[Ixion]

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What are your other purchases?  Inquiring minds want to know LOL

 
 
 
My Recent purchases are..
 
DT770 80 ohm
Matrix M-Stage
Sony MH1C
Swiss built ODAC
and the amp in this thread.
 
Currently scouring eBay for a 5.5 Gen Classic ipod and trying to keep away from any UM Merlin threads..
 
Happy days..

 

[Toe Tag]

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Yep the resistors tend to change the sound and for the worse usually... I even felt this in regards to dynamic IEMs so I can imagine how bad it would possibly sound on BA .
 

Yes, but my experience has been that using a desktop amp, many of which are designed to drive big headphones with high impedance, to drive IEMs, can also sound pretty bad. 
 
Note also that that resistor plug, was designed to let people take an etymotic ER4P and make it sound like an ER4S. These are some of the original BA IEMs, and the only difference is resistance. You can buy both IEMs, or you can buy the ER4P and buy ($18) or make an adapter to convert it onto an ER4S. http://www.fixup.net/tips/ety/ety.htm 
 
Of course I'm not going to do any of this, but lets not rush to judgment. In the case of the Etymotics it works fine. 
 
Anyway Lee730, I have thrown in with you as you can see in my sig and am going DACport LX -> Tralucent T1 (-> SpiralEar SE5) and am eager to take delivery and jack in. 

 

[lee730]

Nice! Looking forward to your impressions on the Spiral Ears. Those are like a dream IEM I'd like to get one day .
 

 

[Toe Tag]

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Nice! Looking forward to your impressions on the Spiral Ears. Those are like a dream IEM I'd like to get one day .
 

There are always new CIEM coming out. But SE5 is already a legend, and not many CIEM are silicone. I have only had mediocre sources driving them, but already they amaze me; that average_joe is right on in his assessment. http://www.head-fi.org/t/549298/review-appreciation-spiral-ear-se-5-way-reference-a-new-level-of-resolution-review-posted-5-15-12/ It will be a couple weeks but I am for sure looking forward to getting a proper DAC and amp driving them.

 

[nk77]

Quote:

Yes, but my experience has been that using a desktop amp, many of which are designed to drive big headphones with high impedance, to drive IEMs, can also sound pretty bad. 
 
Note also that that resistor plug, was designed to let people take an etymotic ER4P and make it sound like an ER4S. These are some of the original BA IEMs, and the only difference is resistance. You can buy both IEMs, or you can buy the ER4P and buy ($18) or make an adapter to convert it onto an ER4S. http://www.fixup.net/tips/ety/ety.htm 
 
Of course I'm not going to do any of this, but lets not rush to judgment. In the case of the Etymotics it works fine. 
 
Anyway Lee730, I have thrown in with you as you can see in my sig and am going DACport LX -> Tralucent T1 (-> SpiralEar SE5) and am eager to take delivery and jack in. 

 
Nice SE 5-way! One of these days perhaps. So what DAC/AMP are you looking at? Perhaps a comparison could be made with the T1 - have you bought the T1 also?

 

[Toe Tag]

Quote:

Nice SE 5-way! One of these days perhaps. So what DAC/AMP are you looking at? Perhaps a comparison could be made with the T1 - have you bought the T1 also?

Hi yeah I put it in my sig... Synology DS1512+ -> hackintosh -> DACport LX -> Tralucent T1 -> Spiral Ear 5-way.
 
When I get it I can only compare it to the Clip+, the Sparrow, and the Compass. The Clip+ in many ways sounds better than the others, which are desktop amps and seem to work poorly with the low (and variable) (and unmeasured/unstated) impedance of the SE5. The T1 impedance is 0.1 ohm so it should do great with low impedance IEMs.

 

[Mimouille]

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The sound stage has a whole whack of things in it. But in raw numbers, the T1 posts a smaller stereo image than the DX100 does. There is also a bit more distortion in the signal. The combination of those, however, is very helpful to the ear. Tighter stereo images help your brain relate left and right better. Sussing wider signals is harder, takes time to adapt to, especially with headphones. But again, in all benchmarks, the DX100 is without peer. It's just that that sound may NOT be for you. It is probably not for everyone, the reason, in fact, that HIFiman and Colorfly design circuits with much more distortion and generally less resolution in them.
 
DX100 is brute force performance, generally bowling everything down. 
 
The T1 is a high-performance amp that bowls its competition down but retains a wonderful mix of mellifluence and cohesion that is only possible with a signal that allows some exceptions. 

Hello,
 
Thank you for enlightning me on the subject. If I am listening to you, no portable (or semi-portable) amp could upgrade my rig (DX100 + Miracle). I was considering the T1, or the Portaphile 627, the Triad L3, or the Apex Glacier (better portability). Is the DX100 better than them all according to you ?
 
Thanks

 

[shigzeo]

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Hello,
 
Thank you for enlightning me on the subject. If I am listening to you, no portable (or semi-portable) amp could upgrade my rig (DX100 + Miracle). I was considering the T1, or the Portaphile 627, the Triad L3, or the Apex Glacier (better portability). Is the DX100 better than them all according to you ?
 
Thanks

Technically, the DX100's output is excellent. But, if you are searching for something to add to it, you might enjoy the addition of an amp. All of those amps have flavours of their own. The T1 makes an excellent companion, and adds some sweat (icing, not bucket) to an otherwise completely flat experience. The T1 has a bit better control of high volumes through almost every headphone, but then those volumes shouldn't be approached by human ears. 
 
The T1 sits handsomely against the DX100. I recommend the combination if you are looking for something extra in your DX100. But technically, the DX100 doesn't need an amp. 

 

[3nenbgumi]

Have anybody got an opportunity to listen to both the T1 and the Arrow 4G? If you have, could you please make a brieft comparison? Both are under my consideration right now, with a slight edge to the T1 due to its plethora of included accessories, cheaper price and better CS from Gavin, but I'd like to hear some opinions before making the purchase. Only one will emerge victorious, as there is no way on earth I can afford both.
 
Btw, my portable rig consists of a Sony Z1050 and a pair of ACS T1 Live!. Also I haven't come across any white-faceplated T1s, do they exist?

 

[lee730]

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Have anybody got an opportunity to listen to both the T1 and the Arrow 4G? If you have, could you please make a brieft comparison? Both are under my consideration right now, with a slight edge to the T1 due to its plethora of included accessories, cheaper price and better CS from Gavin, but I'd like to hear some opinions before making the purchase. Only one will emerge victorious, as there is no way on earth I can afford both.
 
Btw, my portable rig consists of a Sony Z1050 and a pair of ACS T1 Live!. Also I haven't come across any white-faceplated T1s, do they exist?

Well going from their Arrow 3G alone, my UHA4 crushed it. The arrow pretty much only has the advantage in features. Not in sound quality. So if you are after purely sound quality then go for the T1. If you just want features over sound quality, go for the Arrow 4G.

 

[3nenbgumi]

Thanks lee, you pretty much lured me into buying the T1 now  

. Not really after those features that I'm not going to use 99% of the times 

 

[Ixion]

My T1 turned up today, very happy with the little device, looking forward to my dog walk in the morning now...
 

 

[3nenbgumi]

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My T1 turned up today, very happy with the little device, looking forward to my dog walk in the morning now...
 

Edited.

 

[lee730]

I didn't get charged duties either. To be honest its kinda an oxymoron to pay duties on items from China (it usually just doesn't happen . But I think Heir will be an exception to that rule....

 

 

[Ixion]

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If I'm not wrong then it took about 4 working days to arrive from Hong Kong right? Did you get hit with any taxes and duties? Gavin assured me that he'd work on the declaration, but I figured I'd just ask to be on the safe side.
So pumped up about the T1 now. Cannot afford them yet as I haven't got my part time job pay, but Gavin agreed to set aside one of the few last units in stock for me to pick up before the end of Jan. Heck, I might just borrow some cash, make the purchase first and deal with the consequences later.

Ordered on the 9th and arrived on the 16th, spent 3 days in UK customs also parcel force delivered an M-Stage amp at the same time, fortunately no customs or vat charges on either.

 
Gavins communication though the whole process was second to none, highly delighted with Tralucent audio..