1
10K for a cable lol. Better be made with diamonds! Bummer if stock sounds better
The Watercooler -- Impressions, philosophical discussion and general banter. Index on first page. All welcome.
- Thread starter Rockwell75
- Start date
tone.texture.soul
100+ Head-Fier
To usher in the weekend, I invite you all to check out my new review of Beat Audio's Billow MKII and Oslo MKIV cables!
It's been a crazy week for me, two big reviews - but it's been worth it. The BA stuff is amazing, and if you've never heard it, find a way.
Sit back, grab your favorite libation, click the gold letters and read on
BEAT AUDIO: LADIES IN GOLD
You can also read it on my website here
It's been a crazy week for me, two big reviews - but it's been worth it. The BA stuff is amazing, and if you've never heard it, find a way.
Sit back, grab your favorite libation, click the gold letters and read on
BEAT AUDIO: LADIES IN GOLD
You can also read it on my website here
Nightshifter
100+ Head-Fier
Would love some blindtesting. 10k.... that's a crazy amount... That's 2-3 TOTL IEMs...
If the stock sounds better, then the journal will start to look for a perfect IEM to match your 10k cable, could also be fun.
Yeah I’d rather get the 2-3 totl iem’s. At least you get something for your money compared to a wire
boodi
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2001
- Posts
- 7,489
- Likes
- 2,227
How comes a copper or silver or xxplated/shielded cable comes costing 10000$ ..or , what are the hidden costs , if and when they are there , to justify the price ?
blotmouse
Headphoneus Supremus
The market. And marketing. They really don't need to justify anything. If people keep buying they'll keep making, and push the ceiling higher and higher. I have no doubt the elegance, extravagance, and in some cases technical advancements (whether they make any difference or not may be debatable, case by case) will make some happy.
But buying a super expensive cable never guarantees it to sound better than a super cheap cable. The God of gear synergy doesn't work in that manner.
I've owned many expensive cables that have sat around collecting dust cause cheap or even stock were better and more expressive pairings. I don't get offended companies try to sell things and push the ceiling at all. Have at it.
dpeterfy32
BannedWARNING: INCOMPLETE CLASSIFIED SALES
otherwise, performance long is really good. the short didn't seal well for me, it didn't have any support and there was less sub bass, the middle was a bit loud. then long fixed everything... Although at first glance it seemed scary big, but then I don't even understand, it just disappears in the ear...
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2011
- Posts
- 8,812
- Likes
- 57,636
Music shopping tonight... huge fan of Trentemoller and been very excited to hear this latest release, does not disappoint - his clear influences from the likes of The Cure evident yet again.
A new Floating Points was a surprise, and loving what I'm hearing... proper dance floor material.
A new Floating Points was a surprise, and loving what I'm hearing... proper dance floor material.
Have fun 
New article on weibo about the EA4: http://weibo.com/5819639917/5078082...trans=5819639917_5078082007075645&s_channel=4
EA4 "Evolution of Design" — 4 Practical Improvements for the User
As a flagship tube amp, the EA4 sticks to our philosophy of “good things take time”. After several adjustments and improvements over different versions, the final EA4 now combines top-grade sound quality with the best user experience. We'll break this down into two parts: exterior design and internal design. This first part is giving you an in-depth look at this new product.
(Note: In the images referenced in the article, the higher the position of the EA4 version, the newer it is, meaning the EA4 in the top image is the final release version.)
Improvement#1:Larger Heatsinks for Better Cooling
The case design is where you’ll notice the most obvious changes. Compared to the early flat-surfaced prototypes, the final version introduces several grooves. We know that the final version of the EA4 can output a maximum power of 6500mW@32Ω, which generates a lot of internal heat. If this heat is not transferred from the inside to the case, it will cause the internal temperature to rise and affect the lifespan of the components.
For a high-powered tube amp like this, the large surface area equals better heat dissipation. That's why we added cooling fins to the case —it’s the most effective way to increase the area that transfers heat.
Improvement 2: Clear Volume Display to Prevent Sudden Loud Volume
Volume scale design ：During exhibition and our internal tests, we noticed many users preferred pairing the EA4 with IEMs, most of which are low-impedance. With the EA4’s high power output, there’s a real risk of "ear-blast" volume without some kind of volume display. If you had to adjust the volume to the lowest setting every time before using it, and then slowly raise it after putting on the IEMs, it would be too troublesome. Therefore, we considered adding a visible volume scale.
Custom Potentiometer: Standard analog potentiometer don’t show volume levels, so we had to specially design a potentiometer with visible markings. We had to get it right — the scale range had to be evenly distributed, the size of the potentiometer had to fit inside the case, and the performance deviation between each potentiometer had to be minimized. We also needed to consider the impact of the potentiometer on sound quality. After a lot of tweaking, the potentiometer delivers great sound, a smooth and accurate markings, and minimal channel imbalance at low volumes.
Power/Preamp-amp status indicator light:Additionally, this potentiometer also includes a power status indicator. Since the power button was moved to the rear panel, checking the status would otherwise be a pain. Plus, the LED changes color to show whether you’re in preamp mode or amp mode, making it super easy to know what’s going on.
Improvement #3: Optimized Front Panel Layout for More Tuning Options
Replaced Toggle Switches for Push Buttons to Prevent Accidental Power On: In the early prototypes (see the bottom pics), notice the four toggle switches on the lower part of the front panel. The leftmost switch changed from an on/off power switch to an ILH/ILA switch (Input Level Hold/Attenuation). the power switch，which was too easy to hit by accident, especially when placing in a bag. If triggered, it could leave the EA4 running, draining the battery. To fix that, we moved the power button to the back and switched it to a push button that requires a long press to turn on. We also added a MCU to enable this long-press feature, along with a double-tap option for switching between pure preamp and amp modes.
New ILH/ILA Mode Toggle:The four toggle switches on the front are all for sound tuning, and with the new ILH/ILA switch, doubles the number of tuning combinations. The toggle originally named 0dB/-6dB, but we changed it to ILH/ILA since the -6dB option was too much of a attenuation, making it hard for the preamp to compensate. This also avoids confusion about whether it controls the gain for the amp section.The actual attenuation value for the ILA mode is less than -6dB.
Lowering the amp’s supply voltage for higher current output: Another change is in the second toggle from the left, where the ±12.8/±16V switch was changed to ±13/±15V. Lowering 16V to 15V balances the current output. As everyone knows, when the power remains the same, increasing the voltage will reduce the current, which affects the amp's ability to drive low-impedance headphones. Considering this, we decided to limit the voltage swing to ±15V.
Improvement #4: Power Indicators for a More User-Friendly Experience
Power Button Update: In the earlier versions, the rear panel didn’t have a power button at all. Later versions moved the power button and charging port to the rear. Now, it’s a long-press for on/off and a double-tap for switching modes, all designed to prevent accidental power on.
Adjustment of the charging port location: We also moved the charging port to a better spot, ensuring the charge indicator is always easy to see when a USB cable is plugged in.
the images of each version are actual samples. Every adjustment was made based on our tests and feedback from users. features like the new ILH/ILA button and power switch relocation also require changes to the internal circuitry. Therefore, every external modification also implies significant changes to the circuit board.
Through these revisions, we’ve worked to fine-tune the EA4 into something that truly enhances your listening experience. We hope you can feel these improvements when you get your hands on the final version and enjoy the music even more. Thanks for your support!
EA4 "Evolution of Design" — 4 Practical Improvements for the User
As a flagship tube amp, the EA4 sticks to our philosophy of “good things take time”. After several adjustments and improvements over different versions, the final EA4 now combines top-grade sound quality with the best user experience. We'll break this down into two parts: exterior design and internal design. This first part is giving you an in-depth look at this new product.
(Note: In the images referenced in the article, the higher the position of the EA4 version, the newer it is, meaning the EA4 in the top image is the final release version.)
Improvement#1:Larger Heatsinks for Better Cooling
The case design is where you’ll notice the most obvious changes. Compared to the early flat-surfaced prototypes, the final version introduces several grooves. We know that the final version of the EA4 can output a maximum power of 6500mW@32Ω, which generates a lot of internal heat. If this heat is not transferred from the inside to the case, it will cause the internal temperature to rise and affect the lifespan of the components.
For a high-powered tube amp like this, the large surface area equals better heat dissipation. That's why we added cooling fins to the case —it’s the most effective way to increase the area that transfers heat.
Improvement 2: Clear Volume Display to Prevent Sudden Loud Volume
Volume scale design ：During exhibition and our internal tests, we noticed many users preferred pairing the EA4 with IEMs, most of which are low-impedance. With the EA4’s high power output, there’s a real risk of "ear-blast" volume without some kind of volume display. If you had to adjust the volume to the lowest setting every time before using it, and then slowly raise it after putting on the IEMs, it would be too troublesome. Therefore, we considered adding a visible volume scale.
Custom Potentiometer: Standard analog potentiometer don’t show volume levels, so we had to specially design a potentiometer with visible markings. We had to get it right — the scale range had to be evenly distributed, the size of the potentiometer had to fit inside the case, and the performance deviation between each potentiometer had to be minimized. We also needed to consider the impact of the potentiometer on sound quality. After a lot of tweaking, the potentiometer delivers great sound, a smooth and accurate markings, and minimal channel imbalance at low volumes.
Power/Preamp-amp status indicator light:Additionally, this potentiometer also includes a power status indicator. Since the power button was moved to the rear panel, checking the status would otherwise be a pain. Plus, the LED changes color to show whether you’re in preamp mode or amp mode, making it super easy to know what’s going on.
Improvement #3: Optimized Front Panel Layout for More Tuning Options
Replaced Toggle Switches for Push Buttons to Prevent Accidental Power On: In the early prototypes (see the bottom pics), notice the four toggle switches on the lower part of the front panel. The leftmost switch changed from an on/off power switch to an ILH/ILA switch (Input Level Hold/Attenuation). the power switch，which was too easy to hit by accident, especially when placing in a bag. If triggered, it could leave the EA4 running, draining the battery. To fix that, we moved the power button to the back and switched it to a push button that requires a long press to turn on. We also added a MCU to enable this long-press feature, along with a double-tap option for switching between pure preamp and amp modes.
New ILH/ILA Mode Toggle:The four toggle switches on the front are all for sound tuning, and with the new ILH/ILA switch, doubles the number of tuning combinations. The toggle originally named 0dB/-6dB, but we changed it to ILH/ILA since the -6dB option was too much of a attenuation, making it hard for the preamp to compensate. This also avoids confusion about whether it controls the gain for the amp section.The actual attenuation value for the ILA mode is less than -6dB.
Lowering the amp’s supply voltage for higher current output: Another change is in the second toggle from the left, where the ±12.8/±16V switch was changed to ±13/±15V. Lowering 16V to 15V balances the current output. As everyone knows, when the power remains the same, increasing the voltage will reduce the current, which affects the amp's ability to drive low-impedance headphones. Considering this, we decided to limit the voltage swing to ±15V.
Improvement #4: Power Indicators for a More User-Friendly Experience
Power Button Update: In the earlier versions, the rear panel didn’t have a power button at all. Later versions moved the power button and charging port to the rear. Now, it’s a long-press for on/off and a double-tap for switching modes, all designed to prevent accidental power on.
Adjustment of the charging port location: We also moved the charging port to a better spot, ensuring the charge indicator is always easy to see when a USB cable is plugged in.
the images of each version are actual samples. Every adjustment was made based on our tests and feedback from users. features like the new ILH/ILA button and power switch relocation also require changes to the internal circuitry. Therefore, every external modification also implies significant changes to the circuit board.
Through these revisions, we’ve worked to fine-tune the EA4 into something that truly enhances your listening experience. We hope you can feel these improvements when you get your hands on the final version and enjoy the music even more. Thanks for your support!
Watercooler Summer Survey Results
At long last here are the results of our recent survey.
Full results compiled here.
Desert Island IEMs
In the interests of time I'm only sharing here the IEMs that 3 or more votes.
Oriolus Traillii/Ti x29
Elysian Annihilator x27
PMG APX/SE x27
Fir Rn6 x18
Campfire Audio Trifecta x15
Subtonic STORM x15
Unique Melody Amber Pearl x13
Fir Xe6 x13
Vision Ears VEX x12
Sony IER Z1R x10
Unique Melody Mentor x10
Aroma Audio Fei Wan x9
Aroma Audio Jewel x9
Noble Audio Viking x8
Empire Ears Raven x8
Dita Perpetua x7
Night Jar Singularity x7
64 Audio u/a12t x7
AK/VE Aura x6
Rhapsodio Supreme V3 x5
Campfire Audio Astrolith x4
Canpur CP622b x4
Vision Ears EXT x4
Sennheiser IE900 x4
Empire Ears Legend X x4
Unique Melody Mason x4
Unique Melody Maven II x4
AK/EE Novus x4
Empire Ears Odin x4
Campfire Audio Supermoon x4
Campfire Audio Bonneville x3
FitEar DC TI x3
Vision Ears Erlkonig x3
Unique Melody Indigo x3
Noble Audio Onyx x3
Vision Ears Phonix x3
64 Audio U4s x3
North America - 50
Western Europe - 30
South-East Asia - 14
East Asia - 6
Australia - 4
South Asia - 2
Eastern Europe - 2
South America - 1
Africa - 1
Thanks to everyone who participated!
At long last here are the results of our recent survey.
Full results compiled here.
Desert Island IEMs
In the interests of time I'm only sharing here the IEMs that 3 or more votes.
Oriolus Traillii/Ti x29
Elysian Annihilator x27
PMG APX/SE x27
Fir Rn6 x18
Campfire Audio Trifecta x15
Subtonic STORM x15
Unique Melody Amber Pearl x13
Fir Xe6 x13
Vision Ears VEX x12
Sony IER Z1R x10
Unique Melody Mentor x10
Aroma Audio Fei Wan x9
Aroma Audio Jewel x9
Noble Audio Viking x8
Empire Ears Raven x8
Dita Perpetua x7
Night Jar Singularity x7
64 Audio u/a12t x7
AK/VE Aura x6
Rhapsodio Supreme V3 x5
Campfire Audio Astrolith x4
Canpur CP622b x4
Vision Ears EXT x4
Sennheiser IE900 x4
Empire Ears Legend X x4
Unique Melody Mason x4
Unique Melody Maven II x4
AK/EE Novus x4
Empire Ears Odin x4
Campfire Audio Supermoon x4
Campfire Audio Bonneville x3
FitEar DC TI x3
Vision Ears Erlkonig x3
Unique Melody Indigo x3
Noble Audio Onyx x3
Vision Ears Phonix x3
64 Audio U4s x3
North America - 50
Western Europe - 30
South-East Asia - 14
East Asia - 6
Australia - 4
South Asia - 2
Eastern Europe - 2
South America - 1
Africa - 1
Professional -> Listener
Purist (accuracy/realism primary) => Subjectivist (express/experience emotion primary)
| Mjolnir, N30 LE, RS8 |
| RS8, n30le |
| Hiby R4 |
| Astell&Kern SP2000 |
| Shanling M6 Ultra |
| 320MAX Ti, M9 Plus, SP3000 Ti |
| LP6 Ti7AE, P6ProTi99, Dx320Max |
| Wm1zm2, rs8, n30le |
| N30LE, N7 |
| Cayin N30LE, Sony WM1ZM2, Cayin N7 |
| LP6Ti, SP3000, DX300 MAX |
| Astell & Kern SP3000, Hiby RS8 and Sony WM1A NPaudio mod V5 |
| Sony WM1ZM2. |
| RS8, R8 II, WM1Z |
| L&P E7 EE, Cayin N3 Ultra, L&P 6 Pro |
| LP P6 Pro Ti. Cayin N30 LE Sony DMP-Z1 |
| A&K 3000, Hiby RS8 |
| HiBy RS8, Cayin N30LE |
| E7, P6Pro, PAW6P |
| IBasso DX320 MAX Ti |
| Dx300 max ss |
| N8BB, Sony WM1ZM2, and desktop - Holo Audio Stack with MK-465 |
| AK SP3000 , HIBY RS8 |
| 1. iBasso DX320 (w/ AMP12 EXN-S NP Mod), 2. iBasso DX220 (w/ AMP8) |
| Lotoo Mjolnir |
| M15s |
| L&P P6Pro, Sony WM1Z, Cayin N30 |
| RS8, N8ii, AR-M2 |
| Sony WM1ZM2, Hiby RS8 |
| 1zm2, ak se300, n8ii |
| Kann Ultra, SP3000 SS, Nipo N2 |
| Hiby RS8 II |
| E7, WM1Z, SP3000T |
| Hiby R6III |
| L&P E7, L&P P6Pro, Cayin N30LE |
| RS8, 1Z/1ZM2 |
| Cayin N30LE, SP3000T, HiBy RS8 |
| N30LE |
| Hiby r8 ii |
| 1. Sony Wm1a 2. Sony Wm1z 3. Hiby R3 II |
| Dx320 Max Ti, LP6Ti 7AE, M9+ |
| Wm1z and calyxM |
| N30LE |
| no preference for DAP as long as it can use streaming service and has decent battery l;ife |
| ONIX XM5, DX300, Hiby R6Pro2 |
| SP 3000, AK SE300, DX180 |
| WM1Z, W1AM2 |
| WM1Z |
| LP E7, iPhone Dong attached to an iPhone, LP7 Ti |
| Ibasso D320MAX TI |
| Hiby RS8, Cayin N3 Ultra |
| HiBy RS6, Sony wm1z |
| Sp3000 |
| Tsuranagi+N7, RS8, WM1Z |
| iBasso DX260, LPGT |
| DX260 |
| Cayin N30LE, Lotoo Paw Gold Touch |
| Hiby R3 II, Sony Xperia 10 Series |
| HIBY R8 II, Sony nw-wm1am2, iBasso DX260 |
| Hiby RS8, Mojo2 Poly |
| Hiby R8ii, Hiby RS8, Lotto Mjolnir |
| Cayin N30LE, L&P LP6 Ti, Sony DMP-Z1 |
| AK SE300, M9+ |
| LP6 Ti199, P6 Pro HK |
| Cayin N8II, A&K SR35, Cayin RU7 |
| FiiO M15S |
| E7; DMP-Z1; M9+ |
| LPGT |
| RS8, M9+ |
| Hiby R8II, iBasso D16, DX180 |
| AK SP3KT |
| COWON PL , CAYIN N7 |
| Sony DMPZ-1. LP6Ti. Cayin N30LE |
| Dx320 max ti, dx180, |
| p6proTi, SP3000T(Cu), LPGT |
| RS8 |
| Lotoo LPGT |
| HiBy RS8 II |
| LP 6 Ti |
| Sony wmzm2 |
| N/A |
| N8ii; 320Max Ti; SE300 |
| SE200 |
| Lotoo paw 6000 |
| Sony WM1ZM2 |
| Shanling M8 |
| Sony NW-M1Z2, CayinN30LE, L&P E7 SELECT |
| Hiby r8ii |
| Dx300MaxSS |
| N30LE AP |
| RS6, RS8, Mojo 2 |
| E7, Dx300 max Ti, Shanling M9+ |
| D16? |
| Cayin N8ii, Sony WM1Z, A&K SP3000T Copper |
| Ibasso DX320 max ti |
| Hiby R8ii |
| Cayin N7 |
| 1AM2, RS8 SP3000. |
| Sony WM1Z |
| Hiby R8, Ibasso dx320 max |
| iBasso DX300 |
| A&K SP3000, Cayin N8ii, |
| Sony WM1ZM2, Shanling M9 Plus, Lotoo Mjolnir |
| Cayin N30 LE, HiBy RS8 |
| Hiby R3, Hiby RS8 |
| N/A |
| P6Pro |
In your own words:
| Apx Se |
| PMG APX SE |
| Hiby R4 |
| Riviera AIC10-Bal (headphone amplifier) |
| Singularity paired with Audiohive Ulan 8W cable. Very surprising pairing |
| APX SE, Raal Immanis, Chord Dave. |
| LCD SOUNDSYSTEME SHOW AT Rock en seine paris 2024 |
| Xenon 6 |
| The synergy of Aura EVs + Chiron Nova EA combined with LP6TI |
| A&K SP3000 |
| Procuring the Trifecta! |
| Solid wood Sharona |
| L&P E7 EE |
| Revisiting Fir Xe6 after giving up on it and pairing it with OTL and iFi Go Pods overall for TWS amongst collection |
| Trifecta & C9 |
| RAAL 1995 Immanis |
| Perpetua |
| PMG APX SE |
| Radon6 |
| Mass Kobo-465 Amplifier |
| VE10 |
| With my A3t (w/ stock cable & Sony Xperia 1 V) and A4s (w/ PS TWS-A Bluetooth & Sony Xperia 1 V) ciems getting the most use on the go and at work these days, I'm fairly content with my daily go-to sets when I'm at work or out & about. No recent iem purchases were made earlier this year, yet I recently acquired my first tube headphone amplifier (Cayin HA-6A), new old stock tubes (2 x Tungsol 6550 solid black plate NOS tubes w/ top side triple getters & 2 x Amperex 7316 NOS tubes), desktop DAC (Cayin iDAC-8) and a new set of headphones (ZMF Verite closed-back headphones). Reading through different posts on threads & forums on finding & buying the right pair of new old stock tubes (in terms of synergy), interconnect & hp cables has got me to a 'settling' point where I feel no further desire to upgrade my headphone setup in the next 5 years or so (w/ exception of changing out new old stock tubes with different pairs). I'm quite happy & more than satisfied with what I have so far, and until the next big change/breakthrough in iem & headphone tech happens, I'll make my next big purchase when that time comes around. =) |
| Hearing the Susvara |
| Penon Rival |
| Probably Rhapsodio Supreme V3 |
| Finally picking up the Campfire Trifecta |
| APX SE |
| Effect Audio Beyond, Forté Ears Ambition & Macbeth, Eletech Euclid, Vision Ears EXT MKII, UM Maven II |
| Trifecta (love/hate) |
| Just really grateful for meeting so many great and kind people throughout the years. |
| CFA Supermoon |
| Quloos |
| Trifecta |
| Bonneville |
| Dita Perpetua |
| taylor swift |
| Campfire Moon Rovers |
| Astrolith |
| Sub $200 budget iems |
| None |
| NYC CanJam |
| mason fs, unexpectedly great sounding without attempting to grab your attention |
| ibasso 3T-154 |
| PMG Audio Apx SE |
| Aful Cantor |
| The treble on the Annihilator |
| Todd's Wilsons |
| Audio Technica Narukami Demo at NYC |
| AK x EE Novus |
| Experiencing bone conduction IEMs |
| Sony wm1z |
| Eminent Ears Ruby |
discovering alot of new music |
| Rhapsodio Supreme V3 |
| Westone Mach 80 has surprised me on many levels. Completely neutral sound signature with all BA can be fun. Isolation is perfect. The IEM and cable are super rugged and durable. |
| Alpha Omega Omega |
| Rockna Wavedream-Envy-Immanis, WM1ZM2-Tsunaragi-APX SE / Fei Wan |
| PMG Apx SE, MA Alter Ego |
| Becoming a member of the trade. |
| APX SE |
| LP6 Ti199 |
| Cayin C9II |
| Astrolith |
| Falling in love with transducers that I thought I did not like as much. |
| HS2000MX Mk3 |
| Questyle CMA18P |
| UM Maven II |
| Canjam London - Subtonic Storm |
| Cayin n7, EE raven, CA trifecta |
| PMG Audio Apx. |
| Bonneville |
| The yen is weakening |
| VE EXT MKII, QDC Emperor |
| PMG Audio APX SE |
| Unique Melody Maven II |
| Not needing to upgrade any of my already awesome gear |
| Dunu DaVinci |
| Annihilator 23 |
| NA |
| Trying out Elysian and FiR flagships |
| 634ears Miroak-II Kalimantan |
| Cp74e |
| Alter Ego |
| taylor swift |
| RAAL Immanis |
| Meeting local audiophile friends |
| D16 |
| Mostly being content with what I have |
| Finally acquire the ultimate treblehead IEM & new end-game - Annihilator 2021. Also, able to demo the CP622B and love it too, would save for it next. |
| Buying and waiting for APX SE |
| Watercooler tours |
| Released in 2024: Campfire Audio Astrolith |
| Ifi Kensei |
| PW headphone filter. |
| Embracing tip rolling |
| Subtonic Storm |
| AFUL Cantor |
| The bass quality and impact of the PMG APX SE |
| taylor swift |
| VE10 & iBasso DC Elite |
| ZMF Caldera |
| Thieaudio Origin |
| VE X |
| Maven |
Thanks to everyone who participated!
Last edited:
Nothing better than a Watercooler poll to establish the best of the best in iemsWatercooler Summer Survey Results
At long last here are the results of our recent survey.
Full results compiled here.
Desert Island IEMs
In the interests of time I'm only sharing here the IEMs that 3 or more votes.
Oriolus Traillii/Ti x29
Elysian Annihilator x27
PMG APX/SE x27
Fir Rn6 x18
Campfire Audio Trifecta x15
Subtonic STORM x15
Unique Melody Amber Pearl x13
Fir Xe6 x13
Vision Ears VEX x12
Sony IER Z1R x10
Unique Melody Mentor x10
Aroma Audio Fei Wan x9
Aroma Audio Jewel x9
Noble Audio Viking x8
Empire Ears Raven x8
Dita Perpetua x7
Night Jar Singularity x7
64 Audio u/a12t x7
AK/VE Aura x6
Rhapsodio Supreme V3 x5
Campfire Audio Astrolith x4
Canpur CP622b x4
Vision Ears EXT x4
Sennheiser IE900 x4
Empire Ears Legend X x4
Unique Melody Mason x4
Unique Melody Maven II x4
AK/EE Novus x4
Empire Ears Odin x4
Campfire Audio Supermoon x4
Campfire Audio Bonneville x3
FitEar DC TI x3
Vision Ears Erlkonig x3
Unique Melody Indigo x3
Noble Audio Onyx x3
Vision Ears Phonix x3
64 Audio U4s x3
North America - 50
Western Europe - 30
South-East Asia - 14
East Asia - 6
Australia - 4
South Asia - 2
Eastern Europe - 2
South America - 1
Africa - 1
Professional -> Listener
Purist (accuracy/realism primary) => Subjectivist (express/experience emotion primary)
Mjolnir, N30 LE, RS8 RS8, n30le Hiby R4 Astell&Kern SP2000 Shanling M6 Ultra 320MAX Ti, M9 Plus, SP3000 Ti LP6 Ti7AE, P6ProTi99, Dx320Max Wm1zm2, rs8, n30le N30LE, N7 Cayin N30LE, Sony WM1ZM2, Cayin N7 LP6Ti, SP3000, DX300 MAX Astell & Kern SP3000, Hiby RS8 and Sony WM1A NPaudio mod V5 Sony WM1ZM2. RS8, R8 II, WM1Z L&P E7 EE, Cayin N3 Ultra, L&P 6 Pro LP P6 Pro Ti. Cayin N30 LE Sony DMP-Z1 A&K 3000, Hiby RS8 HiBy RS8, Cayin N30LE E7, P6Pro, PAW6P IBasso DX320 MAX Ti Dx300 max ss N8BB, Sony WM1ZM2, and desktop - Holo Audio Stack with MK-465 AK SP3000 , HIBY RS8 1. iBasso DX320 (w/ AMP12 EXN-S NP Mod), 2. iBasso DX220 (w/ AMP8) Lotoo Mjolnir M15s L&P P6Pro, Sony WM1Z, Cayin N30 RS8, N8ii, AR-M2 Sony WM1ZM2, Hiby RS8 1zm2, ak se300, n8ii Kann Ultra, SP3000 SS, Nipo N2 Hiby RS8 II E7, WM1Z, SP3000T Hiby R6III L&P E7, L&P P6Pro, Cayin N30LE RS8, 1Z/1ZM2 Cayin N30LE, SP3000T, HiBy RS8 N30LE Hiby r8 ii 1. Sony Wm1a 2. Sony Wm1z 3. Hiby R3 II Dx320 Max Ti, LP6Ti 7AE, M9+ Wm1z and calyxM N30LE no preference for DAP as long as it can use streaming service and has decent battery l;ife ONIX XM5, DX300, Hiby R6Pro2 SP 3000, AK SE300, DX180 WM1Z, W1AM2 WM1Z LP E7, iPhone Dong attached to an iPhone, LP7 Ti Ibasso D320MAX TI Hiby RS8, Cayin N3 Ultra HiBy RS6, Sony wm1z Sp3000 Tsuranagi+N7, RS8, WM1Z iBasso DX260, LPGT DX260 Cayin N30LE, Lotoo Paw Gold Touch Hiby R3 II, Sony Xperia 10 Series HIBY R8 II, Sony nw-wm1am2, iBasso DX260 Hiby RS8, Mojo2 Poly Hiby R8ii, Hiby RS8, Lotto Mjolnir Cayin N30LE, L&P LP6 Ti, Sony DMP-Z1 AK SE300, M9+ LP6 Ti199, P6 Pro HK Cayin N8II, A&K SR35, Cayin RU7 FiiO M15S E7; DMP-Z1; M9+ LPGT RS8, M9+ Hiby R8II, iBasso D16, DX180 AK SP3KT COWON PL , CAYIN N7 Sony DMPZ-1. LP6Ti. Cayin N30LE Dx320 max ti, dx180, p6proTi, SP3000T(Cu), LPGT RS8 Lotoo LPGT HiBy RS8 II LP 6 Ti Sony wmzm2 N/A N8ii; 320Max Ti; SE300 SE200 Lotoo paw 6000 Sony WM1ZM2 Shanling M8 Sony NW-M1Z2, CayinN30LE, L&P E7 SELECT Hiby r8ii Dx300MaxSS N30LE AP RS6, RS8, Mojo 2 E7, Dx300 max Ti, Shanling M9+ D16? Cayin N8ii, Sony WM1Z, A&K SP3000T Copper Ibasso DX320 max ti Hiby R8ii Cayin N7 1AM2, RS8 SP3000. Sony WM1Z Hiby R8, Ibasso dx320 max iBasso DX300 A&K SP3000, Cayin N8ii, Sony WM1ZM2, Shanling M9 Plus, Lotoo Mjolnir Cayin N30 LE, HiBy RS8 Hiby R3, Hiby RS8 N/A P6Pro
In your own words:
Apx Se PMG APX SE Hiby R4 Riviera AIC10-Bal (headphone amplifier) Singularity paired with Audiohive Ulan 8W cable. Very surprising pairing APX SE, Raal Immanis, Chord Dave. LCD SOUNDSYSTEME SHOW AT Rock en seine paris 2024 Xenon 6 The synergy of Aura EVs + Chiron Nova EA combined with LP6TI A&K SP3000 Procuring the Trifecta! Solid wood Sharona L&P E7 EE Revisiting Fir Xe6 after giving up on it and pairing it with OTL and iFi Go Pods overall for TWS amongst collection Trifecta & C9 RAAL 1995 Immanis Perpetua PMG APX SE Radon6 Mass Kobo-465 Amplifier VE10 With my A3t (w/ stock cable & Sony Xperia 1 V) and A4s (w/ PS TWS-A Bluetooth & Sony Xperia 1 V) ciems getting the most use on the go and at work these days, I'm fairly content with my daily go-to sets when I'm at work or out & about. No recent iem purchases were made earlier this year, yet I recently acquired my first tube headphone amplifier (Cayin HA-6A), new old stock tubes (2 x Tungsol 6550 solid black plate NOS tubes w/ top side triple getters & 2 x Amperex 7316 NOS tubes), desktop DAC (Cayin iDAC-8) and a new set of headphones (ZMF Verite closed-back headphones). Reading through different posts on threads & forums on finding & buying the right pair of new old stock tubes (in terms of synergy), interconnect & hp cables has got me to a 'settling' point where I feel no further desire to upgrade my headphone setup in the next 5 years or so (w/ exception of changing out new old stock tubes with different pairs). I'm quite happy & more than satisfied with what I have so far, and until the next big change/breakthrough in iem & headphone tech happens, I'll make my next big purchase when that time comes around. =) Hearing the Susvara Penon Rival Probably Rhapsodio Supreme V3 Finally picking up the Campfire Trifecta APX SE Effect Audio Beyond, Forté Ears Ambition & Macbeth, Eletech Euclid, Vision Ears EXT MKII, UM Maven II Trifecta (love/hate) Just really grateful for meeting so many great and kind people throughout the years. CFA Supermoon Quloos Trifecta Bonneville Dita Perpetua taylor swift Campfire Moon Rovers Astrolith Sub $200 budget iems None NYC CanJam mason fs, unexpectedly great sounding without attempting to grab your attention ibasso 3T-154 PMG Audio Apx SE Aful Cantor The treble on the Annihilator Todd's Wilsons Audio Technica Narukami Demo at NYC AK x EE Novus Experiencing bone conduction IEMs Sony wm1z Eminent Ears Ruby discovering alot of new music Rhapsodio Supreme V3 Westone Mach 80 has surprised me on many levels. Completely neutral sound signature with all BA can be fun. Isolation is perfect. The IEM and cable are super rugged and durable. Alpha Omega Omega Rockna Wavedream-Envy-Immanis, WM1ZM2-Tsunaragi-APX SE / Fei Wan PMG Apx SE, MA Alter Ego Becoming a member of the trade. APX SE LP6 Ti199 Cayin C9II Astrolith Falling in love with transducers that I thought I did not like as much. HS2000MX Mk3 Questyle CMA18P UM Maven II Canjam London - Subtonic Storm Cayin n7, EE raven, CA trifecta PMG Audio Apx. Bonneville The yen is weakening VE EXT MKII, QDC Emperor PMG Audio APX SE Unique Melody Maven II Not needing to upgrade any of my already awesome gear Dunu DaVinci Annihilator 23 NA Trying out Elysian and FiR flagships 634ears Miroak-II Kalimantan Cp74e Alter Ego taylor swift RAAL Immanis Meeting local audiophile friends D16 Mostly being content with what I have Finally acquire the ultimate treblehead IEM & new end-game - Annihilator 2021. Also, able to demo the CP622B and love it too, would save for it next. Buying and waiting for APX SE Watercooler tours Released in 2024: Campfire Audio Astrolith Ifi Kensei PW headphone filter. Embracing tip rolling Subtonic Storm AFUL Cantor The bass quality and impact of the PMG APX SE taylor swift VE10 & iBasso DC Elite ZMF Caldera Thieaudio Origin VE X Maven
Thanks to everyone who participated!
!
Nightshifter
100+ Head-Fier
Watercooler Summer Survey Results
At long last here are the results of our recent survey.
Full results compiled here.
Desert Island IEMs
In the interests of time I'm only sharing here the IEMs that 3 or more votes.
Oriolus Traillii/Ti x29
Elysian Annihilator x27
PMG APX/SE x27
Fir Rn6 x18
Campfire Audio Trifecta x15
Subtonic STORM x15
Unique Melody Amber Pearl x13
Fir Xe6 x13
Vision Ears VEX x12
Sony IER Z1R x10
Unique Melody Mentor x10
Aroma Audio Fei Wan x9
Aroma Audio Jewel x9
Noble Audio Viking x8
Empire Ears Raven x8
Dita Perpetua x7
Night Jar Singularity x7
64 Audio u/a12t x7
AK/VE Aura x6
Rhapsodio Supreme V3 x5
Campfire Audio Astrolith x4
Canpur CP622b x4
Vision Ears EXT x4
Sennheiser IE900 x4
Empire Ears Legend X x4
Unique Melody Mason x4
Unique Melody Maven II x4
AK/EE Novus x4
Empire Ears Odin x4
Campfire Audio Supermoon x4
Campfire Audio Bonneville x3
FitEar DC TI x3
Vision Ears Erlkonig x3
Unique Melody Indigo x3
Noble Audio Onyx x3
Vision Ears Phonix x3
64 Audio U4s x3
North America - 50
Western Europe - 30
South-East Asia - 14
East Asia - 6
Australia - 4
South Asia - 2
Eastern Europe - 2
South America - 1
Africa - 1
Professional -> Listener
Purist (accuracy/realism primary) => Subjectivist (express/experience emotion primary)
Mjolnir, N30 LE, RS8 RS8, n30le Hiby R4 Astell&Kern SP2000 Shanling M6 Ultra 320MAX Ti, M9 Plus, SP3000 Ti LP6 Ti7AE, P6ProTi99, Dx320Max Wm1zm2, rs8, n30le N30LE, N7 Cayin N30LE, Sony WM1ZM2, Cayin N7 LP6Ti, SP3000, DX300 MAX Astell & Kern SP3000, Hiby RS8 and Sony WM1A NPaudio mod V5 Sony WM1ZM2. RS8, R8 II, WM1Z L&P E7 EE, Cayin N3 Ultra, L&P 6 Pro LP P6 Pro Ti. Cayin N30 LE Sony DMP-Z1 A&K 3000, Hiby RS8 HiBy RS8, Cayin N30LE E7, P6Pro, PAW6P IBasso DX320 MAX Ti Dx300 max ss N8BB, Sony WM1ZM2, and desktop - Holo Audio Stack with MK-465 AK SP3000 , HIBY RS8 1. iBasso DX320 (w/ AMP12 EXN-S NP Mod), 2. iBasso DX220 (w/ AMP8) Lotoo Mjolnir M15s L&P P6Pro, Sony WM1Z, Cayin N30 RS8, N8ii, AR-M2 Sony WM1ZM2, Hiby RS8 1zm2, ak se300, n8ii Kann Ultra, SP3000 SS, Nipo N2 Hiby RS8 II E7, WM1Z, SP3000T Hiby R6III L&P E7, L&P P6Pro, Cayin N30LE RS8, 1Z/1ZM2 Cayin N30LE, SP3000T, HiBy RS8 N30LE Hiby r8 ii 1. Sony Wm1a 2. Sony Wm1z 3. Hiby R3 II Dx320 Max Ti, LP6Ti 7AE, M9+ Wm1z and calyxM N30LE no preference for DAP as long as it can use streaming service and has decent battery l;ife ONIX XM5, DX300, Hiby R6Pro2 SP 3000, AK SE300, DX180 WM1Z, W1AM2 WM1Z LP E7, iPhone Dong attached to an iPhone, LP7 Ti Ibasso D320MAX TI Hiby RS8, Cayin N3 Ultra HiBy RS6, Sony wm1z Sp3000 Tsuranagi+N7, RS8, WM1Z iBasso DX260, LPGT DX260 Cayin N30LE, Lotoo Paw Gold Touch Hiby R3 II, Sony Xperia 10 Series HIBY R8 II, Sony nw-wm1am2, iBasso DX260 Hiby RS8, Mojo2 Poly Hiby R8ii, Hiby RS8, Lotto Mjolnir Cayin N30LE, L&P LP6 Ti, Sony DMP-Z1 AK SE300, M9+ LP6 Ti199, P6 Pro HK Cayin N8II, A&K SR35, Cayin RU7 FiiO M15S E7; DMP-Z1; M9+ LPGT RS8, M9+ Hiby R8II, iBasso D16, DX180 AK SP3KT COWON PL , CAYIN N7 Sony DMPZ-1. LP6Ti. Cayin N30LE Dx320 max ti, dx180, p6proTi, SP3000T(Cu), LPGT RS8 Lotoo LPGT HiBy RS8 II LP 6 Ti Sony wmzm2 N/A N8ii; 320Max Ti; SE300 SE200 Lotoo paw 6000 Sony WM1ZM2 Shanling M8 Sony NW-M1Z2, CayinN30LE, L&P E7 SELECT Hiby r8ii Dx300MaxSS N30LE AP RS6, RS8, Mojo 2 E7, Dx300 max Ti, Shanling M9+ D16? Cayin N8ii, Sony WM1Z, A&K SP3000T Copper Ibasso DX320 max ti Hiby R8ii Cayin N7 1AM2, RS8 SP3000. Sony WM1Z Hiby R8, Ibasso dx320 max iBasso DX300 A&K SP3000, Cayin N8ii, Sony WM1ZM2, Shanling M9 Plus, Lotoo Mjolnir Cayin N30 LE, HiBy RS8 Hiby R3, Hiby RS8 N/A P6Pro
In your own words:
Apx Se PMG APX SE Hiby R4 Riviera AIC10-Bal (headphone amplifier) Singularity paired with Audiohive Ulan 8W cable. Very surprising pairing APX SE, Raal Immanis, Chord Dave. LCD SOUNDSYSTEME SHOW AT Rock en seine paris 2024 Xenon 6 The synergy of Aura EVs + Chiron Nova EA combined with LP6TI A&K SP3000 Procuring the Trifecta! Solid wood Sharona L&P E7 EE Revisiting Fir Xe6 after giving up on it and pairing it with OTL and iFi Go Pods overall for TWS amongst collection Trifecta & C9 RAAL 1995 Immanis Perpetua PMG APX SE Radon6 Mass Kobo-465 Amplifier VE10 With my A3t (w/ stock cable & Sony Xperia 1 V) and A4s (w/ PS TWS-A Bluetooth & Sony Xperia 1 V) ciems getting the most use on the go and at work these days, I'm fairly content with my daily go-to sets when I'm at work or out & about. No recent iem purchases were made earlier this year, yet I recently acquired my first tube headphone amplifier (Cayin HA-6A), new old stock tubes (2 x Tungsol 6550 solid black plate NOS tubes w/ top side triple getters & 2 x Amperex 7316 NOS tubes), desktop DAC (Cayin iDAC-8) and a new set of headphones (ZMF Verite closed-back headphones). Reading through different posts on threads & forums on finding & buying the right pair of new old stock tubes (in terms of synergy), interconnect & hp cables has got me to a 'settling' point where I feel no further desire to upgrade my headphone setup in the next 5 years or so (w/ exception of changing out new old stock tubes with different pairs). I'm quite happy & more than satisfied with what I have so far, and until the next big change/breakthrough in iem & headphone tech happens, I'll make my next big purchase when that time comes around. =) Hearing the Susvara Penon Rival Probably Rhapsodio Supreme V3 Finally picking up the Campfire Trifecta APX SE Effect Audio Beyond, Forté Ears Ambition & Macbeth, Eletech Euclid, Vision Ears EXT MKII, UM Maven II Trifecta (love/hate) Just really grateful for meeting so many great and kind people throughout the years. CFA Supermoon Quloos Trifecta Bonneville Dita Perpetua taylor swift Campfire Moon Rovers Astrolith Sub $200 budget iems None NYC CanJam mason fs, unexpectedly great sounding without attempting to grab your attention ibasso 3T-154 PMG Audio Apx SE Aful Cantor The treble on the Annihilator Todd's Wilsons Audio Technica Narukami Demo at NYC AK x EE Novus Experiencing bone conduction IEMs Sony wm1z Eminent Ears Ruby discovering alot of new music Rhapsodio Supreme V3 Westone Mach 80 has surprised me on many levels. Completely neutral sound signature with all BA can be fun. Isolation is perfect. The IEM and cable are super rugged and durable. Alpha Omega Omega Rockna Wavedream-Envy-Immanis, WM1ZM2-Tsunaragi-APX SE / Fei Wan PMG Apx SE, MA Alter Ego Becoming a member of the trade. APX SE LP6 Ti199 Cayin C9II Astrolith Falling in love with transducers that I thought I did not like as much. HS2000MX Mk3 Questyle CMA18P UM Maven II Canjam London - Subtonic Storm Cayin n7, EE raven, CA trifecta PMG Audio Apx. Bonneville The yen is weakening VE EXT MKII, QDC Emperor PMG Audio APX SE Unique Melody Maven II Not needing to upgrade any of my already awesome gear Dunu DaVinci Annihilator 23 NA Trying out Elysian and FiR flagships 634ears Miroak-II Kalimantan Cp74e Alter Ego taylor swift RAAL Immanis Meeting local audiophile friends D16 Mostly being content with what I have Finally acquire the ultimate treblehead IEM & new end-game - Annihilator 2021. Also, able to demo the CP622B and love it too, would save for it next. Buying and waiting for APX SE Watercooler tours Released in 2024: Campfire Audio Astrolith Ifi Kensei PW headphone filter. Embracing tip rolling Subtonic Storm AFUL Cantor The bass quality and impact of the PMG APX SE taylor swift VE10 & iBasso DC Elite ZMF Caldera Thieaudio Origin VE X Maven
Thanks to everyone who participated!
Audio Highlight of 2023
3 x Taylor Swift?
Last edited:
Users who are viewing this thread
