[sanhnguyen97s]

The M15i might be running out of current (read: not power) to drive Titan. At just 3 ohms, Titan would need more current than most IEMs. The M15i might be clipping; the distortion is a consequence of that. Not only that, M15i has lower current draw (due to MFi certification), which means the power output is gimped as well.

have you tried other amps?

It's so weird that when I changed the stock cable to different cable(mestmk2 cable), it sounded little bit better with less distortion compare to stock cable on the m15i. I also tried on my apple dongle, not enough volume and there was a lot of distortion on the right channel. It only sounded good on my THX887 desktop amp

 

[I lack sleep]

If the Titan is so sensitive with source paring/amplification I think it would be nice for you guys to recommned a minimum spec for the amp (Like minimum mw/vrms, output impedence etc).

I will be paring my Titan with a Ibasso DC 04Pro and I am already afraid that it will not be properlly powered.

True on minimum specs. Makes it easier for consumers to make decisions. I think the last piece of gear I saw with that kind of specification was the Heddphone (Mk1 and/or 2).

Theoretically, you should have more than enough power as the DC04 Pro has a higher rated output power than the Questyle M15 that they tested with (3-4Vrms on 4.4mm vs. the 2.xx), unless it has that low current draw limitation as the M15i.

 

[elderbank]

this is crazy though.. am tracking two threads now ... new Dusks and this and seems like buying new iems these days is becoming a nightmare.. essentially keep sinking money

 

[Mattyjm]

It's so weird that when I changed the stock cable to different cable(mestmk2 cable), it sounded little bit better with less distortion compare to stock cable on the m15i. I also tried on my apple dongle, not enough volume and there was a lot of distortion on the right channel. It only sounded good on my THX887 desktop amp

its not really weird; its just math. take a 32 ohm load (regular iem) and 3 ohm load (titan)
using ohm's law: given the output of a dongle at 320mw, the current draw would be higher for Titan (approx. .32A) compared to a 32 ohm load (approx .1A). (these values are just to illustrate the effects of ohms law)

which is also where most dongles tend to struggle: pushing out higher current for extremely low impedances.

 

[I lack sleep]

this is crazy though.. am tracking two threads now ... new Dusks and this and seems like buying new iems these days is becoming a nightmare.. essentially keep sinking money

It's quite hard without a physical store, true. Hard to just rely on reviews and impressions without having demoed something in person. It comes to show how brick and mortar stores, meets and physical conventions are more important than ever. There's so much data to sift through on the Internet that may or may not be relevant given one's HRTF, age-related hearing loss, etc.

(I'm lucky to have the one portable audio store in Manila 5 minutes away from my office [despite their limited stock], and I do take the time to check out physical stores when I travel-- hence, my annual visits to Singapore [though I have many reasons to go there, with friends from various communities, food scene, and having a decent stock of US Size 13 shoes])

 

[DingDongMonster]

Here in Singapore, we have the opposite problem. Every week or two, someone will call you to go try out some new IEM or headphones in one of the many shops.

 

[DingDongMonster]

For anyone looking to upgrade the chain without breaking the bank. Movable with a battery, first class sonics, options to switch the dac, and roll opamps. I recommend the Xduoo XD05 Pro. Stick with the ESS dac and maybe change to a Trulis HA8802 opamp. It's a bit big to use on public transport, but you can move it around the house, or bring it out for a meetup/audition.

Trulis HA8802 opamp <= Tuby sound, more organic, not clinical, big stage. Very nice for the Crimson and Titan.

 

[domq422]

There's no doubt that Symphonium IEMs require some more serious equipment to power, but I had no issues running the Titans off of my FiiO BTR7, quite frankly, they sounded fantastic. No distortion in the bass, clean and clear treble, the mids sounded just fine... I'm surprised so many of you are having issues.

 

[Ignatios]

I will be paring my Titan with a Ibasso DC 04Pro and I am already afraid that it will not be properlly powered.

nah you will be fine, ive tried it already

 

[ZeroChad]

It's so weird that when I changed the stock cable to different cable(mestmk2 cable), it sounded little bit better with less distortion compare to stock cable on the m15i. I also tried on my apple dongle, not enough volume and there was a lot of distortion on the right channel. It only sounded good on my THX887 desktop amp

Cables also have their own impedances and capacitance (they add resistance to the overall chain).
The difference between cables might be minute in most cases but given the low impedance of the Titan this difference is amplified which explains why your other cable may exhibit less distortion.

A Rule of Thumb is to use USB C Ports > Lightning Ports for Dongles.
It's pretty well known that some dongles have power issues running out of Lightning ports due to power consumption limitations by Apple.
This isn't necessarily limited to Titan, but naturally having a low impedance earphone does stress test things.

its not really weird; its just math. take a 32 ohm load (regular iem) and 3 ohm load (titan)
using ohm's law: given the output of a dongle at 320mw, the current draw would be higher for Titan (approx. .32A) compared to a 32 ohm load (approx .1A). (these values are just to illustrate the effects of ohms law)

which is also where most dongles tend to struggle: pushing out higher current for extremely low impedances.

100%. Not all devices are equipped to handle low impedance loads effectively.
Some dongles may struggle in delivering sufficient current to low impedance devices, a situation further complicated by the constraints of lightning ports.

Also it's unfortunate but most device manufacturers only publish their highest output power rating because they want their specs to look good.
This means you only know how the device performs with a specific load (usually either 16 ohms, 32 ohms or 300 ohms) under optimal conditions.
There basically isn't much standardization between manufacturers regarding this.

Here is a list that we have been circulating internally in our Discord of recommended sources that work better with our stuff.
This list was originally from @Chang at Subtonic (Thanks!) but was modified slightly between me and Felix at Symphonium.

Amps: PA10, Mojo2, Hugo2, Tsuranagi, Enleum HPA-23RM, K9 Pro ESS, K9 AKM, Mass Kobo 433
DAPs: RS2, R6PROii, RS6, RS8, PAW 6000, M17, DX300, DX320, SE300, LPGT, M9+, DX300MAX Ti, DX320MAX Ti
Portable Amps: PA10, Tsuranagi, MASS-Kobo 475, Enleum HPA-23RM, iFi Gryphon
Transportable DAC/Amps: Fiio Q7, Fiio Q15, xDuoo XD05 Pro, Chord Mojo2, AK CA1000T, QLS QA390LE, Chord Hugo2
Dongles: MBQuart MB21p, Audirect Atom 3, Fosi DS1, Hiby FC4, xDuoo Link2 Bal Max, L&P W2/W4, Hiby FC6, Lotoo Paw S1, Dita Navigator, Acoustune AS2002

Regards,

 

[hyoureki]

Finally received my Titans yesterday, I'm far from a qualified reviewer but I'm loving the visceral experience and also finding myself impressed by the clarity of the treble. Fantastic work Symphonium!

In case it helps anyone I will add that I had serious issues powering these with a FiiO KA5 dongle (via lightning), on the other hand my M15 (not M15i) is doing just fine. I get significant distortion at high volume (above 75% on low gain) but I shouldn't be pushing my ears that hard anyways.

 

[domq422]

I'm not surprised the Titan is such a hit, I can sometimes enjoy some hip-hop from time to time, don't get me wrong, but what I loved so much about them is that they worked with my predominantly indie rock library awesomely.

What's everyone else enjoying with their Titans?

 

[jwilliamhurst]

I just received mine yesterday and getting my first chance to listen now via LP P6pro ti99 and these little blue gems are freaking amazing. I too am quite surprised at the clarity in the mids and treble with this crazy bass shelf. But this bass shelf, it’s so clean and textured. Mids are heavenly. Great texture and realism with a good weight. More to come but these haven’t missed on any music I’ve thrown at them, jazz, classical, indie, rock/metal, edm.

Oh and these fit like a dream! Super happy with this purchase. I’ll post more in depth impressions in a few days.

 

[domq422]

I just received mine yesterday and getting my first chance to listen now via LP P6pro ti99 and these little blue gems are freaking amazing. I too am quite surprised at the clarity in the mids and treble with this crazy bass shelf. But this bass shelf, it’s so clean and textured. Mids are heavenly. Great texture and realism with a good weight. More to come but these haven’t missed on any music I’ve thrown at them, jazz, classical, indie, rock/metal, edm.

Oh and these fit like a dream! Super happy with this purchase. I’ll post more in depth impressions in a few days.

Texture. Texture. Texture.

That's what sets good bass apart from GREAT bass.

Enjoy!

 

[TaronL]

I said over in the pre-order thread that I haven't been able to get the Titan out of my mind since Felix put them in my ears at CanJam New York and that was the truth then and even truer while I was painfully tracking the flight path of our demo unit waiting for it to arrive.

Well today is the day of arrival and the wait was worth it. I did a quick dongle check (USB-C, iPhone 15 Pro Max) and haven't encountered any issues with distortion or channel imbalance. Swapped it over to the Feliks Audio Envy 25th Anniversary Edition demo on my desk and it's just a jaw-dropping experience. The bass is just so extremely well done on these. If you're bass shy these are likely not going to change your mind but personally, it feels like the Symphonium Audio team looked at me and said "Let's make an IEM for Taron".

There are other sets out there that can hit harder but they generally sacrifice something in other areas. And not only that, the shells are generally astronomical in size. The Titan has a very ergonomic fit. I know @Resolve is going to swoop in and steal these from me as soon as he catches wind that they are in my possession but I'm off to Munich High-End in two weeks and these are absolutely coming with me for that journey.

Hats off to the Symphonium team!