[penguinofsleep2]

To AFC folks: What do you think about AFC's portability? I am going to use it with a DAP and carry them in my backpack.

OK portability with the right DAP, but IMO make sure you try the AFC with desired DAP first - some DAPs I've used do not sufficiently drive planars IMO (or can, but will be out of battery too soon).

Obviously, headphones are a lot bigger and less portable than C/IEMs but this is too subjective IMO given how many people do not like IEMs or things in the ears for long periods of time. Otherwise, these are lightweight and strong enough that I would use them for flights (which is what I bought my pair for, although selling now just because they create a mild hotspot on the crown of my head for after several hours of cont use). The MrSpeakers case fits in most small day bags. Also, even though these don't fold up, they don't take up that much more space than say XYZ folding headphone.

May want to change the cable though - I don't have problems, but I know some people like short cables when they sit on a plane/train/etc.

 

[Benno1988]

Mine are currently off getting assessed and repaired Only had some HD558 laying around, significant downgrade for the time being.

I had a imbalance on the channels. Everything slightly skewed to the left under 1khz, balanced/centred at 1khz, then a bit wobbly above that.

Hope to have them back soon!

 

[prazvt]

I just got my AFCs today (w/ VIVO balanced cable) - wow! Decided on these since I have HD600s and Focal Elears (out for replacement currently) and figured a closed set of planar magnetic phone was just different enough to justify buying lol.

Listening to Dire Straits - Love Over Gold DSD right now and very impressed! Great tone, clarity, and pretty good separation for closed phones. So far so good.

Allo digione -> gungnir multibit via black dragon BNC -> Jotunheim via blue dragon XLRs

 

[ZappaMan]

I got mine a week ago, just listening to ‘whorl’ and the bass (electronic) is nice and bouncey.
I think the timber of real instruments is very good, tambourines sound amazing too.
Great actually, as these are my first set of planars and closed backs and they’re very enjoyable.

 

[mrspeakers]

I just got my AFCs today (w/ VIVO balanced cable) - wow! Decided on these since I have HD600s and Focal Elears (out for replacement currently) and figured a closed set of planar magnetic phone was just different enough to justify buying lol.

Listening to Dire Straits - Love Over Gold DSD right now and very impressed! Great tone, clarity, and pretty good separation for closed phones. So far so good.

Allo digione -> gungnir multibit via black dragon BNC -> Jotunheim via blue dragon XLRs

Glad you like them! Do you have a hat on the Allo? We've been running the Signature BNC and I've been pretty impressed with it. We're feeding from a Roon NUC server over 1G ethernet.

 

[prazvt]

Glad you like them! Do you have a hat on the Allo? We've been running the Signature BNC and I've been pretty impressed with it. We're feeding from a Roon NUC server over 1G ethernet.

Yes I'm loving them so far Kinda had to force myself after an hour to get up and take a break lol. Yeah, I have the full digioneplayer (not the Sig though) with the hat connected to the DAC via BNC. I have a similar setup! Synology NAS running Roon Server and several Squeezebox Touches and a rpi3 b+ with the hifiberry digi+ pro hat as endpoints throughout the house over 1GB ethernet (we have ports in every room). The Allo definitely does a great job!

 

[mrspeakers]

Yes I'm loving them so far Kinda had to force myself after an hour to get up and take a break lol. Yeah, I have the full digioneplayer (not the Sig though) with the hat connected to the DAC via BNC. I have a similar setup! Synology NAS running Roon Server and several Squeezebox Touches and a rpi3 b+ with the hifiberry digi+ pro hat as endpoints throughout the house over 1GB ethernet (we have ports in every room). The Allo definitely does a great job!

The sig One with dual power supplies is a nice upgrade, we use the iFI clean USB supplies for the hat, works great.

Sorry for being OT. Back to our regular programming!

 

[prazvt]

The sig One with dual power supplies is a nice upgrade, we use the iFI clean USB supplies for the hat, works great.

Sorry for being OT. Back to our regular programming!

All good! I have an iFi iPower supply for the Allo as well

 

[jjflemin]

I've been listening to the AFC through a Magni/Modi and really enjoying it, however am looking for something a little more transportable. I've seen several recommendations for the ifi Micro Black Label, but haven't seen many selling used and the new price (600) is a bit steep at the moment. I auditioned on the black label in store and really liked it. How does the iFi xDSD compare? It seems to have many of the same features and is a bit more portable. Does anyone have experience with both who can comment on the similarities and differences specifically listening to the AFC?

 

[ZappaMan]

Album called Horehound - song is 60 feet tall - is an amazing experience - hard to think how much more immersively this could be experienced.
Raw energy from drums, guitars and vocals. Wow (via mojo).

 

[knivek]

Welp, powering with a soundblasterx AE-5 PCI card (powers other many harder to drive cans). I get popping with bass hits with a "Cinema" EQ setting. Honestly not sure how I feel at this point.

Are the drivers over extending or is it just not enough power..? Gain is only half

 

[louderup]

Welp, powering with a soundblasterx AE-5 PCI card (powers other many harder to drive cans). I get popping with bass hits with a "Cinema" EQ setting. Honestly not sure how I feel at this point.

Are the drivers over extending or is it just not enough power..? Gain is only half

Is the 'half gain' part of the equalizer setting? If so it could just equal 0 boost but 0 reduction. Often that's how it works... for instance the bottom gain amount could be -6db, half would be 0, and the highest would be +6db. If you're at +0 gain but the cinema EQ is boosting the low end, it could cause clipping at the output.

If the EQ works this way, in general it's a good rule to reduce the gain amount by equal to or more than the highest point of the EQ. So if the low end has a 4db boost you'd want to set the gain to -4db or lower.

 

[prazvt]

Yeah - I think with software EQs you want to reduce the overall gain before boosting frequencies past 0 to avoid clipping. Alternatively, using a hardware EQ like the Schiit Loki seems like a good idea. While I shy away from using EQs, I am thinking of getting one, though I may wait and see if they release one with balanced connections.

 

[prazvt]

Meanwhile ... I've listened to the following on my AFCs and am loving these cans:
- Jethro Tull -> Aqualung (24/96), Thick as a Brick (24/96)
- The Beatles -> White Album (24/44)

My only gripe with the AFCs is the headband adjustment piece. Not a fan of needing a screw driver to keep the band in place at the right position. But so far it's staying in place.

 

[knivek]

No the gain is a separate tab. Using the low gain I can crank windows settings to max but there is no damn way I would ever listen to anything that loud. Like. Hurtful loud lol

These cans are amazing. Glad I pulled the trigger on them over another ‘gaming’ headset.

The Xamp in the AE-5 powers them wonderfully. If anyone was ever considering these for PC gaming. I give a solid 10/10