Ordered Audio-GD 19 MK3, according to Kingwa it'll probably take 2 weeks to deliver,
like squall343 not ordering the higher end simply because lack of usb input, most of my listening now through my laptop.
Like him I too have Citypulse 2.03 and yes, headphone out is not that impressive and now volume control start to give
some kind of screeching sound at certain position, I think there's problem with the potentiometer.
Now it can only be used as pure DAC. So got myself Promitheus TVC as pre-amp, sound great but lament about lack of remote control and that
got me thinking of revamping the whole gear. Almost ordering C2C together with 19MK3 till I saw 'Phoenix', e-mail Kingwa and expected date mid-June. It's just perfect item for me since it's a remote pre-amp + great headamp all in one. I'm not using it as 'desktop' hi-fi so remote control head-amp is quite important to me.
Enough rambling.

actually are u going to use dac19mk3 with the phoenix?

if so, u have got to buy a better dac because
while phoenix is a balanced headamp, the dac19 is not a balanced dac
u need to go higher to ref 1 or 2 in order to have balanced dac


also u need to recable all ur headphones to balanced

This post has been edited by squall343: May 11 2009, 04:11 AM

Yes, that the initial plan, I actually e-mail Kingwa asking him to put cast output to the 19MK3 after reading in head-fi forum
that someone already did that but his reply mirrored yours i.e unbalanced out to balanced cast in won't get full potential.
What's stopping me from going higher is lack of USB i/p ( price too but I'd buy dsp base if usb i/p avail ) also my power amp
does not have XLR input. I am not a serious headphone user, most of my listening through normal amp+speaker. What attract me to 'Phoenix' is not the balanced config but the combination of amp+head amp with remote.

haha....ic

maybe can change ur power amp also

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Added on May 13, 2009, 11:26 pmbad news for those still haven get their hand on the compass

Price: USD258 (The initial promotional price , this price will end at 31th May.)
(Excluding shipping charge)
1th Jun. price will become USD330
http://www.audio-gd.com/enweb/DAC-Compass.htm

This post has been edited by squall343: May 13 2009, 11:26 PM

Any update impression on the DAC other than the compass?

Any impression from the second batch buyer? If you got any question, feel free to shoot the question here ... we are here to help!

godluxsex...when u r bringing the audiogd phoenix in ? hehe
i am interested in audit it maybe will get another balanced amp for preamp.....

I think I'm not going to bring in phoenix, will concentrate more on hifi instead of headfi

If you want to get a unit, I can help u get at nice price

Got the Compass yesterday after some screw up by the courier company. Should have gotten it on Tuesday. Anyway left the Compass in the office to do burn-in, connected to the PC via USB. Too early to comment on the sound quality at the moment.

Just need to check with you guys on how does the Compass detect analog signals? Currently, I have USB, Optical and analog connection to the Compass, but the knob at the front only has selection for USB, Coaxial and Optical.

Tried the CD optical connection with the knob changed to optical (with the optical cable connected to the CD player). No sound. After about 1 minute, switch back to the PC USB. The sound only came in about say 5 minutes. Not sure why, maybe the DAC needs some time to detect the source.

Then I switch the cable to output from DAC and press the "S" button. No sound. Left it there, went out and came back 2 hours later. Everything seems OK then. Sound came out via the DAC output.

Not sure what's wrong. Anyone experience the same problem?

Anyone know where I can download the operation manual?

Just got this picture from headfi there ... should explain alot how to play with COMPASS





To use the DAC out:

1) Input with one of the three options, USB, spdif and coax
2) Select the appropriate input with the front input selection knob.
3) Press ON the button "S"
4) Connect your interconnect at the DAC out jack


To use the preamp out:

1) Connect your interconnect from analog source with line in jack at the back
2) Turn ON the preamp function at the back
3) Press ON the button "S"
4) Connect your another pair of interconnect from preamp out to your poweramp.


To use the headamp only (bypass COMPASS's dac)

1) Connect your interconnect from analog source with line in jack at the back
2) Turn OFF the preamp function at the back
3) Press ON the button "S"
4) Plug in your headphone with the front headamp jack to enjoy



To use the headamp only (without bypass the DAC)


1) Turn OFF the preamp function at the back
2) Turn OFF the button "S"
2) Plug in your headphone with the front headamp jack to enjoy



Hope all these helps!

actually im quite interested on phoenix too.
how nice the price you can get?

is a large sum of money to move to balance amp...not sure what is the cost for b22, but suppose is quite close.
but going balance means i also have to spent more on recable....dying lor....

my B22 is almost 1100 euros....not including shipping fee yet and 4% paypal fee ....
phoenix is much affordable and seriously i waiting to audit it whether it is on par with B22 or other high end amps...
balance u need to get a source or dac which has balanced output
the most preferable way is cdp/dac with xlr or bnc input to dac to amp
u need 2 powercords, 1 pair of xlr cables or 1 bnc cable ...all the headphones must recabled to xlr or single ended it doesnt maximize the full balanced setup...
if u going for balanced u either need to spend or forget all bout it...
balanced source or cdp....cost a bomb or a dac which has xlr like cambridge magicdac which is the most affordable and versatile
btw pls quote the price for the phoenix for me

Received my Compass from the second bulk early Tuesday morning, a day after GodLuvSxS said was being sent out to everyone.

I tried Compass with the OPA-Earth as I had the Earth for nearly 3 months on my Prodigy card so it is already well burned-in I suppose. Source is Prodigy HD2 output via TOSLINK to Compass. Headphone is Sennheiser HD595, neutral setting in the Amp.

First impression is the whole soundstage opening up, clear and airy highs, clear mids, and solid bass. And everything sounded so clean, natural and neutral. There is a very clear depth and width in the soundstage. With the HD595, I thought it sounded very natural, clear and neutral, like listening to the Alesis M1 Active MkII Monitors using balanced connections ...

I am wondering what it will sound like with a HD600...itchy to get my hands on a HD600 just to hear the difference in sound....

True to what has been reported before, while burning in, I can hear some shift in the sound signature...Been letting Compass running 24 hours since Tuesday...

I also tried using USB link and USB-ASIO driver. Surprisingly, the audio seems to sound fuller and added depth compared to TOSLink. Wonder if the TOSLink cable needs to be upgraded... Not sure which one is suppose to be the correct sound then....

This post has been edited by damieneo: Jul 11 2009, 10:57 PM

Anyone letting go of their OPA Moon? Let me know if you are

I don't know if this is what people do but a Hi-Fi friend of mine suggested that I use some Blu-Tack and cover the capacitors and IC chips on the Compass board... suppose to make the sound better and it was an old "HI-FI audiophile trick" - about dampening effect...

Not sure if it's the Compass burning in or whatever, but after he has done the blu-tack thingy...I listened again while he did with and without blu-tack...Surprisingly there is a difference... Soundstage gain additional depth, the highs have some sparkle and instruments seems to have layers...

Is this something like a mod to try??

hi, can you show us some pictures of it?

This post has been edited by xjian1985: Jul 17 2009, 11:30 AM

The Compass with the Earth HDAM has finally passed the 350 Hours mark. Must say...the sound seems to settle down alot... Bass, mid and treble now balanced....

My connection is through stock Toslink from Audiotrak Prodigy HD2 (only has optical out). My friend loan me an audioquest toslink...difference is great....seems like better tsolink , better sound...more textures and depth, details compare to stock toslink...my friend suggest I try getting the Van Deb Hul Optocoupler made from glass...should sound as good as digital coaxial...

Second thing I try is using Vibrapods underneath the Compass... bought 4 of model 1 from Tong Lee at LYP.... Wow! I thought it was just minor change in sound but with the vibrapod the sound quality improved a lot! Soundstage really widen up...and depth moves back deeper....trebles have clearer and sweet sound, bass...physically solid.... Really good.... Listen to music and it sounds lifelike...Tong Lee sells for RM30 one piece of vibrapod.... I heard they were stuckup but not so in my case...the owner was very helpful and suggest I try different model ...if not right...go back and change.... I tried model 3...but not much effect so finally settle on mdel 1 as suggested by GodLuvSxS....

Glad to hear that my suggestion works for you ... I guess now you believe about isolation works wonder ... too bad my vibrapod sales still stuck there ... hope that it could reach MOQ 25 packs (4 units in one packaging, RM100 per package inclusive of shipping) of vibrapod after this great review

...I am hoping the bulk will still jalan... I wanted to get more.... Anyway, also tried the Vibrapod Cone on top of the Isolators under the Compass. Strange though...the effect on the sound is like it's much brighter, a little bit constricted sound signature... Not sure if need the Cones anymore...but yea...definitely BIG IMPROVEMENT using the Isolators under the Compass...

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Added on July 30, 2009, 12:04 pm....How come the Compass thread no post arrrr?? No one have comment lor? Or too deep into the sound of the Compass ...

I think I have reach quite close to the 600 hours burn - in for the Compass with the Earth HDAM (matured almost 6 months liao..Only burn in Compass).

Strange experience...whenever I opened up the cover, and replaced it...if I tightened the screw tightly, the sound from my HD600 sounds a little bit compressed in the sound signature... if I loosen the screws until it just tighten but not yet...I hear a wider soundstage, and highs are little bit clearer but not bright, airy...

I thought its just my hearing...but I repeat a few times and get the same result....odd....

Also...I have since removed all the blu-tak on the ICs & caps in the Compass... I use just two little dots about 3mm in size on the DIR9001 IC and the DAC chip... I hear a stronger bass...the bass drum kicks really "kick" my head... ... I wonder if this is what the Marigo VTS Tuning Pots does.... But the little bit of bluu-tak did produce different sound... instruments I can tell them apart.... Bass "Kicking"... slightly warmer sounding instruments...Hmmmmm

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Added on August 1, 2009, 3:15 amDang!....Just set the jumpers to soft2 settings...Now the Compass really sounding really real thru the HD600! Instruments such as violins sounded very very lifelike....freaky....I work with an orchestra at the KLCC most of the time and now I can hear the instruments just like in real life!

This post has been edited by damieneo: Aug 1 2009, 03:15 AM

Gotten my Compass few days ago with Earth/Moon/Sun Opamp. Surprise it is so big size & its built quality is top notch.

Now burning with Earth Opamp with Soft-1 jumper mode.

Setup:
Macbook Pro>Toslink>Compass DAC>Silveramp or AMB Mini3>UM Quaddie or Panasonic HTX7

*HTX7 is waken up by Compass! It never sound so good before via all my portable amp/dac.

Comparing Alien DAC+Silveramp or Mini3 VS Compass DAC/AMP:
>Alien DAC+Silveramp win (i think Silveramp itself is much better than Compass amp, to my surprise Silveramp only take like level 1 volume knob or 7 o'clock able to drive my Quaddie & 9 o'clock to drive my HTX7, it is sure damn powerful portable amp!)
>Using Compass DAC+Silveramp or Mini3 is so much better than Alien DAC (yeah Compass price wise is much more than Alien DAC).

Right now i am able to enjoy AMB Mini3 fullest via Compass DAC for the 1st time. Mini3 suppose to be Neutral, but the i feel it is quite warm, bass impact is superb. Good transparency & clean SQ. Comparing to Silveramp it is sure more warm than Mini3.

Conclusion:
I am fully satisfied with Compass so far, with 3 OPAMP changeable, 4 jumpers mode, combo with silveramp,mini3, fiio E5 are excellent so far.

Now i am admit that i am Audio-GD fanz, eyeing for DAC19MK3, C2C & PANTHER in the future.