Quote:
Originally Posted by AnakChan /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I'll leave it up to ExpatInJapan to divulge his thoughts.Tralucent 1Plus2, I
By the way, a big thank you to Fujiya for letting us sit there for almost 2 hrs demoing their gear.
AK120, RWAK100. MS-AK100, Hifiman 901, DX100, Fostex hp_p1.
Headphones ATH-ESW11 Limited Ed, ATH-ESW9 and Translucent 1plus2 IEMs.
(Anakchan and my tastes in headphone sound and music differ quite a lot, but our findings/opinions on gear have proved eerily similar in the past).
NOTE:We need a `Battle of the DAPs -Comparisons` thread, imho. Where users and experimenters can post their findings/impressions.
Anyway here I go with my crappy ears......and crappy bullet points.......BRIEF impressions.
ATH-ESW11
MS-AK100 - Nice, lush, full, deeper bass.
RWAK100 - Clear, accurate, honest.
Fostex hpp1 - More forward.
Vs
Fostex hpp1 (gain1, filter2) - MS-AK100 -They sound similar.
Fostex hpp1 (gain1, Filter 1) -RWAK100 has slightly more treble.
MS-AK100 is darker.
DX100-Accurate.
DX100 -clear, full, `flat`, no romance, slightly darker.
AK120 vs DX100.
AK120 -slightly shrill
DX100 - laidback.
Fostex hpp1 vs DX100.
Fostex - Full, lush, nice highs.
DX100 - Accurate, not sterile.
Hifiman 901 vs DX100.
Hifiman (gain1, HD) - Full deep bass, more highs, a bit more soundstage, slightly blacker background.
DX100 -Duller, but still rich, richer in some parts.
ATH-ESW9.
MS-AK100 - clear, a lttle grainy, likes a bit of bass, crisp, slight warmth.
RWAK100 - Neutral, flat, `quieter`, likes flat headphones, more `body`.
Fostex hpp1 (Gain1, Filter 2) - Power, full, lush, clear, recessed, more body and bass.
Fostex hpp1 (Gain 1, Filter 1) - Lighter, accurate, more grain).
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All sounded very similar, any differences were rather subtle to my ears and very minor, but they were there.
It did lead me to think that the differences would be more pronounced with high end In Ear Monitors (IEMs), I did find the differences were easier to spot at the Tokyo headphone show when I demo`ed with Fitear 335(?) and custom cable.
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Translucent 1 plus2.
DX100- Accurate, clean, neutral
RWAK100 - Ok, light, very slight hiss.
MS-AK100 - Ok, light, slight hiss.
AK120 - Ok, listenable, light, good.
Fostex hpp1 (Gain1, Filter 2) - Nice.
AK120 and the Fostex hpp1 sounded similar.
The DAPs didnt like it at too loud a volume, got a bit shrill for me.
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Hopefully these short impressions i wrote down whilst listening can help someone out, at the very least more for us gear-nuts to read and fret over
*Also I didnt pay attention and thought I was listening to the AK100 not the AK120!. I was quite surprised at how much better it sounded from last time. Only when I got home did Anakchan set me straight lol.
Final thoughts.
I thought all are quite stellar products as far as sound goes, they are more similar than radically different.
Lets say that again, repeat after me
DX100, Hifiman and dare I say it perhaps even the AK120 belong on the top shelf, although I did find the AK120 and the MODDED AK100s to be on a fairly even par (whilst i write this I am mentally only putting the DX100 and Hifiman on the top shelf, fyi). i was quite surprised for some unknown reason to find the Fostex hp_p1 held its own against the specialized daps.
If I was to buy one for myself out of all the DAPs (not counting the Fostex) i would probably go for the Hifiman 901 - something in the sound just edged it forward for me.
But in the end it is all about synergy of source, headphones and even taste in music. What suits my ears may not suit yours etc.
Thanks again to Anakchan for getting me out of the house and for Fujiya Avic for letting us sit there.
TLDR.