[Singaravelan]

It is exactly the point you made. Like all newish technology or first movers, the initial releases are kind of in beta phase, or are pricey or have kinks that need to be ironed out. It needs a few cycles of products (and a few months at least) to fine-tune stuff or drive prices down.

Thus, first adopters for these kind of gear are going to have to accept paying over the odds, or receiving something that is probably half-baked. Maybe these buyers also need to accept that in a few months' time, the toy they just bought is going to be obsolete once a more polished sequel comes out.

But on the other hand, if companies see that their first releases of some exotic tech flops in sales, will they go on to invest in and develop better sequels?

In 2036, this first phone-dac would be a great museum piece. Collector's edition. The first one. Incidentally, Aful Cantor would be still be a few months away at that point, of course.

 

[lgcubana]

ST7 impressions.
First, I could not get the ear pieces out of its tight foam packing without some glue around - my first experience of this kind.
The shell seems all-plastic, quite small fits well. I like that TRN continues with old brass nozzles compared to new integrated plastic nozzles of KZ.

I tried to compare ST7 with ZS10 pro 2 - really interesting. I used TRI Clarion tips for both.
ST7 reminds me more of old KZ - first good old 30095 BAs with spicy/steely treble compated to more contained treble of newer KZ treble BAs.
The bass of Pro 2 is tighter and more defined. Yet, their both work for different V profiles. ST7 is definitely spicier with its 30095. Yet, the bass balances the treble well for ST7, and the mids are not hollow as in the very first-generation KZs.
Those, who prefer more curve-tuned Trio to Pro 2, are likely to like ST7 less.

Lastly, I got ST7 with the USB DAC. i think it is worth it for few dollars. Nothing special, like $5-$10 DACs, a thin cable, but it works and sounds reasonably good. So it may be useful.
With a good DAC, ST7 is a bit less two-dimensional, and bass is a bit nore defined.

So to summarize, unlike the few outliers, the ST7 is like the majority of the two lines; it’s a mixed bag of nuts. Some moments of joy, mixed in with a bunch of old, salted nuts.

 

[Redcarmoose]

It is exactly the point you made. Like all newish technology or first movers, the initial releases are kind of in beta phase, or are pricey or have kinks that need to be ironed out. It needs a few cycles of products (and a few months at least) to fine-tune stuff or drive prices down.

Thus, first adopters for these kind of gear are going to have to accept paying over the odds, or receiving something that is probably half-baked. Maybe these buyers also need to accept that in a few months' time, the toy they just bought is going to be obsolete once a more polished sequel comes out.

But on the other hand, if companies see that their first releases of some exotic tech flops in sales, will they go on to invest in and develop better sequels?

I’m still a little bit surprised at the 4.4mm output. We as audiophiles are a very small segment of the market, and really not even in the minds of the basic phone makers. Look what happened when Apple removed the 3.5mm jack......a middle finger to the folks that still wanted somewhat of a simple audiophile device in a phone.

So....what IS romantic is that they could. They could easily join a phone and a DAP. Who cares what the size is......with-in reason. Maybe it will end up 2X the thickness of the phone by itself.

Really DAPs should have had phones in them now for a few years if you jump to an alternate reality in history. I mean think about it, steaming and communicating.......really it’s a natural.....the audiophile DAP and the phone. I think maybe more and more people are waking-up to audiophile on the move. They (the public) have had many years to digest what regular phone output is. And we have waited for TWS, and that is what it is. But still a small Dongle like the ifi GO link for an under $60 Dongle is great. I mean why couldn’t they just put the GO link inside a phone? Of course that’s 3.5mm and S-Balanced. But your right, it is a risk for manufacturers, because the majority of folks still don’t care or don’t know what audiophile sound is.

And when they make a phone, they make a lot of them.

 

[PhonoPhi]

So to summarize, unlike the few outliers, the ST7 is like the majority of the two lines; it’s a mixed bag of nuts. Some moments of joy, mixed in with a bunch of old, salted nuts.

You summed it up perfectly!
ST7 is an impulse acquisition; not a disappointment; not wow, not perfect.

Most irelevant to share, I had a bit hard time to figure it out (still do) - I am feeling more and more that just fadt flipping of two or several IEMs does not work well due to adaptive nature of our hearing. I realized that it can take 15-30 minutes easily.

...

Is it just me or the recent back and forth back and forth on the forum about “diminishing returns” is getting long in the tooth. To me, return is return. Just because it’s no longer cost effective does not diminish its value for those who wants it. I can’t possibly afford the likes of Anni, Dio, 662B, STORM, etc. but god knows if I make that much disposable income like some members here, I’ll buy everything. And when I have those, if those ridiculously overpriced cables can trick me into hearing a bit extra fairy dusts, I’ll buy them too.

Diminishing returns kick in right at the price point where the original KZ ZSN Pro X exist. Just take a pair of random gas station buds at the same price (A$40 ish) and compare it with those KZ. The KZ wipes and mops the floor with those gas station buds.

---

Unrelated, but I remember a fellow online asking me for advice to buy IEM a long long time ago. They settled for Tanchjim OLA (anyone remember that one?). It took quite a while for them to save up, but one day I saw their message with a photo of the tanchjim, lovingly packed in an aftermarket case along with an after market cable and apple dongle. I can’t quite explain but that photo warms my heart, and how I expect “personal audio” to be. Perhaps that’s a lesson I should remember as I mindlessly browse through musicteck website and silently cursing my empty toy account.

Consumption consumption consumption. The dark side of our “hobby”

Happiness is related to minimization of difference (gradient-like nature) between what is currently achieved and desired. It is not directly related to "purse/account" size (rich people often have rich problems).
I can mention that on my previous hobby I spent 10-20 times more and delaying paying the mortgage. It never felt complete...

Now I just happily spent on a set of strings for a violin more than any audio device

 

[nikbr]

In 2036, this first phone-dac would be a great museum piece. Collector's edition. The first one. Incidentally, Aful Cantor would be still be a few months away at that point, of course.

Cantor makers in July 2036: "Just this final little tweak to really bring it on home."
At this point they must be looking at how to tune that 45-93kHz pinna gain for all the audiophile dolphins out there.

 

[XERO1]

666....6!!

 

[bithalver]

666....6!!

Number of the beast from Iron Maiden plays in the background .

 

[theintention]

My thought about buying stuff is simple (though even I don’t follow thoroughly): get the best that you can afford at this moment can save you quite a bit in the long run. Say, one wants to buy IEM and they managed to save up $800. IMHO, it’s better to clench your fist and cough up $200 extra and go for the Monarch II/III. That’s it. That IEM renders most IEMs below it irrelevant, and makes the upgrade too expensive that one can happy to use that IEM for years until it breaks. Maybe your sound is not Monarch but MEST or Verdandi. Whatever, all of them are respectable.

Well said. I went above my budget tier for the Sza, and that IEM really does make most of my others “irrelevant”.

I’ll always be curious and pick up lower budget stuff that I think looks neat, but lesson learned when shopping for my main new set. Move up the tiers, don’t get stuck in one expecting “big enough” upgrades every time.

 

[Singaravelan]

Well said. I went above my budget tier for the Sza, and that IEM really does make most of my others “irrelevant”.

I’ll always be curious and pick up lower budget stuff that I think looks neat, but lesson learned when shopping for my main new set. Move up the tiers, don’t get stuck in one expecting “big enough” upgrades every time.

I have only read your orgasmic appreciation of it, was looking up at the reviews at https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/oriolus-szalayi.26026/reviews#review-30090

What raves!

Will try to save up for a used item on Sza in the near (or distant!) future..

 

[theintention]

your orgasmic appreciation of it,

What raves!

Will try to save up for a used item on Sza in the near (or distant!) future..

It’s a special IEM for sure, one to at least demo. Would like to put my own review there, but trying to get a few under my belt so I can give it the justice with my words.

Deep bass, lush mids, a large soundstage and vocals to die for, if you are here for the music it will be a great companion.

 

[lgcubana]

It is exactly the point you made. Like all newish technology or first movers, the initial releases are kind of in beta phase, or are pricey or have kinks that need to be ironed out. It needs a few cycles of products (and a few months at least) to fine-tune stuff or drive prices down.

Thus, first adopters for these kind of gear are going to have to accept paying over the odds, or receiving something that is probably half-baked. Maybe these buyers also need to accept that in a few months' time, the toy they just bought is going to be obsolete once a more polished sequel comes out.

But on the other hand, if companies see that their first releases of some exotic tech flops in sales, will they go on to invest in and develop better sequels?

Pioneers get the arrows, settlers get the land

I still marvel (that as a collective) we put up with this carp . No other hobby comes to (my) mind, where beta releases (as retail offerings) are accepted/expected.

 

[MidnightSun]

That’s not really my “job” as a reviewer to say whether you should buy something. My “job” is to provide a subjective testimony of how something works. Your “job” as a reader is to decide whether something is worth it.

I agree with this, and I hope you didn't misunderstand, my rambling wasn't aimed at you.

My thought about buying stuff is simple (though even I don’t follow thoroughly): get the best that you can afford at this moment can save you quite a bit in the long run. Say, one wants to buy IEM and they managed to save up $800. IMHO, it’s better to clench your fist and cough up $200 extra and go for the Monarch II/III. That’s it. That IEM renders most IEMs below it irrelevant, and makes the upgrade too expensive that one can happy to use that IEM for years until it breaks. Maybe your sound is not Monarch but MEST or Verdandi. Whatever, all of them are respectable.

Again, fully agree here, mirrors my exact experience with the MMkIII.

 

[theintention]

No other hobby comes to (my) mind, where beta releases (as retail offerings) are accepted/expected.

Most 1st gen products are pretty bare bones. Not to mention AAA gaming… where you release a game, charge full price and fix it a year later.

It sucks but it’s definitely not just this hobby.

 

[MidnightSun]

I still marvel (that as a collective) we put up with this carp . No other hobby comes to (my) mind, where beta releases (as retail offerings) are accepted/expected.

Pre-ordering AAA games that arrive in such a state for example that Sony delists them from the PS4 store because associating with that game starts to hurt Sony's brand itself? cough cough cyberpunk2077 cough And people do it again and again.

damn @theintention beat me to it

 

[cyh03176]

Upon looking at the frequency graph of Volare, it reminds me of ER4XR and upon comparing it against ER4XR's graph, surprise surprise, the mid section is a 95% match. I have been looking for an upgrade for ER4XR, mainly for more bass and details while keeping the perfect mid (for my own preference), and this looks like my answer. I was considering the Evo but was wondering if the 'upgrade' was justifiable because the treble region still remains the same while the bass' has more presence. So many exciting IEMs nowadays, will compare with the FA19 when the demo is available in local audio shop (around mid-May), since our beloved Jude gave it a very high praise, and if the price difference is justifiable, before making any purchase decision.