[RockStar2005]

Did you do blind listening, or you knew what the file playing was when you compared? I have played drums for over 30 years and I can't tell a difference with cymbals when they are high bitrate mp3 files. Anyway, not trying to get the format debate going, just trying to at least offer a different perspective for somebody who is considering the use of lossy files. Typically these people are told they will suffer a sonic penalty, and yes with a poor encoder such as was common back in the early days of mp3 encoding, or with low bitrate files there certainly can be some audible issues, but with a good encoder (and most today are quite good) and a high bitrate I just like to encourage people to test their assumptions.

Frankly the vast majority of my collection is in Flac or ALAC, ripped right from my CD collection, but I have some 320mp3 albums, and in the past when space was more of an issue for portable sources, I used 320mp3 and personally never suffered for it. Cheers.

I did my own blind testing a couple times on AAC vs. FLAC. Not sure if I did an mp3 one. I might have though. But the thing is, I wasn't trying to hear differences when I compared them. I would compare the mp3 version of a song I had with a CD-Quality or Hi-Res one, and many times the bass just sounded deeper and better on the latter ones. So I'd go back and forth several times to see if I was just imagining it, and it turned out I wasn't. I was actually fighting to prove myself wrong, but in the end I simply couldn't. lol

No that's cool. I'm NOT against lossy at all, b/c AAC is lossy too. I couldn't agree more that FLAC/ALAC sounds no different than AAC. We just differ on mp3s I guess. lol

Cheers my friend.

 

[Allentown]

Yeah I mean, 320 kbps can still be great, but it can vary. See for me, I used to spend a good deal of $$ on Hi-Res on the main sites like HDTracks, Acoustic Sounds, 7digital, etc. But then I got wise that iTunes also sells Hi-Res songs (which are the albums labeled "Mastered for iTunes") but for MUCH cheaper b/c they downsample everything to 256 kbps AAC. Since that's what I do anyway, I had no issue with it. Did some comparisons with my own Hi-Res songs that I already owned, and couldn't tell a difference as both sounded great. Even had a nice chat with a supervisor at iTunes Store (not Apple Music which is streaming), and he confirmed everything. Even told me that the ones not labeled "Mastered for iTunes" are still sourced from CDs, not mp3s. So I've for the most abandoned the more expensive sites and buy all my music exclusively from iTunes Store now, saving me MUCH $$$. lol So I recommend buying from there from now on.

What headphones you got now? I can prob help you with that. I've tried out a lot of different headphones over the last 4 years, and have a running list of closed-back, open-back, and NC & wireless headphones, and also earphones. Let me know, and include your budget range too.

Yeah Tidal is streaming. I only stream when I wanna preview songs, never for serious listening. I preview on Spotify, and YouTube if the song I want isn't on Spotify, which is very rare. Streaming to me as too many variables like how strong your connection is, etc. I don't like that.

That DAMN rabbit hole! lol I would just return all that external stuff and just use your V30, and use that money to get really awesome headphones. But that's entirely up to you.

I don't have the specifics, but people on here who know way more about this stuff than I do told me what I'd said, and I did my own research too, both through my own reading and experiments. But yeah, bass diminishes with MP3s, at least that "deep" bass that premium headphones can pick up.

Yeah if you're streaming and listening on speakers not headphones, then Tidal is cool. It's much harder to discern the differences through speakers. vs headphones. You gotta listen a lot harder when it's on speakers to tell apart the differences.

Tidal now let's you DL to your phone so it works when there is no signal. No streaming needed....just do everything you want and done .I can pick up 1,000 songs in a day for 9 dollars or 19 dollars at high nitrates.

I have Vmoda m100 crossfades, shure 535s, HE4xx, Sony WH1000m2, E-mu purple heart, 6xx and 58x, Bose Q15s and I want some fostex woodies

 

[VI001101106]

Tidal now let's you DL to your phone so it works when there is no signal. No streaming needed....just do everything you want and done .I can pick up 1,000 songs in a day for 9 dollars or 19 dollars at high nitrates.

I have Vmoda m100 crossfades, shure 535s, HE4xx, Sony WH1000m2, E-mu purple heart, 6xx and 58x, Bose Q15s and I want some fostex woodies

If you're downloading files through the Tidal app, MQA or not, they will not play anywhere else.

Depending how loud you want to listen to your music, just do the Aux mode. No ohm adapter needed. I personally feel planars are the only ones that really need High Impedance mode.

As for apps, you should also look into UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro). This app has its own audio driver developed to tap into the quad-DAC and plays just about anything you throw it at it properly. And it has a few addons to further tweak sound to your liking. I haven't used Poweramp in years so I can't say it's better, but I do know that UAPP is constantly updated and can tap into the DAC's full capabilities.

 

[Marmite]

As for apps, you should also look into UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro). This app has its own audio driver developed to tap into the quad-DAC and plays just about anything you throw it at it properly. And it has a few addons to further tweak sound to your liking. I haven't used Poweramp in years so I can't say it's better, but I do know that UAPP is constantly updated and can tap into the DAC's full capabilities.

Totally concur with UAPP. It's easily the best app I have used on my V30 and the chap who made it is really responsive to queries and keeps it regularly updated.

 

[Sonic Defender]

Onkyo HF Player is quite nice as well. There isn't much needed to get the most out of a DAC, just passing in uncorrupted digital.

 

[scottm18]

Running my V35, my phone sticks in low output mode...i cannot drive the HE4xxs well at all.

I gave up on the HE4xxx as it didn't have enough power--going to sell mine soon. The easy way to get more is to unplug a side of the ear cable, plug the main cable in, then plug in the ear cable again. You will now be in AUX mode--and still won't have enough power IMHO The Edition X is better but stil not great--also will be on the sale block soon. This phone simply does not supply enough power to planars...stick with dynamic of any impedance and you'll be golden.

 

[Allentown]

Well, I have both the Fiio A5 and Shiit Magna 3 incoming. One for the pocket and one on the desk . I love the smoothness of the mid lows on the HE4xx. The perfect range for 80s stuff like Genesis, Dire Straits, Peter Gabriel just sound like buttrty goodness on planers.

I gave up on the HE4xxx as it didn't have enough power--going to sell mine soon. The easy way to get more is to unplug a side of the ear cable, plug the main cable in, then plug in the ear cable again. You will now be in AUX mode--and still won't have enough power IMHO The Edition X is better but stil not great--also will be on the sale block soon. This phone simply does not supply enough power to planars...stick with dynamic of any impedance and you'll be golden.

 

[RojasTKD]

Well, we can all agree to disagree, but I and others have actually demonstrated that in blind listening, multiple trial tests, there is no way to tell a 320mp3 from the lossless master. The science backs this up as well. My 7 subjects were all young head-fi members, well one was a head-fi member in his 40s, but the other 6 were in their 20s, so great young hearing. Two of them swore before the testing that they knew without a doubt they could hear the difference because they had "tested" themselves. If you did sighted listening tests and knew which file you were listening to, your results are completely invalid. It has to be blind listening, no if ands or buts about it. Each of my subjects had 5 trials where the two files were played so lots of chance, nobody did better than 50% detection, a few did worse. Young ears still couldn't tell the difference.

Although I tend to agree and believe that even people that think they can tell the difference really can't. Still, just because I can and most people can't, doesn't mean no one can. I can accept that there may be those that have the ear and training to distinguish a difference.

In my expierance even trying to make it through a blind test is grueling and exhausting.

When I watch Olympic gymnastics, I can't tell the difference between someone that scores a 9.85 and someone that scores a 7.8, but the judges and commentators seem to seem to know.

I have my doubts, but just because I can't doesn't mean not one can. Though, I do think most can't and would fail in a blind test.

I gave up on the HE4xxx as it didn't have enough power--going to sell mine soon. The easy way to get more is to unplug a side of the ear cable, plug the main cable in, then plug in the ear cable again. You will now be in AUX mode--and still won't have enough power IMHO The Edition X is better but stil not great--also will be on the sale block soon. This phone simply does not supply enough power to planars...stick with dynamic of any impedance and you'll be golden.

If you root your phone and install Viper4Android you can not the gain a bit and it helps. For me it's adequate for the HE-4xx. But in all honesty planars aren't generally something you want to run off portables especially a phone.

There is a place for portables and a place for desktop gear. A V30 is not a replacement for the latter.

 

[Allentown]

If you root your phone and install Viper4Android you can not the gain a bit and it helps. For me it's adequate for the HE-4xx. But in all honesty planars aren't generally something you want to run off portables especially a phone.

There is a place for portables and a place for desktop gear. A V30 is not a replacement for the latter.

The problem for me is that i store most of my dls on my phone and organize my play lists there. If I am on the desk top I am probably just streaming and not even bothering with files (since I have Gigabit internet). So yea, i ordered an amp and EQ for my desk top, but I am sitting here working wanting to use my phone as a source because it has the stuff I want to listen to already qued up.....which is why i started with only the Shiit magna 3 and Loki but skipped any kind of a DAC. I can pull out my planars and run my phone into the Magna and get ample power and can even have 4 band equal avail via old school stereo dials as long as i am sitting here. ]

Also when streaming and using my desk top.....i have NO WHERE NEAR enough power for my planars (less so than using the V35)..at least until i get the filters to try and also trick the desk top into going into high output mode. The files sound fine, just not enough power......again, why i got the amp and eq but no dac.

When I get up, i can still run the 4xxs with the a5 in my pocket (I know I can because the A3 runs them to 90% of what I want already), without the EQ and probably at lower levels but enough to walk around wash the dishes, do some laundry, etc. My wife works at home and I don't get to turn on the Sonos till after 5 so I am stuck with phones all day (I work from home some to).... (That was my thinking anyway).

Also I think the magni 3 might be small enough to pack and take with me to hotels, at least on trips where I am taking an extra bag (which I do for slightly longer trips). Anything less than 4 days Ill stick with my IEMs and Sony WH1000M2s or vmodas probabl, but those 14 day trips to the west coast require 2 bags and that opens up room for extra stuff to help with the boring nights during the long stays, not enough room to justify packing an entire desk top system, but enough to justify taking a couple different pair of phones and a slightly larger desk top amp.

Keep in mind I also plan to get the M1060s which have 106mm drivers!

 

[RockStar2005]

Tidal now let's you DL to your phone so it works when there is no signal. No streaming needed....just do everything you want and done .I can pick up 1,000 songs in a day for 9 dollars or 19 dollars at high nitrates.

I have Vmoda m100 crossfades, shure 535s, HE4xx, Sony WH1000m2, E-mu purple heart, 6xx and 58x, Bose Q15s and I want some fostex woodies

Ok, that's cool. But you still need to do the "Properties" thing I mentioned earlier on the Tidal songs (Amazon ones sound like mp3s to me) so that I know for sure what you're working with. Let me know. I still have no clue what "Master" means. I'm hoping it's not MQA, though I don't know what else it could be.

Sounds like you have some pretty formidable headphones and earphones Allentown. To really test them out, it would be good to apply my EQs, though it will be harder in other apps b/c Poweramp (annoyingly) doesn't have parametric EQs (aka EQs with the number labels), so you have to approximate the levels relative to 0 in other apps.

So what is your budget? You have some sub-$100 headphones on that list, but then the Shures are like $449! lol Let me know and I can suggest a few off my running list.

 

[RockStar2005]

If you're downloading files through the Tidal app, MQA or not, they will not play anywhere else.

Depending how loud you want to listen to your music, just do the Aux mode. No ohm adapter needed. I personally feel planars are the only ones that really need High Impedance mode.

As for apps, you should also look into UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro). This app has its own audio driver developed to tap into the quad-DAC and plays just about anything you throw it at it properly. And it has a few addons to further tweak sound to your liking. I haven't used Poweramp in years so I can't say it's better, but I do know that UAPP is constantly updated and can tap into the DAC's full capabilities.

Hmm ok. So THAT'S the problem! lol Allentown............though Tidal is giving you a great day, they apparently have proprietary technology that is limiting you from playing in Poweramp or UAPP. Does the Tidal app even have an EQ'ing option?? If so, how many bands???

Well to get Aux you may still need an adapter. I used to use a female 3.5mm to male 3.5mm adadpter, and it worked EVERY TIME. Just gotta plug in the adapter into the phone first, then the headphones into the female end second.

Yeah but isn't the only difference with UAPP that you can play higher resolution songs using the Quad DAC? If the songs are downsampled the way I do it, then I was made to believe it made no difference then. I do appreciate that UAPP is constantly updated though. Poweramp has had "alpha" or "beta" versions come out as unofficial updates (I have the Alpha 704 version now), but it won't allow me to save my EQs. It does however have a couple great features like enhanced sound quality and the option to have a 1% incremental volume vs 5%.

 

[Allentown]

Ok, that's cool. But you still need to do the "Properties" thing I mentioned earlier on the Tidal songs (Amazon ones sound like mp3s to me) so that I know for sure what you're working with. Let me know. I still have no clue what "Master" means. I'm hoping it's not MQA, though I don't know what else it could be.

Sounds like you have some pretty formidable headphones and earphones Allentown. To really test them out, it would be good to apply my EQs, though it will be harder in other apps b/c Poweramp (annoyingly) doesn't have parametric EQs (aka EQs with the number labels), so you have to approximate the levels relative to 0 in other apps.

So what is your budget? You have some sub-$100 headphones on that list, but then the Shures are like $449! lol Let me know and I can suggest a few off my running list.

Right now I am good with what I have for clean and mid range listening (My wallet has seen enough damage). I do want some more "bass head" phones (My Vmodas are all I have in that category) so am open for suggestions. My research shows the Fostex line of woods are essentially 'base cannons" and I would like a pair of those. Waiting for a massdrop to hit. Which wood is better for bass though? Purpleheart, teak, ebony, walnut etc.??? (I have no idea).

Edit, by the way, those Shure 535s for air travel without the awful sounding NC that bose had at the time were WORTH EVERY PENNY.

 

[RockStar2005]

Right now I am good with what I have for clean and mid range listening (My wallet has seen enough damage). I do want some more "bass head" phones (My Vmodas are all I have in that category) so am open for suggestions. My research shows the Fostex line of woods are essentially 'base cannons" and I would like a pair of those. Waiting for a massdrop to hit. Which wood is better for bass though? Purpleheart, teak, ebony, walnut etc.??? (I have no idea).

Edit, by the way, those Shure 535s for air travel without the awful sounding NC that bose had at the time were WORTH EVERY PENNY.

Hmm ok. Well the V-Modas are DEF known for their "bass head" qualities, so you may be good there. None of the headphones on my list are "bass head" really cuz even though I love bass I don't necessarily want too much of it. Mostly b/c most headphones can't handle a lot of bass properly. I HAVE heard that about the Fostex line too, so you may wanna look there.

Yeah I have no idea there either regarding the wood. lol

If you change your mind and want to try out something different for clean and mid-range listening, let me know. And price range too.

 

[RockStar2005]

Totally concur with UAPP. It's easily the best app I have used on my V30 and the chap who made it is really responsive to queries and keeps it regularly updated.

Hey Marmite or V, does UAPP let you SAVE your custom EQs and transfer them if you get a new phone?? Also, what about the settings???

 

[HungryPanda]

My Denon D7200 knocks my Fostex Th-X00 Purpleheart to the kerb in the bass department