[DanielListening]

https://darko.audio/2021/11/cayins-ru6-is-an-r-2r-dongle-dac/

Exciting. Cayin RU6 R2R DAC Dongle

 

[drftr]

https://darko.audio/2021/11/cayins-ru6-is-an-r-2r-dongle-dac/

Exciting. Cayin RU6 R2R DAC Dongle

I was quietly eyeing that one but didn't find any info on the Cayin website. Wondering if it's in production yet?

Edit: Posting this link in case anyone is interested:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cayin-ru6-r-2r-usb-dongle-dac-with-head-amp.960113/

drftr

 

[mashuto]

https://darko.audio/2021/11/cayins-ru6-is-an-r-2r-dongle-dac/

Exciting. Cayin RU6 R2R DAC Dongle

Gotta say, this looks really cool. Especially coming from the r01. But I find myself not interested for a few reasons. I listen to mostly streaming, and on Android I'm already at a bit of a disadvantage due to the operating system already resampling everything. So a $250 dongle for mostly streaming... Ehh. Also a bit worried it's gonna suck a lot of battery life from my phone. And finally, the whole thing where it mutes when changing volume is just something that makes it less versatile for my uses, especially since it wouldn't be just for music.

Still looks cool and I'm sure it'll sound great.

 

[drftr]

Gotta say, this looks really cool. Especially coming from the r01. But I find myself not interested for a few reasons. I listen to mostly streaming, and on Android I'm already at a bit of a disadvantage due to the operating system already resampling everything. So a $250 dongle for mostly streaming... Ehh. Also a bit worried it's gonna suck a lot of battery life from my phone. And finally, the whole thing where it mutes when changing volume is just something that makes it less versatile for my uses, especially since it wouldn't be just for music.

Still looks cool and I'm sure it'll sound great.

Have you tried apps that get around the resampling issue?

drftr

 

[mashuto]

Have you tried apps that get around the resampling issue?

drftr

Yes, USB audio player pro is a great app with bit perfect output to USB devices. But it only works with local files (and maybe tidal?) and I do most of my listening streaming via Spotify. A lot of the Android based daps also bypass the system level resampling too so you don't have to deal with it.

 

[Neweymatt]

I managed to find a Stereophile review for the A18t and in that review I found something I had seen before but never understood. So why not asking here, hoping someone can explain. Let me quote the reviewer first:

"The issues are hiss, volume control, and the impedance dipping to nine ohms at 1kHz. Hiss is a common problem when using a big headphone amp to drive an in-ear monitor. Some are worse than others, and it isn't always predictable based on the specs alone. The A18t is what I'd call worse than average in this regard, though certainly not as bad as some others in my collection. Still, it will disqualify plenty of amps. The other associated problem is usable volume control. These things get so loud, so quickly, that many amps simply become unusable. Lastly, a low output impedance is essential. Something like a five-ohm OI can do a fine job with certain IEMs, and can sometimes end up actually enhancing the sound with certain models. But in this case you really want to go as low as possible – definitely under two ohms, with one being ideal. If not, bloated mid-bass and a funky, uneven midrange become readily apparent."

I do understand how this works and why, but not how it's applied. Would one use some kind of special cable for this that has a resistor in its path? Or is it a device that you hook up to perhaps change resistance in a stepless way? Tnx...

drftr

90% of my IEM listening is with my Schiit desktop amps. The only combo of all my gear that I've found to hiss is the Jot2 driving Andro2020. So I just use the Vali2+ instead with the Andro, it's the tubey-ness I'm after anyway. Jot2 OI is < 0.1 ohm SE or Bal, Vali2+ is < 0.4 ohm on low gain per schiit.com. Schiit even make a specific IEMagni amp that has a negative gain setting if you really need it.

As far as volume control, I just use low gain for the more sensitive ones (one?). And if I'm using Vali2+ as a pre-amp, I can set the volume of that one lower, enabling me to use more of the dial on the Jot2.

If you do have issues with OI and hiss on some IEMs, the ifi IEMatch is one solution. I think this tech is built-in to some of their portable dac/amps as well.

Aside from all that, I thought 64audio had some kind of tech that alleviated these impedance mismatch issues, LID I believe?
https://www.64audio.com/pages/lid

Maybe it's not in the A18t.

 

[Scubadevils]

I had intended to compare just the ZEN PRO with Oriolus Isabellae tonight but couldn't resist adding IE900 to the mix. One thing is certain from the session, all incredibly capable IEMs and each have their own strengths, many of which cross over with at times minor differences. IE900 I feel retains the DD King crown, especially from an overall technicalities perspective. However, both Isa and ZEN PRO beat it when focusing on vocals, acoustic or jazz (the select few I tested tonight) - IE900 loses on the mids, and vocals in particular feel drier with less depth or presence in both male and female.

ZEN PRO versus Isa on vocals, jazz etc is a tough call, I'd probably edge ever so slightly towards Isa from a timbre perspective. ZEN PRO when it comes to electronic or indeed more energetic music (electronic or otherwise) most certainly takes the lead - far more energy down low and higher up, making for a much more engaging experience - I feel Isa is a bit dull or relaxed in comparison in these scenarios - it's a noticeable dip in energy when I switch.

IE900 has clear strong points and for me suits some genres better than others, likewise Isabellae - they make for a fantastic complementary pair. ZEN PRO does all genres incredibly well but in some cases, slightly behind both of the former.

More testing needed and thankfully I have the ZEN PRO tour unit till next Tuesday, allowing the full weekend to further evaluate. It feels like a very solid recommendation out of this selection based on its ability to present a range of genres incredibly well and where it might be outperformed, it's marginal to my ears at present. $400 less than the IE900, $300 more than Isa - I think it is well positioned from a price perspective, representing excellent value in challenging the IE900 and mostly matching Isa in areas where she shines, but absolutely beating her in many others.

I'm smitten anyway, yet another DD that I've fallen for and will certainly be purchasing... Next up though is Dark Sky - I have to try it.

 

[drftr]

90% of my IEM listening is with my Schiit desktop amps. The only combo of all my gear that I've found to hiss is the Jot2 driving Andro2020. So I just use the Vali2+ instead with the Andro, it's the tubey-ness I'm after anyway. Jot2 OI is < 0.1 ohm SE or Bal, Vali2+ is < 0.4 ohm on low gain per schiit.com. Schiit even make a specific IEMagni amp that has a negative gain setting if you really need it.

As far as volume control, I just use low gain for the more sensitive ones (one?). And if I'm using Vali2+ as a pre-amp, I can set the volume of that one lower, enabling me to use more of the dial on the Jot2.

If you do have issues with OI and hiss on some IEMs, the ifi IEMatch is one solution. I think this tech is built-in to some of their portable dac/amps as well.

Aside from all that, I thought 64audio had some kind of tech that alleviated these impedance mismatch issues, LID I believe?
https://www.64audio.com/pages/lid

Maybe it's not in the A18t.

I'm sorry I made you type all this... I was trying to understand how it would work without actually having a problem with this myself. I was thinking about LID or so as well but then thought it might be different for the A series. Didn't look it up though.

drftr

 

[drftr]

I had intended to compare just the ZEN PRO with Oriolus Isabellae tonight but couldn't resist adding IE900 to the mix. One thing is certain from the session, all incredibly capable IEMs and each have their own strengths, many of which cross over with at times minor differences. IE900 I feel retains the DD King crown, especially from an overall technicalities perspective. However, both Isa and ZEN PRO beat it when focusing on vocals, acoustic or jazz (the select few I tested tonight) - IE900 loses on the mids, and vocals in particular feel drier with less depth or presence in both male and female.

ZEN PRO versus Isa on vocals, jazz etc is a tough call, I'd probably edge ever so slightly towards Isa from a timbre perspective. ZEN PRO when it comes to electronic or indeed more energetic music (electronic or otherwise) most certainly takes the lead - far more energy down low and higher up, making for a much more engaging experience - I feel Isa is a bit dull or relaxed in comparison in these scenarios - it's a noticeable dip in energy when I switch.

IE900 has clear strong points and for me suits some genres better than others, likewise Isabellae - they make for a fantastic complementary pair. ZEN PRO does all genres incredibly well but in some cases, slightly behind both of the former.

More testing needed and thankfully I have the ZEN PRO tour unit till next Tuesday, allowing the full weekend to further evaluate. It feels like a very solid recommendation out of this selection based on its ability to present a range of genres incredibly well and where it might be outperformed, it's marginal to my ears at present. $400 less than the IE900, $300 more than Isa - I think it is well positioned from a price perspective, representing excellent value in challenging the IE900 and mostly matching Isa in areas where she shines, but absolutely beating her in many others.

I'm smitten anyway, yet another DD that I've fallen for and will certainly be purchasing... Next up though is Dark Sky - I have to try it.

Tnx for sharing! Just in case any classical music passes your desk, I'd be especially interested in how they would compare towards the FR extremes.

drftr

 

[endless402]

Interesting. I Googled ‘cross feed’ and found the following post on Reddit:

“When an artist creates a track, they generally pan for speaker sound stage. This can create some weird sound on headphones, especially when things are panned hard left or right, like in beatles stereo mixes, for example. Crossfeed emulates the way that you hear from speakers. When listening to speakers, your right ear gets mostly right speaker, and left gets mostly left. Wour right also hears some of the left speaker, though, and your left hears some of the right. This is what creates a lot of speaker sound stage.

When you put on headphones, this goes away. Your right only hears the right channel, and left hears only left. Crossfeed helps fix this by sending a little of each channel to the opposite. (e.g. left channel plays 100% of left, and 15% of right). This creates a huge soundstage, and fixes annoying mixes.

---

I first tried the regular "crossfeed" plug-in for foobar, which sounds excellent. I then tried the stereophonic to binaural plugin, but found it to degrade sound quality too much with echo and other weirdness. I definitely reccommend trying it. I always leave mine on now.”

I have a crossfeed button on my hugo and dave, with low, medium and high settings. Low does expand the soundstage a bit but on medium and high, it sounds unnatural.

Generally i've turned it off because i'm happy with the soundstage of my IEMs

 

[Scubadevils]

Tnx for sharing! Just in case any classical music passes your desk, I'd be especially interested in how they would compare towards the FR extremes.

drftr

I didn't actually think to try any classical tonight but will do tomorrow. I'm limited though in that regard, only The Four Seasons Recomposed by Max Richter on my Sony DAP but I'll give it a whirl. Its a genre I need to delve deeper into!

 

[Neweymatt]

I'm sorry I made you type all this... I was trying to understand how it would work without actually having a problem with this myself. I was thinking about LID or so as well but then thought it might be different for the A series. Didn't look it up though.

drftr

No worries mate, I thought maybe you were thinking of getting some desktop gear to listen with, the schiit stuff is pretty great for HPs and IEMs alike if you're keen.

As far as DAPs, I believe most of the ones you'd consider in 2021 have low enough OI that it's not really much of an issue any more. But the fact 64audio use LID on some of their IEMs eliminates it completely if you use one of them.

 

[drftr]

I didn't actually think to try any classical tonight but will do tomorrow. I'm limited though in that regard, only The Four Seasons Recomposed by Max Richter on my Sony DAP but I'll give it a whirl. Its a genre I need to delve deeper into!

I'm mostly asking because of the OG rolling off very early in the treble, meaning quite some instruments that shine in that area end up under the carpet. If you have better ways to check by all means go for it.

drftr

 

[blotmouse]

Yes, USB audio player pro is a great app with bit perfect output to USB devices. But it only works with local files (and maybe tidal?) and I do most of my listening streaming via Spotify. A lot of the Android based daps also bypass the system level resampling too so you don't have to deal with it.

UAPP does Tidal and Qobuz seamlessly with local files. Also is faster and gets around all those poo poo app and cert issues the parent service apps tend to have. Only downside is no offline DL'ing due to the service's need of security on their little file bits, so we don't steal the music.

 

[Rockwell75]

Thread record, as far as I’m aware. I don’t know where these people are coming from, but welcome!