Pictures of Your Portable Rig (part XVI)
- Thread starter RingingEars
- Start date
Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
EarSonics Onyx/Penon Vocal/Wm1Z/Zero EQ
kmmbd
500+ Head-Fier
Sennheiser IE 900 + Lotoo PAW 6000.
Podster
Headphoneus Supremus
Nice job Red
Major fan of that one for sure
Man I'm a sucker for a sweet lookin" cable, really makes the E Sonics look mega dollar 
Oh, the rig!
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Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
It seems many have the IMR BC 2023!Nice job Red
DutchKarma
Head-Fier
ifi xDSD Gryphon + Softears Twilight (Stock cable + Softears UC tips)
Back to the newest 
FiR Audio Radon 6 + HiBy RS8
FiR Audio Radon 6 + HiBy RS8
BobSmith8901
500+ Head-Fier
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Here's my weird Frankenstein stack.
Top: --Shanling M6 Pro 21 DAP
Middle: --Topping NX7 Amp
Bottom: --Hiby RS2 DAP
Interconnects: --FiiO L16 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable
-- ddHifi TC05 Type C to Type C USB Data Cable
Cell phone cases: --Dollar Store iPhone 7/8 (this case has a great advantage of being open on both ends)
--Aftermarket case for Samsung A11
I wanted a Hiby RS2 for its R2R DAC in various pairings and standalone goodness, but also wanted to be able to stream Tidal through it too. I thought very briefly about the RS6 or RS8 but their pricing seemed too far out of reach. I already had a great streaming machine in the Shanling M6 Pro 21 and a decent amp--Topping NX7--so I thought, hey would those three together not be considered a possible budget Trio of Doom?
Turns out they work quite well together. My main problem was trying to put together a stack that works for my preferences. I like portability, simplicity and especially ergonomic ease-of-use. The Shanling DAP alone is the epitome of that--smooth operation, great Wi Fi and pretty good power for most everything. I wondered if I could get close to that ideal with this potential stack, regardless of photo-genics. I needed, first off, hold-a-bility. Had to be able to sit in my left hand with the DAP on top and amp volume control easily available.
I went through a couple of machinations but settled on a stack that utilizes two spare cell phone cases--one of them a Dollar Store iPhone 7/8 case and the other an unused Samsung. The cases provide structure and stability and most importantly for me, hold-a-bility. As luck would have it, both cases had convenient holes that allowed transit of the USB C to C OTG cable and just by chance, the Samsung case's fingerprint sensor hole lets me monitor the RS2 DAC status. Had to do a bit of minor cutting on the Samsung case. Had all sorts of rubber bands/rings hanging around that were used to attach everything.
It's a weighty thing and not without its frustrations--occasional Wi Fi noise (I find the FiiO 3.5mm interconnect eliminates that for the most part vs. thinner types of interconnects) and gravity kind of pulls on everything.
I have found that technically, the Hiby RS2 is a fine standalone DAC and decodes everything I've thrown at it, from DSD 256 to 16/44.1 along with local MQA files and streaming Tidal MQA. R2R is a subtly different sound (brought out more clearly by decent amping) and is certainly more analogue. I think there are times when it feels like I'm getting closer to the music than before which is what it's all about. For example, multi-tracked voices were nicely untangled on a favorite tune of mine-Marcus Miller's cut Setembro from his Renaissance album. MQA decoding from the RS2 is very smooth using USB Audio Player Pro and the Hiby DAC can even decode and play from the Tidal Android app (MQA-wise this results in MQA OFS--purple LED on the Hiby). I tend to not use the Tidal app in this mode as it is oddly more noisy (occasional clicks and pops--probably decoding side-effects). Another nice feature of the RS2 is you can use the power switch to turn off USB charging (of itself from any connected source), which noticeably decreases the battery discharge on the Shanling DAP.
Top: --Shanling M6 Pro 21 DAP
Middle: --Topping NX7 Amp
Bottom: --Hiby RS2 DAP
Interconnects: --FiiO L16 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable
-- ddHifi TC05 Type C to Type C USB Data Cable
Cell phone cases: --Dollar Store iPhone 7/8 (this case has a great advantage of being open on both ends)
--Aftermarket case for Samsung A11
I wanted a Hiby RS2 for its R2R DAC in various pairings and standalone goodness, but also wanted to be able to stream Tidal through it too. I thought very briefly about the RS6 or RS8 but their pricing seemed too far out of reach. I already had a great streaming machine in the Shanling M6 Pro 21 and a decent amp--Topping NX7--so I thought, hey would those three together not be considered a possible budget Trio of Doom?
Turns out they work quite well together. My main problem was trying to put together a stack that works for my preferences. I like portability, simplicity and especially ergonomic ease-of-use. The Shanling DAP alone is the epitome of that--smooth operation, great Wi Fi and pretty good power for most everything. I wondered if I could get close to that ideal with this potential stack, regardless of photo-genics. I needed, first off, hold-a-bility. Had to be able to sit in my left hand with the DAP on top and amp volume control easily available.
I went through a couple of machinations but settled on a stack that utilizes two spare cell phone cases--one of them a Dollar Store iPhone 7/8 case and the other an unused Samsung. The cases provide structure and stability and most importantly for me, hold-a-bility. As luck would have it, both cases had convenient holes that allowed transit of the USB C to C OTG cable and just by chance, the Samsung case's fingerprint sensor hole lets me monitor the RS2 DAC status. Had to do a bit of minor cutting on the Samsung case. Had all sorts of rubber bands/rings hanging around that were used to attach everything.
It's a weighty thing and not without its frustrations--occasional Wi Fi noise (I find the FiiO 3.5mm interconnect eliminates that for the most part vs. thinner types of interconnects) and gravity kind of pulls on everything.
I have found that technically, the Hiby RS2 is a fine standalone DAC and decodes everything I've thrown at it, from DSD 256 to 16/44.1 along with local MQA files and streaming Tidal MQA. R2R is a subtly different sound (brought out more clearly by decent amping) and is certainly more analogue. I think there are times when it feels like I'm getting closer to the music than before which is what it's all about. For example, multi-tracked voices were nicely untangled on a favorite tune of mine-Marcus Miller's cut Setembro from his Renaissance album. MQA decoding from the RS2 is very smooth using USB Audio Player Pro and the Hiby DAC can even decode and play from the Tidal Android app (MQA-wise this results in MQA OFS--purple LED on the Hiby). I tend to not use the Tidal app in this mode as it is oddly more noisy (occasional clicks and pops--probably decoding side-effects). Another nice feature of the RS2 is you can use the power switch to turn off USB charging (of itself from any connected source), which noticeably decreases the battery discharge on the Shanling DAP.
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Hiby R6 III -> Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7b
RONJA MESCO
1000+ Head-Fier
Like I told others on here, goto Amazon and get the reusable sticky adhesive pads to stack your daps/amps without the rubber-bands or zip ties. Clean things up with these or some heavy duty velcro. It will make your life easier, and better to carry your frankenstack around. Trust me, I've done so many of these that those adhesive pads are lifesavers and use them on my current stacks I've shown here in the past
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No bad... not bad at all...
M0 Pro with Shanling Adapter 3.5TRRRS M to 4.4 TRRS
VE Monk V2S
Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
Sony WM1Z with MrWalkman's firmware, Penon Vocal cable and ISN H40 IEM
Podster
Headphoneus Supremus
You know I gotz a serious case of cable envy going on with thatSony WM1Z with MrWalkman's firmware, Penon Vocal cable and ISN H40 IEM
THX @fokta , I'm feelin' yo vibe now
Of course whenever I get the Monks out I always grab my Panda's as a couple of Tom's improvements hang right with the Monks
They absolutely sound spectacular on my CMOY John built to specifically drive my 712's, you can hear a pin drop in them provided your listening in a relatively quite place
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WOW...THX @fokta , I'm feelin' yo vibe now
2nd gen Monk (Old Monk Black), CMIIW... in mint condition.. you got good & SR stuff there...
Compare to the new Monk V2s, Old Monk quite spacious soundstage sounding... while new monk V2s, more Mid clarity, IMO it seems a better version of Monk Lite (40 Ohm)
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