eloquentmuse
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2015
- Posts
- 15
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- 6
Hi all! Goodness, I haven't post on here in years (just been stalking) but I need some help? Please and thank you 
I currently own Noble K10's, Meze 99 Classics, and Moondrop Starfield which I'd been listening off my LG G7 but it recently died (and we can't get LG phones in NZ anymore) so I bought a iBasso DX160 after seeing all the fantastic reviews.
Whilst the DX160 paired with my Noble K10's does sound great with some songs (acoustic, folk, indie, pop, some rock) I think I've noticed it sounds kind of bloated and full sometimes and can become 'wall of sound' on busier tracks (metal, some orchestral etc) which is putting me off. I've tried eqing a bit and using different filters (think I prefer fast or NOS) but it's confusing me what I'm finding 'wrong' with it. Like sometimes I think there's too much bass, other times too much mids, sometimes not enough highs - although I feel like there's a vocal forwardness high mids or low highs which pushes other things way back. That's weird to say coming from me because I normally love that frequency area being forward but everything else sounds muted in comparison sometimes. Just feels like there's 'something' off with the tuning. I listen to music quite loudly FYI and I wonder if that has to do with it, it sounds better at lower volumes. I mostly listen on Tidal btw.
I got my partner who's a guitarist (but not audiophile) to listen to some tracks (he used Plini fyi) he thought signature was off, that the lead guitar was too forward in the mix whilst the rhythm guitar was barely noticeable. When paired with my Meze 99 Classics it became a mid-bass volcano and was waaay too overwhelming. I know 99 Classics have bit of a boosted mid-bass but I normally find it fine. I wondered if this is coming from a Sabre DAC (on LG phones) which sounds thinner, clearer, and sparklier to me.
BUT then I tried my Moondrop Starfield's with it and it tonality sounds better but technicalities worse (because cheap IEM doesn't let DX160 shine) e.g. not enough detail, clarity, separation etc. It does sound slightly bassier (but less full which is good) than K10's (but less punchy) but more organic and natural pairing - I want more highs though. The frequencies that felt kind of sucked out or over emphasized with other headphones sounds better on Starfield. I tend to look for mid-focused and forward gear so I wonder if I doubled down on that with IEM and DAP so need different pairing? Like DX160 is wet so I need dry IEM's?
I wonder if I need to find the right synergy and pairing with DX160 and I'm on market for new IEM's anyway so would like your advice? I guess I'm looking for something with Starfield's tonality but much better? I've read lots of IEM reviews and my top ones are Thieaudio Clairvoyance or Monarch, Starfield S8, Starfield Blessing 2 or Dusk, Fearless S8 Freedom, or Dunu SA6, Hidition Viento-B or? I listen to a wide range of genres but particularly enjoy string instruments and vocals (so mids are a focus for me), instrument separation and layering, clarity, texture, good PRAT, fast punchy bass, musicality etc.
I currently own Noble K10's, Meze 99 Classics, and Moondrop Starfield which I'd been listening off my LG G7 but it recently died (and we can't get LG phones in NZ anymore) so I bought a iBasso DX160 after seeing all the fantastic reviews.
Whilst the DX160 paired with my Noble K10's does sound great with some songs (acoustic, folk, indie, pop, some rock) I think I've noticed it sounds kind of bloated and full sometimes and can become 'wall of sound' on busier tracks (metal, some orchestral etc) which is putting me off. I've tried eqing a bit and using different filters (think I prefer fast or NOS) but it's confusing me what I'm finding 'wrong' with it. Like sometimes I think there's too much bass, other times too much mids, sometimes not enough highs - although I feel like there's a vocal forwardness high mids or low highs which pushes other things way back. That's weird to say coming from me because I normally love that frequency area being forward but everything else sounds muted in comparison sometimes. Just feels like there's 'something' off with the tuning. I listen to music quite loudly FYI and I wonder if that has to do with it, it sounds better at lower volumes. I mostly listen on Tidal btw.
I got my partner who's a guitarist (but not audiophile) to listen to some tracks (he used Plini fyi) he thought signature was off, that the lead guitar was too forward in the mix whilst the rhythm guitar was barely noticeable. When paired with my Meze 99 Classics it became a mid-bass volcano and was waaay too overwhelming. I know 99 Classics have bit of a boosted mid-bass but I normally find it fine. I wondered if this is coming from a Sabre DAC (on LG phones) which sounds thinner, clearer, and sparklier to me.
BUT then I tried my Moondrop Starfield's with it and it tonality sounds better but technicalities worse (because cheap IEM doesn't let DX160 shine) e.g. not enough detail, clarity, separation etc. It does sound slightly bassier (but less full which is good) than K10's (but less punchy) but more organic and natural pairing - I want more highs though. The frequencies that felt kind of sucked out or over emphasized with other headphones sounds better on Starfield. I tend to look for mid-focused and forward gear so I wonder if I doubled down on that with IEM and DAP so need different pairing? Like DX160 is wet so I need dry IEM's?
I wonder if I need to find the right synergy and pairing with DX160 and I'm on market for new IEM's anyway so would like your advice? I guess I'm looking for something with Starfield's tonality but much better? I've read lots of IEM reviews and my top ones are Thieaudio Clairvoyance or Monarch, Starfield S8, Starfield Blessing 2 or Dusk, Fearless S8 Freedom, or Dunu SA6, Hidition Viento-B or? I listen to a wide range of genres but particularly enjoy string instruments and vocals (so mids are a focus for me), instrument separation and layering, clarity, texture, good PRAT, fast punchy bass, musicality etc.
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