[Ookamikun]

Hi community,

I have the CustomArts Fibae7 for more than a year now and still enjoy them very much. Lately I have been thinking if I can improve on them with a DAC. I am using them with my Google Pixel 4a which will be replaced with a Pixel 8a once it comes out.
I tested a few DACs, namely Lotoo PAW S2, Ifi hip-dac3, chord2, and a few others and to be honest I couldn't really hear that much of a difference. I am not sure if I could spot the difference in a blind test...
Do you have any recommendations or is the difference not that big with a DAC? Would the difference be more noticable with a DAP?

I am using the IEMs exclusively at home but I would still like to be able to move around the house. Sometimes it would also be nice to connect the IEMs to my desktop.

Any recommendations and inside are very much welcome!

EDIT: I forgot to mention that I am searching for something in the $500 range.

Best regards,
Okamikun

 

[warrenpchi]

Honestly, if you're not hearing a difference with the DACs that you've tried, then don't worry about it and just save your money.

 

[Ace Bee]

@Ookamikun I have not heard the Chord Mojo 2 or the HIP DAC3, but I have heard the Paw S2, and I could hear a difference...but here is the thing - I used the balanced port.

Now, since you are using the FIBAE 7 with phone, that means you are using it in unbalanced SE 3.5mm. If you go from there to balanced, it will be an immediate improvement and you can hear it clearly.

Now, my recommendation would be this:
1. A good quality 4.4mm balanced cable, preferably from Null Audio. Custom Art prefers their cable as well. Arete (109 USD) or EPsilon (149 USD)
2. A good quality 4.4mm female to 3.5mm male adaptor, to use it with laptop or directly from phone if you wish to. Around 30 USD.
3. That leaves you with around 320 USD. Now if you want to purchase from classifieds, you can find a iFi XDSD Gryphon for that price, or may be slightly higher. Or if you want to purchase new, Shanling H5.

 

[Ookamikun]

@warrenpchi , thank you for your response! Yeah that would probably be the reasonable choice

@Ace Bee , thank you for the input! I didn't think of the cable before. I will probably try out a few more setups and include different cables as well.