[nihalsharma]

I would like to suggest an eponymous action. This one is pulling an @aaf evo. Not sure it’s suggested already.

Meaning: buy everything which is TOTL. Don’t like it sell it at a very low price and move on to the next one, no regrets.

 

[Lucikun]

What you're describing is what happened to me with my ZMF Atrium + McIntosh MHA200 over on the headphone side of the hobby.

Though I am pretty accepting of a wide range of signatures, I am unbashedly a detailhead first and foremost, with my preferences leaning more towards an analytical critical-listening type of presentation. But the rich, analog, almost nostalgic sound of the Atrium pairing above just reaches into my brain and flicks off my critical listening switch. "Just listen, just enjoy" it says. It basically does this:

Thus far, I've been eyeing the Trifecta debate with curiosity. But if it can do what the Atrium does, then I might have to move it farther up my auditioning list.



Yeah, I know exactly how that feels. At this point, the next big thing no longer catches my eye or ear the way it used to. I find myself more attracted to innovation, or unique properties, with only tremendous leaps in traditional performance disrupting that. On one hand, that makes the hobby a little less exciting and obsessive than it used to be. On the other hand, there's more time to simply enjoy music, and that's always a good thing.



Really, how so?

What you're describing is what happened to me with my ZMF Atrium + McIntosh MHA200 over on the headphone side of the hobby.

Though I am pretty accepting of a wide range of signatures, I am unbashedly a detailhead first and foremost, with my preferences leaning more towards an analytical critical-listening type of presentation. But the rich, analog, almost nostalgic sound of the Atrium pairing above just reaches into my brain and flicks off my critical listening switch. "Just listen, just enjoy" it says. It basically does this:

Thus far, I've been eyeing the Trifecta debate with curiosity. But if it can do what the Atrium does, then I might have to move it farther up my auditioning list.



Yeah, I know exactly how that feels. At this point, the next big thing no longer catches my eye or ear the way it used to. I find myself more attracted to innovation, or unique properties, with only tremendous leaps in traditional performance disrupting that. On one hand, that makes the hobby a little less exciting and obsessive than it used to be. On the other hand, there's more time to simply enjoy music, and that's always a good thing.



Really, how so?

Issues with screeching through usb, connectivity issues with the poly. I’m assuming it’s been smooth sailing for you with the device?

 

[Rockwell75]

I haven't heard the Trifecta, but that's a bold statement. I do listen at this moment, mainly to the Quattro. I also have the Trio, which is OK, but I haven't really spent that much time with it, as the Quattro's sound is amazing!

I've heard the Quattro. It is indeed great and closer to the tuning profile that I imagine the Trio has and your seemingly placing the Quattro a level above it provides a good frame of reference that seems more in line with what I suspect the reality is. Trifecta is a very bold, audacious and unique IEM. It has many summit fi qualities but its mode of presentation is clearly not for everyone...but those of us for whom it is for have a heard time being satisfied with anything less as far as pure unadulterated DD sound goes. When I first got the Trifecta I had someone tell me that the Penon Serial (a triple DD precursor to the Quattro from Penon) was much superior and like 1/10 the price. I sought out the Serial and very much enjoyed it-- but it is a much safer and more conventionally tuned IEM and not really comparable to the Trifecta at all, save that both IEMs contain 3 DDs. I suspect a similar thing is true here.

 

[Tanalasta]

Hey, sorry for delay in responding as I’ve only seen this just today.

Thank you for the detailed response! I have it narrowed down to the Hiby RS8, AK SE300, and Cayin N8ii. I think the RS8 is my front runner, I just have to convince myself to spend that amount of money on a DAP.

Other options I’m considering are the Mojo 2/Poly and Hugo 2/2go. Though the Mojo especially seems like a somewhat janky device from what I’ve heard around the web.

I don't really recommend the Hugo2/2Go. Look it sounds fabulous if you like the Chord sound. And works seamlessly as a Roon Endpoint.

But trying to get it there required all sorts of frustration. It would only recognise 802.11b ; I had to change my router wireless channel form auto to fixed ; the app constantly crashed and I had to use my android DAP at one point to try to get the GoFigure app to work. Battery life isn't particularly long and it overheats if you charge and play more than 30-45 minutes. I have a lot of time for Chord from a technical FGPA DAC perspective but their implementation of basic technology, user interface and human ergonomics is wanting.

And if you like the warmer R2R sound with RS8 being the front runner then Chord perhaps isn't for you.

 

[emdeevee]

I am extremely happy with the modest CCA Trio



It's become the benchmark single-/all-DD for me, after hearing so many others at orders of magnitude higher price points that didn't work for me including Advar, Perpetua and Trifecta, each of which had spiky upper mids/treble in different unacceptable ways.

I'm still holding out hope that maybe Quattro or Duality will offer a more technical listen with even larger stage than the Trio, but if not the $30 for these will have been well spent.

I haven't heard the Trifecta, but that's a bold statement. I do listen at this moment, mainly to the Quattro. I also have the Trio, which is OK, but I haven't really spent that much time with it, as the Quattro's sound is amazing!

I have all of these except this Trio. I have it coming for curiosity sake, and @Neweymatt's impressions above intrigue me. I will reserve judgment, but I'm fairly certain things will go as @Rockwell75 has predicted. He's usually right about this stuff.

Edit: and I will be shocked if it exceeds either Serial or Quattro.

 

[MSwiss]

I have all of these except this Trio. I have it coming for curiosity sake, and @Neweymatt's impressions above intrigue me. I will reserve judgment, but I'm fairly certain things will go as @Rockwell75 has predicted. He's usually right about this stuff.

Edit: and I will be shocked if it exceeds either Serial or Quattro.

To add a little more to the above, I have a Hugo &2go and when I’m at home it’s wonderful. It works seamlessly as a Roon end point and delivers excellent sound. But and it’s a big but, if you want it for travel the janky software and connectivity issues are a stumbling block.

When you’re used to lightning fast phones it seems archaic, I’m going down the route of a CMA18 as the user interface on 2go and some daps isn’t great. I’ll keep the Hugo as in my homes it works perfectly but for travel , meh there’s better options.

 

[emdeevee]

BTW, the very best single driver iem in the world truly must be the Rhapsodio Supreme v3.

Talk about perfection in coherence and staging, just amazing, closest thing to great headphones I've heard. Try it if you can and be similarly amazed. And this ridiculous Fantasies Copper cable is also outstanding, with this and every other of my iems, made Xe6 quite happy!

 

[warrenpchi]

I’m assuming it’s been smooth sailing for you with the device?

Hence my confusion.

Issues with screeching through usb, connectivity issues with the poly.

I've run it both by itself, and with the Poly, though a good 90% of the time it's been via the Poly. No issues so far.

 

[Lucikun]

Hence my confusion.



I've run it both by itself, and with the Poly, though a good 90% of the time it's been via the Poly. No issues so far.

Good to hear. Certainly a cheaper option than the Daps I’m looking at.

 

[drftr]

BTW, the very best single driver iem in the world truly must be the Rhapsodio Supreme v3.

Very true from my perspective, but the weight man. How can you cope with it? Deepest fit possible, sturdy cable, and not moving your head?

drftr

 

[warrenpchi]

Good to hear. Certainly a cheaper option than the Daps I’m looking at.

Honestly, the thing that sold me was the ability to stream to it - or control it - wirelessly with my phone.

For nearly a decade, I'd been on the A&K flagship train (AK120, AK240, AK380, SP1000), and I was seriously considering the SP3000 as my next move. Then I realized that I was sick and tired of dealing with its iniquities with regard to apps, interfaces, etc.

With the Mojo2Poly, I just keep it in my sling. Then I easily stream to it (lossless via Airplay), or DLNA some higher res files from the SD card in the Poly, all while using my phone's native TIDAL, Qobuz, or Apple Music apps (or via 8player Pro).

Life is easier this way.

 

[cachedbrown]

Not sure if this is the right place but, anyone have any recommendations for really warm IEM’s with a lot of good base. A lot of the stuff I’ve seen recommended here is really analytical which isn’t my thing. Ideally at $3k or less and actually comfortable to wear. I’m trying to find a fun listen.

 

[MatW]

Honestly, the thing that sold me was the ability to stream to it - or control it - wirelessly with my phone.

For nearly a decade, I'd been on the A&K flagship train (AK120, AK240, AK380, SP1000), and I was seriously considering the SP3000 as my next move. Then I realized that I was sick and tired of dealing with its iniquities with regard to apps, interfaces, etc.

With the Mojo2Poly, I just keep it in my sling. Then I easily stream to it (lossless via Airplay), or DLNA some higher res files from the SD card in the Poly, all while using my phone's native TIDAL, Qobuz, or Apple Music apps (or via 8player Pro).

Life is easier this way.

That’s how I use the SP3000 with Roon. Control of the player with my iPhone or iPad. AK is the only DAP brand that has cracked the nut on this one. The limited use of Roon among serious audiophiles continues to baffle me.

Not sure if this is the right place but, anyone have any recommendations for really warm IEM’s with a lot of good base. A lot of the stuff I’ve seen recommended here is really analytical which isn’t my thing. Ideally at $3k or less and actually comfortable to wear. I’m trying to find a fun listen.

Xenon 6 does exactly what you’re describing.

 

[Beh0lder]

As I test this new PB5 Osprey with my collection, I'm just blown away by what it is doing to my P6Pro. For the first few days, I kept everything in low gain and had wow moments, but when I pumped the PB5 to its high gain, even more wows. This is sort of what I was hoping this pairing would do.

Interestingly, trying the Xe6 (which does not require a lot of power) in this configuration is giving it something even more special. The separation and air quotient is way up, the bass and kinetic bass are on fire, and the vocals clear without veil. I guess when amped up, Xe6 rises to the occasion and is hugely more enjoyable than before.

So, score on the PB5, an amazingly great and reasonably affordable way to radically up your DAPs performance!

I was enjoying my Xe6 yesterday as well after the Rn6 vs Xe6 debate. My Rn6 are out for RMA so I figured it's time to undust them what a combo! Hopefully my C24 will return this week as the C23 did some great magic in lifting the veil. The PB5 is a spectacular amp for the price. It's incredibly light given its size.

 

[cachedbrown]

Xenon 6 does exactly what you’re describing.

Ah man, that’s what it seemed like when I read the reviews but it’s 3.8k! If only it was cheaper