[Rockwell75]

the somewhat cheeky I-told-you-so look of the @claud W lookalike, the gosh-I-hear-it look of guy in scarf and thoughtful hmm-am-I-really-hearing-this look of scraggy beard guy.

lmao!

I will take my time to enjoy the Dorado 2020 but am excited at the next destination in this journey. Any recommendations are welcomed!

There are a number of places you could go. Dorado 2020 is very musical/emotive/bombastic/fun. If you wanted to go further in the musical/emotive category something like EXT would be an option. If you wanted to go in the bombastic/fun direction Xe6 is a great option. Or you could go for a more purely technical option and forgo a DD driven sound altogether. The more you dialogue here the more you'll get a sense of what might be best for you. The joys of fellowship and community.

3 is my magic number too,

Same but I wouldn't trade the joy and experience I gained coming to that realization for anything.

 

[gLer]

Same but I wouldn't trade the joy and experience I gained coming to that realization for anything.

For sure. It's easy for me to say now, but I got here the long way too.

 

[Damz87]

So the one thing I didn't have with me at the ZA meet was any of the Sony gear, or the last piece of puzzle for my Sony system, which arrived today:

​

I'll take prettier pictures (this was just a quick smartphone snap and amateurish edit), but for all the talk of IEM cables of late, the Kimber Axios Cu must be one of the best made, best looking, and (based on very early impressions) best sounding cables I've had the pleasure of owning. At an RRP of $700 for the 1.2m/4.4mm Sony Z1R version, it's also considered 'high-end expensive' in headphone cable terms, and very much a luxury purchase for many headphone owners. I get that headphone cable makers are more established and have greater economies of scale, but it's really difficult to stomach some of the prices being quoted for 4/8 wire copper IEM cables when the 16-wire, kink-free, twist-proof, splitter-free Axios Cu, complete with handmade Gabon Ebony connectors, is considered pricey. Just my opinion of course.

Congrats on the new cable

Totally agree, the build quality on the Kimber Axios Cu is superb. I wish they built an IEM cable for the IER-Z1R with that wooden type of hardware.


Here’s my old one on the day I got it. So pretty

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

Which Campfire Audio IEM is the AK Pathfinder like?


AK PATHFINDER IEM (July 2022 - $1,899)

The AK PATHFINDER becomes the second collaboration with IEM manufacturer Campfire Audio to produce in-ear monitors (IEMs) under the Astell&Kern brand. Pathfinder is a newly designed hybrid IEM not based on previous Campfire IEM.

PATHFINDER has a new Dual-Chamber Balanced Armature (BA) Driver from Knowles for the key part of the midrange, two BA drivers for high frequencies, as well as two dynamic drivers with a hybrid diaphragm that create bass and midrange.

Knowles’ new ‘Dual Chamber’ Balanced Armature Driver, used for the first time ever in PATHFINDER, is an innovative driver in which a single coil operates two individual diaphragms. It’s like a twin cylinder engine – delivering more horsepower and smoother operation compared to one with a single, larger piston.

Compared to a traditional BA with a single, larger diaphragm, the all-new design incorporates two chambers, each housing its own diaphragm and drive rod actuated by a single coil, resulting in a higher, more powerful output for its size than any other BA and is excellent at expressing a warmer and more natural midrange.

A Radial Venting Acoustic Chamber, newly developed by Campfire Audio, is applied to Dual Custom 10mm Dynamic Drivers. The 3D-printed chamber design naturally expresses the intense low-frequency sound produced by the two dynamic drivers while preserving the unique sound of the BA driver.

Beryllium Copper MMCX connectors are more resilient against wear and tear than regular brass connectors, providing a robust mating mechanism; one that is typically made from soft brass. This selection of a harder material extends the life of the component and the earphone.

PATHFINDER comes with three silver-plated copper cables (terminated in 3.5mm, 2.5mm and 4.4mm headphone jacks) allowing the earphones to reach their full performance potential. The silver-plated OFC copper Litz cable is a newly produced flat cable, with enameled silver-plated copper wire conductor to offer clearer, extended sounds. The flat cable prevents tangling, can be wound for easy storage, and has minimal cable distortion. It is over-molded for increased durability and finished with a metal housing.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

August 2019 was our last travel family vacation, Maureen and our two children, my oldest daughter was unavailable for this trip. Maureen is the planner in our partnership, she likes to have trips end with a couple days in a place like that one in Ireland. When we arrive it is always bitter sweet as we know soon we will start the journey home.

That trip which started in San Francisco and ended at Lake Louise Canada, was also early in my IEM and DAP journey, I had the Lotoo PAW6000 my first DAP and the U12T with me.

I remember listening to a pretty album Trickle from a band called Olive many times on our various hikes and how much I loved the U12T at the time. Maureen and our children are more mobile than me, my knees are not so terrific, I move slow these days, mostly I end up running up the rear of the hikes, which is fine since I stop to take pictures and listen to music, and the three of them are all about the business of the hike.

Getting back to that last resort, 4 star Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise was originally opened in 1882 and has old world charm. The view of the lake is stunning. These three pictures tell the story of the path around the Lake and the view from the large outdoor area between the Inn and the Lake.
An amazingly beautiful part of Canada, so crowded.

​

Awesome. I"ve actually been there. Love it.

Took a 6 week driving trip with my whole family when my boys were young that started in Las Vegas and took us to the Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, then up to Calgary and Banff up through Lake Louise and Jasper, then to Vancouver, Whistler and Victoria Island, Seattle, Redwood forrest and then home. It was an EPIC trip.

 

[bluestorm1992]

Nope. I have no desire to even hear it since I own the Red Halo FE and it is my favorite IEM. I like it more than Jewel, EXT and Traillii. I have it paired with First Times cable and that is great enough for me. The Red Halo FE has the best mids I have ever heard in an IEM.

I missed the last like new RH FE and it is nowhere to be found now.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

I missed the last like new RH FE and it is nowhere to be found now.

Can't wait to hear about your new Garden.

 

[Tristy]

Which Campfire Audio IEM is the AK Pathfinder like?


AK PATHFINDER IEM (July 2022 - $1,899)

The AK PATHFINDER becomes the second collaboration with IEM manufacturer Campfire Audio to produce in-ear monitors (IEMs) under the Astell&Kern brand. Pathfinder is a newly designed hybrid IEM not based on previous Campfire IEM.

PATHFINDER has a new Dual-Chamber Balanced Armature (BA) Driver from Knowles for the key part of the midrange, two BA drivers for high frequencies, as well as two dynamic drivers with a hybrid diaphragm that create bass and midrange.

Knowles’ new ‘Dual Chamber’ Balanced Armature Driver, used for the first time ever in PATHFINDER, is an innovative driver in which a single coil operates two individual diaphragms. It’s like a twin cylinder engine – delivering more horsepower and smoother operation compared to one with a single, larger piston.

Compared to a traditional BA with a single, larger diaphragm, the all-new design incorporates two chambers, each housing its own diaphragm and drive rod actuated by a single coil, resulting in a higher, more powerful output for its size than any other BA and is excellent at expressing a warmer and more natural midrange.

A Radial Venting Acoustic Chamber, newly developed by Campfire Audio, is applied to Dual Custom 10mm Dynamic Drivers. The 3D-printed chamber design naturally expresses the intense low-frequency sound produced by the two dynamic drivers while preserving the unique sound of the BA driver.

Beryllium Copper MMCX connectors are more resilient against wear and tear than regular brass connectors, providing a robust mating mechanism; one that is typically made from soft brass. This selection of a harder material extends the life of the component and the earphone.

PATHFINDER comes with three silver-plated copper cables (terminated in 3.5mm, 2.5mm and 4.4mm headphone jacks) allowing the earphones to reach their full performance potential. The silver-plated OFC copper Litz cable is a newly produced flat cable, with enameled silver-plated copper wire conductor to offer clearer, extended sounds. The flat cable prevents tangling, can be wound for easy storage, and has minimal cable distortion. It is over-molded for increased durability and finished with a metal housing.

Similar shell shape to the Solaris 2020 with a similar mid to high driver config… the lows look completely different however with the double DD’s facing each other / different materials and the dual chamber single BA for the mids looks like a new concept too. I’m willing to wager that this is somewhat based on the “sand circle” concept that CFA recently showcased at the audio festival.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

Similar shell shape to the Solaris 2020 with a similar mid to high driver config… the lows look completely different however with the double DD’s facing each other / different materials and the dual chamber single BA for the mids looks like a new concept too. I’m willing to wager that this is somewhat based on the “sand circle” concept that CFA recently showcased at the audio festival.

Nice. Then it is a new IEM. I wonder if they count this as one of their new models. Is it a total OEM? Or, does CA offer a similar unit for its customers?

 

[Rockwell75]

I haven't seen CFA promote this at all (yet) which leads me to think that, like the Solaris X, it's fundamentally an AK release that CFA is collaborating on and not a CFA release proper. I could be wrong though...perhaps it is one of their "4 shapes" releases.

 

[bluestorm1992]

Can't wait to hear about your new Garden.

Two people I know did order it. Not sure if I can find the chance to try it out with them.

 

[yaps66]

There are a number of places you could go. Dorado 2020 is very musical/emotive/bombastic/fun. If you wanted to go further in the musical/emotive category something like EXT would be an option. If you wanted to go in the bombastic/fun direction Xe6 is a great option. Or you could go for a more purely technical option and forgo a DD driven sound altogether. The more you dialogue here the more you'll get a sense of what might be best for you. The joys of fellowship and community.

Thanks for those great recommendations! I guess that’s why the Dorado 2020 are so special because they have all those elements! I was actually thinking of exploring the technical side of things, though I must admit, I’m a DD addict. For technical iems my thoughts are either Andromeda 2020 or the U12t.

 

[Rockwell75]

Thanks for those great recommendations! I guess that’s why the Dorado 2020 are so special because they have all those elements! I was actually thinking of exploring the technical side of things, though I must admit, I’m a DD addict. For technical iems my thoughts are either Andromeda 2020 or the U12t.

Yeah the options are literally endless and really only limited by your budget. Hopefully you'll get a chance to demo a bunch of stuff to give you an idea of the lay of the land.

Edit: I can't emphasize the last point enough. No amount of listening to others, no matter how articulate they are, will substitute for actually hearing stuff for yourself and determining what your own priorities are.

 

[KuroKitsu]

VULKAN

@riverground our wallets are in trouble. Look at those faceplates

 

[yaps66]

Yeah the options are literally endless and really only limited by your budget. Hopefully you'll get a chance to demo a bunch of stuff to give you an idea of the lay of the land.

That’s the plan when I next return to Singapore around July. The prospect of a visit Zepp & Co is leaving me quite excited! It will be my first time!