[Andrew_WOT]

Do we have any indication on release date and price for Noble Focus Prestige? Any idea of the price as well?
I'm really looking forward to reviews pitting them against the Svanar Wireless and other high end models for the title of best-sounding TWS

$600, and I am not sure Noble will be making them available to masses, more like special order type of thing.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/canjam-london-2023-impressions-thread.969369/page-20#post-17698379

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/noble-audio-the-wizard-returns.684787/page-2346#post-17637957

 

[corentin]

$600, and I am not sure Noble will be making them available to masses, more like special order type of thing.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/canjam-london-2023-impressions-thread.969369/page-20#post-17698379

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/noble-audio-the-wizard-returns.684787/page-2346#post-17637957

Thanks for the information!
If it's only a prettier version of the mystique, I don't think it would best the Svanars but it remains to be confirmed.

 

[Not so fat head]

I honestly don't know if it's just AZ80 ineffective ANC implementation that was otherwise praised in all reviews I've seen, TWS ANC in general, or the fact that it's already come with decent passive NC so ANC does not significantly improve things.
It works very well on Sony WH-1000XM4 (closed full size phones), but they are not IEMs, and passive NC is pretty weak.

And yes, there is crazy TWS market explosion, so many of them, I've linked video review on the previous page comparing "the top ones" and it's 17 TWS and still missing lots of models frequently discussed here.

You know, those numbers are astonishing, those are quarterly figures…. We’re approaching 400 million units sold per year for TWS…. Considering we’re pushing, or surpassed 8 billion, that’s one in twenty folks buy a TWS every year…. Mind blowing!!!

 

[Andrew_WOT]

You know, those numbers are astonishing, those are quarterly figures…. We’re approaching 400 million units sold per year for TWS…. Considering we’re pushing, or surpassed 8 billion, that’s one in twenty folks buy a TWS every year…. Mind blowing!!!

How many are audiophiles giving half damn about SQ, consumer market is a different thing. Plus with phone manufacturers chopping off headphone output, what option phone users have.

 

[Not so fat head]

Something new!!!

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/que...-lossless-earphones-—-official-thread.969427/

 

[jasonb]

Something new!!!

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/questyle-nhb12-—-world’s-first-mfi-certified-hi-res-lossless-earphones-—-official-thread.969427/

It’s basically just a lightning cable with a DAC and amp built in?

 

[Not so fat head]

How many are audiophiles giving half damn about SQ, consumer market is a different thing. Plus with phone manufacturers chopping off headphone output, what option phone users have.

Don’t shoot the messenger
Apple didn’t consult me on the headphone jack decision; had they, it would still be there….

 

[Andrew_WOT]

Almost sent AZ80 back, already packed but decided to give it another try with Treble+ preset. Man, why this is not default, total transformation, keepers for sure.

 

[dweaver]

I like the dynamic eq setting. But that Treble + is also nice

 

[Andrew_WOT]

I like the dynamic eq setting. But that Treble + is also nice

On bass heavy electronics Dynamic just like Direct was way too much for me, but I am just not a bass head in general, and Technics has gobs of it mudding up midrange.
Treble+ evened it up nicely to almost traditional hi-fi tuning, at least to my ears. Just kicking "non EQ purist" myself for not trying it earlier.

 

[dweaver]

Lol I know all about the no EQ purist, been there, done that...

The new TWS, I had to embrace using their built in EQ options and some like the MTW3 actually take that feature to a whole new level of sophistication.

I listen to lots of older rock, jazz, and sound track scores and those can sound really nice with the dynamic setting. Bit if the music gets to bass heavy then I switch to either no EQ or something like the treble + EQ.

 

[newworld666]

Something new!!!

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/questyle-nhb12-—-world’s-first-mfi-certified-hi-res-lossless-earphones-—-official-thread.969427/

After so many years .. Apple users will finally find that High Res is not so useless compared to the monsterous compression to 250Kbs AAC airpods transmission ?

 

[highlightshadow]

Interesting discussion, and I will just add that "playing the original sound file as perfectly as possible" may not be every music-listener's goal. An interesting discussion is here. Extrapolating from speaker systems being "worse" than IEM's I suppose one could make the same argument about a concert hall, as the variables governing what we hear are so numerous.

Still, an interesting conversation, agree probably best for "Sound Science" forum. I won't perserverate here.

It's all very subjective. One could very easily argue that music was meant to be experienced live. Listening to an orchestra live and feeling the music in your body and the open spacial experience of hearing that sound almost all around you provides a unique experience that neither headphones / IEM's can hope to reproduce

So the term "better" or "best" sound / SQ in relation to music is tough to call ... but certainly reproduction of recorded music can be a little more objective in terms of measurement of the ability of reproduction etc

I would love to experience what is possible using the best speakers, headphones, equipment and recordings.
I'll never be able to buy that level of gear but i would like to hear what "the best" is supposed to sound like to simply scratch that itch

 

[sgtbilko]

After so many years .. Apple users will finally find that High Res is not so useless compared to the monsterous compression to 250Kbs AAC airpods transmission ?

Err, that's a wired device. We already get Hi-Res on Apple that way...

 

[Vamp898]

Yeah, i am surprised. There like tons of DACs that support Lightning. Sometimes with big disadvantages over the USB-C Versions, but mostly in terms of software and output power. They are all Hi-Res capable.

But now its certified by Apple! So.... you're paying more for the same! The Apple world is insane^^