[reddog]

Cool. I just joined the QP1R club. I hope to have it in a couple of days.

Welcome to the club, the QP1R and the ETHER C sound great together. The synergy between this dap and headphones is just fantastic, and will put a big old smile on your face.

 

[KefkaticFanatic]

Cool to see Dan is also a big Ultimae fan, I picked up a pair of Ether Cs at Canjam Socal (rocking an Ultimae T of course) and have been jamming to an assortment of their albums since.  I have just about the whole label discography at this point....!  Particular favorites would have to be basically anything by Solar Fields, Aes Dana's Leylines, some of Asura's stuff if I'm really in a spacey mood..
 
Right now they're my daily use pair at work, but the only source I really have there is my trusty old Fiio X3, which does manage to drive it just fine, but I'd prefer something that was set in place, at least when I'm at my desk.  Besides a Magni/Vali and Modi (I have just a Magni/Modi with my HD650 at home), would anyone else with an ear for the EtherC have a recommendation for a $300ish desktop solution?  I imagine something warm would bring a nice balance, but I've not kept up with products much and there's been a lot of action in the industry lately!

 

[STR-1]

I own both the 1540 and the Ether C. The first thing is detail, the Ether C just trounces the 1540, you will hear so much more with the Ether C. Bass is much more emphasized on the 1540, big time, that took a bit of getting used to and patience to allow the Ether C to burn in (I'm not much of a believer of burn in, but it's real on the Ether C). Comfort is a huge plus on the Ether C, the 1540 headband just digs into the top of my head after a while and becomes painful. There is none of that on the Ether C, the headband is just so comfortable. The Ether C's clamping force is a touch higher, but not much. The ear pads are about a tie for comfort, with the 1540 a bit hotter, not much. Weight wise, I really didn't notice much difference especially with the Ether C's suspension.

I can't tell you how it would match with the Dave, sorry. The Ether C pairs well with my DX90, Mjolnir 2, wile the Asgard 2 is a bit bright, tube amps really pair with the Ether C. I found this to be the case with my M2, my buddy's Vali 2 (he nearly didn't get that back) and the Cavali Liquid Glass (just dern).

For me, the Ether C was a significant upgrade in sound quality and comfort. I sometimes miss that extra bass from the 1540, but not much as for me the detail and comfort outweigh emphasized bass. I do like the case from the 1540 better, I took the extra ear pads out and used that area to store my DX90 and SE535s. I have some ideas if Dan is reading to improve the case, double zipper, D ring on one side, web strap on the other, make the bottom flat and the sides not so curvy for an area to store the cable, DAP, etc. I'd buy an upgraded case in a heartbeat.

Hope that helps.

The Ether C is a stratosphere apart from the 1540. The only thing I prefer on the 1540 is the Alcantara pads.

I own both the 1540 and the Ether C. The first thing is detail, the Ether C just trounces the 1540, you will hear so much more with the Ether C. Bass is much more emphasized on the 1540, big time, that took a bit of getting used to and patience to allow the Ether C to burn in (I'm not much of a believer of burn in, but it's real on the Ether C). Comfort is a huge plus on the Ether C, the 1540 headband just digs into the top of my head after a while and becomes painful. There is none of that on the Ether C, the headband is just so comfortable. The Ether C's clamping force is a touch higher, but not much. The ear pads are about a tie for comfort, with the 1540 a bit hotter, not much. Weight wise, I really didn't notice much difference especially with the Ether C's suspension.

I can't tell you how it would match with the Dave, sorry. The Ether C pairs well with my DX90, Mjolnir 2, wile the Asgard 2 is a bit bright, tube amps really pair with the Ether C. I found this to be the case with my M2, my buddy's Vali 2 (he nearly didn't get that back) and the Cavali Liquid Glass (just dern).

For me, the Ether C was a significant upgrade in sound quality and comfort. I sometimes miss that extra bass from the 1540, but not much as for me the detail and comfort outweigh emphasized bass. I do like the case from the 1540 better, I took the extra ear pads out and used that area to store my DX90 and SE535s. I have some ideas if Dan is reading to improve the case, double zipper, D ring on one side, web strap on the other, make the bottom flat and the sides not so curvy for an area to store the cable, DAP, etc. I'd buy an upgraded case in a heartbeat.

Hope that helps.

I have to agree with everything said about the 1540 and ether. The 1540 is very similar to the beyerdynamic DT770, except the for that stupid headband on the 1540! What were the thinking? The ether c (once burned in) is much more detailed and accurate. Much less distortion.

Thanks guys. Sorry for the delay in replying. I'll see if I can get a demo of the Ether C. I'm sure from what you have said and all the other posts I have now managed to read that I will notice some clear differences between the 1540 and Ether C. Whether I'll see enough to warrant the outlay of around £1,250 is another matter. While not as clear as my HE1000 or HD800, the 1540 is reasonably clear plugged into the Dave and the bass is nice. Cheers

 

[Allanmarcus]

I own both the 1540 and the Ether C. The first thing is detail, the Ether C just trounces the 1540, you will hear so much more with the Ether C. Bass is much more emphasized on the 1540, big time, that took a bit of getting used to and patience to allow the Ether C to burn in (I'm not much of a believer of burn in, but it's real on the Ether C). Comfort is a huge plus on the Ether C, the 1540 headband just digs into the top of my head after a while and becomes painful. There is none of that on the Ether C, the headband is just so comfortable. The Ether C's clamping force is a touch higher, but not much. The ear pads are about a tie for comfort, with the 1540 a bit hotter, not much. Weight wise, I really didn't notice much difference especially with the Ether C's suspension.

I can't tell you how it would match with the Dave, sorry. The Ether C pairs well with my DX90, Mjolnir 2, wile the Asgard 2 is a bit bright, tube amps really pair with the Ether C. I found this to be the case with my M2, my buddy's Vali 2 (he nearly didn't get that back) and the Cavali Liquid Glass (just dern).

For me, the Ether C was a significant upgrade in sound quality and comfort. I sometimes miss that extra bass from the 1540, but not much as for me the detail and comfort outweigh emphasized bass. I do like the case from the 1540 better, I took the extra ear pads out and used that area to store my DX90 and SE535s. I have some ideas if Dan is reading to improve the case, double zipper, D ring on one side, web strap on the other, make the bottom flat and the sides not so curvy for an area to store the cable, DAP, etc. I'd buy an upgraded case in a heartbeat.

Hope that helps.

The Ether C is a stratosphere apart from the 1540. The only thing I prefer on the 1540 is the Alcantara pads.

I own both the 1540 and the Ether C. The first thing is detail, the Ether C just trounces the 1540, you will hear so much more with the Ether C. Bass is much more emphasized on the 1540, big time, that took a bit of getting used to and patience to allow the Ether C to burn in (I'm not much of a believer of burn in, but it's real on the Ether C). Comfort is a huge plus on the Ether C, the 1540 headband just digs into the top of my head after a while and becomes painful. There is none of that on the Ether C, the headband is just so comfortable. The Ether C's clamping force is a touch higher, but not much. The ear pads are about a tie for comfort, with the 1540 a bit hotter, not much. Weight wise, I really didn't notice much difference especially with the Ether C's suspension.

I can't tell you how it would match with the Dave, sorry. The Ether C pairs well with my DX90, Mjolnir 2, wile the Asgard 2 is a bit bright, tube amps really pair with the Ether C. I found this to be the case with my M2, my buddy's Vali 2 (he nearly didn't get that back) and the Cavali Liquid Glass (just dern).

For me, the Ether C was a significant upgrade in sound quality and comfort. I sometimes miss that extra bass from the 1540, but not much as for me the detail and comfort outweigh emphasized bass. I do like the case from the 1540 better, I took the extra ear pads out and used that area to store my DX90 and SE535s. I have some ideas if Dan is reading to improve the case, double zipper, D ring on one side, web strap on the other, make the bottom flat and the sides not so curvy for an area to store the cable, DAP, etc. I'd buy an upgraded case in a heartbeat.

Hope that helps.

I have to agree with everything said about the 1540 and ether. The 1540 is very similar to the beyerdynamic DT770, except the for that stupid headband on the 1540! What were the thinking? The ether c (once burned in) is much more detailed and accurate. Much less distortion.

Thanks guys. Sorry for the delay in replying. I'll see if I can get a demo of the Ether C. I'm sure from what you have said and all the other posts I have now managed to read that I will notice some clear differences between the 1540 and Ether C. Whether I'll see enough to warrant the outlay of around £1,250 is another matter. While not as clear as my HE1000 or HD800, the 1540 is reasonably clear plugged into the Dave and the bass is nice. Cheers

Im guessing the difference between the ether c and the 1540 is WAY more the the difference between the Dave and the TT.

 

[Vanquisher]

  Cool to see Dan is also a big Ultimae fan, I picked up a pair of Ether Cs at Canjam Socal (rocking an Ultimae T of course) and have been jamming to an assortment of their albums since.  I have just about the whole label discography at this point....!  Particular favorites would have to be basically anything by Solar Fields, Aes Dana's Leylines, some of Asura's stuff if I'm really in a spacey mood..
 
Right now they're my daily use pair at work, but the only source I really have there is my trusty old Fiio X3, which does manage to drive it just fine, but I'd prefer something that was set in place, at least when I'm at my desk.  Besides a Magni/Vali and Modi (I have just a Magni/Modi with my HD650 at home), would anyone else with an ear for the EtherC have a recommendation for a $300ish desktop solution?  I imagine something warm would bring a nice balance, but I've not kept up with products much and there's been a lot of action in the industry lately!

 
If you can stretch I love the mojo + ether-c pairing. Use it at work with my iPhone w/ the apple camera connection kit. I've been seriously impressed by the mojo. Hard to believe the performance of the thing at 599. I'll be using it in the near future until I rebuild up the home setup.

 

[Stillhart]

  Cool to see Dan is also a big Ultimae fan, I picked up a pair of Ether Cs at Canjam Socal (rocking an Ultimae T of course) and have been jamming to an assortment of their albums since.  I have just about the whole label discography at this point....!  Particular favorites would have to be basically anything by Solar Fields, Aes Dana's Leylines, some of Asura's stuff if I'm really in a spacey mood..
 
Right now they're my daily use pair at work, but the only source I really have there is my trusty old Fiio X3, which does manage to drive it just fine, but I'd prefer something that was set in place, at least when I'm at my desk.  Besides a Magni/Vali and Modi (I have just a Magni/Modi with my HD650 at home), would anyone else with an ear for the EtherC have a recommendation for a $300ish desktop solution?  I imagine something warm would bring a nice balance, but I've not kept up with products much and there's been a lot of action in the industry lately!

 
The Audio-GD NFB-15 is a great little Amp/DAC unit with a ton of power and a nice warm Wolfson DAC.  I love mine for work because the warm DAC makes it easy to listen for hours without fatigue.  They discontinued the unit recently, but if you can find one used, I highly recommend it.
 
Of course, your X3 already has a Wolfson DAC and line out.  You may just want to spend that $300 on an amp and call it a day.  Gustard H10, Garage1217 stuff, some Schiit stuff, Matrix M-stage, there are plenty of nice amps in the $300 price range.

 

[Sivert]

  Hi everyone, question for you...I commute on a corporate bus for 2 hours each way.  My ZMF blackwoods are absolutely HUGE for the bus so I'm selling them and my home setup.  Would an Ether C and Chord Mojo be a good combo? I have yet to hear or see one in person.  I can get a great deal on Shure SE846 through my work but my ears just aren't a fan of iems.  Given the external bus noise, am I wasting my money on the ether c/ mojo setup? Would I notice a huge difference over say an Oppo PM3 /Oppo HA-2 setup?  Thanks everyone for the advice.

I have both the se846 and etherC, as well as the mojo. I think the etherC is much better than the se846. Regarding isolation, I've not used them on the road, but at the office (desks next to each other in an open area) I found they isolate just as well. From the "corporate bus" comment I think there is a good likelihood that you work in the Bay Area. If so, Audio Vision in SF carries both and you can test them there.

 

[chefboyarlee]

Welcome to the club, the QP1R and the ETHER C sound great together. The synergy between this dap and headphones is just fantastic, and will put a big old smile on your face.

So how does the QP1R play with Mac computers? Is it easy to download music onto it?

 

[chefboyarlee]

I have both the se846 and etherC, as well as the mojo. I think the etherC is much better than the se846. Regarding isolation, I've not used them on the road, but at the office (desks next to each other in an open area) I found they isolate just as well. From the "corporate bus" comment I think there is a good likelihood that you work in the Bay Area. If so, Audio Vision in SF carries both and you can test them there.

Thanks for the advice and yes I live in the Bay Area. I will be picking up the ether c this Wednesday and will hit up audio vision this weekend.

 

[HK_sends]

So how does the QP1R play with Mac computers? Is it easy to download music onto it?

Check out the Moon Audio page for the QP1R. They have a guide to downloading music from a Mac and PC.
Cheers!
-HK sends

 

[reddog]

So how does the QP1R play with Mac computers? Is it easy to download music onto it?

Yes it was easy enough to download music to the card. This is my first Mac computer and I need to get a program that allows me to rip my cd's to a lossless format like wav or flac.

 

[chefboyarlee]

I've been using tidal and love it but I'm not a fan of $240 per year that could be invested elsewhere. QP1R vs mojo? Mojo is cheaper, can use with tidal or lossless from iPhone or MacBook Pro. The dap is more compact and I can get rid of tidal. So the ultimate question is how does the sound quality compare?

 

[Stillhart]

I've been using tidal and love it but I'm not a fan of $240 per year that could be invested elsewhere. QP1R vs mojo? Mojo is cheaper, can use with tidal or lossless from iPhone or MacBook Pro. The dap is more compact and I can get rid of tidal. So the ultimate question is how does the sound quality compare?

 
The QP1R isn't more compact than the Mojo.  It's slightly thinner but it's much longer and about the same width.  It's also heavier.
 
Soundwise, the QP1R has a stellar amp and the Mojo has a stellar DAC.  For a headphone like the Ether C, I think the DAC is probably more important because it's so efficient.  YMMV

 

[rmoody]

Yes it was easy enough to download music to the card. This is my first Mac computer and I need to get a program that allows me to rip my cd's to a lossless format like wav or flac.

 
http://tmkk.undo.jp/xld/index_e.html

 

[HK_sends]

I just got a used Ether C (in Mint Condition) from a kind gent here on Head-Fi and finally got the chance to plug it in to my player.  Even with a FiiO X5 Gen 2 DAP/E12A Amp, these cans sound incredible! 

Looking forward to more listening and even better sound when my QP1R finally comes in...

 
Cheers!

-HK sends