[fuhransahis]

Can you talk a little about how it is different to Dorado? I'm very interested.

In addition to any feedback he might have, @ExpatinJapan (Damon from Head Pie) has reviewed both, so he might be able to give some in-depth comments too

 

[Indigo Bob]

Can you talk a little about how it is different to Dorado? I'm very interested.

Here is my initial impression I sent a friend. Mind you, the Dorado I Demoed was not Burned In:

Off the bat you notice the bass of the Vega. It does have a punchiness to it as the Dorado did, but it is quite different. The punch of the Vega has a more tender side to it and I think it's because there is more subbass to it. All in all I would say the Dorado is punchier.

It makes me think of when I was trying to tune down the bass of the Dorado. One of the most effective ways was by tuning up the Subbass, which softened the blow of the overall bass. The Vega seems to have that already, and with a wonderful balance that doesn't need to be EQed IMO

Another big difference between the bass of the Vega and Dorado is that the mids aren't as recessed in the Vega, which seems to make the bass in general less isolated and framed for emphasis, allowing a better balance of the Bass with the entire frequency.

Another big difference between the bass of the Vega and Dorado is that the Vega's bass isn't forward all the time. It comes in when called upon. With the Dorado the bass was simply the dominant aspect of the sound and the rest of the sound signature seemed centered around the bass. With the Dorado it was like listening to the bass primarily and everything else was secondary to it unless the upper frequencies were substantially emphasized in the song or the chorus or a portion of the song came into play where all frequencies were well covered in the song. Not the Vega.

Even when the bass is prominent in the song it doesn't dominate the sound signature like the Dorado. With the Dorado: If the bass was remotely present in the song it would be the center piece. This is a bit of the magic of the bass with the Vega compared to the Dorado: The vega's bass is strong, but doesn't dominate.

That being said, the Bass definitely needs to settle down a bit and I have to concur with the other initial impressions of the Vega owners: Does need burn in to settle down, but it's no where near as needed as it was with the Dorado for my preferences.

I would say the Bass of the Vega is Prominent, but not Dominant. With the Dorado it was Both or simply Dominant.

I don't want to downplay the Dorado. It is a beautiful IEM, and I could hear what it was capable of if the Dynamic Driver of it were to Burn In, and it is quite an experience if it suits your tastes. Like all the CA IEM's, I feel like if the sound signature suits your preference, it is the one for you. I Demoed the Nova and the emotion behind it was uniquely beautiful and I will never forget it, despite the fact that the female vocals of some of my favorite artists were too emphasized for me. The Dorado was a wonderfully energetic experience, but if the Bass does cool Down on Burn In, it would be a superb TOTL V-shape/W-shape IEM.

But for me, the Vega is the first IEM from CA Audio where I'm not trying to EQ, find different ear tips, or experiment with sources to find a way to make it fit me. It already fits. And unlike the Dorado, I don't feel so dependent on taking a risk to Burn In and cross my fingers that it will be for me. For my preferences, between the Dorado and the Vega, I need the more relaxed of the two, which the Vega definitely is.

I will say that the Energy of the Dorado allows it to do things the Vega doesn't, like emphasizing the shift in modes of a song or make the transitions from energetic to soft (or vice versa) more substantial in a way, but the Vega accomplishes that, too, in it's own way that I really like. The Dorado also has that sparkle that comes from BA's that is beautifully done.

I hope someone can possibly put in their two cents on how the Dorado sounds burned in.

 

[SeeSax]

@Indigo Bob thanks so much for your detailed thoughts. I was considering the Dorado, and while I still am, I don't feel the need to race out and get one. The Vega to me is pretty near perfection for the kind of sound it offers. It's not going to replace some of my more "technical" IEMs, but damn if I don't want to listen to this one the most often! It's just such a natural, fun, engaging sound. Anyway glad you're happy with yours. Loving mine. Are you using the stock cable? What are you driving them with?

-Collin-

 

[Indigo Bob]

One thing I definitely will say about the Vega is how it brings out the essence of the music. What is the artist's reas

@Indigo Bob thanks so much for your detailed thoughts. I was considering the Dorado, and while I still am, I don't feel the need to race out and get one. The Vega to me is pretty near perfection for the kind of sound it offers. It's not going to replace some of my more "technical" IEMs, but damn if I don't want to listen to this one the most often! It's just such a natural, fun, engaging sound. Anyway glad you're happy with yours. Loving mine. Are you using the stock cable? What are you driving them with?

-Collin-

I feel the exact same way. I will always like something about the more "technical" IEM's and there is a missing spot in my collection for a proper BA IEM (Andromeda probably), but this IEM has hit home closer than any other I have tried, and I have tried the Andro at Canjam, but not enough to say I demoed it.

I am very glad you are happy with them and love them!! I feel it really breaks the mold of the hobby into that actual art of the music and sound and makes the listening past time into an artful/emotive experience I am happy to hear you are having! It's like being able to go to a museum or a seminar or out to see and experience the performance. It is opening up a lot of genres for me the way it brings out any instrument and all its qualities so well roundedly.

I am using a FiiO X3II--Alo Audio Rx Rig. I wish I had a tube amp for this, but I had to return the one I had because it was having problems. I haven't tried it alone with the X3II cuz the Rx enhances the sound so much anyways. I love the Rx and what it does for my X3II and how well it works with IEM's.

I would love to hear how your tube amp and other sources treat the sound. What is your preference?

 

[PinkyPowers]

Here is my initial impression I sent a friend. Mind you, the Dorado I Demoed was not Burned In:

Off the bat you notice the bass of the Vega. It does have a punchiness to it as the Dorado did, but it is quite different. The punch of the Vega has a more tender side to it and I think it's because there is more subbass to it. All in all I would say the Dorado is punchier.

It makes me think of when I was trying to tune down the bass of the Dorado. One of the most effective ways was by tuning up the Subbass, which softened the blow of the overall bass. The Vega seems to have that already, and with a wonderful balance that doesn't need to be EQed IMO

Another big difference between the bass of the Vega and Dorado is that the mids aren't as recessed in the Vega, which seems to make the bass in general less isolated and framed for emphasis, allowing a better balance of the Bass with the entire frequency.

Another big difference between the bass of the Vega and Dorado is that the Vega's bass isn't forward all the time. It comes in when called upon. With the Dorado the bass was simply the dominant aspect of the sound and the rest of the sound signature seemed centered around the bass. With the Dorado it was like listening to the bass primarily and everything else was secondary to it unless the upper frequencies were substantially emphasized in the song or the chorus or a portion of the song came into play where all frequencies were well covered in the song. Not the Vega.

Even when the bass is prominent in the song it doesn't dominate the sound signature like the Dorado. With the Dorado: If the bass was remotely present in the song it would be the center piece. This is a bit of the magic of the bass with the Vega compared to the Dorado: The vega's bass is strong, but doesn't dominate.

That being said, the Bass definitely needs to settle down a bit and I have to concur with the other initial impressions of the Vega owners: Does need burn in to settle down, but it's no where near as needed as it was with the Dorado for my preferences.

I would say the Bass of the Vega is Prominent, but not Dominant. With the Dorado it was Both or simply Dominant.

I don't want to downplay the Dorado. It is a beautiful IEM, and I could hear what it was capable of if the Dynamic Driver of it were to Burn In, and it is quite an experience if it suits your tastes. Like all the CA IEM's, I feel like if the sound signature suits your preference, it is the one for you. I Demoed the Nova and the emotion behind it was uniquely beautiful and I will never forget it, despite the fact that the female vocals of some of my favorite artists were too emphasized for me. The Dorado was a wonderfully energetic experience, but if the Bass does cool Down on Burn In, it would be a superb TOTL V-shape/W-shape IEM.

But for me, the Vega is the first IEM from CA Audio where I'm not trying to EQ, find different ear tips, or experiment with sources to find a way to make it fit me. It already fits. And unlike the Dorado, I don't feel so dependent on taking a risk to Burn In and cross my fingers that it will be for me. For my preferences, between the Dorado and the Vega, I need the more relaxed of the two, which the Vega definitely is.

I will say that the Energy of the Dorado allows it to do things the Vega doesn't, like emphasizing the shift in modes of a song or make the transitions from energetic to soft (or vice versa) more substantial in a way, but the Vega accomplishes that, too, in it's own way that I really like. The Dorado also has that sparkle that comes from BA's that is beautifully done.

I hope someone can possibly put in their two cents on how the Dorado sounds burned in.

Cool, thanks for that.

 

[SeeSax]

One thing I definitely will say about the Vega is how it brings out the essence of the music. What is the artist's reas


I feel the exact same way. I will always like something about the more "technical" IEM's and there is a missing spot in my collection for a proper BA IEM (Andromeda probably), but this IEM has hit home closer than any other I have tried, and I have tried the Andro at Canjam, but not enough to say I demoed it.

I am very glad you are happy with them and love them!! I feel it really breaks the mold of the hobby into that actual art of the music and sound and makes the listening past time into an artful/emotive experience I am happy to hear you are having! It's like being able to go to a museum or a seminar or out to see and experience the performance. It is opening up a lot of genres for me the way it brings out any instrument and all its qualities so well roundedly.

I am using a FiiO X3II--Alo Audio Rx Rig. I wish I had a tube amp for this, but I had to return the one I had because it was having problems. I haven't tried it alone with the X3II cuz the Rx enhances the sound so much anyways. I love the Rx and what it does for my X3II and how well it works with IEM's.

I would love to hear how your tube amp and other sources treat the sound. What is your preference?

Actually I haven't used my tube amp with them yet, but I'll give it a try. I run all of my IEMs out of balanced rigs now, so the Ember gets neglected sadly. But, I do have a 6.3mm to 2.5mm adapter so I will give it a go. Right now, my favorite pairing is out of my Gustard A20H DAC/amp. It has such a punchy, lively sound but is never harsh. It's equally good (okay almost) out of my Pioneer XDP-300r. I think the Vega already sounds like a tube amp on its own

Cheers,

-Collin-

 

[Indigo Bob]

Actually I haven't used my tube amp with them yet, but I'll give it a try. I run all of my IEMs out of balanced rigs now, so the Ember gets neglected sadly. But, I do have a 6.3mm to 2.5mm adapter so I will give it a go. Right now, my favorite pairing is out of my Gustard A20H DAC/amp. It has such a punchy, lively sound but is never harsh. It's equally good (okay almost) out of my Pioneer XDP-300r. I think the Vega already sounds like a tube amp on its own

Cheers,

-Collin-

Well with gear like that I am not surprised the Ember has been on the back burner.

That's right, you have the 300r... that is a beautiful sounding DAP.

I bet the Vega scales up very well with a better source. That's my next expenditure once my wallet recovers from the Vega.

 

[ExpatinJapan]

I have reviewed a few of the Campfire series (about 6?).

They are up on head-fi. Accessing them is a bit more difficult after the new layout.

So either search or try via my review thread links (some need updating after the new head fi layout).

 

[PinkyPowers]

I have reviewed a few of the Campfire series (about 6?).

They are up on head-fi. Accessing them is a bit more difficult after the new layout.

So either search or try via my review thread links (some need updating after the new head fi layout).

Yeah, I think I'm done posting reviews on Head-Fi. Not until they fix the Head Gear section. But in their own words, the review pages are not a priority for them, which means the Admins don't know what Head-Fi is.

 

[Indigo Bob]

I went by the Schiit Audio Store in Santa Clarita today, The SchiitR lol.

Testing out the Vega on different sources. I got to say it really scales up with sources. Sounded wonderful on them, especially the higher priced ones lol... No schiit. Definitely liked the Valhalla out of the bunch. The stock Vali 2 doesn't do the Vega justice IMO.

I was able to try out a bunch of sources at Canjam NYC 2017, too, and I think my favorite ones were the Ak70, Onkyo, and Pioneer XDP-300R. Still very surprised to see the Pioneer XDP-100R at 300$ price, which is one of the best values for a DAP I've seen in a long time.

I haven't tried the AK70--Vega combo, but I'd imagine they pair well.

Definitely have a notion that the Vega pairs Super well with the Alo's own Cv5.

I haven't had as much time to burn in the Vega as I'd like, but am still happily getting to know this dynamic new love of my life. Very beautiful.

 

[fuhransahis]

I went by the Schiit Audio Store in Santa Clarita today, The SchiitR lol.

Testing out the Vega on different sources. I got to say it really scales up with sources. Sounded wonderful on them, especially the higher priced ones lol... No schiit. Definitely liked the Valhalla out of the bunch. The stock Vali 2 doesn't do the Vega justice IMO.

I was able to try out a bunch of sources at Canjam NYC 2017, too, and I think my favorite ones were the Ak70, Onkyo, and Pioneer XDP-300R. Still very surprised to see the Pioneer XDP-100R at 300$ price, which is one of the best values for a DAP I've seen in a long time.

I haven't tried the AK70--Vega combo, but I'd imagine they pair well.

Definitely have a notion that the Vega pairs Super well with the Alo's own Cv5.

I haven't had as much time to burn in the Vega as I'd like, but am still happily getting to know this dynamic new love of my life. Very beautiful.

You like female vocals, check out Anti-Pioneer by Feist (album is Metals). One of my favorite tracks to listen to, Vega plays it to perfection. Feist in general is great.

 

[Indigo Bob]

You like female vocals, check out Anti-Pioneer by Feist (album is Metals). One of my favorite tracks to listen to, Vega plays it to perfection. Feist in general is great.

That's a great recommendation. I can't believe I didn't revisit Feist earlier. I think it's because I associated the 1234 song with an Ex-GF.

Oh yah, the Vegas really capture the subtlety of that emotion. I can't capture that as close to as well with my LZ A4's. The voice and the instrumentation is played with such a nuanced feel/tenor on the Vega.

Makes me think of Maggie Koerner a little bit.

 

[theveterans]

I went by the Schiit Audio Store in Santa Clarita today, The SchiitR lol.

Testing out the Vega on different sources. I got to say it really scales up with sources. Sounded wonderful on them, especially the higher priced ones lol... No schiit. Definitely liked the Valhalla out of the bunch. The stock Vali 2 doesn't do the Vega justice IMO.

I was able to try out a bunch of sources at Canjam NYC 2017, too, and I think my favorite ones were the Ak70, Onkyo, and Pioneer XDP-300R. Still very surprised to see the Pioneer XDP-100R at 300$ price, which is one of the best values for a DAP I've seen in a long time.

I haven't tried the AK70--Vega combo, but I'd imagine they pair well.

Definitely have a notion that the Vega pairs Super well with the Alo's own Cv5.

I haven't had as much time to burn in the Vega as I'd like, but am still happily getting to know this dynamic new love of my life. Very beautiful.

I went there too around 4 hours earlier. Saw a guy wearing Vega as well. It might have been you though

 

[Indigo Bob]

I went there too around 4 hours earlier. Saw a guy wearing Vega as well. It might have been you though

Pleasure to meet you! lol.

That was me. I went there around 5pm, tried the DAC/AMPs out, digged the Valhalla, then tried to see how it compared to the Vali II one last time (when a gentlemen came in with a girl), which didn't best my Alo Rx Amp so I headed out.

I'll tell you, though, it gave me quite an appreciation for the Alo Rx Amp.

 

[theveterans]

Pleasure to meet you! lol.

That was me. I went there around 5pm, tried the DAC/AMPs out, digged the Valhalla, then tried to see how it compared to the Vali II one last time (when a gentlemen came in with a girl), which didn't best my Alo Rx Amp so I headed out.

I'll tell you, though, it gave me quite an appreciation for the Alo Rx Amp.

Pleasure to meet you too sir. That was my sister who I am kind of trying to influence to get into the hobby. Thanks for your comparison with the RX. Now I'm more eager to pull the trigger on the RXs