I emailed Audinst last week saying that he should sell the Mini with the OPA2227, as I really don’t see the beauty in the stock LME49860 configuration. And now being an owner of a headphone store, I know that different sound appeals to different people, but the LME49860 is simply out even considering all the possible music options. They replied by saying that they will continue to sell the Mini as it is, but the OPA2227 will be provided as an optional parts. If you want to compare prices, Mouser has the OPA2227P (that’s the one I use) for $8.47.
Okay, finally, a little comparison and we’re done.
HUD-MX1 vs HUD-Mini
I asked Audinst which of the two is supposed to be the superior product. They won’t say, and at that moment I was still unaware of the HUD-Mini’s $129 selling price. They only told me that the two are based on different DAC chips (the MX1 on Wolfson’s WM8741, the Mini on Burr-Brown’s PCM1791) and different design.
Stock for stock, the MX1 blows away the Mini. Stock MX1 versus the Mini on OPA2227, the MX1 is still more competitive technically (mainly a more spacious sound though a little grainy), but I think the Mini has the more likable tonality. I’ve always wanted the MX1 to have a fuller midrange body, and the Mini with the OPA2227 gives just that: fuller and sweeter mids, and also a fuller low end. Power wise, the HUD-MX1 drives my IEM and headphones louder than the Mini, and bass impact is also better on the MX1. With the MUSES 8820 op-amp, still the stock MX1 scores a better technical performance than the Mini. So I guess there are just no comparison with the bigger brother, but at least now we have a nice alternative that sells for significantly less price.
Fiio E17 vs HUD-Mini
The E17 is a nice DAC, but the HUD-Mini (again, on OPA2227) sounds like the higher end product with a better instrument definition, three dimensionality, and soundstage depth. The only thing I like with the E17 is the bass/treble controls, and the much higher driving power for my full size headphones, compared to the HUD-Mini.
Headphone Pairings
The HUD-Mini does the job adequately for the standard 300Ω Sennheisers (HD650 and friends). I can get enough loudness with them if I were playing mainstream recordings, but not with classical recordings. I think the HUD-Mini is best paired with low impedance, high sensitivity dynamic full size cans, and of course IEMs.
Compared to the HUD-MX1, the MX1 does have a higher gain and is able to drive big headphones to louder levels.
End Words
Not exactly the knock out that I expected it to be, but the HUD-Mini with the op-amp change makes for a good USB DAC at the price that it’s selling for: $129. It’s quite a bit cheaper than the HUD-MX1, and if you’ve been wanting a USB DAC and have been considering the popular Fiio E17 ($150), now you can get a better one though without the portable amp functionality that the Fiio E17 offers.
Gear Used For Review
MacBook Pro, MacPro, Sennheiser HD200, HD25, HD650, Etymotics ER4P, Vsonic GR02, GR06, GR07, Sony Z1000, MA900, Shure SE215.
William Lim
Great! Waiting for my Mini and if the OPA2227 don’t do it, I may try a MUSES 🙂
Ken Stuart
So what about the HUD-Mini with OPA2227 versus the Headstreamer ?
Mike
Of course, I absolutely missed that comparison.
The Headstreamer is very good with pushing out the details, but the sound is a bit flat and is not as natural as the HUD-Mini with the OPA2227. Instrument definition, three dimensionality is better with the Audinst.
quadpatch
Cool review Mike! I’m going to be reviewing this one soon so am really interested to start playing with op-amps now. Is there nothing else I need to know about them other than the voltage? When I looked at some to buy there were multiple types with all kinds of letters after the OPA2227 (no straight OPA227 models) and some of the pictures look like different shapes.
tero.molander
You need OPA2227P (DIP8 package version). You can ignore other letters after the important “P”. DO NOT BUY OPA227 (which is single opamp vs. dual which you need – you’ll blow that up or damage your HUD-mini, voltage pins are different) or OPA2227U (SOIC8 package).
Nick Tam
OPA2227PA specifically actually. The 2227P has higher DC specs which doesn’t apply to audio applications, and saves you half the cost, won’t stop you from getting it though. You can use other versions provided you have a DIP adapter
Nick Tam
Furthermore the “2” in front of the 227 denotes that it is dual channel. you should always google up the datasheets on whatever OPAMP you’re planning on getting. The 8-pin DIP package is always protruding pins and are not designed to be soldered on.
quadpatch
Thank you for the info too Nick, looks like I have lots to learn.
quadpatch
Thanks very much for the info tero.molander, that’s really helpful! I will get one of these an maybe some others soon :).
Mike
What Tero.molander said. What you need is an OPA2227P in a DIP-8 package version. That’s the one that’ll fit the HUD-Mini socket.
quadpatch
Thanks Mike :).
Mike
Here is a good picture for a reference:
http://www.headfonia.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/matrix_mstage_mod02.jpg
Michael Julius
Ugh! Tough call, my E10 is breaking and I’ve been looking for a new Dac that will be used with my Bottlehead Crack/Philips Fidelio L1 and M1, and the JVC DX1000. I really enjoy bass control, but I am not sure if I should pull the trigger on this or the original Mx1.
Ken Stuart
Mike has already mentioned that he prefers the HRT MusicStreamerII to the original MX1, especially if you already have an amp.
Mike
Thanks for sharing your impressions, William.
Francesco Zannoni
Hi guys, I followed Mike’s suggestion and I noticed that the quality really improves. I use the mini as DAC and an Asgard as amp to drive my Beyerdynamic 990 pro. I noticed that with the OPA 2227P it loses more or less 20% of power. I have to move the volume knob from 12 to 3 position to listen at the same level. As Mike I used the op amp that comes with JDlabs Cmoy and so I tried to install the op amp that comes with mini (LME49860) inside the Cmoy. The sound quality drops but the output power increase a lot. Maybe this could be the reason for which Audinst doesn’t want to use OPA 2227 op amp.
Thanks Mike for the suggestions (include the Asgard one :))
Mike
You’re welcome, Francesco 🙂
George Lai
The iPhone 5’s new lightning dock connector is apparently all digital, Mike, so now there’s no need for manufacturers to pay Apple to get that digital data out. So we should see a whole slew of standalone DACs for the iPhone 5 with Lightning on one end and a 3.5mm jack on the other, as well as Fiio-priced products like the Fostex HP-P1 🙂
Mike
That’s awesome, George
George Lai
And hopefully Headfonia will be the first to review one. I’m getting my iPhone 5 next Friday
Nick Tam
It seems like all that talk about getting good music from a phone was just yesterday… just so that you know, I was always fine with an iMod or the Samsung SI and SIII with Wolfson equipped DACs, no need to pay big $$$ for a CLAS device really, sometimes I can’t believe people spend all that for the royalties and the big markups on price of the branding :
And now I hardly care about mobile sources anymore.
I just like my Sansa Clip with Rockbox on it 🙂
Nick Tam
Oh and bear in mind, buying a DAC is an absolute necessity for the bare-bones audiophile since there’s no analogue out
Unless you’re planning on using the headphone out…
Mike
No analog out!
Nick Tam
me typo fail. xD
George Lai
Apple Stores have just been updated to show that the Lightning to 30 pin adapter does have analog audio out. FYI
Mike
Thanks, George.
Mike
I’m not going to be the first George, I can tell you that. Either I have to go buy a black market unit or wait ~6mths+ before the launch here in Indonesia.
And I’ve never been quite enthusiastic about spending $800-$900 on an Iphone in the past(that’s what they retail for in here). Though they are nice phones.
Eugen
Android now has USB dac support.
Pascal Studer
I saw on ebay that Audinst now sells the mini in a set with the OPA2228.
Is this the same as OPA2227 probably.
Would this be a good amp to drive my Senns HD 25-1 and HD 650?
I have the Fiio E10 now.
Mike
That looks like a better version of the OPA2227
http://www.ti.com/product/opa2228
Should be good with the HD25-1, maybe not the best with the HD650.
Pascal Studer
Thank you Mike. So would the Audinst MX1 be better for my Senns or the Fiio E17? Or just stick with the Fiio E10 for the HD 25-1 and connect it with a Schiit Asgard for the HD 650? Because of your site I purchased these two Senns 🙂 Keep up the good work. Thanks
Celvar
I’m looking for an alternative to the very, very, (very) underwhelming
FiiO E17 (good aspects but so clearly lacking and not cheap at all), and
this seems a good find…
Soap
Hi, Mike! Thanks for your recommendation! I just changed the original op-amp in Hud-Mini with the MUSES 8820. I think the new op-amp does improve the sound quality considerably, by giving bigger soundstage, more details, more airy and more bass as well.
So I think it works superb on my HD598. But in the meantime, my Philips X1 seems to become “warmer” and hence lose some clarity (is it the right word?), could that because the Muses op-amp adds bigger bass to the already basshead X1?
Quite interestingly, I think HD598 sounds a bit cleaner and clearer than X1. Some said it was because HD598 had a more forward mid. Is it true?
Thanks again!
Mike
Good to hear that.. I think the impression of losing clarity and becoming warmer may be due the lesser treble quantity? I don’t’ think that a warmer sound causes lost clarity.
The HD598, I think the driver is extremely good and is more transparent than the X1. It’s just that the mid-centric tonality is quite limited.
Pantheon
Hi,the fiio e17 sound’s quality is so badly than the hud mini with op2227??thanks a lot i’m undecided with these two amp
Thanks for the review!
Bob Travoy
hello, great review