My new setup: opinions from H140/amp/Ety ER-4S users pls
Mar 13, 2006 at 11:10 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 14

rincewind

1000+ Head-Fier
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
Posts
1,097
Likes
44
Hi. This is kind of a "bitsa" post as it could easily go in amps/headphones/portables, but it's about portable in general so I thought here was most relevant.

I've got a iRiver H140, getting a Ray Samuels Hornet, some nice interconnects (from someone like Rnb180 or highflyin9). Now the reason I posted HERE is because the analog "line-out" is not a "pure" line-out because it is affected by the EQ and DSP (SRS/WOW etc) system on the DAP.

Now, I don't consider this a bad thing for how I intend to use it. I've read about all the major earphones and am strongly leaning towards the Etymotic ER-4S. Now, I listen to a lot of metal, and the rest divided amongst ambient/electronica/soundtracks. For example right now I'm listening to the pitter patter of rain falling on Vangelis' beautiful Bladerunner soundtrack (Esper edition of course!), yet I could listen to Children of Bodom (deathmetal) or a Tim Burton soundtrack next (eg Corpse Bride), next might be Opeth or Strapping Young Lad. So obviously I want a LOT of detail and resolution for some music, which is what everyone says these 'phones give, and impact for other stuff. Apparently you HEAR the bass more than feel it, which is fine by me.

The only concern (and here's where I don't mind my "fake" line-out), is that these 'phones may lack slightly for impact in the metal department. Now, in the grand scheme of things, metal isn't the most detailed kind of music, so if it does lack punch, I intend to boost the bass using the iRiver's EQ. It should only need one or two notches up (out of 10 I think) to thicken up the bottom end. This way, I'll have my great detail for ambient/soundtracks/alternative and a bit more impact (where desired) for metal and electronica). I also have HD650's at home which I think will have a nice bottom end with the Hornet and be brought forward a bit by it's signature (ppl say it is Grado-esque, which would counteract the Senn's laidback-ness).

Think this "occasional bass tweak" will work/is a good idea? (mainly the portable setup, the Senn's have plenty bass as is).

And also, now I realise the volume also affects the line-out on the H140.. so what volume do ppl use when connecting to a headphone amp? From general knowledge 75% is a good, but that would be fairly loud (it was loud even into my Sony buds unamped), and I read that the Hornet is slightly unbalanced between left/right when the dial down low (which I think it would be considering how loud the sony buds were)...

Very interested from anyone using a similar setup! I'll be ordering the gear hopefully within the next week or so, and wanna sort this out in case (for example) the buds won't suit me.
 
Mar 14, 2006 at 12:23 AM Post #2 of 14
Quote:

Originally Posted by rincewind
I've got a iRiver H140, getting a Ray Samuels Hornet, some nice interconnects (from someone like Rnb180 or highflyin9). Now the reason I posted HERE is because the analog "line-out" is not a "pure" line-out because it is affected by the EQ and DSP (SRS/WOW etc) system on the DAP.



Fear not. The H1xx lineout is as real as they get on a portable. The volume is digitally controlled...raise it to max and enjoy your DAP. Obviously, the optical is a true output as well.
 
Mar 14, 2006 at 12:44 AM Post #3 of 14
The sloth that has the optical out is a true line out. This sloth has more than a single use. The normal headphone sloth is not what you want to use in this case. I use the optical sloth with my Rnb Diamond Reference cable into my AE-1 at work. I make sure at work that my optical is not working by using the setup options.
 
Mar 14, 2006 at 12:45 AM Post #4 of 14
The H140 is an awesome player. I had a 120 but I recently sold it--140's are still rather expensive and I need more space, so I got an X5 instead. Rockbox is great!
 
Mar 14, 2006 at 1:17 AM Post #5 of 14
Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfen68
Fear not. The H1xx lineout is as real as they get on a portable. The volume is digitally controlled...raise it to max and enjoy your DAP. Obviously, the optical is a true output as well.


I'm confused. Before posting, I plugged my sony earphones straight into the Line out (next to the optical) and switched between the difference SRS types (so from none to EQ to SRS to TrueBass etc) and each one changed the sound dramatically. I thought real line-outs didn't do anything to the signal other than convert from digital files to a low-level (line-level) unamplified signal). What i experienced suggested it screws with the signal (at LEAST digitally) and therefore there will be some net change in the analog signal coming out. So.. I don't think it's a real line out. But as long as if I use a blank user EQ or the flat EQ, I think it should be ok.

Quote:

Originally Posted by slwiser
The sloth that has the optical out is a true line out. I use the optical sloth with my Rnb Diamond Reference cable into my AE-1 at work.


Sloth = output on the player I'm assuming? Never heard that term before...

Quote:

Originally Posted by slwiser
I use the optical sloth with my Rnb Diamond Reference cable into my AE-1 at work.


What are you talking about?? The AE-1 only has analog line-in, yet you say your using the optical line out?!

Am I completely missing something here, I thought the optical line-out output a digital signal, just like the optical line-out on my soundcard does! (at least that's what I think it does). Cos the optical cable is transmitting 1's and 0's as light down the cable...

Please clarify! :p
 
Mar 14, 2006 at 1:27 AM Post #6 of 14
I am sorry about not being clear. I guess I was in a hurry.

The hold for the optical out is the same hold that I plug in my mini to mini cable that connects the iHP-140 to my Headamp AE-1. In the setup you can turn off the light so that that power is not used when you not using its optical output. This hold has both its analog line out and its optical output. This is a dual use output connection on the iHP-140. The normal headphone out is an analog out that is not the true line-out. Both are controlled digitally for sound level if you use the analog outs.

Hopefully a little more clear?



Quote:

Originally Posted by rincewind
I'm confused. Before posting, I plugged my sony earphones straight into the Line out (next to the optical) and switched between the difference SRS types (so from none to EQ to SRS to TrueBass etc) and each one changed the sound dramatically. I thought real line-outs didn't do anything to the signal other than convert from digital files to a low-level (line-level) unamplified signal). What i experienced suggested it screws with the signal (at LEAST digitally) and therefore there will be some net change in the analog signal coming out. So.. I don't think it's a real line out. But as long as if I use a blank user EQ or the flat EQ, I think it should be ok.



Sloth = output on the player I'm assuming? Never heard that term before...



What are you talking about?? The AE-1 only has analog line-in, yet you say your using the optical line out?!

Am I completely missing something here, I thought the optical line-out output a digital signal, just like the optical line-out on my soundcard does! (at least that's what I think it does). Cos the optical cable is transmitting 1's and 0's as light down the cable...

Please clarify! :p



 
Mar 14, 2006 at 2:32 AM Post #7 of 14
Thanks, all cleared up. I forgot the optical and line out are the same, and didn't realise you had to enable/disable the "optical" part of that output via options. So I know which holE your talking about now
smily_headphones1.gif


And how do u find the bass response with the setup? With respect to metal/rock/electronic music with artificial (and hence unordinarily low) bass frequencies?
 
Mar 14, 2006 at 2:57 AM Post #8 of 14
Quote:

Originally Posted by rincewind
I'm confused.

:p



You are correct...put the EQ on Flat (Normal) output.

Here's a link from Dr. Xin himself that you may find interesting:

http://www.fixup.net/talk/topic.asp?...chTerms=iriver

As I said, fear not...you have a great (for a portable) line-out.
 
Mar 14, 2006 at 8:31 AM Post #10 of 14
eq is not going to give bass punch if it's not there to begin with. if you want that type of sound, etys are definately not for you. all it does is make the bass louder and adds distortion, sounds like garbage to me...
 
Mar 14, 2006 at 1:19 PM Post #11 of 14
Quote:

Originally Posted by panda
sounds like garbage to me...


...Care to suggest something else?

From my reading (noone local sells them to try them out), everyone says the bass goes very low on these IEMs and that it's very tight. I think I'd like that. Nevermind the reviews on here (which say pretty much what I've just said), if you find the review for them on epinions.com, they ALL give them 5/5 stars and unanimously say the same good stuff.

It's just that some music (eg. electronica, or some heavy metal albums), I'd like to emphasize the bass a little more, even if it's not how the track was recorded. For example with metal (eg Cradle of Filth), sometimes I wanna dial out the treble a bit cos some guy/girl's screams are too harsh, or in electronica (eg Infected Mushroom) I sometimes wanna max out the base, cos let's face it, everyone likes a LOT of bass, *sometimes*.

With my current Sony EX71s, I can definitely FEEL the bass in my head, for sure, but it's so wooly, woofy and uncontrolled that even when I turn up the treble to balance it out, it just clogs up the sound at both ends of the spectrum. So in this case I can feel it 100%, hear it 20% (no definition of tones). I'm looking for hear it 100% and feel it maybe 30%, or 50-60% if I really max out the bass for the unce unce stuff now and then. After all, I know their IEMs and they're never gonna shake my earlobes.

So anyway Panda, interested to hear what IEM's would u suggest instead? I wanna follow all options before spending up!
 
Mar 14, 2006 at 4:24 PM Post #12 of 14
the ety 4s is the only iem that i like, all the other ones are too flavored and don't match my preference. there are a few that are known for a bumped up bass response, just browse through the headphone forum. again, i highly recommend against using eq, but it's your choice...
 
Mar 14, 2006 at 8:44 PM Post #14 of 14
Quote:

Originally Posted by panda
i highly recommend against using eq


What are your musical tastes and what other elements were in ur chain when u boosted ur bass that gave u a bad sound?

As I said, I think I'll only be boosting the bass maybe 10% of the time for "bass out" kinda sessions (eg the odd techno album) and maybe the occasional soundtrack just to thicken it up a bit, and this will only be the case if I do feel they're lacking (which I don't think I really will). I'd prefer a more accurate signature with the IEMs and to bass boost or whatever 10% of the time, than buy some bass boosted IEMs and be missing other details 90% of the time, if you get me.

Hell, at the current exchange rates and the price I'm gonna get them, I could *nearly* sell them in this country at a profit "as new", so it doesn't really matter if I really hate them, but I don't expect I will
biggrin.gif
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top