[davidmolliere]

CL2 after 350 hours of burn is some of the best bass out there. You sold your CL2 before the driver had fully burned in I think you were at 150 hours. On some tracks, dare I say it, it is almost vega levels. Almost, but not quite. No fear of blowing out an ear drum here. And the mid hi harshness also goes away after burn in. The timbre is so real, instruments sound like they do in real life. At times can swear I am sitting in on a private performances in my living room. After market OCC copper cable required.

I don't think so, it was at 200 hour or so and to me fully burnt in no further changes. Don't misread what I posted the CL2 bass is amazing as I have posted in the CL2 thread myself the extension is very good and the total absence of distorsion is really something to behold. But the Solaris has more mid bass, it's a more satisfying kick but more importantly it's significantly more textured and layered (the CL2 is no slouch there, the Solaris is IMHO clearly better).

 

[Kitechaser]

I don't think so, it was at 200 hour or so and to me fully burnt in no further changes. Don't misread what I posted the CL2 bass is amazing as I have posted in the CL2 thread myself the extension is very good and the total absence of distorsion is really something to behold. But the Solaris has more mid bass, it's a more satisfying kick but more importantly it's significantly more textured and layered (the CL2 is no slouch there, the Solaris is IMHO clearly better).

Read what geagle has to say about the pair that you sold him.
He has been burning it in for a week or so, and the bass has opened up for him since that time. He made a comment about that today.
Almost everyone on the CL2 thread has seen a huge bump in bass response after the 350 hour mark.
This is the biggest shortcoming of this driver, the burn in time required.
You sold it too soon
At least you have the Solaris.. that's your baby.
We all have our picks.

 

[davidmolliere]

@Kitechaser Well maybe so... but unless burn in magically irons out the upper mids peak, no regret really although if I could have I would have kept it for its transparency and linearity. But KSE1200 might scratch that itch down the line...

 

[Kitechaser]

@Kitechaser Well maybe so... but unless burn in magically irons out the upper mids peak, no regret really although if I could have I would have kept it for its transparency and linearity. But KSE1200 might scratch that itch down the line...

Nothing magic about it. The driver doesn't loosen up properly till about the 350-400 hour mark.
People that reported the initial harshness on the thread, that had to eq it, had it completely resolve away after 300 or so hours.
It's a new iem, I am at 650 hours with it, probably the most on that thread, and these are barely recognizable from when I first got them, or even from 500 hours ago.
The sound is full, the thin mids have blossomed into a full sound that rivals most full size cans, still managing to render with micro precision and planar clarity. The bass has the most satisfying rumble with the same lightning fast response.
Not to mention how realistic these sound.
Instruments are "REAL".
Edit: I was considering buying the Solaris and the IER-Z1R before the 300-400 hour mark, not anymore. These have me completely satisfied.
Only looking to upgrade my DAP now

 

[ddmt]

Someone should really do a measurement of a brand new iem vs xxx hours burn in. Just to make sure it’s the iem that is getting better not our brain that is adapting to the sound.

 

[Kitechaser]

Someone should really do a measurement of a brand new iem vs xxx hours burn in. Just to make sure it’s the iem that is getting better not our brain that is adapting to the sound.

I think RHA is working on that. Their team said it would take some time to get a proper graph done.
There was another graph that showed a substantial change after 80 hours, but none exist for 500 hours or anything close.

 

[Kitechaser]

Anyways. Don't wanna hijack this thread
Back to the Solaris.

 

[davidmolliere]

So... I received the ALO CV5 tube amp that I snatch half price during black friday

The CV5 is quite a bit smaller than I expected and stacks really well with the DX120, need to get some 3M adhesive to velcro to get them to bond nicely

So CV5 and Solaris pair really well, the stock tubes are a good option if you want to get a more reference sound out of the CV5. They're not what I expected a tube amp would sound, although there is a nice touch of smoothness it's by no means warm but rather neutral sounding with strong technical foundation very apparent. I had ordered the 6832 tubes as well so after a couple of hours with the stock tube, I decided to roll to the 6832 and... that's more like it! I found that the 6832 have less hiss as well, significantly so.

At least for my taste, it's much more fun sounding while remaining very articulate. There is clearly more body and textures, a touch of warmth but again nothing overdone here (with DX120/CV5), there is clearly more bass kick but again nothing overpowering just authority and extension. Treble is the great surprise there, really really enjoyable the CV5 is more transparent than I expected.

Of course the CV5 needs burn in but still... very promising pairing with the Solaris!
I'll update my review once I have spent enough time with the combo.

Edit : Oh my, I switched back to WM1Z this time turning the single ended out to high gain and... this is a different ball game the 1Z is taken to new heights!!! This is a fantastic pairing with the Solaris really nothing short of spectacular!

 

[tgipier]

Anyone done any side by side comparison against a tia fourte?

 

[deafdoorknob]

So... I received the ALO CV5 tube amp that I snatch half price during black friday

The CV5 is quite a bit smaller than I expected and stacks really well with the DX120, need to get some 3M adhesive to velcro to get them to bond nicely

So CV5 and Solaris pair really well, the stock tubes are a good option if you want to get a more reference sound out of the CV5. They're not what I expected a tube amp would sound, although there is a nice touch of smoothness it's by no means warm but rather neutral sounding with strong technical foundation very apparent. I had ordered the 6832 tubes as well so after a couple of hours with the stock tube, I decided to roll to the 6832 and... that's more like it! I found that the 6832 have less hiss as well, significantly so.

At least for my taste, it's much more fun sounding while remaining very articulate. There is clearly more body and textures, a touch of warmth but again nothing overdone here (with DX120/CV5), there is clearly more bass kick but again nothing overpowering just authority and extension. Treble is the great surprise there, really really enjoyable the CV5 is more transparent than I expected.

Of course the CV5 needs burn in but still... very promising pairing with the Solaris!
I'll update my review once I have spent enough time with the combo.

Edit : Oh my, I switched back to WM1Z this time turning the single ended out to high gain and... this is a different ball game the 1Z is taken to new heights!!! This is a fantastic pairing with the Solaris really nothing short of spectacular!

told you high gain is the schiit! try the ex1k with high gain.

 

[davidmolliere]

told you high gain is the schiit! try the ex1k with high gain.

Not really in fact it's high gain on the single ended out of the 1Z to use as lineout, the CV5 itself is on low gain

 

[Audiophonicalistic]

So... I received the ALO CV5 tube amp that I snatch half price during black friday

The CV5 is quite a bit smaller than I expected and stacks really well with the DX120, need to get some 3M adhesive to velcro to get them to bond nicely

So CV5 and Solaris pair really well, the stock tubes are a good option if you want to get a more reference sound out of the CV5. They're not what I expected a tube amp would sound, although there is a nice touch of smoothness it's by no means warm but rather neutral sounding with strong technical foundation very apparent. I had ordered the 6832 tubes as well so after a couple of hours with the stock tube, I decided to roll to the 6832 and... that's more like it! I found that the 6832 have less hiss as well, significantly so.

At least for my taste, it's much more fun sounding while remaining very articulate. There is clearly more body and textures, a touch of warmth but again nothing overdone here (with DX120/CV5), there is clearly more bass kick but again nothing overpowering just authority and extension. Treble is the great surprise there, really really enjoyable the CV5 is more transparent than I expected.

Of course the CV5 needs burn in but still... very promising pairing with the Solaris!
I'll update my review once I have spent enough time with the combo.

Edit : Oh my, I switched back to WM1Z this time turning the single ended out to high gain and... this is a different ball game the 1Z is taken to new heights!!! This is a fantastic pairing with the Solaris really nothing short of spectacular!

Seems like I'm following everything you do as I also purchased the CV5. Now I just need to buy that bulb.

 

[davidmolliere]

Seems like I'm following everything you do as I also purchased the CV5. Now I just need to buy that bulb.

Do you like it?
Yeah well that 399$ deal was kind of hard to resist
Well worth it to get other tubes, I am waiting for a 6BF7 (out of stock at ALO) that I will then send to ALO to be mounted to PCB. Others have mentioned 6021 but since it seems to be a dual triodes variant of 6111 not sure I'll get it. Many swear by 6111 and don't like 6832 so YMMV. My gripe with the 6111 is the same as it is with the Oriolus BA300S, clean reference but not a rich tubey sound to my ears...

Tube rolling is easy too so I encourage to get other tubes

Right now 1Z / CV5 with 6832 / Solaris is the best listening experience I have ever had, really great!

 

[Ricky64]

Seems like I'm following everything you do as I also purchased the CV5. Now I just need to buy that bulb.

Following everything David does would not be for the faint of heart, or wallet....

 

[davidmolliere]

Following everything David does would not be for the faint of heart, or wallet....

I am not the craziest, just busy