[virt]

I think going the "balanced" route is the "easy way" to making their dap sound great. My Chord sources (Hugo 2 and mojo) are both single ended and I think they sound great. Heck even my LG V35 phone sounds much better to my ears than Sony's 3.5 output. It's just poor design / engineering is what I think.

I would somewhat agree to this, although I have nothing to back it up. I bought my 1A and subsequent ZX300 when I first wanted better equipment when I haven't had the opportunity to try out other manufacturer's DAPs.
I ended up trying AK's SP1000 and SP1000M just 2 weeks ago and I have to say I feel like both of them blew my Sony DAPs out of the water. (All on unbalanced 3.5mm)
But yea I'm using my Hugo 2 right now to most of the listening and I have to say, I think it sounds the best on there.

 

[DunkFealer]

Sony ZX300 > Musashino 4.4mm adapter > 2.5mm balanced type 6 copper litz cable (Impact Audio) > Andromeda > Acoustune AET07 tips

#0346 / 1000 here.
I'd like to give my initial short impression...

I listen mostly to R&B, hip-hop and long haired bands of the 80's but also enjoy any other genre.
Some of the tracks which triggered some kind of emotion \ sensation within me as I listened.

Amy Winehouse - Between the Cheats
Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
Notorious BIG - Gimme the Loot
Maryanne Ito - How I Feel
Kashiwa Daisuke - Stella

Bass coming from ba drivers that I've heard almost always disappointed me. Only the Jomo Flamenco had earned my approval and now the Andromeda Gold (AG) joins it. Most of the tracks I listed above has a strong bass line. A great bass line and drum beat is the heart and soul of music. It is that which makes me head bob. I recently sold my gen 2 UE18+ and I really loved the timber, tonality and details in the mid and upper registers. However, it's bass was very lacking for my taste while listening to R&B and hip-hop but adequate for bass produce by organic instruments like in jazz and orchestra.

Kashiwa Daisuke - Stella
This track is very special for me. It may sound corny but I use this as a test to see if "the music can take me to another place".... On a musical journey if you will. I listen with my eyes closed and fully relaxed. The AG was able to take me there. There are parts in the track where it's calm and soothing. Then gradually builds up to something chaotic.

I will not go over the mids and highs as I feel it is basically the same as the original. I feel the bass of the AG is fantastic. Quantity, impact and rumble... It's all there. It is more then enough to even satisfy my bass head cravings all the while still keeping the same "Andromeda" sound I missed so much after selling off my V2. Thank you Ken and Campfire Audio. Much aloha.

#345 over here!

 

[BeerNuts]

This is nuts…

I'll get mine Monday and will be able to test them on same or similar devices: ZX300, iPhone & MacBook Pro.

My ZX300 has 400+ hours and was equally used on SE and Balanced so we'll see.

You want even more nuts... if I pop the solaris onto the 3.5 smoke cable and play at 3.5 its not quite as noticeable. The ando is like being slapped across the face. I will be very curious to hear your feedback come Monday.

I saw that you mentioned the high gain above so definitely uncapped as far as I understanding things.

I'd be curious to test it on low gain on the ZX300 though there's not technical logic behind this move or is there? (I'll actually test that theory with my CA Comet now—only BA in-house so far).

Anyway, I'll stop requests here (we could start a CA Andromeda SEG x ZX300 thread ) and let you enjoy your IEMs

Tried low gain as well actually. If i go up to 28 (low gain) on volume its not veiled and if you didn't know any better you would say sure this is great! But i do know better, because i have only ever used the 4.4. So i pause the song that i thought was OK, swap cables again (50th time lol) and pop into the 4.4. Suddenly again it is like KABOOM stupidly better. Like really really stupidly better. Crap tons more bass that lasts longer, more everything. I actually have to use volume 12-14 on the 4.4 HG which is low for my normal solaris play.

I keep using my 4.4 to 3.5 adapter to test without cable swap, and each time i say you know i think maybe it magically fixed its self this isnt so bad i think it sounds better than before (also just because i changed albums). Then I go ok time to go back to the 4.4. Son of a! I mean i remember everyone saying to use the 4.4 with the green andros which is why i bought the 4.4 to being with but i didn't remember this.

 

[NewEve]

I got mines 2nd hand and I believe it came from Singapore. Is there a way to verify?

If you have the high gain setting your ZX300 is uncapped as far I remember.

 

[BeerNuts]

If you have the high gain setting your ZX300 is uncapped as far I remember.

As far as i knew the volume cap was only for volume not for power output. To keep people from going deaf. Even at low gain I stop at 28, I don't know how some people do it. Right now I am at 11 on the HG 4.4. Still tons of room to run even with caps if i had them. I feel the issue some how has to do with the specific power/ohm output of the 3.5 on my zx300.

I bought a 3.5 to 4.4 adapter on amazon so I am going to get to the bottom of all of this on Sunday.

I will say that to anyone that doesn't have the zx300 or doesn't care about the 3.5 on your zx300 you can ignore my issues. It's a very specific problem don't let it stop you from a purchase. They are totally fine with a iphone 3.5 to lighting adapter as well.

I have about 3 hours of listening on them now and if i stay on the 4.4 they are like lighting in a bottle. There is no way in hell they are only going to make 1k of these. Sure 1k in the black/gold but they will for sure make more in some standard color at a later date. They are stupidly nice which you would expect for the price. Gonna be a great 15 days before i have to figure out to send them back or not for sure.

 

[NewEve]

DELETED

 

[NewEve]

I have about 3 hours of listening on them now and if i stay on the 4.4 they are like lighting in a bottle. There is no way in hell they are only going to make 1k of these. Sure 1k in the black/gold but they will for sure make more in some standard color at a later date. They are stupidly nice which you would expect for the price. Gonna be a great 15 days before i have to figure out to send them back or not for sure.

Very good to know

 

[koven]

A few hours w/ the Gold so far and it is basically what I expected, OG signature w/ stronger bass. It hits pretty hard for BA. Been comparing it w/ the VX back and forth. Using AK380 and no hiss w/ Gold.

 

[Ryokan]

Listening with Andro's through ZX300 very happy, can't notice any hiss.

 

[Ryokan]

But yea I'm using my Hugo 2 right now to most of the listening and I have to say, I think it sounds the best on there.

After reading so much praise for the Hugo2 I demo'ed one thinking it would easily out perform my Opus#2 on it's own. I kept A-B'ing but just couldn't hear a difference, I concluded both were equally as good. The optic cable was a budget one, maybe that was part of the reason?


I posted my findings on the Hugo2 thread but no one had an answer.

 

[virt]

After reading so much praise for the Hugo2 I demo'ed one thinking it would easily out perform my Opus#2 on it's own. I kept A-B'ing but just couldn't hear a difference, I concluded both were equally as good. The optic cable wasn't very good quality, maybe that was the reason?

I haven't heard the latter so I can't exactly give a good response, but I tried my current Hugo 2 under usb output, which is through a usb chain (micro usb to usb, usb-f to usb-c) connected to my S10+ at the time. Maybe I haven't heard any better, but it was better than the Mojo I had for 2 years by a mile. So I decided to pick it up and I haven't regretted it.

 

[shadow_shooter]

I've just placed an order for GE and will arrive on Monday. I've got pure silver and bal ref8 cables so I may try them instead of cheapo smoky litz cable. I'm interested if this'd make any difference. I've had Atlas and OG Andromeda but they've been stolen lately... I still may order Atlas as I don't expect gold andos to fulfill bass bucket when called for.

 

[robulation]

I've just placed an order for GE and will arrive on Monday. I've got pure silver and bal ref8 cables so I may try them instead of cheapo smoky litz cable. I'm interested if this'd make any difference. I've had Atlas and OG Andromeda but they've been stolen lately... I still may order Atlas as I don't expect gold andos to fulfill bass bucket when called for.

Stolen?!? As in, really stolen?... or borrowed by someone and not given back? Or children taken them? Ha! Do tell!

 

[Ryokan]

I haven't heard the latter so I can't exactly give a good response, but I tried my current Hugo 2 under usb output, which is through a usb chain (micro usb to usb, usb-f to usb-c) connected to my S10+ at the time. Maybe I haven't heard any better, but it was better than the Mojo I had for 2 years by a mile. So I decided to pick it up and I haven't regretted it.

We can only go by what we hear.

 

[Rockwell75]

A few hours w/ the Gold so far and it is basically what I expected, OG signature w/ stronger bass. It hits pretty hard for BA. Been comparing it w/ the VX back and forth. Using AK380 and no hiss w/ Gold.

Any VX/Andro Gold comparisons you could offer would be very helpful