[Lyzar]

This one looks to have LINE IN

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AyeVision-External-Surround-Recording-Compatible/dp/B095YB5SW4/ref=sr_1_8?crid=2B4YQGGQE4SV6&keywords=sound+card+LINE+IN&qid=1677761730&s=computers&sprefix=sound+card+line+in,computers,73&sr=1-8

Coloured pale blue socket as this on back of my desktop.

That looks very interesting for the price actually

 

[rlw6534]

That looks very interesting for the price actually

Same thing, slightly cheaper:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TenYua-External-Virtual-Channel-Converter/dp/B08BLQPJ3C/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2X6RO056NK199&keywords=usb+sound+card&qid=1677763204&s=computers&sprefix=usb+sound+car,computers,343&sr=1-6

Note that it only supports 44.1 and 48 kHz, but that shouldn't be an issue for measuring.

 

[AtomicUK]

Okay, I'm going to put my hands up here.
After two weeks of major stress with my suddenly dying work Surface Pro 6 (a new Surface Pro 9 on route) I can either plead insanity or just plain stupidity over this.

These Shure SE425 were bought 'used once' and they came with the phone control attachment to the cable, which I would not have chosen, but saving £140 over RRP, its a minor thing.

Now here is where I lost the plot after multiple 18-20 hour days.....
Every single set of in-ears with a phone cable I have ever had, saw the phone attachment on the left...... or am I alone in that?

Anyway, I looked at these Shures and something didn't seem right.
The only L-R marking is on the detachable cable not on the in-ears as on my old set.
So...... switch the in-ears around and ... Gulp....there is the bass and in buckets.

What an idiot, so panic over on my A306, but maybe dementia is setting in.

Off to lay down....
Sorry folks.

 

[Lyzar]

Okay, I'm going to put my hands up here.
After two weeks of major stress with my suddenly dying work Surface Pro 6 (a new Surface Pro 9 on route) I can either plead insanity or just plain stupidity over this.

These Shure SE425 were bought 'used once' and they came with the phone control attachment to the cable, which I would not have chosen, but saving £140 over RRP, its a minor thing.

Now here is where I lost the plot after multiple 18-20 hour days.....
Every single set of in-ears with a phone cable I have ever had, saw the phone attachment on the left...... or am I alone in that?

Anyway, I looked at these Shures and something didn't seem right.
The only L-R marking is on the detachable cable not on the in-ears as on my old set.
So...... switch the in-ears around and ... Gulp....there is the bass and in buckets.

What an idiot, so panic over on my A306, but maybe dementia is setting in.

Off to lay down....
Sorry folks.

Happens to the best of us

 

[abitdeef]

Okay, I'm going to put my hands up here.
After two weeks of major stress with my suddenly dying work Surface Pro 6 (a new Surface Pro 9 on route) I can either plead insanity or just plain stupidity over this.

These Shure SE425 were bought 'used once' and they came with the phone control attachment to the cable, which I would not have chosen, but saving £140 over RRP, its a minor thing.

Now here is where I lost the plot after multiple 18-20 hour days.....
Every single set of in-ears with a phone cable I have ever had, saw the phone attachment on the left...... or am I alone in that?

Anyway, I looked at these Shures and something didn't seem right.
The only L-R marking is on the detachable cable not on the in-ears as on my old set.
So...... switch the in-ears around and ... Gulp....there is the bass and in buckets.

What an idiot, so panic over on my A306, but maybe dementia is setting in.

Off to lay down....
Sorry folks.

You didn't get the correct fit/seal with the left and right switched round hence the light bass. I've done that before too, the red and blue marks for left and right are so small I've mixed them up. And rose mini pro 3 have clearish shells and only have tiny L and R. markings. crap happens.

 

[AtomicUK]

Happens to the best of us

You didn't get the correct fit/seal with the left and right switched round hence the light bass. I've done that before too, the red and blue marks for left and right are so small I've mixed them up. And rose mini pro 3 have clearish shells and only have tiny L and R. markings. crap happens.

Thanks for not laughing out loud.
There is no red or blue dot on these - my original pair had that, but there is no marking on the in-ear at all - the only L-R in on the cables which were around the right way.
Still feel stupid.

 

[castleofargh]

Same thing, slightly cheaper:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TenYua-External-Virtual-Channel-Converter/dp/B08BLQPJ3C/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2X6RO056NK199&keywords=usb+sound+card&qid=1677763204&s=computers&sprefix=usb+sound+car,computers,343&sr=1-6

Note that it only supports 44.1 and 48 kHz, but that shouldn't be an issue for measuring.

Can you imagine how hard it is nowadays to find chips and sound cards that stop at 48kHz! Soon that stuff will be expensive and sold to a niche of elite audiophiles as a more analog sound card.

 

[psikey]

Can you imagine how hard it is nowadays to find chips and sound cards that stop at 48kHz! Soon that stuff will be expensive and sold to a niche of elite audiophiles as a more analog sound card.

Got the old Mini USB (not micro) too. !

 

[castleofargh]

Spoiler: Off topic rant about the Audeze article posted a few pages ago

BTW, @psikey I think you're the one posting the Audeze article on power, sensi, etc. This one https://www.audeze.com/blogs/technology-and-innovation/sensitivity-impedance-and-amplifier-power
I saved it, but only read it now. I won't go into a rant with all the things I could whine about, but there are a few that go from "technically correct" to being borderline fearmongering IMO.

Here’s why that’s important for reproducing transient sounds: transients can have loudness peaks of 30, 40, or even 50dB greater than the average SPL

In the real world, where sound engineers don't get fired on the spot for shooting a gun while recording the band, the difference between average and transient is more like 10 to 20dB. Even arguing what they meant about average SPL (average of the track vs the rest of the sound made by the instrument causing the transient, the trail in other word), I don't get where they got the idea to give those values. But if it's a matter of what "can" happen, then I guess we "can" do very extreme stuff.

Same story with clipping. Plenty of amps will never clip just because you turn the volume up. Many might just stop short of going as loud as we want, but that's all. They talk about certain designs and most likely tube amps where clipping being much easier on the ear than with solid state amps, the designer might more easily allow it to happen and push the sound to 11.

They also define impedance as resistance. I get it, for a hammer, everything is a nail and their headphones are mostly resistive (why the impedance is dead flat). But of course, if impedance was resistance, people would call it resistance.

I checked a few of their headphone specs to see what all the suggestions and power specs meant, and the answer is not much. For one headphone, the recommended power can push it to 117dB SPL, but for another headphone, they recommended enough power to get it to 130dB SPL. It must make sense for someone. I complain, but a few years back I was whining about them suggesting some same nonsensical value for all headphones, it was 3 or 5W I think. So in a way they have done a good work getting more realistic values.

 

[psikey]

Spoiler: Off topic rant about the Audeze article posted a few pages ago

BTW, @psikey I think you're the one posting the Audeze article on power, sensi, etc. This one https://www.audeze.com/blogs/technology-and-innovation/sensitivity-impedance-and-amplifier-power
I saved it, but only read it now. I won't go into a rant with all the things I could whine about, but there are a few that go from "technically correct" to being borderline fearmongering IMO.

In the real world, where sound engineers don't get fired on the spot for shooting a gun while recording the band, the difference between average and transient is more like 10 to 20dB. Even arguing what they meant about average SPL (average of the track vs the rest of the sound made by the instrument causing the transient, the trail in other word), I don't get where they got the idea to give those values. But if it's a matter of what "can" happen, then I guess we "can" do very extreme stuff.

Same story with clipping. Plenty of amps will never clip just because you turn the volume up. Many might just stop short of going as loud as we want, but that's all. They talk about certain designs and most likely tube amps where clipping being much easier on the ear than with solid state amps, the designer might more easily allow it to happen and push the sound to 11.

They also define impedance as resistance. I get it, for a hammer, everything is a nail and their headphones are mostly resistive (why the impedance is dead flat). But of course, if impedance was resistance, people would call it resistance.

I checked a few of their headphone specs to see what all the suggestions and power specs meant, and the answer is not much. For one headphone, the recommended power can push it to 117dB SPL, but for another headphone, they recommended enough power to get it to 130dB SPL. It must make sense for someone. I complain, but a few years back I was whining about them suggesting some same nonsensical value for all headphones, it was 3 or 5W I think. So in a way they have done a good work getting more realistic values.

One would assume a company of their standing would know stuff.

I know little of audio science myself, just go on what my ears like.

 

[castleofargh]

Spoiler: More off topic, I swear it's the last time, probably.

One would assume a company of their standing would know stuff.

They sure know, but when they decide to talk like they're explaining where babies come from to a kid for the first time, it's not that surprising to see them take liberties. I think they just don't want to be constantly annoyed by people complaining that their headphones are hard to drive, like they sure used to. So they tell people to get overkill power specs for their amps for reasons that aren't their headphones.
It's a better narrative when the cause of extra worry isn't the product we sell. At least that's what my paranoid brain thought about to justify this article. BTW, in terms of sound, some of my preferred headphones were from them, and even objectively they tend to be great. I don't own any because those I like are too heavy for my already ruined neck, but I do like the brand. I only think this article in particular is pushing a little hard for gigawatt amps that almost nobody needs. And that those who do, often don't for the reasons mentioned.

I failed somewhere, not sure how to get the spoiler tag above your name now?

 

[AtomicUK]

Now I have had a lie down and had a slice of humble pie... (I like a bit of Frampton me!...)

Curious to know - On the A300 series - Who generally uses (most of the time) Direct mode and who uses EQ in some form?

 

[psikey]

Now I have had a lie down and had a slice of humble pie... (I like a bit of Frampton me!...)

Curious to know - On the A300 series - Who generally uses (most of the time) Direct mode and who uses EQ in some form?

Never use EQ, just Direct for me.

 

[abitdeef]

Point is you shouldn't have to turn an amp up all the way to get to your preferred listening level. Plenty of amps distort, clip and just sound terrible pushed especially on daps. Like powering HD 600 with most daps, it gets loud but it loses continuity and usually low end. Not ideal, especially when you're talking about a weak output already made weaker.

I like my music loud and full sounding and rich. I couldn't get that on the capped unit. And I can't really get it with the uncapped unit with my full size headphones. It's all preference but I don't like pushing an amp to it's upper threshold. Plus imagine pushing the amp and missing 10 db of low info- yuck! Normally this isn't a problem even for a headbanger like me, but with the output of a306 it can become a bit of one. Imo of course. And resistance has to do with electrical conductivity how much % of current flows through say a copper wire, diameter, Temperature, conductivity of material, etc determines the value. And Ohms is how we measure the resistance. Basically how much voltage is carried through th
e conducting material. Silver, copper and gold are very good conductors hence their use. A pure silver wire will conduct more current than gold or copper, but of course copper is more plentiful and inexpensive. Gold is good because of it's superior anti corrosion characteristics and being very malible. I only mention this because Sony has used some gold, do I think it will have an audible difference, no, but it's a good material to use.

 

[abitdeef]

Now I have had a lie down and had a slice of humble pie... (I like a bit of Frampton me!...)

Curious to know - On the A300 series - Who generally uses (most of the time) Direct mode and who uses EQ in some form?

I use a touch of EQ. Little in the low in the a306 case. Normally I do a bit in the high bands too- we're talking only about 2 to 3bd. I think it helps a bit with my older ears. But on some gear I don't use EQ.