just needs to be tightened.


 
  It just came off, thanks for info man, thought I had to return for a repair
  So the screw would be inside the enclosure right, it just needs an allen key to tighten it?


----------



## dannytang

I connecting the D7 to my iPad 2 and iPhone 4S (jailbroken with CameraConnector installed) today using the CCK and a powered USB hub. While it worked, it was different from other DACs I've tried, namely the Nuforce uDAC and Headstage/Headphonia USB DAC cable (new version). Normally the volume is controlled by the external DAC/AMP setup, but with the D7, the iPad maintains control of the volume (volume slider in music app) and turning the volume knob does on the D7 nothing. This happens with both the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S. I was wondering if anyone could comment on this.


----------



## darinf

Quote: 





dannytang said:


> I connecting the D7 to my iPad 2 and iPhone 4S (jailbroken with CameraConnector installed) today using the CCK and a powered USB hub. While it worked, it was different from other DACs I've tried, namely the Nuforce uDAC and Headstage/Headphonia USB DAC cable (new version). Normally the volume is controlled by the external DAC/AMP setup, but with the D7, the iPad maintains control of the volume (volume slider in music app) and turning the volume knob does on the D7 nothing. This happens with both the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S. I was wondering if anyone could comment on this.


 

 According to all the information I could find in this thread and other sites, I was under the impression that the D7 will not work with the iPad or iPhone using the CCK and a powered hub.
   
  You got it to work? Cool. Are you using a genuine Apple CCK or a generic one? I am going to get a CCK and try it...
   
  As far as the volume goes, which output are you using to connect your headphones? I think the "line out" will be a fixed level so the D7 volume knob will not have any effect. The same goes for the analog out RCA connectors on the back. The only output that the volume knob works is the "phone" out on the front. Is that the output you're using?


----------



## dannytang

thanks for pointing that out, I may have plugged my IEM's into the line out my accident, I just tried it again and made sure I plugged it into the headphone out and the volume knob works fine now! And the volume slider in the music app can control volume still, so dual control! As for the CCK, I have the genuine Apple CCK. The whole process is very much hit and miss... I had to connect, disconnect, reconnect and restart the music app a few times to get it to recognize the D7, but it does work for me!


----------



## Thraex

Regarding best sound quality and best possible source (24 bit files) streaming to iPad, with iBasso D7 I've obtained a significative sound upgrade changing from iTunes Home Sharing to Logitech Media Server + iPeng player (no need to have a Logitech device to work), the latter is also able to play 24 bit-perfect Flacs and the interface is better than stock iPad music player.
PlugPayer and UPnP server always downsample in the chain to 16 bits.

The D7 sounds better with iPad + CCK + battery powered USB Hubs (note not any USB chargers pas data too, Y split cable eventually needed) than any USB port of a notebook/computer tested, and you've to mess so much with OSs settings to become crazy and it's nearly impossible to have a clean power feeding the USB Dac.
For the same clean power reason which attects sound quality, I've rouled out non battery powered USB Hubs.
With batteries you've also a portable (maybe not pocketable) system.

With iPad, without a portable storage wi-fi device able to 24bit perfect streaming (until now none confirmed working without downsampling), we're still limited by its internal storage capacity or by wi-fi coverage.

Look here if you're really interested in sound quality 24 bit-perfect portable configs with iDevices http://www.head-fi.org/t/625493/ipad-with-24-bit-files-high-storage-capacity-portability-which-configuration-works-without-downsampling#post_8667839 .


----------



## Solitary1

Well, my D7 died on me last night. I  was swItching over to my Window 7 in BOOTCAMP. I restarted came back Mountain Lion, no sound. It power on, and the payback LED show it see a signal, but no audio with line out or headphone amp. Just i emailed them. I have had my D7 for 8 months.


----------



## Dha6892

Hi,
  I am still new to this and I don`t know much about technical details. However, is there a way to modify the IBasso D7 so that it can be portable and compatible with Iphone?
  I have been using the D7 for 5 months and I am very impressed. I will be traveling a lot in the upcoming months so I will not be able to carry my laptop around all the time.


----------



## dannytang

Quote: 





dha6892 said:


> Hi,
> I am still new to this and I don`t know much about technical details. However, is there a way to modify the IBasso D7 so that it can be portable and compatible with Iphone?
> I have been using the D7 for 5 months and I am very impressed. I will be traveling a lot in the upcoming months so I will not be able to carry my laptop around all the time.


 
   
  If you want to use it with your iPhone, you'll need jailbreak it and install "CameraConnector" on it. You'll also need the Camera Connection Kit (CCK) and a powered USB hub. You would connect USB hub into the iPhone via the CCK and the D7 into the USB hub. I confirmed this to be a working solution for me back in August, but I used it in that configuration since then and no longer have a jailbroken iPhone to test it anymore.


----------



## Leveler

Has anybody been able to compare the D7 with the Audioengine D1? just from reading the iBasso sounds better, but I would rather see a direct comparison
   
  thanks
   
  Diego


----------



## adamlr

Quote: 





leveler said:


> Has anybody been able to compare the D7 with the Audioengine D1? just from reading the iBasso sounds better, but I would rather see a direct comparison
> 
> thanks
> 
> Diego


 

 +1
   
  i have found many positive reviews for the d1, and also one or two reviews of the d7, but i couldnt find a comparison.


----------



## Leveler

BTW, does anyone know if it would pair well with V moda M80?, other phones I have are SRH440 and philips citiscape uptown


----------



## Solitary1

Have anybody compare the D7 with ODAC?


----------



## CPhoenix

Quote: 





solitary1 said:


> Have anybody compare the D7 with ODAC?


 
  Bump, I'm really interested in this as well.


----------



## tomscy2000

FYI, iBasso released the V1.61 of the Thesycon TUSB driver for the XMOS chip... this is probably old news, but I didn't notice it until now.
   
  I don't notice any improvements in stability or support over V1.48, but it wouldn't hurt to upgrade.


----------



## CJG888

Quote: 





thraex said:


> Regarding best sound quality and best possible source (24 bit files) streaming to iPad, with iBasso D7 I've obtained a significative sound upgrade changing from iTunes Home Sharing to Logitech Media Server + iPeng player (no need to have a Logitech device to work), the latter is also able to play 24 bit-perfect Flacs and the interface is better than stock iPad music player.
> PlugPayer and UPnP server always downsample in the chain to 16 bits.
> 
> The D7 sounds better with iPad + CCK + battery powered USB Hubs (note not any USB chargers pas data too, Y split cable eventually needed) than any USB port of a notebook/computer tested, and you've to mess so much with OSs settings to become crazy and it's nearly impossible to have a clean power feeding the USB Dac.
> ...


 
   
  I have assembled a portable (well, transportable) rig around the following:
   
  iPad2 / Chinese "unofficial" CCK powered hub and card reader / D7 / ZY Cable SPC interconnect / P4 / either HD25 or Shure SE425
   
  At present, I am powering the USB hub with an Eneloop KBC-E1A USB booster (normally for recharging mobile phones on the go, powered by two 1.2V rechargeable cells). With the P4 in circuit, it works perfectly. Today, however, I tried using the D7 on its own in a more portable configuration with the SE425s. Unfortunately, after about 30 seconds, I could hear a loud ticking noise, which was independent of the volume setting. I presume this has something to do with voltage conversion within the USB booster. Using a switch-mode USB power supply (wall wart) I could hear a significant noise floor, which was quite obtrusive. Finally, I tried plugging the D7 into my laptop. This was worst of all, with a cacophony of power supply noises distracting from the music. At all times, the gain switch was set to "low". As an experiment, I connected the IEMs directly to the line out socket, and found a clean signal without the aforementioned noise problems.
   
  Clearly, the headphone amp section is extremely sensitive to PSU quality. Do you know where I can order a battery-powered USB hub which offers clean power, not regenerated from a lower voltage with the consequent "noises off"?


----------



## CJG888

Today, I tried using my D7 as a USB to SPDIF converter in my PC system. Using a Lenovo T400 with the supplied drivers installed (from the CD ROM in the box), I connected the D7 using the iBasso stock (long) cable to the USB port directly connected to the motherboard. The SPDIF output was hooked up in turn to the Little Dot DAC_1 and the TeraDak V3.1D. Music files (FLAC and AIFF) were played via Foobar2000.
   
  Whilst the sound was a notable step up from the USB inputs of both DACs, I have noticed occasional dropouts (where music is replaced by a sine wave tone for about a second or so). What could be causing this?


----------



## tomscy2000

Maybe go into the TUSB Control Panel and switch it from "Power Saving Mode" to "Always On"?


----------



## CJG888

Quote: 





tomscy2000 said:


> Maybe go into the TUSB Control Panel and switch it from "Power Saving Mode" to "Always On"?


 
  Thank you for your advice. May I ask which version of TUSB you are using? My control panel (v 1.22.0) has no such options....


----------



## tomscy2000

Quote:


cjg888 said:


> Thank you for your advice. May I ask which version of TUSB you are using? My control panel (v 1.22.0) has no such options....


 
   
  I'm using 1.61, but it has had it since 1.48... maybe you should download the latest drivers: http://ibasso.com/en/download/index.asp
   
  EDIT: Direct Link in my older post: http://www.head-fi.org/t/587361/d7-sidewinder-initial-impressions/645#post_9110043


----------



## CJG888

Quote: 





tomscy2000 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> cjg888 said:
> ...


 
  Thanks, the driver update has fixed the problem. It also sounds slightly better (more transparent).


----------



## jpalenzuela

The D7 is suitable for SR80i and MS2? Does it adds warmth? How it is compared to the D42 mamba and the schiit stack (vali/modi combo)


----------



## NewAKGGuy

*D7 vs D6 Impressions*
  
 So I purchased a used D7 from fellow Head-Fier yesterday afternoon, moved the D3 to the children's computer, and now run the D7 at home and the D6 at the office/on the road.  But before committing to all that did some head-to-head listening just to see:
  
 2011 uMBP-15 / itunes with a variety of different file formats
 USB to stock D7 and stock D6 both set at 24/96
 Klipsch Promedia 2.1 (DACs only)
 AKG 702 & 550 (DACs + amps)
 TF10 (DACs + amps)
  
 As one would expect, the DACs in the two units are awfully close.  The D6 had a wee smidgen better resolution and maybe the D7 bass was a tiny bit fuller but I wouldn't want to bet on being able to discern either difference consistently.
  
 There was a huge difference when running the DAC/amp combos however.  For clarification purposes I ran the D6 in battery mode.
  
 With the K702, the D7 is vastly outclassed.  It just can't drive the K702 to anywhere near its potential.  It's thin and reedy with a miniscule soundstage and no authority.  Not recommended for hard to drive headphones.  The D6 is a passable amp for the K702.  Not great, but decent.  It'll drive them, but its a little hard, cold and remote sounding.  In stock configuration it's not as good at getting the lush spaciousness out of them as my RSA Hornet was.
  
 The K550 is much friendlier on amps and the difference really showed itself in this listening comparison.  Same with the TF10s.  I'd swear the D7 is quieter than the D6, but that could just be that its got a slightly "darker" tone.  Midrange body is fuller and thicker in the D7, somewhat reminiscent of my old P3+ which also had awesome PRAT at the expense of some soundstaging and presentation of dynamic range.  The D7, however, doesn't make that compromise as soundstaging and dynamic range presentation are quite good though slightly edged out by the D6.  Bass is equally well controlled on both units, but the D7 bass has more body to it.  The big difference was on the highs.  I'm finding the D6 a bit harsh and fatigue inspiring with some tizziness on the high end.  It's too bright.  To my ear, the D7 handles the highs much more naturally.
  
 I was surprised to discover that I prefer the D7, hands down (except for with difficult to drive cans).  It could be that my D6 really isn't fully burned in (it does kind of sound fresh out of the box), but the Head-Fier I purchased it from assures me that its has been and I've put a good 100 hours on it and not noticed any difference in sound quality.
  
 Going to try a Topkit and see if I can get this thing into my comfort zone.
  
 >


----------



## NewAKGGuy

As a follow up to the ^^^^^above ^^^^^:
  
 If you own a D6, *get a TopKit*.
  
 >


----------



## Aradea

Guys.. Does the D7 will still prove its worth right now when compared to newer ibasso products or other DACs at similar price?


----------



## SLCanhead

.


----------



## Aradea

aradea said:


> Guys.. Does the D7 will still prove its worth right now when compared to newer ibasso products or other DACs at similar price?



Anyone?


----------



## HiFlight

If you still like the sound of your D7, by all means keep it, however iBasso has continued to make significant improvements in their DAC/Amps, with the D14 being the latest edition. Unfortunately, the D7 is not easily modified by opamp rolling, so your SQ options are limited. IMO, the D14 is an excellent product at a very reasonable price.


----------



## SLCanhead

Here is the experience I can share:

  

 As a headphone amp/DAC combination the D7 is decent but not great. I have the newer D14 which is much better (in this configuration) to my ears. I would say there is better out there than the D7 these days, due to advances in technology and ibasso's time to improve on their designs. The D14 is quite nice as a headphone amp/DAC for the pricepoint.

  

 But once I set it up the D7 as a DAC only with my Emotiva 4s Studio Monitors/NHT sub - it just clicked. Nice soundstage width and particularly depth. Voices and instruments are nearly life-like - a major step ahead of any headphone setup I have had. Sounds come out of a black background from everywhere. Even recordings that I found to be relatively pedestrian with previous setups just pop now. It's seems to be tuned slightly warm, likely due the Wolfson DAC chip it utilizes, so you won't get that super airy/cool thing, but everything separates beautifully and there is great weight/presence to everything. More like a slight fog hanging over, but in an inviting way. This is my preferred tuning anyhow. I get that slightly sparkly/inviting presentation that brings me into the music. I should try the D14 as a DAC only in this setup, but I like the D7 so much I decided to leave it alone for now. Synergy between components is key (once you find some capable equipment), I believe. I think it also speaks to the virtues of a decent set of speakers.

  

 I will note that I also used the D7 as a DAC only with a C5 headphone amp into some Fidelio X2 headphones - it was good, but nothing like my above setup.


----------



## Aradea

slcanhead said:


> Here is the experience I can share:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I am also considering the D14 as a DAC+amp.

I dont know whether or not I should get a separate DAC and amp worth a total $500 OR get a $500 integrated DAC+amp


----------



## SLCanhead

aradea said:


> I am also considering the D14 as a DAC+amp.
> 
> I dont know whether or not I should get a separate DAC and amp worth a total $500 OR get a $500 integrated DAC+amp


 
 I don't have listening time to these particular options, but here are a few comments based on my research (since nobody else has responded.) Take it for what it's worth. 
  
 I haven't found a definitive answer (one route is better than the other). That said, I would say that for 500 there look to be some solid options for a one box solution - stretch it to $600 and you are at a Chord Mojo which has quite a thread going (outstanding DAC with a solid amp.) If you need to stay under/at 500, there are the Cypher Labs Picollo (DAC),  Leckerton UHA760, Headstage Arrow 5TW to name a few with a following. I didn't see any separate box solutions for a combined $500 which caught my eye - someone else may have suggestions. The only other alternative is to go used, which could get you into something like a Cypher Labs Theorem 720, Chord Mojo, or something along those lines.
  
 My findings is that there are ultimately trade-offs to some extent no matter which route you go, unless you throw more money at it. It depends on your preferences and needs as well.


----------



## paulybatz

Being this back to life...I still have my D7

anyone out there still use it??


----------



## snellemin

paulybatz said:


> Being this back to life...I still have my D7
> 
> anyone out there still use it??



Mine is being used as a DAC only.  After I swapped the dac chip to  WM8471, it sounds way to nice not to use it.


----------



## paulybatz

Is that not the stock chip??

where did you get the chip?


----------



## snellemin

paulybatz said:


> Is that not the stock chip??
> 
> where did you get the chip?



Ah crap, I wrote it wrong.  Stock chip is WM8740 and I swapped out to WM8741.  Bought the chip from Digikey.


----------



## paulybatz

Which one is it??

https://www.digikey.com/products/en...ata-acquisition-adcs-dacs-special-purpose/768


----------



## snellemin

paulybatz said:


> Which one is it??
> 
> https://www.digikey.com/products/en...ata-acquisition-adcs-dacs-special-purpose/768




wm8741 this is the one.


----------



## paulybatz

Thank you. I might dump one in.


----------



## NewAKGGuy

paulybatz said:


> Being this back to life...I still have my D7
> 
> anyone out there still use it??



Yes indeed.  Use it for mobile tunes with IEMs or AKG 550s when set up to work outside the office.  In the office I have a D6 with Topflight kit.  Frankly, I think the D7 sounds better than the stock D6 with IEMs and easily driven cans.  The Topflight as I have it configured changes that.


----------



## paulybatz

NewAKGGuy said:


> Yes indeed.  Use it for mobile tunes with IEMs or AKG 550s when set up to work outside the office.  In the office I have a D6 with Topflight kit.  Frankly, I think the D7 sounds better than the stock D6 with IEMs and easily driven cans.  The Topflight as I have it configured changes that.


https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ibasso-sr2-🍀-🇺🇸-here-😳.939082/post-15790573


----------

