[tawmizzzz]

Hi guys,

Rise up this mornin'
Smiled with the risin' sun
Two little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true
Saying', (this is my message to you)

Singing' don't worry 'bout a thing
'Cause every little thing gonna be alright



Finally could receive my precious!!
Felt like a kid during Christmas!

I‘m quite happy with the custom design. It looks pretty nice. Let me know what you think.

I managed to test them on the way to work and at work. As expected, the cable is very bad for on the go use case (sorry for rehashing the cable thing, but after my real use case scenario it’s definitely a problem for me) . The shirt clip doesn’t help and the chin slider is useless since it slides back down every 10 seconds. Also while turning the head, the cables from each earpieces rub against each others inside the chin slider which is very annoying. In the end I have to raise the sound as high or even higher than my open back i4 to compensate for rubbing microphonics and stumps from footsteps. I’ll try with my Billow cable to see if it improves on that.
For stationary use though, it’s fine.
So if you plan on using those on the go or while moving at home, it might be a good idea to try another cable. If you plan on staying put, just sit back and enjoy!

Now for the SQ, no surprises either since I demoed them so many times during the last 2 months. Just amazing!

Today I tested on -After Hours- from -The Weeknd- and the bass, sense of scale, placement and detail retrieval is nuts on this song!

I‘ll try to share better pictures when I have time (probably during May holidays), as well as some sound comparisons against i4 when Traillii is burned in. I’ll also try to throw in some pictures and sound comparison with Billow cable.

Cheers,

Julien

The streaks wound up complimenting the logo and faceplate very well-looks great! Enjoy

(If you find a cable that offers similar synergy without the microphonics as the 4w, let me know. I have the Iliad to test with it and will share impressions later this week, but so far its a solid substitute for when on-the-go).

 

[Tristy]

Astell&Kern just announced a new DAP with the now-popular DAC/amp-swapping feature. It looks gorgeously-sleek as always, and it looks like it may use a hot-swap system for the switching as well, rather than screws. It looks like you'll only need to press the button near the top to get the module loose, which - if implemented well and won't weaken over time - is a much more convenient system than the ones we've seen so far. It's also awesome to see that they're continuing to offer the 4.4mm balanced output with their newer releases. It's only a matter a time until they get a flagship out with it, so the 4.4mm supremacy may finally reign.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/pre-order-astell-kern-a-futura-se180-music-player.957388/

Interesting model designation... Not sure if I prefer the aesthetics over the SE200 tbh styling cues look more in line with the SE100. It looks like AK had a change of heart after releasing the SE200 and could see the benefit (or financial gains) of having a player with this sort of versatility.

 

[xenithon]

(If you find a cable that offers similar synergy without the microphonics as the 4w, let me know. I have the Iliad to test with it and will share impressions later this week, but so far its a solid substitute for when on-the-go).

I just took delivery of a palladium plated silver cable from @doctorjuggles which I hope to test a bit with the bird. This PPS is without a doubt the most soft, supple, and microphonic free cable I have ever had the pleasure of using. Super early days but after a couple hours of listening it works a treat with the Noir, which I originally got it for.

 

[Deezel177]

Interesting model designation... Not sure if I prefer the aesthetics over the SE200 tbh styling cues look more in line with the SE100. It looks like AK had a change of heart after releasing the SE200 and could see the benefit (or financial gains) of having a player with this sort of versatility.

Yeah, their numbering system is about as confusing as Intel's at this point. The SE200 does look sleeker, but this one has a swappable-DAC/amp system to take into account too, so I reckon they've done a great job with that in mind. I'm personally just glad that they've fully done away with the extraneous polygons that the AK380 used to have. It's all clean monoliths from here on out.

 

[Tristy]

Yeah, their numbering system is about as confusing as Intel's at this point. The SE200 does look sleeker, but this one has a swappable-DAC/amp system to take into account too, so I reckon they've done a great job with that in mind. I'm personally just glad that they've fully done away with the extraneous polygons that the AK380 used to have. It's all clean monoliths from here on out.

Yeah it looks promising especially with the better screen specs as well. The 4.4mm implementation makes me feel a little uneasy with all of my IEM's sporting 2.5mm terminated cables though haha I hope it's easy enough to get them re-terminated. It does look like you jumped the gun on this one though @Deezel177 ... the page is no longer available on Moon audio. I did see before they had done away with it that there is another DAC / AMP card also available on release (see below).

 

[Deezel177]

Yeah it looks promising especially with the better screen specs as well. The 4.4. implementation makes me feel a little uneasy with all of my IEM's sporting 2.5mm terminated cables though haha I hope it's easy enough to get them re-terminated. It does look like you jumped the gun on this one though @Deezel177 ... the page is no longer available on Moon audio. I did see before they had done away with it that there is another DAC / AMP card also available at release (see below).

Well, the images do show a 2.5mm balanced output on the stock card as well, so you're well-covered there. But, still, if there ever is a decider for what the future's universal, balanced, IEM standard will be, my signature will be the first on the 4.4mm's petition sheet.

 

[twister6]

SE180, I guess the hell did freeze over... 4.4mm (and 2.5mm and 3.5mm), LDAC, and modular design with a swappable DAC/amp card.

Interestingly enough, it was featured on the front page announcement by Moon-audio for pre-orders, and deleted right away. Maybe they violated a gag order

 

[Tristy]

Can someone who is more informed than me say whether the 2.5mm female to 4.4mm male adapters from PW and alike are able to take advantage of the additional shielding (ground) sleeve of the 4.4 connection? As 2.5mm cables are able to be re-terminated to 4.4 I’m guessing there is some sort of capacity for 2.5mm cables to be grounded?... unless the re-terminated cables are not “fully” 4.4 in that they only use the L+/- and R+/- of the 4.4mm connection.

 

[jwbrent]

Well, the images do show a 2.5mm balanced output on the stock card as well, so you're well-covered there. But, still, if there ever is a decider for what the future's universal, balanced, IEM standard will be, my signature will be the first on the 4.4mm's petition sheet.

I fully agree that the 4.4mm should be the standard. I like my SA700, but what I’m really hoping for is Sony’s replacement for the WM1Z which I would think is coming sometime in the near future.

 

[riverground]

Hi guys,

Rise up this mornin'
Smiled with the risin' sun
Two little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true
Saying', (this is my message to you)

Singing' don't worry 'bout a thing
'Cause every little thing gonna be alright



Finally could receive my precious!!
Felt like a kid during Christmas!

I‘m quite happy with the custom design. It looks pretty nice. Let me know what you think.

I managed to test them on the way to work and at work. As expected, the cable is very bad for on the go use case (sorry for rehashing the cable thing, but after my real use case scenario it’s definitely a problem for me) . The shirt clip doesn’t help and the chin slider is useless since it slides back down every 10 seconds. Also while turning the head, the cables from each earpieces rub against each others inside the chin slider which is very annoying. In the end I have to raise the sound as high or even higher than my open back i4 to compensate for rubbing microphonics and stumps from footsteps. I’ll try with my Billow cable to see if it improves on that.
For stationary use though, it’s fine.
So if you plan on using those on the go or while moving at home, it might be a good idea to try another cable. If you plan on staying put, just sit back and enjoy!

Now for the SQ, no surprises either since I demoed them so many times during the last 2 months. Just amazing!

Today I tested on -After Hours- from -The Weeknd- and the bass, sense of scale, placement and detail retrieval is nuts on this song!

I‘ll try to share better pictures when I have time (probably during May holidays), as well as some sound comparisons against i4 when Traillii is burned in. I’ll also try to throw in some pictures and sound comparison with Billow cable.

Cheers,

Julien

Now these are stunning man! Great choice on the blues!

 

[RTodd]

Hi guys,

Rise up this mornin'
Smiled with the risin' sun
Two little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true
Saying', (this is my message to you)

I‘m quite happy with the custom design. It looks pretty nice. Let me know what you think.

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay,
My, oh, my, what a wonderful day
Plenty of sunshine headin' my way,
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay!

Mister Bluebird's on my shoulder,
It's the truth, it's "actch'll"
Everything is "satisfactch'll."

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay,
Wonderful feeling, wonderful day!

 

[KuroKitsu]

Can someone who is more informed than me say whether the 2.5mm female to 4.4mm male adapters from PW and alike are able to take advantage of the additional shielding (ground) sleeve of the 4.4 connection? As 2.5mm cables are able to be re-terminated to 4.4 I’m guessing there is some sort of capacity for 2.5mm cables to be grounded?... unless the re-terminated cables are not “fully” 4.4 in that they only use the L+/- and R+/- of the 4.4mm connection.

You might have to contact PW Audio to find out.

The Monile shielded version exists in a 2.5 termination, so it appearings that ground can be done externally (ala 3.5) despite 2.5 not having a ground sleeve. So it follows that even if the 4.4 output is grounded, that advantage wouldn't be directly passed on to the 2.5 for the standard 4 wire adapter.

 

[Tristy]

You might have to contact PW Audio to find out.

The Monile shielded version exists in a 2.5 termination, so it appearings that ground can be done externally (ala 3.5) despite 2.5 not having a ground sleeve. So it follows that even if the 4.4 output is grounded, that advantage wouldn't be directly passed on to the 2.5 for the standard 4 wire adapter.

That’s a good observation and suggestion. Thanks for the reply. I’ll pop them an email and see what they say,

 

[CL14715]

U18s just arrived... Uhhh these things sound pretty great. Don't see overly warm at all.

 

[aaf evo]

U18s just arrived... Uhhh these things sound pretty great. Don't see overly warm at all.

From my A18s, the biggest “problem” I have with them is the difference between the lower and upper treble in tuning. The lower imo is quite recessed or neutral at best, and the upper treble is quite prominent. The amount of air in the upper treble relative to the lower treble frequencies sounds off to me, and rather artificial. It’s like the IEMs coat the music in a layer of air that doesn’t need to be there, just my 2c. Great IEMs regardless and awesome for a warmer reference IEM with great bass too.