[GlendaleViper]

Off topic, but I can confirm the HD-25 makes for a great alternative to a toque or earmuffs. And going into my third (2.5, really) winter with them, I can also attest to their durability. Do note that the stock steel cable gets mighty rigid very quickly in the cold, however.

 

[jay sun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlendaleViper /img/forum/go_quote.gif Off topic, but I can confirm the HD-25 makes for a great alternative to a toque or earmuffs. And going into my third (2.5, really) winter with them, I can also attest to their durability. Do note that the stock steel cable gets mighty rigid very quickly in the cold, however.

Thanks, I will keep that in mind for when the temp dips below 70 down in Miami

 

[Miklos]

Update: my Denon AH-C700's have arrived (the A818 is stuck in customs and should arrive next week) - and I tried them with my Sansa e280v2.

And... ...there is quite a bit of hiss (even at low volumes). The hiss is not changing when I change the volume. It is like a constant ( not too loud) background noise (which by the way was not audible with KSC75 or MX500 headphones).

I start to think that there will be hiss on the A818 as well - I just hope less than what I hear in the e280...

 

[abitdeef]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miklos /img/forum/go_quote.gif Update: my Denon AH-C700's have arrived (the A818 is stuck in customs and should arrive next week) - and I tried them with my Sansa e280v2. And... ...there is quite a bit of hiss (even at low volumes). The hiss is not changing when I change the volume. It is like a constant ( not too loud) background noise (which by the way was not audible with KSC75 or MX500 headphones). I start to think that there will be hiss on the A818 as well - I just hope less than what I hear in the e280...

Don't worry the hiss will be less with the sony with the c700's.

 

[Miklos]

Update 2: My A818 has also arrived... and there is (some) hiss. Clearly much less than with the Sansa e280 v2.

Overall I am very very impressed with the sound I get - but will experiment now with attenuation to reduce / eliminate the hiss

 

[enel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by selfnoise /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have the NWZ-A818 and Super.fis and I get quite a bit of hiss (the included buds don't have nearly as much). I use an attenuator to cut it out and they sound great.

What attenuator are you using?

 

[tstarn06]

Just tried out my A816 with all my phones, and no hiss. Hmmm. Using a custom EQ setting for some phones (Ksc75s, Atrios) and no hiss. None. Strange.

 

[grommal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just tried out my A816 with all my phones, and no hiss. Hmmm. Using a custom EQ setting for some phones (Ksc75s, Atrios) and no hiss. None. Strange.

I also have no audible hiss at any volume level with my S616 and Atrios. I don't know if it's actually hiss-free, or it's just that my 50yr-old ears are not as sensitive as some other posters here. I have not had a hearing test, but I can hear high frequency whines when most people say they can't hear anything, so I don't think my highs are rolled off too badly. Maybe it's just the Sony-Atrio combo. One of these days I'm going to buy some Denons or maybe q-jays, just for a different sonic signature sometimes, and then we'll see.

 

[shigzeo]

it is funny how this forum reveals many different hearing techniques. for me, the touch hisses much less than the sony, but the sony hisses in not a bad way. the d2 for example changed hiss volume every 5 volume steps or so and the meizu was a bit more erratic and loud. the sony is about as loud as the meizu but not as loud as the irivers i used to play with.

but the touch is very quiet for my denon c700 and atrio m5. i am sure my um2 would scream with all of the above mentioned sources, the reason (or one of them) that is sold the bloody thing.

i will not disagree here with anyone about their source being louder or quieter than the touch but i find it funny that the same hardware can have such different performance. in order of hiss

1 = best and from there it gets worse.
1 d2 = ipod nano 3g (or very slightly louder than the ipod nano) both very nearly black, but still audible hiss - nothing that gets in the way of the music though.
2 ipod 5g
3 ipod nano 1g = ipod touch
5 sony 615, meizu m6, ipod shuffle 1g (still okay if i use atrio for instance - each of these hiss enough that with atrio, i can hear the hiss over the bus ride)
6 kenwood media keg 30g, iriver h120 (the one with joystick - hiss is audible even in airplane with the atrio m5)
8 shuffle 2g - variable hiss, fades in and out with music and phases even when no music is audible. worst ever, not worth the time of day if you use any sort of portable earphone. they hissed even with the koss ksc75

 

[soundfreq]

would the a818 + tf10 combo hiss? what about an a818 + hornet + t10? i currently don't hear any hiss with my portable rig (see rig below).

 

[ceres]

Quote:

Originally Posted by soundfreq /img/forum/go_quote.gif would the a818 + tf10 combo hiss? what about an a818 + hornet + t10? i currently don't hear any hiss with my portable rig (see rig below).

I can only speak for the unamped variant: Yes there will be hiss, although bearable. The same holds true for the Se 530 combo. Despite very good snr (right up there with the best) Sony needs to improve performance with low impedance, high sensivity IEMS.

 

[justaguy93]

I haven't noticed much with the 816 and my MDR-V6's, but I can give a more critical listen tonight.

 

[soundfreq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ceres /img/forum/go_quote.gif I can only speak for the unamped variant: Yes there will be hiss, although bearable. The same holds true for the Se 530 combo. Despite very good snr (right up there with the best) Sony needs to improve performance with low impedance, high sensivity IEMS.

thanks ceres. can we hear from other head-fiers with this setup? Hoping basman can chime in................

 

[shigzeo]

seems like some headfiers here cannot hear it even with sensitive headphones... shrug?!

 

[enel]

It's definitely a impendance problem.
I've tried senn PX100 (32Ohm) and there is absolutely NO hiss.
CX300 are 16Ohm and very sensitive (112 dB) so hiss is inevitable and clearly audible.
However Sony bundled earphones have a sensitivity of 104dB and hiss is very very low.