[newworld666]

i have a planar/dd hybrid iem. i'm considering the n6ii Ti, it has a full discrete R2R ladder, however i know that planar drivers really love extra power.. so i'm considering the diablo. the biggest problem imo with diablo is i do not know if the device that the diablo is plugged into matters (for example phone sounds worse than pc, and pc sounds worse than dap) as i do want to use it with my basic phone and not have another device to pair it with.

Theoretically .. as soon as you will connect the Diablo via USB-C, the R2R DAC will be totally bypassed to use only the Diablo's DAC .. The N6TII will be used as a simple transport module and won't decode anything at all.
You need a C9 or a Less BX2+ with 4.4mm input to connect your N6IITI and use it's DAC module .. not a ifi Diablo

 

[CH23]

[...]I'd like you, and others, to expand that perspective to discern the manufacturer's perspective and goals so as to see both sides of the equation. This would allow the consumer to be informed and give the manufacturer some cover for the benefit-of-the-doubt.[...]

I don't think the public should have a need to defend a company to the point where concessions in reviews must be made. And if anything, by NOT specifying the downsides of a product, you will have people disappointed for getting a product that does not match their expectations.

[...]I think the trick is to appropriately inform consumers while at the same time seeing the glass as half full rather than half empty (...it's missing x,y,z....etc.). And keep in mind that this is only one point in time.[...]

If a company previously always had included something, and now it is not included, then to manage expectations, this must be stated to inform potential buyers of these changes.

Could it be that the real issue is not the product but the expectations and preconceptions of what the product should be?

Which is exactly what happens when a company previously did have features on their products that are now not there.

Remember that iFi Audio are humans that really try hard to give us neat stuff. They have families. They have to put food on the table like we all do.

iFi is a corporation, nobody is attacking the people working for this corporation. don't confuse people with businesses. no matter how nice the people working for this company are, in the end the company should be held responsible for the products they release. if they're good products, they get praised and better sales. if they're bad products then they don't.

iFi has earned my love and compassion and admiration. Unless their integrity goes to crap, I'm in their corner rooting for them and loving their products. I own an iPower, iGalvanic, iDefender, iSilencer, iTube2, and iDSD BL. I love every, single, one, of their products. And, their stuff is very high value for the dollar too. I don't find the need to crack-the-whip on them--as yet. I guess that makes me a fanboy...lol. : )

fanboyism is a dangerous thing. it allows companies to get away with stuff they shouldn't. great example is apple, who now primarely focus on their existing fanboys. they don't need marketing, their fanboys will defend them on any faults in their products. bad antenna design? well you should buy a €20 case! cables keep breaking? yeah you're using it wrong. €900 monitor stand? well the product is really well made!

You can appreciate a company and you should hold them accountable so that they will continue to improve instead of stagnate or become worse.

we spoke out about missing a 4.4mm IEMatch, and now they're working on one. if we had not said anything then nothing would have happened. In this way they probably also know that people do want it included in future products (as it was previously) and thus the experience and products improve.

 

[CH23]

Diablo DAP

where'd you get that cable from? I can't find any USB A angled to USB C angled cables at all.

 

[qsk78]

where'd you get that cable from? I can't find any USB A angled to USB C angled cables at all.

This is xduoo x-c07

 

[CH23]

This is xduoo x-c07

thanks, ordered a few

 

[justsomesonyfan]

Theoretically .. as soon as you will connect the Diablo via USB-C, the R2R DAC will be totally bypassed to use only the Diablo's DAC .. The N6TII will be used as a simple transport module and won't decode anything at all.
You need a C9 or a Less BX2+ with 4.4mm input to connect your N6IITI and use it's DAC module .. not a ifi Diablo

i meant my options were either n6ii or diablo, not both.

 

[newworld666]

i meant my options were either n6ii or diablo, not both.

Oups .. sorry .. I didn’t read carefully your question.

 

[qsk78]

i meant my options were either n6ii or diablo, not both.

I owned n6 ii (a01, t01) in the past. Good DAP but not even close to the level of Diablo.

 

[justsomesonyfan]

I owned n6 ii (a01, t01) in the past. Good DAP but not even close to the level of Diablo.

thank you.

 

[Condocondor]

I don't think the public should have a need to defend a company to the point where concessions in reviews must be made. And if anything, by NOT specifying the downsides of a product, you will have people disappointed for getting a product that does not match their expectations.



If a company previously always had included something, and now it is not included, then to manage expectations, this must be stated to inform potential buyers of these changes.



Which is exactly what happens when a company previously did have features on their products that are now not there.



iFi is a corporation, nobody is attacking the people working for this corporation. don't confuse people with businesses. no matter how nice the people working for this company are, in the end the company should be held responsible for the products they release. if they're good products, they get praised and better sales. if they're bad products then they don't.



fanboyism is a dangerous thing. it allows companies to get away with stuff they shouldn't. great example is apple, who now primarely focus on their existing fanboys. they don't need marketing, their fanboys will defend them on any faults in their products. bad antenna design? well you should buy a €20 case! cables keep breaking? yeah you're using it wrong. €900 monitor stand? well the product is really well made!

You can appreciate a company and you should hold them accountable so that they will continue to improve instead of stagnate or become worse.

we spoke out about missing a 4.4mm IEMatch, and now they're working on one. if we had not said anything then nothing would have happened. In this way they probably also know that people do want it included in future products (as it was previously) and thus the experience and products improve.

I don't think the public should have a need to defend a company to the point where concessions in reviews must be made. And if anything, by NOT specifying the downsides of a product, you will have people disappointed for getting a product that does not match their expectations.



If a company previously always had included something, and now it is not included, then to manage expectations, this must be stated to inform potential buyers of these changes.



Which is exactly what happens when a company previously did have features on their products that are now not there.



iFi is a corporation, nobody is attacking the people working for this corporation. don't confuse people with businesses. no matter how nice the people working for this company are, in the end the company should be held responsible for the products they release. if they're good products, they get praised and better sales. if they're bad products then they don't.



fanboyism is a dangerous thing. it allows companies to get away with stuff they shouldn't. great example is apple, who now primarely focus on their existing fanboys. they don't need marketing, their fanboys will defend them on any faults in their products. bad antenna design? well you should buy a €20 case! cables keep breaking? yeah you're using it wrong. €900 monitor stand? well the product is really well made!

You can appreciate a company and you should hold them accountable so that they will continue to improve instead of stagnate or become worse.

we spoke out about missing a 4.4mm IEMatch, and now they're working on one. if we had not said anything then nothing would have happened. In this way they probably also know that people do want it included in future products (as it was previously) and thus the experience and products improve.

So, would you like to comment on the second paragraph of my previous post (which is the crux of it all) which reads as follows? :

When I think about iFi Audio, I see an extremely innovative company that is customer focused and has given us all such incredible variety of unique products. And they have a track record of improving their products constantly. This is a company born of passion and love for their products, music, and their customers. I can discern that this is a company of good will, good people. Step back and look at this company's full array of products. Look at this company's history for development. Go to their website and just peruse their offerings. Where does this product (Diablo) fit relative to their other products? Do they have other products more suitable to folks that have a large collection of IEMs? Do they have products that do a better job of "Swiss Army Knife" do-it-all capability? Do they have more specialized products like Diablo? Must every product please everyone, with every possible configuration of equipment? Or is there room for products with a more narrow focus?

 

[utdeep]

Perhaps the reviewer is measuring it against their own marketing? Calling it their best and saying it works well with high-sensitivity in-ear monitors is setting up their customers for disappointment.

With 3 settings, you can adjust power and gain to suit your daily driver or track day supercar!

• Turbo – ramps up the level of drive for current-hungry headphones
• Normal – for most over or on ear headphones
• Eco – dials down the power to suit high-sensitivity in-ear monitors

I love iFi. Bought all of their new product s over the last couple of years. However, being a fanboy does not mean I give them a pass at everything. They are not cheap products. There are other innovative companies in this space.
Sharing our feedback so they can improve their products is why this is a community.

 

[CH23]

So, would you like to comment on the second paragraph of my previous post (which is the crux of it all) which reads as follows? :

It doesn't change what I said before, but sure.

When I think about iFi Audio, I see an extremely innovative company that is customer focused and has given us all such incredible variety of unique products. And they have a track record of improving their products constantly.

I see good quality products at a good price point. by letting them know about the positives and negatives you find in their products, they can indeed improve.

This is a company born of passion and love for their products, music, and their customers. I can discern that this is a company of good will, good people.

As I said previously, no matter how well willing the people are, in the end it is a corporation and making money is definitely a goal. I have worked for companies where a lot of people really wanted to create the best thing they could, but the truth is that there's a difference between what individuals want to do, and what would work for the company. I'm not saying that's a good or bad thing. I'm saying it's always good to consider this,

Step back and look at this company's full array of products. Look at this company's history for development. Go to their website and just peruse their offerings. Where does this product (Diablo) fit relative to their other products? Do they have other products more suitable to folks that have a large collection of IEMs? Do they have products that do a better job of "Swiss Army Knife" do-it-all capability? Do they have more specialized products like Diablo?

I don't understand why I need to look at other products when it's specifically this one i'm talking about. I chose this one specifically because it was said to be for about every headphone from sensitive to not. I thought they did not include the IEMatch because the eco mode would be sensitive enough as-is. Now that it turns out not to be, I ask for a solution from iFi. A solution they have had in previous models, and a solution they have with different connectors.

Must every product please everyone, with every possible configuration of equipment? Or is there room for products with a more narrow focus?

No, of course not every product will please everyone, I totally get that there will always be bad matches. for me the Diablo is near-perfect for all my headphones, minus my IEMs. we're not saying the product is bad, we're not saying the company is bad, definitely not saying the people working for the company are bad. we're just asking for an IEMatch with 4.4mm connectors.

I have no beef with you nor with iFi. I like their products too and have been actively recommending the ZenDac and HipDac to people around me, even gave a HipDac as a bday present to a friend.

 

[James Shoegazer]

Funny that the Chinese Hi-Fi community translates the Diablo as “big carrots” literally. 大da 蘿luo 蔔bo - big carrot

 

[Slater91]

First of all, I want to thank you (Slater91) for taking the time to explain your approach to reviewing. I agree with you100%. What you've said is practically faultless from the perspective of a consumer and reviewer. Now, if you can, I'd like you, and others, to expand that perspective to discern the manufacturer's perspective and goals so as to see both sides of the equation. This would allow the consumer to be informed and give the manufacturer some cover for the benefit-of-the-doubt. BTW, iFi Audio will almost certainly have their IE Match 4.4 from way they've answered a previous question here as, "I cannot say anything much now".

When I think about iFi Audio, I see an extremely innovative company that is customer focused and has given us all such incredible variety of unique products. And they have a track record of improving their products constantly. This is a company born of passion and love for their products, music, and their customers. I can discern that this is a company of good will, good people. Step back and look at this company's full array of products. Look at this company's history for development. Go to their website and just peruse their offerings. Where does this product (Diablo) fit relative to their other products? Do they have other products more suitable to folks that have a large collection of IEMs? Do they have products that do a better job of "Swiss Army Knife" do-it-all capability? Do they have more specialized products like Diablo? Must every product please everyone, with every possible configuration of equipment? Or is there room for products with a more narrow focus?

I think the trick is to appropriately inform consumers while at the same time seeing the glass as half full rather than half empty (...it's missing x,y,z....etc.). And keep in mind that this is only one point in time. There is a future line of delicious products coming from iFi because they have that track record. Diablo was a bold product and not just in color. It is a specialized product. Could it be better? Sure! Will it be better? Eventually. In the mean time, we have a killer product with a more limited but specialized capability. In a pinch, you can haul groceries in your Lamborgini and take one of your two kids to soccer practice. Could it be that the real issue is not the product but the expectations and preconceptions of what the product should be? Remember that iFi Audio are humans that really try hard to give us neat stuff. They have families. They have to put food on the table like we all do. iFi has earned my love and compassion and admiration. Unless their integrity goes to crap, I'm in their corner rooting for them and loving their products. I own an iPower, iGalvanic, iDefender, iSilencer, iTube2, and iDSD BL. I love every, single, one, of their products. And, their stuff is very high value for the dollar too. I don't find the need to crack-the-whip on them--as yet. I guess that makes me a fanboy...lol. : )

Thanks for the input! Now, taking the manufacturer's point of view into consideration is something that you usually do as you engage with them: I usually ask the "hows" and "whys" of various choices in a product's design and I try to engage with manufacturers on this, sometimes leading to issues being discovered and sometimes leading to me changing my perspective on things and, therefore, changing my reviews. That's all part of writing a good review.
Now, in the specific case of iFi, I have written more than one time that I'd like them to make a product that isn't stellar because otherwise it seems like I'm a fanboy. But the reality is that they make consistently fantastic products. I do take into account the history and the development of the brand and its products, but I also have to take into account that what people are buying is available now and it's not a future product. I have learnt this the hard way reviewing smartphones: time and time again manufacturers have promised updates to fix issues that then never materialised, leaving users out in the cold and complaining to me that I should have warned them more about the issues. And in this case it is a software matter that can be improved after the release; in the case of hardware features, the only solution is to buy a new product - something that not all people can afford or want to do. On the other hand it's understandable that there may be constraints on the part of the manufacturer - supply chain, technology, time... It really is a difficult balance to achieve! But in the end, you have to decide which perspective you want to give more weight to, the buyer (I really don't like the term "consumer") or the business, because they are often conflicting. Giving a full picture that includes saying "this product isn't great for doing that" is actually a way to protect both of them, even if it can be seen as a criticism. Continuing your example of the Lamborghini, saying "it's not really the greatest car if you want to go camping in the mud or if you want to haul a lot of stuff" is setting the expectations straight and helping people make an informed decision based on what their needs are. So saying "the Diablo lacks IEMatch" is not so much a criticism in and of itself, but a way to let people know what they should expect.

Diablo DAP

Looks great!

 

[Convolver]

...it's understandable that there may be constraints on the part of the manufacturer - supply chain, technology, time... It really is a difficult balance to achieve!

Made even more difficult when they make false claims, like promising MQA decoding through the SPDIF input which is why I bought mine. I struggle to take "the manufacturer's point of view into consideration" on this point.