[mgsu]

its happening!

TLDR: your Tidal playlists wouldn't be affected by this change. All MQA tracks in your playlists will be replaced by FLAC.
Only downloaded music in MQA format wouldn't be available anymore and must be downloaded again in FLAC format.

 

[Leonarfd]

Sublime, this player IEM and track.
Dark becomes brighter, he is right here, loved forever.



E7 AE LC

Can imagine it being an awesome combination, been looking at Alter Ego and been very tempted. I guess the Alter Ego is full sounding and open in the midrange?

Every time seeing this album from Leonard Cohen the track You Want It Darker pop into my head. On HiFi shows over here its played over and over, and in what seems like every demo room. He have a magical dark voice, easy to enjoy.

The Japanese 634ears LOAK2-TX02 is also open back, or semi open back. And it has a very engaging midrange that is very natural and open, together with strong and full low end also assisting darker vocals to sound so good. Would be fun to find something similar in a tribrid, but I guess that can be hard as a good single DD is something special.

 

[slumberman]

Yep, you're actually right, I had forgotten this "detail".

@slumberman you are the only one who can clear everything up. So dear boy, E7 vs N30 and DX320MaxTi... how does it look?

not much to clear up, honestly. They’re very different DAPs and they all have a place and in my case, ideal pairings. dx320Max is “soldered” to Storm, my favorite combo.
n30LE is another great player, but I tend to use it mainly with Trailli Ti.E7 works well with a lot of stuff, thanks to its different tuning options, but I personally don’t love it with Traillii Ti. It’s too aggressive in the high frequencies regardless of tuning, for my taste.

 

[phiemon]

not much to clear up, honestly. They’re very different DAPs and they all have a place and in my case, ideal pairings. dx320Max is “soldered” to Storm, my favorite combo.
n30LE is another great player, but I tend to use it mainly with Trailli Ti.E7 works well with a lot of stuff, thanks to its different tuning options, but I personally don’t love it with Traillii Ti. It’s too aggressive in the high frequencies regardless of tuning, for my taste.

That helps a lot, thank you!

Important aspects for me are:
1. stage,
2. holography,
3. micro- and
4. macrodynamics.

Could you say something more about the E7 compared to the N30 or DX320MaxTi?

 

[slumberman]

That helps a lot, thank you!

Important aspects for me are:
1. stage,
2. holography,
3. micro- and
4. macrodynamics.

Could you say something more about the E7 compared to the N30 or DX320MaxTi?

As you should know by now, I’m not someone who spends much time analyzing what they do and how, let alone being able to describe it. I listen and see where they lead me.

 

[phiemon]

As you should know by now, I’m not someone who spends much time analyzing what they do and how, let alone being able to describe it. I listen and see where they lead me.

Enviable attitude, which I have unfortunately only recently got into the habit of - but better later than never, right?

You deserve kudos for that

 

[slumberman]

Enviable attitude, which I have unfortunately only recently got into the habit of - but better later than never, right?

You deserve kudos for that

I am not opposed to any approach! All I am saying is that with I have left in a day to listen, I tend to immerse myself , without thinking too much. I too like to read about gear, and of course I too have preferences. But given how I can notice that my ears and reception changes from day to day according to several factors, I tend to just listen to a combination and see what happens.
I plan on doing a “favorite pairings” post, once the IEM I’m working on is finally out.

 

[phiemon]

I am not opposed to any approach! All I am saying is that with I have left in a day to listen, I tend to immerse myself , without thinking too much. I too like to read about gear, and of course I too have preferences. But given how I can notice that my ears and reception changes from day to day according to several factors, I tend to just listen to a combination and see what happens.
I plan on doing a “favorite pairings” post, once the IEM I’m working on is finally out.

I just wanted to say that I used to have phases where it was obviously more important to analyze music than to actually listen to it. I'm pretty sure all of us here know this all too well. But for some time now it has generally been different, I enjoy the music much more and I'm glad that I've reached this stage.

 

[RTodd]

not much to clear up, honestly. They’re very different DAPs and they all have a place and in my case, ideal pairings. dx320Max is “soldered” to Storm, my favorite combo.
n30LE is another great player, but I tend to use it mainly with Trailli Ti.E7 works well with a lot of stuff, thanks to its different tuning options, but I personally don’t love it with Traillii Ti. It’s too aggressive in the high frequencies regardless of tuning, for my taste.

Did you try the EQ presets on the E7?

I was listening to Perfect Circle this morning with E7 AE, and it was a tinge strident, decided to give the EQ presets a try. Very easy to change I went from “Off” to “Classic” and the shrillness went away. At this point I have mostly learned the UI.

All L&P needs to fix now for me is the album track sequence which plays alphabetical.

 

[Alexzander]

I was finally able to try Astell & Kern SP3000T and compare it to Cayin N7 using OG Traillii JP.
I had some hopes related to new Astell creation as it seems that this time they might brought it closer to a flagship level.
Price wise it’s not too far off from SP3000, sound wise it turned out to be a mixed bag to me.

Pros include almost as dark background as its flagship sibling (darker than N7), very-well defined transients and variety of tubes mixing options to play with including tubes current level setting.
The resolution is very good also.
And there were no WiFi noise while streaming nor tubes ringing while using the DAP which is really great!

Coming to cons OP mode sounded outright flat which is jarring keeping in mind the asking price imo. N7 sounded both wider and much more deeper.
Sub bass overwhelmed bass a bit the same way as with SP3K, but the showstopper for me became overcooked highs - SP3K also have them accentuated but smoothed out where SP3KT also made them unbearably bright. And this is while using Traillii which is known to round highs a bit!
Speaking of mid bass punch it was noticeably more prominent on N7.
As for the tubes low current mode blurred things way too much and hybrid mode while being best from two worlds didn’t provide that stunning holographic effect which you can experience with SP2KT.
Full tube mode wasn’t warm enough to my taste and while it toned down highs a tad they were still way too bright.
And one of the final things that turned me off from SP3KT was that at the end it sounded way too digital, like delta-sigma digital not in a good way, where N7 provided much more lifelike and full presentation in my opinion.

 

[Smirk 24]

Alter Ego x Astral Acoustics Cable Shoot-out

Hey everyone, it's been an eventful past two weeks between audio arrivals, tour units, and loans. My favorite recent acquisition has been the Melodic Artification Alter Ego which I took a liking to during a MusicTeck demo about a month ago now. I'll share impressions on the Alter Ego at a later date. Today, I wanted to share some cable impressions from Astral Acoustics, and another from Beat Audio - the Oslo MK4 which I was able to re-demo.

A big thank you to @MusicTeck for sending over the following:

Astral Acoustics:
- Eclipse (flagship silver)
- Reference Silver
- Stage 5.5 (palladium-plated silver & gold-plated copper)
- Stage 6 (palladium-plated silver)

as well as the Beat Audio Oslo MK4 which has been popular in the circles I frequent.

Without further ado—

Astral Acoustics Eclipse ($950)

I tried the Eclipse x Alter Ego pairing during a previous MusicTeck visit. Incidentally, that was my first time hearing about Astral Acoustics and my first time demoing Alter Ego as well.

While the stock cable for the Alter Ego is serviceable, it's memory-prone and I have trouble keeping it behind my ears without using the chin slider. Sonically, the timbre's a bit harsh and the stock cable doesn't have the best treble extension.

Eclipse addresses all these issues. Demoing on my CMA18 Master and using Divinus Velvet tips on Alter Ego, I found Eclipse to have more analogue, 3D-sounding vocals, boosted resolution overall, and a more extended, vibrant treble. There was also a slight bass bloom and increased bass dynamics.

I found Eclipse a significant improvement over the stock cable in terms of engagement and overall technicalities. It's the pairing I'm running personally, and the one that was recommended by Leo from MusicTeck.

The Reference Silver cable was also great in different ways, at a much lower price:


Astral Acoustics Reference Silver ($750)

The Reference Silver goes for a cleaner, less colored sound while still maintaining a nice timbre. Compared to Eclipse, the bass is tighter and tidier, and the stage has noticeably more depth than on Eclipse which stages well in its own right.

Reference Silver's background is noticeably blacker, and notes sound like they have more room compared to Eclipse's. Imaging is superb as well.

Reference Silver's vocals have great clarity but are a touch less analogue and 3D-sounding than Eclipse's. The midrange is still superb and musical, it's just that Eclipse's midrange just happens to be one of its strengths. Reference Silver's midrange has no hint of sterility or coldness.

True to its moniker, Reference Silver is a balanced, reference-type cable while still maintaining a sense of emotion. Eclipse sounds more V-shaped in comparison.

Eclipse Pros:
- More dynamic and resolving
- More 3D and analogue mids
- Added treble vibrance and extension
- V-shaped compared to Reference Silver

Reference Silver Pros:
- More convincing, fleshed out stage than Eclipse's with great stage depth
- Blacker background
- No bass bloom. Cleaner, tighter bass compared to Eclipse's
- More balanced sounding than Eclipse with great end-to-end extension


Astral Acoustics Stage 6 ($1480)

Unlike Eclipse and Reference Silver which were different takes on silver cables, the Stage series is comprised of cables that use a combination of materials.

This cable, the Stage 6, is made of palladium-plated silver and has a grayish hue. On Astral Acoustic's website, Stage 6 is referred to as their "best cable yet" and commands their highest price.

Stage 6 is a highly-resolving, slightly darker cable than both Eclipse and Reference Silver. Its stage size is similar to Eclipse's or slightly bigger, and a little smaller than Reference Silver's. Despite the stage being similar to Eclipse's it had more of a sense of space surrounding notes.

Where Stage 6 was most impressive and superior to both the Eclipse and Reference Silver was in its depth imaging and separation. Like Eclipse's, its vocals were also 3D-sounding but slightly more relaxed. Its bass had Eclipse's dynamics while sounding a bit cleaner. No bass bloom to be found here.

I view Stage 6 as an anti-fatiguing cable that takes the edge off harsh treble and transient attacks while improving techs. Stage 6 has a dynamic, fuller presentation, with remarkable instrument separation and a sense of openness.


Astral Eclipse Stage 5.5 ($950)

Of the cables listed, Stage 5.5 has the most exotic mixture of materials being made of palladium-plated silver & gold-plated copper.

Stage 5.5 has a slightly warmer sound than Reference Silver's, but doesn't lean dark like Stage 6 does. It has more energy during guitar attacks compared to Stage 6, and sounds fairly open, wide, and deep sounding as well. I think Reference Silver slightly edges it out in stage size.

Stage 5.5 is very dynamic and is generally "correct" sounding. Stage 5.5 almost sounds like a typical copper but with good treble extension. It's very safe-sounding in terms of tonal balance.

The bass is clean and meaty, with no bloom. It's similar to Reference Silver's bass but with a touch more thump. I think Eclipse and Stage 6's edges it out slightly in bass dynamics and in the 3D-ness of their vocals.

Stage 5.5 is like a slightly warm-tilted Reference Silver. I see Stage 5.5 and Reference Silver as the most "normal" and safe-sounding of the Astral cables that I've tried, and therefore the best entry points to those wanting to give their cables a try.


Beat Audio Oslo MK4 8-wire ($1800)

This is my second time demoing the 8-wire variant of Oslo MK4. I do think it's the least attractive cable of the bunch, but sonically it's pretty impressive.

The Oslo has a very soft and gentle timbre that comes across as very pleasant, but can be a bit too polite as can be the case with its bass. The Oslo has probably the widest stage of all the cables in this post. It has considerable depth as well, but the depth doesn't feel as fleshed out as Reference Silver's and doesn't have the depth imaging and separation that Stage 6 has. Still, its impressive in this regard and can be the most immersive sounding of the bunch due to its sheer stage size.

Oslo is very resolving, revealing microdetails adeptly. It emphasizes the attack edge of notes which aids with imaging, but can be a double-edged sword coming across as occasionally sharp or sibilant in poor recordings.

Oslo has a slight treble emphasis, but due to its characteristic softness, it doesn't come across as bright to me. This softness also finds its way into the bass which sounds clean, but lacks sheer physicality. It won't necessarily detract from the bass, but it won't add anything to it either, and doesn’t touch the bass dynamics of the Eclipse or Stage 6. It lacks the dynamic contrast found in Eclipse and Stage 6 as well.

Oslo is an interesting cable. If you pair it carefully with an in-ear that plays to its strengths, I can see Oslo elevating that pairing quite a bit. I guess this is true for any cable/in-ear pairing, but I do think Oslo brings a lot to the table.


Best to worst—
Bass: Stage 6 > Ref Silver = Stage 5.5 > Eclipse > Oslo
Vocals: Eclipse > Oslo >= Stage 6 = Ref Silver = Stage 5.5
Treble: Eclipse > Ref Silver > Oslo > Stage 5.5 > Stage 6
Stage: Oslo = Ref Silver > Stage 5.5 > Stage 6 = Eclipse
Resolution: Eclipse = Oslo = Stage 6 > Ref Silver = Stage 5.5

 

[Leto Dal]

I was finally able to try Astell & Kern SP3000T and compare it to Cayin N7 using OG Traillii JP.
I had some hopes related to new Astell creation as it seems that this time they might brought it closer to a flagship level.
Price wise it’s not too far off from SP3000, sound wise it turned out to be a mixed bag to me.

Pros include almost as dark background as its flagship sibling (darker than N7), very-well defined transients and variety of tubes mixing options to play with including tubes current level setting.
The resolution is very good also.
And there were no WiFi noise while streaming nor tubes ringing while using the DAP which is really great!

Coming to cons OP mode sounded outright flat which is jarring keeping in mind the asking price imo. N7 sounded both wider and much more deeper.
Sub bass overwhelmed bass a bit the same way as with SP3K, but the showstopper for me became overcooked highs - SP3K also have them accentuated but smoothed out where SP3KT also made them unbearably bright. And this is while using Traillii which is known to round highs a bit!
Speaking of mid bass punch it was noticeably more prominent on N7.
As for the tubes low current mode blurred things way too much and hybrid mode while being best from two worlds didn’t provide that stunning holographic effect which you can experience with SP2KT.
Full tube mode wasn’t warm enough to my taste and while it toned down highs a tad they were still way too bright.
And one of the final things that turned me off from SP3KT was that at the end it sounded way too digital, like delta-sigma digital not in a good way, where N7 provided much more lifelike and full presentation in my opinion.

Since I believe you had the n8ii before, how das it stack up vs n7?

 

[Alexzander]

Since I believe you had the n8ii before, how das it stack up vs n7?

I’ll go off by memory here so please take this into consideration.

Comparing SS modes of both DAPs (N7 max gain class A amplification vs N8ii max gain P+ / AB) I would highlight the following main differences:
- N7 has much more darker background, while N8ii express some quite but evident hiss
- N7 stage is noticeably wider, but N8ii is deeper and has better layering due to mid bass being a bit south of neutral
- N8ii upper midrange is accentuated while it’s neutral on N7
- N7 sounds fuller, more natural and hit harder due to mid bass being north of neutral
- N8ii highs are tad accentuated, while N7 highs are a tad pushed into background
- N8ii transient are sharper across the whole FR

Hope this helps!

 

[Leto Dal]

it does, thx!

 

[jwilliamhurst]

Alter Ego x Astral Acoustics Cable Shoot-out



Hey everyone, it's been an eventful past two weeks between audio arrivals, tour units, and loans. My favorite recent acquisition has been the Melodic Artification Alter Ego which I took a liking to during a MusicTeck demo about a month ago now. I'll share impressions on the Alter Ego at a later date. Today, I wanted to share some cable impressions from Astral Acoustics, and another from Beat Audio - the Oslo MK4 which I was able to re-demo.

A big thank you to @MusicTeck for sending over the following:

Astral Acoustics:
- Eclipse (flagship silver)
- Reference Silver
- Stage 5.5 (palladium-plated silver & gold-plated copper)
- Stage 6 (palladium-plated silver)

as well as the Beat Audio Oslo MK4 which has been popular in the circles I frequent.

Without further ado—

Astral Acoustics Eclipse ($950)



I tried the Eclipse x Alter Ego pairing during a previous MusicTeck visit. Incidentally, that was my first time hearing about Astral Acoustics and my first time demoing Alter Ego as well.

While the stock cable for the Alter Ego is serviceable, it's memory-prone and I have trouble keeping it behind my ears without using the chin slider. Sonically, the timbre's a bit harsh and the stock cable doesn't have the best treble extension.

Eclipse addresses all these issues. Demoing on my CMA18 Master and using Divinus Velvet tips on Alter Ego, I found Eclipse to have more analogue, 3D-sounding vocals, boosted resolution overall, and a more extended, vibrant treble. There was also a slight bass bloom and increased bass dynamics.

I found Eclipse a significant improvement over the stock cable in terms of engagement and overall technicalities. It's the pairing I'm running personally, and the one that was recommended by Leo from MusicTeck.

The Reference Silver cable was also great in different ways, at a much lower price:


Astral Acoustics Reference Silver ($750)




The Reference Silver goes for a cleaner, less colored sound while still maintaining a nice timbre. Compared to Eclipse, the bass is tighter and tidier, and the stage has noticeably more depth than on Eclipse which stages well in its own right.

Reference Silver's background is noticeably blacker, and notes sound like they have more room compared to Eclipse's. Imaging is superb as well.

Reference Silver's vocals have great clarity but are a touch less analogue and 3D-sounding than Eclipse's. The midrange is still superb and musical, it's just that Eclipse's midrange just happens to be one of its strengths. Reference Silver's midrange has no hint of sterility or coldness.

True to its moniker, Reference Silver is a balanced, reference-type cable while still maintaining a sense of emotion. Eclipse sounds more V-shaped in comparison.

Eclipse Pros:
- More dynamic and resolving
- More 3D and analogue mids
- Added treble vibrance and extension
- V-shaped compared to Reference Silver

Reference Silver Pros:
- More convincing, fleshed out stage than Eclipse's with great stage depth
- Blacker background
- No bass bloom. Cleaner, tighter bass compared to Eclipse's
- More balanced sounding than Eclipse with great end-to-end extension


Astral Acoustics Stage 6 ($1480)




Unlike Eclipse and Reference Silver which were different takes on silver cables, the Stage series are cables that use a combination of materials.

This cable, the Stage 6, is made of palladium-plated silver and has a grayish hue. On Astral Acoustic's website, Stage 6 is referred to as their "best cable yet" and commands their highest price.

Stage 6 is a highly-resolving, slightly darker cable than both Eclipse and Reference Silver. Its stage size is similar to Eclipse's or slightly bigger, and a little smaller than Reference Silver's. Despite the stage being similar to Eclipse's it had more of a sense of space surrounding notes.

Where Stage 6 was most impressive and superior to both the Eclipse and Reference Silver was in its depth imaging and separation. Like Eclipse's, its vocals were also 3D-sounding but slightly more relaxed. Its bass had Eclipse's dynamics while sounding a bit cleaner. No bass bloom to be found here.

I see Stage 6 as an anti-fatiguing cable that takes the edge off harsh treble and transient attacks while improving techs. Stage 6 has a dynamic, fuller presentation, with remarkable instrument separation and a sense of openness.


Astral Eclipse Stage 5.5 ($950)



Of the cables listed, Stage 5.5 has the most exotic mixture of materials being made of palladium-plated silver & gold-plated copper.

Stage 5.5 has a slightly warmer sound than Stage 6's, but doesn't lean dark like Stage 6 does. It has a more energy during guitar attack compared to Stage 6, and sounds fairly open, wide, and deep sounding as well. I think Reference Silver slightly edges it out in stage size.

Stage 5.5 is very dynamic and is generally "correct" sounding. Stage 5.5 almost sounds like a typical copper but with good treble extension. It's very safe-sounding in terms of tonal balance.

The bass is clean and meaty, with no bloom. It's similar to Reference Silver's bass but with a touch more thump. I think Eclipse and Stage 6's edges it out slightly in bass dynamics and in the 3D-ness of their vocals.

Stage 5.5 is like a slightly warm-tilted Reference Silver. I see Stage 5.5 and Reference Silver as the most "normal" and safe-sounding of the Astral cables that I've tried, and therefore the best entry points to those wanting to give their cables a try.


Beat Audio Oslo MK4 8-wire ($1800)




This is my second time demoing the 8-wire variant of Oslo MK4. I do think it's the least attractive cable of the bunch, but sonically it's pretty impressive.

The Oslo has a very soft and gentle timbre that comes across as very pleasant, but sometimes a bit too polite as can be the case in its bass. The Oslo has probably the widest stage of all the cables in this post. It has considerable depth as well, but the depth doesn't feel as fleshed out as Reference Silver's and doesn't have the depth imaging and separation that Stage 6 has. Still, its impressive in this regard and can be the most immersive sounding of the bunch due to its sheer stage size.

Oslo is very resolving, resolving microdetails adeptly. It emphasizes the attack of notes, which aids with imaging, but can be a double-edged sword coming across as occasionally sharp or sibilant in poor recordings.

Oslo has a slight treble emphasis, but do to its characteristic softness it doesn't come across as bright to me. This softness also finds its way into the bass which sounds clean, but lacks sheer physicality. It won't necessarily detract from the bass, but it won't add anything to it either, and won't touch the bass dynamics of the Eclipse or Stage 6. It lacks the dynamic contrast found in Eclipse and Stage 6 as well.

Oslo is an interesting cable. If you pair it carefully with an in-ear that plays to its strengths, I can see Oslo elevating that pairing quite a bit. I guess this is true for any cable/in-ear pairing, but I do think Oslo brings a lot to the table.


Best to worst—
Bass: Stage 6 > Ref Silver = Stage 5.5 > Eclipse > Oslo
Vocals: Eclipse > Oslo >= Stage 6 = Ref Silver = Stage 5.5
Treble: Eclipse > Ref Silver > Oslo > Stage 5.5 > Stage 6
Stage: Oslo = Ref Silver > Stage 5.5 > Stage 6 = Eclipse
Resolution: Eclipse = Oslo = Stage 6 > Ref Silver = Stage 5.5

Great impressions and shoot out. Appreciate the info very much as I’m curious about the Astral lineup. I have the Oslo paired with my AE currently and I really enjoy it. I haven’t tried any other cables yet but I’m curious to try the Eclipse.

All Impressions were done on CMA18? I’m curious if your impressions would change with your other DAP’s….