- #FOCAL PRO PC 2.05 MANUAL#
- #FOCAL PRO PC 2.05 FULL#
- #FOCAL PRO PC 2.05 SERIES#
- #FOCAL PRO PC 2.05 FREE#
Stunningly simple to integrate with Roon and TIDAL for regular playback of your local library and streaming. Can you use a linear power supply and further reduce noise? The answer should be yes so long as you get the correct power-rated linear adapter. Performance increased, dynamics were better and it lost a little softness present on USB only. In fact, testing side by side the use of DC power combined with USB was a little better than USB alone. What I know at this stage is that this may not be the case unless you have some really wonky uneven power supplies.
#FOCAL PRO PC 2.05 MANUAL#
Now there has been some debate on whether to use the adapter or not as the instructions manual comes with a warning not to use USB and DC power simultaneously.
Switching to DAC duty and the Sustain84 you did get a lift in dynamic range but the gap wasn’t huge enough for me to say the S2D could not cope.
#FOCAL PRO PC 2.05 SERIES#
These headphones are between 26 and 36Ω and whilst they can scale a bit more they won’t sound lacking on the S2D.Įfficient planars such as the PM3 from Oppo and the SINE DX series from Audeze sounded great also from the headphone jack and sat around -20-15dB in terms of volume. Low Impedance/Planarsįor more efficient headphones such as the Meze 99 Classic/Neo and even the AKG K872/812, I had no real driving issues. The HDACC DAC delivered a harder glassier treble attack compared to the S2D which has a bit more body and generally a better harmonic balance when used as a DAC. When I say smoother I am referring to the top-end. Switching the S2D to DAC and pre-amp duties with the Sustain84 changed that imbalance and produced a smoother timbre than the ES9018 HDACC. Switching to an Essence HDACC DAC powered Cypher Labs Sustain84 tube amp setup I got more headroom, better depth, and layering than the headphone output of the S2D. Both of these attained adequate gain around -15 to -10dB but just did have the same dynamic range and output power as a dedicated desktop amp. Headphonesįor headphones, you can follow roughly the same curve though it does not collapse like a deck of cards with harder-to-drive headphones such as the HD600 and HD650. However, it had enough gain to go fairly loud and didn’t come across as tinny or underpowered though it did hit around -10dB.
#FOCAL PRO PC 2.05 FULL#
I would not say they are the best pairing for synergy since the CL1 always sounds better using its balanced cable with their own L1 DACAmp or a full desktop solution. On the flip side, high impedance IEMs such as the CL1 from RHA actually did ok. I always contend if this IEM is quiet then all other IEMs will display the same performance and so it is the case. Notoriously hiss-sensitive IEMs such as the 12.5Ω Andromeda were tremendously quiet. Even without the adapter and relying on the USB the noise levels are very good indeed. They are basically non-existent using the supplied DC switching supply (5V).
I have to give props to the S2D for noise levels.
#FOCAL PRO PC 2.05 FREE#
Overall the S2D presentation is more linear than say an AK-infused DAC or Wolfson device but its stays impressively smooth, sibilant free and balanced sounding. This is not EQ so the effect is not obvious without continued listening. One further note, the digital filters are very nuanced in their tonal tweaks. Personally, I loved the optimal transient filter combined with the ‘Audio Best’ setting though I lost the distortion compensation enabled option which is disabled when you opt for ‘Audio Best’. If you prefer the most neutral of all filters without any attenuation then something like the Minimum Phase Fast option will be your best bet. Particularly the hybrid filter which rolls off the final octave more than the others. The treble delivery is excellent with pleasing levels of articulation and a top-end extension that you can fine-tune slightly with some of its digital filter options. The older 9018 chipset implementations were often prone to lower treble harshness a few years back and for sounding overly analytical or digital sounding. This is consistent with the modern ES90XX series I have been listening to over the last year or so. Pleasingly it lacks any of the traditional Sabre Glare from older implementations. It also has a very low noise floor suitable for a wide range of IEMs and efficient headphones. It may not be as resolving as the large Sonica DAC in terms of layering and instrumental separation but it does have a similar response with a very nice black background. Having heard a wide range of ES9028/38 infused devices this one doesn’t stray too far off the mark. Tonally, the S2D is clean and clear with a largely neutral presentation and equivalent instrumental timbre.