[Imusicman]

I have been a Tidal user for some time, used on my DaPs and smartphones.
Then I tried Qobuz and also Apple Music.
In terms of pure sound quality (which is the primary element, for me) I found Qobuz clearly superior, while Tidal and Apple Music were on par. my opinion
So, for over 1 year, I have become a fully satisfied Qobuz user.

Same here

 

[tjzurlaaa]

AP and Phonix LE just aren't that easy to demo for most people.

@Sajid Amit Still waiting for that Hugo2 vs Sony comparison. = P

Same here

I love the sound of quobuz I just wish that usability was as smooth as Apple Music

 

[jwilliamhurst]

I love the sound of quobuz I just wish that usability was as smooth as Apple Music

I use both Qobuz and Apple Music as Qobuz doesn’t always have everything I want but it’s increasingly gotten better over the years. I find Qobuz much easier to navigate than Apple Music but maybe because Qobuz has been my main listening platform for the last 3 years.

 

[tjzurlaaa]

I use both Qobuz and Apple Music as Qobuz doesn’t always have everything I want but it’s increasingly gotten better over the years. I find Qobuz much easier to navigate than Apple Music but maybe because Qobuz has been my main listening platform for the last 3 years.

It is easy to navigate, but when it comes to downloading all of your music together in one spot, it gets annoying, especially since you’re limited to how much music you can put into one playlist at a time I’m pretty sure it’s like 2000 tracks It’s also slightly delayed when skipping tracks just not quite as fluid Compared to Apple Music from my experience

 

[jwilliamhurst]

It is easy to navigate, but when it comes to downloading all of your music together in one spot, it gets annoying, especially since you’re limited to how much music you can put into one playlist at a time I’m pretty sure it’s like 2000 tracks It’s also slightly delayed when skipping tracks just not quite as fluid Compared to Apple Music from my experience

Gotcha! That makes more sense. Thank you for clarifying

 

[audionewbi]

I grow tired and bored of the higher segments. As I alluded in my SP3K, I feel the technology in the higher end has not evolved enough in order for me to feel the leap I expect moving from one flagship into another. I was ready to move on from this hobby, and as far as it concerns me, I will happily watch the higher end segment from a distance.

I've been after something that I can easily use on the busy Sydney commute. I've tried over 11 different TWS IEM and BT dongle, and nothing really gotten my attention to make leave my dap at home.
MUB1 might be it! It is the first product of its kind that is able to manage load required on the low notes for low impedance IEM.
I can't wait to review it.

Another product that I had to try due to my slight obsession towards isobaric driver. I wasn't quiet ready plunge into it with my own money, but thankfully spirite torinio somehow trusted me.
Early impression is very positive for the music I listen to. I collect ECM records and naturally the first music I play randomly happens to be from that label.
The pulse twin IEM delivers clean, extended bass, and while the sound stage isn't the widest and depth is not the greatest, but it's imaging is in no way effected.
But to get the fit right is a labour of love. It would have made more sense for this IEM to be designed to be built so that we can wear it downward instead of over the ears, but i guess maybe that might be for future revision?

 

[fejnomit]

With all of the aspects you mentioned I would highly recommend giving EE Raven an audition, it’s extremely good in aspects of sound-staging including depth. Significantly better than RN6 which I felt was lacking in that regard.

I would like to, once all the nonsense settles down. Thank you for the recommendation.

 

[fejnomit]

N30 LE? Maybe reach out to MusicTeck and ask to demo their unit. For me it does exactly what you want.

I will try that. Good idea. I am very curious about that unit. Given the incredible level of enjoyment I am getting out of a sub $300 dongle it would really have to SLAY...

 

[fejnomit]

Luxury Precision LP6 or the elevated variant, LP6 Ti or the ultimate LP6 7AE. I think @Rockwell75 and @Damz87 can corroborate their experiences of LP6 DAPs sharing such qualities you desire.

My review of LP6 https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/luxury-precision-lp6-series.25314/reviews#review-26396

I have been tempted by this one before. Thank you for the rec. Wondering about using it as a usb dac and whether that compromises it...

 

[bigbeans]

I have been tempted by this one before. Thank you for the rec. Wondering about using it as a usb dac and whether that compromises it...

When I reviewed it, I did not notice any difference between files on the player vs USB. I haven't noticed any feedback from other LP owners noting a difference between sdcard vs USB. LP implements their subsystems very well, one can look at how LDAC is implemented on P6Pro. It is phenomenal, when I had P6 Pro and P6 Pro Obsidian I would rate LDAC implementation as one of the best, second only to Sony.

Hopefully other LP6 owners can chime in here.

 

[jwilliamhurst]

When I reviewed it, I did not notice any difference between files on the player vs USB. I haven't noticed any feedback from other LP owners noting a difference between sdcard vs USB. LP implements their subsystems very well, one can look at how LDAC is implemented on P6Pro. It is phenomenal, when I had P6 Pro and P6 Pro Obsidian I would rate LDAC implementation as one of the best, second only to Sony.

Hopefully other LP6 owners can chime in here.

I noticed when I had the LP6 Ti that local files sounded more upfront Vs using it as a Usb dac to stream.

I concur on the P6 Pro Bluetooth capabilities! Best I’ve ever used!

 

[ToneDeafMonk]

Canadian Company you need to pay attention to Plunge Audio , radical stuff amazing sound , design and tech.

Simon Finch Musician/ Audiologist making Custom IEM up until now since 2008 10,000 pairs out there in musicians ears now has turned his attention to making Universal IEM done properly.

Stay tuned for more info from Canucks Audioholics Review Group including a interview with Simon and talk more about what makes his stuff so unique.

So excited to share , we haven’t been this excited about a IEM in a while because there wasn’t too much being done differently out there until now!

https://plungeaudio.com/

 

[fiascogarcia]

Soooo does this mean you want your kidney back in exchange for the IEMs or....?

Nah, I still have one left!

 

[nephilim32]

I know I talked previously about providing some N7 vs RS8 impressions, but I have oddly decided to sell them both. Why you ask? And even if you don't, I believe that my reasons might illuminate my ongoing search, something which some of you may share.

I have always loved the sound of R2R, having previously owned a Holo Audio May DAC, a Terminator, and a killer Rockna Wavedream Signature in my 2-channel. I have also spent a good part of the past 10 years collecting 1TB of DSD albums, as I love the sound of that format as well.

Why?

I don't know if it's my age (coming on 53...) and attendant changes to my hearing, but in the past decade, I have really started really prioritize soundstage, layering, imaging, and, perhaps most important, depth. Depth, for me, means the auditory sensation of musical notes traveling toward my listening position from a point in front of me. This is different, to my ears, from layering, which establishes the distances and placements of various instruments in relation to one another. Depth to me is more of a time-effect. It is that delay between the attack and the decay accompanied by movement toward your listening position. I have come to realize after many years in this hobby that this is the single most important aspect of my audio pleasure. It adds more realism than detail and resolution do, hence I was able to hear R2R and DSD, which are somewhat truncated in those arenas, as more life-like because they both seemed to allow for more depth and time-information to reach my ears. Better PRaT in general.

So here I am, owning two of the best implementations of both technologies in DAP-form and yet something is wanting.

While I still privilege that sense of depth, along with a huge soundstage, great separation and layering/imaging, I have also come to realize that I don't want to miss out on detail and resolution, that I am longing for a bit more crispness, microdynamics, crispness to transients that R2R and DSD, to my ears, do not ultimately provide.

So while I find myself quite satisfied with my Cayin RU7 dongle, which gets me soooo close to what I like about both the RS8 and the N7, at a ridculously lower price-point, I have decided to move on from the RS8 and N7. In the meantime I have also ordered a L&P W4 to see if that sound gets me any closer to what I am looking for.

But I would like to open myself up to the collective experience and wisdom of the group and ask if there is a portable dac/amp combo or DAP that I should try based on my lingering love for an analogue tonality, warm/full mid-range, non-sibilant treble, expansive soundstage/laying/imaging and depth but ALSO crisper detail-retrieval and bite and resolution that I have been missing so far. I mention portable dac/amp combo because, use-wise, i find myself either traveling in car or plane, for which I love my dongle, or sitting at myself, in which case I use HQPlayer and Roon to feed my DAP, this reducing it, essentially, to a USB dac/amp. So there's that, too.

Of course the other question is: should I not be looking at my source to provide what I am looking for? With my love of Ronin, RN6, Z1R, and various and sundry single DDs, have I been bottle-necking myself on the output end? In other words, ould the right IEM help me here instead?

Any feedback would be most welcome. Cheers.

A terrific post and an understandable one at that. It sounds like your auditory make up is really focused on the Pinnae area of the ear, which has to do with sound localization. Layering, depth and separation appreciation would mean to me you have a strong pinnae and still functions well.
As we get older out mid range does recess falling victim to the so called “cocktail effect,”so our brains kind of do get reworked or re-wired to focus on different aspects of sound. Sometimes it even gets enhanced. Anyhow. I’m just philosophically spitballing around with your interesting post. Thank you for sharing. Sadly I’ve got no recs for you cause @bigbeans is too damn good.

 

[nephilim32]

Indeed! I'm sure if the laser was replaced, it would still function perfectly. Sony electronics (particularly high end ones) refuse to quit.

It's tempting to go hop on eBay and create a chain of high end vintage Sony gear, relive the old days. This one tugs at my heart strings SONY SCD1

Another one at that is JVC.
My goodness. I’ve had my MXJ500 stereo system with a 3 disc cd changer in it still kicking after 24 years. Not bad.
I use it everyday…as an alarm clock. Lol.