[Ryokan]

Trying with Um Pro 30 V2's again, bit of eq'ing (eq even small tweaks are really noticable on this player) and the music sounds more engaging, brighter. I'm hoping the Opus further blossoms after 100hrs like the ZX300 did.

Rose Royce, No Sleep Til Hammersmith , George Michael, superb don't want to take this off now.

 

[JDSM]

About the Opus#2. I've received a reply from thebit about the SQ of both FW (1.0 & 1.02). They said the sound is the same.

Hi,
Thanks for inquiring to thebit about the SQ .
I was on thebit website, on there question and answer board, and found only one other Opus2 owner complaining about the SQ change when upgrading the firmware .
They answered him rather rudely , so I figured I would inquire in this forum before asking thebit manufacturer .
Maybe the change in sound is only in a handfull of players, hard to say .
Thank you and everyone else who has given input to my problem .

 

[PinkyPowers]

Hi,
Thanks for inquiring to thebit about the SQ .
I was on thebit website, on there question and answer board, and found only one other Opus2 owner complaining about the SQ change when upgrading the firmware .
They answered him rather rudely , so I figured I would inquire in this forum before asking thebit manufacturer .
Maybe the change in sound is only in a handfull of players, hard to say .
Thank you and everyone else who has given input to my problem .

FAR more likely it is expectation bias.

 

[Dobrescu George]

Hi,
Thanks for inquiring to thebit about the SQ .
I was on thebit website, on there question and answer board, and found only one other Opus2 owner complaining about the SQ change when upgrading the firmware .
They answered him rather rudely , so I figured I would inquire in this forum before asking thebit manufacturer .
Maybe the change in sound is only in a handfull of players, hard to say .
Thank you and everyone else who has given input to my problem .

They have extreme quality control and very low unit-to-unit variation, so I highly doubt it is something like that.

Most likely, it is just the way the human mind works.

It is good to keep in mind that TheBit offers the best quality possible for their items and that they have one of the lowest device with issues ratios out there.

 

[ranfan]

They have extreme quality control and very low unit-to-unit variation, so I highly doubt it is something like that.

Most likely, it is just the way the human mind works.

It is good to keep in mind that TheBit offers the best quality possible for their items and that they have one of the lowest device with issues ratios out there.

Plus, I'm sure they also did many tests before releasing the FW. So they should notice if the SQ is reduced by the new update.

FAR more likely it is expectation bias.

I agree. Furthermore, the few users who complained this so far I haven't heard them reporting it based upon side-by-side comparison, or A/B blind test. All are based on memory. It is highly likely what you mentioned is the case.

 

[SilverEars]

Yeah, it sounds a bit far fetched to say a firmware reduced the quality of sound to mid-fi. Quality of your hearing can change to various factors, different iems, your physical condition, etc.. Speaking of different iems, SE5U just doesn't sound right out of the Opus #2. It's probably due to the Opus #2 not being so forward in the mids(but the mid treble), and the bass output capability isn't up to the level of TOTL AK players, but Opus #2 has it's strengths. Sound stage is quite wide, resolution, and imaging is quite good.

So, not all BA iems sound it's best out of it. UERM and Andromeda sounds very good out of it, but not the SE5U.

I think this might be the reason why Sony EX-1000 isn't a good match with it. I have heard better bass quality output.

It's not good at driving full-sized headphones either, but then again what DAP is? I don't expect to drive full-sized to potential out of DAPs. It isn't a good source as a dedicated DAC either.

 

[PinkyPowers]

I've never found an IEM that sounded anything but it's best, or close to, with the Opus#2. It's neutral enough, and dynamic enough, that everything just comes alive with it.

I have not tried to use it as a USB DAC, so I can't say how it performs in that role. But I don't see any reason why it would sound anything less than stellar. Its dual-Sabre DACs are extremely robust.

 

[Dobrescu George]

I feel fairly similar to pinky

 

[SilverEars]

Is it just me or the 32 bit DSP mode makes a difference in sound from auto? Sound becomes less grainy or reduces textures, and sound smoother and finer. More like how AK players presents treble, smoother(finer in texturing).

Pinky, the SE5U's bass depends on source, and if an iem is capable of very good quality bass, source's abilities makes a differences in bass performance output. AK240 is able to output better bass, and dynamics to SE5U specifically. Just because the #2 sound neutral to certain iems doesn't mean you can also assume it reacts the same others including active speakers or amps either. I've tried various sources for my speakers, and tried using DAPs as sources, and they have different outputs you'd not expect after hearing out of iems. My experience is that DAPs match within iem domain, but for outside for a chain system(like a full sized DAC to Amp system), they usually don't.

 

[PinkyPowers]

Is it just me or the 32 bit DSP mode makes a difference in sound from auto? Sound becomes less grainy or reduces textures, and sound smoother and finer. More like how AK players presents treble, smoother(finer in texturing).

Pinky, the SE5U's bass depends on source, and if an iem is capable of very good quality bass, source's abilities makes a differences in bass performance output. AK240 is able to output better bass, and dynamics to SE5U specifically. Just because the #2 sound neutral to certain iems doesn't mean you can also assume it reacts the same others including active speakers or amps either. I've tried various sources for my speakers, and tried using DAPs as sources, and they have different outputs you'd not expect after hearing out of iems. My experience is that DAPs match within iem domain, but for outside for a chain system(like a full sized DAC to Amp system), they usually don't.

What you are talking about is quantity, not quality. The AK240 has a warmer, more bassy sound. And if the IEM you're listening to is missing bass to your tastes, then a DAP with extra low-end will sound better to your ears. You are admitting to us that the SE5U does not have enough bass on its own to satisfy you.

As for your gibberish on speakers, I can't figure out what you're talking about. Are you trying to drive speakers with just the DAP? I can see that as a problem. But if you feed the Opus#2 into a good speaker amp, it ought to sound marvelous.

 

[SilverEars]

What you are talking about is quantity, not quality. The AK240 has a warmer, more bassy sound. And if the IEM you're listening to is missing bass to your tastes, then a DAP with extra low-end will sound better to your ears. You are admitting to us that the SE5U does not have enough bass on its own to satisfy you.

As for your gibberish on speakers, I can't figure out what you're talking about. Are you trying to drive speakers with just the DAP? I can see that as a problem. But if you feed the Opus#2 into a good speaker amp, it ought to sound marvelous.

How the hell you know what I'm talking about for an iem you never heard? For a guy that hasn't heard the SE5U, you have quite a bit of assumptions in what I have to say when I say the quality of the bass of the SE5U is source dependent and AK240 outputs better quality bass for the SE5U(which was also the same for the Sony EX-1000 as I've said earlier). Which I have stated. I'm sure you know bass quality and quantity are two different aspects. Also, I'm speaking on experience than making assumptions without trial. You keep saying it should sound fine. Shoulda woulda.

 

[PinkyPowers]

How the hell you know what I'm talking about for an iem you never heard? For a guy that hasn't heard the SE5U, you have quite a bit of assumptions in what I have to say when I say the quality of the bass of the SE5U is source dependent and AK240 outputs better quality bass for the SE5U(which was also the same for the Sony EX-1000 as I've said earlier). I've sure you know bass quality and quantity are two different aspects. Which I have stated. Also, I'm speaking on experience than making assumptions without trial. You keep saying it should sound fine. Shoulda woulda.

No assumptions made. I am simply interpreting your own statements. You are not talking about quality. You are misusing that word. The SE5U sounds better to you with a bassier source BECAUSE it is giving you more bass. Deny this until you're blue in the face, but this is what is happening to your ears.

A DAP has inherent "quality". Its bass does not have better or worse quality depending on the IEM you plug in. If the Opus#2 has great quality bass for Andromeda, it has great quality bass for Spiral Ears. What it might not have is "enough" bass to make 5-Way sound it's best to your ears.

The only exception to this is when we're talking about driving power. Some more demanding gear may need more power just to make things like the bass driver run at pique performance. But this is not what's happening here, because the AK240 is not a very powerful device.

 

[SilverEars]

Wow, you know what is happening to my ears without having my ears? Know what I hear out of the SE5U without hearing SE5U out of the AK240? Sure. LOL.

Sure, we can all interpret what we all haven't done and imagine or guess what is to occur. LOL.

 

[SilverEars]

No assumptions made. I am simply interpreting your own statements. You are not talking about quality. You are misusing that word. The SE5U sounds better to you with a bassier source BECAUSE it is giving you more bass. Deny this until you're blue in the face, but this is what is happening to your ears.

A DAP has inherent "quality". Its bass does not have better or worse quality depending on the IEM you plug in. If the Opus#2 has great quality bass for Andromeda, it has great quality bass for Spiral Ears. What it might not have is "enough" bass to make 5-Way sound it's best to your ears.

The only exception to this is when we're talking about driving power. Some more demanding gear may need more power just to make things like the bass driver run at pique performance. But this is not what's happening here, because the AK240 is not a very powerful device.

Your assumptions are just plain false since Opus #2 has greater bass quantity for Andromeda and UERM. Like I've stated, AK240 has more of mids presence, but also it doesn't sound as wide as the Opus #2. Although taken down a bit, Sabre glare is still heard on the Opus #2, but implemented quite well that it's not strong as it can be. It has that more prominent texture or grainy lower treble type output, not as smooth or fine as the AK TOTL. The most recent AK TOTL has warmed up it's sig, and for some the AK240 isn't warm(or enough). So, basically everything from my experience goes against your statements or guesses.

 

[PinkyPowers]

Your assumptions are just plain false since Opus #2 has greater bass quantity for Andromeda and UERM. Like I've stated, AK240 has more of mids presence, but also it doesn't sound as wide as the Opus #2. Although taken down a bit, Sabre glare is still heard on the Opus #2, but implemented quite well that it's not strong as it can be. It has that more prominent texture or grainy lower treble type output, not as smooth or fine as the AK TOTL. The most recent AK TOTL has warmed up it's sig, and for some the AK240 isn't warm(or enough). So, basically everything from my experience goes against your statements or guesses.

Still wrong.

Andromeda and UERM is what has more bass. Not Opus#2. The AK240 has more warmth and bass than the Opus#2. Always, always, always.

What you're describing is a sweet spot, where a certain pairing of DAP and IEM meets the exact right quantity of bass that pleases you most. It's a powerful experience. We've all had it. You are using the term "quality" to really mean, "Sounds best to my ears." You want to know how I know this? Because you've never once tried to explain what you mean by "quality". It just sounds right to you, and so you go online and try to express this as best you can. That's okay. I'm helping you. I'm giving you the secret to your own satisfaction. You just need to heed it.

The AK240>SE5U hits that sweet spot for you regarding bass amount.

The Opus#2 has less bass than AK240, and Andromeda has more bass than SE5U. Together, Opus#2>Andro also hits that sweet spot. Or close to it.

It may be that AK240 has a finer quality of bass than Opus#2. I kind of doubt it, but that's neither here nor there. The reason I can say this is because of what you've said. You state the AK240 has better quality bass on a specific IEM. That is how I know you're misusing the term. It would ALWAYS have better quality, regardless of the IEM. What you are talking about is pairing. And that is about the balance of frequencies. In other words, less or more of this or that range. Quantity, not quality.