A/B Comparisons - iems, buds, cans, daps, and more - Tips & Impressions
Feb 24, 2022 at 11:17 AM Post #91 of 396
60. audeze lcd-5 vs kef ls50 wireless 2 (W):

There are some differences which necessarily exist due to the differences in speakers and headphones. The headphones will sound more intimate and have a sound coming from the side, whereas the speakers will be airier, and have a sound coming from the front. The same is true in this comparison.

However, apart from that, the lcd-5 is clearer, has a tighter bass and sub-bass, has a sharper treble, more height, closer and clearer background detail. Overall, it is leaner and more analytic.

The ls50 wireless 2 has more bass, fuller mids, is more natural, has better imaging and layering, a wider soundstage, better instruments, a smoother treble, but the bass bleeds into the mids. Overall, the presentation is smoother.

I was running the lcd-5 from a hugo tt2, so that’s over 10k msrp, whereas the ls50w2 is under 3k msrp. It’s quite a price gap, but I prefer the ls50w2. You know what they say, iems you hear with the head, headphones you hear with the ears, and speakers you hear with the body. It really is true. Speakers just do sound that much more natural, and even though the lcd5-tt2 combo is a little more resolving, I prefer the sound of the ls50w2.
 
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Mar 1, 2022 at 11:21 AM Post #92 of 396
61. sony wh-1000xm4 vs focal elegia (W):

The elegia is sonically better in almost everything: it is clearer, more transparent, has tighter and clearer bass, better mids, wider soundstage, more balanced between bass-mids-treble, more height, better instrument separation, better background detail, is airier, has better layering and imaging.

I used the wh-1000xm4 mostly on bluetooth (LDAC) with ANC on (this is said to produce the best sound; wired mode with the cans powered off sounds much inferior). It has more bass and sub-bass (but the bass overpowers everything else), recessed mids, and a thinner treble. Everything sounds blurry in comparison, though I do find it to be more comfortable than the elegia. It also has great noise cancelling, and is of course wireless, so if these things matter more, you may prefer the wh-1000xm4. But for sound, the elegia gets my preference.
 
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Mar 10, 2022 at 1:12 PM Post #93 of 396
62. spotify 320kps vs tidal MQA (W):

Tidal MQA has a little more resolution, more background detail (like breathing) and a smoother treble.

I tested it out mostly on my tt2 and lcd-5 (imo a pretty resolving set), and it took a bit of effort to notice the differences. I would say about a 2% increase in quality, and quite hard to tell on less capable equipment.

You can test out if you can hear the difference between 320kps and MQA here: http://abx.digitalfeed.net/list.lame.html (I’m not affiliated). If you can’t, or don’t hear much of a difference on your gear, I suggest getting the cheaper deal.
 
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Mar 18, 2022 at 11:31 AM Post #94 of 396
63. a&k sr25 vs lg g8x (W):

This is a comparison on the 3.5mm, since the g8x only has 3.5mm, and only on iems, since the g8x is not that powerful.

The sr25 sounds more organic and natural, is more intimate, and has better treble.

The g8x has a wider soundstage, tighter sub-bass, better layering, a little more bass, is clearer, more transparent, and a little faster.

On a side note, the 2.5mm on the sr25 is better than the 3.5mm on the g8x. I didn’t compare it in detail because if you use 2.5mm, then you’re not going to be considering the g8x from the start. I was surprised I prefer the g8x sound over 3.5, and think it’s a shame that lg don’t make quad dac phones anymore. I think the g8x is a good deal if you're only using 3.5 iems, since it can be found around $200 new right now.
 
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Apr 2, 2022 at 12:01 PM Post #97 of 396
I've been a bit busy with school, moving countries, and moving onto speakers, but will do a lot more comparisons in the summer, when i have time!
Best of luck and thanks for the comparisons!
 
Apr 2, 2022 at 12:40 PM Post #99 of 396
lol, i came back into the hobby and just picked up apple dongle and dusks. now i have gone full totl sony (wm1a/z, taz, mdr-z1r, ier-z1r, ier-m9) and while it is cool and all. i probably couldve just stuck with dusks, dongle and some $15 DIY earbuds. so i echo your sentiment, its just kinda fun to go down a rabbithole once in a while
 
Apr 2, 2022 at 2:38 PM Post #100 of 396
lol, i came back into the hobby and just picked up apple dongle and dusks. now i have gone full totl sony (wm1a/z, taz, mdr-z1r, ier-z1r, ier-m9) and while it is cool and all. i probably couldve just stuck with dusks, dongle and some $15 DIY earbuds. so i echo your sentiment, its just kinda fun to go down a rabbithole once in a while
i totally agree. it's a pretty fun rabbithole, and if you don't lose much money on it by buying used, then why not? :D
i always knew you liked the sony stuff, but didnt know you would go all out of it ahah. how is it treating you?
 
Apr 2, 2022 at 3:40 PM Post #101 of 396
i totally agree. it's a pretty fun rabbithole, and if you don't lose much money on it by buying used, then why not? :D
i always knew you liked the sony stuff, but didnt know you would go all out of it ahah. how is it treating you?
good, im perfectly content. more gear than i even have time for, i can swap between DAPs/amp/IEM/hps etc and everything still feels fresh and fun. so, actual endgame :)
 
Jun 9, 2022 at 10:14 AM Post #103 of 396
64. fiio ka3 (W) vs lotoo paw s1:

The ka3 is clearer, more transparent, airier, background detail is closer, more forward mids, tighter bass, is more natural, has better imaging and better instrument separation, but treble can sound harsh and can sound lean overall.

The s1 has a smoother treble, wider soundstage, more height, more bass, fuller notes, sounds more as a whole, is more musical, has better bass-related instruments, but is more veiled. Also, whereas the ka3 can be controlled by the computer volume keys, the s1 cannot.
 
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Jun 11, 2022 at 10:31 AM Post #104 of 396
65. chord mojo 2 (W) vs a&k sr25:

The mojo 2 is airier, has a wider soundstage, is clearer, more transparent, more natural, has a shaper treble, better layering and better imaging.

The sr25 is a little smoother, with a little more bass.

Both of these aim for a very similar sound signature: neutral and analytic. It just happens to be that the mojo 2 is a little better in most areas. It's not a huge step up, but still a noticeable one.
 
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Jun 13, 2022 at 11:06 AM Post #105 of 396
66. audioquest dragonfly cobalt (W) vs lotoo paw s2:

The dragonfly cobalt has a fuller, more enveloping, more exciting sound, has a little wider soundstage, is airier, with more bass, sounds more like a whole, better layering, more natural, a little more forward mids, sound better with male vocals, but has some white noise.

The s2 has a more subdued sound, with shaper treble, better instrument separation, leaner mids, better background detail, better female vocals, but can sound a bit flat sometimes.
 
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