Thanks so much, i might end up with mass kobo as i heard it and was very impressed but was hoping Aroma will be nearly there but you’ve described it perfectly and i get it totally, Tsu and Kobo are something else i know.
This other option seems nice I would give it a try, but where is like the volume ?
Need to research it
This is just my personal opinion, but if you're willing to spend enough to purchase an A100TB - don't. Spend a bit more, and buy a 475 instead. It was hands down my best audio purchase of last year and would be the last audio item I'd consider selling. Whereas the A100TB was not quite as impressive as I'd hoped.
The Sinfonia is superb value for money - but yes you will need to control volume via your source, so a variable Line Out is mandatory unless you want to run it from your source's Phone Out and double amp. 475 delivers much higher performance but is significantly larger, heavier and more expensive. Tsuranagi's form factor is much better for actual portable use, but it is extremely expensive for the sound it delivers. Some people really love its' more analogue tonality however.
Some select thoughts after 100+ hours with the quattro... I think most people have covered the mids, bass and source pairings, so I skipped that.
Treble balance
Treble is a divisive topic on the quattro with some listeners finding the treble lacking while others finding it satisfactory. To my ears, the treble on the quattro is definitely present and in some ways actually quite elevated compared to more neutral sets. However, the issue with the treble is that it isn't fully resolving across the entire treble range and relies on peaks to bring across that sense of presence. The result of this is a treble that sounds both forward, occasionally crossing into sharp at higher volumes (which is my preferred way of listening to the quattro), while at the same time not providing much detail or nuance when sounds fall outside of the treble peaks and are drowned out by the elevated sub bass. To me, this causes a very track dependent treble performance. Sometimes, the quattro sounds muted, dark and lacking in decay for trailing notes while at the other times the treble hits hard (like in house or electronic tracks). Even when it does hit hard, the presentation is still somewhat superficial with a sense that something is lacking both at the start and the end of the note. I don't think anyone is or should be buying the quattro if they like brighter sets or revealing treble details. Personally, I believe the treble is tuned to complement the sub bass by adding contrast on certain tracks but it's a balance that can be hit or miss depending on your preferred genre of music.
Dynamics (or the feeling of)
As a consequence of the treble balance with the sub bass, the quattro can deliver a very fun and engaging sound. In songs like On My Own by TroyBoi (a house electronic track) the strength of the tuning shines as the hi-hat breaks through the mix in satisfying contrast with the pulsing bass beat. Transients are average to poor for the price range. But the trick of this being a purely dynamic driver means that the slow transients don’t sound bad in isolation and is mainly noticeable when comparing to other sets. This quality perhaps contributes to the more “analogue” sound used to describe the quattro which some might find pleasing. Macrodynamics is where I think quattro shines. The dynamic drivers create a deeply immersive listening experience as notes across the entire frequency response demand attention. Not by virtue of the initial impact, but by how deep it reaches at the apex compared to its arrival. Music feels like it arrives in waves, and the coherency is impressive taking into account the density of the sound. Like a heavyweight boxer, I would say the quattro hits slow but heavy in an enjoyable way. However, 2 major caveats of this are 1) a loud listening volume and 2) a faster and more exacting source. In my one test, tubes did not work well.
Soundstage, imaging, separation + note weight
Imaging and separation is decent but is probably below average in the price bracket. Different instruments and components of the music are positionally distinct and identifiable but without much black space in between to create a strong sense of positioning. There is sufficient separation to prevent congestion on most songs but not much else. It does fall short both in terms of technical performance and tuning balance to replay busy passages like Goose by Polyphia for example, where the different instrument lines have insufficient separation to be appreciated clearly while simultaneously being drowned out by the bass. Soundstage width is average and stays in the head. Soundstage height is great and extends lower rather than up. The result is a presentation that feels like an upright rectangle or oval in the head.
However, the spatial presentation of the quattro is carried by one factor which is its outstanding note weight and note size. Sounds within the soundstage feel big…even huge at times. Listen to the cover of Moon River by Jacintha and you will immediately notice how massive her voice sounds (and how good the mids are on this set). Voices, instruments, and especially any sub bass element simply sound bigger within the stage (once again hinging on volume scaling). In contrast to iems that try to throw sounds as far away as possible from the listener to create a sense of scale, the quattro keeps everything close up and large, resulting in an intimate by dramatic presentation which to me is part of its appeal. Once again, the coherency of the set is commendable in delivering this without the whole presentation devolving into a congested mess.
Details vs Timbre
One glaring issue with the quattro is that in contrast to other sets around the same price, it does have a muffled sound. Swapping in from something in the same price range with multi BA drivers, the slight veil and muddiness is immediately noticeable on the quattro. Once again, in isolation and after adjusting over a few songs, to me this impression fades.
Personally, I bought the quattro to contrast against my softears studio4. 4 BAs studio4 vs 4 DDs quattro. Going from the studio4 to the quattro the lack of clarity and technical performance is noticeable as mentioned. However, what surprised me was when going from the quattro to the studio4, I was hit by just how unnatural the BA set sounded. The studio4 is known for having really great natural timbre for a ba set (which i’ve compared and felt held it’s own against sets like the monarch mk2 and 3). But compared to the quattro, it sounded artificial and thin. Tuning difference plays a big part in this. But to me the quality of timbre for the quattro was simply several steps up from the studio4.
Conclusion
The quattro is not an all-rounder for sure. It trades technical performance and versatility for a rich, romantic and engaging replay. To me, it’s not the quattro’s tuning that makes it a niche choice but rather a combination of its tonal character and presentation which seems to create love/hate reactions. However, I feel that in the sea of ba/hybrids that orbit around the harmen tuning the quattro stands out as something different and good in the price range. It holds its own technicalities-wise enough for it not to be a walkover and offers a different experience of music that might be appealing for hobbyist looking to try a thicker, lusher and more enveloping sound.
This is just my personal opinion, but if you're willing to spend enough to purchase an A100TB - don't. Spend a bit more, and buy a 475 instead. It was hands down my best audio purchase of last year and would be the last audio item I'd consider selling. Whereas the A100TB was not quite as impressive as I'd hoped.
The Sinfonia is superb value for money - but yes you will need to control volume via your source, so a variable Line Out is mandatory unless you want to run it from your source's Phone Out and double amp. 475 delivers much higher performance but is significantly larger, heavier and more expensive. Tsuranagi's form factor is much better for actual portable use, but it is extremely expensive for the sound it delivers. Some people really love its' more analogue tonality however.
Some select thoughts after 100+ hours with the quattro... I think most people have covered the mids, bass and source pairings, so I skipped that.
Treble balance
Treble is a divisive topic on the quattro with some listeners finding the treble lacking while others finding it satisfactory. To my ears, the treble on the quattro is definitely present and in some ways actually quite elevated compared to more neutral sets. However, the issue with the treble is that it isn't fully resolving across the entire treble range and relies on peaks to bring across that sense of presence. The result of this is a treble that sounds both forward, occasionally crossing into sharp at higher volumes (which is my preferred way of listening to the quattro), while at the same time not providing much detail or nuance when sounds fall outside of the treble peaks and are drowned out by the elevated sub bass. To me, this causes a very track dependent treble performance. Sometimes, the quattro sounds muted, dark and lacking in decay for trailing notes while at the other times the treble hits hard (like in house or electronic tracks). Even when it does hit hard, the presentation is still somewhat superficial with a sense that something is lacking both at the start and the end of the note. I don't think anyone is or should be buying the quattro if they like brighter sets or revealing treble details. Personally, I believe the treble is tuned to complement the sub bass by adding contrast on certain tracks but it's a balance that can be hit or miss depending on your preferred genre of music.
Dynamics (or the feeling of)
As a consequence of the treble balance with the sub bass, the quattro can deliver a very fun and engaging sound. In songs like On My Own by TroyBoi (a house electronic track) the strength of the tuning shines as the hi-hat breaks through the mix in satisfying contrast with the pulsing bass beat. Transients are average to poor for the price range. But the trick of this being a purely dynamic driver means that the slow transients don’t sound bad in isolation and is mainly noticeable when comparing to other sets. This quality perhaps contributes to the more “analogue” sound used to describe the quattro which some might find pleasing. Macrodynamics is where I think quattro shines. The dynamic drivers create a deeply immersive listening experience as notes across the entire frequency response demand attention. Not by virtue of the initial impact, but by how deep it reaches at the apex compared to its arrival. Music feels like it arrives in waves, and the coherency is impressive taking into account the density of the sound. Like a heavyweight boxer, I would say the quattro hits slow but heavy in an enjoyable way. However, 2 major caveats of this are 1) a loud listening volume and 2) a faster and more exacting source. In my one test, tubes did not work well.
Soundstage, imaging, separation + note weight
Imaging and separation is decent but is probably below average in the price bracket. Different instruments and components of the music are positionally distinct and identifiable but without much black space in between to create a strong sense of positioning. There is sufficient separation to prevent congestion on most songs but not much else. It does fall short both in terms of technical performance and tuning balance to replay busy passages like Goose by Polyphia for example, where the different instrument lines have insufficient separation to be appreciated clearly while simultaneously being drowned out by the bass. Soundstage width is average and stays in the head. Soundstage height is great and extends lower rather than up. The result is a presentation that feels like an upright rectangle or oval in the head.
However, the spatial presentation of the quattro is carried by one factor which is its outstanding note weight and note size. Sounds within the soundstage feel big…even huge at times. Listen to the cover of Moon River by Jacintha and you will immediately notice how massive her voice sounds (and how good the mids are on this set). Voices, instruments, and especially any sub bass element simply sound bigger within the stage (once again hinging on volume scaling). In contrast to iems that try to throw sounds as far away as possible from the listener to create a sense of scale, the quattro keeps everything close up and large, resulting in an intimate by dramatic presentation which to me is part of its appeal. Once again, the coherency of the set is commendable in delivering this without the whole presentation devolving into a congested mess.
Details vs Timbre
One glaring issue with the quattro is that in contrast to other sets around the same price, it does have a muffled sound. Swapping in from something in the same price range with multi BA drivers, the slight veil and muddiness is immediately noticeable on the quattro. Once again, in isolation and after adjusting over a few songs, to me this impression fades.
Personally, I bought the quattro to contrast against my softears studio4. 4 BAs studio4 vs 4 DDs quattro. Going from the studio4 to the quattro the lack of clarity and technical performance is noticeable as mentioned. However, what surprised me was when going from the quattro to the studio4, I was hit by just how unnatural the BA set sounded. The studio4 is known for having really great natural timbre for a ba set (which i’ve compared and felt held it’s own against sets like the monarch mk2 and 3). But compared to the quattro, it sounded artificial and thin. Tuning difference plays a big part in this. But to me the quality of timbre for the quattro was simply several steps up from the studio4.
Conclusion
The quattro is not an all-rounder for sure. It trades technical performance and versatility for a rich, romantic and engaging replay. To me, it’s not the quattro’s tuning that makes it a niche choice but rather a combination of its tonal character and presentation which seems to create love/hate reactions. However, I feel that in the sea of ba/hybrids that orbit around the harmen tuning the quattro stands out as something different and good in the price range. It holds its own technicalities-wise enough for it not to be a walkover and offers a different experience of music that might be appealing for hobbyist looking to try a thicker, lusher and more enveloping sound.
I'm a new Quttro owner and am very much into the happy customer camp with it - although I don't have much else at this price point/level to compare it with so there could very well be an ignorance is bliss factor going on here too. I am currently running it with the Questyle M15 on high gain setting. There is no way I can currently justify the price of the amps listed above (someday maybe), but I have been considering some kind of a desktop setup. How much do you think I might benefit from a $200 - $300 amp/dac combo over the Questyle M15? I have the stock cable - 4.4mm balanced. Also how would the Penon Tail compare to the Questyle? I really appreciate everyone's insights here - its a great forum - I've been a long time lurker so - thanks all!
Some select thoughts after 100+ hours with the quattro... I think most people have covered the mids, bass and source pairings, so I skipped that.
Treble balance
Treble is a divisive topic on the quattro with some listeners finding the treble lacking while others finding it satisfactory. To my ears, the treble on the quattro is definitely present and in some ways actually quite elevated compared to more neutral sets. However, the issue with the treble is that it isn't fully resolving across the entire treble range and relies on peaks to bring across that sense of presence. The result of this is a treble that sounds both forward, occasionally crossing into sharp at higher volumes (which is my preferred way of listening to the quattro), while at the same time not providing much detail or nuance when sounds fall outside of the treble peaks and are drowned out by the elevated sub bass. To me, this causes a very track dependent treble performance. Sometimes, the quattro sounds muted, dark and lacking in decay for trailing notes while at the other times the treble hits hard (like in house or electronic tracks). Even when it does hit hard, the presentation is still somewhat superficial with a sense that something is lacking both at the start and the end of the note. I don't think anyone is or should be buying the quattro if they like brighter sets or revealing treble details. Personally, I believe the treble is tuned to complement the sub bass by adding contrast on certain tracks but it's a balance that can be hit or miss depending on your preferred genre of music.
Dynamics (or the feeling of)
As a consequence of the treble balance with the sub bass, the quattro can deliver a very fun and engaging sound. In songs like On My Own by TroyBoi (a house electronic track) the strength of the tuning shines as the hi-hat breaks through the mix in satisfying contrast with the pulsing bass beat. Transients are average to poor for the price range. But the trick of this being a purely dynamic driver means that the slow transients don’t sound bad in isolation and is mainly noticeable when comparing to other sets. This quality perhaps contributes to the more “analogue” sound used to describe the quattro which some might find pleasing. Macrodynamics is where I think quattro shines. The dynamic drivers create a deeply immersive listening experience as notes across the entire frequency response demand attention. Not by virtue of the initial impact, but by how deep it reaches at the apex compared to its arrival. Music feels like it arrives in waves, and the coherency is impressive taking into account the density of the sound. Like a heavyweight boxer, I would say the quattro hits slow but heavy in an enjoyable way. However, 2 major caveats of this are 1) a loud listening volume and 2) a faster and more exacting source. In my one test, tubes did not work well.
Soundstage, imaging, separation + note weight
Imaging and separation is decent but is probably below average in the price bracket. Different instruments and components of the music are positionally distinct and identifiable but without much black space in between to create a strong sense of positioning. There is sufficient separation to prevent congestion on most songs but not much else. It does fall short both in terms of technical performance and tuning balance to replay busy passages like Goose by Polyphia for example, where the different instrument lines have insufficient separation to be appreciated clearly while simultaneously being drowned out by the bass. Soundstage width is average and stays in the head. Soundstage height is great and extends lower rather than up. The result is a presentation that feels like an upright rectangle or oval in the head.
However, the spatial presentation of the quattro is carried by one factor which is its outstanding note weight and note size. Sounds within the soundstage feel big…even huge at times. Listen to the cover of Moon River by Jacintha and you will immediately notice how massive her voice sounds (and how good the mids are on this set). Voices, instruments, and especially any sub bass element simply sound bigger within the stage (once again hinging on volume scaling). In contrast to iems that try to throw sounds as far away as possible from the listener to create a sense of scale, the quattro keeps everything close up and large, resulting in an intimate by dramatic presentation which to me is part of its appeal. Once again, the coherency of the set is commendable in delivering this without the whole presentation devolving into a congested mess.
Details vs Timbre
One glaring issue with the quattro is that in contrast to other sets around the same price, it does have a muffled sound. Swapping in from something in the same price range with multi BA drivers, the slight veil and muddiness is immediately noticeable on the quattro. Once again, in isolation and after adjusting over a few songs, to me this impression fades.
Personally, I bought the quattro to contrast against my softears studio4. 4 BAs studio4 vs 4 DDs quattro. Going from the studio4 to the quattro the lack of clarity and technical performance is noticeable as mentioned. However, what surprised me was when going from the quattro to the studio4, I was hit by just how unnatural the BA set sounded. The studio4 is known for having really great natural timbre for a ba set (which i’ve compared and felt held it’s own against sets like the monarch mk2 and 3). But compared to the quattro, it sounded artificial and thin. Tuning difference plays a big part in this. But to me the quality of timbre for the quattro was simply several steps up from the studio4.
Conclusion
The quattro is not an all-rounder for sure. It trades technical performance and versatility for a rich, romantic and engaging replay. To me, it’s not the quattro’s tuning that makes it a niche choice but rather a combination of its tonal character and presentation which seems to create love/hate reactions. However, I feel that in the sea of ba/hybrids that orbit around the harmen tuning the quattro stands out as something different and good in the price range. It holds its own technicalities-wise enough for it not to be a walkover and offers a different experience of music that might be appealing for hobbyist looking to try a thicker, lusher and more enveloping sound.
This is just my personal opinion, but if you're willing to spend enough to purchase an A100TB - don't. Spend a bit more, and buy a 475 instead. It was hands down my best audio purchase of last year and would be the last audio item I'd consider selling. Whereas the A100TB was not quite as impressive as I'd hoped.
The Sinfonia is superb value for money - but yes you will need to control volume via your source, so a variable Line Out is mandatory unless you want to run it from your source's Phone Out and double amp. 475 delivers much higher performance but is significantly larger, heavier and more expensive. Tsuranagi's form factor is much better for actual portable use, but it is extremely expensive for the sound it delivers. Some people really love its' more analogue tonality however.
I have not heard the 475 or a Tsu yet but own a Sinfonia. And I second that it offers great value for it's price tag though being quite basic functionwise.
Soundwise one of my best invested ~500 Euro in 2023 as all my IEM have profited from the Sinfonia (as far as tried out)...
Check out the hifiman EF400 for a small, inexpensive, desktop DAC/Amp that does r2r in a beautiful way with plenty of power. Quattro sounds like a pair of big pair of headphones through it. About $400.
It is funny as I see a volcano in the faceplate, like the one by my house. This is a hotel my brother and I go to every year, which has a better view of it.
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