Ibasso D12 vs Pico DAC/Amp

[Salt Peanuts]

^ TTVJ also had a portable Millet Hybrid amp.

[Leonardo Drummond]

Never knew about it, I thought those from ALO were the first ones.

I can't see the point though, do you guys also think this is simply ludicrous or it's just me?

[spritzer]

There were plenty of tubes designed to work at low voltages and made super small but using tubes is just a marketing trick. "Hey this one is different!!!" Then you ALO to the mix and it's probably horrible in every way.

[HeadphoneAddict]

There were plenty of tubes designed to work at low voltages and made super small but using tubes is just a marketing trick. "Hey this one is different!!!" Then you ALO to the mix and it's probably horrible in every way.

Gimmick or not, I did think the TTVJ portable Millett Hybrid sounded wonderful, and it worked well as a traveling desktop replacement amp. Although the noise floor was a little too high for using with IEM, it could drive high impedance phones like my 600 ohm AKG and 300 ohm HD600 better than any of my other portable amps at the time. And it did a great job with low impedance phones like Grado RS-1 and Denon D7000 too. For a while I would travel on longer trips with a small Headroom.com headphone bag that held my HD600, TTVJ amp and a portable DAC.

Granted, I've never tried the ALO amp, so I won't comment on that.

[spritzer]

The TTVJ amp works well because Pete knows his stuff. The gimmick comment was aimed at ALO since it is bound to be badly built garbage. Just look at the Rx, sounds like shit and they are up to Mk3 now because they can't seem to fathom that li-ion batteries do not behave as alkaline's. You can't just wire them with a CT and expect it to work...

[grawk]

I certainly didn't think the original Rx sounded like shit.

[Leonardo Drummond]

Birgir, that's what I thought.

But Larry, the thing is that to me it sounds like it could well have been a great SS portable amp, and having tubes, as Birgir said, looks much more like a gimmick rather than something that actually provides sonic benefits over a well designed SS amp. But then again, this is based on pure guessing as I haven't heard it.

[justin]

here is one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fanmusic-BL-1-tube-headphone-amplifier-Portable-Headphone-amplifier-tube-AMP-/180730337586#ht_5972wt_1165

[blessingx]

here is one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fanmusic-BL-1-tube-headphone-amplifier-Portable-Headphone-amplifier-tube-AMP-/180730337586#ht_5972wt_1165

I like that it has an audio jack.

[justin]

i was expecting wifi and bluetooth at that price

[blessingx]

Wifi and Bluetooth would have been nice, but he/she wisely focused on concentrating the essence.

[nnotis]

For anyone interested, the D12 USB DAC works when connected to a Galaxy S3. It sounds the same to me as it does when connected to a computer.

Sadly, I can't get this connection to work with my Pico DAC/amp.

[nnotis]

Correction!

I just tried the Pico with the S3 again. Low and behold, it works.

Edited July 17, 2012 by nnotis

[RudeWolf]

Surely you used a powered USB for the Pico, yes?

In any case this is great! I'm eyeing the S3 as my next phone.

[Nebby]

Still one year left on my current phone before I can upgrade. I think by that time I should be able to get the next Nexus

[nnotis]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005FUNYSA/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00

This is the Micro USB to USB adapter I'm using. Hopefully Google will see fit to implement the appropriate USB audio drivers in the next version of Android. Then all devices will support this functionality. Until then, huge props to Samsung for leading the way on something important to a very small number of people. Maybe one of their developers is an audiophile.

[RudeWolf]

Are you using the Pico as a DAC only or can it be used as an amp as well (provided it's the amp version)?

[nnotis]

I'm using it as a DAC & amp. It would be easy to use only the amp. That’s what I did for years with a modded iPod. There would be no point in doing that with an S3 though, as the Pico DAC is superior.

[RudeWolf]

Darn it! I have my eyes on an ampless Pico DAC and now it seems that it just won't cut it.