Can you compare the e5 with the zxr? Will appreciate the comparison between those two
I must admit I've been mostly using the ADG1s on the desktop, and the ANC9 / CK7s on the E5. I'll have to try to do more A-B in the upcoming time and come back with a better answer to that. However I'll do an initial take now as a baseline. As such, I'm listening to one of my favourite albums, Daniel Pemberton's Space Dive on Spotify [Extreme] on the ZXR->CK7 now (e.g. "Problem at 120,000 ft" has a very good mix of quiet and loud elements, with some deep bass parts as well as airy high bits). I am using the desktop Windows application of Spotify, and the Android version on my phone to compare the two. I'm using the same amount of Crystalizer, with what appears to be a similar EQ profile. The ACM module that came with the ZXR is gathering dust in the closet.
Initially speaking, the ZXR is far stronger out of the box, even on lowest amplification setting, almost dangerously so as I really have to lower the volume significantly when switching from the desktop speakers (Creative Z-5500s) to headphones. 10% volume is plenty loud. From then I have to qualify my comparison notes by saying I'm only a featherweight when it comes to the word of hifi / head fi. I know what I like in terms of my audio however I probably don't have the language to describe it yet.
I love the audio quality of both devices. There are certainly differences, but they have felt subtle to myself. On a hunch, lacking for better ways of describing it, I can feel the increased power on the ZXR, it seems better defined and controlled. Stronger, more well defined bass. Is it right to say that we have a bigger sound stage on the ZXR because of the extra power? Also, the SNR is 4db higher on the ZXR; not sure what the expected impact of that is, however there's clearly much less static hiss with no audio playing back on the ZXRs. This hasn't been a concern really on the E5 as I generally don't listen to nothingness. Now that I've noticed the difference it might bother me a little bit though!
There might be more resolution in the ZXR, however was using Bluetooth initially. I therefore changed to USB (bah at the battery drain...) and not sure if it's in my head now but there might be less of a difference with the USB rather than bluetooth. Yet I'd still say there's slightly more definition in the ZXR. However at the same time the E5 has a very nice sound - is this where the word "colour" is used? - which just lends itself to hours of listening.
Really can't go wrong with having both. Love the fact that the software I use for controlling the E5 on my phone is so similar to the desktop app for the ZXR. The surround experienced in games on the ZXR is just fantastic - e.g. Insurgency on the ADG1s feels downright violent with its hard hitting audio impact, and very natural sounding positional audio - you just _know_ the sound came from that direction, something the Asus soundcard that went before it was never able to do.
[ Random notes: I am using Volstep from sourceforge on the desktop to have more meaningful use of my keyboard's volume controls, e.g. difference between 8% and 9% being night and day. The sound quality of the Z-5500 took an unexpected boost from switching from the onboard Realtek. ]
Can't use the image tag yet, but will see if I can at least post these two urls linking to images.
SB software on S6:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1syct2I3cpE/VSoqRC7h84I/AAAAAAABaPo/OzXHKDoJqqc/w1381-h777-no/20150412_101208.jpg
E5 with S6:
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-BeBBBTXN1uM/VSm5NBJ3itI/AAAAAAABaO8/-B9Tvqdck_Y/w1381-h777-no/20150412_100813.jpg
