[ack84]

Of course, the better way of matching your taste in the first place is with a pair of headphone that is closest to what you prefer, then EQ it for fine-tuning.

Like you say, the “taste” target is subjective, so what methods besides trial and error might I use to fine-tune? Continuing your analogy, I feel like going in to the EQ blind is like cooking without a recipe - i might ruin the meal by adding in too much seasoning! Is there some reference track/s or some write-up as a starting point?

 

[ClieOS]

... Is there some reference track/s or some write-up as a starting point?

Google is your friend.

 

[MewCore]

Beside the headroom reservation mentioned earlier, what other reason/s might one consider when deciding to use EQ? Presumably, presets wouldn’t represent the best end state for every listener.

Can someone point me to any guides for setting EQ to complement ear buds/IEMs?

I love how bass boost works on FiiO's wired amp's like Q1 MKII, E10K, K3 etc so I simulated it on BTR3K.
It would be nice if their Control app had a virtual switch for that as well.
I have set it to 31.5@+6, 62@+6, 125@+4 and enjoy it.

 

[Cuebbing]

Then better stick to LDAC and use your music app to adjust for EQ.

Do you notice a difference when using a music app EQ compared to the ES100/BTR5/BTR3K EQ? (Sound quality or other)
I expect not all music apps EQ are equal but I'm thinking of the primary ones like Google Music/YouTube Music, Spotify, Tidal.
I've been told to stick with HW EQ for better performance.

 

[ClieOS]

Do you notice a difference when using a music app EQ compared to the ES100/BTR5/BTR3K EQ? (Sound quality or other)
I expect not all music apps EQ are equal but I'm thinking of the primary ones like Google Music/YouTube Music, Spotify, Tidal.
I've been told to stick with HW EQ for better performance.

All EQ degrade SQ to a certain degree - a really good one does less damage than a poor one. True hardware EQ is done with variable caps and resistors network, but they are big, expensive and hard to implement, so they are mostly for stage and studio use. Digital EQ is done purely in the digital domain - they got a bad name because old digital EQ is only 16bit (which is what most music originally has, as it gives you up to 96dB range to cover what we need for most music). Every adjustment cuts into the bit depth of the music so the bigger the adjustment, the more bit-depth it will take away. That means you might ends up only getting 12~14bits of music from the original 16bits, and that affects SQ noticeably as the dynamic range gets compressed. Most digital EQ these days is done in a different way, namely by internally resample (either via the software or a DSP) to 24 or 32 bits first, then applies the EQ on top of it. That means even after adjustment and bit-depth lost, you will still left with more than enough bit-depth than it needs, covering 16bits and more. A complex software EQ will be able to accomplish more by smart internal calculation, but it do takes a powerful CPU to do the job. The EQ insides ES100 / BTR5 alike are also digital EQ runs on the built-in DSP function of the Bluetooth chip, and it is not going to be particularly powerful as the same chip also needs to handle all the Bluetooth functions. In that sense, your smartphone can offer much higher processing power than the Bluetooth chip and thus allows a more advanced software EQ to be use (*of course, it won't help if you use a poor software EQ on the smartphone).

 

[Cuebbing]

Thank you

All EQ degrade SQ to a certain degree - a really good one does less damage than a poor one. True hardware EQ is done with variable caps and resistors network, but they are big, expensive and hard to implement, so they are mostly for stage and studio use. Digital EQ is done purely in the digital domain - they got a bad name because old digital EQ is only 16bit (which is what most music originally has, as it gives you up to 96dB range to cover what we need for most music). Every adjustment cuts into the bit depth of the music so the bigger the adjustment, the more bit-depth it will take away. That means you might ends up only getting 12~14bits of music from the original 16bits, and that affects SQ noticeably as the dynamic range gets compressed. Most digital EQ these days is done in a different way, namely by internally resample (either via the software or a DSP) to 24 or 32 bits first, then applies the EQ on top of it. That means even after adjustment and bit-depth lost, you will still left with more than enough bit-depth than it should cover 16bits and more A complex software EQ will be able to accomplish more by smart internal calculation, but it do takes a powerful CPU to do the job. The EQ insides ES100 / BTR5 alike are also digital EQ runs on the built-in DSP function of the Bluetooth chip, and it is not going to be particularly powerful as the same chip also needs to handle all the Bluetooth functions. In that sense, your smartphone can offer much higher processing power than the Bluetooth chip and thus allows a more advantage software EQ to be use (*of course, it won't help if you use a poor software EQ on the smartphone).

 

[Kentajalli]

of course, it won't help if you use a poor software EQ on the smartphone).

https://neutronmp.com/

 

[Akira1977]

Hello guys,

i'm looking for a Bluetooth Amp with these characteristics:

USB DAC,
Good power output ( i have a FiiO E11K and when is connected with my OP7 Pro, i'm happy about the power, i use 6/7/8 on the volume rocker, with my KZ ATE),
Good sound quality,
Maybe a decent app to control the differents settings, but i'm not very interested in equalisation and other stuff...

I saw the Hiby W5, but it doesn't work as a USB DAC...

I'm also waiting for the Qudelix 5K but i don't know if it worth it or not...

Any suggestions?

Thank you!

 

[Cuebbing]

ClieOS provided a good review and comparison of his preferred BT DAC/AMPS in this thread. I have most of the items he reviewed and agree with his findings. ES100/BTR5/BTR3K all work perform well compared to what's available.

 

[Akira1977]

ClieOS provided a good review and comparison of his preferred BT DAC/AMPS in this thread. I have most of the items he reviewed and agree with his findings. ES100/BTR5/BTR3K all work perform well compared to what's available.

I know, but i'm not fully convinced about the power output...

I mean, i use In Earphones, but it doesn't seem to me that those BT DAC offers a good amount of power. Maybe i should use a portable DAC without Bluetooth, like FiiO K3...

 

[ClieOS]

I know, but i'm not fully convinced about the power output...

I mean, i use In Earphones, but it doesn't seem to me that those BT DAC offers a good amount of power. Maybe i should use a portable DAC without Bluetooth, like FiiO K3...

FiiO K3 is not actually portable but more like transportable - given it must be powered by USB port and a smartphone won't likely will be about to power it (even if it does, it will drain the smartphone battery super fast). In any case, KZ ATE should be plenty easy to drive that most of the good BT adapter in the list should drive it just fine.

Also, if you are not going to use the Bluetooth function but only as an USB DAC, then you are kinda looking in the wrong place. A decent pig-tail style USB adapter should be what you are looking for, not a BT adapter will USB DAC function. Here are some example: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...myee-audirect-hilidac-atom-pro-beam-2.927067/

Another option is USB DAC/amp with battery, such as Topping NX4, iFi xDSD, Chord Mojo, etc.

 

[Akira1977]

I understand!

I would like to use the BT function, my only worries, were the power output and the little lag ( but that just in movies)

Do you think the Qudelix 5K could be an improvement over the ES100 or the BTR3K?

 

[Cuebbing]

In the past I experienced audio lag while watching YouTube videos (and others) with bluetooth devices, but with most of the newer ones (BT 5.0 etc) I haven't had that happen.
For power, I'm not sure what problem you're thinking of but like CLIEOS mentioned the KZ ATE should work well with any of the recommended BT devices. The ES100/BTR5/BTR3K should power most IEMs fine. Some headphones may have some challenges but I'm not knowledgeable on headphones.
I use the ES100 the most and it will play any of my IEMs louder than my ears can take (so will the Fiio).

 

[Cuebbing]

The Qudelix 5K is hard to answer since it's not available but by the info listed it could/should be close in performance with the ES100/BTR5/BTR3K. It's all speculation until we can try it. Out of curiosity I'll get one when they're available. I'll be interested in the sound quality (aren't we all lol), the app, and battery life.

 

[ClieOS]

Do you think the Qudelix 5K could be an improvement over the ES100 or the BTR3K?

Won't be much of a point if it doesn't. Then again, we won't know till it is released and tested.