[biggbenn74]

Ok, finally pulled the trigger on a DFR + Jitterbug combo (BOTH for $189, open box) and I have a question or two I would love to have answered.

I'll be using this setup out of my iphone 7+ for the main part, youtube rips are no stranger to my headphones. I've been told the sound will be at least a little "cleaned up" overall, not expecting miracles. Listening through Monolith M1060.

BUT, with iOS 11 coming soon, Apple says the software update should support lossless, high fidelity music files. Looking at a Tidal subscription as my wife is a current student, and could end up saving half on a subscription.

Would it be beneficial to get a Tidal premium membership knowing that in the near future my iPhone will be able to have the capabilities to unleash the DFR to its full potential? Or would the benefits from MP3's simply be justified enough.

Thanks!

 

[jegnyc]

Ok, finally pulled the trigger on a DFR + Jitterbug combo (BOTH for $189, open box) and I have a question or two I would love to have answered.

I'll be using this setup out of my iphone 7+ for the main part, youtube rips are no stranger to my headphones. I've been told the sound will be at least a little "cleaned up" overall, not expecting miracles. Listening through Monolith M1060.

BUT, with iOS 11 coming soon, Apple says the software update should support lossless, high fidelity music files. Looking at a Tidal subscription as my wife is a current student, and could end up saving half on a subscription.

Would it be beneficial to get a Tidal premium membership knowing that in the near future my iPhone will be able to have the capabilities to unleash the DFR to its full potential? Or would the benefits from MP3's simply be justified enough.

Thanks!

Not exactly an answer to your question. More a qualification.

I'm not sure Tidal implementation will change all that much with iOS 11. Right now you can get CD resolution sound from Tidal on your iPhone. What you don't get is MQA (and I don't want to debate the merits of MQA) as it's only available from a computer. Maybe this will change, but I haven't heard anything about it. And I don't think it's related to the capabilities of iOS.

To be clear you can already get hi-rez playback on an iPhone with one of several third party apps.

 

[Donie Ray Samba-an]

Not exactly an answer to your question. More a qualification.

I'm not sure Tidal implementation will change all that much with iOS 11. Right now you can get CD resolution sound from Tidal on your iPhone. What you don't get is MQA (and I don't want to debate the merits of MQA) as it's only available from a computer. Maybe this will change, but I haven't heard anything about it. And I don't think it's related to the capabilities of iOS.

To be clear you can already get hi-rez playback on an iPhone with one of several third party apps.

You do not have problems using DFR on your iPhone? What iOS version are you using?

 

[jegnyc]

You do not have problems using DFR on your iPhone? What iOS version are you using?

10.2.

 

[cykelvin]

Any of you happens to try both the Dragonfly Red and LH Labs Geekout v2? Just curious which one is better.

 

[Donie Ray Samba-an]

10.2.

I see. I thought you were using 10.3.2. Thanks.

 

[kushanukum]

Any of you happens to try both the Dragonfly Red and LH Labs Geekout v2? Just curious which one is better.

Any of you happens to try both the Dragonfly Red and LH Labs Geekout v2? Just curious which one is better.

 

[kushanukum]

I just ordered a GOv2 and promptly cancelled it an d ordered the DFR, because I'm thinking the GOv2 will draw to much power from my IPhone 6. If your using with a laptop no problem

 

[Mompy7777]

Hi guys, I have a pair of Sennheiser x Massdrop HD 6XX (basically HD650s) coming in december and I wanted to know if the Dragonfly Red can drive them properly since they have an impedance of 300 ohm and that worries me a little bit, if not what other solution can you guys suggest? I need a DAC/AMP combo

 

[cykelvin]

I just ordered a GOv2 and promptly cancelled it an d ordered the DFR, because I'm thinking the GOv2 will draw to much power from my IPhone 6. If your using with a laptop no problem

Yes, the iphone can't power the GOV2. I might just sell it and get the DFR instead.

 

[WoodyLuvr]

Hi guys, I have a pair of Sennheiser x Massdrop HD 6XX (basically HD650s) coming in december and I wanted to know if the Dragonfly Red can drive them properly since they have an impedance of 300 ohm and that worries me a little bit, if not what other solution can you guys suggest? I need a DAC/AMP combo

The DFR will drive your HD6XXs to ~109 peak dB SPL which should be more than enough power and headroom even at loud listening levels.

AQ DragonFly Red (DFR) - Power Output (Vmax) & Impedance: 2.1 Vrms (5.94 Vp-p) @ <1 ohm
SENN HD6XX - Impedance & Sensitivity: 300 ohms @ 97.8 db/mW SPL (103 dB/V SPL)​

I.) DFR Power Output with HD6XX: (2.1 Vrms * 2.1 Vrms)/300 ohms = 14.7 mW

II.) SPL from Power for HD6XX & DFR: 97.8 dB/mW + 10 * LOG (14.7 mW) = 109.5 peak dB SPL

III.) SPL from Voltage for HD6XX & DFR: 103 dB/V + 20 * LOG (2.1 Vrms) = 109.4 peak dB SPL​

 

[Mompy7777]

The DFR will drive your HD6XXs to ~109 peak dB SPL which should be more than enough power and headroom even at loud listening levels.

AQ DragonFly Red (DFR) - Power Output (Vmax) & Impedance: 2.1 Vrms (5.94 Vp-p) @ <1 ohm
SENN HD6XX - Impedance & Sensitivity: 300 ohms @ 97.8 db/mW SPL (103 dB/V SPL)​

I.) DFR Power Output with HD6XX: (2.1 Vrms * 2.1 Vrms)/300 ohms = 14.7 mW

II.) SPL from Power for HD6XX & DFR: 97.8 dB/mW + 10 * LOG (14.7 mW) = 109.5 peak dB SPL

III.) SPL from Voltage for HD6XX & DFR: 103 dB/V + 20 * LOG (2.1 Vrms) = 109.4 peak dB SPL​

Thank you so much for that, another question :
Let's say I make the effort and buy a Mojo Chord, will I feel a big difference that justifies paying more than twice the price of a DFR? Always with the HD650s in mind

Thank you

 

[WoodyLuvr]

... Let's say I make the effort and buy a Mojo Chord, will I feel a big difference that justifies paying more than twice the price of a DFR? ...

That is a question I am currently researching myself and would love a good answer too! I too would like to know where that line for diminishing returns occurs when amping headphones from a completely objective perspective using scientific calculations. That being said many would tell you that the MOJO will drive the HD6XX with "more authority" giving you better sound than the DFR... I just don't know if that is entirely true from a power amp calculations perspective. Is there really going to be a 'hearable' performance difference between the DFR's 109 peak dB and the MOJO's 117 dB? Will this dramatically effect the headroom? Now of course the difference in DAC chips may or may not have an effect on the sound but I am only considering (talking about) the power amp performance here.

Chord MOJO - Power Output (Vmax) & Impedance: 5.3 Vrms (15.0 Vp-p) @ 0.075 ohms
SENN HD6XX - Impedance & Sensitivity: 300 ohms @ 97.8 db/mW SPL (103 dB/V SPL)​

I.) MOJO Power Output with HD6XX: (5.3 Vrms * 5.3 Vrms)/300 ohms = 93.6 mW
II.) SPL from Power for HD6XX & MOJO: 97.8 dB/mW + 10 * LOG (93.6 mW) = 117.5 peak dB SPL
III.) SPL from Voltage for HD6XX & MOJO: 103 dB/V + 20 * LOG (5.3 Vmax) = 117.5 peak dB SPL​

 

[Devodonaldson]

That is a question I am currently researching myself and would love a good answer too! I too would like to know where that line for diminishing returns occurs when amping headphones from a completely objective perspective using scientific calculations. That being said many would tell you that the MOJO will drive the HD6XX with "more authority" giving you better sound than the DFR... I just don't know if that is entirely true from a power amp calculations perspective. Is there really going to be a 'hearable' performance difference between the DFR's 109 peak dB and the MOJO's 117 dB? Will this dramatically effect the headroom? Now of course the difference in DAC chips may or may not have an effect on the sound but I am only considering (talking about) the power amp performance here.

Chord MOJO - Power Output (Vmax) & Impedance: 5.3 Vrms (15.0 Vp-p) @ 0.075 ohms
SENN HD6XX - Impedance & Sensitivity: 300 ohms @ 97.8 db/mW SPL (103 dB/V SPL)​

I.) MOJO Power Output with HD6XX: (5.3 Vrms * 5.3 Vrms)/300 ohms = 93.6 mW
II.) SPL from Power for HD6XX & MOJO: 97.8 dB/mW + 10 * LOG (93.6 mW) = 117.5 peak dB SPL
III.) SPL from Voltage for HD6XX & MOJO: 103 dB/V + 20 * LOG (5.3 Vmax) = 117.5 peak dB SPL​

I am a DFR user since it came out. Spent time with the mojo at canham, both days. Did a notice a difference between dfr and mojo, yes. Was it major, no, not at all, IMO. Mojo was a litter cleaner and redolute throughout the frequency spectrum, but most certainly did not justify the $400 price difference over the DFR. Only portable DAC that has my attention after ffr is the coming Mytek clef, because it has a MQA decoder built in. Meaning on Android with UAPP I will be able to stream MQA from Tidal from my phone. That and the volume potentiometer. But DFR is good enough. Save the extra towards better headphones or something

 

[Mompy7777]

I am a DFR user since it came out. Spent time with the mojo at canham, both days. Did a notice a difference between dfr and mojo, yes. Was it major, no, not at all, IMO. Mojo was a litter cleaner and redolute throughout the frequency spectrum, but most certainly did not justify the $400 price difference over the DFR. Only portable DAC that has my attention after ffr is the coming Mytek clef, because it has a MQA decoder built in. Meaning on Android with UAPP I will be able to stream MQA from Tidal from my phone. That and the volume potentiometer. But DFR is good enough. Save the extra towards better headphones or something

This is when it gets confusing for me, some folks say that the difference between the DFR and the MOJO is not that much, and some other people says the MOJO plays in a whole different league compared to the DFR.
I just want to have the best out of my HD 6XXs but without wasting money