[Ordeith]

Hi Everyone, 
 
I think it has been almost 9 years since I posted on this forum and first learned the meaning of "welcome to Head-Fi, sorry for your wallet". Back then, I changed my portable audio experience permanently by ordering and using for the last roughly 9 years:
 
1) Ultimate Ears 10 Pro Customs;
2) A Ray Samuels Audio Tomahawk; and
3) An Audio Line Out cable which still runs from my first generation ipod nano's line out, to the input on the headphone amplifier.
 
But now, my ipod is finally dead. And I was wondering - if the crowd from back then is still around today, whether or not I..should retire this setup. I'm loathe to part with the headphones above all as back then they were touted as having an incredibly accurate representation of the way in which the source music was recorded, without any bass boost or anything like that.
 
In short, I'm looking to see whether or not I could improve my amplifier and source (what are you guys using with customs these days?), and - whether or not any UE 10 Pro Custom users have upgraded - are there upgrades out there in terms of listening to music the way it was recorded, over my current setup?
 
Apologies if this is the wrong forum - moderators please move it if there's a more appropriate area. 
 
Best,
Ordeith

 

[Lorspeaker]

...u didnt buy anything else for....NINE YEARs??? !!!!! 
 
whats wrong/right with u???    u are AMAZING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
bow down on my knees..whats yur secret... ?

 

[Selenium]

I can barely go nine days lol.

 

[Ordeith]

The secret is abstinence (I stopped checking the forum for a long time) but also maintaining the belief that it couldn't get any better. 
 
But, just like the feeling I had which led me to this website in the first place, now I'm wondering whether or not I should be upgrading because things have progressed so much over my current setup (especially the headphones).
 
Plus, I have a lot of other expensive hobbies too

 

[Lorspeaker]

Always try something new ! here is the ultra-portable DAP M3 from FiiO
 
if u hav the patience to wait ( wat am i talkg about ) .... watch out for the above.  
 
 
=======
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/778451/shanling-m2-dap/60

 

[NeObliviscaris]

TO be honest, I would find a way to replicate what you had - at least the iPod and Tomahawk. Maybe try and pick up a iPod Classic & an RSA Predator. But maybe replace the TF10s with some TOTL Custom earphones (JH Laya or 1964 Ears A12)!

 

[Ordeith]

  TO be honest, I would find a way to replicate what you had - at least the iPod and Tomahawk. Maybe try and pick up a iPod Classic & an RSA Predator. But maybe replace the TF10s with some TOTL Custom earphones (JH Laya or 1964 Ears A12)!

Thanks a lot for this. Would you say that the Predator is an upgrade to the Tomahawk? I'm reading reviews on Head-Fi now, but trying to find direct comparisons like "what is a list of portable headphone amplifiers better than the tomahawk for..." and I'm using UE 10 Pro CUSTOMS by the way, not triple-fi. Even there, I've been looking at UE's lineup for years and I don't see many custom IEMs being touted for their neutral sound representation, do you know what I mean?
 
My other concern is that I am using an ALO line-out (it's a second generation ipod nano) - is there any way for me to tell whether or not the line-out stayed the same in subsequent apple products? Might like to keep a really small form factor for what I do.
 
At the end of the day I'd upgrade the UE 10 Pro Customs (at least think about it) if even one person said "I got these other customs and never looked back to the UE 10 Pro Customs" but I'm having a tough time finding that on this forum. I'm happy with the cable but don't know if I'd need to replace it with a different source. And I'm still checking the portable amplifier sub-forum to see...maybe I'll find a head-fi meetup in Belgium?

 

[NeObliviscaris]

 
Thanks a lot for this. Would you say that the Predator is an upgrade to the Tomahawk? I'm reading reviews on Head-Fi now, but trying to find direct comparisons like "what is a list of portable headphone amplifiers better than the tomahawk for..." and I'm using UE 10 Pro CUSTOMS by the way, not triple-fi. Even there, I've been looking at UE's lineup for years and I don't see many custom IEMs being touted for their neutral sound representation, do you know what I mean?
 
My other concern is that I am using an ALO line-out (it's a second generation ipod nano) - is there any way for me to tell whether or not the line-out stayed the same in subsequent apple products? Might like to keep a really small form factor for what I do.
 
At the end of the day I'd upgrade the UE 10 Pro Customs (at least think about it) if even one person said "I got these other customs and never looked back to the UE 10 Pro Customs" but I'm having a tough time finding that on this forum. I'm happy with the cable but don't know if I'd need to replace it with a different source. And I'm still checking the portable amplifier sub-forum to see...maybe I'll find a head-fi meetup in Belgium?

If you can get yourself an iPod Classic, it should have the same LOD (i.e. 30 pin one). Let me ask you a question: are you happy with your current setup? If yes, why change it?

 

[Ordeith]

  If you can get yourself an iPod Classic, it should have the same LOD (i.e. 30 pin one). Let me ask you a question: are you happy with your current setup? If yes, why change it?

Okay thanks. The LOD is one concern solved then. The thing is I have had my full setup for around 8 years right. I went from my minidisc player to that setup and it was a world of difference in portable audio that I couldn't believe. I am delighted with my setup, but since I thought I'll need to replace the ipod (the screen is broken), I wondered what might have changed since then.
 
Basically, I'm wondering if I can give myself a JUMP over my current setup to a new one, in the same way as 8 years ago I had that epiphany. I want to know if it's possible. I love my setup as it is, but can what I thought was epic be made even better? I like chasing the best. Even the folks at UE were not keen to say that their later models were BETTER than the UE 10 Pro Customs in terms of neutral music representation, rather "different" - for a style change.
 
I know I'm asking a lot from the posters here which is why I try to be so thankful. I'm a hedonist by nature and want to seek a way to increase my pleasure, if I can.

 

[NeObliviscaris]

  Okay thanks. The LOD is one concern solved then. The thing is I have had my full setup for around 8 years right. I went from my minidisc player to that setup and it was a world of difference in portable audio that I couldn't believe. I am delighted with my setup, but since I thought I'll need to replace the ipod (the screen is broken), I wondered what might have changed since then.
 
Basically, I'm wondering if I can give myself a JUMP over my current setup to a new one, in the same way as 8 years ago I had that epiphany. I want to know if it's possible. I love my setup as it is, but can what I thought was epic be made even better? I like chasing the best. Even the folks at UE were not keen to say that their later models were BETTER than the UE 10 Pro Customs in terms of neutral music representation, rather "different" - for a style change.
 
I know I'm asking a lot from the posters here which is why I try to be so thankful. I'm a hedonist by nature and want to seek a way to increase my pleasure, if I can.

If you can find an opportunity to audition some equipment I am sure you would find a replacement. To be honest, I recently did the same thing as you - after about 6 years came back to Head-Fi. Before I left I sold everything, went back to MP3s and jsut had an iPhone with some reshelled Westone's. 
 
When I returned there were only 3 Amps I considered: Tomahawk, Predator or the HeadAmp Pico. All fantastic amps, the latter two offering DACs. I went with the HeadAmp because I found it cheaper at a local store (Predator would have cost me a fortune from Ray Samuels).
 
I still think the best upgrade to your setup would be updating your DAP to an iPod Classic (if you can get one), a Predator (or Pico) - but only because I am old school - I am sure there are heaps more options if you have the time to study.
 
The Tomahawk is probably my all-time favourite amp, ever. If you ever get rid of it, PM me!

 

[tourneychamp23]

  Hi Everyone, 
 
I think it has been almost 9 years since I posted on this forum and first learned the meaning of "welcome to Head-Fi, sorry for your wallet". Back then, I changed my portable audio experience permanently by ordering and using for the last roughly 9 years:
 
1) Ultimate Ears 10 Pro Customs;
2) A Ray Samuels Audio Tomahawk; and
3) An Audio Line Out cable which still runs from my first generation ipod nano's line out, to the input on the headphone amplifier.
 
But now, my ipod is finally dead. And I was wondering - if the crowd from back then is still around today, whether or not I..should retire this setup. I'm loathe to part with the headphones above all as back then they were touted as having an incredibly accurate representation of the way in which the source music was recorded, without any bass boost or anything like that.
 
In short, I'm looking to see whether or not I could improve my amplifier and source (what are you guys using with customs these days?), and - whether or not any UE 10 Pro Custom users have upgraded - are there upgrades out there in terms of listening to music the way it was recorded, over my current setup?
 
Apologies if this is the wrong forum - moderators please move it if there's a more appropriate area. 
 
Best,
Ordeith

I'm kinda in the same situation. I didn't want to be tempted to buy anything, so I stayed away. Buttt now im back bc i lost an iem haha