[Skyediver]

Hey Watercooler Friends, I have a general question that I think this place is the only forum I’d even dare ask this question, lol. My sense is for the most part, everyone’s good natured in temperament, but knowing how some subjects can cause religious wars in audiophile circles, I should state that I’m just genuinely curious for thoughts from folks that I’ve come to respect, nothing more.

Some may have heard of the recent “MoFi debacle” that’s causing new rounds of the vinyl vs digital debate. Anyone here still fans of vinyl, or are we all digital here in this group, here as we sit in 2022? A little of both still?

For my part, I got curious about vinyl a little over a year ago, but landed on the idea that the headaches of vinyl were too much for any perceived or real subjective benefits, so digital is where I’m at, 100% with streaming/purchases through a Qobuz. I was kinda curious about DSD vs HiRes FLAC, still am doing some personal A/B testing of files, but want to learn more about why Rob Watts from Chord seems to hate DSD, so I’m curious to learn more just for self-learning. Where are the rest of you on this subject? Curious minds want to know!

The current drama made the Washington Post recently, if any are interested: https://www.washingtonpost.com/music/2022/08/05/mofi-records-analog-digital-scandal/

And just to clarity my statement to prevent misunderstanding: my comments above about Rob Watts and his strong opinions on DSD wasn’t to suggest it’s changed my opinions on anything (yet, at least), but simply that i acknowledge he’s a respected thought leader in this space, I’d be an idiot to disregard considering his perspective, and I’m curious to learn more, that’s all. It’s the old Journalism Major in me coming out, who is trying to remain open minded with all this stuff. So much we know, but still so much we don’t!

 

[kevin638880]

New nostalgia audio A06 look very similar to EXT design

Similar is quite the understatement.....might as well officially call that "inspired".

 

[Levanter]

Went to demo a few stuff today. Sadly Elysian IEMs are not available since Lee's taking them out for a show or sth.

Man I wish someone comes up with a combination of IER Z1R's beautiful bass with everything else from Annihilator (the clean midrange, agressive tuning, superb details & separation). Z1R stil has the best bass but guitars don't roar as they do with Annihilator.

Since you are fr Malaysia, you’ll have plenty of chance to demo them again in the future though.

 

[RTodd]

And just to clarity my statement to prevent misunderstanding: my comments above about Rob Watts and his strong opinions on DSD wasn’t to suggest it’s changed my opinions on anything (yet, at least), but simply that i acknowledge he’s a respected thought leader in this space, I’d be an idiot to disregard considering his perspective, and I’m curious to learn more, that’s all. It’s the old Journalism Major in me coming out, who is trying to remain open minded with all this stuff. So much we know, but still so much we don’t!

I listen to 100% digital lossless compressed WAV files. No streaming. I have tried higher bit rates though with IEMs and typical consumer level speakers I cannot hear the difference. Less than the WAV bit rate and anything compressed I can hear the difference with those types of drivers.

In a couple months I will be able to listen in the studio to a high end two channel system, and during my demo selection process for the hardware I did some comparisons and wow I could hear the difference between WAV and the higher bit rates.

This new system when it is up and running will change what I listen to. Not that WAV sounds terrible on these kind of speakers higher bit rates just have more emotion and more separation.

Note that my age, 58 may be a factor in how I hear.

 

[efftee]

Storm's sound characteristic sounds promising. Until now I have read some of your listening impressions but have not seen a single photo of this iem.

Could someone please share photos of Subtonic's Storm. That would be great

The commercial IEM is not yet made so all we can see now is the pre-production sample, shown here with the 4-wire Mira. This shell is aluminum but the final one will be chromium-plated titanium with gold-plated faceplates. Oh and that is the actual bespoke Todah case.

 

[Skyediver]

Interesting… thanks for sharing with such details too. So for you, it’s WAV files that are best sounding? New insight for me… appreciate it!

 

[RTodd]

Sorry, meant to post this in a PM.
Now that I started it, mine as well share.
These are some John Coltrane recommendations.

Early Albums
Blue Trane
Lush Life
Giant Steps
My Favorite Things
Ole Coltrane
Coltrane Plays The Blues

Few years later and so influential
A Love Supreme

If you enjoy A Love Supreme than check out these expansions on the idea from different artist.

Pharaoh Sanders Karma
John McLauphlin & Carlos Santana Love Devotion Surender

 

[klyzon]

Well old 'cooler - I have finally decided on my next TOTL IEM now that I have some money in the kitty from selling Traillii! And the winner is......Subtonic Storm!

Ok firstly it's a lot of money, but YOLO and all that! I also have to thank Elise Audio/ @SoundJedi for indulging me with a another listen. Frankly show conditions are just not great to hear any audio well. And my initial reactions were pretty non-committal. I needed some proper time in a non-crazy environment.

The track that clinched it for me was "Paper trails" by Darkside. It was simply another level with control, projection and how voice is handled. Instrument separation and the busy-ness of the track is expert level. Great imaging. This is the best iem I've tried to replicate a 2 channel speaker setup since the Z1R and I exceeds the Sony in this regards as well.

Bass is excellent - grunts really deep and well textured. Just enough mid bass for me. No tinnitus triggering either from the mid bass which is what kills the FIR lineup for me. The next best BA bass IEM I've tried is the Hiditon Violet, and that may go slightly deeper than the Storm, but it loses out in dynamics and texture. The Violet felt super soft.

This IEM also slams and whacks you with dynamics too - it's not a fatiguing listen, but it can be a little intense due to the dynamics. But there is a sense of realism to the whole listen and satisfaction. So I cannot wait! And hopefully those going SoCal CanJam can hear it then as well!

lucky you! I can't purchase the storm in Singapore yet, seems like they're not selling it here at the moment

 

[stacey]

Hi HiFiHawaii808,


Thanks for taking the time with all the thinking and planning that goes into preparing this upcoming event/meetup, and outing (if possible).


Arrived home later than usual from work (8/5), and for some reason, I just wasn't in the mood to prepare and cook food at home. Instead, I went to few places for take-out, and kept it simple & casual with a burger & fries, a side of bread pudding (dessert not shown in photo, as it looked like a mess when I took it out from the take-out box) and a cold brew coffee.

On a late Friday evening, I had a cheeseburger with a side of fries (take-out, from The Morrison, in Los Angeles, California, 8/5), along with a cold brew coffee (take-out from Kava Kulture cafe, Los Angeles, California, 8/5), for dinner.

Cold brew coffee (take-out, from Kava Kulture, Los Angeles, California, 8/5), and a cheeseburger (w/ angus beef patty, cheese, chopped celery, mayo, capers, lemon, pepper) with a side of fries (take-out, from The Morrison, Los Angeles, California, 8/5).


As of now, with my current work schedule from Mondays to Saturdays (from 8:00am to 4:30pm), I don't think I'll be able to take the day off from work on Saturday (9/17) to meet up with all of you in the daytime at CanJam SoCal in the Irvine Marriot.

What might work for me, on Saturday (9/17), is to get off one hour earlier from work (around 3:20pm), and head straight over to Irvine Marriot to meet up with (and get to know) some of you in the evening hour to hang out for a bit, try some iems/headphones and gear, and maybe get some food & drinks at a cafe/restaurant in the Orange county area. If an outing is likely to happen on Saturday evening, and more people are likely to join in for some food & drinks, I can bring a car, with seating up to seven people (including myself).

As for Sunday (9/18), I can meet up with you guys at the Irvine Marriot, or whichever place of meeting is preferred for listening to iems and audio gear, sharing some thoughts about music, gear and other interests/hobbies in the morning hour, from 7:30am to 9:45am, before CanJam SoCal starts.

First row (left to right): Vision Ears VE8 universal-fit iem w/ Plus Sound Audio 8-wire gold plated hybrid cable in 4.4, Sony IER-Z1R universal-fit iem w/ Plus Sound Audio 4-wire silver plated copper cable in 4.4, and iBasso DX300 w/ amp12.
Second row (left to right): 64 Audio U12t universal-fit iem (b-stock) w/ Plus Sound Audio 8-wire silver plated copper cable in 4.4, and Unique Melody MEST MK1 universal-fit iem w/ Plus Sound Audio 2-wire silver plated copper cable in 4.4.
Third row (left to right): Campfire Audio Supermoon custom-fit iem (in audiophile-fit) w/ Plus Sound Audio 8-wire silver plated copper cable in 4.4, and iBasso DX220 w/ amp8.

I'm sure most of you here at the Watercooler thread have heard/listened to these iems and digital audio players by now. For those who haven't and would like to give these iems and/or daps a try & listen, I'll bring in my iems and daps for demo listening at the Irvine Marriot, on Sunday morning (9/18, from 7:30am to 9:45am).


However, in case some changes happen with my schedule (due to family and/or work reasons), I'll let you all know a week ahead at latest before the first day (9/17) of CanJam SoCal. So, let's keep in touch, and I'll keep you all posted with updates (and if any changes come up along the way). =)


-Daniel.

It sounds like Sunday would be the best bet for all of us to meet up? I’ll drive in, but I likely won’t be able to do anything Saturday morning.

 

[claud W]

I have a Cary Audio/Merlin/Rega system that I have used for years. I also have a PS Audio/Schitt DAC /DNA tube /CD headphone system and 2 IEM systems, one is my Mac computer system with Cayin RU6 and Ifi gold bar DAC dongles. Lastly I have the semi or portable system in my sig. I began in the mid 70s with vinyl, moved to headphones when I joined HeadFi (Summer 2002) Presently I listen to Tidal or HiRez FLAC files.
Vinyl sounds great and is able to convey emotion.
Not much emotion on CD
Hirez Files with upper tier equipment can convey emotion.
Vinyl is a lot of work and like all Audio, can be very expensive.

 

[klyzon]

Closing out the night with one of my favorites.

I'm still trying to get my hands on a pair

 

[Whazzzup]

Coltrane gives me a headache, made a mistake and went to see some free style jazz at the village vanguard for a late show after 10 course with pairings at altera, and my girlfriend got nauseas. It was probably the margaritas we slammed before the show at some Mexican bar, but I blame the Coltrane free style esk music stylings.

 

[gLer]

Some may have heard of the recent “MoFi debacle” that’s causing new rounds of the vinyl vs digital debate. Anyone here still fans of vinyl, or are we all digital here in this group, here as we sit in 2022? A little of both still?

Very interesting, I hadn't heard of this until now, since I don't have much interest in vinyl (other than nostalgia). But I think this guy sums it up very neatly (no need to watch the whole thing, just watch from 11:10 - 12:30):

​

I think it's really cool listening to classic vinyl, that's how I first heard music as a kid after all, but if I want to hear the very best presentation of a track, it's always from a digital source. I may enjoy the vinyl presentation - heck even Sony gives a nod to vinyl 'distortion' as part of its DSEE DSP settings, which I love playing with - but to claim it's the best version of something seems a bit flat-earthish imo.

 

[LFC_SL]

Hey Watercooler Friends, I have a general question that I think this place is the only forum I’d even dare ask this question, lol. My sense is for the most part, everyone’s good natured in temperament, but knowing how some subjects can cause religious wars in audiophile circles, I should state that I’m just genuinely curious for thoughts from folks that I’ve come to respect, nothing more.

Some may have heard of the recent “MoFi debacle” that’s causing new rounds of the vinyl vs digital debate. Anyone here still fans of vinyl, or are we all digital here in this group, here as we sit in 2022? A little of both still?

For my part, I got curious about vinyl a little over a year ago, but landed on the idea that the headaches of vinyl were too much for any perceived or real subjective benefits, so digital is where I’m at, 100% with streaming/purchases through a Qobuz. I was kinda curious about DSD vs HiRes FLAC, still am doing some personal A/B testing of files, but want to learn more about why Rob Watts from Chord seems to hate DSD, so I’m curious to learn more just for self-learning. Where are the rest of you on this subject? Curious minds want to know!

The current drama made the Washington Post recently, if any are interested: https://www.washingtonpost.com/music/2022/08/05/mofi-records-analog-digital-scandal/

Yeah blew up on YouTube and the Steve Hoffman forum (people are not happy). As a collector of SACDs (there are still around 5 of us ), not at all surprised if indeed the one step vinyl presses involve digital processing in the mastering chain. Still if people were buying the (pricey) one step vinyls in the belief they were analog to analog throughout then mofi should absolutely clarify the record (no pun intended)

 

[Whazzzup]