[StanD]

   
Yeah, I have USBAPP, but find that it gets a bit unstable if the USB cable gets unplugged, which has happened a few times when having to push on/off crowded trains. It took an unusual amount of replugging/repowering/app quitting in the right order to stop it spitting its dummy. In the end, I picked up the Onyko player.. even though the UI isn't quite as good, it seems considerably more robust. It's workmanlike, but gets the job done.
 
I use Neutron when I am just going straight out of the phone, and it does a pretty good job, outside of the flaky UI (which interacts badly with locking, and sometimes also pops itself to front when you haven't locked, but the screen has just turned off). Sound quality is nice, even if the UI is like something from the days of trackers on the Amiga. I keep feeling like I should investigate Neutron's USB DAC support- is it smart enough to only upsample when it's using the phone's onboard DAC?

USBAPP is hit and miss, they fix bugs and introduce others. IMO it has great potential. I bought the Parameteric EQ add-on, the UI sucks but it sounds great.
Neutron's DAC support is improving it used to be totally unstable. It does sound very good.
I use both with Bubble UPnP. USBAPP can lockup in DLNA, that has improved.
Neutron shows duplicate songs in albums with Bubble. It doesn't do that in folder view, however in that view is shows songs in alphabetic order not track order, very annoying.
One day they'll get it right.

 

[Ruben123]

Main question now is: how much should one spend on earphones when you can use great eq software?
I'm on an endless search (or an addiction) of finding "the" earphone. For ages it has been the Monoprice 8320@$8. Going to eq then in the very future to make them even sound more flat. In the meantime though I bought some 5 other Monoprice buds because they're great (try them!!! They're really very good, natural), a KZ ZS3, ED9, ED4 and in the near future their first hybrid priced at only $17.

Most earphones are sold or given away if I don't like them, but now it seems I can fix any earphone with software. Is only the fit important then? Decisions, decisions.... I think though that the earphone that suits me the best, is the one that needs the least software corrections.

 

[krismusic]

Main question now is: how much should one spend on earphones when you can use great eq software?
I'm on an endless search (or an addiction) of finding "the" earphone. For ages it has been the Monoprice 8320@$8. Going to eq then in the very future to make them even sound more flat. In the meantime though I bought some 5 other Monoprice buds because they're great (try them!!! They're really very good, natural), a KZ ZS3, ED9, ED4 and in the near future their first hybrid priced at only $17.

Most earphones are sold or given away if I don't like them, but now it seems I can fix any earphone with software. Is only the fit important then? Decisions, decisions.... I think though that the earphone that suits me the best, is the one that needs the least software corrections.

You don't find any downside to these EQ programs? No diminished soundstage, lack of "air", separation etc? I only ask because I have come to the conclusion that DSP is the way forward. I'm using a Creative E5 very happily ATM but I suspect that I am going to tire of it...

 

[RRod]

Main question now is: how much should one spend on earphones when you can use great eq software?

 
Well it really comes down to "what can't you fix with your given EQ." Off the top of my head, other than comfort:
1.Distortion
2.Non-minimum-phase behavior (in the case of a typical minimum-phase EQ)
3.Adjustments that exceed the EQ or system capabilities
4.Smell
 
2 is arguably not a huge deal for headphones, because unlike speakers the "room" isn't horrible. 4 makes me think we need a head-fi version of the Seinfeld BO episode. EQ can't really help with 1, though you may notice less distortion given the particulars. 3 is just practical stuff; for example, an EQ setting requiring a big pre-cut could lead to issues in getting enough volume out of low-level recordings.

 

[Ruben123]

Only flirted with the viper and electriQ software a bit. Also I don't get why the sound stage would get less? It would get less if I wanted it to.

 

[krismusic]

Only flirted with the viper and electriQ software a bit. Also I don't get why the sound stage would get less? It would get less if I wanted it to.

Just a comment from an audio friend of mine. He claims EQ reduces soundstage.

 

[Ruben123]

Eq enhanced sound stage. With eq you change the frequency response of an earphone and as far as I know, sound itself is not much more than a FR

 

[RRod]

Just a comment from an audio friend of mine. He claims EQ reduces soundstage.

 
As you move speakers around your head, the frequency response at the ear canal / eardrum changes, so it makes sense that we might perceive frequency response changes in headphones as affecting the "soundstage".

 

[Ruben123]

Well it really comes down to "what can't you fix with your given EQ." Off the top of my head, other than comfort:
1.Distortion
2.Non-minimum-phase behavior (in the case of a typical minimum-phase EQ)
3.Adjustments that exceed the EQ or system capabilities
4.Smell

2 is arguably not a huge deal for headphones, because unlike speakers the "room" isn't horrible. 4 makes me think we need a head-fi version of the Seinfeld BO episode. EQ can't really help with 1, though you may notice less distortion given the particulars. 3 is just practical stuff; for example, an EQ setting requiring a big pre-cut could lead to issues in getting enough volume out of low-level recordings.

So yes indeed one should keep the best sounding earphone that needs to be eqed the least. Which is good because my two filled Sansa clip players can't use those .irs files

 

[upstateguy]

 

Main question now is: how much should one spend on earphones when you can use great eq software?

 
Well it really comes down to "what can't you fix with your given EQ." Off the top of my head, other than comfort:
1.Distortion
2.Non-minimum-phase behavior (in the case of a typical minimum-phase EQ)
3.Adjustments that exceed the EQ or system capabilities
4.Smell
 
2 is arguably not a huge deal for headphones, because unlike speakers the "room" isn't horrible. 4 makes me think we need a head-fi version of the Seinfeld BO episode. EQ can't really help with 1, though you may notice less distortion given the particulars. 3 is just practical stuff; for example, an EQ setting requiring a big pre-cut could lead to issues in getting enough volume out of low-level recordings.

 
I'm a big fan of EQ but I've never been able to EQ resolution.
 
I can boost the highs on my 650s, play with the bass, but no matter what I do I can't get the clarity out of them that I get from my T-1s....

 

[RRod]

   
I'm a big fan of EQ but I've never been able to EQ resolution.
 
I can boost the highs on my 650s, play with the bass, but no matter what I do I can't get the clarity out of them that I get from my T-1s....

 
To match up my PM-3 with my HD800, I used binaural mics + Room EQ Wizard to optimize the filter settings. Just doing it by ear and hand will probably miss enough dBs here and there to make things unconvincing.

 

[U-3C]

Well, I do have my old S3, which is relegated to a simless emergency phone, that I carry when running, but eh.. Not sure I want to carry two phones like a drug dealer, either 

I literally carry two phones on me: one iPhone 5s, my main tool for otg productivity/entertainment, and an old dying Samsung S3, rooted + V4A, just for listening to music.

All my non-audio enthusiastic friends probably think I'm crazy and need to see a doctor. Maybe they are right!

Then, I'm enjoying my Philips SHE3590 out of my S3 and my friend with his HD600 just stares at me like I'm a madman.

o (・∀・) o

 

[U-3C]

Just a comment from an audio friend of mine. He claims EQ reduces soundstage.

Using Joe Bloggs' crossfeed plugin and the soundstage is great. If going from cheap in ears to HD800 is 100%, I'd say the setting makes it 500%.

Okay, I'm exaggerating. Maybe only 450%. My bad.

 

[upstateguy]

 

   
I'm a big fan of EQ but I've never been able to EQ resolution.
 
I can boost the highs on my 650s, play with the bass, but no matter what I do I can't get the clarity out of them that I get from my T-1s....

 
To match up my PM-3 with my HD800, I used binaural mics + Room EQ Wizard to optimize the filter settings. Just doing it by ear and hand will probably miss enough dBs here and there to make things unconvincing.

 
I never heard them, how do you like those OPPOs?
 
I'm sure you can approach similar sound signatures, but if the resolving ability of the PM-3s is not equal to the 800s, there's that to contend with.
 
EDIT:  don't you find that the more crap you do to the original signal the more diminished the resolution becomes?

 

[castleofargh]

 

Well, I do have my old S3, which is relegated to a simless emergency phone, that I carry when running, but eh.. Not sure I want to carry two phones like a drug dealer, either 

I literally carry two phones on me: one iPhone 5s, my main tool for otg productivity/entertainment, and an old dying Samsung S3, rooted + V4A, just for listening to music.

All my friends probably think I'm crazy and need to see a doctor. Maybe they are right!

I bought my first smartphone a few months ago to use with BT headphones and sometimes with my DAC/amp. and indeed Viper is on it, it's half the reason why I bought an android phone.
my phone to call people is still a dumbphone, I charge it once every 7 to 10days when I actually use it and that to me is greatness. I can't look at 9gag while I poop outside my home, but that is something I accept to lose for actual battery life. the idea that I should be fine with plugging everything for charge every night displeases me way more than it should.