[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

Primary source is a smart phone

Me:

 
Hmm seems strange to develop an expensive iem like Hunter with smartphones as the tuning reference.
 
PS: Pono player has an output impedance of 3.25 ohm single ended and 6.5 ohm balanced, so it really isn't a great dap for multi BA iems as it will usually alter their FR. But I'd never sell my Pono, sounds bloody fantastic with the right headphone, there is some serious engineering inside that thing, discrete thin film transistor Class A amp section and IV conversion, 2,000uF capacitance on the power rails, it's really a one of a kind dap.

 

[Xamdou]

I was expecting Bob to use something from Astell &Kern
I guess I am under the impression that everyone in the forum is richer than me 

 

 

[Midgetguy]

If it sounds good out of a smartphone, I'd think that it will probably sound even better out of a nice DAP. At least that's my logic anyway.

 

[Walderstorn]

  Me:

 
Hmm seems strange to develop an expensive iem like Hunter with smartphones as the tuning reference.
 
PS: Pono player has an output impedance of 3.25 ohm single ended and 6.5 ohm balanced, so it really isn't a great dap for multi BA iems as it will usually alter their FR. But I'd never sell my Pono, sounds bloody fantastic with the right headphone, there is some serious engineering inside that thing, discrete thin film transistor Class A amp section and IV conversion, 2,000uF capacitance on the power rails, it's really a one of a kind dap.

 
Yes very strange but also a bit logic since most of the buyers dont use very advanced sources. Is good to know that he doesnt assume most of us use 500 euro daps.

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

 
Yes very strange but also a bit logic since most of the buyers dont use very advanced sources. Is good to know that he doesnt assume most of us use 500 euro daps.

 
For the less expensive models yes, probably most buyers of Sabre don't have expensive daps. But logically most buyers of an expensive iem like Hunter would also have expensive daps, so stands to reason Hunter is better of tested on said daps.

 

[Bobtrinity]

@Bobtrinity
 can you answer this question for me please.

Sorry I missed that question. You will need 2 sadly.

 

[Bobtrinity]

If it sounds good out of a smartphone, I'd think that it will probably sound even better out of a nice DAP. At least that's my logic anyway.

And your logic is perfect.

If you can drive from a smartphone the only way is up.

 

[Bobtrinity]

For the less expensive models yes, probably most buyers of Sabre don't have expensive daps. But logically most buyers of an expensive iem like Hunter would also have expensive daps, so stands to reason Hunter is better of tested on said daps.

We have desk top rigs and full size gear too, we are just buying a new acoustic research dap to cover that "high end " but I have tested on gear from £100 to £1000+ portable gear and the differences are not giant and when there is an audible difference it's not major and usually for the better.

Reality is that we test on a range of things but they have to sound good in a smart phone as more of our customer's use that as a source than high end gear.

 

[Walderstorn]

   
For the less expensive models yes, probably most buyers of Sabre don't have expensive daps. But logically most buyers of an expensive iem like Hunter would also have expensive daps, so stands to reason Hunter is better of tested on said daps.

 
Since the sound also varies within the DAP world i dont feel it as a need since the gear is also desktop-tested. I understand what you are saying but i dont feel its fundamental in any shape or form since whichever high-end DAP he would use it wouldnt be the DAP most people had, so its better to make it sound better from the low-end from the get-go so the only way is upwards after that.

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

Well in the end your right, daps sound different to one another so it's hard to cater for everyone with tuning of an iem even using an expensive dap. So the best bet is to use a wide range of gear to test. From my experience, something like the Sony Z5 sounds pretty different out of a phone vs a powerful dap. From a phone the bass is lean, from a powerful dap the bass is thunderous, so I would be worried about the tuning of an iem if phones were the primary tuning reference, some iems take on their sources characteristics quite aggressively, others don't, Bob said there wasn't a large variation between sources tested so should be alright, although I dunno if that applies to all his iems including Hunter. As long as Bob tests Hunter on a wide range of gear I'm happy, I hope he gets the AR M2 soon though, keep the phone tuning for the lower models, Hunter wants the M2 

 

 

[Walderstorn]

I think the range is the most important thing and as long as he keeps doing it and even increasing the sources im happy. The wider the range, bigger the probability it will match with what i have or need.

 

[Bobtrinity]

  Well in the end your right, daps sound different to one another so it's hard to cater for everyone with tuning of an iem even using an expensive dap. So the best bet is to use a wide range of gear to test. From my experience, something like the Sony Z5 sounds pretty different out of a phone vs a powerful dap. From a phone the bass is lean, from a powerful dap the bass is thunderous, so I would be worried about the tuning of an iem if phones were the primary tuning reference, some iems take on their sources characteristics quite aggressively, others don't, Bob said there wasn't a large variation between sources tested so should be alright, although I dunno if that applies to all his iems including Hunter. As long as Bob tests Hunter on a wide range of gear I'm happy, I hope he gets the AR M2 soon though, keep the phone tuning for the lower models, Hunter wants the M2 

 

The wait for my M20 is killing me, not been so excited for a new dap in a very long time

 

[T.R.A.N.C.E.]

The wait for my M2 is killing me, not been so excited for a new dap in a very long time

 
M2 is a powerhouse, besides increasing quality of the sound I wouldn't be surprised if you found the M2 to make the Hunter more bassy and less trebly, so I hope you will account for this in the tuning of the Hunter, aka making sure bass stays under control and that treble isn't recessed etc, as most likely people ordering Hunter have such daps or at least are hoping to upgrade to such daps, you know anyone spending that much on an iem has the bug and it's not long before they splurge on an equivalent dap!

 

[glassmonkey]

 

 
Yes very strange but also a bit logic since most of the buyers dont use very advanced sources. Is good to know that he doesnt assume most of us use 500 euro daps.

 
For the less expensive models yes, probably most buyers of Sabre don't have expensive daps. But logically most buyers of an expensive iem like Hunter would also have expensive daps, so stands to reason Hunter is better of tested on said daps.

I agree completely, with Bob needing to test on better DAPs as well as testing on phones. Bob should be using some of that Kickstarter money to go get himself a Opus #1 DAP. The OPUS #1 is extremely transparent, has a neutral signature and includes a balanced out from a fully balanced topology. In other words, it is pretty ideal for testing out IEMs. It also costs a fraction of what an Astell & Kern does and costs less than the Onkyo DP-X1 which has similar features. I also found the Trinity Atlas had great synergy with it.

 

[Bobtrinity]

   
M2 is a powerhouse, besides increasing quality of the sound I wouldn't be surprised if you found the M2 to make the Hunter more bassy and less trebly, so I hope you will account for this in the tuning of the Hunter, aka making sure bass stays under control and that treble isn't recessed etc, as most likely people ordering Hunter have such daps or at least are hoping to upgrade to such daps, you know anyone spending that much on an iem has the bug and it's not long before they splurge on an equivalent dap!

I have already listened to M2 so I know what to expect and found none of what your saying to my ears. 
 
I am actually waiting on M2 not M20.....losing my marbles