[Docharsha89]

No One..?

 

[mikejazz]

Also--I bought the Xduoo X05 Plus and installed the Burson opamp. Sounds great--but the Monolith sounds better. The difference in soundstage and imaging is pretty profound. Eq can also easily be done in Uapp with the add-on PEQ. I think someone even posted the curve recommended by Audeze. I love the i3 so much with an external DAC and better cables that I decided to sell both Dac's and spend too much on a DAP with really good PEQ. It's a lot easier for me to pocket one piece of gear as I listen to music all day while I'm working on speaker cabs. Don't get me wrong--the Cipher sounds great--it's just much better with a better DAC and cables. The Cipher was about on par with my dongle DAC (Ztella). But it sounded better through the Ztella and the PW no. 10 cable than the Cipher. And MUCH better with the Monolith.

 

[beardyweirdy]

Hi
Would you recommend DAP/ Dac with 3.5 mm cable over cipher?

 

[mikejazz]

yeah---I'm using 3.5mm. Again--the Cipher sounds great. But it's essentially a dongle Dac with Eq. And an okay cable. For what it is it performs admirably. But---I'm comparing it to an excellent $300 DAC and a $200 cable.

 

[beardyweirdy]

Cheers mike, so I guess a good DAP, would out perform the cipher too?

 

[mikejazz]

That's what I'm counting on. But I'm buying the$1000 Ibasso dx220. I'm into soundstage and am hoping that it compares to the Monolith. In the reviews it is supposed to be a soundstage champ

 

[beardyweirdy]

I had the dx220 and was not impressed with the battery life an interface was slow.
M11 pro is nice

 

[McCol]

M15 and LCD I3 play together very nicely

 

[Vitandus]

Has anyone who also has the iSine 10 or 20's found that these stay in the ear better? I have the 20's but they constantly fall out of my ear

I bought the ear fins. Superb fit with the iSine 20s

 

[Vitandus]

You have to hear them through a better cable and DAC.I really like the Monoprice thx aaa portable. I do the eq through that..With the PW Audio no.10 cable. HUGE difference over the Cipher.

I‘ve tried EQ and I keep returning to the Cipher cable. EQ is missing something - almost sounds ”flat”, lacking dimension, in comparison. This is with both a Sony NW-ZX300 and a FiiO M11 (and a wicked nice cable, but I don’t believe it adds much).

 

[Monstieur]

I‘ve tried EQ and I keep returning to the Cipher cable. EQ is missing something - almost sounds ”flat”, lacking dimension, in comparison. This is with both a Sony NW-ZX300 and a FiiO M11 (and a wicked nice cable, but I don’t believe it adds much).

Congratulations, you've seen through the delusional "don't use the impure Cipher cable, yet use snake oil DAPs and cables" BS. The LCD-i3 and iSine series are designed to be used with the Cipher cable or Reveal+ Plugin exclusively. The impulse response works in the time domain for ear simulation and cannot be replicated with a simple EQ.

 

[McCol]

Congratulations, you've seen through the delusional "don't use the impure Cipher cable, yet use snake oil DAPs and cables" BS. The LCD-i3 and iSine series are designed to be used with the Cipher cable or Reveal+ Plugin exclusively. The impulse response works in the time domain for ear simulation and cannot be replicated with a simple EQ.

I've given the Cipher cable a good period of time with an Iphone X and it doesnt sound in the same league as when I use with my DAP. Not all DAP discussion is BS

 

[mikejazz]

It's like the guys who say "cables only transmit electrical current. BS. There is a huge difference in sound between cables. And DACS. My i3's with my Xduoo 05 plus--with the Burson chip and the PW Audio no. 10--sounded WAY better than the Cipher . I just received the ISN AG8 cable. Huge improvement over the PW. Go ahead and use the Cipher---I do--it's convenient and sounds great. When I'm sitting down listening I use the other stuff. The difference in soundstage ,layering, and instrument placement is amazing. Unless you don't have ears. Which apparently applies to some.

 

[Vitandus]

I’ve traded messages with @KMann about it. He posited that a DAP/DAC along with good EQ would be superior to the cipher. I’ve tried EQing until cross eyed but, again, it’s the feeling of “depth” I just found missing. The series does require EQ - I find it odd that folks think that an expensive cable alone will remediate that need.

What apps, EQ, and hear are y’all using in lieu of the Cipher?

 

[Matias]

What apps, EQ, and hear are y’all using in lieu of the Cipher?

I am using Kmann's official parametric EQ settings, but lowered the bass boost high shelf from -5.91dB to only -1.0dB (original was too bass heavy for my taste, same as Cipher), and also added an overall -7.6 dB preamp to compensate the peaks. I manually entered all of these parameters in JRiver's Parametric Equalizer section (for its playback using WASAPI Exclusive Mode), and also on Equalizer APO for overall Windows playback (streaming, YouTube). Hardware is a Dell notebook => Hidizs S8 => Audeze LCDi3.

Sounds marvelous!