Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Jan 20, 2016 18:36:40 GMT
Over the past couple of days, I've been listening via an Aune mini DAC/amp and got quite a surprise just how good it is. It's no longer availabe but the modern equivalent is the Aune X1s. It takes coax in, usb and analogue, so that three devices can be connected. So I have one for my Ipod Touch via the dock connecter so I get a nice digital signal, the coax is for my X3 and X5 and the analoge for the X1 being used from line out. All of these sound particularly smooth and rounded via the Aune which has been in my garage for a year and a half, since I moved. I put a new knob on it because I didn't like weird helmet like knob but it might actually deserve the gold knob award. It's a warm sound but has a kind of authority and a good amount of power to drive everything easily. I'm aware of no noise at all and the funny thing is that the audio chip inside is nothing special either. There's absolutely nothing clinical about it like the O2. But it just seems to be extremely pleasant to me with whatever I attach to it. Has anyone got the X1s? These amps are impressive and the new version goes up to higher bit rates I think. I think my two favourite amps are the Polaris and Aune at the moment and two things that they both have in common are is a good amount of power plus a rich, fruity sound in comparison to some other ones that can be just a bit edgy sometimes. Even the Sony V6 sounds pretty good with it!! grado.kiev.ua/Portals/0/KovitArticle/aune-Mini-USB-DAC-MKII-Manual.doc
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Post by chris1967 on Jan 21, 2016 9:03:33 GMT
Yes i remember this amp. I had read the old RG thread a few times from start to finish.
Had mine with linear PS, and changed the opamps although i cant remember to which ones.
It sounded fantastic. Quite sad that i sold it. Also sadder that the guy who bought it said that i sold him a dud amp... some people are deaf...
No personal impressions on the new X1 though, some people on my local Greek forum praise it.
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Jan 21, 2016 9:11:08 GMT
Thanks Chris. I haven't used it for a while and after finding it, following my moving house (yet again) I was surprised at just how dynamic it sounded. Plus the bonus of three connections, two of which are digital.
I guess most criticisms might be to do with treble 'softness' since it is perhaps rolled away slightly up there, but I don't mind that at all. It seems to make most stuff really sing, which is why I'm curious about the newer x1s which I think resolves higher quality files.
It has the richness of the Polaris and is deathly quiet in operation as well. Power is good and it sounds superb with the DT990 which has a bite in the treble anyway.
It seemed to go through a fotm faze but in actual fact, it really isn't a bad amp at all.
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Post by chris1967 on Jan 21, 2016 9:17:24 GMT
You are right about the treble softness.
This could be alleviated to some degree with opamp rolling, i think i used an AD797 on the amplifier now that i think of it, and had raised the input voltage considerably from the voltage of the power pack it came with.
Very nice with the (then stock) HD800's.
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Jan 21, 2016 11:17:07 GMT
I'll have a look for an ad797 then. Thanks. I see that the voltage could be raised to 18v and at the moment, I'm just using the 12v brick. Again, I might try a bigger supplu as well. You never know. It might give an even better sense of dynamics.
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Post by chris1967 on Jan 21, 2016 12:01:28 GMT
Sounds good!
Please remember that the ad797 is a single opamp and you need a browndog adapter to mount two of them on, also be very careful not to connect them the wrong way around.
Cheers!
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oldson
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Post by oldson on Jan 22, 2016 17:46:39 GMT
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Jan 23, 2016 7:40:25 GMT
I never saw that one Simon.
My guess is that it might be soft in the treble, like the one I have. It's just that I haven't used it since moving house so it's sat in the garage, packed away for a year and a half. It was a really pleasant surpruse hearing it again and it just seems better than I remember.
It's also very nice having three inputs which stops having to swap things in and out.
I'm going to look for a bigger power supply for it since it'll take 18v.
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oldson
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Post by oldson on Jan 23, 2016 20:34:22 GMT
damn , i might be wrong. it could have been an offering from gustard that Javier commented on. eyesight is going, so is hearing and my memory aint all that! its no fun getting old.
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Jan 23, 2016 21:00:35 GMT
I know the feeling!!
The Aune does sound quite 'silky' and puts a nice sheen onto the sound. I quite like it really. There was another one I liked an awful lot. I think it was an s2 Panda. I liked the Panda but it had an inherent noise issue but the S2 was sorted and sounded really great. It had two analogue inputs and was quite powerful.
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oldson
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Post by oldson on Jan 23, 2016 21:33:20 GMT
I know the feeling!! The Aune does sound quite 'silky' and puts a nice sheen onto the sound. I quite like it really. There was another one I liked an awful lot. I think it was an s2 Panda. I liked the Panda but it had an inherent noise issue but the S2 was sorted and sounded really great. It had two analogue inputs and was quite powerful. i still have my panda but i am about to give it to my brother along with my meier stagedac . all together they cost me £700 , so he is getting a good deal . i wish my first gear was that good.
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Jan 23, 2016 22:06:44 GMT
I've hung on to my d600. Great for films. I gave up on the Panda. Long gone now.
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Post by chris1967 on Jan 24, 2016 15:35:11 GMT
The S16 is an amazing dac. I had it on test for a few weeks. Also heard it on my friends reference system (a review from him is bound to come out in PartTimeAudiophile soon i hope) parttimeaudiophile.com/whats-next/My opinion is that it might be the benchmark of the sub 1000usd class. Unfortunately the company doesn't seem to fair well with reviewers, and is looked down upon from the headfi crowds. Design wise and component wise is up there with the best. The haedphone amp is quite powerful but not on par with the dac. Sounds best balanced.
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oldson
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Post by oldson on Jan 24, 2016 18:50:31 GMT
The S16 is an amazing dac. I had it on test for a few weeks. Also heard it on my friends reference system (a review from him is bound to come out in PartTimeAudiophile soon i hope) parttimeaudiophile.com/whats-next/My opinion is that it might be the benchmark of the sub 1000usd class. Unfortunately the company doesn't seem to fair well with reviewers, and is looked down upon from the headfi crowds. Design wise and component wise is up there with the best. The haedphone amp is quite powerful but not on par with the dac. Sounds best balanced. you are probably right, as i stated i think i was getting confused with a gustard unit.
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Rabbit
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Post by Rabbit on Jan 24, 2016 19:08:12 GMT
I must have slightly weird ears. I do like the Aune gear......
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