[Watagump]

@FullCircle

I was wondering why you guys decided to go with cables that have such high impedance. I've measured them at just below 2 Ohm per line. This is much higher than any of the other cables I have here, which are all below 0.6 Ohm per line. The best one I have here is a mere 0.18 Ohm (Shure stock cable).

edit: might as well pop in the measurement.

In the end its all about the sound isn't it? Doesn't matter what graphs show, what cables do etc etc.

 

[Watagump]

With stock cable, no hiss around here from my Encore.

With Labkable Pandora, hiss is more obvious than stock cable (and compared to K10Ua, Encore is more sensitive)

But according to other people on these forums just because something has hiss it doesn't mean its bad. I wont stand for hiss no matter who makes something, I have listened to Noble products with 8 different sources, never heard any hiss. The Zeus does hiss on certain players / sources and its what $800 more than Nobles top offering, good thing people on head-fi are wealthy so they can afford to buy a player that doesn't hiss to match their IEM that does.

 

[koluludome]

But according to other people on these forums just because something has hiss it doesn't mean its bad. I wont stand for hiss no matter who makes something, I have listened to Noble products with 8 different sources, never heard any hiss. The Zeus does hiss on certain players / sources and its what $800 more than Nobles top offering, good thing people on head-fi are wealthy so they can afford to buy a player that doesn't hiss to match their IEM that does.

I didn't mean to say that it doesn't sound good. Not at all.
Even I heard hiss one some device that I have tried, FiiO X5III, Opus #1, Cayin i5 which have wonderful sound.
I still in love with them (K10Ua and Encore) and finally found a great portable source to live with, DX200.
Sorry that I'm one of Head-fi member who can afford more expensive one

K10 was my first dream since I had joined this society
So don't worry, I'm Noble's fanboy. That's why I need to get Encore even though I already have Kaiser aluminium one.

 

[PinkyPowers]

...buy a player that doesn't hiss to match their IEM that does.

That's not how it works. Headphone are passive devices. They don't hiss. It's the source that hisses, and if a headphone is sensitive enough, it can pick up that hiss. That's all it is.

Now, I happen to agree with you that I prefer an IEM that isn't so sensitive that it picks up hiss on most players. But to claim it is the headphone that hisses is just absurd.

 

[koluludome]

That's not how it works. Headphone are passive devices. They don't hiss. It's the source that hisses, and if a headphone is sensitive enough, it can pick up that hiss. That's all it is.

Now, I happen to agree with you that I prefer an IEM that isn't so sensitive that it picks up hiss on most players. But to claim it is the headphone that hisses is just absurd.

That's what I want to say !

Sorry for reply with unclear passages
Please forgive me

 

[Watagump]

That's not how it works. Headphone are passive devices. They don't hiss. It's the source that hisses, and if a headphone is sensitive enough, it can pick up that hiss. That's all it is.

Now, I happen to agree with you that I prefer an IEM that isn't so sensitive that it picks up hiss on most players. But to claim it is the headphone that hisses is just absurd.

So headphone A doesn't hiss and headphone B does, yet its the players fault? The sensitivity like you said made the hiss appear, so to me its the IEM's fault, in a non scientific way.

 

[PinkyPowers]

So headphone A doesn't hiss and headphone B does, yet its the players fault? The sensitivity like you said made the hiss appear, so to me its the IEM's fault, in a non scientific way.

Like you said, there are players that don't hiss, even on Zeus. They have cleaner output. The hiss isn't there for Zeus to pick up.

 

[FullCircle]

@FullCircle

I was wondering why you guys decided to go with cables that have such high impedance.

If you were in my position, would you really answer that question?

 

[ThomasHK]

If you were in my position, would you really answer that question?

I didn't mean to put you on the spot, just thought it was a surprising result. Loving the Katanas regardless, so no harm no foul.

 

[Watagump]

Like you said, there are players that don't hiss, even on Zeus. They have cleaner output. The hiss isn't there for Zeus to pick up.

Plenty of good people making them that dont have hiss with any players. I would hate to spend $1000 to $3000 or more then have hiss with a so called poor output player. I don't feel when spending the kind of money these things can cost you should have to worry about hiss. Its been proven that these can be built with zero hiss.

 

[PinkyPowers]

Plenty of good people making them that dont have hiss with any players. I would hate to spend $1000 to $3000 or more then have hiss with a so called poor output player. I don't feel when spending the kind of money these things can cost you should have to worry about hiss. Its been proven that these can be built with zero hiss.

You recently bemoaned how the community perceives you, and I suspect it's untenable positions like this that contribute to that. Think very carefully what you're really saying. A high-end IEM is crap because it's too good at revealing the imperfections of the source. Even though with that sensitivity also comes a slew of incredible resolution and detail.

I think you were better off keeping it as simple as "I don't like hiss."

Neither do I.

 

[Watagump]

You recently bemoaned how the community perceives you, and I suspect it's untenable positions like this that contribute to that. Think very carefully what you're really saying. A high-end IEM is crap because it's too good at revealing the imperfections of the source. Even though with that sensitivity also comes a slew of incredible resolution and detail.

I think you were better off keeping it as simple as "I don't like hiss."

Neither do I.

That's the difference of opinions, yes I do think something that produces hiss is crap. Others that don't, well have at it. I can buy something that doesn't, I would choose doesn't every single time. People think Noble are crap, people think Beats are crap, people think Bose are crap, its all our opinions.

 

[PinkyPowers]

Even though I've read many reviews where the K10 hissed on certain devices. Good devices, too. But in this case, it's the Amp that's crap, right?

 

[Wyville]

That's the difference of opinions, yes I do think something that produces hiss is crap. Others that don't, well have at it. I can buy something that doesn't, I would choose doesn't every single time. People think Noble are crap, people think Beats are crap, people think Bose are crap, its all our opinions.

I have to agree with @PinkyPowers here Watagump. Only a few weeks ago you said to me that you would never go to the EE thread to knock the Zeus and while this is not the EE thread, you are not exactly presenting the fairest of assessments of the Zeus. It is not an opinion that the source produces the hiss and it is not fair to blame the Zeus for being sensitive enough to pick up hiss produced by a given source. I specifically bought my AK70 because I knew I couldn't deal with hiss and did not want to take any risks. If like me you are sensitive to hiss (pardon the pun) then it all starts with finding the right source.

 

[Kerouac]

Yep, as mentioned before: the Zeus (I have the XR myself) doesn't produce hiss, but when the source produces hiss, the Zeus is able to expose that hiss. The positive part of that sensitivity is that this comes with an amazing (best I've heard so far) level of resolution / details that are exposed as well. But I'm pretty sure (from what I've read) that the Encore and Katana are also true totl performers in these areas and I would love to hear/try them someday

Btw, Zeus out of my Plenue 1 is dead silent (black background to my ears) and while a dap like the LPG (which has a strong amp) gives some hiss inbetween songs, it has never bothered me that much personally. Once the music starts to play everything's fine to me.
I have to admit that my other iems (almost) don't hiss with LPG, but then again, they also don't bring that same high level of resolution / details to the table.