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The iBasso T4, tinier than the T2 and better . . with more new images page 1,5, 14 . . - Page 11

post #151 of 733
12/18/08 at 11:11pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by fuzen View Post
When I'm not using the t4 and plugging my 530's directly into the headphone out on my ipod it sounds fine. I'm plugging the connection cables into the ipod headphone out and then into the t4's line in and putting the 530's in the out. I am not using the line out on the ipod.
I would try the T4 with any other source, even a laptop just to make sure both channels are working. Do you get his with nothing plugged into the T4? If you get no hiss then it is merely amplifying the incoming signal, which includes hiss. Using the headphone out would be the worst way to got because you are working with the internal amp and if it isn't top quality then you aren't going to see much improvement except decreasing the load the internal amp sees.
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post #152 of 733
12/19/08 at 10:30am
I suspect you are using mini-to-mini cable (rather than LOD-to-mini cable) to connect from headphone output (rather than iPhone dock connector) to input of T4/FiiO. In this configuration, headphone amplifier built into iPhone caused T4 sound like FiiO as it is always in signal path regardless of what external amplifier is being used. If this is really the case, find a LOD to make the comparison again. Another common factor between two amplifiers is poor quality sound source making both amplifiers sound the same.

I have auditioned T4 and briefly compared with my rolled P3 Heron with my ATH-ESW9 headphone. Though T4 could not match with P3, but still provide rather decent soundstage and clarity with its four-channel design. T4 is a good option for first and affordable headphone amplifier.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ArmednInsane View Post
I use my iPhone (1st gen.) with whiplash audio Line out Cable connected to T4 then to AKG K271 Mk II.

So my T4 might be broken or defective? :S
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post #153 of 733
12/19/08 at 4:00pm
Thread Starter 
I do not agree on the comparison. I think the T4 is excellent and underrated. It needs to be well run in but I have many amps in the portables to compare it to. It is transparent with a very nice soundstage. The bass does not have the final control on bass heavy music but in all other areas I think it does a very good job and is way above an entry level amp. I place it just a little below the D3.
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post #154 of 733
12/19/08 at 4:44pm
Yowzer, that thing is seriously tiny... iBasso T4 vs. Sansa Clip vs. Zippo:





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post #155 of 733
12/19/08 at 6:12pm
Listened to it for half an hour and I'm seriously disappointed. Did anyone in here ever mention that the T4 has an insane hiss with phones like the UE11 or SE530? This is unacceptable, I'm already thinking of selling it again.

The output jack and volume wheel crackle a bit, I could live with that.... but the damn hiss is a deal breaker.

Sound isn't anything special so far, somewhat harsh treble, bass boost doesn't do any good - but I will give my brain some time to adjust to the new signature (since I definitely don't believe the solid state parts in the amp will change).
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post #156 of 733
12/19/08 at 6:39pm
Thread Starter 
I have used the UM2 IEM's and some others but I don't get any hiss. Does it hiss with nothing hooked up to the amp? I agree the bass boost doesn't do a great deal. It is very subtle but I don't normally like bass boost anyway. Even on the Lisa III I don't use it.

I will listen again for hiss. I don't like hearing it either, who would?

Ok, I have the UM2's in.

with nothing plugged in and at max volume and hi gain I get the slightest hiss but this would make me deaf and be extremely painful so at any normal to loud setting I get zero hiss. With music on quiet passages using my iRiver H140 I get no his unless it is from an analogue recording and there is tape hiss. No hiss on my T4. Maybe you should contact iBasso.

For my IC I am using my newly constructed hyper pure silver twisted custom. I make my own (I use to make and sell them commercially years ago).

I am getting a lot of detail and very good staging. I prefer headphones but I have to tell you the T4 is doing great with the UM2's as I am getting "out of head" sound, which is nice. On Eva Cassidy's "Live at Blues Alley", the organ comes through with beautiful speed and tone. I don't hear much change using the bass function.
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post #157 of 733
12/19/08 at 7:24pm
Yes, it hisses with only the phone plugged in, not connected to the source. Low gain hisses quite a lot with the UE11 and SE530, high gain hisses even more. Higher impedance and lower sensitivity phones like the Phonak Audéo or q-Jays are alright (and of course cans like the HFI-780), but those are not the ones I intend to use with the T4.

Listening to very dynamic music like Rasputina or Opeth shows that all is good with the loud, dense parts of the music - but as soon as the toned-down acoustic parts start the whole music seems "embedded" in hiss.
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post #158 of 733
12/19/08 at 7:33pm
Thread Starter 
I think there is something wrong with you T4 then as the hiss I get is at max volume an at the high gain setting and it is barely audible with my UM2's.
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post #159 of 733
12/19/08 at 10:54pm
Here's some RMAA tests without load, Cowon D2 into T4 into AudioFire4.

I'm going to do some tests with 16 Ohm load too, but they probably aren't going to look as pretty (preliminary tests show insane THD with 16 Ohm phones). So far, the T4 measures very favorably.

RightMark Audio Analyzer test: comparison

The bass boost is +2.5dB at 50Hz, no wonder it doesn't do anything useful.

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post #160 of 733
12/19/08 at 11:16pm
Thread Starter 
Yeah, the bass boost isn't one but the measurements sure are flat.
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post #161 of 733
12/21/08 at 10:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dfkt View Post
Listened to it for half an hour and I'm seriously disappointed. Did anyone in here ever mention that the T4 has an insane hiss with phones like the UE11 or SE530? This is unacceptable, I'm already thinking of selling it again.

The output jack and volume wheel crackle a bit, I could live with that.... but the damn hiss is a deal breaker.

Sound isn't anything special so far, somewhat harsh treble, bass boost doesn't do any good - but I will give my brain some time to adjust to the new signature (since I definitely don't believe the solid state parts in the amp will change).
I get some with my livewires, which are super sensitive in that department. It hisses less than the hp out of my iriver though, and improves the soundstage so i can live with it for now.
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post #162 of 733
12/21/08 at 12:12pm
I caved in and I'm using an 48 Ohm impedance adapter with the T4 now. This fixes the hiss, making it totally black with any problematic phone. Too bad about the added bulk to the rig.

However, I would have expected a $109 amp to take care of these issues by itself, not me having to add yet another fix, like with a cheap FiiO. Reducing the background hiss of my Cowon O2 was one of the main reasons for getting an amp - besides fixing bass rolloff and crosstalk. Too bad the T4 doesn't fix the former, but at least it's very good with the latter.

This being said, I've gotten used to the T4's sound signature in the meantime, and I really like what I hear: very clear, precise, spacious. It probably sounds more refined than my Headsix (except maybe the bass response).
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post #163 of 733
12/23/08 at 7:17am
Just got my T4 in (bought a used one with some hours already burned in on it) and I am actually quite surprised in how much bass it adds. The added bass is not muddy or distorted at that. So far it sounds great for its size. Gonna listen to it for a few days before I give some serious comments on it compared to my other amps.
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post #164 of 733
12/23/08 at 8:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by RAQemUP View Post
Just got my T4 in (bought a used one with some hours already burned in on it) and I am actually quite surprised in how much bass it adds. The added bass is not muddy or distorted at that. So far it sounds great for its size. Gonna listen to it for a few days before I give some serious comments on it compared to my other amps.
I'm a new T4 owner too. Mine was bought new and at this point I have only 1 hour on it so I'll be giving it many more hours before seriously judging it. I also find the bass boost very nice...not too much but enough to make a difference...it gives a nice clean punch with my ER4.

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post #165 of 733
12/28/08 at 10:24am
Hi there!

I'm looking for a small amp to drive my Custom-IEMs. So I'm interested in the T4 and curious about its sound. I recently owned a D2 Boa which I sold cause I didn't like the (slightly) emphasized heights an the overall cold signature in combination with my Customs (but loved it with the TF10s). Anyone compared the Boa with the T4? Or maybe with the 2Move/3Move/Headsix? I'm looking for a warm sounding amp.

Thanks
seehee
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Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Portable Headphone Amps › The iBasso T4, tinier than the T2 and better . . with more new images page 1,5, 14 . .