[average_joe]

Quote:

I have a BA on the way and am wondering if it has a LOD (or equivalent)? If so, would there be any benefit in using an external amp, such as the 4G?
 
Apologies if this has been discussed previously - I couldn't find anything using the 'precise as a dice' search function.

 
The BA has HDMS, which is the line out function of the RoCoo.  I am not sure if it is a true line out or just max volume, though.  I have amped the BA from with the EHP-O2 in normal mode for volume matching purposes and found the internal BA amp to sound better than the O2 (in my O2 review), so take it for what it is worth.

 

[i_djoel2000]

The BA has HDMS, which is the line out function of the RoCoo.  I am not sure if it is a true line out or just max volume, though.  I have amped the BA from with the EHP-O2 in normal mode for volume matching purposes and found the internal BA amp to sound better than the O2 (in my O2 review), so take it for what it is worth.

No, it's not a true line out. You can even simply maximize the volume and get the same result without activating hdms feature

 

[Celereon]

Hey everyone, I'm on a Clip+ at the moment, with a pair of Heir Audio 8.As coming soon. I'm wanting to get the most out of these CIEMs. Would you recommend going for this DAP over the Clip+/amp combo?
 
EDIT: Amps I'm thinking of are Fiio E11 or the UHA-4, if that makes any difference

 

[sly_in_the_sky]

I really don't know if this combo would sound better than the BA alone ( I doubt..) but what I'm sure, is that I personally really don't want to carry out an external amp... for me, portability is very very important...

 

[Celereon]

That's a really good point. But you see I mostly listen on trains sitting down so it's just a matter of putting it on my lap. Really I'm trying to figure out what has better SQ and synergy. The 8.a is a bassy earphone with very smooth highs, I believe.

 

[sly_in_the_sky]

It's difficult to answer... but all I can say is that the Clip + alone has not the same level of precisions, detail, sub bass and treble extention than the BA and I'm not sure if an amp will improve all of this.

 

[rianchaos]

Quote:

I have a BA on the way and am wondering if it has a LOD (or equivalent)? If so, would there be any benefit in using an external amp, such as the 4G?
 
Apologies if this has been discussed previously - I couldn't find anything using the 'precise as a dice' search function.

BA has a Line-Out, using the HDMS setting thatcan be enabled and disabled from the settings in the menu. But still it is not a pure line out
 
The UM Mage with BA still has quite a lot amount of hiss, I am going back to the studio then

 

[average_joe]

Quote:

Hey everyone, I'm on a Clip+ at the moment, with a pair of Heir Audio 8.As coming soon. I'm wanting to get the most out of these CIEMs. Would you recommend going for this DAP over the Clip+/amp combo?
 
EDIT: Amps I'm thinking of are Fiio E11 or the UHA-4, if that makes any difference

 
Quote:

It's difficult to answer... but all I can say is that the Clip + alone has not the same level of precisions, detail, sub bass and treble extention than the BA and I'm not sure if an amp will improve all of this.

 
 
Comparing the 8.A with the BA, Clip+ (rockboxed), and my modded iPod -> Pico Slim/Arrow 4G:
Clip+ has more bass emphasis than the BA, but the BA is cleaner and the overall presentation is more focused, clear, and smooth with more detail.  While the soundstage widths are similar, the depth of the BA is a good deal deeper recreating a nice 3D sound.
 
Compared to the iPod & amp the BA soundstage is smaller and the overall presentation isn't as refined and both amps with the iPod outperform the BA.  Note that the entire setup would cost close to triple that of the BA.
 
When the Arrow 4G was paired with the BA, the treble sounded smoother and the presentation became more laid back and a better match with the 8.A for me.
 
Turning on and off HDMS didn't change the sound at all.
 
Quote:

BA has a Line-Out, using the HDMS setting thatcan be enabled and disabled from the settings in the menu. But still it is not a pure line out
 
The UM Mage with BA still has quite a lot amount of hiss, I am going back to the studio then

 
I heard there were some BAs that seem to hiss out there, but the unit I have has negligible hiss.  That is a concern...

 

[rianchaos]

@joe: it doesnt hiss with my shure 215, sony xba1, bijou3 and westone 4. It still produce hiss with highly sensitive IEM sch as shure 535LE Red edition

 

[average_joe]

Quote:

@joe: it doesnt hiss with my shure 215, sony xba1, bijou3 and westone 4. It still produce hiss with highly sensitive IEM sch as shure 535LE Red edition

 
Either you are much more sensitivity to hiss or your unit hisses more.  The DUNU DC4 is ultra sensitive and the JH16 is pretty sensitive and I have to really listen for hiss with the DC4 and can barely hear it while I can't with the JH16.  However, I don't have a 535 or even access to one for testing.

 

[lee730]

That enjoyment factor you talk about in my book is what makes it a huge improvement over the iphone or clip/fuze. I bundle that all into "sound quality"
 

 

[Jazzyfi]

average_joe, have you tried the BA with your SE5? Any impression?

 

[Nulliverse]

Thanks for the review bigrocoobafan - it was an interesting read.
 
I've been using my BA extensively for around a week now, and concur with you regarding SQ. Coming from the J3 and Clip+, resolution / detail has definitely been stepped up a gear, as has depth of sound stage. 3D is definitely the word here. The presentation is also very spacious / airy, with noticeably better separation, making the J3 sound muddy and congested in comparison. My real suprise is that this doesn't come at the expense of musicality. The sig is definitely brighter that what I'm used to, but more through transparency and clarity than treble emphasis. I'm hearing no bass roll off, and control is excellent, though I would prefer a bit more quantitatively.
 
I have no problems with the UI in terms of navigating - it's reminds me of cross between the N2 and Clip+ - it's not going to win any beauty contests, but is perfectly functional. There are a few bugs which annoy me however: 1) navigating through albums / folders whilst listening to music causes the music to cut out, or jump very briefly. Does anyone else have this? 2) Turning the BA on and selecting "Now Playing" does not resume the song that was playing before it was turned off. 3) The names of individual songs scroll too slowly across the screen to read the full song title (I problem I also had with the N2).
 
I've no problem with the form factor, which obviously oozes audiophile-style over convenience. The edges are sharp, the corners very pointed, so it wouldn't be the best dap for running or working out (fine with me, as I do neither!). I'd like some options for customizing sound, as I'm quite partial to a sneaky peak at the bottom end and the presets are, imo, not worth using. Some more storage would be nice too, as I'm not a fan of carrying multiple SD cards.
 
All in all however, I'd say I'm very happy with the BA. After all, the factor which I put above all else - SQ - leaves all my previous daps in the dust. Furthermore, the level of SQ you get for your money is, imo, exceptional. I'd therefore recommend this little dap without hesitation to anyone looking to take transparency, resolution, depth of soundstage and dynamics up a notch or two over their J3 or Clip+. It has a very dynamic, 3D, spacious and transparent presentation which although bright, achieves a wonderful sense of effortless and natural musicality.
 
Lastly, I should highlight that I'm using the AUD-5X, which have never sounded so good. Those TWFKs really sing with the BA, sprinkling detail and sparkle galore.  

 

[Cryok95]

Interested in how this compares to the studio v. Any thoughts?

 

[average_joe]

Quote:

average_joe, have you tried the BA with your SE5? Any impression?

 
The BA is a good match with the 5-way IMO.  It isn't as resolving as the DX100 or 801, but then the price is what, less than a third.  Resolution and space are better than the Clip+ and iPhone (and I find the Clip+ pretty close to the J3).  My iPod -> nice amp such as the Stepdance or Arrow 4G outperform the BA, but again at near double the price.  For the price and size, I don't know of anything that competes with the BA.  I think Hisound got this one right!
 
Unfortunately I can't do a comparison between the Studio V and RoCoo BA since I sent my Studio V back due to hiss.  It is very musical, probably more musical than the RoCoo BA, but with significant hiss with most of my custom IEMs, it just isn't worth it for me.  With headphones I am sure it is amazing, heck, my Amp3 Pro2 is still amazing with headphones.