[aaf evo]

I tried to put another cable on the Traillii today, but the bird's having none of it... I noticed the same when I had the Odin. Are PW pins thinner than standard pins?

I don’t believe so. I think @Damz87 has tried both eletech and EA cables on it just fine.

 

[Damz87]

I don’t believe so. I think @Damz87 has tried both eletech and EA cables on it just fine.

Yeah, I haven’t experienced any issues with Eletech or EA cables on Traillii.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

Haha, it's usually spelled in capital letters, and stands for ‘Digital to Analogue Veritas in Extremis’, which is a bit presumptuous, but to be fair it is one of the very best DACs out there.

How much better is the DAVE than the TT2? I am thinking about picking up a TT2 and mscaler to go with a nice tube amp.

 

[MatW]

How much better is the DAVE than the TT2? I am thinking about picking up a TT2 and mscaler to go with a nice tube amp.

I think the DAVE is a big step up from the TT2, which I upgraded from. But I think the M scaler improves the TT2 more than it does the DAVE.

 

[twister6]

Yeah, I haven’t experienced any issues with Eletech or EA cables on Traillii.

The same here, tried many cables from PWA, EA, Eletech, PlusSound, Satin Audio, all good.

@MatW One thing to keep in mind when cable rolling with the Bird, the 2pin socket is recessed and you need to align the cable plug at a proper angle when going in.

 

[CL14715]

socket is recessed and you need to align the cable plug at a proper angle when going in.

story of our lives fellas, amirite?

 

[twister6]

story of our lives fellas, amirite?

Well, you can always use the gel, I mean, the DeOxit to enhance your cable plug connection

 

[SCBob]

I'm new to the Traillii thread. Can these be purchased with the stock cable having a 2.5 mm termination? Thanks.

 

[aaf evo]

I'm new to the Traillii thread. Can these be purchased with the stock cable having a 2.5 mm termination? Thanks.

Nope it’s 4.4 only.

 

[RPKwan]

Kinda hoping this is what the Elysian X is going to be. Based off of what I’m hearing on the Annihilator it isn’t CRAZY far off. There are some differences though. I’ll do a proper detailed comparison probably later today.

Did you get a chance to try the Annihilator before buying? What are the specs again?

 

[iFi audio]

For completeness, I'll post here what I sent to you via PM.

I demoed this IFI hybrid tube amp a few months ago.

https://ifi-audio.com/products/pro-ican/

I thought it sounded good and it provides both solid state and tube sound. I personally still prefer separate amps for solid state and tube, but if you have a limited footprint, this type of solution may work for you.

Thanks for mentioning our Pro iDSD. Versatility is one of its strongest cards, which is exactly what switchable tubes and solid-state devices provide

 

[aaf evo]

Did you get a chance to try the Annihilator before buying? What are the specs again?

Yes I have the demo with me, should have it for another few weeks.

1 DD 4 BA 2 EST

 

[tawmizzzz]

Managed to squeeze in a bit more A/B with the R8 (Turbo mode) & Sp2k for Traillii, sharing quick impressions below:

Bass: Although Sp2k has a more neutral bass, it has the better bass presentation mainly because R8's midbass seems to actually accentuate the Traillii BA timbre a bit on certain recordings. Subbass rumble is quite similar, but there is more organic heft to the Sp2k impact, so clear winner there. R8 does have a bit more color/warmth, but not enough to offset the timbre discrepancy.

Mids: Although soundstage depth is better on SP2k, the mids are pushed back more mainly because of how tight the entire signature is off Sp2k. This tightness to the transients allows the notes to breath and image on the axis easier than the R8. R8 does win in terms of mid engagement, however-mainly because the sound is a bit more forward and the upper mids are fun as hell. Female vocals are sublime, albeit a bit colored and exaggerated on the height axis. R8 does also do violins and other stringed-instruments better in terms of musicality, with more color and low-level detail. I feel I can actually feel each string plucked with that emphasized upper-mid range.

Treble:Sp2k has the best treble of any DAP I've heard. And what happens when I pair it with the best IEM treble I've heard to date? . Sp2k treble is clearer, with more space and bite. R8 does have more color and actual sparkle, which can be fun for those not looking to analyze as much.

Verdict: There is space for both in one's collection. R8 is the more musical DAP if midbass for BAs is not an issue, but it is pretty obvious that Sp2k is the mature, refined signature in comparison. For Traillii, go for:
-R8 if you prefer upper mids and emphasized instrument timbre
-Sp2k if you prefer maximizing technicalities with incredible treble, weighty but neutral bass, and organic, spacious mids.

 

[ian91]

​

The bird is singing some seriously low notes this evening, and doing a fine job!

 

[gLer]

Managed to squeeze in a bit more A/B with the R8 (Turbo mode) & Sp2k for Traillii, sharing quick impressions below:

Bass: Although Sp2k has a more neutral bass, it has the better bass presentation mainly because R8's midbass seems to actually accentuate the Traillii BA timbre a bit on certain recordings. Subbass rumble is quite similar, but there is more organic heft to the Sp2k impact, so clear winner there. R8 does have a bit more color/warmth, but not enough to offset the timbre discrepancy.

Mids: Although soundstage depth is better on SP2k, the mids are pushed back more mainly because of how tight the entire signature is off Sp2k. This tightness to the transients allows the notes to breath and image on the axis easier than the R8. R8 does win in terms of mid engagement, however-mainly because the sound is a bit more forward and the upper mids are fun as hell. Female vocals are sublime, albeit a bit colored and exaggerated on the height axis. R8 does also do violins and other stringed-instruments better in terms of musicality, with more color and low-level detail. I feel I can actually feel each string plucked with that emphasized upper-mid range.

Treble:Sp2k has the best treble of any DAP I've heard. And what happens when I pair it with the best IEM treble I've heard to date? . Sp2k treble is clearer, with more space and bite. R8 does have more color and actual sparkle, which can be fun for those not looking to analyze as much.

Verdict: There is space for both in one's collection. R8 is the more musical DAP if midbass for BAs is not an issue, but it is pretty obvious that Sp2k is the mature, refined signature in comparison. For Traillii, go for:
-R8 if you prefer upper mids and emphasized instrument timbre
-Sp2k if you prefer maximizing technicalities with incredible treble, weighty but neutral bass, and organic, spacious mids.

Thanks for making me like my R8 even more.