[noplsestar]

So the Oriolus BA300S tube amp for the 1Z is in the house and under testing with the Solaris.

I'll add this in the review when I have had enough time with it but after an hour with it I can say the Solaris scale well and, the very interesting point is that it takes the Solaris a few notches up on the bass... what I did miss with the 1Z alone I don't anymore with the BA300S, the mid bass kick I was missing is here and the best part is that it's without loosing anything in terms of textures and layering quite the contrary

I think this small tube amp would pair so very well with the ZX300 as it's the same form factor, making it a potential killer combo for the price.

On monday, I'll get the 8 wire Hansound Zen and then I am set!

please, stop it, because if you don’t, I‘ll blame you when at Christmas my children don’t get any presents because my purse is empty

 

[nevrsumr]

But my own opinion is if you can't tell the difference in SQ between different sources, as disparate as they can be to many of us, and this is personal preference notwithstanding, then I'm sure you can't tell the difference in quality between TOTL headphones and IEMs as well and are just going for tuning preference, and unless you're spoiled rich and like wasting money, spare yourself the expense and look for different gear on a smaller budget. What's the use of pairing a Solaris with a phone, or putting $300 ketchup on a Big Mac? If you're paying top dollar for equipment then you are doing that gear a disservice by feeding it garbage. Unless that's just your thing. (Btw I'm not using you in reference to candlejack, but as a general you.)

So you are saying, if you are going to listen to TOTL on a phone, you might as well just get some beater IEMs because it's wasted? It's that kind of thinking that gives this site a bad name IMO. Very uppity attitude about what your gear is like you can't possibly be enjoying your IEMs on "that".

 

[fuhransahis]

So you are saying, if you are going to listen to TOTL on a phone, you might as well just get some beater IEMs because it's wasted? It's that kind of thinking that gives this site a bad name IMO. Very uppity attitude about what your gear is like you can't possibly be enjoying your IEMs on "that".

Sort of, yes because you are not using them to their full potential. It's not an uppity attitude, it's my own opinion, and one that only seems logical to me. I also said you should do what you enjoy and that's all fine as well.

This website didn't give me that attitude, I apply it to everything.

So if you like putting ice cubes in your $500 red wine, then you do you, this is not a judgment of you, but I'm pretty sure that's not the way it was intended to be drunk.

 

[nevrsumr]

Sort of, yes because you are not using them to their full potential. It's not an uppity attitude, it's my own opinion, and one that only seems logical to me. I also said you should do what you enjoy and that's all fine as well.

This website didn't give me that attitude, I apply it to everything.

So if you like putting ice cubes in your $500 red wine, then you do you, this is not a judgment of you, but I'm pretty sure that's not the way it was intended to be drunk.

I guess it goes the other way for me too when I see someone saying they are listening to their IEMs out of high end DAPs with hiss in the background like that is just how the IEMs are designed or something. It's the IEMs fault its hissing. I imaging how absurd it would be going to the movies and hearing hiss out of the speakers or watching a concert like that but for some reason they just keep doing it even though the sound signature is now completely different due to the power and resistance differences.

 

[bukumurah]

I am about to buy the Andromeda S to use with my Samsung S7 Edge because I have tested a whole bunch of other low, mid, high-end IEMs and i like the sound of the AndroS best (have not heard the Solaris and won't bother for at least a year)..

I don't see a problem running TOTL iems from a mobile phone as long as i can hear and appreciate the difference in SQ..

I am also not looking to buy a DAP because my man-bag is heavy enough as it is with all the keys, ipad, cards, documents, flash disks, bank tokens, etc.. my shoulders hurt already as it is without adding a DAP to the weight..

So yeah, i think one just gotta be realistic about practicality, even if that means settling for the 4th or 5th best available option..

Cheers!

 

[fuhransahis]

I guess it goes the other way for me too when I see someone saying they are listening to their IEMs out of high end DAPs with hiss in the background like that is just how the IEMs are designed or something. It's the IEMs fault its hissing. I imaging how absurd it would be going to the movies and hearing hiss out of the speakers or watching a concert like that but for some reason they just keep doing it even though the sound signature is now completely different due to the power and resistance differences.

That's very absurd, I agree. But that's just bad synergy between the source and the IEM - some of the latter are far more prone to hiss, others are not. So a better match just needs to be found. One source does not necessarily fit all. No one said finding the right match would be easy

 

[nevrsumr]

That's very absurd, I agree. But that's just bad synergy between the source and the IEM - some of the latter are far more prone to hiss, others are not. So a better match just needs to be found. One source does not necessarily fit all. No one said finding the right match would be easy

So could that better match be your phone in this case maybe?

Sorry to call you out. I know there are more on your side of thinking than mine around here. I am no stranger to going to great lengths to get the best stuff when I get into a hobby that outsiders think is crazy. I just think that you can get great sound quality out of phones now days especially apple (again no fanboy, first iphone)

 

[fuhransahis]

So could that better match be your phone in this case maybe?

Sorry to call you out. I know there are more on your side of thinking than mine around here. I am no stranger to going to great lengths to get the best stuff when I get into a hobby that outsiders think is crazy. I just think that you can get great sound quality out of phones now days especially apple (again no fanboy, first iphone)

Lol it's not calling me out, since saying your phone doesn't produce hiss means all DAPs and other high end gear does produce hiss - that would be a big leap in logic and would be false anyways. Like I said, you would just need to find a DAP or USB DAC or something or other that doesn't produce hiss, my DX200 with AMP 8 for example has never given me hiss with any IEM. There are smaller DAPs but i'm fine with what to me is a very slight compromise in portability.

But like I said, if you are intent on using your phone, and are content with it, then seriously why bother? I think a higher quality source should be used and you aren't using them to their potential, but so what? You don't need to care about what I think. Enjoy what you have in the way you want to. Hell, use the right side Solaris piece in your left ear and the left side Atlas piece in your right ear and play it out of a cassette Walkman if that's what you want. No mockery, just different strokes for diff folks Anyways, back to envying those who have the Solaris!

 

[seamon]

So how should one drink wine, with ice cubes or no? .....asking for a friend

 

[Wesbound]

add some lemon juice also

 

[fuhransahis]

So how should one drink wine, with ice cubes or no? .....asking for a friend

Obviously you freeze the wine in an ice mold, then put the wine cubes in some water or juice.

 

[Mikelowry]

So Ive listened to my Vegas and my Solaris from the LG G7 and they both sound amazing to me straight out of the phone. My LG V40 will arrive in a few days.

I travel alot and really dont want to be bothered with babysitting many devices but if its worth it Ill buy whats necessary.

Can someone here enlighten me as to what I am missing? Percentage wise how much better will my listening experience be if I use high end DAPsor any other high end equipment?

 

[seamon]

So Ive listened to my Vegas and my Solaris from the LG G7 and they both sound amazing to me straight out of the phone. My LG V40 will arrive in a few days.

I travel alot and really dont want to be bothered with babysitting many devices but if its worth it Ill buy whats necessary.

Can someone here enlighten me as to what I am missing? Percentage wise how much better will my listening experience be if I use high end DAPsor any other high end equipment?

Difference is about 43.67% between my LG V35 and a Questyle CMA600i I use to drive LCD 4

 

[sorrick]

So Ive listened to my Vegas and my Solaris from the LG G7 and they both sound amazing to me straight out of the phone. My LG V40 will arrive in a few days.

I travel alot and really dont want to be bothered with babysitting many devices but if its worth it Ill buy whats necessary.

Can someone here enlighten me as to what I am missing? Percentage wise how much better will my listening experience be if I use high end DAPsor any other high end equipment?

You basically have three options if you are considering something beyond the phone. One is to get a dedicated DAP, on which you can spend anywhere from $50ish up to $3500, depending on how TOTL you want to go. They vary in connectivity, features, and sound quality, and what direction you go will depend on what kind of music you listen to (streaming vs. owned, lossless vs lossy files, whether you need DSD or MQA support, etc). Many android-based DACs or ones with wireless capabilities can also be used as bluetooth or LDNA receivers so you can stream music to them (at varying sound quality depending on codec/technology) from your phone.

Option 2 is to go with a dedicated portable dac/amp, which you connect to your phone through an OTG (on the go) cable. There are less expensive ones for $100-200 and they go all the way up to $1000+, varying in both power, versatility, and portability. Some have their own internal batteries, while others, like a audioquest dragonfly or cozoy REI pull power from your phone.

The improvements you will get from both DAPs as well as dedicated portable DAC/amps are usually bass and treble extension, cleaner sound, better sound stage and instrument separation, better layering, and more depth and realism (how much of any of these depends on the specific product). It is not really meaningful to give a percent improvement as what I judge as x% improvement could be much more or much less to you, but suffice to say that with both your vegas or the solaris, you would likely notice a difference. Whether this difference is worth the cost only you can answer.

 

[sorrick]

And I should add that at least on the DAC/AMP side, you would likely notice a difference even with something on the less pricey and more portable end, like a audioquest dragonfly red ($200)