[Grayson73]

Lest we forget from whence we came...
ZA is still around:

"ZIRCO (ZIRCO)" is a series of inner ear stereo headphones that adopt high strength and high resonance frequency zirconia for the main housing, and reproduce delicate and rich high resolution sound sources more clearly.


Zirconia + aluminum body
M-DX 230 - ZN




Zirconia + aluminum body Ultra compact dynamic screwdriver
ZH-DX250-ZP

ZIRCO PEZZO
Hi-Res zirconia
Adopted zirconia housing with high resonance frequency
Zirconia has a higher resonance frequency compared to a housing such as resin used for general earphone, and the influence of unnecessary resonance vibration on the sound source is greatly reduced. This makes it possible to transmit clear sounds and reproduce delicate and plentiful high resolution sound sources without leaving anything. The deep shine of jet black also glitteringly reflects the streamlined body line. The driver is equipped with a high-resolution dynamic driver with its own tuning. We tuned the ultra compact dynamic driver to the optimum spec for the zirconia housing, and will play the high res sound all the way from a luxurious glossy body.

Zirconia + Aluminum
Adopted zirconia and machined aluminum in the housing. Zirconia with a high resonance frequency is greatly reduced the influence of unnecessary resonance vibration on the sound source, which makes it possible to transmit clear sound and reproduce delicate and plentiful high resolution sound sources.

Ultra compact dynamic driver
The newly developed "ultra compact dynamic driver" reproduces the high-resolution sound source faithfully and abundantly from the deep bass to the transparent feeling high tone sound.

Improvement of right-and-left discrimination by "L - marker"
"L-marker" is adopted to make it possible to distinguish left and right of zero minimal and symmetrical housing design. "L - marker" is attached to the cord under the left side housing, and right and left identification is possible without visual confirmation.

New straight plug
Circle line applied to the surface of the aluminum cover plug smoothly supports insertion and removal of the output terminal smoothly without stress.

Use newly developed parallel code
Newly developed and adopted left and right independent OFC (oxygen free copper) parallel code. It enables transmission of pure sound source with less transmission loss, while also providing flexibility and durability.

Product Specifications
Model Dynamic type
plug φ3.5 mm gold-plated stereo mini plug [Straight type]
code OFC code 1.2 m
mass 5.2 g (excluding cord)
Output sound pressure level 101 dB / 1 mW
Playback frequency band 8 Hz to 70,000 Hz
Maximum input 150 mW * IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standard
Impedance 16 Ω
accessories Silicon earpiece: 2 each of S, M and L


Perhaps the Pezzo is a microdriver worthy of b9scramblers attention

Did anyone ever try either of these? Are they Zero Audio's best?

 

[drbluenewmexico]

So I have been doing my write up tonight of the M6. Of course I am gonna write about how they come in the box sonically. But I have been using my ALo super litz cable on them. Went back to the stock cable.

The difference is not little. Resolution changes from excellent to average. My remarks about how other cables changes the DMG/ M6 was reaffirmed to me again. It went from fuller thicker more detailed sound with precision and great imagery to flatter thinner sounding less dynamic less defined with the stock cable. I know I may sound like a quack on this but man the difference is so clear to me. Especially going from the higher end cable to the stock one. All this shows me is the DMG/ M6 has way more potential than you think. Unlike Ibasso that actually realizes the potential of their $100 earphones with a nicer cable and actually include one in their package. The OEM that makes these are gonna cut cost on of all things the cable. To put it simple. Your cable that came with your M6/DMGs are restricting how these really sound.

Due to how much sound changes with cables on the M6. I am gonna use these as my cable tester earphones. One word of advice. try your other cables you have on hand. Be it from another earphone or if you own a few other cables. Give them a go on your DMGs. Cable swap highly recommended.

i like that i idea of "cable swap earphones" to test the effect of various cables on a standard performance source. it seems you have enough experience now DSnuts perhaps
to make a chart of the cables you have purchased and places to get them! that would be very useful! (the pictures, specs, etc on alieexpress can be misleading, confusing,
and have spurious recommendations.." look forward to your future research! cheers and enjoy the music while youre at it!

 

[Dsnuts]

I might do something like that for the cable thread I created. But the issue with doing something like this would be that it applies for certain iems and not others. I noticed much like tips and how they can change ones perception of sound. A certain cable can change the tone or give better definition ect but will only be applicable to that particular earphone.

Using this same cable I got good results with on a different earphone may yeild a complete different outcome. I know with some cables I have used sound great on some phones and not so good with others.

The recent posts about cable swapping only deals with one phone I am talking about which is the DMGs. I know there a more than a few guys that bought the DMGs. Was ok with it or whatever your views are on the sound of them and then moved on. Believe me when I say you haven't heard how they really sound with the stock cable. The stock cable restrict how they really sound. IMo.

If you have not been a believer of what cables can do for your earphones. Try them on the DMGs.

 

[drbluenewmexico]

speaking of copper

good points Chinmie! i prefer copper that comes from Mongolian mines also, since i am friends with the chief shaman of Mongolia (true).
Hes an official state shaman with 500 horses, 3 official temples, and sings English operas in Mongolian throat singing style while
listening to his ipod! pictures available upon request...
meanwhile, whats the best short interconnect from 3.5 dap out to amplifier?
and what copper goes best with blues? important questions...

 

[Otto Motor]

i like that i idea of "cable swap earphones" to test the effect of various cables on a standard performance source. it seems you have enough experience now DSnuts perhaps
to make a chart of the cables you have purchased and places to get them! that would be very useful! (the pictures, specs, etc on alieexpress can be misleading, confusing,
and have spurious recommendations.." look forward to your future research! cheers and enjoy the music while youre at it!

Here the Head-Fi standard for cable impedance:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kno...essions-thread.698148/page-1785#post-13964853

Cable impedance belongs to a device's output impedance. Altering impedance changes the frequency response in multi drivers...and therefore the sound.

And here more science:

Spoiler: Output Impedance

MEASURING OUTPUT IMPEDANCE:

http://nwavguy.blogspot.ca/2011/02/headphone-amp-impedance.html

EFFECT OF AMP OUTPUT IMPEDANCE VS HEADPHONE IMPEDANCE (VOLTAGE DIVIDER):

https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/musings-headphone-amplifier-output-impedance

In the specific example of the DMG/DM6: measuring the earphone's impedance will tell us somewhat how the sound will change with different cables (as long as the cable's impedance is known). The differences in the frequency response can be calculated.

 

[drbluenewmexico]

I might do something like that for the cable thread I created. But the issue with doing something like this would be that it applies for certain iems and not others. I noticed much like tips and how they can change ones perception of sound. A certain cable can change the tone or give better definition ect but will only be applicable to that particular earphone.

Using this same cable I got good results with on a different earphone may yeild a complete different outcome. I know with some cables I have used sound great on some phones and not so good with others.

The recent posts about cable swapping only deals with one phone I am talking about which is the DMGs. I know there a more than a few guys that bought the DMGs. Was ok with it or whatever your views are on the sound of them and then moved on. Believe me when I say you haven't heard how they really sound with the stock cable. The stock cable restrict how they really sound. IMo.

If you have not been a believer of what cables can do for your earphones. Try them on the DMGs.

Yes very true DS! i have a set of the DMGs and found them good but not great. i hooked them up with a 4 strand copper cable i had and they improved some. i got an 8 strand copper cable on the way and will look forward to that experiment soon. i wonder why the copper cables make the balanced armatures sound better than the silver cables, if that is true.....did you get the DM6 also? is it a worthy upgrade to the P4?
HBB seems to think that they are end game.....

 

[DBaldock9]

I ordered a $9 copper cable from the same seller where @Dsnuts got his $45 cable from. And I wonder whether there is an audible difference - maybe there is (difference in shielding...). Copper is copper! Unless one prefers copper with "terroir" that is coming out of a specific copper mine, let's say in Canada or Mongolia.

For example, I like this mining operation for optimizing my output impedance...

Spoiler: Mongolian copper mine

But any of these mines will also host silver and zinc .

P.S. Excuse my lame jokes, I am a geologist.

But, shouldn't we be concerned with the spin on the electrons - one direction in the northern hemisphere, and the other direction in the southern hemisphere?
Would we want all, or exactly half, of our wires mined in the same hemisphere where we're using the gear?
.

 

[chinmie]

whats the best short interconnect from 3.5 dap out to amplifier?
and what copper goes best with blues? important questions...

the best interconnect is the one that has the exact right length (not too long to look messy, and not too short that it can't reach the sockets),
while the best copper for blues is the thickest one, because the harder it is to bend, the more soulful the sound (a little guitar player humor there )

 

[Otto Motor]

But, shouldn't we be concerned with the spin on the electrons - one direction in the northern hemisphere, and the other direction in the southern hemisphere?
Would we want all, or exactly half, of our wires mined in the same hemisphere where we're using the gear?
.

You allude to the Coriolis force, right? This force is responsible that the eddy in your bathtub rotates clockwise in the northern hemisphere and anticlockwise in the southern hemisphere. But if you add some spin with your finger, the eddy changes direction - really. That's what spin is doing

 

[Kitechaser]

Here the Head-Fi standard for cable impedance:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kno...essions-thread.698148/page-1785#post-13964853

Cable impedance belongs to a device's output impedance. Altering impedance changes the frequency response in multi drivers...and therefore the sound.

And here more science:

Spoiler: Output Impedance

MEASURING OUTPUT IMPEDANCE:

http://nwavguy.blogspot.ca/2011/02/headphone-amp-impedance.html

EFFECT OF AMP OUTPUT IMPEDANCE VS HEADPHONE IMPEDANCE (VOLTAGE DIVIDER):

https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/musings-headphone-amplifier-output-impedance

In the specific example of the DMG/DM6: measuring the earphone's impedance will tell us somewhat how the sound will change with different cables (as long as the cable's impedance is known). The differences in the frequency response can be calculated.

There is more to cables than impedance.
Even among copper cables there is an audible difference between copper and occ copper.
With higher end resolving iems, this is stark. Not just a little difference here and there,
We don't really understand how electric fields generated by movement of current through metals affects sound, or the structure of the metal itself, or vice versa.
The science is in its infancy.
In short, in my humble opinion, trust your ears over anything else.

 

[Lurk650]

https://www.head-fi.org/forums/sound-science.133/

 

[davidcotton]

OK guys I am going to make one post about my latest headphone purchase the KEF Porsche Space One wired headphone I have linked the Newegg page for it since they have it in sale. But for Canadians these are on sale until midnight tonight at Visions Electronics.

No these are not new but there is damn near zero information on them. They deserve more than they have got and at at $100 they are an absolute steal. They offer the same type of sound as the Kef M500 but will not slip off your head and offer amazing isolation (and that's with the ANC turned off...). Wait a minute, what ANC, oh did I forget to mention they have ANC? This headphone is the only true audiophile ANC headphone I have ever heard. They kick the crap out of my Sony MDR1000XM3, my NAD HP70, and any Bose I have heard or owned in regards to detail and basic audio quality.

So why weren't they popular? Simple, KEF made stupid mistakes regarding basic design (why make a portable headphone and not include a smartphone cable?). Who the hell uses disposable batteries anymore?

OK, actually only the cable decision actually has true merit in regards to a bad decision... so why is this? Well here's the kicker. These are meant to be primarily used with the ANC off. That's right these sound amazing without ANC and only good with ANC. So wait, doesn't that mean they SUCK? No, it means we are so used to ANC products only sounding good when enabled we think they have to sound better enabled or they are no good. This headphone has ANC that is as good as the old QC25 while maintaining about 80% of its sound quality. So it trades off sound quality for ANC, which when needed (jets, trains, transit) will give a very good audiophile type sound while drowning out that jet engine. Yes its only 80% but if you r canceling out that much noise you would never be able to hear the extra detail anyway.

The rest of the time you simply turn off the ANC and enjoy AMAZING music with above average passive noise isolation. I suspect 1 triple A battery will likely last me over a year and if it ever dies then damn I am stuck with listening to this headphone at its absolute BEST sound quality!

I am going to get myself a tiny interconnect cable and velcro my ES100 to the side of this baby and listen to the ABSOLUTE BEST music I have heard wirelessly and more or less cable free. Sure it will look a bit dorky but the sound will make up for that and if it's too dorky I will get a 1 foot cable and carry the ES100 in my shirt pocket.

Seriously guys, at $100 I dont think you will find a better sounding headphone and the ANC option is just icing in the cake...

Newegg doesn't ship to uk, amazon price? £280!!!!

 

[demo-to]

@Lurk650
Are you going to write a review of your AKG N5005? Am very interested to get more information on these

 

[nabeelkhan]

There is more to cables than impedance.
Even among copper cables there is an audible difference between copper and occ copper.
With higher end resolving iems, this is stark. Not just a little difference here and there,
We don't really understand how electric fields generated by movement of current through metals affects sound, or the structure of the metal itself, or vice versa.
The science is in its infancy.
In short, in my humble opinion, trust your ears over anything else.

If there is a change in sound in a headphone or IEM it should be measurable and quantifiable.

I'm all for people spending money the way they want. But we should also as a community and consumers suppose try to figure out what the industry is trying to sell us and where the truth actually lies.After all the industry has a financial incentive to sell us more goods. A lot of what we perceive to be audible changes from could be expectation bias and placebo ( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/21730857/).

Back on topic, any new iems from the west? Seems to be only chi-fi pushing new models

 

[Lurk650]

@Lurk650
Are you going to write a review of your AKG N5005? Am very interested to get more information on these

Possibly haven't done a review in a while. Simply put...its made my other gear irrelevant. It's probably the first earphone I can not find a fault in the sound or physical design.

OK I lied, small fault. The MMCX are proprietary which sucks BUT it comes with 3.5mm MIC, 2.5mm Balanced and a BT cable which are all high quality so it makes up for it. Beat Audio Lab does offer N5005 connectors on their cables but of course cheapest I believe is around $200.