The volume knob on the D1 does not have any indicators, so there’s really no way of knowing where the sweet spot is.Īside from that, this is about as simple and clean as it gets with regard to its build. Something like an E10K and an HA2 both have this feature. If I had to nitpick, I wish the knob had some numbering (or engraved line) to let you know how loud it was being pushed. It feels like if you dropped it, it would be okay.Īll of the connections are solid, and the volume knob feels sturdy and rugged. The build of the Audioengine D1 is stellar for the price. I feel blessed to be afforded the opportunity to hunt for excellent sound quality, and today I’ll let you know why the D1 fits that criteria for an incredible price!
If you think about what a video game entails nowadays, it’s truly mind-blowing and shows how far technology has come. I actually still have a Super Nintendo and from time to time play it for old time’s sake. The goal was to reach the end of the level without getting obliterated. Even the games themselves were much simpler. We had a SNES controller and that was it. I said all that simply because having an Audioengine D1 as a Gaming rig makes me hearken back to simpler times when it wasn’t possible to use a headset to listen to music and the gaming environment. Rare (or Rareware) was the company responsible for making the early versions of Donkey Kong for the Super Nintendo.
That’s not to say no one goes outside anymore, but it’s definitely becoming increasingly rarer. More often than not, kids are turning to technology to appease their fun appetites, and I believe it’s dangerous and will only get worse. Whereas technology might have accounted for 15-20% of our existence in the ’90s, I think it’s more like 80-90% for children growing up in this era of what I like to call “ready-made fun.” We weren’t so wrapped up in technology as to forget the beauty around us. Of course, Gaming headphones, Amps, DACs, and anything studio-related didn’t exist to us. I feel very blessed to have experienced those moments and will cherish them forever. If you were a youngster in this time period, life was truly special. When we came inside from playing all day, dinner was ready and we watched the Braves on TBS for the nightcap before going to bed. We went swimming at the neighborhood pool. Our parents took us to the lake and we rode Jet Skis. Like most kids growing up in the ’90s, I was raised on Super Mario, Donkey Kong, Nickelodeon, and the Atlanta Braves. Now without further ado, let’s get rolling!! Article/link cleanup and added shootout link at the end.īefore we get into the Audioengine D1 Review, grab a snack, sit back and relax because… You’ve come to the right place!! Volume is controlled directly from the D1 front panel via the digitally-controlled analog potentiometer. The D1 is powered directly from the USB bus and power is passed through two stages of regulation to ensure no USB bus power variations affect the audio quality. The high-performance headphone output was designed for a wide range of headphones and will satisfy even the most demanding headphone enthusiasts. The D1 includes a headphone amp based on the TI OPA2134 low noise opamp. The D1 can process digital audio at any bit depth up to 24-bits and any sample rate up to 192kHz. Due to the high signal-to-noise specs of the AK4396 and the added benefit of double redundancy power source conversion and filtering, the D1 presents impressive low noise and low distortion characteristics. The D1 uses the AK4396 DAC, which is well-regarded for its low noise and high fidelity. Relative Humidity: 5% to 95% non-condensing Operating Temperature: 32 to 95 degrees F