[fzr100098]

 

That looks great. This low output of the DAC section of A10 really makes me want to buy a DAC/AMP and retire my E12

 
Amp is all you need - A10 + E12 = great bang for the buck sound and plenty of volume
 
Anything else is chasing percentage points for a lot more money

 

[Raketen]

   
I do own a JDS Labs C5,  As far as being a pure amp, I'll say HA-2 and C5 are pretty close. I'll say technically C5 seems just a bit more capable, though the difference to my ear is pretty small. I'll have to put HA-2 to measurement as well as carefully A/B'ing to really tell them apart, which I haven't done yet. But at least to my ears they are about equally good so fa

Interesting to hear. Looking at C5D and Ha-2 myself, though not really to pair with A10 (also the Leckerton UHA6 aaaargh mentioned earlier and Meier PCSTEP, maybe Creative E5). Seems like there are so many more good options now in relatively affordable price range compared to 5 or 6 years when I got my last dac/amp.  Maybe I will just 'eenie meenie, miny, moe' to decide.

 

[castleofargh]

 

   
I do own a JDS Labs C5,  As far as being a pure amp, I'll say HA-2 and C5 are pretty close. I'll say technically C5 seems just a bit more capable, though the difference to my ear is pretty small. I'll have to put HA-2 to measurement as well as carefully A/B'ing to really tell them apart, which I haven't done yet. But at least to my ears they are about equally good so fa

Interesting to hear. Looking at C5D and Ha-2 myself, though not really to pair with A10 (also the Leckerton UHA6 aaaargh mentioned earlier and Meier PCSTEP, maybe Creative E5). Seems like there are so many more good options now in relatively affordable price range compared to 5 or 6 years when I got my last dac/amp.  Maybe I will just 'eenie meenie, miny, moe' to decide.

 I think we all take a leap of faith at that point ^_^. I usually end up making my choices based on features once I ve secured the proper specs for a few devices. and looking at the idsd micro, ClieOS is like me. that thing is too big for me as I really use portable stuff mainly on the move. but else I would most likely have gone for the idsd micro or a hifim8. they can drive such a wide range of gears, with so many cool options and connectivity, it's hard not to like them when you have many gears and headphones.
now if it's to use with one dap and one pair of IEM, they're both overkill IMO.

 

[ClieOS]

.. forgot to tell you, my cup of tea is classical music except 20th "neo classical"so i dislike coloured amps or dac/amps,infact i some how hate my XBA-H3 due to the boomy bass

 
A bit OT but you should try Etymotic ER4S if you can. Just about everyone I know who listen to Classical love ER4S. I auditioned the XBA-H series and never really impressed by any of them. Somehow I find their tuning all wrong. On the other hand, I do like my XBA-A3, more so than XBA-Z5.

 

[Caruryn]

Or you can buy ie800 which some consider ER4 on steroids.Sublime for classical but not to be paired with a10 with that weak amp

.

 

[gerelmx1986]

  Or you can buy ie800 which some consider ER4 on steroids.Sublime for classical but not to be paired with a10 with that weak amp

.

LOL don't have the budget t buy that and they don't have replaceable cables

 

[gerelmx1986]

 
A bit OT but you should try Etymotic ER4S if you can. Just about everyone I know who listen to Classical love ER4S. I auditioned the XBA-H series and never really impressed by any of them. Somehow I find their tuning all wrong. On the other hand, I do like my XBA-A3, more so than XBA-Z5.

Don't know about ER's i've never owned one of those but yeat i've owned a single BA which is the XBA-1, like it but died, you know cable failure

 

[gerelmx1986]

 
I do own a JDS Labs C5,  As far as being a pure amp, I'll say HA-2 and C5 are pretty close. I'll say technically C5 seems just a bit more capable, though the difference to my ear is pretty small. I'll have to put HA-2 to measurement as well as carefully A/B'ing to really tell them apart, which I haven't done yet. But at least to my ears they are about equally good so far.

Now i am undecided whch to get but i think i will go for the Oppo is more sexy than the C5

 

[georgelai57]

Now i am undecided whch to get but i think i will go for the Oppo is more sexy than the C5

Dimensions-wise, the PHA-1A is a better fit. Identical height.

 

[gerelmx1986]

Dimensions-wise, the PHA-1A is a better fit. Identical height.

Looks nice too but WHAT??? no analogue In... they have omited this... sony USA still says Notify Me When available... so more waiting

 

[georgelai57]

I've stayed away from the Sony PHA amps for my A10 and ZX-1 as their battery life is terrible when paired. I'd rather use something like my Cypher Labs Duet instead. And now lookIng at Picollo too.

The Sony DAPs have incredible battery life and I don't want that to take a huge hit when paired with their own amps.

 

[georgelai57]

Sony is a weird company in some ways. For the digital cable that connects their WM-port to their amps, the end that has the micro USB has an extra jack for, I presume, stability of contact. Well the PHA-1A's jack is a different size from that of the PHA-2 and PHA-3.
*^%#>¥£+

 

[Mmet]

Do the equalizer , DSEE and clear audio + works when connecting to the PHA-1a ?

 

[ClieOS]

  Don't know about ER's i've never owned one of those but yeat i've owned a single BA which is the XBA-1, like it but died, you know cable failure

 
Try an ER4S first, then you'll know why it is the long running production IEM ever - some 24 years and counting.

 

[heatofamatch]

Sony's IEM tuning has come a long way. They stumbled through the EX700, XBA-single digit, XBA-double digit, XBA-H, to now arrive at the XBA-A/Z which I feel is finally fully formed and very well-rounded in spite of Sony's current sonic subservience to EDM. You can hear the quality underneath the tonal balance.
 
The ER-4S is an all-time favorite of mine, but if at all possible, try it on for fit before commiting to the purchase. There's also the cheaper HF5, which at least in the beginning was just the ER4 without the driver matching process in manufacturing.