Quite a few impressions have been posted in the SF Bay Area Meet Impressions thread.

Hey everyone.  So, I hear there's a new Geek Out... V2 model available.  Would love to get candid detailed impressions from anyone who's had the chance to audition it and has experience comparing a number of DACs and their quality.  There's a new delta-sigma chip in this DAC (the ESS SABRE ES9018AQ2M) and I'd like to know if the typical SQ flaws inherent with DACs based on other recent SABRE32 chips are still present in this product, or if it trades for a new set of problems.  Thoughts from those that have had a chance to hear it first hand are really appreciated.

Hard to say where it lines up without direct comparison, but I feel confident it can compete against GOOD $500-$700 DACs. What mattered most to me is that I found it emotionally involving. Meaning good plankton, good microdynamics, good PRAT. It was not flat sounding at all. The older GOv1 always seem to have lines that shot up too straight and too fast, missing a lot of volumes in between. Sort of like an inverse compression - compressed toward the high volumes and compressed toward the low volumes. The GOv2 now fills in everything. It is the real deal. It is slightly bright and it is still a D-S DAC, but heck it's a very very good DAC.

Stay tuned... I have a unit and I need to give it a good evaluation as a DAC. My impressions were v2 powering the HE-560, which is not an easy headphone to power without it sounding limp.

So does this one hiss with IEMs?

How was the amp section,  fellas?  Good enough to not need the Leck in tow?

Good enough is a loaded question. Are you asking if the amp section is as good as the Leck or good enough to maybe not miss it in a slimmed down gear profile?

Good enough is a loaded question. Are you asking if the amp section is as good as the Leck or good enough to maybe not miss it in a slimmed down gear profile?

The former, Anax.. I'm wondering if the balanced output can hang with the Leck.

I'm fine with how the amp section handled something as tough to drive as the HE-560. For devices, like GO, I don't want to bother with extra shit. For me, it's either good sound in a super convenient package or uber sound in 100 lbs of amp, DAC and transport.

Thanks Marv.. that's reassuring.