[sceleratus]

Cut from Google....
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC)
Most of the leading fabless semiconductor companies such as Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Apple Inc., Broadcom Inc., Marvell, MediaTek, Nvidia, and Qualcomm are customers of TSMC, as are emerging companies such as Allwinner Technology, HiSilicon, Spectra7, and Spreadtrum.

Hynix, IMEC, Intel, Samsung, Toshiba and possibly TSMC are the initial customers for ASML Holding NV's ''pre-production'' extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography tool, according to an analyst. As previously reported, ASML slightly delayed the delivery schedule for its ''pre-production'' EUV lithography tool by a quarter or so. The ''pre-production'' tool will be shipped by mid-2010.

The EUV machines cost upwards of $100M

Reading closer Phytium has dreams of 5-7nm. And strangely it sounds like they've purchased an EUV machine from (TIAWAN) TSMC. They must have had that shipped at night on the Chinese New Year. In short there aren't a lot of folks that can make an EUV machine. I think it's has to be grown rather than made.

 

[cpang100]

If sound quality is the only consideration, and you’re willing to go a bit further in budget and inconvenience of wires and ear fitting, I would recommend the ThieAudio Clairvoyance ($700) or the ThieAudio Monarch ($730).

Then, to make it portable, get the Qudelix 5K (~$110).

With tax or shipping and all that you’re looking at maybe $850+. But they’re fantastic and can compete with desktop full sized rigs and cans in terms of fidelity in a way that the APM aren’t necessarily.

But the tuning of the APM are still very good, with decent enough resolution to be quite enjoyable for the price and convenience that other things can’t do.

I have the Clairvoyance and preferred them over the APM for sound, but not so much ahead that I can’t find opportunities to enjoy the APM for their own quality + convenience. Still, if you choose only one, I would recommend the Clairvoyance and Qudelix pairing. Or try the Monarch if you can get them but they’re sold out. I’ve been meaning to try them to compare and return whichever of the two IEM’s I like less.

Headphones.com has a 365-day return policy though, so there’s little risk in ordering the Clairvoyance and trying them for yourself, along with a qudelix from Amazon that you could also return. Same honestly with APM. See what works for you for sound quality as well as lifestyle. Live with them and see what happens.

EDIT:: oh and my favorite tips to put on the IEM’s, after trying many kinds, is the Campfire Marshmellow tips (medium sized for my ears). You can also find them in blue and red colors.

These IEM’s really are arguably the most affordable for the tech inside and critical acclaim garnered by them and still managing to compete with the $1k+ highest end IEM’s out there. Truly end game for many people.

Thanks for the detail reply tkddans!
I’ll definitely check into the equipment you are talking about and also consider the convenience of the APM.

 

[cpang100]

Thanks for all the feed back everyone! Im starting to think I want convenience over quality. And if we are starting to compare the APM to high end headphones, they must be decent.
I’m curious if anyone has hooked the APM to the Fiio BTR5 with an apple 3.5 to lightning and used it that way? Would it improve the sound or would the built in DAC on the APM try to cancel it out?

 

[tinyman392]

Thanks for all the feed back everyone! Im starting to think I want convenience over quality. And if we are starting to compare the APM to high end headphones, they must be decent.
I’m curious if anyone has hooked the APM to the Fiio BTR5 with an apple 3.5 to lightning and used it that way? Would it improve the sound or would the built in DAC on the APM try to cancel it out?

If you're in the Apple ecosystem I feel like this would actually remove some of the convenience. However, people have used external DACs and amps with the APM with varying success; most say they have gained some doing that. DACs and amps do color sound differently, so you could in a way tune the sound of the APM using a DAC/amp. Even moreso if the DAC/amp has an integrated EQ which is kind of hard to come by with the APM (outside the audiogram and hearing accommodations). It ends up being a trade off, double amping vs the added coloration of a DAC/amp and higher bit-rate, purer stream with additional features possible.

That said, there is no way to bypass the internal DAC/amp. If you want the APM to apply the least amount of alteration to your signal, turn off ANC and transparency modes.

 

[Verificateur]

Thanks for all the feed back everyone! Im starting to think I want convenience over quality. And if we are starting to compare the APM to high end headphones, they must be decent.
I’m curious if anyone has hooked the APM to the Fiio BTR5 with an apple 3.5 to lightning and used it that way? Would it improve the sound or would the built in DAC on the APM try to cancel it out?

I would personally use the APM for what they are... being a wireless set. And just enjoy, they offer a very good and respectable sound quality in their intended use case. I don’t think you will be disappointed with the sound. Not to mention the convenience of the lack of wires.

I wouldn’t bother with BTR5 or any other amping/DAC chains with the APM... I mean, I tried once with my Qudelix but quickly realized if I am doing it I may as well put my full size Denon headphones
If you are into that and don’t mind the wires, perhaps buying a decent wired set of over ear cans would be the better option.

 

[AlwaysForward]

I would personally use the APM for what they are... being a wireless set. And just enjoy, they offer a very good and respectable sound quality in their intended use case. I don’t think you will be disappointed with the sound. Not to mention the convenience of the lack of wires.

I wouldn’t bother with BTR5 or any other amping/DAC chains with the APM... I mean, I tried once with my Qudelix but quickly realized if I am doing it I may as well put my full size Denon headphones
If you are into that and don’t mind the wires, perhaps buying a decent wired set of over ear cans would be the better option.

Exactly this. The APM succeed so hard as wireless cans that using them wired feels bulky, weird and burdensome. The sound quality via Q5K isn't as good as direct, IMHO (I have one, too).

As I've said many times, these blur the lines with high end cans in the way that the iPhone did with DSLR cameras. While they close the gap and improve the ease of use: DSLR and fullsize cans or CIEM still have their place in an airpods dominated world.

 

[tkddans]

Exactly this. The APM succeed so hard as wireless cans that using them wired feels bulky, weird and burdensome. The sound quality via Q5K isn't as good as direct, IMHO (I have one, too).

As I've said many times, these blur the lines with high end cans in the way that the iPhone did with DSLR cameras. While they close the gap and improve the ease of use: DSLR and fullsize cans or CIEM still have their place in an airpods dominated world.

The best camera is the one you take with you.

And the iPhones are great for being so convenient. Not a terrible compromise in daily quality. They’re enough to enjoy.

Same with headphones. The APM are enjoyable. They don’t take away the value of any music, and that can be a very difficult thing to do for many headphones at or above the same price. Tunings and technicals can be so various, after all.

So the APM aren’t the best out there, but they can have a lot of use where others can’t, and without sounding like a major compromise in fidelity. And, depending on a desktop wired collection per person’s situation, they may satisfy a missing category of punchy clear headphones many people may not have (e.g. myself when my only hifi headphone was the absurdly clear, but bass lacking, HD800S).

 

[cpang100]

I would personally use the APM for what they are... being a wireless set. And just enjoy, they offer a very good and respectable sound quality in their intended use case. I don’t think you will be disappointed with the sound. Not to mention the convenience of the lack of wires.

I wouldn’t bother with BTR5 or any other amping/DAC chains with the APM... I mean, I tried once with my Qudelix but quickly realized if I am doing it I may as well put my full size Denon headphones
If you are into that and don’t mind the wires, perhaps buying a decent wired set of over ear cans would be the better option.

I might not have the time to play with full size headphones. AirPods Max seems the right choice for me. Plus with the impressive noise canceling and Sound Quality, it will make cutting the grass very nice.
Now which color to get. I'm down to Blue, Black and White. I'm thinking not the white since I am cutting grass and it would stain it.

Thanks everyone!

 

[sceleratus]

The best camera is the one you take with you.

And the iPhones are great for being so convenient. Not a terrible compromise in daily quality. They’re enough to enjoy.

Same with headphones. The APM are enjoyable. They don’t take away the value of any music, and that can be a very difficult thing to do for many headphones at or above the same price. Tunings and technicals can be so various, after all.

So the APM aren’t the best out there, but they can have a lot of use where others can’t, and without sounding like a major compromise in fidelity. And, depending on a desktop wired collection per person’s situation, they may satisfy a missing category of punchy clear headphones many people may not have (e.g. myself when my only hifi headphone was the absurdly clear, but bass lacking, HD800S).

I agree 100% “They are enjoyable. They don’t take away the value of any music” ...... and that they do this wirelessly is a freak’n marvel ! Must have been 10 years back I purchased some “wireless” Sennheiser’s, they were forgettable. I’m not sure I listened to a whole song. Anyway we’re not living there anymore.
I have to update my soundstage comments. I seemed to have forgotten that like fine wine and NOS Siemens E188CC they need time to breath. They are doing just that. Track by track my APM sound a bit better. Hyperbole. Also known as BS. I haven’t listened to music in a long time only after I got the Bose at Christmas (Lots of bipolar depression crap like that). I’m good, It’s good and I’m doing stuff. Gotta get back to sawdust. But I digress.

Today I found a real treasure. Several years back a friend and neighbor, Insane audiophile owned all top of the Line LINN. A Hot rod LINN turntable and stacks and stacks of great vinyl.

Tom passed a couple years back from pancreatic cancer. But for a couple weeks we had fun. He wasn’t much of a digital guy except for convenience. I stepped off a tall bridge and said “I can rip your vinyl on todisk”. Needless to say he was skeptical. Well SOB it worked. Beyond my wildest dreams. I found them. I have these .flac files. That I imported as “Songs” in iTunes (for now) named Led Zeppelin II (side I) vinyl. They’re like butter on the APM’s I even have the needle drop. We used Tom’s LINN and a MOTU box out of a Mac. All the software was MOTU. Took me a while to get that part worked out. I discovered I had the “VOX” player. “Audiovarna” was what I used in the past. I’ll have to check licenses. I’m not sure if I’ll go for a DAC again. Just typing the letters DAC is dangerous. Certainly won’t be a Schiit multibit Gungnir. DAC DAC DAC DAC
Thanks for reading
Luke

​

 

[MacedonianHero]

"there isn't another headphone company with the manufacturing capabilities or manpower that Apple has"...Well, that would be incorrect. China is open for any subcontracted manufacturing...

Yes, but the Apple design, software and access to their unique supply chain (with their volumes of requirements) is what sets them apart.

 

[neil74]

I just cannot bring myself to spend this much on Bluetooth headphones that are limited to AAC. Yes I know AAC is a very good codec but still.

Also the design just looks dumb but that is another conversation

 

[Maukey]

I just cannot bring myself to spend this much on Bluetooth headphones that are limited to AAC. Yes I know AAC is a very good codec but still.

Also the design just looks dumb but that is another conversation

To each his/her own. I'm one who's grown to really appreciate wireless headphones. Where I am in life I'm rarely able to sit at a desk and listen to high end rigs. 90% of my listening is done on couches, recliners, while doing things around the house, on commutes, in hotels, etc. Having high end wireless headphones are what I prefer now. I own 3 over ear wireless anc headphones, and 3 true wireless earbuds. The only wired headphones left in my collection are the Sennheiser HD 560S that I mainly use for gaming, and my AKG K371 that I use for studio monitors and occasional listening plugged up to my MacBook. I'd rather spend more for high quality wireless listening than invest in a stationary rig that I'll barely use. Now in saying all of that, I'm not blind to the fact that no current wireless anc headphone will beat top of the line audiophile gear, but I've experienced enough high end gear to know that the top wireless ANC headphones, specifically the B&O H95, AirPods Max, and NAD Viso HP70, get me 80 to 90% of the way there while giving me 100% more in convenience and usability. I never listen to any of these 3 headphones and feel I'm missing out. Just my 2 cents for what it's worth

 

[sceleratus]

Well that explains why iTunes and VOX were skipping past the flac tracks. Dang. So it’s the APM’s that can’t handle the codec not the player? Hmm. Is there a good flac converter? Has to be. Thanks

Bluetooth headphones that are limited to AAC.....

 

[tinyman392]

Well that explains why iTunes and VOX were skipping past the flac tracks. Dang. So it’s the APM’s that can’t handle the codec not the player? Hmm. Is there a good flac converter? Has to be. Thanks

iTunes will skip past FLAC tracks since it doesn't know how to play a FLAC track; you should use ALAC (Apple's lossless format). Not sure about VOX, but if it supports FLAC that's an issue with the app itself. The app would decode the FLAC to a PCM (waveform) which is then mixed with the system sounds (if needed). This is encoded as ACC or SBC by the device before being sent over to the headphone. The APM can't handle FLAC/ALAC, however, it's the failure of the player to be able to decode it in the first place that is the issue, not the headphone itself.

 

[neil74]

To each his/her own. I'm one who's grown to really appreciate wireless headphones. Where I am in life I'm rarely able to sit at a desk and listen to high end rigs. 90% of my listening is done on couches, recliners, while doing things around the house, on commutes, in hotels, etc. Having high end wireless headphones are what I prefer now. I own 3 over ear wireless anc headphones, and 3 true wireless earbuds. The only wired headphones left in my collection are the Sennheiser HD 560S that I mainly use for gaming, and my AKG K371 that I use for studio monitors and occasional listening plugged up to my MacBook. I'd rather spend more for high quality wireless listening than invest in a stationary rig that I'll barely use. Now in saying all of that, I'm not blind to the fact that no current wireless anc headphone will beat top of the line audiophile gear, but I've experienced enough high end gear to know that the top wireless ANC headphones, specifically the B&O H95, AirPods Max, and NAD Viso HP70, get me 80 to 90% of the way there while giving me 100% more in convenience and usability. I never listen to any of these 3 headphones and feel I'm missing out. Just my 2 cents for what it's worth

I agree but there are wireless cans that get you closer quality wise at least in terms of bitrate IMO, I have not tried them of course but surely the Bluetooth codec has to be a bottleneck on the APMs?