[bavinck]

You are deluding yourself if you think the differences are that great. My Leap sounds pretty close to the DP-X1, nowhere near as far off as you might think.

If you say so...:/

 

[seanwee]

I wonder how that is? Anyone know why 256 apple lossy sound better than 320 Mp3?

No thats not my point, when u said mp3 360 i was like :"there really is a mp3 360kbps ?!?!?!  Ive just heard ppl talk about stuff like this off head fi !"(but i didnt really believe it)
 
so im assuming tht it was a typo so nvm. tot it was a new mp3 version supporting higher max bitrates.

 

[Sonic Defender]

If you say so...:/

I do, and publically. It is closer than you would expect. Most good amps and DACs are quite capable of high quality sound. I'm not saying they are equal, just closer than you would think.

 

[Unfie]

This has me wondering how much longer we can continue to make better quality audio gear, especially the portable kind. Even if a specialized device like the X7 currently sounds better than a standard smartphone, how much longer will that last? Smartphones are getting better at audio quality too, and you see that with the LG V10 and G5.

 

[Sonic Defender]

  This has me wondering how much longer we can continue to make better quality audio gear, especially the portable kind. Even if a specialized device like the X7 currently sounds better than a standard smartphone, how much longer will that last? Smartphones are getting better at audio quality too, and you see that with the LG V10 and G5.

It won't be long before the differences are rather small, if they aren't in all practicality already rather small. Beyond having bigger amps to drive larger headphones I really think people don't realize just how good a phone really can sound. Both of those phones you mentioned are likely amazing, and the push to one device is definitely moving forward. There will always be those who prefer and will pay for a dedicated audio player, but unless the reasons are rather compelling, that market is likely to stay the same or shrink.

 

[seanwee]

 
It won't be long before the differences are rather small, if they aren't in all practicality already rather small. Beyond having bigger amps to drive larger headphones I really think people don't realize just how good a phone really can sound. Both of those phones you mentioned are likely amazing, and the push to one device is definitely moving forward. There will always be those who prefer and will pay for a dedicated audio player, but unless the reasons are rather compelling, that market is likely to stay the same or shrink.

I have to say my wolfson S4 isnt that far off in SQ when compared to my X1 .
 
Even then, phone sq will never reach mid-high tier gear SQ. DAPs are thick for a reason.

 

[bavinck]

I have to say my wolfson S4 isnt that far off in SQ when compared to my X1 .

Even then, phone sq will never reach mid-high tier gear SQ. DAPs are thick for a reason.

Yup. Lol, daps are thick for a reason, that seems to be totally missed by some on this thread.

Imo, the x1 sq is a far cry from x7 sq. To someone that doesn't listen to quality stuff regularly it might not be immediately obvious. But to those of us used to high sq it is.

 

[seanwee]

Imo, the x1 sq is a far cry from x7 sq. To someone that doesn't listen to quality stuff regularly it might not be immediately obvious. But to those of us used to high sq it is.

You dont say ...... :\

 

[Joe Bloggs]

I wonder how that is? Anyone know why 256 apple lossy sound better than 320 Mp3?

By being based on the new AAC lossy audio codec, which in its specification had learned from the mistakes made by the mp3 codec which limited its fidelity in the high treble no matter how you fine-tuned the psychoacoustic model, unless you went crazy with the bitrate (at which point you might as well use lossless compression)

No thats not my point, when u said mp3 360 i was like :"there really is a mp3 360kbps ?!?!?!  Ive just heard ppl talk about stuff like this off head fi !"(but i didnt really believe it)

so im assuming tht it was a typo so nvm. tot it was a new mp3 version supporting higher max bitrates.

That 360 was a typo, but LAME can encode mp3s at up to 640kbps if you use the --freeformat command line option. Not that this was part of the mp3 standard, and I'm sure the X7 would barf all over it

 

[seanwee]

I'm sure the X7 would barf all over it

Why? Crash?

 

[Joe Bloggs]

does anybody know the pinout one would need for the balanced module?

T	R	R	S
+R	-R	+L	-L
+R	-R	-L	+L
-R	+R	+L	-L
-R	+R	-L	+L
+R	+L	-R	-L
+R	+L	-L	-R
-R	-L

etcetera

Do you mean the composite output port on the top? It's only got pins for L, R, ground and the coaxial signal I'm afraid. No balanced line out there You would just have to wait for the balanced module or the K5 which takes balanced output from the 11-pin "USB" port at the bottom of the X7.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

I'm sure the X7 would barf all over it

Why? Crash?

I think quipping "format not supported" is the worst it can do

 

[CH23]

Do you mean the composite output port on the top? It's only got pins for L, R, ground and the coaxial signal I'm afraid. No balanced line out there

You would just have to wait for the balanced module or the K5 which takes balanced output from the 11-pin "USB" port at the bottom of the X7.

i meant in general, there must be a standard, right?
 
i'm waiting for the balanced module, and as i am in the middle of purchasing new IEMs, i might get them balanced.

 

[ClieOS]

 
i meant in general, there must be a standard, right?
 
i'm waiting for the balanced module, and as i am in the middle of purchasing new IEMs, i might get them balanced.

 
No, we don't actually have a standard that everyone follows.
 
However, there are two common ways of wiring a balanced connection with TRRS plug - the A&K version uses R- / R+ / L+ / L- for TRRS, while the Hifiman version use L+ / R+ / L- / R- for TRRS. I believe the current plan for the balanced module is to have a 2.5mm balanced with A&K standard and a normal 3.5mm TRS (single ended) output. The reason of choosing A&K is purely because, well, they are more popular.

 

[CH23]

No, we don't actually have a standard that everyone follows.

However, there are two common ways of wiring a balanced connection with TRRS plug - the A&K version uses R- / R+ / L+ / L- for TRRS, while the Hifiman version use L+ / R+ / L- / R- for TRRS. I believe the current plan for the balanced module is to have a 2.5mm balanced with A&K standard and a normal 3.5mm TRS (single ended) output. The reason of choosing A&K is purely because, well, they are more popular.

Lovely


appendix:

i just discovered that FAD makes another type of the FI-BA-SS for astrel&kern, and currently there is a question going to them if they can do a balanced termination on their normal FI-BA-SS. if they do it will probably be that version by default.

fingers crossed.