Is this the world's most diabolically expensive DAC? [iFi Diablo 2]

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The Diablo 2 is a reassuringly expensive DAC / headphone amp. I take a long look, and a long listen.
Product page - ifi-audio.com/products/idsd-d...
Manual - ifi-audio.com/wp-content/uplo...
iFi Audio on Amazon - amzn.to/3PQT5sz
DAVID MELLOR'S MUSIC
David Mellor's music on Bandcamp - davidmellor.bandcamp.com/
David Mellor's music on Spotify - open.spotify.com/artist/6OkaD...
Available on all good streaming services
EQUIPMENT USED TO MAKE AUDIO MASTERCLASS VIDEOS
CAMERA - Sony Alpha A6600 amzn.to/3uj7Dtq
COMPUTER - Apple Mac Mini M2 Pro amzn.to/47tW6Wg
MICROPHONE - Sennheiser MKH 416 amzn.to/3QWWvuO
ALTERNATIVE MICROPHONE - AKG C414 amzn.to/3SLqCad
BUDGET MICROPHONE CHOICE - Rode shotgun amzn.to/3G0ni36
MICROPHONE PREAMPLIFIER - Comica LinkFlex AD2 amzn.to/40SMHFT
TELEPROMPTER - Padcaster Parrot alternatives amzn.to/40A55TJ
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AUDIO INTERFACE - Behringer UMC202HD amzn.to/3ugj6db
HEADPHONES - Sony wired amzn.to/3sEjlht
SPEAKER CABLE - KabelDirekt amzn.to/3ucgQ6T
POWER AMPLIFIER - Fosi V3 amzn.to/3vRumNH
KEYLIGHT- Amaran 100d amzn.to/40A5Gor
FILL LIGHTS - Switti RGB amzn.to/3ufhOPu
SOFTBOX Phot-R alternatives amzn.to/3QGoTjJ
LIGHTING STANDS Phot-R alternatives amzn.to/3QWXOKe
MONITOR - Samsung UJ59 amzn.to/3MEoBsk
MONITOR ARM - Invision alternatives amzn.to/40SLqi5
MIC ARM - Neewer amzn.to/49Ob0sD
TRIPOD - Velbon alternatives amzn.to/46gu2oa
GREEN SCREEN - Elgato alternatives amzn.to/3SG2F3L
DESK - FlexiSpot E7 Pro amzn.to/3QVIWvS
VIDEO EDITING - Apple Final Cut Pro www.apple.com/final-cut-pro/
IMAGE EDITING - Adobe Photoshop amzn.to/3FZ7Ww0
AUDIO EDITING - Avid Pro Tools amzn.to/3QA5Wz7
NOTEBOOK - Leuchturm 1917 hardback amzn.to/47zonKX
PEN - Sakura Pigma archival pen Sakura Pigma archival pen amzn.to/47zz3cP
OSCILLOSCOPE - Hameg HM 203 alternatives amzn.to/47tWN1O
GROOMING - Philips 3000 nose hair trimmer amzn.to/40BdLJo
GROOMING - Nose plier amzn.to/41IOZaR
HAIR COLOUR - Just For Men amzn.to/475OgS1
HAIR CONDITIONER - TRESemmé Silky & Smooth amzn.to/41AdWFd
Disclaimer: Videos on this channel may include affiliate links and may feature software that has been received free of charge with an NFR (not for resale) licence, equipment that has been loaned or donated by a manufacturer or distributer, or equipment that has been bought for less than full retail price.

Опубликовано:

31 май 2024

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Комментарии : 107

@depafeo Месяц назад

I feel like having a raging drug habit would be cheaper than being an audiophile

@garymalone547 Месяц назад

Both is a challenge in my experience.

@nickmoranis2865 Месяц назад

A pink doorstop. Lovely!

@garymalone547 Месяц назад

I had plenty of fun with portable DAC/amps on my headphone journey. Started with the legendary FiiO E07K . Always thought the Diablo was ridiculous.

@pgdh Месяц назад

What a cheap and nasty power supply!

@johnbrentford5513 Месяц назад

Phil can hear 0.0000001% distortion.

@AudioMasterclass Месяц назад

Actually he can't hear much better than 0.003% but he hopes that will improve as he works on the resolution of his system.

@taidee Месяц назад

@@AudioMasterclass 🤣🤣

@philipkershaw7918 Месяц назад

No I can't! At my age I would struggle to hear distortion that is orders of magnitudes higher than that. Oh, that Phil! Well, he is the standard that all other Phil's aspire to.

@diatonicdelirium1743 Месяц назад

@@philipkershaw7918Blasphemy! The fact that you can't hear it doesn't make it OK for manufacturers to distort the signal.

@philipkershaw7918 Месяц назад

@@diatonicdelirium1743 It's a fair cop but society is to blame!

@rabit818 Месяц назад

My kitty Lou Lou can hear 40 hz. Lou Lou is happy with my older Audio Alchemy.

@TheAlapalooza Месяц назад

those hand gestures 🤣🤣

@AudioAssassin Месяц назад

What's the problem? lol

@elmerjohnston8118 Месяц назад

Great Review as usual, You are the Most entertaining reviewer I've ever come across on RU-vid,

@artysanmobile Месяц назад

I’d love to see the 4 conductor 4.4mm jack become a widely used standard. Just what I’ve wished for many times on pro equipment to improve panel design.

@Kevinb1821 Месяц назад

1300 dollars ? I just have a topping e30 connected to a battery pack for power and I love the way it sounds. Will this actually give me noticeable sound improvement?

@AudioMasterclass Месяц назад

Depends what calibre audiophile you are. But even if you're Olympic standard, at ten times the price will it be ten times better?

@ianorigbo7617 Месяц назад

Looks nice😊

@artysanmobile Месяц назад

Best unboxing ever.

@garymalone547 Месяц назад

Also I prefer eye fi to eye eff eye. Nearly got their hip flask DAC once. Looks cool.

@ronaldmcdonald2456 Месяц назад

No headphones here. Hate 'em. But your review was THOROUGHLY entertaining! Thanks, again😄

@fiddlix Месяц назад

I would love to see you do a review of the FiiO Q15. $400 AKM equipped.

@NoahBershatsky Месяц назад

Just got one yesterday, and I like it a lot! Worth the $400.

@fiddlix Месяц назад

@@NoahBershatsky I have had the FiiO Q15 for over a couple of months now and I couldn’t agree with you more. Definitely worth the $400.

@EricIolo Месяц назад

Alan Sugar is behind all of this - A mug's eyeful comes to mind!

@njm1971nyc Месяц назад

Bit unfair! Amstrad really was *diabolical*, but that's the only similarity! If you want a good example of a modern-day Mugs Eyeful, look no further than PYLE. The cheap audio man (or whatever his channel is called) reviewed one recently..."pro-style" handles on the front (for helping you lift the heft of its couple of pounds of premium-Chinesium build quality). Performance on-par with Amstrad.

@earthoid Месяц назад

I don't use lossy Bluetooth for audio. Same for lossy MQA (I loved your finger wagging over the MQA symbol), but manufacturers have to add these "features" to make more sales. For me, I'll stick with my Ares II DAC and separate headphone amp for the rare occasions when I listen through headphones. Meanwhile my iFi hip-dac sits collecting dust.

@davidchapman6557 Месяц назад

Concerning a very wide frequency response someone once said, (I forget who unfortunately) “The wider you open the window, the more the muck flies in.”

@AudioMasterclass Месяц назад

Yes I heard this back in the 70s or maybe even the 60s and it's not wrong.

@guybrushtwood 29 дней назад

I would argue that iem is the correct term when being used by a singer or musician to monitor their audio internally. My argument may also be very incorrect 😅

@AudioMasterclass 29 дней назад

I'd say you are correct. However neither you nor I get to make the rules.

@guybrushtwood 28 дней назад

@@AudioMasterclass or do we…

@oijans Месяц назад

For that price I'd also take a look at the FiiO K19

@tam8197 Месяц назад

if youre spending that kind of money, go for the k9 essor akm version. half the price for nearly all the sound quality, spend the rest on dancing girls, lol. an incremental improvement for double the price is nuts, and typically hifi world. the latest thing though, got to have that latest thing 😂

@stevengagnon4777 Месяц назад

You are right...I can not afford it.

@SomberShroud Месяц назад

review the KPH40's

@davidforeman1 Месяц назад

it matches your glasses, too...

@AudioMasterclass Месяц назад

Audiophiles appreciate the importance of pairing one's DAC with one's spectacles.

@barlow2976 Месяц назад

Colours, I like colours. I bought my used Mojo because it had colours. They're nice, I just don't remember what they mean. What's Betty's favourite colour?

@AudioMasterclass Месяц назад

Betty's favourite colour is #cc294d Surely everyone knows that.

@barlow2976 Месяц назад

@@AudioMasterclass Only those who have glimpsed her lingerie that is. Excuse me, I'm going to have to go and check my frequency responses..

@dragonfire61 Месяц назад

I can't afford it? I beg to differ 😂

@dizzle1119 Месяц назад

I have $1,200, too...but that doesn't change the fact that this thing is stupidly overpriced and looks like crap from an aesthetic viewpoint.

@ppanzer7243 Месяц назад

A long time ago I Radio/TV Technician and i hat alot of costumers in HIFI audio. Mostely stupid guys who are paying alot of money for esoteric technology. It's looking pretty much tha same today. This was the reason for me to give up my job and looking für better chances with more salary. I'm still laughing about all those stupid poeple. Once one guy told me that vinyl records have a frequency response of up to 75 KHz and so it is far better than tape wich is mostely limited to about 20 KHz. Thanks for this video and go on!

@hartyewh1 Месяц назад

It's output power claims are essentially false unless they've updated them on the site and it's essentially the same as the old Diablo.

@Douglas_Blake_579 Месяц назад

$1200 for a DAC? They've got to be kidding!!

@scottlowell493 Месяц назад

Back in the late 90's, a Bel Canto DAC cost that much. $2,319.30 in 2024 dollars. And you know something: a $199 DAC is just as good now.

@hartyewh1 Месяц назад

It's and amp as well.

@Douglas_Blake_579 Месяц назад

@@hartyewh1 $1200 for a DAC/AMP? They've got to be kidding! Don't be a sucker for a high price tag. Given the way companies prey upon Audiophiles with their overpriced junk, price is no longer any indication of quality.

@Douglas_Blake_579 Месяц назад

@@scottlowell493 Yep ... only a fool pays more.

@diatonicdelirium1743 Месяц назад

There are some nice features... I'd buy a Topping EX5 instead and get the same for about $300 except for the MEMS thingy.

@paulmcdonough9595 Месяц назад

I’m sure it’s fine enough, but I can’t get past the appearance or the price for that matter. Ifi, “turbo” and “nitro” please!

@bengeorgeschannel6568 Месяц назад

This is an excellent review of a product that may well be of interest to me once both of my ears are working properly. And you should consider releasing an album of your increasingly **rad** unboxing music on vinyl!!

@AudioMasterclass Месяц назад

Don't worry, an album is in the works.

@vvsousa Месяц назад

Most things in hifi are not worth what they cost, to be good you just need to raise the price!

@Douglas_Blake_579 Месяц назад

Cute story for you... I used to work for a very large electronics company, in their fledgling computers division. One day we got a shipment of "solar powered calculators" ... the first of their kind. They were advertising them as light activated with no batteries to worry about and selling them at $29.95 each. ... Nobody wanted them... litereally nobody! Finally, after a gilding mistake that died one of the case backs gold during a spill, they hit on the idea to "up the game". The multiple skids of calculators were shipped out, the backs were removed and electroplated with a gold finish and they were repackaged in a flashy new box. When we got them back they advertised them as "Executive Pocket Computers" and sold them for $249.99 each.... They sold out in 2 weeks. Some people are such easy marks....

@barlow2976 Месяц назад

@@Douglas_Blake_579 Jackanory,Jackanory,Jackanory.... (Americans will need to Google that reference)

@AudioAssassin Месяц назад

I have respect for 'iFi' because one of their devices solved a noise issue for me... but why in the sweet name of f**k would they not think to include a MIDI input ( including old-skool MIDI inputs)

@phpn99 Месяц назад

Overpriced for its specs, for sure. Now, when it comes to ADC and DAC, in a perfect circuit (therefore, in theory) you should be able to perform the perfect encoding and reconstruction of a 22.05 kHz sine wave at Red Book spec CD Audio sample rate and word length. But reconstruction filters aren't perfect and they have a transition band that can be problematic, even if - indeed - we are talking of distortion phenomena at the very threshold or beyond the hearing abilities of most listeners. For this reason, and to alleviate the burden on having to realise near-perfect reconstruction filters, it's been deemed a good compromise (in terms of storage cost) to do ADC with an additional octave worth of wiggle room devoted to the transition band of the reconstruction filter. This compromise is 96 kHz ADC, and for good measure, extending the word length to 24 bits makes better accommodation of the human hearing's propensity to notice with more acuity, amplitude variations in quiet audio passages, than in loud passages. This non-linear perception is called mu-law and it is used in telephony systems as a companding mechanism that fits a better signal in a lower number of bits. It is often misunderstood that the intention of 24/96 digital audio is to reproduce ultrasonic (!) audio frequencies ; whereas in fact 24/96 is intended to provide a better signal processing margin for the audible range, which extends to 20 kHz in the best cases (most listeners can't hear a thing above 16 kHz). 24/96 also improves the recording and reproduction of low-frequency square waves, or wave shapes that have a lot of high-order harmonics. The ears (and loudspeakers !) will do their own low-pass filtering, but having a wee bit sharper impulse response is never a bad thing. The paradox is that, as long as you're not doing anything stupid, 24/96 is actually a cheaper way (save for storage) to achieve great audio reconstruction, than doing Red Book (16/44). As for the pipe dream of going all the way to 768 kHz, just because AKM, ESS and Burr-Brown chips can handle it ; we're well past the law of diminishing returns. Audiofools who claim they can hear this sort of stuff need counselling. Very high data rates in DAC chips were engineered to support DSD audio, but that's another story.

@billhunt7862 Месяц назад

Mr Mellor, This is off- topic and may not be appropriate in this reply area. Please consider exploring an HDMI to I²S converter. Source attributed to @anadialog “How to send high-res audio from a Bluray /SACD/DVD player to a DAC via HDMI“, at or near the 6:52 mark. My use is with the Apple TV HDMI output for conversion to digital audio coax, meanwhile allowing the HDMI to pass through to the television. The audio coax is connected to an external DAC and continues with RCA cables to a 7-band tone control to finally join with the AVR aux in. Thank you for all the cold spectrograph to spectrogram analysis warmed with charming wit.

@AudioMasterclass Месяц назад

I'm probably underappreciating the significance and complexity of this. All I know at the moment is that I have a rough-and-ready spare-room system sourced from an Amazon Fire stick going to a splitter box that passes HDMI to a computer monitor and separates out the audio to the amp. $19.99, or am I missing the point? amzn.to/3VSUJxP

@billhunt7862 Месяц назад

Mr Mellor, you seldom if ever miss the point. My point was off mark. The fool meets Sir George Henry Martin CBE. The foolishness displayed forever on the Internet. I had stumbled upon a blurred copy of a bad sketch written on a cocktail napkin with unclear directions. Your reply was that of a true gentleman.

@NoahBershatsky Месяц назад

It’s garbage. I bought one from Bloom Audio, it had all sorts of interference from nearby RF in Bluetooth mode that it was unusable. Bloom Audio even charged me a restocking fee for the defective unit. My advice? Get a FiiO Q15 instead.

@thexfile. Месяц назад

Maybe your dog needs to hear the audio. 😄

@joshmartin8174 Месяц назад

Isn’t this DAC being used by folks for their Hifi systems? (Not headphones)

@njm1971nyc Месяц назад

In a word, No. It's a portable, rechargeable DAC/headphone amp. There are no outputs for anything besides headphones.

@EricIolo Месяц назад

Hang on a sec! I just checked out the web page - TDK C0G (Class 1 ceramic) capacitors "They are pricey but are a perfect addition to our products." What's that's about? And this too. Panasonic OS-CON caps "They are not often found in products costing

@Sound-Traveller Месяц назад

My cheap Loxjie D40 Pro has much better specs and sounds so much better than my Schiit Yggdrasil top of the range R2R, and yes it's maybe not as nice as this one but being smart is not always related to esthetics ;-)

@GenjoKoan75 Месяц назад

Sound is “good”? Most important quality warrants one word in the review?

@AudioMasterclass Месяц назад

Congratulations. You’ve got it.

@gracenotes5379 Месяц назад

As a self-proclaimed objectivist we should not expect David Mellor's review to extol the virtues of the Diabolo 2's "inner tone texture," etc. Hence, "the sound is good, objectively good." I mean, didn't you read the spec sheet?

@AudioMasterclass Месяц назад

Maybe I should change the name of my channel to 'The Objective Audiophile'. But would that be an oxymoron?

@ian-nz-2000 Месяц назад

@@AudioMasterclassdefinitely!

@andywrollo2915 Месяц назад

Ffs. So it's good sounding. For £1300 f that

@atoptip6193 Месяц назад

Isn’t a real IEM a custom made earphone, made first by pouring a putty into your ear canal then molding a hard plastic version of it, that fits exactly? Many costing $1K and up? In any case that is what musicians use. Since when did simple earbuds with a variety of rubber tips come to be called IEMs also? Those provide poor isolation and often fall out of the ear. Real IEMs never do. In fact you have to pry them out.

@AudioMasterclass Месяц назад

You raise a good point here, or rather build on mine. I suspect that nothing that either of us says will make any difference and whatever is called an IEM will be an IEM.

@nickmoranis2865 Месяц назад

Most of us can afford it. Most of us are not stupid enough to buy it. Cheap Chinese nonsense.