[Neweymatt]

This is a good segue to hint the upcoming Frontier Series Australian Tour that Fir have generously offered to us Aussies, with the help of Minidisc

I’ll be setting up a tour thread in the coming days, so Coolers from Down Under should keep an eye out for that if they’re interested!

Oh, i be interested!! As much as I enjoy a detour to Chatswood every now and then, much better to spend quality time at my desk with them. CANNOT WAIT!!!

 

[KuroKitsu]

@riverground and I finally met up again after a couple months.

Thanks to @Ojisan for lending us the CE5 and mystery iem (not revealing it until @Rockwell75 hears it)

Finally have my 8 core silver for the A12t.

Also tried the 1266, I haven't hear a lot of other over ears, but this takes the cake for most iem like headphone I'be heard. Helps that it costs slightly more than my current portafi setup and looks a shock therapy harness

 

[Rockwell75]

Something crystallized in my mind today as a result of numerous things that have come up in discussion at various times over the last while. I think I've finally come to realize that I don't really care about the scientific or analytic side of this hobby all that much. I appreciate that measurements are interesting and important and don't deny the appeal and fascination of breaking down all the distinct factors of an IEM's performance like bass, treble, soundstage, technicalities, dynamics etc. and analyzing them in turn. This tendency to break everything down into component parts and analyze accordingly characterizes what I would call an intellectual approach to this hobby. I've dabbled in all that myself, obviously, and have enjoyed reading the impressions of others who have done the same...but I think it's finally dawned on me that none of those things have ever really decisively contributed to my personal overall enjoyment of this hobby for the simple reason that my approach is and always has been fundamentally emotional. While I've always enjoyed and will continue to enjoy reading different descriptions and impressions from others expressed in these terms for myself it's always been a simple matter of do I enjoy this or not, does this engage and move me emotionally or not? My interest has always been in the gestalt, or entirety of an IEM's performance-- not any particular element of it, or combination of factors. Sure there are some meaningful correlations and things I have learned, such as that I trend to prefer IEMs that are skewed musical and that I happen to be the most finicky about the midrange of all the bands of then FR...but at the end of the day I've struggled to reduce my preferences to any sort of fundamental rule or specific collection of factors. For this reason I'm doing my best to avoid any sorts of limiting pre-conceptions when trying something for the first time. I'm less interested in how something measures or what individual characteristics it resolves into than the inspiration or, if you'll forgive the phrasing, the spirit and intent behind it. A well tuned IEM is like a beautiful composition or work of inspiration on the part of an artist-- and if done sincerely and well this will shine through in its presentation and affect the consciousness of an intent listener even if you can't deduce it from any constituent parts of the presentation. This is why I think I'm drawn to IEMs that are the result of creative visionaries behind companies like VE, Oriolus, CFA's best work and Fir's new stuff. Just an evening ramble, and as with all things YMMV.

 

[metaljem77]

Something crystallized in my mind today as a result of numerous things that have come up in discussion at various times over the last while. I think I've finally come to realize that I don't really care about the scientific or analytic side of this hobby all that much. I appreciate that measurements are interesting and important and don't deny the appeal and fascination of breaking down all the distinct factors of an IEM's performance like bass, treble, soundstage, technicalities, dynamics etc. and analyzing them in turn. This tendency to break everything down into component parts and analyze accordingly characterizes what I would call an intellectual approach to this hobby. I've dabbled in all that myself, obviously, and have enjoyed reading the impressions of others who have done the same...but I think it's finally dawned on me that none of those things have ever really decisively contributed to my personal overall enjoyment of this hobby for the simple reason that my approach is and always has been fundamentally emotional. While I've always enjoyed and will continue to enjoy reading different descriptions and impressions from others expressed in these terms for myself it's always been a simple matter of do I enjoy this or not, does this engage and move me emotionally or not? My interest has always been in the gestalt, or entirety of an IEM's performance-- not any particular element of it, or combination of factors. Sure there are some meaningful correlations and things I have learned, such as that I trend to prefer IEMs that are skewed musical and that I happen to be the most finicky about the midrange of all the bands of then FR...but at the end of the day I've struggled to reduce my preferences to any sort of fundamental rule or specific collection of factors. For this reason I'm doing my best to avoid any sorts of limiting pre-conceptions when trying something for the first time. I'm less interested in how something measures or what individual characteristics it resolves into than the inspiration or, if you'll forgive the phrasing, the spirit and intent behind it. A well tuned IEM is like a beautiful composition or work of inspiration on the part of an artist-- and if done sincerely and well this will shine through in its presentation and affect the consciousness of an intent listener even if you can't deduce it from any constituent parts of the presentation. This is why I think I'm drawn to IEMs that are the result of creative visionaries behind companies like VE, Oriolus, CFA's best work and Fir's new stuff. Just an evening ramble, and as with all things YMMV.

Yup, same for me. Esp at this stage in my life, I just want to enjoy and experience the joys and wonderment, I don’t seem to have anything left much in me beyond that. My respect to those who are able and/or keen in exploring the theoretical and deep analysis in the technicalities

 

[efftee]

Something crystallized in my mind today as a result of numerous things that have come up in discussion at various times over the last while. I think I've finally come to realize that I don't really care about the scientific or analytic side of this hobby all that much. I appreciate that measurements are interesting and important and don't deny the appeal and fascination of breaking down all the distinct factors of an IEM's performance like bass, treble, soundstage, technicalities, dynamics etc. and analyzing them in turn. This tendency to break everything down into component parts and analyze accordingly characterizes what I would call an intellectual approach to this hobby. I've dabbled in all that myself, obviously, and have enjoyed reading the impressions of others who have done the same...but I think it's finally dawned on me that none of those things have ever really decisively contributed to my personal overall enjoyment of this hobby for the simple reason that my approach is and always has been fundamentally emotional. While I've always enjoyed and will continue to enjoy reading different descriptions and impressions from others expressed in these terms for myself it's always been a simple matter of do I enjoy this or not, does this engage and move me emotionally or not? My interest has always been in the gestalt, or entirety of an IEM's performance-- not any particular element of it, or combination of factors. Sure there are some meaningful correlations and things I have learned, such as that I trend to prefer IEMs that are skewed musical and that I happen to be the most finicky about the midrange of all the bands of then FR...but at the end of the day I've struggled to reduce my preferences to any sort of fundamental rule or specific collection of factors. For this reason I'm doing my best to avoid any sorts of limiting pre-conceptions when trying something for the first time. I'm less interested in how something measures or what individual characteristics it resolves into than the inspiration or, if you'll forgive the phrasing, the spirit and intent behind it. A well tuned IEM is like a beautiful composition or work of inspiration on the part of an artist-- and if done sincerely and well this will shine through in its presentation and affect the consciousness of an intent listener even if you can't deduce it from any constituent parts of the presentation. This is why I think I'm drawn to IEMs that are the result of creative visionaries behind companies like VE, Oriolus, CFA's best work and Fir's new stuff. Just an evening ramble, and as with all things YMMV.

It is unimaginable for anyone listening to music, for the enjoyment and not part of work or some experiment, to not seek to reap emotional rewards out of it. Whilst it is interesting to dive into the intellectual part of the hobby -- the causes and effects, the connection between the science and technology, and human response it triggers, it would be a sad case of putting the cart before the horse if we get lost in the pursuit of the perfect sound and don't know when to stop and listen to the music.

Me. The breadth and depth of sound and music, this whole intellectual pursuit is the reason why I find this hobby intriguing. Why else am I here? It has given me the knowledge and channels to find what I am looking for to achieve my goals of what attaining I want to hear. And that is the first and last thing I'd tell anyone who asks -- know what you want to hear, and not through what others are hearing, to be the guide to assembling your rig...

 

[Zozo11]

This is a good segue to hint the upcoming Frontier Series Australian Tour that Fir have generously offered to us Aussies, with the help of Minidisc

I’ll be setting up a tour thread in the coming days, so Coolers from Down Under should keep an eye out for that if they’re interested!

M2 included?

 

[monduvo]

Quick survey question: How many of you (like me) don't stream at all but do all or most of your listening off local files? I'm still attached to the perhaps outdated notion of curating a music library of files and albums etc.

The majority of my listening is done through Tidal at work, also during grocery trips, coffee runs and quick bites, and sometimes when I go to a park or hiking on a trail. Tidal is pretty much with me wherever I am on-the-go, as I don’t find much time to browse through many selections and buy artists’ albums online.

At work, I mostly stream and listen (with Airpods and iPhone) to a variety of rock songs to get myself in the zone, where I need that extra kick of energy from adrenaline-driven or more uptempo music to keep me going through long hours of work in the day when frequently moving and delivering boxes/cases of bulk merchandise from warehouse and store to customers and going back to back. A large portion of the music I stream and listen to rotates with rock artists and songs from one or two playlists. I also stream and listen to the daily discovery playlist, as I find that Tidal curates my playlist with a decent selection and variety of other artists with new/old songs based on the kinds of songs I listen to most often.




In other cases where I make a delivery or make a quick stop to get some coffee further down another part of a street nearby the warehouse/store, I switch it up with other genre playlists, and stream & listen to some songs on Tidal that suit the type of ambience and vibe I’m feeling in the area where I’m passing through, whether I’m feeling a laidback-chill type of vibe, or a dynamic atmosphere.


Iced cardamom latte (Shreebs Coffee - permanently closed, formerly at Art District, Los Angeles, California).



DJ Quik - You'z a Ganxta (on Tidal)



Protest on Broadway street, in 2018 (Downtown, Los Angeles, California).



Slipknot - sic (on Tidal)



On weekends, whether it’s making a trip to a grocery store to get basic essentials, stopping by a coffee shop to have a hot cup of coffee and dessert, or taking a nice walk through a park and enjoying the view, I listen to playlists that have instrumental and vocal songs on the mellow/relaxed side from Tidal.


Left: Short stack espresso with whole milk.
Right: Caffe espresso with almond milk.
(@Menotti's Coffee Stop, Venice Beach, California)



Key lime panna cotta (The Cannibal Beer and Butcher, Culver City, California - just found out this place is permanently closed).



View of Dodger Stadium and parking area, from Elysian Park (Los Angeles, California).



Emily Barker - Bound for Home (on Tidal)



From home after a busy long day of work, I listen to some jazz or classical music (from slow to moderate tempo) on Tidal, with Sennheiser HD800S and Violectric V280+DX7 Pro, or with VE8 and iBasso DX300 w/ amp12.


Tigran Hamasyan - All The Things You Are (on Tidal)



National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland - III. Adagio, Rachmaninov Symphony No. 2 (on Tidal)


As for the rest of the music I listen to offline, when nostalgia kicks in, or if I get in some type of mood on a rainy day, I load a playlist of upsampled tracks (transferred and upsampled through JRiver Media app, from cd albums) on the computer and listen to some movie soundtracks, or a variety of orchestral classical music.

(Photos were taken with a Samsung Galaxy S phone.)

 

[Auricon]

Tigran Hamasyan - All The Things You Are (on Tidal)

Nice, I was listening to this exact album earlier and GoGo Penguin

 

[DanielListening]

Left: Short stack espresso with whole milk.
Right: Caffe espresso with almond milk.
(@Menotti's Coffee Stop, Venice Beach, California)

Nicely at Menottis is a real one. What a nice guy. A coffee legend. Sometimes I miss working in coffee.

 

[discord]

Iced cardamom latte (Shreebs Coffee, Art District, Los Angeles, California).

Never tried Shreebs but the Smorgasburg isn’t too far from that area.

 

[KuroKitsu]

Something crystallized in my mind today as a result of numerous things that have come up in discussion at various times over the last while. I think I've finally come to realize that I don't really care about the scientific or analytic side of this hobby all that much. I appreciate that measurements are interesting and important and don't deny the appeal and fascination of breaking down all the distinct factors of an IEM's performance like bass, treble, soundstage, technicalities, dynamics etc. and analyzing them in turn. This tendency to break everything down into component parts and analyze accordingly characterizes what I would call an intellectual approach to this hobby. I've dabbled in all that myself, obviously, and have enjoyed reading the impressions of others who have done the same...but I think it's finally dawned on me that none of those things have ever really decisively contributed to my personal overall enjoyment of this hobby for the simple reason that my approach is and always has been fundamentally emotional. While I've always enjoyed and will continue to enjoy reading different descriptions and impressions from others expressed in these terms for myself it's always been a simple matter of do I enjoy this or not, does this engage and move me emotionally or not? My interest has always been in the gestalt, or entirety of an IEM's performance-- not any particular element of it, or combination of factors. Sure there are some meaningful correlations and things I have learned, such as that I trend to prefer IEMs that are skewed musical and that I happen to be the most finicky about the midrange of all the bands of then FR...but at the end of the day I've struggled to reduce my preferences to any sort of fundamental rule or specific collection of factors. For this reason I'm doing my best to avoid any sorts of limiting pre-conceptions when trying something for the first time. I'm less interested in how something measures or what individual characteristics it resolves into than the inspiration or, if you'll forgive the phrasing, the spirit and intent behind it. A well tuned IEM is like a beautiful composition or work of inspiration on the part of an artist-- and if done sincerely and well this will shine through in its presentation and affect the consciousness of an intent listener even if you can't deduce it from any constituent parts of the presentation. This is why I think I'm drawn to IEMs that are the result of creative visionaries behind companies like VE, Oriolus, CFA's best work and Fir's new stuff. Just an evening ramble, and as with all things YMMV.

Regardless of where we go for a more musical or technical approach, the goal at the end of the day is the enjoyment of the music.

I honestly prefer the approach @riverground approaches. When he blind demos me, he doesn't let me see the iem until I've ran through my demo playlist and written down my impressions. Only then am I allowed to take it out.



Eyecandy time: The latest iteration of the HFS Silver in an 8 core configuration. Paired with the A12t ofc.

 

[Damz87]

Regardless of where we go for a more musical or technical approach, the goal at the end of the day is the enjoyment of the music.

I honestly prefer the approach @riverground approaches. When he blind demos me, he doesn't let me see the iem until I've ran through my demo playlist and written down my impressions. Only then am I allowed to take it out.



Eyecandy time: The latest iteration of the HFS Silver in an 8 core configuration. Paired with the A12t ofc.

Those faceplates look awesome!

 

[Scubadevils]

I forgot to mention yesterday how I enjoy listening to Internet radio channels on my kitchen unit - "Chill Out Lounge" is fantastic, and I've discovered a huge amount of tracks/artists/albums as a result and thanks to Shazam - I don't know how many times I've scrambled to grab my phone to quickly ID a track before it ends! - just had this scenario while making my kids school lunch, and thoroughly enjoying the following track - I vaguely recognised it, and Shazam immediately delivered... excellent deep house from 1999 and on a label I bought quite a few records on back then.

A real summer vibe as the name suggests, I can really imagine chilling on a beach listening to this.

 

[Deezel177]

Nice, I was listening to this exact album earlier and GoGo Penguin

Tigran and GoGo Penguin are incredible, incredible artists. If you like those two, you should check out the GEM videos on Meinl Cymbals' YouTube channel. It's a trio comprised of Eldar Djangirov, Animals as Leaders' Matt Garstka and Dirty Loops' Henrik Linder. They've only made three tracks, and I don't believe there are any plans for more, unfortunately. But, the three they have released are all ridiculously-superb:



By the way, to answer @Rockwell75 's latest survey, I listen to my music 100% offline. The only times I listen on YouTube or Spotify are to check out an artist; to see whether or not their records are worth buying on iTunes or (preferably) Bandcamp. I think, from my terrible experiences playing cloud-based or online-only video games, or streaming films vs. owning the physical copy, I've been conditioned to consume all media offline, where I don't have to rely on my Internet to continuously download and stay ahead. Whenever I consume media online, I get that little bit of anxiety that it's gonna buffer and my immersion's gonna break. Besides, buying your own copy is the best way to support the artist, which is what I'm all about.

 

[KuroKitsu]

Those faceplates look awesome!

64 had run out of blue abalone to fulfil Nio orders at the time, otherwise my A12t would look like @mvvRAZ 18t (or was it s?)

I've been conditioned to consume all media offline, where I don't have to rely on my Internet to continuously download and stay ahead.

To be fair some apps do have download functionality where you can retain music offline for a period of time before you need to connect to the network.

There's just something about local files as well where I feel like it's me and I can step back for a while for being connected all the time.