General IEM & DAP Chat

[GiullianSN]

23 minutes ago, DrTobiasFunke said:

ifi Audio micro idsd black label - a good cheaper option - handles headphones and IEM's well.

(And has a bass boost switch - who doesn't need that every now and then?)

+1 on this one. I have the signature and it is a swiss army knife for sure. 
 

Sometimes too powerful for IEM (at least for my ears)

[aussievintage]

Can I get your opinion of these? 

 

I have a smartwatch from these guys (Soundpeats) and it is really good.  I was thinking of these for when I am out in the weather, walking, or fishing.  So don't want something too expensive.

 

 

https://www.amazon.com.au/SoundPEATS-Truengine-SE-Bluetooth-Headphones/dp/B08B4C5S8S/ref=sr_1_5?crid=366QG4Z3NN8MJ&dchild=1&keywords=soundpeats+truengine+3+se&qid=1620282734&sprefix=soundpeats+truengine%2Caps%2C351&sr=8-5

 

 

 

[Bengineer]

@Marc Can you sticky this thread please mate.

[DrTobiasFunke]

2 hours ago, GiullianSN said:

Sometimes too powerful for IEM (at least for my ears)

This may be a silly question.....  but just in case it isn't.... 

You are aware that the IEMatch switch on the side will further reduce the volume / intensity of the signal to compensate for sensitive IEM's?  

I've found this to be a pretty good amp at balancing headphones and IEM needs.

[aussievintage]

On a related subject,  I have been pleasantly surprised to be able to get bluetooth iems to connect with all sorts of odd stuff, not just my phone.  Stuff  such as my raspberry pi streamer running moOde,  and also my laptop running Mint linux all happily play to them.  I have found linux to be a bit shaky on bluetooth stuff in the past, but I guess it's all maturing with time.

[Bengineer]

Yay. Stickied.

[NeweyMatt]

5 hours ago, Dr_Kevy said:

Has anyone tried the Cayin C9 or know of a good desktop amp that will pair well with IEMs but drive headphones well?

As a pure desktop amp, I'm very happy with the Schiit Asgard3 on my desk for headphones, as well as my Sony IER-Z1R IEMs.  Use high- or low-gain switch to suit.  I find I'm using the Sony's at my desk more than I thought when I first got them, they are really awesome with the power out of the A3.

 

With the A3 you sacrifice (trans)portability vs some of the iFi's mentioned, but it's quite a bit cheaper, I think mine was about $350 or so delivered from California.  You could halve that for something like a Magni3+.

 

All that said, and as much as I really do not have a use-case for it, the iFi Diablo looks like a great piece of kit, should drive just about anything very well.

 

 

[AudioGeek]

https://www.linsoul.com/collections/amp-dacs/products/e1da-9038d

 

I have been using this all in 1 to drive my iems from my android phone. Was reviewed on ASR and measures very well.

The coolest feature is the app which allows hardware control of things like filters etc, but also has the ability to set 2nd and 3rd harmonic levels. Tube emulation in a dongle!

[GiullianSN]

4 hours ago, aussievintage said:

Can I get your opinion of these? 

 

I have a smartwatch from these guys (Soundpeats) and it is really good.  I was thinking of these for when I am out in the weather, walking, or fishing.  So don't want something too expensive.

 

 

https://www.amazon.com.au/SoundPEATS-Truengine-SE-Bluetooth-Headphones/dp/B08B4C5S8S/ref=sr_1_5?crid=366QG4Z3NN8MJ&dchild=1&keywords=soundpeats+truengine+3+se&qid=1620282734&sprefix=soundpeats+truengine%2Caps%2C351&sr=8-5

 

 

 

I heard people saying they are quite good for the price. I can’t comment much, as I never had anything from them.

3 hours ago, DrTobiasFunke said:

This may be a silly question.....  but just in case it isn't.... 

You are aware that the IEMatch switch on the side will further reduce the volume / intensity of the signal to compensate for sensitive IEM's?  

I've found this to be a pretty good amp at balancing headphones and IEM needs.

Yeah, I use it on Ultra with all my IEMs. It’s a great amp/dac, sound amazing and the xbass switch is definitely a guilty pleasure. No problem withit. My ears that are too sensitive with any source. I used to listen on volume 1 with my AK S100 and sometimes it was too loud. 
It is currently driving my IEMs and a ZMF Auteur with plenty of extra power if I want to blow my ears a bit.

[GiullianSN]

Have you guys seen this?

 

sad to see them go… they had great IEMs, but the market is being flooded with Chinese ones that is hard to compete on <500$ Spce.

 

https://www.stereo.net.au/news/audiofly-will-soar-no-more

[aussievintage]

3 hours ago, AudioGeek said:

but also has the ability to set 2nd and 3rd harmonic levels. Tube emulation in a dongle!

 

This may sound a bit gimmicky,  but I can tell you,   I have played around with it using a graphical programming language called puredata, on a raspberry pi, running as a DSP and phono preamp.  Adding these harmonics under controlled conditions, can make the sound lush and very nice to listen to.

Edited May 6, 2021 by aussievintage

[aussievintage]

21 minutes ago, GiullianSN said:

I heard people saying they are quite good for the price. I can’t comment much, as I never had anything from them.

 

 

Given the quality of the smartwatch I got from them for just $50,  I have some faith that their mainstream products,  iems,  are also very good.  I just might give them a go.

[GiullianSN]

24 minutes ago, aussievintage said:

 

 

Given the quality of the smartwatch I got from them for just $50,  I have some faith that their mainstream products,  iems,  are also very good.  I just might give them a go.

For ~50 bucks and the usage/features I don’t think you can go wrong.

 

on this not, as Audiofly is leaving the business, their AFT2 is for sale for only 99.

[PassionForSound]

Sad to see Audiofly fold, but there are some good new entrants coming to the market from Australia. I have the Tonezz Onez here at the moment and while I'm not at all a fan of the branding with all the Zs, the sound is really excellent (if you like the tuning) and they are introducing some very interesting and potentially exciting technologies that go beyond trying to mash a bunch of different drivers into some kind of hybrid

[vinilink]

19 hours ago, aussievintage said:

Can I get your opinion of these? 

 

I have a smartwatch from these guys (Soundpeats) and it is really good.  I was thinking of these for when I am out in the weather, walking, or fishing.  So don't want something too expensive.

 

 

https://www.amazon.com.au/SoundPEATS-Truengine-SE-Bluetooth-Headphones/dp/B08B4C5S8S/ref=sr_1_5?crid=366QG4Z3NN8MJ&dchild=1&keywords=soundpeats+truengine+3+se&qid=1620282734&sprefix=soundpeats+truengine%2Caps%2C351&sr=8-5

 

 

 

I purchased one of Soundpeats after reading a positive review on head-fi and used it for 1.5 months when stopped working on left side (seems a common issue).

It was this model https://www.amazon.com.au/SOUNDPEATS-Bluetooth-Headphones-TrueWireless-Cancellation/dp/B08JGZQCM1/ref=sxin_7_ac_d_rm?ac_md=0-0-c291bmRwZWF0cw%3D%3D-ac_d_rm&cv_ct_cx=soundpeats&dchild=1&keywords=soundpeats&pd_rd_i=B08JGZQCM1&pd_rd_r=576d913b-b1d8-4c71-9a16-2693052fb8b7&pd_rd_w=cAHz0&pd_rd_wg=tmSLJ&pf_rd_p=b472bd0a-9bbc-4d04-b122-9bb2ef945033&pf_rd_r=VBRXWPX3F6KR0QR1MB8G&psc=1&qid=1620353078&sr=1-1-eae12a9f-704c-43fb-a70a-f41f45ba37e4, 

 

For asking price of ~$50

Pros:

1. Overall SQ was very good and could listen for more than an hour continuously without much fatigue to my ears and hurting my ear canals.

2. It stayed securely on my ear w/o using any silicon rubber

3. Bluetooth connectivity is very good.

Cons:

1.. Very plasticky and don't expect too much at asking price.

2. To some, may find, it is small that it may slip off your hand including the charging case

3. Reliability 

 

If you ask me, would I buy it again even though much cheaper than Sony? My answer, no. 

As I already own Sony wf-1000xm3, can confidently say, Soundpeats sq is very good for asking price. But, overall, I prefer Sony in every aspect and very happy with it especially with ANC on. I believe new xm4 is coming out soon.

[aussievintage]

29 minutes ago, vinilink said:

Soundpeats sq is very good for asking price

 

That is important to me.  In fact the three pros that you listed are all important.

 

29 minutes ago, vinilink said:

when stopped working on left side (seems a common issue).

 

Common with that model particularly, or Soundpeats in general,  or iems in general? The fact that it's the left side might indicate a problem with the True Wireless system.  I have had my cheap ones start up in mono a couple of stimes, for example.

 

32 minutes ago, vinilink said:

It was this model

 

The one I have order is a newer higher range model.  I can only try it and see.  At least yours failed under warranty.

[vinilink]

@aussievintage you can read the review of Soundpeats earbuds I mentioned in this thread. 

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/soundpeats-trueair2-wireless-earbuds-bluetooth-v5-2-qualcomm-qcc3040.24797/reviews

[aussievintage]

5 minutes ago, vinilink said:

@aussievintage you can read the review of Soundpeats earbuds I mentioned in this thread. 

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/soundpeats-trueair2-wireless-earbuds-bluetooth-v5-2-qualcomm-qcc3040.24797/reviews

 

Yes, thanks.    

 

As for sound on one side stopping,  I have been reading about a full reset you can do to,  but I presume you tried that on yours.

[vinilink]

Just now, aussievintage said:

 

Yes, thanks.    

 

As for sound on one side stopping,  I have been reading about a full reset you can do to,  but I presume you tried that on yours.

Yes, I did. But it didn't help.

[aussievintage]

 I love reading reviews, but I can't trust them.  One review criticises for muddy bass, and another praises for clear bass

 

[aussievintage]

Here's one that puzzles me.  Why do they give specs for impedance and sensivity in a device that is wireless and contains it's own amplifier?  Nothing is ever going to connect to that driver impedance, or deal with how sensitive it is except the internal amp in the earbud.  Maybe they just need to state the volume at full scale digital input.

[Bengineer]

A iBasso DX300 arrived today.

 

Lovely piece of equipment. Dual OS. Dual Battery. Big screen. Snappy.

 

 

[Bengineer]

Odin't know what else might be coming...

[GiullianSN]

51 minutes ago, aussievintage said:

Here's one that puzzles me.  Why do they give specs for impedance and sensivity in a device that is wireless and contains it's own amplifier?  Nothing is ever going to connect to that driver impedance, or deal with how sensitive it is except the internal amp in the earbud.  Maybe they just need to state the volume at full scale digital input.

That’s a completely fair point.

I guess is just to satisfy the numbers bugs. apparently in Asia if you don’t put the numbers up, you won’t sell to “audiophiles”. 

 

 

2 minutes ago, Bengineer said:

A iBasso DX300 arrived today.

 

Lovely piece of equipment. Dual OS. Dual Battery. Big screen. Snappy.

 

 

I should have got it instead of the Signature. But missed the boat. 

[aussievintage]

39 minutes ago, Bengineer said:

A iBasso DX300 arrived today.

 

Lovely piece of equipment. Dual OS. Dual Battery. Big screen. Snappy.

 

 

 

 

Very interesting beast.  I enjoyed reading this review of it https://headfonics.com/ibasso-dx300-review/   as I didn't know much about new DAPs and what is out there. Dual batteries for isolation, and quad DACs, big hires screen, fast.  The amp card concept is a new one for me.  Quite a machine! 

 

Just a question, why have Dual OS ?