Not sure. May be by double tapping the case if you configure all required profiles on the computer beforehand and configure double tap to switch between profiles? Not sure if this is possible and if loaded profile will be shown on the device display? Anyway, a portable DAC for which EQ is the main feature without an app to control this feature is a strange beast, indeed.
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Neutron HiFi DAC V1 Review
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AudioSceptic
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I feel that we're missing a vital part of the story. Surely it comes with a load of presets for different headphones and IEMs, with the ability to add more (admittedly at home with a Mac/PC)? Can't those presets be chosen on the move using the touch controls?
If this had BT, everything would change, of course.
I think so, it should. I happily use Qudelix-5K with my HD600 and it has enough power for comfortable level long listening sessions. But if, occasionally, I want to really push it then volume gets to 100% and that's it, it can't go higher even if I'd like it to. So, Qudelix-5K may also be enough - just be aware that together with EQ with significant negative pre-gain, volume sometimes might not go as high as you'd like.
While we got you ear, does one licence cover Android and Windows, or is it going to be a separate purchase?Not only, there is Neutron Player Win32 version (and Neutron Recorder too by the way) with license via PayPro and authentication via Neutron Console:
Download
The audiophile software for music playback (Neutron Music Player) and audio recording (Neutron Audio Recorder) with in-house developed 32/64-bit audiophile-grade hi-res audio engine which supports rich set of DSP tools that meet any need in sound tuning.neutroncode.com
Unlike Windows Store (UWP) version Win32 version has Direct USB Access functionality fully working, thus you get native DSD. Also you can select ASIO devices for output (ASIO DSD is in to-do). Win32 version is using Win32 File I/O and therefore scanning files very fast (UWP is using Microsoft's special File I/O, just like SAF on Android which is super slow).
Not that it is expensive, I have been very happy with the Android version.
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You would better forward your statement to Apple. Sorry, it is their decision to limit access to connected USB devices on iPhone/iPad devices.
Not that bad taking into account capabilities of NMP. In any case your can use NConfigurator freely on any desktop OS, I believe overwhelming majority of us have access to at least laptop.
Healthy proposals are always welcome. It's something what can be done by extending double-tap actions with possibility to switch EQ presets in a loop. Thank you for the idea.
If you are on the go then most likely (probability 99%) you have one set of headphones/earphones. Therefore you can pre-configure DAC V1 for your headset. Extreme cases, such as constant switching between presets, would be better handled by the player software, like Neutron Player which has AutoEQ presets (FRC DSP) and also supports Profiles (besides just EQ presets). But, ability to switch between some uploaded presets by double-tapping DAC V1 is a good idea (see above), will be implemented in the future fw & NConfigurator updates.
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Yes, here is clarification:
Q: I purchased Neutron on one platform can I use it on another?
Frequently Asked Questions - common questions and answers on Neutron Music Player and Neutron Audio Recorder functionality.
Well, due to similar kind of limitations many smartwatches work with Android only as well. Or at least work with all features (e.g. all Garmin devices have limited functionality with iPhone). Because of such heavy vendor lock-in issues (as well as lucking functionality) I'll never by iPhone myself and will always advise anyone against buying any Apple device. I understand that. Still this is a problem for this particular device because its main differentiating feature is a DSP with parametric EQ, and system-wide EQ is not possible on iPhone (unlike Android), so iPhone users are more interested in such a device - but they'll not be able to properly utilize it. And they'll not blame Apple, that's for sure, they'll blame you!
This is a wrong assumption. I'd even say that people are more likely to use different ones in different cases, for example, at home and on the go. And there were several times when I forgot to switch EQ right away after switching the headphones.
And in general people who buy a device with these advanced capabilities are likely to want to play with them, e.g. compare different EQ profiles with each other, fine tune something etc. One time to do it, actually, may be commute.May be do something like "upon the first double tap display the name of the current preset, on the second - switch to the next"? So that users will be able to confirm the current setting without switching. Also, IMHO it'll be good to have a control app not only as a part of Neutron Player but also as a standalone app - for people who are not interested at all in the player (e.g. like me, because of music streaming apps - the player itself may be great but it is useless because there is very little content I can play with it) it'll just be a nuisance, extra junk and UI complication, more complex to navigate.
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It is not final, therefore can be decided on a mobile version of NConfigurator. NMP will get it anyway as it currently manages DSP capabilities of supported DAPs already and will offer possibility to offload EQ, Crossfeed, Surround (Ambiophonic RACE) from NMP to DAC V1 (possibly Compressor DSP too - currently under investigation if MCU will handle it together with 10-band EQ).
rlw6534
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As an iPhone user, the ability to perform PEQ greatly outweighs the 30 seconds it takes to connect to my Mac and swap PEQ/FRC... Yes, swapping on the fly would be cool but it's not a deal-breaker (for me). At least I don't have to worry about SRC on various apps that may or may not have SRC bypass or direct USB drivers.
AudioSceptic
Major Contributor
Yes, but as Oso Polar said, we will probably want to play with different presets on the move, or simply forget to set the right one before leaving the house, so that function definitely needs to be on the Neutron itself, not just in the phone app. IMO this sort of functionality is far, far more important than performance already above transparent in the real world.
How many times does Adam need to be retold, to stay away from the forbidden fruit?
AudioSceptic
Major Contributor
He just can't resist all that juicy goodness!How many times does Adam need to be retold, to stay away from the forbidden fruit?
rlw6534
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Actually I would prefer a way to turn the PEQ/FRC on and off from the device rather than swapping presets. But I completely understand that others may want something different... It has to be difficult to please everyone.
AudioSceptic
Major Contributor
Yes, same thing: if we had the option to choose any, we must also have the option to choose none.
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And more connectivity.
Genuinely curious and without going back and personally comparing (because I don’t care that much), in what way that actually matters in terms of audibility? Is this one more powerful?
That’s a bunch of irrelevant dumbass nerd shit that doesn’t matter to anyone with a lick of sense.
Bottom line is that this product looks nice and has some useful audibly relevant features (as I previously wrote, there were previously two useful boxes in this the headphone DAC-amp space - Qudelix and RME - and now there are three, though loudness compensation would make this one even better and put it closer to RME than Qudelix unless you need the tons of power RME offers) - and the price seems fair - though offering a portable device that can’t be controlled in iOS is a weird design choice. However, when the argument devolves into rattling off a bunch of irrelevant dumbass nerd shit…that hurts one’s credibility.
The fact remains that this DAC-Headphone amp has remarkable performance which is only limited by its relatively low output power which will be sufficient in many cases.
The fact remains that it has an adjustable cross fader, essential in my opinion for listening to headphones and a 10-band parametric equalization per channel... useful for listening to headphones and as a desktop DAC, because it can also be used...
We're on ASR and I'm reading some totally inappropriate and useless shouting matches.
What I see is that used as a Dac including 10-band parametric equalization per channel, it will power a small class D or AB amp as ASR tests many with remarkable performance for a very low overall price. reasonable and impeccable quality or a pair of amplified speakers with RCA inputs and that everything that the computer to which it will be connected will read will be corrected by its parametric equalizer...
The other two models Qudelix and RME which oppose it here are more powerful for headphone use, but one of the two has weak DAC measurements on ASR and the other, the magnificent RME, only has 5 bands of equalization per channel. If there were 10, not much would exist next to it given all its other features.
As we are on ASR and subjectivist chatter is not in season, everyone will choose according to their needs and ergonomic preferences.
Personally, I prefer that equalizations be loaded into the memory of a device than into software installed on my computer and I am a user of Roon, WMP, Itunes, Jriver, and Audirvana studio...
The fact remains that it has an adjustable cross fader, essential in my opinion for listening to headphones and a 10-band parametric equalization per channel... useful for listening to headphones and as a desktop DAC, because it can also be used...
We're on ASR and I'm reading some totally inappropriate and useless shouting matches.
What I see is that used as a Dac including 10-band parametric equalization per channel, it will power a small class D or AB amp as ASR tests many with remarkable performance for a very low overall price. reasonable and impeccable quality or a pair of amplified speakers with RCA inputs and that everything that the computer to which it will be connected will read will be corrected by its parametric equalizer...
The other two models Qudelix and RME which oppose it here are more powerful for headphone use, but one of the two has weak DAC measurements on ASR and the other, the magnificent RME, only has 5 bands of equalization per channel. If there were 10, not much would exist next to it given all its other features.
As we are on ASR and subjectivist chatter is not in season, everyone will choose according to their needs and ergonomic preferences.
Personally, I prefer that equalizations be loaded into the memory of a device than into software installed on my computer and I am a user of Roon, WMP, Itunes, Jriver, and Audirvana studio...
You beat me to it @Haskil.
I think the device is quite perfect as it is.
I for one like that it doesn’t have buttons, doesn’t come with a mobile app, and doesn’t have an integrated clip. I like the search for minimalism and beauty that this little dongle DAC expresses. It would fit my personal audio use case very well, which consists of one pair of IEMs, a Windows work laptop and an iPhone.
What I love is that it has DSP and shows excellent measurements. The engineer comes across as someone who takes pride in getting the most out of the technology at hand, both performance wise and in some areas functionally too. All while staying in touch with his audience in a remarkably open and constructive manner.
Products and manufacturers like these are rare and ought to be celebrated here. Instead, the past few pages seem to have been all about teaching the person a lesson and telling him that he got it entirely wrong. I wish we could cut back a little bit on this because it looks ugly and I fear that in the bigger scheme of things it's more counterproductive than helping.
Sorry for the rant.
I think the device is quite perfect as it is.
I for one like that it doesn’t have buttons, doesn’t come with a mobile app, and doesn’t have an integrated clip. I like the search for minimalism and beauty that this little dongle DAC expresses. It would fit my personal audio use case very well, which consists of one pair of IEMs, a Windows work laptop and an iPhone.
What I love is that it has DSP and shows excellent measurements. The engineer comes across as someone who takes pride in getting the most out of the technology at hand, both performance wise and in some areas functionally too. All while staying in touch with his audience in a remarkably open and constructive manner.
Products and manufacturers like these are rare and ought to be celebrated here. Instead, the past few pages seem to have been all about teaching the person a lesson and telling him that he got it entirely wrong. I wish we could cut back a little bit on this because it looks ugly and I fear that in the bigger scheme of things it's more counterproductive than helping.
Sorry for the rant.
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Maybe. FWIW I tried to use Qudelix in front of a HeadRoom Desktop amp and it there was not enough gain to work well on HD580/600/800. EQ eats headroom, remember. Ended up upgrading the desktop to RME and using Qudelix for portable.
First, I wouldn’t say “oppose.” There are so many pointless-me-too-whatevers. This isn’t another. It’s something that looks like it has some usability oddities (really no iOS control over the EQ?) but generally seems to be is the third reasonable option in terms of basic functionality required for the task. That said…
To the former, DAC has long been a solved problem. I’m reminded of a discussion I had with the estimable Dr. David Rich about an expensive component from an elite and engineering focused brand. He was lamenting the cheap DAC chips in a 5 figure (USD) box. I asked why he thought they used them. His answer - they know they’ll pass ABX with the specified DAC chips. He thought that was unfortunate because he thought an expensive piece of gear should have better performance regardless of audibility. Personally, it did not bother me as there was no sonic penalty.
To the latter, RME actually has 7 bands - the bass/treble controls are adjustable shelf filters. Still, IMO, 5 would be fine for most cases - even things such as HD800 which are horrid out of the box but transform beautifully with when the spectral balance is addressed. Using more bands generally just results usually chasing inaudible problems. Look at @amirm’s corrections - rarely does he use so many bands. A lighter touch is often a smarter touch.
Isn’t it inherently subjectivist to opine on DAC measurements without any tether to audibility?
Agreed. I’ve never understood why some think it’s ok to have better fidelity for some sources than others.
I also like this device, and I too agree there have been lots of irrelevant arguments.
However, with respect, I am going to call desktop use praises as irrelevant too! There are DACs with remote control and balanced outputs for less than $180.
This is a simple dongle on steroids. Dongles operate on external power, so they are small, simple gadgets, not needing recharging, plug'n'go devices. As such, their outputs are limited, though as balanced, they can output 200mW or so, but at the cost of draining your phone's battery, so one may not be able to call a taxi at the end of the flight!
The onboard DSP, could be crucial to some, but not everyone. Personally, it is lost on me. I had a BTR5, and never used that feature. Hell, I didn't even use the tone controls on Mojo2, while I had it.
But that's me!
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