[veyrongatti]

I don't know about the SGN but if the reason is sound quality, I agree. It's been impressing me a lot. Just did an AB with my 4S yesterday using the ASG-2 and a loaner FA-4E, and the difference is very audible. It wasn't one of those I think I can hear it affairs. It's of note that the 5S uses a new audio codec chip and separate new amp chip, both of which apparently aren't in any other Apple device, even in the new iPad Air.

I was looking very hard into the DX50 but lost a lot of interest after I got the 5S.

The 5S has a Sabre chip right? The SGN2 uses the Wolfson W1811 maybe its the stock firmware? Apparently If you use Viper it improves.........

 

[Coq de Combat]

  Coq, it might help to know that the Oculus Rift units currently shipping are dev kits intended for developers to try making new game experiences with. The actual commercial shipping version hasn't been released and the target for those units is going to be at least 720P. So in other words, the screen is deliberately crap because they wanted something quick, cheap and dirty to get into developers hand's first. They are well aware that the video quality is bad.
 
My biggest issue with the Oculus Rift when I try it (my friend has a devkit) is that the system of lenses is a little finnicky and you can adjust them forward to the point where they touch your eyeballs and that is really gross. I'm sure once you set it up it's all good, but I would look forward to a version where they can use curved LCD / OLEDs to either reduce or eliminate the need for the correction lenses.
 
 I'm deeply deeply excited about the Oculus Rift though. Even just to reply an entire catalogue of old games.
 
When I get my Surface Pro 2 I'm going to get a PS4 controller and use Steam Big Picture and get back into some games. Also thinking about starting some game development projects.

That makes sense though. The thing is just that high-resolution on small screens opens other cans of worms, even for developers who may want to optimize their software for high-resolution dual screens. An article suggested that they would be looking to implement 4K screens. That would be something, but I'm not sure everyone is willing to invest in what it takes to play games at that resolution. Ahh, oh well, no need for me to nag about it any more than I already have. I was disappointed in the screen, but not the concept.

 

[vwinter]

The 5S has a Sabre chip right? The SGN2 uses the Wolfson W1811 maybe its the stock firmware? Apparently If you use Viper it improves.........

I haven't tried the SGN2 or 1 or any Samsung for that matter. So I can't really compare. Sorry if I was unclear in my previous post.

The 5S has a Cirrus Logic chip that is unlabeled/Apple labeled as per their agreement with Apple, supposedly. It also has a separate class D amp chip supposedly also from Cirrus Logic. I'm curious to try it out against a good Sabre implementation in the semi-near future actually.

People also have been saying that iOS 7 changes the sound and I've just gotten access to an iPhone 4S with iOS 7 so I'll give that a listen in the next few days.

 

[gelocks]

   
5 star picks:

A$AP Rocky - Long.Live.A$AP (* * * * *)

Autechre - Exai (* * * * *)

Autre Ne Veut - Anxiety (* * * * *)

Bona Dish - The Zaragoza Tapes (* * * * *)

Boris - Praparat (* * * * *)

Deafheaven - Sunbather (* * * * *)

DJ Koze - Amygdala (* * * * *)

Esben And The Witch - Wash The Sins Not Only The Face (* * * * *)

Glasser - Interiors (* * * * *)

Heavy Hawaii - Goosebumps (* * * * *)

Hexvessel - Iron Marsh (* * * * *)

King Krule - 6 Feet Beneath The Moon (* * * * *)

Minks - Tides End (* * * * *)

Portal - Vexovoid (* * * * *)

Run The Jewels - Run The Jewels (* * * * *)

Vondelpark - Seabed (* * * * *)

Washed Out - Paracosm (* * * * *)

Wild Nothing - Empty Estate (* * * * *)

 
4 star picks:

Altar of Plagues - Teethed Glory & Injury (* * * *)

AlunaGeorge - Body Music (* * * *)

Anamanaguchi - Endless Fantasy (* * * *)

Arsis - Unwelcome (* * * *)

A$AP Ferg - Trap Lord (* * * *)

Autopsy - The Headless Ritual ( * * * *)

Beach Fossils - Clash the Truth (* * * *)

Blouse - Imperium (* * * *)

Cerekloth - In The Midst of Life We Are In Death (* * * *)

Chelsea Wolfe - Pain Is Beauty (* * * *)

Church of Misery - The Kingdom Scum (* * * *)

Chvrches - Bones of What Your Believe (* * * *)

Classixx - Hanging Gardens (* * * *)

Cleaners From Venus Vol. 2 (* * * *)

Cold Cave - Black Boots / God Made The World / Oceans With No End (* * * *)

Cults - Static (* * * *)

Danny Brown - Old (* * * *)

Darkside - Psychic (* * * *)

Deepchord - 20 Electrostatic Soundfields (* * * *)

Ducktails - The Flower Line (* * * *)

Eluvium - Nightmare Ending (* * * *)

Forest Swords - Engravings (* * * *)

Four Tet - Beautiful Rewind (* * * *)

Frankie Rose - Herein Wild (* * * *)

Ghost B.C. - Infestissumam (* * * *)

Ghostface Killah - Twelve Reasons To Die (* * * *)

Ghostface Killah - Twelve Reasons To Die (The Brown Tape) (* * * *)

Gustavo Santaolalla - The Last of Us OST (* * * *)

Holden - The Inheritors (* * * *)

James Blake - Overgrown (* * * *)

Jenny Hval - Innocence Is Kinky (* * * *)

Jessy Lanza - Pull My Hair Back (* * * *)

Jon Hopkins - Immunity (* * * *)

Julia Holter - Loud City Song (* * * *)

King Tuff - Was Dead (* * * *)

The Knife - Shaking the Habitual (* * * *)

Kurt Vile - Wakin On A Pretty Daze (* * * *)

Kvelertak - Meir (* * * *)

The Limousines - Hush (* * * *)

Lubomyr Melnyk - Corollaries (* * * *)

Miles - Faint Hearted (* * * *)

Mount Kimbie - Cold Spring Fault Less Youth (* * * *)

My Bloody Valentine - m.b.v. (* * * *)

Nine Inch Nails - Hesitation Marks (* * * *)

No Joy - Wait To Pleasure (* * * *)

Quadron - Avalanche (* * * *)

Rhye - Women (* * * *)

Sigur Ros - Kveikur (* * * *)

Soft Metals - Lenses (* * * *)

Thee Oh Sees - Floating Coffin (* * * *)

Thundercat - Apocalypse (* * * *)

Tyler The Creator - Wolf (* * * *)

Ulrich Schnauss - A Long Way To Fall (* * * *)

Ulver - The Norwegian National Opera (* * * *)

Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats - Mind Control (* * * *)

Wax Idols - Discipline & Desire (* * * *)

The Weekend - Kiss Land (* * * *)

Zola Jesus & Mivos Quartet - Versions (* * * *)

Zomby - With Love (* * * *)

 
Thanks...
Wow... Huge list!
Let's see what I like from this list, I'm pretty sure I haven't listened to 95% of what's here!

 

[Mimouille]

Thanks...
Wow... Huge list!
Let's see what I like from this list, I'm pretty sure I haven't listened to 95% of what's here!

I think I have maybe 40 to 50% in common with that list

 

[warrenpchi]

 

 
Lol, I ended up not doing any of that as I was feeling under the weather. 

 

[C.C.S.]

Why is it that now that I'm at college, I find it more reasonable to spend lots of money on audio gear? Isn't the opposite supposed to happen? I figured that I'd be overprotective of my money by now. I have since found that I absolutely am not.

 

[drez]

Audiophile disease has a will of its own lol.

 

[MuppetFace]

I think going to college you have a certain sense of freedom as you enter into the world at large, so even though money is tighter you have this desire to spend it on your whims more freely.

Also music consumption just goes hand-in-hand with college. I remember that was a time of great discovery for me, learning about artists and genres of which I was previously unawares. Went from thinking Radiohead, Beck, and Gorillaz were the only artists worth listening to, to listening to everything from Aesop Rock to The Zombies (WAY too many 'TOs" in that last sentence...).

Now I'm all nostalgic.

 

[Mimouille]

I specifically remember the quantity of pot in the equivalent of college for me made a lot of music sound great.

 

[C.C.S.]

I think going to college you have a certain sense of freedom as you enter into the world at large, so even though money is tighter you have this desire to spend it on your whims more freely.

Also music consumption just goes hand-in-hand with college. I remember that was a time of great discovery for me, learning about artists and genres of which I was previously unawares. Went from thinking Radiohead, Beck, and Gorillaz were the only artists worth listening to, to listening to everything from Aesop Rock to The Zombies (WAY too many 'TOs" in that last sentence...).

Now I'm all nostalgic.

 
I could not possibly agree more about the music consumption thing. We alternate each week between open mic nights and concerts at the performing arts club here. I never thought I would so easily have the chance to buy this much music directly from the artists involved and get to talk to them about what they're doing. It's a really cool experience.

 

[Tangster]

  Why is it that now that I'm at college, I find it more reasonable to spend lots of money on audio gear? Isn't the opposite supposed to happen? I figured that I'd be overprotective of my money by now. I have since found that I absolutely am not.

It'll ease off when you find yourself living on ramen for three months straight because you just needed to get that amp.

 

[Argybargy]

Look what just showed up.  My very first Android phone.
 
Would it be gauche for me to install Itunes?
 

 

 

 

[C.C.S.]

  It'll ease off when you find yourself living on ramen for three months straight because you just needed to get that amp.

 
Headphones, actually. I already put a little bit of money into a good amplifier.

 

[a_recording]

I envy you Americans and your whole living on-campus thing.
 
I have often heard that it contributes to your great sense of independent spirit. *plays some patriotic music*