Pros:
Lightweight, portable and small
Solidly build, nostalgic gaming console aesthetics
Independent volume controls that are finely-tuned
Transparent, uncoloured and clean soundscape
Above average technicalities for a $50ish dongle
Gets warm during usage, but not hot
No hiss with sensitive IEMs
No "pop" sound on disconnecting transducers
Cons:
Meh accessories
Decorative D-pad and A/B buttons are not usable
No DAC filters, no LED screen, no app compatibility, no gain options
Output power is middling against the competition - can't drive very demanding transducers
Folks who want something lusher or thicker in note weight have to look elsewhere
Great review and pics! Singolo + Allegro is working well for me atm. Tried the FC4 but then Singolo loses some clarity and it warms it over a bit too much.
For those interested I just posted a dual review for the Truthear x Crinacle Zero and Zero:Red While just being a retune, I think they have some key differences. I'm currently working on the review for the newest Crinacle release, the Singolo, so that will be coming soon. Thanks for your support and comments/advice/criticisms always welcome.
After a few months I have now settled on1010 on the Trio switches. This suits mÿ preferences perfectly and provides the right balance. Of course sources, tips, cables and ears all vary!
It would have been cooler if they strip the android from R6 P2 and squeeze the audio gut into this small shell with their linux OS and sell at $500.
@Jaytiss FiiO M11plus would be a good one. I was not as picky as now when I tried that DAP, and but I found it alright. Sounds as nice as a BTR7, from memory.
If you can stretch your budget, Astell and Kern SR35 is very nice. It’s easy to meme about A&K expensive DAP until holding one in real life, IMHO. This one is small, beautiful, and sounds pretty good. It has very restrictive Android, so bonus if you want to keep your music player a music player.
Or just grab R3II and throw a good dongle in the bag to back it up like I do It’s perfectly fine on its own, btw.
Just a quick question to all. How often would you take a musical/euphonic sounding IEM over a technical beast?
What factors will contribute to a good balance between them?
For those interested I just posted a dual review for the Truthear x Crinacle Zero and Zero:Red While just being a retune, I think they have some key differences. I'm currently working on the review for the newest Crinacle release, the Singolo, so that will be coming soon. Thanks for your support and comments/advice/criticisms always welcome.
Just a quick question to all. How often would you take a musical/euphonic sounding IEM over a technical beast?
What factors will contribute to a good balance between them?
Me? Almost never. I might accept a weaker technical performance for nice tonality at a lower price, but the higher the price, the less acceptable it is to sacrifice technical performance. I mean, we can always EQ or mod, but it’s a loss cause to fix technical performance.
https://ifi-audio.com/products/go-blu/ GO blu Weights 26 grams. SBC, AAC, aptX and low latency aptX, LDAC and HWA/LDAC, aptX Adaptive and apex HD. Priced at $199.00
https://ifi-audio.com/products/go-bar/ GO bar has PCM up to 32-bit/384kHz via USB, native playback up to DSD256, 2DXD, Full MQA decoding. Priced at $329.00
The $59.00 GO link went ahead to solidify what I was beginning to think was the ifi sound. Basically smooth as butter. Nice low-end here, and even slightly more density than the GO blu in Bluetooth mode. Yet that’s the thing……….the GO blu is used two ways……one a USB TypeC DAC wired (with all the sound density provided by wired) and a Bluetooth Amplifier that basically plays every codec. In Bluetooth mode it was easy to sync-up to your phone and away you go. Seemingly almost weighing nothing at 26 grams, it goes in your shirt pocket and offers a louder than heck amp for full-size headphones or IEMs. Probably the one difference with using it in Bluetooth mode was you lost that final end frequency of sub bass, but the stage and clarity was wonderful, still continuing to broadcast the ifi signature sound and stage. Such a sound is on the warmer side of the street, yet has clarity due to resolution. And finally the GO bar a Dongle that takes the place at the top of all Dongles, both in price and power.
Where still I found familiarity amongst the three and could totally hear how they are made by the same company.
Here the GO link with Apple IOS Adapter
As you can see there is considerable size differences.
Even with its smaller size the GO link powers full-size headphones. And while adequate and full sounding, not super super loud, but in a quality way.
What was really special here today was the over all tone of the GO blu and the fact that it on the other hand (than the GO link) gets insanely loud with full-size headphones. The GO blu has its own battery offering up to 10 hours of playback and a 40 minute charge time. The best was that you could place it in your front pocket and travel about, especially with IEMs, the cable coming out of the GO blu pouch and controlling everything with your phone.
Just a quick question to all. How often would you take a musical/euphonic sounding IEM over a technical beast?
What factors will contribute to a good balance between them?
What tips do you use for Singolo? I’m still having problems with the fit.
Me? Almost never. I might accept a weaker technical performance for nice tonality at a lower price, but the higher the price, the less acceptable it is to sacrifice technical performance. I mean, we can always EQ or mod, but it’s a loss cause to fix technical performance.
I also technicalities > tonality guy as long as the tonality is still "acceptable" and not so wrong (harsh upper mids, shouty, thin mids, very rolled off trebles extension, bleeding mid bass)
But usually near perfect tuning with great treble extension will provide great technicalities too (if the drivers are good too)
But I don't mind slight off timbre to trade with superb technicalities, like Mest for example.
Just a quick question to all. How often would you take a musical/euphonic sounding IEM over a technical beast?
What factors will contribute to a good balance between them?
Just a quick question to all. How often would you take a musical/euphonic sounding IEM over a technical beast?
What factors will contribute to a good balance between them?
Well that's the thing. You have basically two camps at Head-Fi. Where many are off to an extreme end........the extreme ends of muddy musical or technical precision.
But the winning IEMs find that middle ground. IMO
And it depends on a multitude of things. Yet once you know.........meaning once you have put the IEM in your ears......you know. We don't need all the treble itemization at times. But again as I always say, I don't have a favorite IEM, only favorite moments. Some are well rounded and play all genres, some don't. Though I would have to say get me the correct tuning and let the rest far where they may. Meaning as long as there is no screwy treble tune, or some crazy lower midrange thrusters which are too much for the pace to happen...........it is pretty much all good. Meaning I can get into many styles of IEMs. Though the latest would be the Penon 10th Anniversary and the NiceHCK Himalaya........as one is more wild (the 10th) yet still sophisticated, and the other more reserved, yet totally fun (the Himalaya).
I have had it for a year now, I think, use it daily and really like it.
You have captured most of what I experience with it,.pros and cons. But just one thing. You say holographic soundstage. Not in my case, boss. Wideish yes, with reasonable depth and wonderfully separated crisp notes even with its detail retrieval, but not holographical.
How do you define your holographic stage, perhaps my confusion stems from that.
And this was your first review that I read. Will look up more as and when. T'was enjoyable read.
Edit: you can look below for couple of to-and-fro posts from o0genesis and me where he tries to clear my illusions about holographic stage before you reply.
Hello, I am. Sorry I just saw your question. Also, thank you for the kind words. The truth is, when I say holographic I am reffering to an iems ability to portray something other than a flat plane of music. It has perceived layers, roundness, a less then flat perception of instruments, voices. The reason I never make a big deal about the word "holographic" is because it is a made up word which describes something other than this "flat plane" and I can agree if taken literally it would be much more fantastic than it really is... Lol. I've actually made fun of the use of the word in other reviews. Made fun of myself about it too. In fact, there is a few descriptors that we use regularly that almost make no sense... But we use them...ha. However, it's the lingo and that is what makes sense to people and so I'm fine with it and I use it to describe perceptable roundness of elements (instruments, voices) on the stage. Here is a few words I said about the P8 in my review under soundstage:
"Soundstage
The soundstage has above average width and good height for a fuller sounding intimate experience. However, I do feel that depth could’ve been a bit more… deep. The sound stretches pretty wide to my ears and while the whole presentation is more forward sounding, I still find it big in all directions. It’s full sounding, big sounding. Yet also close. I do get a sense for layering of sounds, but I also feel that the depth leaves a little bit to be desired. However, in the grand scheme of things the soundstage is not one which sounds as though it lacks. Depth is a difficult thing to hear until you hear a set that is obviously deep with easy to hear layering. The P8 does layer the sound but something is slightly missing here. Again, it certainly doesn’t lack to me so take that for what it is."
If I said "holographic" in that review, I can tell you right away that I was reffering to the 3D nature of the stage and my ability to discern each instrument with at least some roundness to them. I also went back and looked at my "Pros" section which I completed and I feel that maybe it shouldn't have been a strong "pro". I am gong to edit that. However, I was listening maybe three days ago to the P8 and I was saying the same thing to myself. Using the Fiio Q15 and the Shanling M6 Ultra for a comparison I am doing, the sound isn't massively deep but the P8 does have roundness to notes, not so two dimensional to me compared to some other sets, which is very nice to hear. Also, the P8 is so clean man! At any rate, to me, the P8 has a decently round view of instrumentation. I wouldn't say it's amazing or some out of body experience.. Lol. But it was enough to at least speak about. Now, Is this something I hear in every recording? No it isn't. Which, I suppose I could've elaborated more to better explain myself. So I do apologize for that. Also, I am sorry I am not being as elaborate or eloquent as I'd like right now. I actually just got into my work and happened to check Head-fi. If my quick answer doesn't suit you I'd be happy to elaborate later when I have a chance.
Just a quick question to all. How often would you take a musical/euphonic sounding IEM over a technical beast?
What factors will contribute to a good balance between them?
I'm very much more interested in the musicality of an iem than the technical performance. I think that's why I can enjoy a ton of budget sets because it's easier to get that musical timbre right.
I have a few bags of random tips I've accumulated over time. The best one I've found is longer and either L or XL. That damned nozzle just doesn't stick out far enough. I tried the S&S, Clarion, and Liqueur but to no avail.
Must admit I got this many weeks ago, due to all the bad impressions I never opened the package. Measurement alone can make you run away, and yes it can be quite spicy sounding as the graph shows.
On some music it surprised me and was quite fun, sort of aggressive V shaped sound. While fun on stuff like metal it can also be a little to much, due to cymbal splashes having a lot of energy.
Noticed that some of the squig measurements had impedance adapter included, tried the same with my Venture Electronic kit. Could daisy chain it to get 150ohm, this made it like I was in a bunker/basement rave. Big bloated bass and dark upper range, still quite fun experience.
Tried it with 75ohm alone, this tamed the upper range without making it as dark and dampened as with 150ohm. Also giving bass a solid boost, this is now what I call a pure basshead set that also have some technical chomps. This is now actually very fun with electronica and metal, still a V shape but not sharp as before. Listening to the latest Rezz album now, and its bassy and thrilling.
I dont recommend it without impedance adapter, but I do think this is quite fun and decent when paired with an impedance adapter. Actually going to use this as a basshead at work, and liked this more than the Castor Bass that got a lot of praise. I also disliked all the planar models before from KZ, just some context.
KZ shipped this to me free, I have said no to review for them before. But the man keep shipping them anyway, probably since I end up sharing some photos and what I think.
Distraction over, then its back to learn video editing my first YT video.
Measurement from Paul Wasabi and Jaytiss, the 75ohm should sit somewhere in the middle.
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It’s perfectly fine on its own, btw.
