LOL. Common everyday experiences are pretty funny.
Earbuds Round-Up
- Thread starter ClieOS
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Regarding DAP's. My super high end listening station is an old Android phone running Lineage OS connected to a variety of dongles (depending on 3.5/2.5/4.4 connection). This is my DAP 
I don't have difficult to drive buds, so this works just fine.
On the move I have BTR5 which has plenty of power for IEM's and BT/LDAC connection sounds great. The phone already does everything required for playback, so a dedicated DAP is redundant for me.
I don't have difficult to drive buds, so this works just fine.On the move I have BTR5 which has plenty of power for IEM's and BT/LDAC connection sounds great. The phone already does everything required for playback, so a dedicated DAP is redundant for me.
Regarding DAP's. My super high end listening station is an old Android phone running Lineage OS connected to a variety of dongles (depending on 3.5/2.5/4.4 connection). This is my DAP
On the move I have BTR5 which has plenty of power for IEM's and BT/LDAC connection sounds great. The phone already does everything required for playback, so a dedicated DAP is redundant for me.
JAnonymous5150
Headphoneus Supremus
Well, there IS this one (which I trust as the company has very good reputation, though most of the others I would NOT trust):
If it were me, I wouldn't worry about the outliers that come and go from here. You are ALWAYS going to have those that know little but profess much. And your experience is invaluable in this world IMHO. I REALLY enjoyed perusing your "God Tier List" when you kept it up.
This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^!
Well said sir! All because someone was too immature to realize that describing sound is NOT an exact science (even using the terms that most have agreed are useful).
If it is a security concern, there are ways around that also. I use mine locally for my music, but I also use it for Amazon Music. NOTHING else. I don't install any other apps. For now it works fine, but eventually I will have to update the Amazon app so that it doesn't become "non compatible".
Having said that, there are sandbox apps that can keep your system essentially isolated from the internet even when your version of android is out of date and no longer receives security updates (much like Windows 10 sandbox). There is a lot about it at XDA Developers, but you can read a bit about it here.
As for me, I think that some of the flagship models have caught up to cell phone tech where the software side is concerned. When you have a DAP that runs as fast as your (current(ish)) phone and has more RAM, storage memory, custom OSes, etc... one can relax and worry more about the hardware side of things. And with things such as quad DACs, FPGA-Masters (for jitter), dual batteries (subsequently leading to more max power output, lower output impedance than should be possible with such power, and longer battery power with said power output), system-wide bit perfect playback, THD+N and dynamic range and SNR being better than they have EVER been, there is no reason to spend on portable AND desktop anymore. These become the perfect AIO, IF you understand all the technology (and futurproofing) that has gone into these things.
Yes, the OS will eventually become outdated but that doesn't stop it from running. The way I deal with this is that I DON'T install anything but Amazon Music, Neutron, UAPP, and maybe a software volume app (adding an icon on the desktop to change volume if the volume wheel becomes unusable). I never update any apps (except Amazon Music) as long as there are no updates to the OS itself (ensuring they are always compatible), and I create a separate Google Play account that doesn't even have a CC attached to it. There is nothing there for anyone to hack even if they wanted to or could.
I treat it exactly as it is; a standalone music player. Nothing more, nothing less. My phone does all the other stuff that I might want to keep safe. And if Amazon Music ever becomes outdated to where it won't work anymore on my DAP, I will just use my DAP as a USB DAC from my phone/PC/etc... I can even use reverse BT as a DAC from my phone or TV or PC, etc...
But, I digress, and others won't/don't share my view and that is perfectly fine. I just know that I will have a great AIO setup for years to come, and I don't feel the need to spend any more money. So if you really think about it, I am spending less money in the long run because (as long as I keep the battery changed) it SHOULD last a lifetime. Well, MY lifetime... LOL
You and I look at Android DAPs the same. I think we even agreed before that with proper care and some DIY skill they're essentially useful for as long as you desire. The fact that we use them exactly the same way (just music, nothing else) and having modding/DIY backgrounds is probably a big reason why.
I got great deals on my Kann Alpha and N8ii. They both sound great and are pretty powerful, but maybe even more importantly, the user experience on both makes you feel like they were designed in a thoughtful way without an eye towards generic, cost cutting strategies. I don't regret purchasing either of these and they have my high end DAP game locked down for the foreseeable future.
chavez
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That ridiculous DHL only shipping for my country has been finally updated after two years so I was able to order the B40 at 10 EUR again instead of 150 EUR. They were marked with only 5 left notice when I was ordering them at the famous Aliexpress shop couple of days ago. I hope it relates only to the latest batch. It would be pity to see them going out of production.
I will try to fix the broken cable on my first B40 one day. I'm still keeping the drivers.
In the meantime, I have found a brand new and never used Sony MH4 10C in a drawer which came like 10 years ago with my old Sony phone. They are in mint condition and sound fantastic for budget buds. Will also try to grab another pair of these somewhere online. They are at least on pair with the B40, probably slightly better.
I noticed it today too so I immediately ordered Tingo TG38s . They are more expensive now but I hope they are worth it.
I keep my Samsung Note 4 around and still use it as a transport now and again. This was the last Samsung phone that had both a replaceable battery and and IR blaster (being able to use it as a universal remote is a great feature that they took away). It still sounds very good with most of my earbuds too. While it doesn't have the best, or purest, or most fun sound, it is my belief that (newer) phones of nowadays quit trying to use good DACs and sound engineering (short of something like LG phones)Regarding DAP's. My super high end listening station is an old Android phone running Lineage OS connected to a variety of dongles (depending on 3.5/2.5/4.4 connection). This is my DAP
On the move I have BTR5 which has plenty of power for IEM's and BT/LDAC connection sounds great. The phone already does everything required for playback, so a dedicated DAP is redundant for me.
[rant=on]Other than improving the CPU, RAM, size of memory, etc... It is my belief that they have gone backwards in phone tech. That Note 4 had it all. Which is probably WHY they took those features away; to either put them behind a pay-wall, or for better "planned obsolescence" [/rant]
I very much agree with your statement, and for the reasons why also.
With the promotion/encouragement of DAPs (and phones too) being "disposable", most people don't even realize there are things that can be done to extend the longevity of such devices. It really is a shame because on the one hand, tech moves quicker to keep up with demand, but on the flip side those same companies get rich off of a (mostly) false premise; that you need to replace tech every 2 years or so. I liken this tech to laptops. Yes, you upgrade your laptop over the years, but how many years is one good for what you need it for? I submit that they are (most times) good for 10-15 years before they fall behind to the point that they aren't useable in today's tech. Why can't DAPs and phones be the same? Well, they could if the manufacturers weren't so greedy, and/or they wanted to TRULY be innovative.
For instance, why couldn't they make CPUs modular in a phones/DAPs? They did/do it for PCs. Heck, even the graphics card is integrated into the CPU nowadays so you could upgrade both at the same time. I for one would rather incur the cost of having a "service" tech change it out, than shelling out $1k + every 2 years (or so) for a completely new device. All I'm saying is that the industry is rampant with greed, and most consumers don't know any better, or don't care for things to change.
It is much like the whole idea of doing a "jailbreak" (on IOS), or "root" (on android). All you are doing when you achieve this is granting "administrative" privileges on those devices; something you have been able to do with PCs and MACs since the beginning. Now, I personally know people (we'll call them just "consumers" because of their lack of knowing any better) that think this is illegal and would get into trouble if they granted "jailbreak" or "root". Seriously! But this is the behavior that the companies WANT you to believe, so that they can control the longevity of the device through updates and etc... Oh, they will say it is for security purposes, but even were that true, are we (as a people) too stupid that we need a babysitter, that we can't manage any semblance of security, or aren't even given the choice?
I, for one am jealous of the A&K for having the ability (now) to act as a Roon hub.... As for the Cayin N8II, I am jealous because... have you heard that thing? LOL
You REALLY have some nice gear in those two DAPs, and I agree that you will not need anything (similar) for the foreseeable future. Those should not only power some heavy-duty head gear, but the specs ensure that they will also sound the best they can without introducing bad things into the chain. In other words, if a set sounds bad (with one, if not both) then it is probably not anything to do with the source, it is most likely the head gear just isn't very good.
Yes - Just like this. The E1DA is all you need
See edit for the solution! Initial impressions are pretty good, although something is lacking or different when compared to my iFi ZEN stack... But definitely a fine option for 50 USD!Just picked up the VE Megatron, and while it works well with my MacBook, it does not play audio properly through my Google Pixel 6a. I had read online that some of the older Pixels were incompatible with the Megatron, but I had hoped that this would be addressed in 6a and Android 13. Apparently not...bit sad, but I'll most likely list it for sale on the classified ads page.
Edit: Fix found! Turning on the developer setting resolved the issue! Now I can use the Megatron with my Pixel 6a
Congratz on your new shiny!
Very nice! Congratz on your new shiny!
The lack of clutter and dust on your desk is rather concerning. Enjoy!
@WoodyLuvr and @ian91, The Sound Signature chart you guys came up with is very nice. How exactly are you plotting the sound signature of buds and IEMs? I mean what are you doing to determine how to plot a sound signature? Are you taking FR measurements and interpreting the measurements a certain way to determine the graphical plot? Are you just using your ears to carefully listen to how an earbud or IEM sounds to you and then do a plot? I think since everybody hears differently that would not be feasible. Besides yourselves, how do others use your chart to plot a sound signature that would be consistent across several users plotting the same earbuds or IEMs? Do you have a tutorial or explanation on how you plot an earbud in your Sound Signature chart? I'm really intrigued.
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IMO, even if it isn't scientifically based, it is a tremendous way to graphically show how one might describe what they are hearing.
There must be a method to the madness… LOLIMO, even if it isn't scientifically based, it is a tremendous way to graphically show how one might describe what they are hearing.
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