I have some hi res files and they certainly sound good, but nothing about them really stands out as a huge major increase in quality, then again maybe I need some of the same songs in mp3 and high res to really see the difference. Then again I know its a bit of a hot topic and some people saying that even high quality mp3's are nearly transparent, so I am not really sure. I have a feeling that this discussion is really about the last maybe like few percent of improvements and its really just about dealing in the margin.
Most noticeable changes for me are from the headphones themselves, and my personal experience shows me that its not always necessarily driver count or pure technical ability, but a lot comes down to tuning. And yes I too heard a difference immediately from the Atlas over the vega to the point that I just dont see myself using the vegas when i have the atlas. Atlas is basically vega+, similar tuning, similar balance, but with a few enhanced qualities that the vega is missing (though really only seem missing in retrospect).
I personally cant use symbio tips. They hurt my ears too quickly because of how stiff they are, and my ears are fairly sensitive when things are putting pressure on them.
Its very common. I can hear the little pops from driver flex often when inserting, and for me, on my left ear, the pressure makes the sound cut out briefly while it equalizes. Happens fairly often, but resolves itself quickly and can be minimized by eartip choice. If they seal too too well, driver flex is more likely it seems. Of course, with other CA DD models, KB has said that the driver flex is normal and nothing to worry about, even if it might be slightly worrying or annoying.
