[captblaze]

I'll be using the WM1A with a balanced cable, should be enough power there.
Also say compared to the Fearless S8F, or any of the budget Campfire stuff, I am basically trying to get an idea of the sound, as to to what sets this Planar apart from the other drivers. Speed, soundstage etc.

I pair a WM-1A with an Oriolus BA300s 4.4mm balanced amp. High gain volume between 70 - 90 depending on track and I get the most from my P1s with that configuration

90 minimum without the amp

 

[Charlie Norwood]

I'll be using the WM1A with a balanced cable, should be enough power there.
Also say compared to the Fearless S8F, or any of the budget Campfire stuff, I am basically trying to get an idea of the sound, as to to what sets this Planar apart from the other drivers. Speed, soundstage etc.

Yeah the WM1A should be enough power - unless you you're trying to max out the bass, but if you're looking for bass first, probably look elsewhere than the p1.

So nothing here is a rule, but for me - the p1 are fast, faster than dynamics, but maybe not faster than every BA. Soundstage is rather small. Soundstage is one of the hardest things to review because I think it means different things to different people. But, to me, the p1's soundstage is small but very focused. It sounds like I'm sitting in the recording studio, right in front of the lead vocals. Imaging and detailing are top tier because of this. And looking back through this thread, I think that you'll see 'DETAIL' as the reason to pick up the p1 - they really can pull everything out of a track. And this is pretty standard for planar magnetic drivers IMO. The limited soundstage and bass (compared to over ear planars that have plenty of both) is really due to the 10mm driver.

I don't know about any of the Campfire stuff but the S8F is probably better overall than the p1, if you wanted to just do a 1:1. Though the S8F is like 4x the price of the p1.

HBB is a good place to start for trying to understand how these different iem's sound. But take everything every reviewer says with a grain of salt. Related to your first question about mediocre reviews: people like different things, so even the most universally loved headphones on here will have people that hate them. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIw1An1OUp4XIv_h6si2etQ/featured

 

[518013]

Yeah the WM1A should be enough power - unless you you're trying to max out the bass, but if you're looking for bass first, probably look elsewhere than the p1.

So nothing here is a rule, but for me - the p1 are fast, faster than dynamics, but maybe not faster than every BA. Soundstage is rather small. Soundstage is one of the hardest things to review because I think it means different things to different people. But, to me, the p1's soundstage is small but very focused. It sounds like I'm sitting in the recording studio, right in front of the lead vocals. Imaging and detailing are top tier because of this. And looking back through this thread, I think that you'll see 'DETAIL' as the reason to pick up the p1 - they really can pull everything out of a track. And this is pretty standard for planar magnetic drivers IMO. The limited soundstage and bass (compared to over ear planars that have plenty of both) is really due to the 10mm driver.

I don't know about any of the Campfire stuff but the S8F is probably better overall than the p1, if you wanted to just do a 1:1. Though the S8F is like 4x the price of the p1.

HBB is a good place to start for trying to understand how these different iem's sound. But take everything every reviewer says with a grain of salt. Related to your first question about mediocre reviews: people like different things, so even the most universally loved headphones on here will have people that hate them. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIw1An1OUp4XIv_h6si2etQ/featured

Thank you for the breakdown. These sound amazing.
Some of the best Audio equipment that I have ever listened to did not have the best of reviews, and the exact opposite was true quite a bit too, well reviewed stuff that had me scratching my head.
I am going to read over the thread a bit more, but these look like a good investment.

 

[captblaze]

E1DA + P1 work well together. A little tweak of the bass and treble and I am happy.
my only concern is while changing presets it sends the volume to max.

I can definitely say (with confidence) this tiny box puts forth enough to pep up the P1

and yes the chassis gets hot

 

[aliquis]

I've got the impressions from reading on things that sound-stage is the impression of size which you get from sound leakage from the sound source of one ear to the other one maybe including with ecco around you but maybe more from the sound hitting your ear and being modified there (and in the case of over ear planars in that a whole wall of audio meet your ear rather than more more of a point source which won't really be the case with speakers and people far away from you) something it would seem weird for an in ear device to do. That that imagining comes from how similar the drivers are and phasing/timing and there I wouldn't be too surprised if it may be harder to make things do exactly the same thing when in a smaller scale.

I also wonder about when people talk about how much "better" one amp is or how much better something sound when using a more powerful amp are really talking about issues with clipping and harmonics which shouldn't be there because of that ruining everything.

And then frequency response the normal one and maybe control over the diaphragm (how fast it can attack or be damped / well controlled) if that is a thing, oh and distortion of the shape of it of course together with air moving against whatever other thing changing the sound of it or resonance. I know Innerfidelity do their square wave charts or whatever but I assume they don't necessarily show impulse response but also frequency response from the harmonics needed to make the square shape so I don't know how much is what and how to interpret it. I read something today and there it seemed like BA could (maybe) be faster than planar in response? Maybe it's easier to deal with distorition and resonance there too?

I think audio reviews are so full of "feelings" words rather than actual technical stuff so that make it hard to understand what's correct.

Also there's the simple fact that when people mix for stereo speakers they accept that things will blend and that audio will reflect in the environment whereas with headphones each channel/ear is very separated and you may also not risk the echo. It's very noticable with game audio where they try to emulate surround sound for headphones and add a bunch of mixing and echo of the channels and on speakers it just sound like complete garbage and maybe worse for localization.
Guess it would be easier if mixes both for speakers and headphones was made, or maybe just the one and then modified for the other.

(How much better are amps beyond simply being more powerful and hence risk clipping less?)

 

[cenix]

E1DA + P1 work well together. A little tweak of the bass and treble and I am happy.
my only concern is while changing presets it sends the volume to max.

I can definitely say (with confidence) this tiny box puts forth enough to pep up the P1

and yes the chassis gets hot

Sounds like it might be unwise to stick the V2 with a DAP or phone, because it gets so hot. Or you need some Isolation material, or put some distance between them.

 

[captblaze]

Sounds like it might be unwise to stick the V2 with a DAP or phone, because it gets so hot. Or you need some Isolation material, or put some distance between them.

the sides are plastic and end up feeling warmish to the touch, but the top and bottom are metal and they get hot. next time I run it I will take its external temperature.

for 50 bux the E1DA is seeming quite capable

 

[pstickne]

I've got the impressions from reading on things that sound-stage is the impression of size which you get from sound leakage from the sound source of one ear to the other one maybe including with ecco around you but maybe more from the sound hitting your ear and being modified there (and in the case of over ear planars in that a whole wall of audio meet your ear rather than more more of a point source which won't really be the case with speakers and people far away from you) something it would seem weird for an in ear device to do. That that imagining comes from how similar the drivers are and phasing/timing and there I wouldn't be too surprised if it may be harder to make things do exactly the same thing when in a smaller scale.

I also wonder about when people talk about how much "better" one amp is or how much better something sound when using a more powerful amp are really talking about issues with clipping and harmonics which shouldn't be there because of that ruining everything.

And then frequency response the normal one and maybe control over the diaphragm (how fast it can attack or be damped / well controlled) if that is a thing, oh and distortion of the shape of it of course together with air moving against whatever other thing changing the sound of it or resonance. I know Innerfidelity do their square wave charts or whatever but I assume they don't necessarily show impulse response but also frequency response from the harmonics needed to make the square shape so I don't know how much is what and how to interpret it. I read something today and there it seemed like BA could (maybe) be faster than planar in response? Maybe it's easier to deal with distorition and resonance there too?

I think audio reviews are so full of "feelings" words rather than actual technical stuff so that make it hard to understand what's correct.

Also there's the simple fact that when people mix for stereo speakers they accept that things will blend and that audio will reflect in the environment whereas with headphones each channel/ear is very separated and you may also not risk the echo. It's very noticable with game audio where they try to emulate surround sound for headphones and add a bunch of mixing and echo of the channels and on speakers it just sound like complete garbage and maybe worse for localization.
Guess it would be easier if mixes both for speakers and headphones was made, or maybe just the one and then modified for the other.

(How much better are amps beyond simply being more powerful and hence risk clipping less?)

Have to use “feelings” because not isolating to single variables, no actual measurements, and scuffing off on blind ABX

(Also even more “feelings” due to no isolated subjective write ups at point of a basic controlled DBT..)

 

[screwdriver]

wondering is this smsl sap11 would be enough for the P1?

http://www.smsl-audio.com/productshow.asp?id=143

 

[518013]

I find the Science reviews to be almost completely useless. Don't mean to offend anyone here by the way......It's just that User impressions and the "Feelings" Reviews are in my experience more reliable.
anyways.... Any suggestions for a balanced cable for these? My order is in....Hopefully shipping will be fast.

 

[cenix]

I find the Science reviews to be almost completely useless. Don't mean to offend anyone here by the way......It's just that User impressions and the "Feelings" Reviews are in my experience more reliable.
anyways.... Any suggestions for a balanced cable for these? My order is in....Hopefully shipping will be fast.

Did you order from their Linsoul website or from Amazon? If it's from the former, they offer a decent 2.5mm balanced cable for 20$(10$ discount because you are buying P1 too). Otherwise, you can always look for a cheaper one on Aliexpress, such as from here.

I think that you are too late for the Linsoul cable tho, since you already put down the order.

 

[captblaze]

I find the Science reviews to be almost completely useless. Don't mean to offend anyone here by the way......It's just that User impressions and the "Feelings" Reviews are in my experience more reliable.
anyways.... Any suggestions for a balanced cable for these? My order is in....Hopefully shipping will be fast.

I opted for the LCS09 in 4.4mm. made well and is a good length for portable use. was $20 off when ordering the P1s

 

[captblaze]

I would also like to let all those who are getting an PowerDAC v2 to try with the P1s. make sure you download and add the P1 profile. that is at the bottom of the PowerDAC v2 info page. wakes up the bass (although I took a few db off depending on the track I was listening to)

 

[518013]

Did you order from their Linsoul website or from Amazon? If it's from the former, they offer a decent 2.5mm balanced cable for 20$(10$ discount because you are buying P1 too). Otherwise, you can always look for a cheaper one on Aliexpress, such as from here.

I think that you are too late for the Linsoul cable tho, since you already put down the order.

I'll shop around for a good cable. Don't want to go too cheap, a pure copper cable 4.4mm should do well.

 

[roy_allan79]

I can't stress this enough: the p1 needs full-size headphone power. I have an PowerDAC v2 on the way as well, it's less power than the two main amps that I use with the p1 now - and there's a good chance that I may just use it as a DAC+EQ with the iOS/Android App that can send a balanced single to my XCAN which will then drive the p1.

I used the P1 with the X7 Mk II balanced. It powers if well. As opposed to the he400i, X7 Mk. II simply does not have the juice to make it sing. I think the A3 can handle the P1. The mojo did not even flinch while powering the P1.