[iFi audio]

Time to put up my favorite review template again - enjoy:

The [FOTM] seems to be a very well balanced [FOTM] in every aspect of its sonic presentation. By this I mean its frequency presentation seems to be equally consistent throughout the entire spectrum from the very low bass all the way throughout the upper treble. This consistency gives the [FOTM] a very smooth, even and natural tonal balance. This well balanced tonal character gives the amp a smooth, almost liquid sense, a somewhat silky feel. Never is there a hint of artificial or electronic reproduction taking place. When I say silkiness and smoothness I do not mean to infer a lack of detail or leading edge blurriness but quite the contrary, there is plenty of inner detail and resolution.

There is also an overall warmth to this [FOTM] but not too much, not overly present or in any way intrusive. This warmth does not seem to be a manifestation of any undue or excess mid bass emphasis, its just there in the presentation in a beneficial way rather than detracting and does not obscure the the [FOTM] detail or compromise definition. Personally I find this warmth pleasant, inviting and gratifying. [if you are aiming for clarity, change accordingly.]

The [FOTM] has the ability to unravel a complex sonic landscape with ease and confidence. Musical lines and rhythms are kept straight and coherent. Nothing is sonically tripping over itself or obscuring the detail of another instrument. Even in the most complex passages you can distinctly hear every instrument in detail. This is the consequence of the [FOTM]'s ability to resolve and present the smallest amounts of inner detail and micro dynamics. Instruments are clearly defined and focused and separated across the soundstage. Bass extension is deep and controlled with excellent definition, impact and tonality. Treble is extended and smooth without any sense of edginess or harshness. The slight overall warmth to the [FOTM] gives the midrange the seduction needed to draw you into the music and get you involved. Listening to the [FOTM] I never once thought I was listening to a digital file. It is not an in your face kind of [FOTM]. It seems so well balanced in so many regards that it doesn't need to have any particular overbearing characteristics to give it its overall magic. It simply does its job in every area with confidence and respect and disappears from the sonic equation in an effortless way.

This is as entertaining as it's brutal, honestly

The scary part is that I could probably name a few products that would fit that template

 

[msing539]

The [FOTM] seems to be a very well balanced [FOTM] in every aspect of its sonic presentation. By this I mean its frequency presentation seems to be equally consistent throughout the entire spectrum from the very low bass all the way throughout the upper treble. This consistency gives the [FOTM] a very smooth, even and natural tonal balance. This well balanced tonal character gives the amp a smooth, almost liquid sense, a somewhat silky feel. Never is there a hint of artificial or electronic reproduction taking place. When I say silkiness and smoothness I do not mean to infer a lack of detail or leading edge blurriness but quite the contrary, there is plenty of inner detail and resolution.

Wait, that's not Fear Of Missing Out... What's FOTM??

The [father of the mastodons] seems to be a very well balanced [fake or true messiah] in every aspect of its sonic presentation. Is this about cables??

 

[iFi audio]

What's FOTM??

Flavor of the month

 

[msing539]

Flavor of the month

YOLO IFI

 

[iFi audio]

YOLO IFI

Sure, that too, but IIRC YMMV

OK, let's stop with these acronyms before it escalates

 

[iFi audio]

Oops, double post, sorry!

 

[whitedragem]

FOTM =/ “easter egg”

Easter eggs come at easter. (more than a year after product launch = ‘missed Christmas’, and in some cases missed easter, ‘twice’)

 

[inseconds99]

The headphones lack (insert audiophile adjective here) because of your chain.

 

[iFi audio]

FOTM =/ “easter egg”

Easter eggs come at easter. (more than a year after product launch = ‘missed Christmas’, and in some cases missed easter, ‘twice’)

I see what you did there

 

[Level5]

I'm looking to get into the audio scene and I was just wondering if there's any stuff i should take with a grain of salt when reading about audio equipment.

if there's already a post for this, feel free to tell me and link it

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/7cc7d...Minimalists_16_Rules_for_Living_with_Less.pdf

Read page 16-17

 

[castleofargh]

My favorite thing to read on the website of audiophile products is "quantum" in the description of how they do something better. Always makes me smile. A charlatan’s joke that never gets old.

My least favorite is the pseudo science, or maybe even true objective data but at some irrelevant magnitudes proposed as cause, and flowery lingo bs as subjective consequence.
I dislike it because it’s never legally binding. They’ll just go claim anything as long as it's non objective. It requires zero effort, and it works quite well within the audiophile crowd. So it’s unlikely to ever go away.

 

[chesebert]

My favorite thing to read on the website of audiophile products is "quantum" in the description of how they do something better. Always makes me smile. A charlatan’s joke that never gets old.

My least favorite is the pseudo science, or maybe even true objective data but at some irrelevant magnitudes proposed as cause, and flowery lingo bs as subjective consequence.
I dislike it because it’s never legally binding. They’ll just go claim anything as long as it's non objective. It requires zero effort, and it works quite well within the audiophile crowd. So it’s unlikely to ever go away.

Are you referring to certain competing website that focuses almost entirely on SINAD?

 

[whitedragem]

Are you referring to certain competing website that focuses almost entirely on SINAD?

I wouldn’t think ‘one of our sound science moderators would’, but this comment does make me laugh; it is literally running the opposite direction of ‘quantum (BS!)’ to sell..
Sadly pure science (objective benchmarks) seems contrary to much/many findings of many, many audio kit engineering types (who rotate parts selection for ‘sound tuning’)(not always for $ savings),.. so clearly we need to have a ‘soft gaze’ when scrutinising miss-information fields.

it is what makes this hobby truely deep… we have sea water and river water, we have ‘salty’ AND refreshing, and we have million ways to drown in a puddle (of missinformation) irrelevant of how clear or or how smooth the surface…

 

[castleofargh]

Are you referring to certain competing website that focuses almost entirely on SINAD?

I wasn't. I first learned of that measurement for radio signal where someone was super proud to get like 40dB(don’t remember the real value) of "real clean sound" on his receiver. Maybe that played a part in me thinking that any consumer audio device showing 80dB or more has reached the SINAD irrelevant level?
But so long as people don’t make up BS about the night and day subjective impact of gaining 3dB over an already triple digit SINAD value, I don’t see any issue with it being measured(data is good!) or valued by those who seek objective improvement of some variables, be it for sound or just because they can.

 

[odarg64]

My BS to English translator choked on this:

What immediately strikes about the Ode to Laura is its liquid note presentation and smooth yet highly articulate nature. It has an L-shaped signature with a rich yet meticulously controlled bass presentation, large, highly resolved vocals and a smooth, refined top-end. The cable strikes me as being impressively spacious and it has a good if not market-leading technical foundation despite its darker character in the treble. To me, vocals are a highlight, presented with enhanced size, great definition and slightly higher contrast with counterbalancing warmth and top-end articulation. Rather than being dense, the midrange is well-extended but emboldened by the more robust low-end. Lows similarly inspire, and the densely packed conductors provide a sense of power similar to that observed on the Socrates. The Laura provides an immediate boost to extension but does so in the cleanest manner I’ve yet seen with minimal introduction of muddiness or loss to separation. Bass upholds exemplary definition in the mid-bass and overall timbre showcases great authenticity.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ele...cussions-thread.919228/page-253#post-17068259