Just curious as to if this happens to others. I’ve dialed in my preferences over the years and pretty much the RN6 or Onyx plus AKSP3K is a home run for me, end game as I thought. However, lately I’m just addicted to XE6 CIEM and AKSP3KT and just can’t get enough of it which kind of cuts against what I thought I liked
The Watercooler -- Impressions, philosophical discussion and general banter. Index on first page. All welcome.
- Thread starter Rockwell75
- Start date
fejnomit
Headphoneus Supremus
+1 for the Falcons. A great single DD for the priceI tested this one and thought it was great for the price!There was a sale going at HifiGo for them recently, too.
Here are some impressions from the tour, mine seem more negative than they actually are... I swear.I did like them.
Uh-oh... My 2 best liked + the most disliked. Hard to fathom I could possibly walk the same path. Wishing you a speedy recovery
But isn't it a fantastic thing that this actually happens?? It means even your own opinions, preferences, whatever are purely depending on circumstances. Just declare it a victory and see what other great experiences it brings you.
drftr
Well said!! I have to start laundering money now so wifey doesn’t see the purchases stack up!Uh-oh... My 2 best liked + the most disliked. Hard to fathom I could possibly walk the same path. Wishing you a speedy recovery
But isn't it a fantastic thing that this actually happens?? It means even your own opinions, preferences, whatever are purely depending on circumstances. Just declare it a victory and see what other great experiences it brings you.
drftr
My Dita Project M arrived today, I am very surprised and happy with Project M. Some early impressions for now:
Very correct sounding, lack a little body on some stuff. But overall have a very natural timbre.
When music call for bass it shows, while I would have liked more I am also quite happy with the quantity. The quality is excellent, nuanced and punchy.
Midrange is very clean and good, not shouty at all. Really liking vocals, the mids is also tuned in a way where I can listen to metal without getting fatuiged from stuff like cymbals while still having good clarity. Sort of like Bonneville
The highs are a little bright and forward but not overly sharp, and very detailed with good air. Can probably depend on source and music, but on my desktop stack the treble is well controlled.
Lately the IEMs around $300 have some really nice gems, this is one of them.
Very correct sounding, lack a little body on some stuff. But overall have a very natural timbre.
When music call for bass it shows, while I would have liked more I am also quite happy with the quantity. The quality is excellent, nuanced and punchy.
Midrange is very clean and good, not shouty at all. Really liking vocals, the mids is also tuned in a way where I can listen to metal without getting fatuiged from stuff like cymbals while still having good clarity. Sort of like Bonneville
The highs are a little bright and forward but not overly sharp, and very detailed with good air. Can probably depend on source and music, but on my desktop stack the treble is well controlled.
Lately the IEMs around $300 have some really nice gems, this is one of them.
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And canpur CP622b?So my ear muscles gained some size and now im able to comfortably handle the weight of the Rhapsodio Supreme V3 for longer periods of time(the tips from penon help as well)
I think I found what I consider the most addictive IEM till date. It might not be tonal correct, not the bassiest, not the most comfortable, not the most practical, not the most fitting for all songs
But when it works…… man it works!
The experience is like nothing else ive heard. Complete immersion, being fully captivated by the music
The only other IEM to my ears that comes close is the Trifecta (but not surpass). Though both take a vastly different approach.
Especially love it on instrumentals, or epic music like game themes
It only took a €17k setup to get there…..
Simpeler
500+ Head-Fier
The CP622B is more allround, it in my opinion works for just about everything.
Its reference tuned which some might think is analytical, but I think its still fun sounding due to its ability to generate space and imaging.
And some actually love it for genres like hip-hop. Due to bass quality and the feeling they give
The bass is not high in quantity but it is quality bass, and in the mids I like the BC driver. But apparently it does not work out for everyone.
When I think about it, many IEM’s I trully LOVE, people tend to not love at first sound
Only the Rn6 everyone seems to like when they hear it first (non audiophile friends). Which I also like, but becomes to “plain” and leaves me wanting more “wow” whatever that means.
But back to the CP622B: this could be a one and done IEM, if it fits your ear, you like Spatious sound with great imaging. And want a more reference sound.
The V3 is not a one and done all rounder.
But has (in my opinion) no equal in soundstage (3D) experience.
Simpeler
500+ Head-Fier
Does this mean the new susvara is a 2 in 1 convertable closed/open back headphone?
fejnomit
Headphoneus Supremus
I feel compelled to comment here again, if only to point out the vastly different things we listen for.
I'll start with "the musicality bit is there for sure." I guess this is where preferences come into play. Musicality is not just a "bit" of the listening experience for me. It is THE bit. Without it, I won't stay with a set for very long. But the same goes for technicalities. It would equally absurd for me to say "yeah the technicals are there but...." without acknowledging that that's a big deal.
Also when you say you agree that Trios don't have "mids like Trifecta," again, this is quite a massive statement for me. Mids are a MASSIVE part of the FR, both on their own and in the way they interact with the lower and higher registers. So again this is not something to be dismissed as "oh they don't have the trifecta mids" - that's basically saying they don't sound the same at all.
And then "depth, layering, and soundstage is all in the recording of the music." Yes but also no. Obviously these cues have to be present in the original recording; a pair of passive speakers cannot create something that isn't there. But they can resolve it to better or lesser degrees. Trifectas allow staging and depth and holography and layering to come through like no other IEM I have heard. Others can do it, obviously, but not as well, to my ears.
And finally, as for price, well, as has been stated may times here, value is only in the ears of the listener, so we can happily go our merry ways on that one. If you wouldn't spend (used) $1900 for the sound that Trifectas bring, then you wouldn't spend $1900. More power to you. You don't get along with their sound to that level of engagement. But to balance out your impressions, the Trifectas are literally priceless to me. I would spend A LOT more than even their $3300 asking price to get their sound, because literally no other IEM has it.
Well, again, not so sure. He spent a long time with the Trios and then a short time with Trifectas under unknown listening conditions, except for source.
Also the implication that some listeners might go into their imrpessions NOT "with an open mind and a sound-first attitude" is ludicrous and condescending and I am going to assume you were just trying to approve of his methodology (although it's hard to see where you derived that methodology from) and not trying to criticize whatever you perceived to have been my methodology in my impressions.
I have owned both the Trios and the Trifectas for many months and logged in dozens of hours with both, and the ONLY thing that matters to me is being honest and "sound first." I have zero skin in the game except finding sets that move me in the right way. And believe me, I WANTED the Trios to be the Trifectas, I really did; I wanted them to be special; that's why I bought them and tested them for so long. But they are not. To my ears.
Of course OP can buy whatever he wants etc etc etc. and many would be very happy with the Trios, depending on what they are listening for. But I don't need sideways digs that I'm a fanboy just because someone was unable to enjoy their time with the Trifectas.
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Hey everyone, I paid a visit to MusicTeck a few days ago and wanted to share some impressions of the Canpur 74E, A&K SP3000T, and the Beat Audio Oslo MKIV. Though they likely won't see this, many thanks to Andrew and Leo for their hospitality as always. Off we go then:
Canpur 74E ($2900 USD)
Sources: 320MAX Ti, stock cable, UM eartips
Drivers: 7BA, 4EST
The 74E garners a lot of interest because of the popularity of Canpur's previous efforts, the 622B and to a lesser extent, the 54E.
At $2900 USD, the 74E is priced between the 54E ($2000) and the 622B ($3500) which puts it at TOTL pricing without supplanting 622B as Canpur's flagship.
One of the biggest differences between the 74E and the 622B is that the former is without a bone conduction driver. Still, like the 622B, it produces a highly resolving midrange. 622B I think has the edge in midrange resolution but it comes across a little drier. 74E's midrange is a touch more forward, more euphonic, and has a slightly thicker note weight. Hard to say which one is "better" since these differences will probably come down to individual preferences.
The bass of the 74E sounds more mid-bassy than 622B's which had more of a sub-bass focus to my ears. 74E's bass is quite punchy with good physicality and decent texturing abilities. The bass body sounded a touch bloated to me which had the effect of taking up space, which in turn made the vocals seem a little crowded. The 622B then, sounded more open in comparison.
74E had a nice tone overall which I preferred to the 622B's drier presentation across all the frequencies. Pianos and stringed instruments all sounded pleasant, however, the 74E has a lower/mid-treble dip which affects the attack of these instruments. I think 622B also has a dip in this region, but I'm going off memory so I can't recall if it lacked instrument attack as well.
The upper-treble on 74E, thankfully, is more incisive so there are no issues there. 74E has good imaging and dynamics, though macrodynamics seemed better than microdynamics, possibly due to the lower/mid-treble dip.
I thought 74E was an overall decent set. I think it's a decent all-rounder, especially for folks that really enjoy vocals and maybe don't care too much about orchestral music or tracks with a ton of instruments.
A&K SP3000T ($3000)
A&K's SP3KT is a DAP that was highly touted by @aaf evo for its remarkable tone. He urged I give it a try at MT and I was lucky enough to give it demo.
SP3KT has three modes: OP (I think solid state mode), hybrid, and tube modes.
In hybrid mode, you're able to move a slider in one of five positions, leaning the amp more OP mode, equal parts both, or more tube mode. Because I was limited on time, I only demoed the SP3KT in full tube mode.
The first thing I noted about the SP3KT is that it's beautifully machined. It feels very premium. It's quite hefty though and has sharp edges which may be uncomfortable if you're trying to pocket it without a case. Fortunately, one comes included. Unfortunately, the included case is a yellow color that I don't think will appeal to most people. You can see a picture of it in @twister6's review.
Moving back to the sound, the sound of the SP3KT was really charming. The tone was very seductive and there was surprisingly good stage depth. I'm going to draw some quick comparisons to my own 320MAX, then tell you why it might not matter all that much.
The 320MAX has a more defined transient attack, more bass physicality, better apparent resolution, and far better dynamics. In all sonic metrics except for stage depth and maybe some that I missed, the 320MAX is better. And yet, the SP3KT had an intangible enjoyability and addictiveness that the 320MAX doesn't.
I think this is the main draw of the SP3KT. If you're looking for the best technicalities in a DAP, you can do better than SP3KT. But don't discount it until you've given it a listen. It may just draw you in.
One unique thing that I noticed about the SP3KT is that it has really good imaging without having a very defined transient attack. I usually conflate imaging prowess with a defined attack so I thought this was interesting. SP3KT has particularly good depth imaging which I thought it did better than 320MAX.
Beat Audio Oslo MK4 (8-wire variant) ($1800)
The Oslo MK4 is a cable that's been quite popular in some circles that I run in. I was able to get a re-demo of it so I wanted to talk about it a little bit. Let me start with what I don't like about it. I'm not a big fan of the purple color, the brass-colored hardware, or the feel of the cable, all of which come across a little tacky to me.
That's about it for the dislikes. Now, for the likes, of which there are plenty.
The overall sonic signature of the Oslo MK4 is a slight and tasteful treble lift, a very fine resolution of details, and large staging. Notes have ample space to breathe. The way that Oslo MK4 resolves was its most interesting feature to me. It's not just transparent. On the Oslo I had the feeling that every sound was made of very fine, almost microscopic fibers, with each fiber being resolved by the Oslo. This was a new sensation for me, so it was very interesting indeed.
Oslo MK4 has a softer, refined presentation. It's not the most slammy cable, or a cable that adds the most note body. It's not lean, harsh, or bright either. It's soft, mostly neutral, refined, with very open staging, and the unique resolution capability I mentioned.
Priced at $1700 for the 8-wire variant, it's certainly not cheap, but I can see why it's popular. If you don't mind the way it looks or its price tag, it may be a nice complement to a lot of in-ears that can use a boost in openness, resolution, and refinement without over-coloration.
Last but not least, in true MusicTeck fashion, Andrew and Leo displayed kindness and hospitality by treating me to some pizza. Now, I come from New York City so I have high expectations for pizza. NJ isn't really known as a pizza mecca either, but this pizza hit the spot. Hope this picture doesn't make you too hungry.
Canpur 74E ($2900 USD)
Sources: 320MAX Ti, stock cable, UM eartips
Drivers: 7BA, 4EST
The 74E garners a lot of interest because of the popularity of Canpur's previous efforts, the 622B and to a lesser extent, the 54E.
At $2900 USD, the 74E is priced between the 54E ($2000) and the 622B ($3500) which puts it at TOTL pricing without supplanting 622B as Canpur's flagship.
One of the biggest differences between the 74E and the 622B is that the former is without a bone conduction driver. Still, like the 622B, it produces a highly resolving midrange. 622B I think has the edge in midrange resolution but it comes across a little drier. 74E's midrange is a touch more forward, more euphonic, and has a slightly thicker note weight. Hard to say which one is "better" since these differences will probably come down to individual preferences.
The bass of the 74E sounds more mid-bassy than 622B's which had more of a sub-bass focus to my ears. 74E's bass is quite punchy with good physicality and decent texturing abilities. The bass body sounded a touch bloated to me which had the effect of taking up space, which in turn made the vocals seem a little crowded. The 622B then, sounded more open in comparison.
74E had a nice tone overall which I preferred to the 622B's drier presentation across all the frequencies. Pianos and stringed instruments all sounded pleasant, however, the 74E has a lower/mid-treble dip which affects the attack of these instruments. I think 622B also has a dip in this region, but I'm going off memory so I can't recall if it lacked instrument attack as well.
The upper-treble on 74E, thankfully, is more incisive so there are no issues there. 74E has good imaging and dynamics, though macrodynamics seemed better than microdynamics, possibly due to the lower/mid-treble dip.
I thought 74E was an overall decent set. I think it's a decent all-rounder, especially for folks that really enjoy vocals and maybe don't care too much about orchestral music or tracks with a ton of instruments.
A&K SP3000T ($3000)
A&K's SP3KT is a DAP that was highly touted by @aaf evo for its remarkable tone. He urged I give it a try at MT and I was lucky enough to give it demo.
SP3KT has three modes: OP (I think solid state mode), hybrid, and tube modes.
In hybrid mode, you're able to move a slider in one of five positions, leaning the amp more OP mode, equal parts both, or more tube mode. Because I was limited on time, I only demoed the SP3KT in full tube mode.
The first thing I noted about the SP3KT is that it's beautifully machined. It feels very premium. It's quite hefty though and has sharp edges which may be uncomfortable if you're trying to pocket it without a case. Fortunately, one comes included. Unfortunately, the included case is a yellow color that I don't think will appeal to most people. You can see a picture of it in @twister6's review.
Moving back to the sound, the sound of the SP3KT was really charming. The tone was very seductive and there was surprisingly good stage depth. I'm going to draw some quick comparisons to my own 320MAX, then tell you why it might not matter all that much.
The 320MAX has a more defined transient attack, more bass physicality, better apparent resolution, and far better dynamics. In all sonic metrics except for stage depth and maybe some that I missed, the 320MAX is better. And yet, the SP3KT had an intangible enjoyability and addictiveness that the 320MAX doesn't.
I think this is the main draw of the SP3KT. If you're looking for the best technicalities in a DAP, you can do better than SP3KT. But don't discount it until you've given it a listen. It may just draw you in.
One unique thing that I noticed about the SP3KT is that it has really good imaging without having a very defined transient attack. I usually conflate imaging prowess with a defined attack so I thought this was interesting. SP3KT has particularly good depth imaging which I thought it did better than 320MAX.
Beat Audio Oslo MK4 (8-wire variant) ($1800)
The Oslo MK4 is a cable that's been quite popular in some circles that I run in. I was able to get a re-demo of it so I wanted to talk about it a little bit. Let me start with what I don't like about it. I'm not a big fan of the purple color, the brass-colored hardware, or the feel of the cable, all of which come across a little tacky to me.
That's about it for the dislikes. Now, for the likes, of which there are plenty.
The overall sonic signature of the Oslo MK4 is a slight and tasteful treble lift, a very fine resolution of details, and large staging. Notes have ample space to breathe. The way that Oslo MK4 resolves was its most interesting feature to me. It's not just transparent. On the Oslo I had the feeling that every sound was made of very fine, almost microscopic fibers, with each fiber being resolved by the Oslo. This was a new sensation for me, so it was very interesting indeed.
Oslo MK4 has a softer, refined presentation. It's not the most slammy cable, or a cable that adds the most note body. It's not lean, harsh, or bright either. It's soft, mostly neutral, refined, with very open staging, and the unique resolution capability I mentioned.
Priced at $1700 for the 8-wire variant, it's certainly not cheap, but I can see why it's popular. If you don't mind the way it looks or its price tag, it may be a nice complement to a lot of in-ears that can use a boost in openness, resolution, and refinement without over-coloration.
Last but not least, in true MusicTeck fashion, Andrew and Leo displayed kindness and hospitality by treating me to some pizza. Now, I come from New York City so I have high expectations for pizza. NJ isn't really known as a pizza mecca either, but this pizza hit the spot. Hope this picture doesn't make you too hungry.
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fejnomit
Headphoneus Supremus
Great impressions. Thank you. And never underestimate NJ pizza! Many generations of great Italian families there and they brought the eats!Hey everyone, I paid a visit to MusicTeck a few days ago and wanted to share some impressions on the Canpur 74E, A&K SP3000T, and the Beat Audio Oslo MKIV. Though they likely won't see this, many thanks to Andrew and Leo for their hospitality as always. Off we go then:
Canpur 74E ($2900 USD)
Sources: 320MAX Ti, stock cable, UM eartips
Drivers: 7BA, 4EST
The 74E garners a lot of interest because of the popularity of Canpur's previous efforts, the 622B and to a lesser extent, the 54E.
At $2900 USD, the 74E is priced between the 54E ($2000) and the 622B ($3500) which puts it at TOTL pricing without supplanting 622B as Canpur's flagship.
One of the biggest differences between the 74E and the 622B is that the former is without a bone conduction driver. Still, like the 622B, it produces a highly resolving midrange. 622B I think has the edge in midrange resolution but it comes across a little drier. 74E's midrange is a touch more forward, more euphonic, and has a slightly thicker note weight. Hard to say which one is "better" since these differences will probably come down to individual preferences.
The bass of the 74E sounds more mid-bassy than 622B's which had more of a sub-bass focus to my ears. 74E's bass is quite punchy with good physicality and decent texturing abilities. The bass body sounded a touch bloated to me which had the effect of taking up space, which in turn made the vocals seem a little crowded. The 622B then, sounded more open in comparison.
74E had a nice tone overall, which I preferred to the 622B's drier presentation across all the frequencies. Pianos, strings, all sounded pleasant, however, the 74E has a lower/mid-treble dip which affects the attack of these instruments. I think 622B also has a dip in this region, but I'm going off memory so I can't recall if it lacked instrument attack as well.
The upper-treble on 74E, however, is thankfully more incisive so there are no issues there. 74E has good imaging and dynamics, though macrodynamics seemed better than microdynamics, possibly due to the lower/mid-treble dip.
I thought 74E was an overall decent set. I think it's a decent all-rounder, especially for folks that really enjoy vocals and maybe don't care too much about orchestral music or tracks with a ton of instruments.
A&K SP3000T ($3000)
A&K's SP3KT is a DAP that was highly touted by @aaf evo for its remarkable tone. He urged I give it a try at MT and I was lucky enough to give it demo.
SP3KT has three modes: OP (I think solid state mode), hybrid, and tube modes.
In hybrid mode, you're able to move a slider in one of five positions, leaning the amp more OP mode, equal parts both, or more tube mode. Because I was limited on time, I only demoed the SP3KT in full tube mode.
The first thing I noted about the SP3KT is that it's beautifully machined. It feels very premium. It's quite hefty though and has sharp edges which may be uncomfortable if you're trying to pocket it without a case. Fortunately, one comes included. Unfortunately, the included case is a yellow color that I don't think will appeal to most people. You can see a picture of it in @twister6's review.
Moving back to the sound, the sound of the SP3KT was really charming. The tone was very seductive and there was surprisingly good stage depth. I'm going to draw some quick comparisons to my own 320MAX, and then tell you why it might not matter all too much.
The 320MAX has a more defined transient attack, more bass physicality, better apparent resolution, and far better dynamics. In all sonic metrics except for stage depth and maybe some that I missed, the 320MAX is better. And yet, the SP3KT had an intangible enjoyability and addictiveness that the 320MAX doesn't.
I think this is the main draw of the SP3KT. If you're looking for the best technicalities in a DAP, you can do better than SP3KT. But don't discount it until you've given it a listen. It may just draw you in.
One unique thing that I noticed about the SP3KT is that it has really good imaging without having a very defined transient attack. I usually conflate imaging prowess with a defined attack so I thought this was interesting. SP3KT has particularly good depth imaging which I thought it did better than 320MAX.
Beat Audio Oslo MK4 (8-wire variant) ($1800)
The Oslo MK4 is a cable that's been quite popular in some circles that I run in. I was able to get a re-demo of it so I wanted to talk about it a little bit. Let me start with what I don't like about it. I'm not a big fan of the purple color, the brass-colored hardware, or the feel of the cable, all of which comes across a little tacky to me.
That's about it for the dislikes. Now, for the likes, of which there are plenty.
The overall sonic signature of the Oslo MK4 is a slight and tasteful treble lift, a very fine resolution of details, and large staging. Notes have ample space to breathe. The way that Oslo MK4 resolves was its most interesting feature to me. It's not just transparent. On the Oslo I had the feeling that every sound was made of very fine, almost microscopic fibers, with each fiber being resolved by the Oslo. This was a new sensation for me, so it was very interesting indeed.
Oslo MK4 has a softer, refined presentation. It's not the most slammy cable, or a cable that adds the most note body. It's not lean, harsh, or bright either. It's soft, mostly neutral, refined, with very open staging, and the unique resolution capability I mentioned.
Priced at $1700 for the 8-wire variant, it's certainly not cheap, but I can see why it's popular. If you don't mind the way it looks or its price tag, it may be a nice complement to a lot of in-ears that can use a boost in opennness, resolution, and refinement without over-coloration.
Last but not least, in true MusicTeck fashion, Andrew and Leo displayed kindness and hospitality by treating me to some pizza. Now, I come from New York City so I have high expectations for pizza. NJ isn't really known as a pizza mecca either, but this pizza hit the spot. Hope this picture doesn't make you too hungry.
Hey everyone, I paid a visit to MusicTeck a few days ago and wanted to share some impressions of the Canpur 74E, A&K SP3000T, and the Beat Audio Oslo MKIV. Though they likely won't see this, many thanks to Andrew and Leo for their hospitality as always. Off we go then:
Canpur 74E ($2900 USD)
Sources: 320MAX Ti, stock cable, UM eartips
Drivers: 7BA, 4EST
The 74E garners a lot of interest because of the popularity of Canpur's previous efforts, the 622B and to a lesser extent, the 54E.
At $2900 USD, the 74E is priced between the 54E ($2000) and the 622B ($3500) which puts it at TOTL pricing without supplanting 622B as Canpur's flagship.
One of the biggest differences between the 74E and the 622B is that the former is without a bone conduction driver. Still, like the 622B, it produces a highly resolving midrange. 622B I think has the edge in midrange resolution but it comes across a little drier. 74E's midrange is a touch more forward, more euphonic, and has a slightly thicker note weight. Hard to say which one is "better" since these differences will probably come down to individual preferences.
The bass of the 74E sounds more mid-bassy than 622B's which had more of a sub-bass focus to my ears. 74E's bass is quite punchy with good physicality and decent texturing abilities. The bass body sounded a touch bloated to me which had the effect of taking up space, which in turn made the vocals seem a little crowded. The 622B then, sounded more open in comparison.
74E had a nice tone overall, which I preferred to the 622B's drier presentation across all the frequencies. Pianos, strings, all sounded pleasant, however, the 74E has a lower/mid-treble dip which affects the attack of these instruments. I think 622B also has a dip in this region, but I'm going off memory so I can't recall if it lacked instrument attack as well.
The upper-treble on 74E, however, is thankfully more incisive so there are no issues there. 74E has good imaging and dynamics, though macrodynamics seemed better than microdynamics, possibly due to the lower/mid-treble dip.
I thought 74E was an overall decent set. I think it's a decent all-rounder, especially for folks that really enjoy vocals and maybe don't care too much about orchestral music or tracks with a ton of instruments.
A&K SP3000T ($3000)
A&K's SP3KT is a DAP that was highly touted by @aaf evo for its remarkable tone. He urged I give it a try at MT and I was lucky enough to give it demo.
SP3KT has three modes: OP (I think solid state mode), hybrid, and tube modes.
In hybrid mode, you're able to move a slider in one of five positions, leaning the amp more OP mode, equal parts both, or more tube mode. Because I was limited on time, I only demoed the SP3KT in full tube mode.
The first thing I noted about the SP3KT is that it's beautifully machined. It feels very premium. It's quite hefty though and has sharp edges which may be uncomfortable if you're trying to pocket it without a case. Fortunately, one comes included. Unfortunately, the included case is a yellow color that I don't think will appeal to most people. You can see a picture of it in @twister6's review.
Moving back to the sound, the sound of the SP3KT was really charming. The tone was very seductive and there was surprisingly good stage depth. I'm going to draw some quick comparisons to my own 320MAX, and then tell you why it might not matter all too much.
The 320MAX has a more defined transient attack, more bass physicality, better apparent resolution, and far better dynamics. In all sonic metrics except for stage depth and maybe some that I missed, the 320MAX is better. And yet, the SP3KT had an intangible enjoyability and addictiveness that the 320MAX doesn't.
I think this is the main draw of the SP3KT. If you're looking for the best technicalities in a DAP, you can do better than SP3KT. But don't discount it until you've given it a listen. It may just draw you in.
One unique thing that I noticed about the SP3KT is that it has really good imaging without having a very defined transient attack. I usually conflate imaging prowess with a defined attack so I thought this was interesting. SP3KT has particularly good depth imaging which I thought it did better than 320MAX.
Beat Audio Oslo MK4 (8-wire variant) ($1800)
The Oslo MK4 is a cable that's been quite popular in some circles that I run in. I was able to get a re-demo of it so I wanted to talk about it a little bit. Let me start with what I don't like about it. I'm not a big fan of the purple color, the brass-colored hardware, or the feel of the cable, all of which comes across a little tacky to me.
That's about it for the dislikes. Now, for the likes, of which there are plenty.
The overall sonic signature of the Oslo MK4 is a slight and tasteful treble lift, a very fine resolution of details, and large staging. Notes have ample space to breathe. The way that Oslo MK4 resolves was its most interesting feature to me. It's not just transparent. On the Oslo I had the feeling that every sound was made of very fine, almost microscopic fibers, with each fiber being resolved by the Oslo. This was a new sensation for me, so it was very interesting indeed.
Oslo MK4 has a softer, refined presentation. It's not the most slammy cable, or a cable that adds the most note body. It's not lean, harsh, or bright either. It's soft, mostly neutral, refined, with very open staging, and the unique resolution capability I mentioned.
Priced at $1700 for the 8-wire variant, it's certainly not cheap, but I can see why it's popular. If you don't mind the way it looks or its price tag, it may be a nice complement to a lot of in-ears that can use a boost in opennness, resolution, and refinement without over-coloration.
Last but not least, in true MusicTeck fashion, Andrew and Leo displayed kindness and hospitality by treating me to some pizza. Now, I come from New York City so I have high expectations for pizza. NJ isn't really known as a pizza mecca either, but this pizza hit the spot. Hope this picture doesn't make you too hungry.
Great impressions man! However, the pizza did make me hungry.
Hope the pizza scene in Houston is better than I think it is (it’s probably not)Great impressions man! However, the pizza did make me hungry.
Hope the pizza scene in Houston is better than I think it is (it’s probably not)
There’s a bar 10 mins away that actually has amazing pizza… or it tastes amazing because I’m usually several drinks in by the time I get it.
