[TSAVJason]

You are right in this regard, I guess my statement only applies if you don't have hard to drive headphone.

there is also Cayin I5, which sounds quite nice.

It is definitely not as good as the mojo (especially in detail retrieval), but good enough for me for portable duties rather than 1100 for mojopoly combo if you don't have mojo already.

back on topic, have anyone tried the Z1R from DAPS?

The Cayin products are pretty good. We've decided to represent them here in the US

 

[buzzlulu]

You're not the guinea pig, don't worry. That would be me. I've been listening to the PHA-2A and the Z1R for several days now... Fantastic little DAC/amp.

Construction is excellent, it's very cleanly designed, and very solid. It looks and feels more expensive than the $1000 PHA-3.

Sound sig is a lot like the ZX2 (which is a sig I love) but there's obviously more juice on tap. A very rich, textured sound, with a good amount of space and openness. Balanced mode adds seperation and detail to the bass, and brings the vocals slightly more forward. The highs remain liquid and resolving. The Z1R is surprisingly slightly more detailed than an HD800 balanced, but it never becomes rude or harsh. (Although I haven't heard the 800 balanced). Long story short, the PHA-2A is a fantastic pairing with the Z1R... In balanced mode, the two are made for each other. Perhaps literally... I wouldn't be surprised if the PHA-2A played a prominent role in the tuning of this can. I'm loving this combination. I think you'll be very happy.

Using it with an iPad Pro, and I have yet to drain the battery, but then again I rarely listen for 5 hours straight.

WOW - Thank you for that excellent review.  It makes me feel comfortable having taken the plunge from Amazon US.  Expected arrival this Monday.
 
Do you own a Mojo (or Hugo) by any chance?  Curious to know how the PHA-2A compares
 
You said " It looks and feels more expensive than the $1000 PHA-3" - how does it compare sound wise to this (not that I have heard the PHA-3).
Is the PHA-3 considered the top of the line - or does the 2A supplant it for that title?

 

[MacedonianHero]

  Best DAP under $500 is likely the FiiO X5 Gen3.  This recently released X5 is quite a performer but still quite lacking next to the Mojo.  The rest test to any DAP is a hard to drive headphones such as the HD800.  The MOJO was able to handle the HD800 reasonably well while most DAPs have tough time to drive the HD800 properly.

 
I'd strongly suggest the Cayin i5...just brilliant!

 

[Earbones]

WOW - Thank you for that excellent review.  It makes me feel comfortable having taken the plunge from Amazon US.  Expected arrival this Monday.

Do you own a Mojo (or Hugo) by any chance?  Curious to know how the PHA-2A compares

You said " It looks and feels more expensive than the $1000 PHA-3" - how does it compare sound wise to this (not that I have heard the PHA-3).
Is the PHA-3 considered the top of the line - or does the 2A supplant it for that title?

No problem

I do not own a Mojo or Hugo, but I've heard both... I slightly preferred the iFi Micro iDSD to the Hugo (to be fair, it was a short comparison, and with different headphones), and I prefer Z1R with the PHA-2A over the Micro iDSD... Mostly because it's leaner where it needs to be, and thicker when needed with the PHA-2A, and for the other attributes I detailed earlier when run balanced.

I didn't listen to the PHA-3 long enough, nor side by side with PHA-2A to make any kind of judgement as to which sounds superior. I just remember when I handled the PHA-3 thinking it didn't exude the quality of, say, the ZX2. The PHA-2A by comparison is very simple, and there is an elegance and substantial feeling from such a simple design executed well.

I have read some stuff claiming it sounds better than the PHA-3, notably an Amazon review... My feeling is that it's a gem, and there's a reason it's not offered in the US market... I assume Sony thinks it will eat PHA-3 sales, ha ha.

 

[emptymt]

   
I'd strongly suggest the Cayin i5...just brilliant!

Hv you tried the Z1R with it?
The meze is a bassy headphone, yet it pairs excellently with it, I suspect it will have the same effect with the Z1R

 

[Rchandra]

Had anyone tried to sleep while wearing the z1r I know it's a silly question I'm sorry but I'm curious how much stress can the size of the headphone handle.

 

[Whitigir]

I had been using z1r from WM1z from day 1 ...lol. Btw, for 1100$ I rather go with wm1A than MojoPoly

 

[Whitigir]

Had anyone tried to sleep while wearing the z1r I know it's a silly question I'm sorry but I'm curious how much stress can the size of the headphone handle.

That was one of the main reason why I traded it away for Utopia. I don't know about others, but for me, and to be able to lay in the bed with my headphones is very important. The Z7 was awesome in this regard, but not Z1R. It is too big to do this comfortably

 

[Rowethren]

That is what I have CIEMs for

 

[Rowethren]

Cable just arrived, certainly feels much higher quality than the stock time will tell on the sound. Got a nice big order from them 

 

 

[emptymt]

  Cable just arrived, certainly feels much higher quality than the stock time will tell on the sound. Got a nice big order from them 

 

what cable is this? silver?

 

[Rowethren]

 
what cable is this? silver?

 
Toxic Cables Silver Widow 22, it is a silver/gold blend.

 

[ShinRA88]

Is that screw-in connector? Does it twist as well when you try to screw the connector in?

 

[Whitigir]

When it screw on, will the barrel or the cables be rolling inside the barrel ? I have yet to see good screw on 3.5 yet, beside Sony proprietary one on stock and Kimber. The above look like switchcraft which I have a few pairs

 

[Rowethren]

When it screw on, will the barrel or the cables be rolling inside the barrel ? I have yet to see good screw on 3.5 yet, beside Sony proprietary one on stock and Kimber. The above look like switchcraft which I have a few pairs

They will roll if you twist them hard enough but you need a lot of force to do so, much more so than you would even exert in normal use. They aren't switchcraft they are actually Hicon plugs which feel a bit better quality to me. https://m.thomann.de/gb/hicon_hi_j35s_screw_m.htm?o=2&search=1487419472