[Rockwell75]

Congrats! Can't wait to hear your impressions on them. I can see the EXT filling the lower-mids specialist in your collection, with that DD and HALC

I have high hopes for the treble too. Elysium's treble is still tops for me, though admittedly that's the area of the FR I know the least about. I'm honestly also prepared for Phoenix to totally surprise me. Hearing Erlk is still on my IEM bucket list and the thought of hearing its successor has me quite excited.

 

[Rockwell75]

1. EVO - loving what I'm hearing, everything else sounds small.
2. EXT - very excited to hear the best mids in the business, with most bass!
3. PHöNIX - I've never heard the Earkönig, ss here's to hearing it's successor!
4. Hiby R6 r2r, Cayin’s R2R dongle, and any new R2R products in development.

You should loan me your Evo . I'll take good care of it . (Kidding...but man do I want to demo one.)

I heard some impressions of the Hiby R2R player on FB from someone who loved he n6ii TI and the L&P and he said the Hiby doesn't come close to the Cayin or L&P stuff.

 

[Wildcatsare1]

You should loan me your Evo . I'll take good care of it . (Kidding...but man do I want to demo one.)

I heard some impressions of the Hiby R2R player on FB from someone who loved he n6ii TI and the L&P and he said the Hiby doesn't come close to the Cayin or L&P stuff.

That's a disappointment, but Cayin makes some excellent sounding gear, I haven't heard the L&P stuff, but I'm thinking it's a safe bet is love them.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

You should loan me your Evo . I'll take good care of it . (Kidding...but man do I want to demo one.)

I heard some impressions of the Hiby R2R player on FB from someone who loved he n6ii TI and the L&P and he said the Hiby doesn't come close to the Cayin or L&P stuff.

Well, I think you just saved me a load of money. I don't need to rush to get that Hiby RS6.

 

[Deezel177]

Is that a thing yet? It's almost time to start anticipating EVE22.



I forgot about the M9. Definitely curious to see what Shanling can do at the flagship level with a Sabre board.

The EVE21 was apparently set for Q4 of 2021, which is just around the corner. I hope it does come out, if only to prove that not only flagships are worthy of hype.

 

[Charlyro222]

Today testing the new incoming toys, iFi Diablo with Softears RSV, I feel the power of this DAC, a much wider soundstage than Shanling M8

 

[Rockwell75]

Another one on the radar...the new AK SP200T. Tube out, 4.4 option & reasonably priced...candidate for my first ever AK player.

https://bloomaudio.com/products/ast...ac1a80a)&utm_medium=email&utm_source=omnisend

 

[mashuto]

Another one on the radar...the new AK SP200T. Tube out, 4.4 option & reasonably priced...candidate for my first ever AK player.

https://bloomaudio.com/products/astell-kern-a-ultima-sp2000t?omnisendContactID=60c4ecce4572ea0af1c47240&utm_campaign=campaign:+sp2000t+(615855b30cb7a3001ac1a80a)&utm_medium=email&utm_source=omnisend

Not sure I would consider $2500 as reasonably priced. But it certainly does look interesting.

 

[Rockwell75]

Well, I think you just saved me a load of money. I don't need to rush to get that Hiby RS6.

 

[Rockwell75]

The EVE21 was apparently set for Q4 of 2021, which is just around the corner. I hope it does come out, if only to prove that not only flagships are worthy of hype.

I'm secretly hoping EVE21 is a single DD. I'd love to see what VE could do with that sort of setup.

 

[Rockwell75]

Not sure I would consider $2500 as reasonably priced. But it certainly does look interesting.

Fair, but relative to the price of AK's previous flagships it is. Look at me, I've been conditioned lmao

 

[mashuto]

Fair, but relative to the price of AK's previous flagships it is. Look at me, I've been conditioned lmao

Haha believe me I know what you meant. Relative to themselves and to other flagships, yea, its reasonable. Its just that relative to... well everythiung else, its certainly not. And with IEMs too I hate that we are at a point where we are looking at $1-$2k IEMs and thinking they are reasonable. Hell, people were calling the Evo reasonably priced and its $3100, just because its cheaper than some of the other stuff thats been released recently. In my mind its not that these are reasonably priced, its that so much other stuff is unreasonably priced.

 

[Tchoupitoulas]

Just curious-- to anyone who reads this, what's the number 1 thing on your radar right now?

IEMs
1. Evo because I've yet to find fun, v-shaped or bassy IEMs I really like (for those in the headphones realm, I have and love the Massdrop x Fostex TH-X00 Ebony)
2. Kato because it would be nice to have a DD IEM for commuting (and it looks gorgeous, especially with the upgrade cable, and for the price)
3. Symphonium Helios

DAPs
1. Cayin N3 Pro for the toobs
2. AK SR25 for the battery (if it sounds good, the price is right)
3. Shanling M8 (I heard the M6 Pro 21 and loved it with the Andro 2020; I'm not sure if it'd be too bright with other IEMs; it made the dark Andro 2020 sound more neutral)

 

[Rockwell75]

Haha believe me I know what you meant. Relative to themselves and to other flagships, yea, its reasonable. Its just that relative to... well everythiung else, its certainly not. And with IEMs too I hate that we are at a point where we are looking at $1-$2k IEMs and thinking they are reasonable. Hell, people were calling the Evo reasonably priced and its $3100, just because its cheaper than some of the other stuff thats been released recently. In my mind its not that these are reasonably priced, its that so much other stuff is unreasonably priced.

When Sony, the elder statesman of the portable audio world, released their flagship the IER Z1R priced at $2K US I took that as something of a reference for what the upper bound of a reasonable price for a flagship IEM should be...and that anything beyond that is market opportunism. I stand by that statement to a large degree, though I've indulged in a few IEMs that were over that line, and probably will do so again soon. On the other hand given what can be easily spent on a desktop or 2-channel setup even the most ridiculously priced IEMs are quite tame even though the level of enjoyment attained combined with the added convenience might be the same.

IEMs
1. Evo because I've yet to find fun, v-shaped or bassy IEMs I really like

Hopefully you won't have to spend $3K to get there lol

I wish Headphone Bar here in BC carried Empire...I'd go on a pilgrimage to hear it.

3. Symphonium Helios

Never heard of that one.

3. Shanling M8 (I heard the M6 Pro 21 and loved it with the Andro 2020; I'm not sure if it'd be too bright with other IEMs; it made the dark Andro 2020 sound more neutral)

If you wind up with an M8 I'm sending you my Dorados so you can get a second opinion. Possibly my favorite pairing in Audio.

 

[Garney]

Really satisfied with the 64 duo at the moment... But things on the radar at this point are limited pretty much to...

EE Evo and VE ext.

As good as either may be, can't fathom the cost will be worth it. Also pretty sure I'll have major fit issues with the Evo. Probably will be keeping an eye on cheaper stuff as it becomes available.

I’ve been trying to keep up with your Duo vs Nio comparisons in the 64 Audio thread… now that you’ve had some time with the Duo do you think it’ll displace your Nio?

I know many find the Nio’s bass region wooly, with a thin midrange and “safe” treble, but it just jives well with my preferences / preferred genres for the most part. I exclusively use the M15 module with my Nio’s but do still want to try to the FiR 0. I really enjoy the sub bass of the Nio but wouldn’t mind something a bit “tighter”, with a fuller midrange and a touch more air in the treble. Not all the time, mind you, just on occasion / genre dependent.