As as addendum to your post, I personally feel amplification has potentially the largest impact on staging size, and also happen to suspect the amplification stage in most DAPs ends up contributing more to what we end up hearing than the DAC stage, at least from a technicalities perspective...

I feel similarly about ESS DACs - they have a reputation for being edgy, aggressive & fatiguing. They often sounded very "digital" with loads of resolution coming at the expense of an excessive amount of glare, particularly evident at higher frequencies. Almost like a ringing effect. What...

I have a Liquid Links Venom cable which has stiffened up over time, perhaps due to the PVC insulation reacting to humidity. Are there any known treatments out there for softening up cables?

Many of us find brighter cables work well with XE6, whereas 1960s has a reputation for being a little warmer & darker from my understanding. Many XE6 owners recommend Ode To Laura as the best cable pairing they've tried among high-end cables.

Well some people do love the convenience of modular plugs, along with systems like ConX that allow interchangeable 2pin & MMCX connectors. I've fully committed to sources with 4.4mm outputs & IEMs with 2pin connectors so I don't need that flexibility, because in my experience friction-fit...

Have any more E7 impressions surfaced yet?

Penon recently sent me one of their Renata cables, and pairing it with the XE6s has yielded extremely positive initial impressions. It's always fascinated me how the more substantial cables are able to alter our perception of soundstage dimensions, stretching them outwards or bending them more...

Penon recently sent me one of their Renata cables, and pairing it with the XE6s has yielded extremely positive initial impressions. It's always fascinated me how the more substantial cables are able to alter our perception of soundstage dimensions, stretching them outwards or bending them more...

Similarly thick, though nowhere near as stiff as Code 23. I should have a chance to compare it with Code 24 in a few weeks. I've A/Bed 475 against the Sound Tiger Sinfonia, which is much smaller and may be the best value portable amp on the market. I liked the Sinfonia and would choose it for...

L&P P6 Pro > PWA Orpheus Shielding IC > Mass Kobo 475 > Penon Renata > Fir XE6. Leather cases by Vishnu.

I've just completed my review of the USD $22.99 NiceHCK DB2s, which you're invited to read here. :smile:

You might try one of the ISN IEMs, like the Neo3s I recently reviewed. The 7hz Legato are a very cheap option, but aside from bass quantity left me wanting in other areas. If you can stretch your budget to the Neo5s they are one of my favourite IEMs under $500.

Very friendly Head-Fier who is a pleasure to deal with.

Perhaps you received a defective unit? I quite like the Tail, the W4 & RU7 remain the two best dongles I've heard but are vastly more expensive - considering the cost difference the Tail puts up a decent fight. Certainly nothing about it is dramatically objectionable to my ears, my main...