[Sabsjl]

Finally ordered my V3! Can't wait!!
Anyone has any recommendation on what DAP is best suited for the V3? Am thinking of getting one that goes well with it.

 

[Ivabign]

Pulled the trigger yesterday for my Universal V8's - Solid red caps with trans red shells - gold logo....
 
I left instructions to see if a combination of logos could be done - company name plus model...

 

[MistahBungle]

Finally ordered my V3! Can't wait!!
Anyone has any recommendation on what DAP is best suited for the V3? Am thinking of getting one that goes well with it.

I was fairly happy with an AK100 MkII (the low(er) impedance one) with my V3's, and happier still when I added an amp to that setup. YMMV though obviously, might want to audition some DAP's first if you're going to be spending that kind of money, 'buyers remorse' being a possibility, etc, etc. Was using a Cowon X9 for 6 mths before that which was just fine as well, but not a patch on the AK100 (nor should it have been).

 

[faithguy19]

  Finally ordered my V3! Can't wait!!
Anyone has any recommendation on what DAP is best suited for the V3? Am thinking of getting one that goes well with it.

My V3 sound great with the DX50.

 

[ericr]

Update: Absolutely loving my V6-Stage universals. Stunning details & clarity, slightly/nicely forward mids, and clean solid bass with impressively deep sub-bass extension.

My SM64, W4R, and. Beyer T90 must be feeling lonely about now!

DAC: HRT Microstreamer
Amp: Project Ember (with low gain mod)

 

[baxter97]

Update: Absolutely loving my V6-Stage universals. Stunning details & clarity, slightly/nicely forward mids, and clean solid bass with impressively deep sub-bass extension.

My SM64, W4R, and. Beyer T90 must be feeling lonely about now!

DAC: HRT Microstreamer
Amp: Project Ember (with low gain mod)

 
 
How do they do with poorly recorded Rock? I heard they can be sibilant at times. 

 

[ericr]

How do they do with poorly recorded Rock? I heard they can be sibilant at times. 

Hmm, I try to avoid poorly recorded music of any genre ; )

More seriously, if you want to post a link to a song or two on YouTube I'll give them a listen and let you know. I'm rather sensitive to sibilance too.

I wouldn't say the V6-S itself is sibilant. But if the recording is you will hear it. Unlike the SM64, the V6-S won't mask sibilance. Also, a tube with low sibilance in the Project Ember has helped quite a bit.

 

[baxter97]

Hmm, I try to avoid poorly recorded music of any genre ; )

More seriously, if you want to post a link to a song or two on YouTube I'll give them a listen and let you know. I'm rather sensitive to sibilance too.

I wouldn't say the V6-S itself is sibilant. But if the recording is you will hear it. Unlike the SM64, the V6-S won't mask sibilance. Also, a tube with low sibilance in the Project Ember has helped quite a bit.

 
 
They don't mask the flaws in recordings. Got it. Thanks. I suppose that can be said of most high end customs, but, just to be clear, you wouldn't put these on the soft and warm end of the sound spectrum? Or, perhaps they're just outright cold and analytical?

 

[Ivabign]

Final design for V8 Universals...
 

 

[ericr]

  They don't mask the flaws in recordings. Got it. Thanks. I suppose that can be said of most high end customs, but, just to be clear, you wouldn't put these on the soft and warm end of the sound spectrum? Or, perhaps they're just outright cold and analytical?

 
Yeah, you couldn't call the V6-Stage soft!  Too much detail, clarity and extension at the high end (maybe that's analytical?).  OTOH, you surely can't call them cold.  Too much richness and extension on the low end, and the piano sounds sooo natural.  In my limited experience with colder / analytical phones they spoil the mid to lower registers of the piano and its resonance.
 
FWIW, my current DAC is the HRT Microstreamer which is known for being very detailed (analytical? cold?).  My amp is the Project Ember which seems to do most everything well, and in conjunction with the V6-S leaves me frequently saying "wow".
 
I've always *strongly* favored a soundstage that places me in the audence over "the band is inside my head" effect of many headphones.  The SM64 excels at this.  The V6-S isn't inside your head, but rather places you on stage with clear and precise placement of the other players around you.  It does this so well I'm sure the musicians love it, and while it's taken me a while to adjust, the change in position is becoming pretty agreeable to me now.
 
I've found myself wondering if you can have too much of a good thing with detail.  But I'm afraid I'm hooked, as I've been listening almost nothing besides the V6-S via the Ember over the last month or so!
 
-Eric

 

[Ultrainferno]

The v6s is not warm or cold or analytical. Sound stage is good. Lots of air between instruments. Good punchy upper bass. Slightly forward mids but they dont have big body and treble is extended and detailed. Overall a pretty uncolored sound. Great ciem

 

[shakur1996]

The v6s is not warm or cold or analytical. Sound stage is good. Lots of air between instruments. Good punchy upper bass. Slightly forward mids but they dont have big body and treble is extended and detailed. Overall a pretty uncolored sound. Great ciem

What about the promised comparison to CE BA4f?

 

[Ultrainferno]

One day when you least expect it

 

[Ultrainferno]

The V6S sound stage is taller with more space between instruments. BA4 has bigger lower bass and V6S has more punchy and present upper bass. The mids on the V6S have more detail but are more in the back ground and the treble is quite further extended and detailed. Overall the detail level of the V6S is considerably higher but the mids of the BA4 have a better presence, I just wish that they had the detail and air of the V6s mids. The V6S is a level up from the BA4 though, which is only normal
 
The V6s is also smaller than the BA4 but both are very comfortable. the CE cables are best of the stock cable but the hard box from 1964 is better than the CE soft box.
 
Hope that helps

 

[shakur1996]

As I read your post, actually both CIEMs have their own strenghts and weaknesses. Did you ever audition R version of BA4 and can compare mids and highs of R version with V6s? I assume that there is a difference between BA4f and BA4r in detaility and extension in mids and highs.