[PLUSSOUND]

The Sine uses dual 2.5mm connectors at the cups. Not sure what other Audeze cans uses. In theory you could put new connectors on it but the DSP is going to be tailored for the Sine's use with iOS devices, however subtle or strong the implementation is.

The cool thing is, you can download the Audeze app and configure EQ settings. The cable will memorize those settings and use them across all your iOS devices you plug it into. This is just the tip of the iceberg of what we'll see in the coming years.

Actually, the Sine use small 3.5mm connectors. Meanwhile, LCDs use 4-pin mini XLRs, and EL-8s use proprietary PCB type connectors.
 
You could change out the connectors since the DAC components are located on the cable, and that will increase output power.

 

[krismusic]

Actually, the Sine use small 3.5mm connectors. Meanwhile, LCDs use 4-pin mini XLRs, and EL-8s use proprietary PCB type connectors.

You could change out the connectors since the DAC components are located on the cable, and that will increase output power.

I'm sure that shotgunshane is right in saying that the DSP is configured for the Sine.
Exciting times ahead. Doesn't help those of us trying to maximise possibilities in the here and now.
Anyone care to comment on the shortcomings or otherwise of the iPhone?

 

[brent75]

I have Dragonfly Red, Sine + Cipher cable, plus all Apple sources (iPod Touch 6th Gen, iPhone 5s and Macbook Air).
 
The Sine straight into iPod (or iPhone) sounds really good through the stock cable. It sounds amazing through the Cipher cable -- there is a definitive upgrade. And I actually prefer the sound of the Cipher cable (with my EQ settings via the Sine app) to the sound of the DF Red for portable. Which is nice, because it's one less thing to carry around.
 
I use my DF Red on my Macbook Air with my Hifiman HE400S, and THAT sounds amazing too.
 
After much trial and error, I've finally found the combos I want for home and for portable that I am happy with...don't feel like I overspent on...and have no plans to upgrade.

 

[eldss]

Has anyone read this article about the Iphone 7 ditching the headphone jack?
 
http://www.macrumors.com/2016/06/08/iphone-7-audiophile-lightning-headphones/

 

[shotgunshane]

Yep but latest leaks say the HO is being retained for the next iPhone whether it's called the 7 or not. Also latest rumors suggest Apple may move to a 3 year design change plan instead of staying at the current 2 years. At any rate, when they finally do ditch the HO, that's when the rush to use DSP in the cable really begins. Kudos to Audeze getting a head start.

 

[ld100]

  I have Dragonfly Red, Sine + Cipher cable, plus all Apple sources (iPod Touch 6th Gen, iPhone 5s and Macbook Air).
 
The Sine straight into iPod (or iPhone) sounds really good through the stock cable. It sounds amazing through the Cipher cable -- there is a definitive upgrade. And I actually prefer the sound of the Cipher cable (with my EQ settings via the Sine app) to the sound of the DF Red for portable. Which is nice, because it's one less thing to carry around.
 
I use my DF Red on my Macbook Air with my Hifiman HE400S, and THAT sounds amazing too.
 
After much trial and error, I've finally found the combos I want for home and for portable that I am happy with...don't feel like I overspent on...and have no plans to upgrade.

 
Can you elaborate on DF vs iPhone and Cipher. I have Cipher and know how it sounds comparing to iPhone. Wondering if it is worth it for me to get DG for other headphones. Does it give you anything close to the 'Vinyl' sound of Cipher? 

 

[krismusic]

After much trial and error, I've finally found the combos I want for home and for portable that I am happy with...don't feel like I overspent on...and have no plans to upgrade.

Long may that happy state continue. ( Although that isn't the HeadFi way!)
So in your opinion is the Dragonfly an improvement over the iPhones internals?

 

[brent75]

   
Can you elaborate on DF vs iPhone and Cipher. I have Cipher and know how it sounds comparing to iPhone. Wondering if it is worth it for me to get DG for other headphones. Does it give you anything close to the 'Vinyl' sound of Cipher? 

 
Sure -- let me go back and do some more A/B listening tonight or tomorrow. It's been a month since did that initially, so my memory is a little fuzzy about "what" exactly I preferred.
 
Regardless, I think DF Red is such a marvel that's almost a must-have piece of gear (even if you don't use it with Sine). And that's after I auditioned Fiio Q1, Oppo HA-2 and Chord Mojo.

 

[brent75]

Long may that happy state continue. ( Although that isn't the HeadFi way!)

So in your opinion is the Dragonfly an improvement over the iPhones internals?

No kidding. Right now my brain seems to be TRYING to find something new for me to buy and I'm attempting to resist the urge. I'm legitimately covered on all fronts, except for two things I'm starting to eyeball:
 

1. Maybe a pair of ANC cans for airline travel. I've tried passive NC (regular headphones, IEMs) and I just don't like how loud I have to crank it up to overcome the engine roar. The new Bose QC35 look sliiiiiick, but I don't know if I fly often enough each year to justify $350 headphones.
2. I think I'm gonna get a new portable bluetooth speaker. I have the original Fugoo Style, but now I'm eyeballing the B&O Play A1 as well as the JBL Charge 3.

 
Other than that, my Roon trial will be ending soon and I think I want to give Audirvana+ a trial, so I can decide which player I want.

 

[moedawg140]

  No kidding. Right now my brain seems to be TRYING to find something new for me to buy and I'm attempting to resist the urge. I'm legitimately covered on all fronts, except for two things I'm starting to eyeball:
 

1. Maybe a pair of ANC cans for airline travel. I've tried passive NC (regular headphones, IEMs) and I just don't like how loud I have to crank it up to overcome the engine roar. The new Bose QC35 look sliiiiiick, but I don't know if I fly often enough each year to justify $350 headphones.
2. I think I'm gonna get a new portable bluetooth speaker. I have the original Fugoo Style, but now I'm eyeballing the B&O Play A1 as well as the JBL Charge 3.

 
Other than that, my Roon trial will be ending soon and I think I want to give Audirvana+ a trial, so I can decide which player I want.

 
Try out the Cleer NC if you can.  Amazing Active Noise Cancelling with a nice, full-bodied sound signature as well.
 
  

 

[ld100]

   
Sure -- let me go back and do some more A/B listening tonight or tomorrow. It's been a month since did that initially, so my memory is a little fuzzy about "what" exactly I preferred.
 
Regardless, I think DF Red is such a marvel that's almost a must-have piece of gear (even if you don't use it with Sine). And that's after I auditioned Fiio Q1, Oppo HA-2 and Chord Mojo.

 
Great! Thank you! Looking forward to your opinion! 

 

[incursore61]

The Audeze dac is using DSP to tailor the sound for iOS use. That is going to be the wave of the future for headphones.

 
 
!!!!!  

 

[brent75]

Alright, I just finished A/B testing (to the best of my ability) the Sine through Cipher vs through Dragonfly Red. It was sort of hard to do because switching out the cables quickly is anything but easy -- they don't exactly go in/out of the ear cups in a flash. So I went through songs I'm very familiar with multiple times with Red, then same order through with Cipher. The side by side pics are below -- one of the big surprises to note is how much lower I could have the volume on Cipher to reach the same output level..it's pretty significant. Overall, I'd say the Cipher sounds a little bit smoother overall with a little more bass impact than the Red. Don't get me wrong -- the Red sounds really good with my iPod...I just think it sounds great with my laptop (I believe that's where it really shines). So the fact that Cipher actually sounds better to my ears and is more portable/less bulky than Red is pretty effin' awesome.
 
And a funny thing is -- the player I'm using (Korg iAudioGate) actually plays through the correct sample size on Red, but down-samples on Cipher. The Ray LaMontagne song is 96.0 kHz and plays 96 via Red, but 48 via Cipher. And the Loretta Lynn song is 192.0 kHz, plays 96 via Red and 48 via Cipher. (and I still think Cipher sounds better)
 
Note -- I did NOT see how Red responds to EQing, which may make a difference. I did them both flat, and then I went through Cipher a 2nd time w/ the Audeze app EQ applied (screenshot below). It looks drastic, but it's actually a very subtle difference. Anyway, let me know if you have any questions.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ld100]

  Alright, I just finished A/B testing (to the best of my ability) the Sine through Cipher vs through Dragonfly Red. It was sort of hard to do because switching out the cables quickly is anything but easy -- they don't exactly go in/out of the ear cups in a flash. So I went through songs I'm very familiar with multiple times with Red, then same order through with Cipher. The side by side pics are below -- one of the big surprises to note is how much lower I could have the volume on Cipher to reach the same output level..it's pretty significant. Overall, I'd say the Cipher sounds a little bit smoother overall with a little more bass impact than the Red. Don't get me wrong -- the Red sounds really good with my iPod...I just think it sounds great with my laptop (I believe that's where it really shines). So the fact that Cipher actually sounds better to my ears and is more portable/less bulky than Red is pretty effin' awesome.
 
And a funny thing is -- the player I'm using (Korg iAudioGate) actually plays through the correct sample size on Red, but down-samples on Cipher. The Ray LaMontagne song is 96.0 kHz and plays 96 via Red, but 48 via Cipher. And the Loretta Lynn song is 192.0 kHz, plays 96 via Red and 48 via Cipher. (and I still think Cipher sounds better)
 
Note -- I did NOT see how Red responds to EQing, which may make a difference. I did them both flat, and then I went through Cipher a 2nd time w/ the Audeze app EQ applied (screenshot below). It looks drastic, but it's actually a very subtle difference. Anyway, let me know if you have any questions.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Alright, I just finished A/B testing (to the best of my ability) the Sine through Cipher vs through Dragonfly Red. It was sort of hard to do because switching out the cables quickly is anything but easy -- they don't exactly go in/out of the ear cups in a flash. So I went through songs I'm very familiar with multiple times with Red, then same order through with Cipher. The side by side pics are below -- one of the big surprises to note is how much lower I could have the volume on Cipher to reach the same output level..it's pretty significant. Overall, I'd say the Cipher sounds a little bit smoother overall with a little more bass impact than the Red. Don't get me wrong -- the Red sounds really good with my iPod...I just think it sounds great with my laptop (I believe that's where it really shines). So the fact that Cipher actually sounds better to my ears and is more portable/less bulky than Red is pretty effin' awesome.
 
And a funny thing is -- the player I'm using (Korg iAudioGate) actually plays through the correct sample size on Red, but down-samples on Cipher. The Ray LaMontagne song is 96.0 kHz and plays 96 via Red, but 48 via Cipher. And the Loretta Lynn song is 192.0 kHz, plays 96 via Red and 48 via Cipher. (and I still think Cipher sounds better)
 
Note -- I did NOT see how Red responds to EQing, which may make a difference. I did them both flat, and then I went through Cipher a 2nd time w/ the Audeze app EQ applied (screenshot below). It looks drastic, but it's actually a very subtle difference. Anyway, let me know if you have any questions.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
So does RED improve overall over Apple native iPhone DAC? Significantly? Comparing to Cipher??

 

[utee05]

I recently ordered an ifi micro idsd to use with my iphone 6. I'll be mainly using this for my work setup to go with my zmf blackwood. I am wondering which connection I should get to connect to the idsd. Is the lightning-usb camera adapter ( http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MD821AM/A/lightning-to-usb-camera-adapter?fnode=91 ) sufficient? I've seen pics of people using this adapter and plugging directly into the idsd. However I did see this lightning to usb adapter with a lightning connection to allow for charging ( http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MK0W2/lightning-to-usb-3-camera-adapter?fnode=37 ) that seems handy. I also have the old ipad cck that I can use but the lightning->usb seems handy and only one cable needed. I will be using Spotify premium and possibly the onkyo player.