Yeah, I love the X-Bass implementation of iFi products. Since it is analog, it just doesn't sound "wrong" like a digital EQ would. I love it so much, I ended up getting an analog EQ to adjust other frequencies (when needed) as well.
AÜR AUDIO IEMs
- Thread starter ChrisOc
- Start date
XBass or PEQ really helps with NP bass. It is a shame that the switch doesn't do the same.
I guess it does ‘improve’ the bass depending on taste but I agree the effect isn’t to my preference.
Switch on versus off seems to be about 50:50 which is about statistically correct for something that is entirely subjective.
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DingDongMonster
100+ Head-Fier
Does the current IFI stuff still hiss? I had a whole chain of IFI stuff and it hissed like a snake. They then sold a USB cleaner that didn't work. I dared not even look at them since.
To some extent yes, with caveats.
The Gryphon doesn’t hiss with the Ascension and has a very faint hiss with the Neon Pro out of the 4.4mm but not the 3.5mm. It is more of a ‘perception’ of hiss than genuinely audible as hiss and even then only in an absolute dead quiet environment, even the slightest of background noise would render it inaudible.
The Go Bar doesn’t hiss with the Ascension but does with the Neon Pro does and it is a little more noticeable than with the Gryphon. That said it is imperceptible in actual use even in very quiet passages of music.
IEM need to be more sensitive than the AuR’s to make the hiss a genuine problem, I only find it annoying with my Solaris but even then it is more annoying that it is even there than actually intrusive in use and using the 3.5mm makes the situation even less of a factor.
Both of course have built in IEMatch which makes them dead silent but some folks say the IEMatch ‘kills the dynamics’. I have used it enough to convince myself that it doesn’t do anything to adversely affect the sound of most IEM unless they are dramatically affected by the increased output impedance, particularly the 4.4mm setting. My experience leads me to believe that the perceived change in sound is down to lack of accurate volume matching due to the dramatic difference in volume output with it turned on. Switch it on and the volume drops significantly which immediately makes the music much less dynamic, turn the volume up and it returns to normal. I set up an A/B test with the two iFi devices, one with IEMatch on and the other off with the volumes matched as close as I could by ear. Swapping back and forth I couldn’t make out any adverse affect from the use of IEMatch.
I add the IEMatch comments for context only, neither iFi device is significantly problematic with Neon Pro, especially out of the 3.5mm, and not even a consideration with the Ascension and I am super fussy about these sort of things. I like things to be technically ideal even if it isn’t a problem practically speaking.
If it suited a persons use case you could use a Gryphon as DAC using the line out into another amplifier. The X-Bass works over the line out and there is no hiss at all over the line out so no hiss to amplify by another quiet amplifier.
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I can't speak for anything except what I currently have, so maybe yes to their other stuff???? I have the Pro iCan Signature, and I have not found anything to hiss on it yet. The lowest impedance IEM I am using is the Audiosense T800 (8 all BA), which has an impedance rating of just 9Ω. I can MAKE it hiss though if I stop playback, turn gain up, and then turn the volume up (to what would be ear shattering levels). That isn't indicative of listening levels at all though.
On this amp, the 3.5mm SE and 4.4mm balanced connection both have the "IEMatch" that @BS5711 is talking about on his. And, it does indeed lose dynamics (especially the punchy(ness) in the low end. Fortunately for me, there is also a 6.5mm SE out and also an XLR balanced out as well which are not tampered with, with this technology at all.
Overall and testing with all 5 output methods (6 if you count LO), and using the Topping E70V DAC and Shiit Lokius, there is no discernable hiss with any of my gear at all. Just very clean black background.
DingDongMonster
100+ Head-Fier
Thanks guys. Sounds like they fixed it, kind of. I remember someone complaining the little Bluetooth dongle was hissing with IEMs. Which made me scratch my head. You would think they created it for IEMs. I did like their bass and space switches. It did work well as advertised. Maybe I'll go and demo one of the portable amps.
Met up with @Nosibilance on Sunday. Got to try many in his unique collection. The entire Aur range was present as expected.
Met up with @Nosibilance on Sunday. Got to try many in his unique collection. The entire Aur range was present as expected.
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Is that a sound tiger amp?Thanks guys. Sounds like they fixed it, kind of. I remember someone complaining the little Bluetooth dongle was hissing with IEMs. Which made me scratch my head. You would think they created it for IEMs. I did like their bass and space switches. It did work well as advertised. Maybe I'll go and demo one of the portable amps.
Met up with @Nosibilance on Sunday. Got to try many in his unique collection. The entire Aur range was present as expected.
DingDongMonster
100+ Head-Fier
Yes sir. Rare like a white tiger I was told.
Which one was it and any impressions?
DingDongMonster
100+ Head-Fier
It belongs to @Nosibilance and I am afraid I did not try it. Which I am regretting right now.
I see, I think we met before at zeppelin. I was the student with a blessing 2 haha.
DingDongMonster
100+ Head-Fier
Ah. I’ll drop you a DM the next time we meet up, coax @Nosibilance to bring it along.
Sounds like a plan, looking forward to it
