[bvng3540]

I never heard balanced output. I wonder if it truly is superior

Once you go balanced you will NEVER go back to SE, it like you drove a Kia and upgrade to a Porsche

 

[NaiveSound]

Once you go balanced you will NEVER go back to SE, it like you drove a Kia and upgrade to a Porsche

My goodness... Making me curious. Does it beat a decent dac like a mojo? What's the cheapest way to get the balanced taste. Just to try

 

[seamon]

My goodness... Making me curious. Does it beat a decent dac like a mojo? What's the cheapest way to get the balanced taste. Just to try

I would say something like DP-X1 or XDP-300R and a good cable
PS: Mojo is overrated 

 

[NaiveSound]

I would say something like DP-X1 or XDP-300R and a good cable
PS: Mojo is overrated 

I've been hearing about the Mojo being overated lately.

How does balanced sound in comparison? I'd love to hear your take on it. I appreciate it

 

[seamon]

I've been hearing about the Mojo being overated lately.

How does balanced sound in comparison? I'd love to hear your take on it. I appreciate it

I haven't gone full balanced yet. I will though once I buy the DX200.

 

[seamon]

How's the Zeus for pop music?

 

[Jack Vang]

How many of you guys are coming out to CanJam NYC this weekend?! Dean, myself, and @Canyon Runner will be there alongside the good fellas at @EffectAudio! Be sure to stop by and say hi! We'll have the entire line, ADEL and non-ADEL, available to audition and Effect will have the Merlin and Arthur. 
 
Anyone here a football fan?! SUPER stoked for the CanJam Super Bowl party this weekend! ATLantans @shotgunshane @Spamateur @Nhare90 @MattTCG @thomoz @MCoupe RISE UP!!!!! 
 

 

[Overkill Red]

  How many of you guys are coming out to CanJam NYC this weekend?! Dean, myself, and @Canyon Runner will be there alongside the good fellas at @EffectAudio! Be sure to stop by and say hi! We'll have the entire line, ADEL and non-ADEL, available to audition and Effect will have the Merlin and Arthur. 
 
Anyone here a football fan?! SUPER stoked for the CanJam Super Bowl party this weekend! ATLantans @shotgunshane @Spamateur @Nhare90 @MattTCG @thomoz @MCoupe RISE UP!!!!! 
 

 
I'll be at registration on Saturday morning, but I'll definitely be there to say hi!
Will be attending both days, as well as the Bowl(ing) party after.

 

[NaiveSound]

How many of you guys are coming out to CanJam NYC this weekend?! Dean, myself, and @Canyon Runner
 will be there alongside the good fellas at @EffectAudio
! Be sure to stop by and say hi! We'll have the entire line, ADEL and non-ADEL, available to audition and Effect will have the Merlin and Arthur. 

Anyone here a football fan?! SUPER stoked for the CanJam Super Bowl party this weekend! ATLantans @shotgunshane
 @Spamateur
 @Nhare90
 @MattTCG
 @thomoz
 @MCoupe
 RISE UP!!!!! 

I so so so wish I could come. You guys are all having a blast. It would be a dream to come out

 

[tim0chan]

I'm in the US, so shipping would be kinda expensive.

too bad, however, they do cover shipping back to u

 

[Deezel177]

My goodness... Making me curious. Does it beat a decent dac like a mojo? What's the cheapest way to get the balanced taste. Just to try

 
 

I've been hearing about the Mojo being overated lately.

How does balanced sound in comparison? I'd love to hear your take on it. I appreciate it

 
I think the "Balanced vs. SE" argument can't be boiled down to simply one is better than the other; it should also factor in taste and the individual performances of different devices that support both SE and balanced. For example, I have an AK70, DP-X1, and a Liquid Carbon, which all support SE and BAL. While I do agree that the LC and DP-X1 sound technically superior in balanced mode (improved layering, soundstage, L/R separation, dynamics), both the LC and the DP-X1 sound warmer and fuzzier in SE mode, which may appeal to some and may be worth the trade off in technical performance. On the other hand, I personally prefer the AK70's SE mode which is more dynamic, punchy, airy and sparkly in the treble, and forward in the mids especially. Although I feel the AK70's balanced mode is wider, deeper, leading to a more "surround" effect, and just a tad more resolving, when I'm looking for a more fun and engaging signature, I immediately bust out my 2.5mm-to-3.5mm adapter and plug it into SE mode.
 
So, at the end of the day, from my personal experience, all it comes down to is preference and one is not necessarily the be-all-end-all over the other.
 
P.S. I honestly think most of the Mojo's criticism comes from its amp section, which, with poorly mastered tracks leads to the hardness in the upper mids which @Spamateur mentioned. That's why I either use it merely as a DAC to my Liquid Carbon, or to power difficult-to-drive headphones at shows like CanJam with my AK70 as the transport.

 

[Overkill Red]

I think the "Balanced vs. SE" argument can't be boiled down to simply one is better than the other; it should also factor in taste and the individual performances of different devices that support both SE and balanced. For example, I have an AK70, DP-X1, and a Liquid Carbon, which all support SE and BAL. While I do agree that the LC and DP-X1 sound technically superior in balanced mode (improved layering, soundstage, L/R separation, dynamics), both the LC and the DP-X1 sound warmer and fuzzier in SE mode, which may appeal to some and may be worth the trade off in technical performance. On the other hand, I personally prefer the AK70's SE mode which is more dynamic, punchy, airy and sparkly in the treble, and forward in the mids especially. Although I feel the AK70's balanced mode is wider, deeper, leading to a more "surround" effect, and just a tad more resolving, when I'm looking for a more fun and engaging signature, I immediately bust out my 2.5mm-to-3.5mm adapter and plug it into SE mode.

So, at the end of the day, from my personal experience, all it comes down to is preference and one is not necessarily the be-all-end-all over the other.

P.S. I honestly think most of the Mojo's criticism comes from its amp section, which, with poorly mastered tracks leads to the hardness in the upper mids which @Spamateur
 mentioned. That's why I either use it merely as a DAC to my Liquid Carbon, or to power difficult-to-drive headphones at shows like CanJam with my AK70 as the transport.

Slight OT, but I believe that the DP-X1 is actually designed to have a true balanced circuit, with the single ended being a straight up compromise. So in that case the BAL is the way to go.

But yeah, mostly personal preference. I do find well implemented balanced circuits superior most of the time though.

 

[Matte82]

Have ordered Zeus-XR Adel with G1 and B1 modules and was considering later buying the MAM module to turn Adel on and off but if I have the two other modules would a more economical approach be to just get the blank slugs to shut off Adel at ~$40 for a pair vs $199 ??

What real advantages would there be for MAM if already have the other two modules?

Tuning the mam to your anatomy is probably the biggest benefit. Still haven't mastered that though. Still working on it.

if there a difference in sound between ciem and universal model? apart from the confort?

For me yes. The customs are more dynamic sounding. Especially in the low mids and lows. Probably mostly due to bone conduction. But not an insignificant difference. I much prefer the sound of the customs. And the fit and feel is just fantastic.

Resell value is something to consider though. But I can't imagine selling these.

 

[Dellwolf]

How many of you guys are coming out to CanJam NYC this weekend?! Dean, myself, and @Canyon Runner
 will be there alongside the good fellas at @EffectAudio
! Be sure to stop by and say hi! We'll have the entire line, ADEL and non-ADEL, available to audition and Effect will have the Merlin and Arthur. 

Anyone here a football fan?! SUPER stoked for the CanJam Super Bowl party this weekend! ATLantans @shotgunshane
 @Spamateur
 @Nhare90
 @MattTCG
 @thomoz
 @MCoupe
 RISE UP!!!!! 

I'll be there. At last I will finally get to meet you Jack, I think I've been PMing and texting you for like a year. I haven't tried Athena in a longtime so I'm looking forward to that and to comparing the Arthur and Merlin to the Zeus-R and Spartan.

 

[Spamateur]

  How many of you guys are coming out to CanJam NYC this weekend?! Dean, myself, and @Canyon Runner will be there alongside the good fellas at @EffectAudio! Be sure to stop by and say hi! We'll have the entire line, ADEL and non-ADEL, available to audition and Effect will have the Merlin and Arthur. 
 
Anyone here a football fan?! SUPER stoked for the CanJam Super Bowl party this weekend! ATLantans @shotgunshane @Spamateur @Nhare90 @MattTCG @thomoz @MCoupe RISE UP!!!!! 
 

 
Jack, in honor of this Super Bowl, I'd like to remind everyone of the best pump up video in all of pro sports:
 

 
 
....and one of the worst: