[fzman]

I do not see the A8000 as an allrounder. Its signature is bright, highly resolving, ultra dynamic, thin in some aspects. For me, it is the optimal IEM for classical music (and probably Jazz), I couldn't think of any IEM better suitable, technically capably and tuned for it.

I would think exactly the opposite: that classical and bright are a horrible combo- screechy strings. etc.

I really like the A8000 with all forms for music, it's recording quality that makes the difference for me, not genre per se.

 

[fzman]

As for cable I do try to roll alot of cable to add warmth but nothing seems to work too good until I came across Plato which do add bit warmth and tame down the 7-8k peak

I have tried both a Brise flex001, and an Eletech Fortitude. The Brise did take a way a bit of the openess, the Fortitude does not get in its way--I like it very much.

I like single-dd iems and copper cables. Coherence uber alles!

 

[gazzington]

What daps have a good synergy with these iems?

 

[LightBlue77]

i use fiio m15, like it. also, even better, aune s8 -> xlr -> topping a90 4.4mm -> a8000. but this is desktop setup.

 

[lafeuill]

What daps have a good synergy with these iems?

DX300 is fantastic with A8000

 

[greyforest]

What daps have a good synergy with these iems?

I tried many dap with a8000 when i just got it
You want a dap that is transparent and have good amp circuits. Hugo2+2go is particularly good with a8000, very transparent, also m15’s headphone mode(bal) is powerful enough to drive a8000 and it is the cheapest. N8 is good but you lose some transparency. Sp2000 is not powerful enough, colorfly u8 is transparent but amp is not powerful enough. R8 is powerful enough but m15 is cheaper and the results are similar. Dx220 is not powerful enough or transparent. Sony wm1z is not powerful enough.

 

[Infoseeker]

I noticed two things.

You want a nuetral source to maintain as much late treble as this roll off crazy.

But if you use a colored source you can ease the lower treble that is the harsh problem zone.

So never could decide. Best to just EQ I guess.

 

[Hoegaardener70]

I tried many dap with a8000 when i just got it
You want a dap that is transparent and have good amp circuits. Hugo2+2go is particularly good with a8000, very transparent, also m15’s headphone mode(bal) is powerful enough to drive a8000 and it is the cheapest. N8 is good but you lose some transparency. Sp2000 is not powerful enough, colorfly u8 is transparent but amp is not powerful enough. R8 is powerful enough but m15 is cheaper and the results are similar. Dx220 is not powerful enough or transparent. Sony wm1z is not powerful enough.

+1 for FiiO M15. I liked it with a balanced cable more than with the Hugo2 and its forced unbalanced connection.

 

[fzman]

I am having great luck with mine and Eletech Fortitutde cable, 4.4mm driven by L&P P6Pro. The A8000s sounded spectacular driven by my Luxman P750u - but it won't fit into my pocket, and I don't have a long enough extension cord anyway.... lol

I thought it was driven well in balanced, by my 2000cu also.

 

[fzman]

Almost forgot to mention an important detail. With an iem as revealing as the A8000, you will hear the state of warm-up of your DAP. I think most of us power up, stick in pocket, and go do our thing outdoors, without really giving much thought to warm-up (not burn-in), but getting the DAP in its happy-place thermally. Warm solid state stuff tends to sound better-sometimes, shockingly better.

I have also noticed that while many DAPs will play while charging, they sound better with the charger disconnected.


Try it sometime. start a specific track at your normal volume level. Listen for a moment, get the 'feel' of the sound. Then, let it run on repeat for an hour, then come back and listen to the same track at the exact same volume setting.

Then report back!

 

[dleblanc343]

I thought it graphed quite similar to the Campfire Atlas tbh... Albeit less bass emphasis.

They re-tuned A8000 to have nearly identical bass to low mids as Z1R

Less upper mids but more treble

 

[fzman]

So, if I only play one pure sine wave at a time, that's what it will soound like? Or, am I missing something?

 

[Hoegaardener70]

Best to just EQ I guess.

Could you - or anybody else here - share their eq settings? I love my A8000 with good sources, it is unrivalled really, but sometimes I'd need to tone the treble down a notch.

 

[jwbrent]

Almost forgot to mention an important detail. With an iem as revealing as the A8000, you will hear the state of warm-up of your DAP. I think most of us power up, stick in pocket, and go do our thing outdoors, without really giving much thought to warm-up (not burn-in), but getting the DAP in its happy-place thermally. Warm solid state stuff tends to sound better-sometimes, shockingly better.

I have also noticed that while many DAPs will play while charging, they sound better with the charger disconnected.


Try it sometime. start a specific track at your normal volume level. Listen for a moment, get the 'feel' of the sound. Then, let it run on repeat for an hour, then come back and listen to the same track at the exact same volume setting.

Then report back!

I forgot to comment about DAP warm-up, a very real thing with both my AK and Sony.

 

[fzman]

A very real thing. Period. Data sheets for semiconductors all graph performance vs operating temp