[warrior1975]

Yes, Fiio X7 is a good choice.

 

[Wyd4]

Personaly I found the p1 a dull combination with the ref1too.
I like the hm901. Was a very organic pairing. With the stock card it was great, with the fenli card it was something hinky going on in the mids.

Dx90 was great at its price but at times sounded a little forced.

Ak100ii balanced was fantastic. Natural, clean, tight bass, good separation.

Paw gold with dsd was the best I heard the ref1too sound. Just really connected with me. Detailed, balanced, power, tight low end, more detail up top than other sources with ref1too. However I don't own much dsd and I found for what ever reason the paw gold didn't seem to excel in the same regard with FLAC/lossless.

I REALLY loved the shozy alien. The separation from the alien in combination with the ref1too just reallg excelled. The combination for what ever reason just really sounded.... real.


And my favourite dap I can actually afford was the cayin n6.

 

[lee730]

Personaly I found the p1 a dull combination with the ref1too.
I like the hm901. Was a very organic pairing. With the stock card it was great, with the fenli card it was something hinky going on in the mids.

Dx90 was great at its price but at times sounded a little forced.

Ak100ii balanced was fantastic. Natural, clean, tight bass, good separation.

Paw gold with dsd was the best I heard the ref1too sound. Just really connected with me. Detailed, balanced, power, tight low end, more detail up top than other sources with ref1too. However I don't own much dsd and I found for what ever reason the paw gold didn't seem to excel in the same regard with FLAC/lossless.

I REALLY loved the shozy alien. The separation from the alien in combination with the ref1too just reallg excelled. The combination for what ever reason just really sounded.... real.


And my favourite dap I can actually afford was the cayin n6.

 
 
I think I have an idea what you are referring to. That kinda happens a lot with DSD music vs redbook. Hisound players however have always managed to give me that feeling where redbook material sounds even better. Like its hd. Very much the same on the S6. 

 

[edwardsean]

  @Wyd4
 
In reply, the tuning pf the Ref.1 Too can be explained better as follows:-
 
I tend go to a lot of venues to listen to live music, I feel that in such places the bass is the foundation to the music, and also that once bass notes are started, and besides the first few, it never dissipates but continues........ bearing in mind a 20hz notes has a wavelength of over 50ft. 
 
Also the sonics are slightly more diffused as opposed to pinpoint accuracy. Pinpoint accuracy is usually a consequence of listening with one's eyes at live venues.
 
One aspect that people overlook is how bass actually adds to forming space and boundaries, plus extending the scale of the space as opposed to just providing a beat and foundation to music. 
 
Hope the above illustrates better the rationale behind the tuning of the Ref.1

Thanks for this Spkrs, because "the scale of the space" is a primary interest for me in selecting audio gear. It is one of the reasons why I believe so strongly in Tralucent. It's interesting though as it seems that good bass adds a sense of space, but overdone bass cuts into the space and suffocates it. 
 
From what you wrote above, would you say then that the Ref.1Too has a slightly larger scale of space (then P5) because of the greater low-end support and longer decay.of the bass notes?

 

[edwardsean]

Also, for portables, the Onkyo DPX1 is a nice match for the Ref.1Too. They're both great across the frequency bandwidth, clear but euphonic, spacious and layered with great imaging. The synergy is not so much one of complement but more of the same. 

 

[Sound Eq]

here is a band I do not know if many of you know it, i took my ref1 to go and listen to it before i sleep, and this song came on and hearing it on ref1 totally took me to a world of sailing in another dimension
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4E3CgQhTbM
 
the youtube quality is not stellar but if you buy the album the quality great
 
wish to get more bands that have this amazing vocals and that give this amazing feeling of taking you to dreamy world of gaelic music
 
this is gaelic in its purest

 

[warrior1975]

I listened back and forth for a few songs, between my precious and the evil P5... I decided to listen to the P5 for the flight. I really love them both. They are so similar yet so different. The P5 is really giving the Ref 1 a run for the number one spot. The damn things is amazing. Absolutely amazing. This wasn't supposed to happen. Unfortunately I seem to have misplaced my Headstage Arrow 5tx, which I could have added to the chain to boost the bass of the P5. I'm really in awe of the P5. With additional bass, this could go the other way.

 

[spkrs01]

 
Thanks for this Spkrs, because "the scale of the space" is a primary interest for me in selecting audio gear. It is one of the reasons why I believe so strongly in Tralucent. It's interesting though as it seems that good bass adds a sense of space, but overdone bass cuts into the space and suffocates it. 
 
From what you wrote above, would you say then that the Ref.1Too has a slightly larger scale of space (then P5) because of the greater low-end support and longer decay.of the bass notes?

 
The plus5 is more revealing and true to the recording, hence I used the word insightful. It can sound larger or smaller than the Ref.1 depending. The bass is actually more accurate with better transients and punch to my ears. It also registers lower.
 
Besides classical, a song I like to listen to in gaging scale and accuracy in portrayal is Phil Collin's In the Air Tonight when the drum kit comes in.

 

[warrior1975]

I'm going to listen to that after. You guys should really watch a movie with either Ref 1 or the P5, it's an incredible experience. I prefer it over the actual movie theater. It's amazing.

 

[edwardsean]

I'm going to listen to that after. You guys should really watch a movie with either Ref 1 or the P5, it's an incredible experience. I prefer it over the actual movie theater. It's amazing.

Second that, especially with Darin Fong's OOYH to get the full 5.1/7.1 experience. It's insane. 
 
 
Also, Spkrs, and anyone else, if you don't know this clip in reference to what he said, you've got to watch it! It's 30seconds of your life that every male growing up in the 80s relates to. 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Utknl3WYbPE

 

[warrior1975]

What's OOYH?

Anyone slightly disappointed or feel there are weak points in the Ref 1 needs to listen to the P5. This things is pretty damn amazing.

 

[Wyd4]

What's OOYH?

Anyone slightly disappointed or feel there are weak points in the Ref 1 needs to listen to the P5. This things is pretty damn amazing.

Out of your head. It is a virtual soundcard I guess that you channel audio through on the way to your DAC.

It uses recorded measures to simulate various speakers and listening rooms, theatres etc.

I have tried demos and it is quite good

 

[edwardsean]

What's OOYH?

Anyone slightly disappointed or feel there are weak points in the Ref 1 needs to listen to the P5. This things is pretty damn amazing.

It's based on the same concept as the Smyth Realiser except in software form. They take what is called an impulse response of sound traveling through high end amps and speakers in variably well-tuned rooms as it hits someone's ears. The algorithm then calculates an emulation that recreates what happens when a source signal passes through those amps and speakers, in that room. Most of the emulations can handle up to 7.1, so when you play a movie file, it decodes the channels and sends them to "virtualizations" of high end speakers placed around you in the appropriate "locations." 
 
Since the sampled person's ears vary from yours in morphology and HRTF the results can be mixed. However, they have a good collection to try out and if you find one that fits the results are astounding.
The effectiveness of the recreation also depends on the quality of gear. The imaging prowess of the Ref.1Too along with its full spectrum reproduction works really with it. It's worth experimenting if you look up FongAudio.

 

[H20Fidelity]

   
 
I think I have an idea what you are referring to. That kinda happens a lot with DSD music vs redbook. Hisound players however have always managed to give me that feeling where redbook material sounds even better. Like its hd. Very much the same on the S6. 

 
The hisound units have a unique house sound although I never found them sounding extremely high in resolution, regardless of this they still hold some of the strongest Instrument separation I've encountered. Maybe it was just the actual attack and decay of each note entering/exiting quickly which gave the Studio V such great separation, they're one of the only players I've heard instruments start ticking in time after another with a metronome effect. I could imagine some may describe it mechanical or over used though I really enjoyed that aspect of them. 
 
That UI tho...

 

[warrior1975]

edwardsean andbWyd4Thanks brothers, great info, I'll have to try it for sure.