Earbones
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2013
- Posts
- 897
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- 604
Am the only one who feels AQ kind of missed an opportunity with the Cobalt to get away from the whole semi-obsolete USB-stick form factor? I don’t think Apple still makes a laptop that uses USB-A anymore, and quite a few PC laptops have followed suit. Seems like they had the chance to revamp the product in such a way that it would integrate more smoothly into modern computers, not to mention phones, pads, and tablets. I would have liked to see it with a standard female USB-C port on the end. And with an included cable that’s long enough to connect to the centered port on an iPad/tablet when it’s propped up in landscape mode. Ah, well. Actually, AQ should at least get on the longer cable thing. They should totally produce a Dragontail long enough for use with an iPad when it’s on the Smart Keyboard...
Also, can anybody who’s listened to the Cobalt confirm if it has at least fixed the volume problem with IEMs? With respect to DF lovers, I’ve always found them kind of pointless. Don’t get me wrong, every iteration I’ve heard sounds great, but they are tiny, and seemingly built only to power full-sized cans... at the expense of a low enough base volume for sensitive IEMs. I know there are people who just loooove to power hungry headphones with tiny amps (“Can I run my STAX L700 with something the size of a Chiclet? Let’s see!”), but I’ve always found that a little silly, if you consider actual usage. If I’m going to lug, say, a pair of 600Ohm DT880s to Starbucks, then I’ve already made a commitment in terms of bag space and weight. At that point, a Mojo or similar is fine... I’m already carrying a large bag, and it’s going to be heavy... Meaning an extra half a pound and a few more cubic inches isn’t a huge deal. But when I’m going light with a pair of IEMs, I like to keep my rig as compact as possible. I guess what I’m trying to articulate is that when I look at something the size of the Dragonfly, I have to think that portability was something the designers considered a lot. And IEMs are probably more popular than full-size headphones as a mobile option. So to make the thing too loud for most IEMs always struck me as... Odd. Anyway, here’s hoping the Cobalt has extended the low-volume listening range. If it has, I’d love to see how it stacks up against the Apogee Groove 30th...
Also, can anybody who’s listened to the Cobalt confirm if it has at least fixed the volume problem with IEMs? With respect to DF lovers, I’ve always found them kind of pointless. Don’t get me wrong, every iteration I’ve heard sounds great, but they are tiny, and seemingly built only to power full-sized cans... at the expense of a low enough base volume for sensitive IEMs. I know there are people who just loooove to power hungry headphones with tiny amps (“Can I run my STAX L700 with something the size of a Chiclet? Let’s see!”), but I’ve always found that a little silly, if you consider actual usage. If I’m going to lug, say, a pair of 600Ohm DT880s to Starbucks, then I’ve already made a commitment in terms of bag space and weight. At that point, a Mojo or similar is fine... I’m already carrying a large bag, and it’s going to be heavy... Meaning an extra half a pound and a few more cubic inches isn’t a huge deal. But when I’m going light with a pair of IEMs, I like to keep my rig as compact as possible. I guess what I’m trying to articulate is that when I look at something the size of the Dragonfly, I have to think that portability was something the designers considered a lot. And IEMs are probably more popular than full-size headphones as a mobile option. So to make the thing too loud for most IEMs always struck me as... Odd. Anyway, here’s hoping the Cobalt has extended the low-volume listening range. If it has, I’d love to see how it stacks up against the Apogee Groove 30th...
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