[jmwant]

iBasso PB5
https://ibasso.com/product/pb5/

Great to see a dedicated amp with no DAC.

 

[szore]

April Fool's is not even here in 2024, but Shanling has a CD player going at a very audacious $16,999 USD!!
There's a more wicked $18,999 USD variant which comes with a headphone amp module!

Presenting the Shanling CD-T35

Only 99 units available worldwide. Ie there are only 99 lucky kidney sellers that can get their paws on this. Perhaps even selling away 1 kidney may not allow one to sample the audio nirvana of this $17000 USD monstrosity, but that's why audiophiles are born with 2 kidneys!

Specs:
- Philips CD-Pro 2 CD player
- Dual AKM AK4499EQ DACs
- 4x hand-matched 12AU7 tubes
- Wi-Fi for DLNA, and Airplay playback, streaming including Tidal, Qobuz, Apple Music and Spotify
- HD touch-screen, compatible with Shanling’s companion app
- 4 gain stages, up to 7.6 W @ 32 Ohm output






https://en.shanling.com/article-introt35.html

I guarantee they will sell every last one...

 

[theintention]

I think people are starting to get their preorders now, but during the recall, they had issues with the polish on the original glossy gold/black faceplates and switched vendors. Now the launch edition faceplate is in matte gold and the standard is in satin black. It's probably better since you don't have to worry about scratches or smudges, but I would still prefer glossy black.

damn they could not catch a break on this set, i hadn't heard about the polish issue... the matte def doesn't look as nice.

 

[nikbr]

I'll buy one

Cheers!

Only one? Surely? I'll be grabbing one for each room.

 

[nikbr]

All these options; so little time… is FiR the one that is made up of people from Audio64?

Yes, from what I gathered that's where they got their knowledge/experience from.

 

[Vonbuddy]

I am trying to be good with regard to overspending on things that are similar or just overspending. The Timsok was a move up from the EA1000 and Quintet, which I own. Looking at the new Noble, Monarch 3, and a more advanced desktop source for my headphones this year. I bought the Rhapsody, Zero 2, and Sonus during the late sales in 23, and will try to stay away from duplication. As I say this these are my self-imposed rules and not meant to be advice for anyone else.

 

[jmwant]

April Fool's is not even here in 2024, but Shanling has a CD player going at a very audacious $16,999 USD!!
There's a more wicked $18,999 USD variant which comes with a headphone amp module!

Presenting the Shanling CD-T35

Only 99 units available worldwide. Ie there are only 99 lucky kidney sellers that can get their paws on this. Perhaps even selling away 1 kidney may not allow one to sample the audio nirvana of this $17000 USD monstrosity, but that's why audiophiles are born with 2 kidneys!

Specs:
- Philips CD-Pro 2 CD player
- Dual AKM AK4499EQ DACs
- 4x hand-matched 12AU7 tubes
- Wi-Fi for DLNA, and Airplay playback, streaming including Tidal, Qobuz, Apple Music and Spotify
- HD touch-screen, compatible with Shanling’s companion app
- 4 gain stages, up to 7.6 W @ 32 Ohm output






https://en.shanling.com/article-introt35.html

C'mon. It's not just a CD player, it's also a fully featured android streamer and a headphone amp. It's going to be the perfect addition to my $200 topping pa5 ii.

 

[fidgeraldo]

Only one? Surely? I'll be grabbing one for each room.

I have a few already

 

[o0genesis0o]

Got a hypothetical for the Discovery gang this AM.

If you could buy any set right now, the price being completely left out of the equation, what ONE set would you be buying?

I’ll start, Vision Ears VE10

Subtonic STORM and Elysian Acoustic Labs Annihilator.

 

[cobrabucket]

Uhh, RUH-ROH...
From HBB: "These are the best earphones in my collection. They are the #1 earphones your money can buy."



ONLY $3499!
Purchase LINK.

You might could sell a kidney and get you halfway there...Probably not.

 

[Bosk]

I recently received two new additions to my collections I'm quite excited about - the Penon Tail dongle & Penon ASOS 8 wire cable. Many folks outside the hobby would be shocked to learn the cable costs almost twice that of the dongle, but I expect most of you are discerning enough to appreciate the improvements cables can deliver.

As someone who for a long time resisted the pull towards heavier 8 wire cables by insisting ergonomics always take precedence, last year I began re-evaluating my beliefs after commencing work on my massive IEM Cable Shootout. For the first time I was surrounded by a number of bigger, heavier cables and in a position to critically evaluate them against their smaller 4 wire brethren.

What I discovered beyond any shadow of a doubt is something women have been telling me for years - size matters. Adding 4 extra wires typically boosts a cable's dynamics, deepens bass, broadens the soundstage and can even improve resolution & imaging. A good 4 wire cable can provide subtle improvements to these areas, but a bigger 8 wire version can give you even MORE of each.

So having grown accustomed to the ergonomics of bigger audio pythons, I now approach cables from the perspective of thinking if they aren't substantial enough to provide a significant improvement then what's the point? Precisely why I'm glad this new ASOS cable takes that approach with 8 SPC wires that physically remind me of EA's Cadmus 8 Wire, and sonically I can already tell bass is the star of the show here. Having received a number of new cables recently I'm planning a comparison of the best of them which will include the ASOS.

The Tail is an entry-level dongle Penon have developed and it'll be fascinating to compare it with some of the more popular 'flagship' dongles out there in the coming weeks to see how steeply diminishing returns kick in. Dongles have come a long way in the last few years with surprisingly competent technical performance these days, so stay tuned for that shootout.

 

[thaslaya]

I recently received two new additions to my collections I'm quite excited about - the Penon Tail dongle & Penon ASOS 8 wire cable. Many folks outside the hobby would be shocked to learn the cable costs almost twice that of the dongle, but I expect most of you are discerning enough to appreciate the improvements cables can deliver.

As someone who for a long time resisted the pull towards heavier 8 wire cables by insisting ergonomics always take precedence, last year I began re-evaluating my beliefs after commencing work on my massive IEM Cable Shootout. For the first time I was surrounded by a number of bigger, heavier cables and in a position to critically evaluate them against their smaller 4 wire brethren.

What I discovered beyond any shadow of a doubt is something women have been telling me for years - size matters. Adding 4 extra wires typically boosts a cable's dynamics, deepens bass, broadens the soundstage and can even improve resolution & imaging. A good 4 wire cable can provide subtle improvements to these areas, but a bigger 8 wire version can give you even MORE of each.

So having grown accustomed to the ergonomics of bigger audio pythons, I now approach cables from the perspective of thinking if they aren't substantial enough to provide a significant improvement then what's the point? Precisely why I'm glad this new ASOS cable takes that approach with 8 SPC wires that physically remind me of EA's Cadmus 8 Wire, and sonically I can already tell bass is the star of the show here. Having received a number of new cables recently I'm planning a comparison of the best of them which will include the ASOS.

The Tail is an entry-level dongle Penon have developed and it'll be fascinating to compare it with some of the more popular 'flagship' dongles out there in the coming weeks to see how steeply diminishing returns kick in. Dongles have come a long way in the last few years with surprisingly competent technical performance these days, so stay tuned for that shootout.

For me personally, cables are mostly about ergonomics and cosmetics. I haven't tested a ton to really know how much the sound can be affected but I do know what I like when I see it and feel it. A good cable can make or break how the iem sits in my ear and affects the seal I can get.

 

[o0genesis0o]

For me personally, cables are mostly about ergonomics and cosmetics. I haven't tested a ton to really know how much the sound can be affected but I do know what I like when I see it and feel it. A good cable can make or break how the iem sits in my ear and affects the seal I can get.

I have experienced very few cases when swapping a cable produce enough change that can overcome “aural forgetness.” (Even fewer cases when the change is better) Similarly to Bosk’s point, most of those cables are beefy beasts. If you have a chance, test the code 23 cable from effect audio. If even that cable cannot create audible change to your ears, none of the cable could, IMHO.

 

[thaslaya]

I have experienced very few cases when swapping a cable produce enough change that can overcome “aural forgetness.” (Even fewer cases when the change is better) Similarly to Bosk’s point, most of those cables are beefy beasts. If you have a chance, test the code 23 cable from effect audio. If even that cable cannot create audible change to your ears, none of the cable could, IMHO.

Hopefully I can test one in the future (maybe CanJam?) But yes I totally agree that between the time it takes to switch cables I would have forgotten what it sounds like anyways

 

[nraymond]

I recently received two new additions to my collections I'm quite excited about - the Penon Tail dongle & Penon ASOS 8 wire cable. Many folks outside the hobby would be shocked to learn the cable costs almost twice that of the dongle, but I expect most of you are discerning enough to appreciate the improvements cables can deliver.

As someone who for a long time resisted the pull towards heavier 8 wire cables by insisting ergonomics always take precedence, last year I began re-evaluating my beliefs after commencing work on my massive IEM Cable Shootout. For the first time I was surrounded by a number of bigger, heavier cables and in a position to critically evaluate them against their smaller 4 wire brethren.

What I discovered beyond any shadow of a doubt is something women have been telling me for years - size matters. Adding 4 extra wires typically boosts a cable's dynamics, deepens bass, broadens the soundstage and can even improve resolution & imaging. A good 4 wire cable can provide subtle improvements to these areas, but a bigger 8 wire version can give you even MORE of each.

So having grown accustomed to the ergonomics of bigger audio pythons, I now approach cables from the perspective of thinking if they aren't substantial enough to provide a significant improvement then what's the point? Precisely why I'm glad this new ASOS cable takes that approach with 8 SPC wires that physically remind me of EA's Cadmus 8 Wire, and sonically I can already tell bass is the star of the show here. Having received a number of new cables recently I'm planning a comparison of the best of them which will include the ASOS.

The Tail is an entry-level dongle Penon have developed and it'll be fascinating to compare it with some of the more popular 'flagship' dongles out there in the coming weeks to see how steeply diminishing returns kick in. Dongles have come a long way in the last few years with surprisingly competent technical performance these days, so stay tuned for that shootout.

Is this a parody post? It's like something out of a modern "This is Spinal Tap"... you know amps that go to 11 sound better: