# iBasso D2: Boa Review (56K i shall slay thee!)



## Nihility

first off i will say that ive never owned (i have used) a portable amp/dac so this will be more of a "quality, etc etc" type of review rather than a comparison to other competing products type of review.

 with that, here we go:

 the box came well packaged, though it didnt look like much, there was foam around it inside a plastic UPS express "bag" type thing... the inside was padded, the boa was even held in place by a custom "molded" (it was the foam you can pull little square pieces out to fit whatever your holding) foam.

 box:






 "custom" foam:





 first thing i noticed, oddly, was how soft and nice the leather (real leather :O) pouch was. i noticed this because i also ordered the better interconnect (flat silver wire) which came with its own (smaller) pouch also, so it was on top of the package when i opened the box.

 the boa felt much lighter than i though it would be, it felt almost like when you get used to using say a PDA then you take out the big battery and it feels super light, thats how it felt right off the bat.
 i switched the dials/switched and all of them felt very well built, flicking from high to low gain or charge off or on with a distinctive "click".


 the front looks quite "retro" with the exposed metal rings around the in/output plugs. the laser engraving is top notch, and looks killer.

 front:






 back:






 Engraving (top pretty much):





 the back is less interesting than the front, the usb, led's, etc are all lined up properly, and the entire package ooozes quality. its no ferrari, not flashy. its more of a BMW - very well built, great value, solid machine, and just feels "right".

 included accessories:
 USB cable (5 ft):





 the cable works great for what its meant to be - used for the DAC, but when i tried to use the cable to say, import the pictures i took of it - it did NOT work. the usb cable doesnt work as a normal cable (?!) but works fine with the boa.
 luckily i have lots of these types of USB cables 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 cheap mini-mini cable:





 and the silver pailiccs cable w/little leather bag (noticably clearer sound), very happy i decided to get this along with the boa:





 the pailiccs cable is flat, therefore works GREAT for the amp being right next to the player (zune in my case) because its flexible without causing any damage to the cable. it feels sturdy and well made, just like the boa.
 it cost approx $25

 a generic USB wall charger:









 sound:

 USB DAC:

 the only pair of headphones ive used the boa with are my dt-770 pro-80's so far, so bare this in mind. my impressions unamped (straight from laptop) are that the beyers are very boomy, decently clear highs, and a rather muddy mid range.
 when using the boa, the bass looses none of its impact, but also tightens up - it feels more real, the upper low end is given a little more impact. the highs arent really changed, they're a tad less harsh - less fatiguing at high volumes (not for long periods of time mind you!)

 so the bass gets a tad tighter, more realistic while keeping its punch/boom when listening to bass heavy music, but heres the best part:

 it may just be because the beyers are finally getting the power they deserve, but the mid end sounds much clearer, theres a lot better detail in these, and i can see why people really love these headphones for bass heavy music. most noticeable: vocals sound much more detailed and "live".

 i think overall it just knocked the beyers up a notch in every category. these are amazing bass headphones now. ^_^

 steel drums sound FANTASTIC on these. they dont have a tinny sound, they're given the punch that they have in person, without being distorted at all. (it may just be my headphones but ive never been able to find something that plays reggae well, steel drums sound like someone is hitting a muffler (muffled pun intended). they sound fantastic now. i found myself listening to all my reggae again for the first time in months.


 overall, for <$200 shipped, this thing is a GREAT DEAL, i am very happy with my purchase.

 you can tell that iBasso has put time into making this amp as good as it can be at this price point, its very well made, designed, and aside from a few minor complains (i'd prefer user replaceable battery, its too beautiful i dont want to get my finger prints all over it)

 i give it a 9/10 (for price range), though i dont have much to compare it to.



 notes:
 i've yet to need to charge, i only have 10 hours on it so far, so nothing on that yet really, its rated at approx 30 hours on a full charge.
 the gain switch doesnt show too much of a difference, though it is noticable.

 when shutting off there is a distinct "click fwoosh fwoosh" and a "pop" when turning it on, but absolutely no noise when gain is full (no music on) and volume is set at max. NICE 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	





 size comparison to zune:










 update:

 i just took the foam out of the white box and found a warranty card wedged in the side, i think this is a cool idea, its like a credit card - says ibasso on it, order #, item name, and date, much better than having to register online or something (which many ppl dont do) for the warranty to be valid.

 the card ooo sparkly:


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## jamato8

Great images and thoughts. Please add further impressions as the amp progresses.


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## Ssang

Nice review, very helpfull. Thanks.


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## hockeyb213

report back when your amp is fully burned in


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## Nihility

how many hours does the boa usually take to burn in?


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## dap_pad

Nice pictures 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Great review 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I missed the UPS delivery today 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 Hopefully I'll get my Boa tomorrow


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## hockeyb213

I hear amps can take a few hundred hours to completely burn in not 100% sure though


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## Tamz

looks so greeny wonder how the silver one looks like


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## HeadphoneAddict

Nice Review. We can never have enough of them. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 My D2 Viper too 300 hours to fully burn in and I hope it just gets better for you as it does so.


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## demoNMaCHiN3

hey, thanks for the review! i've been looking for something like this. I own a pair of dt770/80s and have been considering getting this amp.


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## richierich

nice review, I think this is going to be my next purchase


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## chris_ah1

So does that mean head-fi is actually in agreement that this IS the best amp at $200???

 WOW. Addict, skylab and jamato - WE NEED COMPARISONS NOW to the $500 amps!!! lol

 how is this amp for soundstage guys?? From the review it sounds good for vocals and classical music.


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## Nihility

i should make a comment on the coloring, the anodizing is very dark when not in direct sunlight (or camera flash!) to the point where it looks almost black, but with hints of green on the angles (corners, etc) when in direct sunlight it has a dark "forest" green type of color, but is so shiny it doesnt matter. it just looks really nice in person, hard to describe it.

 the "front" and "engraving" pictures show this aspect the best, the greenness moves around depending on the angle you look at it. also - the back and front panel have a "brushed" finish to them, not so much shiny and doesnt pick up finger prints as much (nor does it change as much in varying light)

 i think unless you hate green, go with it! its unique, everything these days is silver or black or something.


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## robojack

Great review, Nihility!

 That's actually a pretty nice leather bag that the Boa came with. It's one beef I have with RSA products, they only come with a velveteen bag that quickly becomes worn down, due to the sharper edges of their amps (I'm considering making a leather drawstring bag for my Predator).


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## Nihility

ya its really soft too - i have a wallet made of lambskin that ive been using for two years that doesnt feel as broken in or soft as this bag


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## copse

nice review, man. the boa is a great buy, i am glad i bought it!


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## inthecup

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *copse* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_nice review, man. the boa is a great buy, i am glad i bought it!_

 

I'm beginning to get a bit excited, my boa just arrived in Alaska. Just got to make it's way across the USA now.


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## Snicewicz

Can anyone chime in on this: Just curious, how long did it take to receive your Boa after placing the order?


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## DanTheMiataMan

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Snicewicz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Can anyone chime in on this: Just curious, how long did it take to receive your Boa after placing the order?_

 

2 days


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## Snicewicz

Honestly, where do you live? Don't the Boas ship out of China?


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## DanTheMiataMan

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Snicewicz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Honestly, where do you live? Don't the Boas ship out of China?_

 

Corvallis Oregon


 Drop shipments are amazing now a days.

 if you read the D2 Boa thread there is a good 10 pages about shipping time


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## copse

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Snicewicz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Honestly, where do you live? Don't the Boas ship out of China?_

 

i ordered mine on a saturday, received it monday. china to NJ, US of A baby, believe it!


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## Casca

I ordered mine on the 17th, it shipped on the 18th. I live in Hawaii, here is my UPS shipping info as of this minute:

  Quote:


 ANCHORAGE,
 AK, US 06/18/2008 4:58 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN 
 06/18/2008 2:19 P.M. ARRIVAL SCAN 

 CHEK LAP KOK,
 HK 06/18/2008 9:34 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN 
 06/18/2008 6:57 P.M. ORIGIN SCAN 
 06/18/2008 6:57 P.M. ORIGIN SCAN 
 06/18/2008 6:11 P.M. HUB SCAN 

 SHENZHEN,
 CN 06/18/2008 5:30 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN 
 06/18/2008 11:20 A.M. ORIGIN SCAN 
 CN 06/18/2008 8:06 A.M. BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED 
 

Shenzhen is the border city of Hong Kong, Chek Lap Kok is the airport. When I saw it shipped out of the airport, I was thinking next stop Hawaii..but..erm..it went to Anchorage Alaska. Well, hopefully, next stop Hawaii.


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## Snicewicz

Damn, thanks all for the info. I am going to be ordering mine tomorrow (well today) hopefully I will get it Saturday.

 Thanks all.


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## yugiyao

Nice review, I think I gonna get 1 too... ^.^


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## 4saken

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Casca* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Shenzhen is the border city of Hong Kong, Chek Lap Kok is the airport. When I saw it shipped out of the airport, I was thinking next stop Hawaii..but..erm..it went to Anchorage Alaska. Well, hopefully, next stop Hawaii._

 

Yes courier shipments do this. I'm guessing it has something to do with refueling, switching pilots, etc. I ordered a pair of nudie jeans which shipped from France to the Phillipines to Australia in 3 days through Fed-Ex. Planning to order an iBasso D2Boa when I sell a few things (hopefully there are enough left).


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## hockeyb213

I ordered my Ibasso on Tuesday so hopefully it will come before the weekend only thing is I sent ibasso a email to service and they never gave me the tracking number is that abnormal for them?


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## inthecup

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *hockeyb213* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I ordered my Ibasso on Tuesday so hopefully it will come before the weekend only thing is I sent ibasso a email to service and they never gave me the tracking number is that abnormal for them?_

 

Send a email to service@ibasso.com, that's what I did and I got my tracking number.


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## hockeyb213

I did send them one and I know it went through just no response. Should I email them again?


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## inthecup

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *hockeyb213* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I did send them one and I know it went through just no response. Should I email them again?_

 

You got to be kidding!!!!!
 CN 06/18/2008 8:06 A.M. BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED 

 WARWICK,
 RI, US 06/19/2008 7:55 A.M. OUT FOR DELIVERY 

 My guest is it will be at your doorstep VERY SHORTLY!!!!


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## hockeyb213

why when did you order yours? lol I know someone that used to live in warwick RI before he moved down here to Long Island


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## inthecup

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *inthecup* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You got to be kidding!!!!!
 CN 06/18/2008 8:06 A.M. BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED 

 WARWICK,
 RI, US 06/19/2008 7:55 A.M. OUT FOR DELIVERY 

 My guest is it will be at your doorstep VERY SHORTLY!!!!_

 

Here's the full tracking info WOW!!!!!

 Package Progress 
 Location Date Local Time Description 
 WARWICK,
 RI, US 06/19/2008 7:55 A.M. OUT FOR DELIVERY 
 06/19/2008 7:43 A.M. ARRIVAL SCAN 
 06/19/2008 7:33 A.M. DEPARTURE SCAN 
 06/19/2008 7:19 A.M. ARRIVAL SCAN 
 WINDSOR LOCKS,
 CT, US 06/19/2008 6:50 A.M. DEPARTURE SCAN 
 06/19/2008 6:01 A.M. ARRIVAL SCAN 
 LOUISVILLE,
 KY, US 06/19/2008 4:06 A.M. DEPARTURE SCAN 
 06/19/2008 2:50 A.M. IMPORT SCAN 
 ANCHORAGE,
 AK, US 06/18/2008 3:37 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN 
 06/18/2008 1:44 P.M. ARRIVAL SCAN 
 CHEK LAP KOK,
 HK 06/18/2008 7:55 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN 
 06/18/2008 6:29 P.M. HUB SCAN 
 06/18/2008 6:14 P.M. HUB SCAN 
 SHENZHEN,
 CN 06/18/2008 5:30 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN 
 06/18/2008 11:13 A.M. ORIGIN SCAN 
 CN 06/18/2008 8:06 A.M. BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED


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## hockeyb213

what the hell lol they must be sending those things on 2 days so maybe mine is coming today !


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## inthecup

I ordered mine on Monday. Maybe you'll have it at least by the weekend. Enjoy, it is a lot smaller then expected. Nice.


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## hockeyb213

haha did you include your receipt number when you sent them a email?


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## inthecup

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *hockeyb213* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_haha did you include your receipt number when you sent them a email?_

 

No but I ordered it thru service@ibasso.com if that's any help


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## Casca

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *hockeyb213* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_what the hell lol they must be sending those things on 2 days so maybe mine is coming today !_

 


 Must be, otherwise at this point 


  Quote:


 KY, US 06/19/2008 4:06 A.M. DEPARTURE SCAN 
 06/19/2008 2:50 A.M. IMPORT SCAN 
 

it would have been loaded on a truck and 3 to 4 days later at your doorsteps. It's why if I order from newegg.com and see they are shipping all my stuff out of their California wharehouse, I go for supersaver UPS, since it will just be trucked to the airport and then flown to Hawaii. But if I see they are shipping out of their Jersey wharehouse, I go for the 2 day air, otherwise they will truck it to California and then fly it over. But 2 or 3 times, I ordered it supersaver UPS and it did ship out of California, but UPS sat on it and took the whole 5 days to get it to me, three of those days being my stuff taking up residence in their California distribution point.

 Also, they sent my ibasso from China, to Alaska, to California and now its in Hawaii at the Honolulu airport getting ready to be trucked to me today. Hopefully my Denon D2000 makes it here today as well


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## hockeyb213

nice nice yeah I can't wait I just wish ibasso would improve their website and customer service a tad so when you buy they send an invoice along with tracking info after it is sent. But as long as it gets here I don't mind


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## inthecup

Just wanted to check in with everyone. I've been listening to all types of music with my new boa and wooded 225's. Can't see how it could get any better, I bought the boa mainly for listening on my laptop. My Grado's have never felt soooo comfortable. I think it's been almost 3 hours now, my wife just stares over from time to time with a smile. I guess you can call it a eargasm. For those who don't have an amp yet, believe me when I say it's time to open that wallet and pull the trigger. $175 is a bargain. Cheers.


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## goober-george

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *inthecup* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Just wanted to check in with everyone. I've been listening to all types of music with my new boa and wooded 225's. Can't see how it could get any better, I bought the boa mainly for listening on my laptop. My Grado's have never felt soooo comfortable. I think it's been almost 3 hours now, my wife just stares over from time to time with a smile. I guess you can call it a eargasm. For those who don't have an amp yet, believe me when I say it's time to open that wallet and pull the trigger. $175 is a bargain. Cheers._

 

Nice review, you think its possible to get pics of your boa and SR-225 together? Also how has the SQ improved on the Grados?
 BTW I loveeee The Three Stooges they are classic.


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## Casca

UPS has delivered my ibasso D2 Boa, to someone...not me. So someone out there around where I live has my ibasso. I order tons of stuff online. I have only had problems with delivery 3 times (counting this) and all 3 times it was with UPS screwing up. The other 2 times it was resolved, AFTER 1 and 2 days of waiting. Pay extra for 2 day air only to have them screw it up and take way longer and all I get is an apology for their screw up, no reimbursement for them not making good on the 2 day delivery. Well, I just hope this doesn't turn into me filing out claim forms now.


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## hockeyb213

I feel bad for you hope it works out for ya


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## richierich

UPS prolly jacked you, bastards.


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## DanTheMiataMan

wow that blows hopefully the person they delivered it to will give it back to UPS and then you can claim it.


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## Casca

Nah, I have my ibasso now. Seems they have to handwrite the shipping info from anything outside of the USA and the UPS guy was telling me he thought the "U" was an "A"...I looked at it, looks like a "U" to me, but whatever, I have it now. Why it has to be handwritten, I don't know and looks like the guy that got my ibasso delivered to his door opened it as well, which I think is pretty messed up to do. If I got a shipment from UPS to my front door that I was not expecting and it doesn't have my name on it, I would not open it, because I know damn well it's not mine. 

 On the bright side, everything is there, looks great and sounds even better. I only have a really crappy headphone right now till either the Denon D2000 or Grado SR80 comes in, but running it off the ibasso with USB has improved the sound on the crap headset tremendously compared to using my X-fi soundcard. I am liking it.


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## TaZ82

Glad everything worked out for you. Hope my amp gets delivered correctly.


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## Nihility

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *hockeyb213* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_nice nice yeah I can't wait I just wish ibasso would improve their website and customer service a tad so when you buy they send an invoice along with tracking info after it is sent. But as long as it gets here I don't mind 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			



_

 


 well this is a new website - the opened it up a few weeks ago, so it still needs work.


 kinda bad planning to release the boa and a new site at the same time.


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## hockeyb213

well I finally gotmu tracking number but it took them 3 days to send it out which I was not happy about but it will be here on Monday


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## MentalEclipse

I was thinking of buying an Ibasso amp to increase the bass quality/quantity of my Zune 80 with RP-21 headphones. Would this amp be a good choice for that or is this the wrong kind of amp for what I'm looking for?


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## DanTheMiataMan

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Casca* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Nah, I have my ibasso now. Seems they have to handwrite the shipping info from anything outside of the USA and the UPS guy was telling me he thought the "U" was an "A"...I looked at it, looks like a "U" to me, but whatever, I have it now. Why it has to be handwritten, I don't know and looks like the guy that got my ibasso delivered to his door opened it as well, which I think is pretty messed up to do. If I got a shipment from UPS to my front door that I was not expecting and it doesn't have my name on it, I would not open it, because I know damn well it's not mine. 

 On the bright side, everything is there, looks great and sounds even better. I only have a really crappy headphone right now till either the Denon D2000 or Grado SR80 comes in, but running it off the ibasso with USB has improved the sound on the crap headset tremendously compared to using my X-fi soundcard. I am liking it._

 

That wasnt UPS that opened it that would be USA Customs. Everything I have ever ordered that came from outside the USA is always very carfully opened and re-packaged. The D2 Boa was the same the packing tape was very carefully cut with a razor and then retaped on the sides to reclose it. Gotta make sure none of them Terrorists be sending anything to us =P


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## chris_ah1

they do the same in the uk and australia i think for anything that looks 'suspicious' when it gets x-rayed. Most electrical things can hide drugs so they open them up. 

 In fact every time i go through airport security i have to demonstrate that my reference is a headphone amp and not some trigger or dastardly radio or something.


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## Nihility

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *MentalEclipse* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I was thinking of buying an Ibasso amp to increase the bass quality/quantity of my Zune 80 with RP-21 headphones. Would this amp be a good choice for that or is this the wrong kind of amp for what I'm looking for?_

 

my friends got some rp-21's and ive used the zune 80 --> boa --> rp-22x combo and it tightens up the bass (22x's are really bassy) i would imagine it would do the same with rp-21's, and for the price you really cant beat it.


 next time i see him ill try out the 21's with the boa


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## MentalEclipse

(sorry double post)


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## MentalEclipse

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nihility* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_my friends got some rp-21's and ive used the zune 80 --> boa --> rp-22x combo and it tightens up the bass (22x's are really bassy) i would imagine it would do the same with rp-21's, and for the price you really cant beat it.


 next time i see him ill try out the 21's with the boa_

 


 Thanks a lot. This amp is looking really great so far.


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## inthecup

After spending the weekend with my new boa, using it with my 225's and PK2's (simply awesome). The question has come, will it drive those HD650's, or the HD600's, how about the AKG 701's. I have some D2000's closed cans coming which should be no problem for the boa, but how about the hard to drive cans. Any boa owners out there been using it to with the hard to drive cans. Thanks for your input.


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## Geir

Tried among others the Denon d2000 and akg 701 last friday. In respect to the 701's, I had to push my nano/boa to 2 o'clock for my normal listening level.


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## inthecup

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Geir* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Tried among others the Denon d2000 and akg 701 last friday. In respect to the 701's, I had to push my nano/boa to 2 o'clock for my normal listening level._

 

Were the 701's driven up to their potential? Thanks


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## FlavioWolff

guys check out this LOD, its the same cable that you can purchase the mini-to-mini version from iBasso
IPOD LINE OUT DOCK WITH CABLE & PLUG (BLACK COLOR) - eBay (item 290240089367 end time Jun-22-08 19:48:05 PDT)
 gotta order one


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## hockeyb213

nah I prefer getting a custom one made can get a better fit


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## Snicewicz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FlavioWolff* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_guys check out this LOD, its the same cable that you can purchase the mini-to-mini version from iBasso
IPOD LINE OUT DOCK WITH CABLE & PLUG (BLACK COLOR) - eBay (item 290240089367 end time Jun-22-08 19:48:05 PDT)
 gotta order one_

 

I ordered one of those just because it looked like the LOD version of the iBasso. If you contact him and wish to buy multiple he will cut you a slight deal.


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## BeEasy

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *FlavioWolff* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_guys check out this LOD, its the same cable that you can purchase the mini-to-mini version from iBasso
IPOD LINE OUT DOCK WITH CABLE & PLUG (BLACK COLOR) - eBay (item 290240089367 end time Jun-22-08 19:48:05 PDT)
 gotta order one_

 

Is this LOD good? I have a iPod Classic and just ordered a iBasso D2 Boa.


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## shrisha

When I was order my Boa I asked iBasso guys about this LOD. So they can make this one for you instead of mini to mini. And I got this dock to mini with my Boa. Works perfect. It's for a 5 bucks more then on ebay, but since it will be send it to you in same parcel with Boa it making not much deference. If it's not too late with your shiping.


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## jamato8

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *BeEasy* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Is this LOD good? I have a iPod Classic and just ordered a iBasso D2 Boa._

 


 So instead of swimmers we have syncronized cables in the images? :^) cute they are. 

 They should hold up well but I am not crazy about the bass production with the cable but otherwise it is pretty good and the mini is nice. The cable could be shorter though.


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## blackburn

Hi, I have the d2000s and the hd580s. Will this be a good choice to power them as my desktop solution?


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## HeadphoneAddict

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *blackburn* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hi, I have the d2000s and the hd580s. Will this be a good choice to power them as my desktop solution?_

 

It'll get the job done, and is not bad. But you may want to think about feeding the D2 Boa signal into a small desktop tube amp for the HD580 later, like a Dark Voice 336i, Woo WA6, or even build a Millett "Starving Student" amp. I find my HD600 go from being an average mid-fi headphone to a true high end headphone when I use them off a good desktop amp.


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## htbyron

Hey Larry: I'm curious about your suggestion to feed the Boa DAC output to another amp. I thought the Boa did not have the line-out feature of some other ibasso DAC/amps. If there's no way to bypass the amp section, aren't you feeding a less desirable signal to the desktop amp?


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## HeadphoneAddict

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *htbyron* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Hey Larry: I'm curious about your suggestion to feed the Boa DAC output to another amp. I thought the Boa did not have the line-out feature of some other ibasso DAC/amps. If there's no way to bypass the amp section, aren't you feeding a less desirable signal to the desktop amp?_

 

Using the Boa as a pre-amp is just a way to get more power output to drive the HD580, since the Boa is slightly lacking there. The Boa is not quite as transparent as the Pico or Viper or a dedicated DAC, but it's clearly better than headphone out of the Macbook. So, if you feed the boa into a very neutral desktop amp then you'll retain the sound of the Boa.

 I use the Pico as a USB DAC Pre-amp all the time to feed my DV336i amp, and the Viper with the right opamps does a very good job as DAC/Preamp too (LMH6622 main/THS4032 ground).


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## joonas

I took whole 48 hours from order to get the D2 Boa at my hands. 

 Highs sounds little harsh, but I hope it gets better with time. Bass is tight and detailed. Overall the detail of the sound and separation is amazing. Wonderful piece of equipment for the price. A huge step above my previous amp Total BitHead.

 I'm still getting the HeadAmp Pico unless someone convinces me it's not worth the money over D2 Boa.

 Headphones I use are SE530's, I tried HD-600's but D2 Boa doesn't seem to be powerful enough to drive them properly.


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## htbyron

OK, I just ordered the boa. Will post up some reactions once it gets here.


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## armoured

^^ Same. Been eyeing the thing for about 2 months. Decided to buy it today after reading about how fast the shipping is on this thread. I'm in VA. I hope it gets here by the end of the week.

 Now I need to find a good LOD cable.


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## Mazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *joonas* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I'm still getting the HeadAmp Pico unless someone convinces me it's not worth the money over D2 Boa._

 

Everyone's ears & phones are different, but I recently added a Pico with DAC to my Boa. I did a volume-matched listening comparison over several hours using 5-15s of music at a time from each device of both with my MD5000s. I found the differences during this test run to be fairly small. (I'll keep listening and I may find new data.) Depending on the track, the Pico sounded either almost exactly like the Boa or (at best) a little better in some dimension - and occasionally the Boa sounded slightly better in a dimension.

 Results varied from track to track. On quite a lot of them I doubt I could pick which amp was which in a blind A/B test. Probably the biggest difference was a little better sense of weight and precision in the bass on some tracks, and sometimes vocals sound a little smoother. Other differences were slight at best.

 The Boa has the advantage of USB charging which is handy if you take it somewhere where there's a laptop and don't remember the wall charger. The Pico definitely has more power output - but in my listening sessions calibrated to 79dB on the pink noise track I felt by the end that it was almost too loud.

 I'd say - pending further careful comparison - with my music & cans the Boa is probably at least 98% as good as the Pico - but that could change with (say) a different source, or different cans, or different source material. If you were to have similar results you'd have to ask yourself if that last 2% if worth the extra cash (my Pico was 2nd hand and cost 3 times what the Boa cost new). 

 If you can try one yourself you'll be able to find out whether it's worth it for you.


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## HeadphoneAddict

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Mazz* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Everyone's ears & phones are different, but I recently added a Pico with DAC to my Boa. I did a volume-matched listening comparison over several hours using 5-15s of music at a time from each device of both with my MD5000s. I found the differences during this test run to be fairly small. (I'll keep listening and I may find new data.) Depending on the track, the Pico sounded either almost exactly like the Boa or (at best) a little better in some dimension - and occasionally the Boa sounded slightly better in a dimension.

 Results varied from track to track. On quite a lot of them I doubt I could pick which amp was which in a blind A/B test. Probably the biggest difference was a little better sense of weight and precision in the bass on some tracks, and sometimes vocals sound a little smoother. Other differences were slight at best.

 The Boa has the advantage of USB charging which is handy if you take it somewhere where there's a laptop and don't remember the wall charger. The Pico definitely has more power output - but in my listening sessions calibrated to 79dB on the pink noise track I felt by the end that it was almost too loud.

 I'd say - pending further careful comparison - with my music & cans the Boa is probably at least 98% as good as the Pico - but that could change with (say) a different source, or different cans, or different source material. If you were to have similar results you'd have to ask yourself if that last 2% if worth the extra cash (my Pico was 2nd hand and cost 3 times what the Boa cost new). 

 If you can try one yourself you'll be able to find out whether it's worth it for you._

 

Mazz, I too find these little DAC/amps are all fairly good, and some are very close to each other. The Pico and D2 Viper in my mini-review of USB DAC amps had a very similar sound signature, and I ranked the Viper as a 9.4 on a scale of 10, with the Pico a 9.7 and Predator a 10.0, with the Boa falling between the Viper and the Pico (and the Viper with rolled opamps falling above the Pico and below the Predator). That's not a big spread in rank. 

 Where the differences get important is whether a particular amp has synergy with a particular set of headphones or earphones, or do they have enough power to drive a particular headphone, or how is the build quality and customer service, or what features are more important to the buyer, etc...

 For example - So far only the Pico (and maybe the Vividaudiotech.com V1 DAC/Amp) can drive a 600 ohm AKG K240M fairly well and not only play loud enough to use them but also play them very transparently and naturally; but the Predator/Boa/Viper struggle with it and can only produce barely adequate volume levels. (my TTVJ Portable Millet Hybrid is even better with them, but alas no DAC). Anyway, in that example above there would be a good reason to pick the Pico over the Boa.

 Another reason would be if you happen to have one of those headphones that exacerbates (worsens) the slight low mids hump on the Boa, causing female vocals to feel boxy or "cupped hands" as some people call it. The Pico avoids this anomaly, but with many headphones you wont notice the problem with the Boa. But, pick the wrong headphones and the Boa loses it's transparency. For example, the Pico sounds better with Freq Show or q-JAYS or my modded ATH-AD900, while the Boa isn't as pleasant. Switch to the Grado RS-1 and the hump in the Boa lower mids warms them up and they sound better with the Boa than Pico. 

 I could go on and on. I tell people YMMV (your mileage may vary).


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## armoured

Htbyron did you get your's yet?

 I emailed ibasso and they sent me the DHL tracking. I hope it comes by the weekend. 


 Noticed we are in the same state so I just want to see how fast their shipping really is.


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## htbyron

Same here. DHL says it left their HK hub in the evening (Chinese time) of 9/10. No indication of when to expect arrival here on the east coast of US. I'll post here when I get it.


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## htbyron

DHL tracking shows package out for delivery this morning -- expecting it to show on the doorstep sometime today (Thu 9/1) after ordering late afternoon Mon 9/8!


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## armoured

Sad panda. Ordered Monday night, it departed Hong Kong last night. It should be here friday.

 I hope my LOD from CA comes before an amp from China comes LOL.


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## armoured

Does the Boa use 1/4 plugs or 1/8 plugs?


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## jamato8

1/8 plug. The only portable I know of that has a 1/4 is the Xin Reference.


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## htbyron

Got mine yesterday (Thu) -- very fast shipping, as others have reported. I haven't done any extended listening or A/B comparisons yet, but here are some first reactions. Bear in mind my other setups are as described in my sig (ipod 6G -> LOD -> portaphile v2 -> Pk1 AND AV-710 -> Gilmore Lite -> HF-1)

 -- Bass is good, but a bit muddy, compared to my preferred amps.

 -- Less detail than I get from my other setups

 -- Noticeably warmer than the portaphile and the gilmore.

 This leaves me a little disappointed at first impression stage. I wonder if I would get better results from the D3 python? I really like the USB charging feature of the D2 though. I will keepan open mind until I get a chance to listen a little more carefully and extensively.


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## jamato8

You need to get at least 100 hours on it if not more. The bass isn't good at first nor is the detail. Things have to form.


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## htbyron

Good to know -- thanks for the burn-in advice (I must have missed that in my reading). Looks like I will go hunting for a pink noise file for this purpose...


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## htbyron

Foobar questions w/ Boa (I am using Eee pc 901 XP with FB2K v0.9.5.5). I have installed KS & ASIO optional components. But I haven't gotten them to work. 

 I'm guessing I need ASIO4ALL, which I haven't installed yet. 

 Any idea why Kernel Streaming isn't working, though? When I go to select output device, the list shows KS: USB Audio Device and DS: USB Audio DAC (as well as my default devices). Any idea why the designation is different (no KS: DAC)? When I try using the KS output device, I get nothing at first (the icon indicates it's playing, but the time does not advance), then (after I pause & play a couple of times, terrible sound (lots of static & bits of distorted things that were once part of the music I imagine). Any idea what's going on? I tried resampling to 48khz, but that didn't solve the problems. 

 KS output works fine on my desktop machine with the AV-710, so I never bothered to go down the ASIO route -- now it looks like I need to, but I'd also like to know why KS doesn't play nice with the Boa. Any ideas? (I am using the DS output to USB Audio DAC for now, but I'd rather bypass the windows kernel mixer if possible.)


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## alxwang

Any comment on using boa with Denon D2000 and SR225?
 Thanks.


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## joonas

After a week I must say I've really grown to love iBasso D2 Boa with Shure SE530's. I have Sennheiser HD-650 waiting for me at the post office but I've been contemplating if I should just not get them. I don't believe D2 can drive them to their full potential and getting another amp is just a hassle when it comes to traveling. I have traveled quite a lot with Total BitHead and (HD-600, ER-4P). So now I'm actually considering leaving my setup as it is and just enjoy the music. I've found so much more music that previously I couldn't stand with my TBH + (SE530, HD-600, ER-4P).

 The combo sounds so fine even after one week and it's so portable that it leaves very little to be desired. I do have Pico also on order, but no idea when to get it. And as others have stated, it's not worth the 3x price to get 2% better SQ. I think I'd spend my money better by buying some DAP so I can enjoy this wonderful combo without my laptop.

 For less than 500 dollars I got more than I expected. I actually bought D2 just to get something better than TBH before the infinite wait for Pico and I've been positively surprised how much value I got for my money.

 Thank you all!


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## armoured

Got mine in. How do you use the usb DAC with a mac? I connected it but nothing comes up. Does it work through iTunes? 

 Gotta mention that this thing is SMALL. Nearly the size of the mentos amps found on ebay. It's also very light.

 Build quality is amazing. Definatly drives my Grado SR-80 better then a Fiio lol. Well worth 187 dollars.


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## jamato8

You have to go into preferences and go to the sound management under hardware. It will show up there and you click on it and all will be fine.


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## armoured

Some pictures. USB-DAC is MIND BLOWING. Crystal clear. Wow wow wow. Coming from a Fiio and a crappy logitech z-5500 ........I'm in heaven.


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## htbyron

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *jamato8* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_You need to get at least 100 hours on it if not more. The bass isn't good at first nor is the detail. Things have to form._

 

Status update: I've got about 30-35 hours on it so far, all music (no pink noise, as earlier contemplated). Mostly through the DAC, running from my desktop or the Eee PC 901 -- but some from the ipod/LOD. It may be a bit improved -- better detail? Bass is probably somewhat tighter than on first report, but I'm hoping it will continue to improve, as you say.

 BTW, I did get foobar --> ASIO4All sorted out. I haven't done any comparisons with the DirectSound output, but I'm happy to have it worked out anyway (still curious about KS, but I guess it doesn't matter).

 -----

 Further update: I now have about 60+ hours on the amp, and it is sounding a bit better, though I haven't done any side-by-side comparisons lately. Bass seems to have a bit more impact, but it's not as precise as I'd like -- still on the muddy side I'd say. Lots of air & good soundstage -- overall a very rich and slightly warm sound.


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## Mazz

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *alxwang* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Any comment on using boa with Denon D2000 and SR225?
 Thanks._

 

FWIW I've been using mine with markl-modded D5000's - including the comparison test with the Pico that I wrote about earlier in the thread.


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## htbyron

Line out?

 I noticed that a mini-mini partially inserted into the input jack produces sound from the DAC even when the amp is turned off (pot clicked all the way left & front blue light off). This appears similar to the line-out function on the python and other amps from ibasso, except that it doesn't work with a plug fully inserted into the jack. Can anyone else confirm this operation? (It works with headphones too -- I tested without them on my head to avoid hearing damage, although the output level was not that high actually.) Any idea how to get this to work reliably? Is there a different type of mini-plug that will capture this output? I would love to have the option of line-out with this amp (I would have bought the Python but I wanted the USB charging capability).


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## joonas

I noticed the same on the first day I received my D2 Boa.

  Quote:


  Originally Posted by *htbyron* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Line out?

 I noticed that a mini-mini partially inserted into the input jack produces sound from the DAC even when the amp is turned off (pot clicked all the way left & front blue light off). This appears similar to the line-out function on the python and other amps from ibasso, except that it doesn't work with a plug fully inserted into the jack. Can anyone else confirm this operation? (It works with headphones too -- I tested without them on my head to avoid hearing damage, although the output level was not that high actually.) Any idea how to get this to work reliably? Is there a different type of mini-plug that will capture this output? I would love to have the option of line-out with this amp (I would have bought the Python but I wanted the USB charging capability)._


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## htbyron

OK, I'm a believer. I've got about 100 hours on the amp now and it is much improved -- quite musical with better bass impact and detail. Lots of air and good soundstage as previously mentioned. No longer seems so warm -- better balanced now (still warmer than the G-Lite or Portaphile, but that's to be expected). Drives the HF-1s very nicely, although they will not be my usual cans (need to find a good travel phone with Boa synergy -- any suggestions?).

 Many thanks to Larry for the burn-in advice. A nice addition to the line-up.


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## armoured

Battery life on the Boa is insane. I've been using mine out of the box since I got it. Haven't charged it once.

 I have around 18-19 hours on it currently and .......yeah you can tell that something's changed. I'm going to keep burning it in and see how much more I can get out of it.

 This thing is really impressing me. I love it.


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## Nocturnal310

Hey btw..

 what are the Specs of the DAC?


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## ledzepberkeley

Nice review, very helpful. I just purchased a pair of Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 ohm myself, and I was looking for a good portable dac/amp with USB capability and the iBasso D2 Boas seem like a good fit. So can you use the input on the front to utilize the DAC as well, or is the DAC only used through the USB/computer connection? Would this be your best recommendation for less than $200?


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## HeadphoneAddict

See: UPDATED 01/04 REVIEW 12 USB DAC amps - Predator, Pico, 2/3MOVE, D3 D2 Viper/Boa D1, Lyrix, MicroAmp, Vivid V1, Nuforce, XM5 - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

 You may find the mids on the D2 Boa too laid back for the DT-770 if you think they are already a little recessed. I believe the Darth Beyer (woodied re-cabled 32ohm 770) would not get along with the Boa because of the Darth Beyer's bumped midbass and recessed mids would both be made worse by it.

 The iBasso D3 ($219), or XM5 ($245) or 3MOVE ($260) would be better choices (unless you have an iPhone and don't want the D3 to buzz from it). Those may still have too much bass for the 770, but they have very controlled bass so it should be okay. (PS: there may still be some 2MOVE b-stock for $160, jump on it).

 I did try the Meier Headsix with the Darth Beyer and they were a perfect match, but alas no USB DAC with that one. Now, the Nuforce Icon Mobile has more forward mids and tight but not bloated or excessive bass, and it might get along even better - except I hear the 770 highs can be a little harsh without mods and the Nuforce might make that worse.

 As for DAC or analog input. With these amps you get a USB port on the back, and an analog input on the front. If there is something plugged into the analog they ignore the USB, except the XM5 that has a physical switch instead of doing it automatically.


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## ledzepberkeley

Thanks for the response, so you think the iBasso D3 is worth the $80 upgrade? Will the iBasso D2 make $165 worth of a difference as compared to listening to my DT 770s from onboard laptop audio? I'm not sure if an amp and/or DAC is worth the money, I only want to get one if it's going to make a big difference.

 So the analog input only utilizes the iBasso D2 as an amp, and bypasses the DAC? Thanks for the recommendations, but >$200 is a little steep 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I hope there is a more affordable solution


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## digitalfrog

Am I the only that gets bad contact/reset regardless of the usb cable in use ;-( ?


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## Signal2Noise

Prior to stumbling across this thread I was set on buying the D3. But now, I'm debating between that and the D2. I guess it comes down to rechargibilty (is that a word?) or sound quality. Is there a real significant difference between the two?


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## HeadphoneAddict

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Signal2Noise* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Prior to stumbling across this thread I was set on buying the D3. But now, I'm debating between that and the D2. I guess it comes down to rechargibilty (is that a word?) or sound quality. Is there a real significant difference between the two?_

 

Yes, read Skylab's portable amp review and my review on those amps - the D3 is a step above the D2 Boa. (see link to mine in my public profile "about me")


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## Signal2Noise

Thanks again, HPA. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I ordered the D3.


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## ledzepberkeley

Thanks for the response Larry, I always learn a lot from your posts. So the only options for a DAC/amp below $200 is the Nuforce Icon Mobile and the iBasso D2 Boa? Which is recommended? I appreciate all the help, this site has got me spending $$$ like no other


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## Nirvana1000

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *HeadphoneAddict* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_See: UPDATED 01/04 REVIEW 12 USB DAC amps - Predator, Pico, 2/3MOVE, D3 D2 Viper/Boa D1, Lyrix, MicroAmp, Vivid V1, Nuforce, XM5 - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

 You may find the mids on the D2 Boa too laid back for the DT-770 if you think they are already a little recessed. I believe the Darth Beyer (woodied re-cabled 32ohm 770) would not get along with the Boa because of the Darth Beyer's bumped midbass and recessed mids would both be made worse by it.

 The iBasso D3 ($219), or XM5 ($245) or 3MOVE ($260) would be better choices (unless you have an iPhone and don't want the D3 to buzz from it). Those may still have too much bass for the 770, but they have very controlled bass so it should be okay. (PS: there may still be some 2MOVE b-stock for $160, jump on it).

 I did try the Meier Headsix with the Darth Beyer and they were a perfect match, but alas no USB DAC with that one. Now, the Nuforce Icon Mobile has more forward mids and tight but not bloated or excessive bass, and it might get along even better - except I hear the 770 highs can be a little harsh without mods and the Nuforce might make that worse.

 As for DAC or analog input. With these amps you get a USB port on the back, and an analog input on the front. If there is something plugged into the analog they ignore the USB, except the XM5 that has a physical switch instead of doing it automatically._

 

Ahhh!Now you got me second guessing my purchase of the D2 Boa!As i will be using them with my DT770/80ohm's.And i ordered it yesterday.Well that's your opinion.I'm going to wait till i get mine in a couple of days to make my own judgement towards the D2 Boa possibly enhancing the midrange and the overall sound.And of course my other cans,SR 80's,Philips HP 910's,M Audio Q40's and my Portapro's!And i have read they do have good synergy with the DT770/80ohm's.


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## HeadphoneAddict

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *Nirvana1000* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Ahhh!Now you got me second guessing my purchase of the D2 Boa!As i will be using them with my DT770/80ohm's.And i ordered it yesterday.Well that's your opinion.I'm going to wait till i get mine in a couple of days to make my own judgement towards the D2 Boa possibly enhancing the midrange and the overall sound.And of course my other cans,SR 80's,Philips HP 910's,M Audio Q40's and my Portapro's!And i have read they do have good synergy with the DT770/80ohm's._

 

Right, I am only making an educated guess, an opinion. Do you feel the DT770/80ohm mids need enhancing, the way I felt the Darth Beyer mids needed enhancement? I don't know anything about the stock 80 ohm version of DT770. I am mainly trying to keep the idea of synergy with amps and headphones on the front burner.

 Also don't forget the D2 Boa needs a minimum of 300 hours burn-in, and up to 550-600 hours to fully develop (transparency and soundstage size). It is not a bad amp, just better for some jobs than others. Same with Vivid V1, perfect for HD600 and laptop listening, but not so great with Grados. Etc...

 While people can often find something wrong with an amp in some aspect of it's performance, I think the upper-tier amps are less likely to draw complaints and their level of performance makes it harder to find fault with the sound - including amps like the Pico, Predator, 3MOVE, XM5, D3 Python, Micro Amp, and others.


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## ledzepberkeley

Any news on the D2 Boas Nirvana1000?


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## Nirvana1000

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *ledzepberkeley* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_Any news on the D2 Boas Nirvana1000?_

 

No.I'm hoping they will arrive Friday!They left Hong Kong last night.I hope.The good thing is the 14 day return policy.But that doesn't leave much burn in time.I think they will be a good choice for my first high quality headphone amp.


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## nsx_23

I just got the Mini Audio MAD07, which is the exact same thing, and I have to say it sounds fantastic out of my iRiver H332.

 However, does anyone know if the D2 works with linux? I don't seem to get any sound out of my eeepc 900, which runs Xandrox Linux.


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## Gbjerke

Would this amp work well with the Sennheiser PXC 450? or is it any of the other iBasso ones that'd work better. I'd like to have a bit more bass, so maybe this isnt the best choice?

 Here's the specs of the PXC 450s


 General Specs


 Operating Time Up to 16h 
 Max Spl 108 dB SPL 
 Power Supply one AAA battery 
 Thd < 0.1% 




 Headphones Specs


 Transducer Principle Dynamic 
 Frequency Response 8 - 28.000 Hz 
 Nominal Impedance 150/750 ohms 
 Attenuation up to 23dB(NG 2.0) 
 Weight Wo Cable 240g 
 Noisegard Supply up to 23dB(NG 2.0) 
 Ear Coupling Circumaural 




 Connectors


 Connector 3.5mm right-angled


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## aj-kun

I just bought this amp from another head-fier and i currently use it with my MS-1i's
 AND I LOVE IT, this is my first amp and yeh it's great, but im loving the output as it is, just scary to know that there are better amps with better sound than this, coz right now im very happy with what it's outputting.
 my next buy will be the pico slim, with either a k702, HD600/650 or DT770 manufaktur.
 definately an expensive hobby.


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## jessel

I also got a D2 from a Head-fier. I enjoy it a lot with my HD25-1 II by listening to music from my laptop. They are really matched to each other!! I just bought a DT770 80ohm version, hope it will work great with my D2.


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## madwolf

I wounder if there any kind soul here that would satisfy my fetish of looking at the D2 naked. Thanks


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## descendent87

Is anyone using one of these to power active studio monitors? Quite interested as I could use as a DAC on my pc with active monitors when at home then when away use it as a head amp for my mp3 player.
 How does it compare to something like the V-DAC?


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## Spikey115

Quote:


  Originally Posted by *joonas* /img/forum/go_quote.gif 
_I took whole 48 hours from order to get the D2 Boa at my hands. 

 Highs sounds little harsh, but I hope it gets better with time. Bass is tight and detailed. Overall the detail of the sound and separation is amazing. Wonderful piece of equipment for the price. A huge step above my previous amp Total BitHead.

 I'm still getting the HeadAmp Pico unless someone convinces me it's not worth the money over D2 Boa.

 Headphones I use are SE530's, I tried HD-600's but D2 Boa doesn't seem to be powerful enough to drive them properly._

 

Can you elaborate on the comparison between the Boa and the Total BitHead. Is the Boa a lot better than the BitHead in your opinion? Thanks.


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## tonytoy

Thank you verymuch for your review.


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## H20Fidelity

Does anyone know how the iBasso D2: Boa compares to Fiio E10 as a desktop amp? I'm thinking of purchasing one and selling off my E10

Worth it? Comparable? I have no real idea.


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## matp86

I found the Boa powered my HD650 quite ok. Slightly tighter bass coming out of my Macbook and cleaner at louder volumes. Was pretty good for a starter dac amp combo ))


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