Hello there your advices would really be welcome .... please fell free to give your opinion,
I'm currently using a DX1 from advance paris, it has like 6 optical inputs and 2 coaxial, it also works as a bridge since you find 1 optical out and 1 coaxial out. The sound is fine but ........
Well, there is no way to shut the analogical output when a headphone is used, moreover it has no volume memories. Since it is feeding a power amp this is problematic. Another messy feature is that once you plug the headphone the volume is controlled both by the headphone volume and the main volume. This could be easily solved with a firware update but Advance paris does not seems to will.
Also it seems that this DAC is not considered as very good, even if do like its sound quite much.
So i m looking for an alternative, I would rather get something on the second hand market and my budget is 0-500 euros (VTA included).
It is going to e used as passive pre-amp for my Boxem (arthur 2408) driving my Triangle Lyrr 222 (vintage loudspeakers).
I switched to the Arthur because my class A was using too much electricity. And it is the first time i m convinced by a class D (i mean an affordable one). Apparently audiophonics sells a similar product that may indeed be a better value for price item, anyway i bought the Arthur since Boxem lent it to me for free for a few days and i sort of agreed to help them out rather than audiophonics which is well established company.
I likes the DX1 sound much better than the one of my FX audio Mk2, i just tested both and the chords are somewhat horrible on the FX audio (don t get me wrong the FX audio X6 is very good for its price range). On Arranjuez concerto 3rd movement the FX audio Dx6 was messy and chords sounded terribly. It is the first time i actually compare the FX audio and the Advance Paris and the difference is clear. I don t need a blind test or something sophisticated, there ma be some placebo effect but the difference is huge.
So here what i m looking for, it is rather specific.
- A sort of "analog" sound, i mean no harsh chord, no sibilance. I know it is subjective and fuzzy but for me the topping D50
was harsh, too metallic, aggressive, too detailed, tiring etc .... the DX 1 is not like that.
- At least 2 Coaxial inputs (CD player, raspberry pi + digione hat) and 1 optical one, and of course a usb one (but this is granted)
- A decent remote command.
- A decent headphone stage, able to drive an AKG K 702, it is not a hard to drive headphone but shannling UP4 is just able to do it and the fiio BT3 was not able to do so.
- A feature that shut off the analogical output when a headphone jack is plugged , or the possibility to turn the feature on or off.
Optionnal :
- a second optical in (main computer + BT receiver) -- i have a 3 ->1 optical mechanical switch so this can be overcome
- Balanced, the boxem is balanced (at least the inputs are balanced). I just know that the signal is carried twice as + and minus and then added (with probably a minus on one side) and this allows to cancel random noise.
- a bridged numerical output would be nice to send the signal toward my Vikephon (it s a budget version of the fiio BTA30, it provides APT HD and LDAC both to send or receive, it has two antennas and sells for 25 euros)
Welcome but note very important :
A BT receiver (i can use the Vikefon since anyway with the phone the quality is always degraded) and anyway most BT device are only reciever and cannot transmit to your BT headphone soo i will ne the Vikefon anyway.
I'm currently using a DX1 from advance paris, it has like 6 optical inputs and 2 coaxial, it also works as a bridge since you find 1 optical out and 1 coaxial out. The sound is fine but ........
Well, there is no way to shut the analogical output when a headphone is used, moreover it has no volume memories. Since it is feeding a power amp this is problematic. Another messy feature is that once you plug the headphone the volume is controlled both by the headphone volume and the main volume. This could be easily solved with a firware update but Advance paris does not seems to will.
Also it seems that this DAC is not considered as very good, even if do like its sound quite much.
So i m looking for an alternative, I would rather get something on the second hand market and my budget is 0-500 euros (VTA included).
It is going to e used as passive pre-amp for my Boxem (arthur 2408) driving my Triangle Lyrr 222 (vintage loudspeakers).
I switched to the Arthur because my class A was using too much electricity. And it is the first time i m convinced by a class D (i mean an affordable one). Apparently audiophonics sells a similar product that may indeed be a better value for price item, anyway i bought the Arthur since Boxem lent it to me for free for a few days and i sort of agreed to help them out rather than audiophonics which is well established company.
I likes the DX1 sound much better than the one of my FX audio Mk2, i just tested both and the chords are somewhat horrible on the FX audio (don t get me wrong the FX audio X6 is very good for its price range). On Arranjuez concerto 3rd movement the FX audio Dx6 was messy and chords sounded terribly. It is the first time i actually compare the FX audio and the Advance Paris and the difference is clear. I don t need a blind test or something sophisticated, there ma be some placebo effect but the difference is huge.
So here what i m looking for, it is rather specific.
- A sort of "analog" sound, i mean no harsh chord, no sibilance. I know it is subjective and fuzzy but for me the topping D50
was harsh, too metallic, aggressive, too detailed, tiring etc .... the DX 1 is not like that.
- At least 2 Coaxial inputs (CD player, raspberry pi + digione hat) and 1 optical one, and of course a usb one (but this is granted)
- A decent remote command.
- A decent headphone stage, able to drive an AKG K 702, it is not a hard to drive headphone but shannling UP4 is just able to do it and the fiio BT3 was not able to do so.
- A feature that shut off the analogical output when a headphone jack is plugged , or the possibility to turn the feature on or off.
Optionnal :
- a second optical in (main computer + BT receiver) -- i have a 3 ->1 optical mechanical switch so this can be overcome
- Balanced, the boxem is balanced (at least the inputs are balanced). I just know that the signal is carried twice as + and minus and then added (with probably a minus on one side) and this allows to cancel random noise.
- a bridged numerical output would be nice to send the signal toward my Vikephon (it s a budget version of the fiio BTA30, it provides APT HD and LDAC both to send or receive, it has two antennas and sells for 25 euros)
Welcome but note very important :
A BT receiver (i can use the Vikefon since anyway with the phone the quality is always degraded) and anyway most BT device are only reciever and cannot transmit to your BT headphone soo i will ne the Vikefon anyway.
