The Watercooler -- Impressions, philosophical discussion and general banter. Index on first page. All welcome.

[Frankie D]

I've repositioned my daily view for a week, and a little change can go a lon8g way!




The music does seem to be more vivid just like the colors? Highly recommended!

I’m coming over!

 

[NJoyzAudio]

I've repositioned my daily view for a week, and a little change can go a lon8g way!




The music does seem to be more vivid just like the colors? Highly recommended!

Well given the photos don't match that is Dark, Grey and cold in So CA today, your not here are you!
Lots of envy as I'd rather be where you are today, instead of working.....(sigh)

 

[wolfstar76]

!! TRIGGER WARNING !!

Maybe I'm just an ole biased fanboy, but 64A can not and will not miss

Received a Volur today, I won't even bother reviewing it, it's effortlessly perfect in its own right

Bass? Downright awesome, and I'd say a noticeable step up in texture from anything else from 64A I've heard. Might be the best 64A bass I've experienced

Mids? Typical 64A, relaxed and laid back, but have a slight "cold" edge to them - a transparent presentation with a warm tuning, just as ya boy likes it

Treble? Sorry but nothing I've heard at any price point comes close to Tia treble, it's beyond GOATed for me

Staging? Wide and open, not the most holographic, but it makes up in size what it ever so slightly lacks in imaging

Excellent dynamics and separation

Why does 64A have to be this good

Given your current IEM such as Mose and Apx se, you are still so impressed by Volur?

 

[mvvRAZ]

Given your current IEM such as Mose and Apx se, you are still so impressed by Volur?

I think it’s a bit more complicated than a simple yes no

Tuning you connect with allows you to appreciate technical ability so much more, and tuning that doesn’t appeal to you - or doesn’t work with your music makes it very difficult to appreciate anything else the IEM does

One of the worst sounding IEMs I’ve ever tried is the OG Elysian X. To my ears that had no midbass and no lower mids, the upper mids were way in your face and there was too much treble all around. There’s no point in me even trying to comment on technical ability, when I feel like the IEM is missing like 1/3 of the FR. That’s not to say that it’s a bad IEM, it’s just such a bad IEM for me, that I can’t appreciate anything that it does well

The opposite holds true for almost all 64A IEMs I’ve tried

You can see my signature is literally littered with them, and it’s because the tuning just clicks to obnoxiously well with my preferences, that everything else ends up sounding better to me than it actually is

If I were to compare it side by side with the APX SE, the APX has better imaging, better bass and mids, slightly inferior treble quality IMHO, but a more balanced tuning. That’s before even getting to the dynamics which are out of this universe on the APX

That doesn’t make me enjoy the Volur any less though, it’s just such a good IEM to my ears, and does so many things right. It’s not even a value for money kind of good, it’s an IEM I could comfortably quit the hobby with if they offered a CIEM

 

[dleblanc343]

I think it’s a bit more complicated than a simple yes no

Tuning you connect with allows you to appreciate technical ability so much more, and tuning that doesn’t appeal to you - or doesn’t work with your music makes it very difficult to appreciate anything else the IEM does

One of the worst sounding IEMs I’ve ever tried is the OG Elysian X. To my ears that had no midbass and no lower mids, the upper mids were way in your face and there was too much treble all around. There’s no point in me even trying to comment on technical ability, when I feel like the IEM is missing like 1/3 of the FR. That’s not to say that it’s a bad IEM, it’s just such a bad IEM for me, that I can’t appreciate anything that it does well

The opposite holds true for almost all 64A IEMs I’ve tried

You can see my signature is literally littered with them, and it’s because the tuning just clicks to obnoxiously well with my preferences, that everything else ends up sounding better to me than it actually is

If I were to compare it side by side with the APX SE, the APX has better imaging, better bass and mids, slightly inferior treble quality IMHO, but a more balanced tuning. That’s before even getting to the dynamics which are out of this universe on the APX

That doesn’t make me enjoy the Volur any less though, it’s just such a good IEM to my ears, and does so many things right. It’s not even a value for money kind of good, it’s an IEM I could comfortably quit the hobby with if they offered a CIEM

Glad you like the Volur, I always rated it highly (as seen in my personal ranking) and think it's underrated

Are you thinking of selling your Moses?

 

[wolfstar76]

I think it’s a bit more complicated than a simple yes no

Tuning you connect with allows you to appreciate technical ability so much more, and tuning that doesn’t appeal to you - or doesn’t work with your music makes it very difficult to appreciate anything else the IEM does

One of the worst sounding IEMs I’ve ever tried is the OG Elysian X. To my ears that had no midbass and no lower mids, the upper mids were way in your face and there was too much treble all around. There’s no point in me even trying to comment on technical ability, when I feel like the IEM is missing like 1/3 of the FR. That’s not to say that it’s a bad IEM, it’s just such a bad IEM for me, that I can’t appreciate anything that it does well

The opposite holds true for almost all 64A IEMs I’ve tried

You can see my signature is literally littered with them, and it’s because the tuning just clicks to obnoxiously well with my preferences, that everything else ends up sounding better to me than it actually is

If I were to compare it side by side with the APX SE, the APX has better imaging, better bass and mids, slightly inferior treble quality IMHO, but a more balanced tuning. That’s before even getting to the dynamics which are out of this universe on the APX

That doesn’t make me enjoy the Volur any less though, it’s just such a good IEM to my ears, and does so many things right. It’s not even a value for money kind of good, it’s an IEM I could comfortably quit the hobby with if they offered a CIEM

Thanks for the detailed reply. I will give Volur more time next time I have a chance to demo. But it all boils down to your library and the synergy with your IEMs.

 

[mvvRAZ]

Glad you like the Volur, I always rated it highly (as seen in my personal ranking) and think it's underrated

Are you thinking of selling your Moses?

I’m pretty happy with Moses so far, I was really debating selling it a few weeks after I got it, but it’s been hitting all the right spots lately

I have way too many IEMs but don’t really want to sell any of them, collection feels wholesome atm

Will probably end up selling WM1A M2, Mojo2, W2 Ultra, W4 though, now that I have the SP3KM CN. Might get a DC Elite if I get around to posting all this for sale, I liked it better than the W4, which was kinda sterile in comparison

 

[audionewbi]

!! TRIGGER WARNING !!

Maybe I'm just an ole biased fanboy, but 64A can not and will not miss

Received a Volur today, I won't even bother reviewing it, it's effortlessly perfect in its own right

Bass? Downright awesome, and I'd say a noticeable step up in texture from anything else from 64A I've heard. Might be the best 64A bass I've experienced

Mids? Typical 64A, relaxed and laid back, but have a slight "cold" edge to them - a transparent presentation with a warm tuning, just as ya boy likes it

Treble? Sorry but nothing I've heard at any price point comes close to Tia treble, it's beyond GOATed for me

Staging? Wide and open, not the most holographic, but it makes up in size what it ever so slightly lacks in imaging

Excellent dynamics and separation

Why does 64A have to be this good

volur is incredibly to listen to via P6pro. It is my favorite IEM from 64 audio.

 

[AnakChan]

After 7 years, I refreshed my Sony NW-WM1Z OG and iBasso DX200 DAPs by picking up the iBasso DX340. The iBasso's I had in the past (DX100, then DX200) always had peculiar interfaces (especially performance), but I was satisfied enough with their sounds back then - but the WM1Z remained my primary though.

In the refresh I had considered the NW-WM1ZM2, Cayin, etc. but thought I'd give the DX340 a shot hoping that whatever peculiarities with iBasso's software/firmware and faster CPUs would have been addressed.

Firstly, I'll come out and say that the DX340's resolution is impeccable especially coming from legacy DAPs like the WM1Z and DX200. Between the AMP15 and AMP16, I'm loving the AMP16 retention of whatever music I'm playing. Power and modularity feature-wise, I'm also very impressed with the DX340 and its SuperGain mode - I'm using it even with my Susvara OG balanced.

However I have to say I'm still left baffled by some of the peculiarities with my DX340 unit where the AMP16 didn't work straight out of the box (and I thought I had a faulty AMP16 until I got a 2nd one) that needed the output mode toggled between AB->Tube (and have to do it again if I factory reset, or if I reboot). Similarly with the AMP15, I had peculiar behaviours again with the output mode toggling between PO (Phone Out)->LO (LineOut) and back. I'm trying to work this out with iBasso, but in short my DAP refresh hasn't been as smooth as I had hoped.

 

[pawdiophile]

 

[drftr]

Received a Volur today, I won't even bother reviewing it, it's effortlessly perfect in its own right

Whole lotta love for Volür here as well. Would love to hear it with a great silver cable like Chiron to tighten up the bass ever so slightly while using m12, make it a bit more dynamic, and add a tiny little bit of air. Still the best fitting IEMs for me and a firm favourite in this crowded market. Would take it over many much more expensive IEMs as well, including 2 you mentioned

EDIT: Not implying it's the favourite but it does belong to a select group for sure.

drftr

 

[AnakChan]

I think you can't really ignore the use case here given the SP3000M is heavily marketed for portability so I will do my best...

Removing my dislike for AMP 15 aside I would say no, they aren't the same level. The DX340 is a more capable player than the black SP3000M but I just find it a bit too cold and sterile to enjoy.. it's not a harsh or sharp sterile, it's rather smooth.. but the sound overall to me is just lifeless and I find the bass on the limp side despite being tight and detailed. It's quite spacious and resolving though. With that said, I can't get behind the AMP 15 hype that is present on the DX340 thread if I am honest because I just can't enjoy my music from it. IMO AMP 16 is great though... it's a little more U shaped than AMP 15 and a bit more exciting.. there's some actual weight to the lows which help give the sound an added richness, but then you lose the LO capabilities and the DAC is one of the best parts about the DX340.

If size or LO are not important to you then I would get the DX340 with AMP 16. I would not recommend DX340 with AMP 15 unless your IEMs are warmer or bassier to start with. If you need portability I would suggest the Copper Nickel version of the SP3000M, IMO it is easily worth the price premium over the regular one. If you want something even more budget friendly the Shanling M8T hands down is the best value of them all even though you didn't ask about it, haha.

In terms of AMP15 vs AMP16, I echo this - and this is with the AMP15 having over 200+ hrs of burn-in whilst the AMP16 having < 24 hrs.

I made a similar comment that with the AMP15 sounding somewhat neutral, raw & sterile (coming from the opposite end of NW-WM1Z) in the DX340 thread and I my gut feel is that I don't think it sat well with the folks there. Whilst compared to the AMP16 running < 24 hrs, I prefer its more fully bodied presentation and character. I also like the power and grunt the DX340 is capable of...whilst still not ideal, it can at least drive the Susvara (balanced).

My only gripe with the DX340 is the funky user experience with both AMP15/16 in switching their respective Output modes. Maybe it's an issue specifically with my DX340, or maybe it's a s/w or f/w issue.

 

[mvvRAZ]

Whole lotta love for Volür here as well. Would love to hear it with a great silver cable like Chiron to tighten up the bass ever so slightly while using m12, make it a bit more dynamic, and add a tiny little bit of air. Still the best fitting IEMs for me and a firm favourite in this crowded market. Would take it over many much more expensive IEMs as well, including 2 you mentioned

drftr

one of the big appeals of the hobby to me is that something that sounds good now will sound good always

I do think the Moses and APX SE are a clear step up in a lot of parameters compared to stuff from a few years ago, but I still spend a lot of time with my A18t and A18s

On a related topic, I have developed such a deep appreciation for IEMs that are not as source picky

You can plug the Volur in your toaster and it’ll probably still sound great. APX SE sounds awful out of my phone and my W4, and okay-ish out of Mojo2. Moses works with Mojo2 and to some extent W4, but sounds worse off my phone compared to the APX SE

I can’t help but hope that portability and drivability will remain a part of the RnD process

 

[Tabikinoya Cephas]

In terms of AMP15 vs AMP16, I echo this - and this is with the AMP15 having over 200+ hrs of burn-in whilst the AMP16 having < 24 hrs.

I made a similar comment that with the AMP15 sounding somewhat neutral, raw & sterile (coming from the opposite end of NW-WM1Z) in the DX340 thread and I my gut feel is that I don't think it sat well with the folks there. Whilst compared to the AMP16 running < 24 hrs, I prefer its more fully bodied presentation and character. I also like the power and grunt the DX340 is capable of...whilst still not ideal, it can at least drive the Susvara (balanced).

My only gripe with the DX340 is the funky user experience with both AMP15/16 in switching their respective Output modes. Maybe it's an issue specifically with my DX340, or maybe it's a s/w or f/w issue.

i prefer amp 14 on dx340, no joke, it sounds awesome.

 

[AnakChan]

i prefer amp 14 on dx340, no joke, it sounds awesome.

Yes been reading about that too. That's tempting me on picking up on the AMP14 too - but not until I sort out if about these Output mode issues I have with the AMP15/16.