[shamrock134]

Hi,
 
Perhaps I am being a bit quick to judge, it's just I was expecting to get blown away by the sound or something which is unrealistic. Also, I think I'm unfairly making comparisons with my D7000 when I should be comparing it more with my SM3, IE8 and coppers.
 
Set up is:
320kbps > ipod classic > lod > headstage arrow.
 
What's weird is, I listened to it straight out of the ipod HO for about an hour at the gym and was convinced it sounded better than from the arrow. I then compared it straight away from the arrow and it sounded the same. I think maybe the volume was too low when using the arrow so it sounded a bit muffled.
 
I'm not so good at describing what I hear, but it seemed to me that the mids and highs are very similar sounding between the T1 and SM3, whilst the T1 definitely has a more pronounced lower end, which I do prefer!
 
Thanks

 

[royhendo]

They take a good while to burn in as far as I remember - it's wet, soft material. The silicon veils things a little too - warms them up - that's not something everyone enjoys too much. Me? I like it a lot.
 
I do remember a moment of 'fear' in hte first few days when I was comparing the older version with my SuperFREQs and not feeling that overwhelmed. That was on a trance track. It took a Norah Jones track to really underline the presence and emotional content.
 
But for me it's the seal and comfort that set them aside. I can wear them all day every day for a week and it's like they're not even there.
 
Anyway, I'm massively biased and inexperienced in issues of SQ. I can only really compare them with listening with a good seal on a pair of JH13s, and the JH13s were noticably more detailed with a little more separation (the best example being John Wayne Gacy Jr on Sufjan Stevens' "Illinoise" - it revealed even more detail than the T1s had, which was impressive).
 
Compared to the SuperFREQs, which I loved, the T1s are in a different league for me.

 

[royhendo]

The best thing to do, though, if you're worried, is to contact them at ACS and talk it through with them.

 

[frenchbat]

Shamrock listen to the man ^
 
If you had a doubt, I'm sure ACS will be happy to lift it for you.
 
What struck me with your set up is the lack of lossless. Have you tried to do and ABX with Lossless files ? At this point you probably have to think about what you can get from your source, the T1 can only give you what is in there. But anyway give it some time, and with the year en you'll have a few days to do that.
 
Hope your flu symptoms got better.
 

 

[royhendo]

Just received my beloved T1s back after a warranty repair. They've replaced the cable, interestingly - it's pristine and spiffy clean. Thoroughly pleased with the customer service.

 

[shamrock134]

I am a lot more pleased with my T1s now than I was initially. I wouldn't be able to fit much music on my ipod if I only carried lossless about.
 
Is it normal for jaw movement and head movement to affect the seal/sound slightly?
 
I had my impressions made with a closed jaw, wondering if this is a problem. I assumed the audiologist knows best though.

 

[royhendo]

It is normal mate yes - they're malleable with the silicon. And closed jaw is right too for silicon according to the ACS affiliated audiologist I went to. She said unless you're a vocalist you'd get closed mouth impressions.

 

[frenchbat]

Glad to see you're getting a better experience. I hope it will end up with a full satisfaction.
 
I have to agree with you that the space taken by lossless is not really helping, and that's actually the reason why I don't use my iphone as a DAP, as well as the reason why I probably won't buy an ipod anytime soon. However to be frank, lossless is a given when using high level monitors like the T1. AFAIC, if I wasn't using lossless for most of my files on my DAP, I wouldn't feel able to give a proper opinion on my monitors. I just think that wouldn't be fair to judge them on something that isn't up to their capability. And in my experience (YMMV) I have experienced a difference with lossless, as much as I experienced a difference with my portable amp. On top of that, I also found that using a desktop DAC paired with my portable amp was adding another level of quality. Which actually corroborated my thoughts on the matter. Bottom line is that in the 10 months or so that I have owned my T1, I have simply discovered that everytime I was taking a step to get a sound improvement, my monitors followed happily. That said if one wants to make a trade-off to keep things low profile, that's a respectable decision, but not likely the one yielding the best quality.
 
As for the fit, seal, and closed-mouth impressions, that's another debate. I'm reserving my opinion for now, and will probably talk about it later in this thread on I get my monitors refitted.

 

[gorman]

frenchbat, are you implying that you properly passed an ABX test with 320kbps LAME encoded MP3s (or V1/V0...)? On many tracks? I'd be really surprised.

 

[shamrock134]

Out of interest what do you use on the go if not an ipod or similar?

 

[gorman]

Does anyone know whether something is going on currently at ACS? I'm not getting particularly speedy email communication. I wrote on Friday to Stacey after she sent me a first answer and I got no answer back. Tomorrow I need to see the audiologist and... well, to be honest I expected more quick customer support, considering the prices we're talking about.
 
It's not particularly reassuring for the rest of the process.

 

[shamrock134]

I did not find Stacey to be particularly quick in responding, but she would always reply eventually.
 
I still don't understand how they managed to give me a clear/translucent cable when several times I made it clear I wanted a black kevlar one. This was specified in emails as well as on the form filled in by the audiologist. I'm just glad they didn't spell my name wrong on the earpieces!

 

[gorman]

Quote:

I did not find Stacey to be particularly quick in responding, but she would always reply eventually.
 
I still don't understand how they managed to give me a clear/translucent cable when several times I made it clear I wanted a black kevlar one. This was specified in emails as well as on the form filled in by the audiologist. I'm just glad they didn't spell my name wrong on the earpieces!

Argh, you've got me worried with this.
 
Actually, Stacey wrote me on Friday that I needed to send them the impressions with my details and contact information so that they can in turn get in touch with me for product details and payment. This probably is due to not having an approved audiologist in Milan (I'm going to a Starkey affiliated one) but... wouldn't be safer to pack the impressions with the order details?
 
I also wrote to Andy asking "Is it possible to have a coloured shell on the outside and a smoky colour on the inside (I was thinking black outside and red/blue smoky inside... I guess it could help both for cleaning purposes and left/right quick identification)?". Does anyone have the answer?
 
I'm afraid of earwax coloration after a while if I go with the clear option (although I really like the all black solution with clear tips that the guy from TMA got).

 

[frenchbat]

 
Quote:

frenchbat, are you implying that you properly passed an ABX test with 320kbps LAME encoded MP3s (or V1/V0...)? On many tracks? I'd be really surprised.

Hi Gorman, that's a fair question. Short answer is "no, I haven't done ABX".
 
That said, I reckon there's a bit more to your question than that. It's difficult to do ABX with a DAP, because you'd need to make a volume matching, and then have someone making the changes for you, and also to have the track order randomized. Unless there's an ABX plugin on itouch that I don't know of

, I just don't have the time or the money to do that unfortunately (volume matching isn't as easy as it sounds).
 
If I was to do an ABX on my computer however, with Foobar ABX plugin, I'm almost sure I could find a difference. I'll try to look into that when I have some free time, but that wouldn't give us an answer to the question, since I'd be using my computer and desktop DAC as a source. This setup is obviously better than my DAP (or any DAP ?), and the point of the comparison would be moot.
 
Take the following example as an illustration rather than a conclusive proof (don't want to compare apples to oranges here), but there was a controversial thread in mid-2010 about how the HifiMan 801 was rolling-off highs. Maybe you've read this thread. The OP made available recordings done on 3 DAP (HifiMan 801, Clip+, Cowon) as well as the original Flac. Using my computer (foobar ABX) and DAC I've been able to ABX the HifiMan from the rest of the recordings. On my DAP I wasn't however.
I'm not saying that this is directly transposable to our discussion, hence my introductory warning, but if I could find a difference on my computer I prefer to keep my audio library up to the higher standard, rather than having a different standard on my DAP. No need for double file storage. Plus I don't have to ask myself if my file was up to the task, since it's supposedly the best I can get (apart from a different mix of course).
 
Quote:

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Out of interest what do you use on the go if not an ipod or similar?

I'm using my D2+ as a source, plugged into my Pico Slim, and then the T1. As I was explaining earlier, I haven't found a difference between iphone 4 (LOD), iriver H120 (CFMOD/Rockbox), or Cowon D2+, all of them going through the Pico Slim. I chose to go with the D2+ because of the expandable storage capacity, and given that 32gb SD cards are cheap anyway. I can then have 16Gb onboard + 32 gb SD, and then another SD card if the later isn't enough. My iphone can't do that unfortunately. I'll leave any other consideration aside, as the point is sound quality here.
 
Bottom line is that the T1 is in no way giving all its potential straight from a DAP, especially in terms of instrument separation and soundstage (plus high and low range extension). That said, I can understand that one chooses to go low-profile and use the T1 without amplification on the go. I just would have difficulties to find any quality appreciation useful from that kind of setup, given the possibilities of improvement with amplification first, and source quality second. 

 

[shigzeo]

There is a small difference in bass with the T1 and a source that rolls off and one one that doesn't. It has more to do with your ears than with the upgrade in output, though. If you don't notice the difference between an iPhone 4 (which doesn't roll off with the T1) and the D2, then enjoy. There is a minor difference. I found that more than that, the better 'sparkle' between the stereo separation, was it for me.