swolar
New Head-Fier
I see. So that's the importance of donut foams. Makes sense now that I think about it.
TGXEAR discussion thread.
pizzahunter
New Head-Fier
I bought a pair of sunnivas off of the head-fi classifieds and boy am I impressed. I have nowhere near the analytics listening skills of the average forum poster here, but they're pretty remarkable to my ears and I'm so happy such a great earbud exists. I've always been a casual good audio enjoyer, but I don't like wearing over the ear headphones all day. To have this kind of sound in such a comfortable form factor for me is amazing. Thanks to all the people on this thread whose posts helped me make a decision and pull the trigger.
I'll continue the hobby and can see how you go down the rabbit hole here...
I'll continue the hobby and can see how you go down the rabbit hole here...
CosmicSheep
New Head-Fier
Congrats! Also, you nailed why I love earbuds. The tech is improving and it's very comfy here. Nothing clamping your head or sealing off your ear hole with silicon.
I am letting go of a one off Serratus if anyone interested. +2db midbass compared to OG Serratus tuning.
LostnAmerica
100+ Head-Fier
How do these compare to the Red Serratus in tuning, specs , etc?I am letting go of a one off Serratus if anyone interested. +2db midbass compared to OG Serratus tuning.
ShenaRingo326
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2009
- Posts
- 134
- Likes
- 76
time to listen!
CosmicSheep
New Head-Fier
That RU7 has such synergy with many of Jim's buds. Enjoy!
time to listen!
ShenaRingo326
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2009
- Posts
- 134
- Likes
- 76
The RU7 is the only balanced dac/amp in my collection, and so far it sounds great in high gain and DSD128 setting: bass is full & punchy and the sound stage is quite wide. I have not tried other foams yet, Jim included stock medium density and low density foams (for classical & jazz & vocals), and I also have Hiegi full and donuts to try out, along with some other generic amazon foams
I upgraded my DAP from Hiby R5II to A&K SE300, using NOS (sometimes OS as NOS makes the sound smooth like butter) and Class A. What an upgrade it was for the DSBS.
Now that I've had a day to acclimate to the sound, I am even more impressed with the DSBS, especially when paired with an analog-sounding source such as the SE300. The DSBS is so reference-like that I can hear what the SE300 imparts to the music; in this case, a smooth, full, and natural tonality which the DSBS renders magnificently. I would describe it as a very gentle A-shape. I'm using Normal gain, NOS, and Class A. The following impressions are of the combination, even though it may sound like a SE300 review, the DSBS is just that good at getting out of the way.
Bass: Midbass texture is amazing. I was surprised at the naturalness of the bass. While not the last word in size and authority, it filled up enough of the stage that I thought it sounded incredibly 'correct'. The bass was not boosted by any means, which makes room for the world-class midrange.
Mids: The star of this combination. The lower and mid-mids are pushed forward in the stage, but not so much that it sounds incoherent or too vocal-forward. Just slightly so you get that feeling of the singer singing directly to you, making the vocals sound smooth enough for maximum enjoyment. The upper mids are slightly pushed back, keeping the engagement factor high while preventing the music from being shouty or sibilant. These mids are close to perfect, if not perfect for vocal-based tracks. The slight lower-mid push provides a new perspective on how I listen to EDM, bringing forward some of the base melodies (lower-mid fullness) instead of only focusing on the bass and the highs. It's quite enjoyable, as it stays well-balanced given a reference driver and tuning like in the DSBS.
Treble: Very laid back. The best treble (tonality, texture, extension) I experienced was from Tung Sol and RCA BP 6CG7 tubes in my desktop rig. The DSBS/SE300 combination is almost there in the tonality and texture department but slightly lacks in the extension department. If I switch to OS/Class AB, the extension part is good but now the tonality and texture are off. The overall treble technicalities are very good, and the treble sounds very natural. I wouldn't even notice anything missing if not for my desktop rig. Most likely, the DSBS is rendering the limit of what the SE300 is capable of in the treble.
My glowing praise for the sound shows the quality that went into DSBS. An absolute steal at $599. It also lets you buy DAPs based on their tonal/technical characteristics. Not having to worry about how the DSBS will affect the sound is a big plus in terms of whether or not the end sound is to your liking.
Bass: Midbass texture is amazing. I was surprised at the naturalness of the bass. While not the last word in size and authority, it filled up enough of the stage that I thought it sounded incredibly 'correct'. The bass was not boosted by any means, which makes room for the world-class midrange.
Mids: The star of this combination. The lower and mid-mids are pushed forward in the stage, but not so much that it sounds incoherent or too vocal-forward. Just slightly so you get that feeling of the singer singing directly to you, making the vocals sound smooth enough for maximum enjoyment. The upper mids are slightly pushed back, keeping the engagement factor high while preventing the music from being shouty or sibilant. These mids are close to perfect, if not perfect for vocal-based tracks. The slight lower-mid push provides a new perspective on how I listen to EDM, bringing forward some of the base melodies (lower-mid fullness) instead of only focusing on the bass and the highs. It's quite enjoyable, as it stays well-balanced given a reference driver and tuning like in the DSBS.
Treble: Very laid back. The best treble (tonality, texture, extension) I experienced was from Tung Sol and RCA BP 6CG7 tubes in my desktop rig. The DSBS/SE300 combination is almost there in the tonality and texture department but slightly lacks in the extension department. If I switch to OS/Class AB, the extension part is good but now the tonality and texture are off. The overall treble technicalities are very good, and the treble sounds very natural. I wouldn't even notice anything missing if not for my desktop rig. Most likely, the DSBS is rendering the limit of what the SE300 is capable of in the treble.
My glowing praise for the sound shows the quality that went into DSBS. An absolute steal at $599. It also lets you buy DAPs based on their tonal/technical characteristics. Not having to worry about how the DSBS will affect the sound is a big plus in terms of whether or not the end sound is to your liking.
Hi, everyone. I’m currently listening to a set I recently received from Jim. I was telling him that I would love a bud with the tonality of Sunniva, but with better technical chops. The way I put it to him was, “I'm looking for an all-rounder bud that has a bit of warmth and note density, while still retaining some treble extension (while remaining smooth). Priorities are timbre, note texture, and a holographic presentation. I'm less interested in stage width than in depth. Good to great imaging. Non-fatiguing (I'm sensitive to aggressive upper mids).”
He responded that he was testing a new 32ohm beryllium PVD driver, with increased magnetic strength at the motor and with a lighter voice coil than the Sunniva driver, resulting in faster transient response. The set arrived a few days ago and it’s pretty amazing. It retains Sunniva's pleasant warmth (with less bloat), but everything feels more precise and spacious, almost as if Sunniva and Revelstoke had a love child. Jim actually measured the impedance at 160ohms, not 32. I think he’s planning on using it in an upcoming model, but don’t quote me on that. Anyway, for fans of Sunniva (I’m not sure there are that many of us out there), or of the sound sig I was describing to Jim, it's worth being on the lookout for this new driver.
He responded that he was testing a new 32ohm beryllium PVD driver, with increased magnetic strength at the motor and with a lighter voice coil than the Sunniva driver, resulting in faster transient response. The set arrived a few days ago and it’s pretty amazing. It retains Sunniva's pleasant warmth (with less bloat), but everything feels more precise and spacious, almost as if Sunniva and Revelstoke had a love child. Jim actually measured the impedance at 160ohms, not 32. I think he’s planning on using it in an upcoming model, but don’t quote me on that. Anyway, for fans of Sunniva (I’m not sure there are that many of us out there), or of the sound sig I was describing to Jim, it's worth being on the lookout for this new driver.
