# iBasso D6 "Fer-de-Lance" USB DAC/Amp



## pekingduck

Surprise! I just found the D6 on iBasso's store at taobao.com (the eBay equivalent in China). It's not even on ibasso.com yet...
   
  Dual WM8740 
  Supports 24/96! (uses TAS1020B)
   
  http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=8607678759


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## Caphead78

Ooh looks nice, whats the price?
  EDIT: NVM I clicked through, looks like ~$250


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## debitsohn

mini audio's d12?


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## CEE TEE

Nice scoop, pekingduck...
   
  BTW, I want to try to do "Tea-Smoked Turkey" next U.S. Thanksgiving.  Any "Christmas Story" movie fans might find that amusing.  (Sorry for the off-topic comment.)
   
  Anyway, less inputs but what about rolling?  Split case?
   
  For those who don't need the optical or RCA, this could be a nice entry into DAC/amps!
   
  (I am still happy with my D12...this is his half-French brother?)


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## pekingduck

Not really..this one supports 24/96 over USB and doesn't have SPDIF inputs
  
  Quote: 





debitsohn said:


> mini audio's d12?


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## estreeter

Fantastic - I am posting in a new iBasso amp thread BEFORE paulybatz or jamato8 ! This is a red letter day indeed - thanks pekingduck !
   
  Oh, and, er, go iBasso - sneaking this one in under the radar. Unless its a fake, in which case I will have all traces of this post removed, CIA-style. The more I look at the casework, the more I am inclined to go 'hmmmmm ...'


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## madwolf

Wow should I go ahead and order one ? Nice catch 
   
  The spec if I may Translate
   
  1) It uses the TI TAS1020B，to convert USB to 24 Bit/96KHz I2S Signal
  2) Dual WM8740
  3) OP + BUF design
  4) selectable gain +3DB or +10DB
  5) Can be used as a standalone AMP or USB audio
  6) Come with built in charger (switch to on/off) and 3 cell lithium polymer (battery life 20 hours)
   
  Size: 55 x 24 x 100 mm


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## 120717

If the D12 is the new D10, then am I to assume this replaces the D4?


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## HiFlight

Stand by for an announcement very soon by iBasso regarding this new device!   It will answer many of the above questions.    I am, however, sworn to secrecy, but I can say that it it will be a "Killer"!!!   And yes, the Topkit will be available immediately!


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## Caphead78

How much longer till the announcement Hiflight? My wallet is getting impatient


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## Necoyama

It is very interesting news. What would need Windows drivers?


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## jamato8

Windows now will put out 24/96 on the USB as will the latest Apple software. You have to go into the configuration for this to set up 24/96. On Apply you go into the MIDI setup after the USB device is plugged in.


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## estreeter

Quote: 





hiflight said:


> Stand by for an announcement very soon by iBasso regarding this new device!   It will answer many of the above questions.    I am, however, sworn to secrecy, but I can say that it it will be a "Killer"!!!   And yes, the Topkit will be available immediately!


 

 C'mon Ron - are we talking D4-style killer or P4-style killer ?  I'm getting a little dizzy trying to keep up ...


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## j2kei

any chance to compare to full-size amp/dac?


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## HiFlight

iBasso should be making their announcement on the 1st of Jan.  It will be a significant step forward and very well received, IMO.  iBasso raises the bar with great regularity.  Their R&D engineers must work 24/7!  Even more amazing considering the very small number of employees.


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## 120717

If this is the new D4 and includes a DAC then I seriously doubt the amp can compare to the very similarly priced P4 which is dedicated to the function of amplification.
   
  What I want to know is how it differs from the D12 other than connectivity.


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## GeorgeGoodman

This is great! I love Ibasso. I am looking forward to any more info.


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## rawrster

This is good news for me. This dac/amp having an internal battery that can be recharged compared to the D4 which needed a 9v battery and a separate charging unit makes it much more appealing to me than the D4 ever did assuming the taobao listing is accurate.


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## wuwhere

Dual WM8740, that's nice.


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## Tinola

Looking forward to this!


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## trentino

No news on this dac/amp?


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## Tinola

I read January 1st is when iBasso announces info about this amp/dac.


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## estreeter

Hopefully that means 'January 1, Shenzhen timezone'  - for once, I will be in the 'right' timezone on New Years Day


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## GeorgeGoodman

Quote: 





tinola said:


> I read January 1st is when iBasso announces info about this amp/dac.


 


  I am looking forward to it and some reviews.


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## madwolf

Was reading up the TAS1020B USB streaming controller. 
   
  This USB chip is powerful. It contain a 8052 microcontroller with inbuild 6K RAM and 8K ROM to run all possible USB functions. 
   
  The best part however is the USB stream controller consists of 1.4 KBytes of Buffers for the Data.
  Meaning that even if your host computers CPU is busy the data could be buffered on this USB controller to reduce jitter and what not. 
   
  This is basically a computer just to handle the USB data. And it is even programmable. 
   
  There is a 6M clock within this chip. But I do not think the microcontroller is running at this speed. In comparison an Apple ][ E is running at 1Mhz 
  (both is a 8 bit machine running at about the same amount of RAM and ROM)


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## qusp

I havent looked up the spec of this particular new chip, I was tempted to get the dev board from an earlier TAS chip. all of the new run of USB audio controllers are basically little embedded DSP/MCU/network devices to cope with the higher bandwidths expected of the USB 3.0 protocol. waaay overkill for audio, but with fringe benefits that come in very handy. the thing is though, unless its internal clock is the master clock for the dac, you will still get jitter from clocking it into the master clock. it probably is though, as that would seem to be a glaring error if it wasnt since USB is the only digital input.
   
  BTW Jamato, Mac OS has had 96khz native driverless USB playback for well over a year now, maybe 2


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## wuwhere

The TAS1020B is not a new chip based on TI's datasheet (http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folders/print/tas1020b.html) on it published in June 2002.


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## jamato8

Quote: 





qusp said:


> BTW Jamato, Mac OS has had 96khz native driverless USB playback for well over a year now, maybe 2


 
  Yes it is handy. I have been using on USB. 24/96 over USB sounds very good.


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## qawsedrf

A few Chinese sources where they've gotten their hands on the D6. 
   
   
   
  http://bbs.erji.com/read.php?tid=965173
  http://www.erji.net/read.php?tid=960187
   
   
   
  When I am abit more free I'll try to read through the threads to see if I can gather any information.  What I've read so far is that D6 is really quite a leap when compared to D4. Heh.


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## madwolf

It is available for sale in Singapore already 
   
  http://jaben.net/forums/index.php?topic=18048.0


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## qawsedrf

<edit>


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## charlie0904

tempted to sell my D4 for this.  looks good.


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## davd

would the price of the d4 drop????


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## rawrster

It's more likely that the D4 will soon be discontinued.


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## Randius

Quote: 





qawsedrf said:


> Haha Jaben Singapore! :3 I just saw that about 30 minutes ago. Hmmm.. Time to bug Jaben M'sia to see if they have it.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Mini-Audio products are not even to be sold outside of China. Both Mini-Audio and iBasso will not cover warranty if it is bought outside of China.


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## davd

Quote: 





rawrster said:


> It's more likely that the D4 will soon be discontinued.


 


  damn that kinda sucks cuz the d6 is more expensive at 250 while the d4 is 199 =\


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## estreeter

Guys, for all the utility of a combined DAC/amp, I believe we paint ourselves into a corner when there are so many good dedicated headphone amps out there. I made the decision to buy a dedicated DAC (a cheap one at that - the MSII) and, while I wouldn't try to use it on public transport, it makes me happy when plugged into the D4. For genuinely portable use, there are better form factors (e.g. Pico Slim) - most of the iBasso amps simply dont provide a slim profile.
  This isnt a big deal for a transportable rig, but I think there are better options for portable use - just my 2 cents worth.


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## Tinola

I doubt the D4 would be discontinued. The D10 is still being sold even though after the release of the D12. It'll be for people who don't want to spend $50 more to get the D6(like me).


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## estreeter

*1st January, 2011*
   
  By my reckoning, its getting on to 4pm in Shenzhen and there is still no announcement re this amp on the iBasso site - am I missing something here ?


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## LevA

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> *1st January, 2011*
> 
> By my reckoning, its getting on to 4pm in Shenzhen and there is still no announcement re this amp on the iBasso site - am I missing something here ?


 


  yep, the effects of NYE alcohol and its inevitable hangover impairing work...


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## qawsedrf

Haha.. I have a slight suspicion that it will not be announced that early yet, even if it is, it may be a few weeks before the international version goes on sale (iBasso). Cause if they were to announce it today, I'd reckon Jaben Singapore wouldn't have took the chance to bring in the Mini-Audio version instead, but wait for the iBasso version to be properly announced and released.
   
   
  Well, just a hunch.


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## qawsedrf

It's official!
   
   
  http://www.ibasso.com/en/news/show.asp?ID=109
   
   
   
  Hmm.. New Year vacation.... *giggles* Should be done in a few days then!


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## jamato8

The D6 finally advances the sound of the USB in a portable. The amp and dac of the D6 is going to surprise many.


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## qawsedrf

John!  No sneak peeks/previews for us?


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## charlie0904

Quote: 





jamato8 said:


> The D6 finally advances the sound of the USB in a portable. The amp and dac of the D6 is going to surprise many.


 


  i see it has 2 small caps and a slightly bigger one. certainly there would be some good improvements over D4 with a better opamp rolling circuit. gosh.. wallet is not very happy.


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## GeorgeGoodman

PB2 and D6 will be sold soon! Is there a thread for the PB2 yet?


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## estreeter

Jam, you are really building this amp up to frightening proportions -  I hope it lives up to the hype 
   
  I'm going to try the Topkit with my D4 - it will be interesting to compare the results with whichever amp I buy next. I hope Ron wont mind if I post a section of his PM:
   
_The D4 Topkit includes a custom Class A L/R module and a set of custom bypass buffers.  The Topkit can be used with the bypass buffers for a more neutral and opamp soundstage.  This also significantly improves battery life when in the 9v setting. Others prefer using the LR module with the stock buffers for more "punch".  Let your ears be the guide. _
   
  Personally, I'll take punch over neutral any day of the week, but I can see why he has to cover both bases. If I had to choose an iBasso amp atm, it would probably be the P4 based purely on the incredible numbers iBasso are claiming for this amp, but its all good. Roll on mid-January.


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## jamato8

Quote:


georgegoodman said:


> PB2 and D6 will be sold soon! Is there a thread for the PB2 yet?


 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/528149/ibasso-pb-2-the-pelican-fully-balanced-portable-with-sockets-for-changing-op-amps-and-buffers
Quote:


estreeter said:


> Jam, you are really building this amp up to frightening proportions -  I hope it lives up to the hype


 
  I am not trying to hype or build it to frightening proportions. I don't think any amp can scale that. With the USB this amp can do 24/96 is noticeably better though, even with 16/48 material, IMO. The amp and dac in this portable is going to be very enjoyable for those who get it, IMO.


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## GeorgeGoodman

I found the PB2 thread. Thanks. Ibasso says four or five days for those who haven't clicked on the link.


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## mrspeakers

Much will depend on 24/96 implementation and clocking.  I have a D12 and a DACPort and can say the DACPort sounds better, but it costs more, has no battery, etc.
   
  The DAC section sounds like the D12, so I'm wondering if the only difference is the input options.  If so, maybe it's a bit cheaper.  I was annoyed that the D12 only supports up to 48K via USB and that I had to use TOSLINK for higher bitrates...


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## NanoBodhisatta

Ron, if I have the Topkit for D4, D12 and Supplement Kit for P4 do I still need to purchase the D6 Topkit?


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## NanoBodhisatta

Quote: 





p4z said:


> If this is the new D4 and includes a DAC then I seriously doubt the amp can compare to the very similarly priced P4 which is dedicated to the function of amplification.
> 
> What I want to know is how it differs from the D12 other than connectivity.


 


  If D6 will be running on 9V batteries the voltage swing will be larger than D12, which runs with 5V Lithium batteries. But until D6 will be officially announced so this is just speculation. D12's USB is 16/44.1 vs D6's 24/96.


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## jamato8

The D6 has over twice the swing voltage of the D12. The op amp choice with the D6 is quite large, which should satisfy many. The 24/96 sounds as good as high resolution optical 24/96 and noticeably better than 16/48 USB, IMO.


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## bdavidson

I would guess the D6 will have the same battery as the P4:
   
*- Powered by 12.6V Li-polymer battery pack, or external 16V power adapter*
   
  I just wish they would make it available for sale already.  Its 5 days past the first.


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## HiFlight

iBasso received the circuit boards for the D6 and PB2 today.  They said that they plan release within the week.


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## qawsedrf

John and Ron.. You two are such a tease.  These few days the moment I wake up is to check Head-Fi and iBasso's website. Haha.


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## madwolf

In the chinese forum erji net people are saying that the D6 have a wider soundstage and sounds more natural. 
   
  Someone commented that the voltage of the D6 is 11.4V much higher than then D4 at 9v 
   
  Someone who have rolled Op-Amp does not like the default op-amp combo and suggest that the D4's Op-Amp sounds much better on the D6
  The AD8620 seem to be highly recommended by him


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## jamato8

[size=medium]The D6 has a very fluid sound. Has power to spare that translates into a beautiful bass control. I agree that there is a very natural sound to the D6. Male voices convey more of a volume as in more resonance due to larger torso and female voice maintains a non dry sweet quality but again, natural not artificially warmed or softened. There is a open spatial quality. I do not note any hiss but I suspect this would be related to op amp choice and input, if other than the excellent USB. I think this USB dac/amp is going to give a lot of what people have been wanting from USB. ​[/size]


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## qawsedrf

Quote: 





jamato8 said:


> The D6 has a very fluid sound. Has power to spare that translates into a beautiful bass control. I agree that there is a very natural sound to the D6. Male voices convey more of a volume as in more resonance due to larger torso and female voice maintains a non dry sweet quality but again, natural not artificially warmed or softened. There is a open spatial quality. I do not note any hiss but I suspect this would be related to op amp choice and input, if other than the excellent USB. I think this USB dac/amp is going to give a lot of what people have been wanting from USB. ​


 

 Oh ya John, do you have anything to say about this against the D12 (usb)? This really sounds promising. 
   
   
  If you don't feel like revealing too much at this point of time, just ignore my question ya John.  Anticipating is part of the fun! Haha.
   
   
   
  PS: No idea why my first post came out only with the quoted message. Eek.


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## jamato8

The D12, IMO is excellent and a wonderful performer. The advantage the D6 has is a USB dac that does 24/96 and for heavier demands, over twice the voltage swing. The optical input of the D12 though does a great job but USB to USB it is 16/48 to 24/96, and 24/96 even brings out more in 16/48 recordings.


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## qawsedrf

Quote: 





jamato8 said:


> The D12, IMO is excellent and a wonderful performer. The advantage the D6 has is a USB dac that does 24/96 and for heavier demands, over twice the voltage swing. The optical input of the D12 though does a great job but USB to USB it is 16/48 to 24/96, and 24/96 even brings out more in 16/48 recordings.


 

  
  Thanks John. I'm sold. Will prebook an iBasso D6 from my retailer soon (heck it takes 1~2 hours of traveling time for me to get to their place, might as well ask them to courier it over.. Haha). *anticipating in excitement*


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## LevA

to be honest, I'm sort of getting ibasso fatigue, with all these incremental upgrades, d1, d10, d4, d12, d6 etc. 
  I want to see them put their effort in a more reference style product with some high grade and new innovation, or the very least come out with their desktop amp...
  this is not to say what they are coming out with is not nice or anything..


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## anm

since there are so many products, the web site is so confusing [for noobs like me, of course]. Same for RSA. There are so many amps out there you just can't figure out which one to buy as per your needs.
  If they can make a simple wizard that asks users what their headphones are, what their source/ transport is going to be - and then recommend 2-3 products, I think it would be really helpful.


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## LevA

Quote: 





anm said:


> since there are so many products, the web site is so confusing [for noobs like me, of course]. Same for RSA. There are so many amps out there you just can't figure out which one to buy as per your needs.
> If they can make a simple wizard that asks users what their headphones are, what their source/ transport is going to be - and then recommend 2-3 products, I think it would be really helpful.


 
  the problem with a wizard is that usually peoples hp collection is rather quite varied.. as an example looking at your sig, if you put down hd650 and tf10, its difficult to advice an amp for both since each is for different use. sure there are some that can run both, but you will have to forgo other advantages like smaller size, efficient rather than powerful amps, that would go with the original purpose of the tf10..
   
  as for rays amps, at least in Rays case you have some variation and each amp has its unique quality, example the hornet could run for 200hrs, shadow had digital volume implementation, mustang was the size of a matchbox, 71A gave gobs of power SE and still considered by many as a reference portable amp etc. 
  I just cant see much variation in ibasso line, though granted most are an incremental improvement of their previous model (ibasso D1, D10, D22 etc)....


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## kiseki (Dec 14, 2018)

.


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## fritz1234

I ain't confused.
   
  I'm on a 4, moving on to a 6.
   
  A logical progression


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## HiFlight

You can use the Topkit LR modules from the D12, P4 and D4 but the D12 Topkit buffers cannot be used in the D6 or upcoming PB2. I will likely be posting some buffer recommendations once I have done further testing.  The P4 buffers cannot be used as they are single-channel instead of dual-channel.
  Ron
   
  Quote: 





nanobodhisatta said:


> Ron, if I have the Topkit for D4, D12 and Supplement Kit for P4 do I still need to purchase the D6 Topkit?


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## estreeter

Quote: 





leva said:


> to be honest, I'm sort of getting ibasso fatigue, with all these incremental upgrades, d1, d10, d4, d12, d6 etc.
> I want to see them put their effort in a more reference style product with some high grade and new innovation, or the very least come out with their desktop amp...
> this is not to say what they are coming out with is not nice or anything..


 

 I havent heard the recent arrivals, but if the fanfare which has accompanied them is ANY indication, *we arent talking 'incremental' changes*, at least not in power terms. I am as skeptical as anyone on this board, possibly more so when it comes to cheap portable amps from China, but surely its good to have a choice.  I still pore over the specs for the Pico and the SR71B, and I have been telling myself to buy the Stepdance for about 3 months now, but iBasso's pricing really puts the kid in the middle of that candy store. I am possibly the last D4 owner to order a Topkit, but that amp has crept up on me over a considerable period, leading me to ask 'If iBasso could do this in 2009, what have they bought to the table in the months since ?'. Like many here, I now have to make the choice between getting another portable and buying a fullsize amp, but I've spent enough time on the road to know that a good portable amp is worth every penny.
   
  Few of us want to end up with a drawer full of discarded portable amps, but at least it wont be a drawer full of amps that cost $400 each 
   
  (Personally, I think the high end is getting somewhat crowded already - Luxman, Woo Audio, Rudistor, GS-X : do iBasso really want to put themselves in the middle of that lot ?)


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## jamato8

Why not in the middle of "that" lot. :^)
   
  Besides, portable amps normally sell well and it isn't like the sound they produced and many enjoyed is any less. So someone gets a savings, you sell it and move on or up. Seems ok to me.


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## LevA

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 fair enough. I do hope they come out with their desktop amp soon though..
  also, when I meant high end, I meant in portable amp category..personally I just dont see ibasso in the high end with the likes of luxman etc.


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## Palpatine

Lookin' forward to this one. Sell it already...


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## anm

today is 11th and no update.


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## qawsedrf

It's out guys. 
   
   
  http://www.ibasso.com/en/products/show.asp?ID=69


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## GeorgeGoodman

Yes! I am looking forward to impressions! 24/96 via USB and huge power is awesome!


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## qawsedrf

I myself am quite keen to see what Ron has in store for the Topkit of the D6, as well as how the D6 fares with the Sennheisers HD600/650.


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## GeorgeGoodman

Quote: 





qawsedrf said:


> I myself am quite keen to see what Ron has in store for the Topkit of the D6, as well as how the D6 fares with the Sennheisers HD600/650.


 

 A claimed power of 650mWPC! I can't wait until the raves come in. That is 50mw more than the P4! It should push the Senns very well.


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## bdavidson

D6 ordered.


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## davd

If i dont care about the optical and coaxial inputs, and need a portable amp/dac which would sound better the d6 or d12? i was going to buy the d6 but now that i see that the price is almost the same as the d12 im wondering which is better sounding. i have d2000's.


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## ZeroAtlas

I ordered the D4 yesterday and then this puppy rolls in! I immediately contacted ibasso to see if i can swap my order. sent them the difference in price and they obliged. great customer service!


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## GeorgeGoodman

I am expecting reports from all of you! I hear they do four day shipping or something crazy.
   
  @davd,
   
  The D6 has much more power than the D12, so I would go for the D6 for those uses.


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## davd

Quote: 





georgegoodman said:


> I am expecting reports from all of you! I hear they do four day shipping or something crazy.
> 
> @davd,
> 
> The D6 has much more power than the D12, so I would go for the D6 for those uses.


 

 Oh mannnn thanks...that was what i needed in order to push me over the edge n pull the trigger! oh well its my first amp there is no way i can be disappointed esp with this beast


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## Intuvati

i have a pair of hd555 senns, i've been looking at the d4 for a while now. i may choose to get some 600/650s in the future. if something like the ZERO DAC will sound better, i'd be willing to go without the portability features of the ibasso unit. I know i don't really need something like this for a pair of 50ohm cans, but i may be upgrading. shuld i go for this portable unit or the zero?


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## Madpierrot

HiFlight, now that it's being sold can you give us some more details on how it sounds? How about compared to the D12/D4/P4? I was eyeballing the D12 for a while until I caught wind of the D6 a few weeks back.
   
  I plan to use it with my laptop. Currently I'm using the Soundblaster X-Fi Titanium HD external card. Should I expect some improvement with my Ultrasone Pro 750s if I get an ibasso unit?


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## trungerz

Just placed my order for the D6.  I went from the D4>RSA Shadow>PB1 to the D6.  Sold the PB1 due to the fact I never went balanced and only used it SE.


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## GeorgeGoodman

Quote: 





davd said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  Always glad to help!
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  Quote: 





intuvati said:


> i have a pair of hd555 senns, i've been looking at the d4 for a while now. i may choose to get some 600/650s in the future, is this little thing going to perform better than my x-fi forte in my pc? if something like the ZERO DAC will sound better, i'd be willing to go without the portability features of the ibasso unit. I know i don't really need something like this for a pair of 50ohm cans, but i may be upgrading. shuld i go for this portable unit or the zero?


 
  The Zero DAC looks really good. It obviously has the advantages over the D6 of size, power supply, and the like. But I don't know if those things alone make it sound better. What makes it sound better is it sounding better or having more power. The Ibasso D6 can output 650mWPC, which is a huge amount of power. You can pretty much drive any phone short of the hifiman orthos with that much power. Senn HDxx and others, even 600 Ohm cans, should do very well. I would wait until a few members of head-fi got theirs and gave some impressions. Wait until a member with a desktop amp and good cans gets theirs, and ask them if the D6 drives their demanding cans with authority. I think it should, as the Ibasso P4 has great reviews and is supposedly able to drive very hard cans, and it has a tad less power than this. I really don't think you can lose going this route.
   
  You could also get both and tell us what you think.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 I am sure someone would love to take on or the other off your hands in the FS forum should you decide not to need it.


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## Intuvati

oohh, i would LOVE to do an A/B with both these units, but my wallet doesn't really like that idea. I guess i'll just wait until more people have reviewd it


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## Train

Quote: 





madpierrot said:


> HiFlight, now that it's being sold can you give us some more details on how it sounds? How about compared to the D12/D4/P4? I was eyeballing the D12 for a while until I caught wind of the D6 a few weeks back.


 
   
  This, many times over. I have been holding off on a D12 purchase to see how the D6 compares. I need a DAC/amp, but don't have much use for the D12's coaxial and optical inputs.


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## estreeter

Quote: 





georgegoodman said:


> >
> 
> 
> 
> The Ibasso D6 can output 650mWPC, which is a huge amount of power.


 

 But the P4 has the *same output power rating and is $30 cheaper *- granted, you arent getting a DAC, but for those of us with a dedicated DAC and a preference for SE over balanced, it looks like a no-brainer. If you are prepared to _cross the non-iBasso choices off your shortlist,_ and you want something with a high power rating, the P4 looks like a good choice atm.
   
  Inevitably, anyone ordering the P4 today will awake tomorrow to find that iBasso have another killer amp on the way and Skylab has crowned the Stepdance as the best value for money portable amp in his final comparison, but that's life in 2011. Short of holding off indefinitely, or just biting the bullet on a fullsize amp and bidding the little guys farewell, I don't see an alternative for those wanting a powerful portable amp for ~$250 : always happy to hear otherwise.


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## GeorgeGoodman

Quote: 





intuvati said:


> oohh, i would LOVE to do an A/B with both these units, but my wallet doesn't really like that idea. I guess i'll just wait until more people have reviewd it


 
  Yeah, it never hurts to wait until a few reviews come in, preferably on that is not just raving about the product.
   
  Quote:


estreeter said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  The P4 also has rollable opamps. I personally think it is worth it to go balanced, but that is another discussion and I have a headphone already balanced. The P4 is definitely the powerful amp of choice right now. However, this thread is about the D6, which has a tad more power than the P4 and a 24/96 USB DAC, giving it another range of uses.


----------



## kiseki (Dec 14, 2018)

.


----------



## Anaxilus

So the P4 does have more current that the Stepdance and the D6 more than the P4.  Sounds intriguing.  D6 obviously isn't balanced right?  Can iBasso make a P4 or D6 balanced?  That would be nice, thx.


----------



## paulybatz

This amp looks fantaaastic...waiting to order both the D6 and the PB2


----------



## estreeter

pauly, just for my own edification, can you pls list all the iBasso amps you currently own ? I think I lost track about 12 months ago.


----------



## mrspeakers

Check out the DACPort.  More $, but class A amplification, and 1.5W (750mW x 2).  I've been using both the D12 and the DACPort and there's no question about the relative audio performance, though the D12 totally wins on features/$.  And DACPort is made in USA.
   
  I have to admit if the D6 had been out I would have bought it over the D12, I think it's a cleaner design, and I like the idea of being able to really drive any can with it...  The battery makes it ideal for stuff like audio from the iPad...


----------



## jamato8

To my ear the D6 has some of the best sound I have heard from an iBasso amp and I think the P4 is very, very good. The D6 is fluid and has a quality it is hard to define. It just sound effortless and clean and works fine with my LCD-2. The DAC section further defines what you can do even with 16/48 as I hear improvement with that and it is fun to finally get true 24/96 and all that it has to offer.


----------



## Train

Still anxious for comparisons to the D12. Also, any noticable noise/hiss with sensitive IEMs?


----------



## anm

d6 is impressive as it gives good all in one box solution for laptop users - usb dac, line in for using with tablet or iphone, and high power. Wondering what are the rival products and how does it fair against them. DACPort is one. Others in the same price range?


----------



## 78tball

Sounds like the D6 will be a winner.  Can't wait for some more impressions.


----------



## 78tball

Any D6 impressions vs. RSA amps?  Like maybe against the Predator DAC/AMP?


----------



## Madpierrot

Shameless bump for some impressions from those who have heard it. Specifically against D12 (thanks Jamato for the short positive comparison to the P4). I'm getting trigger happy and need to know if the D6 outperforms the D12!


----------



## paulybatz

Just ordered mine today!!!


----------



## paulybatz

Quote: 





paulybatz said:


> Just ordered mine today!!!


 


  I have a P4...so Ill let you know...I have heard its awesome!
  Very excited!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## sfmatt

Time to replace my faithful D2 Viper (the ibasso portable prototype). I'm still in love big time with the sound I get from it (having found an extremely satisfying opamp configuration) but it has become cumbersome to fiddle with the volume pot to avoid channel imbalance. Given the quality of ibasso's customer service I could send it back to have it repaired but I can't resist another upgradeitis bout. Considering the number of iterations (17 if I'm counting right) since the Viper's release I expect a noticeable improvement!
   
  Listening to the Viper right now and it's still sooooo enjoyable. The D6 better be good.


----------



## rmappita

I ordered mine last night to use with my JH16s =)


----------



## jamato8

Quote: 





madpierrot said:


> Shameless bump for some impressions from those who have heard it. Specifically against D12 (thanks Jamato for the short positive comparison to the P4). I'm getting trigger happy and need to know if the D6 outperforms the D12!


 
  I don't know. The D12 was a surprise to me. I expected it to be good but it is so fluid and natural that I was surprised. The advantage the D6 has is power. It has over twice the voltage swing so much more power. It depends upon what you are driving or what the load is.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





anm said:


> Others in the same price range?


 

 Thats where it gets tougher - iBasso undercut most of the major portable amp makers by at least a hundred dollars on most of their portables. Although its not a portable solution per se, I think those looking for a small form factor (work/bedside) might like to see the the D6 compared to the Fiio E7/E9 combination - obviously the iBasso is much smaller, but that isnt such a high priority in this context. If the E9 is comfortably driving everything below the orthos, and there are several who claim this is the case, I think it would be interesting to compare these rigs side by side - a lot of power in a small space for minimal outlay.


----------



## Jalo

Quote: 





anaxilus said:


> So the P4 does have more current that the Stepdance and the D6 more than the P4.  Sounds intriguing.  D6 obviously isn't balanced right?  Can iBasso make a P4 or D6 balanced?  That would be nice, thx.


 

 The way Ibasso turning out new amps, if you don't see what you want, just wait for one or two months, I'm sure something will come out that meet you needs
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  On a serious note, the number of new models that came out within the past six months make any potential new buyers very hesitant.  I would be very worried that I'll be out dated within days of purchasing any products.


----------



## 78tball

Would it be safe to say that the +3/+10 gain on the D6 will allow me to run my existing UE Triple.fi 10's? With the quoted power of the D6, I'm almost afraid that it would be too much for an IEM.


----------



## sfmatt

Quote: 





jalo said:


> The way Ibasso turning out new amps, if you don't see what you want, just wait for one or two months, I'm sure something will come out that meet you needs
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
   
  Actually I have been waiting for a long time for a replacement for my Viper which I bought 3 years ago. I did not need SPDIF inputs, wanted a internal battery and more power (150mw leaves you wanting with 300 ohms cans).
   
  Their market segmentation is excellent:
  AMP/DAC + AMP
  SPDIF+USB/USB only for DACs
  Low/High power (100mw x 2 for the D2 to 2500mw for the PB2)
  Balanced/Single-ended
  Internal/Rechargeable battery
  Tiered price points (From $100 to $600+ for PB2/DB1)
   
  For most other amp manufacturers you get the choice of one or two models and that's it. I would have loved a portable Meier Audio but where's their portable DAC/amp with internal battery? If anything I think ibasso's large offering explains their success as much as the low prices (not even talking about the spectacular customer service).
   
  Now where I think you are totally right is that the succession of models every time better than the previous ones is not conducive to impulse upgrades unless one doesn't mind a drawer full of portable amps.


----------



## estreeter

The tide wont turn simply because it doesn't suit you or I to set sail on a given day. As I mentioned earlier in this thread, buy on the *expectation* that a new 'best of breed' amp is just around the corner. The people who buy *that* amp will be in exactly the same position within a few months (weeks ?) - the alternative either involves that drawer full of amps or a lot of interaction in the FS forum.
   
  My D4 still sounds as good today as it did before the P4/D6 were announced, regardless of the advances offered by both amps, although I do agree that early adopters were stung with the PB1/DB1 being superceded so soon. Ouch.


----------



## Jalo

Personally I really don't mind Ibasso keep turning out new product every week-more choices to us.  I just wish they have more fundamental improvement on component.  Not that they don't with regard to power implementation, but I was checking the spec on the DAC chip just now on the D2, D3, D4, DB1, D10, D12, D6.  All of them uses the same WM8704 chip, I was hoping may there is some improvement in that area.


----------



## jamato8

The PB1 and DB1 are both very good sounding. There is no reason to get rid of them as the PB2 offers sockets and some people don't want to mess with that. 
   
  The improvement on the D6 with that chip is that it uses two and now can use 24/96, which I do hear a difference with, even on 16/48 recordings. 
   
  The D4 is great sounding. I have a MacBook Pro that I paid plenty for. I wish it would be the top of the line for a few years but another faster and more efficient Pro will most likely be out less than a year after I bought this one and since I process a lot of images, I can use the speed but this one will still do what I need so I won't be upgrading any time soon.


----------



## estreeter

jam. did you install the Topkit or otherwise mod your D4 ? I have spent the last week awaiting the arrival of my Topkit, but the Queensland floods have wreaked havoc with freight to my little town in the bush


----------



## jamato8

I tried different op amps, yes, but I also like the D4 as stock. HiFlight does a great job of figuring out what is the best so his kit offers a little different sound but you can't make a bad amp good. Going with the D4, which is already good sounding, provides a foundation that with better or different op amps, gives a fun selection.


----------



## Jalo

Jam, most of the ibasso amp/dac use dual Wm8704 dac chip and I guess that is for independent left/right channels.  But the DB1 uses only a single dac chip (wm8704) but in balance implementation. Do you know the difference between the dual dac as compare to the single Dac w/ balance processing?  I e-mailed Ibasso and asked them about which of their dac function the best and they responded as follow, but this is before the release of the D6.  "So far, the D12 has the best DAC section. But the DB1 Boomslang is designed for balanced purpose, it is a different field.  Best Regards,  iBasso Audio"


----------



## jamato8

Quote: 





jalo said:


> Jam, most of the ibasso amp/dac use dual Wm8704 dac chip and I guess that is for independent left/right channels.  But the DB1 uses only a single dac chip (wm8704) but in balance implementation. Do you know the difference between the dual dac as compare to the single Dac w/ balance processing?  I e-mailed Ibasso and asked them about which of their dac function the best and they responded as follow, but this is before the release of the D6.  "So far, the D12 has the best DAC section. But the DB1 Boomslang is designed for balanced purpose, it is a different field.  Best Regards,  iBasso Audio"


 
  Yes, there is much more than just the chip as we know. The synergy with the way the caps and resistors are used and the type that are used. The D12 does have a very good dac section but the D6 with the USB 24/96 is the best, IMO. It just retrieves more of everything. I suspect the DB2 will have dual dacs and would handle the signal differently from the PB1 but this is just speculation. iBasso just doesn't seem to rest at all. I have a feeling in a couple of years or less, they will be known for all types of equipment in the headphone arena from portable to desk top amps and dacs. IMO.


----------



## mrspeakers

So are you saying they are putting out a symetrical balanced DAC?  That'd be the bomb.


----------



## jamato8

Quote: 





mrspeakers said:


> So are you saying they are putting out a symetrical balanced DAC?  That'd be the bomb.


 
  No, I said I suspect. It would seem logical and would be very nice. Now to wait and watch. :^)


----------



## Azathoth

Keeping tabs on this thread for more impressions. Sorry if I missed it, has anyone compared to the D6 and the D4 (stock or Hiflight opamps)?


----------



## paulybatz

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> pauly, just for my own edification, can you pls list all the iBasso amps you currently own ? I think I lost track about 12 months ago.


 


  ROTFL...T3, D4, PB1, Boomslang, P4...I gave my D3 away when I upgraded to the D4, waiting on the PB2 and D6
   
  When I started this hobby Ibasso was not around and quality amps were out of reach...now they are not, so my thing is I think about the options if Ibasso were not around...and consider the price/performance ratio that ibasso offers...a tremendous quality at a very affordable price.
   
  Ill do a little family photo one of these days just for you E-street! LOL


----------



## paulybatz

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> jam. did you install the Topkit or otherwise mod your D4 ? I have spent the last week awaiting the arrival of my Topkit, but the Queensland floods have wreaked havoc with freight to my little town in the bush


 


  I prefer HiFlight's topkit in my D4...I thought it sounded fantastic stock, however after installing the kit, I never looked back...it made it more like the LISA, much more of an analytical sound (LISA still won in the A/B testing I did but I preferred to listen to the D4 for longer durations, LISA was just simply fatiguing, she wore me out)
   
  I cannot wait for the D6...cant believe its getting better


----------



## 78tball

"LISA was just simply fatiguing, she wore me out"...
   
     ^   I found this funny.  No wonder "she" is so expensive.

  
  Quote: 





paulybatz said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Madpierrot

I've been using the Soundblaster Titanium HD external soundcard with my laptop that is marketed as an "audiophile grade" card. It plays much better than the onboard sound with both a headphone, stereo and optical in/out. If I pick up an amp/dac would it be better to completely replace the Soundblaster or would it be better to use the two together? (laptop -> soundcard -> amp)
   
  If replacing it is best, then I plan to get the D6. If it's better to daisy chain them then I'd consider getting the D12 for the optical in. I suppose I could get the D6 and connect them through the headphone jacks, but that seems like a lossy solution.
   
  My current setup is the Soundblaster -> FiiO e5 -> Ultrasone Pro 900. Which I think sounds good but from what I understand a true amp could get me some better sound.


----------



## 78tball

I'm fairly new to this site. My take on it is that you would replace the Soundblaster with a high quality DAC such as the D6 and thus run:  Laptop via USB --> D6 or other DAC --> Headphones.


----------



## 78tball

With the D12, you would have the option for optical input to DAC; however, it also has a mini USB input to the DAC so you could hook up the D12 in the same manner as you could a D6 and have flexibility of optical if you need it down the road.
  
  Quote: 





madpierrot said:


> I've been using the Soundblaster Titanium HD external soundcard with my laptop that is marketed as an "audiophile grade" card. It plays much better than the onboard sound with both a headphone jack and an optical in/out. If I pick up an amp/dac would it be better to completely replace the Soundblaster or would it be better to use the two together? (laptop -> soundcard -> amp)
> 
> If replacing it is best, then I plan to get the D6. If it's better to daisy chain them then I'd consider getting the D12 for the optical in. I suppose I could get the D6 and connect them through the headphone jacks, but that seems like a lossy solution.
> 
> My current setup is the Soundblaster -> FiiO e5 -> Ultrasone Pro 900. Which I think sounds good but from what I understand a true amp could get me some better sound.


----------



## sfmatt

The DAC in your card is very good and for less than the price of the D6 you can find a top-notch desktop amplifier that will perform noticeably better than any portable amp. You can get excellent tube amps for the price of the D6 (Darkvoice, Jade etc). Just connect the line out of your DAC to the desktop amp and you're good to go.
  
  Quote: 





madpierrot said:


> I've been using the Soundblaster Titanium HD external soundcard with my laptop that is marketed as an "audiophile grade" card. It plays much better than the onboard sound with both a headphone, stereo and optical in/out. If I pick up an amp/dac would it be better to completely replace the Soundblaster or would it be better to use the two together? (laptop -> soundcard -> amp)
> 
> If replacing it is best, then I plan to get the D6. If it's better to daisy chain them then I'd consider getting the D12 for the optical in. I suppose I could get the D6 and connect them through the headphone jacks, but that seems like a lossy solution.
> 
> My current setup is the Soundblaster -> FiiO e5 -> Ultrasone Pro 900. Which I think sounds good but from what I understand a true amp could get me some better sound.


----------



## jamato8

Quote: 





sfmatt said:


> The DAC in your card is very good and for less than the price of the D6 you can find a top-notch desktop amplifier that will perform noticeably better than any portable amp. You can get excellent tube amps for the price of the D6 (Darkvoice, Jade etc). Just connect the line out of your DAC to the desktop amp and you're good to go.
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


 
  Unless you have heard and compared the D6 to those amps how would you know this?


----------



## sfmatt

Are you implicitly saying the P4 compares favorably with $300 amps like Darkvoice336 or LD Mk V?
   
  Anyway you're right, nothing's better than a direct comparison. I should receive the D6 in a few days, I'll let you know how it compares with my Jade.
   
   
  Quote: 





jamato8 said:


> Unless you have heard and compared the D6 to those amps how would you know this?


----------



## pinoyman

subscribe!
   
  still waiting for owner's review...
   
  hope someone kind enough to review this, for all the hopeful people interested in this amp...


----------



## pinoyman

hi...
  can i use this on my ipod classic?
  is there a portable transport for ipod that i can bring anywhere that would help me bypass ipod's internal dac?


----------



## mrspeakers

Quote: 





pinoyman said:


> hi...
> can i use this on my ipod classic?
> is there a portable transport for ipod that i can bring anywhere that would help me bypass ipod's internal dac?


 

 You can take line-out from the iPod but not digital unless you have a Wadia dock.  Line out is cheap.  I use a FiiO LOD.  It was about $13 on Amazon.  Some people make more expensive ones, but I'm not big on "miracle cables" unless they've been cured in snake oil.


----------



## jamato8

Quote: 





sfmatt said:


> Are you implicitly saying the P4 compares favorably with $300 amps like Darkvoice336 or LD Mk V?
> 
> Anyway you're right, nothing's better than a direct comparison. I should receive the D6 in a few days, I'll let you know how it compares with my Jade.
> 
> ...


 
  I did not implicitly write anything about anything better or worse except the quote from me you have. The P4, and I was referring to the thread, which is the D6, with the 2111AM and HA5002 buffers is excellent sounding. The stock D6 sounds extremely good to me also.  I don't have the desk top amps you mention so there is no way I can compare them.


----------



## pinoyman

Quote: 





mrspeakers said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


  hahahaha...
  thanks for the helpful info bro.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



  gonna buy me a cheap one with digital out dock for ipod (pure i20) and perhaps pair it with this amp/dac.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





jamato8 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Jam, FWIW, I'm sure many here would like to see the current crop of portable amps directly compared with the cheaper fuilsize amps - in my case, the Corda Swing and PA Caliente are both on my shortlist alongside several portables. The tipping point, for me, is the sheer versatility of a battery-powered amp. For a bedside rig or something you want to take with you on a trip, the portables are hard to beat. Anything with a power cord would need to be dramatically better with my cans/music for me to ignore the portable option. That said, I have a D4 for portable use and don't currently have a fullsize amp - my last one was a major disappointment and I remain very wary of cheap fullsize amps from China.


----------



## estreeter

Guys. I've been following this thread for a few weeks now, and I dont think there is an actual review of the sound quality anywhere in the thread. I know it has dual Wolfson DACs, I know its as powerful as the P4 for minimal extra outlay, but I still dont know how punchy the bass is, for example.
   
  Please tell me I've skimmed straight over it - apologies in advance if that is the case.


----------



## sfmatt

My point was since Madpierrot already has a good DAC, $300 in his pocket and no need for portability then he should look into desktop amps. I don't doubt the D6 is excellent for what it is since I bought it but I would look first into established quality desktop amps before focusing on a portable DAC/amp that no one has reviewed yet.
   
  I've not listened to the D6 but I have listened to established top-notch portable amps pico, RSA amps etc and while superior to my D2 they're not in the same league as my $300 Jade. Not even close with 300 ohm cans like the Senns. The huge increase in power and voltage swing in the new generation of portables (P4, D6, Stepdance etc) is a very promising evolution, they will certainly close the gap and who knows maybe even surpass similarly priced desktop amps. I hope so, I'll love it if my work rig is as good as my home rig but until then I stand by what I said, established $300 dollar desktop amps perform significantly better than the current/past generation of pocket amps with many headphones (and maybe for IEMs too, I have never tried myself).
   
  I'll let you know in a week if the D6 drives my HD600&650 as well as a good $300 tube amp. Can't wait to try it!


----------



## ddr

what other desktop amps in the $2-300 range do you think exceeds the performance of renowned portable amps like the d4, arrow, or predator?


----------



## sfmatt

My Jade and my friends' Darkvoice 336 and Little Dot Mk V, all 3 amps I have listened to extensively with both my Senns and my Beyers. All were linked to good DACs (I have a RME9632).
  I have the D2 Viper, my friend has the D2 Boa and I listened to other portables in meets.
   
  When the high-power portables like the PB1, Stepdance and P4 came out it got me really excited considering the improvement from the 150mw x 2 D2 to the desktop amps. Power is not everything but it makes a lot of difference with all the cans I have, even with the Grados SR-80 I don't have anymore.
   
  Quote: 





ddr said:


> what other desktop amps in the $2-300 range do you think exceeds the performance of renowned portable amps like the d4, arrow, or predator?


----------



## GeorgeGoodman

The D6 can provide about 11 volt of swing and 650 mW per channel into 32 Ohms. The P4 is pretty much the same, with 600 mW per channel. That is definitely on par with some desktop amps. I don't know if that can compare to the desktop amps you mentioned, but it is definitely a whole lot. If those two don't provide enough power, the PB1 at $229 has 25.2 volts of swing and 1400 mW per channel in balanced, and the PB2 has 32 volts of swing and up to 2500 mW per channel in balanced. For single ended, halve those numbers. Those are crazy specs. Hiflight and some other members can drive the HE-6 and even the K1000 from the PB1, albeit not to the absolute best of their abilities. Those are some very hard cans to drive that many desktop amps can not drive very well at all. Th PB2 is even more powerful, and so should be even better. These two amps, along with the Ray Samuel SR71B (which is two to three time the price, BTW) are definitely on par with entry level desktop amps. Portables used to be not that great at driving full size demanding cans, but we have entered a new era. 
   
  Just so you know, I have listened to the SR71B with the HE-6, and it drove them beautifully. I did not hear any forms of distortion or congestion. The SR71B is slightly more powerful than the PB1, and significantly less powerful than the PB2. Power stats are not everything, but for the record, the SR71B outputs 1200mW balanced and can swing 26-30 volts. Again, the Hifiman HE-6 is notoriously hard to drive, but after hearing this combo, I no longer doubt the abilities of the new ultra powerful portables. One of the biggest marks of advancing technology is the shrinking size of what used to be large things, like how your cellphone has something like billions of times the computing power of Eniac, which weighed thirty tons and took up two huge rooms.


----------



## sfmatt

Thank you for sharing your experience with the SR71B. I've been sifting through the related threads for a while and your opinion has been echoed multiple times. There's no doubt these new portables are revolutionary and worthy of our hard-earned dough.
   
  Exciting times we live in!


----------



## GeorgeGoodman

Quote: 





sfmatt said:


> Thank you for sharing your experience with the SR71B. I've been sifting through the related threads for a while and your opinion has been echoed multiple times. There's no doubt these new portables are revolutionary and worthy of our hard-earned dough.
> 
> Exciting times we live in!


 
  Indeed. I remember when I was lurking around this site a year ago, there was not even half the innovation I see today. Ibasso had their T3 and a few other amps and DACs that were not particularly noteworthy. Now a year later they have some pretty amazing products, pretty much leapfrogging the competition in the process. Their amps are big, so that is probably their main weakness, but if you can't spend a ton and strongly believe in value like I do, their products are very hard to beat. 
   
  @Jamato, 
   
  Can we get a few more impressions on the sound to hold us at least until some other head-fiers get their D6s?


----------



## Croozer

Thinking about grabbing one of these to drive my D2K's.


----------



## jamato8

The sound is very airy without being bright on the top end. There is a quality to the freedom of the sound that is just, open. I don't know how else to put it. Even with my LCD-2, which like some current, the peaks and bass come through natural and with fervor. The quality is different, on the airiness when compared to my excellent fi.q. I wish the fi.Q had to more open fluid sound of the D6. And if you don't hear the difference in the dac section, well it is my opinion, but the USB dac is a real jump also.


----------



## GeorgeGoodman

Thanks for the mini review of the sound. It sounds really good.


----------



## qawsedrf

Will only receive mine a couple days later.  Having my finals in the same time as well, but I'll be sure to pop in a small impression and if possible a couple of pictures.
   
  I'm sure many of you will be able to receive them before me, looking forward to read some impressions from you all later during the week. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 (it's Sunday here.. Haha)


----------



## Madpierrot

Thanks for the advice but I'll probably stick to a portable for the versatility. I plan to use this at work too so it'll be good to be able to move it around easily.
  
  Quote: 





sfmatt said:


> My point was since Madpierrot already has a good DAC, $300 in his pocket and no need for portability then he should look into desktop amps. I don't doubt the D6 is excellent for what it is since I bought it but I would look first into established quality desktop amps before focusing on a portable DAC/amp that no one has reviewed yet.


 


  So the D6's dac section should be superior to the D12's but what about the amp section. I'm driving Ultrasone Pro 900s which don't need that much juice so both will do fine in the power department. What I'm interested in is the sound and it seems like from your impressions that it's hard to choose between the two.
   
  Opamp rollable means that parts can be swapped out and customized right? Does the D6 have this capability?


  Quote: 





jamato8 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## jamato8

Both the D12 and the D6 have sockets so you can customize the sound to what you like, within the capabilities of the two amps. I am hard pressed as the d12 surprised me but I had to admit, so does the D6. The transparency is just so good. The D6 has the USB capability of 24/96 but only USB it can not be run from Coax and optical like the D12. The dac section of the D12 is also very good. The choices, the choices. Things have advanced so much in the last year.


----------



## charlie0904

abit of OT if I may, can anyone advise whether a D6 or a PB-2 is a better upgrade?
   
  I already have a D4, i do not have 24/96 files to enjoy at the moment. no balanced gear either. If I use PB-2 SE, is it very wasted? I wonder why they have SE and balanced at the same time.


----------



## jamato8

I don't know of anyone that has heard the PB-2 yet, except for iBasso so I not sure anyone can help you at this time. I would guess in a few days there will be some PB2's out there as well as the D6.


----------



## charlie0904

Quote: 





jamato8 said:


> I don't know of anyone that has heard the PB-2 yet, except for iBasso so I not sure anyone can help you at this time. I would guess in a few days there will be some PB2's out there as well as the D6.


 


  thanks for the reply. you will be getting i assume?     
   
  yup, will read up on any impressions/reviews.
   
   
  cheers


----------



## madwolf

Hi Charlie, 
   
  Since you are from Singapore, Can I suggest you bring your D4 and Headphone/earphone/IEM to Jaben to do an A/B test with the D6 and 
  let us know what the difference. They are very friendly and you could test till your heart content. You could use your laptop there as well. 
   
  It would only cost you a few hours of your time. And if you do please give your impression. 
   
  I was there on Saturday to check on some other stuff they do have a number of D6 available. It comes with a charger that is much like a power supply of a netbook. 
  There are no op-amp rolling kit. Do you use the 9V battery of the D4 on a daily basis? The battery within the D6 are not charged using the USB connector you have to plug in the 
  power adaptor to charge the Li Ion battery. For the D12 you could charge the li ion battery using USB.  Unfortunally I do not have time to test the D6.


----------



## HiFlight

I should also be able to get off a brief comparison between the D4, D6 and D12 in the next day or two, as my PB2 and D6 are scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I am expecting the major differences to be in the type of battery used, method of recharging, type of input connections needed, etc. rather than great differences in SQ.
   
  While I do like the higher output voltage swing of the D6 and PB2, I also like the convenience of just being able to swap a 9v battery in my D4 when needed. There are times when it is not possible or very inconvenient to connect an adapter for recharging.
   
  While some might fault iBasso for introducing so many new products, I feel that they are not creating obsolescence but rather providing choices at differing price points. Not really very different from the automobile manufacturers.


----------



## kiseki (Dec 14, 2018)

.


----------



## qawsedrf

That's fast, Ron!  Oh and.. Might PM you later when I am done with the clutches of my exam papers.. Something to do with whether the OPA637BP being suitable in my upcoming iBasso D6. Not very sure if they'll work well with only 5V off USB. It's 3:47am right here now and I can't think clearly.
   
   
  Well, that is, assuming we get to choose either to use the USB 5V or the 12.6V battery power pack to power the amp section. Not too sure if I've gotten that right though, honestly.


----------



## sfmatt

iBasso's shipment are amazingly fast, another indicator of the quality of their service.
  My D6 is scheduled to arrive tomorrow as well, unfortunately I'll be working away this week so I'll have to wait until Saturday to play with it. Bummer.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





jamato8 said:


> The sound is very airy without being bright on the top end. There is a quality to the freedom of the sound that is just, open. I don't know how else to put it. Even with my LCD-2, which like some current, the peaks and bass come through natural and with fervor. The quality is different, on the airiness when compared to my excellent fi.q. I wish the fi.Q had to more open fluid sound of the D6. And if you don't hear the difference in the dac section, well it is my opinion, but the USB dac is a real jump also.


 


  Thanks Jam - airy is a good thing, IMO - others might be looking for something else (bass punch seems to be a perennial here), but that's showbiz. I wouldnt need the USB DAC, but its all good.


----------



## GeorgeGoodman

Hey Jam, thanks again for the impressions of the D6. It sounds like it would work well with a majority of music. Could you look over at the P4 thread? We are having a discussion of the P4 vs the P-51 Mustang, and a member thinks the P4 is much better. Anyone else who has experienced both amps, feel free to chime in as well.


----------



## jamato8

Quote: 





kiseki said:


> Netbook charger? So it has a power brick now? I guess the extra power requires it lol
> 
> Will the D6 be able to power both the dac and amp entirely from USB like the D4?
> I imagine the difference in power between the battery and usb will make an even bigger difference in sound than the 9v did with the D4.


 

 Yes, you can run the D6 from the USB for the dac and amp, or go the 12 volt battery for the amp and get quite a boost in power, and to me, it is noticeable with more needy phones. A huge plus!


----------



## Madpierrot

Fantastic! I'm set on getting an iBasso and was leaning toward the D6 over the D12 but would love to get an informed opinion first.
  Eagerly awaiting some insight =).
  Quote: 





hiflight said:


> I should also be able to get off a brief comparison between the D4, D6 and D12 in the next day or two, as my PB2 and D6 are scheduled to arrive tomorrow. I am expecting the major differences to be in the type of battery used, method of recharging, type of input connections needed, etc. rather than great differences in SQ.
> 
> While I do like the higher output voltage swing of the D6 and PB2, I also like the convenience of just being able to swap a 9v battery in my D4 when needed. There are times when it is not possible or very inconvenient to connect an adapter for recharging.
> 
> While some might fault iBasso for introducing so many new products, I feel that they are not creating obsolescence but rather providing choices at differing price points. Not really very different from the automobile manufacturers.


----------



## paulybatz

Quote: 





charlie0904 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
  I have both on the way!!!!
  Very excited!


----------



## HiFlight

I did receive both my D6 and PB2 today.  The D6 is should not be considered as a replacement for the D4 but rather an evolution that further refines the already excellent D4 DAC and provides a different power supply for those who prefer recharging to replacing batteries.  The additional voltage swing when operating on batteries will also provide some additional driving power if needed.  The SQ with the stock opamps is excellent.  Although the D4 and D6 use the same stock buffers, the L/R opamps are different. 
   
  I think it is a wise choice by iBasso to keep both the D4 and D6 available, as depending upon ones needs, either one is a superb choice.


----------



## Madpierrot

Looks good. What about sound quality compared to the D12?
  Quote: 





hiflight said:


> I did receive both my D6 and PB2 today.  The D6 is should not be considered as a replacement for the D4 but rather an evolution that further refines the already excellent D4 DAC and provides a different power supply for those who prefer recharging to replacing batteries.  The additional voltage swing when operating on batteries will also provide some additional driving power if needed.  The SQ with the stock opamps is excellent.  Although the D4 and D6 use the same stock buffers, the L/R opamps are different.
> 
> I think it is a wise choice by iBasso to keep both the D4 and D6 available, as depending upon ones needs, either one is a superb choice.


----------



## paulybatz

Got mine today too!
  But no time today...tomorrow night will be a music night!


----------



## pinoyman

i hope someone might want to share their experience on this new amp/dac...
  im really interested to hear some...comments about its sq.


----------



## estreeter

If keystrokes here are any indication, I have to wonder if iBasso may have shot themselves in the foot slightly by releasing this so soon after the P4. I guess its all revenue, and $30 more per unit at that, but the focus would seem to have shifted onto the newer model. I guess it isnt every day that you get a powerful portable amp with dual DAC chips 'thrown in' for only $30 more


----------



## HiFlight

The D6 is a very nice sounding amp.  I think when using the Aux input, the SQ will be very similar to that of the D4, assuming the use of the same opamps.   I haven't yet had a chance to do any A=B comparisons with my D4 using the USB input, but for those who can use the 192k capability, the D6 will be a welcome addition to the iBasso line of portables.


----------



## estreeter

Thanks Ron - I would still like to hear the D12 into the P4 : so many options in terms of connecting various sources, particularly for those of us who want to use the gear in a desktop or bedside rig over strictly portable use. It certainly wouldn't be a cheap option, but for those who already have one amp or the other ......


----------



## ZeroAtlas

Just received mine. no burn in obviously.
  FLAC via laptop> usb DAC via D6> AKG K271
  Worth every penny.
  My main gripe with the K271's was the lack of lower frequency response. This amp really lets the lows shine.
  Its also tinier than i thought it was going to be (a plus). 
   
  Here is a few pix.

   
  Here's the back:

   
  Set up:

   
  cheers.


----------



## jamato8

[size=medium]Make sure you computer is set to 24/96. Even with 16/48, the sound is better. ​[/size]


----------



## pinoyman

wow...
  very nice set up.
  and nice pic too!


----------



## mitsu763

Mine is on the UPS truck right now (just ordered it Friday). Looking forward to spending some time with it and posting pics/impressions.


----------



## qawsedrf

I envy you guys.  Still waiting for updates from my local retailer. Hope it'll reach some time this week. *chuckles* So excited over receiving my Sennheiser HD650 and iBasso D6.


----------



## HiFlight

For those who also have the D4 Topkit, you can safely use it with the D6 despite the higher supply voltage.  They both share very similar amp sections so the same Topkit will be used for both models.


----------



## Madpierrot

I've asked before so apologies if it's getting repetitive, but any thoughts on the D6 compared to the D12?
  Quote: 





hiflight said:


> For those who also have the D4 Topkit, you can safely use it with the D6 despite the higher supply voltage.  They both share very similar amp sections so the same Topkit will be used for both models.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





hiflight said:


> For those who also have the D4 Topkit, you can safely use it with the D6 despite the higher supply voltage.  They both share very similar amp sections so the same Topkit will be used for both models.


 

 Thanks Ron - when iBasso have their next board meeting (!), I suspect that there will be a mid-month spike in their sales graph for the D6.
   
  Aaah, who am I kidding - they would be far too busy making and shipping amps to ponce around in a boardroom


----------



## MartinM

Ditto to the D6 thumbs up! Got mine today!
  New here but sounds good to me via PC / USB
  Also works via iPad > Camera kit usb > D6 etc
   
  Just need my FA-003's to turn up now


----------



## ZeroAtlas

So I’ve been running the D6 via the 5V USB and it has been running beautifully. I’m a little disappointed in the actual amp though. It’s just not loud enough. I’m using low impedance headphones (K271 MKII 55ohms) and different sources. Through my iphone (headphone jack not line out) it seems to be doing the job pretty decently. The volume is at 2:30 position with source at 95%. Using my Sansa Clip, the source is at 100% and D6 volume knob is fully turned. It’s not loud enough. My question is, will I see a problem when I purchase higher impedance cans in the future? I thought the 12.4V battery was suppose to give this little amp more juice? Blah what gives?? Is there something terribly simple that  I’m missing? The gain switch is turned to the top position because the lower position is just too low.


----------



## jamato8

It would seem your input is to low, the voltage out from your source. I have zero problem with any of my phones regarding volume and can not go past 12 oclock. That includes the LCD-2, which sounds excellent with it. I prefer the higher voltage setting over the USB setting for any of the demanding phones, which makes sense but the voltage does not affect volume, just headroom/power.


----------



## ZeroAtlas

Jamato, what sources are you using? can you try (if you have one) using a Sansa clip or an iphone. both of my sources are turned to 100%. The iphone is loud enough at 2:30 but the sansa clip is completely turned to the 5 o clock position and its not even close to being loud. Im using the battery mode as well and not the usb mode.These cans are suppose to be easy to drive. they are almost the same volume amped or unamped using the clip.


----------



## mrspeakers

I keep seeing the assumption that high impedance cans are somehow "hard to drive" but a comparably low Z amp can also be very "hard to drive."  It really depends more on efficiency than impedance, until you are at very high or very low impedances.  Efficiency is correlated to how much power is required.  Because calculating power using actual impedance is complex, I'll simplify and discuss as if the headphone was a simple resistor to make the math more obvious.
   
  Efficiency is measured in dB/mW, or decibels per milliwatt and milliwatts are a measure of power.  
   
  In a purely resistive load (assuming an ideal resistive instead of reactive headphone, to simplify the math) the formula for Power is:  P = VI (Voltage x Current).  
   
  Since V = IR, where R is resistance, P = V x V/R or or P = I x I x R.  From this you can see that power can be considered either by looking at current or voltage.  If the device is very inefficient and has high impedance, you need a lot of voltage but not much current to reach peak sound levels.  If the device is very low impedance then you need a lot of current (and also low amplifier output impedance so all the power isn't lost as heat in the amp).
   
  Since every 3dB of efficiency decrease requires twice as much power to generate the same volume, you can see why "high impedance" phones will make amps run out of voltage quickly if the headphone is not efficient.

 This is not the only way to determine "best fit" for an amp/phone impedance match, but it's a good rule of thumb that I use.  
   
  IF:
   
  1) Phone is efficient (e.g. IEM) very little V or I are needed to generate enough P to make your ears bleed
   
  2) If Phone is not efficient and has HIGH impedance than you want an amp with a lot of voltage swing, but maybe not much current
   
  3) If Phone is not efficient and has LOW impedance, you need an amp with strong output current capacity and low output impedance
   
  Hope that is as clear as mud.


----------



## ZeroAtlas

Clear as a rain. Thank you for your knowledge. I was under the misimpression that a higher impedance automatically meant more power needed. My only experience with high-ish impedance phones were the HD600's and those were finicky with amps. Made the mistake of correlating the two. I'll be sure to keep your rule of thumb when considering future purchases.
  cheers.
   
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  
   
   
  Quote: 





mrspeakers said:


> I keep seeing the assumption that high impedance cans are somehow "hard to drive" but a comparably low Z amp can also be very "hard to drive."  It really depends more on efficiency than impedance, until you are at very high or very low impedances.  Efficiency is correlated to how much power is required.  Because calculating power using actual impedance is complex, I'll simplify and discuss as if the headphone was a simple resistor to make the math more obvious.
> 
> Efficiency is measured in dB/mW, or decibels per milliwatt and milliwatts are a measure of power.
> 
> ...


----------



## mrspeakers

Sure, no prob...   It seems to be what everyone thinks. 
   
  I am listening to some 650's right now, driven by the DACPort, and it has more than enough juice to drive them to a louder level than I would listen to, and the power is just a bit higher than the D6 spec.   
   
  I think the D6 will be similar, in that for a portable it has a lot of power and relatively high potential voltage swing, so it should support both High Z and Low Z phones pretty well, as long as they aren't really inefficient.  The 650's are 103dB efficiency at 1mW, the JH16s are 118dB and only 18ohms, if memory serves.  Both should be easy loads for the D6.
   
  An Audeze LCD-2 would still probably play though much depends on the buffer quality and current capacity.  With efficiency of only 91dB, they'd require about 8x as much power, so the current output would have to be about 3x as high.  A swag says this would still be in easy spec to take to 103dB, and for average but not peak levels, that's really loud.  Love to hear from the D6 owners how a low efficiency low impedance load drives, as I have two phones that fit that bill.


----------



## jamato8

Well the D6 drives the LCD-2 with no problem. I don't hear any distortion and space remains, it does not compress on louder passages. Every time I listen to the D6 I am struck by how transparent it is. It has to be one of the most transparent amps I have ever heard. 10 o'clock gets me into loud and 11 is about my limit. No clipping or distortion on the LCD-2.


----------



## paulybatz

Did some brief listening, had to share time between this and the PB-2....kind of feel like a polygamist...want to make it equal time with these girls...but Ill steal a quote from Jam here: 
   
  "Every time I listen to the D6 I am struck by how transparent it is."
   
  Out of the box this thing is a monster little amp, Ill have to do some more listening but this (and the PB2) are really top tier products...Im awestruck ...and man she looks great in matte black!


----------



## Madpierrot

A few more question before I make my decision on the D6 or D12.
   

 If I go from my soundcards optical out to the D12, is the DAC on the D12 still being used or is the D12 now acting purely as an amp?
 Does the above mean that my 24/96 is now being rendered by the D12's 16/48?
 Does the above also allow my soundcard to still apply effects when necessary (EAX etc) or is it just a passthrough?
 Is there a differences using usb, optical, coaxial or are these just options?
   
  I think the D6 is what I want, but the D12's input options is alluring. Thanks in advance to answering these!


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





jamato8 said:


> Well the D6 drives the LCD-2 with no problem. I don't hear any distortion and space remains, it does not compress on louder passages. Every time I listen to the D6 I am struck by how transparent it is. It has to be one of the most transparent amps I have ever heard. 10 o'clock gets me into loud and 11 is about my limit. No clipping or distortion on the LCD-2.


 

 I am going to stir the pot further, not because I have a dog in this fight, but simply because Skylab is specific about the three amps he tested in his final comparison and their ability to drive the LCD-2. Apologies to those who have already read the following in Rob's thread, but I dont want to simply take a sentence out of context.
   
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
_Bass:

 L3 > SR-71B > Stepdance

 Again reminding that this is the performance in single-ended mode, I found that the SR-71B lacked a little weight and impact compared to the other two, and the L3 had the best weight, impact and depth combination.  This was with the L3’s variable bass control set to flat.  All of the amps had outstanding bass performance, but* the Stepdance had just a tiny bit of trouble bringing the LCD-2’s bass prowess out to full measure.*_
   
_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_
   
  I want to make it perfectly clear that, for the majority of us, the ability to render bass to 'full measure' on something like the LCD-2 is probably a lot less important than how well an amp does everything else *with less demanding cans*. That said, if you are trying to drive orthos, this *may* be an area where the big numbers of the latest round of iBasso amps ***might*** get you over the line. Merely quoting the opinion of two (long-standing) members of Head-Fi doesnt make it so, but I felt that this was a rare opportunity to put the two impressions alongside one another, given that they refer to the same pair of headphones.
   
  In the interests of clarifying Rob's comments re the tonality on the Stepdance, I asked him whether it was his pick for best-bang-for-buck amp of his 'Top 3':
   
_*Absolutely and unequivocally.  The Stepdance is THE bargain here for sure, being about 50% of the price of the other two, and basically as good sounding.*_
   
  Finally, I'm not trying to start a 'Stepdance vs iBasso xxx' derailment - simply marrying up two impressions in the interests of highlighting one area where 'on paper' specs might just make a difference. To my knowledge, there simply hasnt been a direct 'Stepdance vs D6/P4' comparison from someone who has both amps (or all 3 !) - happy to hear otherwise. My gut feeling is that many of us would be happy with any of the above, but my gut and my wallet are no longer on speaking terms.


----------



## 78tball

Will the D4 topkit be the recommend kit for the D6? Or are there plans for a different D6 topkit? If so, any availability and pricing info? You had mentioned in the D12 thread that the opa637bp being a nice setup for the D12. Would that configuration improve on the stock D6? Any buffer changes required for opa637bp in a D6? 

Regards.


Quote:Originally Posted by HiFlight 
 For those who also have the D4 Topkit, you can safely use it with the D6 despite the higher supply voltage.  They both share very similar amp sections so the same Topkit will be used for both models.


----------



## HiFlight

The same Topkit will be used for both D4 and D6.   The 637 sounds OK with the battery voltage, but is underpowered with USB power.  The Topkit outperforms the 637, IMO.  While it does sound good, it's greatly overpriced for what you hear. There are better choices at much less cost. 
  
  Quote: 





78tball said:


> Will the D4 topkit be the recommend kit for the D6? Or are there plans for a different D6 topkit? If so, any availability and pricing info? You had mentioned in the D12 thread that the opa637bp being a nice setup for the D12. Would that configuration improve on the stock D6? Any buffer changes required for opa637bp in a D6?
> 
> Regards.
> 
> ...


----------



## Jalo

Quote: 





paulybatz said:


> Did some brief listening,..but Ill steal a quote from Jam here:
> 
> "Every time I listen to the D6 I am struck by how transparent it is."
> 
> Out of the box this thing is a monster little amp, Ill have to do some more listening but this (and the PB2) are really top tier products...Im awestruck ...and man she looks great in matte black!


 

 Given the about statement, can either Jam or Pauly comment on how the D6 compare to the PB2 in terms of transparency and any other aspect between the two?  I am kind of into balance now , I have the DB1 and wanted to know how the PB2 compares to the D6.  Thanks much.


----------



## paulybatz

Ill do some A/B over the weekend!
  Quote: 





jalo said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## HiFlight

If I didn't need USB input, I would choose the PB2.  (After listening to both with a variety of genres.  No rock though)  From the SE output of the PB2,  they are very close, depending upon opamp configuration.


----------



## Jalo

Quote: 





hiflight said:


> If I didn't need USB input, I would choose the PB2.  (After listening to both with a variety of genres.  No rock though)  From the SE output of the PB2,  they are very close, depending upon opamp configuration.


 

 Yes, I didn't need the USB input because I have the DB1 with Coax/Toslink/USB input.  So you are comparing the D6 and the PB2 straight from SE output?  and they are very close?  Wow, that mean if used in balance mode the PB2 could improve further with its SQ.  Great!  Just for confirmation, HiFlight, at least from what I can see, the PB2 right now is the most powerful amp from the Ibasso lineup with up to 2500mW (is that per channe?) is that right?  the D6, or P4 has only around 600 to 650 mW per channel.  That is a hugh difference.


----------



## jamato8

With the PB2 in balanced, it is the most powerful portable that I am aware of. 25 volts of swing and 2.5 watts into 32 ohms. With it plugged into the AC to DC converter/charger, the voltage swing goes up to 32.


----------



## Jalo

Jam, thanks for the tibits. Are you planning on upgrading to the PB2?  I am just interested a comparison between the PB2 and SR71B also.


----------



## Train

How much would running off the 5V USB affect the D6's output power? And is it even possible to get the full 12.6V using the wall charger while operating the USB DAC?


----------



## anm

it runs on battery and not on usb power.
   
  Correction - see the post below.


----------



## jamato8

The amp can run off of the USB power or with the switch in the back, the 12.6 volts of the charger/battery. The 12.6 with needy phones is definitely noticed and appreciated. The amp/dac proves to be very versatile.


----------



## qawsedrf

I have my iBasso D6 and HD650 in hand already.  Expect some pictures tonight (in about 5~6 hours time), close ups and internals. Batteries of my camera went dead halfway though, need to grab some additional batteries, but am abit too cozy to go out at the moment. Haha.
   
   
  Btw Ron if you're reading this, I'll message you abit later ya. Still haven't thanked you properly yet.


----------



## qawsedrf

As promised, some pictures.  Well, not that many... And mostly internal shots.. Since my camera died halfway fully drained before I managed to snap good exterior pcs  (haven't gotten replacements yet.. Hehe. Lazy.. Might get some tomorrow as I wanna take a few pics of my HD650). The pics ain't too good too.. Pardon me about that.
   
   
  Oh and let me know if you guys rather have the pictures thumbnailed or something. 
   
   
   
  The Goodies:




   
   
   
   
  The internals from the top, overview:




   
   
   
   
  Closeup on the Opamp sections:




  
   
   
   
   
  The backside:




   
   
   
   
  Closeup of the dual DAC we love so much:


----------



## anm

looks great. how does it sound?


----------



## qawsedrf

It definitely sounds smoother than the iBasso D4 which I previously had, while maintaining a good level of attack and transparency. In fact I think my previous D4 without the topkit has a slightly more dry midrange compared to the iBasso D6. Loads of power to bring out the lower bass rumble of the HD650 as well. I won't get into specifics, I'll just say it's very, very good sounding especially for the price. Listening to my Yuin PK3 and PK1 through the iBasso D6 is sheer pleasure as well, as it's kinda hot tonight and I don't want to make the HD650's pad all sticky with my sweat and oil. 
   
   
  Looking forward to be grabbing Ron's topkit for it soon.  As far as I remember, the Topkit does brings the mids out more making it more intimate sounding, with a much better deep bass extension as well as making it strong.
   
  I'll give you guys more A-B specific difference when I drop by my retailer's place soon perhaps? I don't really like speaking things out merely from my memory alone (especially how exams screwed my brains in through out for the past 2 weeks). Haha. So I'll list out only the things which had the most impression on me.


----------



## ddr

can't wait till someone does a D6 vs. arrow comparison =p


----------



## anm

any comparison with the nuforce hd? http://www.nuforce.com/hp/products/iconhd/index.php
  I understand that d6 has better portability due to a battery, but for office desktop use, both qualify. On the sq alone (for some iems as well as power hungry phones) how do they compare?


----------



## m4rcu5

I ordered mine last week, its estimated to arrive on Monday, maybe Tuesday. Cant wait!
   
  Does anyone know if the power cable to the adapter can be changed? I live with European connectors here.
  Also does it support ASIO out of the box on windows or does it need drivers?
   
  -m4rcu5


----------



## qawsedrf

Quote: 





m4rcu5 said:


> I ordered mine last week, its estimated to arrive on Monday, maybe Tuesday. Cant wait!
> 
> Does anyone know if the power cable to the adapter can be changed? I live with European connectors here.
> Also does it support ASIO out of the box on windows or does it need drivers?
> ...


 

  
  Congratz and have fun with your unit! 
   
   
  I don't think you can change the cable itself, but just slap on a converter to your local plug and it's all good. Additionally, the power plug supports 100v to 240v so you're pretty set back for any voltage area.  Windows will recognise the D6 automatically, just install and set up ASIO for your media player and off you go.


----------



## m4rcu5

Ah thank you for the reply!
   
  Now i think of it, i might have an converter somewhere in my desk at work. Else i grab one at the local hardware store.
   
  For the ASIO users under us, have a look at the ASIO plugin for Foobar200: http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_out_asio
   
  -m4rcu5


----------



## anm

anyone using itunes with win 7? What settings?


----------



## m4rcu5

Ah, now i have the good and the bad.
   
  It comes with at European power plug when they ship to the Netherlands. Nice thinking of them!
   
  Unfortunately it is not recognized as an ASIO device by windows. Foobar2000 cant use it that way.
  Does anyone know where to grab some ASIO drivers? The chip should support it.
   
  -m4rcu5


----------



## mikeyko

Quote: 





m4rcu5 said:


> Ah, now i have the good and the bad.
> 
> It comes with at European power plug when they ship to the Netherlands. Nice thinking of them!
> 
> ...


 

 Try http://www.asio4all.com/


----------



## m4rcu5

Ah, that seems to work. Thx!
  I'll do some long listing tomorrow at the office.
   
  -m4rcu5


----------



## bdavidson

Just received HiFlights topkit for the the D6.  A very nice addition and really brings out the range of the amp.  The kit really adds an aggressive, more dynamic sound to a stock D6.  I recommend also getting the optional extra LR module for $15.  It is very neutral, but, extends the highs while maintaining tight bass.  A very nice alternative to the default topkit opamps.
   
  Both opamp options are great add-ons and really brought out the highs in my HD650's.  The topkit really does show how neutral (good) the stock d6 actually is.
   
   
  Thanks Ron.


----------



## bdavidson

Not the best picture...


----------



## Madpierrot

How do we go about getting Hiflight's (Ron's) topkit?


----------



## estreeter

Just PM HiFlight and tell him that you are interested - he doesnt have a website or anything. I found him a pleasure to deal with, and I think you will find that his HF feedback is 100% positive.


----------



## paulybatz

This little amp is a powerhouse...I didn't think that a SE amp could sound this good, and am waiting on Ron's kit for this, his kit did wonders for the D4...and it sounds like it does the same for this...making the amp much more analytic from BDAVIDSON's comments...my ultrasones (750/2500) are easy to drive but the better the amp, the better they sound and I LOVE this little girl, she is the D4 on steroids!


----------



## Madpierrot

Will do. I'm looking forward to getting even more improvements. The amp just came in and sounds great. How many hours do amps usually need to burn-in? Do you have to have an output plugged in (headphones) or can you just leave it playing silently?
  
  Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Just PM HiFlight and tell him that you are interested - he doesnt have a website or anything. I found him a pleasure to deal with, and I think you will find that his HF feedback is 100% positive.


----------



## qawsedrf

Ron is a great guy to deal with, uber friendly too.  Waiting patiently for my topkit to arrive as well, my previous impression of it with my D4 was awesome, virtually my dream rig especially when paired with the Yuin PK3, couldn't even bring myself to take them off. Haha.


----------



## estreeter

Madpierrot, you need to put the amp under load - if it was a speaker amp, that would mean speakers, but fortunately for you it means you can get some sleep while your headphones sit in a drawer, wrapped in a towel if need be. One recommendation is 'five hours on, five hours off, repeated 5 times - the theory is that you need to get the opamps capacitors expanding and contracting - and to avoid pink and white noise or special burn-in CDs - just play music of varying intensity into the amp/headphones. As I type this, I have a recent purchase burning in - on my head, still my favorite place to put my headphones


----------



## paulybatz

I actually also suggest burning in by listening...I burned one amp in with the towel on auto-pilot...the fun is really in hearing the amp develop and open up...in addition, I agree, the amp should only be run in 4-5 hour sections, to allow the amp cicuitry a break.
  Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Madpierrot, you need to put the amp under load - if it was a speaker amp, that would mean speakers, but fortunately for you it means you can get some sleep while your headphones sit in a drawer, wrapped in a towel if need be. One recommendation is 'five hours on, five hours off, repeated 5 times - the theory is that you need to get the opamps expanding and contracting - and to avoid pink and white noise or special burn-in CDs - just play music of varying intensity into the amp/headphones. As I type this, I have a recent purchase burning in - on my head, still my favorite place to put my headphones


----------



## m4rcu5

I just could not help my self posting an pic of my new listening setup. 
   
  Using:
  - iBasso D6
  - Sennheiser IE8
  - Foobar2000 + ASIO4ALL
   
  So here they are:
   


 


   
  I have to say, it sounds perfect!
   
  -m4rcu5


----------



## 78tball

I, too, received the HiFlight's topkit with optional LR module and agree with everything stated by bdavidson.  Very nice improvement over stock D6.  I'm going to get some time in tonight relaxing while listening to the improved sound quality.  Thanks HiFlight!

  
  Quote: 





bdavidson said:


> Just received HiFlights topkit for the the D6.  A very nice addition and really brings out the range of the amp.  The kit really adds an aggressive, more dynamic sound to a stock D6.  I recommend also getting the optional extra LR module for $15.  It is very neutral, but, extends the highs while maintaining tight bass.  A very nice alternative to the default topkit opamps.
> 
> Both opamp options are great add-ons and really brought out the highs in my HD650's.  The topkit really does show how neutral (good) the stock d6 actually is.
> 
> ...


----------



## Madpierrot

Thanks for the guidance everyone. It makes getting into equipment much easier which is certainly welcome after all the money spent. My headphones are only 40ohms so I'm not sure if that'll be enough to "burn" the amp in so I'm looking into making a resistor plug.
   
  I noticed on Ibasso's site that some of the amps come with "rolling kits." I assume these are optional opamps similar to what HiFlight offers but most likely of lesser quality. Did anyone get something like this for the D6? I'd check contents on their site now but it's not loading for me at the moment. I plan on getting Ron's topkit, but wouldn't mind having a few opamps to play sandbox with.


----------



## amham

Just received my D6 in record shipping time...shipped on1/24 at10:38 am (China time) and received 1/25 at 4:00pm EST via UPS, iBasso standard method,,,amazing!  Listening now with standard op-amps.  Ordering Topkit and will report back my impression.  Initial listening suggests improvement upon my D10 with Senn 650 and a bit bright with my SR60i (this is to be expected).


----------



## Plejik

Quote: 





madpierrot said:


> I noticed on Ibasso's site that some of the amps come with "rolling kits." I assume these are optional opamps similar to what HiFlight offers but most likely of lesser quality. Did anyone get something like this for the D6?


 


  Nope, just a pair of spare jacks.


----------



## mrspeakers

Quote: 





madpierrot said:


> Thanks for the guidance everyone. It makes getting into equipment much easier which is certainly welcome after all the money spent. My headphones are only 40ohms so I'm not sure if that'll be enough to "burn" the amp in so I'm looking into making a resistor plug.
> 
> I noticed on Ibasso's site that some of the amps come with "rolling kits." I assume these are optional opamps similar to what HiFlight offers but most likely of lesser quality. Did anyone get something like this for the D6? I'd check contents on their site now but it's not loading for me at the moment. I plan on getting Ron's topkit, but wouldn't mind having a few opamps to play sandbox with.


 
  Personally I think most people are "burning" their ears in, vs. the op amps, but hey, that's me.  That said, 40 ohms will do a better burn in than a high impedance can because you are pulling more current at a given volume level (unless they are super-efficient IEMs).


----------



## amham

I've been listening now for about 10 hours and the D6 is good...really good.  The extra weight on the bottom end is immediately evident while the mids are just right, clear and bold without being pushy.  Now, I'm notoriously cranky about the high-end and dislike any etchy, over the top sound that some consider to be the mark of high fidelity.  For instance, the Grado 325 is unlistenable to my ears (owned for about 4 hours and immediately got rid of them).  The D6 has a shimmering top end without any objectionable tizziness (all of this with the stock op-amps), somewhat of a change from my initial impression.  I'm listening though Grado SR60i's.  WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHY THESE ARE NOT THE BEST HEADPHONES ANYONE COULD EVER WANT OR NEED! SERIOUSLY, WHAT ARE THEIR DEFICIENCIES FOR 79 BUCKS?  The D6 improves my Senn 650's and removes a good part of the "veil" (so does a Benchmark USB).  Compared to the stock D10, which I found objectionably bright out of the box (a Topkit fixed this completely), the D6 is superior.  At this point and without auditioning an ordered Topkit the D6 fits very nicely in my sweet spot.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





amham said:


> I'm listening though Grado SR60i's.  WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHY THESE ARE NOT THE BEST HEADPHONES ANYONE COULD EVER WANT OR NEED! SERIOUSLY, WHAT ARE THEIR DEFICIENCIES FOR 79 BUCKS?


 


  Quite ironic, given that many find even the SR60 exhibits the very characteristics you disliked so intensely in the SR325is - we can argue about how pronounced the treble is on each model, but its usually cited as 'too aggressive' for many, including notables such as Dr Jan Meier. Some people simply dont like the Grado sound - simple as that.


----------



## amham

yes, they are brighter than a Senn 650 but i find they have a very broad range from top to bottom (not quite as deep).  As I stated, I am susceptible to treble brightness but find the 60's to suit me.  I've owned Denon 7000's and found them terribly unbalanced...too much bass, a large midrange "suck-out" and a tizzy top end.  Sold them also immediately.  I've also had  electrostatics years ago, Koss 950's and Stax and found them to be one dimensional...all top end.


----------



## estreeter

Hey, no problem with me, but you are talking to a self-confessed Grado fanboy. The problem that many of us have on HF is that we cant understand how anyone else could possibly like something which didnt sound good to our ears, and vice-versa. Horses for courses, live and let live etc - it just gets old when folk start a thread purely to beat up on the poor old K701. There are a few serious Grado 'haters' out there, but most of them have said their peace by now and moved on to something else that rubs them up the wrong way.


----------



## mitsu763

Ok, I've had my D6 for over a week now and would like to share my thoughts.
   
  The build quality is pretty good. One of my sockets is not centered but at least it doesn't jiggle at all. While not up to Headamp build quality, I feel it's close to Ray's amps and really have no complaints.
   
  The sound. Excellent. Overall it seems to be nicely detailed yet smooth enough to not be irritating. I find the bass a little lighter than that of my AE-2 but the mids are fuller and the highs are tamed a bit (a good thing IMHO). I've ordered the Topkit with the opamp Ron recommended for a warmer sound signature. I'm hoping to tame the highs just a bit more to my taste.
   
  Minor quibbles. The volume pot has a little channel imbalance but only at extremely low volume so it really isn't a problem. The gain seems to take this into account. Set on high gain with the Edition 8 I run the pot up around 12 to 1 o'clock. I just wonder if there is enough gain for high impedance/inefficient cans as I haven't tested that.
   
  I'd like to mirror everyone's thoughts on Ibasso's customer service. They responded to my email immediately and their shipping time was outstanding. I ordered on Friday and had the amp Monday. Amazing.
   
  Overall, considering the asking price the D6 is a steal for anyone that wants a portable dac/amp combo.


----------



## TheMiddleSky

if using D6 as dac, can we still control volume via computer? (using windows)
   
  and for you who already have D6, what you think abous its DAC section? compare to other transportable dac/amp combo like uDac2, audinst, dacport, etc.
   
  also, is it okay to charging the battery while we're using it in battery mode? (like some of RSA amp)


----------



## HiFlight

When I am using mine plugged into the USB, the volume stays constant regardless of what I do with Media Player's volume slider. 
  I think the DAC section is superb, but no longer have any other portable/transportable DAC's other than iBasso with which to compare it.
  Yes, you can charge and listen using battery.  No interference or artifacts due to the active charging.
  Quote: 





themiddlesky said:


> if using D6 as dac, can we still control volume via computer? (using windows)
> 
> and for you who already have D6, what you think abous its DAC section? compare to other transportable dac/amp combo like uDac2, audinst, dacport, etc.
> 
> also, is it okay to charging the battery while we're using it in battery mode? (like some of RSA amp)


----------



## TheMiddleSky

thx HiFlight, btw, what you think about the different between P4 and D6 amp wise?


----------



## paulybatz

Quote: 





themiddlesky said:


> thx HiFlight, btw, what you think about the different between P4 and D6 amp wise?


 


  I will be doing some A/B comparisons over the next week myself!


----------



## Szadzik

I have 3 questions about this little gem. 
   
  1. Can you use the USB in to charge the battery or only the power brick can be used to do that? 
  2. I have a bit brightish phones and have a Stepdance which excellently reduces the brightness but I want to leave it at home and use as home amp so I want something else for portable use that woul also help reduce the brightness of my phones. Something preferably warmish but still very transparent. There ar eother amps on my list but this seems to be great value for money.
  3. How difficult is it to apply the TopKit to make it warmer if need be?
   
   
  TIA,
  Szadzik


----------



## m4rcu5

Quote: 





szadzik said:


> I have 3 questions about this little gem.
> 
> 1. Can you use the USB in to charge the battery or only the power brick can be used to do that?
> 2. I have a bit brightish phones and have a Stepdance which excellently reduces the brightness but I want to leave it at home and use as home amp so I want something else for portable use that woul also help reduce the brightness of my phones. Something preferably warmish but still very transparent. There ar eother amps on my list but this seems to be great value for money.
> ...


 

 Let me answer question 1, the rest i leave to the fellow users.
   
  You cannot use the USB plug to charge, just the power brick. You can use it with only the USB plug and sound from the dac, even with and empty battery.
   
  -m4rcu5


----------



## HiFlight

2. There are many good opamps that can modify the SQ to suit your preferences.  The stock sound of the D6 is not, IMO, overly bright.  The opamps are very easy to change.
  3. The Topkits are not designed to alter either the highs or lows of the stock SQ.  They are designed to present a realistic and balanced presentation and to enhance the stability and accuracy of the imaging.
   
  Quote: 





szadzik said:


> I have 3 questions about this little gem.
> 
> 1. Can you use the USB in to charge the battery or only the power brick can be used to do that?
> 2. I have a bit brightish phones and have a Stepdance which excellently reduces the brightness but I want to leave it at home and use as home amp so I want something else for portable use that woul also help reduce the brightness of my phones. Something preferably warmish but still very transparent. There ar eother amps on my list but this seems to be great value for money.
> ...


----------



## Madpierrot

Received the Topkit from Ron earlier before the weekend. Very nice addition. The suggested setup increases transparency and the optional opamp adds quite a bit to the high and low ends. When using the optional opamp I with the stock buffers I felt like my Ultrasone Pro 900s tranformed into the Pro 750s with a more aggressive sund. Anyone with doubts about the effectiveness of the Topkit shouldn't be worried. Ron was a pleasure to deal with.


----------



## estreeter

I've decided to wait for the D8 'Velociraptor'.  That thing will tear the D6 apart


----------



## vpsporb

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> I've decided to wait for the D8 'Velociraptor'.  That thing will tear the D6 apart


 


 But, but.... thas_ not _a Snake!  haha
  On a more serious note... I can't wait to get my Fer de Lance.   it went through Anchorage, AK. on the 29th.   soon, my preciuos!


----------



## b0klau

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> I've decided to wait for the D8 'Velociraptor'.  That thing will tear the D6 apart
> 
> lol, ill be patiently waiting to upgrade my P4 to a P5 "hummingbird"


----------



## adevoe

Hi all,
   
  My first post here, so please excuse any dorky questions!
   
  So, I bought my first pair of respectable headphones about a month ago - K702's. Now, from reading, I know that they have a mixed reputation around here, but I love them so far. I love them, and I have been listening unamped! Sacrilege, I know! But, I am not missing the bass that supposedly isn't there, and I like the analytical nature of them  Now, I don't have much to compare with, but I know that I like the sound that I am getting from these. I do want to get the most I possibly can from these though.
   
  Which brings me to my question: Would the D6 be a good choice for a portable Amp/DAC for these phones? I am currently using a curret generation MacBook Pro and an Ipod as sources, and have mixed High Bit rate Mp3 and Lossless music. I'm working on changing things over to FLAC/Lossless as I am able to. I listen to just about everything - Techno/Electronica, Classical, some Jazz, Rock, Indie, Metal.
   
  I'm pretty close to ordering one of these, unless anybody has any better suggestions? Keep in mind, I don't have a DAC now either, so this would be benefiting me in that aspect as well. And portable is a must. Eventually, I might do a desktop, but for now I need it to be portable.
   
  It would be really appreciated to know if this would be a wise choice or not - and from what I gather, this is one of the more powerful amps in this size/price range, and might be as a good match as I am going to find for the K702's.
   
  I don't need much more than a "good idea" or "waste of money" type answer, but suggestions are welcome too. I rather enjoy doing the digging/reading to find whats out there.
   
  Thanks,
  Alex


----------



## Jalo

You said you are pretty close to ordering the D6.  RELAXED.  IBASSO is closed for holiday--Chinese new year and won't be taking or shipping any order until 2/8/2011.  So you still have lots of time to think about it.  You can place you order now but it won't do you any good.


----------



## adevoe

Well... thanks for the heads up. I remember seeing that now!
   
  I'm not in any particular hurry to order something - I guess I was more close in the sense of "I'm ready to spend more on this than I spent for the headphones" kind of close. Hah. I didn't  realize what I had bitten off when I ordered these. Like I said, I'm more than happy already, but I'm curious to find out how happy I could really be.
   
   
  -Alex


----------



## estreeter

I really think a line of amps named after dinosaurs is long overdue - it would be interesting to see if anyone was brave enough to name theirs the *'T-Rex'*, especially when there is always something bigger and better on the horizon. Fighter aircraft are inevitably superceded - AFAIK, Rex simply hasnt been, at least on land. Dr Meier might like to consider this naming convention over names that evoke images of men in _lederhosen _


----------



## vpsporb

"Dr Meier might like to consider this naming convention over names that evoke images of men in _lederhosen _" 
  LOL ... and in black turtlenecks too 
   
  I just got my D6.. and the beige lettering on it's flat black finish is Gorgeous!
  First off, I thought it'd be a little more powerful... but perhaps my needs are more like Tim "more power" Taylor's is.  
   
  If I may re-iterate a point .... the D6 is T.R.A.N.S.P.A.R.E.N.T. @First listen.. I was thinking.. Huh.. that's nothing "special"... because nothing jumped @me, like being on the warm side or trebly. Listening to it more... the D6 just lets the music flow cleanly.. from the low frequencies to shimmering highs... the D6 Fer de Lance just gives, as if from an endless clean Glacial supply.  Very impressive out of the box performance.
    
  Using my RE0s.. on low gain and volume maxed, it is not loud enough... but with gain on and volume @2-3 o'clock.. it's plenty loud enough.
  Sadly my RE0's have been side-lined due to my DDM's sounding so superb, but GOOD LORD!! out of the Cowon J3/iBasso D6 combo my REO's really sound like Top Tier IEMs! The better the Amp and DAC the better the RE0 responds it seems. 
   
  The D6 is easily the best of my portables, MiniHeadSig,Mini3,Microshar uAMP109,CmoyBB.
  I didn't even get to test the DAC section yet.. funtimes ahead.


----------



## twintiga

Thanks for all the info on this thread.  I'll be ordering a D6 when the iBasso team gets back from vacation. It's gonna be a long week!


----------



## jamato8

Wait until you hear the dual dac and be sure to turn on the 24/96 even with 16/44 material. Also, make sure you have the switch in back set to batt. for the most power and you can have the adapter on at the same time.


----------



## freeky1

Quote: 





vpsporb said:


> "Dr Meier might like to consider this naming convention over names that evoke images of men in _lederhosen _"
> LOL ... and in black turtlenecks too
> 
> I just got my D6.. and the beige lettering on it's flat black finish is Gorgeous!
> ...


 

 I'm thinking of picking up an iBasso D6 to use with my Cowon J3 and as a DAC with my Alienware laptop.  I went to the iBasso website, and I have to say that their site is a bit confusing and overwhelming.  It's hard to establish any kind of heirarchy in their line of amplifiers.  I went there planning to buy the D2, and saw that the D6 is much higher power than the D2.  I also see the D12, which could be an option.  Since you also have the J3, I would really like to get your opinion of the sound of the J3 compared to that of the J3+D6.  Any info is appreciated.


----------



## ZeroAtlas

Quote: 





jamato8 said:


> Wait until you hear the dual dac and be sure to turn on the 24/96 even with 16/44 material. Also, make sure you have the switch in back set to batt. for the most power and you can have the adapter on at the same time.


 
   
  Jamato, how do you turn on 24/96? Im using foobar in WIN 7 64 bit .Most of my music is cd ripped (16/44) is there really a noticeable difference?


----------



## jamato8

On the Mac computer I go into my Audio MIDI Setup. On the PC you would have to go into preferences somewhere and just make sure the output for USB is set to 24/96. On 16/44 recorded I do hear a little improvement by having my Mac output the higher resolution to the dac, even though the recording is not 24/96. I hear more transparency and openness to the sound. YMMV.


----------



## enjaygee

I recently received my D6 after reading this thread.
   
  First, to clear up some confusion that I've been reading, the D6 comes with 24bit/96kHz enabled automatically (at least in Windows 7). It has 3 options for bit/kHz, 24/41, 24/48, and 24/96.

 Now, for any of you interested in some technical talk, allow me to give my initials impressions of it and provide some information that may not yet be known.
   
  I love the clarity and transparency of the upper frequencies. Crisp, clear, so natural sounding. Delightful to the ears, with only a couple times where I wanted to turn down the volume just a tad. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the bass. It's not that the bass isn't there or sounds bad by any means. I just felt something was lacking from my HD600s while playing house/trance/downtempo style music. Now maybe it's just the style of music I'm listening to, but to me, something just isn't there -- not enough warmth to the bass_._ I tried fiddling with the bass boost in Windows and with an equalizer, but still wasn't happy. Moreover, I noticed when enabling any enhancements, the clarity that I love so much from this amp was significantly reduced.
   
  So I decided to make a bold move to try and get what I wanted. I had some dual-channel opamps lying around, the LME49720 and the OPA2227, which are very common opamps for analyticity and bass, respectively. I stuck them in the buffer sockets and what a pleasant surprise. The warm bass that I was looking for is coming through very clearly. The 49720 seems to take away the the laid back trait that the 2227 has on its own, too. Warm, comfy bass, while still retaining a natural, crisp, analytic treble.


----------



## mrspeakers

So the D6 probably uses the Tenor chip, which really annoys because it can't handle 88.2.  Aside from having a lot of FLAC in 88.2, I like using the software upsampling in Pure Music.  I prefer even 2x because it uses less CPU and also, I think, sounds a trifle cleaner to me.  This was a hassle on my Burson, but at least I had a workaround via Coax which could input 88.2, but I had to spend $150 for a M2Tech hiface card to get there.
   
  C'mon Tenor, put out a USB chip which handles 88.2.  It's obvious it's possible if 24/96 can be supported!
   
  Guess I'll stick with my D12, as it has optical and coax which both support 24/88.2.


----------



## vpsporb

@ Freaky1,  I've always amped my J3... not because it lacks power, but because an amp can enable an increased dynamic range/spaciousness/instrument seperation... etc. for your IEM/HPs.
  Plus, if your amp has socketed Op-Amps.. you can "roll" (change em out) op-amps to have a different sound signature.
  If you need a DAC... i'd get a D6, simply because it has more output power than the D10/12/4. In case you need the extra oomph for higher Ohm IEM's or HPs.
  Good-luck with your decision, the D6 also has the "clamshell" case that is a stroke of genius for us that love to "muck about" inside.
   
  The D6 along with the D12 can accept a "dual mono" on adapter in the Center Socket!  I finally have a use for my 797BRs!


----------



## vpsporb

Quote: 





enjaygee said:


> I recently received my D6 after reading this thread.
> 
> First, to clear up some confusion that I've been reading, the D6 comes with 24bit/96kHz enabled automatically (at least in Windows 7). It has 3 options for bit/kHz, 24/41, 24/48, and 24/96.
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks for the op-amp rolling impressions. Keep 'em coming peeps!
   
  I also agree that added warmth is welcome with the D6. I went with AD797BRs in L/R and stock Buffs, it adds a fuller, richer sound to me. I don't want to remove my DDM's from my ears!
  I have yet to try my 2- OPA627AU's on adapters, and have 2 single 797BR's on adapters coming in.... to see if they sound diff/better than the 2chips on 1adapter.
   
  It always confuses me when peeps put Op-amps into the buff sockets... like you did! lol   I have 2x LME49720HA I could put into the buff sockets... hmm I wonder... any ideas to what may happen?  
   
  I did test my DT990/600 with the stock D6... sounded_ real _niice, but quite lacking in volume. With the AD797BR's in L/R a happy side-effect...the volume to my DT990/600 is VERY much increased!!!
  If I can Roll the Buffs and gain even more volume without undue side-effects.... I'd be a happy Panda!


----------



## enjaygee

Quote: 





vpsporb said:


> Thanks for the op-amp rolling impressions. Keep 'em coming peeps!
> 
> I also agree that added warmth is welcome with the D6. I went with AD797BRs in L/R and stock Buffs, it adds a fuller, richer sound to me. I don't want to remove my DDM's from my ears!
> I have yet to try my 2- OPA627AU's on adapters, and have 2 single 797BR's on adapters coming in.... to see if they sound diff/better than the 2chips on 1adapter.
> ...


 


  I'm strongly considering getting a couple 797s right now and some SOIC-to-DIP adapters. I put the 49720 in the headphone amp center socket the other day with the stock buffers and found it to be much to "digital" sounding -- nowhere near as clear as the stock AD8065As. My guess would be if you stuck 2 of them in the buffer slots you'd get kind of the same effect, if not a little lessened. It'd probably be much too analytic sounding. But then again, try it and see what happens.
   
  I found the 2227 to be not a bad choice for the amp section. It provides a more pronounced bass and wasn't as laid back as I remember it being in a previous cMoy amp that I had. Transparency wasn't there like it is with the 8065s, but female voices were more rounded off and easier to listen to at higher volumes. For a ~$5 chip it's not bad.

 I'm confused on how to determine what a good buffer would be though. Any ideas? What qualities should one look for in buffers?


----------



## sfmatt

So I've had my D6 for over 2 weeks now, about time to share some impressions.
   
  The matte black version is absolutely gorgeous, the pictures don't do it justice, it's at the same time sleek and sober, just the perfect combination at work. Compared to my D2 Viper (about the same size) which was the iBasso prototype for this class of devices the quality has gone up too, the covers and screws fit better, the board is cleaner and the volume pot is a huge improvement (and less obtrusive too). I'd rather have the switches in metal instead of plastic although they feel firmer.
   
  Straight out of the box I was struck by the unbelievable quality of the DAC section. The D2 uses the same DAC chip (albeit only one), I have a RME9632 in my desktop rig and the D6 is markedly better than both. As vpsporb said the D6 is very transparent (really transparent!), every single detail comes to life. But to me the most striking aspect is the spatial presentation, it's so 3D it's unreal. I never thought the DT250/250 were capable of so much beyond the stereo aspect and with my HD6x0s it's simply fantastic to be able to pinpoint every single instrument in space. Wow!
   
  On the other hand I found the sound signature very cold, borderline sterile. The bass is very lean, very textured with an excellent definition and authority but too dry. The mids are excellent if a tad bit cold. But the highs are too present for my taste, the extension is almost too much, overall they're beyond crisp. That being said I found it to be an excellent match for my HD650, the bass gets the bit of weight they lack while removing some of the extra groove, the highs come to life without bothering, I really enjoyed the combination. But with my other phones the D6 was too bright, it left my ears ringing pretty quickly.
  One thing needs to be said: the D6 packs a lot of punch, the bass has serious impact and despite it not being louder than the D2 at full volume, the impact it brings to the sound will give your ears with a serious workout if you try to get too much goodness out of it.
   
  Initially I thought I would wait 100 hours or so before rolling but I could not live with the brightness so I tried various permutations with the stock opamps, LT1357, LT1363 and LM49710. Don't bother with LT1357, LT1363 is similar but just a bit better in every aspect. LM49710 are indeed a bit "plastic" but I really enjoy the compressed intensity that comes out of them, alone they're too much but it turns out they complete very well LT1363. Full sound without excessive bite, with the same transparency and spatiality as the stock config. Love it, even more so since it turns out they work really well on USB too, better than stock. Actually I listen 4-6 hours/day at work and I only charge on week-ends now as I don't know if I don't prefer the slightly less intense sound on USB for long sessions. Being so good on USB is a big feature of this little amp in my book. Still I won't resist trying AD797BR either, I got four on my way. Still, unless I find the signature much better I'm not inclined to give up the USB option.
   
  Over the last 2 weeks the sound has changed quite a bit though and it's not only my ears adjusting... I remember having the same impression with the D2. The sound has become a tad fuller.
   
  When I first got the D6, I was a bit meh because of the stock sound signature but knew straight away it was a terrific platform to try and get the sound I dream of and I'm certainly getting there. There's still a hint of aggressivity I'd like to tame but then I'm so used to my tube amp I need more time to adjust.
   
  At this price the D6 is a killer DAC/amp. Hell, at this price the D6 is a killer DAC alone and the amp is perhaps still not equivalent to a desktop amp of the same price but certainly very close. I got almost 3 years out of the D2, it will take more than that to convince me to upgrade this time...


----------



## sfmatt

Forgot a couple things:
  - my D6 too had a slight imbalance at low volume in the beginning but it went away over time
  - it "bugs" if I switch from battery to USB without turning it off first


----------



## vpsporb

*@enjaygee*: one of my amps has Buffs, but they're non rollable... I'm a noob with buffers... as I haven't touched my D6's yet, even... lol
   
*@sfmatt*: If you love the 3D spatial presentation and soundstage of a stock D6.... both you and *enjaygee* will LOVE what the *AD797BR*'s bring to the table. Listening to certain songs with the Radius DDM's the Spatial presentation is absolutely _Stunning_!! my mouth was litteraly agape with me looking around... to judge how far, and which direction music/voices were comin from.
  I'm enjoying them so much.. they haven't been rolled-out yet.


----------



## sfmatt

Unfortunately the ebay source I bought the 797s from takes forever to ship so it will take a few weeks before I get to test for myself. Until then let me ask you how do they fare on usb? The specs say they're 10V min, I'm just curious about what happens when they're fed half that voltage. Is the sound garbled?
   
  Beyond AS797 the other one I'd like to try is LME49990. No DIP version but I hope HighFlight can help me here...


----------



## vpsporb

Quote:


sfmatt said:


> Unfortunately the ebay source I bought the 797s from takes forever to ship so it will take a few weeks before I get to test for myself. Until then let me ask you how do they fare on usb? The specs say they're 10V min, I'm just curious about what happens when they're fed half that voltage. Is the sound garbled?
> 
> Beyond AS797 the other one I'd like to try is LME49990. No DIP version but I hope HighFlight can help me here...


 
  Did you order 2 single AD797B on adapters, or 1 dual AD797B's on adapter?  Mine are Duals.. so, I also ordered 2 Singles as well. 
  With AD797's, it will *NOT* run properly with only *USB* power. Suprisingly, with 2 single *OPA627AU*'s rolled.. it runs _*WELL*_ on USB power .... huh! *[EDIT]* Runs WELL on USB if using* IEMs*, I just tried with my 600Ohm headphones.. and the sound does start to distort past 2:00ish on the volume.  Sorry about that. 

  To me, the two 627AU's impart more widely seperated instruments/soundstage..likely partly due to being on own adapters for L/R. 
  The 627AU's also appear to have more pronounced lower Bass than the 797B's, while the 797B's seem to have a tighter, more dynamic sound.
   
  In driving DT990/*600Ohm* mode: @full volume the *AD797B*'s give my Beyers that slight itchy-ear feeling as the Drivers vibrate the cups on the sides of my head! Over the slightly less powerful/dynamic *OPA627AU*'s.  I love BOTH tho, like _HOT _twins... they both push the right buttons. 


  I briefly tried... LME49720HA in Buff sockets. Like a Tim Burton movie... it's a nice sureal trip... that's not quite right.... 
  Hard to put into words, it seemed the Vocals were less upfront... and kind-of intermixed/smeared into the Freaky Wide 3D SoundScape.... haha
  In the Center Socket the 49720HA seems quite capable... perhaps the least colored of the 3 op-amps tried.


----------



## HiFlight

A couple of other suggestions for the D6 LR:  ....
   
   TLE2142 .... OPA2211.....AD744 Output Bypassed ....OPA1612 ....LME49860...THS4032.   It is hard to find a better buffer for the D6 than the LMH6655 which is the stock buffer.  THS4032 also works well as a buffer. 
  Most of the LME49xxx series sound rather cold and over-analytical to me.  The 49860 seems to be the best of the lot that I have tried. 
   
  Ron


----------



## enjaygee

I just found a potential problem that probably won't be an issue for 99.99% of people. But! It was a problem for me, so here it goes.
   
*Do not, and I repeat, DO NOT, use the iBasso D6 with USB 3.0 ports! Occasionally, a quick, terribly loud static noise will blast through the output.*
  My motherboard is a Gigabyte 880GMA-UD2H. An easy way to test this problem if you're using USB 3.0 is to go to the volume tab in Windows taskbar and click the volume test button about 20 times or so in quick succession (be sure to take off your headphones when testing this).
   
  I thought it was just a defect of my D6, but I think I have confirmed that it has something to do with its compatibility with the USB 3.0 ports on my motherboard.
   
  Edit: perhaps this is placebo, but the D6 sounds slightly better on USB 2.0 as well...
  Edit #2: not a placebo. After listening for a few hours, I would actually say the difference is *night and day*. The bass is so much fuller, the highs are no where near as piercing as they used to be, the soundstage is so much wider. It's like I'm listening to a completely different amp. My satisfaction in the iBasso just climbed exponentially. Does anyone know why USB 3.0 would make the D6 behave this way? USB 3.0 is supposed to be backwards compatible with 2.0 devices, I thought. Really don't know the explanation for this.


----------



## vpsporb

Quote: 





hiflight said:


> A couple of other suggestions for the D6 LR:  ....
> 
> TLE2142 .... OPA2211.....AD744 Output Bypassed ....OPA1612 ....LME49860...THS4032.   It is hard to find a better buffer for the D6 than the LMH6655 which is the stock buffer.  THS4032 also works well as a buffer.
> Most of the LME49xxx series sound rather cold and over-analytical to me.  The 49860 seems to be the best of the lot that I have tried.
> ...


 

 Thanks Ron, out of that line-up I'd really like to try the OPA211's and OPA1611's. I read that they are quite similiar, and If I had to choose... I'd have to give a nod to your golden ears!
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  If they are anything like my OPA627AU's, they are quite special chips indeed!


----------



## ZeroAtlas

I have had the same problem using the D6. its has happened twice where i got hit with the most hurtful sounding static noise. I wasn't sure whether it was the amp issue or a PC issue. It is *not *a USB 3.0 problem. I have the same issue on my laptop, which has only 2.0. I have not been able to reproduce the error but i will test it using the volume test button as you suggested.

  
  Quote: 





enjaygee said:


> I just found a potential problem that probably won't be an issue for 99.99% of people. But! It was a problem for me, so here it goes.
> 
> *Do not, and I repeat, DO NOT, use the iBasso D6 with USB 3.0 ports! Occasionally, a quick, terribly loud static noise will blast through the output.*
> My motherboard is a Gigabyte 880GMA-UD2H. An easy way to test this problem if you're using USB 3.0 is to go to the volume tab in Windows taskbar and click the volume test button about 20 times or so in quick succession (be sure to take off your headphones when testing this).
> ...


----------



## vpsporb

Addendum:
   Hmm, I just put the stock AD8065A back into L/R  and the Volume level does go to almost as loud as with the AD797,OPA627 driving 600Ohm Beyers, just not as full, rich, dynamic sounding.
  I could have sworn it was waay lower originally, I must've left Gain on low or something when testing.? 
  The D6 is better than I thought stock!   
  My bad...


----------



## enjaygee

I haven't been able to reproduce this problem on my USB 2.0 ports (using the abovementioned method). Haven't heard the noise in over a day now (I was getting it a couple times a day with USB 3.0). Might be a potential fault of the D6 then if yours is doing it on a completely different system with 2.0 ports. That's unfortunate...
  
  Quote: 





zeroatlas said:


> I have had the same problem using the D6. its has happened twice where i got hit with the most hurtful sounding static noise. I wasn't sure whether it was the amp issue or a PC issue. It is *not *a USB 3.0 problem. I have the same issue on my laptop, which has only 2.0. I have not been able to reproduce the error but i will test it using the volume test button as you suggested.


----------



## vpsporb

Lucky I haven't had any USB issues myself, even having a Gamma1 DAC hooked to USB @same time as my D6 and switching between the 2 in Win7speaker/MediaMonkey.
   
  Aww, I just noticed OPA627's don't reproduce "Ghosts n Things" by Deadmau5 properly...Keyboard/Organs? are Off.   
  Rolled the AD797BR's back.... and "Ghosts n Things" sounds as creapy as sposed to!    [edit]  and, the vocals in "I Remember" are rendered back superlatively... just gorgeous Female vocals!
  [EDIT]
  The Organ offness with the OPA627's likely because of not synergising well with the LMH6655 buffers. The song sounds_ fine _amped by my other amp with OPA627's and HA5002 buffers.


----------



## Jalo

Has this problem been reported to Ibasso and has anyone received any feedback from Ibasso yet?  I am just wondering with their rapid development of new products, could it be that the product testing be suffering from lack of attention?


----------



## kiseki (Dec 14, 2018)

.


----------



## demo1

Can someone with the D6 shed some light on how big of a problem that volume imbalance is? I know it only happens at low volumes but how low? Be so it may seem, I do sometimes listen to my IEMs (sensitive) at low volumes so I'm afraid the imbalance may bother me.


----------



## bdavidson

Although I hate to admit it, I can also confirm the terribly loud static noise that occasionally shoot through my headphones when listening to the d6 as a DAC.  Not sure what the problem is and I haven’t contacted iBasso yet, but, it does occur and rewinding the track and re-listening to the segment usually doesn’t reproduce the problem.


----------



## mitsu763

Quote: 





demo1 said:


> Can someone with the D6 shed some light on how big of a problem that volume imbalance is? I know it only happens at low volumes but how low? Be so it may seem, I do sometimes listen to my IEMs (sensitive) at low volumes so I'm afraid the imbalance may bother me.


 


  The imbalance is only noticeable at levels below what I'd call listenable. I've used the D6 with my JH11 with no problem.


----------



## demo1

Quote: 





mitsu763 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Hmm...still, dishing out this much money, you would think that ibasso could have somehow rectified the problem in the first place.


----------



## mitsu763

Quote: 





demo1 said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 I don't really consider it a problem as it doesn't interfere with normal listening. I think Ibasso's products are quite a bargain compared to the amps from other manufacturers. If you need a better pot you'll have to fork out quite a bit more money for something from RSA or something with a digital attenuator. Heck, even my AE-2 has a slight imbalance at the very beginning of the pot. Really, it's a non issue. Here is an explanation from NuForce http://www.nuforce.com/hp/support/analog-volume-graph.php


----------



## enjaygee

Quote: 





bdavidson said:


> Although I hate to admit it, I can also confirm the terribly loud static noise that occasionally shoot through my headphones when listening to the d6 as a DAC.  Not sure what the problem is and I haven’t contacted iBasso yet, but, it does occur and rewinding the track and re-listening to the segment usually doesn’t reproduce the problem.


 
  I didn't realize this was such a shared problem by some of us; I thought my case was an anomaly. I would like to see what iBasso has to say with regards to this issue.


----------



## mrspeakers

I have low-volume imbalance issues on the D12 with IEMs, but it's fine for full size phones.  My DACPort, on the other hand, tracks excellently down to lowest levels...  The D12 it becomes a problem at low volume levels at work, where I use IEMs to reduce distractions, but have to play music at more listening than ambient levels, or the imbalance is distracting. 

 Definitely guys like Ray Samuels are on to something when they toss half the Alps pots they get...


----------



## demo1

Quote: 





mrspeakers said:


> I have low-volume imbalance issues on the D12 with IEMs, but it's fine for full size phones.  My DACPort, on the other hand, tracks excellently down to lowest levels...  The D12 it becomes a problem at low volume levels at work, where I use IEMs to reduce distractions, but have to play music at more listening than ambient levels, or the imbalance is distracting.
> 
> Definitely guys like Ray Samuels are on to something when they toss half the Alps pots they get...


 


  It's experiences like these that are preventing me from ordering the D6 right now. I'll be using them strictly with the IE8s and Westone 4s (once I get them that is), so it might be a problem. Are all of iBasso's dac/amps like this? Are other brands like this? What's a similar dac/amp to the D6 that I won't have to worry about while using my IEMs?
   
  Edit: looking into the Ray Samuels Predator or Pico...they're quite a bit more money but how would you guys say they compare to the Ibasso D6? If they don't exhibit this imbalance problem at low volumes and don't produce hiss with IEMs, I might just jump on them.


----------



## bdavidson

[size=10.0pt]I emailed iBasso about the occasional loud static noise. We’ll see what they say.[/size]


----------



## mrspeakers

IEMs are more sensitive to low level drift with analog volume controls.  Most digital controls mess up the music or offer inadequate adjustment precision (too few steps).  Most analog pots (except hand made ones using discrete resistors) will do this, so if you use IEMs, you'll be pretty used to this on portable gear in particular.  Ray tosses about half his pots because they don't track to his spec, which makes him particularly valuable to IEM fans, as he tracks well at low levels.  The DACPort I have is superb in this measure, as well..  Full cans usually are less efficient so the issue is less relevant...
   
  Because I have not had a chance to hear RSA gear in person I shouldn't say anything absolute except that he has a great reputation for quality and attention to detail, and is based here.  The gear costs more, true, but not that much in the context of a full rig.  I would like to  get acquainted with his gear at a  meet.....


----------



## burgunder

Speaking of the DACPort do still think it's better tha the D6? I need (sic) to upgrade my µDAC but I would like something around the same size, so I will not clutter up my desk further, and I use a tube amp for my high impedance cans, and then I can use can the DACport for low impedance cans that will hum with the tube amp.
  Quote: 





mrspeakers said:


> IEMs are more sensitive to low level drift with analog volume controls.  Most digital controls mess up the music or offer inadequate adjustment precision (too few steps).  Most analog pots (except hand made ones using discrete resistors) will do this, so if you use IEMs, you'll be pretty used to this on portable gear in particular.  Ray tosses about half his pots because they don't track to his spec, which makes him particularly valuable to IEM fans, as he tracks well at low levels.  The DACPort I have is superb in this measure, as well..  Full cans usually are less efficient so the issue is less relevant...
> 
> Because I have not had a chance to hear RSA gear in person I shouldn't say anything absolute except that he has a great reputation for quality and attention to detail, and is based here.  The gear costs more, true, but not that much in the context of a full rig.  I would like to  get acquainted with his gear at a  meet.....


----------



## HiFlight

I have found that my D6 is not recognized by my Linux computer USB output, which is my main desktop unit.  All of my other iBasso amp/DACs (Boomslang, D10, D12, D4) are instantly recognized and function perfectly with this OS.  I have contacted iBasso, but they have not tested the DACs with Linux and are unfamiliar with that OS. 
   
  I had the same issue with the Nuforce uDAC but both units worked perfectly with my Win. XP laptops.   Bottom line is that if you are using Linux, perhaps there is a better choice than the D6.   As there are many versions of the Linux OS, I can't say that my results would be the same with all of them so YMMV. 
   
   
  ADDENDUM:  
  I have changed just changed to a different computer and the Ubuntu version of the Linux OS from my previous computer that was running the Zonbu Linux OS.  The Unbuntu version works just fine with my D6.   As there are many versions of Linux, I guess that one will just have to give a try to be sure that the D6 will be properly recognized.


----------



## mrspeakers

Quote: 





burgunder said:


> Speaking of the DACPort do still think it's better tha the D6? I need (sic) to upgrade my µDAC but I would like something around the same size, so I will not clutter up my desk further, and I use a tube amp for my high impedance cans, and then I can use can the DACport for low impedance cans that will hum with the tube amp.
> Quote:
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Never heard the D6, so I can't judge based on personallistening.  For my $.02, though, the DACPort sounds better than my D12.  It's also class A, which I really like, and has a huge 18V swing, and has a native 1/4 inch jack with a mini adaptor, so it's really solid with full size cans.  It's fabulous with my HD650s.  I'd pick the DACPort if I could only pick one and were going for sound, but I'd pick the D6 or D12 if I needed different input options and/or self-powered operation.


----------



## demo1

Quote: 





mrspeakers said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Can you comment on the DACPort's (weak) bass. Some say it's bass light which makes me worried. For that reason, I think I'll be going with the D6.


----------



## mrspeakers

I like subwoofers, in fact I design them, so I *really* care about bass.  I find the DACPort to simply be neutral, clean and very nice.  Any amp that is "bass heavy" is probably simply high output impedance, which can increase bass levels on low impedance cans (which is not, IMHO, a good thing, from an engineering perspective).  Also, the DACPort is Class A, so there's no strain at moderate to loud levels.  But this is a D6 thread so maybe these questions belong on the DACPort page...


----------



## twintiga

just ordered a D6...should be here by Monday. Excited to see how these sound with my D2000's...


----------



## demo1

Just ordered one too. Standard shipping from China is that fast?
  
  Quote: 





twintiga said:


> just ordered a D6...should be here by Monday. Excited to see how these sound with my D2000's...


----------



## jamato8

Quote: 





mrspeakers said:


> I have low-volume imbalance issues on the D12 with IEMs, but it's fine for full size phones.  My DACPort, on the other hand, tracks excellently down to lowest levels...  The D12 it becomes a problem at low volume levels at work, where I use IEMs to reduce distractions, but have to play music at more listening than ambient levels, or the imbalance is distracting.
> 
> Definitely guys like Ray Samuels are on to something when they toss half the Alps pots they get...


 
  iBasso throws out over 50 percent of the Alps pots they order. They are all tested for balance but I imagine like everything, a few might get through from time to time. I haven't ever had a pot that wasn't balanced r and l except early on with iBasso amps.


----------



## chirawatf

I had this problem with my hifiman hm-602 (connect to comp using USB Dac function).  My solution was using PCI-USB card (it's cheap, around 10 US) and used with only 1 port of the card, otherwise static noise will come back.
  Hope this help.
  
  Quote: 





enjaygee said:


> I haven't been able to reproduce this problem on my USB 2.0 ports (using the abovementioned method). Haven't heard the noise in over a day now (I was getting it a couple times a day with USB 3.0). Might be a potential fault of the D6 then if yours is doing it on a completely different system with 2.0 ports. That's unfortunate...
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


----------



## burgunder

OK thx!
   
  Quote: 





mrspeakers said:


> Never heard the D6, so I can't judge based on personallistening.  For my $.02, though, the DACPort sounds better than my D12.  It's also class A, which I really like, and has a huge 18V swing, and has a native 1/4 inch jack with a mini adaptor, so it's really solid with full size cans.  It's fabulous with my HD650s.  I'd pick the DACPort if I could only pick one and were going for sound, but I'd pick the D6 or D12 if I needed different input options and/or self-powered operation.


----------



## twintiga

Yes, I was surprised by how fast the package was expected to arrive.  The amp is already in Alaska...
   
   
  Quote: 





demo1 said:


> Just ordered one too. Standard shipping from China is that fast?
> 
> Quote:
> 
> ...


----------



## sfmatt

The 4 AD797BR I had ordered on ebay finally arrived. Very impressed with the seller, the packaging was very good, the brown dogs are top-notch (better than iBasso) and he added a pair of LT1028 to boot. But let's cut it short: the SQ is simply stellar. Definition, neutrality, clarity, musicality, 3D effect are better than with any other combo whatever music style you throw at them. No wonder they're the reference, I'd never heard them before but now I know why.
   
  LT1028 sound very similar to AD797 but they hiss when the amp is tuned on and off. I could not hear much difference, perhaps a bit less upfront and slightly less weight in the bass but close still. One thing is that I managed to get LT1028 to work with USB but they distort as soon as the volume goes past 2 o'clock.
   
  In both cases (AD797 and/or LT1028) the volume is noticeably lower than with the other opamps I have which all work with USB due to their lower Vmin. As a result I expect the battery life to be significantly shorter although I have not tested by how much yet.
   
  I tried again all the opamps I have and even if there's nothing wrong with the stock opamps, I still find them too sterile and too bright. It's definitively a matter of taste, not quality (at least with everything else than 4 AD797).
   
  In the end I will keep LT1363 in main and LM49710 as buffers, it's the best sounding USB-compatible combo to my ears and I need USB for now while I am more often than not away from home. And the fact that I tried LT1363 + AD797 and AD797 + LM49710 and the 3 permutations are not that far off from each other, it's only 4 AD797 that I feel is a big step up.
   
  Then for fun I tried to compare LT1364 (the dual version of LT1363) vs 2 LT1363. The difference is not nigh and day, there's a bit more separation with 2 LT1353 though.
   
  I've had a couple of static episodes with the stock opamps but not once since then.
   
  And no issue with Linux (Mandriva) either.
   
  On a side note, I was away from home all week and let the battery discharge on Monday (forgot to turn off the amp at night) so now I really can confirm the D6 sounds great on USB only


----------



## paulybatz

Love this amp...drives my HD650s fantastically...and do most of my listening with my Ultrasone Pro750s and 2500s at the office, this amp is a single ended game changer.  AND I havnt tried Rons kit in her yet, the kit in the D4 turned her into a second place LISA3...I think this amp already is fantastic, ready to do more listening over the weekend!


----------



## jamato8

Quote: 





paulybatz said:


> Love this amp...drives my HD650s fantastically...and do most of my listening with my Ultrasone Pro750s and 2500s at the office, this amp is a single ended game changer.  AND I havnt tried Rons kit in her yet, the kit in the D4 turned her into a second place LISA3...I think this amp already is fantastic, ready to do more listening over the weekend!


 
  I have found the D6 to have a very low noise floor and the high performance USB dac to do a superb job. I haven't done much op amp rolling as I like it stock. The increase in voltage really added to the jump factor with the amp.


----------



## ddr

bdavidson said:


> [size=10.0pt]I emailed iBasso about the occasional loud static noise. We’ll see what they say.[/size]




any updates?


----------



## paulybatz

Well put Jam....very fine piece of equipment!
  Cannot imagine things getting better!
  
  Quote: 





jamato8 said:


> I have found the D6 to have a very low noise floor and the high performance USB dac to do a superb job. I haven't done much op amp rolling as I like it stock. The increase in voltage really added to the jump factor with the amp.


----------



## roker

I don't know if this has been posted or not, but do iBasso amps play well with GSM signals like the one from my iPhone?
   
  I'm really thinking of buying one of these amp or dac/amp combos for my IEMs, but I don't want my cellphone signals to interfere.
   
  Should I just buy an amp or dac/amp?  I really have no interest in using the DAC part, then again I don't need all the power the P4 offers for my sensitive IEMs.


----------



## enjaygee

Quote: 





roker said:


> I don't know if this has been posted or not, but do iBasso amps play well with GSM signals like the one from my iPhone?
> 
> I'm really thinking of buying one of these amp or dac/amp combos for my IEMs, but I don't want my cellphone signals to interfere.
> 
> Should I just buy an amp or dac/amp?  I really have no interest in using the DAC part, then again I don't need all the power the P4 offers for my sensitive IEMs.


 

 It does pick up GSM signals if my phone is on my desk (~3 feet). It doesn't distort/ruin any sound coming out of the D6 from what I can tell though, if that's your concern about "playing well"... it sounds as if the signal is a part of the music. It doesn't pick up any signal if my phone is on the ground away from my desk (~6 feet).


----------



## roker

Quote: 





enjaygee said:


> It does pick up GSM signals if my phone is on my desk (~3 feet). It doesn't distort/ruin any sound coming out of the D6 from what I can tell though, if that's your concern about "playing well"... it sounds as if the signal is a part of the music. It doesn't pick up any signal if my phone is on the ground away from my desk (~6 feet).


 
   
  Not what I wanted to hear.
   
  I guess that's what I get for using my iPhone as a DAP.
   
  I suppose it'll be better to wait for the E11, which Fiio claims to being built with cellphone users in mind.


----------



## mrspeakers

I put my iPhone in airplane mode to address noise. 

Anyone know if d6 accepts 88.2 direct?


----------



## twintiga

been enjoying my d6 since i got it last week. gonna break it in and eventually pick up a Ron's topkit.
   
  the build quality is great! i've been pleasantly surprised.


----------



## AldenC

Hi , Just receive my D6, and I notice that the unit comes with spare 3.5mm sockets, does it means that the 3.5mm sockets are expected to fail easily, and do they expect users to replace 3.5mm socket by soldering ? If I get someone to change it for me does it void the warrenty ?


----------



## Train

Emailed iBasso about the USB problem, pointing them to several posts in this thread. Their response:
   
_Hi,_
_To solve this kind of problem, you can just increase the buffer on the music player._
_ _
_Sincerely_
_iBasso Audio_


----------



## enjaygee

Really... that's too bad. I don't think they're quite aware of the problem judging by that response. Thankfully I haven't had this problem in a couple weeks now since I've been using USB 2.0.
  Quote: 





train said:


> Emailed iBasso about the USB problem, pointing them to several posts in this thread. Their response:
> 
> _Hi,_
> _To solve this kind of problem, you can just increase the buffer on the music player._
> ...


----------



## Szadzik

Hi Everyone, I have been contemplating this amp and am trying to gather some opinions from those who have it and especially those who changed the opamps.
  I am basically trying to make it a bit warmish sounding and remember someone mentioning AD797 chips giving a bit of that effect (I just want a tiny bit of warmth, not anything too strong) and I was wondering if you could confirm and maybe point me i nthe right direction with buying the right opamps.


----------



## enjaygee

I highly recommend the THS4032 (or 2x4031s). It gives the perfect amount of warmth, while still having amazing clarity. When used with bypass buffers, this is a great all-around opamp for any genre of music.
  
  Quote: 





szadzik said:


> Hi Everyone, I have been contemplating this amp and am trying to gather some opinions from those who have it and especially those who changed the opamps.
> I am basically trying to make it a bit warmish sounding and remember someone mentioning AD797 chips giving a bit of that effect (I just want a tiny bit of warmth, not anything too strong) and I was wondering if you could confirm and maybe point me i nthe right direction with buying the right opamps.


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





enjaygee said:


> I highly recommend the THS4032 (or 2x4031s). It gives the perfect amount of warmth, while still having amazing clarity. When used with bypass buffers, this is a great all-around opamp for any genre of music.


 


   
  Thanks for the input, I will add these to my inventory.


----------



## anson67

I've got about 30 hours on my D6.  It's being fed 96/24 from my MBP and happily driving my old pair of HD600's.  I'm quite happy so far with the SQ on various types of music.  No USB related static or any odd behavior at this point.  With the HD600's I'm using high gain and volume between 11 o'clock and noon, so if I really need it loud, there's plenty of headroom.
   
  Out of curiosity, has anyone tried to drive the DT-990 600 ohms with the D6?  Curious if this little guy has the juice.  Thanks!


----------



## Szadzik

Finally, I pulled the trigger yesterday. I need a DAC for my HP Envy 14 that hisses a lot with my T5ps (not so with MX980s and MX580s) and I decided I wanted to try an iBasso product too. I am now using a Corda Stepdance and if D6 is as good as the Stepdance, or at least close, Stepdance will gain the status of a home amp and D6 will be travelling with me around the world.

 I will all let you know when I have the amp in around 2-3 weeks.

 P.S. When you place and order with iBasso do you receive any order confirmation or just PayPal payment confirmation as I did not receive anything from iBasso.


----------



## anson67

This is what I received when I ordered.  I'd give them some time to get the shipping info in order.
   
   
  Quote: 





> Dear, Sir/Madam,
> 
> Thank you for your order.
> Your order has been shipped.
> ...


 
   
  -anson


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





anson67 said:


> This is what I received when I ordered.  I'd give them some time to get the shipping info in order.
> 
> 
> 
> -anson


 


  Thanks, I hope I will get mine soon.
   
   
*EDIT:* Got the confirmation!!!


----------



## Mdraluck23

HD600 is great with it. I would say that it has near-desktop capabilities.


----------



## sfmatt

Quote: 





mdraluck23 said:


> HD600 is great with it. I would say that it has near-desktop capabilities.


 

 That's a good way to put it. I've put the AD797 back in the D6 and I am really impressed by its performance. I'm having a hard time comparing my desktop tube amp with the D6 but they're certainly comparable which wasn't the case with my D2.


----------



## Mdraluck23

I do think that the balanced amps I heard with the HD600's were significantly better, but I can't say the same for single ended desktop SS amps. iBasso PB-2 in the distant future perhaps?


----------



## enjaygee

Quote: 





mdraluck23 said:


> HD600 is great with it. I would say that it has near-desktop capabilities.


 

 I'm very happy with the HD600s and the D6 as well. They really are a great combination.


----------



## Palpatine

Has anyone tried this amp with 600 ohm Beyers?


----------



## rblaster85

The spec calls for headphones up to 300 ohms, so I would guess that the 600 are too much, I asked the same question because I have the D6, However I just purchased some DT770/80's this weekend and they run fine on the amp, I am returning them though for the 250 non pro versions. I listened to the 880 250 ohm in the store with my amp and they sounded very good, too bad I require a closed set of cans for the office....


----------



## Szadzik

Mine should be with me veeery soon, happy me. 
   
  The only gripe I would have with it is that it does not accept an external power source.
   
  Can it be powered from USB when not used in DAC mode?


----------



## HiFlight

The D6 can, indeed, be powered by the USB cable when using the Aux input.   It also comes with a 12.6 AC adapter that you can use for desktop power if USB is not available as well as for charging.  This is so stated in the User manual. 
   
  Quite a versatile instrument. 

  
  Quote: 





szadzik said:


> Mine should be with me veeery soon, happy me.
> 
> The only gripe I would have with it is that it does not accept an external power source.
> 
> Can it be powered from USB when not used in DAC mode?


----------



## x101xtreme

I'm just curious, has anyone tried the ibasso amps with the JH 16-pro's? I'm looking for an amp in the $200-300 price range, and the d6 is high on my list due to it's ability for 24/96 over USB. Will I need to set the impedance lower for this amp to use with my JH's?


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





hiflight said:


> The D6 can, indeed, be powered by the USB cable when using the Aux input.   It also comes with a 12.6 AC adapter that you can use for desktop power if USB is not available as well as for charging.  This is so stated in the User manual.
> 
> Quite a versatile instrument.


 


   
  I hope that will be true. The manual says:
   
  -Powered by 12.6V Li-polymer rechargeable battery pack,
 or USB power
   
   
  But since I cannot test I will hope you are right as that would be what I want - if it is not, I will ive with it.


----------



## enjaygee

HiFlight is correct (and is very knowledgeable about this product, by the way). You can power the D6 via USB while listening through the AUX port -- I'm doing it right now just to make sure. And of course, can be powered via the 12.6v adapter/battery.
  
  Quote: 





szadzik said:


> I hope that will be true. The manual says:
> 
> -Powered by 12.6V Li-polymer rechargeable battery pack,
> or USB power
> ...


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





enjaygee said:


> HiFlight is correct (and is very knowledgeable about this product, by the way). You can power the D6 via USB while listening through the AUX port -- I'm doing it right now just to make sure. And of course, can be powered via the 12.6v adapter/battery.


 


   
  HF is an expert here for sure.


----------



## vpsporb

I agree that the AD797B's have a very full, rich sound with nice tight bass. It also has an amazing soundstage, wide, deep, intimate... as necessary.
  But! you have to @least use dummy buffers... or the great soundstage will be very wierdly narrowed/congested by the stock buffers. 
  My latest combo is 797BR's for buffs and 797B's for Center, the sound is seriously to-die-for. Richer more impactful sound than with dummy buffers.
  Quite possibly better than the impressive OPA627AU in L/R w/Stock buffers combo, I don't know... I haven't had the urge to roll-back to that combo yet. 

  @Palpatine:
  I felt that my DT990/600's were driven quite Well with the D6, and sounded great with the AD797B's. If this means anything, I prefered my D6 to a Millet Hybrid MiniMax for driving my Beyers.
  Sadly they're down for a driver replacement, I'll re-cable them too.. so, I won't be able to test with them for awhile.


----------



## HiFlight

I did a double-take when I saw the what appears to be a single AD797 in the L/R socket, but quickly surmised that you are using a stacked 2 to 1 adapter!  
   
  Yes, the AD797 is a very impressive opamp.   It is, however, operating at the very bottom edge of its supply voltage range when selecting USB as the power source.  Not usually a problem with IEMs or sensitive phones, but with hard-to-drive phones, they will likely clip at a fairly low volume level.  I do prefer them over the OPA627/637.
  
  Quote: 





vpsporb said:


> I agree that the AD797B's have a very full, rich sound with nice tight bass. It also has an amazing soundstage, wide, deep, intimate... as necessary.
> But! you have to @least use dummy buffers... or the great soundstage will be very wierdly narrowed/congested by the stock buffers.
> My latest combo is 797BR's for buffs and 797B's for Center, the sound is seriously to-die-for. Richer more impactful sound than with dummy buffers.
> Quite possibly better than the impressive OPA627AU in L/R w/Stock buffers combo, I don't know... I haven't had the urge to roll-back to that combo yet.
> ...


----------



## vpsporb

(heheh yeah, it's not readily apparent, but all three 797B modules are of 2 to 1 adapters) 
   
  Agreed HiFlight, with some high-end op-amps... USB power alone is _not_ sufficient. For that caveat, It's a _very_ small price to pay for the "Scrumptious" SQ bestowed upon said device.
  (If travelling, 11.6v? battery power should be quite sufficient until re-charging is necessary)
   
  I also use a Gamma1 DAC that can be run off USB power, but I choose to use a dedicated wallwart with that too. The PC/USB is crappy/dirty/contentious place for 5v power _and_ Audio signals.
   
  For power, use "dedicated" when possible, especially with your @HOME setup. There then should be no reason to "need" the convenience of USB power alone.
   
  Some things to think about if you're in the "i only uses teh USB juice" crowd.


----------



## enjaygee

Ugh, you make my mouth water everytime you describe the 797s! I'll probably order some pretty soon and compare them to the THS4031/2s.
  Speaking of which, the THS403x runs really well on USB power. I can't actually tell the difference when it's running on battery power. Sounds superb either way. And it's only .5v less than the 797 (minimum of 4.5v instead of 5). Why would .5v make such a difference? Am I missing something about this inefficiency of using USB power?
  
  Quote: 





vpsporb said:


> (heheh yeah, it's not readily apparent, but all three 797B modules are of 2 to 1 adapters)
> 
> Agreed HiFlight, with some high-end op-amps... USB power alone is _not_ sufficient. For that caveat, It's a _very_ small price to pay for the "Scrumptious" SQ bestowed upon said device.
> (If travelling, 11.6v? battery power should be quite sufficient until re-charging is necessary)
> ...


----------



## jaechung253

Hey guys how does the D6 stack up against the D4?
  I recently just purchased the D4 (still not here yet... i don't even think Ibasso shipped it yet -,-)
  I just realized that the D6 came out... is it worth it to cancel my D4 purchase and get the D6? I hear that the D4 is a decent capable amp... I wonder if the difference is worth paying the extra 75 dollars.


----------



## rblaster85

I have the D6 and its pretty impressive. The internal battery is what sold it for me. I use this amp at work so I just charge the thing at home and it lasts all day (I listen at least 8 hrs and it seems like there is plenty of juice left). I am currently running a pair of DT770 PRO 80 ohm's and its at about half to 1/3 volume. I plan on using a pair of 250 ohm beyers with it which should be here tomorrow. If you have the chance I would say do it, Why wonder what if for an extra 75 bucks?
   
  From the specs it looks like the D6 has more power than the D4, 650mW into 32 ohms compared to 230mW into 32 ohms.
   
  Keep in mind however that this is my first amp, and I have not listened to the D4 or anything else for that matter, But I would highly recommend this amp to anyone who is going to be using it in the same application as me (Portable/Transportable Rig) I am more than happy with the performance I have been getting out of it.


----------



## HiFlight

The biggest difference between the D4 and D6 is that the D6 has the newer case style that makes rolling opamps much easier.   Also the internal lithium rechargeable battery has a about 3v more than the 9v replaceable cell in the D4. 
   
  I do not find much difference in SQ between the 2 if the same opamps are used in each.  Is there $75 worth of difference between them?   Depends on whether you prefer the total portability of the replaceable 9v alkaline cell of the D4 vs the need to find a recharging source for the D6.


----------



## estreeter

I have no problem powering my modest headphone collection from the D4, but the D6 does have a considerably higher claimed power rating - this might be the tipping point if you want to driver 'big' cans. I admit that I still equate power with the size of the casing, but I have had a couple of fullsize Chinese DAC/amps which struggled to give me anything approaching the result I get from the D4 - its about so much *more* than being able to crank up the volume.


----------



## jaechung253

Thanks for the input guys. I emailed Ibasso to see if I can get a refund for the D4 which hasn't shipped yet and will look at the D6. The rechargeable battery is one of the selling points I guess.


----------



## Mdraluck23

They also sound great with my RE0's. I just tested critically for the first time. Not a huge difference between the E7 and the D6, but they are just IEM's.


----------



## vpsporb

Quote: 





enjaygee said:


> Ugh, you make my mouth water everytime you describe the 797s! I'll probably order some pretty soon and compare them to the THS4031/2s.
> Speaking of which, the THS403x runs really well on USB power. I can't actually tell the difference when it's running on battery power. Sounds superb either way. And it's only .5v less than the 797 (minimum of 4.5v instead of 5). Why would .5v make such a difference? Am I missing something about this inefficiency of using USB power?


 

 Hah, sorry for the drool..  the 797B's _are_ a sweet ride.   The Radius TWF11K Pro 's sound _Unbelievably_ good with this setup too, should a friend have a pair... jack 'em!  lol
  Yes a THS4031/2's compare would be interesting. I've read that class-A biasing may be quite useful on Classic older gen. op-amps like the AD797.
  hmmm.. class-A biased AD797B's  argh... must resist! lol
  
*@jaechung253:  *I wondered the same myself, in the end the Higher voltage, and longer runtime of the "replaceble" Lithium battery in the D6 was the clincher for me.
  The USB 24/96 and the other PCB/circuit design enhancements are just a Bonus.


----------



## jaechung253

NOO.  They already shipped the D4. Oh well... might as well enjoy with what I got. D4 is still a good capable bang for the buck portable amp. But seriously... I really wish that the D4 had a lithium ion battery.
   
  Oh vpsporb... can you explain the USB 24/96 thing? that seemed like one of the major differences they stressed. What is it and how much more different is it to the D4?


----------



## zdkaiser

just got my D6 today. it too has the imbalance at low volumes. it is annoying when trying to use my se530 IEMs. oh well.
   
  other than that, the unit is beautiful.


----------



## HiFlight

Perhaps you can lower the output of your source a little?   That way you will be able to increase the D6 volume  above the imbalance point. 
  
  Quote: 





zdkaiser said:


> just got my D6 today. it too has the imbalance at low volumes. it is annoying when trying to use my se530 IEMs. oh well.
> 
> other than that, the unit is beautiful.


----------



## enjaygee

The 24/96 refers to 24 bit / 96kHz, which is the maximum quality at which the DAC can render input. Most rips -- even lossless ones -- do not utilize this feature unless you specify it in the FLAC codec. I think I have like one album that actually utilizes this 24/96 capability.
   
  Some say that even on lower quality music the 24/96 DAC will sound slightly better than a DAC at 16/44. I'll leave that open for discussion -- personally, I can't tell the difference.
  
  Quote: 





jaechung253 said:


> NOO.  They already shipped the D4. Oh well... might as well enjoy with what I got. D4 is still a good capable bang for the buck portable amp. But seriously... I really wish that the D4 had a lithium ion battery.
> 
> Oh vpsporb... can you explain the USB 24/96 thing? that seemed like one of the major differences they stressed. What is it and how much more different is it to the D4?


----------



## jamato8

I guess it depends upon the phones used or hearing but I do hear a difference between the 16/48 and 24/96 on 16/48 recorded. I first noticed then when I had changed my Mac to 24/96 but then thought something had lost something in the chain. The sound was just not as open and transparent. I couldn't figure it out and then noticed my Mac had reverted to 16/48. This has happened a few times over the months, kind of like a double blind study.


----------



## Szadzik

I got my unit last night.
   
  I did not have had much time for testing, but so far it sounds good. I did a quick A/B with my Meier Audio Stepdance and the Stepdance seems to give me a tad bit more clarit when compared to D6. When I pluged the Stepdance into a power adapater at 12.6V the difference became more apparent. What is most important though, is that I can now watch movies on my laptop with D6 as a DAC/ Amp and have no hiss on my T5s. 
   
  D6 has a great form factor and built quality. I would say Jan Meier should really think more about design because my Stepdance looks awfully cheap next to D6.
   
  All in all I would say I am pleased with the product.


----------



## vpsporb

*@jaechung253:* I've never heard a D4 but I'm sure you'll love it! The D6 looks to be an evolution of the D4.. so the "DNA" should be quite close.
  what enjaygee said..  and welcome to team iBasso. 
   
  I don't know much else about it really, probably a better/futureproof implementation?. There are some HD music out there @24/96 so, native playback?
  In Win7 iBasso speakers.. the D6 can set to only *24bit*. and can change between 44hz,48hz,96hz. pretty nice for *USB*
   
  On my Gamma1 DAC, *COAX*-in has:*16bit*,44,48,88,96,176,192hz. *24bit*,44,48,96,192hz  selectable... What!  Talk about a loooong testing session to sample them all! hahaha.


----------



## vpsporb

Congrats on your D6!
   
  ohhhhhh you have one o' them Stepdances do you? *drool* always wanted to try the "Legend"  I agree about the designs or lack of... is why I have not bought a Meier amp.
   
  A good thing about the D6 is the amp design looks to be quite robust, so rolling certain finicky op-amps is possible and will bring the D6 audio quality a couple of steps up @least.
   
  My favs so far are.. "4xAD797BR- buffers, 2xAD797B- center" or "OPA627AU- L/R and stock LM6655 buffers".  Both are _not_ cheap.... but both are *clearly* a step-up in SQ.
   
   
  Quote:


szadzik said:


> I got my unit last night.
> 
> I did not have had much time for testing, but so far it sounds good. I did a quick A/B with my Meier Audio Stepdance and the Stepdance seems to give me a tad bit more clarit when compared to D6. When I pluged the Stepdance into a power adapater at 12.6V the difference became more apparent. What is most important though, is that I can now watch movies on my laptop with D6 as a DAC/ Amp and have no hiss on my T5s.
> 
> ...


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





vpsporb said:


> Congrats on your D6!
> 
> ohhhhhh you have one o' them Stepdances do you? *drool* always wanted to try the "Legend"  I agree about the designs or lack of... is why I have not bought a Meier amp.
> 
> ...


 


  Thanks!
   
  Yes, Stepdance is indeed a great amp. I bought D6 because I was mainly after a DAC for my laptop and thus decided to buy a good amp at the same time, and one that would not break the bank - buying Beyers T5s and the Stepdance was a big thing, so I am trying to take it easy (right, waiting for Brainwavz M3 and now thinking about Sony EX1000 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





).
   
  I really thought that after buying D6 I would buy an upgrade kit that would make it a bit more mellow and warmish sounding, but from the first few hours of listening I do not think  Iwill be doing that anymore. It seems that I got used to the detailed and transparent sound of my T5s with the Stepdance and now prefer this kind of sound. So the only option seems to be to purchase the HF TopKit adjusted to my liking and make this amp as close to Stepdance's performance as possible with the added DAC feature and more portabiity in this form. 
   
  I would also love to know whether anyone tried to use a portable charger with D6, one like Energizer XP8000 (Stepdance users ot it workin with no soldering or anything) and then this would be a dream portable amp.


----------



## anson67

I borrowed a pair of very new, not broken in 600-ohm DT-880's and tried them with my D6.  If I didn't know it before, I know it now:  The 600-ohm cans are much harder to drive than the HD600 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




   I can get them to the same volume level that I use with my HD600's but in high gain I've got the D6 cranked to almost 3pm on the pot.  Setting the volume to max yields much distortion, so not recommended!  Duh!
   
   I've got 100+ hours on the D6 and I believe the DT's have no more than 10.  Now, I don't know the sound signature of the DT-880 (except for what I've read on HF), and it's quite new, but boy are they bright with the D6 at this stage.  I won't get much more of an impression as I won't have these phones for much longer.  Perhaps I'll give it another go after the 880's get a lot more hours.  I can't say I would never try to drive these phones with the D6 but the 250-ohm likely makes a better pairing.  Haven't tried that though.


----------



## HiFlight

There should be no reason why you couldn't use one of these if you select one with the correct tip for the D6.   Of course for desktop use, the included charger works just fine as a power supply.  It will not harm the D6 to leave it plugged in continuously.
  Ron

  
  Quote: 





szadzik said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Yes, Stepdance is indeed a great amp. I bought D6 because I was mainly after a DAC for my laptop and thus decided to buy a good amp at the same time, and one that would not break the bank - buying Beyers T5s and the Stepdance was a big thing, so I am trying to take it easy (right, waiting for Brainwavz M3 and now thinking about Sony EX1000
> 
> ...


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





hiflight said:


> There should be no reason why you couldn't use one of these if you select one with the correct tip for the D6.   Of course for desktop use, the included charger works just fine as a power supply.  It will not harm the D6 to leave it plugged in continuously.
> Ron


 


  Thanks Ron!


----------



## HiFlight

On second thought I would NOT use the XP battery device with the D6.  The D6 charger has circuitry that prevents overcharging, etc.   Using a different type of AC adapter would likely cause damage to the lithium battery and would probably not be covered under warranty. 
   
  iBasso specifically warns against using chargers other than the included one.  Sorry for my hasty answer without first completely reviewing in detail the XP charger.  
  
  Quote: 





szadzik said:


> Thanks Ron!


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





hiflight said:


> On second thought I would NOT use the XP battery device with the D6.  The D6 charger has circuitry that prevents overcharging, etc.   Using a different type of AC adapter would likely cause damage to the lithium battery and would probably not be covered under warranty.
> 
> iBasso specifically warns against using chargers other than the included one.  Sorry for my hasty answer without first completely reviewing in detail the XP charger.


 


  Thanks. I saw the warning about the charger, but since I travel a lot I would still want to try and maybe use such a device to power the amp through USB if charging it is out of the question. I have to check first, if I can finda tip that will fit the unit.


----------



## jamato8

The charging section for the D6 is in the charger. If you use an external AC to DC device you will ruin the amp and very possibly overcharge the batteries which in extreme conditions could cause them to blow up due to heat build up and expansion.


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





jamato8 said:


> The charging section for the D6 is in the charger. If you use an external AC to DC device you will ruin the amp and very possibly overcharge the batteries which in extreme conditions could cause them to blow up due to heat build up and expansion.


 


  I know about the charging thing now. I am trying to see if I can use USB power to power the amp in case I run out of power and I cannot carry the charger in my backpack. My trips usually last 24-36 hours and I am trying to limit the amount of things I carry as after some time the backpack gets heavier and heavier on my back. Carrying the clumsy D6 charger is out of the questions. I would however, be happy to use an external power source with USB output and try to power the amp this way. I will test it tonight.


----------



## HiFlight

Maybe a good alternative would be to pick up a D4.   Having a couple of spare 9v batteries on hand solves your travel dilemma very nicely.   You can get a used D4 for not much more than one of those chargers.


----------



## jaechung253

I just got a D4 and ordered it before I found out about the D6. I'll gladly trade anyone  haha.


----------



## HiFlight

My D4 is my daily workhorse with my computer USB output.   I, for one, like the quickly replaceable 9v battery.   I mostly use my D6 for opamp testing, as it is easy to open up for rolling.


----------



## Szadzik

Tried my D6 set to USB power with a portable battery pack and it worked perfectly fine. Now I know that if I have a long journey ahead I do not have to worry about power.


----------



## FuzzyDunlop

How does the amp itself stand up to others, as I'm torn between getting this or the Arrow and buying a quality DAC at a later date


----------



## vpsporb

Quote: 





anson67 said:


> I borrowed a pair of very new, not broken in 600-ohm DT-880's and tried them with my D6.  If I didn't know it before, I know it now:  The 600-ohm cans are much harder to drive than the HD600
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


> I've got 100+ hours on the D6 and I believe the DT's have no more than 10.  Now, I don't know the sound signature of the DT-880 (except for what I've read on HF), and it's quite new, but boy are they bright with the D6 at this stage.  I won't get much more of an impression as I won't have these phones for much longer.  Perhaps I'll give it another go after the 880's get a lot more hours.  I can't say I would never try to drive these phones with the D6 but the 250-ohm likely makes a better pairing.  Haven't tried that though.


 

 Hmm, when I used my DT990/600 with the D6... gain was on high and volume was maxed, and it did not distort the Beyers @all. That's what suprised me greatly about the D6,
  That was with the AD797B's, but stock wasn't _that_ different for max volume output.
   
  With HD600's, gain on high... loud listening volume is @2:00-3:00, turning volume to Max... there is No distortion either... but it's bloody loud!  The D6 has Big Brass B*lls!  
  I'm actually suprised how hard the HD600's are to drive, they take maybe 80% of the volume of my DT990/600.  @300 Ohms I thought you know... 1/2 as easy to drive... lol
   
  P.S. were you using Battery/Charger when driving the Beyers?


----------



## vpsporb

Quote: 





szadzik said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Yes, Stepdance is indeed a great amp. I bought D6 because I was mainly after a DAC for my laptop and thus decided to buy a good amp at the same time, and one that would not break the bank - buying Beyers T5s and the Stepdance was a big thing, so I am trying to take it easy (right, waiting for Brainwavz M3 and now thinking about Sony EX1000
> 
> ...


 

 Tesla T5's, Stepdance, D6.... you're the Travelmeister!  Like momma always said.. If your going to travel, travel in Style.    I like your taste too EX1000's! *sigh* can't afford that taste tho.
  Will be interesting what Topkit you're getting, be sure to post your impressions. I found the OPA1611class-A a little bright for my taste, but maybe a better match for yours.


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





vpsporb said:


> Tesla T5's, Stepdance, D6.... you're the Travelmeister!  Like momma always said.. If your going to travel, travel in Style.    I like your taste too EX1000's! *sigh* can't afford that taste tho.
> Will be interesting what Topkit you're getting, be sure to post your impressions. I found the OPA1611class-A a little bright for my taste, but maybe a better match for yours.


 


  I am still thinking about TopKit and will probably end up just taking HF's recommendations for my taste. I want tdetails and transparency which might mean that it will be a bit bright, but heck, I LOVE transparency, even if it means a bit of brightness.
   
   
  P.S. True, I am the Travelmaster. Last time in order to get from home to work my travel schedule was:
   
  Warsaw, WAW Poland by plane to Paris, CDG France by plane to London LHR, England by plane to Dubai DXB, UAE > A city in Asia A> A city in Asia B.
   
  Some of these flights were standards ones, on some I got Business Class, one flight on an Airbus A380 and one was where seats were like fabric garden chairs attached along the walls 
   
  I spent 5 hours in Paris, 2 hours in London, 5 hours in Dubai, a night in The city in Asia A. All that just to get to work, where I will stay for around 3 months and then go back home to stay for 3 weeks and again off to work I fly 
   
  I started the journey on Friday morning (UTC) and on Sunday morning (UTC)I was there. I had one night stop over where I could get some sleep in Asia.
   
  How am I supposed to spend all this transit time? Listening to music is the best option


----------



## jamato8

As long as you don't miss your flight, like I almost did. Music is a beautiful way to have it though.


----------



## Mdraluck23

So... has anyone experienced what I am assuming to be channel imbalance?
   
  It's just a slightly boosted right side. I've tried everything... I don't know what to do. I've checked that it's not my source or phones too.


----------



## anson67

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *vpsporb* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> P.S. were you using Battery/Charger when driving the Beyers?


 
   
  I was powering from USB.  Now that you mention it I should try power/battery, too.  I don't have the DT880s right now but I certainly will try that with my HD600s.  When listening on my Macbook Pro, iTunes volume is set to about 90%, power is from USB, gain is high, the comfortable volume for my HD600's is around 12 o'clock.  I haven't actually tried max volume with the HD600s, only the DT880s which got close to begin with.


----------



## enjaygee

Quote: 





mdraluck23 said:


> So... has anyone experienced what I am assuming to be channel imbalance?
> 
> It's just a slightly boosted right side. I've tried everything... I don't know what to do. I've checked that it's not my source or phones too.


 

 Try replacing the opamps to see if the problem persists. The other day I noticed the right channel being slightly louder than the left. I looked at the opamp and I realized one of the pins on a SOIC chip I soldered wasn't quite done right and I had to redo it.

 Also, I don't know if you're basing your experience on listening to music, but remember that _a lot_ of music recordings lean to the right slightly. That is, instruments/vocals/effects are more often than not on the right, with percussion/bass on the left, and this can be kind of deceiving! When I first started getting into headphone amps, I always thought the right channel was louder for music.


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





jamato8 said:


> As long as you don't miss your flight, like I almost did. Music is a beautiful way to have it though.


 


   
  THese things just happen. Fortunately for me I just call the HQ and they get me another flight  = more listening


----------



## MrScary

rr
  Ive tried to reproduce you channel imbalance on my D6 and dont hear it maybe change out the opamps or reseat them


----------



## vpsporb

Quote:


anson67 said:


> I was powering from USB.  Now that you mention it I should try power/battery, too.  I don't have the DT880s right now but I certainly will try that with my HD600s.  When listening on my Macbook Pro, iTunes volume is set to about 90%, power is from USB, gain is high, the comfortable volume for my HD600's is around 12 o'clock.  I haven't actually tried max volume with the HD600s, only the DT880s which got close to begin with.


 
  Ah ok, I'd thought that your conflicting experience to mine with driving 600Ohm cans might have been due to the limited 5V of the USB port. 
  I had no issues while running off the higher 12.6V from the wall-wart/battery, and didn't want potential New D6 owners to have a
  wrong impression of the D6's capabilities.
 It's a brilliant amp, @the end of it's volume travel it just stops getting louder... instead of distorting.


----------



## sfmatt

My D6 gets pretty hot after a couple of hours on battery, more so with 4 AD797's but still with other opamp combos. I don't remember it happening when I got the D6 originally. I'll try to investigate further and see which component is responsible but I was wondering if anyone else noticed.


----------



## MrScary

Its the Li-Pol battery pack that is heating up I didn't notice it until this morning when I was listening on battery for a couple hours and touched the D6 and it was warmish but not hot. These batteries have blown up in laptops.But I doubt that our little D6's haha are going to blow up. More info
   
  http://www.electric-cars-are-for-girls.com/lithium-polymer-batteries.html
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=209187


----------



## vpsporb

Hey *sfmatt: *
  My D6 gets warm during operation too, intrigued... I checked last night and the AD797 in Buffers were a little Hot,
  while the 797 in L/R were Warm to touch. Nothing concerning, just a wee suprised..  lots of Buff traffic I guess?
   
  4 eh? yours must look like mine does now.... such precise seperation and placement of instuments/voices/sounds
  along with the depth and width of the "soundstaging"... All from a portable D6... Sick!


----------



## paulybatz

This amp continues to amaze and please me tremendously...I know leave this one at my office and literally have it on all the time!!!


----------



## Szadzik

How easy is it to add AD797 and buffers?


----------



## HiFlight

The only way to use the AD797 as a buffer is to use stacked single to dual adapters.  The D6 is designed to use dual-channel buffers while the 797 is a single-channel opamp.  Using 6 of them, (2 in L/R + 4 for buffers) will significantly reduce the battery play time, as they draw a lot of current, approximately 9 ma each.    This totals over 50 ma just for quiescent current, with more current being drawn during operation.   This will also result in considerably more heat during operation than with other opamp combinations. 
  
  Quote: 





szadzik said:


> How easy is it to add AD797 and buffers?


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





hiflight said:


> The only way to use the AD797 as a buffer is to use stacked single to dual adapters.  The D6 is designed to use dual-channel buffers while the 797 is a single-channel opamp.  Using 6 of them, (2 in L/R + 4 for buffers) will significantly reduce the battery play time, as they draw a lot of current, approximately 9 ma each.    This totals over 50 ma just for quiescent current, with more current being drawn during operation.   This will also result in considerably more heat during operation than with other opamp combinations.


 


   
  Ok, battery life is still important for me so I will consider other options as per our other conversation.


----------



## enjaygee

For Sennheisers, I highly recommend having 2 x THS4032 as buffers with 2 x LME49710 in L/R. These chips really synergize beautifully, and the LMEs don't suck too much juice.
  
  Quote: 





szadzik said:


> Ok, battery life is still important for me so I will consider other options as per our other conversation.


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





enjaygee said:


> For Sennheisers, I highly recommend having 2 x THS4032 as buffers with 2 x LME49710 in L/R. These chips really synergize beautifully, and the LMEs don't suck too much juice.


 


   
   
  Yes, I heard these are nice.
   
  I am now getting the topkit from HF and a few other opamps to test too. P.S. I mainly use D6 with my Beyerdynamic T5p and sometimes Brainwavz M3.


----------



## MrScary

The AD797 does give the D6 more Warmth I just rolled the 797's in the Opamp position with the stock buffers and it sounds much warmer I would suggest you also get the Topkit and listen for yourself. IFI had my way I would have a switch on the top that allowed me to switch between the 797's and The Topkit for different music types.


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





mrscary said:


> The AD797 does give the D6 more Warmth I just rolled the 797's in the Opamp position with the stock buffers and it sounds much warmer I would suggest you also get the Topkit and listen for yourself. IFI had my way I would have a switch on the top that allowed me to switch between the 797's and The Topkit for different music types.


 


   
   
  I paid for the Topkit 2-3 days ago and should have it in a week, maybe a bit more. I got the topkit plus 2 other sets of opamps to go with it so I will have a lot of options to try and see which one is the best for me.
   
  BTW., I also wrote an email to iBasso asking about the ticking sound that I sometimes get when using it as a DAC.


----------



## MrScary

You get a ticking sound? Is that with the stock opamps? Just curious I never have heard it with any of the op amps I have rolled.My D6 is on almost all the time, are you plugged into a USB 2 port?


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





mrscary said:


> You get a ticking sound? Is that with the stock opamps? Just curious I never have heard it with any of the op amps I have rolled my D6 is on almost all the time are you plugged into a USB 2 port?


 


   
   
  Plugged into USB 2.0 with everything stock.


----------



## MrScary

Hopefully its one of the buffers or one of the opamps and not something else.. that sucks


----------



## HiFlight

Usually with that type of artifact, it is from the host computer hard drive.  Before doing a lot of opamp swapping, I would suggest trying some other usb ports and maybe a different usb cable, one a ferrite choke cylinder on the small connector end. 
  
  Quote: 





szadzik said:


> Plugged into USB 2.0 with everything stock.


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





hiflight said:


> Usually with that type of artifact, it is from the host computer hard drive.  Before doing a lot of opamp swapping, I would suggest trying some other usb ports and maybe a different usb cable, one a ferrite choke cylinder on the small connector end.


 


  I will do some testing in the evening when I get to my accommodation. I should have at least one more MiniUSB cable to try and one more USB socket - I cannot use it on a daily basis - it is the only non-shared socket and has to be used with a different device.


----------



## MrScary

you should use a dedicated usb port for the D6 not in a hub bad idea as its shared


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





mrscary said:


> you should use a dedicated usb port for the D6 not in a hub bad idea as its shared


 

 iI am not using a hub per se. I have 2 ports on one side of the laptop  - this means they share a slot on the MoBo. On the other side I have a USB/ eSATA combo and this one is on its own on the MoBo. 
   
  The USB/ eSATA combo slot however, is used for another device that needs to get as much power as possible as it is attached via a 10m cable.
   
  I will try tonight and see how all that works. May be a bit hard, because it does not happen every time I use D6.


----------



## Szadzik

Just doing some testing.
   
  The sound appears even if I do not listen or watch to anything. It is a pop, pop, pop sound that I hear every 10-15 seconds. I tried different cables too. I will test the single USB port if I can soon.
   
*EDIT:* I just did a strange test. I thought about trying to verify whether the problem is on the amp or DAC side. To do that I connected a mini-mini cable to D6's line-out and connected my Meier Audio Stepdance. Guess what! No popping sound at all!
   
  This means my amp is not working as intended/ the DAC to amp connection is not working as intended.
   
*EDIT2:* I wanted to see if the issue would also be present while powering D6 from the AC adapter that came with it and to my surprise the issue stopped. I unpluged it and have been using it for a few hours and no trace of the issue so far.


----------



## MrScary

Thats good but what happens if you unplug the adapter have you been running the D6 off USB or Battery?


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





mrscary said:


> Thats good but what happens if you unplug the adapter have you been running the D6 off USB or Battery?


 


  Before plugging in it was both on battery and USB power that it occurred. After unplugging from AC it stopped happening and did not reoccur for a few hours on battery power.


----------



## king.mark

Very important detail: Does the D6 have under-voltage protection?
   
  I have some experience with Lipo batterys and it is very important for the lifetime of the battery never to reach below 3.0V per cell.
  Also 3.0V per cell is the lowest cutoff possible without damage, 3.5V is a much better cutoff voltage and greatly enhances the Lipos lifetime.


----------



## MrScary

Yeah I love the combination of the 797's in the D6 gives a nice neutral warm sound like a good quality tube amp.


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





mrscary said:


> Yeah I love the combination of the 797's in the D6 gives a nice neutral warm sound like a good quality tube amp.


 


   
  I'm still waiting for 3 sets of different opamps and also some bypass buffers and hoping I will like them. 
   
  BTW., I noticed that after quite a few hours I have put on my D6 it started sounding much better than it did in the beginning. It sounds odd, because I am not relying just on memory, but on direct comparison with my Stepdance.


----------



## MrScary

I noticed the same thing with my D6 the major changes though have been the topflight kit and now I run the AD797's for a warm sound maybe too warm for some music but its neutral enough to enjoy I like the OPA1611's as well as I said in another post I wish I had a switch so I could just switch between the two.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





mrscary said:


> Yeah I love the combination of the 797's in the D6 gives a nice neutral warm sound like a good quality tube amp.


 

 Isnt 'neutral warm' a contradiction ? I thought neutrality meant that a component didnt have a sound signature of its own - it just gave you a window on the recording.


----------



## MrScary

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Isnt 'neutral warm' a contradiction ? I thought neutrality meant that a component didnt have a sound signature of its own - it just gave you a window on the recording.


 

 Maybe It is a contradiction I will leave it as the 797's give a warm tone to the D6


----------



## maggior

Quote: 





szadzik said:


> I paid for the Topkit 2-3 days ago and should have it in a week, maybe a bit more. I got the topkit plus 2 other sets of opamps to go with it so I will have a lot of options to try and see which one is the best for me.
> 
> BTW., I also wrote an email to iBasso asking about the ticking sound that I sometimes get when using it as a DAC.


 

 Are you doing other things on the PC when you hear the ticking sound?  When I tried using my laptop as a source, I had issues where I would get ticking sounds while surfing the net.  The behavior changed by changing media players (ended up using J.River) and by using ASIOForAll, but the problem never totally went away, no matter how much tweaking I did with buffering settings.  I gave up and went with a squeezebox connected to my headphone amp.


----------



## MrScary

Have you tried the D6 on a full size PC or just your laptop I duplicated your problem on my laptop for work and get a ticking sound but on my home system which I use for all of my listening I get no noise at all.
  
  Quote: 





maggior said:


> Are you doing other things on the PC when you hear the ticking sound?  When I tried using my laptop as a source, I had issues where I would get ticking sounds while surfing the net.  The behavior changed by changing media players (ended up using J.River) and by using ASIOForAll, but the problem never totally went away, no matter how much tweaking I did with buffering settings.  I gave up and went with a squeezebox connected to my headphone amp.


----------



## maggior

I wasn't using a D6, it was another DAC.  My point was that this type of an issue may have absolutely nothing to do with the DAC itself.  You can experience this with an internal sound card!  Sorry, I should have been clear about that.


----------



## MrScary

Quote: 





maggior said:


> I wasn't using a D6, it was another DAC.  My point was that this type of an issue may have absolutely nothing to do with the DAC itself.  You can experience this with an internal sound card!  Sorry, I should have been clear about that.


 


  I should have been more clear I was responding to *Szadzik about his issue with the D6 making a ticking sound from his laptop I just wanted to let him know that I could duplicate the issue *


----------



## Szadzik

I have not tried it on another computers as I only have work PCs around and cannot connect anything to them. I will try to check with my AIO when I get home in a month or so.


----------



## enjaygee

The THS4601s are also a _very_ good choice with THS4032s as buffers. In fact, I would say these two chips are just about perfect in my opinion. I feel every part of the audible sound spectrum is covered: there's a deep, detailed bass, with warm, buzzing mids, and very detailed, crisp highs. The soundstage on them is on par with the 1611s, but they're a little bit closer in presentation.
   
  EDIT: These chips take a little while to break in I think. My description has slightly changed. I would say the THS4601s are just an all-around great op-amp like the THS4031/32s. Listening to them in Foobar2000 with bit-perfect WASAPI as the output, it's truly an amazing experience.


----------



## amham

I'm having the same "ticking" sound problem and it is intermittent and have not been able to isolate it yet.  I hope i*B*asso is monitoring this thread!  Stay tuned...


----------



## Szadzik

Sometimes the issue goes away when I connect the power adaptor to the amp and sometimes when I switch it off and on.


----------



## jamato8

Quote: 





amham said:


> I'm having the same "ticking" sound problem and it is intermittent and have not been able to isolate it yet.  I hope i*B*asso is monitoring this thread!  Stay tuned...


 
  I don't know if they do but I would email them.


----------



## Szadzik

I installed TopKit tonight and so far it sounds great. With the provided dummy buffers and OPA1611s the amp is much better! Sound is much more transparent, clear. I really like it now.


----------



## MrScary

Quote: 





szadzik said:


> I installed TopKit tonight and so far it sounds great. With the provided dummy buffers and OPA1611s the amp is much better! Sound is much more transparent, clear. I really like it now.


 

 Yeah Im running my D6 the same way right now sounds great


----------



## Szadzik

I do not want to draw too hasty conclusions, but I listened to the amp connected to my laptop and there was no ticking. I will keep an eye on it.


----------



## jmflow

I have never had any ibasso product before, but how does the sound compare to the total bithead?
   
  I placed an order for the D6 on the 30th, but I have not received any confirmation or shipping info from ibasso, I sent them an email yesterday but no reply, should I be worried? All I have is paypal order confirmation.


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





jmflow said:


> I have never had any ibasso product before, but how does the sound compare to the total bithead?
> 
> I placed an order for the D6 on the 30th, but I have not received any confirmation or shipping info from ibasso, I sent them an email yesterday but no reply, should I be worried? All I have is paypal order confirmation.


 


   
   
  Far too early to worry. Wait 3-4 days for the confirmation of shipment.
   
  Think about getting the TopKit from HiFlight as it makes the amp a much better investment.


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





szadzik said:


> I do not want to draw too hasty conclusions, but I listened to the amp connected to my laptop and there was no ticking. I will keep an eye on it.


 


  It was a too-hasty conclusion unfortunately.


----------



## enjaygee

A few days ago my problem with static started happening again. I suggested to iBasso that they should come out with some simple drivers for the D6 or something that fixes this issue (by increasing the audio buffer). Perhaps the ticking has something to do with the buffer as well? What operating system are you running? I've read up a lot on ticking/static/distortion problems and it seems to actually be a fairly common problem with Windows Vista/7 (64-bit) and USB audio devices. The problem occurs with the way the OS handles process queuing known as DPC latency.
   
  A useful article: 
http://psymusic.co.uk/forum/threads/dpc-latency-and-audio-dropouts.44115/
   
  Quote: 





szadzik said:


> It was a too-hasty conclusion unfortunately.


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





enjaygee said:


> A few days ago my problem with static started happening again. I suggested to iBasso that they should come out with some simple drivers for the D6 or something that fixes this issue (by increasing the audio buffer). Perhaps the ticking has something to do with the buffer as well? What operating system are you running? I've read up a lot on ticking/static/distortion problems and it seems to actually be a fairly common problem with Windows Vista/7 (64-bit) and USB audio devices. The problem occurs with the way the OS handles process queuing known as DPC latency.
> 
> A useful article:
> http://psymusic.co.uk/forum/threads/dpc-latency-and-audio-dropouts.44115/


 


  As I stated in my latest post, this also happens when connected to my Sony X Walkman, which totally rules out any problems iwth the computer IMHO.
   
  I will download software to check latency and test if that still may be fixed.
   
  I tried Kernel Streaming, WASAPI and ASIO and it still happens.


----------



## MrScary

Quote: 





szadzik said:


> As I stated in my latest post, this also happens when connected to my Sony X Walkman, which totally rules out any problems iwth the computer IMHO.
> 
> I will download software to check latency and test if that still may be fixed.
> 
> I tried Kernel Streaming, WASAPI and ASIO and it still happens.


 

 Guess its time to have Ibasso send you a new D6


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





mrscary said:


> Guess its time to have Ibasso send you a new D6


 


  I contacted them and will be sending mine back ASAP - they said they will see if they can repair it, need to replace it or refund my money.
   
  I initially thought I would go for a refund, but with TopKit it has become a nice amp and I would like to keep it as long as they give me a replacemet or fix the issue.


----------



## MrScary

Quote: 





szadzik said:


> I contacted them and will be sending mine back ASAP - they said they will see if they can repair it, need to replace it or refund my money.
> 
> I initially thought I would go for a refund, but with TopKit it has become a nice amp and I would like to keep it as long as they give me a replacemet or fix the issue.


 



 Yeah I would tell them I wan a replacement I had to do this with Ibasso with a P2 back a few years ago I like the D6 it has now become a temporary DAC for my Shiit Lyr but I will be keeping it to go with my more mobile equipment it sounds amazing.


----------



## latenlazy

So what's the verdict? Can these things sufficiently power an Ortho?


----------



## jamato8

I find it works fine with  the LCD-2 but the HE-6 to be driven well, needs much more power.


----------



## MacedonianHero

latenlazy said:


> So what's the verdict? Can these things sufficiently power an Ortho?




Oh God no....

While the LCD-2 can sound quite good from my D4, Concerto, WA2, they have never truly shined as with 4 watts of power from my Lyr. As jamato8 pointed out, the HE-6s are simply a non-starter.


----------



## latenlazy

Pity, my dream of having a planar portable rig will just have to wait


----------



## MacedonianHero

latenlazy said:


> Pity, my dream of having a planar portable rig will just have to wait




Sorry, but these orthos are black holes when it comes to power...the more the better.


----------



## MrScary

Quote: 





latenlazy said:


> So what's the verdict? Can these things sufficiently power an Ortho?


 


  I would suggest the shiit lyr for that 6 watts of power the D6 puts out 650mw at 32ohms would not fair well with a HE6


----------



## HiFlight

The PB2 can drive the HE-6 pretty well from the balanced output.  The D6 can drive them to a nice comfortable listening level, but that is at WOT.   Although there is no distortion, there is little, if any, headroom left.   I am listening to the HE-6 now with the D6.     Quite surprising, really.   That said, you really need more horsepower to do full justice to the HE-6.


----------



## MacedonianHero

hiflight said:


> The PB2 can drive the HE-6 pretty well from the balanced output.  The D6 can drive them to a nice comfortable listening level, but that is at WOT.   Although there is no distortion, there is little, if any, headroom left.   I am listening to the HE-6 now with the D6.     Quite surprising, really.   That said, you really need more horsepower to do full justice to the HE-6.




Ron: I agree that the HE-6s can be nice from less powerful amps. I was shocked just how good they sound from my Concerto and especially WA2. But as you said, they really need more horsepower to reveal what they can really do. Can't wait to get to try out your pigtail adapter (hopefully gets here this week) with my home theater Pioneer receiver just to see how that compares to my Lyr. 

Spending this much on these headphones, I want to be sure that I'm hearing what they can really do.


----------



## Szadzik

Quote: 





mrscary said:


> Yeah I would tell them I wan a replacement I had to do this with Ibasso with a P2 back a few years ago I like the D6 it has now become a temporary DAC for my Shiit Lyr but I will be keeping it to go with my more mobile equipment it sounds amazing.


 


  I have also been thinking about exchanging my D6 for a DB1 to use it as a DAC only with my laptop and also with a home rig (planning to buy a Burson HA-160D Amp/DAC or amp and DAC separately) when I stay there.


----------



## vpsporb

It looks like I'm lucky I have not had the ticking/popping with my D6.
   
  I've just installed Win7 ServicePack1... for the _new_ USB Audio driver, and also did a USB polling tweak previously that may help?
http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/vt.mpl?f=pcaudio&m=78994  setting can enable/disable easily.
  In Win7 playback devices/ iBasso speaker/ make sure to "disable all enhancements"
  I'm genuinely curious in what could be causing the popping with some D6's.
   
  Also out of curiosity.. I'm doing a *battery* run-time test with a _Full_ complement of AD797BR's in the D6 to amp my Cowon J3.
  My J3 tested to 25hr+ playing FLAC music files... so the player will def. last the duration of the test.
   
  I've recently found a WASAPI plug-in for MediaMonkey..W00p!  I just tested, and the D6 doesn't work with it sadly. 
  Foobar WASAPI does work with D6 tho, so hopefully I can find a compatiable streaming plug-in for MediaMonkey.
  I normally use MediaMonkey because of the _awesome_ WVS plug-in for my Logitech G-15 keyboard/display. 
  (spectrum analyser, lcd distort, scrolling name, track info, editable config! all keys light-up and dance to the dif. beats too) 
  pretty lights tend to entertain me...  

   
*@MrScary:* did you try your 797's with stock versus dummy buffs? stock buffs do strange things to the 797's soundstage.


----------



## CRodent

Would the D6 be able to power the HE-4?  I believe they require less power than the HE-6.  I don't currently have a desktop amp and am looking to get a decent set of full-size headphones.  HE-4 seem decent for the price if the D6 can power them adequately.


----------



## enjaygee

Interesting. I've modified the polling rate for my mouse, but didn't know this had any affect for USB devices like DACs. That's something I'll have to try in the near future. I've noticed less static scares when I have fewer things plugged into my computer's USB ports (e.g., unplugging my external USB HDD and my SteelSeries USB DAC). I can only imagine this is because it frees up the latency queue, preventing any buffer overruns.
   
  Recent update: I think after hours of comparison, I prefer the OPA1611s (not biased to class A) to the THS4601s. The 4601s are nice, but are IMO too detailed and lively (if that makes any sense); they can actually be fatiguing to listen to for long periods of listening. I'm hoping to solder some AD797s soon and see how those sound with the THS4032s as buffers.
  Quote: 





vpsporb said:


> It looks like I'm lucky I have not had the ticking/popping with my D6.
> 
> I've just installed Win7 ServicePack1... for the _new_ USB Audio driver, and also did a USB polling tweak previously that may help?
> http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/vt.mpl?f=pcaudio&m=78994  setting can enable/disable easily.
> ...


----------



## MrScary

vpsporb said:


> It looks like I'm lucky I have not had the ticking/popping with my D6.
> 
> I've just installed Win7 ServicePack1... for the _new_ USB Audio driver, and also did a USB polling tweak previously that may help?
> http://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/vt.mpl?f=pcaudio&m=78994  setting can enable/disable easily.
> ...




Yeah I tried both I didn't notice that much of a difference.. Im using the D6 now as a Dac for my Shiit Lyr so I haven't been rolling as I used to


----------



## jmflow

Just got my D6, no static/ticking with mine after 3 hours of use. I am currently using a netbook running xp home.


----------



## estreeter

I think decoupling my DAC (MSII) from my amp (D4 now, P4 from next week) was the brightest thing I've ever done. I like the idea that iBasso put all their efforts into building an amp, and HRT put all their efforts into building a DAC, but neither wanted to bend me over and relieve me of everything in my bank account for the privilege


----------



## vpsporb

Small update: *Full AD797's *in D6 brings the battery life down to *10.5hrs *of runtime, hungry little buggers they are!
  It's good enuff for my walkabouts and home-use, for longer "outings" it's great that rolling a more power conservative
  set of op-amps is soo easy with the clamshell case. "2 thumbs waay up"!
   
  With HD600/UPOCC cable I was switching inputs between D6-AD797BR and MiniHead-OPA627BP, and I love both
  op-amps for their own flavours... both are Delicious! 797BR's are more posh and refined, 627BP's are just bodacious...
  sassy and flamboyant, like watching a top billed "Dancer".. she may not be "all natural" but at that point.. _who cares_!  
   
  Whenever I "jack" into my D6, i'm always delighted in how mature and "desktop" it sounds.
   
  hey *enjaygee*, I see you're enjoying your 1611's, I should give my classA-biased ones another go... been awhiles.
  I am eager to hear your impressions on AD797's with and without your THS as buffers. (as i don't has THS's) 
  and it be great if you get the B/BR version too... since I've not had the opportunity to listen to the version A's.


----------



## enjaygee

Yeah, I was planning on getting 2 'BRZs before my trip to South Korea (woot, 17 more days!). Not sure if the BR/Bs are available anymore, I've only been able to find the BRZ on digikey and a few other online stores in the US. Correct me if I'm mistaken. Definitely though, I'll let you know what I think of them + the THS. My guess is that anything sounds wonderful with the 4032s as buffers, but I'll still give a fair and honest judgement 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





.
   
  I would like to compare the 1611s biased vs not biased as well, but I'm too lazy to, since I'm so happy with them unbiased.
  Quote: 





vpsporb said:


> Small update: *Full AD797's *in D6 brings the battery life down to *10.5hrs *of runtime, hungry little buggers they are!
> It's good enuff for my walkabouts and home-use, for longer "outings" it's great that rolling a more power conservative
> set of op-amps is soo easy with the clamshell case. "2 thumbs waay up"!
> 
> ...


----------



## vpsporb

Nice! I didn't know BRZ were still available, I think all B's should be the same grade tho.
  I hope you get your 797BRZ soldered-up before your trip, and that they synergise well with the 4032s.
  It'll be fun to test on your flight, 'tho passengers may see an inscrutable look on your face.. as you try and judge the sonic characters! 
   
  Bored this eve... leaving 797BR in L/R, I rolled Dummy buffs, Stock buffs, LME49720HA as buffs.... then rolled 797BRs back in as buffs....
  No contest! IMO the other op-amps as buffs just didn't give that open "Live" sound, they made the 797BR in L/R sound kind of subdued.
  This is my current Ultimate set. although I'd like to find me a top OPA627 set too.  
   
  NFB-11 feeding my D6-797/DDM right now=Auralgasm... 

  
  Quote: 





enjaygee said:


> Yeah, I was planning on getting 2 'BRZs before my trip to South Korea (woot, 17 more days!). Not sure if the BR/Bs are available anymore, I've only been able to find the BRZ on digikey and a few other online stores in the US. Correct me if I'm mistaken. Definitely though, I'll let you know what I think of them + the THS. My guess is that anything sounds wonderful with the 4032s as buffers, but I'll still give a fair and honest judgement
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## latenlazy

EDIT: Fixed troubleshoot.


----------



## jmflow

Darn, was listening to some music and then I heard that horrendous static noise. I don't have any issues with my
  total bithead. Running of a laptop with Win7 x64.  Any known fixes for this?


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





jmflow said:


> Darn, was listening to some music and then I heard that horrendous static noise. I don't have any issues with my
> total bithead. Running of a laptop with Win7 x64.  Any known fixes for this?


 

 The only 'fix' I know of is to kill off everything other than audio on your PC, and that includes any background processes you can live without, and ensure that you have as much RAM as possible : there is an extensive discussion of the issues associated with USB DACs over at Computer Audiophile.
   
  I dont seem to suffer this any more with my MSII/D4 combination, but I did when the MSII was new. Other than a brief period running Voyage MPD Linux from a USB stick, which is about as barebones as you can get, it has happened on both Windows and Linux so I dont think your problem has anything to do with 64-bit Windows.


----------



## enjaygee

[size=medium] 
  I still haven't found a definitive solution for this. I haven't had the problem in almost 2 weeks now I believe -- it's really strange how it just randomly comes and goes. 
   
  Make sure to have as many USB devices unplugged as possible. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with Windows 7 64bit (I use it too), but from what I've read this OS does indeed use a different method of queuing processes than XP does. If you have too many devices in the process queue, it can lead to buffer overruns, making the static noise that you hear. What's odd is that this happens even on quite a high end system like mine -- I have 8 gigs of DD3 1600 RAM and a 3 core AMD clocked at 3.9 GHz. This problem has occurred for me primarily while listening to streaming audio/video in the Google Chrome browser and also while using a SteelSeries USB DAC for microphone input. When did it occur for you?
   ​[/size]


  Quote: 





estreeter said:


> The only 'fix' I know of is to kill off everything other than audio on your PC, and that includes any background processes you can live without, and ensure that you have as much RAM as possible : there is an extensive discussion of the issues associated with USB DACs over at Computer Audiophile.
> 
> I dont seem to suffer this any more with my MSII/D4 combination, but I did when the MSII was new. Other than a brief period running Voyage MPD Linux from a USB stick, which is about as barebones as you can get, it has happened on both Windows and Linux so I dont think your problem has anything to do with 64-bit Windows.


 


   


  Quote: 





jmflow said:


> Darn, was listening to some music and then I heard that horrendous static noise. I don't have any issues with my
> total bithead. Running of a laptop with Win7 x64.  Any known fixes for this?


----------



## jmflow

When the noise came it was when I was listening to skyfm from within firefox, and it also happened when I was watching some youtube videos. At that time I immediately tried playing something from windows media player and the noise continued. I have plenty of ram as well; 4GB. I have no other USB devices connected either. I have not encountered the issue when I use my netbook wich runs XP home 32-bit.


----------



## Roller

First of all, there's a huge misconception that the more power a computer has, the better it will run audio. That might be true for games and apps in general, but audio is definitely not on that wagon. Of course that people shouldn't go the opposite way, meaning those puny devices known as netbooks, though those only suffer when running some VSTs on the audio chain among other things. The thing is that cycle shifts significantly increase the change of messing up USB streams, which by itself is close to irrelevant for general usage, but not for audio. Basically what I'm saying is that audio isn't battery friendly


----------



## enjaygee

[size=medium]Yep, same here -- Youtube, Justin.TV, and Youstream have all done it for me. Also while listening to Pandora radio. Was the browser still open when you tried playing something from WMP? Or did you close it off to stop the static? Same with my netbook too -- it plays it just fine on XP pro 32-bit. 
  Quote: 





jmflow said:


> When the noise came it was when I was listening to skyfm from within firefox, and it also happened when I was watching some youtube videos. At that time I immediately tried playing something from windows media player and the noise continued. I have plenty of ram as well; 4GB. I have no other USB devices connected either. I have not encountered the issue when I use my netbook wich runs XP home 32-bit.




​[/size]


  If you're referring to my previous post, I wasn't implying that (if not, then disregard this message). What I meant to say was that computer power is actually irrelevant, since my high-end system still has the problem. It just came out a little oddly in response to what *Estreeter* said about making sure to have lots of RAM, close off unneeded processes, etc.
  Quote: 





roller said:


> First of all, there's a huge misconception that the more power a computer has, the better it will run audio. That might be true for games and apps in general, but audio is definitely not on that wagon. Of course that people shouldn't go the opposite way, meaning those puny devices known as netbooks, though those only suffer when running some VSTs on the audio chain among other things. The thing is that cycle shifts significantly increase the change of messing up USB streams, which by itself is close to irrelevant for general usage, but not for audio. Basically what I'm saying is that audio isn't battery friendly


----------



## jmflow

I did not close of the browser when the static came, I will see if that has any effect when the static appears. I did watch bluray movie and did not here any static episodes.
  
  Quote: 





enjaygee said:


> [size=medium]Yep, same here -- Youtube, Justin.TV, and Youstream have all done it for me. Also while listening to Pandora radio. Was the browser still open when you tried playing something from WMP? Or did you close it off to stop the static? Same with my netbook too -- it plays it just fine on XP pro 32-bit. ​[/size]
> 
> 
> If you're referring to my previous post, I wasn't implying that (if not, then disregard this message). What I meant to say was that computer power is actually irrelevant, since my high-end system still has the problem. It just came out a little oddly in response to what *Estreeter* said about making sure to have lots of RAM, close off unneeded processes, etc.


 


  dd


----------



## Szadzik

Found the culprit causing D6 to clip in my system. I use an external battery with my HP Envy and when I used D6 without it no clipping or problems for a few days.
   
  I still find it not as good as my Stepdance and am going to put it up for sale along with TopKit.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





szadzik said:


> I still find it not as good as my Stepdance and am going to put it up for sale along with TopKit.


 

 Would you be able to give us some specifics on why your $275 DAC/amp didnt measure up to your $350 dedicated amp ? I like what I have read about the Stepdance, but the part about it chewing batteries was less enticing.


----------



## lootbag

I've had my D6 for about a week.
  My setup is: Cowon J3 > iBasso CB06 > D6 > Grado HF-2 / Westone ES5.
   
  Very pleased with the results so far and hoping for things to improve even further throughout burn-in.
  The D6 is much more transparent compared to my RSA Predator.
   
  When using it to power my HF-2s, I am at about 12 o'clock on the D6 and 38/40 volume on the J3.
  Does this volume level seem overly high to anyone?


----------



## MrScary

lootbag said:


> I've had my D6 for about a week.
> My setup is: Cowon J3 > iBasso CB06 > D6 > Grado HF-2 / Westone ES5.
> 
> Very pleased with the results so far and hoping for things to improve even further throughout burn-in.
> ...




YOu should consider getting Hiflights topkit the addition of the alternate opamps really makes the D6 sound even better


----------



## lootbag

That's on my to-do list.
  But in a week, I am leaving my current country for 4 months and there is not enough time for shipping.
  I'll order from Ron when I return, till then i'll continue to enjoy the D6 in stock form.
   
  Quote: 





mrscary said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## x101xtreme

I just received my D6 yesterday. First impressions are very positive with my JH 16's. As this is my first amp, I was skeptical of the improvement I'd get from a stock iPod 5.5G with Rockbox, but they are beyond what I expected. I guess the biggest difference is in the bass region. The bass extends lower with more power and authority than the iPod's headphone out. I've also noticed that the entire sound spectrum has somehow "opened up" and areas which used to sound harsh are softened and smoothed out while retaining the same level of sonic detail (if not better). The D6 sounds very natural and I didn't realize that there was so much untapped potential left in my JH 16's. The USB DAC function works perfectly in Windows 7 using WASAPI and 24/96. Not sure if I want to upgrade the opamps just yet, since I'm pretty satisfied, but I might consider in the future. So far very impressed.
   
  Current setup: Rockbox 120gb ipod 5.5G LOD --> ibasso D6 --> JH-16 pro's.


----------



## MrScary

x101xtreme said:


> I just received my D6 yesterday. First impressions are very positive with my JH 16's. As this is my first amp, I was skeptical of the improvement I'd get from a stock iPod 5.5G with Rockbox, but they are beyond what I expected. I guess the biggest difference is in the bass region. The bass extends lower with more power and authority than the iPod's headphone out. I've also noticed that the entire sound spectrum has somehow "opened up" and areas which used to sound harsh are softened and smoothed out while retaining the same level of sonic detail (if not better). The D6 sounds very natural and I didn't realize that there was so much untapped potential left in my JH 16's. The USB DAC function works perfectly in Windows 7 using WASAPI and 24/96. Not sure if I want to upgrade the opamps just yet, since I'm pretty satisfied, but I might consider in the future. So far very impressed.
> 
> Current setup: Rockbox 120gb ipod 5.5G LOD --> ibasso D6 --> JH-16 pro's.




Yeah the D6 is an amazing little amp I was using it as a DAC for a few weeks until I got my new DAC now I use the D6 for my portable needs. I would consider getting the Topflight opamp kit it really makes the D6 sound even better...


----------



## stringgz301

Question for the current D6 owners:  is it possible to connect an iPhone 4 via LOD to the D6 USB port?  If so, what connector are you using?
   
  Thanks in advance.


----------



## jmflow

I don't think it's possible on the D6, LOD connection that is most commenly used I believe is just an unamplified analog signal. the cypher labs DAC is the only one that I can recall that has the ability to take a digital signal from an ipod.
  Quote: 





stringgz301 said:


> Question for the current D6 owners:  is it possible to connect an iPhone 4 via LOD to the D6 USB port?  If so, what connector are you using?
> 
> Thanks in advance.


----------



## MacedonianHero

jmflow said:


> I don't think it's possible on the D6, LOD connection that is most commenly used I believe is just an unamplified analog signal. the cypher labs DAC is the only one that I can recall that has the ability to take a digital signal from an ipod.




You can use a LOD like this one:

http://www.head-direct.com/product_detail.php?p=68

It will NOT pull the digital data from your iPod. You will need a device like the iWadia to do that. But what it will do is by-pass the iPod's attenuator which is quite poor and really degrades the sound quality. You would then simply plug it into your D6. I strongly recommend this as the improvement is very noticeable.


----------



## jjhead

I recently started getting some 24/96 flac files (HDtracks only offers high res in flac), partly to better appreciate the differences between my iem's and gear in general. Most of my listening is on the go with iPod Classic which is a bust on high res flac (yes I have ALAC on it). I also have a 2G Touch so I got the Flac Player app which has just been enhanced for 24/96 usb dac output. This is how I arrived at the D6. I had already come across the Algo Solo but the D6 has 2 main advantages - .5x cheaper and integrated amp. I initially assumed that the same interconnect - ipod dock to usb cable, availible at Moon Audio and Alo Audio for the Solo, would be all that is additionally necessary. Before catching up on this thread, I emailed iBasso to confirm compatibility and their response was "if usb digital output, then works". So the Flac player which is designed to feed a usb dac must be providing digital input. I've emailed the app author also but haven't heard back yet. I was ready to pull the trigger but some of the recent posts here on this issue have raised doubts, implying the Algo Solo has some secret Apple sauce. I haven't found any other flac solutions other than switching to a different dap altogether.
  This solution, if it works, might be unique for flac but for iPhone there's always another app should one have 24/96 alac.


----------



## jmflow

Unfortunately the ipod/phone are hardware limited to16-bit 48kHz, FLAC player app can only decode 24/96 but the hardware will not output that. The Cypher Labs Solo can process 24/96 files but not from the ipod/phone.
   
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/flac-player/id390532592?mt=8#
   
http://aloaudio.com/cypher-labs-algorhythm-solo-black-pre-order.html
  Quote: 





jjhead said:


> I recently started getting some 24/96 flac files (HDtracks only offers high res in flac), partly to better appreciate the differences between my iem's and gear in general. Most of my listening is on the go with iPod Classic which is a bust on high res flac (yes I have ALAC on it). I also have a 2G Touch so I got the Flac Player app which has just been enhanced for 24/96 usb dac output. This is how I arrived at the D6. I had already come across the Algo Solo but the D6 has 2 main advantages - .5x cheaper and integrated amp. I initially assumed that the same interconnect - ipod dock to usb cable, availible at Moon Audio and Alo Audio for the Solo, would be all that is additionally necessary. Before catching up on this thread, I emailed iBasso to confirm compatibility and their response was "if usb digital output, then works". So the Flac player which is designed to feed a usb dac must be providing digital input. I've emailed the app author also but haven't heard back yet. I was ready to pull the trigger but some of the recent posts here on this issue have raised doubts, implying the Algo Solo has some secret Apple sauce. I haven't found any other flac solutions other than switching to a different dap altogether.
> This solution, if it works, might be unique for flac but for iPhone there's always another app should one have 24/96 alac.


----------



## jmflow

The HIFIMAN player is the only one I know of that can output 24/96 files, but I don't know about the compatability with the Cypher labs algorythm solo. I also believe the upcoming Fiio x3 can process files up 24/192.
   
http://www.hifiman.us/products/?pid=71


----------



## jefierro

Hi all

 Just here to tell you a little story.

 I received my Silver D6 on Thursday, and promptly tried on my ipad + USB camera kit + HD380 Pro, as it was intended to be used, I tried everything I can trow at it I was amazed how this little device made my music sound. it brought me back several decades when I sat with my father listening to vinyl records over his old analog Craig setup, not missing any clarity or SQ but the instrument separation, and depth, Is like if you realize that you have a second eye when most of you life was spent seeing with only one. audible 3D, darn this modern cheep devices.

 I was happy for about 3 hours then I discovered that all my music had a resolution of 16bit/44-48KHz  and the D6 had 24bit/96KHz of sweet hidden magic. Also that the IPad only outputs that same lower amount. Enter the USB+DAC Saga.

 I won´t make a short story long, I was instantly shock then I started to listen, quite high volume I must say, End of line by Daft Punk with the D6 connected to one front panel USB port in my office PC when a hideous loud static noise just made me leapt from my seat and made me trow the HD380 at the monitor, painful sound.

 I have spent the last couple of days in a driven quest to make usable my DAC+AMP in my office computer, the problem : random and constant static loud noise when using the generic USBAUDIO from my Windows 7 x64 at full 24bit/96KHz,
  When downgrading  to 16bits from the properties in the windows audio mixer I got seldom High pitch sounds, no static but annoying as hell.
 I used the back USB ports, no good.
 I tried ASIO with my trusted MediaMonkey and the asio4all emulator. Same thing.
 Tried USB-ASIO trial, very bad to worst, I had to restore my computer in order to remove the driver.
 Then Foobar2000 + wasapi this was almost it, only left out was a very unpredictable pitch noise but this time tamed and short. still annoyed.

 I was ready to quit, then I realize that the problem has to be with my computer, my home laptop was working fine, fine is a understatement BTW the sound at 24bit was, like... haven!. More on that later.

 The solution. If you are hunted by static like me, then realize that the USB signal in your computer my be faulty by design, there's a lot of variables that can cause this, ground, short, another usb device. for me it was the power-source. to my dismay I used the auxiliary USB ports of my monitor and the problem was gone like if it was never there. My power-source is creating signal noise, funny as I tried 5 identical machines all of them with the same problem, but only this five, I tried several other and they didn't show this same problem.

 Now I have enjoined heaven for the last 4 hours without the slightest hint or speck of noise. best of all I can use what ever thing that makes sound in my computer, without specialized drivers.

 Sorry for the long post. Also Thanks to the guys at ibasso that help me find the solution.

 Jorge


----------



## Digital-Pride

Excellent post!  What you've achieved is why many (if not most) of us got into this hobby in the first place, finding that perfect sound!  Now, how about some pictures?


----------



## estreeter

jefierro, I dont know about the USB ports on your monitor, but my experience with a Belkin powered USB hub is that it raised the noise floor with my MSII. Not really what I was looking for, and the odd click and pop eventually went away by itself. Your mileage clearly varied - glad to hear that you can now listen to your kit in peace.


----------



## jefierro

It's hard for me to notice any noise at all when in my 22in Dell flat panel, but then Belkin are not known for their quality products nor Dell for that mater, I had my share with them. I guess you get what you paid for.
   
  Today was a great music therapy Friday. Enjoyed every minute.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Wow...  Now THAT'S what I call photography!


----------



## estreeter

I like everything on that table except the Senns 
   
  Seriously, very nicely photographed - well done.
   
  Getting back to the D6, I can only assume from the specs that the amp section is much like my P4 - you dont need more than about '9AM' with most cans ?


----------



## FuzzyD

Add me to the D6 owners club! Just received mine today from a fellow head-fier along with the HiFlight topkit. 
   
  Now, I'm having some trouble understanding from the instructions on where the L/R module goes. Does it go in the spot closest to the volume control, and then the opamp spot above that (towards the battery) should be empty? Also, I'm assuming the L/R module is the one with 029/1678 on it correct? How should I expect that to alter the sound compared to the stock or HiFlight opamps? Currently HiFlight's buffers and opamps are installed.
   
  I usually prefer a more analytical lean to my sound for what it's worth.
   
  Thanks!


----------



## arman89

Can anyone share their experience of having D6 (as a combo) with Grado headphones? I have sr225s now and soon will be getting HD600s and I'd like to know if D6 would work for both of these headphones, especially grados. thanks!


----------



## MrScary

arman89 said:


> Can anyone share their experience of having D6 (as a combo) with Grado headphones? I have sr225s now and soon will be getting HD600s and I'd like to know if D6 would work for both of these headphones, especially grados. thanks!




I would say that you may want to pickup HIflights opamp kit so that you can tailor the D6 to the sound you want. As with any opamp based amp changing the opamps will give you different flavors of sound.
I can only say that the D6 sounds great with the HD650's since. I have sold my D6 not because of lack of sound quality as it sounded great but needed the money for a desktop amp to go with my LCD-2's


----------



## HiFlight

In the D6, there are really 3 opamp positions....one close to battery, one close to volume control and one that is in between these 2.  The 2 widest sockets are for single-channel opamps and the center socket is for a dual channel opamp.   If you need to know which of your opamps are single and which are dual-channel, drop me a PM with your opamp numbers. 
   
  While the L/R channels can use both single and dual channel opamps, the buffers are only dual-channels, hence only 2 sockets. 
  
  Quote: 





fuzzyd said:


> Add me to the D6 owners club! Just received mine today from a fellow head-fier along with the HiFlight topkit.
> 
> Now, I'm having some trouble understanding from the instructions on where the L/R module goes. Does it go in the spot closest to the volume control, and then the opamp spot above that (towards the battery) should be empty? Also, I'm assuming the L/R module is the one with 029/1678 on it correct? How should I expect that to alter the sound compared to the stock or HiFlight opamps? Currently HiFlight's buffers and opamps are installed.
> 
> ...


----------



## Madpierrot

I'm interested in trying the AD797s as I've seen a lot of great comments about them, but I have no idea where to start. For example: AD797 BR and B? What's the difference? What buffers do I use? What's the 2-to-1 stack? I have HiFlight's topkit and followed instructions to place the buffers but I didn't gain much knowledge about the parts.


----------



## HiFlight

Quote: 





madpierrot said:


> I'm interested in trying the AD797s as I've seen a lot of great comments about them, but I have no idea where to start. For example: AD797 BR and B? What's the difference? What buffers do I use? What's the 2-to-1 stack? I have HiFlight's topkit and followed instructions to place the buffers but I didn't gain much knowledge about the parts.


 

 The AD797 Axx and Bxx  sound alike, you can use either.  The suffixes refer to temperature ranges where the device will meet all published specs for all applications.  Most industrial applications are far more demanding than our using them for audio use, so for all practical purposes, the opamps are just loafing when used in our amps.  
   
  As they are single-channel opamps, they must be used in the "outside" sockets on the D6.  As they have quite a good output, they sound very nice with the Topkit bypassed buffers or you can also use stock buffers.   The use of bypass buffers will also extend your battery run time.


----------



## musedesign

Hello All,
    Interested in comparisons of the D4 vs the D6, any people who have heard both?  
   
    I tried the D10 and preferred the D4.  Realized that by the time I upgrade the opamps and battery of the D4 ($199), it will cost the same as the D6 ($275).  Anyone heard any news about the D8? Interested to know if worth waiting for the D8.
   
  Thanks!


----------



## Caphead78

May I ask how to go about purchasing a topkit? I send Hiflight a PM but not sure if this was the right thing to do.
   
  I should have my D6 in 2 hours 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## jamato8

HiFlight makes up the top kits after testing many op amps. You emailed the right person.


----------



## Synergy Sound

I've been tossing up between the D6 and D12. The thing is, I don't need 24 bit playback, and I only care for the USB input regarding the DAC. Should I go for the D6 or D12? Only $10 seperates them.


----------



## HiFlight

Based on your needs, I would opt for the D6, as you can power the amp section from usb without the use of battery power and the higher voltage power supply will provide additional headroom.


----------



## cybertec69

I currently own a D10 Cobra and use it with my Ipod Touch and Klipsch Custom 3's and JH 16Pro's, was looking at the D6, is the D6 a significant upgrade from the D10, don't want to fork over another $300 squid for marginal improvement, thanks in advance.


----------



## mab1376

Whats the main difference between the D6 and D12 other than the other input options?
   
  the D12 is appealing since it has optical, so i could hook it to my PS3 for late night gaming.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





mab1376 said:


> Whats the main difference between the D6 and D12 other than the other input options?


 

P-O-W-E-R


----------



## enjaygee

Power, power, and more power.
   
  Having a look at the two manuals, the D12 has 4.2 volt battery, D6 has a 12.6 volt; Output power of the D12 is 110mW+110mW, D6 is 650+650. I'm pretty sure the DAC is slightly better in the D6 as well, having a frequency response of 4Hz - 20kHz and a sample rate of 96kHz and bit depth of 24 (not sure if the D12 has this as well, someone correct me if I'm wrong).

 What does this mean? Well, for me, I did use some slightly power hungry opamps in the D6 like the THS4601 and AD797. These opamps wouldn't be as viable in the D12. You just leave yourself open for more options with more power.


----------



## mab1376

Is there any way to use the USB port on the D6 as an input from an iPod similar to the CypherLabs Algorithm solo USB input?


----------



## MrScary

mab1376 said:


> Is there any way to use the USB port on the D6 as an input from an iPod similar to the CypherLabs Algorithm solo USB input?




No you have to have windows or another operating system that supports the 24/96 driver


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





mab1376 said:


> Is there any way to use the USB port on the D6 as an input from an iPod similar to the CypherLabs Algorithm solo USB input?


 

 LOL - I guess dreams are free.


----------



## mrspeakers

```

```



mab1376 said:


> Is there any way to use the USB port on the D6 as an input from an iPod similar to the CypherLabs Algorithm solo USB input?




It is pssible off an iPad but not iPod. You need the camera kit and a dr. Bott T3 USB split. Works great with my d12.


----------



## estreeter

With Linux, I can use my iPod in much the same way as I would use a USB stick - RhythmBox (and others) will let me browse my music and play whatever I want, but thats not the same thing as the CLAS. As I said, dreams are free - unfortunately, the CLAS costs considerably more.


----------



## cybertec69

Quote: 





rmappita said:


> I ordered mine last night to use with my JH16s =)


 


 So did I, will use it with my JH16's, at the moment I  use them with the D10 Cobra, which is fantastic, but the D6 should trump it, plus it will probably drive my 702's with no problem, that's what I was told by iBasso.


----------



## cybertec69

How do I order a HiFlight topkit, thanks.


----------



## MrScary

cybertec69 said:


> How do I order a HiFlight topkit, thanks.




PM Hiflight


----------



## cybertec69

Quote: 





mrscary said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


 Ok, thanks.


----------



## zn7726

First of all, please forgive my poor English. Head-Fi is a wonderful place to ask for (and share) experience and impressions and it has, as far as I know, the most regular ibasso users. I will buy a D6 or P4 very soon (in 1-2 days maybe) and want to get some suggestions here.
   
  I know the biggest difference of the two is the quality DAC in D6, but a DAC is not 100% necessary in my case, as I mainly use iPod+LOD although I don't mind having a DAC to listen to music directly from PC (i don't use a laptop). On one hand, if P4, as a pure AMP, is significantly better than the AMP part of D6, i'll choose P4; on the other hand, if SQ out of D6's DAC can significantly outperform the SQ out of iPod's LOD + P4, I'll probably be attempted to try D6.
   
  ibasso describes P4 as a *"**ThreeChannel/ Four Channel compatible architecture" *while D6 is *"OP+BUF structure for amplification". *Does it mean P4's structure is more decent / has bigger potential acting as an AMP?
   
  I'll use either of them with a pair of ESW9 or ES10 (using mainly in office) or 300 ohm cans like HD650 in 1-2 year's time. I also quite like D5000 and maybe will get a pair of them instead of HD650. Which one of them (D6 / P4) can do the job better?
   
  Your comments and suggestions are appreciated.


----------



## MrScary

zn7726 said:


> First of all, please forgive my poor English. Head-Fi is a wonderful place to ask for (and share) experience and impressions and it has, as far as I know, the most regular ibasso users. I will buy a D6 or P4 very soon (in 1-2 days maybe) and want to get some suggestions here.
> 
> I know the biggest difference of the two is the quality DAC in D6, but a DAC is not 100% necessary in my case, as I mainly use iPod+LOD although I don't mind having a DAC to listen to music directly from PC (i don't use a laptop). On one hand, if P4, as a pure AMP, is significantly better than the AMP part of D6, i'll choose P4; on the other hand, if SQ out of D6's DAC can significantly outperform the SQ out of iPod's LOD + P4, I'll probably be attempted to try D6.
> 
> ...




The D6 has more power 650ma


----------



## HiFlight

Both the D6 and P4 have excellent amplifier sections, with the P4 having a slightly higher headroom, due to the higher supply voltage.  Given the optimum choice of opamps, probably the ultimate choice as far as amplifier would favor the P4, as the ground possibilities provide more configuration options.  You can also configure the P4 with the OP+BUF mode similar to that of the D6.  
   
  I believe that the D6 DAC will significantly outperform the ipod internal DAC, although I have not owned an ipod and cannot directly compare the two.  The D6 DAC can hold its own against many desktop DACs, and is a superb performer.  
   
  To sum it up:
   
  If you do envision using the D6 with your computer to listen to CD's or streaming music, the D6 would make a very good choice.  Being able to use the D6 as a standalone DAC without requiring the use of the internal battery also makes it a good choice for use with other system components, serving as a worthy substitute for a desktop DAC.
   
  If, however, you feel that you can do without a built-in DAC, and only need a top-quality portable amplifier, the P4 is the logical choice.


----------



## estreeter

Somwhere in the P4 thread, someone indicated that were going to try D12 into P4 as a 'mini-component' system, but I didnt hear any more from them. It would be an intereresting exercise IMO.


----------



## HiFlight

I can try that.  Will run the optical out from my H120 or Squeezbox to the D12, then from the D12 Aux out to the input of my P4.   Should be interesting.   Will report back shortly!


----------



## estreeter

Good stuff - surprised you havent given it a shot already, Ron !


----------



## HiFlight

Well, it worked well until my battery quit in my P4!    I tried both the Squeezebox streaming music via optical out > D12 > P4   as well as substituting my H120 optical output in place of the Squeezebox. 
   
  The P4 was loaded with a Topkit consisting of a Class A ISL55002 L/R, HA5002 buffers and THS4032 in center ground.   Headphones were Sony F1 and HE-6.   Sound was excellent through both. 
   
  Can this make a decent "Mini-component" set?   Yes, no doubt about that.   To further evaluate and compare to some of my other desktop amps, I will have to wait for a recharge and play with this some more.   I can say that the P4 does do a respectable job of driving my HE-6.  This was the first time I tried them with the P4. 
   
  I am convinced that the ground channel plays a very important role in both the SQ and power output of the P4.  If an opamp is used, it must be able handle the ground returns of everything upstream, hence it needs a very good output current capability.


----------



## estreeter

Sensational - I look forward to more impressions, Ron.
   
  This wouldnt be an inexpensive mini-system, granted, but for a single-ended setup it holds a lot of promise.


----------



## zn7726

Thanks HiFlight for your comments!
   
  In your earlier reply, it seemed D6 is a better choice as it's quality built-in DAC and P4 is just a logical choice if DAC is not necessary. However, later on you said
   
  Quote: 





hiflight said:


> I am convinced that the ground channel plays a very important role in both the SQ and power output of the P4.  If an opamp is used, it must be able handle the ground returns of everything upstream, hence it needs a very good output current capability.


 

 I don't quite understand the terms in it but it sounds like P4 is (much) more decent as an Amp because of it's different structure? 
   
  The only concern of D6's DAC is it only works with USB input, which limits its usage to PC only. D12 is a better choice because of the multiple input that the DAC can accept. Maybe P4 is a better choice for me? I can always upgrade my iPod to some other players that have better built-in DAC (COWON or yet-to-come Fiio X3)?


----------



## estreeter

zn, the D12 into P4 solution will give you more options all round, albeit for more money upfront than the D6. This might seem crazy, but the asking price of the D12 is not a whole lot more than I paid for my dedicated DAC (MSII, limited to USB from a computer, while the D12 can be connected to a variety of transports), and you have the upside of a backup amp if you want to loan the P4 to a friend.


----------



## zn7726

Thanks estreeter!
   
  You are absolutely right! Comparing with what D6 offers, D12 gives you a more complete DAC function (same SQ but better options) while P4 gives you a better Amp. D6 is a combination of both but with compromise. 
   
  Now the questions changed to: are there many portable player that have optical output to bypass their internal DACs (will I really benefit from the extra input options although I hardly need them) and how powerful D12's output is (do I really need the extra power that D6/P4 offers). Can anybody give me a head-up of any portable mp3 players that offer optical output, as well as the output power of D12 (cannot find it in ibasso's website)?
   
  Thanks.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





zn7726 said:


> Thanks estreeter!
> 
> You are absolutely right! Comparing with what D6 offers, D12 gives you a more complete DAC function (same SQ but better options) while P4 gives you a better Amp. D6 is a combination of both but with compromise.
> 
> ...


 

 Short of the boutique offerings from folk like HiFiMan and Colorfly, I dont think any of the mainstream DAPs currently offer optical out - Ron has an older player that does it, but I believe its been several years since they were offered. My own preference, while neither portable nor particularly versatile, would be the *QLS-QA350*, but that particular device is not going to make a lot in this forum very happy.


----------



## latenlazy

This caught my attention. Have you tried running the HE-6 with the D6 yet? Do you think it might provide enough power for the LCD2s or the HE-500s, knowing that they're less power hungry than the HE-6s.
  
  Quote: 





hiflight said:


> _Can this make a decent "Mini-component" set?   Yes, no doubt about that.   To further evaluate and compare to some of my other desktop amps, I will have to wait for a recharge and play with this some more.   I can say that the P4 does do a respectable job of driving my HE-6.  This was the first time I tried them with the P4. _


----------



## HiFlight

zn7726 said:


> Thanks estreeter!
> 
> You are absolutely right! Comparing with what D6 offers, D12 gives you a more complete DAC function (same SQ but better options) while P4 gives you a better Amp. D6 is a combination of both but with compromise.
> 
> ...




The iRiver H120 is currently the only portable DAP that I know of that offers an optical out. While discontinued several years ago,it is still one of the best when rockboxed. They are still readily available on various for-sale forums and often show up here on the FS portable source forum.

It is possible to add larger drives and other mods. I have yet to find a more versatle DAP.


----------



## HiFlight

Yes, I did try running my HE-6 from the D6.   With battery power, there is not a great deal of difference between it and my P4.  Volume control is at about 2-3pm position for my normal listening level, but the sound is just fine, with full bass and no clipping.  When using USB power, the SQ lacks weight and size and clipping is noticeable at normal listening levels.  
   
  While I do not own an HE-500 or LCD-2, there is no doubt in my mind that the D6 could drive them to any reasonable listening level when using battery power.   (The Class A ISL55002 L/R module I am using in both the P4 and D6 outputs about 140ma)  In the D6 I was using bypassed buffer and in the P4 I was using HA5002 buffers. 
   
   
  Quote: 





latenlazy said:


> This caught my attention. Have you tried running the HE-6 with the D6 yet? Do you think it might provide enough power for the LCD2s or the HE-500s, knowing that they're less power hungry than the HE-6s.


----------



## Edward Ng

Hi, all!
   
  Been a while, I know...probably not too many of you that still even recall my previous series of posts.
   
  Anyhow, I just put in an order today with iBasso for a black D6, and an order with Ron for a D6 Topkit with the L/R add-on module option.  Should be able to directly compare the amp section against my RSA P51 Mustang using both my Yuin OK1 and my Westone4 (for those who remember me from my last batch of reviews/posts, I had a pair of Westone3, a pair of Westone UM3X and also a pair of Sennheiser IE8.  I still have access to all three, but I have since given them/lent them on permanent basis all to my girlfriend [the IE8], and the other two Westones to one cousin each).  I'll also try to post my impressions comparing stock D6 versus D6 with Topkit versus D6 with Topkit and L/R module (and if you guys and gals are _really_ lucky, some other combination of components) with both, the IEMs as well as the buds.
   
  As far as sources, I have a PC with foobar2000 which I will utilize ASIO drivers to the D6 for.  I no longer have my Benchmark DAC1, or else I'd consider running line out from that DAC to the amp portion of the P51 Mustang and D6 line in to compare, sorry.  Mobile rig is an iPhone 3GS with ALO Cryo 18G LOD...I could conceivably do some comparison between Mustang and D6 amp with my mobile rig just for additional reference points.
   
  My main reason for getting the D6 is because my second Nuforce Icon Mobile has failed (this one refuses to charge because it trips up the surge detection of any USB hub or port that I try to plug it into--ticket has been submitted to Nuforce, but no response yet).  My first Icon Mobile was replaced early on for some other reason I can no longer recall.  Unless they are willing to replace/repair my Icon, I likely won't be able to provide a comparison of the Icon Mobile against these two higher caliber amps or DAC.  As far as the reason for using a combination DAC/amp, it's for listening to music at work, where I use the Yuin buds, that allow me to monitor ambient sounds (but requires a good deal of power) while listening to music, which my Westone4 do not allow.  I use the Westone4 for my daily commute on Metronorth light rail to isolate myself from the noise of train.  As far as why I no longer keep my Westone3, UM3X or IE8 around, it's because I felt no desire to keep any of them around once I got the Westone4--I feel they're simply that good, and I don't even use my UM56 custom tips with them, just Comply foams (the IEMs don't sit as flush as I like in my ears with the UM56 tips).
   
  Can't wait for this puppy to come in!
   
  -Ed


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





hiflight said:


> Yes, I did try running my HE-6 from the D6.   With battery power, there is not a great deal of difference between it and my P4.  Volume control is at about 2-3pm position for my normal listening level, but the sound is just fine, with full bass and no clipping.  When using USB power, the SQ lacks weight and size and clipping is noticeable at normal listening levels.


 

 Just for the benefit of those who havent heard either amp, at 2-3pm with 30-ohm cans, I estimate that most of us would have blood coming out of our ears within 20 seconds. I rarely took the P4 beyond 9am with the Grados or the AD900 - both considerably easier to drive than the HE-6, and now I know just _how much_ easier. The HiFiMan orthos are some seriously insensitive cans.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote:


estreeter said:


> Just for the benefit of those who havent heard either amp, at 2-3pm with 30-ohm cans, I estimate that most of us would have blood coming out of our ears within 20 seconds. I rarely took the P4 beyond 9am with the Grados or the AD900 - both considerably easier to drive than the HE-6, and now I know just _how much_ easier. The HiFiMan orthos are some seriously insensitive cans.


 


  It also demonstrates just how powerful the D6 is.  It's amazing what iBasso's portable can do, if it weren't the cheaper price of the E9(which is not too shabby itself) I would have easily sprung for the either D6 or the P4.  Estreeter, how does the P4 compare to your E9?


----------



## mab1376

Has anyone tried the D6 with 250ohm or 600ohm Beyerdynamic DT770's?


----------



## MrScary

mab1376 said:


> Has anyone tried the D6 with 250ohm or 600ohm Beyerdynamic DT770's?




600ohms is a bit much for the D6 its rated for 300ohm headphones


----------



## zn7726

Quote: 





edward ng said:


> Should be able to directly compare the amp section against my RSA P51 Mustang using both my Yuin PK1 and my Westone4
> I'll also try to post my impressions comparing stock D6 versus D6 with Topkit versus D6 with Topkit and L/R module (and if you guys and gals are _really_ lucky, some other combination of components) with both, the IEMs as well as the buds.
> 
> I could conceivably do some comparison between Mustang and D6 amp with my mobile rig just for additional reference points.
> ...


 

 Hi Edward, i'm really looking forward to your impression! I have a 3GS, an iPod and am planning to buy a pari of PK1 for summer. 
   
  NZ


----------



## holden4th

You are right, as this noise is not limited to the D6. My uDac2 does the same thing and gives me a constant ticking sound. I solved the problem by quite simlpy disconnecting the USB cable before boot up then reconnectiing once my desktop had loaded - no ticking!
   
  What we haven't done yet is isolated the problem by comparing notes/systems etc. I know it's not the D6 because my uDAC does it too. My home system is a standalone PC running W7 Home professional 64 bit SP1. I connecct my uDAC to the front panel, haven't tried the auxiliary monitor USB yet.
   
  My work Laptop runs this perfectly with no issues whatsoever. This runs Win XP Professional SP3 32 bit. I've tried the uDAC in all three USB ports with no problems.
   
  It would interesting and beneficial to see what other posters with this issue are running and this might give us an idea as to who to target for a solution. it certainly does not look like iBasso problem.
   
  So if you've had the problem, give us some details about the system you are running and we might be able to effect a permanent cure.

  
  Quote: 





jefierro said:


> ................I have spent the last couple of days in a driven quest to make usable my DAC+AMP in my office computer, the problem : random and constant static loud noise when using the generic USBAUDIO from my Windows 7 x64 at full 24bit/96KHz,
> When downgrading  to 16bits from the properties in the windows audio mixer I got seldom High pitch sounds, no static but annoying as hell.
> I used the back USB ports, no good.
> I tried ASIO with my trusted MediaMonkey and the asio4all emulator. Same thing.
> ...


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> :
> 
> It also demonstrates just how powerful the D6 is.  It's amazing what iBasso's portable can do, if it weren't the cheaper price of the E9(which is not too shabby itself) I would have easily sprung for the either D6 or the P4.  Estreeter, how does the P4 compare to your E9?


 

 The E9 is the more powerful amp, no question, but I just dont have the phones needed to 'push' either amp. Sonically, I found both to be closer to neutral than my other amps and both have wonderfully black backgrounds - if I had to chose one, it would probably be the P4 by virtue of  its smaller footprint and off-the-grid versatility. That said, I am perfectly happy with my E9 and am fighting off the desire to buy more portable amps at this point in time


----------



## MrScary

holden4th said:


> You are right, as this noise is not limited to the D6. My uDac2 does the same thing and gives me a constant ticking sound. I solved the problem by quite simlpy disconnecting the USB cable before boot up then reconnectiing once my desktop had loaded - no ticking!
> 
> What we haven't done yet is isolated the problem by comparing notes/systems etc. I know it's not the D6 because my uDAC does it too. My home system is a standalone PC running W7 Home professional 64 bit SP1. I connecct my uDAC to the front panel, haven't tried the auxiliary monitor USB yet.
> 
> ...




Its the hard drive making the ticking its a known issue with some puters especially laptops. Mine did it on my home laptop which is an Asus but not my work laptop which ran windows xp and was a Lenova..
There are forum posts on this out there somewhere the only thing you can do is try all the different ports and see if it lessens if it does not on that machine your stuck with it. My home computers never do it. Just the laptops
no cure for it sadly.


----------



## Edward Ng

Quote: 





mrscary said:


> Its the hard drive making the ticking its a known issue with some puters especially laptops. Mine did it on my home laptop which is an Asus but not my work laptop which ran windows xp and was a Lenova..
> There are forum posts on this out there somewhere the only thing you can do is try all the different ports and see if it lessens if it does not on that machine your stuck with it. My home computers never do it. Just the laptops
> no cure for it sadly.


 


 Wouldn't upgrading to an SSD be a solution (albeit a very expensive one)?
   
  -Ed


----------



## alancosmos

i doubt it's real at all!!!


----------



## Edward Ng

My D6 has shipped out via UPS from iBasso and is in Guangzhou; I wonder when it will reach me in NY!
   
  -Ed


----------



## cybertec69

Just received mine today, compared to the D10, it's more detailed with no clipping when pushed, it's just has a more open "wide" sound stage, I am using it with an Ipod touch with a Fiio L9 cable and JH16's custom IEM's, it's one sweet amp, have not used it with my laptop yet.


----------



## cybertec69

Just received my D6 today, compared to the D10, it's more detailed with no clipping when pushed, it's just has a more open "wide" sound stage, I am using it with an Ipod touch with a Fiio L9 cable and JH16's custom IEM's, it's one sweet amp, have not used it with my laptop yet.


----------



## MrScary

cybertec69 said:


> Just received my D6 today, compared to the D10, it's more detailed with no clipping when pushed, it's just has a more open "wide" sound stage, I am using it with an Ipod touch with a Fiio L9 cable and JH16's custom IEM's, it's one sweet amp, have not used it with my laptop yet.




Try it with yoru laptop see if you get any clicking its a lottery some laptops do it some do not.. If its a newer laptop good chance it wont click.


----------



## cybertec69

Quote: 





mrscary said:


> Try it with your laptop see if you get any clicking its a lottery some laptops do it some do not.. If its a newer laptop good chance it wont click.


 


 No clicking whatsoever, actually the bass is deeper and fuller, it just has more body when used with my laptop, but it also sound fantastic with my Ipod Touch, connected with a line out cable.


----------



## Edward Ng

Quote: 





mrscary said:


> Try it with yoru laptop see if you get any clicking its a lottery some laptops do it some do not.. If its a newer laptop good chance it wont click.


 


  No clicking or static noises here via USB from my Dell XPS 15 L502X.  Just received in my D6 and am doing initial charge and beginning burn-in.  Topkit has not yet arrived.
   
  -Ed


----------



## MrScary

edward ng said:


> No clicking or static noises here via USB from my Dell XPS 15 L502X.  Just received in my D6 and am doing initial charge and beginning burn-in.  Topkit has not yet arrived.
> 
> -Ed




Awesome


----------



## Edward Ng

Preliminary listening comparison between stock and with the Topkit reveals greater transparency when the Topkit is installed compared to stock.  There is a perception of greater, "speed," especially with strings, like on Vivalid's Four Seasons by Gil Shaham and Orpheus.  The L/R option is great for IEMs as it pushes the imaging forward and out of one's head, kind of like sitting a couple rows farther back.
   
  -Ed


----------



## mab1376

Has anyone tried LME49990's?


----------



## MrScary

mab1376 said:


> Has anyone tried LME49990's?




The AD797's sound real nice with the buffers and without


----------



## HiFlight

IMO, the LME49xxx series, while able to render great detail, appears to me to lack a sense of fullness and body.  The musical dynamics that one experiences when listening to a live performance seems to be missing.
  Quote: 





mab1376 said:


> Has anyone tried LME49990's?


----------



## MrScary

hiflight said:


> IMO, the LME49xxx series, while able to render great detail, appears to me to lack a sense of fullness and body.  The musical dynamics that one experiences when listening to a live performances seems to be missing.




I agree I recently placed the LME49XXX's in my tube DAC and I was very unhappy with the sound I quickly took them out it was very lean and reflected through my whole system.


----------



## cybertec69

Just installed my D10 HiFlight op-amp kit, one word to describe it "WOW", everything is just more open detailed, crisper cleaner, and whatever slight distortion that was there at high volumes is gone, it just sounds more dynamic, it's just fantastic.
   
  Will post again with my impressions of the D6 op-amp kit from hiflight.


----------



## ZMan2k2

As a newbie to the world of portable hi-fi, I have a couple questions about this unit.  The D6 is both an amp and DAC?  All-in-one solution, where all I would need is a DAP?  If I were to use this with an iPod, what would be the best connection?  I would probably use it stock at first, then think about upgrading later.


----------



## cybertec69

Quote: 





zman2k2 said:


> As a newbie to the world of portable hi-fi, I have a couple questions about this unit.  The D6 is both an amp and DAC?  All-in-one solution, where all I would need is a DAP?  If I were to use this with an iPod, what would be the best connection?  I would probably use it stock at first, then think about upgrading later.


 


  I use mine with a line out cable like the Fiio L9 on my Ipod Touch, what that does it pretty much negates Ipods Amp and let's the D6 or my D10 do all the work "and that's why I bought them for, it also work just fine with a 3.5mm audio cable, but you are bi amping with that scenario, the only time I do that is when I use my D10 or D6 with my HTC Incredible smart phone.


----------



## ZMan2k2

Thanks for the reply.  That' what I thought, but it's always nice to get confirmation.  I'm pretty sure this is the way I want to go, with an Amp/DAC combo, just need to decide which one, the D6 or the D2+Boa.


----------



## MrScary

zman2k2 said:


> Thanks for the reply.  That' what I thought, but it's always nice to get confirmation.  I'm pretty sure this is the way I want to go, with an Amp/DAC combo, just need to decide which one, the D6 or the D2+Boa.




D6 hands down sounds better


----------



## ZMan2k2

Quote: 





mrscary said:


> D6 hands down sounds better


 


  haha, great.  Just when I think I've got it down.  Good info to have, thanks.


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





zman2k2 said:


> As a newbie to the world of portable hi-fi, I have a couple questions about this unit.  The D6 is both an amp and DAC?  All-in-one solution, where all I would need is a DAP?  If I were to use this with an iPod, what would be the best connection?  I would probably use it stock at first, then think about upgrading later.


 

 Not sure if you are still a little confused here.
   
  1. Using the D6 with a DAP, you will only be using the AMP section of the D6, either from the headphone out on your DAP or via an analog LOD cable (only available for certain DAPs from Apple, Sony etc)
   
  2. To utilise the DAC component of the D6, you need to plug it into the USB port on a computer, select the D6 as your playback device, start your music player software (iTunes or whatever) and enjoy.
   
  In short, when you plug the D6 into a DAP, you are listening to the musical stylings of the DAC in the player, not the D6 DAC.


----------



## arman89

Sorry if the question is kind of stupid, im new to this forum. When connecting D6 to a mp3 player (cowon in my case) through a headphone out, will it be using D6's amp section fully? thanks


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





arman89 said:


> Sorry if the question is kind of stupid, im new to this forum. When connecting D6 to a mp3 player (cowon in my case) through a headphone out, will it be using D6's amp section fully? thanks


 

 Yes, with the disclaimer that a headphone out isnt the same as a 'line out' - for now, dont worry about that, just enjoy your music.


----------



## ZMan2k2

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Not sure if you are still a little confused here.
> 
> 1. Using the D6 with a DAP, you will only be using the AMP section of the D6, either from the headphone out on your DAP or via an analog LOD cable (only available for certain DAPs from Apple, Sony etc)
> 
> ...


 

 Thanks for answering.  I've figured out some things too.  I've discovered that LOD does not mean "Line Out Digital", which is what had me going initially.  After discovering this, and doing some more reading here and on other sites, I've decided that the iBasso isn't for me.  I'm still thinking CLAS when the money comes together, but not right away.  But thanks again for your very easy to understand answer.


----------



## pr0xy89

Very concerned about the clicks and the static on this DAC. Is this a bright sounding DAC?


----------



## desertblues

I purchased a D6 from another headfier last week and have only been listening to it since Saturday, but I have heard no clicks or static whether using just as an amp with my ipod touch & LOD or using the DAC plugged into my iMac desktop or Mac Air laptop. All I can say about this ibasso D6 is it is a great little amp and awesome DAC! The detail is much greater with 24 Bits compared to 16 - I'm hearing even subtle nuances that were not present with instrumental passages and background voices are much clearer - everything is clearer in fact! I'm using my Senn 598's and M50's with mostly ALAC files (but lower-rez is improved also). So far I'm really impressed with how much better the M50 sounds with this DAC! As to being a bright-sounding DAC, I guess it is a bit brighter than my E/7 but it's all about detail and soundstaging IMHO. I'm not using any EQ on most of my music if that helps. I'll try to describe it better when I've spent more time listening, but right now I'm quite pleased with this one!


----------



## pr0xy89

thanks alot^^ i guess my pro 900 cans can lessen the brightness of the D6.


----------



## mab1376

Quote: 





pr0xy89 said:


> thanks alot^^ i guess my pro 900 cans can lessen the brightness of the D6.


 

  
  From what I've read the brightness of the Pro900 should normalize after about 150 hours of use. I know my HFI-780's took about a month of use to level out and the Pro900, being a titanium driver, is a bit more stubborn.


----------



## bearcatsandor

On the D6 (and other iBasso amps), how does the gain control work? On the product page, it's listed as a USB sound card which makes me think that it has some sort of volume control. Are the line outs fixed? Can you control the volume of the D6 through your computer's volume control/mixer app (I'm on a gnu/linux system for what that matters) If so, what is controlled? the line out, the headphone or both?
   
  I sit some distance away from my PC.
   
  Thanks all.


----------



## MrScary

bearcatsandor said:


> On the D6 (and other iBasso amps), how does the gain control work? On the product page, it's listed as a USB sound card which makes me think that it has some sort of volume control. Are the line outs fixed? Can you control the volume of the D6 through your computer's volume control/mixer app (I'm on a gnu/linux system for what that matters) If so, what is controlled? the line out, the headphone or both?
> 
> I sit some distance away from my PC.
> 
> Thanks all.




No you have to adjust the volume by either the volume pot or through a software volume control on your linux box. When the D6 is used as a DAC it puts out 1.5v and cannot be adjusted.


----------



## bearcatsandor

Thanks Mr. Scary.  That answers a few questions.


----------



## MrScary

bearcatsandor said:


> Thanks Mr. Scary.  That answers a few questions.




Welcome ôô


----------



## bearcatsandor

Perhaps i misunderstand, but it looks like it can be powered by (run on)  the internal battery, a power brick or usb.
   
  Is there any difference in noise from the computer when the switch on the back is in the battery position rather than the usb position or using a brick?
   
  Will it switch to usb automatically when the battery gets low?  
   
  Can it charge and play from the usb at the same time or charge from the brick and play from the usb at the same time?
   
  If i toggle from usb to battery while it's in use do I risk damaging something?
   
  Thanks


----------



## MrScary

bearcatsandor said:


> Perhaps i misunderstand, but it looks like it can be powered by (run on)  the internal battery, a power brick or usb.
> 
> Is there any difference in noise from the computer when the switch on the back is in the battery position rather than the usb position or using a brick?
> 
> ...




From my experience with the D6 you can switch from USB to battery either way at any time wont damage a thing.
When running from USB it does not have the power output as when its running from battery.
ON noise I have never had any noise when I had my D6.
Yes it can charge and play from USB at the same time.
No it wont automatically switch to USB when the battery is low there is a switch in the back

Hope this helps


----------



## bearcatsandor

It does, thanks again. (i actually discovered the manual which answered one of the questions). If do i risk damaging my speakers/amp or headphones if the battery gets too low while playing?  I'd assume not.


----------



## desertblues

It does indeed have more power when you switch to battery while connected to USB!


----------



## mab1376

Quote: 





desertblues said:


> It does indeed have more power when you switch to battery while connected to USB!


 


  does that go for using the AC adapter in "Battery" mode as well?


----------



## MrScary

Quote: 





bearcatsandor said:


> It does, thanks again. (i actually discovered the manual which answered one of the questions). If do i risk damaging my speakers/amp or headphones if the battery gets too low while playing?  I'd assume not.


 


  NO it wont damage it


----------



## arman89

Hey Guys! Got my D6 yesterday! i have some questions (my very first amp/dac), and i apologize if they're kinda silly.
   
  1) When using as a combo through USB, im able to change the volume in Media Player, the volume of the laptop and the D6 itself, of course. Is this how it should be? for some reason, i thought that when plugged into USB i could regulate the volume only from D6.
   
  2) Within the first 4 hours of listening i had very loud static noise two times. Terrible experience i should say.  i saw on this thread that some people had this problem as well from time to time. But i had 2 since the very beginning, should i be worrying that i might have a defective unit? have anyone found a solution to this problem? (my OS is Windows Vista 32bit).
   
  Thanks.


----------



## xxhaxx

1)Nope you can change the volume with the Media player and the D6
  2)Not sure about this one


----------



## mrspeakers

Quote: 





arman89 said:


> Hey Guys! Got my D6 yesterday! i have some questions (my very first amp/dac), and i apologize if they're kinda silly.
> 
> 1) When using as a combo through USB, im able to change the volume in Media Player, the volume of the laptop and the D6 itself, of course. Is this how it should be? for some reason, i thought that when plugged into USB i could regulate the volume only from D6.
> 
> ...


 
   
  No promise, but there's a least a good probability it's noise from a phone or wifi being picked up by the D6.  
   
  iBasso's stock op-amps are somewhate susceptible to RFI.  Keep your Blackberry in another building (or at least 4-5 feet away), most other mobile phones at least 3 feet, and consider if you are using wifi, maybe using a longer USB cable to get the D6 away from the PC.
   
  TopFlight has posted some comments about opamps that are less RFI sensitive.


----------



## arman89

Quote: 





mrspeakers said:


> No promise, but there's a least a good probability it's noise from a phone or wifi being picked up by the D6.
> 
> iBasso's stock op-amps are somewhate susceptible to RFI.  Keep your Blackberry in another building (or at least 4-5 feet away), most other mobile phones at least 3 feet, and consider if you are using wifi, maybe using a longer USB cable to get the D6 away from the PC.
> 
> TopFlight has posted some comments about opamps that are less RFI sensitive.


 


  Thanks a lot for your advice! I guess I should order HiFlight's Topkit then and start using it that way.


----------



## Edward Ng

Just briefly chiming in on the RFI sensitivity issue, I am definitely noticing that it is picking up significantly more noise from my iPhone 3GS than my P51 Mustang does (which, essentially, never suffers noise issues), but then again the special shielding card I use is, "only," as big as a credit card, which fully shields the Mustang but leaves perhaps an eighth of an inch, "exposed," for the far larger D6.  I will try switching various components from the TopKit in and out to see if it has an effect on the problem, but it's also hard to tell because from what I've seen the phone only occasionally emits extremely powerful noise to the amp--rarely enough that I may test for an hour or two and not experience the problem regardless of chosen components.  One thing I did notice, however, was that regardless of how high or low I turned the volume dial, the noise was just as loud, so wherever the amp is picking up the noise from the phone, it's after the attenuator, not before.  This may simply be due to the way the amp is designed of course.  The attenuator must be before the amplification stage, so the music source is attenuated but the phone's noise comes through full **** force!
   
  -Ed


----------



## MrScary

You must have some incredible RFI I never experienced those issues with the D6 but then again I ran AD797 opamps..


----------



## mab1376

Just ordered my D6 
   
  How long does it usually take to get it?


----------



## jazzfan

Quote: 





mab1376 said:


> Just ordered my D6
> 
> How long does it usually take to get it?


 


  Placed my D6 order on 07/13.  UPS tracking shows a scheduled delivery date of Monday, 07/18/2011, By End of Day. Pretty fast for me.


----------



## estreeter

I suspect that you will both be blown away by how quickly iBasso can get an amp to places like the US and Oz - I know I was. I havent found another seller who can get product from China to my work address within a single week of ordering, and their shipping charge is very reasonable.


----------



## mrspeakers

Alas, I won't be keeping the D6.  I preferred the SQ to the D12, but found that it did not work with my bailing wire and chewing gum rig to get digital audio out of the iPad. Even with the wal-wort the thing pulls more current over the USB than the iPad will allow, even with a t3.
   
  Nice unit, though.  Still not equal in SQ to the DACport, but very good price/performance, and of course self-powered.


----------



## mab1376

Mine Shipped at 3AM EST on Sunday, so if I'm super super lucky I'll get it for the weekend, currently UPS is showing this:
   

 China 07/18/2011 3:51 P.M. Order Processed: Ready for UPS
   
   
  WOW! its already in Alaska!


----------



## estreeter

Hopefully its not being delivered by these guys:
   
  http://www.history.com/shows/ice-road-truckers
   
  Seriously, I believe you will have it before the weekend. I should have ordered a P4 on Saturday, but as usual I have procrastinated for yet another week ....


----------



## mab1376

Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Hopefully its not being delivered by these guys:
> 
> http://www.history.com/shows/ice-road-truckers
> 
> Seriously, I believe you will have it before the weekend. I should have ordered a P4 on Saturday, but as usual I have procrastinated for yet another week ....


 


   
  Its already out for delivery in NY, I'll have it tonight


----------



## Edward Ng

Quote: 





mab1376 said:


> Its already out for delivery in NY, I'll have it tonight


 


  Hey that makes at least two of us in NY who have this wonderful unit!
   
  -Ed


----------



## mab1376

I was playing through the USB on battery and i got this horrible treble static noise, i thought it was my audio file but I replayed it through my sound card and it was fine.
   
  What do you think the issue is?
   
  The only thing I did was swap the op amps for a pair of AD797BRZ's on a brown dog adapter. They just came out of my sound card that i've been using for almost a month now with no issues.
   
  It doesn't do it consistently, just here and there. Could the battery just be low? I haven't had the issue playing through aux with my iPhone.
   
  I really hope one of the DAC chips aren't messed up. 
   
   
   
  It sounds like absolute staticky crap when playing through USB power. The music is completely inaudible.
   
  Does the same thing either through my Laptop or PC.
   
  -edit-
   
  So it seems it was my op amps causing the issue. maybe some sort of incompatibility either the BRZ model and the stock buffers on a dual-chip adapter?
   
  I'll let you know if i messed up my op amp (static damage?) once I pop it back i my sound card.
   
  I'll probably get hiflights topkit this week, maybe his buffers will give me better success with the AD797's
   
  I've gotta play around and see which config I like best.
   
  -edit2-
   
  SO i figured out the intermittent crazy noise I get, its my Apple lossless plugin for winamp. I got it from the Winamp Essentials pack. I'm also using the WASAPI plugin which can be found here which might be causing the issue with the codec.
   
  http://maiko.elementfx.com/
   
  I just switched to foobar and its fine with their codec.
   
  -edit3-
   
  Well that intermittent static noise is back, happens after playing on USB power for 10-15 min.
   
  I've narrowed it down to the amplification circuitry as the aux out to my cMoy never does it at all.
  I'm going to see if i can just get it replaced, something has to be wrong with it. 
   
  -edit4-
   
  I tried multiple PC's and multiple USB cables. I keep getting intermittent white noise with USB or BATT power when using as USB DAC.
   
  ibasso has offered a replacement, I'm going to follow through the procedures and get it replaced.


----------



## pr0xy89

just placed an order for the D6 last night! wee can't wait to get it.


----------



## MrScary

mab1376 said:


> I was playing through the USB on battery and i got this horrible treble static noise, i thought it was my audio file but I replayed it through my sound card and it was fine.
> 
> What do you think the issue is?
> 
> ...




you cant use dual opamps in the D6 you need single AD797's


----------



## MrScary

mrscary said:


> you cant use dual opamps in the D6 you need single AD797's



If you have a dual chip adapter that means you are running duals thats the problem
you can run one dual in the center slot


----------



## keanex

How does this compare to the E7/E9 combo? I'm looking into this for a nice beginner DAC/Amp.


----------



## MrScary

keanex said:


> How does this compare to the E7/E9 combo? I'm looking into this for a nice beginner DAC/Amp.




The D6 does 44/96 for USB it also sounds alot better I guess it all depends on what headphones you are trying to drive etc and your budget..
I had my D6 for about 6 months until I upgraded to the LCD-2's then I needed a beefier amp I loved the D6


----------



## HiFlight

Quote: 





mrscary said:


> If you have a dual chip adapter that means you are running duals thats the problem
> you can run one dual in the center slot


 

 One can use both dual or single channel opamps in the D6 L/R sockets.  If you are using a single dual-channel, it goes in the center socket, if you are using single-channel, you need one in each outboard L/R socket.  Only dual-channel opamps can be used as buffers. 
   
  Keep in mind that the L/R sockets are those closest to the volume control and the buffer sockets are nearest the large caps on the left side of the amp.


----------



## MrScary

hiflight said:


> One can use both dual or single channel opamps in the D6 L/R sockets.  If you are using a single dual-channel, it goes in the center socket, if you are using single-channel, you need one in each outboard L/R socket.  Only dual-channel opamps can be used as buffers.
> 
> Keep in mind that the L/R sockets are those closest to the volume control and the buffer sockets are nearest the large caps on the left side of the amp.




Thats what I said in not so nice english. I think he is running dual opamps in the right and left


----------



## mab1376

Quote: 





mrscary said:


> Quote:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

 No I'm running 2 singles opamps on a 2 to 1 adapter in the center socket.
   
  as per Ron it had issues with USB power since it needs a min of 5v per chip and USB power is only 5v. Also the stock buffers might have caused a negative performance hit.
   
  on battery it worked okay, but i was having issues with the DAC circuitry which is why i was getting intermittent white noise.
   
  I'm getting my unit RMA'd.


----------



## MrScary

mab1376 said:


> No I'm running 2 singles opamps on a 2 to 1 adapter in the center socket.
> 
> as per Ron it had issues with USB power since it needs a min of 5v per chip and USB power is only 5v. Also the stock buffers might have caused a negative performance hit.
> 
> ...




Ahhh I see I misunderstood I ran two single AD797's with buffers but never used the usb power always used battery.


----------



## qawsedrf

Just to express my appreciation to iBasso and Ron... This iBasso D6, and Ron's Topkit is possibly the best investment I have done by far in my world of musicality seeking.  Oh and my Yuin PK1 too.. Though that probably won't fit in all that well here lol.


----------



## HiFlight

Quote: 





qawsedrf said:


> Just to express my appreciation to iBasso and Ron... This iBasso D6, and Ron's Topkit is possibly the best investment I have done by far in my world of musicality seeking.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 


    Thanks!!


----------



## Sid-Fi

I just ordered my black Ibasso D6 as well as Ron's topkit. I can't wait. I'll post impressions and maybe a few unboxing pics. I can't believe the power specs this thing pushes out!
   
  I had an Ibasso D10 for over a year as my first dac/amp with Sennheiser IE8 and loved it. Ron's topkit at the time took it to a whole new level. It improved blackness of background, detail, separation, lowered hiss, etc. I have moved on to a nice full-size setup with my Audio-gd NFB-10WM and HD 650s, but I still remember that first setup with much fondness thanks in no small part to Ron's kit.


----------



## pr0xy89

so excited for the D6 to arrive.. never had a good DAC before!


----------



## mab1376

Thanks Ron for researching/making the topkit!
   
  I've been using it for an hour or so and it it sounds amazing! Not much different from the stock op amps just a much more extended sound stage.
   
  But wouldn't you know so far I haven't had any white noise issues since installing it, I figured since I didn't send it out to iBasso for an RMA yet, i'd give it s shot. So far so good! I've got my fingers crossed, maybe I had a bad buffer or something. Who knows!
   
  I really don't want to have to send it to China!


----------



## pr0xy89

need help anyone.. just got my D6 a couple of days ago and i been noticing a major problem. Does anybody switch it to battery when connected to the USB? whenever i switch it to the USB there is a major difference in sound, in that the sound is more distorted and very staticy. When i put it on high gain and on USB switch the sound is completely distorted and destroyed. however, when i switch it to battery high gain the sound is perfect? is this a defective unit?
   
  So in essence, USB = Horrible staticy and Batter = perfect? just days ago my USB is just fine but today it got crazy distorted and sounded horrble.


----------



## mab1376

Depends on the op amp you're using, I had the same issue with an ad797brz, it requires a min 5v per op amp and USB power only provides 5v total.
   
  If you're still using stock op amps then there might be some bigger issue.


----------



## pr0xy89

odd.. kept playing music and the grainy/distorted sound went away.. maybe initial power shock??


----------



## MrScary

pr0xy89 said:


> need help anyone.. just got my D6 a couple of days ago and i been noticing a major problem. Does anybody switch it to battery when connected to the USB? whenever i switch it to the USB there is a major difference in sound, in that the sound is more distorted and very staticy. When i put it on high gain and on USB switch the sound is completely distorted and destroyed. however, when i switch it to battery high gain the sound is perfect? is this a defective unit?
> 
> So in essence, USB = Horrible staticy and Batter = perfect? just days ago my USB is just fine but today it got crazy distorted and sounded horrble.




The USB is not providing enough power to power the opamps even the stock ones just use the battery and leave the adapter brick plugged in if you wish.
Personally I think the USB mode on the D6 is a joke it would work fine for IEM's but regular headphones with higher impedance it gives no headroom


----------



## HiFlight

Quote: 





pr0xy89 said:


> need help anyone.. just got my D6 a couple of days ago and i been noticing a major problem. Does anybody switch it to battery when connected to the USB? whenever i switch it to the USB there is a major difference in sound, in that the sound is more distorted and very staticy. When i put it on high gain and on USB switch the sound is completely distorted and destroyed. however, when i switch it to battery high gain the sound is perfect? is this a defective unit?
> 
> So in essence, USB = Horrible staticy and Batter = perfect? just days ago my USB is just fine but today it got crazy distorted and sounded horrble.


 
   
  A couple of suggestions...
   
  Do not use a USB hub. (unless it is externally powered)
  Try a couple of other USB ports.  If you are using one that has other items such as keyboard, mouse, printer, etc on the same circuit, you will not get full USB voltage to your D6. 
   
  I use my D6 with USB as my main computer monitor with headphones and it works just fine.


----------



## Sid-Fi

I received my D6 along with Ron's topkit yesterday. Two days after my order was placed it had traveled from China to my doorstep in Arizona. Such amazing speed and service from Ibasso and UPS. Very impressive.
   
  I am really impressed with D6. I am sitting here listening to my HD 650 with Jena Labs cable and am having a really hard time believing what I am hearing - this little portable amp driving them pretty nicely! The USB implementation is light years ahead of that of my D10. The sound is extremely clear through USB and has very nice detail retrieval. 24/96 files definitely are supported as advertised and sound great. With the stock op amps, I felt like it was a little bright and that separation and sound stage weren't very impressive though. The top kit really delivered here. Separation and imaging really improved significantly right off the bat, and the brightness I was perceiving mellowed out. Overall, this is doing extremely well driving my HD 650 and I can hardly believe I can listen to them mobile now!
   
  All these positives being said however, I definitely notice pretty readily how HD 650 scale a lot higher with my balanced Audio-gd NFB-10WM which has insane power. The NFB10 drive the HD 650 with much more authority and give it a much fuller and more controlled bass with more extension. However, this is not exactly a fair comparison and I am pretty thrilled that it can power my HD 650s as well as it does. Also, the D6 handles my Sennheiser IE8 IEMs great, with no perceivable hiss on most of my music, although I have noticed a little background hiss on certain tracks where I never hear hiss on my full-size setup. 
   
  More impressions later with a little more burn-in.


----------



## arman89

I have an issue with very loud static noise occurring from time to time when using D6 as USB DAC/AMP or standalone DAC. And this what i got from ibasso as a reply:
   
_*"Hi,*_
_*Do you have a USB hub? This usually is the USB voltage supply problem. Some computer's USB cant output stable 5V voltage. A USB hub can solve this problem. Please try it.*_
_*Please feel free to ask me questions.*_
   
_*Sincerely*_
_*iBasso Audio"*_
   
  So, my question is, should i really try using a hub, even though i'm using it only powered by internal battery? Thanks.


----------



## jazzfan

Just posted a few thoughts on the iBasso D6 over in the Head Gear area  *http://www.head-fi.org/products/ibasso-d6-fer-de-lance *for those who might be interested.

 Thanks


----------



## Sid-Fi

Very nice review. It was well laid-out, thoughtful, and fair in my opinion. My impressions have seemed to match yours so far, except for the improvements the top kit brought. I would be interested in any updates, so please let  us know if you ever try the topkit or other opamps and update your review. For me, it all comes down to the D6 being very good for a portable, but there still being a noteworthy gap in sound quality between a good high-powered full-size unit.


----------



## jazzfan

Quote: 





sid-fi said:


> Very nice review. It was well laid-out, thoughtful, and fair in my opinion. My impressions have seemed to match yours so far, except for the improvements the top kit brought. I would be interested in any updates, so please let  us know if you ever try the topkit or other opamps and update your review. For me, it all comes down to the D6 being very good for a portable, but there still being a noteworthy gap in sound quality between a good high-powered full-size unit.


 

  
  Thanks Sid-Fi.  It will likely be a while before I try out a Topkit, but I will provide impressions if and when I do.

 For now, I'm just going to relax and enjoy the music.  (You're packing an awesome CPU rig, by the way.)


----------



## pr0xy89

Quote: 





mrscary said:


> The USB is not providing enough power to power the opamps even the stock ones just use the battery and leave the adapter brick plugged in if you wish.
> Personally I think the USB mode on the D6 is a joke it would work fine for IEM's but regular headphones with higher impedance it gives no headroom


 

 took your advice and been using the Batt. instead of the USB.. there is a considerable amount for difference in the bass and the brightness. Batt. >>> USB


----------



## qawsedrf

pr0xy89 said:


> took your advice and been using the Batt. instead of the USB.. there is a considerable amount for difference in the bass and the brightness. Batt. >>> USB




Indeed. My HD650 sounded tiny using the USB selector, but with the Battery, it gains more grunt and drive.  I've accidentally left the power selection on USB for some time and have forgotten about it, so when I plugged in my HD650 it sounded surprisingly weird lol.


----------



## pr0xy89

^^ the difference is enormous.. i was definitely missing out.


----------



## MrScary

pr0xy89 said:


> ^^ the difference is enormous.. i was definitely missing out.




Yeah the battery is the way to go if you are driving headphones if you are merly driving low impedance IEM's then USB is fine


----------



## desertblues

Ordered the D6 Topkit from Ron today! As much as I like the stock version, the Topkit comes so highly recommended I had to take the plunge. I'll be back with my impressions...


----------



## qawsedrf

desertblues said:


> Ordered the D6 Topkit from Ron today! As much as I like the stock version, the Topkit comes so highly recommended I had to take the plunge. I'll be back with my impressions...




Something you will not regret.  Enjoy!


----------



## desertblues

The Topkit arrived yesterday (amazing!) and I installed it last night - WOW, what a difference! First I plugged in my ATH M50's and Ipod Touch and listened to the amp, such detail and soundstage like I've not heard with the M50's (bass seems deeper but more controlled). Not a very long listening session, but impressive. Today I plugged the dac into my mac and tried the HD 598 which has become my favorite - I had to force myself to take 'em off! I've been listening to every type of music I like (jazz, rock, pop, even some gospel) and now I know what the D6 is really capable of. The soundstage is greatly enhanced and everything sounds bigger & better. This is what I was hoping for - Thanks Ron! BTW, I am still using the stock buffers, going to try it with the bypass next.


----------



## HiFlight

Quote: 





desertblues said:


> The Topkit arrived yesterday (amazing!) and I installed it last night - WOW, what a difference! First I plugged in my ATH M50's and Ipod Touch and listened to the amp, such detail and soundstage like I've not heard with the M50's (bass seems deeper but more controlled). Not a very long listening session, but impressive. Today I plugged the dac into my mac and tried the HD 598 which has become my favorite - I had to force myself to take 'em off! I've been listening to every type of music I like (jazz, rock, pop, even some gospel) and now I know what the D6 is really capable of. The soundstage is greatly enhanced and everything sounds bigger & better. This is what I was hoping for - Thanks Ron! BTW, I am still using the stock buffers, going to try it with the bypass next.


 

 Thanks for the feedback!


----------



## mab1376

Quote: 





hiflight said:


> Thanks for the feedback!


 

 The Topkit is great for every genre i've tried.
   
  I've been putting 2-3 hours a night on it and it's amazing!
   
  I listen to Electronica, Industrial, Metal, and almost every form of Rock, not to mention some classical and jazz here and there, everything has been superb.


----------



## RapidPulse

Quote: 





desertblues said:


> BTW, I am still using the stock buffers, going to try it with the bypass next.


 

  
  I also am a happy customer of HiFlights Topkit (also...many thanks to Ron!).
   
  I have only tried using the bypass buffers supplied with the Topkit.  Curious to hear your impressions of the sound with stock buffers vs the bypass buffers.
   
  (Of course...I could always try this on my own 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




)


----------



## mab1376

Quote: 





rapidpulse said:


> I also am a happy customer of HiFlights Topkit (also...many thanks to Ron!).
> 
> I have only tried using the bypass buffers supplied with the Topkit.  Curious to hear your impressions of the sound with stock buffers vs the bypass buffers.
> 
> ...


 

 With the stock buffers the bass isn't as fast, but to me sounds a little more warm and airy, only very subtlety.
   
  Personally I prefer the stock buffers when listening to Rock, and bypass when listening to Electronica and Industrial.
   
  I have the optional L/R module which is supposedly warmer, I'm going to play around with it over the weekend with/without the stock buffers and see how it is.


----------



## desertblues

Well, I have spent a couple of hours listening to mostly the same tracks with the bypass buffers (mainly in Dac/Amp mode with batt. power) and this configuration is even better (to my ears) with my HD 598 'phones! The biggest differences are the bass is enhanced and vocals are more prominent. The soundstage (which is amazing either way IMHO) was a bit wider with the stock buffers. The overall effect without the buffers is the sound seems a bit warmer to me (unlike the previous poster). This really is just a first impression without a lot of listening time-but I think I like this better, at least with my 598's. The Topkit really makes this baby sing, either way!


----------



## mab1376

Quote: 





desertblues said:


> Well, I have spent a couple of hours listening to mostly the same tracks with the bypass buffers (mainly in Dac/Amp mode with batt. power) and this configuration is even better (to my ears) with my HD 598 'phones! The biggest differences are the bass is enhanced and vocals are more prominent. The soundstage (which is amazing either way IMHO) was a bit wider with the stock buffers. The overall effect without the buffers is the sound seems a bit warmer to me (unlike the previous poster). This really is just a first impression without a lot of listening time-but I think I like this better, at least with my 598's. The Topkit really makes this baby sing, either way!


 


   
  http://www.national.com/pf/LM/LMH6655.html#Overview
   
  these are what i had in as the buffers with the topkit and the midbass is much more emphasized.


----------



## qawsedrf

Guys, just a head's up. You might want to reconsider keeping the battery plugged in all the time as my battery pack had expanded beyond the size of its casing. Was surprised to see that happened when I opened up my iBasso D6 for inspection. While I am not too worried about the casing itself, I am worried about the pressure on the PCB and the pressure build-up on the battery pack when pressed against the PCB and casing.


Will follow up with more updates from iBasso.


----------



## mab1376

Quote: 





qawsedrf said:


> Guys, just a head's up. You might want to reconsider keeping the battery plugged in all the time as my battery pack had expanded beyond the size of its casing. Was surprised to see that happened when I opened up my iBasso D6 for inspection. While I am not too worried about the casing itself, I am worried about the pressure on the PCB and the pressure build-up on the battery pack when pressed against the PCB and casing.
> 
> 
> Will follow up with more updates from iBasso.


 


   
  Has anyone else had the issue of the battery expanding?
   
  Personally mine is almost never plugged into the AC adapter unless the battery is dead, and I always unplug it as soon as the battery is done charging.


----------



## FuzzyD

[size=medium]A few pages back some people were talking about static. For whatever it's worth, I've had my D6 for a few months now and sometimes when my iPhone 4 is within about 2 feet or less, I get some static (sometimes pretty ugly too). I just keep them far apart at all times. It kinda sucks but I doubt it's only a problem with the D6 and I always use it through USB anyway.​[/size]


----------



## holden4th

jefierro said:


> ................I have spent the last couple of days in a driven quest to make usable my DAC+AMP in my office computer, the problem : random and constant static loud noise when using the generic USBAUDIO from my Windows 7 x64 at full 24bit/96KHz,
> When downgrading  to 16bits from the properties in the windows audio mixer I got seldom High pitch sounds, no static but annoying as hell.
> I used the back USB ports, no good.
> I tried ASIO with my trusted MediaMonkey and the asio4all emulator. Same thing.
> ...


----------



## mab1376

This worked for me too, I used Foobar with WASAPI through the USB port on my keyboard.
   
  From the hunting I did it has to do with the firmware on the *TI TAS1020B* transport module.
   
  The TI forums have TI employees saying they had customers that needed to modify the firmware code when using 64-bit windows.
   
  If its not a firmware issue it may be do to the USB controller losing synchronicity with the PC.
   
  I hope it isn't the USB port build fault causing a ground short because then I wont have any option to fix it. Being as I don't have this issue on Win7 32-bit, Windows XP, or Ubuntu 11.04 I don't think that's the issue. Also because even though I have 20+ hours in my current config with no issues I did experience it once yesterday. After unplugging the USB and plugging it back in it hasn't come back yet.
   
  http://e2e.ti.com/support/applications/audio/f/22/t/31146.aspx
   
  Quote: 





holden4th said:


> jefierro said:
> 
> 
> > ................I have spent the last couple of days in a driven quest to make usable my DAC+AMP in my office computer, the problem : random and constant static loud noise when using the generic USBAUDIO from my Windows 7 x64 at full 24bit/96KHz,
> ...


----------



## Edward Ng

For anyone who has experienced RFI issues, I noticed that the part acting as an, "antenna," for the RFI is the actual headphones themselves!
   
  What I mean is that my current portable rig is a sandwiched bundle; the iPhone 3GS, underneath it a special metal I/O shield, underneath that the iBasso D6.  An ALO cryo LOD connects the two units.  Whenever I'm listening to music, if I am traveling through a dead zone, my phone starts putting out much harder RF to try and connect back to the network, and if the wire for my headphones happens to be turned up towards or even worse wrapped around the phone, I start hearing huge RF noises.  If I grasp the wire and turn it downward and away from the phone, the RF noise goes way down and in most cases disappears.  My assessment is that the headphone cable is somehow picking up the phone's RFI and feeding it back into the amp.  This definitely makes sense given that the RF noise is always the same full volume regardless of where I set the volume attenuator dial.
   
  -Ed


----------



## mrspeakers

Quote: 





qawsedrf said:


> Guys, just a head's up. You might want to reconsider keeping the battery plugged in all the time as my battery pack had expanded beyond the size of its casing. Was surprised to see that happened when I opened up my iBasso D6 for inspection. While I am not too worried about the casing itself, I am worried about the pressure on the PCB and the pressure build-up on the battery pack when pressed against the PCB and casing.
> 
> 
> Will follow up with more updates from iBasso.


 
  That is a big deal.  The battery is Lithium Ion, and this is a form of "exploding battery."  Since this is the first anyone has written it's hopefully a fluke, but the worst case is the battery can actually burst into flames...


----------



## qawsedrf

mrspeakers said:


> That is a big deal.  The battery is Lithium Ion, and this is a form of "exploding battery."  Since this is the first anyone has written it's hopefully a fluke, but the worst case is the battery can actually burst into flames...




Indeed. Unfortunately, many consumers around my region (not limited to my country) take such issues lightly. I highly suggest those who have an iBasso D6 to check their batteries, and to properly regulate their charging time, not allowing it to overcharge/be hooked on the power adapter for prolonged periods.

Also, iBasso has yet to reply my mail. However, my local dealer was kind enough to update me that the battery is not covered by warranty and hence requires a purchase replacement.


----------



## mrspeakers

A battery that fails in this way absolutely should be covered by warranty.  iBasso has always been real responsive to my enquiries, suggest you try again...  Good luck...


----------



## holden4th

Quote: 





mab1376 said:


> This worked for me too, I used Foobar with WASAPI through the USB port on my keyboard.
> 
> From the hunting I did it has to do with the firmware on the *TI TAS1020B* transport module.
> 
> ...


 

 and another possible solution. Looking at the back of my PC where the DVI and VGA ports for my monitor are I discovered that I have another port which I believe is, joy of joys, an HDMI port! I am not sure if it is the full size one or a mini version suffice to say that it is the width of a USB port, a lot thinner and with that typical trapezoid shape. I wonder, if I get an HDMI to USB/B connector and see what happens with that. It will hopefully bypass any grounding issues or otherwise that I might have.
   
  Any thoughts


----------



## HiFlight

Quote: 





holden4th said:


> and another possible solution. Looking at the back of my PC where the DVI and VGA ports for my monitor are I discovered that I have another port which I believe is, joy of joys, an HDMI port! I am not sure if it is the full size one or a mini version suffice to say that it is the width of a USB port, a lot thinner and with that typical trapezoid shape. I wonder, if I get an HDMI to USB/B connector and see what happens with that. It will hopefully bypass any grounding issues or otherwise that I might have.
> 
> Any thoughts


 

 No thoughts on your proposed solution, but based on the size of the port as you described it, it is a full-size HDMI.


----------



## holden4th

Thank you


----------



## qawsedrf

mrspeakers said:


> A battery that fails in this way absolutely should be covered by warranty.  iBasso has always been real responsive to my enquiries, suggest you try again...  Good luck...




Unfortunately... iBasso replied that the battery is truly not covered by warranty. A replacement from them is about 30USD, I guess shipping will differ by location. Will be making my order shortly, can't stand listening out from my gears without amping haha.


Just a pic:



So guys, remember to take good care of the batteries ya.


----------



## mrspeakers

Boy is that short-sighted of them. And that is absolutely clearly a manufacturing defect in the battery.

IBasso, I hope you are reading this thread, because that is just plain wrong of you. Batteries wear over time, but not like this. A reputable manufacturer will stand behind a manufacturing flaw, always.

I for one won't buy more gear from them if this is their attitude. I can't imagine RSA or Leckerton acting that way.


----------



## pr0xy89

Ok folks i got another problem with my D6.. I usually leave my charger plugged into the D6 and listen off the battery and it's been three days since i've taken it off. However, this morning i took the charger off of the D6 and the battery no longer holds a charge on the D6 when left out of the charger. The white light won't even turn on, should i just let it run without the charger and hope the white light turns on and suddenly works?


----------



## HiFlight

Quote: 





pr0xy89 said:


> Ok folks i got another problem with my D6.. I usually leave my charger plugged into the D6 and listen off the battery and it's been three days since i've taken it off. However, this morning i took the charger off of the D6 and the battery no longer holds a charge on the D6 when left out of the charger. The white light won't even turn on, should i just let it run without the charger and hope the white light turns on and suddenly works?


 


  Check and make sure that you didn't inadvertently leave the selector switch in the "USB" position.   With no USB source input, you will get no white light when you turn it on.   Try it in the "Batt" position.


----------



## pr0xy89

^^ checked all those.. still no good. I think the battery is just dead, ughh.. checked on the site and it said it was ok to leave the charger plugged in the D6 without it doing no harm.


----------



## StargateRecords

I am so indecisive when it comes to spending money,  D6...  D12...  decisions, decisions.


----------



## HiFlight

Quote: 





stargaterecords said:


> I am so indecisive when it comes to spending money,  D6...  D12...  decisions, decisions.


 

 If you need optical or coax inputs, D12 wins.  If you need primarily Aux inputs (DAP, CD, etc) and/or USB input, then D6.


----------



## StargateRecords

Quote: 





hiflight said:


> If you need optical or coax inputs, D12 wins.  If you need primarily Aux inputs (DAP, CD, etc) and/or USB input, then D6.


 
   
  Thanks HiFlight, I just noticed the price difference is only $10? so is the D12 essentially a D6 with optical and coaxial inputs ?


----------



## HiFlight

Quote: 





stargaterecords said:


> Thanks HiFlight, I just noticed the price difference is only $10? so is the D12 essentially a D6 with optical and coaxial inputs ?


 
   No, the D6 also has a higher supply voltage than the D12, about double.   The higher voltage allows for the use of a greater selection of opamps if you are interested in rolling, and also more headroom for transients than is available in the D12.   The D6 can be powered directly from the USB input without turning on the amp if you are using it as a stand-alone DAC, whereas the D12 needs to be powered on when using the DAC as a pass-through.


----------



## StargateRecords

Quote: 





hiflight said:


> No, the D6 also has a higher supply voltage than the D12, about double.   The higher voltage allows for the use of a greater selection of opamps if you are interested in rolling, and also more headroom for transients than is available in the D12.   The D6 can be powered directly from the USB input without turning on the amp if you are using it as a stand-alone DAC, whereas the D12 needs to be powered on when using the DAC as a pass-through.


 

 Thanks for the helpful info HiFlight, I am interested in rolling. I also like the fact the D6 can be powered directly via USB for DAC but will it charge from USB? I would like to avoid to carrying another charger when I'm traveling. I just had a look at the iBasso manual but I could not find any information on this.


----------



## mab1376

It does not charge through USB, but can be powered through USB. The power is only 5v through USB compared to 12.6v on battery, so more powerful opamps like AD797's will not work as they need min 5v each to work.


----------



## StargateRecords

Quote: 





mab1376 said:


> It does not charge through USB, but can be powered through USB. The power is only 5v through USB compared to 12.6v on battery, so more powerful opamps like AD797's will not work as they need min 5v each to work.


 
   

 Thanks, the lack of USB charging could be a deal breaker for me, I may have to look for another DAC.


----------



## HiFlight

Quote: 





stargaterecords said:


> Thanks, the lack of USB charging could be a deal breaker for me, I may have to look for another DAC.


 
   
  The D4 might be a possibility for you, as the replaceable 9v batteries are available anywhere and still provide a decent output voltage swing.   It can also be powered via USB as can the D6.  It is easy to carry a couple of spare 9v batteries when travelling.   You can also pick up pre-owned D4's fairly often on the F.S. forum.


----------



## StargateRecords

Quote: 





hiflight said:


> The D4 might be a possibility for you, as the replaceable 9v batteries are available anywhere and still provide a decent output voltage swing.   It can also be powered via USB as can the D6.  It is easy to carry a couple of spare 9v batteries when travelling.   You can also pick up pre-owned D4's fairly often on the F.S. forum.


 
   
  I just read a good review on the Leckerton UHA-4, I will have a look at the iBasso D4 as well, thanks.


----------



## rrahman

I should have researched this before I bought my Xm6... but does anyone know if the D6 or the Xm6 has more power?  
   
  Also what is the benefit of dual wm8740's over single?  I thought one WM8740 was already overkill for my music, which is mostly spotify and pandora.


----------



## mrspeakers

Quote: 





rrahman said:


> I should have researched this before I bought my Xm6... but does anyone know if the D6 or the Xm6 has more power?
> 
> Also what is the benefit of dual wm8740's over single?  I thought one WM8740 was already overkill for my music, which is mostly spotify and pandora.


 


  Dual vs. single improves channel isolation, and in some circuits could possibly be used to create balanced DACs.  However, if all your music is online streaming, you aren't going to benefit from this, per-se.  However, should your source material improve, it's always nice to know your gear has more potential...


----------



## Stealer

Sorry for the noob question
   
  i just notice the D6 aux port is label as Aux In/ Aux Out.
  When or How is the Aux Out being used?
   
  rgds


----------



## Edward Ng

Line out when using the integrated DAC via USB. Line in when the DAC is not active (no USB or charging only).

-Ed


----------



## VictorHalgaard

I realize this isn't entirely the right thread, but i saw someone here had the same problem with the D6, i just got a DB2 and PB2, and had them run completely out of power, now im charging them, the PB2 is fully charged, so the charge switch has been turned off, but its still plugged in. The DB2 is not fully charged, but i decided to use it anyways, but the white power indicator wont light up, no matter wether i unplug it, turn the charge switch on or off etc. Does anyone have any clue as to why this is happening?


----------



## SurfWax

I think I'm set on making this my first DAC and amp. I'm a newb and have never used anything other than my Air's headphone jack.

 I plan to pick up some Grado RS2s soon and my laptop only has USB out. The fact this does 24/96 over USB and that it'll be an all-in-one combo that will be an amp as well has me excited.

 MacBook Air --> D6 ---> RS2s

 Then I can save up for a tube amp and then use the D6 as a DAC-only feeding the tube.


----------



## Digital-Pride

It looks like you got it all figured out.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





  Will the RS2 be your first quality headphone?  Great headphone choice by the way.


----------



## SurfWax

Full size yes, they will be my first, but I had some Turbine Copper IEMs I bought last month stolen about a week ago  I'm down to just my 80is again


----------



## Digital-Pride

Ouch!  I always hate reading about theft like that.  I guess that means the RS2 will be under lock and key along with a few security guards when not in use?


----------



## SurfWax

Its definitely coming home with me whenever I take off for the weekends, whether I have the time to use them or not


----------



## T.F.O.A

a quick question, does this amp work with mac?


----------



## RapidPulse

Quote: 





t.f.o.a said:


> a quick question, does this amp work with mac?


 

 Yes, works fine with a mac out of the box, no install required.


----------



## desertblues

Works fine with Mac and you can listen to 24/96 via usb by setting the Audio Midi Setup.


----------



## trentino

Anyone tried D6 with Grados? Any impressions?
  I'm thinking of getting a D6 so that I won't have to open my PB2 and change the gain settings every time I want to go from HDXXX to a Grado phone


----------



## Stealer

Had D6 for about 2 months and mostly used with my ipod 160 gb.
   
  Now starting with the setup of DAC and kind of getting confused.
   
  So pls be patient with me, cause after reading the manual which is of no help, i am still confused...
   
  PC > usb>D6>*phone*> headphone ......... do I get the amplifcation if the D6 is on. ????
  Now the confusing part, with connection below, i can hear music without turning on the D6
  ie
  PC>usb>D6>*Aux in/out*>headphone ...does this mean there is no amplification??
   
  what should be the proper way of using the DAC section...or
  how many ways can I make use of the DAC of this unit.
   
  thanks
  Quote:


edward ng said:


> Line out when using the integrated DAC via USB. Line in when the DAC is not active (no USB or charging only).
> -Ed


----------



## HiFlight

stealer said:


> Had D6 for about 2 months and mostly used with my ipod 160 gb.
> 
> Now starting with the setup of DAC and kind of getting confused.
> 
> ...




If you are using the heaphone out jack and have the power switch in the usb position, you need to have the amp turned on to control the volume to your phones. Amplifier will be powered by the usb cable rather than battery. 

If you want to use your D6 as a stand-alone DAC, it will pass a line-level analog signal from the Aux In/Out jack without the need to turn on the amp. The volume control has no effect on this output.

Hope this helps.


----------



## Stealer

So I guess I can do this
  as standalone DAC
  PC>usb>D6>aux out, using Y cable> desktop headamp.
   
  or
   
  as integrated DAC
  Ipod> via LOD with mini usb> D6 >phone > headphone.
   
  Now is there a LOD with mini usb connector..???
   
  thanks


----------



## HiFlight

Quote: 





stealer said:


> So I guess I can do this
> as standalone DAC
> PC>usb>D6>aux out, using Y cable> desktop headamp.
> 
> ...


 

 The LOD outputs an analog signal, so you would hook it to the D6 Aux In/Out.    The LOD will not work with the D6 USB input.   The LOD only bypasses the ipod internal amplifier, not the iPod dAC.  There are, however, a couple of very pricey devices that will do this; whether they are worth the cost and the necessity for one more box to carry is debatable.


----------



## Edward Ng

The standalone DAC scenario works, but I am not sure why you would like to use a Y cable?
   
  Integrated DAC scenario below, unfortunately, will not work--the USB input of the D6 only works with computers, and will not work with iDevices, which use a different signal path.  There are few devices on the market that will accept pure digital signal from iDevice for conversion on outside DAC.  One of them is the Fostex HP-P1 which I also own.
   
  -Ed
  
  Quote: 





stealer said:


> So I guess I can do this
> as standalone DAC
> PC>usb>D6>aux out, using Y cable> desktop headamp.
> 
> ...


----------



## Edward Ng

I promised photos a very long time ago, but only now got the opportunity to log into my FTP and upload them all.  Here are photos with P-51 Mustang for comparison:
   









   
  -Ed


----------



## estreeter

Thanks for those photos, Dr Ng !
   
  I didn't realise how small the Mustang is - its positively tiny next to the iBasso amps. And costs about a hundred dollars more .....


----------



## Edward Ng

You're welcome!  Indeed, I wanted to highlight how much less portable the D6 actually is compared to something like the Mustang.  Ironically though, my primary portable rig nowadays utilizes the Fostex HP-P1, which happens to be significantly larger than either one of these. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  -Ed


----------



## estreeter

Sure. but the Fostex has to do a lot more than the amps in your photo. Its not that long ago that the only options for bypassing the iPod DAC were very expensive custom mods or the Wadia transport - the HP-P1 looks a lot better than either in my opinion.


----------



## Edward Ng

Oh absolutely!  I totally agree there, hence the fact that the Fostex HP-P! + iPhone 4s combination is my go-to portable rig.  I found that the DAC in the 4s, though easily among the best as far as smart phones go, still doesn't measure up in any way to the HP-P1, and while using the D6's amp stage in place of the HP-P1's is further better sounding still, it is simply too cumbersome and inelegant to carry the three-piece setup (I use an old, modified Hippocase to carry my rig, which is a really clean and neat setup, no ugly rubber bands and no using the total nonsense that is the case that comes with the HP-P1).  This is why I never even bothered with the CLAS in the first place despite it having been on the market a good deal longer than the HP-P1.  I feel that everyone needs to find their personal balance between sound quality versus practicality/portability.  I admit that the total package of a 3-piece setup sounds best, but the amp in the HP-P1 is reasonably good, and the difference does not justify a 3-piece setup to me, but the sound quality improvement of the HP-P1's DAC over the integrated one on my source is worth the inconvenience, especially given the significant improvement in amp quality it already is over the source's as well, even if not quite as good as the D6's.
   
  To be sure, the D6 is absolutely my go-to unit for when I listen to audio from my laptop or my desktop PC.  Paired up with either my Westone 4 or my Yuin OK1 it definitely outperforms any speaker setup I can carry around with my laptop or fit on my desktop at home (I keep my surround sound/hi-fi in a totally different room that's much more acoustically friendly).
   
  -Ed
  
  Quote: 





estreeter said:


> Sure. but the Fostex has to do a lot more than the amps in your photo. Its not that long ago that the only options for bypassing the iPod DAC were very expensive custom mods or the Wadia transport - the HP-P1 looks a lot better than either in my opinion.


----------



## zy91105

Here's my combo:OPA2111AM's for buffs and AD8610BR's for center ,WM8741 instead of WM8740,the female vocals sounds really perfect!!


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





zy91105 said:


> Here's my combo:OPA2111AM's for buffs and AD8610BR's for center ,WM8741 instead of WM8740,the female vocals sounds really perfect!!
> <snip>, <snip>


 

  
  Excellent work there!  I didn't realize one could change the DAC chips.


----------



## Edward Ng

How does one swap the DAC on this?
  
  Quote: 





zy91105 said:


> Here's my combo:OPA2111AM's for buffs and AD8610BR's for center ,WM8741 instead of WM8740,the female vocals sounds really perfect!!


----------



## mab1376

Would you be willing to mod mine? PM me to discuss this further if you'd like to work for hire.
  Quote: 





zy91105 said:


> Here's my combo:OPA2111AM's for buffs and AD8610BR's for center ,WM8741 instead of WM8740,the female vocals sounds really perfect!!


----------



## SoulSyde

I got my D6 about a week ago.  It's clearly the best offering I've heard from iBasso and I think like it a lot better than the Headstage Arrow 3G I recently sold.
   

   
  I'm looking forward to some op-amp rolling again, like I did when I owned my old P3+.
   
  Great thread everyone, it's going to give me something to do this weekend - looking for op-amp recommendations.


----------



## oddsratio

It's weird, but this is one of the only sources on the web that gives somewhat adequate details about the D6. I'm close to picking one up, but I plan on using them with B2 iems and I'm wondering if the gain will be too high from the amp. I'm trying to eliminate hiss and white noise, so I'm wondering if the D6 is a good match. The headphones don't have a low impedance for iems and have a relatively low sensitivity, but I still pick up hiss from my ipod and currently the fiio e10.


----------



## TwoTrack

Great pic!
  
  Quote: 





soulsyde said:


> I got my D6 about a week ago.  It's clearly the best offering I've heard from iBasso and I think like it a lot better than the Headstage Arrow 3G I recently sold.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## estreeter

Try finding fullblown reviews of the *P4*. I have promised myself another P4 early next year, but so many toys and so little money ..... 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




  
  Quote: 





oddsratio said:


> It's weird, but this is one of the only sources on the web that gives somewhat adequate details about the D6.


----------



## CJG888

What happened to the last P4? I remember reading that it failed / got damaged....is it particularly fragile, e.g. when rolling the op-amps?
   
  (I have just ordered one!)


----------



## andychen

anyone done any direct comparison between amp section of D6 and D4 to those budget desktop amps, like E9, NFB12?


----------



## estreeter

Quote: 





cjg888 said:


> What happened to the last P4? I remember reading that it failed / got damaged....is it particularly fragile, e.g. when rolling the op-amps?
> 
> (I have just ordered one!)


 

 It was my own fault - I enlisted the help of my bro-in-law when I rounded the hex-head screws on the casing with the el-cheapo tool iBasso supply to open the case. Someone else said they managed the same thing with their D12, but eventually managed to get the screws out. In every other respect, the P4 was a high-quality product, and I have absolutely zero complaints about the sound from 20 or so hours on.


----------



## mab1376

They give you a T6 and you need a T7
   
  That's why they round out.


----------



## Ken Rosenberg

Please delete.


----------



## mab1376

The D6 is only rated for headphones up to 300Ω, it wouldn't work well at all with 600Ω cans. It works very well with my 250Ω Beyer T70's though.
   
  As for your IEMs, it may be a bit overkill, it has quote alot of power.
   
   
   
   
  Quote: 





ken rosenberg said:


> I'm looking for a desktop solution to drive my 600Ω DT 880's sufficiently, but I'm also looking for a quality portable amp to suit an IEM like the Audio-Technica CK-10 (which I may purchase or something similar). Would the D6 fill both of these voids with little compromise, or would the D6 be overkill for such an IEM?


----------



## HiFlight

ken rosenberg said:


> I'm looking for a desktop solution to drive my 600Ω DT 880's sufficiently, but I'm also looking for a quality portable amp to suit an IEM like the Audio-Technica CK-10 (which I may purchase or something similar). Would the D6 fill both of these voids with little compromise, or would the D6 be overkill for such an IEM?




My Topkit-equipped D6 drives my 600 ohm DT-880's effortlessly and with authority. You should have no problem at all with them.


----------



## Ken Rosenberg

Please delete.


----------



## HiFlight

ken rosenberg said:


> Thanks for the feedback. HiFlight, where can I find more information about Topkits?




I can answer questions about the Topkit via PM. It is against the rules for me to discuss them on the forums.


----------



## Gclef

Hi.  I was wondering if someone could explain (in layman's terms) the difference the Topkit makes to the D6 amp.  I purchased a pair of Beyerdynamics DT 770/80 phones that are currently in transit to me.  All I know about these phones is what I've read - they are slightly on the bassy side - some say to a much greater degree than others, but that's all I have to go on at the moment.   I currently use a T3 with ES7's through my IPod, which is great for mobility, but I want better sound at home, which is why I want to use a better dac than my Mac Pro and Lenovo Laptop's provide.  I'm not very experienced with audio (noob), but logic tells me that I want a very transparent amp that will not add any more bass to the mix.  So I'm wondering if the Topkit would help move the amp closer in this direction or further away?  I'm trying to stay under $300, but if the Topkit would significantly improve this setup, I'm willing to pinch a few more pennies.  Sorry for my lame explanation, that's the best I could do   Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.


----------



## civilaudio

Quote: 





gclef said:


> Hi.  I was wondering if someone could explain (in layman's terms) the difference the Topkit makes to the D6 amp.  I purchased a pair of Beyerdynamics DT 770/80 phones that are currently in transit to me.  All I know about these phones is what I've read - they are slightly on the bassy side - some say to a much greater degree than others, but that's all I have to go on at the moment.   I currently use a T3 with ES7's through my IPod, which is great for mobility, but I want better sound at home, which is why I want to use a better dac than my Mac Pro and Lenovo Laptop's provide.  I'm not very experienced with audio (noob), but logic tells me that I want a very transparent amp that will not add any more bass to the mix.  So I'm wondering if the Topkit would help move the amp closer in this direction or further away?  I'm trying to stay under $300, but if the Topkit would significantly improve this setup, I'm willing to pinch a few more pennies.  Sorry for my lame explanation, that's the best I could do   Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.


 
  IMO, it is hard to describe the some one experiences and made it yours in "layman's terms". Best way may be describing your own experiences with D6 stock first, and why you need improvement. Then,  you can ask Hiflight for suggestion....my 2 cent..


----------



## estreeter

@Gclef:
   
  Read this:
   
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operational_amplifier
   
  You need to know that the humble opamp is both revered and reviled - in any case, they represent a much simpler and less expensive means of changing the sound signature of an amp than anything I can think of that involves a soldering iron - happy to hear otherwise. If there is a trap, its that you may become more obsessed with rolling opamps than actually listening to music, and isnt that the reason we all came here in the first place - the music ?


----------



## Gclef

Well, being a musician and avid music lover, the only advantage I have - technical/engineering knowledge aside - is that I know exactly what I want to hear - I just don't know how to get their.  I like detail and clarity, but I hate brightness.  I prefer a warmer sound, but not at the expense of losing too much detail.  What that means in scientific terms - I have no idea.  I also love clear, punchy bass - I hate boom and muddiness - I simply like to hear the lowest frequencies in the cleanest manner.  I wouldn't even know where to begin to look for this stuff on a spec sheet.
   
  Most people would be happy to go to local store and take whatever products are available that best suits them.  That's not good enough for me.  Yet I'm not interested in getting a degree in audio/engineering either.  I'm simply trying to narrow down my search of the mass products available to me on the internet to "best"  fulfill my needs.  So maybe I asked the wrong question?  Perhaps I should have asked this:  
   
  in knowing what I'm looking for, is it worth spending 60 bucks to evaluate the difference that the Topkit makes compared to the standard D6?  Maybe that wouldn't have ruffled any feathers? 
   
  It's a moot point now, HiFlight was kind enough to answer my question.  And thanks estreeter, that was an interesting read and a smart reminder to "keep it about the music".


----------



## skip129

I've placed an order for a D6. 
   
  In the meantime, I have a question about the gain. According to the specs, it can generate 650mW into 32 ohms, and this equals a voltage of 4.56V RMS. (for a peak voltage of 6.45V, and peak-to-peak swing of 12.9V)  With the gain on 10dB, this means the input would have to be 1.44V RMS, which seems very high, because consumer line level is only 0.316V RMS.  I notice that my calculated input line level matches closely to the specified _output _line level of 1.5V RMS, too. 
   
  Is it the case that the D6 is simply not designed for consumer line level, and is intended to be used with typical headphone outputs of laptops and phones, etc? (although even then, my laptop measures at 1.28V RMS, and my phone is only 0.65V RMS - neither would be able to reach full scale output with the D6, _*IF *_my calculations and interpretation of the specs are correct)
   
  Greg.


----------



## skip129

Note that I assumed a very low output impedance. (I checked with iBasso, and it does indeed have a very low impedance in the audio range). Naturally I have also asked them for clarification on the gain - waiting for a reply.
   
  Greg.


----------



## skip129

I found some general info on gain as it applies to headphone amps, and there is no mention of the -10dBV standard, so I assume that standard is very old and not all that relevant. Nowadays the "redbook audio" standard is more common for home equipment, and that standard is 1.5V RMS. (which matches the line out of the D6!)  However, for portable devices, an approximate recommended gain is 20dB, it says, which is a lot more than the D6 provides.  
   
  In fairness, I guess most of us would be more interested in the D6 as a DAC (with amp), rather than a plain amp - and that applies to me too. 
   
  Maybe there is a way to alter the gain, in any case...... EDIT: YES - they can in fact alter the gain for me.  
   
  Greg.
  p.s it seems I'm not allowed to provide a link to the site I am referring to. It also seems that most of us will know what site I am referring to anyway.


----------



## Gclef

I got my D6 yesterday, I loved the way it cleaned up the sound on my DT770's, but when I installed the topkit today - Holy Crap! Batman!  The detail and depth is amazing.  I have a question though.  I'm not thrilled about the hiss I now hear.  I'm guessing this is due to the resistance of the headphones and the corresponding volume I'm listening at.  I have a pair of 580's in transit and I'm thinking by playing these at much lower volume, my problem will be eliminated.  Is that true?  If not, what else can I do to fix this?


----------



## skip129

Just a small correction - the Redbook Audio standard is, apparently, 2V RMS, not 1.5V RMS. (the mistake was mine - not the reference)
   
  I've continued on with my D6 order, in standard gain configuration. (10dB max). I could have ordered it with a higher gain, but given that I was wrong about the -10dBV standard, the higher gain is less important to me. Also, it seems there is some possibility I'll be able to modify the unit myself if I want to adjust the gain at some stage. (with the assistance from iBasso)
   
  Of course, using it for USB audio, the gain issue is moot.
   
  Greg.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





gclef said:


> I got my D6 yesterday, I loved the way it cleaned up the sound on my DT770's, but when I installed the topkit today - Holy Crap! Batman!  The detail and depth is amazing.  I have a question though.  I'm not thrilled about the hiss I now hear.  I'm guessing this is due to the resistance of the headphones and the corresponding volume I'm listening at.  I have a pair of 580's in transit and I'm thinking by playing these at much lower volume, my problem will be eliminated.  Is that true?  If not, what else can I do to fix this?


 


  Hmm, is your DT770 the 32 Ohm version?


----------



## Gclef

Nope. 80 ohm.  And believe it or not, they actually sound a bit bright...and I still feel the recessed mid's.  I'm using the 1678 opamp. 
 I may need to expand my search for the right headphones, might have to kick it up a notch, I'm now thinking about those Denon D2000's, which was my first preference all along, they're just out of my price range at the moment.
  
  Quote: 





digital-pride said:


> Hmm, is your DT770 the 32 Ohm version?


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





gclef said:


> Nope. 80 ohm.  And believe it or not, they actually sound a bit bright...and I still feel the recessed mid's.  I'm using the 1678 opamp.
> I may need to expand my search for the right headphones, might have to kick it up a notch, I'm now thinking about those Denon D2000's, which was my first preference all along, they're just out of my price range at the moment.


 


  If you're picking up hiss with your 80 Ohm beyers, then I imagine it would be worse with the 25 Ohm D2000.  The HD580 you have coming will likely not have this problem.


----------



## Gclef

The 580's made my ears bleed...WAY too sharp on some material.  What's the truth behind the D2000 - sparkly without being harsh or shrill and fatiguing?  I've read both sides.  I prefer a warmer sound, I don't like to feel my head buzzing after 15 minutes.  Are the D2000's sharp and 'in your face' ?  They seem kinda abrasive in some of the descriptions I've read.


----------



## highfidelity69

I am currently using my D6 with HighFlights top kit and i-pod touch, which sounds great but the D6 DAC section of the amp can only be used in desktop form through my laptop which sounds fantastic, I was thinking of adding the Cypher Labs Algorhythm Solo to bypass the I-pods DAC section, has anyone done this and what are your impressions.


----------



## Allforheather

you can probably refer to one of the Head-fi tv episodes, where Jude talked about the CL solo quite extensively. Although the amp in the video is SR-71B, your interest should be at the solo anyway, since you  probably know quite well what the d6 is capable of as a amp


----------



## highfidelity69

allforheather said:


> you can probably refer to one of the Head-fi tv episodes, where Jude talked about the CL solo quite extensively. Although the amp in the video is SR-71B, your interest should be at the solo anyway, since you  probably know quite well what the d6 is capable of as a amp


Thanks for the reply, yes the D6 has a nice amp, but don't wAnt to spend $600 for minimal improvement, and yes I seen Judes video on the Solo, I am sure its a fantastic DAC, buy wanted a non biased opinion.


----------



## skip129

I received my D6, and it's going straight back to iBasso for a refund.
   
  When the unit is being used as a DAC, the maximum output of the DAC is only 1.2V peak/0.85V RMS.  With a 10dB gain, this results in 2.68V RMS across the headphones, and for a 32 ohm load, this is 225mW. The specs say 650mW into 32 ohms, so the DAC is not able to get anywhere NEAR this maximum spec.  In my opinion the specs are extremely misleading, because it says quite clearly that the Line Output is 1.5V RMS. If that were true, it would tally nicely with the 650mW specification, but it simply is not anywhere near the truth.  The only way the Line Output can be used is when the unit is used as a USB DAC, because when the unit is being used as an analog headphone amp, that connection becomes a Line Input.
   
  On the positive side, the unit works well for low latency ASIO, which is something I was not sure about.  I was able to use an ASIO buffer size of 128 samples @44.1kHz, and I could play software pianos in real time with very low latency. I took a risk with this, and it's unfortunate that I encounterd a completely different and unexpected problem with the output drive capability!
   
  It does sound very good (although I'm not a headphone connisseur), and iBasso are at least very responsive, and it is good that they will refund me.
   
  Anyway, you have been warned: When used as a DAC, it will only put out 225mW into 32 ohms.
   
  Greg.
  p.s You can turn the volume up and get a >2.68V RMS level, but it will be clipped. The maximum usable sine wave output is 2.68V RMS.


----------



## HiFlight

skip129 said:


> I received my D6, and it's going straight back to iBasso for a refund.
> 
> When the unit is being used as a DAC, the maximum output of the DAC is only 1.2V peak/0.85V RMS.  With a 10dB gain, this results in 2.68V RMS across the headphones, and for a 32 ohm load, this is 225mW. The specs say 650mW into 32 ohms, so the DAC is not able to get anywhere NEAR this maximum spec.  In my opinion the specs are extremely misleading, because it says quite clearly that the Line Output is 1.5V RMS. If that were true, it would tally nicely with the 650mW specification, but it simply is not anywhere near the truth.  The only way the Line Output can be used is when the unit is used as a USB DAC, because when the unit is being used as an analog headphone amp, that connection becomes a Line Input.
> 
> ...




You have, of course, considered the fact that DAC output is dependent on the level of the input to the DAC. Perhaps your source input is less than optimum. Also, even in a worst case scenario, an output of 225 mw is about 20x that of the headphone output of most DAPs. This should be adequate to drive nearly any dynamic headphone or IEM to a headbanging level.


----------



## qib

I understand that the pico is double the price of the ibasso but could someone please do a comparison. Either the pico or similarly priced dac/amps. Will be using this to drive the dt150 which is 250 ohms.


----------



## skip129

The plot thickens.
   
  It was iBasso that told me the DAC output was 1.2V. They didn't specify peak or RMS. I assumed peak, because it matched my own measurements of the OUTPUT (not the Line Out) quite closely. A 10dB gain applied to a 1.2V peak signal is a but under my measured maximum clean output of about 2.8V RMS. Above 2.8V RMS, the unit clips. 
   
  However, they have now said that the 1.2V figure was a mistake, and that the real specification is indeed 1.5V RMS.  It's too late for me to measure mine, because I've sent it back.
   
  They have also said that 650mW is not an RMS specification. Let's assume it's a peak power specification then.
   
  My peak output voltage is a tad under 4V, and that's still only 490mW  into 32 ohms - not the specified 650mW.
   
  2.8V RMS into my headphones (AKG K601) is about 110dB SPL.  This is certainly loud (and they do sound loud), but when listening to music, it is not ear splitting, because typically it's only the transients that reach full scale.  In any case, I have a right to verify that my D6 meets specifications, independently of how loud it may sound with any particular headphones.
   
  Greg.


----------



## Allforheather

Just ordered the Topkit, Cant wait !!!


----------



## Allforheather

Quote: 





skip129 said:


> The plot thickens.
> 
> It was iBasso that told me the DAC output was 1.2V. They didn't specify peak or RMS. I assumed peak, because it matched my own measurements of the OUTPUT (not the Line Out) quite closely. A 10dB gain applied to a 1.2V peak signal is a but under my measured maximum clean output of about 2.8V RMS. Above 2.8V RMS, the unit clips.
> 
> ...


 

  
  Have you ever tested what is the output level of a iPod Classic lo?? And, when you were testing using the D6 as a dac with its own amp section, after which position on the Pot did you start to get clipping effect??


----------



## skip129

Quote: 





allforheather said:


> Have you ever tested what is the output level of a iPod Classic lo?? And, when you were testing using the D6 as a dac with its own amp section, after which position on the Pot did you start to get clipping effect??


 

 No, I have never tested an iPod Classic, however a company that makes professional audio equipment told me that it has a high output - 5V RMS.  (not bad!)  
   
  I started to hear clipping at about 2 dots under 100%, as shown on the D6's volume dial. I have done other tests to verify that it is the D6 that is clipping, and not something else in the system.  I have also measured another audio interface, and I get a result that is very close to the specs for that audio interface. So, I am quite confident that I am correct that my D6 has audible clipping at about 2.8V RMS. 
   
  @HiFlight: Since you sell the "Topkit" for the D6 (yes?), you would presumably have intimate knowledge of the D6. Would that be correct? Have you ever taken measurements? If so, did you measure the peak output voltage on the headphone output, for a full scale digital sine wave on the USB input, at the onset of clipping? (assuming it clipped at all for you) It would be good to have someone like yourself verify my measurement. My unit may have been defective, or I may somehow have made a mistake. (although iBasso aren't suggesting either yet)
   
  Greg.


----------



## skip129

@Allforheather: Sorry - I think you were asking about the Line Out of the iPod Classic - is that correct? ("lo" = "Line Out"?). If so, I have no idea what it is. The 5V RMS would be for the headphone output, assuming it has a seperate headphone output. (I'm not familiar with this product)
   
  Greg.


----------



## HiFlight

skip129 said:


> No, I have never tested an iPod Classic, however a company that makes professional audio equipment told me that it has a high output - 5V RMS.  (not bad!)
> 
> I started to hear clipping at about 2 dots under 100%, as shown on the D6's volume dial. I have done other tests to verify that it is the D6 that is clipping, and not something else in the system.  I have also measured another audio interface, and I get a result that is very close to the specs for that audio interface. So, I am quite confident that I am correct that my D6 has audible clipping at about 2.8V RMS.
> 
> ...




I have not tested the D6 for output voltage, and clipping level is dependent on the opamps used and output load, not just DAC input. I have not felt testing was necessary as the D6 has more than enough output to drive any headphone that might be appropriate for portable use, assuming a quality source. I have, however, checked the output of a 20-20K sinewave with my scope and noticed no clipping, but I don't recall what the voltage level of my audio generator was. 

It has always been my feeling that measured specifications were of less importance than how a device actually sounds when listening to music, accordingly, my Topkit components have always been chosen on the basis of audio performance rather than datasheet specifications, with the obvious exception of supply voltage requirements. 

I have found the D6 to be a well-designed and versatile product, and there have been very few issues reported so far during its production run.


----------



## skip129

Thanks HiFlight.
   
  I agree - for headphones that are designed for portable devices, the D6 would be more than ample.
   
  However, my interpretation of the D6 specs suggested to me that the D6 would be suitable for moderately hard to drive headphones, that you may use at home connected to mains powered equipment.
  I carefully inspected the specifications of a group of iBasso products, and the D6 seemed to stand out as being a bit special - it is very compact, it is battery powered, has a high quality DAC, AND it has a high output headphone amp.  However, if my measurements are correct, it appears that the headphone amp is not as powerful as the specs indicate it should be.
   
  I'll see what iBasso say next, in any case.
   
  It did sound very good.
   
  Greg.


----------



## Allforheather

@Greg,
   
  Yes, I'm asking about the Line out level of the iPod Classic. 
  Ok, Here is my theory, I'm no expert on electronics and I'm base the below extrapolation on your statement. If it is the output level of the internal dac that causes the output power of the amp section not meeting its specification, what about the aux input then, say if a source, LO from iPod Classic is high enough to let the output power of amp section reach its proposed 650mw. Then, it is not contradicting with the specification advertised on their website anymore. However one still can say it's misleading because buyers might expect the output maximum to be reached under the condition that the unit functioning as a dac and amp combo and the maxima can only be reached when use as a amp only with a powerful enough source device. 
   
  Again I'm no electronics experts or I don't really know anything at all.. just my 2 cents
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




   
  The advertised 650mw into 32ohm is crazy though, since the mighty powerful e9 from fiio only rated at 1W into 16ohm....
   
  Despite the specs, I'm enjoying my d6 using as a portable amp with my IPC and a dac for my e9. It drives the rs2i beautifully but the same cannot be said for the k701, since, the low end is just gone compare to the e9 and overall the 701 on d6 is very thin sounding.


----------



## skip129

@Allforheather,
 I agree with you completely, and in fact, iBasso kind of indicated to me that the maximum is only achievable when using the D6 as an analog amp. However, the _reason_ they gave for that is that the DAC output is only 1.2V. (they didn't specify peak or RMS - I guessed peak, as I said)  They have now backed away from that, and instead said that the DAC is capable of 1.5V RMS (which is what the specs say). If you apply a 10dB gain to that, you get 650mW (and RMS!) into 32 ohms. Yet, they say the power spec is 650mW peak (if it's not RMS, it must surely be peak, but they didn't actually say peak).
 So it doesn't all add up.  I have asked iBasso what the actual peak output voltage should be, unloaded, for a full scale digital sine wave input on the USB. 
  
 I didn't do any testing of the performance as a purely analog amp.
  
 If you think the 650mW into 32 ohms is crazy, what do you think about the iPod Classic? If it can maintain 5V RMS across 32 ohms, that's 781mW.
  
 Greg.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Skip, when using the dac function, do you have it using solely usb power?  I ask because I've read that due the lower voltage level of usb power, the headphone out is not quite as robust as when battery power is used.


----------



## skip129

Agreed, but I was indeed using the battery. 

Thanks,
Greg.


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





skip129 said:


> Agreed, but I was indeed using the battery.
> Thanks,
> Greg.


 


  Really?  Wow, then those measurement you got really were disappointing.  Good work there, keep us informed.


----------



## skip129

I've just realised something. Unless the D6 has a power supply booster, isn't it impossible for it to reach 4.56V RMS (=12.9V peak to peak), given that the battery is only 12.6V, and also that this is likely to be regulated, which would reduce the supply voltage further? Is it +/- 12.6V, or just 12.6V? According to the web page, it appears to be just a 12.6V battery.  
   
  HiFlight - your opinion? (surely you must know the power supply voltage. Out with it! ;^)
   
  EDIT: Well,looking at the PB2, it states that it has a 32V voltage swing (peak to peak, I presume), and yet it only uses a 12.6V battery. So, it appears that iBasso do indeed use some kind of voltage booster, and which suggests the D6 may well have a booster as well.
   
  Greg.


----------



## skip129

Just out of curiousity, I had a look at the PB2 specs. They state 2500mW into 32 ohms. This doesn't match a 32V peak to peak sine wave. 32Vp-p = 16 peak = 11.3V RMS = 4000mW into 32 ohms, which is a large discrepancy. Is this due to a voltage drop across the output impedance of the amp? If so, that represents an output impedance of about 8.5ohms balanced, and I presume half that for unbalanced. This is much higher than the output impedance of the D6 - iBasso told me that it is typically 0.2 to 0.3 ohms in the audio frequency range. It doesn't seem right to me.
   
  Greg.


----------



## Armaegis

I think it's more a matter of hitting the power limit on the opamps.


----------



## HiFlight

skip129 said:


> I've just realised something. Unless the D6 has a power supply booster, isn't it impossible for it to reach 4.56V RMS (=12.9V peak to peak), given that the battery is only 12.6V, and also that this is likely to be regulated, which would reduce the supply voltage further? Is it +/- 12.6V, or just 12.6V? According to the web page, it appears to be just a 12.6V battery.
> 
> HiFlight - your opinion? (surely you must know the power supply voltage. Out with it! ;^)
> 
> ...




Both the D6 and the PB2 have single-ended power supplies with no voltage booster circuits of any kind. The D6 supply voltage (with battery power selected) at the L/R opamp V+ supply measures 12.16v open circuit, 12.03v with a normally biased opamp inserted and 11.75v with a Class A biased opamp in place. 

The PB2 can swing the specified 32v when power is supplied by the 16v power adapter. As both + and - outputs are actively driven, this effectively doubles the 16v provided by the adapter, hence 32v voltage swing. 

IMO, this continuing discussion of the D6 published specifications seems to be of a personal nature and I respectfully withdraw from the thread!


----------



## skip129

Thanks HiFlight.  (I don't understand why it's of a "personal" nature - how is this somehow my fault? One reason I am here is that it is extremely, extremely, difficult to get solid information out of iBasso. I repeat yet again - it is my right to verify the specifications of the D6)
   
  How can the PB2 achieve 32V peak to peak with a single ended power supply? The absolute maximum voltage of the positive side of the balanced output, at any instant in time, can be +16V, and the absolute minimum voltage, at any given instant in time, is 0V. Assuming the supply is split at +8V, and the output AC coupled, that's +8V and -8V, which makes 16V peak to peak. 
   
  The same question goes for the D6. How can it possibly achieve 4.56V RMS, if it's a single ended supply? 
   
  Can anyone else help with these questions, given that HiFlight has withdrawn?
   
  I'm shaking my head in disbelief here
   
  Greg.


----------



## skip129

(it appears that the PB2, and possibly the D6, have a negative supply as well, or if not, the output driver is somehow able to produce a voltage less than it's negative power supply voltage)


----------



## skip129

Quote: 





skip129 said:


> (it appears that the PB2, and possibly the D6, have a negative supply as well, or if not, the output driver is somehow able to produce a voltage less than it's negative power supply voltage)


 

 I apologise - major brain fade here on my part. Because the PB2 is driving both outputs in a balanced fashion, it is equivalent to an unbalanced amp that has a 32V supply, of course.  When the positive output is at +8V, the other will be at -8V, resulting in a voltage of +16V peak. When they swing, the voltage will be -16V. The peak to peak voltage, and hence the voltage swing, is indeed 32V.  So no problems there.  I am very very slow. However, I am still curious about the output impedance of the PB2, because a sine wave with a peak of 16V is 11.3V RMS, which is 4000mW into 32 ohms - not 2500mW. Perhaps iBasso need to also supply a power rating for a higher impedance, to give us confidence that it really is capable of a 32V swing. (a voltage spec would be nice too, I guess, if it is a bit under 32V in reality)
   
  My comment still stands for the D6, however, because it is not balanced. However, it now seems that the specs are peak power - not RMS, and that tallies nicely with a supply of circa 12V, because the peak to peak voltage would be 2 x 4.56V = 9.12V.
   
  Greg.


----------



## paulybatz

Ive been away a while, DIVORCE and a ton of other things like 2 kids, etc...but back with a new pair of phones on RIGHT now and this amp is still PROFOUND especially with a pair of GRADO RS1i attached...Im loving it like MCD (well I dont like MCD, sometimes I guess, LOL)....easily powers these phones but does it in all the right areas...at 10:00 running as DAC/AMP, streaming Beethoven...soundstage is right up front, great presentation...feel like the conductor...cant wait to get the LCD-2 rev1s in a couple days!


----------



## skip129

Quote: 





paulybatz said:


> .cant wait to get the LCD-2 rev1s in a couple days!


 

 Just be aware that the LCD-2 appears to be about half as sensitive (perceived volume wise) as your Grados, so at the same volume setting, the Grados would sound approximately twice as loud as the LCD-2. That said, I think you'll be able to go pretty loud even with the LCD-2, but you might be at or near 100% volume on the D6. (I'd be interested in your feedback, to see how well theory matches practise!) Note that I am assuming that your D6 will perform the same as the one I measured.  I doubt that you'll be able to go to ear splitting levels with the LCD-2 and the D6.
   
  Greg.


----------



## paulybatz

Quote: 





> Originally Posted by *skip129* /img/forum/go_quote.gif
> 
> I doubt that you'll be able to go to ear splitting levels with the LCD-2 and the D6.
> 
> Greg.


 


  I will do some A/B testing of course, but I don't know why you would want to go that loud?


----------



## skip129

All I'm trying to say that is that I suspect that you'll be kind of on the limit of the D6's drive. If it is loud enough, that's all that matters - I agree completely.


----------



## paulybatz

Haha...Ya, just bustin' bro, in that kind of mood, because I honestly didnt think Id like the RS1i as much as I do...and the fact that they were a gift makes them even better...not sure if I noted that my D6 was stock too


----------



## skip129

No worries. I'm reasonably confident your LCD-2s will be loud enough with the D6. My AKG K601 headphones are a bit less sensitive than the LCD-2 (on paper), and the D6 was nearly loud enough with them. I suspect that simply looking at specs is only a _very_ rough guide though, so anything could happen. For example, the K601s have less bass than many headphones, which may make them sound less loud than other headphones with the same sensitivity. The sensitivity/efficiency specifications are given at just ONE frequency. It is a bit more complicated when the amp has a high output impedance, but that's not the case for the D6 - it has a very low output impedance.


----------



## paulybatz

LCD-2 (rev1) and D6 (stock)...sounds fantastic, 10:30-11:00 is a comfortable listening level for me...as I told my friend about these phones, they are AMAZING but I cannot put my finger on how to explain the reproduction
   
  The D6, has no problem or issue what-so-ever driving these phones!


----------



## skip129

Nice one, although I'm totally perplexed that it could sound as loud as your Grados on nearly the same volume position!
   
  Has anyone tried AKG K601 headphones with the D6?


----------



## paulybatz

Hmm, yep, just a little more twist is all it took.
   
  I think lessons to be learned is you simply just need to preview things for yourself before you make assumptions.
   
  The D6 is the best SE bang for your buck, with a phenomenal DAC built in, with the ability to roll OPAMPs to your preference...(the D7 that has just hit, raises the DAC ante and has a great AMP section too, waiting on mine to come in).


----------



## skip129

Maybe we need a "loudness" index, that is a more accurate specification for the genuine loudness of a headphone. The sensitivity/efficiency might be too simplistic.
   
  Thanks for the info paulybatz - much appreciated.
   
  Greg.


----------



## paulybatz

I think this amp would be good for anyone even with mild deafness, and correct, it is not about being loud either it is about driving the phones accurately, which this little amp does exceptionally well.


----------



## paulybatz

Fantastic Amps, fast service IBASSO rules!


----------



## paulybatz

*listening to the D6 right now, streaming pandora, Jerry Garcia Band, LIVE "knocking on Heaven's door"...with my LCD-2s (rev1)...turned it up to 1230, low gain, as they are very faint most of the track....sounds great, despite the source, using normal bandwidth. 
   
  I turned the knob all the way up for you, not its not earblowing loud...and wouldnt want it any louder than it is at 10-1:00...if I want things that loud Ill put on my studio speakers or 15" loudspeakers


----------



## paulybatz

Quote: 





skip129 said:


> The D6 was able to achieve a comfortable listening level with my headphones, however I wanted more.
> 
> Greg.


 

  
  You may simply be unable to be satisfied...LOL


----------



## skip129

Quote: 





paulybatz said:


> You may simply be unable to be satisfied...LOL


 

 I am satisfied with my AKG K601 headphones connected to my NAD 320BEE integrated amp, thankyou very much.
   
  Greg.


----------



## mmayer167

First, I just joined the gang a few days ago and ordered a D6 after I sold off my Lyr and Bifrost to my shift towards portable needs over static gear.
   
  Second, I have a WireWorld Ultraviolet USB ready for it. Anybody else using one? I know it's digital and most people say it doesn't make a difference because either the data packages get delivered or they don't and there is no in-between. But what caught my eye was the wireworld usb's separate the power from the signal cables hence the flat design. It is a robustly built cable and cant wait to see if it will have any positive or negative effects vs the stock usb a to mini b cable. 
   
  -M


----------



## mmayer167

Thought I'd post my remarks about an op-amp/buffer combination I think is very, very good. The lt1678 with the dummy buffers from Hiflight's topkit. It is so detailed, yet liquid, I cant get enough of it! It may be a bit bass shy for some, but the bass is so tactful that it doesn't come into play for me. Very pleased with the results of the lt1678. I am sad the Lyr/Bifrost is gone but the D6 is easing me out of sonic bliss nicely, end of post....
   
  -M


----------



## marc0vca

Hi guys. I ordered D6 for my HD598. But i`m understand that 598 isn`t much bassy for me. I want to buy beyerdynamic dt 990 pro at future. Do you think D6 wiil be suitable for dt 990 pro?


----------



## mmayer167

It will probably drive the 990 just fine.
   
  The reason i'm posting is because I'm really excited about an op-amp combo I have tried and can really recommend. Surprise surprise it's the same op-amp setup as my objective 2 amp. I  just pulled out the buffers and op amp from the o2 and put them in the D6. WOW, the sound is the same or better than the o2 imo. From mouser you can expect to pay about 1.50$ for the 3 op-amps.
   
  For those interested, what you need is Two NJM4556AD and One NJM2068D. The 4556 go in the buffer slots and the 2068 goes in the middle L/R channel slot. See below for a filled cart at mouser with the parts you need  
   
  http://www.mouser.com:80/ProjectManager/ProjectDetail.aspx?AccessID=e2e47e752b
   
  Seriously, try it! 
   
  -M


----------



## Digital-Pride

Quote: 





marcovca said:


> Hi guys. I ordered D6 for my HD598. But i`m understand that 598 isn`t much bassy for me. I want to buy beyerdynamic dt 990 pro at future. Do you think D6 wiil be suitable for dt 990 pro?


 


  I agree.  The D6 will power the DT990 and most headphones well, as long the headphone is 300 Ohms or less which the PRO is.  You might want to also consider the DT880 as you might find the DT990 mid-range a little recessed especially coming from the HD598.


----------



## marc0vca

TNX for answers!
Digital-Pride, are the DT880 so bassy like DT990PRO? I listening instrumental hip-hop and find headphones for that. I like my 598 then listening metal, but then need soft and deep bass 598 not good for this  ​


----------



## Digital-Pride

The DT880 is not quite as bassy as the DT990, but it's bassier than the HD598.  It's a tighter, more controlled bass. But, if you listen to hip-hop, then the DT990 is probably the better choice.


----------



## JanaSA

[size=11pt]Purchased the iBasso D6 a few weeks ago, excellent product, exceptional sound, very open and transparent out of the box.  Although I am running on stock opamp configuration, I have purchased the Topkit made by forum member HiFlight.  HiFlight is one of the most helpful and genuine person I have ever dealt with online, he is more than accommodating with custom requirements/requests, I recommend HiFlight without any reservation if your purchasing any iBasso product and would like to make the most of your investment.[/size]
  [size=11pt][/size]
   
  [size=11pt]Paired with the Denon D5000 it's audio bliss!![/size]


----------



## Cotnijoe

Hey guys! considering purchasing these guys. Is this a neutral amp and dac or does it emphasize anything in particular?


----------



## jazzfan

@Cotnijoe,
   
  In general, the D6 has good detail and is fairly neutral.  It has good, but not exceptional, bass impact and extension.  The W4S DAC-2, has more punch and goes lower, but then it's not fair to compare a DAC which costs over 5x more and isn't even portable.  The upper mids and treble, on some good recordings (not all), can sound a bit bright, or thin with the D6.  However, I've found that this can be mitigated, to a certain extent, by rolling opamps.  If you wish to extract a bit more performance from the D6, in terms of increased detail and reduced harshness, give rolling opamps a try.

 All in all, I'm pleased with the sounds I'm getting from my HE-6 driven by the iBasso D6 (Topkit enhanced) USB DAC paired with a Trends Audio TA-10.2 SE amp (if you won't be driving a pair of HE-6s, the internal D6 amp should be fine).  This "everyday" solid state system drives the HE-6 to more than acceptable volume levels (84dB @ 12:00), and I appreciate the fact that this setup has a small footprint and runs cool, which makes it _just right_ for my office desktop.


----------



## Cotnijoe

Thanks a lot for the detail there! =) so overal you'd say it leans a little bit more towards the bright side rather than a warmer sound?
   
  and could you explain what a rolling opamp is? o.o


----------



## jazzfan

@Cotnijoe,
   
  Opamp rolling refers to the practice of swapping out various Operational Amplifiers (Op Amps) with the goal of slightly changing the sonic signature of a device; in this case the iBasso D6.  Op amps are small electronic devices used to amplify a voltage signal in a circuit.  Many electronic hobbyists have found that, as with vacuum tubes, sonic differences exist between various opamps, and by swapping out, or "rolling", one opamp out for another, one can tailor the sound of a device to match their personal preferences.  So the term "opamp rolling" was adopted from the similarly named practice from the tube world.

 I am, by no means, an expert when it comes to the practice of opamp rolling.  So I rely heavily on the assistance of others in this forum to provide expert guidance.  One individual in particular, who goes by the member name HiFlight, is skilled at discerning sonic characteristics of various opamps and has assembled a kit, available for purchase, known as a "Topkit".  This kit contains several hand selected opamps chosen for their unique sonic traits.  HiFlight has helped myself and many others on Head-Fi with the practice of opamp rolling.  If you are interested, and would like more information, I'd suggest reaching out to HiFlight directly via PM.  I'm sure he will be more than happy to assist you as well.


----------



## Cotnijoe

Wow haha. Thanks for such a good explanation of this! I've recently PMed HiFlight. Thanks for the info. I'm sure I'll be able to find a good DAC and amp combo that works well for me with so many experts around here! =)


----------



## jazzfan

Quote: 





cotnijoe said:


> Thanks a lot for the detail there! =) so overal you'd say it leans a little bit more towards the bright side rather than a warmer sound?


 
   
  Correct.


----------



## Cotnijoe

I generally like a slightly warmer sound. I really love using my Vsonic GR07 and would choose it over IEMs like the SE535s for example. Does the GR07 sound like a good pair with the D6? Or would it be a bit bright? Has anyone tried?


----------



## RapidPulse

I have the D6 and the GR07 and love the combination.  
  In fact, the only time I use the GR07 is when I can use it with the D6.  I don't notice it being any brighter, but I feel more bass impact.
  (Note: I do have the Topkit on the D6 as mentioned a few posts above)


----------



## Cotnijoe

oh. That sounds perfect thenn =) thanks for the input there


----------



## Cotnijoe

just a few questions. What's the difference between plugging ur headphone in the "Phone" jack and the "Aux In/Out" jack? Also how do you guys actually get 24bit/96sampling or higher recordings?


----------



## jazzfan

Quote: 





cotnijoe said:


> just a few questions. What's the difference between plugging ur headphone in the "Phone" jack and the "Aux In/Out" jack? Also how do you guys actually get 24bit/96sampling or higher recordings?


 
   
   
  The Phone jack is an "output only" headphone jack.  The Aux In/Out jack, as the name suggests, is an Auxiliary Input/Output jack which serves two purposes.  It can accept an analog source "input" signal, or produce an analog "output" signal.  It can be use, for example, to accept an analog input signal from the headphone out jack of a portable device (ie. an iPod, or in my case an HP Touchpad), in which case, the internal amp would be used to send the signal to the headphone out "Phone" jack of the D6.  When feeding the D6 a "digital" signal via the rear input USB port, the Aux In/Out jack will output an unattenuated line level analog signal (directly bypassing the D6 internal amp), which can be fed into an external amp with a volume control.  This is how I'm using the D6 DAC with my Trends amp.  I use a 1/8" Mini to Dual Phono (RCA) Plug Y-cable to connect the two.

 Hi-res, 24Bit/96KHz or higher, recordings are available for purchase (or in some cases for free) from several sources on the Internet.  A number of download sites are listed in this Head-Fi wiki article  - http://www.head-fi.org/a/high-res-music-download-sites (IMO, very good use of the wiki, BTW.  The Head-Fi wiki is worth exploring, if you haven't done so already - see my signature for the link).

 Another point worth mentioning, is the D6 is currently limited to 24/96 playback.  The D6 is a bit of an enigma for me because even though it implements two very good 24-bit, high performance 192kHz Wolfson WM8740 DACs , the D6 is ultimately limited by the Texas Instruments TAS1020B USB controller chip which, per iBasso's documentation, only supports up to 24Bit/96KHz signals.  I have a hunch this is a limitation of iBasso's driver more so than the USB chipset, but again, this is just pure speculation on my part.  Others in this forum may be able to provide more information on this.  Regardless, if you wish to play hi-res files above 24/96 resolution, they must be downsampled to 24/96 in order to work with the D6.


----------



## Cotnijoe

Thanks for the info Jazzfan! If i was to use an mp3 player that is not an iDevice and connect it to aux in/out and use my headphone in the phone jack, then would both the dac and amp of the D6 be used?
   
  And it sounds like i could basically plug two headphones in the device at the same time? but would there be any differences in quality?


----------



## jazzfan

Quote: 





cotnijoe said:


> Thanks for the info Jazzfan! If i was to use an mp3 player that is not an iDevice and connect it to aux in/out and use my headphone in the phone jack, then would both the dac and amp of the D6 be used?


 
   
   
  You're welcome, and no. In that situation, only the amp section would be used.  Feeding the D6 an analog signal using the Aux In/Out jack effectively bypasses the internal DAC.  This is considered inferior to feeding a digital signal via the USB port because the DAC used by the player/source sending the signal would likely be of _lower_ quality than the internal DACs of the D6, which are consider good.
   
   
  Quote: 





cotnijoe said:


> And it sounds like i could basically plug two headphones in the device at the same time? but would there be any differences in quality?


 
   
   
  Only use the "Phone" jack for headphones.  Never use the "Aux In/Out" jack for headphones.
   
  For the highest quality playback through the D6, play FLAC, ALAC or WMA Lossless files via the USB port.  That way, you use the D6 internal DAC to convert the digital signal, and you are playing the highest quality source files through the D6. MP3 files are encoded using a "lossy" compression method, which is considered lower in quality.
   
  In summary, for the highest quality playback, use FLAC, ALAC or WMA Lossless files via the USB port.


----------



## Cotnijoe

thanks again for all the tips. So if i was to consider using an mp3 with the amp then i would have to find a usb and 3.5mm cable if such a thing exists?


----------



## jazzfan

Quote: 





cotnijoe said:


> thanks again for all the tips. So if i was to consider using an mp3 with the amp then i would have to find a usb and 3.5mm cable if such a thing exists?


 
   
   
  The actual connection to the D6 will depend on the output signal coming from your source device, be it analog or digital.  You cannot mix digital signal outputs with analog inputs and vice versa, so a usb to 3.5mm cable should not exist.  To clarify, here are a few examples of Analog vs Digital (via USB) signal connections for the iBasso D6:
   

 Analog Source signal (portable device - ie. iPod, MP3 Player, HP Touchpad etc.):
 
        Source device (Headphone out - "typically" 3.5mm) -->  D6 "Aux *In*/Out - 3.5mm --> D6 "Phone" - 3.5mm --> Headphones

  

 Digital Source (via USB) signal (ie. Computer, Squeezebox Touch, MP3 Player w/USB out, etc.):
 
        Source device (USB out) -->  D6 "USB" port (rear) --> D6 "Phone" - 3.5mm --> Headphones

        or

        Source device (USB out) -->  D6 "USB" port (rear) --> D6 "Aux In/*Out*" - 3.5mm -->
         3.5mm to Dual Phono (RCA) Plug Y-cable --> external headphone amp --> Headphones
   
   
  If your MP3 player only outputs an analog signal from its headphone jack, all you would need is a stereo cable with 3.5mm male connectors on both ends.  But again, with this connection, you would only be using the D6 amp and not the DAC.  Only a digital connection will use both the DAC and amp.


----------



## Cotnijoe

got it. haha thanks again for helping out a headphone noob here =)


----------



## jazzfan

Quote: 





cotnijoe said:


> got it. haha thanks again for helping out a headphone noob here =)


 
   
  No worries. Glad to help.


----------



## gordec

Currently owner of the Fiio E17. How does this compare to the E17? I'm currently trying to find a DAC/Amp that will work through USB audio with Galaxy S3. It seems like most Ibasso products will work. I'm ok to upgrade. But just want to know how big a sound improvement do I get for paying almost 2x the price. Thanks ahead.


----------



## Hasashi

if it works through usb audio, then why not give it a shot. I used to have the E7 and upgraded to the d6 about half a year later and don't regret it at all (though I did get it used for much cheaper). However, the E17 has a much more impressive amp section than the E7 so I'm not sure how big the upgrade will be. Maybe you should just stick with the E17 for now and wait for a worthier upgrade like the RSA predator or the Pico slim dac/amp.
   
  Though I can assure you that the D6 is nice llittle thing.


----------



## Giemzed

Hey guys, I know you're all saying that these could use a little more juice to drive high impedance headphones, but provided that i'm playing my music at about 80 mw (the max is 100 on these cans), would the d6 be able to drive beyerdynamic 880s 250 ohm ?


----------



## amham

D6 available on Ebay:
   
http://www.ebay.com/itm/iBasso-D6-Fer-de-Lance-/121064594671?ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123


----------



## Giemzed

Ok, simple question, can the d6 be used an amp AND dac portably with an iPod ?


----------



## RapidPulse

No. Amp only for iPod.


----------



## amham

D6 for sale:
   
http://www.ebay.com/itm/121064594671?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649


----------



## altaxc

Does anyone know of a set of IEM's under $300 that would pair well with this amp/dac?


----------



## soadspecialk

anybody know of one of these for sale???


----------



## RapidPulse

Quote: 





soadspecialk said:


> anybody know of one of these for sale???


 
  I may know someone.  What were you looking to spend?


----------



## soadspecialk

Quote: 





rapidpulse said:


> I may know someone.  What were you looking to spend?


 

 Well the auctions on eBay didn't even go up to $169, so it'd be under that but depends on the condition too.  Let me know if you know someone who's willing to sell, we can negotiate


----------



## Wyd4

What does ibasso mean by 650mw +650mw?
Is this per channel or is it 650mw on battery and a further 650 when plugged in?
Just curious is all


----------



## jamato8

Per channel.


----------



## Wyd4

Thanks. Seems like a lot of power for a cheaper amp .
Looking at this or the pb2


----------



## Mooses9

imo i would go with the p4 warbler or the pb2 both are simular and different at the same time, while the p4 is 600mw+600mw and the pb2 is 2500mw+2500mw both are hard core amplifiers, very well built and some of my fav amps ive owned. currently i own both and would recomend both, however they are just a straight amp so no dac included. the p4 is discontinued and is very hard to get ahold of. i thought about selling mine and even put it for sale, however the last time i sold my p4 i kicked myself for selling it and it was almost 2 years to source another one.
  
 dont let the price tags fool you, i also own the RSA sr-71b and compared between the 3 the ibassos can stand with the sr-71b in terms on volume,ability to drive headphones, and sound quality.


----------



## Wyd4

mooses9 said:


> imo i would go with the p4 warbler or the pb2 both are simular and different at the same time, while the p4 is 600mw+600mw and the pb2 is 2500mw+2500mw both are hard core amplifiers, very well built and some of my fav amps ive owned. currently i own both and would recomend both, however they are just a straight amp so no dac included. the p4 is discontinued and is very hard to get ahold of. i thought about selling mine and even put it for sale, however the last time i sold my p4 i kicked myself for selling it and it was almost 2 years to source another one.
> 
> dont let the price tags fool you, i also own the RSA sr-71b and compared between the 3 the ibassos can stand with the sr-71b in terms on volume,ability to drive headphones, and sound quality.




So the pb2 is 2500+2500? I thought it was 2500 peak. Regardless that is borderline insane for a portable.
I might go the pb2 for now and get the db2 when I can.
Bit of a stack as far as portable goes but don't really need a DAC for my RWA imod anyway.

Thanks


----------



## Mooses9

wyd4 said:


> So the pb2 is 2500+2500? I thought it was 2500 peak. Regardless that is borderline insane for a portable.
> I might go the pb2 for now and get the db2 when I can.
> Bit of a stack as far as portable goes but don't really need a DAC for my RWA imod anyway.
> 
> Thanks



 
that is what the specs on their website claim, and i agree. that is very powerful, some people hate a volume pot that with a slight nudge of the knob you get a good ammuont of volume personally i like it. again that will also depend on if you use gains and if you use iem or full size head phones
 
http://www.ibasso.com/download/2011214212731.pdf
 
if you scroll to the specs you see the 2500mw+2500mw it also has a 32v voltage swing which is up there with the RSA intruder which in comparison the intruder is 700.00 and the pb2 is 325.00.if you do get a amp that is balanced capable i do recomend balanced input and output, output if you dont have or need a dac with a balanced output.....balanced make a world of difference you have to hear to believe. imo


----------



## desertblues

even though my main dac/amp is the Woo Audio WA7 I still love my ibasso D6. It is a great usb amp with Wolfson 8740's for each channel that doubles as a portable amp. ibasso is a lot of bang for the buck!


----------



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

Is it possible to use the D6 DAC with the DX50 through usb connection, while also using D6 as AMP?


----------



## HiFlight

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


> Is it possible to use the D6 DAC with the DX50 through usb connection, while also using D6 as AMP?




No, the DX50 micro USB is only for charging and OTG and will not output a USB signal to the D6. The only way to use the D6 with it is via the line-out.


----------



## NewAKGGuy

If you own a D6 you'll be doing yourself a great kindness if you *get a Topkit* from ^^^^^this guy^^^^^.
  
 Got mine this afternoon, and I'll probably be pulling an all nighter!


----------



## mab1376

newakgguy said:


> If you own a D6 you'll be doing yourself a great kindness if you *get a Topkit* from ^^^^^this guy^^^^^.
> 
> Got mine this afternoon, and I'll probably be pulling an all nighter!


 
  
 +1 on this.
  
 I got mine a few years back when i got the D6 and still listening to it right now.


----------



## oldmate

I've just paired the D6 with the FIIO X3. The D6 has been neglected after all the hype of the FIIO E12 (which I purchased) and had a very enjoyable afternoon. 
  
 I think I like the sound signature a hell of a lot more than the E12.
  
 It's still a sensational DAC/Amp and should get more love.


----------



## burgunder

It's discontinued now a long with most of the lineup of portable headamps/dacs, I wonder if they'll create a replacement or they think that D42 and D-Zero MkII are adequate replacements?


----------



## UprightMan

Hi - does the d6 work as a dac (and of course amp) with android via OTG? (I searched both terms, no hits)....


----------



## oldmate

burgunder said:


> It's discontinued now a long with most of the lineup of portable headamps/dacs, I wonder if they'll create a replacement or they think that D42 and D-Zero MkII are adequate replacements?


 
 I just found this;
  
 https://www.addictedtoaudio.com.au/content/searchnew/?usterms=ibasso
  
 Perhaps these guys have left over stock.


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## Bark Snarly

Addicted to audio is a great store, would recommend them in a heartbeat.

I would also go for a d6 but I need something that's a little flatter so that I could keep it in my pocket. Real pity because this seems perfect for me otherwise...


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## burgunder

I hope that Ibasso will release a new and better amp/dac than the D6 or atleast an upgraded version. 
  
 Edit. The Ibasso D55 for the japanese market might be better.


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## highfidelity69

What happened to www.ibasso.com , are they still in business, site no longer works.


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## HiFlight

highfidelity69 said:


> What happened to www.ibasso.com , are they still in business, site no longer works.




They are in business and I can connect to their website without any issues.


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## oldmate

Hey @Paul - iBasso The screw on the volume pot of my D6 has fallen out. How do I go about getting a replacement?? Screw that is.
  
 Cheers.


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## Paul - iBasso

oldmate said:


> Hey @Paul - iBasso The screw on the volume pot of my D6 has fallen out. How do I go about getting a replacement?? Screw that is.
> 
> Cheers.


 
  
 Please send an email to service@ibasso.com and put in the subject line a brief description and then in the email your full name and address and ask if a screw could be sent for the volume knob.


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## oldmate




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## oldmate

Just got around to getting the appropriate USB cable for Android USB Audio for the D6 and after spending the last couple of days with it I can honestly say if I knew it was going to sound this good I would not have purchased the Oppo HA-2. Does not get as warm and the battery life is way better. Actually I felt no heat on the chassis of the D6 at all. I'm very pissed that I did not try this configuration 1st before blindingly ordering the HA-2. Don't get me wrong the HA-2 is a fine product but I did not need it!!
  
 1st time I've actually utilised the twin Wolfson DAC's as it has been strapped to a FIIO X3. Headphones were Focal Spirit Classic. Definitely sounds less "digital" than the Oppo.
  
 So @Paul - iBasso your 5 year old DAC/AMP still kicks ass and is most definitely a keeper.


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