Amps & DACs

This is the first (and only?) DAC/Amp combo out there that has everything I was looking for. This is what you get in this 800 dollar package:

-headphone amp
-analog output
-analog input
-usb input
-coax input
-optical input

Why is it so hard to offer this in one package for other dac/amp makers? You can use everyone of those inputs/outputs. No more switching between digital inputs (most let you use coax OR optical, but never both). It let's you shoot a signal out to your speakers. It let's you input your iPod through the analog inputs. It's amazingly versatile. Nothing out there that I know of offers you this much value and options for the price.

The output is a bit tricky. The speakers cutoff if you plug in your headphones and the speaker volume is NOT controlled by the volume pot on the amp. It's a fixed signal. You can have it modded by the manufacturer to have it so the pot controls the speaker volume as well (which is why it's perfectly good as a preamp unless you get it modded). I actually had it modded so the speakers don't cutoff when I plug the headphones in. That way I can use my outboard volume for the speakers and my amps pot for the headphones (switching between the two is a breeze).

I also mentioned that the USB has a locking problem sometimes, this only occurs when I unplug it after it had previous been plugged in. After trouble shooting this with CEntrance, the technician advised I have the computer powered off before plugging it in. I took his advice and have not had a problem since, but still a problem that should be noted.

OK, after all that is out of the way. Let's talk sound:

Acoustic and or Live: By far at it's best. I can hear every detail, breath, and strum. It really has one the ability of giving you the "at the show" feeling.

Classic Rock/Motown: Again, it does good with the good old stuff. My Stevie, Marvin Gaye, Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac has never sounded so good ever.

Pop/Rap/Hip-Hop/Electronic: Ok, let's get this out of the way. I think these genres sound great and detailed, but ... I think this type of music is better suited for more consumer grade products. It's the reason I keep a pair of XB500 Sony's nearby. Sometimes you just want music to bump, but this amp/dac is more about revealing micro-details and sounding realistic (not cold, but not warm). Bass is good, but it doesn't have the colored sound we look for in say some tube amps or from some other audio manufacturers that'll remain nameless.

The good thing about this amp is that using consumer grade headphones is great with the amp (clarity and clean bass), but the reality is you might not want all the detail in the world listening to dubstep or Drake and if you only like this type of music, you should look into warmer, less detailed amp/dac.

Rock: AND ROLL! Yes, great for Rock based stuff. The D2000s are sometimes accused of being bass heavy, here it actually gives you the accurate kick of the drum and the crisp snare that we look for in a good piece of audio equipment. Sounds great!

Overall, this is a great piece of equipment for both sound and options. The amp is powerful enough to hang with the heavy weights I've used over the years. The all-in-one design is a headache saver, not to mention it's nice to have a small footprint. Most importantly, it sounds great with most everything I throw at it. The rap/hip weakness is sort of present with a lot of audiophile stuff mainly because there isn't a huge amount of complexity involved with making that sort of music in the first place and a lot of equipment is striving for natural sound, but even then, the music still sounds great.