[drubrew]

Your emails were paid attention to as best I could during the day in question. To further elaborate on that day, I was out of the office all day for an istall. I had no access to emails. I return emails in as timely a fashion as humanly possible. Most of the time within an hour. But since I am a one man show, when it comes to emails, if I'm out when it arrives then there is no way I can answer them until I return to the shop. We would have been more than happy to change your shipping option, but it was already in the drop box.

As for Hiss. Due to component tolerances the hiss will vary. In almost 90% of the cases this is hardly audible with either UE 5 pro's or UE11 pro's.
Only very 'sensitive' people could still report a hiss.
In the other 10%, a background hiss can be heard with sensitive IEM's. As soon as full size cans are applied the hiss is never audible.
So far the iQube has only had 2 complaints on hiss, where as 1 unit was exchanged for a selective unit that illiminated the issue. The other accepted it and did not find it a real problem.

 

[Juli]

Quote:

Originally Posted by drubrew /img/forum/go_quote.gif As for Hiss. Due to component tolerances the hiss will vary. In almost 90% of the cases this is hardly audible with either UE 5 pro's or UE11 pro's. Only very 'sensitive' people could still report a hiss. In the other 10%, a background hiss can be heard with sensitive IEM's. As soon as full size cans are applied the hiss is never audible. So far the iQube has only had 2 complaints on hiss, where as 1 unit was exchanged for a selective unit that illiminated the issue. The other accepted it and did not find it a real problem.

I can hear the hiss with my UE 5 Pros and it is really not hardly audible, I can hear it the whole time, even with music playing.

Is there a way to "repair" my unit, because I really want to use my iQube with sensitive IEMs, but the hiss is anoing. Maybe Hans from Qables could report back to this question, thanks in advance.

 

[jpelg]

Is this hiss noticible even at the low-gain setting?

 

[Skylab]

For me in low gain there is zero hiss with the Shure E500.

 

[third_eye]

Is there hiss with the triple-fi's?

 

[slwiser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by third_eye /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is there hiss with the triple-fi's?

I have observed none with mine.

 

[musicmaker]

Sorry if this has been asked & answered before. What is the recommended burn-in time for the iQube ? Any suggestions and experiences would be appreciated.

 

[manaox2]

no hiss on the UE11 when I tried.

 

[Dexdexter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by musicmaker /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sorry if this has been asked & answered before. What is the recommended burn-in time for the iQube ? Any suggestions and experiences would be appreciated.

I don't think Hans will mind me posting his reply to my e-mail to him asking that very question:

Quote:

Burn in for appr. 20hrs should do the better part for let's say 80-90%, the rest will be gradually done in the next hundred hours.

So I stopped the 24/7 burn-in of my iQube at 100 hours (when I swapped out the original alkalines for rechargeables). But I'd estimate that I've put in at least 50 hours listening time since then, and my unit sounds essentially the same to me now as my memory of the review sample.

 

[Cool_Torpedo]

And now a question to the seasoned iQube owners.
Most of you believe the IQube is essentially a neutral performer, never edgy, harsh or fatiguing, the kind of device that lets the source do its thing and allows the headphones to sound as they were intended to. In your opinion, if one wishes to set up a portable system with no coloration, smooth, musical, and balanced, which are the DAP and portable cans you'd advice? Would you get kind of warm source like Sony 81x or Kenwood paired with revealing IEMs like UE TF10pro, a neutral source like iPod with more neutral IEMs maybe like UM2, or a source in the analytical side like Cowon D2 with overly warm or perhaps neutral phones?

Regards.

 

[slwiser]

My take on it is that it would be best to shape the sound at the headphone/earphone and not with the source or amp. My iMod is fairly neutral as well as the iQube. But I did shape my sound with the Triple.Fi when I got my iQube. I had the Xin Reference beta and used it with the Triple.Fi but his combination was too warm for me, almost muddy in my opinion.

When I listen to these with my headphones, the Ultrasone Edition 9 or ALO-780J these are simply to sterile with the iQube.

With the warmer Triple.Fi in the mix it is almost as enjoyable as using either of my home setups which include the Lavry DA10 and Yamamoto HA-02 amp.

 

[Cool_Torpedo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slwiser /img/forum/go_quote.gif My take on it is that it would be best to shape the sound at the headphone/earphone and not with the source or amp. My iMod is fairly neutral as well as the iQube. But I did shape my sound with the Triple.Fi when I got my iQube. I had the Xin Reference beta and used it with the Triple.Fi but his combination was too warm for me, almost muddy in my opinion. When I listen to these with my headphones, the Ultrasone Edition 9 or ALO-780J these are simply to sterile with the iQube. With the warmer Triple.Fi in the mix it is almost as enjoyable as using either of my home setups which include the Lavry DA10 and Yamamoto HA-02 amp.

Thanks Slwiser, I appreciate your comments

So you'd describe Triple.fis as warm? Interesting. I haven't listened to them, but I could listen to the UE Sf5pro and they were among the most sterile and bright earphones I've listened to. Couldn't stand them for more than five minutes, and that was using the same source and amp I'm normally using with the other cans, DX1000, R10, HD600, D701, etc. I wonder if that's related to the balanced armature design. I've read other mates comments about that, maybe I'm too sensitive to something those drivers do or don't do. Looking at their response curve I suppose my findings were due to its big peak at 8KHz, a frequency where I still keep perfect hearing and an excessive sensivity. The Triple.fi have a peak there, but way less pronnounced, but OTHO have rolled off bass response.


My idea, I'm still considering it, is setting up a portable rig based on a decent DAP, maybe a Sony 81x or 82x-92x or more likely another iPod (not iMod), which I could use in my commutes unamped with decent IEMs, and getting a portable amp for travelling and holidays, which would give better sound in the relax moments using those same IEMs (on the plane or train) and maybe some portable headphones, maybe ATH ESW9, Senn HD-25 or even the HFI-780, but these are in the big side of "portable". Since I don't want to spend a lot of time, effort and money setting up such rig, I'd want to make it right on the first shot.
The iQube for its battery life, size, ergonomics and above all sound, seems a very good candidate for being the amp in that rig, but I'd like to read more opinions about its performance with different sources and cans before taking the plunge.

Thanks and regards.

 

[musicmaker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dexdexter /img/forum/go_quote.gif So I stopped the 24/7 burn-in of my iQube at 100 hours (when I swapped out the original alkalines for rechargeables). But I'd estimate that I've put in at least 50 hours listening time since then, and my unit sounds essentially the same to me now as my memory of the review sample.

Thanks Dex.

Quote:

Originally Posted by slwiser /img/forum/go_quote.gif When I listen to these with my headphones, the Ultrasone Edition 9 or ALO-780J these are simply to sterile with the iQube. With the warmer Triple.Fi in the mix it is almost as enjoyable as using either of my home setups which include the Lavry DA10 and Yamamoto HA-02 amp.

I think you're comments are spot-on. The 780s are my only headphones at the moment and i agree its a bit too sterile sounding with the iQube. I'm trying not to be judgmental until my iQube hits the 100 hour mark. At this point, I can definitely see why pairing the iQube with a warmer hp/iem would be more enjoyable.

 

[slwiser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cool_Torpedo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks Slwiser, I appreciate your comments The iQube for its battery life, size, ergonomics and above all sound, seems a very good candidate for being the amp in that rig, but I'd like to read more opinions about its performance with different sources and cans before taking the plunge. Thanks and regards.

The iQube would be a great match with the ESW9s. They are very musical and slightly on the warm side much like the Triple.Fi.

 

[Cool_Torpedo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slwiser /img/forum/go_quote.gif The iQube would be a great match with the ESW9s. They are very musical and slightly on the warm side much like the Triple.Fi.

Thanks, glad to know since there's something on the ATH-ESW9, for the comments I've been reading, that I foresee I would love them. Not so sure about the TF10P, I feel more prone to try Atrios or UM2, but I don't know if the result would be too much in the warm side of neutral. I'm kind of neutral guy, I've been keeping my HD600 for years and in spite of owning better cans, they're still my reference for neutral sound, so hopefully you get the picture.

Rgrds.