Various amps and DACs over the years...Submitted by youcancallmeBilly t3_zy88ac in headphones
youcancallmeBilly OP t1_j249poz wrote
Amps and DACs over the years. Starting at the top center, clockwise…
Indigo Echo PCMCIA
Headroom Total Airhead
Xin Supermacro 3
Apple Dongle
Dragonfly Black v1.5
Ear Studios ES100 Mk I
Fiio BTR5 ‘21
It's been a journey as needs have changed. I started with a laptop and the Echo Indigo. Then, I graduated to an iPod where I modified the 30-pin for line level audio out. That fed the headroom Total Airhead and the Supermacro 3, which I used for years. Three ipods later, as the last battery gave out, I migrated everything into max storage iphones. The first DAC / AMP was the venerable Apple dongle. Then, Dragonfly black which wasn’t as good,
but I loved the form factor. Moved up to the ES100 and used it for a year, then up to the BTR5, which I’ve fought with for a year. Not pictured are a pair of Shure AONIC TW2
paired up with Shure se215.
Also not pictured are the various IEMs that I’ve shoved into my skull over the
years. I started off with a pair of Shure E2, then moving up to Shure e4. Then a pair of custom livewires which I loved, but neglected and they died a horrible death in the washer and dryer. From there, Shure’s e5 (Green cable and all) and then finally, living
comfortably with the se535 which I’ve enjoyed for a number of years. I did modify them a bit by swapping out the audio filters in the tubes to provide a bit more depth and range on the bottom end. I’ve never really been a big fan of silicon, so I rolled my own tips since I started with shures using RC silicone fuel tubing and industrial ear plugs. Now, I’m
content with Comply’s foam tips. Wish they would still make them in red’s and blue’s, though.
Tomorrow, the latest addition arrives, the iFi HipDac 2. Will be using the se535’s with a balanced cable and an iphone 14 pro max with 1TB of storage which holds my library and an
Apple Camera Kit.
TPNxl t1_j24cuf0 wrote
Why's you switch off the BTR5? I have that and the SE535s as well.
youcancallmeBilly OP t1_j24ggv9 wrote
Battery life. Having said that, I really like the way it sounds. But if I leave it sit for a couple of days, I've only got a little under 3 hours of battery life in DAC mode. And since i'm team iOS, I can't charge while using as a DAC. I've updated the firmware and I'm sure that using balanced output isn't helping battery life, either. I've never had 9 hours, as advertised. Mostly, it was 6 or 7-ish. But it's a year old now.
TPNxl t1_j24ith3 wrote
I personally have never gotten over 6 hours, but I use the DAC in LDAC 990kbps mode at manual 16bit 44.1khz exclusively when in wireless mode. Did the balanced cable make a difference to the SE535 sound, other than making them louder?
youcancallmeBilly OP t1_j24l711 wrote
After adjusting the volume, I can't tell any difference between the balanced cable and the balanced cable with a 3.5 adapter.
There's a part of my lizard brain that still gets hung up on the 'louder is better' argument and the BTR5 also has dual DACs for the balanced output, which triggers an idea that they create a wider soundstage with more defined channel separation. But like I said, I can't tell any differences and I'm cognitive of my bias and opinion that I really like the sound of the BTR5.
I've not tried any A/B comparison between the shure MMCX / 3.5mm cable and any aftermarket balanced MMCX / 2.5mm cables.
Captin_Banana t1_j255s1v wrote
I only really use the balanced output on my BTR5 when using headphones which need the extra output. I personally can't tell the difference in quality. It sounds cracking either way.
c0ng0pr0 t1_j27z3it wrote
Sell it & get a Qudelix 5K. You can charge while in DAC mode even with iPhone.
audiophile_lurker t1_j24gfr6 wrote
That’s some old kit there. I had an Indigo and a Bithead, did not expect to see these pop up. Reminder of how much worse the $100-150 options were back then (yet much better than standard laptop out).
youcancallmeBilly OP t1_j24irsm wrote
It's amazing to see how far we've come over the years and then realize that we haven't really taken any big steps at all. I can't tell you how many times I've had to take that Supermacro 3 apart to clean up battery goo and here we are, still fighting batteries. Instead of leaking cells, now it's duty-cycles, capacities, and what feels like a planned obsolescence / intentionally disposable devices.
audiophile_lurker t1_j24uymo wrote
True, although I think for a lot of use cases the space settled on things like the Apple Dongle. Cannot be bothered with batteries beyond my phone/
youcancallmeBilly OP t1_j24wkh0 wrote
I think the apple dongle is the threshold to start. I mean, it's really quite good, and exception on a cost vs performance perspective.
So what do we get for money we spend over $9? Bluetooth? An absurd bit rate? Frustrating short battery life?
I've really grown to love the wireless charging. I have the mag safe on my desk and on my nightstand. Car isn't magsafe, but it's still wireless. That frees up the lightning port for fun stuff like amps that don't want to adhere to apple's low power requirements...
audiophile_lurker t1_j26ag2z wrote
Is that just dealing with the single lightning port limitation on one of the Macbooks?
youcancallmeBilly OP t1_j26bch4 wrote
I'm only using an iphone. Don't have any experience with these guys and macbooks.
We're all windows, too.
looloogirl t1_j24lff8 wrote
Which is your fave? I have the dragonfly and it’s my first one… looking into possibly getting another portable-ish DAC for my Focal Clear MGs (very weird ratio of cost… I know)
vext01 t1_j24nnzh wrote
I had the dragonfly black for a few days a while back. Ended up returning it because of the high-level noise floor.
So many better dongles for the price, even back then.
youcancallmeBilly OP t1_j24ztq7 wrote
I agree with the assessment. Of all those, the dragonfly black is probably the 'worst' sounding. I didn't much care for the total airhead, either. I really liked the ES-100 and the sound of the BTR5. Just loved the supermacro and kind of grew resentful of apple for doing away with the line level output of the original 30-pin.
As I mentioned in another comment / reply, the apple dongle is kind of the bar for performance and cost. But a favorite? Like all things, it's complicated. The ES-100 sounded great with the 535s. It worked flawlessly, but the battery is just insufficient for long-term use. The BTR5 app isn't anything to brag about, but I really like the sound signature (not so neutral) but I've grown to loathe the battery life and hassle of getting it to work on iOS. The Echo wasn't bad at the time, but couldn't carry around a laptop in your pocket. Strapping on amps like the bithead and the supermacro to your DAP was cumbersome and yet, i'm going back that direction with the ifi Hip Dac 2.
And my age is also a factor. I've lost the ability to really discern the differences between FLAC and MP3 320, especially in 'noisy environments' where I would be listening to portable gear. And after a while, what is the next level of bit rate? Especially on art created and recorded in the tube era or even the 70's? That's not even mentioning really early recordings that I still enjoy.
I do like the dynamics of the original recordings where things were soft and then other things were loud. The crescendos and decrescendos which adds to the adagios and the allegros. The way some singer-song writers used space when they performed. The subtleties of finger picking verses finger tip picks. These days, and all these overly produced, compressed, and remastered recordings just wear me out. It just drones on and on and I feel desensitized, like I need a bigger fix. That's one of the aspects I really like about the balanced verses unbalanced when it comes to outputs on these little guys. Their extra power feels like there's a lot more headroom for turning up those quiet, original recordings.
Ultimate_Mango t1_j2539bn wrote
Thanks for the write up. Lots of nostalgia for me here. I remember getting the shure 500s when they were new with the switch pack mic that came with it. Eventually I found Heir/Noble and stopped with the first production pair of K10s. And don’t sleep on the apple dongles they are quite good. I never had much luck with the iFi stuff it was always too noisy for me.
youcancallmeBilly OP t1_j25755r wrote
If i'm not happy with the sound for additional money being spent, there's always the Qudelix 5k!
Thanks for the comment!
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