Triple fi sounds much better amped? ER4P amped?

Quote:

Originally Posted by High_Q 

While back I when I tried the triple fi I didn't think it was outputting good enough sound given its price tag, so I returned them.  They sounded veiled, there were no clarity to the sound.  Then I recently decided to give them a second chance.  I was again disappointed when I compared it with my RE0.  Then I decided to try them amped with my D10, and that made a world of difference to the sound.  The amp got rid of the veil and everything sounded much clearer and detailed.  I was wondering if the triple fi are meant to be amped, because from my experience I got the wrong impression of its capabilities until I amped it.  I thought it was just overhyped headphones because it sounded like regular cheap headphones unamped.  I didn't expect it to benefit from amping because my RE0 didn't sound that much different without an amp(only increase in volume).  

Different phones react differently to amplication. From what I've seen, BA (armature) phones react more from amping than dynamic driver phones do. I think the reasoning behind this is that although they can get loud, BA phones aren't given enough juice to adequately power all of the drivers in each ear by just the DAP. 

I noticed this when using the ALO Rx with my UM3Xs. Very big difference. 

Doesn't surprise me. I have an ER4P. When I read comments like thin and no bass about ER4P, I just wonder. But then I use amps like D10, Arrow, Pico, Tomahawk, and TTVJ.

^Uh huh; same with the comments about the K702s sounding "hollow, dry, or airy". Sometimes you just need the right amplication. 

Sadly a lot of people don't know this and make statements that a lot of people listen to and think are true because instead of asking what the person was using when they made that statement so they could possibly know that the user was using no amp and a crappy source, they take that opinion with some weight and let it sway their purchase. 

I think my TF10 sound great out of my Cowon S9, and even better with a portable amp.

I also find my Triple.Fi sounding great with my Cowon S9, it didn't sound veiled at all. Out of curiosity I got a mini3 and did find it to improve the sound, but not dramatically. Maybe just for some reason it didn't match up well with the DAP that it was paired with.

Quote:

Originally Posted by High_Q 

If anyone can claim that its possible to get good sound from a DAP without an amp, can you tell me which DAP was used?

Out of all of those players you have you don't feel like you're getting good sound? What are your source filed ripped at? Is there something you just don't like about how your music sounds? I thought the iPod Nano 5gen drove them perfectly fine; the T51 doing an even better job at it. 

Just to give some more input, I had my TF10 coming straight from my aluminum macbook and couldn't tolerate the hiss from the headphone out. I ordered the udac and it cleared it right up, but to be honest I haven't noticed any improvement in sound quality.

Recently I tried TripleFis with Predator and I have to say it was very very impressive on high gain switched. So, as usual it's all about synergy!

My TF10 is now running out a D2+, great improvement all round.

A all round improvement, everything is alot better not just one section. The improvement is pretty good compare to cable swap, however the cable swap did help with the midrange but amping I can hear a all round improvement.

Quote:

Originally Posted by High_Q 

Since Etymotic ER4 has existed nearly a decade, and ER4 are BA phones.  Could it be true that Etymotic started the BA technology?  If not, which company created the BA technology?

No. BA technology was used way before Etymotic created the ER4. I don't quite know who created it but I do know that early use of BA was for telephone use in the military. Also with regards to Etymotic it's not even them who created the BA driver. They use a well known driver in the Knowles ED9689 if I'm not mistaken.