[sleepless64]

Hello there, following your suggestions from other threads I am using:

1. Total Bithead mini Amp
2. IPod line out connector
3. Apple loseless format compression from my CDs only
4. iPod 160G or iPhone 4 and EQ on Classical or Rock modes.
5. Good headphones (Shure E4Cs, Sennheiser PX200 II, Denon 1100)

Except for interference noise now and then in the iPhone only, I am impressed with the improvement and some of you must think I should keep my mouth shut 

. Well, something lacks still. Maybe for bass I'm satisfied, but not for highs... I could use some more brightness. Also, I feel there's no studio depth...

Is there anything else someone could recommend? Any portable EQ / Amp out there that I'm not aware of? some other solution?

Many many thanks for sharing your knowledge...

 

[il1us10n]

the digiZoid Zo is getting a lot of attention these days as something that can (depending on ur preferences of course) subjectively improve SQ significantly but most of the praise is for the bass and lower frequencies and AFAIK, it only affects freqs below 1kHz so not really sure if you'd get the sparkle ur looking for. here's some reviews that might be helpful

 

[sleepless64]

Excellent suggestion. Thanks!

 

[il1us10n]

You're welcome 

.. Do lemme knw how good it is if you do get it, as its something that has piqued my interest for quite some time now, although it is a bit of a PITA for me due to Amazon not delivering it here in the UAE for some weird reason 

 

[Koolpep]

Hey,
 
a common head-fier from Dubai!! Awesome. Now we are 3 already
 
We should organize a mini-meet up.
 
Does Amazon not deliver directly? You can always try shopandship.com from Aramex, gets you a shipping address in London and New York and you can use free shipping to there, from there the rates are quite ok with: 41 AED for the first 500g then 32 for each 500g increment.
 
Or you can use my shipping address if it's only one shipment, let me know via PM.
 
K
 

 

[il1us10n]

thanks for the heads up Koolpep, will definitely look into it. I've actually had no problems ordering anything from overseas before, but for some reason, Amazon kept saying that my address was invalid 

. I'm gonna try again once i get back from my vacation 

and we definitely should organise a meet up, i'd love to see what equipment fellow head-fiers in the UAE have 

 

[sleepless64]

I couldn't get it, but found a FiiO E5 Headphone Amplifier... I cannoy say it's impressive, but it does improve bass and lows at some degree... not bad for a portable toy of  $80 USD... even so, a little bit uncomfortable to carry around but not really a boomer...

 

[bigshot]

I would suggest upgrading the quality of your music. If you have a decent rig and you keep hearing the rig instead of the music, your music isn't engaging enough.

 

[sleepless64]

All of my music is in Apple Lossless format... how could I upgrade it to carry it with me and my iPod? perhaps I'm missing something? let me know your thoughts please bigshot...
 

 

[bigshot]

The secret is to listen to better music, not better files. Look into jazz, Latin, classical, country music or rhythm and blues. All of those sound better than flac, apple lossless, AAC and mp3 put together.

 

[kn19h7]

^^^ Seriously I don't think its an good idea to change music taste for so called 'sound quality', and the phrase "better music"..urgh ==
 
@OP: your rig is quite decent, maybe its time to get a better iem/headphone.. the setup deserves it imo

 

[bigshot]

It's interesting that my simple point is so incomprehensible to some folks. If the music is really good, you listen to the performance, not the equipment. Once you've put together a decent system, the sound quality improvements are going to be incremental. You can spend a lot of money on squeezing an extra 1% out, but you'll spend a lot of money doing it. "Night and day" differences are for those just starting out. Once you've "done everything right" like the original poster says he's done, the cost will be high and the improvements small.

However, broadening your musical taste will open up whole new worlds of sound. Spending $200 or $300 on well chosen CDs will give you a lot more listening pleasure than spending the same money on incrementally upgrading a system that already sounds good. Quite frankly, it amazes me how much money people spend on sophisticated equipment only to listen to unsophisticated music. Some people are fiercely resistant to any suggestion that they might want to broaden their musical tastes. The ones who do resist are the ones who need that advice most.

The point of going to all this trouble and expense is the music. That should be self evident, but it's good to remind yourself of that once you've put together a decent system.

 

[Deep Funk]

X2! Once you have a decent set up (even if you still consider it a beginner set up) just focus on the music. Audio gear comes and goes but some musical performances only show up on the radar every once in a while.   

 

[bigshot]

You need to work at least as hard on discovering great new music as you do combing discussion boards for recommendations of new equipment.

 

[sleepless64]

I am curious bigshot / Deep Funk: then, which would be your 5 or 10 top albums to hear great sound?