[candlejack]

Hey guys, just joined the forum tonight but I've been a lurker for years. I just ordered a pair of the Solaris iems and figured it was probably time I made an account.[...]

I actually had some bad cancer back in 2010-2011 [...]

Some bad cancer, huh.. none of that good cancer stuff then? Congrats for Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Stayin' alive, Stayin' alive!

The Solaris is really nice. I think you will enjoy how clearly (tinnitus notwithstanding) you can hear each instrument in the ensemble. \m/ What are you planning to use as source?

 

[RGPhoto]

Some bad cancer, huh.. none of that good cancer stuff then? Congrats for Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Stayin' alive, Stayin' alive!

The Solaris is really nice. I think you will enjoy how clearly (tinnitus notwithstanding) you can hear each instrument in the ensemble. \m/ What are you planning to use as source?

Haha, well I guess that's all relative. I find that most cancer treatments aren't nearly as intense as the stuff I had to do, but I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I had a 35% chance to live 5 years, so I just count myself fortunate to be here!

And that is actually what I'm researching right now! Do you have any DAP recos? I don't want to go too crazy, but i want something that can get the most out of these. From what I am hearing, it sounds like Sony pairs well with them. Is the WM1A any good with these, or should you really go for the WM1Z version? Obviously a pretty decent price difference between the two...

 

[Rockwell75]

Haha, well I guess that's all relative. I find that most cancer treatments aren't nearly as intense as the stuff I had to do, but I wouldn't wish that on anyone. I had a 35% chance to live 5 years, so I just count myself fortunate to be here!

And that is actually what I'm researching right now! Do you have any DAP recos? I don't want to go too crazy, but i want something that can get the most out of these. From what I am hearing, it sounds like Sony pairs well with them. Is the WM1A any good with these, or should you really go for the WM1Z version? Obviously a pretty decent price difference between the two...

There are a number of considerations when thinking about DAPs-- are you interested in streaming? Is WIFI/bluetooth a big deal to you? Is battery life a huge priority? Do you want to be able to install your own music playing app of choice? Can you tolerate nominal amounts of hiss? Is EQing/tweaking a big deal to you? How portable do you need it to be? IE., are you ok with potentially carrying around a brick as your portable music player? Do you need it to drive other, full size cans or is it just for Solaris? These are some of the big factors to consider. Among some great existing products 3 of the big players in the DAP game have either just released or are poised to release some great mid-fi players worth considering-- the Fiio M11, Hiby R6 Pro and Ibasso DX220. I have heard some good things about the WM1A but also that it tends to hiss with Solaris-- more than either the ZX300 or WM1Z-- and that there are probably better options for the money. The WM1Z is by many accounts the best DAP on the market right now however it weighs a ton and is very costly-- but if you don't mind the weight and can afford it then it's probably a safe bet...but if you go with Sony make sure you invest in a 4.4mm cable as their players by all accounts perform much better through their balanced connections.

For me personally sound quality is the most important factor and I could care less about streaming and WIFI, bluetooth is good but not essential and I can deal with faint but not excessive amounts of hiss. I can't afford any of the summit-fi DAPs so for me a huge priority is getting as close as I can without breaking my bank. I have quite enjoyed the ZX300 for it's battery life, portability, sound quality and overall build quality, however I'm currently in the process of investigating a couple of the less hyped brands ( but very well regarded in audiophile circles) in Cowon and Questyle. I chose the Cowon because I want to try their highly regarded JetEffects sofware (I love tweaking sound) and the Questyle lured me in as by many accounts it has sound quality on par with the top AK players and approaching that of the WM1Z...and they're often available on the used market for well under retail right now.

 

[candlejack]

I don't want to go too crazy [...]

Then don't listen to anyone here... except for me.

I don't own the Solaris, but have used it quite extensively (I had a week with it, plus some other shorter sessions). Most of my observations are based on the Andromeda, but have crosschecked with the Solaris when I had the opportunity. I've used my Samsung Galaxy S8 and UAPP (yes, you read it correctly, a smartphone) as my source for months, kept A/B with expensive DAPs and barely found any differences. In the end I got a ZX300 (because I was curious to try out the Bal and my dealer doesn't carry Sony, so had to buy it) and decided to keep it because I can use it to drive my HD600 as well. I also enjoy the slightly different sound I'm getting from it with my Andromeda, but to be perfectly honest I could've gone on for a long time, completely satisfied with the S8 (the UAPP is an important component, otherwise it's quite hissy and there might be other aspects of the sound that don't excel).

So, if you really don't want to go crazy and have one of the better sounding smarphones out there, then start with that. Maybe order an zx300 from amazon, test it out and see if you really hear an improvement (I would also recommend going Bal in that case).

Bear in mind, I'm not saying a smartphone is equivalent with an expensive DAP in all situations, but in the case of the Andromeda and Solaris (very sensitive IEMs) I found them to be very close.

 

[RGPhoto]

There are a number of considerations when thinking about DAPs-- are you interested in streaming? Is WIFI/bluetooth a big deal to you? Is battery life a huge priority? Do you want to be able to install your own music playing app of choice? Can you tolerate nominal amounts of hiss? Is EQing/tweaking a big deal to you? How portable do you need it to be? IE., are you ok with potentially carrying around a brick as your portable music player? Do you need it to drive other, full size cans or is it just for Solaris? These are some of the big factors to consider. Among some great existing products two of the 3 of the big players in the DAP game have either just released or are poised to release some great mid-fi players worth considering-- the Fiio M11, Hiby R6 Pro and Ibasso DX220. I have heard some good things about the WM1A but also that it tends to hiss with Solaris-- more than either the ZX300 or WM1Z-- and that there are probably better options for the money. The WM1Z is by many accounts the best DAP on the market right now however it weighs a ton and is very costly-- but if you don't mind the weight and can afford it then it's probably a safe bet...but if you go with Sony make sure you invest in a 4.4mm cable as their players by all accounts perform much better through their balanced connections.

For me personally sound quality is the most important factor and I could care less about streaming and WIFI, bluetooth is good but not essential and I can deal with faint but not excessive amounts of hiss. I can't afford any of the summit-fi DAPs so for me a huge priority is getting as close as I can without breaking my bank. I have quite enjoyed the ZX300 for it's battery life, portability, sound quality and overall build quality, however I'm currently in the process of investigating a couple of the less hyped brands ( but very well regarded in audiophile circles) in Cowon and Questyle. I chose the Cowon because I want to try their highly regarded JetEffects sofware (I love tweaking sound) and the Questyle lured me in as by many accounts it has sound quality on par with the top AK players and approaching that of the WM1Z...and they're often available on the used market for well under retail right now.

Awesome man, thanks for all the info.
As to some of your questions:
1. I don't really care about wifi or streaming that much. I will be loading my library onto it and then just using it to play music.
2. I don't get into tweaking a ton, but I do like the options to go in and fine tune things a bit when needed.
3. Bluetooth would be nice to have because I have could use it with speakers in my studio on shoot days and in the car.
4. I'll probably only be using it with the solaris.
5. I don't think I would care if it was decently heavy as long as the quality makes it worth it. I'll mainly be using it when I travel and when i'm working.
6. I hate hissing. Drives me crazy, probably because it's just one more tone on top of the tone I'm always hearing and it is just too much. Haha. But yeah, I'm looking for zero hiss if possible.

 

[RGPhoto]

Then don't listen to anyone here... except for me.

I don't own the Solaris, but have used it quite extensively (I had a week with it, plus some other shorter sessions). Most of my observations are based on the Andromeda, but have crosschecked with the Solaris when I had the opportunity. I've used my Samsung Galaxy S8 and UAPP (yes, you read it correctly, a smartphone) as my source for months, kept A/B with expensive DAPs and barely found any differences. In the end I got an ZX300 (because I was curious to try out the Bal and my dealer doesn't carry Sony, so had to buy it) and decided to keep it because I can use it to drive my HD600 as well. I also enjoy the slightly different sound I'm getting from it with my Andromeda, but to be perfectly honest I could've gone on for a long time, completely satisfied with the S8 (the UAPP is an important component, otherwise it's quite hissy and there might be other aspects of the sound that don't excel).

So, if you really don't want to go crazy and have one of the better sounding smarphones out there, then start with that. Maybe order an zx300 from amazon, test it out and see if you really hear an improvement (I would also recommend going Bal in that case).

Bare in mind, I'm not saying a smartphone is equivalent with an expensive DAP in all situations, but in the case of the Andromeda and Solaris (very sensitive IEMs) I found them to be very close.

Now that I've been researching it, I feel like I should probably go the DAP route. I don't think my current phone situations are right for driving these, but I'll definitely be testing them out to see. I'll also add the zx300 to my research list. Hiss does kind of drive me crazy, so I am hoping to find a solution that keeps it to a bare minimum. And while I say I don't want to go crazy... I always say that, because I don't. But I also want something that I'll love, so I'm not too concerned about it if it is the right/best solution.

 

[candlejack]

Now that I've been researching it, I feel like I should probably go the DAP route. I don't think my current phone situations are right for driving these, but I'll definitely be testing them out to see. I'll also add the zx300 to my research list. Hiss does kind of drive me crazy, so I am hoping to find a solution that keeps it to a bare minimum. And while I say I don't want to go crazy... I always say that, because I don't. But I also want something that I'll love, so I'm not too concerned about it if it is the right/best solution.

It's your call. For me the phone is not a "compromise" or "budget" solution, I actually preferred it to several well regarded DACs/DAPs. To be honest, the biggest advantage the ZX300 has over the S8 are the dedicated Next/Prev Track buttons. (Actually, it's been a while since I A/B'ed them so I'll give it another try; if the ZX300 sounds significantly better, I'll be sure to report back)

 

[Rockwell75]

Awesome man, thanks for all the info.
As to some of your questions:
1. I don't really care about wifi or streaming that much. I will be loading my library onto it and then just using it to play music.
2. I don't get into tweaking a ton, but I do like the options to go in and fine tune things a bit when needed.
3. Bluetooth would be nice to have because I have could use it with speakers in my studio on shoot days and in the car.
4. I'll probably only be using it with the solaris.
5. I don't think I would care if it was decently heavy as long as the quality makes it worth it. I'll mainly be using it when I travel and when i'm working.
6. I hate hissing. Drives me crazy, probably because it's just one more tone on top of the tone I'm always hearing and it is just too much. Haha. But yeah, I'm looking for zero hiss if possible.

Keep an eye on the upcoming Fiio M11 and Ibasso DX220. I have used two Fiio players with my Solaris and there was zero hissing and early reports of the DX220 are very positive.

 

[CreditingKarma]

Awesome man, thanks for all the info.
As to some of your questions:
1. I don't really care about wifi or streaming that much. I will be loading my library onto it and then just using it to play music.
2. I don't get into tweaking a ton, but I do like the options to go in and fine tune things a bit when needed.
3. Bluetooth would be nice to have because I have could use it with speakers in my studio on shoot days and in the car.
4. I'll probably only be using it with the solaris.
5. I don't think I would care if it was decently heavy as long as the quality makes it worth it. I'll mainly be using it when I travel and when i'm working.
6. I hate hissing. Drives me crazy, probably because it's just one more tone on top of the tone I'm always hearing and it is just too much. Haha. But yeah, I'm looking for zero hiss if possible.

I would recomend taking a look at the AK line up as well the se100 might fit the bill for you. The interface on ak players is top notch for sure. It will also afford yoy the opportunity to add streaming later. I have the sp1000cu and couldn't be happier with how it pairs with Solaris.

 

[BlendS]

I would recomend taking a look at the AK line up as well the se100 might fit the bill for you. The interface on ak players is top notch for sure. It will also afford yoy the opportunity to add streaming later. I have the sp1000cu and couldn't be happier with how it pairs with Solaris.

I would second looking in to the AK line up. Black background with zero hiss, while I noticed minimal hissing with the Sony Walkmans (only noticeable when paused).

Another thing to note is that for some DAPs, playing local files wouldn't hiss, but would start hissing badly if you tried to stream Spotify or Tidal. This was a reason why my previous Onkyo DP-X1A drove me nuts.

 

[harishmirror]

I just picked up the noble Khan yesterday at axpona. I have to say so far they sound great. I will put up a comparison after some more listening. My Solaris might end up in the for sale section but we will see after more time with the Khan. Has anyone else compared the Khan and Solaris. I am interested in your takes too.

So any impressions on Khan compared to Solaris?

 

[RGPhoto]

I would second looking in to the AK line up. Black background with zero hiss, while I noticed minimal hissing with the Sony Walkmans (only noticeable when paused).

Another thing to note is that for some DAPs, playing local files wouldn't hiss, but would start hissing badly if you tried to stream Spotify or Tidal. This was a reason why my previous Onkyo DP-X1A drove me nuts.

Well... I found a decent price I was able to negotiate down even further on the Sony WM1Z, so I pulled the trigger. Can't wait to see how this combo works together!

 

[Rockwell75]

Well... I found a decent price I was able to negotiate down even further on the Sony WM1Z, so I pulled the trigger. Can't wait to see how this combo works together!

You got a WM1Z?

 

[RGPhoto]

You got a WM1Z?

I did. I’ve seen some people say there is some hissing with it, but hopefully it isn’t too obnoxious. The other ones I looked at like the sp1000, which looks amazing, are over 3k and I couldn’t find a better deal on them. I got the WM1z for just over 2k, so hopefully it will prove to be a nice pairing. I guess we’ll find out next week!

 

[Rockwell75]

I did. I’ve seen some people say there is some hissing with it, but hopefully it isn’t too obnoxious. The other ones I looked at like the sp1000, which looks amazing, are over 3k and I couldn’t find a better deal on them. I got the WM1z for just over 2k, so hopefully it will prove to be a nice pairing. I guess we’ll find out next week!

Congrats man...if it's anything like the ZX300 the hiss will be too faint to notice for the most part. Make sure you get a 4.4mm cable...again if it's anything like the ZX300 the difference will be night and day. Can't wait to hear impressions!