[284033]

Anybody using the 380 or 380cu with the Zeus-R? I know I sound like a broken record with alzheimer's but I love the Zeus and want a source that is silent with them, and don't have one yet. I wish I didn't have to go to AK but...

You won't go wrong with the AK300 series with the Zeus-R.

 

[BRCMRGN]

Anybody using the 380 or 380cu with the Zeus-R? I know I sound like a broken record with alzheimer's but I love the Zeus and want a source that is silent with them, and don't have one yet. I wish I didn't have to go to AK but...

Cowon Plenue 1 

 

[PLUSSOUND]

Anybody using the 380 or 380cu with the Zeus-R? I know I sound like a broken record with alzheimer's but I love the Zeus and want a source that is silent with them, and don't have one yet. I wish I didn't have to go to AK but...

Have you considered one of the iBasso DAPs?

 

[Mimouille]

  Cowon Plenue 1 

Does it pair well? Absolutely no hiss?
 

 
Have you considered one of the iBasso DAPs?

 
Well the current ones are not at the level of my other DAPs, so I'll wait for the DX200.

 

[BRCMRGN]

  Does it pair well? Absolutely no hiss?
 

 
I am not super sensitive to hiss, but the QP1R has way too much hiss with the Zeus R.  The Plenue 1 is completely silent to my ears on either gain setting.  I haven't tried all of my DAPs yet with Zeus R, but the AK240 and AK120 II are both silent. The Fiio X7 with the AM2 amp has some background noise ( I wouldn't exactly call it hiss), but booting directly in the player reduces this.  Just for fun, I tried my HM-603 Slim. It is silent with the Zeus R, but has so much gain that 1mm of travel on the volume wheel is enough to blow out your ears.

 

[auricgoldfinger]

   
I am not super sensitive to hiss, but the QP1R has way too much hiss with the Zeus R.  The Plenue 1 is completely silent to my ears on either gain setting.  I haven't tried all of my DAPs yet with Zeus R, but the AK240 and AK120 II are both silent. The Fiio X7 with the AM2 amp has some background noise ( I wouldn't exactly call it hiss), but booting directly in the player reduces this.  Just for fun, I tried my HM-603 Slim. It is silent with the Zeus R, but has so much gain that 1mm of travel on the volume wheel is enough to blow out your ears.

 
Just curious...have you noticed hiss from the QP1R with any other IEMs?

 

[BRCMRGN]

   
Just curious...have you noticed hiss from the QP1R with any other IEMs?

No, but I mostly use it with hard to drive or low sensitivity IEMs.

 

[auricgoldfinger]

  No, but I mostly use it with hard to drive or low sensitivity IEMs.

 
What gain setting do you use on the QP1R?

 

[BRCMRGN]

   
What gain setting do you use on the QP1R?

Low for IEMs

 

[auricgoldfinger]

  Low for IEMs

 
I use the medium setting for my SE846 and don't hear any hiss.  I have a demo pair of Zeus on the way.  I'll be interested to see if I also hear hiss with Zeus.  Thanks.

 

[raypin]

mmmm......after less than 2 weeks, I am reunited with my Zeus XIV, remastered.  Thanks EE for the fast service !
 
Prelim impressions: significantly improved treble, improved clarity across the board, a more balanced (in relation to the rest of the FR) bass.  More air on top, less aggressive down low. The mid-range is as full-range as ever. The full-sounding, engaging  and powerful sound signature is retained but remastered, refined or rebalanced.  No hiss or artifact out of my favorite DAP, the AK 380 cu.
 
What a perfect way to start the day! Now, off to the salt mines and bust my ass. I have a new headphone to pay, which shall be focal point of my ass-busting in the next few weeks.........

 

[twister6]

@Mimouille, beside the point that Zeus-R probably among the best IEMs/CIEMs I've tested to date (have no idea how Jack tuned these 14-drivers to such level of coherency), I have been on a mission to find the hiss-free DAP source to drive these gems as well.
 
Pairs up fantastic with my usual top choice LPG and Opus#1, but hissing is noticeable, especially with LPG, plus I felt sound was a bit mid-forward.  DX80 has some hissing, but the sound was a bit too smooth for my liking..  N5 hissed like SOB, really bad.  AK120ii - no hissing, and I assume the same should be with AK240; actually pretty good pair up, but I felt bass lost a little bit of speed.  L&P daps, both L5 Pro and L3, made Zeus-R shine!  L5 Pro has a very faint hissing, while L3 is nearly silent!  Both have an excellent synergy with Z-R, making sound more balanced, and still keeping it very resolving and super expanded with holographic staging.  I think overall I found pair up with L3 to be the best.
 

 

[raypin]

mmm....from my small collection, hiss-free source for the Zeus XIV R: ak 380 cu, sony zx2, cayin n6, sony pcm d100 (very faint), hifiman hm 901S, ak 240. I've tested all of them with my zeus r. For portable amp, vorzuge pure II + (hiss becomes noticeable once you get past 3/4th of the volume pot or ear-splitting volume but for normal listening volume, none; low gain mode), wa8 eclipse (2-tube mode). Hiss very noticeable on the CDM (low gain) and REALLY crazy on the cypher lab theorem 720.

 

[Mimouille]

Thanks a lot guys. Now I am asking myself if I don't prefer the former Zeus. Along the lines of what Nick said on the subject. The R is more balances and clear, but the XIV had this magic no other iem has.

 

[raypin]

Mmm,....got the Onkyo DP-X1 last night. I can confirm the DAP is another  hiss-free source for the Zeus XIV R.