Sorry, just saw your post. Honestly, at $100 I dont have a recommendation - Shure SE215s, maybe, although it has been a while since i owned them. But if you can get the Massdrop Noble Xs, they will fit your bill. I am tempted to sell my U3s because the Noble Xs give me a very similar sound...

Try to see if you can land a Sony Walkman DAP. Solid, clean sound and a sensible, bug-free interface, without any of the annoying foibles of some of the DAPs that are so popular here. As for why people pair with a DAC/amp - with a phone and some players, it can come in handy, as it provides...

Consider the Sony ZX100. Excellent sound, sensible interface and solid engineering.

Same here. Convert from the 90s - once i hear music from a single ended triode amp, i sold my 5-figure Stereophile-approved yadda-yadda solid stage rig and have never looked back. But a few things to keep in mind - there is no such thing as a "tube" sound. It depends on the architecture...

Update - so i tried out the following: - Westone W40s and W60s - Unique Melody Martians - 64Audio U6, U4 and U3 - Noble Sage, Dulce Bass & Djangos - Fidue A91 - Fender 7s Short version: - Found the Martians too bright - The Sage, Dulce Bass and W40s all had their unique sound but none of them...

Thanks - i have Campfire on my list to try out as well, because i did want to try out other sound signatures as well. I will add this to my list as well - who knows, for more casual listening, i might find them better. And surprisingly, i do enjoy listening to music on my HD800s, so i dont...

I have 3 Audeze products, have the LCD-4 as a purchase for next year once i shift homes and came across this link while trying to get info on how to best pair the iSines with Android phones. Correct me if i am wrong, but to get a DSP pre-sets for headphones that already very expense (this part...

I have the SE 846s. They still sound great to me. At this point, headphone technology isnt new (not talking to you, iSines): it is primarily a matter of how stuff is voiced. And the 846s are voiced near-perfectly (I tried the demo version of the Noble Kaisers and didnt find the difference...

Been out of the market for a while, but am looking for something more grab-and-go than my SE846s with custom molded tips, and wanted to get some suggestions. I've been reading up and there are a lot of new brands, but most of them tend to be V shaped or "neutral". I dont want neutral. I want...

Hi all -   My iPod Classic's HD has died.  Yet again.   Since it is attached to a CLAS -R and a Alo Conti V3 rig, I really would like to get it fixed, but want a SSD.   I have neither the skills nor the time to try to figure out and do it myself - so i wanted to ask you guys if anyone had a...

A DAC may have a higher output impedance than ideal for headphones.   However, you are correct - as you have (most likely) sensitive IEMs, you dont need a brawny amp.  What you need is a DAC/amp unit that has a high S/N ratio and gain that is suitable for IEMs.

  The AK100 doesnt have a gain stage (only an output buffer) after the D/A conversion - the volume control is an attenuator only.      So by passing it, you arent really giving up on any "analog magic".     Of course, it is doubtful what you gain either - b/c if you just set the volume to...

Paul Barton has stated that a design goal of the HP50 was that it be easily driven by an iPod or iPhone. Personally, I'd trust his opinion over that of any high-end reviewer, be it on Head-Fi or writing for a magazine.

Thanks for the explanation.    What you are describing appears to be "layering", although i could be wrong.    

  You mean across the various variants of the LCD2s, or unit-to-unit variance?  

What is "dynamic imaging"?    I know dynamics, I know imaging and i am at a loss to understand what this conjoint is.

  I think these measurements do not account for the head's transfer function, right?  I imagine there is enough variation here from head to head, which might account for why some people find the LCDs to have better treble and some  find the PM1s to have better treble.   I havent A/Bed them...

  I guess it depends on usage.   All my albums are tagged as "Composer - Work", and i depend on that and the album cover art to find my music.   For example, one particular album may also have another filler piece, and I rely on the album cover art to find it (I typically know that it will...

  I'll suggest perhaps an AK100?  I have one and it is avery clean, well-designd unit.    I'm hesitant to recommend the UI Disaster that is the X5, but that could also be something to consider.

Btw, this whole "Oppo Digital doesnt control international pricing" canard - let me clarify something about this subject.     Yes, we all know Oppo Digital isnt responsible for international pricing.   So what?   When did this become only about Oppo Digital?    Oppo is an international player...

  <Deleted>Not worth it

  If you dont like it, get something else.  Life is too short to spend obsessing with gear that doesnt make you happy.

  I suspect he's aware of it but is trying to make some sort of a point.

^^ The problem with most RR recordings is that the performance itself is very middling.     Oue is ok - some of his stuff is decent (eg, his performance of Tom O'Shanter in Mephisto & Co) but when his work is put against that of serious heavyweights like Reiner, etc, IMO, his interpretations...

  No, not really.  I betcha that as long as you are using a headphone that both DAPs can play without any problems, most people wouldnt be able to tell the difference between an iPod and a DX90 in a level-matched double-blind test.     I know it is fashionable here to assume that just b/c one...