[audionewbi]

What's your issue with RS8 and Z1R?

The treble is hot at times.

 

[PoSR77]

Got my RS8 today!


A few initial observations (less than an hour of listening) fwiw:

- Wow this thing is a brick! That's fine as 1) I knew that going in, 2) I'm not going to use this for portable use (like hiking/cycling; that's what my DX160 is for: especially because if it gets dropped, there's no huge loss) but for transportable use (sitting outside and in bed reading mostly).

- Fit, finish, form, solidity...etc. are all top tier. It feels like a perfected piece of gear by this criteria. It looks and feels just awesome: a true delight to handle!

- Having no problems in operations: everything is smooth, fast, glitch free. Connected to the internet, downloaded the latest update, playing different res files, etc. all without issue.

As for the sound quality: well, it's too soon to know how that is to me in detail, and I might have a few quibbles based on my tastes, but I can say that out of the box, without any messing with audio settings (except going into Turbo mode), the RS8 impresses. In a word it sounds realistic. That is, to me, instruments/vocals largely sound how they should (with the caveat that no gear, no matter what the cost, can substitute for the real thing or live music; it's all an approximation).

I loaded a few dozen of my test tracks and I'm getting to know the default sound signature, but the above seems safe to say. From memory (last played a couple days ago), my DX160 sounds artificial in comparison. That is, it plays the music, and it does sound good, but you can more easily tell that it's reproducing music, that it's a facade. It sounds kind of fake, plasticky in a way my larger headphone amps and DAC, and it seems the RS8, does not. That's a huge, important hurdle in top end gear for me: realism in music reproduction (allowing for some unique sound signature high end gear has: imo I've never heard any truly neutral gear and I like some flavor anyway).

Speaking of sound signature, I'm already picking up on some traits of the RS8. In particular, it seems this is a smooth, non fatiguing sound with some organic "earthiness" or naturalness, and note thickness, yet it's clear and resolving; it's like my Oor in this aspect which is exactly what I was expecting and hoping for. It's not an overwhelming coloration, more like a tint, but it's there. This should make the RS8 excel at music with "natural" instrumentation, such as jazz and classical. That's good as that's the material I'll mainly be playing on it.

The sound stage impresses too, in both width and depth (I'm not good at judging height, but that seems good too). The layering is very good, as is the imaging. And the bass...woah, there's some serious rumble here (and fullish mid bass), but it doesn't overwhelm. It's giving my Odin IEMs a workout! (All listening is being done with my Odins for now). It's a lively presentation too, but not hyper. But it's not laid back or relaxed. And yes, some of my favorite tracks are giving me shivers (and it's in the mid 80's here lol). Very impressive.

I'll have to compare this back to back with my desk top amps/dac, but it seems it might equal them (at least with IEMs) or at least approach them. That's what I was hoping for: to have a transportable "system" that can at least approach the fidelity of my big desktop setup(s) for when I don't want to be stuck behind my desk.

More notes later fwiw, and I reserve the right to change my mind on any of the above as I acclimate to the sound and especially as I mess with the audio settings. For now I'm just happy that my anxiety about possible buyer's remorse is gone!

So I've been listening to/messing with the RS8 a lot since this post.

So far, I stand by all the above.

I've yet to compare it with my desktop amps (with the Odins) and try full sized headphones on it (I'll be using it almost exclusively with IEMs).

I installed USB Audio Player Pro on it (a must imo) and have been experimenting with the MSEB which is a fun, if somewhat maddening (so hard to tweak it just right!) method to dial in the sound signature you want. I've never been much of an EQ guy (usually just ignore it on devices and never use it with desktop headphone setups, much less 2 channel audio) but I'm impressed with this implementation: you can really alter the sound without it sounding like you did (that is, once you get it right, it's not an artificial altering that you can tell has been EQ'd). It's especially useful for different types of music that don't fit as well with the default sound signature or for those horribly produced albums that you can help sound more tolerable.

Very happy with this purchase and already ordered a Dignis Astrum case for it (thanks to @Auricon for posting about this with very good pics that basically made the purchase necessary lol).

Now to think about a side/up-grade from the Odins...or not! It never ends!

 

[PoSR77]

On the soundstage, it will be a definitive YES, but technicality, it depends on how you want to define it. They both do macro/micro detail well, however on N8, due to its more intimate soundstage, I'm able to hear the micro dynamic well ( which tends to be what most associate technicality to), however, macrodynamic is done much better on RS8.

I have noticed that the macrodynamics on the RS8 are superb, but the microdynamics suffer and thus so do the microdetails. They're adequate, but it's a matter of where I know those little flourishes are in a song I have to listen for them instead of them standing out more (treble seems very detailed though, especially in percussion).

To me the RS8 (with my Odins at least) has a big, bold, dynamic, powerful sound (the sub bass is especially impressive). Of course it's capable of great resolution/articulation, but it's more focused on the trees (the main drive or standout instruments of the song) than the forest.

If that makes sense. If it doesn't, don't worry: I'm not the best at describing these things, I'm still getting to know the RS8 anyway, and I haven't been listening to the Odins in awhile so maybe I'm just hearing (learning again) their characteristics more than the RS8's.

 

[priest331]

@priest331 I'm looking into this for you.

hello @Joe Bloggs

any update on why streaming apps keep crashing? the latest addition is APK Pure. after the latest app update, it would not open anymore. so, now, tidal and amazon music could not be updated because APK Pure keeps crashing everytime i open it.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

hello @Joe Bloggs

any update on why streaming apps keep crashing? the latest addition is APK Pure. after the latest app update, it would not open anymore. so, now, tidal and amazon music could not be updated because APK Pure keeps crashing everytime i open it.

Are you not using Google Play?

 

[priest331]

Are you not using Google Play?

have both APK pure and google play installed. however, tidal and amazon music are not available in google play in my area. so i use apk pure to update tidal and amazon music. the other streaming apps that i have mentioned previously (apps under DIGITALLY IMPORTED), they dont work as well up to now. i hope this would be addressed by the next firmware update. thanks.

 

[haci]

Update regarding system-wide plugins

Awhile ago it was noted that most of the convolution files I shared were stuttering on the RS8. Here I would like to share a shortened file that produces the effect @Vetdoc was after (a 3D out-of-the-head spatiality even for regular stereo recordings on headphones) and a configuration which should be able to work with all sample rate file inputs while yielding the latest and greatest from what's available on our devices today.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/5rso...2-bb.wav?rlkey=yuifbssm85ulm5h4lfdm1scy0&dl=0

Configuration:

Insert the Fixed SampleRate plugin as the first plugin, then other plugins in the desired order. (all plugins, including the sample rate plugin, can be toggled after being inserted.)


For the purpose of the convolution file posted in this post, set the sample rate to 48000.


Leave the settings as is and simply import the convolution file provided above in the text box / file selection screen.

Both the DRX10K (via the Gain setting) and the Convolution module (via the Level setting) come with their own volume attenuation by default. While volume attenuation is recommended for these plugins to function at their best, there can be too much of a good thing, so if you're going to use the two together, you may reduce the attenuation manually, e.g. to -3 for both.

If you would like to use Convolution with music of all sample rates (not just 48kHz) you would check on both Convolution itself and the Fixed Sample Rate at the top of the chain. Converting the sample rate to 48000 in that module makes life easier for all modules down the chain. Nevertheless, if you do experience any stuttering for high sample rate inputs (despite having converted to 48000) you may need to reduce the number of plugins used. I have tested Fixed Sample Rate and Convolution together (without other plugins) to work well for all sources up to 384kHz, for the convolver file given at the top of this post.

Do give these a try and let me know your thoughts

Hi Joe,

Thanks for this and sorry for late reply. I just had my earphones to test this. It works much better compared to previous files, but for example adding dynamics plugin to the chain starts stutter for a 44.1 file.

By the way why is there stutter to begin with? CPU/RAM not strong enough?

 

[Joe Bloggs]

Hi Joe,

Thanks for this and sorry for late reply. I just had my earphones to test this. It works much better compared to previous files, but for example adding dynamics plugin to the chain starts stutter for a 44.1 file.

By the way why is there stutter to begin with? CPU/RAM not strong enough?

Can I confirm that you had the whole chain applied, the 3 plugins in the order specified and the first one set to resample to 48000?

 

[Joe Bloggs]

have both APK pure and google play installed. however, tidal and amazon music are not available in google play in my area. so i use apk pure to update tidal and amazon music. the other streaming apps that i have mentioned previously (apps under DIGITALLY IMPORTED), they dont work as well up to now. i hope this would be addressed by the next firmware update. thanks.

Will do, in the meantime you can update apps by going to apkpure's website instead of using their app for now.

 

[audionewbi]

@Joe Bloggs do you any eta on the next FW release date?

 

[Joe Bloggs]

have both APK pure and google play installed. however, tidal and amazon music are not available in google play in my area. so i use apk pure to update tidal and amazon music. the other streaming apps that i have mentioned previously (apps under DIGITALLY IMPORTED), they dont work as well up to now. i hope this would be addressed by the next firmware update. thanks.

We cannot replicate the issue with apkpure on your model. Are you able to take system logs of when you try to launch the app?

 

[haci]

Can I confirm that you had the whole chain applied, the 3 plugins in the order specified and the first one set to resample to 48000?

I have the three plugins in your order specified, but now I realized that dynamics plugin is causing the clutter when coupled with fixed samplerate (ie. even when convolution is off). Dynamics seems to work well with other plugins
Convolution seems to work well with other plugins. With mastermind it clutters occasionally.

 

[priest331]

We cannot replicate the issue with apkpure on your model. Are you able to take system logs of when you try to launch the app?

hiby found a solution to the issue. found out that this also worked with the Digitally Imported apps. opened each of the app's APP INFO, force stopped them, then cleared the cache and app data under the storage tab. APK Pure finally worked again, and was able to download updates. as with the Digitally Imported apps, after clearing the cache and app data, i was able to log in to my account once again, and all the apps started to stream music flawlessly. whew...

thank you @Joe Bloggs, for taking time to find a solution to the issue.

now back to streaming..

 

[Cheslav]

Hi, guys. I have purchased new rs8, but I have some problems: the firmware version is 0.20, there are no google play and I can’t update firmware via wi-fi (message that I have latest firmware). I tried to do hard reset my rs8, clean cache , but it doesn’t update. There option: install firmware via internal storage, but there are no firmware files for rs8 on hiby site. Can anyone help ? Thanks and sorry for my bad english

 

[Odrulson]

Does someone compared it to Ibasso DX320MAX?